source
stringlengths 620
29.3k
| target
stringlengths 12
1.24k
|
|---|---|
Why is my plaster covered ceiling magnetic? tldr; Why do magnets stick to my ceiling? I have an old house, built in 1905 in the Boston area. I want to install a light fixture in a room that does not currently have one. I tried using my stud finder to find the joists, but it proved futile. I switched to trying to use some neodymium magnets to try to find nails in the ceiling. Right off the bat, the magnet stuck. Thinking I was lucky, I grabbed a second magnet and started hunting for another nail. That magnet also immediately stuck. I started hunting around and found that the magnets stuck to my ceiling virtually everywhere that I put them. The ceiling has a textured plaster finish on it. There are no vents running through the ceiling that I am aware of. <Q> <A> The plaster is probably applied over diamond mesh metal lath as shown in the photo below. <S> You probably need to drill exploratory holes to find a stud. <S> Can you drill from above? <S> Image removed due to copyright <A> Although the house was built at the turn of the century When wood lathe was usually used for plaster walls, it might be possible that extruded metal lathe was used sometime recently. <S> Does the same occurrence with the magnets happen any place else? <S> To verify it's not the nails securing the lathe to the studs, positively locate a stud or joist and measure 14 1/2 inches over to the edge of the next one. <S> See if the magnet sticks anywhere between the two marks. <S> If not it had been magnetized to the lathe nails.
|
I would assume it's because you have plaster ceilings that use metal lath.
|
Leaving the extra wire from a 12-3 run un-connected I'm embarking on a re-wiring of my Garage/Workshop. I've identified 3 new circuits I'm adding. I have a large roll of new 12-3 wire, which I'm looking to use up in this project. After completing the wiring I'll be insulating and covering the stud-bays. I am thinking of running two pulls of 12-3 while I've got easy access, and leaving one of the extra hot wires unconnected (capped), in the box, for when I get around to re-doing my pantry (shares a wall) and want to add a grounded outlet. Running an extra 12-2 would mean putting another hole in each stud along the wall, and I've already got 2 holes in each (50's house with many partial-remodels), I don't really want to turn the structure into swiss cheese. I have not been able to find anything in the code about leaving one of the wires of 12-3 unused. Do you think an inspector would balk at this? My city uses the most recent version of the NEC code. I know a 12-3 run needs a double-pole breaker because of the shared-neutral, but what about my theoretical extra wire (with one live circuit, but will eventually require a shared neutral)? Do I just need to run the circuit and wire a dummy outlet? I'd rather not unless necessary. <Q> In fact, since it's not technically connected to the electrical system, NEC probably doesn't apply at all. <S> Just keep in mind that garage receptacles will require GFCI protection, while a receptacle in a pantry would not. <A> Running an extra wire is a good idea. <S> If you have wire to "use up" considering splitting lighting and power. <S> It is a nice thing if you trip a circuit breaker with a power tool to have the lights stay on. <A> A pantry receptacle is required to be on one of the small appliance branch circuits that feed the kitchen, dining area, pantry, nook, etc. <S> See NEC 210.52(B)(1). <S> If you put some garage stuff on with the pantry then you are violating the code. <S> You are correct about the two pole breaker <S> OR <S> you can use an approved handle tie. <S> If you are running the spare conductor with a multiwire branch circuit or for future expansion the Code still applies. <S> Happy Tuesday! <A> Instead of running 2 circuits from your panel inside the house, I'd run a single, larger gauge cable (8-3 ga 40A or 10-3ga 30A) and install a sub breaker box in the garage. <S> Run the local circuits from sub box.. <S> adding more circuits is a simple task.
|
There's nothing in the code that says you can't pull unused wire. Just cap it with a wire nut and blank off the pantry box. Resetting tripped breakers is a lot easier than going back into the house. As long as you don't have anything else on that circuit but those areas you are within code.
|
Water heater pilot lights but burner doesn't ignite My hot water tank heater won't work. I held the knob thing down, clicked the ignite button, and the flame came right on, but the status light won't flash and I don't know what's wrong. :( Any help would be of great use <Q> If I understand correctly, your pilot flame is lighting correctly. <S> But the main burner won't turn on because the electronics in the Gas Control Valve don't acknowledge the pilot is lit. <S> There are two likely faults: <S> To test for case 1, use a multimeter to measure the Thermopile output. <S> It should be at least 350mV. <S> Here are instructions on how to do that: http://waterheatertimer.org/pdf/Test-thermocouple-and-thermopile.pdf <S> If the Thermopile output is less than 350mV, you may remove it from the burner and clean off any corrosion. <S> If the Thermopile output is adequate, the fault lies within the Gas Control Valve. <S> Unfortunately, there are no user-serviceable parts in there, so you would need to replace that entire assembly. <A> Don't replace a thing until you remove main burner. <S> Use compressed air to blow out burner gas line and jet. <S> That was my problem. <S> The burner would not light <S> so I blew the line out and now it works fine. <A> with any hot water heater I have seen, there is a on/pilot/off valve. <S> you rotate the selector to pilot, depress the plunger and press the igniter. <S> but then you have to hold the pilot button (not the ignitor button) and let it run for a few seconds to warm up a little sensor inside <S> that says the pilot is indeed running. <S> then, once the sensor has let the pilot run constantly (instead of winking out), you rotate the valve to the on position and everything should run fine. <S> otherwise, there's a different protocol for your unit or it might need servicing.
|
Thermopile is not sensing the flame correctly, or Circuit Board in the Gas Control Valve is defective.
|
An extra long closet and the rod, mounted in concrete, keeps falling off. I have an extra long closet and the rod keeps falling off. It is in concrete and the anchors keep coming out. I guess I could put a pole up in the middle to brace it, buy any other ideas??? <Q> If you want it to be bomb proof, (and why wouldn't you?) <S> you could cut two 2x4s to the height of the rod, drill holes near the top of them, run the rod through those holes, and screw the 2x4s into the wall with a few tapcons or other concrete screw. <S> The 2x4 will carry the weight to the floor, the screws will just hold them in place on the wall. <S> You'll be able to go pretty heavy. <S> (The bottom end of the 2x4s will rest on the ground.) <A> Plumbing strap, wire or chain from the ceiling to support it in the middle. <S> Closet rod bracket from the wall to support it in the middle. <S> Lighter clothing or less clothing hung on it. <S> Move to the moon - lower gravity, less stress on the closet rod. <A> I would cut a 4 x 4 square of 3/4 inch thick plywood to put behind the closet dowel. <S> Buy some concrete self taper screws and a tube of silicone. <S> Level your piece of wood to meet up with your rod and trace the 4x4 onto the concrete wall. <S> Apply silicone to 4x4 piece, stick to wall, and use self taper screws to attach the wood. <S> Once the silicone sets up with the screws it won't go anywhere. <S> Recut your closet dowel and reattach your dowel rod holder to the plywood you attached. <S> You will need a good drill to get the self tapers to take to the concrete.
|
Drill holes through the wall and use a section of iron pipe longenough to fit all the way through the walls as a closet rod.
|
Is the insulation/jacket of UF cable rodent-resistant/rodent-unpalatable? Is there something in the insulation/jacket of type UF cable that makes it unpalatable to rodents or resistant to rodent attack? Or does it need to be protected from rodent damage when run outdoors, esp. aboveground? (Say, by pulling it through IMC or RMC, just like you'd do if it could be hit by an errant weedwhacker or car bumper.) <Q> You may be able to find a UF cable that has a rodent repellent in it, but it's certainly not standard. <S> I have never seen it advertised on UF product packaging. <S> I have heard that some datacom / telecom cables that claim to have a rodent repellent jacket, and I have seen those same cables chewed to bits by some varmint that didn't mind the flavor. <S> The only thing I can think of more troublesome than running NM in conduit would be UF. <S> Seal the conduit well at the ends to deter the little buggers from creeping down the pipe, they can infiltrate smaller conduit than you'd think. <S> I'd usually rather run conduit anyway with a buried cable. <S> If a rodent does eat your wire and it's in conduit, it's not too bad to pull a new wire. <S> If it eats direct buried UF, get your shovel. <A> Rodents need to continuely gnaw to keep their front and bottom incisors sharp. <S> Also, if they didn't chew, their teeth would grow in length to the point of interfering and preventing them from eating. <S> It is an instinctive trait with all rodents. <S> One way to prevent them damaging your wires is as you noted; run them through a metal conduit or plastic if they are buried. <S> Another preventive measure is to make the item unsavory by appliying a spray made from capsium, the oil that make chilie peppers hot. <S> I'd also set traps in the spots where the damage is noticed. <S> It would be wise to eliminate the rodents causing the problem after the cables have been protected. <A> UF = underground it is not rated for UV and will breakdown if in direct sunlight , I have seen almost every kind of insulation damaged by mice, rats, && squirrels
|
If you are going to run power in conduit for rodent protection, you don't want to run UF, run single conductor wires rated for wet locations, such as THWN.
|
Winterize my lawn mower I have a Toro self propelled lawn mower that I am getting ready to put away for the season. The manual says to run it until empty then put some oil in the spark plug chamber. I read an article that states you should not drain the but instead fill up with fresh fuel that has stabilizer added. Thoughts or recommendations? http://www.goldeagle.com/tips-tools/lawn-mower-storage-why-draining-fuel-tank-mistake <Q> The "article" you linked to is written by the manufacturer of STA-BIL, a brand of fuel stabilizer. <S> So I would take the entire thing with an enormous grain of salt. <S> I don't see how you can go wrong following the advice of the lawn mower manufactorer. <S> That way virtually all the fuel is gone and whatever is left should have stabilizer in it. <A> With the methanol in the fuel I would drain and empty the bowl , over time even with stabilizer some of the fuel evaporates and draws moisture then you need a rebuild or that has been what happened to me. <S> I have found fogging oil to be the easiest way to winterize pull the air filter and fog it until it dies then drain the fuel, <S> In spring fill with fresh fuel and a little shot of starting fluid, mowing in minutes... I did review the add they said nothing about methanol that eats the fuel lines or collecting water, just buy their product in fact start using it a month prior , even though the manufacture might say to drain the tank , great sales pitch. <A> One advantage of having the tank full of fuel is that empty fuel tanks and lines may be more likely to collect condensation and rust than lines and tank filled with gas. <S> I imagine that could be an advantage with a car, especially a high mileage car. <S> But with a lawn mower, aren't most of them plastic tanks and rubber lines?
|
Personally for my small engines I switch to stabilized fuel sometime in the fall so that it works its way through all the hoses and into the engine, then when I'm done for the year I run it dry.
|
Thermostat is completely blank. How to troubleshoot I have a thermostat that is completely blank (no display). I'd like to troubleshoot it myself even if I do ultimately hire a pro! We're in sunny southern california, so it's possible it's had no display for sometime, but when I first noticed it was after we flipped all circuit breakers to the house for another reason (checking power consumption). I'm ignorant of heating systems, but having done research, it seems that one of two things are most likely: 1. No power to main unit. Main unit communicates to thermostat via 24 V or lower.2. Power to main unit, but no power from main unit to thermostat. Possibly bad connections, etc. I'd like some ideas from a kind and patient soul on how to troubleshoot both of these. Starting with #1.... The main heater is plugged in, but how the heck does one tell "it's on"? I see no lights, etc to indicate it is on. I have tried the socket it's plugged into and it's powered. However perhaps there is an on/off switch? The model # is MPGA075B4B. Originally, I thought the make was Honeywell because I saw that huge name on the on/off gas switch in the unit. But as I did internet searches, the name "Ducane" kept popping up. Not sure if these heaters are made by one company and use Honeywell switch or what is going on. Anyhow, I can't find a manual for it, and I can't see how to know if it's "on". Number 1 seems like where I should start. Assuming the unit is on, my understanding is that one can check at the thermostat if it's even getting power. a) How does one do this?b) assuming it is not, what next? Do you check the Honeywell switch on the heating unit itself?The Thermostat in the living room (that is blank) is Venter, Model T1050. There are 4 wires coming out. Red, Green, W1, and C (which looks blue to me!). Finally, any other ideas? And I can post photos or more information. I appreciate the help.Dave <Q> Since you have a multi-meter, you can check the voltage of the wires at the thermostat. <S> Make sure the meter is set to AC (Alternating Current) in this case, and if there are ranges, something safe for 24v. <S> Probe the Red and Blue wires and see if there is 24v. <S> You can also check the voltage between the red and any other wire. <S> There is probably a breaker in the main cabinet for the furnace, but there will probably be a breaker located on the furnace/air handler as well. <S> Make sure they are both on and recheck the voltage. <S> The power supply will typically look like this and should have two 120v wires and two 24v wires coming off of it. <S> If you can find it, check the voltage going to it to see if 120v is present. <S> Troubleshooting will move on from here if there is not 120v. <S> Thermostat information <S> Assuming the wire colors you have are standard... <S> To turn on the fan, the thermostat makes a connection between the red and green wires. <S> If you place a jumper between these wires, the fan should run. <S> To turn on the heat a connection is made between the red and white wires. <S> The call for heat will always be accompanied by the call for fan. <S> The blue wire doesn't signal anything - it just supplies voltage to the thermostat in conjunction with the red wire. <S> To draw a parallel with your house wiring, the red wire is like the black "hot" wire, and blue is like the white "common" wire. <A> Use your multimeter to check for power, working your way backward from the thermostat. <S> You should find 24VAC between the red thermostat wire, and any other thermostat wire. <S> If not, move to the furnace control board. <S> Test for 24VAC between the R terminal, and C terminal (if present, or any other terminal). <S> If there's no power on the low voltage side of the board, check for line voltage. <S> If there's no power there. <S> Check for line voltage between the line side of the door switch, and neutral. <S> Next, check for voltage at the servicemen's switch (if present). <S> Finally, check for voltage at the breaker. <S> If you find proper voltage at all locations, try replacing the thermostat or thermostat batteries (if present). <A> This answer appears to be incorrect. <S> This "low power" thermostat uses "power sharing" to sip the few millivolts it needs to operate without the need for a separate C-wire. <S> It <S> can use a C-Wire but doesn't require it like a newer color display or WiFi thermostat. <S> I'm leaving the answer for informational purposes. <S> The manual for your Venstar T1050 does indicate that the uint uses batteries, and has a non-volitile memory. <S> It does not say that the "C" wire is required, which is a good indicator that it uses only the batteries for power. <S> Modern "smart" thermostats normally have repeated warnings and explicit instructions about the C-wire because that's what they use for power. <S> Based on the above, I'd say grab a set of fresh batteries and you should be good to go. <S> Edit: Hmmm. <S> This Amazon question says it doesn't have batteries even tho <S> the manual specifically mentions that it has a memory backup when there is no battery power... <S> Looks like I could be wrong.
|
Check for line voltage (120VAC) between the HOT and NEUTRAL terminals on the board. If there is no voltage, the low-voltage power supply for the furnace is bad or not getting any power.
|
Can I build a wooden floor over an occasionally moist garage slab with a drain? I would like to install a subfloor in my garage and turn it into an office. The floor is slanted all towards the middle where there is a drain.There has never been any water (that I've seen in the last 5 years anyway) come out of it. However, sometimes, when it rains VERY HARD there is a little bit of water infiltration beneath my garage door. My question is- Can I build a sub floor over top of that? Do i need to leave access to the drain? should i be worried about the minimal water infiltration (we're talking about 2-3 cups of water) <Q> Consider a subfloor system like DriCore . <S> Images and links for illustration only, not an endorsement of goods or sources. <A> Sure you can. <S> Really, this is no different than a slab-on-grade or crawlspace scenario. <S> The key will be to minimize moisture contact with untreated lumber. <S> My approach would be to 1) seal the concrete with a suitable material, such as a DryLok product, and then 2) use treated lumber joist members ripped to level the floor. <S> If flowing water is a concern, be sure to leave channels against the floor as appropriate for drainage. <A> Yes, you can build a floor over it. <S> Do allow for drainage. <A> have you considered not using a subfloor, but just levelling the concrete and flooring over it with vinyl or some such impervious material? <S> you could integrate an electric radiant floor system for heat, and the water can be solved by just flashing and sealing the door. <S> plus, if the floor is currently sloped to the door, levelling it will solve the water infiltration by effectively lifting the new floor above the current entrance height at the sill. <A> Although the dricore will work you are introducing a ton of cost, a ton of weight ( <S> well maybe a couple tons), and a ton of labor. <S> Those squares are a royal pain in the ass and expensive. <S> If you want to elevate your wood flooring <S> so you do get it wet <S> then simply glue down 1" poly sheets and the plywood over it - if you can paint the under side of your boards with a waterproof paint you will be better off. <S> However you have two big issues to deal with here. <S> First you will have a slope and hole in the middle of the room and the hole for your drain might be 2.5" higher than the drain. <S> There is just no other way to describe this but odd. <S> Then you have a giant lip at the front of the garage. <S> My advice for wood floor is above. <S> However it <S> it was me <S> I would put down some large (12"x18" or bigger) greyish tiles and some mosaics around the drain. <S> Therefore it can make a really nice office - throw a rug over drain when clients are over - and can be converted to a really nice garage.
|
Compensate for the slope and use pressure-treated lumber where it contacts the concrete. These types of systems combine a subfloor base with a water barrier that has channels underneath to allow small amounts of moisture to drain or evaporate. You will need to create a faux stair and again this is kind of awkward.
|
Occasionally floor around toilet is very very wet. Why? A couple of times per week the bathroom floor will be flooded from the toilet. Not sure why since I'm not there when it happens. Can flush the toilet over and over again and everything seems fine. Help. <Q> it is possible that the wax ring is damaged, when another appliance like a washing machine drains the water backs up and causes the water on the floor. <S> If this is the case it will probably get worse and your lines will need to be cleaned tree roots cause this very often in older homes. <A> 1. <S> It can be a leak from other pipe than toilet's. <S> 2. <S> Water penetrating floor material needs time to make this visible. <S> You can try to do the following: flush a toilet 3 times, wait 2 hours, observe use sink for a considerable time, wait 2 hours, observe (other sources, same thing) <S> Apart of that, even if water may be leaking from other pipe, the area around the toilet may be a depression, so no matter what pipe is leaking, it can still be staying in that place. <S> Also, if there is some pipe from the storey above, it can make same effect (it the leakage is below floor surface and area around the toilet is lower than the rest). <A> The probable answer is the wax ring is leaking. <S> Another possibility i've encountered is a tank fill valve hose is not positioned properly and the water hits the top of tank and runs down. <S> Easily checked by lifting tank lid and flushing toilet to observe if there is water splashing where it should not be. <S> Good luck.
|
If You happen to have other drain pipe, like from a sink or a bathtub, it may be that's the problem.
|
What's the best method to chalk a line parallel to a wall? I have read some great listings on setting a chalk line but remain with a question ... if you are trying to get the line to run perfectly parallel to a wall, it is for hardwood flooring, so that the line will be parallel to a wall that may not itself be at a right angle, and/or uneven, how do you do this? If I use the wall to measure out, say a half inch, and the wall is not straight, by the time I get to the other side of the room I may end up with boards that are all not perfectly parallel to the wall. Help! <Q> "Parallel to a wall" is a subjective thing. <S> Parallel to what? <S> Parallel to a line crossing the corner points? <S> Parallel to an average wall line? <S> Generally, a carpenter takes one of two approaches: <S> Either measure out from each corner, taking into consideration anomalies such as rounded plaster or drywall, and use that. <S> Or, if there's a nearby perpendicular wall that's considered more trustworthy, use the 3-4-5 technique to strike a right angle from that, or from a line snapped parallel to it. <S> The key to any such process is getting as wide a sample as possible. <S> Minimize extrapolation (extending your chalk line beyond measured or calculated points) and use as much length as you have available to make your line marks. <S> In the case of your flooring, it may be more important from an aesthetic perspective to achieve the illusion of parallelism, and not true parallelism. <S> Consider your entire scenario and find the best compromise. <S> Chances are that you'll have to rip the edge plank to fit a wavy or crooked wall regardless, depending on the thickness of your base trim, etc. <S> Be sure to measure across the room and determine how parallel you'll be with the opposite wall. <S> If your flooring will extend into other rooms, examine those as well. <A> I think what you are trying to ask in a roundabout way is how do you get the hardwood flooring runs to lie in place so that nobody can sense there are any out of parallel walls. <S> if this is the goal, the wider your boards, the less you will see non parallel walls. <S> after that its a little bit of an art form. <S> however, try this: 1) assuming you are using prefinished flooring, running the long joints down the long axis of the room, and that the room is rectangular. <S> measure and mark the center of the room on the long axis. <S> chalk a line from these two points. <S> 2) take measurements to the long walls along their lengths to see how far the walls deflect over their runs. <S> usually one wall is out somewhere. <S> you should see a taper over the room, but you might get lucky and have perfect parallelism. <S> if one wall is tapered, you will have to decide which one to use as the start wall. <S> the outside wall is usually the one with all the furniture pile up against it, so it can hide much of the visibility of a tapered floorboard/baseboard interface, so you could start with the other wall. <S> 3) measure your rooms width and divide by the actual board width. <S> if you get a perfect number, then you are good to go. <S> if not, that means the last board run will need to be ripped. <S> you will have to take careful measurements and figure out approximately by how much before you lay any wood. <S> you don't want to end up with a 1" wide board as the last board run, because if you have to taper it, your eye will notice the taper much more than if you have a 4" board as the last width. <S> you are best to split the difference, so that you have to rip the first course and the last course (easier for fitting under doorframes, etc) 4) when you start your course of hardwood, leave more of a gap at one end of the first run to compensate for the taper. <S> but don't do to much. <S> the human eye can pick up approximately 1/2" in 8 ft in my experience. <S> 5) lay your floor. <S> its now going to be the best in can be for a given space that has non parallel and/or undulating walls <A> Rooms are rarely, if ever, square. <S> The trick is to find the area(s) where non-parallel lines will be most noticeable, and make sure that these look good. <S> Generally this is where the new floor will run next to other parallel lines on (or near) the floor. <S> Examples would be: Room transitions from the new hardwood to tile (or other flooring with grids) Around a brick or tile fireplace hearth <S> Around a large air register <S> It is important to square everything up around these features and make sure all the long parallel lines are true to each other. <S> It will be much less noticeable. <S> An example might be a "wavy" wall. <A> I think you are trying to say you want a straight line to start your flooring from. <S> Whatever width your flooring is, I usually measure out from each corner 1 inch more. <S> You will then have to fasten a row of flooring with the edge that will be away from the wall on that line. <S> then measure from the edge towards the wall to the wall and find the spot with the greatest measurement. <S> Use a block of wood and a pencil, or a pair of dividers with a pencil, (compass), set about 1/8 of an inch more than your measurement. <S> holding the block, or one leg of the dividers against the wall, start at one end and slide it along the wall making a mark on the flooring with the pencil. <S> Cut off the edge of the flooring on the side of the line toward the wall "scribing" it to fit the wall. <S> I even put about a 5 degree bevel on it so only the top touches the wall. <S> If you are using tongue and groove flooring the groove edge is always against the wall you are starting from. <S> If you do not think the room is close to parallel start from he wall people will see first when entering the room, or the longest wall.
|
Another technique, if you can't square up everything, is to butt the ends of the hardwood planks against a problem area.
|
Can I use a nailer with a higher consumption than my compressor's SCFM rating? Can I run a pneumatic nail gun with a consumption of 4 SCFM max on a small portable 1HP compressor with a SCFM rating of about 3 SCFM @ 90psi? What about tools that with higher SCFM consumption say 5 or 7? What would I expect if I try to use that setup. <Q> set(how deep they are driven) will not be consistant. <A> Nailer <S> The answer given by Ed is correct in saying that you can use a nailer, but you will have to use it more slowly. <S> It won't recycle as fast as the manufacturer intended. <S> Also a nailer actually needs two bursts of air to work - one to drive the nail and a second one to pull the plunger back into place. <S> If your compressor is so undersized that it can't even supply that much air at a high enough pressure, your nailer may frequently jam. <S> Of course I think that would have to be an exceptionally small compressor being used with a framing nailer. <S> High SCFM Tools <S> It will largely depend on the tool, but in general it will work slower or not have as much power. <S> For instance, a friend of mine had a very high performance die grinder he used in the aircraft industry. <S> I used it on a small compressor, and it worked, but not close to its rated speed, and then only in short bursts. <S> I made the cuts I needed, but it took way longer than it should have. <S> Something like a paint spray gun might fail to work properly at all with the wrong amount of air. <S> Other mechanical tools might also be so under powered that they basically don't work, but that's going to be more rare. <S> So, in short, if you can borrow a high SCFM tool and see if it "works for you" then have at it, but <S> I wouldn't spend money on a tool knowing it would be crippled at best. <S> There are electric alternatives to most air tools if you don't want to to invest in a large compressor or don't have the room. <S> Duty Cycle <S> With all of that said about how a tool would (under) perform, you also have to consider overworking the compressor. <S> Many smaller compressors might be designed for a 50% duty cycle (easy math example, check documentation) which means the motor runs to build pressure in the tank for 45 seconds, and isn't expected to come back on for another 45 seconds. <S> If you're using a higher-than-allowed SCFM tool, the compressor could run almost constantly. <S> This might be OK for a few minutes, but will certainly shorten the life of the compressor if done in excess. <S> Larger compressors have higher SCFM ratings and a higher duty cycle in many cases. <A> If it puts out 90 psi it should run a good size nailer but slower. <S> Even my framing nailers run well at 80 psi. <S> check and see if there is a depth adjustment keeping it from driving nails all the way. <S> If it is because of air pressure the nailer usually recoils when it drives the nail too slow.
|
You can use a smaller SCFM compressor than what your nailer requires the only drawback is you will need to nail at a slower pace or your nail
|
50 amp breaker being replaced by a 60 amp breaker I have a 50 amp breaker that runs the auxiliary heat on our heat pump. It keeps tripping. Can I replace it with a 60 amp breaker? <Q> Larger amperage requires larger wiring. <S> It's possible but probably not likely that the existing wire can handle the larger current. <S> The heater is probably not rated for the larger breaker, so even if the wire is big enough, still might be a real bad idea. <A> No, almost certainly not. <S> The heat pump documentation specifies the breaker and conductor size, and that's what must be used. <S> If the breaker is tripping, it means there's a problem with the equipment. <S> Locate and fix the problem, or replace the equipment. <A> Only if... <S> The heat pump auxiliary load is actually listed to take a 60A breaker. <S> AND All the wiring between service panel and heat pump is listed for 60A <S> First clue: the heat pump auxiliary heater is tripping a breaker often. <S> That shouldn't happen at all . <S> I've never heard of a 50A auxiliary heater, but I often hear of 60A and 70A units. <S> I suspect you have one of those, and that's why it's tripping, and this is an improper install, which is just typical of HVAC people. <S> They're not electricians. <S> The wire size is a really big deal. <S> My sources are telling me that to have a bigger breaker than 50A, the cable must be 4 AWG copper, or 2 AWG aluminum (which is totally OK to use) - however in that case you are good for 60 or 70 amps. <S> Usually heat pump cable travels through unimproved areas, so you can inspect/replace without tearing up a bunch of drywall. <S> You might contact the heat-pump manufacturer and ask them if the heating unit can be "split" and powered off two 30's or a 30 and a 40. <S> Then you could use the existing 6AWG run for the 40, and run a new 10AWG for the other 30. <S> Lastly, this is an absolutely crazy option, but think about how a heat pump works. <S> It takes heat from outside, and moves it into your house. <S> It quits working when it's very cold, because there isn't any heat out there. <S> Okay, so build a shed around it... and heat the shed. <S> You laugh, but that's exactly what they do in large installations, the heat pumps interchange with service water instead of air... <S> in the winter, a central boiler heats that water to 70F using fuel, which is cheaper than electric. <S> And the heat pumps run very efficiently, since there's plenty of heat in that water.
|
Increasing the breaker size could lead to damage to the equipment and/or property, injury, death, and fire.
