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train · 95.7k rows

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removing old bolts from brick wall I've got a rusty old downpipe on my external brick wall that needs replacing, however the bolts on the brackets don't seem to have useful heads. See photo: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B0HOZkGABny5a01DdEZmUkNXS2c/preview Any idea how I would get these out without ruining the wall? <Q> Cut the heads off using a reciprocating saw. <S> If you do it correctly, the bracket will prevent the blade from damaging the wall. <A> If there's enough to grab hold of you could try using a pair of locking pliers and unscrewing them. <S> The benefit is that you may not have to drill new holes for a new bracket. <S> If the screws are rusted out enough the whole assembly may come out in one piece, along with their mounting plugs. <S> Don't put too much pressure on though, you don't want to damage your wall! <S> Put a then piece of wood or plastic between the fulcrum of the crowbar and the wall to prevent any marks as well. <S> If neither of these works saw them off as @longneck says. <A> I got a look at the picture finally. <S> The bolts are drive pins, and the bracket has a slot that will allow the bracket to slide off to the side if you can get one removed I would guess. <S> The bracket looks pretty thick, whereas, if you ground one of the heads off with a small right angle grinder that would allow the other side to slide off from the side. <S> Then use vise grips to grab the head of the pin and rotate the pin, that should work it loose to remove it. <S> If that works then do the same to the other side you ground off. <S> But this wild be the way I would do it if the first try doesn't work. <S> First thing I would try is vibration. <S> Tap the pin like you are trying to drive it in more, since it will not, it will vibrate. <S> Vibration is the bane of masonry fasteners. <S> If the pin is set directly into the masonry, this may release its hold. <S> What I also see in the picture is a larger hole that the pin goes into. <S> This perhaps is filled with a wooden dowel then the pin is driven into that, forcing the dowel to split, or "grow" so to speak, grabbing the diameter of the hole harder so the pin will not withdraw. <S> If this is the case, grip the head of the pin and pull out with a slight twisting motion. <S> It may help to have a prybar with a fine edge, almost chisel like, to start under the head of the pin to help ease the pin out. <S> Again, if it is a wood dowel inserted into the larger hole under the bracket. <S> You may be able to check that by tapping a slim nail into the slot of the bracket, into the hole in the brick and see if it hits something hard or soft. <S> Hard bad, soft good. <S> If soft, you may be able to simply pry it all off with the same prybar I mentioned before.	You could also try to pry the bracket off with a crowbar.
What are the possible reasons I am not getting cold air from my air conditioner? my heat pump outside is working but my central air conditioning/heating unit in the garage makes a hissing sound or faint sound of water running. There is air coming from the vents. The very last time I used the heat, about a month ago the same thing happened but when I switched to air conditioning the last month, it worked until now. What are the possible problems? <Q> It could be frozen over and thus not cooling the air. <S> This same exact thing happened to us about 3 weeks ago. <S> We moved into a "new" house (new to us anyways, haha) and not many things were being taken care of well... in simple terms, a freeze-over like this can happen because the coil drain is clogged with dust particles and/or sludge. <S> This means there's no where for the condensate to go and leads to a frozen coil. <S> Hopes <S> this experience can help someone avoid a big maintenance bill in the future!To fix the issue, use a hair dryer or heat gun to melt the ice away. <S> DO NOT CHIP AWAY at the ice since the coils are very delicate and you could puncture one easily. <A> This is not something you can fix yourself. <S> Call for service. <A> This might be an easy fix. <S> Go look in your air conditioner, there will be a capacitor which is cylindrical shaped. <S> If it is puffed out or distorted in shape, it needs to be replaced. <S> You can replace this yourself. <S> My suggestion is to first take a picture of how the wires are connected <S> and it's simply plug and play. <S> Take the old capacitor to the supply house <S> so you get the right replacement.	It sounds like you are low on refrigerant or you have a failed compressor. If all is well with your outside unit, I would double-check your AC coil in the main unit indoors.
HoneyWell Wifi Thermostat and C wire I just bought the HoneyWell Wifi thermostat and so wanna use it. However my old Thermostat was battery powered and does not use the "C" wire. I opened up my panel and found that there were three unused wire. a brown color, an orange color and a blue color wire. One by one I plugged each into the "C" terminal of the honey well wifi thermostat (R, W, G are already plugged) but none of them worked. I tried plugging G into C but it didn't work (my cooling isn't gas or propane powered but is electric. Maybe that's why). The thermostat doesn't turn on.What should I do?Should I buy a 24V power adaptor and plug the power chord into C. I don't wanna do it as there would be a wire hanging outside thermostat. Do I have any other option? P.S I don't have a cooling circuit board. All I have is an on / off circuit breaker. <Q> I just got off the phone with Honeywell. <S> If you only have a 4-wire older system, you'll only be able to use the fan in the "auto" position. <S> It won't let you use the fan-only selection. <S> You need a 5th wire for power for the wi-fi side of the thermostat. <S> Call Honeywell <S> and they'll walk you through it for free. <A> You need to call an air conditioner company and have someone hook it up for you. <S> You need to go inside the air handler to connect the wire to the proper spot. <S> Doing it wrong may destroy the circuit board and require replacement. <S> That will be expensive. <S> Have them clean and check your system while they're there. <A> The C wire is the common wire... <S> ground wire. <S> You already have 24v ac going to the red wire. <S> If you have an extra wire connect it to the C at the thermostat and ground it at the transformer box in the AC unit. <S> To check, just put a voltmeter and put the red lead on the R and the black lead on the C. <S> You should get 24 to 29 VAC. <A> See this answer for more information. <S> Without knowing exactly what type of equipment you have, it's difficult to provide a more detailed answer. <A> It sounds like you are lucky to have extra wires not connected on either the thermostat side and the HVAC side. <S> The real question is: What voltage is the thermostat looking for at the "C" terminal? <S> I assume it needs to be always on so you can either connect the blue wire to the "C" terminal on the thermostat and the other end of the blue wire to the positive terminal of the 24volt transformer output, the "C" terminal (if there is one) or add the appropriate power supply at the HVAC system location which you can connect to the blue wire to power the thermostat. <S> I wish the Thermostat suppliers like Honeywell would just say what the voltage needs to be at the "C" terminal <S> so you know exactly what to do. <S> It doesn't even say it in the manual. <S> It simply says the "C" wire is needed to power the Wifi thermostat. <S> I think it is 24 volts (not 12V, 5v, etc) but it would be great if they would simply confirm this so you know what to do with the other end of the wire which is not connected to anything at the HVAC unit.	You have to connect the other end of one of the extra wires, to the C terminal in the heating/cooling unit. There should be no voltage on the C wire.
How can I unscrew my outdoor hose that is fused to the spigot? I don't know my own strength. It seems either my spigot or hose is stripped or they are fused together from corrosion. How can I unscrew the hose from the spigot? <Q> Connectors left in place for long periods can get fairly well glued together by corrosion or mineral deposits. <S> FYI pipe wrenches have angled jaws, to loosen you <S> want the jaw facing left when you use it, that way it wedges on rather than slipping off. <S> If you want to avoid marring the fitting try a bit of rubber between the wrench and the fitting. <S> Most folks have a rubber washing up glove that will work. <A> I would approach this like a stuck nut. <S> First, try more force. <S> A longer wrench will give you more leverage. <S> If that fails, try penetrating oil. <S> If that fails, try applying heat with a heat gun or blow torch. <S> Worst case, cut it off. <S> You won't know positively if it's stripped until you remove the hose. <S> If you are fairly certain that it is (or have another reason like the faucet leaks, is hard to use, etc.), you will need to replace the faucet anyways, so I wouldn't even bother trying to get the hose off and just replace the faucet. <A> Hacksawing across the threads will at least give you a spot to place a screwdriver in the slot you created. <S> With a hammer, tap the screwdriver so that you are driving the fitting in a counter clockwise direction. <S> Little by little you will loosen the fitting so it can be removed.	A pipe wrench should do the job.
How to build plastic prototype? I'm not sure if this is the place for this question but I couldn't find out any StackExchange website for this question so I'm posting it here. I always wondered how companies build the plastic chassis/form-factor for their products. I mean there are some very sophisticated shapes like calculators, monitors, remote-control car toys .. etc all of these products have plastic chassis with colors. How the companies build these? I mean I know there is 3D printing but as far as I know 3D printing is still at the early stages if I'm not mistaken. p.s. if you can suggest a better website for this question please tell me. <Q> For prototyping, there are many methods. <S> For actual production, though, the methods would be different. <S> Options include: Injection Molding Roto Molding <S> Thermoforming <S> Vacuum Forming and others... <A> The company I work for uses 3d printing for all our prototypes. <S> I think you'd be surprised how good the tolerances are for printed objects. <S> You'll see print lines on these objects, but that's nothing a little sanding won't take care of. <S> To see how advanced 3d printing has gotten, see http://www.shapeways.com <A> This is probably off-topic for this site, but I'll give it a shot anyways. <S> The typical process used to create plastic cases is called Injection Molding. <S> The tooling for this is very expensive and might cost $250k for something like a plastic laptop shell. <S> Generally companies will not use these for prototypes because making any change to the mold is very expensive. <S> For prototyping, 3D printing is certainly creeping its way into processes. <S> Other materials like wood or aluminum are also used because they can be easily modified after the fact (drill a new hole, bend the metal) <S> and because the up-front cost is lower. <S> CNC machines are affordable and can be programmed to cut almost anything.	For plastic, 3D printing and CNC routing are two popular ones today. Companies might also use foam that they shape either manually or on a CNC.
How do I reduce noise from the bolt hitting the strike plate on a door with an automatic closer? In our office, the door at the entrance has a k2 door closer. Our problem is that when the door closes, it makes a very loud clicking noise. I believe this is the result of the latch bolt hitting the strike plate, which is what causes the noise. It has nothing to do with latch or swing speed, since the screws in the door closer body are turned fully clockwise. The sound seems to be caused by the metal. Is there anything we can do to mitigate this noise? <Q> One of the adjustment screws is for the swing speed, and one is for the latch speed. <S> It sounds like the latch speed is too high. <S> You'll also want to be sure to test it by opening the door <S> the minimum amount someone would open it. <S> If it doesn't shut if you slow it down at all, it may be the door arm is installed incorrectly. <S> If it doesn't really slow down when you adjust it, then it could be <S> the closer is broken (lost fluid or broken valve seal) and easiest thing to do is replace the entire closer. <A> It sounds like a case of metal hitting metal, in which case you'd need to apply something to the strike plate. <S> Something like tape or felt pads might help. <A> There are latches which have a HDPE strip on the face. <S> I have no idea whether they can be purchased separately as a retrofit, or whether that would reduce the sound significantly. <S> You'd still have the sound of the latch springing back into the strike opening, though it might be possible to muffle that. <S> I've only seen these on fairly high-end mortise locks; I don't know whether they'd be available for anything else. <S> (They can have other advantages.) <S> Since they operate a bit more smoothly they might reduce the latch noise. <S> The only suggestion I can offer that I have some real confidence in is to get rid of the mechanical latch and strike, replacing them with something that engages only after the door is actually closed. <S> A magnetic locking system, for example, can engage without an audible click when properly installed. <S> Of course then you need power supply and control circuit to handle locking/unlocking it, and there may be life-safety requirements for exactly how that's installed and operated. <S> Of course the simplest and least expensive solution is to stop worrying about this click and learn to ignore it. <S> Seriously, unless you have VERY weird requirements, you're overthinking this by about 1000%.	Adjust the latch speed until the door is just moving fast enough that it closes. There are latches which swing back into their recess rather than being "wedged" inward by a sloped face.
On demand water heater using a propane tank I have a single wide trailer. (The main gas line blew out the back and is under code so $4,000.00 to fix it plus permits because the main need to be moved from under the Trailer). I would like to put in an on-demand water heater that uses propane from a tank. Usage would be for 2 people, 2 showers a day and washing dishes Can I use the small propane tanks like for a barbecue? I have one old tank about 2 times the size of the usual barbecue tank — I think 40lbs. I think barbecue tanks are 20 LB. I am a little rusty at home repairs but I have to do this one myself due to my funds being low. I am in Phoenix, Arizona so no worries about freezing lines. Can I run the flue through the roof where the old water heater ran through, or does it need to be made larger than 4"? <Q> I usually encourage DIY projects, but when it comes to gas applications, I have to strongly caution you to consider using a licensed gas installer to connect an on demand water heater. <S> Nothing in a home is more dangerous than gas and it MUST be installed correctly and pressure tested. <S> Venting the exhaust is extremely important as well, and a mistake can be fatal. <S> An on demand water heater is a great idea as long as it is sized correctly. <S> I don't thin <S> you will be happy with a 20 or 40 pound tank however. <S> Your local propane dealers will usually supply you a larger tank at no charge as long as you buy the gas from them. <S> The other advantage is that they will come and swap out spent tanks or refill them on site <S> so you don't have to be lugging a tank back and forth to a refill station, and re-priming and firing the system every time you change tanks. <S> Bottom line is that if you are not experienced with gas installs, don't take a chance with the health and safety of your family. <S> You are not hooking up an outdoor BBQ!! <A> Yes, you can run a tankless water heater off a standard Propane cylinder. <S> However, that will limit the amount of hot water you can make. <S> I suggest that you start by looking at what models are available at stores near you. <S> The sales people will be able to tell you which models can run off a small propane tank, and which will serve your needs. <S> Alternatively, instead of replacing everything, why not just have a natural gas supplier drop a tank on your property? <S> That's less work you have to do because it's just one change: connect your existing gas line to a new tank. <A> It is illegal to install a propane tank-less hot water heater in in any mobile home. <S> a few ways around it is to 1. <S> install an electric tank less heater, or install an outdoor heater, or build a small addition on to your home that is large enough to sustane the heater you must check with your town to see how large of a building you will need.	Check with your town about installing any propane utilities inside a mobile home. Even if you want to do the install yourself, you're going to need to buy the parts somewhere.
Why are furnace/central AC blowers so inefficient? I can buy a ceiling fan from Home Depot capable of moving 5,000 CFM of air for about $50, and it uses a mere 50-60 watts while doing it. By contrast, most furnaces seem to have blowers that operate in a much lower CFM range but use humongous 1/2 or 3/4 horsepower motors that use 600 watts or more when energized. How does this make any sense? Why is a 1/2 horsepower motor or larger were required for a furnace or central AC but a ceiling fan can get away with such a smaller, more efficient motor and move more air? Or is a ceiling fan CFM not the same as a furnace blower CFM? Is it that the blower requires a much higher RPM to push the air through the ductwork, so the blower CFM is more like a "delivered" value rather than a "supplied" one? Is it possible to replace these beasts with more efficient versions? Do such things exist? <Q> Okay, so I think I figured out the reason, and I learned a lot about HVAC in the process. <S> The answer is that a ceiling fan is moving air at basically zero "static pressure. <S> " <S> Static pressure in an HVAC context means the amount of resistance that the air has to moving. <S> In a free environment, that's zero, or close to it, but in a tightly restricted system of ductwork, it will be much higher. <S> A ceiling fan is rated at such-and-such CFMs... but at zero static pressure. <S> They don't tell you this because it's obvious; you're probably not mounting your ceiling fan in the opening of a four-foot-diameter cylindrical duct. <S> If you found a curve of CFM versus static pressure for any given fan, it would probably drop off steeply. <S> But of course there would be no reason to because the whole point of a ceiling fan is not to push air through a duct, but to circulate it in an open room, so the motor is optimized for that use case. <S> This is compounded by the fact that most ductwork is terribly done, so furnace manufacturers err on the side of oversizing the blower to make sure the unit isn't starved of air (causing it to operate poorly or even die early), or incapable of supplying the living environment with the required heat. <S> Either of these things would make people blame the furnace and make the furnace company look bad. <S> A ductless unit/system could probably get away with a much less powerful blower because it wouldn't have to work nearly so hard. <A> Just because the furnace fan is rated at 3/4 or more horsepower, does not mean that it is actually running at that power level. <S> To clarify this, consider the extreme with an electric motor with nothing connected (just a shaft sticking out) spinning at full speed: <S> it uses almost no power: perhaps as little as 3 watts, even though its ratings plate says 700 VA, for example. <S> Also, if running the fan did really need 3/4 horsepower (like in a really big system), the motor would fail from running at full power sooner than we expect—perhaps in less than a year. <S> The fan motor is overrated for reliability, quieter operation, and to accommodate variability (like when the wind blows through a window into a ducted room and creates more back-pressure). <A> Basic answer: <S> A ceiling fan is basically an axial pump in which the fluid moved is air. <S> A blower is a centrifugal air pump. <S> Axial is extremely efficient when there is no resistance to flow. <S> When there is resistance to flow, an axial will move little to no air and a centrifugal is needed.	So the short answer is that you have to use a powerful blower in an HVAC system because ducts suck.
Can I remove this truss cross-bracing? I am in the process of adding some plywood decking to the floor of part of my attic, which is built from webbing-style trusses. In the picture below, the cross-brace marked with yellow arrows is a real thorn in my side, impeding travel from one area to another. How can I know if it is structurally required, or just a remnant of temporary bracing before the attic/roof was complete? Those exact same trusses are cross-braced at least 4 other ways, not counting the roof sheathing, or the 1x4 furring strips I installed below my flooring. I'm worried that the green splotches of spray-paint are in someway meaning 'permanent cross-brace is needed here'. :( (Please ignore the shoddily draped phone & cat5 wires, and the not-yet-nailed-down plywood flooring-- this is a work in progress.) [EDITS: Added second picture for Bryce, and 3rd & 4th pictures for shirlock homes.] Outside view of garage, showing roof-line, truss orientations, and brace orientation.Note that all of the trusses in the house run in this same orientation, regardless of what the roof-line is doing. View of garage ceiling, showing brace position relative to trusses. <Q> Only the truss designer can say for sure whether they are required or not. <S> A structural engineer might not be able to fully calculate the load transfers in the trusses, as they will only be able to estimate the joint strengths. <S> I'd hazard a guess that they are required or they'd not be there. <S> From what I can tell from your photo (though it isn't quite clear), it looks like it could be one of the bracings that are required (in the UK at least) by the accepted standards for trusses (for an example, see here: <S> NHBC pitched roof guide ). <S> I'd be reluctant to remove it without first ensuring that you have sufficient equivalent bracing in place. <A> Although it is very difficult to see from the limited view in your pic, here are some observations/questions. <S> Is the 2X4 in question actually crossing the trusses at a downward angle and not flush fitting on the truss? <S> Are there similar crossing 2X4's elsewhere in the roof structure?In all the truss roofs I have built or done inspections in <S> , I have never seen cross bracing similar to what I see in your pic. <S> It is common to see some cross bracing left behind from the construction phase however. <S> Cross bracing and strong arms are always used as trusses are assembled. <S> Normally the cross bracing is on top of the trusses and removed as the sheathing is added, but I have seen some under the trusses, but usually perpendicular to the truss near the top. <S> I guess that I would be looking at where this strange brace starts and ends to give me an idea if in fact, it is structurally tied to the gable end and an internal support point. <S> So, the bottom line is that I would not rule out the possibility it was used as part of the structure, but I have my doubts. <A> The fact there are other braces on the truss does not mean anything, the need for bracing is determined for each individual member. <S> That said, all strong backs I've ever seen were always exactly perpendicular to the truss span in order to brace identical members of identical trusses. <S> The way this thing runs makes me skeptical that it is a permanent strong back, but there remains a possibility it is required as the members it is bracing are rather long and appear to be compression members. <S> I never could intuit compression versus tension members of internal webs, so I could be wrong on that aspect. <S> I don't think there would be any issues with removing it temporarily for access during your work, but I would recommend you replace it after the work is completed just to be safe.	It is actually somewhat common for truss designs to require strong back bracing mid span of longer internal compression members to reduce the effective slenderness ratio of the member to something reasonable.
How can I cut aluminum angle stock without damaging my tools? How can I cut aluminum angle stock without damaging my tools? I've done some looking around the interwebs and have not found anything definitive - basically there are warnings about cutting it with anything that is not a chopsaw or hacksaw, and people with success stories on how they cut aluminum without problem. My main concern is damaging my tools - I would like to make precise cuts with either a tablesaw, bandsaw or powered miter saw. <Q> At work we cut aluminium with a drop saw. <S> An sometimes our table saw. <S> We have a drop saw set up just for aluminium, with a fine tooth blade. <S> It don't really do any damage to it as long as you cut slow. <S> aluminium is softer then some of the timber we cut. <S> An shouldn't do damage. <S> If you are worried use a angle grinder with a thin cutting blade. <A> For future readers, Aluminum ( and copper, tin etc) can be cut with common carbide-tipped blades without any issues, and it's much easier than an abrasive blade. <S> Clamp the metal, put a bit of wax on the blade, cut slowly. <S> The noise made cutting 2 inch aluminum pipe with a radial arm saw is most impressive - the pipe works as a resonator. <S> If you do use an abrasive blade (or a grinder) <S> either toss the disc or keep it for aluminum. <S> The metal powder gets embedded into the abrasive and if you later use the disc to work steel you will put iron oxide and aluminum together under high pressure and heat. <S> That's called a thermite reaction - great if you want to weld train tracks together, less great in a room full of combustible things like sawdust. <A> It turns out they make a bandsaw blade for cutting metal - I just used that.	So anyway if your trying to cut neat cuts use drop saw.
Possible to flatten warped wood? I have two sections of 3x12" wood that have been out in the weather for a few years and are now bowed across the 12" width of the wood. The dip is pretty severe, maybe 1/2 an inch? It seems like sanding would take way too long. What would be the easiest way to flatten them out again? Is there a tool designed to do something like this? <Q> The power tool you would use to take the board down would be a thickness planer : <S> It has an adjustable cutting head and you run the board through it in successive passes to shave off the surface. <S> However, unless you do a lot of rough lumbar milling or are into fine woodworking, it would probably be silly to buy one. <S> Maybe you can rent / borrow? <S> Note that a thickness planer is good at making 2 faces parallel, but it won't be much help if the wood is also twisted or bent along its length. <S> The twist will just follow through the planer and you will end up with a twisted board with 2 parallel (but not planar) <S> faces. <S> Edit about the suitability of thickness planer : Several people have pointed out that to use a thickness planer you are "supposed" to have one face flat already. <S> I guess that's optimal <S> but I have used a thickness planer many times to "save" cupped boards. <S> If you have a great piece of wood, you might as well try something, right? <S> Start with the convex side up, so that the board is stable against the base and doesn't rock. <S> Work in small passes at the beginning. <S> If you try to take too much off the planer will press down on the board and flatten it without really cutting. <S> Once you have flattened the convex side you can alternate faces. <A> You can use a tool called a Jointer to fix imperfections in lumber. <S> The jointer has an infeed and outfeed table that are slightly different in height. <S> The cutter removes a small amount of wood from one of the faces/edges of the board until the board is flat. <A> This requires some practicing, so if you have a shop nearby with heavy machinery, ask them to fix the boards (if they are worth it). <S> The distortions come from moisture and uneven drying, and can be fixed by using moisture, drying and physical force. <A> I have a book called The Furniture Doctor which has been in print for a long time so your library is likely to have a copy. <S> In it, the author describes treating this sort of warpage by laying the wood out on the grass in the early morning with some rocks or concrete blocks on it. <S> Apparently the morning dew will moisten one side and allow some of the cupping to be alleviated. <S> At that point you could plane it and lose less wood. <S> I have not tried it <S> so I can't speak for its effectiveness. <S> The surface planer, BTW, is something that a serious woodworker might own and most woodworking clubs will have one. <S> I have however dealt with wood that has been in the weather as you describe and it has generally not been worth trying to plane and use for anything. <S> The sun and rain cause a lot of deterioration. <S> However that will depend on how long it's been outside and how thick the wood is and several other factors that i"m probably forgetting. <S> If you like the weathered look than it's great. <A> You would need to get them machined. <S> You could try to do it yourself with a electric planer. <S> But would be a pain. <S> You could maybe turn them around, put them on 2 stands with some weight in the centre <S> an leave them a few days.	You can bend the boards over hot steam or fire until they are not warped anymore, then use a plane to flatten them. If you only have a planer and you don't want to buy a jointer you could try a planer sled .
Can't select some temperatures with the thermostat of my furnace I have a problem with the thermostat of my furnace. This problem is wired but I'll try to explain it as clearly as possible. When I turn the button of the thermostat, some temperatures can't be selected (they can never be), and sometimes, a temperature that can't be select appears briefly when I turn the button but disappears nearly immediately (and then the screen displays an other temperature). Have you got any idea of how to fix this ? <Q> The rotary encoder or the button that the knob pushes as it turns is broken. <S> Just buy a new one, or send it back to the manufacturer for repair/replacement. <A> From the description of the problem it seems like the thermostat is a digital type with a display that shows the temperature selection and then uses a rotary selector knob to allow setting the desired temperature. <S> This type of selector is often times a switch with two connections into microcontroller on the thermostat electronics board. <S> As the switch turns the two connections to the microcontroller at switched on and off in a pattern that allows the software of the microcontroller to detect the switch turning and what direction it is being turned. <S> If the switch is broken, has dirt in it, or has a bad connection on the circuit board <S> the microcontroller may mistakenly see many more or less "steps" of the switch pattern and thus not react in a way that allows you to set the selection that you desire. <S> In most cases the fix for this is to replace the thermostat with a new one. <S> Only someone that has access to the proper testing equipment and spare parts is likely to be able to repair this type of problem. <A> If this is the electronics board for your thermostat then the rotary selector switch in question is most likely the one shown marked below:	The inability to zero into a particular temperature setting is probably caused by a damaged or faulty rotary selector knob. Unless you're the kind of person that likes opening small electronics and replacing components, there's probably no way to fix this.
One GFCI outlet to protect them all My house was built in 1981, we have a small U shaped kitchen with 5 outlets, along with a switch for the garbage disposal. I do not see any GFCI outlets or any indication any of them are. With a 4 month old now in the house, I am thinking it is a good idea to look at the electrical. My question is if the outlets are all on the same line (they all go off with one switch in the breaker), can I install one GFCI outlet and it would protect al of them, or do I need to replace all 5? I am fine either way, just do not want to spend the time and money if it doesn't serve a purpose. Is there a way to identify if they are in series or parallel? And if so would that impact if I need to replace them all or one? I have read some basics on GFCI but get some conflicting reports on if one will protect them all. <Q> If you can locate the outlet at the head of the chain, then you only need to replace that outlet. <S> The instructions included with the outlet should explain this. <A> To install a GFCI receptacle to protect the entire run, you need to find the first receptacle location on the circuit. <S> First confirm they're all on the same circuit and while you're at the panel make sure it's not already a GFCI breaker. <S> If there're two cables in that box (If there's only one cable go to the other far one), take the receptacle out and remove one black wire. <S> Turn the circuit on and test the other 4 for power, if they're all still off you got the right one. <S> Then you need to determine which of the two cables in the box is the feed, and it is the one that's still on (hot). <S> Connect the feed cable wires to line and the others to load on the GFCI. <A> The code does NOT tell us WHERE to PLACE a GFCI protection on a circuit. <S> Instead it tells us what circumstances a device will require GFCI protection. <S> The way I look at it is:As long as all that is on the circuit is convenience receptacles ONLY (no dishwasher/disposer/wine cooler/refrigerator/appliances) and as long as the run stops in the kitchen and not the living room etc. <S> then one GFCI is sufficient for the run. <S> My preference is that for two kitchen walls use two GFCIs, but ONLY if it does not double protect the circuit. <S> I also follow the same rules as a disconnect for equipment: line of sight to the GFCI etc. <S> Saves everyone a LOT of issues. <S> So if two devices then an appliance I use two GFCIs line only, then another after the appliance line/load. <S> Never had any fault issues.	Yes, one GFCI receptacle, just like one GFCI breaker, can protect the entire circuit. Leave the circuit breaker off and take the cover off of the one on the far right or the far left, whichever one is closest to the panel. Alternatively, if the only thing on that circuit are your kitchen outlets, you could replace the breaker with a GFCI breaker. Just make sure the the incoming power is connected the the LINE terminals and the downstream outlets are connected to the LOAD terminals.
Why don't American homes have blinds on the outside of their windows? Traveling through Europe, seeing many different construction methods, I try to take an objective look at why things are done a certain way. One of the most positive things that I see done in Europe compared to the US is that a lot of their (almost all in some regions) window blinds are built into the window unit and are on the outside. The first benefit and a much sleeker inside that isn't cluttered by blinds and then there has to be a substantial insulating factor. Is there any reason why this isn't implemented in the US? And do you know of any reports/studies done on the comparative energy savings of outside blinds? Note that this is a bit pricey because it has the electric guidance for the blinds. Most have metal chains and the preferred is usually the chain since it is difficult to fix the electric ones plus the extra hookup. I would expect to pay 200-300 Euros for a window this size normally. <Q> They're not to everyone's taste. <S> They roll up into a large box above the window -- either inside or outside. <S> And they are more expensive than blinds. <S> Maybe Europeans like them for the noise and privacy factor and that may not be as much of a concern here in the states. <S> Having said that I have wished many times that I had them in my house. <S> Favorite feature is that you can open them up just a little bit so that it has holes in it <S> and you get some light and some breeze. <S> But also very nice to just shut out the world outside and get a good nap in the middle of the afternoon! <A> Pella company makes windows with blinds between the glass <S> and I'm sure they're very expensive. <A> We do have these shutters in the US. <S> They are a bit different than those in Europe <S> (I saw them too when I was visiting Germany). <S> Roll shutters are very common in the coastal areas of Florida and referred to as 'Hurricane Shutters' although some people buy them for light control. <S> In Florida they are tested to resist hurricane force winds and flying debris. <S> They are available manually or electrically operated. <S> If they are 'Miami-Dade Approved' they are certified for 180-190 MPH winds. <S> If you do an internet search for 'roll shutters' you will be overwhelmed with information. <S> Check the images as well. <S> In hurricane country we have several other protective options other than roll shutters. <S> I chose to have 'impact windows' installed in my house. <S> They also meet the wind and impact requirements. <S> The impact glass is a laminate rather like a car windshield but much thicker <S> (5/16-7/16" <S> thick).Neither roll shutters nor impact windows are cheap but compared to the damage a hurricane can do, they are good insurance. <A> In Netherland they're often used because of the extra security protection they provide. <S> At first I didn't want them <S> but now I don't want to go without. <S> My energy bill went down 35% after installing them. <S> The advantage to that is you can sleep with the window open and it lets the wind blow through but your home is still protected from intruders. <A> Travel around the US <S> There are sunshades on almost every window in Nevada or places that with lots of sun. <S> There are Bermuda awnings, hurricane roller shades, plantation shutters that actually close over the window. <S> exterior curtain fabrics in canvas and sheers and sun shades. <S> However, in the cooler States....why would you want to make the inside of your home any darker especially in the winter. <S> Look around... <S> plenty of good exterior window treatments! <A> I Know this is late. <S> They are not used because they usually violate building codes.	Not just for the security and sound insulation but the windows are protected from high winds and keep them clean during rainstorms. They also have small vent holes so you can have them partially open without it being visible on the outside. It makes it difficult for firefighters to get in through a window in case of an emergency. I've heard it said many times that generally speaking Europeans expect a higher quality house while Americans prefer affordability.
