"Why Are Japanese Homes Disposable?"

[matsuki]

Must be like how Anime isn't the same as Cartoons, Kicchin is definitely not the same as Kitchen in Japan...

[kurogane]

Yeah, I saw it in the title, they both said "Kicchin-tsuki", but I didn't see it either.

And yet, it does:

http://en.rocketnews24.com/2014/03/08/r ... od-reason/

Here's the English version. Lots of still pictures of the hovel. The kitchen picture is about halfway. The tone is much more "Oh, Those Silly Japanese" hipster ironic than that nice neutrality and respect shown by the interviewer, but the pictures certainly show what a mental patient the guy is. He has chosen used manga and old porn over cooked food, not to mention a working standing bath should the sento seem too far that day. That really is all quite sad.

BTW, they are arguing that 25,000 per month is dirt cheap, which only shows why clueless foreign pseudo-journos should stick to their usual mantra of Repeat After Me, Toshi. They reinforce the Japan is Expensive crap, as expected, but 25,000 is not really that cheap for that room (no bath), though it is on a Yamanote station, so it's hardly a ripoff. Cleaned up it would actually be quite habitable.

I wish they would call the interventionists and get the guy some help.

[matsuki]

Sorta on topic question but are they still not putting grounded plugs into new homes?

These:



I know everything is made of plastic these days but still...

[wagyl]

Sorta on topic question but are they still not putting grounded plugs into new homes?

Yes.

You really should avoid negative questions.

But the fact that you are hotlinking from a site related to domestic electrical inspections in New Jersey might have been a clue for you.

[Wage Slave]

Except for 100V/200V aircon sockets. The 100V microwave socket in the kitchen, 100V washlet sockets, Water heater socket and 100v washing machine socket in the bathroom all have a screw terminal earth cleverly making the earth an optional extra while power is applied. No point in being authoritarian about these things - Silly Europeans with their gates and longer than live earth pins that force an earth connection before power can be applied. Same goes for being dictatorial about active and neutral.

[matsuki]

[Coligny]

Except for 100V/200V aircon sockets. The 100V microwave socket in the kitchen, 100V washlet sockets, Water heater socket and 100v washing machine socket in the bathroom all have a screw terminal earth cleverly making the earth an optional extra while power is applied. No point in being authoritarian about these things - Silly Europeans with their gates and longer than live earth pins that force an earth connection before power can be applied. Same goes for being dictatorial about active and neutral.

And most of the time, these screw on earth connectors are not even plugged behind. In the clinic the earth is directly screwed on the nearest wood beam if any or just plain old nothing for concrete walls...

[Russell]

Except for 100V/200V aircon sockets. The 100V microwave socket in the kitchen, 100V washlet sockets, Water heater socket and 100v washing machine socket in the bathroom all have a screw terminal earth cleverly making the earth an optional extra while power is applied. No point in being authoritarian about these things - Silly Europeans with their gates and longer than live earth pins that force an earth connection before power can be applied. Same goes for being dictatorial about active and neutral.

Speaking of neutral, what color wire here is typically used for neutral?

In my house it appears to be white. Is this common?

[Yokohammer]

Except for 100V/200V aircon sockets. The 100V microwave socket in the kitchen, 100V washlet sockets, Water heater socket and 100v washing machine socket in the bathroom all have a screw terminal earth cleverly making the earth an optional extra while power is applied. No point in being authoritarian about these things - Silly Europeans with their gates and longer than live earth pins that force an earth connection before power can be applied. Same goes for being dictatorial about active and neutral.

Speaking of neutral, what color wire here is typically used for neutral?

In my house it appears to be white. Is this common?

Yes, that's standard.
White is neutral, black is live.

I'm used to black (or green) being ground though, so it confused me at first.

[Russell]

Thanks Hammer, I'll keep that in mind.

I am currently in the process of doing some rewiring. Lights in staircase and lights in 2nd floor hallway are in different circuits. Trying to unify them, so that I can switch off the lights at the second floor from the bottom of the stairs (damn kids, for always keeping the 2nd floor lights on).

Two circuits means two power sources, which can conflict, so I must take out one. One circuit has two switches, and one has three. I roughly mapped out which wires go where; now I only have to locate the power sources.

[yanpa]

Except for 100V/200V aircon sockets. The 100V microwave socket in the kitchen, 100V washlet sockets, Water heater socket and 100v washing machine socket in the bathroom all have a screw terminal earth cleverly making the earth an optional extra while power is applied.