|
Mounting a TV wall mount to stud where A/C is detected I want to mount my TV on the wall and just purchase a wall mount for it. I've done this kind of install before, but when I was using my stud finder, it is indicating that one of the studs has AC current. There is an outlet on this stud ~ 1 foot from the floor, but I'm able to detect AC all the way up to the ceiling (and if I go to the second story, I'm able to detect AC all the way up to that ceiling, which is weird, because the third story is an empty attic). Presumably, there is an AC line stapled to the stud vertically. Is there any way I am able to still use the stud with my wall mount? I'm mounting in a corner so there are only really two studs to use. Am I SOL? Presumably it's a bad idea to drive a 4" lag bolt into the stud, even on center, if there is a powerline stapled to the stud (which itself is an asumption). This is the wall mount: http://www.monoprice.com/Product?p_id=8586 <Q> I agree with ppa about the wire running down the stud. <S> Try to determine which side of the stud it is on by slowly moving your detector away until the light goes out. <S> Probe for the stud with a 4d finish nail until you locate the exact ouline of it. <S> Then follow bats advice and carefully drill the stud with a pilot bit for your lag bolt. <S> You may want to be just a hair off center away from the cable but still in the meat of the stud. <S> The pilot bit should be half the diameter of the screw or less. <S> This should guide the screw and keep it from wandering off. <S> I would not trust #10 screws or drywall anchors for this job. <S> The best way would be to remove a part of the drywall, attach horizontal blocking between the studs and patch the wall back up. <S> Then you have a really solid installation. <S> But then, this will cost more time and money. <S> Good luck! <A> but i'd probably drill that stud. <S> However if you're hesitant play it safe. <S> I like Snaptoggles. <A> you are probably detecting the presence of a live wire stapled to one side or the other of the stud. <S> it runs vertically down to the outlet (and maybe beyond) and up to another device or to its feed line. <S> you should have no issue mounting to the stud, just don't use screws that are too long (1.5" max). <S> remember, if you hit two adjacent studs with 1.5" #10 wood screws, you have a tensile load capacity of about 600 lbs, plenty for a tv. <S> if you are worried about it, just drill a hole and put an inspection camera in, or cut a small hole and feel around inside, then you can see if you can use lags. <S> the mount and tv will cover either approaches residual evidence
|
If you take your time and are careful you should be able to avoid the electrical cable in the wall and still get the holding power of the stud. If you hit the other stud with two lag screws and use two sturdy drywall anchors on the other side, you'll be fine. Personally I'd be real careful
|
How to limit bathroom shower water usage by time? I have a teenage daughter whose showers are getting longer all the time and I am getting tired of fighting with her about taking all the hot water. Therefore, my question is about installing a device that controls the flow of hot water only to the shower that she uses. I have already tried a water saving shower head and that didn't change anything. I want to install a variable flow control device that gradually cuts off hot water flow at various pre-set time intervals. As an electrician, I can figure out how to control it, but I'm just not sure if such a device exists. Does anyone know of such a thing or have a better idea? Also, in the meantime, if I gradually close the inlet valve to my hot water heater while she is in the shower, do I run the risk of siphoning the water from the tank and doing damage to the tank? <Q> They make a pretty cool device that installs on the shower arm upstream of the shower head. <S> It's a battery operated valve that cuts the water flow back (to like 1/3 flow) <S> after a pre-programmed time. <S> It doesn't shut off, it cuts the flow back enough to make for a very unsatisfactory shower experience but provides enough flow for her to finish rinsing off. <S> It will basically force her to leave the shower. <S> The time duration can only be adjusted by applying a special magnet from the outside, so no one <S> but you can adjust the activation time. <S> it is not cheap (around $90 US) but the reviews are positive. <S> I don't normally endorse, and I do not own one, but I have never seen another product like this: <S> showermanager <A> I put a ball valve on both the cold and hot water pipes coming in and out of the hot water heater to make changing water heaters easier. <S> When my teenaged daughter is taking too long (with a warning first), I simply shut off all hot water. <S> It results in a very quick end to the shower and a very angry teenaged daughter. <S> (note: <S> I've only done this a time or two out of utter frustration.) <A> This will decrease the temperature at the water heater which will limit the hot water that can be used. <S> Or install a temperature control valve on the hot water line and set it to a warm temperature. <S> Also closing the valve to decrease the water flow will not harm the water heater it will just slow the volume of water out of the tank. <A> You could try raising the temp of your hot water heater. <S> A hotter water temp will mean the flow rate from a shower will be less (more cold water and less hot water to get the same temperature), and therefore the tank will last longer. <S> Other than the risk of scalding (which may be a deal-breaker if you have young kids in the house), the other disadvantage is that the water heater will use a little more energy maintaining the higher temperature. <A> easy peasy. <S> just a proportional control valve. <S> you can pop it off of a PLC, arduino, whatever. <S> http://www.ascovalve.com/Common/PDFFiles/Product/PosiflowR5.pdf <A> You could feed the hot water to the shower with 2 parallel pex lines and put a solenoid in one of them, as PPA suggested, and a globe valve in the other and adjust it for a trickle of hot water. <S> Put a timer switch (manual on / timed off) on the wall as far away from the shower as possible. <S> Make the solenoid a normally closed one <S> so you have to turn ON the hot water with the manual switch and when the timer runs out the solenoid closes. <S> Then she has to get out of the shower to go reset the timer. <S> Another thought is to replumb the shower to a 6 gallon water heater and eliminate the feed from the larger one. <S> Then get ready for the whining. <S> I have been niggling with this problem for a while since my wife likes to take 30 minute showers too. <S> One problem is if you have any other bathrooms she will just go shower there unless you do this to all of them. <S> Alternative is put the gas or electric bill in her name and have it come out of her bank account. <S> She may get responsible after the very first bill. <S> Then you can be the one taking long showers. <A> If you are willing to spend time and money to "control" the problem, why not spend money to "fix" the problem and upgrade your water heater to a larger and more family friendly capacity? <S> Instead of being the control-freak dad, you'll be the hero dad! :) <A> Get thing called showermanager which shot off water flow after 5,10,15 min. <S> It works
|
If everyone else in the household doesn't mind taking shorter showers than you can lower the thermostat on the water heater.
|
How best to cut & tie into cast iron pipe I have a 2" section of ductile cast iron pipe that's in the way of a framing repair job. This pipe needs to move. The cast iron dates to the original construction, 1938. As was customary at the time, the cast iron was joined with oakum and pure metallic lead. In the middle is a modern retrofit that's horrible, with no actual seal between a plastic retrofit and the 1938 cast iron. This section serves a single modern sink and dishwasher. Fixing the modern plumbing is no problem. How do I cut & tie into the 1938 cast iron? I have heard that removing the lead is both hard, and will send lead chips down the sewer. My local library offers a compression snap cutter for cast iron pipes. <Q> I would consider cutting the whole mess out at the bottom end and connect A new “ABS” black pipe with a “no hub” it is a rubber connector with bands on each end to tighten then tie into the upper area .This will be much easier than packing oakum and poring the lead on top; everything can be fitted together prior to gluing so you know it is right where you want <S> it then glue and know u fixed the mess. <A> Cutting Cast Iron Pipe <S> The most common and quickest way to cut cast iron is the by the use of snap cutters. <S> There are two types: scissors and ratachet. <S> In order to use a grinder, you'll need room all around the pipe. <S> Connecting to Cast Iron Pipe <S> You connect to cast iron pipe by use of a rubber coupling with gear clamps. <S> The most commonly used ones when adapting to plastic is referred to a Fernco: <S> They make them in all sorts of size combinations. <S> You just need to know the material and size that your connecting together. <S> Connecting to Cast Iron Hub <S> Fernco makes such a product ( manufacture's site ) that can be bought in hardware and plumbing stores or from Amazon . <A> Given the choice of "cutting the pipe or notching a new joist" I would have to say that notching a joist would be preferable to trying to re-route a cast line. <S> Depending on the size and location of the notch you may be required to double the joist to compensate for the cut. <S> It may be wise to deal with the ABS/cast connection now if work space will be a problem after the joist is installed. <S> You may be able to secure the ABS pipe with modern materials (epoxy and gap filler rods or expanding foam?), but I'm sure someone will have something else to say about that.
|
Of course re-locating most pipe can be accomplished especially with present day rubber connectors, but for the sake of expediency (if that is a concern), take the joist route. You can connect plastic drainage pipe to to an existing cast iron hub by use of a rubber donut insert: You can also cut cast iron with (in order of fastest to slowest) angle grinder, a reciprocating saw or a hacksaw.
|
How to clean brush after polyurethane? I used a brush to apply polyurethane on some trim work. I tried cleaning it thoroughly with paint thinner after but still got poor results--the brush bristles would stick together and the brush was unusable. I also heard mineral spirits and acetone may work. Should I try something else or are brushes pretty much done after a single use? <Q> I have had trouble cleaning them with everything and had the same problem, until I found a jar large enough to put the brush in filled to the bristle level with thinner keeping it tightly sealed. <S> (I do clean them prior to putting in the jar).When <S> I need them take out <S> shake dry <S> and they work like new brushes for months without being used or when I have a project that gets a new coat every day for a week. <S> (I find the higher quality brushes provide the best coverage so I hate to toss them with just 1 use) <A> since there are water based polyurethanes that you can clean up with water, you can use those. <S> however, start with a good quality brush. <S> if you want to use an alkyd, clean (thoroughly - not just a dunk) with paint thinner (takes the paint into solution and flushes it away), then with acetone (takes the thinner into solution and flushes it away), then with water (takes the acetone into solution and flushes it away as well as acting as a solvent for the soap). <S> then rub the bristles in hand bar soap (i like ivory hand soap for this). <S> the brush will stay nice and soft and supple. <S> when you want to use it again, just quickly dunk it in whatever solvent is the solvent in whatever paint you want to use. <S> you can keep a quality brush going for years with this approach. <A> $14 Purdy or Wooster brushes are trash after applying poly. <S> Use cheaper disposable foam applicators. <A> I make picture frames and <S> I like polyurethane because it is a very hard, durable finish. <S> I always use foam brushes. <S> You can do this over and over if you want. <S> But at around twenty five cent for a brush you could just toss them. <S> And they leave a nice even coat as well. <A> I've done all of the above - <S> But I read that putting a little clothes softener in with the paint thinner <S> also keeps the bristles very soft ! <S> I have tried this and it does work !
|
To clean I merely soak in paint thinner a short time shake it out and dry with a paper towel.
|
What type of brush to use with polyurethane? I used this brush and got good results but I was wondering if there is even better. Are there brushes that are made specifically for polyurethane? <Q> Back in the day, it was natural bristle for oil finishes, nylon bristle for water based. <S> Polyester bristle came along touting good for any paint, oil or water based. <S> Just as a mention, the foam brushes do a very nice job of laying on a finish, but I would only use them for small jobs, the core wears through the foam under long time use. <S> I do not use them by choice, but I have used them here and there over the years and they are my second choice. <S> In my experience nylon is crap for oil based paints. <S> A good grade, mid priced brush is what I use on water based paints when finish is important. <S> Here I will not hesitate to used a mid priced polyester brush too. <S> I use a mid priced natural bristle or polyester brush for my finer work, and the results I have seen under close scrutiny with a bright light looks smooth and free of brush marks. <A> Stay away from synthetic-type brushes. <S> I've learned to adhere to the old adage: "you get what you pay for" which is especially true for paint brushes. <S> Of course there will always be jobs <S> were <S> the cheap China bristle brushes are adequate. <S> But for above adequate results, the cost of a $10-12 (or more!) <S> that has a wooden handle, brass nailed (not stapled) ferrule and tapered bristles, may seem uncalled for, but produce the best results. <S> The cheap brushes are always leaving behind loose hair strands that are annoying to pick-out (or sand out when dried). <S> The premium higher priced brushes have different bristle ends. <S> These bristles have a "flagged" end cut as opposed to a "square" end cut (think split end). <S> These flagged bristles hold more liquid, leave fewer brush lines and clean-up better. <S> The only caveat is they require regular maintenance (as in cleaning, drying, primping and fluffing) when you are through using them. <A> since thats a garbage dollar store chinese disposable brush, putting it on with a rag will do a better job. <S> no - really. <S> a smooth, low nap rag with no lint or straggling threads will do a better job. <S> quality urethane foam brushes do a nice job too, but if you want a brush of any kind, just remember the finer the bristle, the smoother the finish. <A> I concur with the lambs wool, the brush and the foam pad. <S> Area to cover sometimes dictates the method of application... <S> Small, the brush,Moderately larger the foam and foam brushes,Large (floors) lambs wool on a broom style handle. <S> Should small bubbles come, keep an eye on them, they usually disappear after a modest amount of time. <S> Remember that multiple coats are desirable and if some impurities like dust or hair get in your application, don't fret it as long as they are kind of neutral in color, as a slight sanding in between coats <S> is always encouraged, then wiped before the final coats are applied. <S> It is the finish coat <S> you really need to worry about most. <S> All coats leading up to the final are important but you needn't fret over too much. <S> Temperature, humidity and moisture all play a role in the process and can or cannot impact your experiences depending on what is present in your application time period. <S> Enjoy the process.
|
any natural bristle brush will give good results.
|
Do I need an extra deep old-work box for a stucco wall? Do I need a deep rework box to fit to the 1 inch wall thickness. Do they manufacture one that the tabs are back about 1-2 inches? How does one get the tabs in the hole to secure them tight? <Q> Old Work Box <S> Mounting Accessories Link Option One: Old-work Switch Box Supports with 2-1/2” <S> Long Legs - Most common technique, though probably not as easy as option 2, which is relatively a new design. <S> Option Two: <S> Cut In Box "Old Work" Mounting Clips. <S> These items should never be used to support a fixture. <S> Strictly speaking, only switches and outlets on a vertical wall, or similar. <A> There are metal boxes such as these that can be used in wall thicknesses over 1", but they're not going to go all the way to 2" thick. <S> I think this is what you're talking about, but your question could use more details... <A> I find that the tabs are adjustable to around an inch or so. <S> ( you will need to test for your application ) <S> I usually run the screw in an out of the tab once ( before i set it in the wall ) to set the threads in the plastic, i find if i do not so this that sometimes the tabs twists in the wall and does not set right.
|
I would opt for 2, as it may be easier for those not familiar with item 1 and thick walls. When ever possible i use this old work box.
|
Moisture Resistant Drywall unavailable in 5/8 I am getting ready to start all the drywall processes. Starting with the ceiling, I have trusses 24" on center. The code here requires type x (so 5/8") firerock on the ceiling. It is also a common issue where you can't install 1/2" drywall on 24" centers and have to use 5/8" just for that reason. Well, this is all fine and dandy, except for my bathrooms I planned on 5/8" Moisture Resistant rock for the ceilings and it appears to be unavailble here and only sold in 1/2" thickness. I will have exhaust fans in the bathroom, but I am not sure if that would warrant just standard 5/8" rock for the ceilings in the bathrooms. I may be able to find some 5/8 M.R. rock but I'll drive 70 miles for it. Any thoughts from the other DIY'ers and pros? <Q> Densarmor paperless board comes in 5/8" thicknesses. <S> I prefer densarmor for moist areas as there's no paper for any mold or mildew to grow on. <A> Just use 2 layers of 1/2" WR. <S> Its code allowable here, but do check with your AHJ! <A> To minimize the risk of sagging, I'd consider installing strapping perpendicular to the joists, and attach your moisture resistant drywall to that. <S> This will let you get the spacing down to 16" OC (19.2" would be standard for a joist, but with two layers, strapping, and a small space, you may as well get more points to screw). <S> To get a longer fire rating from the 1/2", you can use 2 layers, but be sure to offset your joints. <S> Start with a half sheet against the wall on your first layer, and then you can do a full sheet on the next layer.
|
Make sure to use a longer screw on the second layer to reach the strapping, 2" would be plenty, 1.5" may be too short.
|
Why does my boiler vent steam? My understanding of a boiler system is that it is closed, meaning the water stays in the pipes and constantly recirculates. However, there is a vent (3" PVC pipe) that is connected to it that periodically blows steam. Where does this steam come from? <Q> Assuming that your boiler and mine are similar, you have two vents or pipes and the main exhaust. <S> Main exhaust will emit carbon dioxide and water vapour, the products of combustion. <S> A modern boiler exhausts gas at a lower temperature than earlier ones, having given some heat to the incoming air, so it is possible to see the water vapour condense to form a cloud. <S> The same effect is seen from cars on cold mornings, once the exhaust pipe is hot and the car moving, you see little or no cloud. <S> There should be a "condensate" pipe, this releases water that has condensed inside the unit, again, this is to give up heat that would just be lost into the air. <S> This is acidic water, and needs to be drained away. <S> My Worcester Bosch boiler lets it out 100ml at a time, because if it is released as a trickle or drip, as early boilers did, the trickle could freeze on cold days, causing the boiler to switch itself off. <S> So that's good....! <S> Hope this helps and isn't too patronising or inaccurate. <A> You appear to have (based on your other questions) a high efficiency gas boiler which is venting combustion products at relatively low temperature via PVC pipe. <S> Combustion products are carbon dioxide and water vapor (and carbon monoxide if combustion is incomplete) - thus "steam" (condensate) will be present in the exhaust. <A> if anyone is still running across this question. <S> the two pipes are intake and exhaust. <S> typically installers will angle the intake downward. <S> the primary byproducts of burning natural gas are Carbon Dioxide and water vapor, not carbon monoxide. <S> if your boiler is utilizing an outdoor reset it will vary the water temperature according to the outdoor temperature to match the BTUs needed by the home for that set of conditions. <S> if you have radiators or baseboards these temperatures will often be above what is considered condensing temperatures. <S> These higher temperatures do not allow for as much heat extraction from the burnt fuel and you will see the vapor more as it gets colder outside and cannot condense to release its energy in the unit. <S> Yes this is less efficient operation but the temperature needed is based the homes need for total BTUs and how much radiation is in the home. <S> turning down the water temp will lessen the BTUs provided to the space and typically just make your home not heat up in cold weather. <S> If the concern is when is that dangerous here's a little help on that. <S> 1) every boiler should be getting inspected once a year and your contractor should be detailing concerns for you2) as the home owner you need to be aware that no technician can predict the future. <S> if the exhaust smell changes to a sooty smell or black soot deposits are seen on the exhaust pipe, your unit just had a failure that you should have professionally checked. <S> With hot water heat this type of failure is almost always coupled with no heat scenario. <S> Hope <S> this helps someone out there, stay safe and stay warm
|
The other vent is a safety device; my fitter said "if there's a fault and the water tries to boil, it squirts out of there, rather than exploding or squirting scalding hot water inside the house."
|
Threaded hollow wall anchors spin out partway in Today I tried to install one of those Ikea kids storage units on my daughter's wall. It's a stud partition wall in a newly-constructed house. Before attempting it I spoke to one of the builders who called round to check the house etc, read various guides, spoke to the guy at Wickes, and bought self tapping metal plasterboard fixings that come with metal screws. Fixings go in fine then the 1st screw fine, then the 2nd screw...not fine: halfway in, the fixing stops gripping the plasterboard and starts turning with the screw. Started again, same thing again!! Meaning 2 fat useless holes in the plasterboard about 10mm diameter each, which I then filled and quit in rage. What on earth did I do wrong?? Should I choose nylon instead? Please help! <Q> i don't understand why you just didn't anchor to the studs, but you must have had some reason. <S> sometimes the metal anchors are a little too hard for the screws, so the torque that is exerted on the screw translates into the anchor, and the anchor spins in the drywall, thus defeating the purpose of using the anchor in the first place. <S> you can't use those anchors in those holes, however, you can get yourself some toggle bolts and put them right into those holes. <S> they are a stronger anchor anyhow. <S> have a look here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IuNkiiqhO4 <S> just use plain old toggle bolts, not the plastic ones or the newfangles ones or the usb connected ones. <S> just plain old togglebolts. <A> "Fixings" are the self drilling wall anchors? <S> If I recall correctly when installing self drilling anchors: make sure the anchor is at a 90 degree angle to the wall (must go in straight), the anchor should be sunk only as far as the top flange (there should be a lip that sits slightly above the wall surface) <S> and when tightening the screw only tighten it enough to hold the object (don't over torque). <S> If the Fixings don't seem to be working you can also secure the object to the wall studs (especially if it is heavy or will be used often). <S> Rather than patch the 10mm holes switch to toggle bolts in these locations. <S> Toggle bolts support heavy weights. <A> The wall anchors that come with these sets suck <S> I always throw them away <S> bc <S> I’ve had the exact same experience <S> Old fashioned toggle bolts will fit through those holes and can work well Next time, go to the hardware store and pay about $1 for some better quality anchors. <S> Personally I like the ez anchor, and have had good luck with them, but use whatever you like....
|
If the anchor isn't keeping a grip in the wall when the screw is tightened than you may exerting to much force or over tightening the screw.
|
Is this outlet wired for 240 volts? I wired an outside outlet plug on my back porch and ran it off my breaker box, used a 20 amp breaker, used 14/2 wire, hooked the white and black wires to the outlet plug and cut the ground wire off short (the guy at Home Depot told me to do it that way). I used a double 20 amp breaker and wired white on top and black on bottom and ground to the strip with all the screws in it, which in that same strip it does have a ground connected to it from a 240 RV outlet, all within the breaker panel. So would that be considered having it wired for 240? The breaker does not trip, just keeps blowing bulbs. I tried the plug with some Christmas lights and they came on fine, but then I plugged in a lamp and it immediately blows the bulb. I tried 3 more bulbs and the same results, does the ground wire have to be connected too? or should I use a 15 amp breaker instead of the 20? or is my wire I'm using too small of a gauge? Help! <Q> First off. <S> The 14 AWG you used is to small, and should be replaced. <S> Second. <S> By connecting the wires to a double pole breaker, you've indeed created a 240 volt circuit. <S> If that was your intention, you should have installed a NEMA 6-20 receptacle. <S> This would have prevented you from plugging 120 volt loads into the receptacle, as the prongs would not have fit. <S> If this was not your intention, you should rewire the circuit using a single pole breaker. <S> Third. <S> You should not have cut the grounding conductor short. <S> You should have connected it to the grounding screw on the receptacle, and to the box if it is metal. <S> Lastly. <S> It sounds like you don't know much about electrical work, and should likely contact a local licensed Electrician. <A> The National Electrical Code prohibits anything larger than a 15 amp breaker for 14 gauge wire for normal power and lighting. <S> That is not the reason for your problem <S> but if the cable overheats it could cause a fire before the breaker trips. <S> My first suspicion is that you have wired it 240 volts instead of 120 but without more information it is impossible to determine. <S> The lamps are rated for 125 volts and the breaker would normally trip if you dead short something. <S> Christmas lights are series / parallel wired and may be able to handle double the voltage for a short time. <S> Normally, the ground should be connected to the receptacle not cut off. <S> If you have a metal box it should be grounded with a pigtail or by using a self-grounding receptacle. <S> Good luck! <A> At this point you should call a licensed professional. <S> Usually there are very helpful and knowledgeable people at home depot, but the person you spoke to is obviously not in the trade and has no idea <S> what he is talking about. <S> For your safety don't use the outlet until you have an electrician take a look at it, and the next time you're at home depot <S> let a manager know that the person is giving out bad information. <S> The reason it blows bulbs and not the breaker, is that the filament inside the bulb is acting like a fuse and blowing before the breaker can respond. <S> you are extremely lucky that all you have ruined is a few bulbs and didn't plug something expensive in. <S> Also not using a ground is a direct violation of the National Electric Code. <S> Please consult a local electrician before going any further. <A> Somebody forgot to mention that the outlet must be weather resistant tamper resistant GFCI <S> [wr/tr] with an in use bubble cover. <S> The black wire connects to the 15 amp single pole breaker and <S> the brass colored or dark screw on the outlet. <S> The white wire goes on the neutral bar in the panel with all the other white wires. <S> The ground wire if this is not the service equipment and theirs a main outside the ground wire goes the ground bar with all the other ground wires, if this is the main panel the ground wire goes on the neutral bar or a ground bar were all the other ground wires are. <S> At the outlet the ground wire wraps around a ground screw in the metal box and then to the green screw on the outlet you can also make a pigtail. <S> Im hoping you used the same type of wire that the rest of the house is wired with. <S> If your using bx/romex you have to drill holes in the floor joists 2 1/2 inches up from the bottom or higher and run the cable through each joist to meet code.
|
Recheck your wiring and make sure you didn't connect the white wire to a breaker or your cable to a circuit that is wired for 240 volts. A ground is there for your safety and to protect anything plugged into that outlet. Don't listen to a guy at Home Depot for electrical advice unless he is an experienced electrician. With a 20 ampere breaker, you must use at least 12 AWG copper conductors.
|
replace half a drywall ceiling? I'm redoing my kitchen which adjoins the eating area. Part of this was removing the soffits or fur downs, which has now left my ceiling without large strips of drywall on 3 sides. The kitchen area is 10' deep and then another 10' of that is eating area, where the drywall is intact. I'm trying to decide if I just patch this or replace the ceiling in the kitchen. And how do I tie the new kitchen ceiling in with the eating area? I do plan to remove all the popcorn and go over with orange peel. But I would need to stagger sheets of drywall, right so I wouldn't have one long line across the room between the two areas? ---Edit--- Tonight I tore down the kitchen part & cut back to the nearest stud. Here's a sketch of what I'm left to fill in (joists are dashed lines). Any advice on staggering? I plan to start on the left side and do 3 full sheets + 1 strip over the stove area. <Q> As user41750 says, make sure you match the drywall thickness. <S> The joints will only be staggered in one direction, along the 4' lengths where the drywall isn't tapered. <S> You want those 4' long joints to meet on a joist or nailing surface. <S> The 8' spans will be perpendicular to the joists and be tapered. <S> You can knock out the mud and tape from inside the taper of the existing drywall to get two tapered joints to align. <S> If you don't have an existing tapered joint, then you'll want to cut away the taper to avoid a significant difference in height where you are mudding and taping later. <S> The mudding and taping is an art. <S> There's a fair bit of advice on this site to help you there, but I wouldn't blame anyone for hiring out this part of the project. <S> And from there, it's all about matching the finish. <S> I'd personally prime and paint the entire ceiling, if not the walls too. <S> This will help hide any division between the two spaces. <A> I would try to keep as many joints staggered as possible of course taping every joint so it won't crack in the future. <S> Using the same thickness of drywall as is already there is extremely important. <S> I don't see where you should have any trouble tying into the ceiling that's not missing the edges in the eating area as long as you use the same thickness drywall just tape it, mud it and finish it. <S> You're going to be texturing it so that will also help hide any blemishes in the finishing job. <S> From all that I see in your picture and what you described it looks pretty straightforward patch in job. <S> You're final finish coat of drywall compound will not even have to be that perfect if you're going with the orange peel texture. <S> Should turn out just fine. <S> Good luck. <A> For as little as you have left - drywall is cheap - just rip it all down and start over. <S> You'll get done quicker, and it will look better. <A> Some times I fill in the cut out spaces wiith drywall then overlay <S> the whole ceiling with new drywall drywall is cheap and finishing new is often easier than scraping off old texture and dealing with gouges and old drywall stain tannin bleeds just make sure to mark joist and use a longer screw
|
If you have any small pieces of drywall up on the ceiling, I'd start by removing those to get back to as many full sheets as you can which should also minimize the cuts you need to make.
|
Tighten 1 1/2 nut under the sink I just installed my new peerless kitchen faucet. I used my hand to tight the hex nut because the space is pretty small.(I think that the size is 1 1/2) It is temporary. I tried Basin Wrench and adjustable wrench . Both of them are not working because the handles are long. See the sample image, the space appears to be large in the demo video but actually not in the real world. I even thought to use wrench driver , but I don't want to try different tools and return them if not applicable. Any idea? <Q> The basin wrench you linked to would be the right tool if the hex nut was 1" or less. <S> But to use the wrench, you would need to first remove the sink from the counter. <S> Some newer faucets have worked around this problem by using a hand tightened nut that has two screws on either side. <S> Once you tightened the nut as far as you can by hand, you tighten the screws which press against a washer, firmly holding down the fixture. <S> If you can't get a basin wrench on it, and don't want to remove your sink from the counter, then I'd recommend taking this fixture back and finding one that would be easier to install in your situation. <A> Channel Lock pliers always worked well for me in those spaces or you can try a slip nut wrench <S> those work well also <A> A shower wrench goes to 1 7/16" <S> it has a chance of working. <S> The last faucet I installed came with its own wrench to tighten that nut. <S> This particular one is a set from the big box store, it has five wrenches in all with a handle. <S> You may be able to find the larger one at a plumbing specialty store. <S> It is hollow through the length, the supply lines will go through the wrench to get to the nut.
|
For a larger nut like this, it was designed to be either hand tightened, or with a wrench like the channel lock or adjustable wrench you linked to.