Air sealing a whole house fan I have a whole house fan installed in my house from the previous owners. I love the fan, as it lets me cool down the house quickly in the evening -- or after I fill the house with smoke from forgetting about food on the stove! :) However, as I try to air seal my house it is immediately apparent that the whole house fan is by far the leakiest thing in the house. Under a blower door test, the fan louvers actually open up and most blower doors can't achieve the pressure they normally operate at in order to perform a measurement. I would like to install some sort of air tight louver or door on top of the fan in the attic that will close tightly until the fan switch is turned on, at which point the louver or door will open. The closest idea I've had for that so far has been a plywood door that closes over the fan against weather stripping and is opened and closed by a linear actuator, and then attaching insulation to the top of the door, but it really seems like overkill to build and maintain a system that complex. I'm also aware of one commercial air sealed and insulated whole house fan, but it is $1,500 and pushes 2500 CFM less than my current fan. $1,500 buys a whole bunch of plywood and linear actuators if I do end up having to go that route. I've also looked at motorized dampers, such as this one from Grainger, but due to the small width of each blade I wouldn't be able to put any reasonable amount of insulation on them. Also, they're rated for 3500 CFM for some reason, and the fan I have easily does at least 5500 CFM. Does anyone have any better ideas and suggestions for how to accomplish this? Note that I am not interested in solutions that involve manually removing a lid, seal, or cover from the fan; this needs to be automatic. <Q> Check around the farm supply places - they carry big dampers. <S> I used to have one about 36" square (the ex still has it). <S> Try places like here and here . <A> Build a box that goes over the whole fan (on the attic side) in the winter-time. <S> weatherstrip the bottom and weight as needed. <S> This is also my preferred approach to the attic stairs that don't seal worth a darn. <S> Duct-board (foil-stiff_fiberglass-foil) is probably the best material if you can find it - use aluminum foil duct tape for the joints. <S> Nobody seems to stock it around here; I heard of it in books and on TV. <S> Otherwise XPS insulation sheets are more widely distributed and can be stuck together well with canned polyurethane foam. <S> They have a somewhat higher fire risk potential, which is the main reason I'd prefer the duct-board if I could find any to buy. <S> Ah - right, you don't want to do that - fine, put it on rails (garage door parts?) and have a motor pull it up out of the way. <A> There are covers you can purchase, or easily make, to insulate your attic fan. <S> The cover attaches to the bottom of the fan (inside your house) with magnets or velcro. <S> The magnets are cosmetically more appealing, as you'll see the velcro when the insulation is not on. <S> It's very convenient, because you don't have to climb up into your attic to remove it every time you want to use your fan. <S> Purchase a soft sheet of insulation material and magnetic striping. <S> Cut the insulation material to match the size of your fan, then attach magnetic striping to the outside edges of your material. <S> When you want the fan insulated, stick it up. <S> When you don't, just pull it down. <S> An online search will find you many options. <A> I used two layers of window plastic sheeting shrink wrap -- applied just as you would to seal a window with plastic in winter. <S> Done in no time. <S> Cost: $2. <S> One layer is supposed to reduce up to 35% drafts, so hopefully two layers will be more effective. <S> On this 26-degree day, already much warmer in the hall. <A> Brainstorming here, but a heavy enough door with a rubber gasket, that can rest on a gasket on the fan might do the trick. <S> the levers to lift the door away will have to be strong enough. <S> The only other idea is a set of electromagnets that could "pull" <S> the door shut... <S> wish I could offer a better solution. <A> You could make an insulated panel that is spring-loaded to the open position. <S> Keep it closed with door holder magnets like this .You could wire the fan and magnets to a double pole switch that cuts magnet power at the same time it turns on power to the fan. <S> Might cost a bit and take some research... <S> but it would be cool (pun intended)! <A> I know this is an old question, but here's another solution. <S> Make a top, cut it in half, and hinge each half on the side <S> so it swings up by air pressure when the fan is turned on, then falls closed by gravity when you turn the fan off. <S> (Example: Tamarack HV1000 ) <S> If you have a particularly strong fan you may need to attach a string or weight to keep the lids from opening too far. <S> If you have a weaker fan, you can attach a lever arm on each half of the lid, then hang counterweights outside the box to make the lids open more easily.	Use foam insulation board to make an open-top box around the fan in the attic, sealed down to the ceiling. Put a note on the fan switch reminding you to remove the box before turning the fan on.
I have a broken Rainbird APAS-100 valve, how can I fix it? I have a Rainbird APAS-100 which has stopped consistently opening when powered. I've isolated the problem to something in the " AVA-1 Actuator & Piston Assembly " - Rainbird part 145235. However, trying to locate the replacement part (or an entire replacement valve to harvest parts from) has been fruitless; the APAS-100 and APAS-075 have been long-since discontinued and I cannot find any source of parts. What can I do to get a working valve in place without the headache replacing the entire valve assembly? <Q> The specific part that I got is the PCL-100-C (not sure what the C means and if the B model works in the same way). <S> The valve fit perfectly onto the APAS-100's body (though the wires from the solenoid were a bit of a tight fit when installing, I had to take some parts off the neighboring valve to get it screwed on). <S> In initial testing, it seems to function just fine on the APAS-100's body. <A> I realize this is a really old thread, but it helped me find a solution to my similar problem <S> and so I thought I'd add my 2 cents worth in case <S> it helps somebody else. <S> I too had an old Rain Bird automatic sprinkler control valve (1 inch) where the valve itself had started leaking. <S> I searched locally for either a 311A Irritrol or Champion PCL-100-C to replace the valve actuator with, but as earlier posters stated you can't find those at the typical Home Depot / Lowes type stores. <S> I had gone ahead and purchased the newer Rain Bird replacement (Model #DASASVF100 / 1 inch) but found out while trying to install it that the distance between the inlet and outlet pipes is much wider on the new style. <S> This would've required reworking the plumbing of either/both the inlet and outlet pipes, which was not really something I was keen on doing. <S> Although I prefer Rain Bird over Orbit, I took a chance and purchased the Orbit Model #57624 / 1 inch sprinkler control valve. <S> While the distance between the inlet and outlet pipes on the Orbit valve isn't a perfect fit to the Rain Bird being replaced, the difference was only about 1/8 inch <S> and I was able to flex the pipes enough to fit the Orbit on without doing any extra cutting or splicing. <S> If you need a 3/4 inch valve instead, orbit has a Model #57623 which is also a closer fit than the newer Rain Bird replacement. <S> I <S> really don't understand why Rain Bird would make a replacement valve with different dimensions, but they did and now I have a hybrid system with Orbit valves and Rain Bird sprinklers. <S> But at least I didn't have to rework the pipes any. <A> I did a search earlier today for the same Rainbird valve and found your post. <S> I went to my local Orchard Supply and they had a valve that looked similar to the champion valve mentioned. <S> It's an Orbit brand and model #57030. <S> The only difference is that the Orbit is a brass body that will need to thread in to the plastic. <S> I just installed it and it works perfectly. <S> However, I don't know if using the brass body in the plastic housing is a good thing or not. <S> Time will tell. <S> The instructions were really easy to follow for adjusting the flow. <S> The only thing I noticed is that I had to have the manual valve turned all the way closed for me to even be able to start threading the new Orbit valve in. <S> I hope someone finds this information useful. <A> Research from http://www.sprinklerwarehouse.com/Rain-Bird-APAS-075-3-4-in-Anti-Siphon-Valve-p/apas-075.htm suggests that there exist three possible replacement parts for the actuator assembly. <S> Rain Bird stopped making the APAS series in 2008 with no replacement part assembly. <S> And the widths between the inflow and outflow pipes are different on the ostensible replacements, making up conversion to the modern series of valves difficult. <S> Here are the only two modern parts that the link recommends as drop in actuator replacements: 311A Irritrol Champion <S> PCL-100-C <S> Neither of these items are likely to be available at your local Home Depot or Lowes; they may be available at a professional sprinkler distributor. <S> Make sure to check whether you will need the 3/4" or the 1" connectors before buying. <S> In the long term, you will probably do better to cut out the whole valve assembly and replace it all with a new DAS/ASVF-075 unit . <S> This will require cutting and gluing new pipe. <S> I found this all out the hard way. <S> Good luck.	Champion Irrigation makes a valve called the PCL-100 which is compatible with the body from the APAS-100 (and a PCL-075 which ought to fit the body of the APAS-075), which are available as of this writing.
Where can I find a key for my old locks? My house was build in 1938 and the whole house has these door knobs everywhere. I believe they were made by Dexter. Is there a way to ID them properly and, if so, where can I find someone who makes a key for them? <Q> We bought a home built in the 1870s which was updated in the 1930s. <S> None of the interior doors had keys. <S> Went to a local locksmith and explained the problem. <S> They actually sell a set of common skeleton keys - it was around 5 if my memory serves and under $20. <S> You just keep trying until one works. <S> Lot cheaper than a house call. <A> One quibble with the other answers: <S> These are indeed simple warded lever-tumbler locks. <S> The keys for them are properly called "bit keys". <S> Warded/lever locks don't have to be lower security than pin-tumbler locks (safe deposit boxes still use lever locks, for example) but making them both secure and affordable is harder than with pin-timbler locks. <S> Skeleton keys were actually a kind of master key for these, cut to avoid as many ward variations as possible while still operating the lever(s) to permit retracting the bolt. <S> Yes, you can buy kits of skeleton keys and probably find one that will operate your lock. <S> Odds are better if you bring the locksmith the measurements of your keyhole, so he can make sure you have the best-sized set. <S> I'm planning to do that for my library door, as a historical touch. <S> Ask for an estimate this can be a bit time-consuming compared to rekeying a modern lockset. <A> Heh, skeleton key mortise locks. <S> You're into house restoration territory with this and need a locksmith that specializes in really old equipment. <S> As these appear to be interior door locks, the ward and slot design will be quite simple, unless it was a boarding house where a little more security was required. <S> Per DMoore's comment -- <S> > <S> Just so you know, looking for "Dexter Ward Lock" pulls up a lot of HP Lovecraft pages... <S> Wooo! <S> wooo! <S> The couch cushions are probably haunted by some of the olde ones. <S> Dexter is now owned by Schlage, but has a long history of being in the door fixture business. <S> I'd also recommend trying places like this: http://www.historichomehardware.com/store/ <A> For this type of lock you would need to call in a specialized locksmith who can do that for you. <S> They would need to cut a skeleton key for you. <S> There was only one time where I went into a hardwood store and found a skeleton key and was able to fit into my closet door and actually worked. <S> But I believe it worked because it was just a regular keyway that any skeleton key would work. <S> I don't know if you would like to try that first. <A> You can look at antique shops for keys they are super cheap and your key hole looks like mine. <S> My friend had one of the common skeleton keys and came to my house one day and asked if she can test her Skelton key and it worked. <S> She wouldn't sell me hers <S> so I'm going to an antique shop which sells them for 3.50 to 7.50	If you really want to do this right, a locksmith can fit a key specifically to your door's lock.
How to drill a minute hole on a wooden pendant without a drill? I'm not a professional carpenter and I haven't worked much with wood before. I also lack proper tools. I made a heart-shaped wooden pendant for my girlfriend with a paper knife and smoothed it out with some sandpaper. It's about 3.2cm long, 2.5cm wide and about 1cm tall, made with red sandalwood (which I believe is a type of hardwood). The base is flat with the edges smoothed off, but the top is more rounder as it goes to the sides. I now have planned to drill a small hole on the cleft and into the center of the pendant, into which I'm planning to screw in an eye bolt (something like this - http://goo.gl/UKjWUA ). By doing that, the screw will be going against the grains. Now my problem is, I don't have a drill. And I don't know how to make a hole in wood by other means on something as delicate as this. Plus I can't take chances, if you know what I mean. I'd be very glad if anyone knows a solution to this, an alternate method to drill a wood in this pendant. <Q> For drilling a tiny hole in a tiny object, you need to leave the world of home improvement and enter the world of hobby modeling. <S> What you need is a pin vice. <S> It's basically a tiny tiny hand drill: <S> This tool allows precise mechanical control and will drill extremely small holes. <A> and I never tried that <S> and I guess it'll take a lot of effort to get started with it) or try to do the same without making the hole - use some hardcore glue perhaps - or if you have a rotary tool like Dremel <S> you can fit most small drill bits there, just be verrry careful - <S> this is not an officially recommended way <S> If these options are unacceptable you can try drilling a hole using a drill bit (the cheapest small diameter drill bit for metal will do) held with a needle file holder (which pretty much resembles a drill chuck) - either rent it or buy it, it is usually inexpensive and can be used later when doing other fine work with needle files. <S> You put the bit into the holder and drill the piece by rotating the holder a bit clockwise, then a bit counter clockwise, repeat until the work is done. <S> This will be a very tedious process but remember you didn't want to use a drill which is an optimal tool for this job. <S> Whatever you prefer just don't try to pierce or melt through the hard wood - the piece will crack. <A> Better than a drill would be to use a drill press. <S> Find out if anyone you know has one. <S> Any school that has a shop class will, even the maintenance depts might have one. <S> They're even common tools for professional woodworkers and other trades as well as hobbyists. <S> If you're in the US you can try posting an add on craigslist to see if someone willing to make the hole for you. <S> Even if you just find someone with a regular drill that would be good too. <S> I'd try to get it drilled <S> but if that's absolutely not a possibility, you can also try making your pilot hole with a nail. <S> Find a thin nail <S> (I'm assuming the pendant is small unless you're dating Flavor Fav) <S> that has a diameter slightly smaller than the shank of the eyebolt <S> (shank doesn't include the width of the threads and hit the tip of the nail point with a hammer until the point flattens out a bit. <S> Then gently drive the into the wood. <S> The wood will be less likely to split this way <S> but there's still a chance. <S> After you have your pilot hole hammered in coat the threads of the screw with soap and gently screw it in. <S> Practice a few times on some scrap (in the same grain orientation) before you try it on the pendant. <A> Regardless how the hole is drilled, the diameter of the hole is most important. <S> This was touched on in OrganicLawnDIY answer. <S> The drill needs to be sized for the diameter of the shank of the screw eye, if not, it will split the piece. <S> Tapping or hammering a nail in to make a pilot hole will split it. <S> Anything that does not remove the wood to create the hole, once you try to install the eye, will split the wood. <S> If you are not going to do another project like this one, and do not want to invest in a drill, do purchase a proper sized drill bit to create the hole you need. <S> Do the tape trick mentioned in RedGrittyBrick's comment to increase the diameter of the drill bit where you grip it to twist it in so that will be easier. <S> Duct tape may be good for this, the gray plastic/cloth mesh kind, even the real duct tape too would work. <S> It has to have really strong adhesive or it will break loose and spin free with the resistance that will be given while trying to drill. <S> I have done it without the tape, it is very difficult, but can be done with much patience.	Your best bet is to either: borrow or rent a drill (the optimal way) or craft a bow drill ( this answer explains it
Is it possible to use my window A/C unit without actually installing it in the wall? So, here's the dilemma. I want to install a window unit in my garage. I know how to do this, but my wife isn't supportive of the idea because we are trying to sell the house currently. Anyways, rather than fighting this never-ending battle with her, I'm trying to see if I can somehow still use my window unit without actually cutting a hole in the wall, etc. An idea that I had was to figure out somehow how to route the exhaust to outside. This is obviously an issue because I would need an opening somewhere in my garage. Is it possible to use my window A/C unit in my garage without actually installing it in the wall? <Q> You may be able to rig up something whether the compressor-side air intake and exhaust are piped outside, but the efficiency will be low and you may risk burning out the compressor by working it too hard. <S> If you're still determined to try it, note that window AC units have two sets of air intake & exhaust: the "inside" side that takes air from inside (usually through a large filter on the front), cools it, and blows it back inside the "outside" side that takes air from outside, heats it (with the heat removed from the cool side) and blows it out the back. <S> On a typical window AC unit the "outside" air comes in through vents on the side and top of the unit and is blown out the coils at the back. <S> So you will need to make sure both of those parts are getting the airflow they need. <S> And they can't be the same duct, or else you will just get super hot air recirculating through the unit. <A> You can place the whole unit outside make it water prof. <S> Duct the (inside) which is the inflow side and the cool air to the inside of your garage. <A> If you have an attic access in your garage you should be able to vent it to the attic. <S> If the AC unit is expendable, try running it face down. <S> If it tolerates that, you could set it in the attic, on boards facing down that hatch (until it falls on a buyer/inspector and gets you sued). <S> If you could rig two ducts through your attic access, but that's going to look much worse.	If you want something you can install in a small opening, you might consider wheeled portable AC units which come with a flexible duct.
What could be causing my lawn mower to surge? My lawn mower was giving me the worst time tonight. The only way I could keep it running was to pull the choke back and the engine would start again. Finally, after 30 minutes of messing with it, the lawn mower kept on. I just put new gas in it. The gas might have been left outside for awhile. Any troubleshooting tips appreciated. http://youtu.be/Iv85hX_4ZLw <Q> Many lawnmowers use a plastic vane under the engine shroud that interacts with air moving off fins on the flywheel to work as a speed control mechanism to open and close the carburetor throttle valve in response to the engine speed changing because of loading changes. <S> Lawnmowers often operate in very dusty environments and the linkages associated with the vane assembly can get all gummed up or even stuffed up with dirt. <S> This can lead to the surging type behavior that you are seeing. <S> The fix for this is to carefully disassemble part of the engine covering and give the vane mechanism and its linkages a good cleaning and re-lube. <S> Surging can also be caused by dirt particles entering the innards of the carburetor. <S> The typical fix for that is a complete carburetor removal, dis-assembly, cleaning and reassembly. <S> It is also necessary to fully clean the area where the carburetor mounts and connects to the engine. <S> Any dirt left there can easily find its way into a nicely cleaned unit and set you back to square one. <S> Note that these small engine carburetors can have many small parts that are easily lost so <S> it is necessary to work in a clean area where parts can be found if they try to get away. <S> It is also possible to take a carburetor to a small engine repair shop for servicing if you are leeiry about tackling it yourself. <A> Usually, it's a quick fix, but you will get fuel on your hands. <S> Tip the mower backwards & weight the handle down on the ground, this drains most of the fuel back into the fuel tank. <S> Then, you want to remove the carburetor's fuel bowl by removing just its center bolt. <S> Clean the fuel bowl, dump it out & wipe it out. <S> Then, ream & clean out the bolt's 2 holes with a pin or small paper clip. <S> Reinstall the bowl & bolt & you should be solid. <A> Often the problem is the use of gasoline with additives such as corn based products that gum up tanks and carbs. <S> As suggested by others, disassemble and clean the carb and tank with carb cleaner. <S> It cost a little more but use premium gasoline.	Virtually all carburetors are equipped with some type of air filter to keep dirt out but sometimes dirt can get in anyway - especially when removing a dirty filter for replacement/cleaning.
GFCI outlet hot when nothing's plugged into it Using a thermal camera (coolest thing in the world, by the way), I discovered that a GFCI outlet in my bathroom is hotter then the surrounding wall when nothing's plugged into it: It's not boiling hot; just slightly warm to the touch. I never noticed it before I had a thermal camera. This is probably bad, but what does it mean? Should I replace it? Is my house about to burn down? Update to answer several people's questions: The GFCI is on an interior wall covered with cementboard. The wiring is copper. All other non-GFCI electrical receptacles--including those on exterior walls--are any different from the surrounding wall in terms of temperature. Here's one on an exterior wall: I don't believe there are any downstream connections. The heat is emanating from the right side of the unit itself: The box is quite small; the sides of the GFCI are about 4mm away from the sides of the box. Not a lot of room for it to dissipate heat. <Q> As mentioned in several places , GFCIs use a little bit of power even when nothing is plugged in or energized downstream. <S> Presumably there is another outlet on the other side of the wall close to this one. <S> You could try turning off this circuit for 15–30 minutes and see if it completely cools. <S> or so. <A> I wouldn't suspect the electronics in a GFCI receptacle would raise the temperature of the device 15 <S> °F above the ambient temperature. <S> I've read a lot of technical documents about GFCI receptacles, and I couldn't find any mention of heating while not under load. <S> I don't ever remember feeling a warm GFCI receptacle (not under load), and after measuring every GFCI receptacle in the house with an IR thermometer, I wasn't able to find any that were noticeably above ambient. <S> If the house wiring is aluminium, you'll want to inspect the connections. <S> Make sure they're all tight, and not corroded/damaged in any way. <S> If it's copper wiring, you'll want to determine if there's anything downstream from this device (either on the LOAD terminals, or pig tailed off the feed). <S> You'll also want to verify the box is not overfilled (which would reduce heat dissipation). <A> Way cool toy. <S> There are a variety of possible causes. <S> The actual hole in the wallboard reduces the insulation value of the wall: thus if the inside of your walls are warm, you could see hot spot even with a blank cover plate. <S> A matching outlet hole on the other side could lead to a interior wall. <S> That said, GFCI outlets and breakers do use power 24/7 (this is called parasitic or vampire power). <S> And as of this writing, Murray and Seimens at least don't even specify how much. <S> Bench measurements show at least 5mA for GFCI's and 20 mA for AFCI's (600 to 2400 milliwatt). <S> Compare that to the latest technology Apple Computer products ( http://www.apple.com/battery-charger/ ) at less than 30 milliwatt. <S> So basically each outlet is a mini electrical resistance heater. <S> It's known that an electrical panel full of GFCI/AFCI breakers can have heat problems. <S> For people on solar systems this is level of loss 24/7 is a deal breaker, for most people on grid power it's mostly not noticed. <S> But to narrow it down in your case <S> :Do regular outlets show the same thing?Other GFCI outlets in the house?Is this repeatable at night as well as during the day? <S> If your GFCI is drawing more than the average, it should be replaced.	The heat distribution sure looks like it is coming from the GFCI electronics, but it could also be heat seeping from the other side of the wall, especially if that room has higher air pressure than this one—like if the exhaust fan were running in this room and someone took a hot shower in the other room. For exterior walls insulation is rarely "fluffed" properly around an outlet, leading to a hot spot on a hot day. If there is, unplug/disconnect it, wait an hour or so, then take a new reading. That would also rule out whether there is anything downstream causing a current to flow through it. Or you could measure its power consumption and see if it is more than 100 mW If it is more than 1.0 watts, I'd replace it.
How would I wire a 4 position switch? I work from home in a house with roommates and I would like to set up a light system to let them know if it's OK to disturb me during my work. I was thinking a stoplight system of Red: Do not disturb unless it's an emergency; Yellow: you can come in to get something, or if you need something quick / important; Green: consider the door open, feel free to come in and chat or whatever. I'd like to have these lights place outside the door, and a 4 position switch on my desk that would have: Red, Yellow, Green, Off on it. Can I wire the neutral of all the lights together so I only have 4 cables running from the switch to the lights, or should they each have a neutral running back to the switch? Do I just hook the power to a specific terminal of the switch, and then have 3 different power lines (each from positions 3-1) out with one neutral running back and position 0 empty? Do I need any sort of adapters if I'm going to run 25w incandescent bulbs? Am I missing anything else? I've been looking around for switches and think I found what I wanted in this switch , although I'm certainly open to suggestion. It's important to me that the switch be large enough that the space between positions is enough for them to be labeled and for it to be obvious to an observer which position the switch is in. I think what I'm looking for is a 3 throw knife switch, but I don't think one exists. Perhaps I could just do a 2 throw, and have a Red / Green / Off? Or maybe use a 2 throw for the RYG, and then a separate kill switch that turns it all off? Theorized image: <Q> your drawing is exactly right, except that there should be no breaks in the grounded (neutral) conductor, and that you'll likely have to have a grounding conductor throughout the circuit as well. <S> So your wiring could look something like this <A> I would do it with battery power and LED's... <S> maybe even an Arduino. <S> I wouldn't run wires with some kind of switch to my desk using full building voltage. <S> That would be expensive and difficult to make safe and convenient. <A> I'm assuming you will be working on a computer during this time, and if that is true might as well use an usb port for a easy power source and have your lights be LED's instead of incandescent. <S> This way you can use a cheap low volt 4 conductor cable, 3 position knife switch, some LEDs and an old USB cable. <S> There will be no safety issues and minimal cost. <S> If you have a radio shack (US electronic hobby store) near by you should be able to find all the parts there for under 10 dollars (instead of 50 for 120 volt AC)	You should also be able to find a rotary switch with 3 positions plus off, though it might be a bit pricey.
How can I avoid excessive junk on inside junction, when cementing PVC sprinkler pipe? I'm cementing some schedule 40 PVC pipe using the best instructions I could find ( http://www.tchristy.net/pdf/ChristysTechManual_v5_English.pdf ). The outside of each joint looks fine, but inside there's often a mess of plastic scrapings, PVC primer and PVC cement: The dross could clearly affect water flow or clog a filter. I won't use PVC pipe for drinking water because of lead (See http://chej.org/2013/09/pvc-pipes-bringing-toxic-lead-to-drinking-water/ ), but for those that do, the bits of plastic in the water could be an issue. I've already tried rotating less while inserting, but that's not always practical. I'm cutting pipe with a ratcheting PVC cutter and deburring with sandpaper. How can I get better looking interior joints? <Q> That level of glop is not normal. <S> Some things to check: <S> Is the pipe end deburred? <S> A file plus sandpaper to finish works well. <S> Are the pipe & fittings dry? <S> Water can do strange things to PVC cement. <S> Be firm, but don't push too hard, and don't over rotate. <S> 1/8 of a rotation is enough. <S> Work quickly, but do let any residual drips in the primer evaporate before moving on to glue. <A> Make sure primer is wet when applying solvent, and be sure to bevel the pipe end. <S> Not doing so is a classic mistake made by many professionals. <S> The pipe end is scraping off the solvent and slopping it at the end because it's not beveled, and its wider than the inside of the fitting. <S> Using too much solvent inside the fitting can somewhat cause this, but it's more likely that the primer is not wet when the solvent is applied, and <S> couple that with an unbeveled pipe, you have yourself glopping at the end. <S> So, bevel the end, and make sure the primer is wet when applying solvent. <S> problem solved <A> I think your largest problem is too-thick (old, perhaps?) <S> cement... <S> although I've never seen such a nasty glop inside any PVC (or CPVC) pipe joint of any size. <S> Nobody seems to have asked whether you ream, as well as deburr, your pipe before glueing... <S> but I cannot think that failure to ream would cause a problem like this. <S> You're using real "PVC cement" from the store, and not something somebody whipped up in their basement, based upon acetone? <S> Your buildup looks to my eye like the solvent in your batch <S> is far too active, and is melting the pipe very aggressively. <S> Could I get you to try another fresh can from the store? <S> I'm not sure what passes as "primer" where you are, but primer here is more a cleaning agent than anything else; the cement does all the work of bonding the pipe to the fitting. <S> I saw, give it a quick swipe of primer, let the primer dry, apply cement, and immediately join pipe to fitting - straight insertion followed by about 1/4-turn. <S> By the end of the 1/4-turn, the cement has always set up tight - and I barely have enough time to align (where alignment is necessary) <S> my fitting with my Sharpie mark on the pipe. <S> Peeking in through a coupling, all that can be seen is the reamed end of the pipe with a very small bead of cement around its rim. <S> You might find it handy to use a coarse-toothed hacksaw blade (in a hacksaw) to cut PVC pipe. <A> From what I can see it appears that there was a scrapping of the cpvc cement upon joining the pieces and twisting action like screwing in the pieces together. <S> Gluing PVC pipe or abs pipe is the same and I have never added cement to both parts to be glued. <S> The process I use is to add cement to the male piece and then push with a slight turn action. <S> This ensures that the excess cement is pushed out of the fitting onto the pipe. <S> Preparing the pipes to weld always precedes the welding of the materials with cleaner and primer for the strongest weld possible. <A> What I have found is folks usually use two much glue especially on the female side. <S> To eliminate the excessive problem you are having only lightly prime the fittings, with cleaned primed fittings ready only put the glue on the male part and do not coat the very end. <S> Use a twisting action when assembling. <S> This method will produce only slop on the outside of the fitting if two much glue is used. <S> I have been using this method for many years and had very few problems with filters / regulators getting gunked up. <S> Any excess on the female part ends up being pushed into the pipe as your photos show. <A> This should never happen. <S> No matter how much cleaner you use our how much glue... the best I can think is that either the glue and cleaner you used is not proper for off, or waaaaaaaay too much force was used in joining the pipe. <S> Either way, this shouldn't happen. <S> To recap, in order to join pvc, clean both the pipe and fitting, allow any pooled cleaner to evaporate, or just tilt the pipe to allow it to run off, then apply a decent layer of glue. <S> But one swab from the can should be enough glue for the pipe and fitting. <S> Apply the glue to both pieces, then press together, turn, and hold firmly together for around 15-20 seconds. <S> If this continues, I would suggest a new can of glue and cleaner, we use oateys, or New pipe and fittings all together.	Once the joint is pressed together, you can wipe off effed glue from the outside, but the pipe shouldn't warp.
How to flatten the sagging OSB subfloor? I am preparing the subfloor to install engineered hardwood floor by floating installation. However, the subfloor is too much sagging. There is a big area with about 5/32 depth. See: The real sagging area is even bigger than what you can see on the picture. Could anybody give me suggestion about how to flatten this subfloor? I was thinking to use 1/8 plywood but it seems I need too much plywood since the area is big. And it won't be smoothly flat. Is there any kind of compound I can use to flatten it? <Q> A 5/32" depression is not that bad actually. <S> Assuming you don't have a problem with the floor joists that need to be stiffened, you have a couple of options. <S> First, I would span the area with a 8 or 10 foot straight edged board to visualize the areas that are depressed. <S> Be sure the existing subfloor is securely nailed or screwed down. <S> Add screws if necessary <S> so there is no bounce. <S> The easiest method would be to use embossing compound. <S> Use your long straight edge to screed it, much like you would a concrete slab. <S> Since your depression is only a little over 1/8", it should be very easy to spread that small amount. <S> Then using a 12" trowel, just gently smooth it over maintaining the depth of fill. <S> Once you have completed this task, evaluate the overall flatness. <S> If you still have some small dips, use more compound or opt for a layer of 3/16" plywood. <S> Remember, always use a layer of red rosin paper between wood layers to prevent squeaking. <S> You may also opt for a higher quality backer for your engineered flooring. <S> There are several different backers available. <S> They range from ultra cheap thin foam to much better thicker, sound deadening composites. <S> Good luck. <A> You want self-leveling underlayment. <S> It's a type of concrete designed for use over wood subfloors. <S> Make sure to read the directions <S> so you know how to seal the seams in your floor before you put it on. <A> Just went to homedepot, it looks like a compound named "fix-it-all" can be used to patch the subfloor <S> and it's sandable.	If the engineered wood flooring is 3/8" or thicker, the combination of a good backer and the flooring will bridge any very small irregularities still left on the subfloor. Much like your pic, I'd pencil out the area on the floor so you can see it clearly. Embossing compound in this application is best as it fills easy, dries quickly and easy to sand if you feel you need to remove any ridges, etc left behind after it dries. Mix up a good amount and trowel it on the depressed area. Don't worry about small differences, they will not show.
