Yesterday I decided it was time to do my winterizing. Looking at the weather forecast, it seems that next Thursday they are predicting freezing temperatures. One of the largest tasks is to shutdown and blow out the backyard irrigation system.
I shut off the water, disassembled the back flow preventer and installed the blow out fittings. I was all set, so I got the air compressor out of the garage and set it up. As soon as I started the compressor, I knew something was wrong. Turned out that the pressure regulator was no longer functioning. I could not regulate the outlet pressure, it just matched the tank pressure.
So started my information gathering on the Porter Cable 1 HP, 6 gallon, Model C2002 Type 5 pancake compressor. I've had this machine for several years and they have come out with Types 6,7,8 and 9 since I bought this one at Lowe's. To make a long story short (too late), I ordered a regulator repair kit through Amazon which should arrive on Tuesday. I don't know for sure if it is the correct kit. There seems to be a China version and a Taiwan version. My regulator has a "Made in China" label and the one pictured on Amazon shows it is from Taiwan. We will see. I decided I had nothing to loose, so I started taking the regulator apart. The most difficult part of the disassembly was getting the cosmetic face plate off the regulator. I ended up destroying it. I got the regulator apart and quickly determined the problem, a corroded piston. That was enough for the day.
This morning I got the piston and started cleaning it up. I got it to the point it seemed to be working properly. I reassembled the regulator and did not have any parts left over. I started the compressor and it seemed to work fine.
I restarted my work on the irrigation system and got all the zones blown free of water. This took about two hours.
I also installed the deicer on the pond (not sure it still works or not) and pulled out the three okra plants who had retired for the season.
I found the missing ear of T's March Hare. He must have lost it when he fell over at some point. I think I can glue it back on.
Morgan came over and we installed the new security light on the southeast corner of the garage. Morgan has had issues with people siphoning gasoline out of his vehicles. Hopefully this will help scare them off, or at least make it easier for them to see what they are doing. The light is motion activated with a dusk-to-dawn feature.
I still have several more winterizing items to accomplish over the next few days. I need to:
- Shut off and drain all the hose bibs
- Drain and bring inside all the garden hoses
- Bring in the sensitive plants
- Install the foam insulation on the sunroom ventilation system
- Harvest the peppadew
- Clean the sunroom heat pump screens
- Patch the limestone window sill where the bricks from the chimney hit
I also need to finalize the plans on getting a cap on the chimney this coming week.