|
If I want to add an additional receptacle, which wires do I tap from an existing receptacle? I have an existing receptacle that used to have both the top and bottom outlet controlled by a switch. I made the entire receptacle permanently hot by disconnecting the switch and connecting all the wires that went into the switch. I would like to add an additional receptacle by tapping into this existing receptacle. Which wires should I tap to create the new receptacle? Thanks! This is the existing receptacle, in a 2.5" deep single gang box, on a 14AWG (15A) circuit: <Q> Unfortunately, the box for that receptacle is already full to the brim with wires -- 6 <S> 14AWGs is the maximum for a 2.5" deep single gang box such as the one you have here, and with the double allowance that is made for the receptacle, you already have too many wires in it as-is. <S> So, you'll have to replace this box with a bigger box if you wish to tap the circuit here -- a 2 gang box is the simplest replacement option, with the other gang blanked out to make room for all those wires. <S> Once you've done that, you can connect the new cable's black to either the existing blacks or the existing red, and the new cable's white to the existing whites -- you'll have to pull them out of the backstab and make a white pigtail to the outlet neutral, though. <S> The other option would be to remove the switch entirely from the the box that housed the switch that used to control this outlet (if you haven't done that already, that is), and then you can run the cable for your new outlet to the former switch location -- that box, sans switch, will have enough room to house the 6 14AWGs (existing black, existing red, existing white, EGCs, new black, and new white) <S> provided it is the same depth as this one, and box replacement is an easier option in this case as you can go up to a 2.5" deep single gang if the existing box is too shallow. <A> You should splice the white wires together, the black wires together, and the ground wires together. <S> Make sure you use the same size wire, do not go smaller. <S> You should look up how to calculate box fill and make sure not to exceed it. <S> The red wire can just be left as-is. <A> Um, you don't want to use the switch anymore, right? <S> If so, and if when you say you want to add a receptacle, you don't mean where the switch is now (which would look very weird, depending on what room we're talking about...you know, a receptacle almost at eye level!), it seems like you could just remove the switch entirely, put a blank plate over the box, then disconnect and push the wires from the switch out of this box to make room for a new cable. <S> All this assumes you're going to be running a new cable into this box to a new receptacle somewhere else. <S> If that's the case, run your new cable in. <S> Use a wire nut to bond the grounds (bare wires) together and include 2 pigtails. <S> Attach one of these to the box (which should have a green grounding screw in it) and the other to the device's (existing receptacle's) green grounding screw, visible in your picture. <S> Do the same thing with the neutrals (whites) <S> but with only one pigtail, going to one of the lighter-colored screws on the receptacle. <S> Do not bond the neutrals to the box. <S> You can use the device to tie the blacks together. <S> A couple of comments on your pic: as stated, this outlet isn't grounded which is pretty dangerous IMO. <S> Also, if I'm understanding what you did at the switch correctly, that red wire is now your hot wire. <S> If that's so, it's attached to the wrong side of the receptacle <S> (white screws get the neutral side, darker screws get the hot/black side). <S> Seems like a fine point <S> but I've seen cheap electrical equipment that depends on that wiring. <S> It's usually NOT OK to use the device to tie the neutrals together using the device (check your local wiring codes), <S> because if for some reason you have to remove that receptacle, you've now broken the neutral connection to all the outlets "down the line" and if another plugged-in device develops an internal short, it's possible the breaker won't trip and someone could get a nasty shock/electrocuted. <S> HTH
|
Going to a deeper box won't quite get you enough space to tap here, either -- a 3.5" deep single gang has room for only 9 14AWGs without a device or 7 with one, and you need 8 14AWG wires (2 existing blacks, 2 existing whites, 1 existing red, 1 EGC allowance, 1 new black, and 1 new white) + a double allowance for the receptacle device. You'll want to put a ground pigtail on the existing receptacle and connect it to the existing grounds, in addition to tying the new cable's ground in, too. If you are going to wire this anyways just make sure you connect all three wires as I stated above.
|
Why would a central vacuum breaker trip once every time I used it? This will be a hard one to find out. I have a central vacuum Drain Vac 2G20028-c , 12.5 amp at 120 volts . It has a mini 15 amp breaker on the unit. The power going to the vacuum is on a normal square D breaker 20 amp breaker. After a few weeks of being installed, every time I start the unit for the first time in the day, after about 30 to 90 seconds the 20 amp breaker in the panel trips (not the vacuum 15 amps). Then after resetting the breaker, I could vacuum all day long without any more trouble. The problem is still there (every time I use it !) after having done those thing : Change the panel breaker for a news 20 amps Change the 20 amps, 120v power outlet Having check by the repair shop the vacuum, apparently all is fine Change the entire cable between the power outlet and the main panel 20 amp breaker Change the location and again the breaker in the main panel Except changing the brand of my vacuum, I can't think of anything else. Could electric charge be a problem ? Could moisture be a problem ? My vacuum outlet is pipe outside with a weather protection flap outlet, similar to those for laundry dryer. <Q> It is likely your breaker type... <S> The CVS Power Unit is engineered using a high-performance motor. <S> As with all power units, it is recommendedthat the CVSPU have a dedicated circuit to ensure consistent operation. <S> ISSUE: <S> Standard Square D Circuit Breakers <S> May Cause TrippingSeveral dealers have reported nuisance tripping issues with the CVSPU.We <S> have discovered that the some circuit breakers trip more easily when used to power the CVSPU. <S> In discussions with a circuit breaker manufacturer, we were advised these breakers are not designed to operate high-performance appliances likecentral vacuums, air compressors and even some microwave ovens. <S> SOLUTION: <S> Use High-Magnetic Breakers to Power CVSPU’sThe manufacturer recommends using high-magnetic designed breakers like those listed below for dedicated circuitsconnecting to high-performance equipment. <S> Please be aware that if you experience nuisance tripping with the CVSPU, replacing the breaker should eliminate the issue. <S> For newconstruction, however, it would be preferable to discuss this issue ahead of time with the builder or electrician. <S> Recommended BreakersThe recommended breakers to use with the CVSPU <S> are listed below:• Square D (#QO115HM) for a 15 amp circuit• Square D (#QO120HM) for a 20 amp circuit• Square D Homeline (#HOM120HM) for a 20 amp circuitThese breakers are available where electrical supplies are sold. <A> The panel breaker (or the vac mini breaker, too) switching off is telling you there is a problem in the electric line. <S> This sometime happens when a Load (motor) is pulling to much current (amps) through the wire. <S> Why the mini breaker on the machine didn't open first? <S> It could be the reaction time is longer or it might be faulty. <S> Since it is still shutting off even after replacing the outlet, wiring and breaker I would conclude that the problem is with the vacuum motor and circuitry. <S> Since you may not have been able to witness the procedure when the motor was being repaired, get a second opinion at a different repair shop (if possible). <S> From what steps you've taken so far the motor is the only component that may be at fault. <S> Unless the repairs and upgrades to the electrical system are not completed correctly. <A> If the motor uses a starting Capacitor this could be your problem. <S> Vacuums draw the most current on startup when they are moving the most air. <S> once a vacuum is dead <S> headed,(no flow the vacuum usually speed up as they are moving no air).It is possible your starting cap is bad. <S> Many large grinders and chop saws rated at 15A will trip a 20A breaker but then be fine <S> I dont know if it is cold grease in the bearings but would check for a starting cap, as you have already upsized the breaker, the horse power rating of the vacuum motor would be needed to look up the correct size starting cap. <A> Large motors can pull a substantial surge of current on startup. <S> Over here in Europe we have different types of breakers for loads with large inrush currents. <S> I don't know what practices are where you live <S> but it wouldn't surprise me if you simply have the wrong type of breaker. <A> Some possibilities: 1. <S> Ensure there are no partial obstructions in your piping & that you flapper isn't sticking. <S> Note: <S> Rodents can sometimes die & get stuck in central vacuum piping/tubing. <S> If possible, power your vacuum from a different branch circuit to determine whether or not the same problem occurs. <S> Double check the old circuit to ensure you are not overloading it. <S> Another device/s may be connected to the branch circuit & you may be drawing too much power from all of the connected devices. <S> If your vaccuum system has a start capacitor, test it to ensure it is operating properly. <S> hth, best regards!
|
High-magnetic breakers can tolerate the high in-rush of current that occurs when high-performance appliances start, preventing nuisance tripping. If the problem doesn't occur, then the problem is likely in the old circuit. Your suction exhaust pipe (or flapper) may have a partial obstruction or a stuck flapper that temporarily reduces air flow when you first start vacuuming. Ensure the breaker that you installed is a quality breaker--some breakers aren't very good & trip easier than others. If possible disconnect everything except the vacuum to test this possibility.
|
How to bid a job repairing hidden damage in stages to avoid a "time and materials" job My bathroom has some water damage from a poorly designed tile job. The window sill is low enough to get wet but is simply tiled rather than a solid shelf. It's also not properly sloped. This has allowed water to leak into the wall and has weakened the backing board to the point that the tiled wall gave in when leaned on. One builder wouldn't even estimate the cost of the job. Wanted "time and materials" for the repair and a contract to demolish and remodel the bathroom. I have been burned by "time and materials" jobs before. Yet I understand that it's difficult to evaluate how big the job is when you can't see all the damage. Here's my question: Am I being unreasonable if I insist that the job be done in three stages that are bid separately? A bid for the demolition to expose the problem A bid for the repair rather than any "time and material work" A bid for the remodel for any upgrades to the bathroom. I could take competing bids at each stage and be sure of what I'm getting into before agreeing. Builders wouldn't have to agree to any work they haven't had a chance to fully see. I'd like to know if this kind of plan is unheard of or unreasonable. Is there any good reason to refuse to work this way? An alternative way to structure the job? If there is something I simply don't understand please let me know. <Q> My suggestion should make this a whole lot easier all around. <S> The demolition phase work requires basic skills and simple tools that are not expensive. <S> This will open up the structure of the whole room back to framing, subfloor and ceiling joists. <S> I would say that then you would be ready to bring in a contractor to bid on repairs and upgrades to the room and structure. <S> Nothing should be hidden at that point. <S> As you take on the DIY part of the project you are sure to have some questions about that process. <S> This site can be a big help to get answers to the questions that arise. <A> Reasonable, except to say that I personally wouldn't be willing to bid the remodel until the repair was done. <S> (Assuming repair by others.) <S> One disadvantage to this plan is that you're not building a relationship with any one contractor... <S> that might or might not be important to you, but as a broad generalization, I'd say contractors take larger jobs more seriously and shy away from customers that make them nervous. <S> One last note, probably obvious, but... <S> this will take much longer. <A> These jobs are tricky to bid. <S> We have an "alternative structure" as you put it. <S> The way we work them is usually this First, we bid the known scope items. <S> This could be painting, plumbing, electrical, flooring, etc. <S> This is the stuff that will happen regardless of damage. <S> Next, we bid known repairs and we make a guess as to the extent of the scope if we cannot see all the damage and set a price based on a written set scope of the unseen repairs. <S> Then, we add a guessed amount for assumed repairs that we are almost sure we will need to complete. <S> These are line items <S> usually are T&M items with a not-to-exceed price without approval. <S> The line item might have a price of say $350, but the detail reads something like "the amount is estimated. <S> Actual repairs will be completed at a price of $xx/hr plus materials. <S> Amount not to exceed $350 without approval" <S> Sometimes these items are not completed for a discount to the owner. <S> Then just to top things off, we usually add a verbal disclosure of some other repairs that we can think of due to possible damage, but do not show enough evidence of and therefore do not bid it upfront. <S> Finally, there are the variables we could not see and those we effectively either complete at a T&M price with a verbal estimate of the repairs <S> (trust is usually high on our jobs) or we submit contractual price for the work for those variables via a change order before the repairs are completed and only continue when the change order is approved. <S> Using this process, we minimize the variables, set well defined expectations of what cost are set and what cost are variable, and finally we put the decision making power in the hands of the client on the variables of the project BEFORE they end up with an unexpectedly high bill. <S> Let us not forget that verbal estimates are just as binding as written ones so in those rare cases where things need to move on NOW, we work through options, give a verbal estimate, and get approval to proceed and then document the verbal estimate on the back end with a change order.
|
Other times things are worse than expected and completed for an APPROVED increase in cost via a change order. Do the demolition on a DIY basis and clear away all the debris. For permit reasons, you wouldn't close in the repairs, so be sure to move that to the remodel phase.
|
How to level an old cement floor? I have an old garage where I want to make an office. The floor is not 100% leveled and has some holes. I read about self leveling material for the floor. Is this something one can apply? is it easy? Are there other diy solutions? <Q> Self-leveling material may be appropriate depending on the condition of the existing floor and the depth of the repair. <S> You'd need to take some measurements and read the product literature to know for sure. <S> The alternate approach is to rip treated joists as needed to create a level frame, then overlay suitable subfloor sheathing. <S> Without more information that's about as specific as I can get. <A> I used self-leveling product for my basement, and yes it is doable for your typical FIT DIYer, but it is best with two people if you have to mix more than a couple of bags. <S> It is actually a quite demanding task as each 50 pound bag must be mixed and poured and worked in before it dries. <S> Each of these bags must be mixed with a powerful drill. <S> In my basement I had to use <S> ~12 - 50 pound bags, and I was exhausted after the hour <S> or so it took to apply them. <S> My wife helped for the 1st 8 bags but got exhausted <S> and I had to finish myself. <S> The best tip I can give is to watch a some youtube videos on how to apply the material. <S> In the end I was very happy with my results <S> and I was able to apply laminate flooring to the level surface. <A> the typical ones you find at big box stores are overpriced garbage. <S> here is the one we use: <S> http://flextile.net/products/CIS/p-cisSP-59.html just check their site for installation and youtube for how it works.
|
you can level any floor with self leveling mortars, but they have to be the right ones.
|
Is it possible to power/turn-on LED lights through a lamp switch? I'm trying to make a lamp from my gf's favorite beer. It's a bomber(16oz) bottle that I'm running a DIY lamp kit through. I'd like to add two little red LED lights that are connected to the switch of the lamp so that the lights act as little red eyes on the bottle. Does anyone know if this is feasible? Will it need its own power source or can I run some extra wire from the light switch and power those two lights too? I have zero experience with this and could ultimately do the project without the LED lights but it would be that extra special touch for the holidays. Any help or pointing in the right direction would be greatly appreciated. <Q> The easiest way to run an LED off of 120VAC is to use an LED that's already designed for 120VAC, like a 120VAC LED Panel light . <S> They come in a wide variety of sizes, colors, and form factors. <S> (Photos from Digikey's catalog ). <S> Just keep in mind that 120VAC is dangerous, and if you're not actually going to panel mount them where only the front of the LED is exposed to the user with the rest of the LED shielded by an insulating or grounded panel, make sure that you keep them safely isolated so the user can't inadvertently come into contact with the back side of the LED housing or wires. <A> edit: <S> I am assuming your lamp kit is a standard 120VAC powered lamp like most in the US. <S> It's doable but probably a lot more trouble than you want to go to. <S> You can't just tap the 120VAC power and connect it to a couple inexpensive LEDs. <S> The LEDs run off a lower voltage. <S> You could use a DC power supply, say 12VDC or 5VDC, to power the LEDs. <S> (Putting a DC power supply inside the bottle isn't going to work...) <A> I use a very simple circuit, shown here. <S> It would be wired in parallel with the lamp bulb, after the switch. <S> For me, this circuit gives me two red indicator lights to signal that the inverter is turned on. <S> The .47 uF cap is high voltage, and the resister is 1/2 Watt. <S> The resistor can easily be a mini 5K or 10K pot for brightness adjustment. <S> WARNING: <S> The 120 VAC portion of the circuit can hurt you. <S> I replaced the 1N914 with second LED, so I use one at the source of power then use the second one closer to my workstation. <S> It would be easy to mount the two together <S> so they look like two little red eyes. <S> The LEDs I use are prepackaged with threaded mounts. <S> They look a lot like those designed for 120V, ready for panel mounting. <S> They were like a dollar a dozen on the slow boat via eBay. <S> Normal LEDs tend to be a couple or three mm in size, but I'll bet you can find 10mm red LEDs with a little searching. <S> Here is the schematic: <S> --EDIT: <S> I found two sources for larger red LEDs. <S> USA: <S> $9.99 for 8 9-12V - http://www.ebay.com/itm/Eight-10mm-Solid-RED-LED-9-12v-DC-Wired-Bezels-Solid-Color-USA-Seller-Free-Ship-/252273190177 <S> HK: <S> $3.32 for 10 12V Red: <S> http://www.ebay.com/itm/10Pcs-12V-10mm-Pre-Wired-Constant-LED-Bright-Water-Clear-Bulb-With-Plastic-Shell-/371790698252 <S> Both listings have bezels and are current-limited. <S> USA would deliver in days, and HK in weeks.
|
The main thing to remember, the 120VAC is dangerous, don't get creative with it, low volt DC is pretty safe, but nothing is perfectly safe. You could run a separate cord from a pluggable DC power supply, aka a "wall wart," to the LEDs. You'll need a current limiting resistor wired in series with the LED. Please do not attempt to do this unless you can exercise appropriate caution. But you can use any red LEDs you'd like.
|
Shopvac drywall attachment too restrictive? I have : 5HP 16Gal. Shopvac A drywall vacuum attachment , to suck up the dust while sanding. a brand new filter ( made for fine particles like dust) The Problem : When I start the vacuum, it seems okay.. but quickly slows down and starts to smell like it's overheating. Should I not be using this powerful of a shop vac? I attempted to adjust the holes on the attachment, but to no avail (no instructions are given). I'm thinking perhaps I need to open up the back port (exhaust port) .. would that help? <Q> I find the models that use filters plug up quickly. <S> A contractor friend showed me what he had made using a 5 gallon bucket and plumbing fixtures. <S> one pipe goes in and a 90 at the bottom of the bucket capped off then drill a bunch of 1/4" holes in the short pipe at the bottom. <S> fill the bucket 1/2 way with water <S> the suction pipe is short only 1" from the top the dust comes in and when bubbling up through the water the dust is trapped in the water, when you notice dust rinse and put fresh water in the bucket works great and no filters to buy. <S> I have had mine for a few years. <S> If cleaned at the end of the day it is not hard to clean if you forget it is a lot more work to clean out. <A> If your Shop-Vac is more than a few months old and you are noticing a decrease in performance <S> the smartest action you can take is to start looking for a replacement. <S> When the motor heats up the winding insulation softens and melts. <S> That's what you smelt. <S> Shop-Vac brand vacuums have become a disposable item. <S> You can coax a few more weeks of life from it by putting less strain on the motor. <S> Opening the port on the sander head will lessen the strain on the motor, but at the cost of less suction. <S> Some other suggestions are to install a "fine particulate" bag. <S> This captures the fine drywall dust before it reaches the filter. <S> Also regularly tap the filter to remove dust build-up. <S> The pleated filters do the best job of keeping dust in the tank (they are the easiest to clean, too). <S> The cap on the exhaust port is a baffle that deadens the noise from the motor and a diffuser that spreads exhaust air to soften <S> it's flow. <S> Removing it will increase performance slightly, but increase decibels and air flow. <A> Use a dry cyclonic pre-filter system such as the Dust Deputy . <S> Attach this to the lid of a 5-gal bucket using the kit. <S> No fussing or filling the bong-vac system. <S> It works great, I have used mine with all kinds of dusty stuff.
|
That smell you detect after the motor has been running for awhile is its' death knell.
|
What else can I use to clean glass windows? I have a job scheduled that involves getting a house ready to sell. The customer wants it cleaned and polished as she is putting it on the market. It's a 3 story 1950's era house that has a lot of glass windows and doors (a lot). The windows are original single-pane casement. Every one has mullions that divide the pane into single panes (about 12" x 12"). I have to clean every window. What is the fastest way to accomplish this? I've heard newspaper can be substituted for paper towels? <Q> Black ink newspapers work <S> but they are messy and difficult. <S> If you have a lot of glass to do, duplicate how the professionals do it. <S> They use a soft absorbent scrubber (you could use a soft sponge mop maybe?), then they use a good quality squeegee to remove the grimy liquid from the glass. <S> Follow that up with a quick dry rag wipe of the edges and corners. <A> Coffee filters work like newspaper without the ink. <S> http://www.bobvila.com/articles/quick-tip-clean-windows-with-coffee-filters/#.VmZa83Qo7qA <A> I used those bottles of cleaner from HD that attach to your hose. <S> It pre-soaks, cleans and rinses. <S> I usually do that for the windows <S> I can't reach <S> and I don't even have to wipe dry. <S> Hardly any spots. <A> It is good to use a squeegee to clean the window. <S> It is easy and takes a short period of time to clean as clear as a crystal
|
They use dishwashing liquid solution (not an ammonia based glass cleaner like *%$dex). You might think about blasting all the windows with a water stream first, to remove as much loose dirt from the sashes and mullions as you can.
|
Can I use a bat handled toggle switch instead of a boring standard toggle switch on the wall? I want to create a steampunk-themed chandelier, including a steampunk-look switch on the wall. Is there a fundamental difference between the standard light switches sold for home lighting and a similarly-specced bat handled light switch that is sometimes used on lamps and electrical equipment? The attached switch is rated 20amps at 125vac so I would think it was appropriate for my purpose. The only thing it doesn't have is a ground screw which might be the stopper unless there's a way to add a grounding wire to the metal part of the switch. Would someone with ACTUAL electrical knowledge (not just someone without an imagination ;) ) weigh in on this one? I asked somewhere else and the person said it would work fine but in another forum people said no (but I don't believe they are electricians since it was on Amazon and they didn't give any reason it wouldn't work). It seems like an artificial disqualification to say this wouldn't work just because the handle looks different than a normal light switch. Are the guts exactly the same? Switches are pretty simple mechanisms so seems like they would be. <Q> The ONLY way this would be code complaint (legal) and safe is if the switch were solidly mounted to a metal plate, which would in turn be mounted to a grounded metal box. <S> If you have plastic boxes there will be no way to ground the plate through the box. <S> NO! <S> You MUST have a solid mechanical connection even before soldering. <S> Having said this there is no means or provision for any sort of mechanical connection to that switch or to a switch plate, unless of course you nut and bolt the ground wire to the plate, but this adds a visible screw head to the finish side of the plate. <S> Almost certainly you'd need to get a stainless steel blank plate and drill your own hole. <A> Not all UL labels are made equal! <S> Using such a device in a wall application may appear fine if grounding and bonding concerns are handled (through the cover plate and box, or the 1/2" ID ring terminal ArchonOSX suggested, or better yet, something like an APEM U187 , which is basically a dedicated grounding ring terminal with a quick-connect tab for the actual ground connection); however, there's a very subtle Code compliance "gotcha" at play here. <S> Switches <S> like what you describe are UL component recognized , which means that UL has inspected the manufacturer and says they're OK when used within their stated ratings when used within a larger UL-listed product , such as an appliance. <S> This saves the appliance manufacturer and UL a bunch of work because then the UL listing process for the appliance doesn't have to worry as much about "what if the switch does something weird?" <S> However, even though it is technically a UL stamp of approval, it is not equivalent to the full UL listing required for a product to be used stand-alone with house mains wiring as per the NEC, and this may cause your AHJ some heartburn, as most electrical inspectors aren't set up to figure out if a gizmo is safe, but instead rely on UL listing for that. <A> While this doesn't answer your question directly, it offers a safe alternative. <S> In the field we sometimes come across situations that require non standard ways to turn off and on lamps. <S> For example, using a magnetic contactor to trigger a closet light, or similar. <S> This is usually accomplished by using a 120/12V relay. <S> The 12V can safely be ran on existing wires to power almost any type of switch. <S> Even better to simplify the process some genius came up with the idea of a self contained relay with a built-in step down transformer, and to top it off its UL approved. <A> The area that you should be concerned with is will the added weight of the object cause any part of the switch to fail due to increased stresses. <S> Depending on the switch material (solid metal or hollow plastic?) <S> and how the object is attached (drill an opening through the switch for a fastener or gluing) should be considered. <A> If you really want to go steam punk, use a Bakelite throw switch. <S> Of course, you would have to have it trigger a low voltage relay. <S> https://www.enasco.com/prod/images/products/62/AC102603l.jpg
|
Soldering is NOT an option as this is expressly forbidden in the code. I don't recall any articles in the NEC stating you can't use a bat in place of a toggle switch, but than again the NEC book I refer to is copyrighted 1999.
|
What kind of walls are these? What hardware should I use to hang up some canvas prints? I'm looking to hang up some canvas art (already on stretcher bars). However, I don't know what kind of hardware I need to use, because I have no idea what kind of walls they are. They don't seem like drywall because they seem like they're solid walls. Here is a likely useless video of me tapping on the wall. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufvZzCUg1Gc Is this plaster? If I want to put a screw in, should I drill a hole first? Should I be looking for studs? <Q> The walls look and sound like plaster, probably over wooden lath. <S> The lath is then nailed to wooden studs at intervals, probably at 16 inch centers. <S> A common approach to hanging art and mirrors on both plaster and plasterboard (drywall) is to use picture hooks with thin, hardened nails , such as these <S> The nails are sharp enough and thin enough not to do damage to most plaster. <S> The hooks (properly sized and in multiples) are strong enough to hold up over 100 lbs. <S> Canvases on stretchers should be no problem unless they are many feet long. <S> Use at least two hooks to spread the load and improve leveling of hte pictures. <S> When the load approaches 100 lbs., extends out from the wall, or is subject to movement, it's time to find studs, or at least heavy duty toggle bolts. <S> Images and links are illustrative only, not an endorsement of goods or sources. <A> To check either with a small diameter drill or nail in an inconspicuous spot on the wall. <S> If either penetrate the wall easily it is not plaster. <S> To secure items to a plaster wall you will need wall anchors. <S> Wall anchors allow you to screw hooks and clips securely to the surface. <S> You can also locate the wall studs that will support much heavier objects. <A> I agree with the sentiment that these are likely plaster walls. <S> For a canvas print... <S> assuming it's not giant and heavy <S> , a simple finishing nail is likely all you need. <S> I've hung a lot of art with a brad nail. <S> What I do: get a box of brads. <S> Snip off the head of one. <S> use that snipped brad a drill bit to drill a tiny hole in the plaster. <S> insert a full brad into said hole. <S> hang picture. <S> Again, that works for light-weight pictures... <S> essentially nothing heavier than what would typically bend the brad to begin with. <S> But surprisingly sturdy. <S> Remember plaster is a lot stronger than wallboard for load bearing from a single point.
|
The walls from your video sound as if they are made of plaster.
|
Garage Door stops and returns to original position Lately my garage door has been stopping when it gets about 2ft from the closed position and then returns to the original position. Nothing is blocking the sensors and the tracks don't seem to have any bends or anything that would prevent the door from moving freely. I also tried checking the cycle with the door disengaged (by pulling the emergency handle and letting the door sit in the closed position not connected to the chain), and the chain moves, stops, and returns at the same location as it does when the door is attached. So, I assume it's something in the actual opening unit. I haven't tried to adjust the downward force yet, but I'll give that a try when I get home tonight. Don't think that's the issue though. Has anyone had this issue before? <Q> There are several possibilities. <S> First, rule out the obvious stuff: Watch the electric eye sensors as the door opens and closes - <S> confirm that the sensors remain aligned (the led lights on both remain lit during garage door travel, typically yellow on one, and green on the other); if there is a loose wire or sensor, or if there is excessive vibration or misalignment, the beam may be temporarily broken, causing the door to return to go back up Confirm that the rails are aligned and straight, the bolts holding them are tight, the wheels on the door sections are tracking smoothly along the rails when the door opens and closes, and the rails are adequately greased to prevent excessive friction or binding during travel; also, ensure there are no other potential obstructions in the way of the garage door mechanism <S> If you have springs along the upper rail sections (i.e., not a torsion spring set-up), ensure that the tension in the garage door springs on either side is even, and there is similar sag side to side when the door is open; as you observe from the inside, the door should lower evenly (side to side, and in a smooth motion) if the springs are evenly worn, and the spring tension is similar side to side Confirm that the chain/cable tension on the garage door opener itself is set correctly (there is a certain amount of "sag" expected - check your owners manual for tolerances and how to adjust) Finally, ensure the door return force limit isn't set too low (without standing directly under the door or otherwise causing injury, of course) <S> If all of the above checks out (sensors, rails, wheels, springs, all OK, door goes up and door evenly and smoothly, etc.), increasing the downward force slightly may resolve the issue. <S> In my experience, problems are often sensor-related or random obstructions (like the corner of a box or trash can getting the way of a garage door bracket). <S> If the springs are worn or the tension is too low on one side, the door may close unevenly, causing the wheels to bind up in the rails or strike an obstruction in the rails (like a joint or bolt head). <A> I had this happen to one of my garage doors. <S> The sensor "eyes" are attached to the rails. <S> I found other rails could be tightened as well. <S> Tightened everything up, realigned the sensors and no problems since. <A> I have had this type behavior show up on one of my garage door openers. <S> The problem has actually developed progressively over time. <S> At this point I actually need to keep holding the close button down to get the door to close. <S> (Opening works like normal). <S> I did adjust the down pressure two different times and it helped for a short time but the closure problem continues to persist. <S> Strangest thing is that the door will close normally on the coldest nights when the temperature has dipped down to less than 38F or so. <S> My conclusion is to replace the garage opener with a new one. <A> This is a symptom of the electric eye-beam not lining up. <S> Before adjusting the torsion spring first test if the door already has enough force to close properly. <S> Stand out side next to the open door, activate with the clicker to close, as the door travels past your waist grab the bottom and try to halt its' movement. <S> If you are able to stop the door from closing with minimal effort the torsion spring should be adjusted. <S> The next part to check is the limit switches, specifically the close limit switch. <S> This should be on the chain rail between the motor and the door arm. <S> It looks like a micro paddle switch. <S> You'll need a DVM to test if it working properly. <S> Last part to check with the door open push and hold the wall switch to see if the door will close completely. <S> If it does close completely the sensor is faulty and needs to be replaced. <A> I had this same problem and it turned out to have nothing to do with the sensor. <S> The nylon gear in the housing had stripped out and made the worm gear misaligned from the limit stops. <S> It was easy to change and actually quieted the opener a bit. <S> Ironically, this high-wear item that fits most garage door openers made in the last 30-years was not in-stock in any local store <S> so I had to order it from Amazon . <A> I posted an answer on a similar question <S> Basically I determined that the wiring from the sensor to the circuit board was loose. <S> I unscrewed and reconnected it. <S> Second I realized that the chain was vibrating a lot while opening/closing, which is what caused the loose wiring to flicker. <S> I tightened the chain a bit (not too tight - it is supposed to sag a little bit) and straightened it since it was very slightly twisted. <S> Now the garage door closes and opens without any vibration, and the wiring is secure, so it has stopped reversing.