Is there any code for running Ethernet cable (through attics)? We have an unfinished attic - the insulation-everywhere, step-in-the-wrong-place-and-fall-through-the-ceiling kind. I'd like to run Ethernet cable through the attic. I know for Romex, I'd have to staple the wire to the joists, drill holes when running perpendicular, etc. However, I can't find anything stating I need to do the same with Ethernet. In fact, much of what I've read online implies there are basically no rules for Ethernet! So I want to make sure: Do I need to need to staple the Ethernet to the side of the joists? Drill holes when running perpendicular? Can I simply set the cable down along the top of the joists? If I decide to use conduit (for future-proofing) , do the rules change? If I were to run the cable through the dropped-ceiling of a finished basement instead, would the rules change? <Q> National Electrical Code 2014 <S> Chapter 8 Communications Systems Article 800 Communications Circuits <S> I. General <S> 800.24 Mechanical Execution of Work. <S> Communications circuits and equipment shall be installed in a neat and workmanlike manner. <S> Cables installed exposed on the surface of ceilings and sidewalls shall be supported by the building structure in such a manner that the cable will not be damaged by normal building use. <S> Such cables shall be secured by hardware, including straps, staples, cable ties, hangers, or similar fittings designed and installed so as not to damage the cable. <S> The installation shall also conform to 300.4(D) and 300.11. <S> Chapter 3 Wiring Methods and Materials Article 300 Wiring Methods <S> I. General Requirements 300.4 Protection Against Physical Damage. <S> (D) Cables and Raceways Parallel to Framing Members and Furring Strips. <S> In both exposed and concealed locations, where a cable- or raceway-type wiring method is installed parallel to framing members, such as joists, rafters, or studs, or is installed parallel to furring strips, the cable or raceway shall be installed and supported so that the nearest outside surface of the cable or raceway is not less than 32 mm (11⁄4 in.) <S> from the nearest edge of the framing member or furring strips where nails or screws are likely to penetrate. <S> Where this distance cannot be maintained, the cable or raceway shall be protected from penetration by nails or screws by a steel plate, sleeve, or equivalent <S> at least 1.6 mm (1⁄16 in.) <S> thick. <S> 300.11 Securing and Supporting. <S> Please see NEC for full text <S> So basically, you're going to want to protect and support the cables in a similar manner to any other cables. <S> Curiously, the code didn't mention 300.4(A) <S> Cables and Raceways Through Wood Members. . <S> Though I'd likely still follow that section if I had to run communication cables through wood members. <S> If you run the cable through conduit, you'll have to follow the code for protection and support (fill requirements do not need to be met, per 800.110(B). <S> If you run through a drop ceiling, you'll have to install support wires for the cable, or support it in another approved manner. <S> You can't support the cable using the ceiling grid, or support wires. <S> Here's a great document from Mike Holt <S> that explains Article 800 (with images). <S> Introduction to Article 800 - Communication Circuits (PDF) <A> The rules for adequate protection of wires from damage, and "workmanlike" installation apply to low voltage (Class 2) cabling just as they do for any other electrical installation. <S> Conduit is not required, but can serve as both protection and support for low voltage cabling. <S> "Smurf tube" or Non-metallic flexible conduit is often used for this. <S> It is even available in an orange color to signify it contains low voltage wiring. <S> In general the rules are similar, but more relaxed. <S> Most notably low voltage cables can have junctions exposed to air (not in a box.) <A> Never posted on this site so sorry if my formatting is off <S> but I noticed this post is still active. <S> I was hoping after 5 years you have gotten the solution you were looking for but to shed some light on this in simple terms. <S> Click on the link of the Mike Holt document on Article 800 of the NEC the other person posted. <S> Reference these parts below: 800.110(A)(1) on page 75: calls out figure 800-24. <S> At the bottom of the figure the text says "Communication cables aren't required to be installed in raceways." <S> which means you don't HAVE to put the wiring in conduit. <S> Sometimes it just makes things easier and/or neat. <S> If you don't put in in a raceway/conduit you have to still support it though, via the section below. <S> 800.113(B) <S> on page 78: which basically tells you what you cannot do. <S> But the author makes a comment, that states you have to secure the cabling to structural components of the building using things like straps, staples, cable ties, etc. <S> that are designed to not damage the wiring. <S> I am not 100% sure on the allowed "unsupported length" but I probably wouldn't go longer than 6ft if possible. <S> If you are looking for clamps; when I worked on aircraft, we had cable clamps p/n MS21919 that did a great job. <S> They might be overkill for what you need though. <S> As for the smurf tube. <S> Double check your village code. <S> They might have adopted the NEC but then made amendments to it to not allow ENT (smurf tube). <S> My village requires all wiring within conduit to be in EMT rigid tubing (I hope they only mean for power, and not communications <S> but I have to ask). <S> Also for the color of the smurf tube, I noticed someone else said orange was for communication. <S> I know orange is used for communication when buried <S> but I also look at the Carlon Catalog , page 3 in the "options" and they suggest yellow for communication. <S> So I don't know what is right, only that I'm sure the color will mainly be for your reference only and as long as you know.	Yes, you need to have the cable well attached to framing, and it cannot be resting on a drop ceiling.
How can I power a three phase AC motor with only 2 phases? I have some AC motors with 6 wires each. I only have 2 out of 3 phases available. I will test these motors any way. I know the motors won't work in their best condition and I risk create a short circuit if I don't make the right choice. Suppose the internal wiring is like this I'm planning to connect 2 and 5 together, phase A to 1 and 3, phase B to 4 and 6. Will it work? <Q> Three phase motors need to be fed with three phase power. <S> It has to do with the internal configuration, each power leg must be fed power 120 degrees apart so the created magnetic field spins the rotor. <S> If you're thinking about using 240V split phase to power this motor, the effecive phase angle between each leg and neutral is 180 degrees out of phase. <S> Expect the motor to stall if it will even begin to spin weakly, not create the proper back EMF, draw high current and release smoke. <S> Your motor will then run perfectly. <S> There are two types of phase converter, Motor Generator and Static (electronic). <S> Differences between Split Phase 240VAC and 3-phase 240VAC <A> First of all don´t connect them as you said, if the wiring is what you are thinking magnetic fields generated from 1-2 trunk will be opposite to 2-3 trunk, (that means ZERO reactance for both = short circuit) <S> dou <S> you know wether they got a permanent magnet? <S> ( they would not spin freely and u can check check it by connecting a multimeter or LED on some wires and moving the shaft a bit) <S> You could tell what were those motor for if you happen to know. <S> Are they small? , are they as washing machines motors? <S> different internal wirings should be not for three phase arquitecture but for different speed or voltage configurations. <S> You can connect a commonplace three phase motor (there are not two phase) using only one phase, you´ll have to start it by pour own hand (only safe if there is nothing attached to the shaft, otherwise don´t do it)) , the rest of power should appear on the remaining (autogenerated) wires to test the remaining motors, that an only be made as a test and you should check using a 0.25 amper fuse, (or a series 100w lamp if they are small) <A> I think its possible by taking a single phase supply and same phase separated by 4 capacitors to make a rotating flux from four different voltages with phase difference of 90 degree. <S> and we can get a rotating flux which may not be the same as we calculate in a three phase motor 120 f / p. <S> but it will be different. <S> its my theoretical <S> we need to confirm it by an experiment. <S> sarojkanta	If you need to run this motor off of split phase, you need to run it from 240V single phase and use a phase converter that electrically produces three phase power output.
Should I expect a level ceiling when my kitchen was completely gutted? My contractor is giving me the runaround. I really like the guy, but I feel like this is unacceptable. My new cabinets look off because of it. What should I do? <Q> First, let's assume the cabinets and floor are level and the ceiling is not. <S> I would have taken the time to shim the strapping on the ceiling before installing the new drywall or ceiling tiles. <S> This is standard procedure in a good renovation project. <S> Normally, one would shoot a laser around the room and level the ceiling as a first step in the process before cabinets were installed. <S> Depending how far off and how long the wall of cabinets are, it is very difficult to camouflage an unlevel space between the upper cabinets and ceiling with trim. <S> Can you give us some pics or measurements of the offending area? <A> The reality is the floors, walls and ceilings are rarely perfectly flat. <S> Most of the time it does not matter too much but certain things like cabinets, counters, and bathtubs frequently need to installed on flat surfaces and adjustments must be made. <S> If you have room you might think about installing some molding to hide the ceiling issues. <S> You say the kitchen was gutted, did they take out the old ceiling and change the existing ceiling joists? <S> If not, the ceiling not being level is probably just how it was originally (before your "gut remodel"). <A> There is little excuse for an out of square room, that has been completely gutted, to remain out of square during a remodel. <S> Most kitchens have headers and doorways, to break up surface continuity to adjoining rooms. <S> And the cost of ripping some 2x4's, is greatly offset, by how much easier it is to finish the job afterwords - not to mention the appearance aspect, come payday.	If the had to change the ceiling joists then I would expect the ceiling to be pretty flat.
Is plastering a job best left to the professionals? We have moved into an older house which needs re-wiring - the plaster is also in poor condition so a fair amount of plastering is going to be required over the next few months. We are trying to save cash and I'm generally a "have a go at most things myself" sort of person. From looking at videos on YouTube plastering doesn't seem too difficult, doesn't require any particularly expensive equipment, and if I make a mess of it I can either sand it down or re-do it. That said, a couple of people have recommended to me that a good plasterer can get a lot done quickly for not too much money, and that if I get it wrong bad things can happen (like the plaster blowing in a few months time because I've not mixed it properly). Is plastering a low-risk job that I can have a go at myself, or am I likely to waste time and cause myself problems later? The house is brick masonry with a small lath and plaster internal wall (which contains several small holes). The problems include several large-ish (1m x 1m) areas of blown plaster, cracks, screw holes and a generally poor old finish. <Q> If you have failing plaster and lathe interior walls, the process is a bit more complicated than just troweling on some new top coat plaster. <S> The scratch coat, or first coat that bonds with "keys" through the lathe. <S> When these keys fail or break off behind the lathe, portions of the plaster will become loose and often fall off the wall. <S> The correct fix is to remove all the compromised material exposing the lathe and apply a new scratch coat creating new keys between and behind the lathes. <S> After that coat cures, then the finish coat is applied. <S> The materials used are completely different for each step. <S> Although it is not a very difficult job, like anything else that is very visible, the quality of the bond and finish are important to the structural soundness and visual appeal. <S> True plastering is becoming a lost art in a world dominated by sheetrock. <S> Plastering is one of those jobs that takes a long time and lots of practice to become proficient at. <S> I certainly wouldn't discourage you from trying, but don't expect perfection on your first attempt. <S> Even though the finish coat is what you see, pay special attention to the scratch coat as that is what holds the surface to the lathe. <S> If the scratch coat fails, a perfect finish coat is worthless. <S> If your project is fairly small, go for it, but if you are looking at a whole room or rooms, it might be worth your time to get an estimate from a pro. <S> With all the time and money you will spend doing a large project yourself and suffering through the learning curve, you may decide your time is better spent on doing something else. <A> Why not have a go? <S> What's the worst that can happen? <S> You decide that you don't like your results and decide to pay a tradesman to do it - you're no worse off. <S> If you make a decent job of it, you've learned a new skill and saved yourself some cash. <A> I've successfully patched plaster walls with drywall. <S> It's a pain, but it can be done. <S> Chip away the plaster to expose half a stud on either side of the hole. <S> Cut your drywall patch for the hole. <S> Check the depth. <S> Usually the plaster coat will be thicker than the drywall by a good amount. <S> You want the drywall to sit inside the plaster by about 1/8" of an inch or less. <S> I've managed to shim out the studs with paint stir sticks to achieve the correct depth. <S> Sand off the paint on the plaster edge of the hole -- about the width of the sanding block. <S> Tape <S> the joint. <S> Skim coat the drywall, and feather <S> the tape joins out to match the plaster. <S> This means your patch will be ever so slightly thicker than the original plaster, but good feathering will make it indistinguishable. <S> Sand, prime, and paint. <S> With drying times, this will take about 1/2 an hour a day for 3 or 4 days. <S> Alternatively, you can mount the drywall directly to the studs, and do a scratch coat to thicken it to the plaster depth. <S> This takes a different compound, and will need a skim coat to finish it.	Plastering isn't difficult, but like most trades it is difficult to do it to a high standard until you've done it a lot.
Is this outlet wiring correct? I was checking outlets to insure that they were wired correctly, and in doing I discover this one. The outlet tester said it wasn't grounded. There is one black wire coming from what appears to be a light switch, wrapping around a brass screw and going off to another light switch(I think). The other black wire goes elsewhere. Is this appropriate? THank you,Kathleen <Q> If the outlet tester said the outlet is not grounded, it is not wired properly. <S> The three black wires are not the problem. <S> this is a common technique for bringing power to an outlet and then continuing the power down the line to other outlets or fixtures. <S> The connection between the outlet and the switch may be one of two things:- if the switch is downstream (further away from the power source) <S> the outlet is passing current to the switch and then on to a fixture.- if the switch is upstream (between the outlet and the power source), the outlet, and everything else powered by the black wires shown, are controlled by that switch. <S> It is not possible to tell from the wiring shown. <S> The real problem is the lack of ground. <S> There should be a green or bare wire in the outlet box. <S> If it is already attached to something else in the box, you need to remove the grounding and attach two pigtails to that ground and then attach tem to the other grounded item and the outlet. <S> Given the information in your question, it sounds as if you have little experience in handling electricity. <S> Above all, make sure that the power to all wires in the box is off (test with a non-contact tester) before attempting anything. <A> If you tested the ground while the outlet was out of the electrical box, that might explain why you aren't getting a ground. <S> It looks like you have a metal box, which should be grounded. <S> There are receptacles which are "self grounding", which will test as grounded only when installed in the box. <S> If your receptacle has a bit of copper wire in contact with one of the mounting screws, then it is self grounding. <S> There are a few things that stand out to me in the picture: <S> It looks, to me, like there are two wires connected to a screw. <S> If so, this is not right. <S> Only one wire per screw. <S> If this restriction is a hinderance, you will need to make a pigtail with a wire nut. <S> There is way too much copper showing. <S> The wire should be striped just enough to wrap the wire around the screw terminal. <S> The insulation should stop just short of the screw, and not be under the screw. <S> It looks like the wall was drywalled over the original install. <S> You should have an outlet extender to make the box flush with the wall. <S> If the receptacle was installed so that it was 1/2 inch away from the box, this could explain why the box isn't "self-grounding". <S> If the box extender is not metal, then you will definitely need to add a grounding wire to the receptacle as described in other answers. <S> If the receptacle is connected to a switch, you may want to check out the answer I gave yesterday concerning a problem that can occur if the receptacle is not configured properly in this scenario. <S> How to identify the purpose of this switch? <A> Circuits are wired often as a sequence of outlets that are wired in parallel, so the hot from one outlet will go to another. <S> And when running the wire, some installers will simply cut away the insulation without cutting the wire itself. <S> The pro to this is that it's much less likely to have a broken or shorting connection since the copper is continuous. <S> The con is that you have to be very careful when measuring your wire where most installers leave about a foot of wire in the outlet during rough install and cut away the excess when installing the receptacle. <S> On a side note, I personally hate the push in connectors on the back, but it's perfectly reasonable to use those too.	This wire needs to be attached to the grounding screw of the outlet. With the exception of a lack of ground, it appears perfectly normal to me. The white wires in the background may be correct, but it is hard to be sure from this picture. It might be advisable to have this project done by someone with a bit more experience while you look on and become more familiar with power. It's important that all metal boxes are grounded.
Projector ceiling mounting using 2 screws instead of 4: risky? I want to ceiling mount my projector using this projector ceiling mount . However I realize my ceiling beams are too thin to receive the 4 screws necessary to attach it. The only way would be, not to install it so that the square of the mount basis be parallel to the projection screen, but rather diagonally with an angle of 45 degrees (so that one of the 4 square corners directly faces the projection screen). In that scenario the mount would be attached to the ceiling with only 2 screws. Note that the mount + the projector together weight about 4 kilos. The screws are 1cm in diameter, 5cm deep. What do you think? Risky? Acceptable? <Q> I would think the way you mentioned would be fine. <S> Just use good size screws. <S> But would be safer an better if you climb up there and add more support. <S> By screwing in beams where you need them. <A> For my own experience with a projector mounted from the ceiling and only 2 screws ( <S> the mounting kit I've purchased only had two), it holds without problem <S> but: Check the screws often! <S> I believe it might be caused by the vibrations of the projector's fan, but I've found both screws getting loose by time. <S> In my case, it's really hard to tighten them, so I have no other option than periodic checking... <A> 4 kg is not very heavy. <S> 2 screws should be no problem, for the weight. <S> 1 cm diameter screws are very strong and would hold 10 times that much weight. <S> Even 4mm to 6mm screws would be plenty enough to hold up 4kg. <S> Based on the mount that you linked to, you should not need to install it at a 45 degree angle. <S> The tilt section of the mount (as shown in the linked picture) does not rotate, so you probably want to keep the base square/parallel with the screen. <S> The side holes will be enough to secure it. <S> Is this an exposed beam you are attaching to, or is it a finished ceiling (drywall/sheetrock or plasterboard) with the beam (rafter or joist) above it? <S> If it is a finished ceiling, you also could attach a large board so that it reaches across two beams (such as 15mm to 20mm plywood, perhaps 30cm by 60cm or however far it is between beams), and secure the projector mount to the board.	Four screws in the corners of the board to the two beams, and four screws in the corners of the mount to the board, would be very strong and secure.
What's the best way to run a wire from inside my garage to the outside? I'm installing an underground fence for my dog, which requires putting the receiver inside the garage (plugged into an outlet) and running the insulated fencing wire to the outside where it will be buried. Using a suggestion from the manual, my plan is to simply drill a hole through the exterior wall, then caulk around it after installation. Is this the best way, functionally and aesthetically? My exterior is vinyl siding. <Q> The way you suggested will be fine. <S> On the exterior, make sure to leave a drip loop in the wire in order to prevent water from running down the cable. <S> Drill the hole high enough so that standing water next to the foundation won't leak into the hole. <S> (source: chicagopropertyinspection.com ) <A> I would drill a slightly larger hole and run the wire thru pvc conduit. <S> It will protect the wire from accidental damage from a weedwacker, lawnmower etc. <S> I think look cleaner and more professional. <A> I would then notch out the bottom lip so that the wire comes out and the siding can snap back on. <S> If you go low enough, you might be able to come out behind the bottom piece of siding then then just go out the bottom of it.	I would peel back a piece of siding and then drill a whole that comes out near its bottom edge.
How to fix a plug socket whose screws don't hold anymore? I removed the screws of the socket (as shown in the image) to check something, and when I tried screwing it back in, the screw wouldn't hold anymore. It just keeps coming off. I tried sticking the socket back using superglue at the edges, but when I plugged in a water heater and pulled out the plug, the socket got un-stuck again. It's the same with any of the sockets at home. If we remove the screw once, we cant screw it back in again because it doesn't hold. Is there any way to fix this? <Q> As tacky as it is, I have seen electricians use drywall screws to hold receptacles when the threads are stripped out. <S> the sharp threads of the drywall screw will cut new ones into plastic or thin metal. <S> If your screw goes into a brass insert molded in the plastic, you may be out of luck. <A> You should shut off the power and remove any attached devices from the outlet prior to doing any work on it. <S> Either the screw is not reaching the threads, or the screw/box threads are stripped. <S> If the screw is not long enough or the screw is stripped, then the solution is simple - go get a new, longer one. <S> If the threads in the electrical box are stripped, you can cut new, larger threads using a tapping tool and then use the next screw size up. <S> Klein Tools 6-in-1 Tap Tool quickly forms new threads and re-forms burred threads. <S> It's also great for cleaning out plaster obstructions. <S> Each tap size rethreads to the next larger size if threads are stripped. <S> Souce: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Klein-Tools-Cushion-Grip-Six-in-One-Tapping-Tool-626/100630874 <S> (source: homedepot.com ) Be careful to avoid damaging any wires that you might come in contact with. <A> Turns out that it actually was a nut and bolt fixture. <S> Got an opportunity to turn off the mains and when I opened it up, this is what I found: <S> Dad said those existing nuts and bolts aren't so good, and gave me better ones with washers which I used: <S> and now it stayed put <S> : The nuts and bolts on the right were the ones the contractor used, and the ones on the left are what Dad gave me today.	Do be careful of the length of screws used, the sharp points will go into a wire with no resistance, shorting out your connections.
Using a 30-amp tandem circuit breaker for a 120/240v circuit? I inherited a main panel box from a homeowner that wasn't always fond of meeting the required NEC codes. As such, there are some oddities in the panel. One such oddity is the fact that he installed a couple of tandem circuit breakers for use in 120/240 circuits. Specifically, there are two Murray MH-T 30-amp breakers. These are tandem breakers and not "slimline" or "thin" breakers -- the two breaker switches on each are not connected in any way. One of these breakers is used for the clothes dryer and the other for an electric water heater. In the case of the dryer circuit, there's one 10/3 NM wire, with the hot black attached to one of the sides of the tandem breaker and the hot red attached to the other side. The neutral is connected to the neutral bar. In the water heater case, there's a 10/2, with both the white and black attached to their respective sides of the tandem breaker. I want to stress that this absolutely is working. Both the dryer and water heater were wired this way well before I moved in and it's only now, years later, that I noticed what was going on. It's worked fine all along. This seems all sorts of wrong, though. It's still a single pole breaker, even if there are two 120v circuits coming off it. It seems like if this was okay, that I'd hear about using a tandem breaker as a space-saving slim 220v breaker... but I've seem nothing. So, what's wrong with doing this? What's the ramifications if I don't change these two out with traditional double-pole breakers? EDIT: Added photo of the breakers in question: The very top is a double-pole 20-amp breaker that's fine. The first 30-amp tandem is the dryer breaker and the second is the water heater. EDIT 2: Added photo of the dryer breaker popped off the panel: You can clearly see the two buses and that there doesn't appear to be any shenanigans connecting the two of them. I removed the top double-pole breaker for clarity. The popped dryer breaker is clearly a single pole, as you can see the one entry slot. It's apparently connected to the left bus and only that bus. <Q> It sounds like you may be mistaken as to how this is wired, or that perhaps I'm just not understanding your explanation. <S> As others have mentioned, it's not possible to get 240 volts from a single pole in a 120/240V split phase system. <S> Each tandem breaker provides 2 120 V circuits, this is true. <S> However, if you measure between the terminals on a single tandem breaker, you'll get 0 volts. <S> This is because the terminals are both powered from the same leg, and so are at the same voltage potential. <S> If you measure from a terminal on the top tandem breaker to a terminal on the bottom one, then you'll measure 240 volts. <S> This is because each breaker is connected to a different leg, which are each one half of a 240 volt circuit. <S> With all that said. <S> For this setup to work, one appliance would have to be connected to both breaker. <S> Something like this... Notice that each appliance circuit has one wire connected to each of the tandem breakers. <S> In this situation, you'd need a device like Speedy Petey shows. <S> Which ties the breaker handles together, to provide common trip characteristics. <S> Notice how the inner handles are tied together, and that the outer handles are also tied to each other. <S> If this is wired the way you've explained, where the dryer is connected to the top tandem and the heater is connected to the bottom. <S> Then there's some magic going on in those breakers. <A> What you have will electrically work fine, but it is not code and not safe for anyone working on these units. <S> You need to replace those two twins with one of these: <A> Modified to match to new provided information. <S> Speedy Petey's answer contains the circuit breaker you need to install to correct the situation. <S> Murray <S> MH-T MP3030 <S> (this unit gets its power from one leg to produce two 120V circuits) <S> The setup is working because each breaker pair feeds off the proper panel bus leg (One attaches to L1, the other to L2) . <S> From your added information, each 240V circuit is split across the two breakers to do this. <S> What's <S> Wrong -- The major safety concern here is that with a circuit fault, only one of the breakers in the set may trip, leaving the 240V circuit partially energized . <S> For instance if the dryer heating coil burns through and one end touches ground, that side will trip, leaving the other leg hot. <S> You definitely want a circuit fault to totally power down both legs. <S> You want things to be fail-safe. <S> NEC frowns heavily on things like this. <S> Murray bus backplane with interleaved fingers so adjacent full size breakers are on opposite legs. <S> Not true for the MH-T MP3030 breaker pair, each breaker in the set is half-width and the combination is fed off only one leg blade. <A> In US household electrical service, you CAN'T get 240V from a single pole. <S> If you have 240V across them, the breaker is straddling both busses. <S> You just can't get 240v from the one bus. <S> The only issue is connecting the two switch handles. <S> Obviously a nail or piece of wire will work but it looks shoddy. <S> There actually is a real product for this, called a circuit breaker handle tie. <S> I just bought some myself at the local big orange home improvement store to replace a piece of wire stuck through one of mine. <S> http://www.platt.com/platt-electric-supply/Circuit-Breaker-Accessories-Handle-Ties/Eaton/THS1/product.aspx?zpid=6847 <S> Pop the two breakers out, and slide the pins into the two handles. <S> There are also other ones that are metal clips that go over and around the two handles. <A> I have read that tandem breakers can be mounted to either feed power from one leg of the bus bar or from two different legs. <S> If it's the latter in your case, then you'd be getting 240V after all. <S> Check the terminals of the breakers in question (or check at the outlets where your appliances are plugged in) with a voltmeter, if you haven't already, and confirm what is actually being fed to your appliances. <A> I ran across a panel today that has a water heater and a dryer hooked up using tandem breakers. <S> They are not split either. <S> This panel is configurable to half a slot, meaning a regular 110VAC breaker would be clipped into 2 prongs of a live bus, and there is a small plastic wall separating the B side from the A side keeping you from shorting the two 110VAC circuits together. <S> Each side of the tandem breaker gets its own feed from its own prong on the buses making 220VAC.	However, the tandem breakers have a slot cut out allowing you to plug into both sides. Also related is the fact that anyone not paying attention to the panel setup may power off the circuit to work on it and not realize they switched off adjacent pairs instead of alternate pairs of each 240V circuit, leaving a hot leg in the circuit they think is powered down. This isn't fail-safe, but is a booby trap waiting for the inattentive or hurried. As you can see from the breaker inter-ties, they basically take two of these breakers and manually finish off what the installer was attempting to do in a safe manner. This way if either trip (or are turned off by the user), the entire circuit is shut off.
How do I remove surface rust from a metal roof? I am buying a house that requires some minor modifications. One of them is a recommendation to remove a small area of surface rust on a metal roof. I'm interested in the best way to achieve this. <Q> There at multiple products with which to remove rust from iron based metals. <S> There are the mechanical methods which include sanding or wire brushing. <S> Both of these methods can be done by hand or with a power tool. <S> The common product is often referred to as "naval jelly". <S> It is brushed on and then let sit for a while and then washed away. <S> Often it is necessary to use a combination of approaches, the jelly and some concurrent work with steel wool or a wire brush. <S> Make sure to use proper personal protection when working with the chemicals. <S> Another very important part of removing rust is the need to properly prime and paint the surface soon after the rust removal. <S> The rust removal process opens up the bare metal surface and it will re-rust quickly in the presence of any moisture. <S> In consideration that you would be working on a part of your roof be prepared ahead of time how you plan to deal with matching in the paint with the reset of the roof. <S> It could get to necessary to repaint a larger area or whole side of the roof. <A> For something the size of your average metal roof manully grinding the rust off by hand seems like an absolute last resort to me. <S> Though probably a good solution for small stubborn patches. <S> But for the time and effort it would save I would opt for a chemical solution any day, even if it was only 80% as effective. <S> Besides, most metal roofs are fabricated with corrugations, ridges and dips, they're rarely flat. <S> So I think you'd have a very tough time trying to remove the rust mechanically. <A> IME, Don't waste your time and money with naval jelly. <S> BTDT, it mostly moves money from you to the manufacturer. <S> For a few 10's of dollars you can pick up an arbor and matching "surface conditioning discs" (essentially scotchbrite(tm) in a rotary mount) - <S> if you have much to do, it's worthwhile to go there. <S> If there's a huge amount, you can get belts (again, effectively scotchbrite(tm) in belt form) for a belt sander. <S> The green sold for most household uses is a bit wimpy/fine for this job. <S> The conformability of the material makes it more effective than sandpaper for the most part. <S> Treating immediately after mechanical rust removal with a "rust conversion" primer is essential. <S> You should also start putting money in the new roof fund - once a roof starts rusting, the clock is ticking.	The other method is to use a rust remover chemical. If the area is really small, simply getting a few hand pads of the coarse grade (brown) or medium (maroon) scotchbrite from a metalworking supplier might be enough.
Are "1/4 turn" water supply valves more reliable than "multi-turn" valves? Or vice-versa? Aside from personal preference, is there any reason why I would want to buy a "1/4 turn" water supply valve instead of "multi-turn valves"? Is one technology/design clearly superior than the other in terms of reliability? Or is this purely just a style preference? <Q> Yes, ball valves or quarter turn valves tend to be more reliable than globe valves. <S> Globe valves require a washer and a tight friction fit between the seat and washer, and if either of these wear out (which they do over time), leaks start. <S> Ball valves are much simpler in construction. <S> While there are more considerations for industry-specific applications, around the house, ball valves would be my choice for any shutoff valve. <A> The quarter turn <S> valves usually have a few things going for them: <S> Clear indication of whether it is on or off <S> They (at least in my experience) seize less often, and the handle shape gives more leverage for turning it. <S> Less clearance needed around the valve <A> I just had a problem with mine: when I turned on the 1/4 turn valve after the winter, it would not turn off completely, dripping slightly. <S> I tried to take it apart, but it did not completely apart. <S> In the process of taking it apart, I think I spun the plastic gate around several times in trying to remove it. <S> I would not come out, so I put it back together, and looked into unsoldering and replacing it. <S> However, the next time I disconnected the hose that had a sprayer on it, stopping the water from leaking out, the valve was no longer leaking. <S> Given that experience, I would never install a 1/4 turn valve that cannot be repaired.	A downside to ball valves is that they are more difficult to get variable flow out of and are best when you need either on or off states, but nothing in between.
how to fix blade wobble in circular saw The blade on my Skilsaw model 5150 wobbles quite a bit. I can tell the wobble is coming from the shaft itself. (I can grab the shaft and wiggle it around quite a bit --- the result of the "looseness" in the shaft is about a 3/16" wobble on the rim of a 7-1/4" blade.) I found this diagram: http://www.ereplacementparts.com/skil-5150-type-f012515000-714-circular-saw-parts-c-130_160_831.html , but I can't tell what part is supposed to keep the shaft from wobbling. Any suggestions are appreciated. <Q> If you're sure it's the shaft that's loose, and not a misalignment in the blade attachment, then it's most likely one of the bearings supporting the shaft that's bad. <S> Check for play in the bearing flange (Component 36). <S> If that's solid, then check the bearing sleeve (component 13). <S> Unfortunately if it's the armature that's damaged (component 3), then you're better off buying a new saw. <A> You will need to open up the saw to find out for sure. <S> The most common cause of wobble like this is that the bearings or bushings are worn out. <S> These are the things that hold the main shaft in place. <S> They should be a close fit to the shaft, and the shaft rotates within them. <S> When they are worn out, there is too much room and the shaft flops around or wobbles. <S> In the linked parts diagram, these would be items 13, 814 or 818, and possibly 39. <S> I notice that two bearing sleeves are listed on the side of the page under "popular parts"; no surprise there. <S> When you open it up, you will likely find that one or both of the bearing sleeves is not fitting nice and smooth on the shaft. <S> It will probably look like an oval or egg-shaped hole in the bearing instead of a perfect circle. <S> I recently did this replacement on an electric hand drill. <S> Same situation-- bushing was worn, drill chuck wobbled too much, replaced the bushing, now it runs smoothly. <S> (As to the name bearing versus bushing: if it has an inner and outer ring with balls or rollers in between, it's usually called a bearing. <S> If it is a single part where the shaft just rotates directly in it, it's usually called a bushing. <S> But both are doing the job of holding a rotating shaft. <S> If they want to call it a bearing sleeve when someone else might call it a bushing... <S> well, it's still doing the same job <S> so no big deal) <A> This saw retails for under $50 and if it has an internal problems, it is not worth fixing in my opinion. <S> This saw is typically sold in box stores for light duty occasional homeowner use and is not designed to be tough enough for strenuous use. <S> Rather than spend a bunch of money and time trying to fix a cheap saw, buy a new one or invest in a good grade contractor model. <A> I disassembled the parts and found the bushing worn in my saw. <S> Because the bushing was worn, ( the saw is is a Mastercraft and over 20 years old) I did not anticipate that I would get replacement parts. <S> I took the bushing to a machine shop and got one made by the machinist. <S> The cost was about 20 USD. <S> However, he made the replacement from Brass and it quickly became also worn. <S> I went and complained and I am expecting to get another replacement made from steel to collect tomorrow.	If it is the bearings,as in the shaft has lateral play in it, the saw is junk.
Will high efficiency furnace plumbing lead to cold air entering the house? At the outside wall of my house I can see two white PVC round tubes/pipes, I understand one is for sucking air from outside, and one is for furnace blowing warm air to outside - correct? We are worried that the one that blows air out, will also bring in cold air in winter? <Q> These vents are for a high efficiency furnace. <S> One brings in fresh air for combustion, the other exhausts air after combustion. <S> It's separate from the air you breath in your home, hence the high efficiency part. <S> The biggest concerns with these are venting exhaust too close to a window, and having the exhaust sucked back into the intake, but this shouldn't be a problem with a properly installed system. <S> There's no need to modify or cover these vents, doing so can damage your furnace. <A> These pipes are for combustion air. <S> You definitely don't want exhaust gas in your house. <S> It might kill you. <S> The "in" pipe is for economy, so that it doesn't have to get air from the house, and for making it easier for the exhaust to "draft" out of the "out" pipe. <A> These PVC intake/outake high efficiency systems are closed systems... <S> meaning that the air from these pipes does not enter your conditioned space at all. <S> Bottom line, don't worry. <S> Just leave them. <S> They're doing their job! :)	The out pipe expels exhaust from the furnace's combustion, the one that sucks air in, gives the furnace oxygen to fuel combustion.