I've got sockets like the ones pictured in the kitchen area (including the ones on the counter) and the bathroom. Everywhere else are bog-standard 2-prongs. Never thought to look before.

However the builders did skimp a bit on the number of outlets, especially upstairs.

[Coligny]

Thanks Hammer, I'll keep that in mind.

I am currently in the process of doing some rewiring. Lights in staircase and lights in 2nd floor hallway are in different circuits. Trying to unify them, so that I can switch off the lights at the second floor from the bottom of the stairs (damn kids, for always keeping the 2nd floor lights on).

Two circuits means two power sources, which can conflict, so I must take out one. One circuit has two switches, and one has three. I roughly mapped out which wires go where; now I only have to locate the power sources.

I can have your stuff when you electrocute yourself ?

[Russell]

Thanks Hammer, I'll keep that in mind.

I am currently in the process of doing some rewiring. Lights in staircase and lights in 2nd floor hallway are in different circuits. Trying to unify them, so that I can switch off the lights at the second floor from the bottom of the stairs (damn kids, for always keeping the 2nd floor lights on).

Two circuits means two power sources, which can conflict, so I must take out one. One circuit has two switches, and one has three. I roughly mapped out which wires go where; now I only have to locate the power sources.

I can have your stuff when you electrocute yourself ?

Three windsurf boards and a grand piano, anyone?!?

[Wage Slave]

Thanks Hammer, I'll keep that in mind.

I am currently in the process of doing some rewiring. Lights in staircase and lights in 2nd floor hallway are in different circuits. Trying to unify them, so that I can switch off the lights at the second floor from the bottom of the stairs (damn kids, for always keeping the 2nd floor lights on).

Two circuits means two power sources, which can conflict, so I must take out one. One circuit has two switches, and one has three. I roughly mapped out which wires go where; now I only have to locate the power sources.

Coligny's comment is well taken. Even though 100V is fairly safe and there will almost certainly be an earth leakage detector be extremely careful. Never assume something is not live. Always test it. The following is for your consideration and only represents my inexpert thoughts on the problem.

Are you going to wire it so that the lights upstairs can be turned off or on from either downstairs or up? If so, it seems to me you would need to get two, three way switches and fit one with the existing switches downstairs and one with the switches upstairs. As you said you will need to work out at which switch the supply enters the hall light circuit upstairs and disconnect that supply at the switch (and make safe of course). Then run a twin core cable between the two traveller connections of the new downstairs switch to the two on the new upstairs switch. Then connect the common of the upstairs 3 way switch to the hot side of an upstairs switch and finally connect the common of the downstairs switch to the hot side of any downstairs switch.

Now all the lights will be on one breaker and you will be able to turn off all the lights from downstairs with your new switch. If the kids then want to turn them back on they will either have to do so from downstairs or flick the new switch upstairs and then upstairs will work normally again. If there is anything in the way of sockets or other lights in the circuit after the hall lights then they will now be on the new circuit too which might might not be convenient and might start to raise questions about capacity. You could work out which switch has the supply running off to the rest of the circuit disconnect it and connect it to the supply you disconnected earlier. You might well get lucky and find that the hall lights are on their own string and don't affect anything else or the switch with supply in is also the host for supply out to the non hall light bits of the circuit. In that case just connect the disconnected supply to the supply out.

All that assumes that the hall light switches have been wired in a little string that might or might not then go off to feed other things. If not then it gets more difficult. Not in theory, but in practice.

[Wage Slave]

Except for 100V/200V aircon sockets. The 100V microwave socket in the kitchen, 100V washlet sockets, Water heater socket and 100v washing machine socket in the bathroom all have a screw terminal earth cleverly making the earth an optional extra while power is applied.

I've got sockets like the ones pictured in the kitchen area (including the ones on the counter) and the bathroom. Everywhere else are bog-standard 2-prongs. Never thought to look before.

However the builders did skimp a bit on the number of outlets, especially upstairs.

Aha! Progress of a sort. Except that the appliance you buy, if earthed, will probably have a flying earth lead. Or has that changed too? I haven't bought a microwave or washing machine for 7 years or so.

[yanpa]

Except for 100V/200V aircon sockets. The 100V microwave socket in the kitchen, 100V washlet sockets, Water heater socket and 100v washing machine socket in the bathroom all have a screw terminal earth cleverly making the earth an optional extra while power is applied.