|
Over time the bottom of one of the rails worked itself a little loose and I found that the vibration of the door coming down would rattle the rail and disturb or misalign the sensor to the point that it would read an interruption and the door would reopen.
|
How to determine how many gallons of oil your oval tank holds? I'm not sure if my tank holds 250, 275, or 300 gallons. Is there a way to determine the size? The tank is oval shape and 60" X 40" X 27". <Q> Your tank is in fact not oval, but stadium in profile. <S> (Yes, that's where the sports facilities got their name.) <S> In the case of a tank measuring 60" × 40" × 27", your volume is (nominally) that of a box measuring 60 × (40-27) × 27 plus a cylinder of diameter 27 <S> (radius 13.5) and length 60. <S> 60 × 13 × 27 <S> = 21,060 cubic inches (91.17 gallons) <S> π × 13.5 2 <S> × 60 <S> = 34,353 cubic inches (148.71 gallons) <S> Add those together <S> and you get 239.88 gallons . <S> 240 gallons is a reasonably common size for a residential oil tank. <A> x 60” <S> x 27” <A> You can also do this by measuring the amount of fuel delivered and the corresponding change in depth of the oil in your tank; this is also a great way to see if your oil dealer is skimming: <S> Put a dipstick in the oil before your next fill-up to measure the height of oil above the bottom. <S> Fill the tank. <S> Record the number of gallons delivered. <S> Then put a dipstick in after the oil is refilled. <S> look up the two values in this chart, and match the difference by column to the amount of oil that you just had delivered. <S> This will tell you which tank size your tank is closest to. <S> http://www.eco-fuel.com/service/tank-capacity-and-diameter/
|
The most common size is 275 gallons, which measures 44”
|
MDF (particle board) edge sealing for smooth painted finish I am working with CNC routers and a lot of MDF, which is great UNLESS you need to paint the edges which are furry in some spots and all open and porus everywhere else. I build plinths that need to be enamel smooth and show no seams or texture changes. I have tried so far Watered PVA (does not capture the hairs, cannot be sanded back as it does not penetrate very far) Builders bog/Bondo (to sticky to apply easily, high build means sanding it back tends to eat away at the corners) Automotive Primer-Filler spray, a perfect finish.... in only 18 coats. Fine spackle filler (terrible texture) Does anyone out there have the magic bullet? I'm wondering of a lighter sealant or resin would wick into the wood deeper?Run a torch over the hairy bits? <Q> I use Weldbond glue for similar purposes. <S> You can dilute it, maybe a thin coat first to penetrate and seal, followed by a thicker coat to finish it. <S> It's available in large sizes if you'll use a lot. <S> Worst case <S> it's a good glue so even if it doesn't work for your application, it will still be good to have around. <S> There is a craft product made for decoupage called Modpodge that might work too. <S> They have different formulations, one might work for you. <S> Wood turners use cyanoacrylate (like SuperGlue) to harden and strengthen wood, usually a thin one that wicks well. <S> It imaging it may be expensive to use, though, I could see MDF soaking up a lot of it. <S> E-ZBond makes it in larger sizes that may be more practical. <A> I've always had very good results when using polyurethane finish on MDF - particularly on edges, where it is absorbed deeply. <S> I have used it to harden the edges and make them more robust. <S> I'd suggest using it for your purpose also - once dry, I would think the edge would be sandable to a very smooth finish. <S> If paint adhesion is an issue, then I suspect shellac (instead of the poly) would serve exactly the same purpose with shorter drying time to boot. <A> You may need to change your direction of cut on the corners. <S> Or rough cut <S> then a finish cut not taking as much material, both will take more time in programming your tool path but will help. <S> we used to mock up chemical benches with mdf & beaver board and it took a while to make the slip fit pieces smooth. <S> Once we had everything right cutting the poly sheets was Just throw the sheet on turn on the vacuum and press go. <A> If you don't care so much about perfect smooth edges (which was not my primary concern), paint using a small roller rather than a brush and it goes on nice and quickly.
|
You could try brushing the edges with glue.
|
Should I install drywall panels parallel or perpendicular to ceiling joists? I am going to be putting drywall up on my ceiling soon and I am not sure which is the best orientation\layout for the drywall. The ceiling joists run horizontal to the following images. The section of the ceiling is approximately 33' by 11'. Which of the following would be better? Option #1 has 12 butt joints while Option #2 only has 8. Not sure if this matters but the ceiling joists do not match up with drywall lengths so I've added blocking at the appropriate spots for support. Longer sheets are not an option. <Q> With option 2 you have twice as much seam length running down the center of ceiling joists. <S> This can be a real pain to keep everything aligned, especially when you have roof braces, overhead door brackets, and other structures holding the truss members rigidly in place. <S> For those reasons, along with what juicestain09 said, option 1 is far better. <S> One note... unless your wall is very straight, you may want to run the first row on a chalked line 24" off center, and cut both outer rows to fit. <S> Cutting drywall is not difficult, and you may end up with a nicer fit. <S> That said, you have 1/2" of coverage available from the wall panels, so maybe that's adequate. <A> Tooooonnnnsssss more cutting in option 2. <S> Butt joints aren't a problem if you're careful with your screws so that you don't pop through or break the edge. <S> I'd say option 1, imo. <A> In 30 years I've never seen anyone do it any other way on site. <S> I am confused though, if the joist spacing doesn't work boards, <S> how was option 2 even on the table? <S> Surely the long edges would end up hovering in the space between joists no? <S> (Forgive me if I missed something, speed reading lol!) <S> I concur, panel jacks are the holy grail. <S> I'll never go back to hoisting them over my head...
|
Also, some brands of drywall aren't designed to resist sag parallel to the mounting lines and should only be installed perpendicular to the framing. Option 1 is the only way to do it.
|
Why are baseboard miters not straight even after tuning saw? I'm installing baseboard for the first time and I keep noticing when doing 45° cuts the top is sticking out a fraction more than the bottom, see picture. I'm using a dewalt 716 miter saw and have used multiple tools to test and the saw in tuned in properly but still am having this issue. <Q> Not every corner is perfect, and some adjustment is needed for every cut in some cases. <S> If that is the case the wall can be carved back behind the base or the base can be thinned down on the back to get the corner to come together. <A> The drywall corner bead (the angled metal corner reinforcing strip that covers the whole outside corner) changes your angle at the corner, even if the walls are square (which they likely are not). <S> You need to miter both molding pieces to a bit more than 45°, like a 1/2 <S> ° on both to start, judging from your photo. <A> You've checked both axes of the saw, and when cutting have made sure the stock is flat against the fence, right? <S> If the problem is just this corner, I'd be inclined to assume thete's a bump or curve in one or both of the walls pushing the bottom of the joint outward. <S> Or perhaps the floor slopes down a bit toward that corner so the angle really is tilted this way. <S> Suggestion: If you can't find an obvious cause, and it isn't happening at every corner, either pull that inward to close it, whittle it to fit, or fill the gap with wood putty and trust that nobody will ever notice aftef it's been painted. <S> In any house, you can pretty much assume that square and plumb aren't exact. <S> Do the best you can. <A> Just looking at the photo I'd say your saw miter angle is perfect, but either you're not guiding the stock flat against the fence or the fence is misaligned. <S> I had this same problem with some cabinetry and it turned out that the front and back of my millwork stock were not parallel.
|
Either the cut is not square, and the saw is still not adjusted, or the wall is bumped out at the bottom.
|
Privacy for lower level room I have a quad level home. The family room windows are pretty much ground level outside. If our neighbors walk by, they can pretty much see everything. Not to mention our homes are pretty close. We have film in the bathroom but, that seems to block a nice amount of light and obviously we get no privacy if the window is opened. Any options available for some privacy that allow me to get some some light and air flow? <Q> Translucent film lets a lot of light through and provides privacy as well (as long as you don't get to close to the window). <S> There are window films with beautiful patterns and even ones that can be attached to window panes without an adhesive. <S> (I think I'm not allowed to suggest a brand here.) <A> I suggest to use light-filtering honeycomb shades. <S> They protects your privacy and your furniture, paintings, and walls from the negative effects of the sun’s glare. <S> They have cordless option and are safe for your children and pets. <S> Their prices are reasonable and products durable, not to mention the energy efficiency benefits. <A> Privacy, light and airflow. <S> Sounds like a fence or dense hedge, as far from the house as possible.
|
These shades let the light in while protecting your privacy and the sun’s intensity.
|
How should I treat mold under the caulk around my kitchen sink? I've got a tiled kitchen countertop and have noticed some mold under the caulking around the sink, especially where the tile dips. Should I clean out the old caulk and re-caulk the area, or pop the sink out then clean and start over? <Q> Never caulk an overmount sink into place. <S> If you've done it right, you will have to destroy the countertop to get it out if you have to remove it down the road. <S> Silicone is incredibly strong when used correctly. <S> First, remove the sink. <S> Then spray bleach and water (50% v/v) all around the mounting flange and the hole in the counter. <S> Let it sit for a few hours and repeat 2 more times for a total of 3 times. <S> Second, get yourself some stainless plumbers putty. <S> Roll it into thick ropes (1/2" dia) and place it all around the bottom side of the mounting flange. <S> It should form a continuous ring underneath the lip of the sink. <S> Just join the ends together by squishing them into each other. <S> Third, reinstall the sink and tighten the mounting screws a little at a time all around the perimeter of the sink. <S> Trim the excess putty away from the sink flange on the top of the counter once it's done. <A> Pictures always help with these questions by the way. <S> No big deal though. <S> Then reinstall it after it is completely dry of course if there had been any moisture trapped in there. <S> If it is an over mount sink you put caulking underneath of the rim which is what I would recommend. <S> Make it thick enough to where you know it will seal any water from slipping between there <S> and of course keep the bead continuous with no breaks and it. <S> After putting the sink back down make sure to use the clips underneath all the way around evenly has to apply pressure to the mounting and squeeze the caulking evenly. <A> I would recommend to scrape all the caulk then spray bleach solution, let it dry for 24 hours the caulk with a good and mildew resistance caulk.
|
Always use a caulking labeled 100% silicone and mold resistant for this application and being that you have mold already there its not a bad idea if you have the means to remove the sink and clean the area below the mounting where you can't normally access for cleaning.
|
GFCI equipped machines into GFCI receptacle I have a personal bowling ball cleaning machine that states "plug to a non-GFCI outlet" which means it has built-in GFCI however, in the area I am living, all receptacles must be GFCI protected and this comes from the main breaker board to every receptacle in the facility. So whenever the machine is plugged in, the breaker goes off. Firstly, are GFCI equipped machines supposed to work when plugged into GFCI protected circuit? If not, is there a way to connect GFCI equipment to GFCI receptacle by by-passing through, say a transformer, between the cleaning machine and the receptacle? I want to stay away from doing tricks at the receptacle level as I would think the circuit itself will detect and will not work. I really need help here, thank you so much for any help you can give me in advance! <Q> There is no reason one GFCI should cancel out another GFCI. <S> Don't trust that the device is GFCI-protected unless it specifically states so. <S> As Ed Beal mentioned in his comment, it seems likely that the device is actually leaking current, and thus causing a (not unreasonable) trip in your GFCI-breaker. <S> My advice would be to call the maker of the device to ask specifically why it states not to plug into a GFCI outlet . <S> They should also be able to tell you what they recommend you use, since you don't have a non-GFCI outlet. <S> UPDATE: <S> I'm updating my answer in response to more information from the OP in comments. <S> Since you have confirmed the device has <S> it's own GFCI, I would recommend calling your local planning/permitting authority, or a licensed electrician, and asking them what your options are. <S> It may be possible to install a dedicated outlet, or perhaps hard-wire this device, within code. <S> Without knowing exactly what your local code is, I can't recommend any other action. <A> There's no problem have GFCI devices protected by other GFCI devices. <S> The problem is that the machine; for wherever reason, is designed in a way that causes it to trip GFCI devices during normal operation. <S> The manufacturer states not to use the equipment on a GFCI protected circuit, not because it contains a GFCI device, but because it doesn't play nice with GFCI devices. <S> You'll either have to plug the machine into a non-GFCI protected circuit, or contact the manufacturer to figure out if there's a way to make it work. <A> I agree with ench: "There is no reason one GFCI should cancel out another GFCI." <S> If the machine really has an in-built GFCI, then wouldn't it have user accessible TEST and RESET buttons? <S> Hammersmyth Odeon did not mention a RESET button. <S> A circuit interrupt without a reset capability is called a FUSE.
|
If, as you mention, the GFCI protection is in your breaker, you are correct that there aren't any outlet tricks you could perform to create a non-GFCI outlet, and in most cases you should avoid removing this protection anyways.
|
Use impact driver or impact wrench for lag screws? Assume 100 ft lb on the socket for impact driver and 300 ft lb on the socket for impact wrench, what's appropriate for driving 3" lag screws? Would an impact wrench break the screw? If the torque is adjustable, the wrench seems like it's potentially more useful for re-use on cars. Also seems to be 50% heavier than impact drivers. Update: it's a 5/16" screw and I broke it with a 100 ft lb impact driver so I guess for the purpose of the question, an impact wrench would definitely excessive. <Q> I think the answer to this will be " <S> it depends" <S> since there are different size lag bolts, there's the number of bolts you intend to install and how often, the size of the pilot hole you intend to drill, and you may have more or less usage for other tasks (cars) than other people. <S> The impact wrench will have more capacity, but may be less portable, heavier, and could over torque in some situations. <S> And if you're only doing a few bolts, the answer is neither and use a simple socket set to install them by hand. <S> Regardless of which tool you use, a properly sized pilot hole will make the job easier, straighter, and less likely to split the wood. <A> Neither. <S> A plain, bog standard, ratchet. <S> Drill correctly sized pilot holes, don't over-tighten them, and you won't break the screws. <A> You'll want the wrench. <S> You haven't said what the diameter of the screws is, and that's as important as the length, but from experience impact drivers are not useful for lag screws other than very small ones. <S> For fasteners that large they're loud, slow, and will burn out if you work them that hard. <S> I do recommend piloting for lags, the size of the screw shaft for hard wood or slightly smaller for soft wood. <S> Not doing so risks splitting the lumber, and you actually get a better hold. <S> More thread makes contact with the wood. <A> I use my smaller driver on 1/4" and 3/8" lag screws in fir 2x4's & 2x6's the wrench may quickly strip your screws. <S> The smaller driver will take a bit longer and mine is much lighter than the wrench,,, small driver gets my vote. <A> For screws, an impact driver will work just fine. <S> For bolts, as Ecnerwal points out, you need to drill pilots, so there's really no need for an impact wrench for that, either. <S> UPDATE: <S> xster makes a good point that we should probably agree on terms first. <S> The "traditional" lag bolt is, technically, not not a bolt at all, but a screw. <S> Usually 1/2 dia for attaching ledgers and require washers be used with them: <S> You typically need to pre-drill for these to avoid splitting and just making them able to be screwed in. <S> With proper pre-drilling, an impact driver should work fine, but there are arguments for going with an impact wrench. <S> Today, however, there are a lot of products that are designed to take the place of a traditional lag screw for things like attaching ledger boards: <S> These have an integrated washer and a narrower shaft and are designed to be drilled straight in without a pilot hole. <S> For these, I've found an impact driver works just fine, and would actually worry that an impact wrench may actually have too much torque for the narrower shaft. <S> In the case of this particular example product, Ledger Lock, the manufacturer points out that a cordless impact driver is all you need. <A> First, always drill a pilot hole.secondly, after torquing the head off many over the past 30 years, I have found the best way is to buy a lag screw the same diameter but several inches longer than the screws you are going to use. <S> Cut the head off and chuck it in a drill. <S> Run it into the hole cutting the thread profile, then back out. <S> Now you can easily run your real lag into the hole. <S> Another old timer trick is to have a small container of liquid soap and dip the screw in that. <S> It goes in much easier, and when the soap dries out it adds friction to the pull out value. <S> Works for all screws, not just lags.
|
The impact driver is likely to be more convenient, more likely to have interchangeable bits and batteries with your power drill and or other tools, but may not be up to driving hundreds of bolts per day.
|
Why is our faucet under power? Sometimes, ~about once a week we get a "peck", a "pinch" from the water when we touch it. So there is something wrong. We live in a 10 story building. I tried to measure what is happening: I got myself a multimeter. I put one of the wire from the multimeter to the water, the other wire in the phase of a connector (for just a second!). The multimeter told me 230V.. is this normal? Question: How can I measure safely that there is any current somehow in the faucet? How can I detect what is causing the problem? UPDATE: there is no grounding in the building (it was built at about ~1970..). Is it life-threatening? What does the water faucet have to do with the grounding in the connectors? Or there need to be a grounding for the water pipes? UPDATE#2: There is no electrical boiler or heater in the building, as far as I know. <Q> In some countries I've heard that it is not illegal to take a ground from the water system. <S> This would allow ground-fault current to travel through the water pipes. <S> This could be happening, and it is not safe. <S> Alternatively, you could just be arcing off static electricity especially if it's cold and dry <S> and you're wearing fuzzy slippers and synthetic thermal pajamas. <A> It's not such unusual situation, you have measured voltage between water (or could be also faucet) and live from socket, you got 230V which is normal. <S> Water pipes has to be grounded, yes. <A> best way to find out if you are actually receiving a shock from the tap is replace one lead of your meter with a wire long enough to reach outside to the ground and drive a screwdriver into the earth. <S> with the wire hooked to it then measure from the faucet to the ground itself if you see more than 1.8 volts AC using this setup call your power company and an electrician <S> you may have an open service neutral which is a life threatening situation to everyone in the building and also a fire hazard. <S> something to read <S> and also i am a member of mike holts forum <S> so <S> these issues are not new to me
|
Probable cause is the electric boiler, the heater could be damaged and it is leaking current into water and this is what you feel.
|
Is it Possible to Coat the Subfloor Around a Toilet Flange to Prevent Rot? I'm renovating a bathroom. Is there some kind of paint or chemical that I can apply to the subfloor around the toilet flange to keep it from rotting? <Q> As Tester said there shouldn't be any leaks and therefore no rot. <S> Any leak from the wax ring should be repaired immediately. <S> Coating regular wood is not going to stop it from absorbing water on the edge or if it is soaked with water. <S> If you are laying tile in that area:They make a liner product called Kerdi and roll on products like <S> HydroBan for use under ceramic tile in wet areas like showers. <S> Ceramic tile is not waterproof by itself. <A> If you search for "wood preservative" you'll find a lot of products. <S> Thompson's Waterseal, Waterlox, Rustoleum Woodlife, Cuprinol, many others. <S> Something's available at just about any hardware store. <S> Some are only labelled for outside use, you might be OK with a small patch, but I'd check with the manufacturer. <S> Most are toxic to some extent, you have to wear gloves, ventilate well, etc. <S> - read the label. <S> Many won't go on top of any existing finish - probably not an issue with a subfloor. <S> There are lots of non-toxic alternative products available online if you prefer. <S> If you want to keep it simple, you could probably just do something simple - prime and paint it, seal it with polyurethane, oil it with tung oil - <S> that would be quick, easy, and cheap, and probably better than nothing. <A> We assume people will not realize their wax ring seal has been compromised until it too late. <S> We try to use plywood for an underlayment or better (concrete board for tile, etc.) <S> We definitely stay away from particle board and the likes. <S> Then, we coat any wood in a thick layer of RedGuard just around the toilet. <S> The trick is to get it coated on ANY exposed wood at the penetration; that includes edges. <S> You can use something as simple as a chip brush.
|
However, pressure treated lumber will last longer in a wet environment if you are concerned about overflows, sweating, or other reasons the floor may get wet in that area. If you're putting in new wood, a patch of pressure treated would be the way to go.
|
How to choose laminate flooring What should I be looking for when I choose laminate flooring? I am building a smallish house, I plan to put in laminate flooring in it. But I heard some horror stories about how some laminate flooring started peeling after a couple of months use. I am looking for something durable for it's a rental property and the people living in it might not look after it, and hopefully moisture resistant because I definitely do not want peeling floors. So what should I be looking for in choosing laminate flooring or if there are some kind of tests I should be using to test the quality of the floors panels? <Q> I wouldn't attempt any testing yourself. <S> That's likely to be costly and time-consuming and you may not learn much about real-world wear characteristics. <S> There are plenty of objective assessments of laminate flooring to be found, and product reviews by actual homeowners are almost more important. <S> Visit a reputable website and do some reading. <S> The horror stories apply to cheap, off-brand flooring and improper installation. <S> Pergo and other high-grade floors last for decades when not abused. <S> Lay rugs in extreme traffic areas and keep the sand cleaned up <S> and you'll be very happy. <A> My workplace installed a vinyl click-down laminate last year in the entry way and a large meeting space. <S> This is a mixed engineering and manufacturing company in the Pacific Northwest, so the flooring has taken a severe beating from boots and heavy equipment being dragged across it, as well as getting soaked from rain being tracked inside. <S> It's held up very well. <S> In non-wet areas, especially those you may want to look more upscale <S> , you should consider engineered hardwoods. <S> They cost the same amount as good laminate, and you get a real surface rather than printed paper. <S> I recently installed bamboo engineered flooring in my home office for $2.39/sq ft, and I can't recommend it highly enough. <S> Personally I'd recommend a bamboo appearance if you are worried about scratching. <S> Bamboo's appearance hides scratches very well. <S> Good quality engineered hardwoods should have a plywood-type bottom layer, and if they include a particleboard midlayer, make sure it's a tempered/high-density variety (dark grey-brown). <S> Good laminates should be relatively heavy, and if you want it to stand up to water, should have a vinyl backing rather than fiberboard. <A> Here is the Armstrong website . <S> I had to look it up <S> I wasn't sure who the manufacturer was <S> but I have installed this flooring in some rental properties that have the same situation as you do. <S> it holds up very well when exposed to moisture and even water--it is designed for that and the manufacturer states that it is waterproof. <S> It is not made of the same MDF material as some of the other laminate flooring is. <S> Check it out and let me know what you think. <S> I have had very good luck with this product. <S> I'm not sure if anybody else manufactures a similar product. <A> Things to look for: HDF vs MDF High vs Medium density. <S> HDF is harder, as well as being more water resistant usually. <S> Sealing edges. <S> The edge instead of just milled is sealed. <S> Some use a waxy coating that with time seals to the adjacent edge. <S> Doesn't make them water proof, but increases the water resistance. <S> AC rating. <S> 3 is typical, 4 is heavy use, 5 is commercial. <S> Avoid high gloss surfaces. <S> They show every ding. <S> They show dirt. <S> Avoid really dark tones. <S> they show damage. <S> Look for a 'red oak', or medium tone that is close to the colour of the substrate. <S> Most stores will give or sell cheaply samples. <S> Take candidates home and sand through the pretty layer to the underlayer. <S> You will see what you get. <S> If you are using it throughout the house, consider glueing the edges near places that have high water hazard: <S> Anything in a bathroom, entrance area especially if you are in a snow/mud climate, near sinks. <S> Generally I wouldn't use laminate in a bathroom or in a laundry room. <S> Instead look at loose lay sheet vinyl. <S> You can float it, or glue it down. <S> Floating requires the same edge clearance system as laminate.
|
Avoid really light tones. In terms of comparing products, go to a store (either home improvement or dedicated flooring) and try and get a hand on whatever flooring you are looking at. In a wet area caulk the edge so water can't sneak around the edge ofthe floor an wreck your subfloor.
|
Refrigerator fail due to adjacent chest freezer I recently moved into a rental property and within the first week the refrigerator stopped keeping things under 50ºF. When the guy came out to look, he said it was due to my chest freezer being near the refrigerator and it caused the compressor to burn out in it. The refrigerator has wood on both sides, going up to the cabinet above it, creating a little nook for it to reside in. There is about an inch gap on both sides between it and the wood. The chest freezer was on one side, next to the wood, with the stove being on the other. The chest freezer's compressor and other parts are in the back corner, away from the refrigerator. If any other information is needed, ask and I will provide if I can. I'm highly skeptical about this, but don't want to just take the blame of it being broken. I have no real knowledge if it is possible or not. So, is it possible that the refrigerator is failing due to it's proximity to the freezer? Update They have replaced the refrigerator at no cost to us. The guy mentioned that he was going to have it written into the lease to not allow chest freezers at all so I'm thinking he may have something personal against them. Thanks for all the input and help. <Q> Total, utter, male-bovine-derived-organic-fertilizer. <S> The cabinet isn't helping it cool any (and is almost certainly less ventilation space than the manufacturer requires), but the freezer really can't have much effect, being on the other side of the cabinet. <S> The stove on the other side gets far hotter than the outside of the freezer <S> does <S> - so why wasn't that blamed? <S> Presumably because you added the chest freezer to an extant rental kitchen, and the landlord wants to stick you for price of the new refrigerator? <S> You are not, however, doing your chest freezer any favors if it was right next to the wood <S> - most chest freezers have the coils running under the skin and also have a manufacturer-recommended minimum ventilation space around them. <A> Turn the refrigerator off, put a thermometer next to the refrigerator compressor, and let the chest freezer run. <S> See the tech specs on the refrigerator for maximum allowable ambient temperature. <S> Measurement trumps opinion, even if the opinion is supposedly qualified. <S> Added in response to difficulties pointed out by Chris H: You might tie a string to the thermometer so you can pull it out quickly without moving the fridge. <A> The installation clearance requirements for that fridge are actually pretty small and I bet the wood cabinet does meet them. <S> According to the user manual on Sears' website that unit requires only 1" at the back and 3/8" on the top and sides. <S> (That model appears to be one with a vent along the bottom at the front which probably explains the low clearance requirements.) <S> I would just tell the landlord that there's no indication that the freezer has anything to do with the problem, especially considering it is separated by a cabinet wall and the compressor is not even nearby. <S> I wouldn't bother with a thermometer, it won't prove anything. <S> The stove clearly puts out more heat than the chest freezer anyway. <A> Having worked in the appliance field for almost 50 years I think I might be qualified to render an opinion here.. <S> First is the refer a frost free type or an older manual defrost unit ? <S> They rely on convection to move air across the condenser coils in the back of the unit.. <S> Now a newer frost free type has the condenser coils in the bottom of the unit and there is a fan that directs air across the coils in this manner.. <S> The air channel is split in two with the fan being at the back of the partition, air is drawn in across the coils, blown across the compressor and discharged thru the other half of the front of the refer cabinet at the bottom.. <S> The coils can become clogged with lint and dust easily and need to be cleaned with a vacuum cleaner.. <S> The other major screw up people make is the cardboard cover across the bottom of the refer cabinet in the back.. <S> Its there for servicing the compressor and fan.. <S> If by chance when cleaning the condenser coils that cardboard panel was removed and not replaced or properly installed this creates a huge problem.. <S> The fan cannot direct the cooling air in across the coils and out across the compressor because the cardboard acts as the back portion of this boxed channel arrangement.. Have seen it way to many times where the cardboard is left off or not properly installed and the cooling air only goes round in circles thru the fan.. <S> Reinstall the cardboard back or cut a piece of cardboard and duct tape it in place if need <S> be and the magic will start to happen inside of 10 minutes.. <S> The airflow inside the refer will start to cool off.. <S> In basic terms, you are removing heat from the inside of the refer to the condenser coils outside of the unit.. <S> If you cant get rid of the heat outside the box, you don't get no cold inside the box.. <S> Hope that helps..
|
If it is an older unit chances are it would have never worked inside the cabinet..
|
What breaker size for box containing two GFCI circuits? What should the main panel breaker size be to control a 60amp GFCI for a hot tub and a 15amp GFCI outlet. The gfci's are mounted in a box that will be wired to the main panel. <Q> The breaker feeding the sub-panel must be sized not exceed the rating of the sub-panel. <S> So, if you install a 60 amp sub panel you can't protect it (fuse it) <S> any higher than 60 amps. <S> Ditto for 100 amps. <S> The conductors should be sized large enough to carry the load of the sub-panel and be protected by whatever breaker they are attached to. <A> If you have a panel like this one <S> spa disconnect <S> 125A <S> that has a 60A GFCI additional spaces for the convenience outlets you would size your main breaker <S> at least 60 depending on the draw of the tub. <S> I usually upsize a bit in case <S> I want to add additional lighting, or fountains in the future. <S> The max of this model from home depot 125A <S> but it has the 60 GFCI and provisions for additional like you asked. <A> The Main breaker can be equal or greater than 60 Amps, but not smaller. <S> If you are actually referring to the breaker feeding the hot tub and not the main breaker, then that breaker needs to rated for what the manufacture requires.
|
If it calls for a 60 Amp circuit then the wire size needs to be at least a #6.