8 way splitter degrades internet signal over time I have a cable TV plus Internet coming into the house and into an 8-way splitter (CE Tech Home Command Center). From this splitter I have coax going to the cable modem plus 3 TV's. When I have my cable provider refresh my signal everything works fine for about two months. Then the interet gets gradually slower, and I have to have a signal refresh again. When I take the splitter out, the internet is back to full strength. My question is how can the splitter gradually degrade the signal? It is just physical coax connections, no amplification or other electronics. I don't see how it can work on day 1 and gradually get slower. Also, I could split the cable from outside, connect one to the modem and the other to the command center for the 3 TVs. Or I could buy a signal amplifier and boost the signal before it gets to the command center. Any recommendations on this? <Q> There is a loss associated with every port on the splitter. <S> If you look on the splitter, you'll probably see something like -4dB printed on each port. <S> This is how much signal loss there is on that port. <S> Typically your cable modem will be connected to a splitter directly from the source feed, then all other TVs split from a secondary splitter. <S> Amplifiers usually just add noise and if there is a signal quality issue, it's best to work with your service provider to get the addressed. <S> Bad connector fittings on the end of the cable can make a huge difference, as can the length and quality of the cable used. <S> By SOP, most cable installers would probably replace every RG6 compression fitting between the source and the modem. <A> Sorry, can't comment yet due to "lack of reputation" <S> So here's an answer instead. <S> Steven makes a good point about signal loss at the splitter. <S> You should do your best to use the smallest splitter possible, and one that is designated for digital frequencies (older ones weren't tested for interference here). <S> In the event that you cannot find a proper splitter, you should look into properly terminating the open ports: https://www.amazon.com/Type-75-Ohm-Terminator-Pack/dp/B000AAN76Y <S> That's cheap and should well exceed the quantity you need. <A> You did not identify the cable modem type and model. <S> So only based on a Surfboard I reset my own monthly, The logs are cleared monthly. <S> But from studying the logs and talking with the engineers for our cable company, modems keep track of network conditions. <S> They will if repeated occurrence of interference occurs, both internal and external, that change one or more of the bonding channels used in a disruptive manor that channel can get bumped from usage. <S> If enough disruption occurs to signals the modems will drop back to a slower through put. <S> I see the most trouble in our area when lightning storms and high winds occur (we have overhead lines). <S> And then heavy issue when snowbirds return and leave causing techs to add-in or removal of service in area.	It sounds like you might just be dealing with a bad splitter, so my first recommendation would be to just replace the splitter.
Fix lead joint between cast iron and galvanized steel plumbing pipes? I took out my bathtub to replace a rotted wall behind it, and the drain pipe fell out. (Yes, I unscrewed the drain fitting before removing the tub.) The joint under the concrete slab, where the drain pipe meets the P-trap, is what came apart. drain pipe and P-trap http://www.bolis.com/albums/projects2014/20140528_130558_bathroom_plumbing.sized.jpg The P-trap is below the concrete slab, and not right under the tub drain, so it was extended up to the tub drain with two 45-degree elbows. The P-trap is cast iron, and so are the two 45-degree elbows. The pipe nipples joining them are galvanized steel, US 1-1/2 inch NPT. The P-trap, however, is not threaded, at least not with 1-1/2 NPT threads. It looks like there could be a smaller, finer thread; it might be tub drain fitting threads. Or it might just be my imagination; it is hard to tell with the rust. It appears that the steel pipe nipple was set into the P-trap and sealed with lead. The lead made sort of a gasket, sitting in a lip or shoulder of the P-trap. The lead ring was peeled up slightly on the left side. I imagine it may have had a small gap with a the P-trap for a long time. I attempted to peel it off with pliers, as you can see, but it is held quite firmly on the right-hand side. P-trap http://www.bolis.com/albums/projects2014/20140528_130530_bathroom_plumbing.sized.jpg P-trap http://www.bolis.com/albums/projects2014/20140528_130409_bathroom_plumbing.sized.jpg This type of connection is used elsewhere in the house. Here is another one nearby, which I think is for a vent stack. lead pipe joint http://www.bolis.com/albums/projects2014/20140528_130510_bathroom_plumbing.sized.jpg The house was built in 1966, and I assume this is original construction. I scraped the joints with a knife, and I'm quite certain they are lead. There is no clearance gap between the galvanized drain pipe and the cast-iron P-trap hub. There is no oakum; this is not a bell-and-spigot leaded oakum joint. So: what's the best way to repair this pipe joint? I have replaced the bottom pipe nipple on the drain pipe with a new one, but how should I reconnect it to the P-trap? I'm sure I can clean off the old P-trap and set the drain pipe back in place (after I measure and position it carefully to line back up with the tub). How should I reconnect it? I can imagine several alternatives: Re-melt the lead by heating the cast iron P-trap with a MAPP or acetylene torch Remove excess lead and pack with epoxy putty Dig out the P-trap and replace with a threaded one, perhaps in a better location. I really don't want to replace the P-trap buried under the slab if I can avoid it. I'm leaning towards trying to remelt the lead, but I don't know what pitfalls to avoid. Advice? Suggestions? Thanks in advance for any help. <Q> Re-leading the joint isn't too hard. <S> You will need a slug of lead, <S> a ladle, yarning iron, packing iron, caulking irons, oakum, and torch. <S> The process goes like this: Safety first! <S> Wear thick leather gloves and avoid eating lead particles. <S> Clean the old lead out Using a yarning iron, pack the oakum around the pipe. <S> Repeat this operation until the hub is packed to about 1” from its top. <S> Pack the oakum with a hammer and packing iron to make a bed for the molten lead. <S> Using the plumber’s ladle, carefully pour the molten lead into the joint, as shown in Figure 30. <S> Dip enough lead to fill the joint in one pouring. <S> Allow a minute or two for the molten lead to harden and change incolor from royal blue to a dull grey. <S> Usually, one pound of lead is melted for each inch of pipe size. <S> Caulk <S> the joint first using the outside caulking iron <S> and then the inside caulk ing iron. <S> The first four blows should be struck 90 degrees apart around the joint to set the pipe. <S> Drive the lead down on the oakum and into contact with the spigot surface on one edge and the inner surface of the hub on the other. <S> Use firm but light hammer blows. <S> The process isn't really hard at all for vertical pipe, but does require some specialized tools. <S> If you have several of these joints in your house, it might be worth the investment! <S> Yarning irons: <S> Caulking Irons: <S> Inside/Outside Caulking <S> Irons: <S> Ladle: <S> Horzontal Pour: <A> It worked. <S> I packed the gravel back in around it and it held everything securely. <A> I would: <S> dig out more until you are at solid pipe. <S> cut pipe out there fit with appropriate coupling (something like this ) <S> build up with PVC <S> Also note that during your refill that the area that the coupling is in needs to be packed tight so it doesn't move. <S> I also wrap the couplings in thick plastic and tape each end up to keep moisture off coupling.	I bought a Neoprene boot which fit around the pipe and the P-trap.
How is the input connection made to a punch down block? I'm installing a patch panel using Cat 6 cable to the various rooms of the house that will require internet service. I have a 12 port punch down block, and understand how to punch down the connections in accordance with the color codes I'm using. However, I have a basic question. There will need to be an input to the patch panel (from the cable provider) through the Modem/Router. How is that connection made to the punch down block? Is one of the 12 ports simply designated as "Input" and the rest the various locations? I do not see a separate "input" location. <Q> Ethernet cabling isn't simply jointed together the way power or phone cables are. <S> Each run from the various rooms should be punched down to the back of an ethernet patch panel: <S> It's unclear from your question <S> what kind of patch panel you have or how you've punched down the cables. <S> An ethernet patch panel will expose a standard RJ45 connector for every line. <S> Then you need to connect each run to a different port on an ethernet switch: <S> In your case you will need to buy a switch with at least as many ethernet jacks as you have in the house. <S> A switch is a device that directs internet traffic to and from the various ports based on their source and destination. <S> It is not just a dumb splitter. <S> You then plug the router into one of the jacks (doesn't matter which one). <S> Note that a modem and a router have different purposes, although occasionally they are bundled into the same device. <S> You must make sure you have a router either built-in to the modem or sitting just after the modem. <A> If it's a Ethernet patch panel then one side of the block is for punching down, and the other side will be an RJ45 port. <S> It sounds like you are talking about a Telco bix block where both sides are punch downs. <S> These are not typically used for Ethernet and instead are used for Telco pairs and patching those connections through. <A> Your question needs more details to be answered better. <S> However, here is some general design information. <S> Since you don't give any details on the patch panel, I will assume it is punch-down to RJ45 ports. <S> Your patch panel only has wire terminations. <S> Each wire (going to a jack in another room) will get punched down on the patch panel, and then its RJ45 port will be connected to your hub/switch. <S> To be clear, the patch panel is not a hub or switch that connects devices together into a single network. <S> Your modem <S> /router does have inputs and outputs, but typically only one of each. <S> Or better said, it has an "external" or "upstream" side facing your Internet service provider, and an "internal" or "downstream" side facing your household computers. <S> If you are talking about internet service from the Cable company, your external side is coax from the street. <S> Many or most routers have one Ethernet port for the "internal" side where you connect your computer(s), although some have 4 ports with a built-in hub. <S> If you have a router with 4 internal ports, and only 4 rooms to connect up, you are all set. <S> If you have a one-internal-port router, or you have more than 4 rooms to connect, then you need an additional hub or switch, which could have 8 to 12 ports. <S> You plug the internal port of the router to one port of your multi-port switch, using a normal RJ45 Ethernet cord. <S> That is the "input" port you are thinking of. <S> Then connect the patch panel ports to the other hub ports. <S> Those are the "outputs" you are thinking of.	You need an Ethernet hub or switch to do that, with RJ45 cords from each patch panel port to a hub/switch port. If you are talking about DSL service, then your external side is on twisted pair wiring (which could be connected with an RJ11 or RJ45 connector, but it is not an Ethernet signal). Your patch panel does not have "inputs" and "outputs".
How can I attach a safety gate at the bottom of the stairs? I have a wall on one side with trim molding at baseboard and opposite end is the wooden banister. What type of gate can I attach. The drywall is not holding the screws in place and we we frequently open and close the gate. I have regalo gate that I re-purposed but it keeps falling off the drywall. The stud is a little fruther away from where I want the gate on the wall, if I fix it to the stud in the drywall, the gate would be at an angle to the wooden banister. <Q> Could you attach a board to the wall, that spans the distance between the stud, and your ideal hinge location for the baby gate? <S> For an example of what I'm talking about-- as well as plans for a cool parallelogram baby <S> gate-- see the following: <S> http://woodgears.ca/home/baby_gate.html <S> (Note I am not talking about the gate at the top of the stairs, that you see at the top of the linked page, but rather the gate at the bottom of the stairs.) <A> There are safety gates made specifically for this configuration. <S> See, for example, this one on amazon: Regalo Top of Stair Gate, White by Regalo <S> http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003VNKLI4/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_AUjItb1Q0882Z <S> I'm not endorsing it or recommending this particular one ... <S> Just pointing out that there's a product line designed to meet this need. <A> You can make it wide enough to reach over to the stud, or leave it narrow (like a 1x4 board, 36 inches tall) and just put it in the place you want to anchor the gate. <S> (source: alliedboltinc.com ) <S> These are available at any hardware or home-improvement store. <S> I highly recommend the metal ones. <S> The plastic augers are acceptable, but the metal ones are more durable. <S> They are quite strong. <S> I attached an equipment rack straight to drywall (no stud connections) with 8 of these, and did chin-ups on it (weighing 200 pounds). <S> It did not move at all. <S> For a baby gate, I would use the 1x4 board held into the drywall by 6 of these augers, in a zig-zag pattern with 3 on each side. <S> Drill 6 pilot holes (1/8 inch drill bit) through the wood into the drywall (that way you know your holes will all line up). <S> Put the augers into the drywall in those holes. <S> Enlarge the holes in the wood <S> so the screw slips through (you don't want the screw threads grabbing the wood; you only want them grabbing the augers), and then screw the wood to the augers. <S> Then attach the gate to the wood. <S> Alternatively, if you use a wider piece of wood to reach the stud: either make the wood wide enough to span from one stud to the next (probably 16 inches), or else use these augers on the non-stud side of the wood.	I would attach a piece of wood to the drywall at the place you want it, and attach the gate to the wood. There is only one reliable way that I have found to attach anything to drywall, which is using auger-type anchors: Any other plastic drywall anchor is a waste of time and will not hold up to much weight, flexing, or stress.
What are the ramifications of using interior oil-based paint outdoors? I accidentally spray painted some gates for my deck with interior oil-based paint. They had been previously painted and I was touching them up after about 7 years use. I put 2 coats of the oil-based interior paint on them. They are white. I'm wondering what I should do. Would it make any difference to put a coat of exterior paint on top? Should I just put them outside and wait for them to wear out again? <Q> One big difference between interior and exterior paint is the flexibility. <S> Interior paint does not have to deal with as drastic of temperature changes. <A> Most exterior rated paints incorporate UV inhibitors to protect against the sun's harsh rays, while interior rated paints do not. <S> So I'd expect discoloration and premature deterioration. <A> I have used oil based indoor paints many times outdoors. <S> Mainly on sheds. <S> The only issue I have had with it is an extreme amount of discoloration. <S> Bright blue turned to really dull pool liner blue, off white turned to dirty-light-yellow. <S> Honestly I would leave it be for now. <S> If you painted over other latex it might just fall off once it fully hardens and hits a few temp changes. <S> That will make scraping it easier. <S> If it doesn't fall off then just see what happens.	Odds are after a summer the oil based paint (even if you put a coat over the top) will get very brittle and begin to crack, particularly if the paint did no go onto bare wood. It isn't hurting anything.
Can I operate a 120v 60 hz sewing machine with a 220v 50hz power supply? I was going to buy a sewing machine from someone. It's rated 120v - 60 Hz (as written in the label), but the power system here is 220v - 50 Hz. Can I operate this machine with that power if I use step down transformer or stabilizer (220v to 110v) without changing 50 hz to 60 hz? <Q> General rule of thumb is that transformers must be run at the proper frequency they were designed for. <S> Professor CP Steinmetz worked out why AC transformers burned up and enabled Westinghouse and the world to enjoy the use of Teslas work on AC motors and power transmission because he determined that the alloy used in transformers and motor electromagnetic circuits was very critical in controlling hysteresis (the resistance to iron changing magnetic polarity) so they wouldn't overheat. <S> Motors are just another form of transformer so any inductive type motors must also be run at the proper frequency to prevent overheating and run at the proper speed. <S> That being said, in a sewing machine, you usually have a special case as it typically is powered by a brushed universal motor which is a whole lot less sensitive to the frequency issue due to the design. <S> Its speed is dependent on voltage and current allowed through the device and <S> the magnetic path alloys are specifically designed for this. <S> So to sum it up, don't run your refrigerator on the wrong frequency (uses an inductive motor) <S> , you probably can run your sewing machine on the lower frequency (uses universal brushed motor). <S> The heating affects from magnetic path hysteresis are worse when running 60Hz equipment on 50Hz. <A> You need a 220V, 50Hz to 110V, 60Hz converter (or transformer as some stores would call them). <S> Make sure you pick up one that's rated for a "heater", as it generally provides you with more than 100W power. <A> It might run slower, as the rotational speed of most AC motors depends on the frequency of the power supply. <S> I'd be tempted to connect it up (through the transformer) and give it a try.	You will need a 50Hz transformer to step the voltage down!
Adding Undersized Fuse to Doorbell Circuit? So recently my doorbell button got stuck and it burnt out both the electromagnetic coil in the chime and the transformer. As I'm replacing everything I was thinking that I could add fuse to prevent a rogue button from causing so much damage again. The transformer is 16VAC 10W and I measured the voltage as just over 20VAC. The chime consists of an electromagnetic coil that drives a pin hitting a chime (separate coils for the front and back buttons). It claims it's suitable for a 16VAC 10W or 16VAC 15W transformer. Let's say that x amps run through the circuit when the button is depressed. Normally the button is depressed for very short periods of time (let's say <10 seconds for an enthusiastic doorbell ringer). I've read that a fuse can withstand more than its rated current for a period of time depending of how high the current is over the rated current... can I undersize a fuse such that the blow time for an x amp load would be 10–15 seconds? Would sizing the fuse be so finicky as to be not worth it? <Q> Wouldn't a slow-blow fuse work? <S> I don't think you'd want to under size it. <S> Something like this . <S> Just figure out where you need to be on the Average Time Current Curves. <A> A good old bimetallic strip positioned close to the bell can open the circuit to prevent excessive over-heating. <S> As the bell solenoid gets a little warm, the bimetal elements warp mechanically and open circuit the bell current. <S> After it has cooled down a bit the contacts close: - <A> Having had doorbell problems myself, I feel your pain. <S> Consider what would happen if an overly enthusiastic Girl Guide decided to hold down your doorbell button. <S> From my personal experience, I found no problems holding down the doorbell continuously. <S> This leads me to suspect that one of your components failed in some other way that violated the part's ratings. <S> Perhaps some coils short circuited. <S> Hopefully new parts rated to the power you specified will last longer. <S> Edit: As a tip, taping down your doorbell while inside testing connections is particularly helpful.	I would recommend against this kind of hack. Just understand what voltage/current ratings you need and find a slow-blow fuse that can handle 10-15 seconds of that.
Toaster oven makes my kitchen lights flicker Today, I got a new toaster oven. When it's heating, my kitchen lights (plugged into an adjacent outlet) flicker/pulse. What can I do to reduce the flickering? If I get a power conditioner, can I put it on the power supply to the toaster oven, so that the appliance doesn't impact any other outlets in the household? It looks like power conditioners are usually intended to be used on the devices you want to shield, rather than on the device that's causing the problem; does it work both ways? I'm in Canada, so my mains power is 120 V at 60 Hz. Edit - more details: New toaster oven: Breville BOV800XL "Smart Convection Oven", 1800W Old toaster oven (no flickering problem): Hamilton Beach, convection, 1440W Microwave on same outlet (no flickering problem): Panasonic Inverter, 1100W output, 1200W input The new toaster oven doesn't exhibit the flickering problem if I'm toasting; only if it's heating on "bake" mode (both when the convection fan is on and off). The lights dim when I turn the toaster oven on any mode, but on "toast" they don't flicker; they just dim and stay dim until the toaster oven shuts off. The flickering happens around 8 Hz (but it's hard to tell for sure). I put a Kill-a-Watt meter on the lights (which were turned on), and got the following readings, but it only updates the display once per second: Toaster off: 118.7 .. 119.2 V Toaster on "toast": 117.1 .. 117.6 V Toaster on "bake": 117.2 .. 117.4 V, flickers The light fixture is mounted above the counter, not the main kitchen light fixture; it has three sockets rated for 50W each and a single on/off power switch (no dimmer control). I don't know what kind of bulbs they contain but I think they're incandescent: It appears that no other lights are affected (ie. the overhead lights, the range hood light, or a fluorescent fixture above the sink). I guess the toaster oven is doing some PWM thing when it's on bake? I don't know for sure, but the flickering is very distracting. This is an old house (100 years this year, I think) but the wiring was updated within the last decade, I believe. I'm renting so it's unfeasible for me to do anything about the wiring and setup (but I suppose I could run extension cords). <Q> The problem isn't within the toaster, and adding a "power conditioner" wouldn't help. <S> In general, the lighting circuits and the countertop appliance circuits should be on separate breakers to begin with, so that an appliance fault won't leave you in the dark with a potentially dangerous situation (hot and/or spinning objects). <S> You should try to work out which outlets in your kitchen are on which circuits, and operate the toaster on a separate circuit from the one your lights are plugged into. <A> I suggest you check the power cord of the toaster over for heat (cord, plug, wall outlet).I would also suggest you check the circuit panel for heat using some kind of remote sensing device like an infrared thermometer gun (or in worst-case visually examining for signs of excessive heat like melting of insulation). <S> I had a similar problem and it turned out that the connection at the circuit panel wasn't correct. <S> Turning on a high-impedance appliance caused arcing in the circuit breaker and actually melted the insulation on the wire. <S> The arcing caused the flickering in the lights. <A> In Canada and the US, kitchen outlets are wired so that the top plugs on adjacent outlets are circuit A, and the bottom plugs are <S> circuit B. Yes, it's weird (and a royal pain for the people actually doing the wiring) but that explains why the top and bottom circuits are not behaving the same. <S> The toaster oven draws a lot of power, but it should not dim a simple lighting circuit that much. <S> You may have a serious electrical problem, and unless you are confident enough to do your own work, call an electrician to pull the outlets and the breaker. <S> I won't supply instructions - if you don't already know how to do this, call someone. <S> Do this soon, like today, or at least before your house burns down. <S> Moving plugs around might "make the problem go away" but if you have corroded connections it will just make the problem less obvious as it slowly gets worse. <A> I also recently replaced a toaster oven with a Breville Smart Oven, and the lights flicker only when it is in a mode which uses the convection fan. <S> I added ferrite filters to the power line, which made the problem audible. <S> This leads me to believe that the convection fan is driven with pulse width modulation (PWM), and that Breville's implementation of it essentially turns the toaster into a transmitter, using the power line as an antenna.	The only real solution to end the flickering (which is dramatically more noticable with LED lights) is to get a different brand of toaster oven. It's simply drawing a lot of power from the outlet, and the wiring impedance between the outlet and the distribution panel is causing the voltage at the outlet to drop a bit.
Why does my fluorescent ceiling fixture trip the GFCI sometimes? Every so often, roughly a 1/20 chance, flipping the light switch to my laundry room's fluorescent fixture will trip the nearby GFCI outlet. Why is this? Is it more likely to be the GFCI being faulty or the fixture itself, like a faulty ballast? Or could it be the light switch? The switch has already been recently replaced, but I don't think I grounded it during installation (it wasn't grounded initially so I left it that way). Could having a light switch that is not grounded cause this phenomenon? The fixture is probably older than 20 years. It uses a double circline bulb. <Q> Interference <S> The problem could be caused by Electromagnetic interference , or an attempt to filter the interference. <S> If you have an older GFCI device, you should first try replacing the GFCI device. <S> Some fluorescent fixtures have an EMI/RFI filter built into the device, to try and prevent any interference produced by the fixture (ballast or bulbs) from leaving the fixture. <S> In most cases the interference is bled off through the equipment grounding conductor (EGC), which can lead to an imbalance of current between the ungrounded (hot) conductor and the grounded (neutral). <S> This current imbalance may be large enough, and long enough to trip a GFCI device. <S> Ground-fault <S> It's quite possible that there may actually be a ground-fault somewhere in the fixture, or the switch. <S> Could be a stray arc somewhere in the fixture <S> when it turns on/off, that causes a small amount of current to leak. <S> Why is it GFCI protected? <S> You may want to figure out why the fixture is GFCI protected in the first place. <S> If the protection is not required, removing the GFCI protection will certainly solve your problem. <A> The bit about the light shutting off when the GFCI trips is very important, as it tells us that the light is connected to the load side of the GFCI outlet. <S> What this means is the outlet is also protecting the light. <S> This is a little overkill. <S> It may be possible to connect it to the line side of the outlet with the other power wires. <S> This should fix your current problem. <S> Usually outlets and lights are on different circuits, so that overloading an outlet won't shut off the lights. <S> You may want to see about doing that in the future. <S> The reason the light trips the light in your current configuration is that CFL lights take a lot of energy to start up. <S> This energy takes the form of a spike, which can cause the power going through the conductors to be imbalanced for a tiny fraction of a second. <S> GFCI devices are designed to trip if they see an imbalance. <S> The reason it doesn't always trip is that there is a delay between when the GFCI device first sees this imbalance, and when it trips. <S> If it didn't, just about everything more complex than an incandescent light bulb would trip them. <A> Tired old ballast probably has a ground fault <S> At 20 years old, you are surely dealing with a magnetic ballast, a tangle of inductive windings and capacitors, which can be hard on GFCIs to begin with. <S> Also, prone to actual ground faults. <S> Replace the ballast with a modern electronic type, and it'll probably stop tripping the GFCI. <S> In this day and age, consider replacing with a direct-wire LED and never look back. <S> Why is it on a GFCI? <S> Oh, right. <S> The fact that you're detecting a probable ground fault is every reason to take the time to fix it. <S> Removing GFCI protection because it's tripping a ground fault is literally asking for trouble...	Older Ground-fault circuit interrupting (GFCI) devices may be more susceptible to EMI related nuisance tripping. It might be worth trying a more modern fixture.
How do I get started removing this wood frame? This is a frame inset into this old leaded-glass window I'm going to restore. It is nailed into the original frame, and I can't get to any of the nail heads to get started. It's important that I don't damage the original wood, but the inset frame is junk. Strategies? <Q> You could use a reciprocating saw down the side of the frame an cut the nails. <S> You could also cut the inside frame in sections, without hitting the original frame. <S> Then just break it apart with a hammer an chisel <A> Nailheads are inset into the frame you want to remove/ <S> get rid of?A Dremel rotary tool, or similar, will quickly gouge the wood/filler around any nail holes so you can get at the nails themselves. <A> Since you're concerned about saving the wood... <S> I can't tell from the photo, but I think I'd start by looking at whether I could insert a wedge or prybar behind it and gently lift the piece free; the nails will either come with it or (if they're trim nails) pull through it; the latter is easier to repair than most of the pry-the-nails-out-first solutions. <S> (I used a set of plastic wedges, followed by careful use of prybars, when disassembling a simpler windowframe last year. <S> Wound up replacing all of that trim anyway since I decided I'd rather see oak than paint, but I could have reinstalled it if I'd wanted to.)	Or if you can find where the nail heads are just chisel around them (without hitting nails) an enough room to grab the heads with a pair of pinches.
Running air handler condensate drain into sump? The condensate drain from our air handler now runs across the wall and into the laundry sink. This is stopping us from attaching shelving to the wall. I noticed that the sump pump pit is right next to the air handler. Can I just route the pvc so it empties out directly into the sump? There is a metal cover on it now with a little gap for the power cord so I would need to make another little hole for the pvc pipe and just run it down the wall then along the wall for a foot or so with a little bit of a downslope. <Q> Well, i don't really see an issue with this since the condensate water is basically distilled water with neutral PH. <S> The legal issue with it may be due to furnace condensate water which contains carbonic acid. <S> Using a neutralizer will take away almost all the acidity, however some municipalities still don't allow either condensate water to be piped to the sump to account for idiocy. <S> The only downside is the sound of the pump turning on ever now and then. <A> Can I just route the pvc so it empties out directly into the sump? <S> I hear that this is a code violation in Massachusetts although I'm not 100% sure why. <S> It may be: <S> Condensate can be mildly acidic which can eat away at metal fittings on the sump pump. <S> However, any sort of liquid in the sump should dilute this. <S> People worry that the sump pump might freeze if it is triggered on in the winter although there shouldn't be condensate in the winter. <S> People wonder if it makes no sense to have the sump evaporating into the house and the condensate output leading to the sump. <S> My furnace uses condensate pump to support my self-cleaning humidifier which may support the sump freezing case because it does run in the winter. <S> I've had to engineer a flow back system to stop it from freezing. <S> I have some portion of the pump output going to a T and back to itself which causes the line to empty after the pump stops. <S> Seems to work well. <A> If it were my home <S> I would just do it. <S> If there is some 'code' that disallows it <S> I would sure like to hear the logic behind it. <A> I don't think there is anything wrong with this, but a downside to this approach is that your sump pump will run a tiny bit more, consuming electricity and producing noise. <A> Not only is it okay to drain it into the sump, in many localities it is against code to drain it into a sink (or anything else that connects to the sewers). <A> I would not pipe condensate in the sump pump. <S> It will make your sump pump turn on in the winter. <S> The water will freeze at 32degrees where people will slip on especially if it discharges into theDriveway or street.	One possible solution, you can get a condensate pump, and have it pump the water though a tube to any sink, or drain you can run the tube to.
Options for lubricating wires for conduit? I am trying to pull four #8 stranded wires through a flexible PVC conduit that is 25 feet long. I can get the wires just a few feet into the conduit before they bind. I know there is a commercially available wire lube, but I do not have any. Can I safely substitute another product like dish soap or something? Or would that just be a bad idea and I should just get the real deal? <Q> I'd agree with the comment that you may have another problem. <S> What size is the conduit? <S> Are you pulling or pushing <S> (pulling is what works, pushing won't.) <S> If you need something to pull with, use a shop-vac to get a rope through the conduit first. <S> Braided hollow rope can be nice as you can expand the end and use it like a Chinese finger cuff to grab the ends of the wires (use tape as well.) <S> If the conduit is exterior and the wires are correctly rated for exterior conduit, you could use water as a lubricant. <S> The real deal is quite affordable if you can find it in quarts, which you generally can at most electric supply houses or the internet if you have difficult electric supply houses and your home improvement stores don't stock it. <A> The nominal diameter of #8 stranded copper with insulation is just over .21 inches. <S> You are trying to pull 4 of these wires through 3/4 inch pipe. <S> I'll bet the 4 wires together have a diameter of .5 inches (in the best case where the wires are still straight and have no bends.) <S> That's a tight fit over 25 feet. <S> I don't know if you are using a mechanical pulling device, but that would be very helpful if one is at hand. <S> It is pointless to try to push the wires that far. <S> It would be like a shovel with a rope handle. <S> As suggested before. <S> Send a pulling rope down the conduit and attach it to the wires solidly. <S> The trick suggested of using a rope like a Chinese finger puzzle is a good one. <S> As for friction. <S> A quart of the real pulling compound costs about 6 bucks and you will have plenty left for your next job. <S> I agree that using dish soap is not a good idea. <S> The insulting materials vary and the stuff will be in place for decades. <S> Pinholes in the insulating material are a very real possibility and copper will start to corrode with soap. <S> It's not likely there would be enough to degrade #8 wire, but why chance it. <S> Also, soap solution does not have as low a coefficient of friction as the pulling compound. <S> After paying what you had to buy that amount of copper wire, spending the six bucks for a quart of the right stuff is chump change. <A> In regards to the ANSI/NFPA 70 National Electric Code (NEC) is your flexible PVC referring to Article 356 Liquidtight Flexible Nonmetallic Conduit (LFMC), aka smooth walled Sealtight or Article 362 Electrical Nonmetallic Tubing (ENT), aka corrugated "Smurf Tube" <S> The link to the Elliott Electric Conduit Fill Chart only addresses metal conduit: RMC, IMC and EMT. <S> Not PVC. <S> You need to look at Tables C2, C5 or C6 in the NEC to find what is legal for your wire type and flexible PVC conduit/tubing type. <S> However, in all likelihood, unless you're using some thick 2-hour fire rated RHH, you are allowed, by code, to install 4ea THHN/THWN insulation, 8-AWG wires in 3/4" "flexible PVC". <S> You shouldn't need lube if your conduit is straight. <S> If you have more than 360 degrees of bends total, by code, you need to add a pull box or junction box. <S> If you have a kink in the conduit with an angle greater than 90 degrees or a tear or rip, or drywallers put a few screws into it, or someone mangled it with a forklift, decreasing pull resistance with lube probably won't solve your problem. <S> Stranded wire is easier to pull through bends than solid. <A> Talk about code violations. <S> This is way past the allowed fill rate for a 3/4 piece of conduit. <S> The minimum conduit size for 4 #8's is 1.0, with a 75% fill or 1.5in with a 50% fill rate. <S> That is so the cables can dissipate heat. <S> Yikes! <S> Hope your conduit/house hasn't burned down yet.	Run a fish tape and pull line through your conduit/tubing (especially if smurf tube), then pull your bundle of wire through, making sure you wrap the head well with electrician tape so no bare wire sharp edges dig into your pipe. It's not a good idea to come up with a random soapy product, since the commercial products are tested for long-term compatibility with wire jacket material, some lube will remain in the conduit, and the wires are generally expected to be there for decades - over which time it's possible that the seemingly innocuous dish soap might have a deteriorating effect on the wire insulation, due to some component inconsequential in washing dishes (say, for example, the scent...)