I've got sockets like the ones pictured in the kitchen area (including the ones on the counter) and the bathroom. Everywhere else are bog-standard 2-prongs. Never thought to look before.

However the builders did skimp a bit on the number of outlets, especially upstairs.

Aha! Progress of a sort. Except that the appliance you buy, if earthed, will probably have a flying earth lead. Or has that changed too? I haven't bought a microwave or washing machine for 7 years or so.

The washing machine (2006 vintage) does indeed have a flying earth lead, and the double socket in the bathroom is equipped for both that and the prong. The microwave of the same vintage has evidently never been introduced to the whole third wire thing.

[matsuki]

Thanks Hammer, I'll keep that in mind.

I am currently in the process of doing some rewiring. Lights in staircase and lights in 2nd floor hallway are in different circuits. Trying to unify them, so that I can switch off the lights at the second floor from the bottom of the stairs (damn kids, for always keeping the 2nd floor lights on).

Two circuits means two power sources, which can conflict, so I must take out one. One circuit has two switches, and one has three. I roughly mapped out which wires go where; now I only have to locate the power sources.

Coligny's comment is well taken. Even though 100V is fairly safe and there will almost certainly be an earth leakage detector be extremely careful. Never assume something is not live. Always test it. The following is for your consideration and only represents my inexpert thoughts on the problem.

Are you going to wire it so that the lights upstairs can be turned off or on from either downstairs or up? If so, it seems to me you would need to get two, three way switches and fit one with the existing switches downstairs and one with the switches upstairs. As you said you will need to work out at which switch the supply enters the hall light circuit upstairs and disconnect that supply at the switch (and make safe of course). Then run a twin core cable between the two traveller connections of the new downstairs switch to the two on the new upstairs switch. Then connect the common of the upstairs 3 way switch to the hot side of an upstairs switch and finally connect the common of the downstairs switch to the hot side of any downstairs switch.

Now all the lights will be on one breaker and you will be able to turn off all the lights from downstairs with your new switch. If the kids then want to turn them back on they will either have to do so from downstairs or flick the new switch upstairs and then upstairs will work normally again. If there is anything in the way of sockets or other lights in the circuit after the hall lights then they will now be on the new circuit too which might might not be convenient and might start to raise questions about capacity. You could work out which switch has the supply running off to the rest of the circuit disconnect it and connect it to the supply you disconnected earlier. You might well get lucky and find that the hall lights are on their own string and don't affect anything else or the switch with supply in is also the host for supply out to the non hall light bits of the circuit. In that case just connect the disconnected supply to the supply out.

All that assumes that the hall light switches have been wired in a little string that might or might not then go off to feed other things. If not then it gets more difficult. Not in theory, but in practice.

....or just get one of those light fixtures with motion sensors built in? (or a remote, many come with those nowadays)

[Coligny]

....or just get one of those light fixtures with motion sensors built in? (or a remote, many come with those nowadays)

They are awesome... unless you got cats...
Then you hate your life a little more every night... every sleepless night...

[Wage Slave]

New fixtures with motion sensors are a great idea. A bit pricey but very neat. What about switches with motion sensors - Are they available? Or switches with a timer? They are available with 5, 10 or 15 minute delay and cost about 3,500 each.

Remotes could also work well but they likely can't be the usual infra-red as you need a line of sight. You might be able to find wireless, but again the cost might be prohibitive.

[kurogane]

Well, this is certainly an electrifying discussion................

[Coligny]

New fixtures with motion sensors are a great idea. A bit pricey but very neat. What about switches with motion sensors - Are they available? Or switches with a timer? They are available with 5, 10 or 15 minute delay and cost about 3,500 each.

Remotes could also work well but they likely can't be the usual infra-red as you need a line of sight. You might be able to find wireless, but again the cost might be prohibitive.

Ehmmm... Lightbulb with IR trigger:

http://dx.com/p/fengyang-014-pir-infrar ... x5Z7F7MiMg

sku_289186_3.jpg

(also available at Kahma)

Or IR sensor switch (3 wires for easy daisy chaining):

http://dx.com/p/wall-mount-automatic-ir ... x5aZl7MiMg

sku_109158_1.jpg

In the 10/15 bucks range...

[wagyl]

One day, someone needs to explain that Kahma has a very localised catchment, and the name means nothing to those who have nothing to do with Chubu (and most of the people in Chubu will recommend that you have nothing to do with Chubu).