|
Circular saw won't cut vertically I'm cutting dimensional lumber with a circular saw (a cheap 7.25" Ryobi I got at HD). I can't seem to ensure that the cut is vertical. Meaning, with the piece lying lengthwise while cutting, the cut should ideally be in a perfectly vertical plane, but turns out to be at least a few degrees off. Is it typically hard to get this cut angle correct? I made sure that the bevel adjustment lever is set correctly, and the blade doesn't feel loose. I'm not sure whether it's because the saw is cheap or it's often hard to get right. <Q> Despite what you might believe, those adjustment levers on most tools are not calibrated very well. <S> Even on my table saw I regularly use a simple plastic 90-degree triangle to ensure my blade is aligned to the table. <S> This is part of owning any tool and it's worth a few moments to verify everything is set up properly. <S> A more expensive tool will simply buy you more time between calibrations but all tools should be checked with regular use. <A> You have to expect a certain amount of deviation when using low-cost tools. <S> So some adjusting will be necessary. <S> First check the plate to the blade angle (with the saws angle set to 90 degrees) with a square. <S> The best way to execute a cut (rip or cross) is to make several passes, increasing the depth of each pass. <S> I've found that if my saw blade is set at its' deepest cut and I'm hurrying it by pushing hard, the blade will deflect and run untrue. <A> Modern framing blades in particular are very thin, and they tend to track with the wood grain. <S> A cut path that weaves enhances this effect. <S> Try a stiffer blade, and make sure to keep your cut as straight as possible. <A> You're probably not doing anything wrong. <S> Circular saws are used a lot for framing but those cuts don't need to be super precise. <S> Someone who's very practiced with a circular saw might be able to make precise cuts but if you're not, it won't be easy. <S> With a miter saw or radial arm saw, it is easy. <S> With a circular saw, it's easy with a cutting guide. <S> You can buy cutting guides for ripping sheets with a circular saw, but I don't know of any that will really help make cross cuts of small pieces nice and square. <S> But, you could make one - there are lots of them out there, such as this one which I found at this link . <A> Usually, there is a hard stop at 90 degrees. <S> Make sure its against that stop. <S> If you can't adjust it to square, I would return it.
|
With a hand saw, it's pretty easy if you mark the cut nicely and follow your mark. The issue may be a combination of flex in the saw blade and your technique.
|
How can I find the circuit breaker that my outdoor outlet is on? I have one outdoor outlet where there is no power coming in and I am unable to determine which circuit breaker it is on so I can restore the power. <Q> The first thing to check since this is an outdoor outlet is to see if there is a GFCI device built-in ("test" and "reset" buttons on the outlet). <S> The GFCI may have cut power to the outlet. <S> Sometimes several outlets are connected to a single GFCI so if there isn't one at that outlet look for others nearby. <S> All outdoor outlets are required to have GFCI protection since the 1970s, although sometimes older homes haven't been updated. <S> If the GFCI is fine or you can't find one, next check the breaker panel. <S> However sometimes it can be difficult to tell, especially with older breakers that have a little bit of wiggle. <S> The easiest thing to do is to turn them all fully OFF and then ON, one by one. <S> Alternately, some circuit breakers have the GFCI built into them, so try the "Reset" button if you see one. <S> Once you have identified the breaker, update the label next to it so that you don't have to guess next time. <S> If you can't find a breaker that restores power, check for a sub-panel somewhere and/or double-check for a GFCI (could be somewhere unusual). <S> (Bonus tip: if you are trying to identify the breaker for an outlet that works, plug something loud into it: a radio or a vacuum cleaner turned on. <S> Then when you are at the panel you can hear the sound stop when you have flipped off the correct breaker.) <A> You could use a Wire Tracker to trace the wires back to the breaker. <S> However, these devices only work on dead circuits. <S> If the circuit is live, you could use a Circuit Breaker Finder . <S> You plug the one part into the receptacle, then run the other part over the breakers. <S> When you run over the correct breaker, the device blinks/lights up. <S> Your milage may vary <A> if your house had a basement or garage or crawlspace look there for the gfci <S> they are not usually in the crawlspace <S> but i have found them there at times. <S> the bathroom or utility room is also a good place to look for one. <S> if you cant find it in those locations check your main panel for a large breaker something that is around 75 to 100 amps that has interlocked handles on it. <S> if you have electric heat there will be one or more 50 or 60 amp breakers with the same handles on them <S> but if you don't have electric heat and you find something larger than 40 amps you likely have a sub panel someplace. <S> it may have the offending breaker inside it also look for the switch on the wall that do sent seem to do anything in the house. <A> First thing check breakers..at this point You would know if one of the breakers is tripped..meaning it will be in the off positionor middle position.. <S> most times it will be towards outward position or loose in the middle.. <S> it may not be connected to other outlets .. <S> you'll know by checking other outlets near.. <S> it may be dedicated. <S> .meaning <S> it's on its own breaker.. <S> it mat be tripping itself. <S> .check <S> the wires to it with proper wire tester..check with local hardware store if you Don't have one or not sure what it is.. <S> it's for checking if wire is live.. <S> if wire is live change GFCI... <S> If not you may need an electrician to trace and troubleshoot between it and breaker panel..if you trouble shoot use proper tools and testers and nearest outlets and breaker itself if identified
|
A breaker that is tripped should is identifiable because the switch is in the middle (neither ON nor OFF).
|
Pure sine wave or modified for a Trane HVAC? Winter is near and I want to be able to run my Trane HVAC 1 hp motor and my Dell abd Mac desktop computers off an inverter or generator. Should I get something that puts out a pure sine wave or can I safely use less expensive, modified sine wave equipment? <Q> the laptop wont care if its modified sine wave power <S> but if you plan on running an ac get a generator the trane is using a 1 hp capacitor start capacitor run induction motor, it requires a true sinewave to run using modified will ruin it and void the waranty. <S> also truesine inverters are very costly. <S> you should be fine using a 25kw generator. <A> even though this is a single phase system there will be some harmonics. <S> all systems are susceptible to them. <S> they are however a more serious issue on 3 phase systems. <S> most insidious are the 3rd order harmonics. <S> inverters <S> that are not true sine <S> are themselves a source of harmonics and <S> that being said so are generators. <S> and a contributing factor to the harmonics problem on any system are non liner loads such as computers and other equipment that has a switching power supply. <S> now if you wish to have a fully scale able inverter system that is able to be tailored to your needs. <S> im using a system made of these one of these and one of these additional racks can be added for more capacity as needed just like <S> the inverters may be paralleled as demand grows. <A> Pure sine is better; no harmonics.
|
Modified sine (really a stepped approximation) is usually close enough and cheaper; it has much weaker harmonics than the old square-wave sources and the remaining ones don't generally cause problems.
|
How can I stop gutter water flow noise? My gutter runs along the bottom of the roof and not around the bay window. Because of this there is very little sound insulation between the gutter and inside the bedroom and so we can hear water every time it rains! So annoying. Only options recommended to me at this point really have been to insulate the ceiling which sounds like a big job, but I am thinking of trying to get some thick string to run along the base of the roof and inside the gutter to slow the flow of water. Does anyone think this sounds like a crazy idea? Of even know how I would attach string to my roof and gutter please? <Q> The sound should be the water entering the downspout's top, but could also transmit from the water hitting the very bottom elbow at the ground. <S> One solution is to remove a few gutter nails or screws back from the window & install rubber bushings or pads to insulate or isolate the gutter's connection to the house. <S> Then, of course put your gutter screws or nails back in... <S> a little loose will assist the padding. <S> A Second measure, is to back the gutter & downspout, give them more density. <S> Like a stainless steel kitchen sink's noise reduction pad(s). <S> As an example is Grace's Vycor Plus Ice & Water Shield self-adhesive flashing . <S> The 4" wide by 75' long for $20 at home improvement stores should accomplish this quite well. <S> You can build it up to dramatically deaden or eliminate that sound & then paint it to match. <A> I think you might find the majority of the noise comes from the downspout not the gutter. <S> Also, once the heavy string or rope becomes soaked it will no longer slow anything as the water coming in will force water out at the same rate. <S> The other problems would be how to fasten it in place without penetrating the roof, and how fast will it rot being outside. <S> A cheaper / easier solution might be to remove the gutter and downspout entirely and put stone under the eave to prevent splash-up. <A> A flexible plastic or slightly angled metal flashing slid under the shingles and left in contact with the side or bottom of the gutter would do this. <A> You should confirm whether it's the downspout you are hearing, or the water entering the gutter. <S> One of you can, carefully, use a ladder and a hose to see if the noise happens just when water enters the downspout, or as it flows along the gutter. <S> If the noise is from water entering the gutter, there are several foam inserts <S> you can get. <S> These are designed to prevent leaves clogging the gutter, but they may also slow the flow and prevent any "pinging" noises.
|
If the sound you're complaining about is simply the sound of water dripping the 3 inches between the roof edge flashing and the bottom of the gutter, the solution may be to install a sloped flashing to allow the water to flow into the gutter rather than drop.
|
How should I dispose of treated wood or manufactured boards? Are off cuts of pressure treated wood for internal use or manufactured board such as loft boarding safe to dispose of in a domestic garden fire pit (not for cooking)? I have a large amount of off cuts after boarding my loft and doing various other jobs, so its either burn it or take it to the tip and burn something else... Info I should have added originally, so apologies - this is the UK where restrictions on what you can do on your own property are a lot loss. I can burn this stuff in my garden fire pit or chimney for example, Im wondering if its safe to do so though. <Q> When it burns, treated wood emits all sort of nasty chemicals that it was treated, such as trivalent chromium, copper sulfate, and arsenic. <S> Not good stuff to breathe or pump into the air. <S> If you can't find a way to use the leftover wood, the most responsible thing is to just take it to the dump. <S> At least they'll have waste and runoff containment systems. <A> In the US, from the EPA : If you must dispose treated wood, follow these recommendations: State statute prohibits open burning of treated lumber. <S> Typically, open burning of any kind can only occur at town transfer stations, by permit, involving only clean (untreated) wood and brush. <S> Other limited open burning situations can occur at other sites, but only under a permit from local authorities, and typically only for clean wood and brush, not treated lumber. <S> Treated wood of all types can be most responsibly disposed of as follows: <S> Contractors, utilities, and manufacturers should contract directly with a DEEP permitted bulky waste landfill, or send it to an out-of state wood burner facility appropriately equipped and permitted to burn treated wood. <S> Sawdust, chips, and small wood scraps should never be composted. <S> Treat these items as stated above. <A> Check your town ordinances. <S> Some towns insist it always be treated as construction waste so they can process it separately; others will let you toss small amounts in the trash (recognizing that homeowners are gonna be a bit sloppy) but over a few pounds needs to be sequestered; it's possible some are still ignoring the issue and just landfilling anything that isn't alive. <S> (Insert gangsterjoke here.) <S> " Ask the local authority having jurisdiction " is the answer to many home improvement questions. <A> I would not burn pressure treated wood, the smoke would be toxic. <S> You're supposed to just throw it out with regular garbage. <S> As far as I know recyclers don't want it.
|
Homeowners engaged in small projects should take treated wood to their local landfill or transfer station and place it in the designated location (i.e., the non-clean wood pile).
|
How to prevent heat loss over a recessed light? I have a recessed light installed in a sloped ceiling - no attic space over it. On a cold morning when there is frost or snow on the roof and I stand outside the house, I can see a warm spot directly over where the light fixture is. The light has been off all night so I believe this isn't heat from a bulb - just warm air escaping. What are some good options for preventing this heat loss? I don't know the model of can (I might be able to poke around to find it) so I don't know yet if it's IC-rated. It's 120V (no transformer). EDIT: I haven't tried to pull the can down but with the bulb out I can see it's a Juno ICT926 which is IC-rated. I see Juno offers two products: the ALG6 (Airloc Gasket) which is a plastic ring and a VB6 (vapor barrier) which seems like it wraps the box. Is one more desirable than the other or more appropriate for this problem? <Q> if its ic rated i recommend roxaul mineral insulation over the fixture. <S> if it is not ic rated or the rating cant be determined i advise replacing it with one that is ic rated and placing insulation over it. <A> Since you noticed this overnight, the most important vector for heat loss is going to be air circulating above the fixture. <S> There are retrofit kits available that can be installed from the living space. <S> I would recommend getting one of these that is Air Sealed, and IC-rated. <S> When replacing the fixture, you can insulate the space above it. <S> Insulating spray foam (Great Stuff is one brand) should perform best, providing the highest R-value per inch and acting as a moisture barrier. <S> While you have access to the underside of the roof, make sure to check for mold or water damage. <S> If warm air has been making it's way to the roofing, there may have been water build up. <S> When insulating, make sure the bay isn't connected to a soffit or other vent, since that should not be blocked off. <S> If the bay where this light is situated is vented, then do not insulate it, and concentrate on air-sealing the recessed light fixture as much as possible. <S> UPDATE: It's also worth noting that LED fixtures can be shallower than older styles, and would provide more space for insulation. <A> This is going to be hard to do if you can't access the can from the top/outside and do what Arion recommends (or build an insulated box around it). <S> What you can do in its current state is at the very least seal it. <S> That will minimize convection losses, although it won't really help conduction losses. <S> To seal it from the inside, remove the bezel, if possible, and caulk the gap between it and the ceiling. <S> Use high temperature foil tape to close any holes or gaps on the inside of the can. <A> The limiting factor will probably be the amount of space available between the can and the roof. <S> If the can is just set up between rafters, there's not much you can do there <S> - there's just no space for insulation. <S> Even if the can light is rated to allow contact with insulation, there may be very little or no space for insulation. <S> A patch of radiant barrier insulation above the light would do some good, if you can install it safely above the light. <S> If the light isn't IC rated, and the instructions / labeling tell you not to trap heat above the light, it may be that you just have to allow that heat to escape.
|
There may not be more than an inch of space, but any amount of insulation will help, after the air leaks are fixed.
|
How to prevent leaving hot tap/faucet running? Occasionally one of us in our house leaves the hot tap/faucet running, and sometimes this can be overnight, which is costly. Any good ideas on how to prevent this? So far I've thought of these: Set up some kind of electronic alarm which detects heat or runningwater and sounds after a few minutes. But this could be quite hardfor me to set up, and would probably use batteries all the time - more cost and work to monitor and change occasionally. Set up some kind of simple alarm which detects heat or running water without much electronics (e.g. a rubber band on the hot water pipe, or the waste pipe, which should tighten as it heats up, thus triggering a switch which completes a circuit and sounds an alarm). I like this kind of idea, but my tests so far show no noticable change in length of a rubber band after running the hot tap for a while, when wrapped around these pipes, so I'm not sure I can get this to work. An alternative could be to use metal which bends in one direction when heated (I think this has 2 strips of different types of metal which expand at different rates with heat, glued together size-by-side). Install some kind of whistle on the taps, so they make a noise when they run. But aside from the irritating noise (especially at night), I doubt these would work with very slow water flows (e.g. which could even be a fast drip). Prevent people from using the hot tap (e.g. duct tape the hot tap handle). Not very user-friendly, and then they'll probably leave the cold tap running, which is also not ideal. Thoughts? <Q> The very best solution for this is to install the newest type of faucet that has an infrared sensor that detects your hands near the faucet and turns on the water. <S> When the hands leave the area of the faucet the water turns back off. <S> These generally operate on a battery so no special wiring is needed and as I understand the batteries last a good length of time. <S> You can find many examples of these faucets online by using search terms of: Automatic Faucet Sensor Faucet Touchless Faucet <A> My mom is 103, blind, deaf and easily confused (can't see nor hear water running). <S> With one motion, she uses her left and right hands to twist left and right faucet knobs on and off. <S> Sometimes when she turns off the knobs, she twists both hands the same direction which turns the hot water on instead of off. <S> I asked her to use one hand only, which would stop the brain confusion, but she forgets. <S> I have found a simple hack that seems to work (so far): <S> Use 2 rubber bands: <S> Tie one band in a knot around one side of the other band (will look like a bow on a ribbon). <S> Stretch the rubber band around the hot water faucet knob. <S> When Mom feels the rubber bands on the knob, she is reminded to turn the knob off and feel for water running. <A> In the "same idea as Micheal's answer but Old School", there are the Touchless Taps of Yore. <S> Which were in at least one building at my old school, and quite brilliant. <S> Two foot pedals side by side on the floor were connected to a linkage - you pressed down for water and went to left or right for hot or cold. <S> They were spring-loaded <S> so they shut off when you removed your foot. <S> They would almost certainly be much harder to find than the electronic approach, but perhaps more easily hacked together at home, depending on your skills. <S> I cannot find a picture of this style. <S> With a modern single-lever faucet you might be able to use just one pedal, with the right linkage. <S> More currently available models seem to have moved the valve to the pedal, probably easier to manage than the elaborate chrome pedal-to-valve linkage I recall. <S> An image, I'm not associated with it nor endorsing it. <S> These are very nice in that you don't have to touch a tap handle with your dirty hands, clean your hands, and then touch the tap handle you touched with your dirty hands, or figure out how to wash the tap handle and your hands at the same time. <A> What about an LED light that is triggered by the water flow as a warning to those who might not realize the tap is still running? <A> I've just mistakenly left the (outdoor) hose running for hours, when I turned it on to fill a cup size portion. <S> (Sorry, No research, just brainstorming.) <S> Indoor sound alarms might wake up the whole family, inconveniently, but that would likely achieve the goal of getting the water turned off.
|
I was thinking that a mechanical whistle sound that blows continuously while the faucet is on could have stopped me from distractingly walking away.
|
What is this black coloring in attic? Curious if anyone can tell what this is? Not sure if it's mold or if it is something else. The yellow in the closeup is sap I believe but the black stuff almost looks like super small poppy seeds. <Q> To my untrained eye, it does appear to be mold. <S> The would indicate a moisture problem. <S> Next I would check for ventilation, often in the form of soffit and ridge vents, but could also be gable vents. <S> They need to be unobstructed. <A> without a doubt that is mold, get a simple test kit from home depot to confirm <S> but i've spent years in attic spaces, that my friend is black mold and is no joke. <S> Dont use bleach, it doesn't kill all the spores, you've got to use a formulated mold killing solution like this one <S> http://www.zoro.com/microban-disinfectant-spray-plus-size-1-gal-mint-221522000/i/G2564186/?gclid=CjwKEAiA18mzBRCo1e_-y_KLpXISJACEsANGmt9Scys6sptBznKbaWGqPJMFOi2iVK4s4CeuG3S6XhoCy5_w_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds <S> I'ts also important to try not to disturb the mold too much or the spores will travel. <S> ventilate outside and spray the solution with at least a couple applications. <S> when dried you can then work to remove the mold. <S> Be sure to use all the proper safety procedures, you DO NOT want to ingest or breathe in the fumes from the spray or the spores from the mold. <S> the mold is likely coming from a condensation buildup along your soffet, a good trick would be to get in there and attach cut foam blocks at the top of your wall cavity up to the roof deck to seal the soffet of from the attic space, wherever cooler and warmer air mix there will be condensation. <S> something else you can do to help is get underneath the insulation and use 3m flashing tape to tape over partition walls, electrical wires, or any other protrusions through the ceiling plane. <S> you'll save on heating costs by creating an envelope around your living space and cut down on the air mixing in your attic. <S> good luck! <A> I don't think that necessarily looks like mold, just the usual dark staining that can happen to wet wood, and is mostly harmless. <S> In old houses you'll usually see some spots that are stained dark or black where there was a roof leak at some point in time, which was repaired, but the stain remains. <S> If the wood is soft - if it's easily imprinted when you push on it - it's probably rotten. <S> If the dark surface of the wood smudges, it could be mold. <S> Here's a pdf <S> I just turned up with some more detailed info: DISCOLORATIONSON WOOD PRODUCTS: <S> Causes and Implications -A <S> Wood Protection Fact Sheet Forintek Canada <A> It's difficult to tell based only on photos. <S> The best course of action, is to get it tested.
|
With any moisture sources solved, the typical remedy for the mold itself is a bleach solution, being careful to not get it on your skin, clothes, or anything else that could be damaged. If neither of these appear to be the cause, then there could be a leak in the roof. The first place I would look is bathroom exhaust fan vents, they need to exhaust outside of the house, through the roof or out the siding, not into the attic space.
|
Can I put a PV panel on my roof and run wires into a room to a power resistor to generate heat? Maybe a dumb idea, but can I just put a PV panel on my roof and run wires into a room to a power resistor to generate heat? I have just one room that I was thinking of adding this additional heat to. I suppose I could prototype the idea by running a heater of the desired wattage (maybe 200 watts on average) and seeing if it makes much of a difference in the temp of the room. But I dont see anyone who has done this on the web. Also, you would want to maximize the power transfer from the PV to the power resistor, so that suggests trying to figure out the resistance of the panel and supply lines and trying to match your power resistor to that same resistance? <Q> Works (while the sun is shining), but is a very expensive option and not overly efficient. <S> Solar PV panels of a remotely affordable price are about 10% efficient in terms of converting sunlight to electricity. <S> Most of the rest of the sun's energy that hits them is converted to heat. <S> So, from a sun conversion point of view, direct solar thermal collection is more efficient. <S> However, for a grid-tied house, you might be better off (as relative prices of PV and thermal systems shift) putting up some grid-tied panels and using the grid they are tied to run a heat pump (depending on climate, a low-tmperature heat pump, which are relatively new on the scene and can operate in air temperatures below 0° F.) <S> 200W is a tiny amount of heat in any case - about 600 BTU/hr. <S> PV panels tend to have two specified numbers that will be somewhat relevant for choosing a resistor - the open circuit voltage (no current, no power) and the short circuit current (no voltage, no power) - a sophisticated system tries to shoot for the "maximum power point" which is somewhere in the middle. <S> If you are lucky that might also be specified. <S> You are not trying to "match resistance" (whatever you mean by that) <S> - rather you are looking for a resistor that will drop a voltage somewhat less than the open circuit voltage at a current somewhat less than the short circuit current. <A> If you are trying to generate heat from the sun you are much better off getting solar thermal panels. <S> A PV panel only gets about 15-20% of the sun's power converted but a thermal panel can be closer to 80%. <S> If you are the DIY type you can even make your own thermal panel for cheap. <S> There are a few ways to do it <S> but I have seen people make them from old refrigerator coils, aluminum cans, heating ductwork, or other materials. <A> I don't think a plain resistor is what you want <S> , I think a resistive load is what you want. <S> Incandescent bulbs as mentioned would work and they're easy to find and work with. <S> Of course you won't want an inverter in this setup, and 12V bulbs are readily available for automotive applications. <S> But it isn't necessary to reinvent the heater, there are tons of 12VDC heaters out there made for automotive use that are cheap as dirt that would work fine. <S> Most have a fan and the convection will probably make it more effective. <S> In fact they are a little too cheap <S> , I'd worry about safety left unattended. <S> There are also 12vdc and 24vdc heaters made for industrial use inside outdoor cabinets, those would work and are I'd trust them much more, but they're more expensive, sometimes you get what you pay for.
|
The short answer is that electricity is not a particularly cost-effective way of generating heat, and solar panels are not a particularly cost-effective way of generating electricity, so this is not really a smart financial decision.
|
House has no plumbing vent — is this a solution? I've been living in a fixer-upper for a while... I've been fixing a lot that was previously done wrong. I've finally gotten around to ripping out our first floor bathroom (two full bathrooms) and I'm noticing some plumbing issues. Mainly that there's what seems to be a vent pipe terminating into my wall. So yeah, there are no proper plumbing vents in this house. Surprisingly I haven't yet had any problems, but now that I've got a bathroom torn out it seems like I should fix it correctly. I've made a diagram of the existing... situation. The large pipe is 4" PVC, and the smaller pipes are 2" PVC — I don't have wall access into the second floor bathroom at this point, but from what I can tell by the first floor, everything is draining into a single 4" pipe. Edit: looking at the existing work some more, it just seems better to redo the entire waste line system. Here's my plan. Any red flags here? <Q> I am not a plumber <S> but I think your plan is just fine according to these tables: http://publicecodes.cyberregs.com/icod/ipc/2012/icod_ipc_2012_7_sec009.htm <S> http://publicecodes.cyberregs.com/icod/ipc/2012/icod_ipc_2012_7_sec010.htm A 3" pipe is plenty for the number of DFU's in your stack and horizontal run. <S> The 2" vents on the sinks are probably even oversized and so they should be plenty. <S> The only issue I see is you can't take sink through the roof as a 1.5". <S> At least not here in the north where it could frost over. <S> Have you considered tying the kitchen vent into your main vent and avoiding another roof penetration? <S> Just a thought. <S> The only time plumbers around here use 4" in a single family home is for the main sewer exit from the house, and then only a few feet of the exit itself. <S> Good luck! <A> Looks pretty good. <S> I'd suggest a 3" vent for the washer (for a top loading unit's dump), a 2" vent for the kitchen's dishwasher dump & 4" for all of the 3", but I get the framing issues so really no problem there. <S> You can vent through a sidewall if you're 4-ft (check your codes) away from any doors or windows (the vent just needs to be higher than that branch's sink). <S> It really dedicates the venting a whole lot better <S> & I hate roof penetrations. <A> Unlike what most people think, a vent is not always needed. <S> You said that in the old situation, all small pipes were 2". <S> Often, 2" pipes are used to prevent the need for vents. <S> I installed all of the plumbing in my house, using 2" pipes going to 4" where they come together (to be more precise, I used 50mm and 100mm pipes, which are the metrical aquivalents in Europe). <S> I have no vents at all, mainly because they are known to sometimes cause a stink where the vent reaches the surface <S> (which is why they normally go to the roof, where you never go, and therefore never smell it. <S> Only I have no areas where I can let them surface without the risk of causing a stink.)So <S> (eg the sink or washer, which have 32mm or 1,26" connections). <S> 2" inch pipes are big enough, as they allow the water to move in a tumbling motion when going down (the water volume is reduced by the smaller outlet of the appliance). <S> Therefore you never build up a negative pressure in the pipes... <S> If you use 1,5" however, you will build up negative pressure, and therefore you need a vent.
|
I checked it out, and there is no real need for vents, as long as you use pipes that are significantly bigger than the drain of the appliance connected to it
|
single zone house with forced hot water only heating on one side I have a single zone in my house with forced hot water only heating on one side of the house. What am I doing wrong? I have bled the pipes many times and still not heat on one side of the house <Q> 99.5% you need to bleed somewhere you haven't found yet, or you need to bleed more. <S> It's almost always an air bubble. <S> 0.3% there's a misadjusted valve to blame. <S> If you don't know what a balancing valve looks like it may not be obvious that it is a valve. <S> 0.2% there's an actual blockage. <S> I've seen a 1/2" pipe elbow that had less than 1/16" space for flow due to some VERY enthusiastic soldering (it was nearly plugged with solder), in the bizarre examples line. <S> But this is chasing the tiny odds. <S> In some houses that's more like 25% odds due to terrible heating system design and poor insulation. <S> If you can't sort it yourself, calling in a pro can make sense before things DO freeze up. <A> Are you sure the circulation pump is actually circulating? <S> If so you'd likely have each room down the line receive somewhat less heat than before. <A> Sounds like you have a hard-to-find or hidden shut-off valve in the pipe for the back of the house that someone closed to save money. <S> If the front of the house is heating then the pump is working, which means it is not air-locked and you separator is working fine. <S> If you have vertical radiators, there might be a bleed valve at a high point in the back circuit or on a radiator that is full of scale or needs replacing. <S> If you have perimeter heat there probably isn't a bleed valve since you have a pretty flat system. <S> So, if the back circuit was unrestricted it should have water flowing through it. <S> So, I believe you have a major restriction or a closed valve. <A> Fill the system with water. <S> On the other hand, it could be that your expansion tank's bladder is blown or that you just need to pump it up, usually just to 7-psi or so.
|
If you're bleeding & just not hearing air purge & seeing no water, then it's very low on water. Another possible blockage - if it got really cold before you turned the heat on, there's a frozen section on the one side. You might have a very slow gravity induced flow.
|
Toilet bowl fills very slowly unless the shut off valve is turned off and then on again The toilet bowl is filling up very slowly. When I take the back of the toilet off, I see that there is only a little bit of water going into the fill up tube. I then found that if I turn off the water to the toilet and then turn it back on again, the water pressure is perfect and the toilet fills up normally. Do I need to change the water shut-off valve or is it something in the tank that needs to be fixed? <Q> Some can be cleaned by turning the water off removing the top of the valve and turning the water on just a little. <S> Putting a cup on top of the valve allows a higher water pressure. <S> If the fill doesn't improve a replacement will be needed. <S> Not all fill valves can be cleaned. <A> It could either be the shutoff valve or the fill valve in the toilet. <S> If your shutoff is a gate valve (turn it many times to open and close), these sometimes are affected by mineral deposits. <S> Replacing this with a quarter turn ball valve is pretty straight forward and will ensure reliable service for the indefinite future. <S> Replacing the fill valve is also pretty straight forward and these do indeed fail. <S> I would probably start with the shutoff and if that doesn't solve it move on to the fill valve. <A> I had the exact same problem. <S> For me trying to clean the fill valve of sentiment did not help nor did the cup on top. <S> For me, I needed to replace the fill valve seal which has gotten a bit distorted over time. <S> I went out, and for less than $3, bought a Fluidmaster 242. <S> Just slide off the old seal and slide on the new seal after removing the top of the fill valve.
|
Some fill valves turn the water down if they detect a leak, sounds like yours is malfunctioning, that or scale, rust, gravel sticking in the valve.