How can I reduce outside noise inside my apartment? I would like to reduce the outside noise from inside my apartment. Outside, of my apartment is the hallway, and it can get noisy. I was thinking about placing felt pads on my door to reduce the noise. My thinking is the sound vibrations from outside travel underneath the door and reach my room. My strategy is to place felt pads on the sides of my door, so the distance between the floor, the door ceiling and the door edges is minimal, meaning sound vibrations can't penetrate that place. If you have other answers, lets hear them. <Q> Your options are limited being in an apartment, since you likely can't make very many permanent changes. <S> I'll run through some ideas, though. <S> First, putting felt pads on the sides may help a little, but not for the reasons you think. <S> They will do very little to dampen the vibrations -- you need mass or a dedicated damping agent for that. <S> What the felt pads will help with is to reduce the mount of air flow through the door. <S> Air flow is one of the absolute enemies of sound proofing. <S> The more completely you can seal a door, the better it'll be. <S> If you have the opportunity to attach an automatic door bottom (surface mount) and then some gaskets, then that'll go a long way towards quieting the noise. <S> Is your door hollow core? <S> That is, does it sound hollow when you knock on it? <S> This can be done on a temporary basis as long as the hinges match up and you can simply pop out the old one and pop in the new one. <S> A solid core door (especially a 1-3/4" thick one) will do a substantially better soundproofing job than a hollow core one. <S> It does depend on you sealing it, though (see above) or else a lot of that benefit will disappear. <S> Beyond that <S> ... well, it really depends on how leeway you have towards making alternations to your apartment and how what your budget is. <S> Attaching mass loaded vinyl to the walls and door would help, but would get pretty expensive very fast. <S> Building an entirely separate interior wall would do a massive amount of help, but would absolutely cause noticeable marks when it was later removed. <S> The flooring under the wall will certainly have to be re-done. <A> Do NOT attempt to make any modification to a common hallway door without at least consulting your local fire marshal. <S> It is very likely that is it legally required to be fire rated, and your modifications very likely invalidate that rating. <S> Your fire marshal should also be able to help you determine if the current door meets fire safety requirements. <S> If it does not, you should be able to get your landlord to install a replacement (which is likely to be significantly quieter than a non-fire rated door). <A> There are two types of noise in architectural acoustics: airborne and structurally transmitted. <S> If people are screaming as they run down the hall, the screaming is mostly airborne noise and the running is mostly structurally transmitted noise. <S> to absorb sound energy. <S> Architectural components are rated by sound transmission class and in the United States, recent building codes have minimum requirements. <S> However, airborne noise readily finds its way into a space via flanking paths . <S> Masking airborne noise is often a more practical strategy than trying to create a cone of silence. <S> That is, it may seem counter-intuitive that placing a sound source in the quiet room, actually makes it more acoustically pleasant. <S> Structurally transmitted sound becomes more problematic particularly when the source is impact both because transmission paths are baked in to the construction and because the impacts can be irregular and at the longer travelling lower frequencies. <A> Several ways to approach the problem come to mind: <S> Discourage noise makers: make changes to the environment so the noise makers want to leave: make the hallway temperature uncomfortable, use weird lighting, install atrocious art, provide a repellent scent, inject disagreeable noises, threatening animals, and/or arrange scary/dangerous passers-by. <S> Decrease <S> the sound reaching your apartment: sound dampening materials on the door and wall. <S> See this answer . <S> Make it harder to hear the noise <S> : turn up your stereo, wear headphones, or install a noise generator .	Airborne noise can be attenuated by constructing walls, floors, ceilings, doors, etc. If there is a fire in your building, and investigation reveals that you modified your door, you could be held liable for damages caused by the fire. If so, then you may look into replacing it with a solid core door. Masking may have some effect, moving will probably have more.
Can I relocate my furnace exhaust? When my new furnace was installed, the vent was put outside the house next to landscaping bushes. It has killed one of my bushes. It used to be vented up to my roof and out. Can I move this outside vent to the roof vent? <Q> <A> I had a "plume diverter kit" fitted to my vent. <S> It is basically a purpose-designed S-shaped pipe that moves the vent further up. <S> The maximum lengths and numbers of bends allowed depends on the furnace design and perhaps on local code - so you should probably ask the manufacturer or installer. <S> Note <S> : My experience is in the UK where terminology differs from that used in the US. <A> The bush is an excellent indicator of how wide this vent's effect is. <S> Put in a new bush away from the vent & leave a gap for the vent or replace the bush with a chair or loveseat, bird bath, sculpture or fountain looking thing. <S> Better than a dead bush. <S> A further assistant to the bush gap above is to have the installer approve shrouding to minimize the bush gap & protect the bushes. <S> Other than that <S> , yes it can go through the roof instead & again, <S> But, both the intake & the exhaust have go up together. <S> They usually have to work on the exact same atmospheric pressure to operate correctly.	No, it sounds like you have a high efficiency furnace and these will direct vent outside versus using the chimney stack to vent. You might want to talk to the installer to see if it could be better positioned as to not damage you plants.
How do I wire LED lights directly from the panel? I am finishing my basement and would like to do 2 sets of LED strip lights. One will go in a small 4x8 room under my stairs, another a large theater room 13' x 15'. I am a beginner when it comes to electrical wiring, but usually not afraid to tackle something and learn something new. I have been reading a lot online trying to figure out how to put this together and wanted to run my thoughts by the exchange and see if i'm on track, and ask for a few recommendations. I'm looking at using some lights like this: From my research, If I want to wire directly from my circuit breaker box, I need to buy one of these, but I'm not sure how many watt to buy? My plan is to just stick this in my utility room right by my circuit box. Here is a rough sketch of what I think I'm going to do. I just want someone to tell me if this is right? Just to outline my questions: What watt power transformer should I be using? Can I run 14 gauge wire directly from a circuit 15 amp breaker to the transformer? Can I plug in all 5 circuits of LED strips on top of each other to the output of the transformer? Is this the recommended way of doing what I'm trying to accomplish? I would also like to add a on/off switch, do they make a wall switch for 12v? Can low volt wires come right out of the wall, or do they need a junction box before being connected to the LED strip lights? *New Question 7. After some additional reading last night I saw that the cheap LED strips on Amazon can get very hot? I plan to light a children's room under my stairs with a very low ceiling. I also read that more expensive lights should not get as hot? My main reason for choosing LED lights was for low heat in a confined area. Dose anyone have any experience with the heat output of these lights? <Q> What watt power transformer should I be using? <S> You can use a power supply like the one pictured, rated for the amount of LED's you will be driving. <S> Read the specs on the lighting. <S> They should tell you how many watts per a given length of the strip. <S> So if it says, for example, that needs about 1 watt per meter, then a 15-foot section would require a 5 watt power supply. <S> Take your total length of 76 feet, and divide by the strip's requirements. <S> It wouldn't surprise me if you ended up somewhere in the ballpark of 20 to 30 watts. <S> Can I run 14 gauge wire directly from a circuit 15 amp breaker to the transformer? <S> No. <S> The best way to do this is to put a cord on that power supply, and plug it into an existing outlet. <S> There is no need whatsoever to add a new circuit or connect these directly to a circuit breaker. <S> Can I plug in all 5 circuits of LED strips on top of each other to the output of the transformer? <S> If the sections are short, you can also wire them end-to-end. <S> Double-check the specs for maximum length of a single run. <S> Is this the recommended way of doing what I'm trying to accomplish? <S> The recommended way is to plug into an existing outlet. <S> If your lighting requirements added up to 1000 watts, you'd want a new circuit. <S> At 20, 30 or 50 watts, it is ridiculously small in household circuit requirements. <S> I would also like to add a on/off switch, do they make a wall switch for 12v? <S> Any switch can be used for 12v. <S> I would put the switch before the power supply. <S> Put a cord on the power supply like this cord with switch . <S> Can low volt wires come right out of the wall, or do they need a junction box before being connected to the LED strip lights? <S> The low voltage wires don't need a junction box, but they do need a junction plate, like those used for phone jacks. <A> After looking at the NEC code book, you need to limit it to 5 amps, but with 16 gauge wire at 5 amps you would have a voltage drop of 2V after 50 feet (I making an assumption about what you mean when you say longer run). <S> You probably want also want to fuse each line from the transformer individually, because if it shorts it will pull 8 amps from the 100w transformer if not otherwise limited. <S> If I was going to rig something like that up at my house, I'd probably use an automotive fuse bus and use 2A fuses for each (24w) strip. <S> If installing a switch, I'd probably switch the entire transformer running 120 to the switch like other lighting and placing the transformer and fuses in a closet close to the strips to reduce voltage drop. <A> If I understand it correctly, led strip lights can not pass inspection. <S> All low voltage lightinG "FIXTURES" must be approved by NRTL. <S> dbklknottspy	Yes, you can wire multiple strings in parallel at the power supply. You can't put the power supply inside the wall, and you can't bring the wire out of the wall without going through a junction box.
How to darken a room without hurting airflow? I am a sucker for open windows. My room has two windows on opposing sides, and I get an amazing flow of air between them most hours of the day and night, and I want to keep it that way. A problem with open windows is uncontrolled lighting. If I wish to open my windows during the day even if the flow of air is nice, I often get too much light on my screens and can't really work on my computer or watch TV. Is there a way to darken the room, hopefully by putting something on the window, which would filter light, but not restrict the flow of air in the room? I've been considering about painting the walls with a darker color, but for now that option is not viable because of reasons. <Q> The only logical that comes to my mind is an awning of some sort. <S> If you get a big enough one, most direct light will be lost and you should have the same amount of airflow. <A> The more light you block, the more air you will also block. <S> You want something opaque and dark and non-reflective and adjustable. <S> As an extreme example, a partial room divider could work. <S> The room will not be dark, but by blocking out direct sunlight while leaving openings for air flow, you will be able to see your screens and still get some air flow, though much reduced from wide open windows. <S> Be glad for the cross flow situation that will enhance flow through the openings that remain. <A> If you have ability to hang items outside the windows, there are companies that make blinds for the outside of the windows that say that they block light but leave your view and airflow intact. <S> I have not seen how well they work as I am a renter and not allowed to put items on the outside of the properties we will in. <S> Using your preferred search engine, something like the following should give you some results for the products I am talking about: exterior shades air flow <A> I know this is an old question but my solution to this problem was to call up a tinting company. <S> They had many different window tints available <S> Most are for privacy. <S> All of them reflect or absorb light. <S> It wasn't too difficult to apply it. <S> Basically water and a squeegee.	Some sort of slat blinds is a common solution, but if you have room to install a device away from the window, some other creative opportunities exist to block direct light but allow airflow around or through the blocking material. I also found that you can buy diy tints. Any solution will be a compromise. Or perhaps some sort of tension structure.
Exactly measure lumber for cabinetry I am working on a bookshelf which, due to the way I am building it, requires some of the pieces to be exactly measured to within 1/64th over 4-5 foot lengths. Obviously no yardstick is so accurate. What techniques can be recommended for making such an accurate measurement? I have access to machinist's tools, such as a complete set of gage blocks and machinist's squares and rules, however the rules I have are at most 16 inches long. The material is white oak. <Q> These have a slide out bar that allows for exact inside measurement transfers to be made. <S> One useful technique for marking in a precise manner is to use a sharp blade to make a cut mark instead of using a pencil. <S> The cut is much finer than a pencil line. <S> Another useful technique if making multiple pieces the same length is to cut one length from some scrap wood and use it as a template length. <S> Again use the blade to make a short cut mark for the length. <S> Use of scrap piece helps to ensure you always use the same piece for measuring as opposed to picking up the 2nd or 3rd piece for the next measurement. <A> I use a tape measure or good old fashioned folding rule, and use a razor knife to make my marks. <S> I divide the 1/16" increments into thirds, that gets close enough to do anything I have needed to do. <S> For repetitive cutting of the same lengths, use an extended fence on your saw with a stop block. <S> I have built my own full set of kitchen cabinets, custom bath cabinets, custom entertainment center, fireplace mantles, what have you, using these 2 methods mentioned. <A> If you dont have a drop saw. <S> Mark one of the ends with a square (cut it). <S> Then measure (with measuring tape)from the newly cut square edge (mark the length). <S> Square that off from your mark. <S> An cut. <S> Then you can mark all the other ones the same way or just lay the 1st cut piece on top and mark all the other ones from that. <S> Also you need to make sure everything is square. <S> Tape measure http://www.toolfix.com.au/images/P/FL48SI10%20Lufkin%20Tape.jpg <S> If you have a drop saw. <S> Same as above part from no need to draw square lines. <S> Just cut your square line with setting saw on 0 degrees. <S> Then mark and cut on mark.	Get yourself a good quality folding measuring stick like that pictured below.
Is there a trick to getting round HVAC duct pieces to fit together I have been doing some basic HVAC duct work as part of a remodeling project and I can never get the pieces to fit together without massive amounts of elbow grease and mangling the ends. Is there some kind of trick that I am missing that makes it easier? I am working with 6 inch, and 7 inch sheet metal duct and vent boots as well as some flex duct. <Q> You need a duct crimper like this to reduce the diameter of the end of one piece of duct: <S> Run the tool around the end of the duct so that you have multiple parallel crimps. <S> That piece should slide right into the uncrimped piece, giving you a secure connection to tape. <S> If you don't want to spring for a dedicated tool, I've seen where people use needle-nosed pliers to do the crimping. <A> If the ends are already crimped from the factory, get your duct pretty close to being in line, in other words one only slightly angled from the other. <S> This will allow one portion of the crimped end to go no more than a 1/4" in until it begins to get difficult. <S> The reason being where the metal gets caught on the mating piece, when you push down to tuck it in so to speak, the other piece will try to follow it down too. <S> The free fingers will help govern this problem, but the thumbs do most of the pushing in to get the parts to line up. <S> Then again you can you could use a crimper or needle nose pliers in a pinch... <A> When I get the duct lines from big box they come in sheets that you have to eventually bind into a cylinder. <S> I create my first. <S> Then I only bind the second on the bottom foot or two. <S> Meaning the top is still not shape - so it bows out. <S> This causes the bottom to pinch in slightly. <S> I push it into the first duct, then finish binding it... and so on and so on.	Find a away to keep the duct stable (I usually straddle the duct to hold it steady) while you are trying to get the last edge past the other, it usually takes both hands to do, using your thumbs to push the last part of the crimped end in while you use, if you can picture this, the free fingers to help keep the uncrimped round or at least to keep it from deforming.
Can floor tiles be installed on walls? I am building a home and would like to install floor tiles on wall also, please let me know if it possible to install floor tiles on walls? <Q> Yes, it is possible to install floor tiles on walls. <A> (ie porcelain or ceramic) <S> The important thing is that you use a wall adhesive for walls and floor cement for floors, since the wall cement will have more adhesion strength to hold up the tile. <A> As the The Evil Greebo said it is possible one of the factors to consider is the weight of floor tiles on wall as they are generally thicker/heavier. <S> Hence they can be more difficult to lay on the wall.	Yes you can use almost any tile on either wall or floor, the only things that differentiate the two would be Texture and surface smoothness - rough tiles are made for floors to be anti slip when wet Design and pattern - the design is often more suited to floors or walls material thickness and strength - the stronger (hence thinner) materials are more compatible for walls since they will be lighter and less likely to fall off.
Should I set wooden porch pillars into, or on to concrete footings? I'm building a wooden porch on the front of my house. I have six 4" wooden pillars supporting the structure. It's light, doesn't contain concrete, roof tiles, etc, and is made entirely of wood. I'm digging footings and am about to install the pillars. I'm wondering whether to set the wooden pillars into the concrete or simply sit them on top. I realise setting them into the concrete will mean they might move less laterally but I'm concerned that with the wood in the concrete there is more chance that moisture will slowly get in between the concrete and timber and rot the wood. It is not hardwood by the way. So should rotting occur in future, it will be easier to replace a pillar if they are not set in concrete - and I figure they are less likely to rot anyway if they are not set in the concrete in the first place. So what's best - to set the pillars into concrete, or to just sit them on top? My concrete footings are about 2.5 ft deep, 12 inches round for each pillar. I'm putting a metal mesh into each one to assist in concrete strength. <Q> Set a steel pin (1-2cm diameter) or post-base-bracket in the concrete. <S> Drill a hole in the bottom of the post for the pin, or attach the bracket to the post bottom - no lateral movement, also no accelerated rot. <S> Rot is effectively guaranteed if you set the post into concrete. <S> Brackets designed for the job maintain a small space between the concrete and the post. <S> If you don't use that type of bracket, or you use a pin, set a small square of tarpaper/roofing <S> felt/asphalt shingle on top of the concrete, under the post, to reduce water transport into the post from the concrete. <S> There are several typical options, this is one type (image from Simpson Strong-tie) <A> In my opinion, I would do what I could to keep the wood separated from the concrete, and any kind of puddling that would occur during the wet season. <S> There is a type of post bottom that is galvanized that will handle any contact with dirt, pressure treated wood, what have you. <S> Simpson is one of the brands, if your posts are 6"X6" the model is here . <S> Others are linked on the same page. <S> There are other manufacturers out there that make their own variation on the same thing. <S> The idea is to get the wood up from the concrete, not just separated my the layer of metal. <S> This one allows you to set a bolt after the concrete pour if you choose, and still allows for some adjustment afterwards for perfect centering. <A> Hmm I dont have enough reputation to comment individually being a noob, but just wanted to say thanks to both for those answers. <S> The brackets are exactly what I was after, but I had no idea they existed. <S> Thanks very much for taking the time to pass on the information. <S> I'll get hold of those Simpson strong ties. <S> Cheers all!	A quick search indicated that post-base-brackets seem to be available in the UK, so that's the best option - tie the lower part of the bracket into your reinforcing mesh before pouring concrete.
How do I hook up a washing machine drain line to this box? I had a plumber come out and install a drain line and hook up the supply water for a washing machine. This is the state he left the project: How am I supposed to hook up the waste line? Do I need to drill out that center hole? <Q> It should be a knockout, meaning that a hard sharp blow will pop it out. <S> This could lead to clogs in the future, since the trap is glued and cannot be disassembled. <S> Put the tip of a flathead screw driver on the knockout, and tap the back of the screwdriver with your hand or a hammer. <S> Try to get it so that only part of the knockout breaks free. <S> Then grab the loosened disk with a pair of pliers, and twist it free. <S> Be very careful not to drop it down the drain. <S> Once the hole is open, simply hang the washing machines waste line in the hole. <S> The washer should come with a piece of plastic used to make a hook in the waste line. <S> Install that, and hang the waste line in the hole. <A> I would say that the box might be upside down, as the drip guard appears to be on the top. <S> However, they are often designed to be used either way. <S> Nevertheless, yes, there should be a knockout. <S> It is possible the plumber did not want the possibility of sewer gas coming back up while you wait to attach the washer, <S> so s/ <S> he left the knockout in. <S> It would have been better to remove the knockout and insert a plug that you could remove. <S> And I concur about the hope that there are shutoff valves above somewhere. <S> Clearly the plumber used that space for air-hammer arrestors. <A> Let's try to simplify <S> /clarify for someone reading this now. <S> A. <S> The box is NOT upside down. <S> There are identical KNOCKOUTS on top and bottom to accomodate water supply from above or below. <S> The drain could have been on just the bottom side, but that's just the way they made it. <S> B. Several ways to remove knockout without it going down the drain. <S> Knock in with screwdriver (as suggested), then pry up and grab with pliers. <S> One could drill a coulple of holes and secure with zip tie or string, etc etc. <S> C. Clearly there are shutoff valves. <S> I believe I see the red handle on left and blue on right. <S> These are 90 deg ball valves. <S> D. <S> The water hammer arrestors are NOT upside down and will work just fine. <S> http://www.ipscorp.com/plumbing/watertite/protectivesystem/hammerarresters <S> They are mechanical - involvong an air filled bladder and spring, I believe. <S> E. Note that the trap is glued up. <S> This should be fine as washer drains are inherently self-cleaning. <S> (Yes the trap is there to block sewer gasses. <S> It only works once it is filled with water. <S> ** A footnote to those who have floor drains in basements/utility rooms. <S> You need to pour a few cups of water into them once in a while. <S> This will flush out the dust/dirt, but most importantly keep the water level up. <S> Especially important in dry climates where the water can evaporate quite quickly. <A> The water hammer devices are designed to hold air to stop water hammer. <S> Your valves are upside down and will not stop water hammer. <S> If water hammer is not an issue you can either knock out the plastic or drill it. <S> You should have removed the knockout prior to installing it since when you knock it out the part might fall into the drain blocking it. <S> You installed an "S" trap that cannot be easily removed to clear the drain. <S> PVC fittings are available to make it removable. <S> It might be advisable to cut the existing pipe, instal a sweep "Y" with threaded cap for easy clean out then a removable "S" trap. <S> Just make shure you leave enough of the PVC thatin the box to have enough room to make the splice. <S> Remove the drain knockout before doing the drain pipe. <A> The plug is there to simplify pressure testing the drain line. <S> That is done when a new plumbing system is installed or amended (as for a remodel adding some plumbing) by inserting a pneumatic plug (or at Home Depot ), inflating, and filling the system with water. <S> Once the plumbing inspector has verified the pipes maintain several minutes of steady water level (indicating no plumbing leaks), the system can be drained and then the knockout can be (ahem) knocked out. <A> If you were immediately hooking up a washing machine then the plumber might as well have knocked it out. <S> If not then it is good <S> he left it in to keep sewer gases from backing up into the house.	The plumber should have done this before he glued the drain line in place, since knocking it out now could cause the plug to fall down the drain. I would use a sharp flatblade screwdriver and a hammer to punch the screwdriver piercing through the knockout and then pry it up. They can be installed "at any angle" per the mfgr website:
Stabilizing a gravel driveway with massive holes and steep inclination I have inherited a 270 feet long driveway along a steep hill. It is part gravel/stone, and part concrete. It is in very bad condition. Every winter, rain threatens to wash away parts of it. Driving up and down is very bad for the car, and deepens the damage depending on the skill of the driver. The previous owner has applied some concrete, but only in a few select spots. I guess the final fix for it is to have a professional pour concrete on it. That is not in the cards at the moment, though. Is there a DIY way to make the road more driveable, at least temporarily? I have some gravel about an inch in size, but I fear that the car wheels will simply dig it out again due to the inclination if I put it in with nothing to glue it to the ground. Might mixing concrete with gravel work? <Q> You don't need to concrete the whole thing. <S> You do need to shape it correctly. <S> Even in arid areas (seems likely from the picture), water is the major thing that destroys poorly built roads - when it does rain, the water flows down the road and moves material - unless the road is shaped to divert water off to the side in a short distance, so that there is never so much water collectively running on the road that it moves the gravel. <S> In a first step this might consist of adding water bars every once in a while to divert water to the side, but a complete solution consists of putting crown on the road, so that rather than having two wheel ruts (which become water channels, and then become deeper ruts) you have a slightly mounded profile and all water runs off to the sides ( <S> and, if need be, you have adequate ditches to handle the water once it is off the side of the road.) <S> Depending on finances and inclination, you can do this piecemeal over time for little cash with shovels and rakes and implements of destruction, or you can hire a contractor with a road grader. <S> If the contractor also has a rubber-tired vibratory roller and knows how to use it, so much the better. <S> You may want to remove (or break into smaller chunks) <S> the random chunks of concrete, unless you are adding sufficient material to bury them. <S> You will occasionally need to re-rake as your tires move material, but it should not be frequent or major if you drive calmly and are not spinning your tires. <S> If you allow tire ruts to remain, and it rains, you'll have worse ruts after it rains. <S> An old bedspring or section of chainlink fence can also be used as a maintenance drag (vehicle-pulled rake-equivalent) to help keep things where they should be. <S> If your gravel is 1" down to fines, it should work. <S> If it's 1" stones with no fines, it won't pack well - good for drainage, not so good as a road surface. <S> If you work on it piecemeal, work from the top down, so each section you complete will stay put. <A> Search on the internet for cement modified soil. <S> It is used to stabilize soil like ground as is, or as a base for other layering of materials. <S> Basically you rake or till in cement powder into the soil at 10 to 25% cement. <A> For a lower cost solution, talk to your local conservation district; instructions on how logging roads are built is available. <S> I'm also looking into EcoGrid, Hoofgrid, Stabiligrid sorts of products. <S> Seem to run $3.. <S> $6 per square foot, 20+ year life. <S> For 100' x 12' = 1200 sq ft, $3600..$7200 plus grading and gravel though. <S> Geotextile might be required underneath. <S> So I may reserve this for trouble spots. <A> I have always used bricks. <S> A flat brick placed in cement form 25" X" will take you 18 bricks laid flat. <S> 58 times of this will equal 60 feet each road side, so 60 x 2 x 2.25 thickness gives the following materials: 20 bags of pure Portland cement 30kg <S> 40 bags or equivalent of 1/4 inch crush stone for the mix 42 bags of sand <S> Ratio: <S> Mix 1 bag Portal, 2 bags of stone, and 2 bags of sand.	A gravel/stone supplier should be able to get you a few loads of "road base" which will have enough fines to pack. Definitely regrade your road to shed water away from the driveway.
How can I stop this drain pipe from backing up? In my basement laundry room is (to my knowledge) the only drain pipe in the whole basement, which hooks into the end of the main line as it exits the house and heads to the septic tank. When we moved in a year ago the drain was loosely plugged by an expanding ring cap. Never having owned a house before I didn't think much of it, but soon enough I learned what it was and why it was there, when a liter or so of black sludge backed up and forced the cap off and nearly ruined the carpet outside the room. Needless to say the smell was horrid. We cleaned it up as best we could and I snaked it five times (and two more from a toilet downstream [installed right onto the main drain line]), but nothing was draining, so we called a plumber. The plumber took a much larger snake to it and eventually got it flowing again (after ripping out the toilet and snaking it from both directions) but couldn't identify the source of the clog. Meanwhile all the material that was coming up looked like mostly-decomposed food (though nothing we actually eat strangely enough) mixed with the sludge. We also noticed that running any water in the house except the aforementioned toilet caused the sludge level to rise in the drain. Now the kicker - despite flushing the drain out with buckets of water every few days, a year later it has happened again. We took the same actions to clear it up, but still have no idea what the source is or how to fix it. The drain itself smells awful, and has since day one (they had it masked with an air freshener when we moved in) so I'm sure it's an ongoing problem, but I'm clueless how to fix it without literally ripping up the basement to replace the pipe. Can anyone offer advice on how to solve this issue or at least theorize on what the cause is? <Q> The plumber you had out kind of left you hanging. <S> He should have put a camera down there to give you more details on what is going on. <S> Basically your septic tank is backing up or you have an issue with the main line. <S> It could be slight collapsed or pinched or have roots growing in it or whatever. <S> So your first step is to have someone come out with a camera to tell you what the issue is. <S> For something ongoing though like this <S> I am guessing you have a pretty big job <S> so brace for the worst. <S> From your symptoms I am going to guess you have an old clay main line that is broken/collapsed. <S> To replace this it involved a lot of jackhammering, digging and moving concrete. <A> Turn off the water and dry the area where water is leaking out. <S> Use some of the blue pvc cement made for plumbers. <S> It's seals plastics/rubbers together <S> well enough support over 200 psi. <S> I had to use it plenty of times for my hydroponics setup for leaks. <S> just wear a mask, it's extremely volatile, but it's workable in 15 minutes, fully cured in 2 hours. <S> Also, don't be afraid to use a wrench to get the can open...ours always seals itself closed. <A> After a plumber cleans the line very well, run some water and verify it flows well. <S> I have a hunch that your main line does not have enough slope to efficiently flush particles from the line.	I use Rain-R-Shine PVC cement... After running water for a few minutes shut it off and see if the water remains in the pipe.
We hear a constant bass subwoofer like thumping noise every night from about midnight to 7 am We live in a relatively quiet area. Since 2012, wehear a low bass rhythmic sound (music?) with slightvibrations in the front bedroom. We cannot hear it outside, only in the room and especially while lying inbed. A sewer pipe runs underneath that bedroom. We've had it checked and rechecked, but it has revealed nothing. There is a city water pump down the street, but the soundsdo not match. Could a neighbor's Bose sound system across the street travel via pipes to our front bedroom? Nothing really is heard outside and the sound is mostly at night. If it is a Bose-like system, and neighbor does not want to turn music off, what can we do? <Q> Listen, sound patterns travel in the weirdest ways. <S> My house is on a hill and there is a college a block away. <S> Every night my house was shaking from bass <S> and I was like "what the hell". <S> I am thinking the kids were cranking up their bass <S> so I ventured out on a recon mission. <S> After a few nights of visiting the parking lot area I did realize it was a few kids. <S> But their music was kind of loud but really not bad at all. <S> The sound waves just climbed right up the hill and bam hit my house. <S> I just asked them to move literally 30 feet over behind a tree and have never heard them since (and they still hang out there). <S> I did have a roommate in college that slept with semiloud music on all the time. <S> As for traveling through pipes... I doubt it. <S> Unless their system is setup right next to the sewar lines or main stack really there is no way. <S> Most bass back echos. <S> So if they have a system that is facing away from your house in their room facing you, that would make more sense. <S> I would talk to the neighbor. <S> Your options for making this sound go away on your own probably involve a tree or fence which I am not even sure is possible. <A> Low sounds travel further, and are a lot harder to pinpoint direction. <S> I used to live in a house that if you slept in the front upstairs bedroom, you could hear a low rumble all night long. <S> Only I heard it (my wife's hearing isn't as good as mine) and only when the bed was in a particular spot. <S> It turns out the rumbling was coming from parked refrigerator train cars a mile away at the bottom of a cliff. <S> It just happened that the sound waves managed to bounce off enough surfaces in line with our house and our house happened to magnify the sound in that one particular spot inside. <S> The fix? <S> We moved the bed. <S> So...what may help is to rearrange the furniture. <A> Going out on a limb here... <S> that water pump fills a tank using off-peak power (12am-7am). <S> Also, above ground noise sounds different then when propagated through a pipe, the ground, and your house (the sounds don't match, but does the timing?). <S> Given the time frame, any municipal or industrial equipment near your house may be the culprit. <S> Move your bed, pick a different room or start working nights. <A> I hear a noise like that at night and traced it to my refrigerator. <S> It seems that there is a hum that it generates and seems to travel through the house wiring. <S> try unplugging or turning off everything you can in the house and see if you find anything.	See if the bed in a different corner solves the situation. For your issue you have to get rid of all of your power for a night to make sure its not you. I believe you when you say its your neighbor but check yourself first.
How to remove tar left over from old floor carpet? Redoing bathroom floors and under the tiles there was really old carpet. I was able to remove the upper layer of it, but there is a tar-like substance stuck on the wooden floor that is very difficult to remove. Are there any tricks or chemicals that can be used to easily peel this away and leave the wood intact? <Q> I just wet it with soap and hot water, maybe a few times over the course of a half hour, and then use a wallpaper scraper. <A> I used paint remover and a stiff 4" wide putty knife, it worked for me very well. <S> I laid it on thick, let it set for a while and the knife scraped it right up. <S> After that I sanded the area with my random orbit sander and a vacuum attached to it to make sure it was a smooth surface and insure the floor was clear of contaminates. <A> A carbide paint scraper was my tool of choice for the black carpet adhesive residue that stuck to my floors. <S> I did not use any chemicals, as I had a large area to do and it would have ben a lot of chemicals. <A> A mastic remover is available that is nontoxic <S> and it smells like oranges, but <S> I can't for the life of me recall the name. <S> But it is a citrus base and nonflammable.	With a steel scraper it was nearly pointless; the carbide stayed sharp enough, long enough, to work on my particular variant of black glop, so I did not have to pull up and replace the floor to get a clean surface. My bathroom is about 50 sq ft floor area, it took 2 quarts to get it done.
