The bollard in my car parking space failed. The rechargeable lead acid battery had worn out. I just could not get my bollard up. As I mentioned to the company, it only lasted five years. As they mentioned to me, five years for the battery is a good innings.
A replacement battery would cost about $85 including postage. I was mulling it over and then I received a generic email that the company would be closed until 12th January. This cost was a good bit more than we paid five years ago. But prices have risen with everything.
I went into town to Jaycar, where I know the staff are very helpful. They had the appropriate battery but without the wires to plug it in. The battery was only $30. If I could solder, I could connect the wires myself. I saw my father solder, and the first thing you need is a soldering iron, which I don't have. I think you brush the soldering area with spirits of something and then drop the molten solder onto where you want to join.
Jaycar man suggested a company called AMT, and it was short walk away in the old Argus building, where Fire Fighting Nephew once did some urban exploration when the building was abandoned. That company did not have the battery and suggested I visit Jaycar. I explained about the battery and staff said he could solder the wires onto the Jaycan battery, so back I went and bought the battery and returned to have the wires soldered to the battery. I thought it would cost $10-$20, and stupid old man did not ask the cost of soldering earlier. I forget the soldering cost, about $60 I think. Anyway the cost ended up being about the same as I had just ordered it originally online from the bollard company.
I felt like such as stupid old man. Then it got worse. Phyllis' father is an electrical engineer and Phyllis said, Andrew, I know how to solder electronics. You could have bought the cheapest electric soldering iron and I could have soldered the wires.
There you go. Me after a lifetime of being frugal with money tried to save some money with quite a bit of effort, and I absolutely failed. I could kick myself.
This evening it is very cool out on the balcony, with a fair breeze and my arms have goosebumps, although the weather bureau says it it 18/65. It's hard to believe in two days time the temperature will be 41/106. I guess I won't be going out on that day.
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I did not know what a bollard was but you did say that you could not get it up. I looked it up and not at all what I thought it was.
ReplyDeleteDon't bother kicking yourself, I've done the same and don't even ask me how much each piece of pottery that I make costs me:)
There were a number of key words I didn't know *sigh*. However my brothers would have understood the entire discussion!
DeletePixie, I can't possibly imagine what else you may have thought I was talking about. All I had to do was ask the price of the soldering in advance, and I would have made a very different decision. I will take a video of my bollard rising and falling once it is again working.
DeleteOh Andrew, I'm not so sure I want to see your bollard going up and down:)
DeleteLike Nurse Pixie, I was also confused about your bollard and requiring a battery and some soldering to get it up. The main question that you failed to address was this: Did the new battery and the soldering work on the inactive bollard?
ReplyDeleteYP, I did not pick the battery up until this morning and it is still charging. See my last sentence in my reply to Pixie, above.
DeleteOh, those bollards can be quite problematic so I'm told.
ReplyDeleteThankfully I don't have any.
JayCee, they can become dysfunctional. No, I can't imagine you'd have any need for a bollard.
DeleteI have no idea what a bollard is. lol I'll look it up.
ReplyDeleteOh! Our city just installed some of these downtown. They surround a common area where our farmers' market was held this summer.
Meanwhile, this sort of mistake, whether costing money or time, is a regular thing for me. ~rolls eyes~ Be well!
Darla, it isn't quite like the ones you may have seen after they were installed. A video will come.
DeleteFor an old” “rich man “ you are quite miserly Andrew BUT cents and sense build dollars and it was a good exercise for your brain….. and you did exercise as well so all in all you should be pleased with yourself
ReplyDeleteAnon, I try hard not to be but a lifetime of habits is hard to change. I am much better at spending larger amounts of money, and I certainly have in the last year, most of it necessary, if not essential and there is more to do. We became rather slack over the last few years with keeping things up to a decent standard.
DeleteNem sempre conseguimos resolver as coisas como melhor nos convém.
ReplyDeleteÉ a vida.
Abraço de amizade.