|
Make a wide power connector fit in a narrow slot This seems like a bad idea but I wanted to know for sure. I am trying to extend the reach of my Christmas lights this year into a garden that is about 6 feet from my fence. I don't want to have lights on the ground as my kids would try to play with them. Same logic if I tried to brace them in the air from the fence into the garden. Light connectors, all of the ones I purchase anyway, have the two narrow power connectors. All the groundless extension cords I find have the narrow and wide connectors which means I cannot use it to extend the lights. What I could do is use wire cutters or a dremel to trim the wide connector down to size. Again I could see that being a bad idea if I was to try and use that cable for anything else. What are my options here assuming I cannot find the right extension cable? <Q> I might get some flack for this answer, but if you are only connecting a set of mini Christmas lights to another set, this should be fine. <S> I had to do it as well... <S> For those that don't know, mini light sets have a male plug on one end and a female plug on the other so you can string several strands of lights together. <S> Unlike every other extension cord sold, a light set has two narrow blades on the male end and two narrow slots on the female end. <S> This means that polarity doesn't matter at all, and has the bonus effect of making sure you only plug another polarity-doesn't-matter strand into the end. <S> All cheap extension cords that I could find have one wide blade and one narrow, so if you need a "gap" between strands of lights, you're out of luck. <S> Unless you have a Dremel or wire cutters or even a decent file to make one of the blades narrow. <S> That said, I only use my modified cord with mini light sets, and I labeled it as "Christmas lights" <S> so I don't use it for anything else. <S> Disclaimer: <S> Modifying electrical components such as extension cords is in general, a bad idea. <S> They are made a certain way for a reason, and if you think you need to modify it, you're probably trying to do something dangerous, and there's a detail or a special part that you don't know about. <S> In this case, the modified cord could allow a device requiring a polarized connection to be plugged in the wrong way, which is dangerous (the mini lights, as discussed, are not polarized). <S> Update: <S> I did find this one company that sells ( not sold in stores! ) <S> a non-polarized plug for around $12 each. <S> They only sell this one product... <A> Or buy a non-polarized extension cord. <S> Found this . <S> I am sure you could find the other end. <S> Just search "non polarized plug end" <S> Point is buy some parts online and just build it proper. <S> Your local home center might have some non-polarized plug end options. <A> If you are using a cheap extension chord you can just cram the wide blade into the narrow slot with brute strength.
|
Buy non-polarized plug ends and short lengths of lamp cord and build a proper non-polarized cord. Then wrap the junction with plastic wrap to seal it from the weather.
|
How to make this drain better The original problem was that running the garbage disposal would force water into the other sink. I assumed that happened because there wasn't anything blocking water from flowing between the two (typical t-fittings for drains have a plastic piece to prevent this) So, I tore that out and made it look like this. That's all well and good, but I have the same problem. I think it's because the drain in the wall is high compared to the bottom of the sink. I had someone suggest using a double wye at the wall; his thinking was the angles would prevent water from flowing back. Is this legal? Are there better ideas? <Q> Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) has this to say about horizontal drain lines meeting other horizontal drain lines. <S> 706.3 Horizontal drainage lines connecting with other horizontal drainage lines shall enter through forty-five (45) degree (0.79 rad) <S> wye branches, combination wye and one-eighth (1/8) bend branches, or other approved fittings of equivalent sweep. <S> So you'll have to use a 45 wye, or a combination wye & 1/8. <S> This configuration gets the water moving in the proper direction, before it's dumped into the other line. <S> 45 wye <S> Combination wye & 1/8 <S> You'll also want to avoid trying to make water go up hill. <S> Go back to the original setup. <S> Then... <S> Remove the 45° fitting near the wall. <S> Come straight out of the wall, and install a 45° wye. <S> Connect the trap on the right of the image, into the straight branch of the wye. <S> Connect the trap on the left of the image, into the angled branch of the 45° wye. <S> The red lines represent the 45° wye fitting <A> The drain goes up significantly at the wall. <S> Fix this <S> by replacing pipes and fittings in such a way that water only goes down <S> and your problem should be fixed. <S> You do not need to use a wye in the wall if the connecting drain is vertical. <S> The wye is required when drain pipes are both horizontal; say in a crawl space where a toilet drain is horizontal and enters the horizontal main drain. <A> The original configuration, improved with a wye fitting rather than the tee, is probably the best approach. <S> By directing momentum downstream you'll reduce the tendency to backflow. <S> Make an effort to create down-slope at the wye location to help further. <S> Also, by removing one of the p-traps you've effectively removed back-flow resistance. <S> The uphill flow is just bad. <S> It effectively creates a larger p-trap. <S> You'll eventually get buildup of grease settling in and clogging the whole thing.
|
In a wall, pipes almost always meet horizontal to vertical or vice-versa so in your case a wye, or lack-there-of, would probably not be the problem. You might need to lower the height the drain enters the wall by cutting into the wall, finding the vertical section of drain, and connecting to that section at a lower point.
|
How much drywall should I remove around a moldy area? The previous owner told me that during the last winter when snow melted, water got in the basement through the drywall and he had to wipe dry the floor. Last year we had one of the worst winters on record (New York City). I have a closet where a piece of the drywall (2x3 ft) has some black spots on it and water marks, but the rest of the drywall seems fine. The basement has regular drywall (not the blue one). The basement doesn't smell musty or bad at all and I have not seen water coming in since then. I am planning on pouring concrete on the outside to take care of water that might be seeping through to the foundation. If I just remove that small piece of drywall that has some black spots (mold?) on it, should I continue ripping off the rest of the drywall to look underneath? It would mean I would have to destroy the walls etc. what is the best route especially since the basement doesn't smell and I haven't had any issues since and the rest of the walls seem fine. When I replace the drywall should I spray some stuff inside to kill the mold? <Q> The industry standards, the ANSI/IICRC S520 Standard of Care for professional mold remediation, generally stipulates removal of 24" around the visibly moldy area. <S> If you see visible mold on the room facing side of the drywall, the likelihood of the problem being worse inside the walls is high. <A> You should hold off on any interior repairs until you are sure the leak is fixed. <S> It is important to know where the water is coming from. <S> A concrete apron around the outside may not be sufficient. <S> If this occurred during a snow melt or heavy rain it is possible the water table was raised. <S> In this case, you would need a french drain or sump pump in the concrete slab. <S> Read for more information on hydrostatic pressure <S> http://www.wagnermeters.com/flooring/rapid-rh-concrete-moisture/hydrostatic-pressure-isnt <S> Remove the drywall several inches above the mold to expose the wall. <S> Remove and discard any insulation. <S> Clean the wood and/or concrete with a detergent or biocide. <S> Let it dry completely. <S> Follow EPA guidelines. <S> http://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2014-08/documents/moldguide.pdf <S> Fix the leak and wait to ensure water does not return. <S> Otherwise, you'll be ripping up your repair job. <S> After the leak is fixed replace insulation, drywall, patch and paint. <A> This was a long time ago <S> and well it is just a spot. <S> You are actually probably rounding up more mold by removal than leaving it there - without water <S> the mold is harmless - <S> it lies dry and dead. <S> A remediation company would discard 12" around it and any insulation in that realm - maybe going more than 12" if seemed to be previously wet on inspection.
|
We would also generally remove any other wet drywall. Fix the leak first before fixing any water damage. Hydrostatic pressure will force water through concrete. You may need to move water further away and use a french drain.
|
Adding insulation to attached garage I have an attached garage I use as a workshop, and I'd like to insulate it since I plan on running water and sewer lines into the garage for a utility sink*. Right now, the garage is just studs and exterior wall. I don't plan on drywalling this garage. The ceiling is drywalled, since there is a bedroom above the garage. I was thinking of just using fiberglass batt insulation. Would that be sufficient? If not, what is the best way to do this? Edit: This house is located in Denver, CO. We get both warm summers and cold winters, but not a ton of humidity. *Please note, I am going to have a shutoff valve and nipple drain on the line inside of the heated portion of the house. I don't plan on having this water line charged unless I need water in the shop. <Q> Fiberglass is an option. <S> I would go roxul though with your climate. <S> However insulation is the least of your worry. <S> If you want to run lines to an area of your house in your climate it must be a conditioned space - meaning it needs heat. <S> Really the only option you have in Denver is to run your lines to a shared wall with the inside of your house and install a shutoff on the other side that you can close up for a few of the coldest months (without a conditioned space). <S> Would this get signed off by local inspector? <S> Ask him. <S> It wouldn't happen in my area but <S> who knows in colder climates the allowances they make if you take precautions. <S> Also make sure all plumbing after shut-off is heavily sloped down and out - I would say at least 10 degrees. <A> If your budget permits, why not go with spray foam insulation? <A> Ultimately, I decided to use Roxul for the exposed studs and then used 1" rigid foam insulation along with foil tape to insulate the garage door. <S> The garage now held around 45 degrees with the outside temperature being around 7 degrees. <S> There's a couple of spots I could add insulation, but I need to get the 24" batts for that. <S> I had decided against foam insulation, since I may want to run additional electrical circuits in the garage (where my main panel is). <S> Foam would insulate wonderfully, but would be problematic if I need to run wire. <S> I can just pull the Roxul right out, since it's a press-fit. <S> I think that with either an electric or gas garage heater, I could keep the garage constantly around 55 degrees without too much cost. <S> This should keep the pipes from freezing and the inspectors happy. <S> Thanks for the suggestions, everyone. <A> If you can put the utility sink against a shared wall, you can put your taps in with these: <S> This one shown has an anti-siphon valve on it. <S> The valve seat is on the end opposite the valve handle. <S> They run about 10-20 bucks depending on whether you want the anti-siphon valve or get threaded or solder (some are set up for both). <S> I recommend a threaded connection, as I find that faucets have to be replaced every 20 years or so.
|
On top of that, you might also consider adding foam panel insulation to the garage door (if yours is not already a solid core garage door).
|
A small air compressor for cleaning? I'm looking for a small air compressor for a small air compressor that I can use instead of a compressed air can for dusting my home electronics. From looking at websites like Amazon or Home Depot, most air compressors either fall into the 12V ones used for inflating car tires, or big, 10+ litre air compressors used for air-powered tools. I wonder if there are any small-form air compressors on the market that can store about a litre of air, deliver 100+ psi and work with some normal blowgun attachments? <Q> There are very small tank type units, but around 1gal is the smallest that seems to be available. <S> Here is one that is really small and quite reasonable, and from a reputable company. <S> You can gauge the size by the relationship of the typical pressure switch to the rest of the unit. <S> http://www.amazon.com/Senco-PC1010-1-Horsepower-1-Gallon-Compressor/dp/B0000AQK78 <A> For very small needs (which I'm assessing your stated needs as) <S> a portable tank (3-5 gallons - 12-20 liters or so) which you either fill up at an air station or pump up with a standing bicycle pump is probably more sensible than a compressor. <S> If you work out fittings for it <S> and you really want only a liter or two, most plastic soda/pop <S> /carbonated beverage bottles bottles are good for 160 PSI / 11 bar or so, though longevity will be better if you stick to 100 PSI/7bar or so. <S> A standing bicycle type pump will fill one of those in short order. <S> A third alternative would be an airbrush type/size compressor, but they don't typically do 100+ PSI. <S> Or, evidently, someone makes a thing targeted at exactly this market - more of a "blower" than a "compressor" but that being the desired end result.... <S> https://www.metrovacworld.com/DataVac_Electric_Duster-ED500/overview <S> Not associated with, owner of, or recommending any specific products shown, which are merely for example. <S> I do own an air tank (not that one) and a bicycle pump, and something that might be an airbrush compressor one of these days when I get done refitting it, and which may grow a few soda bottles with air fittings in the caps to give it a reservoir. <A> Air compressors can sometimes spray out water or oil. <S> Especially if you forget to drain the tank frequently enough. <S> Most tools don't care about a little spray of water but electronics sure do. <S> For dusting electronics, you want something like this: http://www.amazon.ca/Metro-ED500-MetrovAC-500watt-Electric/dp/B001J4ZOAW (Not affiliated, just own a similar device. <S> No idea <S> if thats a good one or not just the first one I found.) <S> The one I linked is expensive - just the first one I came across. <S> Mine cost under $50. <S> It gives at least as much air power as a brand new compressed gas duster, never runs out, and is nice and portable. <S> Also quieter than an air compressor (though still quite noisy).
|
While I have used an air compressor for dusting electronics, I don't recommend it.
|
How can I properly secure these tarps? I'm in the process of building my home and need some way to temporarily cover the garage door openings. I purchased a couple of tarps and secured them from the inside using some #10 ½" wood screws. This didn't stay up long due to the winds. I also tried securing the tarps using the built-in rings, but those also got ripped off. <Q> Wrap the edges of the tarp around a 1x2 and then screw through the 1x2 and into the garage frame. <S> The more times you can wrap, the better. <S> EDIT - just saw the last photo. <S> You could screw a 1x2 against the side of the stud that the tarp is currently wrapping around. <A> I think you need to install temporary studs to wall off the openings. <S> (Of course you'll discard the tarps afterward because they'll be full of holes.) <S> You might also consider leaving the middle third of the foot of the tarp unattached, to vent the strongest gusts before they blow out the material. <A> If these ports are not going to be used, I would put up temporary framing (2x3 or 2x4) and attach cheap 1/2" plywood. <S> If a seal is needed, use duct tape. <S> In a pinch, you could rig a shop door, about 30x96, on strap hinges to give access. <S> While this may be slightly more expensive than tarps, it gives you security against both weather and intrusion.
|
Secure the tarps by trapping the material between the studs and some lath strips.
|
Reinforcing a shelf supported only by pins Our liquor cabinet has the usual row of holes drilled on either side for height-adjustable shelves, with typical shelf pins: I think the wood is MDF + veneer. It might be plywood. It's not holding the pins very well. The end result was sudden catastrophic failure followed by two hours of mopping up glass shards while trying to convince the world-famous Siberian husky who lives with us to stay in the other room. Yes, that is a marble tabletop that actually got shattered into pieces by a bottle of Maker's Mark (recommended). What would you use to reinforce these shelves instead of the dinky little pins? <Q> Cleats. <S> Well, If I didn't simply add up what this expletive redacted liquor cabinet just cost me (not counting husky-containment and mopping time) and shoot it into the sun to be wholly replaced with a decently made hunk of furniture, which I'd be fairly inclined to do after what you just went through. <S> I would glue and screw 1x2 wooden cleats (non-adjustable) to the sidewalls where you want the shelves to be. <S> Depending how flimsy the shelves themselves are, I might also put a couple long 1x2 on the bottom of each shelf for reinforcement. <S> Alternatively, look for an adjustable steel wire rack shelf unit that fits in the cabinet - there being doors, you don't have to look at it except when getting bottles out. <S> On the positive side, at least the marble-topped table wasn't a fishtank ;-) <A> The type of shelf pins shown in your photo are able to twist out of crappy MDF or particle board side walls when a lot of torque is placed on the pin due to excessive weight placed upon the shelf. <S> Here is a picture of one type that I have used in the past with good success. <S> You should be able to easily use your existing cabinet and bracket holes with this alternate type of bracket. <S> The old pins broke out the side wall at the top of the hole and these will rest on the bottom of the holes once installed. <S> You may have to push some of the splintered wood flat <S> but then you would install these brackets up tight to the side walls. <S> The shelf will then sit on top of the part of the bracket with the hole. <S> It is best if the side to side length of the shelf fits snugly between the bracket at each side. <S> Once you have the brackets and shelves in place you screw the bracket to the bottom side of the shelf. <S> It would be highly encouraged to drill a pilot hole for these screws ... but be careful to not let the hole or screw come through the top of the shelf. <S> It is the fastening of the bracket to the shelf that will provide most of the force to keep the pin straight into the cabinet side wall. <A> I find it hard to believe that a few bottles would tear those pins out, unless either 1) the shelves are too short, resulting in a lot of torsional force, or 2) the pins weren't fully seated. <S> Four pins, even in MDF, should support 100 lbs. <S> easily. <S> Custom and pre-built cabinets around the world use simple dowels for shelf support, even in particle board, and they aren't collapsing around us. <S> Either condition seems supported by your photos--the wood is torn out upward of the holes. <S> I'd do two things to reduce the repair hassle: <S> First, be sure that the pins are seated fully. <S> The full-round portion should not extend beyond the face of the cabinet wall. <S> Then, I'd be sure that the shelves are nearly snug side-to-side, which will put most of the force straight down as shear, and not as cantilever. <S> If they're short, replace them with prefinished shelves from your local home improvement store cut accurately to length. <S> This solution retains the adjustability of your shelving and should still be plenty strong for your purposes. <A> The pins come in two pieces. <S> One female metal cup goes in first to hold the shelf support and keep the weight distributed without breaking parts of the wood/ mdf. <S> These supports are usually together in one package. <S> You only have half a shelf support. <S> That is the main problem. <S> That and too much weight on the shelf.
|
There are alternate types of shelf bracket pins that are designed to keep the pin at 90 degrees to the side wall thus keeping it from torquing out of the hole.
|
Shaky, noisy and hard to open bi-fold doors I have multiple closets with bi-fold doors and they all have the same issue: shaky, noisy and hard to open. It looks like the doors were installed using cheap sliding hardware. The doors are so shaky and noisy that I try to not open them. I am dreaming of seeing those bi-fold doors opening and closing easily and with no noise. Does anybody have experience with those doors? What hardware should I get to replace the cheap sliding hardware? <Q> Bi-fold doors are just terrible. <S> Even at their best they're often jiggly and awkward. <S> They're such a pain that half of them end up perpetually open. <S> I'd look at replacing the hardware with a kit from your local store. <S> They'll include track, door lap guides, upper rollers, and bottom pins and brackets. <S> Another problem is when the carpenter puts the knobs in the wrong place. <S> They're often set right near the hinges. <S> This makes the closing force all wrong, which results in premature wear and deformation of hardware. <S> Ideally, the knobs will be in the center of the inner panel. <S> This allows force to be applied in all necessary directions for both opening and closing action. <A> For what it's worth - on our doors I found that taking a Scotch-Brite pad to clean the nylon roller & to break the sharp corner at the top helped a bunch. <S> Then cleaning the vertical surfaces of the track w/ something <S> w/ some lubricating properties like Armor All made it even that much better (guessing WD-40 might work even better <S> , just didn't want to spray inside the house <S> w/ that). <A> Hard to know if it's cheep, poorly installed, misadjusted or just worn out. <S> If installation was done with the wrong sort of screw, the rollersmay catch on screw-heads sticking into the track. <S> That problem may beexacerbated by worn-out rollers. <S> I've seen doors with huge problems opening because the top or bottompin where it hinges was not in its socket at all (just sort offlopping - makes for a lot of sticking and shuddering), or becausethe socket was not where it belonged.
|
Replacement plastic rollers should be available at any hardwarestore.
|
Do I need to protect my new basement slab from freezing air temperatures? We are building a new house with an exposed basement. I had the floors poured a week ago while still warm in December. We have not framed the house up yet, meaning no deck, walls, roof, or HEAT. My concern is how cold does it have to get before I need to worry about damage to the concrete floor? We also have no power yet. we had temps of 50-60 degrees for a week straight, lows in the mid to upper 30's. We live close to Moline Illinois and the next week is predicting highs in the 30's and the lowest I've seen is 14 degrees. We'll have the lid on the week of Jan 4th so I'll, with heaters can put some heat in the basement. Crossing my fingers. Mike <Q> Since it has been a week you should have no problem, do not use a deicer on it, THAT will tear it up.... <S> Straw and plastic has also been used as a blanket. <A> The concrete floor in a basement has no structural element to it, it is merely a way to cover the dirt. <S> If it cured for a week in proper temperatures then I doubt you have anything to worry about. <S> Most slab floors will crack eventually anyways and any finished part will have a floor on top. <A> Jack is correct that you can blanket the basement as it sits - we use hay and tarps too. <S> However... <S> The concrete company will have a winter mix made to cure better in the cold (accelerators, less water, different mixture, and so on) and your contractor should have made sure that was the case. <S> I am in your area and we have had one of the warmest winters in December that I can remember. <S> You are extremely lucky in that you have had the best possible conditions for your basement to cure. <S> 50s is the optimal temp range for most "poured concrete" as it will take longer to cure (create a better bond) but not so low that you have to worry about expansion. <S> The first two weeks after pour is 90%+ of the process. <S> You have passed that. <S> You are in the clear as far as dealing with extreme temps and the weather outlook for the next 1-2 weeks <S> is completely normal for this time of year. <S> However... again. <S> You have experienced a ton of rain. <S> And this is what I would be worried about the most - not the temps. <S> I doubt that your new yard has been graded properly. <S> I would be really worried about the all of the water your "mud/yard <S> " has absorbed and what will happens if it freezes. <S> I could probably give you advice on what you could do <S> but I would need some pictures.
|
To be on the safe side rent some concrete blankets to hold what heat the curing concrete generates.
|
Why would a bulb need a 30mA RCD for the bathroom? So I have bought a new light fitting for our shower room ( This is the bulb. ) On the instructions it says if fitting in a bathroom a 30mA RCD is required. We have a fairly old fuse box, so wired fuses no RCDs. I see the lighting circuit has a 5A fuse on it. Does this actually equate to a 5,000mA RCD? Does this mean the light fitting is no good for our circuit? Would I need to wire up a whole new circuit just for this light? Why would fitting it in the bathroom affect the size of RCD required? <Q> An RCD is different from a fuse. <S> An RCD (residual current device) is known as a GFI (ground fault interrupter) or GFCI (ground fault current interrupting) device in the US. <S> A 30ma RCD trips when 30ma of current is "missing." <S> In some locations, a 30ma trip is the maximum allowable for personal protection, prevention of electrical shock injuries. <S> RCD / GFCI are especially important in bathrooms because people are in contact with water and pipes, which increases electrical hazards. <A> My understanding of UK law (I am not a lawyer) is that like-for-like replacement does not require you to bring an electrical installation up to current standards. <S> I would make sure that the fitting is properly earthed ( <S> assuming it has metal parts) and that people using the bathroom cannot reach the light fitting. <S> I would also make sure that the fitting allows for adequate flow of air around the bulb as LED-based bulbs seem to need cooling much more than incandescent bulbs do. <A> Ok this is a very nice question to every electrician and Electrical personals <S> but I would like to say that you can choose to ignore the rcd if only u have proper and quality earthing system to all your exposed metal work rccb
|
In non-technical terms, if the RCD device sees current "missing" on a circuit - more leaving than returning - it shuts down power, based on the idea that that missing current may be starting a fire or shocking someone. I'd interpret that to mean I can change an incandescent lightbulb to an LED bulb, of same or lower real wattage (not equivalent wattage), in the same fitting, without needing to worry about RCD protection.
|
How do I stop my recliner from scratching wood floor I have hardwood floors and recently purchased a recliner. The recliner slides around on the hardwood floor. Is there a product that will stop the recliner from sliding and more importantly stop it from scratching the floor? Also, the bottom of the recliner is a big disc approximately 24" in diameter. <Q> Does the recliner have distinct "feet" under the disk? <S> If so, some rubber floor protecting pads under those feet should stop the scratches and the sliding: <S> ( this one is just a representative sample, they come in many shapes, sizes, and materials) <S> If the entire disk contacts the floor, then how about just putting a carpet under it (with a non-slip pad under the carpet) <A> They can be purchased at most home stores, or online. <S> They're cheap, and can usually be trimmed easily into any shape/size. <S> They're designed to prevent rugs from slipping, so should also prevent your chair from sliding around. <A> I have a similar situation in my front room. <S> I found silicone sheets at big box and cut them into strips. <S> Then super glued them to recliner bottom. <S> They have been on there for 2 years with no issues. <S> Chairs don't slide, no scratches, don't need a rug. <A> Put the recliner on a nice big circular rug.
|
A rug pad might work well.
|
Should I remove this saddle valve, if so what is the best way to do so? Currently this saddle valve is exposed but I would like to close this wall up. Before I do I'd like to know if I should leave the valve as-is or if I should remove it. If I remove it what is the best way to do so? This used to be a valve that fed a refrigerator. We turned this off some time ago. Update I wanted to give everyone an update and hopefully help others looking for assistance. Based on the responses I received I went with a Sharkbite 1/2" coupling (not a slip coupling), and it was pretty straight forward to install. Thanks to all for your feedback. <Q> Ed has the important part of the answer. <S> Saddle valves are trouble, and since you're not using it, it's easy to eliminate. <S> Even if you were using it, it makes sense to replace with a soldered-in valve. <S> It is especially easy if the tubing is long enough to flex it laterally to slide a coupling on. <S> That is a straight copper coupling that doesn't have a ridge or other bumps in the middle. <S> turn off the water <S> using sandpaper now to clean the tubing is easier than after the cut remove the saddle valve cut the tubing right at the pierced hole, either with a tubing cutter or hack <S> saw de-burr the cut, and clean the tubing of any crud from cutting clean and flux the coupling flex <S> the two cut ends apart enough to slide coupling on bring cut ends together again <S> center <S> the coupling over the cut. <S> Mark the tubing if necessary solder <A> I don’t need a picture to say “remove a saddle valve that is not in use while the wall is open”. <S> these valves are notorious for leaking as they age. <S> It will be a little extra work now but may save you many hours and maybe thousands in the long run. <A> I'd probably use a Sharkbite slip coupling: <S> The advantages are that you don't need to solder, there's no danger of igniting the house, and you don't need to get all the water out of the line; they are also much faster to install.
|
If this is copper tubing, it might be pretty easy to replace this valve with a slip coupling.
|
Mount for a drill with 50 mm collar Having just moved into a house (from a flat) for the first time in my life), I am about to buy a corded drill. I would like to get something "universal", suitable for drilling the walls to hang a TV or get a cable through the wall into the garden, and also to drill in the laminate and wood. I have a screw driver that I'm using to assemble furniture and do some very simple drilling. But it was already not powerful enough to drill the laminate plate for the heating pipe, I had to borrow a proper drill. With this in mind, I thought of buying a Metabo UHE 2450 . It does just about everything I can think of. It's an SDS-plus hammer, so good for drilling walls and potential garden works. It also accepts both an SDS and a quick-release chucks, to hold all bit types (I have quite a few non-SDS drill bits already). It has two gears, for normal SDS operation and for faster drilling. So a perfect choice. However, I've just realized it has a 50 mm diameter collar. I've never seen one before, the standard being 43 mm. I'd like to be able to use accessories, something like this drill stand . So I wonder: what can I use such collar for and is there anything like a 50 to 43 mm converter? Or is maybe the path I've chosen wrong for some other reason? Update: I am in Europe, the walls are apparently from brick (at least outside, potentially concrete inside judging from the first pair of holes I had to make with the borrowed hammer drill, but I've never had brick walls before so I could be mistaken). Drilling concrete ceiling and floors is also a possibility. <Q> You could get an adapter to use regular bits with the SDS chuck <S> but it's not what you really want. <S> There are drills with a regular three-jaw chuck that have a hammer setting for masonry, they aren't as good as the SDS chuck drills in masonry but more than adequate for general DIY use. <S> I have a Bosch that's been great, but if you like Metabo, I think these are under Impact Drills on the Metabo site: https://www.metabo.com/com/en/machines/drilling-screwing-chiselling-stirring/impact-drills/ <S> edit: the SBE 900 IMPULS (600865590) <S> IMPACT DRILL <S> actually looks super nice <S> , it has the 43mm chuck you want <S> , apparently its set up to be a good driver as well as drill / hammer drill - that looks pretty versatile, I wonder if there's a US version... <A> Thank you for all input and consideration! <S> To answer the original question : I have found a very close question on one German tooling forum . <S> It contains some additional information. <S> Apparently, there used to be stands able to accept large collar diameter drills, including Metabo's Typ 793. <S> However nobody is aware of anything like that existing today. <S> My assumption: the problem lies in that the large diameter collar is used in hammers rather than drills. <S> They are not designed to be fixed, since they are not designed to be used as drills in the first place. <S> They are also heavy, so the stand should be very heavy. <S> So the answer to the original question is probably: it does not exist .If <S> someone finds it let them add another answer here. <S> What I wanted to have can be done using e.g. <S> this Wolfcraft or this General's accessory. <S> Alternatively, there are accessories that hold the bit itself, something like this: Wolfcraft 4640000 . <S> I have also found a very similar tool to the above mentioned Metabo UHE 2450, but with a 43 mm collar: <S> Bosch PBH 3000-2 FRE. <S> However, even from the look, it's clear inferior to Metabo. <S> To my astonishment, it has a plastic collar! <S> I am afraid, you can't have a cake and eat it, so <S> I'll need to choose if I want a universal drill/hammer or something for a stand. <S> And though the drill found by @batsplatsterson is really nice, I start leaning towards giving up the stand/accessory idea: for orthogonal drilling, there is something like this: <A> 50 mm collar drills where very popular in Europe a few years ago, specially for powerful drills - to drill bricks, concrete, steel... <S> - but, now there are drills with similar power with 43 mm collars... <S> Drilling concrete or stone with those drills is quite simple (they must have the "hammer symbol" and lets put it on, hold the drill and let it do the job - a good drill will work quite fast with "no pain" for the user, BUT, be aware, those have much more torque <S> then you are used to or you can hold - so, don't push it hard, this way avoids de bit get stuck in the hole (DANGER!!!) <S> - remember, concrete have steel rods in it... <S> Those drills with the "hammer symbol" (from 1800 to 3000 rpm of velocity), they were not made for stands - they are heavy duty tolls - <S> so grab it, drill it, and it's all. <S> The ones with no such symbol have (normally) 2 gears and speeds from 150 to 2000 rpm and are specially for Steel (never try it in concrete); those were made for hand hold and stands... <S> I, my self, have 2 drills with 50mm collar (recent acquisitions)- one for concrete/stone; the other is specially for steel and have the same problem has you, stands for 50mm colars are very hard to find (since the 90s they just vanish - but they were quite popular, has the drills were), even in 2nd hand are hard... <S> There is a point here that is important to mention - stands with 43mm collars are not made for the torque of 50mm drills!!!And <S> yes! <S> No possible turn a 43 collar in a 50mm... <S> If so, not quite secure... <S> I'll made one stand for mine <S> ;) <S> Hoping reaching you in time... <S> HFeio
|
You don't want an SDS plus chuck, that drill is going to be mostly for drilling masonry. From the useful accessories for 50 mm collar, Metabo offers a dust extraction set 630828000 .