Where is my power going? We just got an overly large (several hundred dollars over normal) electric bill from the city. Being a bit of a diy I picked up an ammeter to to track down the reason. None of my circuits are clocking in over 2 amps in normal usage. I tried powering up everything in the house including all of the major appliances. I only came up with a total of 22 amps, absolute max draw. US standard 110V. I did the math but I wasn't able to crack our normal $150 / month (calculated out using the local kilowatt hour pricing). What the heck is going on? Anything more for me to do before calling the electrician? Edit: The meter box is mounted to the side of the house, under a overhang. When I used the ammeter I was working off the main hot line from the meter when I powered everything up. I did see the other diy post. We do have central air, howeverit was a lot cooler last month vs the same time last year. The usage shouldnt have spiked, at least that much. The price per killowatt hour is comperable to last year as well. We generally clock in at around 1200 to 1800 kilowatt hours. Last month was a bit over 2800. We already tried (unsuccessfully) to lodge a complaint with the electric company. The odd thing is the variance -$150 one month and near $1000 the next, with no noticible change in utilization patterns. <Q> Are you sure your numbers are right? <S> You say your kWh usage has about doubled, but your bill has increased 6x. <S> Anyway some utilities only do an actually meter read ever 2 or 3 months, then they estimate the bill for the other months. <S> That can lead to extremely high bills if they've been underestimating and then they finally do an actual read and bill you for the extra that you've used. <S> In theory the company is supposed to track your usage over time and get a good estimate but in my experience they can be wildly inaccurate. <S> Your bill will tell you if the meter read is actual or estimated. <S> Also note that some utilities increase rates in the summer when demand is high, so you may be suffering more if they just switched over to the summer rates. <S> If the problem is not just odd billing practices, you will need to dig a little deeper. <S> E.g. try to write it down every day, or even twice a day to find out if your electric usage is constantly high or is intermittent. <S> (Note that reading an old-fashioned dial meter is a little counter-intuitive, since each dial spins in opposite directions. <S> See How to Read Your Electric Meter ). <S> If you're really using 1000+ kWh extra each month, that's an average extra draw of 1.4 kW, which is pretty large. <S> You should be able to see the meter spinning very quickly. <S> Try shutting off circuits one by one to see what will slow the meter. <A> If you are willing to make a small intial investment, I would highly recommend buying an Efergy Elite / Hub . <S> This handy device clamps onto the mains line in your circuit breaker and measures power draw through inductance and sends it to a monitoring service over the internet for free . <S> The device itself will run you $150 or more (if you have a 3-phase system you will usually need to buy an extra sensor because most kits only include 1-2 sensors). <S> Below is an actual live look at my own house: <S> I have had the device long enough now to know that the large 9.0 kW spike at 4:30 PM is actually a combination of things - water heater, central AC and microwave. <S> But if I did not know this, it would definitely be worth tracking down. <S> It is hard to be surprised by your bill at the end of the month when you can see your complete usage history from any web connected device anywhere in the world. <A> Thanks to everyone that responded. <S> The insight has been tremendously useful. <S> While I am not 100 percent sure I believe I tracked down the culprit. <S> Our drier had been taking longer to dry than normal the last couple months. <S> When I went to test it for usage <S> I didnt verify that it was getting hot. <S> It wasn't, which skewed my numbers. <S> Turned out that I needed to replace the internal thermostats. <S> A change in the duty cycle and length running of that device would explain a large shift in out bill, especially considering our lifestyle generates a lot of laundry. <A> Unless you're in Canada <S> and then I'm not sure. <S> In cases like this you do not call an electrician, you call the utility that billed you. <S> They take high bill complaints very seriously, at least around here <S> they do (NY State). <S> They will do what is necessary to find out what the problem is. <S> If it does happen to be on your end they'll tell you so. <A> Well pumps generally run on a fairly short cycle, and infrequently, but a relatively small leak can cause the pump to run significantly more.	To help you narrow things down a little more, I would try to keep a log of your meter. If you have a well, you could have a water leak, dripping faucet, or wiring problem with your well pump. First off, you are not billed by the city, you are billed by the electric utility.
Is there anything that common house ants won't burrow through? I have an ant problem and have gone on a never-ending quest to seal off all their points of entry. Believe it or not, I have been surprisingly successful due to how they lead me right back to their entrance, but now I am losing hope. Two years ago, I filled in a fracture in my concrete slab with Quikrete caulk. It kept the ants from coming in up until now when they figured out that they can burrow through it. Now I'm considering giving up and just moving to ant traps =. I don't know what type of ants these are, but I don't think they're the big, black carpenter ants. They're also not those microscopic, orange ants. They're the ones in between, the ones you see skittering around on the sidewalk. I'd say they could fit through a hole of a small button. BTW, while I am technically asking how to get rid of ants, I am specifically asking about seals/caulks/materials that ants cannot/do not burrow through because my goal is to seal off all the points of entry that matter so they stay away from my cat's food dish. <Q> The best treatment is to remove the things that attract the ants. <S> If that is your cat's food dish I suspect that eventually, no matter how many cracks you seal up, that the ants will figure out how to come around the end of the slab and over to what they find attractive as a food source. <S> So maybe you want to start a regimen with your cat. <S> Put down its food for say half an hour at each feeding and then take it up. <S> Cats can learn to eat on a schedule. <S> But at the same time they will also remind you of the schedule each and every day. <A> Dawn and vinegar. <S> They will not cross over a line of dawn. <S> I witnessed this two days ago as I am battling a group that wants to live and eat my house. <S> As they approached from the woods, the dawn was the only barrier they refused to cross. <S> I bought a anti-ant powder and watched them cross without care. <S> I cleaned my floor with vinegar and the ones inside had no idea where to go. <S> Final suggestion in my current and on going research to battle these things, I read (have not yet confirmed) that steel wool is a great thing to push into cracks and crevices. <S> Good luck! <A> I second what treeNinja has proposed about the dawn and vinegar. <S> I also would like to add that cinnamon does a great job as well <S> (is dry, can be easily remediated once the ants are gone). <S> Having two cats myself, I can say that cinnamon will not likely be an issue for your furry friends. <S> I have one that is indifferent to the use of cinnamon and one that has slowly learned to leave it alone (she was initially drawn to its strong odor and tried to lick it up, but quickly learned it doesn't taste like it smells :) <S> BTW, this would be a comment but my reputation isn't sufficient for adding those at this time. <A> Ants leave trace information down to tell other ants their route to food source. <S> They are very very smart bugs. <S> Basically if you remove a food source they will still keep going to the same spot for a few days and then eventually branch out around the spot until they figure out their is no food. <S> So typically with a cat or small kids <S> it is really really hard to get rid of them. <S> I did a little studying last summer after an ant problem and the conclusion I had is that almost any ant coming into my house was coming in a door. <S> All houses are different <S> so I won't try to over-generalize but the doors are certainly a weak point on most. <S> No matter how tight you think your doors are, an ant can probably get through. <S> So what I did was bomb 1-2 feet in front of each door with bug spray 3 times a day for about 3 days. <S> I literally had an ant grave yard in front of two of the doors. <S> Ants gone after three days. <S> They are like little robots. <S> They are trying that spot not the cat food. <S> Once there is no food in that spot they will use their little robot heads to try near spots (so move cat food out of room for sure). <S> After a few days they will either find new food in your house or give up and get food somewhere else. <A> Super glue. <S> Have wall mount faucet. <S> Ants found slight gap in fitting on each side where faucet front and back screw together. <S> Filled with loctite super glue. <S> It has worked so far.	With your specific case I would also say that you need to move the cat food entirely to a new place until you are positive ants are gone.
Is it recommended that 1/8 thick plywood be used as underlayment? Redoing bathroom floor. After removing tiles and underlayment and linoleum, the floor that's left is decrepit, uneven, wavy, has some old plumbing holes. It is not rotted though, the wood is sturdy. I'm going to use Ditra. With Ditra, is it necessary to have a plywood underlayment, or can I just install right over the floor as is (covering up the holes of course) and the thing will even itself out? Barring that, if I do need to install a underlayment, can I use 1/8 plywood? <Q> If the subfloor is plywood no other ply is necessary; but you do need a flat surface for the Ditra. <S> If the subfloor cannot either be scraped, chiseled, or sanded flat then self leveling compound may be required. <S> 1/8" plywood, in my opinion is not sufficient; unless it was set down on flat surface with troweled adhesive and stapled 4" o.c. <S> I would recommend 1/4" min - which can be found at most flooring supply stores - specially formulated for flooring; i.e., all voids filled in the plys and water resistant glue. <A> Underlayment is not required for Ditra, although you may need it to make sure your tile is at the same level as the flooring outside the bathroom. <S> In either case your need to level and smooth the sub-floor first because Ditra mat will not fix a bad sub-floor. <S> Self leveling gypsum like Encerwal said is a good fix but <S> if the ripples in your decking are superficial and mild you can sand them out sometimes, and underlayment will mitigate deficiencies in the sub-floor to some degree. <S> Were I you <S> I'd start by establishing a dadum (an arbitrary level line) around the room with a laser level. <S> From this you can determine A: how far out of level your floor is. <S> B: where the worst depression or bump is. <S> and C: <S> what your average height requirement is (the average height of all the spots where your tile needs to line up with something relative to the dadum). <S> If any of the above is greater than an inch, tear up everything and start over. <S> Less than half an inch, float with floor leveler. <S> Less than an 1/8, sand out the bumps and go buy a lottery ticket because you're apparently very lucky. <S> Cheers! <A> If you are using a 1/4" floor tile, that will give you pretty much a 3/4" final thickness which generally works well with other flooring. <S> If the subfloor isn't that solid, I'd pull it up and use a high-quality 3/4" underlayment.	Assuming the existing subfloor does not have excessive deflection in it, I would put down a 1/4" tile backerboard instead of plywood, and then put Ditra on top of that, and then tile. If you use self leveling compound remember that the surface should be primed first - follow the product's prep recommendations.
Should I choose PVC or aluminium window frames in a hot, humid climate? I live in Bombay (Mumbai), India. I'm planning to install sliding sound-proof windows in a room. There are two common types of window frames manufactured here; one is aluminium, and the other is PVC, which is some kind of plastic. I've had conflicting information about which is better. I was told one the one hand that plastic deteriorates under local conditions, which is mostly very hot and humid (the location is a stones throw from the Arabian Sea), except during the monsoons, when we get torrential rain. On the other hand, I talked to someone who works for a company called Beautex, and the person insisted there was no problem, and that PVC is actually better from a sound-proofing perspective, though they did not offer any reasons why. They do sell PVC windows in India, as can be seen here . Personally, I'd incline towards aluminium without further information, since I've never heard of aluminium deteriorating, and it is quite strong and durable. So, the question is, which is preferable and why? Addendum: Reading the question How can I prevent aluminum window frames from heating up when they're in full sun? made me wonder if sunlight heating up the aluminium will be an issue. The window frames will certainly be exposed to direct sunlight for part of the day, though I'm not sure how long. The windows do have small roofs above them, to help keep of the rain, which may help. NOTE: This is the same room as shown in The best kind of tiles for using on floor and walls , though it now no longer looks as it did in this photo. Since that time the wooden windows have been removed, and the small roofs over the windows have also been replaced, though the new ones are of a similar size. UPDATE: I eventually went with uPVC windows, not aluminium. After research, I discovered that there are uPVC windows which are manufactured that are suitable for Indian climate conditions, and they seemed to offer better soundproofing than the aluminum ones did. Possibly better insulation too. <Q> Soundproofing as it relates to windows is all about mass -- the denser <S> the materials, the more sound reduction you'll get. <S> PVC is, indeed, typically more dense than the far more lightweight aluminium and so will will resist noise transfer more. <S> However, the amount of surface area made up by the frame is absolutely dwarfed by the glass itself. <S> Any differences in the frame will be massively overshadowed by the properties of the glass, make it a moot point. <S> Aluminium is really one of the worst materials to use from an insulation standpoint. <S> However, PVC/Vinyl will eventually "melt" in a hot environment. <S> Recycled PVC will do so far faster than virgin PVC, but even the latter will eventually sag enough that opening and closing the window will be tricky. <S> Assume maybe 15-20 years. <S> That and the price are typically the two big selling points of that material. <S> In short, neither has a true advantage from a soundproofing perspective (the glass does quite a bit, though) <S> but PVC is a better choice from an insulation standpoint if you are willing to replace the window every 15 years or so. <S> If you don't care about the insulation value and don't want to replace the window, then aluminium is the way to go. <A> I think the only reason you may choose PVC over aluminum is the price deference. <S> In Greece (sun and cold in northern parts) the best choice is aluminum - heavy type ( this has to do with the profile width) - with a good engineered thermal break ( pieces of rubber within the profile). <S> This solution lasts for years without shape deterioration from sunlight. <S> The cost difference though may be significant . <A> We live in the Canary Islands, just off the coast of Africa in line with the Sahara. <S> We have bought a house with ugly aluminium windows and have been deciding on whether to have aluminium replacements or UPVC. <S> The cost of UPVC is slightly higher here. <S> We have decided to opt for UPVC for a number of reasons. <S> Aluminium is harder to maintain here. <S> A mixture of sun and regular sand in the wind makes aluminium look dirty and dull. <S> It requires regular cleaning and polishing. <S> UPVC needs less maintenance. <S> UPVC has a better thermal value, therefore keeping the house cooler inside. <S> It also has better security features. <S> I hope we were correct! <S> AET	PVC/Vinyl windows do a far better job of restricting conductive heat as they are a much better insulator than aluminium. Aluminium will last indefinitely.
Can I upgrade existing T12 fluorescent fixtures to T8 just by replacing the ballast and bulbs? I was going to replace the fluorescent T12 fixtures around my house with T8 fixtures, but I noticed that the T8 bulbs seem to fit just fine into the T12 fixtures. It seems like I could save myself a few bucks and maybe some hassle if I just replace the ballasts instead of replacing the entire fixtures. Plus, I could make sure to buy higher-efficiency or higher-quality ballasts instead of just using whatever mystery ballasts come with the fluorescent fixtures at the home improvement store. Is there anything wrong with this plan? <Q> Replace ballast and lamps, and for extra savings, on a four tube per bay fixture, get a 3-lamp ballast and run only three tubes. <S> The extra efficiency of the smaller tube plus high-frequency electronic ballast means that three T-8 tubes can put out nearly the same light as four T-12 tubes. <S> The ballast tends to be a lot smaller, and weigh much less than the t-12 ballasts. <S> Wiring varies -- your ballast will have a wiring diagram . <S> But to give you an idea, here is an example of wiring for an instant-start electronic ballast (which are easier to wire, but tend to fail bulbs faster); and a rapid-start or programmed-start electronic ballast (which often matches the old magnetic ballasts): <S> For the smaller 18AWG solid-core wires in ballasts, don't use the common yellow/red wire nuts. <S> Use blue wire-nuts, or for instance, push-in wiring connectors such as Gardner Bender PushGard, others are available... make sure the size is correct for 18 AWG wire. <S> You can reduce number of bulbs, since T8s are brighter. <S> A complete building rewire from four T12 to <S> three T8 tubes per fixture eliminated 38 tubes and at 32W each, was a savings of 1216 Watts in power reduction if you only count tube elimination and not also ballast efficiency over mangetic (est. <S> 10-15w per ballast replaced). <S> PLUS, NO FLICKER! <S> For someone with fast vision, not seeing 60Hz flicker in the peripheral vision was almost worth more than the power savings. <A> Just change the ballast and lamps. <S> Pay close attention to the wiring diagram on the ballast as the new electronic T8 ballast are wired quite differently from the old magnetic T12 ballasts. <A> Depending on the fixture type, since I'm working on a drop ceiling with drop in troffers, I'm inclined to prefer a new LED troffer with integrated LED strips. <S> One they go, in a decade or two, just replace the whole troffer again. <S> Ballasts are a p.i.t.a. <A> you have to remove the ballast- <S> as most t8 tubes have an electronic one inside. <S> If you put them in t12- you will burn the bulb up and they will work sporadically before they die. <S> Also the fixture gets blackend. <S> You must use non shunted lamp holders. <S> you cant just "change the light". <S> You put 115 volts to ONE END only- and use the black and white wire- both to each lamp holder- but look for wiring diagram and get the right lampholders before you go rewiring things. <S> instructions here: http://forestlighting.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/ForestLighting_InstructionManual.pdf <A> Seems like parts suppliers are pushing lies hard. <S> I've seen people put T8 tubes in a T12 fixture multiple times with no issues what-so-ever. <S> The bulbs work reliably, but are brighter.	Nope, this is done all the time.
How do I seal an unused washing machine drain? I have an unused washing machine drain in part of my house and it's started to smell because (I assume) the water in the u-pipe has dried up. My objective is to stop the smell and I guess the only way to do this is to seal this. I want the seal to be temporary in case I want to use this again in the future. I've tried putting scotch tape over the hole but it won't stick and I'm afraid that tape in general will come loose at some point in the future. Before I go off and buy some heavy duty duct tape or the like does anyone have some obvious answer I've missed? <Q> Pour some RV antifreeze into the trap. <S> It won't evaporate quite as fast as water, and will stop the sewer gas until the rest of this is sorted out. <S> A sink stopper won't do what's needed here. <S> A test plug goes in the pipe, which is probably no more than 1-1/2 to 2 inches. <S> The seal is formed by winding up the screw so that the rubber seal is expanded against the walls of the pipe. <S> I have no idea where you think you can stick a 3-1/2" stopper in the washing machine box you've pictured. <S> You'll need to cut the hole for the drain properly if, as it appears, it's not really matching the hole in the pipe. <A> Option 1: How about a rubber stopper ? <S> They have some larger ones if you require it. <S> Option 2: A big wad of Blu-tack . <S> Option3: <S> Expanding foam. <S> Sounds bad... <S> but what I'd do is scrunch up a piece of newspaper and push it into the end an inch or so down the pipe. <S> Then squirt a little expanding foam into it to form a plug. <S> The newspaper will prevent the foam going down the pipe too far. <S> It should be easy to clear it out later. <A> Maybe with a commodity stopper like this ?	You might need to file up the hole a bit to make it more round and shove one in.
Why is my new high efficiency furnace blowing cold air sometimes? Why does my new furnace high efficient Payne furnace blow cold air,not constantly but at least 3 different times in a day, my thermastat is set on auto but when the weather is cold outside it will still blow cold air thru out the house how do I turn this off ,is there an option ? Or do I need to buy a new thermastat that has an off switch for the fan instead of what I have an / on/auto switch Only <Q> If it's blowing cold air right after it fires up, it's just the cold air that's already inside the ducts, kind of like cold water in your hot water pipes. <A> I had a similar furnace. <S> It's controlled by a variable speed motor on the fan by your thermostat, I think. <S> If the air is too cold, you should talk to your installer and ask them about that. <S> I recall that sometimes the air did feel a touch cool (in my former home) but it's been a while. <S> I just wasn't used to the circulation and wound up setting my temperature a degree warmer than usual. <A> The humidifier may be telling it to blow. <S> The thermostat may do it to sample the air or the furnace may have a 'stir' setting. <A> Auto is off. <S> Auto Makes fan come on with call of heat or cool.	Check to see if you have a air circulation timer mounted on your furnace. I am going to assume that this is the normal cycling, throughout the day, where the controller is giving air movement throughout the house for comfort reasons.
Can I break up the floor of a raised floor basement bathroom without damaging the plumbing? I have an interesting remodel project. I have an existing basement bathroom - which has a raised concrete floor. The toilet sits on the slab. I am remodeling this to create a bigger bathroom for the basement, and the existing toilet and shower drain are very close together. I am thinking if I am going to do this right, I will have to break up all this concrete and then put them in appropriate spots. Question: Is the toilet drain/water piping embedded in the raised concrete slab? Can I break up the raised floor without damaging the core stack and pipes? <Q> Pull the toilet a look down the drain pipe. <S> You should be able to determine what elevation the drain is running at, as well as what material the drain is made of. <S> Both of theses will help provide you your answer. <S> You'll need to buy a new wax seal for when you reinstall the toilet. <A> How much is the slab where the toilet sits raised up from the original basement floor level? <S> Knowing this will help to understand if the add-on plumbing was placed on top of the existing floor or not. <S> If the plumbing was added that way then that was pretty much of a kludge scheme. <S> The plumbing is usually placed below the slab in a bed of sand and then risers come up to the drain fittings through the concrete. <S> Without seeing some pictures of the installation it is hard to guess at how much infrastructure is built up around this raised slab area. <S> There is very little chance that trying to save the existing plumbing is particularly valuable till you get down to where the original path went under the main floor. <S> So I wouldn't worry too much till you get down into dirt. <A> Just a simple answer in case others have same question. <S> You wouldn't worry about hurting plumbing when breaking up a basement floor. <S> First the plumbing should have a little protection around it - usually rocks. <S> I have broken up my share of basement floors and the only thing I have broke is old cast iron or clay piping and these things need to go anyway. <S> So the answer is jackhammer/sledgehammer away. <S> As long as you are semi paying attention your PVC will be fine and anything else should be replaced.	My guess is that since you want to move the drain risers around that you may very well be best off to break out all the existing kludge of concrete and some of the existing sub slab to get the replacement plumbing put in correctly. Second it is just really easy to replace anything that breaks.
What is the best covering for a redwood deck to keep the wood's character? I am installing a new 2000 sqft deck, in an urban home. It will get intense sun, need low maintenance. The builder wants to cover all 6 sides of each board. Is this realistic or even cost effective versus a good stain and regular upkeep and maintenance? What is the best covering? I would like to keep something resembling redwood. <Q> By all means, coat all six surfaces. <S> My favorite wood protectant is raw (NOT BOILED) linseed oil, but it's not for everybody. <S> It takes a mule's age to harden, and it wants periodic recoating (exposed surfaces only) until it's fully built up. <S> Nothing quite matches the beauty of a fifty-year-old well-maintained linseed-oil finish over natural wood, though. <A> One of the major factors in the wear and tear on outdoor wood is moisture absorption (and subsequent release). <S> This causes swelling and shrinking of fibers and leads to cracks and eventual breakdown of the material. <S> The end grain is most susceptible to water penetration. <S> Many builders stick the each end of outdoor wood in a bucket of protective coating and let it sit overnight (obviously one end at a time). <S> Once installed, it is much harder to coat any surface but the top, so precoating before installation is the better way to go. <S> There are a wide variety of coatings and sealers. <S> Some have more pigments to mask damage and discoloration on old wood. <S> In new wood, you don't need pigment to mask imperfections. <S> Consider a clear or natural penetrating sealer intended for the particular wood you are using. <A> Ultraviolet light and weather bleaching the wood pigments may also be an issue; even dark-colored woods tend to shift toward being a silvery grey over time. <S> Some surface treatments contain UV blockers -- sunscreen for wood -- which can help limit this effect, and some stains (I'm not sure which or how many) resist it better than others. <S> (There's a nice Ipe deck around the corner from me, built several years ago, Mostly grey now, but when it's wet some of the original color comes back.)	Best practice says cover every side of a board with a protective coating, especially the ends.
A/C Runs non-stop and shuts down without reaching desired temp I have had a repair man out 4 times and he says he can't find anything wrong with the unit. I cannot even feel air coming out of the diffusers unless I climb on a chair and put my hand right next to them. The A/C runs non-stop when it's hot. It will run for 5-6 hours and shut off while the temp in the house is 79 and the thermostat is set at 74. What could be causing this? We have had coolant added. The a/c man says the coils are clean. I can feel air being drawn into the unit at the intake. <Q> Here are some things that you can do: check the air filter, could be frozen or dirty enough to restrict airflow. <S> check for any possible ice build-up shut down the system from the breaker for 30 minutes: this will reset the system and allow time to melt any ice build-up. <S> Power back on and see if the temperature holds. <S> Here is what I would recommend to have a professional do Verify that the thermostat is working correctly. <S> You didn't seem 100% on this point and a bad thermostat would give the results you are getting. <S> Have the pressure re-checked. <S> Too much or too little coolant can affect the efficiency of the unit. <S> Get a second opinion <S> The issue should have been resolved by a professional within 2 visits. <S> If it takes more than that, you need a fresh pair of eyes to look and re-assess the problem(s) with the unit. <S> Even if you need to pay an additional fee with someone else, it might be worth it to get the correct resolution. <S> If the unit is under warranty, you can request from the company responsible to send a different technician for a second opinion at no charge. <A> The lack of airflow makes me suspect that the coils are icing over, clogged filter, or a disconnected duct line inside the wall/floor. <S> If the problem only happens on the warmest days, and you get good airflow any other day, then your coils are icing over. <S> A clogged filter is easy enough to determine by pulling out the filter and checking it for dust buildup, and if it is covered then just replace it. <S> A disconnected duct line will always result in lower airflow. <S> If the ducts were cleaned, it's possible the cleaning coming knocked something lose while pushing their tools through the ducts. <S> If this happens, you may have cold air getting blown out behind the thermostat causing it to get a false reading. <S> Another possibility is a damper that's closed (this might appear as a small lever on the outside of a duct line coming off the HVAC). <S> Make sure these are parallel to the duct. <S> Since this is a problem on the warmest days, one final possibility is that you don't have enough insulation and/or the HVAC system is undersized for your home. <A> Is the unit sized right for the square footage that it is cooling? <S> Plus, I would say that the leaves and debris are not helping the unit to run effectively. <S> I had to have my thermostat replaced when it behaved in that manner and all else checked out fine.	The system needs time to defrost, could be oversized for your home, and you may have a clogged filter contributing to the issue. I would think since the unit checked out fine, then it could be the thermostat that may need to be replaced.
Is it a bad idea to use pine for painted exterior siding if prepared properly? My house is about 95 years old, and currently has wood clapboard siding that is in pretty rough shape and needs to be replaced. My local lumber yard has 1/2" x 6" for $0.53/linear foot. Since vinyl starts around $2.50/linear foot, I am considering trying the pine out. I would install it myself. I am already close to underwater in my mortgage, and don't want to invest in vinyl right now. I did a lot of research on the best way to cover the knots in pine, and people seem to have the best luck with this BIN Primer with a shellac base. http://www.rustoleum.com/product-catalog/consumer-brands/zinsser/primer-sealers/b-i-n-shellac-base-primer . People say that it is VERY important to do 2 coats. One that dries at least 30 minutes, and one that dries overnight. Then primer, then paint. Is it a bad idea to replace the siding with pine? I am in the Northeastern US. <Q> Pine has been the traditional siding in the Northeastern US for several hundred years (along with cedar shingles). <S> Painting is the standard protection. <S> While numerous products are lower maintenance, if you have the skill (not too much required) and time to keep it up (a good bit required), it should be fine. <A> Pine is a poor choose for siding in the northeast, and it is far more expensive than spec grade vinyl siding. <S> Even though pine is used often for trim, when it is used to side an entire building expect the following problems. <S> Wider boards, 1/2 X 6 and larger have a habit of checking and cupping when exposed to prolonged heat and moisture. <S> Exterior pine needs to be primed on BOTH sides and on the cut ends. <S> Cedar or fir is a much better material. <S> The grain of pine tends to raise, and gaps around knots may start to appear over time. <S> Unless you use a shiplap, T&G, or board and batten, shrinkage will occur creating gaps between boards. <S> A spec grade vinyl runs around $60 to $80 per square, that is 100 square feet or apx $0.40 to $0.50 per linear foot for 4 inch exposure. <S> There is no cost involved for priming and painting which can add substantial costs. <S> It installs faster and will definitely outlast pine siding. <S> I personally would never recommend or install pine siding for a customer because I don't want a call in two years from an unhappy customer. <A> Prime all ends, the back, the front and two coats of paint on front and ends. <S> This is usually good for 10 plus years. <S> Pine siding has been around on homes and barns in my northeast area of the US for well over 100 years. <S> Some homes over 100 years old have the original wood barn siding as well as bevel lap; sure it may be beat up, but the siding is still standing. <S> I would keep the bevel lap siding to a max of 6 inches, as larger is more prone to cupping. <S> This is just the advice of an old man who has put up with a lot of pine siding. <S> It does offer a better look then Vinyl does; <S> but today I would opt for smart siding or fiber cement my self. <S> Less maintenance, and less carpenter ants and bee issues too. <A> Paint weathering tests show southern pine to be the poorest wood for holding paint. <S> That is, using the same paint (various paints were used in different tests), the paint failed on pine first. <S> Paints lasted longest on cedar and redwood. <S> It was a significant difference, I don't remember exactly but roughly paint would fail on pine in 3 years and last over 10 years on cedar/redwood. <S> The test panels were fully exposed to sun and rain. <S> (Sherwin-Williams tests at Kure Beach North Carolina done long ago.) <S> My experience is the any paint lasts very well on cement board. <A> Just one comment, without a doubt there is/will be much more maintenance with pine. <S> For most I think it should lie with what is your personal preference. <S> Having said that, one thing not mentioned in the previous comments, is that wood adds an insulating value to your home as well, far more than a vinyl product. <A> I live in an area where woodpeckers are prevelant, as well as fire, for me it wood be cementious materials like Hardy/Hardi plank <S> , I hate the joints exposed, but great outcome on my project. <S> Bob in Sisters, Oregon	Pine will work fine if prep on the wood is done correctly.
Kitchen outlet and Light I am roughing in my kitchen wiring currently and have separated the counter top outlets so that I have two per circuit. I also have a separate general lighting circuit in the kitchen. My question is, can I use a two receptacle gangbox for one of the counter top outlets and a light switch if they are on separate circuits? I am in Ontario in case it matters. <Q> As Tester said - it's quite common. <S> However, local ordinances (and national) can vary, so your mileage may vary. <S> (do not put two GFCIs on the same circuit). <S> May I ask why only 2 outlets per circuit? <S> Seems a tad light... <A> Yes, there is no problem having two circuits in a single box. <A> There's no problem, but remember, if you have multiple circuits in there that you're likely to have 240v going on and the risk of working in there without turning everything off is increased. <S> Make sure you turn off ALL the appropriate breakers before you work in there. <S> Also, as I commented elsewhere, there is no limit for the number of receptacles you can have on your domestic 20amp small appliance circuits. <S> You just need to have 2 to the kitchen that aren't shared with the dishwasher or garbage disposal or any overhead lighting. <S> You REALLY want more than 4 duplex receptacles in your kitchen!	In fact since all your counterspace has to be no more than 2' from a receptacle for code, it's almost a requirement! In fact, it's fairly common. Also, on the subject of kitchen outlets - make sure each circuit has GFCI protection - one protected outlet being the first outlet in each circuit
Does an extension cord from 2 to 3 prongs have any benefits? If you're plugging a device with a 2-prong plug into an extension cord that has 3 prongs on the other end, does that give it the grounding benefit of the third prong? <Q> No. <S> If the two prong device is fairly modern, it is sufficiently insulated in its design so that it does not need a separate grounding line (these devices were often referred to as double insulated ). <S> It means that the designer has ensured that it is highly unlikely that a consumer can come in contact with a hot lead in the device. <S> Many modern devices are polarized (one of the prongs is wider than the other) to ensure that the correct part of the device is connected to the hot side of the circuit. <S> This helps ensure safety. <S> For all of these type devices, a two wire/prong extension cord is adequate, assuming it is rated for the wattage being drawn. <S> This is a function of both the amperage of the tool and the length of the run. <S> When you plug a two prong device into a three prong extension cord, the device is not connected in any way to the ground wire in the cord. <S> There is no downside in this arrangement, but a two wire/prong extension would do the same thing. <S> There are older two prong devices that do not have adequate grounding and pose some risk if the device is damaged during use, for example some older metal bodied electric drills. <S> Unfortunately, using a three wire extension will offer no greater protection when used with a two prong appliance. <S> While we are at it, let us rail against the three prong-to-two-prong adapter. <S> These units are intended to allow you to plug a three prong device into an older two prong outlet , and proper usage requires that you attach the grounding tab to the center screw in that outlet, bonding the adapter ground to the frame of the outlet body. <S> This is often neglected. <S> Much worse is the use of these adapters to connect a three prong device to a two wire/prong extension and no grounding is even attempted since none is possible. <S> Even when used properly it may be "grounded" to an outlet that doesn't have a ground, and may actually be shorted to one of the current carrying conductors. <S> Throw these damn electrocution hazards away. <A> No. <S> The two wires connected to the 2-prong plug get connected to the hot and neutral wires in the extension cord. <A> Yes, the third prong provides a benefit. <S> A better quality power strip has a protection device that references ground. <S> This will prevent a high spike on either of the two remaining prongs: http://electronicsbeliever.com/surge-protection-circuit-principle-design/ <S> This will protect even two prong devices plugged into the surge protecting power strip.	Since there is no connection to the ground in the extension cord, the 2-prong plug does not get the grounding benefit of the third prong.