Juvenal Nunes
Thank you Juvenal, and you are quite correct.
DeleteI wondered if I was in a nsfw place when you were talking about not being able to get your b*****d up. But I just hope you're fine now
ReplyDeleteBoud, my bollard is not quite right yet, with the battery charging. I will soon see. The last thing I want to do is get in a professional to help.
DeleteThere's no point kicking yourself, thousands of others would have done the same thing, or waited until the original company opened again.
ReplyDeleteWhat you need to do now is ask Phyllis and Kosov about any other skills they may have that can be useful in the future. And buy a soldering iron. Just in case. I've got a whole bunch of tools that I have bought "just in case". I've never needed more than a hammer and screwdriver, but I've got stuff just in case.
River, asking Phyllis to do it would have been a disaster. He may know how, and perhaps done it, but nothing like that is ever simple with him. I managed to live without a soldering iron for my whole life. That is one tool I am not buying. I do have quite a lot of tools. I must show you my tool box, rather boxes.
DeleteCount me as someone not knowing anything about bollards. I had to go to the internet--well, the internet outside Blogger--to know what you were talking about, but I'm more educated now.
ReplyDeleteKirk, maybe they another more recognisable name, like a post. I don't know. I'll show you my bollard in good time.
DeleteI know nothing about bollards. Thank you so much for sharing ❤️
ReplyDeleteLinda, I bet there are plenty of bollards around your city.
DeleteI confess I don't know what a bollard is but don't beat yourself up. You've learned some things in this process and you're ready for the next time. Your weather is as crazy as ours is here in Missouri USA, it's not so hot here though.
ReplyDeleteDeb, I find your weather a bit strange. It can get so hot and humid yet perhaps you can even get snow? At least one burst of successive hot days here is no unusual each summer.
DeleteYour story is a quietly familiar reminder that even a lifetime of careful thrift cannot always outmanoeuvre timing, rising costs, and hindsight, and that such small domestic misadventures sit oddly but poignantly alongside the abrupt swing from a cool evening breeze to the promise of oppressive heat in just a few days.
ReplyDeleteRoentare, hindsight is a wonderful thing, and I wish I could learn more with hindsight.
DeleteWell at least you tried and it's often the case what happened to you - in a week or two you won't know you spent the money, Andrew.
ReplyDeleteThat's quite true Margaret, and I hope I will have learnt a lesson.
DeleteReally? No one knows what a bollard is. They've prolifirated stopping you parking in certain car bays and used to preveñt ramraiding of shops.
ReplyDeleteAussiebel, I am a bit surprised too. I am sure many people know them, just not the name.
DeleteI'm glad you got your bollard sorted out. What a nuisance. I like decorative bollards.
ReplyDeleteJB, they don't have be only functional, but can be attractive too.
DeleteCould you take a photo of the bollard arrangement? I have no idea what you are talking about.
ReplyDeleteMy question is why you have or need a bollard in a your parking space in the garage at the building?
ReplyDeleteTo stop people parking in his space.
DeleteTP, as Aussiebel says.
DeleteDon't kick yourself, we've all gone down that road. And now you know Phyllis can help you out if you need soldering done in the future.
ReplyDeleteSandra, quite true.
DeleteI don't think that people have bollards for their own parking space in a lot here. People do put them in their driveways to stop car thieves if they have high end cars.
ReplyDeleteThat was me, Andrew. I must have pushed the wrong button.
DeletePat, they are not that common for private parking but good for us, our space is very conveniently next to the building entrance. Other people have seen this as very convenient too.
DeleteTrying to make a saving and getting caught in the detail isn't being a stupid old man, it's just a thing that happens. Your careful mindset will have saved you thousands over your life, one mistake is just a casualty of not knowing all there is to know about everything.
ReplyDeleteMy father, brother and ex all had some electrical training and did their own electrical work so when i recently paid $700 to install two lights ( i had purchased the lights already so they are not in the price) I realised just how valuable those skills are.