|
Hot and Cold water seem to be mixing Having a problem with hot and cold water seemingly mixing in my house where some locations can't get cold water and others get a mix of warm/cold from hot settings. The scenario Moved into a new house. Has a brand new water heater and probably not new water circulation system. It appears the water heater (and probably the circulation system?) were re-plumbed for code reasons relocated from the corner of the garage next to the house along that same wall to a more central location along the wall. Here is what I have observed If the water circulation system is off then there is no hot water what so ever in the house. If the water circulation unit is on then a whole range of bizarre things happen. The kitchen sink closest to the water heater will have cold water mixed with hot (which equals pretty damn hot) coming from the cold and scolding hot coming from the hot water. Showers (other side of the house) have alternating warm / cold water. Occasionally they can get fairly hot but only for brief (20-30 seconds) at a time. A luke warm shower (alternating with cold) with the boiler set to maximum is the best possible scenario at the moment with the current configuration. A deep sink faucet in the garage that is directly tapping the hot/cold lines next to the water heater gets hot and cold water as expected. Some sinks in the middle of the house get a perfect mix of hot/warm water from the hot and cold from the cold. External water faucets/hoses on the far side and close side of the house (from the water circulation unit/water heater) pump out water that is very warm or sometimes hot. What are some of the possible problems it could be? <Q> For a hot water circulation to work, the hot water pipes must be in a closed system (other than the obvious exit points like a faucet, dish or clothes water connection). <S> The pump will draw hot water from the tank and circulated it back into the tank, for as long as the pump is running. <S> You'll always have hot water on demand. <S> The pump is usually a passive device, meaning if the pump is off, water can freely move in and out of the pump without obstruction. <S> But if you're not getting hot water when the pump is off, the pump maybe faulty. <S> And you want to check to see if any hot water pipes got crossed/connected into cold water pipes. <S> I suspect they are. <A> If you have a pump like this . <S> Then they connect the hot to the cold at the end of the lines to create a recirculation circuit <S> so you have hot water at the sink without running the water for 5 minutes. <S> Some people have complained that they get lukewarm water on the cold line if the valve is not operating properly. <S> This part here . <S> You may have to replace the recirculation valve or the pump or both. <A> If the hot water lines are too close or touching ,they will heat the Cold Water Line ... <S> just Add tankless Water Heaters <S> Where Needed, Just Cap <S> The Hot Water Feed <S> At The Sink Or Shower <S> And Tee <S> In The Tankless Heater, Only Pain Is Running The Power Lines <S> To The Heater, Still Cheaper Than A Recirculating Hot Water System.
|
From your comment "re-plumbed for code reasons" and the odd behavior you're experiencing, I suspect the hot water circulation system might have been patched/crossed into the cold water system and/or the pump is faulty.
|
Can I use self leveling compound to level old thin set over plywood subfloor? The previous owner of my house tiled all the bedrooms on the second floor. I would like to remove all the tile and lay down hardwood flooring. So far I have removed the tile and now have all the thin set underneath. My question is whether it needs to be completely removed with a grinder or if we can use a very thin layer of self leveling cement to fill in all the grooves and make a level surface on which to lay the hardwood flooring? On the first floor there is a concrete slab and I used an industrial concrete grinder to remove all the thinnest. That worked great but I am concerned that this type of machine will just rip through the subfloor. And the idea of grinding off all the thinnest with a hand grinder seems like it will take forever. Any suggestions on the self leveling compound and if so which product would be recommended? Thank you <Q> Yes you must remove all of the thinset - FOR SURE. <S> Thinset is not meant to be exposed and a leveler on top of it will not protect it enough. <S> From walking and moving furniture you will end up with chunks of thinset/leveler and it will just be a mess. <S> You either have backer board or plywood under the thinset. <S> You have would really grind off thinset in this scenario <S> but you can: <S> pry up the first layer of subfloor and redo it. <S> try to hit it with a heavy scraper. <S> and what I would try first... pound it out. <S> Strike the thinset repetitively pretty hard in a circle pattern. <S> See if you get some chunks disengaging after the first few minutes. <S> If this works it get much easier after you start. <A> If the thinset is sound and without damaged or loose sections than it would be perfectly acceptable to leave it in place. <S> Floating-off the floor to level the surface before the finish floor gets installed is the accepted industry standard. <S> Conversely, if you find the thin-set floor had received more damage than anticipated, it should be removed. <S> Also consider that if the thin-set is over a plywood sub-floor it should break apart fairly easy with a sledge hammer. <S> If used cautiously, it will fracture the floor into pieces and produce very little dust. <S> Lastly, if you do remove the thin-set and now have a wooden sub-floor you will have to be sure it is level and secured tightly to the floor joists. <A> I have used an adhesion promoter (similar to add mix) to increase the bond strength. <S> The brand I remember was moose milk, <S> it was less than 15.00 per gallon. <S> There are others I just remember that name.
|
Most thinset will disengage with heavy vibration. If the thin set is clean the self leveling cement should bond well and hold up for a hardwood floor on top. It sounds as if the industrial grinder worked well on the first floor. Try a hammer or mallet on a small area.
|
Elegant method of punching a hole through a wall to run cables? What is a clean method of running cables from one side of a wall to the other side, in a typical residential house? On one side of the wall will be a computer tower, and on the other side will the the user interface devices (monitor, keyboard, mouse, speakers, etc). Cables will be rarely added or removed, so it doesn't need to be convenient but must be possible. <Q> There is a quick and easy way to do this, no special tools, $10 of parts, 20 minutes work if all goes well. <S> Cut in an old work low voltage <S> mounting bracket on either side of the wall, back to back and use a " duckbill " cover for a finished appearance, ( <S> the one in the photo is an Arlington CE1) <S> All you need to do this is a level to make sure you position the bracket straight / square, a pencil to mark the outline of the bracket, a drywall saw to cut a hole for the bracket, a screwdriver to screw the bracket in, and screw the duckbill on, and optionally a studfinder to make sure you pick a clear hollow spot. <S> When you pick your spot, try to match the height of any nearby electrical receptacles. <S> Try to stay well away from studs. <S> You can use a studfinder, or look for the nails holding the base molding to the wall - those will be nailed into the studs. <S> You can also turn off the breaker for a receptacle and take the cover plate off <S> , you'll probably see the box is nailed to a stud, and you can go on the other side of that stud. <S> When you cut the hole for the bracket, make a horizontal cut first so you can adjust if you miscalculate and hit a stud. <S> Don't plunge the saw in - take your time, use just a couple inches of the blade, <S> just in case there's something behind there <S> you don't want to hit. <S> If you stop using the pass-through some time in the future, you can just remove the duckbills and put blank covers on. <A> I am confused about what "one side of a wall to the other side" means. <S> Does it mean through the wall (from one room to the other) or from the left side of the wall to the right side of the wall in the same room? <S> But it will not work if running a wire from left to right on a wall - there will be studs in the way. <A> For closing up the space between the studs, you could use small length of pvc pipe. <S> Would reduce (but not eliminate) <S> the likelihood of bugs getting through. <S> Could caulk it to further reduce that risk. <S> Definitely like the idea of the duck plate on the non-closet side.
|
edit After you cut in the first bracket, move any insulation and poke the drywall saw through to the other side, just enough to pierce the drywall so you can place the bracket on the other side of the wall. The answer from batsplatsterson is great if running a wire through a wall (or even up a wall from a low point to a higher point).
|
heating zone stays hot even when the thermostat isn't calling we're trying to solve a very strange hot water heating problem (drawing below). We just separated the the 2nd and 3rd floors in my house into two separate heating zones, and the 3rd floor is now staying at 75 even though its thermostat is set for 65 and isn't calling for heat. There is a horizontal copper pipe loop in the basement, with all 2nd floor radiators using monoflow T's to take the hot water from the loop and return it back to the loop right after using regular T's. the way how we did the separation is the following: we added a Y and placed two zone valves to control the flow for the 2nd floor and flow to the 3rd floor manifold. The returns are shared. We also placed zone valves to 2nd floor radiator supply sides to prevent the 3rd floor return flow from going into the 2nd floor radiators via 2nd fl loop. the circulator pump is sitting at the return side so it's "pulling" the water. there are separate thermostats on each floor, and they connect to the 6 zone Taco controller. when the 2nd floor is calling for heat, 3 things happen:1) main 2nd floor main zone valve opens2) zone valves open in front of all supply side of the 2nd floor radiators3) circulator pump turns on when the 3rd floor calls for heat1) 3rd zone main valve opens2) circulator pump comes on It is an odd setup, but we had certain limitations (did not want to open plaster walls in the historic house) so we reused the 2nd floor returns. So right now, 3rd floor is 75 and we can't get the temp down. any ideas? we're all out...Thanks!!! Original design before changes were made: <Q> Follow your diagram from the circulator through the first 2nd floor radiator to the Tee. <S> From the tee water can go "north" to feed the third floor radiator and return to the loop through another 3rd floor radiator from the common manifold (path of least resistance). <S> A check valve is not electric and allows flow in only one direction. <A> The problem could possibly be convection from the 2nd floor, heat will rise. <S> Do you have valves on your radiators? <S> Are they thermostatic? <S> If you have thermostatic valves turn them down to lowest setting (on level 3) and see if the temperature drops. <S> If you don't have thermostatic valves they will just be open/closed, close them and see if room temp drops. <S> Get an infra red thermometer to check radiators, pipes, walls, floors for heat sources <A> You may have water flowing backward thru part of the 3rd floor system, for example from the outlet of 2nd floor radiator #1 backward through 3rd floor radiator #1 to the 3rd floor supply manifold, and then forward through #2 and/or #3. <S> You might try Mono Ts on the 3rd floor supply manifold, or possibly where the returns meet on the 2nd floor.
|
You need a check valve on all three return lines from the 3rd floor to prevent flow from the second floor loop going through 3rd floor radiators.
|
Usefulness of Cord Reel with 100-ft Extension Cord I may be missing something, but how useful is a cord reel such as the one pictured with a 100-ft long extension cord? I'd like to think that a 100-ft extension cable with a pretty good gauge (12) would act as a substitute for a 50-ft and even for a 25-ft cable. But after winding on such a cord reel, one end will be inaccessible, and so even to use it as just a 25-ft extension, I'd have to unwind the whole thing out. Is that right? I saw suggestions online to buy a specialized reel that picks up the extension cable from its centerpoint. That would solve the problem, but it would also introduce a stress point through excessive bending. Yet another suggestion online is to avoid a reel altogether and use a piece of wood, though I'd really rather not spend half a day fabricating something like this myself. <Q> Those cord reels are very useful. <S> You'll need a BIG one to hold a 100' 12 gauge though. <S> If you leave 6" or so hanging out one of the big holes on the side, you can wrap it with the end accessible. <S> I wrap these with the female end on the spool, so you plug it in first and walk to where you're working. <S> I guess it works OK either way. <S> They make cord reels with receptacles on the spool ... <S> and those work great except when you're working on a ladder. <S> Sometimes the cord on the tool isn't long enough to reach this thing on the ground. <S> When you're working on a ladder <S> it's nice to be able to pull some slack off either end. <S> This is a pretty good way to go: <S> That's from a tip sent into Fine Homebuilding . <S> The Cordwiz Pro does the same thing as the bucket trick, if you'd rather not do it homemade. <S> One other thing to get if you're shopping, a portable GFCI <A> In point of fact you are not supposed to use an extension cord without unreeling the whole thing, due to potential heat buildup. <S> The not-a-liability-lawer approach actually pays attention to the load on the end when making that decision in practice - if running a heavy load or a continuous moderate load, don't leave it rolled up. <S> If it takes you half a day to make a wood version, you are overthinking it or working remarkably slowly. <A> Personally, I would recommend learning how to "flip-coil". <S> It's kinder to the cable than most of these alternatives (especially important with more expensive and more fragile wiring like sound reinforcement), it pays out without tangling, and once you learn it you'll find it useful for everything frome rope to hoses. <S> Easier ti demonstrate than describe, but if you can't find someone to teach you <S> it's not hard to find vids and/or diagrams on the web.
|
There are a variety of approaches to make the inner end reachable, such as clipping it to the side of the reel.
|
Want to cover up nail points in attic ceiling I'm in the attic every so often to store empty boxes and I'm planning to do some wiring (non electrical) so I'm afraid that I might stand up and have nails through my head. My plan isn't to cover the whole attic ceiling, just a small section of the attic ceiling. Any ideas on what I can do to cover the nail points? I tried using a hammer to try to bend it but the nails are way too strong to do that. <Q> Leave a hardhat or bump helmet (lighter version of a hardhat) by the attic hatch. <S> Put it on when you enter; take it off when you leave. <A> I stick a wine cork on each nail. <A> Thin (1/4") plywood or OSB across the bottom of the rafters would work well. <S> Make sure that you don't prevent air from passing under the back of the roof. <S> As long as you leave 2 feet open at the top and bottom of the plywood, and you don't fill the roofing cavity, you should be fine. <A> You can try using a tool called "end cutting nippers" like this one at http://www.zoro.com/knipex-end-cutting-nippers-8-in-68-01-200/i/G4782504/?gclid=CjwKEAiAwZO0BRDvxs_1w-qFnhkSJABo10ggFX-miYd0y3GpEsBdvsvujCS5ESnbOYiu6hZYLmz5oBoChZnw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds <S> Cut the ends of the nails off close to the inside of the roof. <A> I have the same issue in my garage. <S> I had the attic truss setup for storage with just enough head room to bend over and walk. <S> Nails showing everywhere. <S> This will keep me from causing injury to my head but will still allow air to flow under shingles <A> I found a simple way to cover the nail points. <S> Use small pieces of plastic tubing over each nail point. <S> Depending on the size of nails, you may need one or two different tubing sizes. <S> I used "Micro-Fuel Line" from Home Depot in two sizes: 1/4" OD/7/64" ID, and 3/16" OD/3/32" ID because I had two different nail sizes in my attic. <S> A 10' length of each costs only $4.76. <S> No more nails in the head! <A> My plan for this is to stick lattice (vinyl or Cedar) panels between the rafters. <S> This would provide clearance over the nails, would keep airflow going, and not leave spaces for critters to hide as partial OSB coverage would.
|
Cut the tubing into pieces about 3/8" to 1/2" long depending on length of exposed nails in your attic, then push a piece of tubing onto each nail point. I think I will by some cheap long rolls of chicken wire to staple on the bottom of the roof rafters. The next step up would be to cover it all with OSB with vent opening (as one would do with closed soffits) but that is probably an overkill for a storage space.
|
What kind of caulk to use in order to caulk the toilet to the floor? My toilet was replaced and it has no caulk around the bottom of it. A little water does seep around it from time to time. What kind of caulk should I use to do the job? It sits on ceramic tile, and the tile is on a cement slab. <Q> It is best NOT to caulk this location. <S> Caulking this location can lead to moisture from a leaking toilet getting trapped under the toilet and creating a haven for mold (and/or rot, should there be wood in the area). <S> In your case remove the toilet, and replace the wax seal (or use one of many rubberized "no wax" products, which claim to be better. <S> If you do caulk the location, I recommend leaving a gap at some point, perhaps in the back of the toilet, to allow some air circulation. <S> I prefer a quality latex caulk to silicon, as the silicon never seems to stick all that long. <A> You must first repair the leak coming from the base of the toilet. <S> Most likely the wax ring needs to be replaced. <S> Once the leak is repaired than you can caulk the base. <S> The reason for latex is it seals very well once cured and also it is easily cleaned from non-target surfaces with a moist rag. <S> It is best not to use an adhesive-type caulking only because the toilet may need to be moved and gluing it to the floor will only impede its' removal. <A> First you need to find out where the water is coming from. <S> Check all around and under your toilet to find the most wet spot. <S> The water may not be coming from under the toilet but just settling there. <S> If water is coming from under the toilet, you should replace the wax gasket. <S> If you caulk around the base of the toilet without fixing the initial cause of the problem you will be making matters worse for yourself in the long run. <A> Yes you need to find where the leak is if it is your wax ring replace it afterwards roll some plumber's putty very long and put around the bottom of the base of the toilet when you push down the toilet on to the flange and a wax ring the party around the outer of the toilet will squeeze out and make a sale, this would be a better option for you. <S> Silicone caulking witches make a mess and ruin the tile underneath only when you wipe the silicone you would get it everywhere <S> most professional plumbers used plumber putty to make a gasket like around the base of their toilets look around
|
The type of caulking used prominently by most installers is any good exterior latex or siliconized brand.
|
Paint thinner can leaking I hope this is the right place to ask. I noticed earlier tonight I had a very old can of paint thinner that is now leaking. There isn't very much paint thinner left in it but I went ahead and put it in a bucket and left it out on the balcony - it is cold in my area. I also covered the parts that seemed to be leaking with duct tape. I won't be able to bring it to a hazardous waste drop-off site before Saturday since everything is closed on Jan. 1, so I'm wondering if there is anything else I can do to make sure it is stored safely until I dispose of it? Should I put the can in a Ziploc bag for example? <Q> When containing petroleum-based solvents it is best to place them in a metal or glass jar that can be sealed. <S> Empty paint cans or preserve jars work well (but be sure to re-label the new container to avoid it being misconstrued for anything other than it is). <S> Trying to patch an opening with tape on a solvent filled vessel will not hold very long as the solvent will dissolve the adhesive. <S> A better solution to patch the can is to wrap it with foil and than tape. <S> Or transfer the thinner into another container. <S> Another temporary option is to pour the liquid into an empty five gallon bucket no more than half full. <S> Leave the bucket in a place that will not get it spilled. <S> The solvent will evaporate in several days. <A> Some plastics may also be acceptable; see my question about plastic containers for a table showing what can safely contain what. <S> Reminder: always label containers clearly, and remove any old labels. <S> You don't want to risk someone misunderstanding and, for example, trying to use paint thinner as a cooking oil! <S> As an additional safety precaution, try to avoid using containers whose color or shape suggests food to hold anything toxic. <A> Then recycle it. <S> Rather than dump or deal with household hazardous waste, I dispose of unwanted paint or paint chemicals by mixing them into viable paint, paint something I don't want, then throw it away.
|
The best solution would be to pour the liquid into another metal or glass container that can be sealed to prevent evaporation. Short term, I would drain it into a glass or steel jug or can and leave the empty container outside, capless for a month to evaporate the residue.
|
Hollow-core door shelves bracketed with 3 pieces of 1x1? I want to build shelves for a linens closet. I plan to use hollow core door as the shelf material. The doors are 15" deep, and after cutting will be ~70" long. I need to come up with a way to brace the shelves to the wall. I had two ideas: Affix 1x1 lumber to the studs of three walls of the closet as depicted here: My concerns with this design is: will this provide enough support for the shelves to hold towels and sheets? Or actually, what kind of weight could this design support? Use shelving brackets like these. My concerns with this are (This is similar to this question .): I can only find 12"x14" brackets in an idea price range. Will these sized brackets work with 15" deep shelves ? And how many would I need for 70" of width, with 1x1 only on the short-end walls ? <Q> You should re-consider several of your ideas. <S> The stripping on the wall is an excellent way to support shelves. <S> However do use something like a 1x3 or 1x4 so that the material has some substance and strength. <S> A wider strip allows for two screws at each stud. <S> I would purge the idea of using the hollow core doors for shelves. <S> First off for a linens closet where you have multiple shelves the thickness of the doors ends up wasting storage space! <S> Secondly after you cut hollow core doors for length and width you are left with open sides that only will show the internal web of cardboard. <S> That will not standup over time. <S> So unless you intend to re-glue side and end strips back into the edges of the cut off doors I would purge the idea of using them. <S> With the wall stripping I would think that a decent quality 3/4" plywood would make a much better shelf. <S> If you have concerns of it bowing across the front you can add a 1x2 strip along under the front edge of the shelf that extends the full length. <S> But honestly the plywood will be plenty strong for linens. <A> IMHO a combination of both ideas would be best; a perimeter strip for edge support and a couple brackets midway for center support, kind of like this: Even if you plan to just store lightweight linens, flat spaces often turn into places to store other items in the future, so a robust support design would be better. <A> Either of your designs will work fine. <S> Both will do the job of supporting linen. <S> If I had to choose between the two configurations I would pick photo #1. <S> Only because of its' continual support on the shelf edges by the 1x stock (and it will cost less). <S> One thing you should be aware of is when you trim the door down to size you will need to install edging. <S> Being a hollow door if you remove the existing edge the doors skin won't have support. <S> You can either clean the old edge and re-install it or cut your own. <S> If you decide to cut new edging, now would be a good time to consider "beefing-up" the shelf with larger 2x stock (if you think the shelf will support heavier items). <S> The hollow space can be filled with 2x for edging which will increase the weight it can support.
|
I agree with other posters that a hollow core door could be problematic and you should consider other material options for your shelving material. A 1x1 is just too flimsy, can bow between studs and after accepting one screw through it there is not much meat left to the piece.
|
How to repair anchor holes and re-mount bathroom tissue dispenser I need to repair the holes where tissue bracket was installed, then re-mount it. About 3 inches behind the drywall are bricks. I thought about re-mounting it with 1 inch toggle bolts after repairing the holes with drywall tape. <Q> If you are repairing the wall and re-installing the tissue dispenser it would be wise to "multi-task" the repair. <S> Cut the damaged area to an opening smaller than the length of the dispensers screw holes. <S> Cut a piece of 1/2 or 3/4 inch plywood 2 inches longer and slightly narrower than the cut you just made. <S> Secure the plywood into the wall incision so that it will be held in place by a screw at each end of the wall opening (the plywood should extend an equal distance behind the drywall). <S> The newly installed plywood can now be used to attach a drywall plug and then the dispenser. <A> It is going to be faster and hold longer if you cut drywall to studs and add a new piece of drywall in. <A> Go with your initial plan, unless people are using the dispenser as a grab-bar. <S> If they're just old anchor screws holes of the 1/4" round about size, yank out the old anchors with needle nose pliers or send them through the drywall by palming or hammering a Phillips head screw driver (as big as the anchor's full face diameter) into the anchors. <S> If you're re-mounting in the same spot then toggles should do great & vastly better than any in-drywall anchor...go with as big a toggle as will fit the dispenser or use what you have & just re-do it down the road if they were too small to hold up. <S> I'm assuming the dispenser would cover any ugliness of hole enlargement. <S> If you're re-locating, go at least 3" away from the old holes with your toggles & just fill the old holes a couple of times with compound for primer & paint.
|
You will need less mud/tape and you won't worry about the expansion of the bricks pushing on the drywall/material - if you decided to just fill the space - which would probably show after time if not done right.
|
How to connect a 14-30r outlet with only three wires? I am trying to wire a 14-30r receptacle. I only have 3 wires (black, red, and ground). There is a system ground and equipment ground on the wiring diagram. Do these both attach to the ground? <Q> A NEMA 14-30R requires four conductors. <S> Two ungrounded (hot) conductors, one grounded (neutral) conductor, and one equipment grounding conductor. <S> But only at the service equipment. <S> Outside of the service equipment they are separate conductors, and cannot be interchanged or interconnected. <A> Consider instead a 5-30 (120v), 6-30 (240v), or 10-30 (unsafe 120/240). <S> 14-30 is the safe 120/240 outlet with separate neutral and ground (required by code in most jurisdictions) <S> 10-30 is its older counterpart that combines ground and neutral. <S> Or consider running another conductor (white) for Neutral. <S> Then you may have the 14-30 which you desire. <A> I would never misuse ground as neutral. <S> The neutral is there to give the appliance 120v (it already has 240v). <S> I would take a hard look at the appliance: "why does this appliance need 240v and also 120v?" <S> If you can live without that feature, done. <S> Otherwise consider "hacking" the appliance: <S> either get rid of the 120v requirement (e.g. wire it to use 240v bulbs) or install a transformer that makes sufficient 120v from 240v. <S> That's often done in the 480v world when a bit of 120v is needed for controls.
|
Often, only a few watts of 120v is necessary to power a clock, controls or convenience lighting (so you can use common 120v bulbs instead of hard-to-find 240v bulbs). If you only have three wires, then you cannot install a 14-30. Both the grounded (neutral), and equipment grounding conductors are connected to ground.
|
Adding push button to Chamberlain opener Added a doorbell push button to newly installed Chamberlain garage door opener...linked push button wires to same contacts as the incoming control pad inputs (red and white). Doesn't work. Is this wired incorrect? <Q> A regular push button either normally closed or open will not work on most modern garage door openers, because the control pad doesn't just short or open the wires. <S> You must purchase a Chamberlain compatible push button. <A> RE: LW3500 unit. <S> I like the wiring across the switch solution (above) in many cases, but I did not want to run wire over to the main switch. <S> So, having another unit that I have not yet installed I did a little research. <S> Across the two input connectors are: 1 A 1500 ohm resistor in series with a green LED. <S> Power light. <S> 2 <S> The primary switch with nothing else. <S> In other words a dead short when pressed. <S> 3 <S> The Lock switch is wired in series with a 22uf cap. <S> Long pulse when pressed. <S> 4 <S> The Light switch is wired in series with a 1uf cap. <S> Short pulse when pressed. <S> CAUTION: <S> these Caps are polarity sensitive, but if the LED lights, you wired it correctly. <A> You can take the wall unit apart, find the tiny switch that is activated by the large outer button, figure which two of the leads(spider legs) short together, solder two wires there, and that's your alternative cheap fix. <S> I did have to buy a pencil style soldering iron.
|
They use resistors or some other mechanism to vary the voltage going back to the motor controller.
|
how do I replace an unknown brand casement window? this is an old house. it has double paned casement window. some of them are foggy and need to be replaced. I dont know what brand it is. but on the casement window operator, it saids "entrygard truth". not sure if only that operator is made by entrygard or the whole window. I just want to know if I can just go to homedepot to buy a casement window sash to replace the one I have. I am not sure if they are all standard. <Q> If your window is in good shape except for the fogginess of the glass, the insulated glass unit (IGU) can be changed out by a glass installer. <S> They will make a house visit, or you can remove the sash and they will replace the IGU in their shop. <S> I am sure this works, and a cheap fix too, but I would not hold my breath on this type of repair. <A> I don't think any of the contractors outlet stores have replacement parts available. <S> At least not from my experience when I tried to purchase just the double-paned sliding window section from Home Depot. <S> If you want to try for a window part your best chance is to contact the manufacturer directly. <S> But be prepared for many transfers by operators to different company departments. <S> And you'll need every number the window was tagged with. <S> It was simpler and faster for me to purchase a new window that was a close match. <S> Even though there was a 6 year span between the replacement and existing windows there is no discernible difference. <A> Take measurements & cross your fingers that the mounting is the same, just so you know... <S> it won't be. <S> Your windows are likely flanged which is a big replacement deal. <S> Your best bet is to first find a hardware store that replaces the glass & full insulation value of the window. <S> My last pair were $60 each ( <S> 5-years ago) at Do It <S> Best's local franchise, not fully DIY but totally worth it (takes a couple of weeks, so button up the opening). <A> If you have a local glass shop which deals with special orders, they can order replacement sealed-glass units, and can install that into the sash or refer you to someone who can. <S> Remember, these will occasionally get hit by baseballs, or occupants or contractors entirely by accident. <S> And occasionallythey break in transit, or in the store, or in the factory. <S> The manufacturers do design for repair. <S> It may not be easy, it may not be elegant, it may not be entirely "as good as new," but it will be possible.
|
There are shops that will "fix" the old unit by drilling a hole in the glass and evacuating the moisture out of the cavity and leave a "breather hole" in the glass.