How should I install the post for a mailbox? The other day somebody wiped out my mailbox. It's a typical plastic mailbox, that mounts onto a 4x4 post. The old post snapped off right at ground level. Instead of trying to dig it out, I've dug a new hole nearby. After talking with a neighbor, it turns out this type of thing happens a lot (lots of crazy/drunk drivers in the area, I guess). My original plan was to simply stick the post in the ground, and back fill with dirt. Post in dirt I also considered using concrete. Post in concrete According to the Federal Highway Administration Do not embed the post in concrete unless the mailbox support design is shown to be NCHRP 350 compliant when so installed. So putting the post in concrete is out. After the neighbors comment, I'm trying to think of ways to make the inevitable next repair easier. My first though was to fill the hole entirely with concrete, embed threaded rod in the top, and then use a bracket to attach the 4x4 post to the concrete. Post on concrete I'd likely use a bracket similar to this one from Lowes . I'm worried that if another car comes along, the impact could actually bend or break the threaded rod, making it difficult to install a new post. So instead of saving myself time, I'd find myself digging another hole anyway. Is it worth the extra time and money to install the mailbox using the post bracket, or should I just stick the post in the ground? Are there other common solutions that I haven't thought of? After reading the USPS mailbox guidelines , I'm now thinking maybe I should build this a bit lighter duty. I'm now considering installing a post in the hole flush with the ground, then using a bracket to attach the above ground portion of the post. Post in dirt with breakaway I'd likely use a bracket similar to this one from Lowes This way if somebody hits the mailbox again, hopefully the in ground portion will be undamaged. <Q> Years ago, growing up on a rural farm in the midwest, my father solved the drunk driver mail box problem. <S> He did this after drivers and snowplows took out the mail box several times. <S> He placed the mail box on a long arm that was cantilevered over a swivel post 10 to 12 feet off the side of the roadway. <S> The design of the swivel post was such that the mail box arm would self return to the normal position if the snow plow would go by and gently push the box out of the way. <S> On the other hand if a driver came by and made a direct hit on the box it would swing 90 degrees and latch into that position till one came to release the catch and let it return to normal position. <S> The "return to normal" mechanism worked by having springs pull down hard on the swivel part which was mounted against a V-groove seat on the post. <A> You then attach your wood post to the slot on top of the anchor with lag bolts. <S> It's sturdy, but still gives way if impacted. <S> See here: diymailboxes.com/how-to-install-a-mailbox-post-without-concrete/ <A> Personally, I would just dig a hole and place it in it. <S> Thats the easiest fix. <S> Putting in concrete will not prevent a car from plowing into it and removing the 4x4 from the ground. <S> It will, though, cause you to have to remove not only the pole, but the concrete you poured. <S> I would put reflective tape on the pole to help drivers see it better and maybe move it a little further away from the road. <A> You could screw a scrap piece of 2x4 or angle iron to the post and use that to lever it up out of the hole, along with some side blows with a sledge hammer. <S> This should be easy to do; and you can then just set the new 4x4 into the same hole. <S> Having a new 4x4 ready to go would also make the job easier. <S> Another approach would be to cut the new post about 6" or so above the ground, and dowel it together before setting. <S> That way the dowels will break, but not the post. <S> Treating the dowels with a preservative would enhance their life. <S> I'd go with three 1/2" dowels about 5" long. <S> I would NOT glue them so that they can be pulled out and replaced if the post is hit by a car. <A> SAND to the rescue. <S> No concrete needed. <S> Bury an empty 6 or 8 inch tube two feet deep, and flush with the ground. <S> Compact the soil around it. <S> Then center and level your mailbox within the tube, and fill around the post with sand. <S> Tamp the sand down too a bit, then cover lightly with sod. <S> Next time a drunkard hits it, you can vacuum out the sand and remove the broken post with no tools. <S> Put the new one in and pour the sand back in and your mailbox is back immediately! <S> Here's a diagram using the same method for a fence post. <S> With the high wind loads of a fence, you might want to surround the tube with concrete. <S> But with a mailbox, it shouldn't be necessary. <S> Also, with a fence post, sealing the top with silicone will reduce the rate of wood rot. <S> But if your mailbox is getting replaced often, it won't have time to rot. <S> PROTIP: <S> Place some hollow tube caltrops around your mailbox. <S> (just not on the street or your driveway. <S> So when someone runs into it, they won't make it very far before their tires are deflated. <S> Then their insurance company gets to pay for your mailbox. <S> Here's a video how to make them: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9DhM6G-hzU&feature=youtu.be <A> What about hinging the 4x4 post at ground level with a door-frame hinge, and something like an old trampoline spring to hold it upright, apart from the nuisance car?	You can use a metal anchor that screws into the ground.
How do you finish carpet on the landing at the top of a hardwood staircase? If I'm installing hardwood treads and risers and removing carpet from the stairs, what do you do with the top or landing if you have carpet on there now? Would you just have the carpet wrap over top to meet last riser? <Q> It completely depends on your preference. <A> You can wrap the carpet like you suggested. <S> You can have the carpet held back some in an arc from the top tread and fill in with a bit more hardwood. <S> Or you can purge all the upper level carpet and install a hardwood floor there too. <A> Wrapping the carpet over the top is how I've always seen it done. <S> That avoids any risk of an irregularity, and thus a trip hazard, at that edge. <S> Though personally I'd consider removing the carpet from the landing etc. <S> too, unless you have a specific reason to want it there. <S> I've become very fond of wood floors with area rugs in selected places rather than wall-to-wall; easier to maintain <S> , I like the look better, and if you wear slippers there's virtually no difference to your feet.	You could wrap the carpet to meet the final riser, or you can install a landing tread.
What type of wood is recommended for an outdoor jungle gym? I'm not sure what other specs to include, as I haven't started the blueprints yet, just wanted to price the main parts out to see if it would be cost effective to build one vs buying from a big box store. Mainly just looking for outdoor durability of course, able to handle a couple of 30-50lb kids with the occasional adult or two, they'll possibly be a ladder, slide, monkey bars, the basics. <Q> The go-to materials for outdoor construction are cedar and pressure treated wood. <S> Many prefer cedar, and most kits you see from big box stores and other sources use it. <S> It is generally more expensive, but it is lighter and softer (for drilling and hammering). <S> It will last for a number of years untreated, and even longer if it is pre-treated with penetrating sealer and occasionally retreated. <S> Be sure to coat the end cuts for maximum benefit. <S> Pressure treated woods are also very durable and will also last years with little or no maintenance. <S> In the past, the treatments used harsh chemicals (called CCA for short) that were not ideal for skin contact and when cutting the wood, dust precautions were required. <S> More recent forms use less caustic chemicals and may be allowed in your jurisdiction. <S> (Personally I would avoid pressure treated where food or kids are involved). <S> While all outdoor projects require hardware that is weather resistant, pressure treated woods need specially coated fasteners to avoid a chemical reaction that causes corrosion. <S> After pricing good quality materials, you may find that kits from manufacturers may be a fairly good value. <S> I recently built a swingset with a fort, slide and climbing wall from a major manufacturer. <S> It arrived on a 4x8 foot pallet with all cedar, hardware and plastic parts. <S> The instructions were surprisingly good, all parts present and in proper order. <S> Cedar, stainless, and plastic. <S> Even predrilled correctly (one hole at wrong end - no biggy). <S> A search online will show you these options in both big box stores and directly from manufacturers or their distributors. <S> There are surely units that cost many thousands of dollars, but a significant set can be bought for several hundred. <S> Many sources offer onsite assembly for a few hundred dollars. <S> But where would the fun be in that? <S> The look on my grandkids faces made the cost and time in building all worthwhile. <A> There is no evidence that modern pressure treated wood presents any risk to children (after all, we're using the newer treatments instead of CCA precisely because of concerns about risks to children). <S> The treatments use ingredients with low toxicity to humans, bind well to the wood, and are easily excreted (so they won't build up with continued exposure). <S> It's also worth noting (but very rarely mentioned) <S> that rot-resistant woods like cedar don't get their rot-resistance from rainbows and sunshine - they just naturally contain antimicrobial chemicals, which can potentially also be toxic to humans. <S> There's no rational basis to pick one over the other on safety <S> . <S> assuming you're using appropriately corrosion resistant fasteners with the PT lumber. <A> I gave a lot of thought to this, having two young grandchildren. <S> I was going to build a playset but now will just start with a zipline and slackline; which I have to build towers for, as I have no trees. <S> Anyway, depending on the size you want there are some very economical plastic semi-spheres out there. <S> I would not use any sort of wood for any of the rungs because of possible splinters. <S> I was going to build the frame out of PT lumber; and seal it. <S> The rungs would have been out of plastic (filled) or iron pipe.	When it comes to picking between pressure treated wood and a rot-resistant wood, just pick on price and aesthetics.
Our backsplash tile has raised oval design a how do we work around electrical outlets? The tile we chose for our kitchen redesign is long and narrow (3" x 9") with a raised oval design. This image isn't the same brand as ours (We purchased Portfolio) but this is almost identical. Electrical is currently roughed in and the boxes protrude slightly. I have a couple of questions. I need to schedule the electricians to come back and finish the work. I assume this would normally be done after the tile work, correct? It's already been 8 weeks and we want electric in to hook up our appliances and get back to some degree of normalcy. If we had electric finished before the tile are we making a poor choice? I'm not certain how the tile will work with switch plates? Do we cut the tile to the edge of the plates and use spacers to get them close to flush or do we cut to the box and let the switch plate sit on the raised surface? Any directional information/opinions appreciated. <Q> Generally finish material runs just short of the edge of the box. <S> Cut tile edges are almost always a bit rough. <S> To have them as a visible edge is problematic. <S> Plates overlapping tile edges is almost always better. <A> When doing stone or a weird pattern tile like you have I use gaskets. <S> The picture below shows how they work. <S> You can get them at HomeDepot <S> but I don't like those. <S> They sell really nice ones at my local supply store and have a few with the gasket built into the plate. <S> This allows you to get the plate tight without pressuring the tile. <S> All of the gaskets I have seen are UL rated so they are safe (don't make your own). <A> Watch out if you are going to use Decora (the big flat switches or square outlets [like what the GFCIs you should be installing look like]) as the screws holding the cover plate on extend about a 1\4in above and below the box, depending on orientation. <S> Professional electricians should be able to deal with it, but I hate those little screws <S> so I notch the tile where they poke through with a rotozip. <S> Sounds like your doing the tile work, just get it done like they said, tile up to the box. <S> Express your concern to the electrician when he comes and let him worry about making it look pretty. <S> You could look for the deepest plastic cover plate you can find and then whittle away the high spots. <S> I would probably just use some of the tile grout if it looked bad. <S> The deviation on that tile doesn't look too bad, but there will be a gap. <S> You won't like it for the first five minutes and then never notice it again. <A> We installed glass tiles in our kitchen last weekend, and used these spacers . <S> The ones I picked up were black in color, if that makes any difference. <S> Each provides around 1/8" of spacing, and you can add as many as you like to bring your outlet flush with tiled surface. <S> With the adhesive mat + glass tiles we used, I had to use 3 spacers per screw. <S> You may need to use longer outlet screws if your tile's thicker. <S> Disclaimer: I don't have a particular brand preference, nor is any product endorsement to be assumed.	There are box extenders to bring the box level with the surface of the finish material.
What do I do with the neutral and ground when wiring a transfer switch? I know there are a lot of questions about wiring a generator to a home electrical panel, but I can't find the answer to the questions that I have. I would like to wire a generator that has the neutral bonded to the frame, to my main panel. The GE panel that I have has no "MAIN", It has four 240 volt breakers that are labeled "MAIN SECTION", and eight 120 volt breakers labeled "LIGHTING SECTION". One 60 amp breaker from the MAIN SECTION feeds the LIGHTING SECTION. I have a manual two pole 60 amp transfer switch that I would like to use and wire the 60 amp MAIN SECTION breaker to the switch, then back to the LIGHTING SECTION buss.What's confusing me is how to run the ground and neutral wires. I wanted to included a wiring diagram with this, but I can't figure out how. Do I bond the neutral to the transfer switch with the bonding screw? How do I run the neutral and ground from the generator to the main panel with a bonded generator? Do I wire the generator frame to a ground bar? <Q> There can only be one point in the system where neutral and ground wires are joined, and this is usually in the main panel. <S> Therefore, you must lift the bond from the generator, or disconnect the ground wire from the generator to the transfer switch. <S> You will also run ground and insulated neutral from the main panel to the transfer switch, and ground and insulated neutral to the subpanel from the transfer switch. <S> Note that neither neutral nor ground are switched in the transfer switch. <S> The generator can optionally be grounded to a rod. <S> If you cannot lift the bond, disconnect the ground wire to the transfer switch at the generator (or don't run a ground wire at all). <S> The subpanel will still be grounded from the unswitched ground wire from the main panel. <A> This all depends on whether the generator is designed as a separately derived system, or a non-separately derived system. <S> Most residential generators work just fine as a non-separately derived system. <S> Essentially meaning the neutrals and grounds are separated just like a sub-panel would be, both at the transfer switch and generator. <S> Also, by NEC Code, a supplemental grounding electrode "Ground rod" could be installed at the generator to help facilitate ground fault detection, but isn't required if over current protection is integral at the generator. <S> So, you may be wondering why there exist separately derived systems? <S> This is because in commercial and industrial establishments, especially in hospitals, there may contain multiple generators and doing so makes the electrical protection more sensitive to current divsion on the neutral. <A> User315 is completely correct from a technical viewpoint. <S> I will add, touching the generator, while standing on the ground, are a generator ground rod, no option. <S> Being the path of least resistance, sucks.	If you lift the bond on the generator, you can run both ground and an insulated neutral back to the transfer switch. The generator cannot be grounded to a rod because this would tie the neutral to ground in a second location through the bond.
How long should it take concrete to fully cure? I have just had a backflow valve installed in the basement. The man had to chip away some of the concrete, he then put new cement down. He also had to do some work outside around the foundation, he installed a pvc pipe as a weeping tile. This was Tuesday morning the 26th June 2014. We had a lot of rain that day. last night I noticed there was a lot of moisture on the cement in the basement. How long before we have to wait for it to cure and is this normal. We do get lots of humidity in the house. I forgot to mention this was put on top of mud. This is in Canada. <Q> Concrete will never fully cure; it continually hardens forever, although for all practical purposes, it reaches a point where further hardening will be so slow as to unnoticeable. <S> Unless the mix has retarder (or some cement replacement material) in it, it will generally be hard enough to walk on in less than 24 hours. <S> Mixes are usually specified with a design strength - the compressive strength that the concrete will reach in a period of time, typically 28 days. <S> As a general rule, at 7 days it will have reached around two thirds to three quarters of the design strength. <S> Don't worry about the water on the new concrete - it will help the concrete cure if it is kept damp after the initial set. <S> The early stages of concrete curing is the hydration of the cement in the concrete. <A> It depends on the composition of the concrete mix, water content, and temperature. <S> Generally, concrete sets in 24 to 48 hours allowing for you to walk on it and partially cured within a week (keep the cement free and clear of heavy equipment during this period) at which you can continue building/construction. <S> Most mixes fully cures at 28 days. <S> Refer to the manufacturer's packaging/site for instructions regarding the curing of its product, otherwise follow the above timeline for most mixes. <A> In short, concrete takes 28 days to fully dry or cure.	The rule of thumb is that you’ll need to allow the concrete 28 days of drying time for each inch of concrete thickness if the slab is under ideal drying conditions (an enclosed area with the HVAC on, meaning there’s air circulation and a low ambient relative humidity).
Swapping out circuit board on York AC? I have a York AC unit where the circuit board is shot, so I bought a replacement circuit board (same model). The model number for the board is 031-00251C. Pictures of old circuit board: http://imgur.com/gallery/0efD1/new I'm considering replacing this myself, but have no experience. Any tips? Yes, I'll make sure the power is off first. Is there anything I should know ahead of time or how I should get started? <Q> First, be wary of the two big capacitors. <S> One is the large "beer-can"-shaped component against the inside wall of the enclosure, and the other is the smaller, silver oval-shaped can right next to it. <S> These can hold electrical charge, and could hurt you. <S> You'll want make sure that they're discharged. <S> Once you unplug the unit, wait a few minutes for the caps to discharge on their own. <S> Then, get a piece of insulated wire, or pliers with insulated handles, and short out the two terminals on the top of the cap. <S> It may make a good spark, which is why you're doing it! <S> Better to spark through the wire than through you :) <S> There's a third cap on the pcb (big silver unit with a wire coming out either end), you should probably discharge this one, too. <S> The white connector up top will be easy. <S> Generally you just grab all the cables together and pull it out. <S> There may be a latching mechanism holding things together <S> that's not visible in the photo. <S> At the bottom of PCB (going by picture orientation), look at the black and brown wires that are connected to the board. <S> The are using "quick disconnects", which can get to be fairly tight. <S> Grab the connector (not the wire), and rock it back and forth (the long way) as you pull on it. <S> Needle-nosed pliers might help. <S> Those wires have wire nuts on them too, but I would leave them alone. <S> Once you are finished, give each wire coming from the wire nuts a firm tug, to make sure they haven't loosened up. <S> You can make small tags on the wires using masking tape. <S> Should be pretty straight-forward. <S> Good luck! <A> It looks like all the wires have connectors on them, so nothing crazy like soldering will be required. <S> Compare the old board and the new board to make sure that all of the connections have the same labels, and label all the wires accordingly. <S> Just make sure the power to everything is turned off and go for it. <A> Use masking tape to label the conditioner's connections to the board made w red/blue wirenuts before you take them apart. <S> A simple 1 to 4 -> left to right will keep you from swapping around by accident.	Oh, and I recommend marking the wires before you disconnect them. It wouldn't hurt to mark one of the plugin connectors with a sharpy either.
What could cause my Craftsman push mower to die after running for a few minutes? I received a Craftsman push mower (Model 917.377543) from my sister. She had left it outside all winter in the snow/rain. I have got to the point where the mower will run for 15-20 minutes initially before dying (it runs good when it does). After that, I have to let it sit for 5-10 minutes before it will start again, and it will only last 5-10 minutes, and eventually will stop starting. Heres a list of things that I have done (the mower wouldn't start at all at first) Replaced the air filter Removed old gas & oil and replaced Took the carb apart (the bottom tin can part) and cleaned with carb cleaner. This is what got the mower running in the first place. Replaced rotted gasket in the carb Mixed some cleaner into the gas to help clean the engine out as well WD-40'd necessary spots Is there anything else I can try to get this thing running? I am about to just go buy a new mower, but I am no mechanic so there may be something else little I can try out. The only other part visible on the mower that may be the culprit is this black tube that i believe is hooked up to the oil tank, and it runs near the carb, it is rotted at the end and it seems air may be able to get in. Looking at the engine parts here , it may be the 'breather tube' (part #12). Would this make sense with what is happening (shutting off after some use) Another thing I notice when it shuts off, is that if I remove the oil cap white smoke comes out. Is this normal? (I can try to get some pics of the tube that is rotted when I go home) <Q> Check or replace your gas cap. <S> Looks like it is not venting properly. <S> Try it with the gas cap loose or adjust it occasionally while mowing. <A> Just had a similar problem on a similar mower, True-Value rather than Craftsman. <S> Fixed it. <S> There was no easy way to adjust cable length, and a new one was a bit pricey, so I ended up tying a knot in the cable up at the control bar end. <S> That shortened things by about half and inch, and the engine now runs sweet, even when hot. <S> Had to tighten the knot by pulling ends with pliers, or the safety device remained permanently engaged regardless of lever position. <S> That's dangerous. <A> just a possibility, but it could be vapor lock from engine heating the gas in the carburetor. <S> see if there is a heat shield installed between the engine and carburetor. <S> i once took things apart and forgot to put the shield back, and the same thing happened with my mower.	Turned out the safety interlock cable (AKA driver presence control bar cable) had stretched a bit, and the switch it controls had gotten just dirty enough, that when the mower heated up, contact would be lost and the motor would die.
How do I dispose of the waste water after cleaning a brush or roller? After using latex paint and cleaning the brush/roller with soapy water, how do I dispose of the paint/water mixture? <Q> Modern Latex paint has very low toxicity. <S> I don't hesitate to wash the brush in whichever sink is available (being careful to make sure that I then wash all the paint off the sink in turn). <A> First I brush out most remaining paint, sometimes I use old newspaper or old cardboard. <S> Only then do I wash the brush under running water in a utility-room sink, in which case the very dilute mix goes down the drain. <S> Paintbrushes are so cheap nowadays that sometimes I don't bother washing them (particularly for brushes that have been used with oil-based paints). <S> I just buy new ones :) <S> For paintbrushes I am planning to use the next day, with the same paint, I find that wrapping them in clingfilm can sometimes prevent the paint drying in the brush and keep them usable without the effort of cleaning them. <S> In this case it helps to have more paint on the brush. <A> You want to clean your brush / rollers in running water as far as possible, say in a sink or tub. <S> I would probably clean the brush very well and simply change rollers between paint colors. <S> If you need to roll the same color another day, just seal your roller in a 1-gallon ziploc bag or similar (make sure it's airtight), and you can use this easily enough even a few days in the future. <S> Again, this is only with latex paints. <S> I'll defer to someone else for advice with oil-based paints. <S> Disclaimer: Ziploc or any other plastic bag, as long as it's airtight, won't matter. <S> No endorsement suggested or implied. <A> If I'm doing another coat of the same color I put the roller in a plastic bag, double bagged <S> and it's good to go for the next coat. <A> My only experience is to leave the bucket of waste water out, and eventually (1 week) <S> it will separate like oil and water. <S> You can then pour out the water normally, and throw away the separated paint at the bottom.	When the brush is no longer leaving paint on the scrap paper I squeeze the brush between some absorbent paper a few times to squeeze out any remaining paint. I've read that you should freeze the roller you're planning on reusing, but have no personal experience with that option.
Purpose of Fill Valve Tube Going into Overflow Drain I can easily understand the purpose of the overflow tube itself, but why is the little black hose that comes from the fill valve placed down into the overflow tube? On my toilet, there is a strong stream of water that comes from the black hose, and it seems like going right into the overflow tube is a complete waste of water. I know I must be missing something obvious, but I can't see it. <Q> That tube provides water to refill the bowl. <S> Without it, you'd only refill the tank. <A> The overflow tube leads to the bowl. <S> It prevents the tank from overflowing, by directing extra water to the bowl. <S> Nothing prevents the bowl from overflowing, other than the fact that once the water level reaches a certain height the toilet flushes. <S> If the toilet is clogged, the bowl can overflow. <S> However, then there would be no way to stop this prosess, and the toilet would run continuously. <A> The refill tube goes into the overflow tube and that water fills the bowl after each flush. <S> However, the original poster is correct that a lot of water is wasted because once the bowl is filled with water to a certain line and if the tank isn't filled yet, the refill tube will keep flowing and the additional water added to the bowl via the overflow tube simply trickles goes down the siphon. <S> I guess they could add a feature to restrict the refill tube flow but that would add costs to the mechanism and make it more complicated. <S> What you can do is simply position the refill tube over the overflow tube so that some will go into the refill tube and some will go into the tank. <A> One of the components that I had not seen before was a roller valve you slide onto the black tube that allows you to control the amount of water entering the bowl during the flush. <S> I have high water pressure where I live and after flushing, water would drain out of the bowl for 15 seconds to get down to the proper level. <S> To adjust the valve, you flush the toilet, wait till the excess water drains out of the bowl, use a marker to place a small line to mark the optimal water level on the bowl, then use the flow control valve on the (black bowl refill tube), to reduce the flow as needed to only fill the bowl to the optimal level. <S> Fluidmaster sells this tube and valve separately at Home Depot Model # 215 (Store SKU #427596) for $2.99. <A> 1 water goes to the overflow tube thru the refill hose to refill the toilet after flushing , this is to keep sewer gas from entering the room and to prepare for the next flush.2 <S> At the same time water comes from a different part of the fill valve to refill the tank , <S> all water flow stops when the float level is reached. <S> Yes sometimes the refill tube adds more water than the bowl needs to reach its flushing point which is a waste of water, i would like to have a small valve on the refill hose <S> so i could adjust the flow. <A> To add to some of the other answers, yes, the tube is designed to drip into the overflow tube. <S> However, if the spray tube goes too far down into the overflow tube, it can siphon water from the tank. <S> It took a long time to realize this is what was happening to mine, as all components were new and functional. <S> I just had to back the spray tube further up the pipe so that it would still drop properly. <S> Fixed the siphoning and therefore eliminated the wasted filling.	If that tube didn't spray water in the overflow tube, the tank would have to fill all the way and then trickle water down the overflow and into the bowl. FluidMaster sells a kit to replace a flush valve.
Mild Electric Shocks in Bathroom I have been subject to mild electric shocks in my bathroom for years. It's probably a good time to figure out the problem (I'm still here), so I have check the voltage across the shower valve and the drain (drain is cast iron throughout house.) When the meter is set to ac, it reads 24 volts. When set to dc, it read either +11 or -11 depending on lead used. I then shut off the main breaker, and disconnected the cable line from the house. (We have no hard wired telephone line in the house - it was disconnected at the pole) I unplugged the only ups system in the house. Voltages remain the same! I check it other locations in the house - and even tried a copper pipe to a screw driver pushed into the earth - and found the same issue.The main panel is grounded the the copper piping and a ground rod that appears to be driven horizontally through the foundation wall about 6 feet below grade. Any ideas? Chris <Q> Sounds like you have an improperly bonded neutral somewhere. <S> If it isn't easily identified at the main service panel, you'll want to do a couple of things: <S> Call your electrical company and request (or if necessary demand) that they check to make sure the incoming neutral wire is grounded correctly on their side of the service. <S> Install jumpers around any dielectric connections in the plumbing. <S> If none of these steps solves the issue, I'd start opening things up and make sure that you don't have a crossed neutral and ground somewhere in the house. <A> Check your earthing system and see if the system is perfect. <S> Due to aging factors the earthing plate or rod would have been rusted and disconnected from the network. <A> You or a neighbor, or the city, or the electrical utility, likely have a severe electrical ground fault btw, which is dumping massive amounts of energy into the Earth. <S> This might kill someone. <S> Or it might not. <S> This is happening in a location that is NOT directly in between your sewer and water hookups. <S> So its voltage gradient creates unequal AC voltage between them. <S> One other possible source could be if the soil in your area was particularly acidic or salty, and was acting as a battery between the dissimilar metals of your water supply and sewer line. <S> This could account for the DC component. <S> Congrats. <S> Add grounding from each to your electrical service panel's ground. <S> Or, install some nice 24v LED lighting in your shower and power it from the drain and shower valve. <S> Free Electricity! <S> Also worth noting. <S> If there is DC voltage between your sewer line, and your water supply (caused by the soil acting as a battery between dissimilar metals) and if you "fix" that by grounding the two to the same point, or bonding them together, you will cause your sewer or water lines to corrode and break down in the ground. <S> (cathodization and annodization) You should consider instead to electrically insulate them with a stretch of pex water supply line, and pvc sewer line just inside your basement where they enter your house. <S> Do your electrical bonding on the house side of these insulators, not the utility side.	So you might have two seperate sources of stray voltage. If there is constant voltage between your supply and your drain, then one or both of them are not properly grounded to your electrical service panel. Install new grounding rods to ensure that they are providing an adequate ground. Even in some cases the wires running down to the plates would have damaged. Make sure that the water service to the house has a grounding connection to the ground bus of the panel within 5 feet of entering the house and before the meter. Do check it once and confirm that no problem exist with the earthing system.
Freezer is cold but not freezing at all After throwing a thermometer in my freezer, it is around 15-20 degrees Fahrenheit. Things that have been in there and frozen are staying frozen, but anything new that needs to freeze is not. For example, 24 hours ago I put some of those "colored ice pops" in there and maybe 3 or 4 froze, the rest are just cold. It is a Freezer/Refrigerator combo with the freezer on top. What could be causing this and how would I go about fixing it? EDIT It looks like the back panel of my freezer is popping off for some reason. I think that this what causes it to not stay cold. Is it possible to pop it back on? EDIT TWO The fridge is still warm, even though it is dialed to the max. The freezer is running heavy and is around 15 degrees. <Q> 15-20 degrees isn't cold enough, believe it or not :) <S> There needs to be a significant temperature difference to rapidly draw the heat out of the items you want to freeze. <S> For example, current Whirlpool refrigerator/freezer units come preset to 0-degrees (F, not C) for the freezer and 37-degrees <S> (F) for the fridge. <S> According to this document , the freezer range is from -5 to 5 (F), and the fridge can be set from 33 to 41 (F). <S> Make it colder, and save your fish :) <A> Freezers aren't really designed to freeze things, they're designed to keep things frozen. <S> To change one pound of 32°F ice to 31°F ice, requires the removal of .5 BTUs. <S> To change one pound of 32°F water, to 32°F ice, requires 144 BTUs. <S> Therefore, it requires far less energy to keep an item frozen, than it does to freeze the item in the first place. <S> Almost all sources (including the USDA ) agree that a freezer should be kept at 0°F (-18°C), to store frozen foods. <S> Though a temperature of -5 to -10, is recommended to freeze food. <S> If the back panel of the freezer is popping off, you might want to investigate what is causing it to pop off. <S> If there is ice forming that is causing the panel to pop off, it could mean that the refrigerant in the system is low, and there may be a leak. <S> This is probably a unlikely scenario, though it is possible. <S> The more likely cause, is poor air flow. <S> If there's not good air flow through the condenser , the heat removed from the refrigerated compartments will not be removed from the refrigerant. <S> At the same time, if the air flow through the evaporator is poor, heat will not be removed from the refrigerated compartments effectively. <S> Maintaining good air flow within the refrigerated compartments is also important. <S> The cooled air needs to move throughout the compartment, so heat can be taken away. <S> Make sure the condenser fan is working, and there's not a lot of dust and debris obstructing the flow of air across the condenser. <S> Make sure there's good air flow across the evaporator, and that the evaporator is not icing over (this may require disassembly of part of the refrigerator). <A> If the meat is frozen but not the iceceam then the refrigerant is leaking out of your refrigerator/freezer. <S> I paid $100.00 yesterday to find out mine is going bad and too expensive to bother fixing it. <A> I had a self defrosting refrigerator that the line to ice tray under refrigerator was plugged. <S> Ice would melt off coils then puddle in freezer and eventually plug the flow of cool air to refrigerator and freezer didn't cool right either. <S> Ccheck for ice behind the panel being pushed out; get out your hair dryer and pour water down drain line.	Make sure there's good air flow within the freezer, and that items are not blocking the vents.