[Coligny]

One day, someone needs to explain that Kahma has a very localised catchment, and the name means nothing to those who have nothing to do with Chubu (and most of the people in Chubu will recommend that you have nothing to do with Chubu).

Hey, crab, get off my dick will ya.

You are the only moron here that can't replace Kahma with "run of the mill hardware store" without making a statement about it.

What's your issue ? your mother refused to breastfeed you when you were a pup ? Tried getting laid lately ? We can setup a donation coinbank if you need help with money for a hooker...

[Wage Slave]

However the builders did skimp a bit on the number of outlets, especially upstairs.

It is easy and cheap to increase to number of sockets at each outlet to 3. Not perfect of course, but it might help.

[Wage Slave]

Ehmmm... Lightbulb with IR trigger:

Or IR sensor switch (3 wires for easy daisy chaining):

The lightbulbs are an easy solution for sure - assuming they fit the fixtures and won't overheat which is likely but not certain with some pelmet fittings.

I still would prefer Panasonic timer switches set to 5 minutes as they are so easy to slot into the existing switch fittings, look the part, are easy to use and are super reliable. Foolproof Moronproof is always a plus in my household.

[matsuki]

However the builders did skimp a bit on the number of outlets, especially upstairs.

It is easy and cheap to increase to number of sockets at each outlet to 3. Not perfect of course, but it might help.

I've seen those before, makes sense...but I'm guessing what Yanpa wants is the actual outlets in different locations. (the rats nest of extension cords and splitters in some home here are amazing)

Sorta on topic but while redoing the temple kitchen, lemur's father insisted on using the local daikusan for at least something...he's a temple okyaku and all that...so I figured the oven hood would be good since it was out of my way and pretty damn simple. Dude mounted it all nice...but then wanted us to pay him to install a new electrical outlet behind the hood (I designed an L-shaped kitchen and the old oven would have been in the corner if I didn't move it over some, a bit away from the old outlet and hole in the wall) He started making some crazy expensive list of all the shit he would need and how much time it would take cause it was so difficult, all the while saying "It's the only way." Since we were already adding some bulk to the wall on top of the hood, extended to the wall (to cover up the exhaust vent) and papering it up, I grabbed an old 1M extension cord, plugged it in to the existing outlet, then to the hood...and showed him how it wouldn't be visible if routed with the exhaust tubing. After I knocked down his first two complaints about the extension cable, he gave up. (I don't think he likes me.) Making friends, making friends...though he was really impressed with the final product.

[wagyl]

One day, someone needs to explain that Kahma has a very localised catchment, and the name means nothing to those who have nothing to do with Chubu (and most of the people in Chubu will recommend that you have nothing to do with Chubu).

Hey, crab, get off my dick will ya.

You are the only moron here that can't replace Kahma with "run of the mill hardware store" without making a statement about it.

What's your issue ? your mother refused to breastfeed you when you were a pup ? Tried getting laid lately ? We can setup a donation coinbank if you need help with money for a hooker...

Well, that was an interesting experiment.

The first time I have responded in four months (and when I say month, I mean a period of around 30 days, not a week, unlike some), did it with civility, and apparently that means I have been on his dick. I must be some kind of a superstar to have even found it, it is so small and shrivelled.

Don't worry, members of this board. My curiosity is satisfied. I do not need to repeat the experiment.

[Coligny]

Well, that was an interesting experiment.

The first time I have responded in four months

So, by your own admission, you were being an asshole on purpose ...

The butthurt is strong... Cry me a river(*) and get the UN involved while you're at it. They really need something irrelevant to look like they are too busy to do something in Ukraine.

The same way you don't need to swear to insult someone.(but it's much, much, much more fun)
Pedantic Jackassery is not civility.

Don't worry, members of this board. My curiosity is satisfied. I do not need to repeat the experiment.

I'd say that's good enough... Now, excuse me but for once we managed to stay on topic for more than 5 posts in a thread... let's try to keep it that way... You should make your own "Butthurt Club" or something though... Never waste a good occasion at self righteousness...


(*) yeah, I didn't do the Crimea things... oups... sorry catch 22

[Russell]

Anyone knows some good home centers in the Kinki area?

[yanpa]

However the builders did skimp a bit on the number of outlets, especially upstairs.

It is easy and cheap to increase to number of sockets at each outlet to 3. Not perfect of course, but it might help.

I've seen those before, makes sense...but I'm guessing what Yanpa wants is the actual outlets in different locations.

Bingo.