Driving screws back into weathered deck I have a 20+ year old deck behind my home. It's in great shape, but I want to refinish it this summer. Problem is, a number of the Phillips screws have popped up over the years. I have a basic Hitachi cordless drill (1050 RPM) with which I have tried to drive the screws back down, but it tends to either strip the heads or strain uselessly. I have tried removing a few of the screws completely and putting them back in, but they get stuck in the same place regardless. Now that I think of it, I suppose I could drill the holes out deeper before putting the screws back, but I honestly don't want to go through all that bother for all my screws. What do I need to accomplish this smoothly and efficiently? A better drill bit? A corded, more powerful drill? A high-torque drill? I'd really prefer not to spend much money on this--hence why I'm doing all the refinishing myself--but these screws are really getting in my way. <Q> From what you are describing you are using the wrong drill bit or not applying sufficient pressure. <S> Make sure you have the right # drill bit for the screws. <S> The wrong bit will strip the heads making it difficult to extract or to drive the screws further in. <S> If you are using the right drill bit, stand directly over the screw and apply sufficient pressure when drilling. <S> I would find it hard to believe that all the heads are stripped, but if the majority are stripped, my advise would be to get a screw extractor and remove the troublesome screws. <S> Work with a friend or family member, 1 with a drill bit, the other with the extractor, systematically go down the deck and you'll be done in no time. <A> This really makes a huge difference. <S> Some bits are much more accurately made than others. <S> Buy a new one. <S> Lubricate the screw. <S> I have a tin of automotive grease I use for this <S> but I've read <S> you should use petroleum jelly (e.g. Vaseline). <S> This quick and easy to do, just dip the srew before inserting. <S> Wipe any excess afterwards. <S> There is a danger of staining. <S> I've had far far far less problems of this sort with Pozi-driv screws. <S> Yes pilot holes. <S> Tedious but effective. <S> RPM is immaterial, it's torque <S> (Nm) you want. <S> But as a last resort. <S> Sheared screws are the stuff of nightmares (In my experience, mostly a problem confined to brass screws). <A> Try replacing your loose screws with Torx head screws , which are much more resistant to stripping: By design, Torx head screws resist cam-out better than Phillips head or slot head screws. <S> Where Phillips heads were designed to cause the driver to cam out, to prevent overtightening, Torx heads were designed to prevent cam-out. <S> These screws are also sometimes called "Star" head and you should be able find them in the hardware store labelled "deck screws". <S> Some of them are even packaged with the appropriate torx drill bit: <A> Lots of other good tips provided as answers so far, but the one thing no one has mentioned is that a drill is actually the wrong tool to use for driving screws. <S> Sure, they work and lots of people use them, but the best tool to use would be an impact driver: <S> (source: thewoodwhisperer.com ) <S> An impact driver has much higher torque than a drill does, and rather than using a twisting motion to drive screws, they use an impact motion. <S> The result is that they more easily drive screws and are far less likely to strip the screw head, regardless of bit type.	Some tips Use the correct sized bit for the screw head.
When drywalling a room, should I do the ceiling before the walls? Is there any value in installing drywall (plasterboard) on the ceiling before the walls or does it not matter? <Q> If you do the walls first, you can end up with drywall that is unsupported along an entire edge. <S> Taking these walls for example. <S> Walls <S> First <S> If you add drywall to the walls. <S> Then add drywall to the ceiling. <S> The ceiling drywall will be unsupported along the entire length of the one wall. <S> Ceiling First <S> Given the same walls. <S> If you add drywall to the ceiling. <S> Then add drywall to the walls <S> The ceiling drywall will be supported by the wall drywall. <S> Blocking, or Extra Framing If you add blocking; or some other framing, it shouldn't matter which you drywall first. <A> so there is no need to fill gaps before taping the corner where they meet. <S> If there is a gap at the bottom, that's no big deal as there is normally trim that would cover it. <A> Ceiling first is less work, otherwise I don't think it makes a difference. <S> Doing the ceiling first means you can lift the wall sheets to make a tight joint. <S> By contrast if you do the walls first you would have to sculpt every edge to make it seat tightly, and/or end up with lots of voids to fill before you tape. <A> Tester has a really good answer that discusses the blocking issue but misses what I feel is the biggest piece of advice. <S> And that is leaving the perimeter of your ceiling drywall floating over the last 8-12 inches. <S> You would not be able to do this without the walls holding up the drywall. <S> By allowing ceiling to float you are gaining extra flexibility in the ceiling. <S> Long-term this means less cracks in your ceiling and less cracks in the top corner. <S> This is especially true for ceilings that are unfinished above (has attic above). <S> The humidity and temperature changes will affect your gypsum board similar to the wood in your house. <A> My expertise is in framing and it is good practice when framing to always put "nailers" in (something to nail the sheetrock or sheathing to). <S> This is usually done by putting a piece on the flat (the larger dimension facing what is going to be nailed to it). <S> I would not recommend using the sheetrock in the wall to support the sheetrock on the ceiling as there is still nothing stopping it from pushing upwards. <S> You must be conscientious of the sheetrockkng and sheathing while framing. <A> The biggest issue is gravity and taping. <S> When installing the first coat of taping compound, you are putting the corner compound directly up, then covering with paper. <S> As it dries, it creates a bump as it settles down. <S> If you put up the ceiling first, your taping compound is filling in the joint above the wall piece, with the wall holding up the compound as it dries, not creating a bump. <A> There are many reasons to put the ceilings up first. <S> I can't think of one not to. <S> Most construction is time tested over years. <S> It is unwise to go against the flowelse your jobs become problematic. <S> I have found that out the hard way many times. <S> So stick with the program. <A> Doing the ceiling first is for fire safety. <S> Fires go up, if you do the walls first then the vertical gaps left when you do the ceiling <S> allow fires to directly heat the beams. <S> If you do the ceiling first the gaps are horizontal and help control the spread of fire.	I was always told to drywall the ceiling before the walls so you can butt the wall sheets flush up against the ceiling If you don't allow a slight buffer, it will crack. My crews going back 20 years have always done ceilings before walls.
How to fix doors not closing I had a contractor come in and finish my basement. He done a decent job for the price but now a couple months later my doors wont shut. They worked perfectly fine before but now it seems the top part it getting caught on the trim. My first thought was to sand the top portion so it will close but not sure if that would be a long term fix. It seems to be about 1/8 inch off at the top. There are two doors like this. I tried to take the door off and put it back on thinking it may not have been set correctly. <Q> I would bet the doors were dryer than they are now. <S> Most basements are more humid than the rest of a typical home, especially in the summer. <S> In the winter they will shrink again, but it will be needed to trim a little here and there to get them to work in the summer. <A> I had two doors that would stick, a hand plane was much more effective then sanding. <S> If you do not have one buy an Empire Pocket plane, they are around 10 dollars and just as effective. <A> Your doors will fluctuate and if your contractor made them snug then during the summer they will need to be "adjusted". <S> Just installed two doors in my basement snug this past winter knowing they would stick. <S> They are currently sticking - barely close. <S> So I will pull them off hinges and hit them with a belt sander on the non-hinge side. <A> Painting the doors probably would've helped. <S> Moisture penetrated through the unpainted top of the door and bottom. <A> Door adjustment can be an art, and sometimes a black art. <S> Houses usually move and change dimensions with season as average temperatures, humidity and ground water changes. <S> Planing a door will usually work but you need to take care that the changes are not cosmetically noticeable. <S> This can depend on door finish / grain / patterns and fittings - any of which can allow relatively small material removal to be noticeable. <S> You can place a small wedge under the door to lift it slightly when screw tightening or have someone lean on it or suspend a weight from the door handle to lower it when tightening. <S> Hinges are usually inset into slight indents which may make positional change impossible. <S> Relieving these in the desired direction "just enough" my help.	What may work is to loosen the hings screws slightly and then move the door slightly in the desired rotational direction and then tighten the screws "differentially" to favour the new position.
How to remove masking tape residue from linoleum? I attached few pieces of masking tape to a linoleum floor to help a child with her exercises (long jump kid-style). Now when I removed the tape, there is residue left through the whole length of the tape. How do I remove residue from masking tape? Ideally with generic stuff or products of FMCG giants (P&G, Unilever, Johnson&Johnson to name a few), not branded things from DIY shops (like WD-40 or Goof-Off), as items like WD-40 or Goof-Off are too rare in the area where I live. Even better if it's child- / prengancy-friendly (I realise the latter is too unlikely to exist, so it's really optional). <Q> What you seek is a non polar organic solvent. <S> WD-40 is a good stand in, but even better would be xylenes which are usually available at hardware stores <S> (that's basically what goof off is). <S> Really though, any non-polar solvent will work, mineral spirits, turpentine, brake cleaner, gasoline, diesel, tiki touch fuel, ether, THF, or melted lard. <S> The more volatile the solvent <S> the less residue it will leave and the less child/pregnancy-friendly it is. <S> Brake cleaner would be very volatile and easy to clean up and is very awful to breathe. <S> Lard would be at the opposite end. <S> Polar solvent, like alcohol, won't work as well. <S> As others have said, be sure to test that it won't damage the floor. <A> I applied Cif and left it for a quarter of hour, then wiped it off-- <S> it removed almost all the residue. <A> You mentioned Goof-Off... <S> At the risk of sounding like this is a response to a product recommendation, I'll say that this product works reasonably well. <S> You'll still have to clean its residue up, of course, but the product on its own does what it advertises. <A> However spirits contain oils, so where surface prep requires it (if I need to put the tape back) <S> I use denatured alcohol. <S> As with any solvent, test it on an inconspicuous spot first to check whether it will discolor or eat into the materiel. <S> Also, next time use painter's blue masking tape . <S> I've never had much luck with goo-gone. <S> How do I remove the gluey residue left by gaffer tape on glass?	Alcohol would probably clean up the mess once goo-gone has loosened it into a sticky smear. I use Ronsonol's naphtha (zippo fluid; expensive) for small jobs or any 'white solvent' ( mineral spirits ).
What's best to use in a sawzall to cut steel pipe? So our new place came with an old antiquated huge satellite dish in the yard. Getting it down wasn't much trouble, but I'm stuck trying to figure out how to get the big steel post it sat on out of the way. The original plan was to just sawzall the thing down below ground level, cover it up, and forget about it. Except this thing pretty much just laughs at my sawzall while the blade just tickles it. So without having to potentially dig multiple feet down to dig the whole thing out, can someone recommend a better blade? It's my first time trying some longer than usual Diablo steel cutting blades you see in the image. Or would I need to find a buddy with welding gear? I could swear I've cut stuff worse than this before with the sawzall so I'd prefer to go that route if possible. EDIT : So far I've found that the Diablo Steel Demon DS0908BFD AND The Diablo Diamond Grit "Cast Iron Cutting" blades were pretty much worthless against this thing. I sat there for about 15 minutes with the diamond grit blade expecting something and got nothing but disappointment. Pipe 1, Sawzall 0 :( <Q> It will probably be 3 to 6 hours of non-skilled labor (neighborhood kids?) <S> to dig up the concrete and remove the whole assembly. <S> Don't cut the post off: <S> it will help wiggle out the base. <S> Dig a hole immediately to one side of the concrete base of a convenient size. <S> (There is no need to dig all around it.) <S> A post hole digger works great. <S> Make the hole at least as wide (front to back) as the concrete so you can tip the concrete into the hole. <S> The hole need not be as wide (left to right) as the concrete; only enough to detach it from the surrounding soil. <S> The concrete depth should be at least 36 inches below the frost depth , but that is hard work and most people would go 24–30 inches and call it good. <S> (Also note that link says a standard parallel-sided hole is not desirable, but most installers use an auger or post hole digger so it is unlikely to be pyramid shaped.) <S> The block of concrete will weigh up to 250 pounds, so no need to be polite and dainty when trying to move it. <S> Roping it to a heavy vehicle, tree, boulder, etc. <S> and jumping on the line would not be overkill to gain sufficient force. <S> Then you'll also have a sturdy pipe to build a fountain, chime, etc. too. <A> The first thing is to check is that you are using the correct blade type. <S> The one in you picture looks like it might be a wood blade, but I can't be certain. <S> Don't be surprised if you go through a few blades on this. <S> Alternatively, an angle grinder with a cutoff wheel would probably do the trick - slowly though. <A> That pipe is most likely cast so your bi-metal blades aren't going to cut it <S> (forgive the pun). <S> You need one of the Lenox Gold recip blades. <S> There's few varieties but any of the Gold line should cut that pipe, or there's some specifically designed for cast although I believe those are more expensive. <S> I've cut hardened steel concrete anchors with the diamond encrusted Lenox blades and it zips through them like butter. <A> You need a sawzall blade with a diamond grit rather than teeth. <S> That way, it abrades the metal rather than really cutting it--same approach that angle grinders take. <S> It'll be cheaper to buy a top-of-the-line abrasive blade than an angle grinder, so I would do that, especially seeing how you already have a nice sawzall <S> (I have the same one and love it). <S> I have used the Milwaukee Torch blade on mine, and it cuts through cast iron pretty well. <A> I just cut down a 4" steel basketball pole at my daughters house. <S> I used my 4" side grinder. <S> If it takes you over 15 minutes I would be surprised. <S> Odds are that is carbon steel, not cast iron. <S> Good luck. <S> Try this method first. <A> You can hit the concrete with a sledge and it may put out. <S> Go around all the way with the sledge. <S> Another option is to cut it off a foot or so off the ground and then hit the pipe with a sledge to knock it though and break free of the concrete. <S> A torch would be the fastest, but be careful of the concrete as it will pop. <S> Wear eye protection, and <S> ear protection!!	There are various qualities of metal blades, so considering the thickness, you might opt for a higher quality (more expensive) blade. Once it is out, use a sledgehammer or blunt end of a splitting maul on the concrete to break it off the pipe and into easy-to-carry and easy-to-use pieces for trimming a garden, driveway fill, etc. If you have a bobcat or an good ole truck you can pull it over by attaching a rope or chain to the top of the pole and pulling it over. Any brand of grinder would be fine.
How common is it for new homes to have gas-only dryer hookups? I am relocating my dryer. I had the gas line relocated and a dedicated circuit put in for the washer and dryer. The original location had the option for an electric dryer. We have a gas dryer and will probably never have an electric dryer due to the high cost of electricity in our area. I am wondering if new houses typically have just one or the other or both. It's relatively easy to run 35ft of 10/3, but I'd rather use the available breakers in the panel for something else. Most people in my area have older homes and have both hookups, but I believe the only reason they have both is because the cost of electricity was on par with gas in the 70's How common is it for new homes to have gas-only dryer hookups in areas where gas is cheaper than electricity? <Q> Around here (Pacific Northwest), electricity is inexpensive and gas is reasonable too. <S> However, over the last five years, gas prices have declined and will continue to do so and electric has crept up slowly and probably will forever. <S> Almost all houses here have <S> electric dryers and every single rental (house, apartment, condo) is only electric, even those with gas fireplaces, water heaters, and ranges. <S> Personally, I like the option of using either gas or electric. <S> It would not increase the price I'd pay for the house, but it would be one less barrier to moving in. <S> And that might sway a non-buyer into a buyer. <S> If it were me, I'd relocate the abandoned wire to be near the new location. <S> If an unused breaker is actually a problem, just run the wire into the panel full length (so it can be connected anywhere when the time comes) and tuck it out of the way, and secure it, maybe all wires into the neutral strip. <S> Install the outlet and mark it "not connected". <S> Place the heavy duty outlet to be semi-accessible so that it could be used by some future high power appliance, like a big air compressor, welder, hot tub, sauna, etc. <A> The value from what I've learned is the available option to yourself, but more specifically when you resell the home <S> it's a bonus to the potential buyers and seen as positive. <S> Beyond that, until the day comes to sell, and already knowing you wouldn't be using the electrical hookup. <S> There's no value I can think of. <A> If you're specifically thinking resale, I would suggest actually putting in the circuit, just to remove one possible reason for not bidding. <S> For rental... <S> In most areas renters don't own laundry appliances, so they'd probably be using whatever you put in (and charge them for use of, as part of the rent). <S> Or, if roughed in, you could delay installing the circuit without incurring much cost due to the delay. <S> If you need a breaker for other purposes, that can be dealt with by swapping out a single breaker for a dual (if the box will permit it) or forking off a secondary box. <S> I understand the temptation to swipe the existing breaker position, but realistically the wires probably don't go where you'll need them anyway and <S> the breaker's likely to be the wrong amperage for your intended application. <S> (The one exception might be the situation I'm looking at, where it might make sense for me to route the dryer circuit a bit farther in the basement and use it to feed a secondary box in my workshop, so if I actually need the additional 30A there it'd be available.)	If you are remodelling anyway, it probably costs very little more to move the electric-dryer circuit along with putting in the gas tap. You might at least want to consider roughing in in that circuit with tape to allow wire to be pulled through later, so that installing it when desired wouldn't require opening the wall and drilling holes.
Can I extend my sump pump outlet? I live in area without sewers, so we depend on swales and drainage ditches when it rains. My basement sump pump outlet is in the ditch in front of the house, but it's a couple of inches below grass level. Often the ditch fills over the outlet during heavy rain, which can make the sump pump fall behind and bam, water in the basement. I'm thinking of putting an upside-down J pipe on the outlet so the water actually comes out of it at above ditch level. I'm pretty sure I'm not even close to maxing out either the rise or run specs on the sump pump even if I do this. Is this plan stupid? Am I better off just installing a stronger pump? If I go that route, how do I know how powerful a pump the buried outlet pipe can withstand? Is there even a risk of bursting it since it's buried and so supported on all sides by earth? <Q> You should not add an upward bend to the pipe, as that will more likely lead to water always sitting in the pipe. <S> Instead you should add a check valve (one way valve) to the line. <S> This will allow the pump to push water out, while preventing ditch water from flowing back in. <S> Unless the outlet is pointed upstream, in which case you should redirect the pipe downstream. <A> If the rise on the pump is enough for the additional height of the J, I would think it would be enough to pump despite back-pressure from whatever water is in the ditch... <S> but I may be wrong about that. <S> So you might need a more powerful pump even with the extension. <S> This sounds to me like the first step <S> should be to make sure the property is graded <S> so water naturally tends to run away from the foundation, then make sure the pump's outlet also tends to run downhill away from the house... <S> My own setup -- which I admit is entirely ad-hoc -- starts with a pump that lifts water to about 3' about ground level and out through the wall using PVC pipe. <S> That ends in a downward bend and a fitting which flex hose connects to -- and the flex runs the water about 20 more feet away from the house. <S> (This replaces a setup which required that I open a basement window to run flex hose from the pump to outside, with about the same rise/fall distances. <S> I decided that if I was going to have a pump at all, I wanted an installation that started working before I was aware there was a problem. <S> Even if I may never need it until the next "hundred-year flood.") <A> For someone who installs sumps pumps practically every day of the week, a check valve is part and parcel of sump pump's discharge line. <S> We typically install it within the sump and then make sure the discharge line is going up and out and has a pitch away from the house. <S> The crucial area where you don't want water to pool up, is the immediate 5-6'from the house. <S> If you are saying that water pools up within that area and buries the outlet of your current discharge line, and if adding an extension vertically is feasible/functional, then i would go straight up with an elbow, 90 or 45 degree, and up as far as you need but then put a small weep hole on the bottom of the elbow or horizontal piece so that water drains out from the vertical extension and <S> ice doesn't form in the below freezing circumstances. <S> If you ever need more info on basement waterproofing and french drains/sump pumps, hit up my blog on my website . <S> Oh, what size is your sump pump? <S> Hopefully at least a 1/3HP or higher (if it's less, upgrade!).	If the pump is strong enough, it should be able to push water into the ditch even when it's full.
How can I get concrete out of ground? I had a huge play structure when the kids were little that I donated to a church camp. When they picked it up they just cut the brackets at the ground and left the concrete and 6 inch U brackets there. I am having a shed installed and there are 12 of these in the ground that I can't get out. I have tried to shovel dirt away and pry out but can barely get them to move. It was 32 feet high so they are large. Any ideas would be welcome. I don't want to get ground wet because the shed is going there but only have 2 days to get all these out and after 3 hours working on 1 figured I needed to ask for advice. It's super hard ground with roots running thru from a tree that ran thru the middle of the structure. <Q> If they had a 32' play structure resting on top of them and they had 6" U brackets I'm guessing <S> the footings are at least a foot in diameter? <S> Maybe more? <S> Keep in mind that even if you could dig the entire thing out of the ground it's going to weigh hundreds of pounds. <S> There isn't any chance you can use them as a base for the shed, is there? <S> If not, and you absolutely have to get them out, you might look into hiring an excavating contractor to do it. <S> It's hard to make suggestions without seeing exactly what you're dealing with, but it sounds like an excessive amount of work to do by hand. <A> You have got your work cut out for you if you plan to do this by hand. <S> I really would have you consider renting or hiring a backhoe or mini excavator to do this. <S> this should allow you to get the metal down about 4-6" below grade. <S> This may still take 3 hours per hole to do, and you will still need to do a little digging. <A> Would this work? <S> Or is this too close to other buildings? <A> A few ideas:- Use an engine hoist - they are usually rated to lift 4000lb when the lifting arm is in the shorted position.- <S> Use a few $15 angle grinders from harbor freight, and a $10 diamond masonry wheel and cut some 2" grooves. <S> Then use a sledge and a splitting wedge to break the chunks off. <S> You might get lucky and have large splits.- <S> Make a giant lever. <S> A pair of 2"x10"X10' boards with one end on a flat surface next to your footing. <S> USe steel cable or something to connect to the existing bracket maybe 18" from the end of the board. <S> Then that gives you a bit over 8' of lever arm to lift on. <S> This should get you a bit over 8x lifting power on the other end that you can use a hydraulic floor jack and wood blocks, or just lifting it up with a few guys. <S> Combine it with the engine hoist and the boards will break or the footing will come out for sure!	Unless you have some heavy equipment to pull them out you're going to have some trouble moving them. If you feel you really need to do this by hand, you will need to get at the minimum, an electric demolition hammer, at the most an air compressor and jack hammer. Break the concrete down about 6 to 8", and get either a right angle grinder, be VERY careful with this, or a reciprocating saw and a LOT of long metal cutting blades.
How do we install drywall on a curved ceiling that is within 4 feet high from the loft floor? We are making the attic into a loft and the ceiling we need to add drywall to has a slight curve. How do we install the drywall without breaking it? The distance from the floor to the top is about 4 feet. <Q> 1/4" drywall will readily bend into a radius and is available at the big box stores. <S> 2 layers of that with glue between the framing and the 2nd layer. <S> A 2X4, as long as the sheet with a few short 2X to hold it while you screw it in place. <S> It must be tight to the framing before you run screws into it to hold it. <A> Around here (PNW), two layers of 3/8 inch drywall applied one at a time and overlapping so <S> no seams coincide is the easy way to do it. <S> Two layers are needed for fire code in the modern world to give a full 60 minute burn-through time . <S> I have seen 1/2 inch installed in curves of maybe 24 inch diameter by experienced professionals who prepared by leaving it in hot sun ( <S> or maybe it was high humidity) to make it easy to bend without breaking or straining. <S> But 3/8 inch is a lot easier. <A> This video has a great section on installing board on a curve. <S> It will most likely depend on the board size. <S> The link includes the start time of 34m40s. <S> How to Hang Drywall <A> Or use something more flexible than drywall to create that curved surface (make sure it meets code!), and count on the difference being invisible after it's been painted. <S> Or you could give up on maintaining the curve...	You could install strips of drywall to approximate the curve as facets, then fill in the corners to create a smooth curve during the taping/plastering process. I think that's the approach more commonly used for arched doorway surrounds.
Why am I getting no power to the branch circuits with a new sub-panel? My home had an ancient Zinsco sub-panel in which the breakers were grounding out and arcing to the panel. I've swapped it with a new Eaton 100 amp panel. I've re-installed all the breakers, and re-connected everything. When I re-energize the 100 amp breaker in the Siemens main panel, my non-contact tester shows that I have power to the new panel, but none to the individual breakers. The breakers all switch normally between the on and off positions, but I have no current. The main wires are installed in the 100 amp cut-off breaker in the panel, neutral is fixed to the neutral bar and I've installed a ground bar and connected all the ground lines. Is there something obvious I'm missing? <Q> Start by shutting off the breaker in the main panel that feeds the subpanel. <S> Using a multimeter set to check continuity, test the continuity through the main breaker in the subpanel. <S> It's possible that the main breaker in the panel is bad, and needs to be replaced. <S> The problem is, it's usually cheaper to buy a whole new panel then to get a replacement main breaker. <S> If this is a new panel, and the breaker tests bad. <S> I'd contact the place you purchased it from, and ask them what your options are. <S> While the power is still off to the subpanel. <S> Check all the connections to make sure they are tight. <S> Check the continuity from the bus bar through each branch circuit breaker. <S> Make sure the main breaker in the subpanel is fully closed. <S> If you turn it to the ON position and it has a little wiggle to the handle, this might mean the breaker is not actually setting when you turn it on. <S> In the ON position, the handle should held tightly in place. <S> If the breaker will not set, it means the breaker is bad and needs to be replaced. <A> Is the 100 amp "cut-off" (or main, from that sub-panel's perspective) breaker in the sub-panel on as well as the 100 amp breaker in the main panel? <S> Your described symptoms are what I'd expect to see if it was off - power "to panel" but not to buss-bars feeding breakers in panel, being "cut off" locally. <S> Try cycling it off and on. <A> It sounds like you attempted to reuse all the old circuit breakers. <S> even though they may give the appearance if fitting into their slots. <S> You described that the old breakers were also arcing and shorting out. <S> These may be damaged due to this. <S> This leads to the conclusion that you should really replace all the old breakers with new ones that are compatible with your new panel.	There are various styles of circuit breakers and there is a good chance that the ones from your ancient old box are not even compatible with the new panel....
How do I safely paint the walls and ceiling in this high ceiling staircase? I need to paint the walls and ceiling in this staircase. The ceiling is flat, and does not slope down with the stairs. That means that the ceiling at the bottom of the stairs is very high. The walls and ceiling will be a different colour, so I need to be able to use a paintbrush to "cut in" under the coving. How do I safely paint this? I am in the UK (in case anyone wants to recommend a tool hire company). P.S. The test colours on the wall are not the colours I'm using. <Q> There are three ways: 1) <S> Lean a ladder against the lower wall, put boards connecting it with an upper stair, and put a ladder on top of that. <S> 2) Use a baker scaffold. <S> Baker scaffolds can be set up with varying height legs. <S> Then put a ladder on the baker scaffold. <S> This is my recommended solution. <S> 3) Use a 2 wheel edging paint pad that will allow you to cut-in using a pole. <S> http://www.decoratingdirect.co.uk/viewprod/f/FDDEDGPD/ <S> If you are really careful, this might even look ok. <A> It may make some cringe, and it is not for the faint of heart, but I would use an extension ladder of the proper height, placed on the stairs <S> so the angle is good for climbing, one of these for either end of the long run of the stair, and place a walk board, a 2X10 or 2X12 (in the US), that is the main work surface. <S> Access to it would be by another item cobbled together a short step ladder and plank on the top level. <S> I have actually done this a few times and survived <A> Painting is easy; scaffold is for when you actually have to get up there and do something like plaster or wiring. <S> Those tiny diameter paint rollers do wonders in the corners (slightly bend/angle the roller's handle). <S> Also, so do brushes taped to a pole: ( <S> polesandmore.com , notice some of these are triple length) <A> I hate when people shill their products/services as answers to forum questions... <S> But I'm going to do it anyway. <S> Take a look at the Ladder-Aide ( www.ladder-aide.com ). <S> It lets you set up a regular extension ladder on stairs, so you can paint the walls: <S> We created it to address this need, which is why I feel OK posting it here. <S> We read lots of painters' blogs and browsed lots of forums. <S> But we figured there was a need for an easy, adjustable product. <S> I hope it helps someone out there.	There were a couple of really great DIY solutions that came up often (makeshift scaffolding with 2 ladders and a walkboard, and a custom-built ladder platform).
4 way switch with only two switches I just bought a 3-way dimmer switch for the kitchen. There are only two switches that switch the overhead lights. I went to take off one of them to install the dimmer and the switch had 5 wires (2 red, 2 black and a ground) hooked up to it. That would imply to me that it's a 4-way switch, but there's only two switches. What gives? EDIT I solved the mystery. There was a 3rd switch that was hidden behind a wine rack. The electrician that installed stuff in my house must haven been on crack when he put stuff in (My brother-in-law who is an electrician said "He must have been a real @#%#% because there's no reason your wiring should be laid out like this"). The electrician put in 3 separate gang boxes (not a 3-gang box, 3 separate boxes) for switches - one above, one below and one two studs over. Honestly I'm surprised that it passes code because it controls the over head lights to the room. <Q> That IS a 4-way switch which means you do have two other 3-ways. <S> The wiring you have can't mean anything else. <S> A standard 3-way dimmer cannot be placed in this location. <A> As Speedy said, your wiring is indeed characteristic of a four-way switch. <S> Four-way dimmers are not a COTS item; however, you can put a dimmer there with the help of a 3-position, 2-pole (DPDT) wall switch such as this Hubbell-Bryant 4825I , mounted in a dual gang box and wired as in the following diagram (travelers are black and red, grounds are green, neutrals are gray, and in-box jumpers are blue, but you can use any color for those save for white, gray, or green: <S> Do be forewarned though that the results of this aren't quite the same as a regular four-way switch: in particular, if you flip the switch fully at this location, you won't be able to turn it on at one end without flipping the switch at the other end as well. <S> (I might come up with a better answer -- but it'll take me a while to fiddle with things, and 4PDT wall switches aren't a thing, either <S> -- can you use a suitably rated electronics-type toggle switch in mains wiring?) <A> However, this requires: A single-pole, three-wire dimmer such as the Lutron Skylark SF-10P <S> A dual SPDT relay such as the Functional Devices RIBU2C <S> A single SPDT relay such as the Functional Devices <S> RIBU1C <S> The presence of a neutral (grounded) conductor in the switch box -- if there is no neutral, do not proceed with this approach A 1/2" and a 3/4" conduit knockout in the box or extensions thereof and a whopping 61 in3 of box space, worst case -- this will require either the replacement of an existing single gang box with a square box and matching 2.125" deep extension box or the use of 2 extra gangs of masonry-type or device-type box atop what's needed for the existing devices.	While the partial solution in my earlier answer does provide at least some dimming functionality at a four-way location without replacing the switches at all locations with multi-way communicating dimmers and matching companion devices, it is possible to construct a true four-way dimmer from a single-pole, three-wire (switched/dimmed hot) dimmer and 3 SPDT relays.
What's the easiest way to cut a chunk out of a buried railroad tie? I'm in the process of digging holes for concrete piers (for a small deck - nothing fancy) and on my last hole I came across what appears to be an underground railroad tie (or some other huge piece of wood with a sticky tar on it). Here's a picture: I tried to just avoid the wood by moving the hole down a bit but then it becomes misaligned with the rest of the holes (which in turn messes up my plans for the deck foundation). I don't relish the idea of having to re-dig 8 other holes just to workaround this. Is there an easy way to cut into this piece of wood? It's not associated with any large structure so cutting a piece out of it won't cause any structural issues in the surrounding area. I tried using a simple chisel and that yielded little results. I'm thinking perhaps a sawzall? Or chainsaw? Cutting in vertical lines... then chiseling that off? <Q> I've used a sawzall type reciprocating saw with the 14" long demolition style blades for similar type wood removal in the ground. <S> Be prepared to replace the blade a few times as cutting into dirt can mess up the teeth after a while. <S> With the saw like this you should be able to cut completely through the old timber without having to do any chiseling in the hole. <A> Do you really need to remove it? <S> If this is in a mild climate, you could simply place the deck pier on top of it and secure it, perhaps by drilling into the tie and attaching with spikes, cable, etc. <S> to get more stability. <S> If the frost level is mid-tie, I think that having the tie partially below frost level is good enough to ensure stability. <S> Otherwise, that doesn't look too deep and if it really is a railroad tie (which is quite common), it is no more than 9 feet long . <S> Digging it up would be a great ambitious kid project (say for $20 cash), or it could simply be dug around enough at one point to get good saw access. <S> I'd favor a sawzall with an aggressive and disposable blade. <A> If you want a new toy, a dual blade circular saw would fit in the hole and easily eat through the wood and nails. <S> http://m.harborfreight.com/5-in-double-cut-saw-68316.html <S> You'll still need to get new blades afterwards, and a new lubricating stick most likely, but it'll be safer than a chain saw and less time and a better working angle than a reciprocating saw.	Sawzalls can be obtained at most tool rental stores. Just enlarge your hole enough to give access to permit cutting the wood back far enough so that it does not interfere with your pier form.

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