|
What's the best material to use to fill in a 1/2" gap between drywall and stairs? The previous owner of our home had a shoddy job down on some stairs leading to a rec room carved out of some of the attic space. There are four stairs leading up to the room, and under each one is a gap about half an inch wide and deep. There are vertical gaps alongside the stairs, too, but nowhere near as bad. Here's a photo of all the stairs, with a closer look at a couple of the gaps further below: I'd like to fill in these gaps between the drywall under the stairs and the stairs themselves so that I can then paint over them to make it look much nicer, but I'm not sure what the best material would be to do that. I'm considering wood filler, joint compound, or a foam sealant such as Great Stuff. Would one of these be ideal for this job, or is there something else I should consider? Not having done a DIY project like this before, I don't know what material would be ideal for filling gaps between drywall and the wood planks that make up the stairs without too much worry of future cracking. Here's a close-up of a couple of the stairs to give you a better idea of what the gaps are like: <Q> Typically a riser bracket is used, it would help if the stair return was longer but a piece of lattice cut to follow the zig-zag of the stair may work too. <S> EDIT 1-5-2016 <S> Here is another angle.... <A> Absolutely do not use an expanding gap filler, it will make matters worse. <S> Also verify that the steps are not loose or shifting. <S> A cartridge (or tube) is placed in a caulking gun and applied in a continuous bead along the gap. <S> Once the gap is covered press it into the gap with a putty knife. <S> This will also flatten the caulking so that it conforms with the flat wall. <S> A very damp rag will wipe up any wayward caulk that didn't get pushed into the gap. <S> It will take about 24 hours for the caulk to fully cure. <S> As been suggested by a prominent authority well versed in caulking and fully supported by myself, you must be sure to use a Latex-type caulk. <S> Not to be confused with a 100% silicone or a urethane caulking. <S> Latex is easier and more forgiving than the other types. <A> While you 'can' fill it with drywall mud, and mesh tape, I wouldn't recommend it either. <S> The stair treads will likely move some as they are stepped on and would just crack the mud. <S> Caulking will probably fix it, but you will likely still see the edge where the caulking meets the painted drywall as it's hard to feather it. <S> And if you have a textured wall, the caulked areas will be smooth and not match. <S> The best solution is to trim it out, but if you don't have the skills or tools you can probably do OK with the caulking.
|
If you have verified that each step is level so that it doesn't need to be re-secured to the tread than the gaps can be filled. The easiest and most used product to fill each gap would be a latex caulking. It than can be painted if desired, but there are plenty of colors to choose from which may not make painting needed.
|
How should I wall mount a TV with one metal stud and a gap between the drywall and exterior block? I am mounting a TV on a wall (see photos). There is a 7/8 inch gap between the drywall and the exterior, and a single metal vertical stud (Florida) as indicated. I want to center the TV, which is also indicated. I generally use toggle bolts for mounting on interior walls, but I do not think the gap is deep enough for them to open. How should I mount here?Should I take advantage of the concrete (cinder block?) exterior wall? <Q> I would definitely take advantage of the block wall. <S> I would use 2-1/2" tapcons with 1/4" fender washers straight through the drywall and than through some type of 7/8" spacer, and finally into the cinder block. <S> It would be best to use the largest TapCon fastener available. <S> I believe they market a 1/4 inch diameter screw that has 3 versions: <S> Flathead, Roundhead and Hex-head (hex's are easiest to grip and drive). <S> The 1/4 inch screws will need a 3/16 inch concrete bit. <S> I would use 4-8 of them depending on TV weight. <A> Toggles into the stud / hat channel will be pretty strong, you just have to select a toggle with small enough that the wings can expand - the wings have to be shorter than 7/8 <S> " - probably more like 3/4" - which depending on the brand will probably be 3/16. <S> You'll have to trim the bolt to a length so that it almost reaches the block when it's all the way in. <A> It is the toggles wing that will dictate if it can be used or not. <S> If you can find smaller toggles increase the amount you use to account for the decrease in holding power. <S> The 7/8 inch space is the hassle. <S> You would need to install spacers in the space <S> so when the bolts are tightened the drywall doesn't cave-in. <S> If you can rip a 2 x 4 on edge to 7/8 thick would be ideal as a spacer. <S> You may need to open the wall to install it. <S> Screw it to the back of the drywall and now you can drill holes for tap cons and/or mount the bracket. <S> Another idea would be to cut a piece of 3/4 inch plywood so that it would fit to the inside of the TV mount (10"?). <S> Cut the plywood <S> so you have a 10 inch by 10 inch (if that is the measurement of the frame I.D). <S> Cut two pieces and inlay them into the drywall at each end of the intended bracket location. <S> Secure the plywood to the concrete blocks with cement screws (4 each should do). <S> I would now attach a strip of 1/2 inch plywood so it spans across the 3/4 inch plywood. <S> Attach the bracket with roundhead screws or lag bolts of the appropriate size. <A> What we did to hang really heavy furniture in similar situation was chemical anchor. <S> Drill holes thorough drywall and into concrete Widen holes in drywall. <S> See point 8 to find out how much wider is necessary <S> Put baskets in concrete holes <S> Apply chemistry - put resin and hardener in baskets in a way shown in manual Insert <S> threaded rods Put what you need on the rods. <S> Make sure you can put it on and off before resin hardens! <S> Wait <S> Put two nuts at each rod. <S> That's why you need to make drywall holes bigger. <S> Lock them against each other in a way that makes surface of the outer one at the same level your drywall is. <S> Or just use one thick nut if you can find it. <S> Or use one inch pieces of metal pipe that fits on your rods. <S> put your metal thing again. <S> Put nuts to hold it in place <S> Warning : it's easy to get rods to short or to long. <S> To sort and you can't put nuts. <S> To long and you can't put TV. <S> It works and it won't fail if done right. <S> Sorry for my lack of language skill. <S> Diagram of what I meant: I omitted the part about resin and mounting basket in concrete because manufacturer of chemical anchor will provide one best suited for fis product. <A> I was inspired by ojait's inlay answer and combined it with the TapCon recommendation. <S> I got four pieces of 2" <S> x 1" x 10" green-treated plywood and glued two pairs together using silicone. <S> I placed the mount against the wall and outlined the screw hole locations, then laid each plywood inlay over four end screwhole outlines and outlined the plywood. <S> Using a drywall saw, I cut out each side. <S> I found an electrical surprise behind one hole. <S> What are the chances? <S> I wrapped the mildly cut outer shell of the wires in electrical tape just in case , then pushed the wires aside and placed the plywood inlays. <S> They stuck out more than the drywall, but there isn't much I can do about that. <S> I put the mount over the plywood and again outlined the screw openings. <S> I labeled the plywood: <S> front right, front left, then drilled the holes using a wood drill. <S> I made sure to bite into the backing concrete. <S> I removed the plywood, then used the appropriate TapCon drill head to drill through the concrete at least an inch deep in the spots marked by the wood drill. <S> In the center, even though there was a gap, I used a self-drilling screw mount. <S> I placed the mount over the holes and used 2 1/2" blue TapCon concrete screws with washers to hold the mount to the plywood, through into the concrete. <S> I used the appropriate screw for the middle piece, but it was not necessary. <S> Eight (six for the experiment) washered TapCon screws through plywood into concrete was enough to hold my 270lb body weight. <S> Then I spackled over the edges where the plywood met the wall. <S> Game room almost complete! <A> Use 1/4-20 “Snap” toggles in the sheetrock. <S> They hold 265 lbs. <S> EACH in 1/2” Sheetrock. <S> -Jef
|
The 7/8 inch spacer will prevent the screws from collapsing the drywall as the screws are tightened. You maybe able to trim the toggle bolts down to a size so that they can open in the 7/8 inch gap. I'd use a bunch of auger anchors, probably four on top and four on the bottom, as well.
|
Why do I have voltage on a plumbing ground strap, and is it dangerous? We have been having problems with the lights in our basement for awhile now (few weeks), sometimes they will work, other times they just won't turn on. Today I noticed a thin metal piece in the basement closet and I accidentally broke it off. I am pretty sure it was already breaking/loose because it snapped very easily. It was leading to the water pipe (where the main shutoff is) and just ends there with a metal loop and screw holding it in place. Or at least it was. Immediately after it started to spark, because it swung and made contact with the piece it broke off of. The lights also started flickering. I managed to get it to stop sparking. But when I went upstairs to get a flashlight, the lights upstairs started flickering and the heat/ac unit had no power. Few mins later the bulbs started going out. I use fluorescents. I'm freaking out a little bit now, turned off the power to the whole house. I originally was going to try to re-secure the metal tube but its not seeming like that will be enough. I'm hoping to call an electrician in the morning, how dangerous is this problem? Can I try to switch on just the heat and fridge? Plus who knows if I can get someone here tomorrow... The house is about 30yrs old, with both copper and aluminum wiring. Update:thanks for all the answers, thankfully was able to get electrician here the next morning, my fiance was mad that there was stuff in that closet. Neither one of us knew that wire was for electricity. He fixed it, it was a grounding wire, apparently also there was corrosion on the outside of the house next to the meter. So not safe to put anything near the grounding wire now that it's fixed? I wasn't home to ask the electrical myself. If not, I'm surprised there are shelves in the closet..?? It's about 4x2 feet, small shelves about 1x2 on each side, with the pipe and grounding wire in the middle. Alive and well, no fires phew. Furnace transponder blew though, which supposedly will be expensive to fix, circuit didn't blow :( <Q> You're lucky you haven't been hurt! <S> It sounds from your description like the ground wire came off the pipe clamp <S> If I was you <S> I would <S> definitely not touch that again. <S> Under normal circumstances that wire should not carry any current. <S> If you are seeing sparks, the ground wire is energized and carrying current. <S> If it does, it may indicate an extremely dangerous condition. <S> It can shock you (possibly seriously injuring or killing you), start a fire, and damage electrical devices in the house. <S> The shock hazard isn't just with the loose wire, it may be there with incidental contact with the pipes, sinks, etc. <S> in the house. <S> It's not really safe to be in the house. <S> If it is what it sounds like to me, you pulled the ground wire loose from its lug on the ground clamp - it shouldn't come loose easily, so maybe the wire was damaged, or the screw was not tight. <S> In any case you didn't cause this problem by pulling that wire loose; disconnecting that wire revealed the problem. <S> If you have problems on multiple circuits in your house, it's especially concerning, you may have a problem with your electrical service (lost neutral or other problem). <S> It's good that the main power is off, but that doesn't necessarily make everything safe in the house. <S> I'd call the electric company immediately and consider it an emergency. <S> edit: <S> The original poster followed up that an electrician came and fixed the issue. <S> With that resolved, incidental contact with the ground wire where it's exposed in the closet isn't dangerous. <A> Very very dangerous. <S> That wire could well have been the neutral line of a badly wired "multiwire branch circuit", where two hot wires share a neutral wire. <S> With that center line gone, you can get up to 240 volts on any outlet (double normal). <S> Or it's a ground wire, but has actual current on it, also a serious problem. <S> Or it's a bonding wire, also a serious issue <S> if it has current (it could mean your electrical pipes are energized). <S> Take a motel for the night : far cheaper than having your house burn down. <S> Let us know what happens in the morning, and what the electrician finds. <S> Post photos! <S> You can also call your electric company: the "lost neutral" problem is something they take seriously, as it can be their fault, and cause fires (see various online videos for examples). <A> Sounds like your neutral connection to the utility has failed. <S> Neutral and Ground are bonded together at the service entrance, and at the utility's transformer. <S> Because of this, when your Neutral to the utility is broken, current will find its way back to the utility THROUGH THE EARTH via your grounding system. <S> Only the utility is permitted to repair the overhead/underground service, so keep your main breaker off until they do that. <S> They should also check the adjacent homes and check for current in the ground. <S> Put a clamp meter on it and watch when you turn the main breaker back on. <S> There should be no current going through it. <S> If there is, then you need to shut it off, identify the circuit that is leaking current to ground, and fix that.
|
Disconnecting the ground wire from the pipe shouldn't be dangerous, but it can't be assumed to be safe, because there may be an undiscovered issue waiting to bite you. Once fixed, you can reconnect the grounding strap to the pipe IF the main breaker is off, and IF you carefully measure no voltage or current between it and the pipe. Call an electrician too, as soon as possible. The problem may also involve your neighbors.
|
How to connect power inverter to standard lighting circuit I'm interested in installing a solar power system in my garage and am wondering how to connect the three-prong receptacle output of the power inverter to a NM-B lighting circuit that was previously hooked into a switch in an electric box receiving power from the main panel. Here's the inverter , in case it helps. I'm comfortable with basic electric work like rewiring receptacles, installing GFCIs, etc., but I haven't done this before and want to be sure I'm not under- or over-thinking this. <Q> Note that these days the best answer for solar, if you aren't determined to go completely off-grid and if your electric company supports it, may be to get inverters that support line synchronization and ask the electric company to set you up for net metering. <S> In this setup the inverters and line feed the house in parallel. <S> If you're producing less power than you need, you buy the remainder from the power company; if you're producing more than you need, you sell the excess back to the power company. <S> Much simpler than trying to maintain local batteries for extra or nighttime power, ensures that all power generated deducts from your electric costs, and in some cases you may be able to sell carbon-reduction credits as well. <S> I've been quite happy with this setup. <S> I have a relatively small solar setup (8 "standard" panels), but my electricity use is relatively low too, and in the summer I usually do have one or two months of negative net usage. <S> I haven't yet gone negative enough to actually have a negative bill, due to the utility's $6 account fee, but I've come close. <S> Note <S> : The one disadvantage of a newer metering system is that, to keep your system from electrocuting linemen who expected a cable to be unpowered, net-metering systems are designed explicitly not to run in "island mode"; if the network goes dead, they shut down for safety. <S> That does mean you have to make other plans for dealing with blackouts. <S> As I said, if being able to go completely off-grid is important to you <S> this may not be the best solution. <S> If it sounds interesting, ask your solar supplier/contractor for details. <S> Anyone competent should be able to explain it in detail, and run numbers to tell you how long it would take for the system to pay back <S> it's purchase cost after figuring in any currently available rebates and carbon credits (though the latter will be a best-guess, since these are sold via an auction mechanism and prices may change depending on supply and demand). <A> I think the simplest answer is to install a piece of SO/SJO cord with a cord cap to the switch box for your lighting circuit and plug it in to the inverter when you wish to use it. <S> Make sure you disconnect the lighting circuit from the existing main power wiring first. <S> Good luck! <A> Separate the supply to your lights so that they are supplied from one of these . <S> Get a double-pole 120v relay capable of switching 15-20 amps, powered off the inverter. <S> The common being your lights, the NO being inverter in, and the NC being mains in. <S> Use short 12 AWG extension cords for their connectors to save time and keep the project looking clean. <S> Tie all grounds together and to the enclosure you use for the relay. <S> Then plug it all in. <S> When the inverter comes on, the lights may flicker because the phase angle won't match, but that should be the extent of it and they will run on battery until it depletes to the point the inverter cannot run. <S> If you want GFCI protection, I'd recommend using in-line GFCIs <S> so it's more modular. <S> You might also consider using "a proper transfer switch" if you want to spend some more and appease building codes, but the above will work, and is easily removable during any inspection or when you go to sell the house. <S> And if you want to be more efficient, consider using DC lighting at the same voltage as your batteries. <S> Do the same thing with the relays, but entirely on the DC side. <S> It will be safer, better compliant with code, and by not running an inverter you will save significant energy in waste heat. <A> The easiest method to achieve what you appear to want is: Disconnect power to your garage circuitry in your breaker panel. <S> NOTE : <S> If there is ANY chance that someone could fiddle with your breakers, it would be ideally best to physically disconnect the garage circuit wires from its circuit breaker. <S> Otherwise, it is possible that your inverter could cause harm to someone who has to service the power lines in your electric service area. <S> Install a male to male power cord from the inverter outlet to any outlet in your garage. <S> (wiring = hot to hot, neutral to neutral, & ground to ground). <S> NOTE: <S> this suggestion is a hack (i.e. not a building code compliant solution). <S> When you want to provide inverted battery power to your garage circuit, connect your inverter to the battery terminals & switch on the inverter power switch. <S> Note, you may need to switch on the wall-mounted light switch to allow power to flow to the other parts of the garage wiring. <S> Note: <S> The major disadvantage of this setup is that you will not have power to your garage circuitry when the inverter is off or your battery is drained. <S> That setup, however, would also definitely NOT conform to standard wiring codes.
|
Depending on the wiring in your garage, it may be possible to use your light switch to switch between mains power & inverter power, but you will likely need to install a pull switch light fixture to control the light & do some rewiring inside the light switch box.
|
How to connect metal conduit to in-wall NM cable? I have NM cable in metal conduit running along a wall. At a corner, the conduit enters wall space, and ends at a metal box in the wall. The line is continued by in-wall NM. How should I handle the point where the conduit enters the wall? Just a hole in the sheetrock? <Q> It sounds like you're sheetrocking over the existing wiring. <S> If that's correct, I think this would work. <S> The challenge is you want to make the transition from conduit to plain NM in a box, and you want the plain NM concealed inside a wall, not out in the open where it's exposed to damage. <S> remove the box from the end of the conduit <S> install two boxes in the face of the new wall, maybe one at switch or sconce height, one at receptacle height. <S> (These boxes will be accessible through the new sheetrock.) <S> Cut the existing NM mid way between the new boxes extend the conduit to the upper box (with the NM in it) <S> splice in a new piece of NM from the upper box to the lower box <A> One option would be to use a 1-gang box in the wall getting sheetrocked with a matching faceplate that has a suitably sized conduit knockout in it. <S> You can then connect to the box and faceplate normally, although getting it apart again can be a trifle tricky in such configurations, as such faceplates normally are used to fit MC, FMC, or LFMC whips as opposed to rigid conduit. <S> Example image (from the Home Depot catalog, although I can't find the product on their website any longer): <A> Yep, just pop a hole & compound, caulk or a snug rubber grommet.
|
The conduit is just to protect the wire from being easily or accidentally nicked, the wall takes over that duty & the transition can be as pretty or ugly as you want...by Code.
|
How to cut 45 angles in quarter round shoe molding with circular saw? I do not own a mitre saw, which seems like the best tool for cutting skinny quarter round shoe moulding at 45 degree angles. While I can manipulate the angle on my circular saw, which worked very well for my baseboard 45s, the quarter round's small size seems to make it difficult. Is there a carpentry trick/hack that would allow me to cut quarter round with a regular circular saw? Perhaps some kind of a channel embedded in some kind of metal guide that the quarter round would go into and a flat top surface that the saw runs over. <Q> Really too dangerous cutting small base shoe molding with a circular saw. <S> It is so easy to cut that you should just buy one of those cheap wooden miter boxes that you use with a fine toothed back saw. <S> Sometimes these even come with the saw as a kit. <A> Or make a simple miter box. <S> Two 2x2s screwed to a piece of plywood, spaced the thickness of your molding, would do. <S> Screw a thin rail down across the top at a 45 to guide your circular saw. <S> Be sure to hold the piece down firmly and cut slowly with a fresh blade. <A> Use a Japanese pull saw. <S> Quite versatile. <A> The best method is to get or make a miter box as others have suggested. <S> Short of that, the quick carpenter solution for cutting with a circular saw is to use the speed square. <S> The triangular shape includes a 90 and 45 degree angle and there are marks to cut other angles. <S> For the 45, you place the lip of the square against the quarter round, slide the square back until it's the blade is exactly at the mark to cut with the deck of the saw flush against the square, and then you just cut keeping the deck of the saw flush against the square. <S> For best results <S> : Make sure the saw is kept perfectly horizontal with the trim you're cutting. <S> Place the square over the part of the wood you intend to keep. <S> Clamp the square to the wood if you can't keep a firm grip. <S> This is more often used for rough cuts, especially with framing. <S> And for inside corners with quarter round, coping the joint with a coping saw <S> is preferred to a 45 degree cut. <S> Sample image from makezine.com <A> I honestly might just think about using a hand saw and a miter box like some of the other guys were talking about. <S> Fairly cheap, although I suppose the speed square thing would work fine, I just feel like it would be difficult to use a speed square on something as small as a piece of quarter round.
|
When doing something more accurate like your quarter round, a miter saw or a miter box are the best tools for the job.
|
Lightbulbs burn out 3 seconds after turning on the light I was sitting at my desk in my home office and I wanted to turn on the room light, but I couldn't reach - I was off from the switch by about 3 inches. Being too lazy to get out of my chair, I picked up my external battery pack (exactly the same one as shown below) which was on my desk, clipped a binder clip onto it and reached for the switch. The moment I hit the switch on, the lightbulb flashed on and burnt out. I thought "ok that was weird, I guess it was going to burn out anyway" I got a new lightbulb, put it in and flipped on the lightswitch normally. The light went on but burned out after three seconds. I thought it could be a coincidence (i.e. defective bulb) so I tried it again. Same thing happened. Now I'm convinced that me turning on the light with my battery/binder clip contraption really screwed up the light. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what may have happened and how I might be able to fix it? Note: All lightbulbs in this story are incandescent 60 watt, 120 volts. <Q> You could try moving a known working bulb from a different location to the suspicious location to verify. <S> Another reason is that there could be an over-voltage. <S> If possible, use a volt meter to measure the voltage. <S> The voltage should be somewhere between 105 and 125 V (in the united states). <S> If it's out of this range, then there is an equipment fault somewhere. <S> Some reasons would include bad wiring (open neutral) or faulty transformers. <S> It's likely that an electrician would need to be hired (or perhaps power company involvement) to repair the electrical system in this case. <A> Possibly a coincidence having 3 bulbs burn-out, but here are some suggestions. <S> It would be best to verify this with a voltage tester. <S> It could be the brand of bulbs that you used. <S> My local Ace brand light bulbs are the lowest priced bulbs on the shelf (for good reason), but they don't last more than a few hours. <S> I've had great results with the incandescent bulbs labeled for "Heavy Duty" use. <S> These bulbs have been made with a thicker filament which enables them to stand-up to higher voltage and abuse. <S> They are rated at 130 volts. <S> Lastly, make sure the bulb is fully seated when installed. <S> A gap my create arcing and terminate the bulb quickly. <A> How old are the lights? <S> They were probably not sealed well and the element burned. <S> Try a light from a diferent pkg. <S> I purchased a case of 100W prior to the outlaw date 9+ months later aprox 30% failed same thing.
|
One likely reason is that the light bulbs came from a defective batch. The voltage in the circuit is over the normal household 120 volts.
|
Does a GFCI receptacle provide overcurrent protection? Does a GFCI receptacle provide over-current protection? (note that I'm not referring to GFCI circuit breakers as may be found in a service panel, nor to specialty devices such as an inline plug-in GFCI that may offer over-current protection) I've checked some GFCI datasheets (note, this link opens a PDF) but haven't found any that mention overcurrent protection, or provide trip curves as would be expected in a circuit breaker datasheet. So, does a GFCI receptacle provide any inherent over-current protection or must it always be used with a circuit breaker for over-current protection? This question was prompted by this answer where the answer suggests using a GFCI outlet as a circuit breaker. This seems like very big misconception of the protection offered by a GFCI, and is potentially dangerous if it leads someone to think that GFCI outlets are the same as circuit breakers. <Q> They provide protection when the current in the HOT wire is not balanced with the current in the NEUTRAL wire to the local outlet outlet or to downstream circuits connected to the LOAD terminals of the device. <S> The way you would get current overload protection and GFCI protection at the same time in the same device would be to install a GFCI equipped circuit breaker in the power distribution panel. <A> A ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) uses a current transformer (CT) (or similar device), to detect slight current imbalances between the ungrounded (hot) and grounded (neutral) conductors that pass through it. <S> On its own, a GFCI does not offer any purposeful type of overcurrent, nor overload protection. <S> This blog entry explains a bit about how a GFCI works, if you're interested in a bit more reading. <A> No . <A> Power strips often have their own circuit breaker, but wall outlet/receptacles do not have: do not duplicate the circuit breaker panel. <S> They do not limit the current in that way. <S> Although such a device may exit, most outlets limit current imbalance and not the amps draw.
|
Typical GFCI outlet units do not provide any over current protection.
|
How do I drywall a corner with a lally column? I'm finishing my basement and I've come across this lally column which is supporting a steel beam. I want to frame an external corner for this interior wall at this "corner" but the distance from where the back of the drywall would be to the column (especially on the right side) is really small, like maybe 0.5"? Since I can't fit a 1x1" there, how do I frame this corner? <Q> Here is my suggestion. <S> It is only part of the post in the drawing, but it is the same all the way up, the scrap pieces of plywood are about 1 ft apart 3 or 4" wide, can be wider, can be solid, done that too. <S> Makes for a really strong corner for corner bead. <S> If you don't use 1/2" plywood and need to use 1/4" it will still be really strong. <S> It is what I do, I shown pieces so the method of construction is seen. <S> I have also used 1X and had good results too, I use glue to help hold it.... <A> Use plywood as the corner material for both sides. <S> The corner can be built on site and installed when complete. <S> Strengthen the corner with brackets installed on the inside and construction adhesive. <S> You'll need nailers on each end of the attachment walls. <S> You could also just extend the drywall without framing since the distance past the framing is minimal (glue <S> the two pieces were they meet at the corner). <A> Don't frame it, just wrap the ends of the walls with drywall to behind the column & paint the column to match or contrast. <S> Or, you can make it decorative & give yourself room to boot. <S> Bumps-out just the corner (2" with drywall, if desired). <S> It would look great & you can corner bead the bump-out to get all 3 corners sharp. <S> Option 1 leaves the column accessible, but possibly difficult to mud & corner-bead. <S> Option 2 could be removable with just screws at the very top & bottom...if desired. <S> Pre-drill both the lumber corner & the wall studs <S> so you don't split that 3/4 <S> " you'd screw Option 2 into.
|
Screw a 2x8 & 2x10 into a corner with corner bead (guessing what it is to each end stud), then screw those flats to the wall end stud faces (only half the width of those studs so drywall can lay & screw)... Using a full piece of plywood makes a straight corner really easy.
|
Removing basketball hoop from asphalt driveway I've got an old basketball hoop pole sunk in my asphalt driveway, about an inch away from a concrete pad. I want to get it out, at least enough to cover over with an asphalt patch kit. I don't want to leave any of the pole exposed. What would be the best way to do this? I could get it mostly flush with an angle grinder, but not sure how to best break up the asphalt to get below the surface? Thanks! <Q> This involves 2 cuts, the first is to remove enough so that when the second cut is made the remaining section can be handled safely. <S> Use a reciprocating saw with a long enough metal cutting blade. <S> After the second cut the pipe should be 3/4-1 inch protruding from the ground. <S> Next make 2 cuts so that the pipe is cut in quarters. <S> With a cold chisel and short handled sledge pound each of the 4 quartered pipe sections inwards to the pipe. <S> Hammer each section at a time until they touch the inside of the pipe. <S> When done the pipe will be below ground level and ready to be filled with asphalt. <S> Alternately, once the pipe has been cut so that it is close to the ground cut the inside wall with a new saw-zall metal blade and again at 30 degrees from the first. <S> You may not cut all the way through, but the resulting 2 slices will be enough to snap the pipe with pliers. <S> It can then be twisted and rolled from the ground. <A> Cut it off two inches above the surface, then pour a little molten paraffin into the bottom to make sure the bottom is sealed. <S> Then pour muriatic acid into the well. <S> It will dissolve the pipe. <A> You just need a diamond blade or a much more cost effective black fiber masonry blade or 3 (they wear down to smaller & smaller). <S> Cut a circle if possible to not create weak corners & cut it bigger & bigger, enough to get your grinder in there to shave or cut the pole down further. <S> You want a minimum depth of an inch for an okay asphalt patch, deeper is better. <S> Concrete may be immediately under the asphalt & the blades will cut it <S> but you'll have to chisel the concrete for depth. <S> You can also get the pipe down by sledging the cut pipe inward, but you may only get 1/2" of down curl.
|
The way I found to lower an embedded pipe below grade is to first cut the pipe as low as possible. A grinder or circular saw will get that asphalt.
|
GFCI installation in bathroom switch box doesn't work as expected My bathroom wall switch controls the old light above the old medicine cabinet but it only has 1 cable with a black and a white wire. I took off the old switch and put the black wire on the hot side of the GFCI and the white wire on the other side both in the "line" position. This new GFCI has both a switch and a outlet. Turned the power back on and the swich does nothing but the outlet works and when I plug something in to it the light comes on. Turn the hair dryer off and the light goes off. What's the problem? <Q> You just tried to hook up an outlet to an old-style switch loop with no neutral wire. <S> Right now, your hair dryer is wired in series with the light, and the switch is dangling in the electrical breeze. <S> (In other words: You'll need to find another place to put the GFCI function, or run a new /3 NM cable to the switch box so you can have a neutral there.) <A> Actually it goes to the light fixture first. <S> (new code requires that.) <S> One wire may be white, but it's not neutral. <S> (It should have been marked with tape or paint.) <S> That is only found in the light fixture, not the switch. <S> So leave the switch the way you found it (but mark the white wire). <S> You will have to run more wires from the light fixture to wherever you want the outlet. <S> (Since this is new work, you may want to have a look at NEC and see what it requires for bathrooms.) <S> A simpler option is convert the light switch to an outlet-only box. <S> Rewire, so the two wires to the former light switch actually are hot and neutral. <S> And put the GFCI there. <S> I would not do that if the light switch box is not grounded. <S> Now you have no light switch. <S> You could go hillbilly with a pull cord, or you could install one of the new home-automation gadgets to enable a wireless switch. <S> (plus, if you left the bathroom light on, you could stay in bed and turn it off from your phone lol.) <A> The problem is that the box where you put the gfci outlet is not meant to contain an outlet at all. <S> It is not supplied with a hot and neutral and ground as outlets require. <S> It is bridging an opening in the hot or neutral of the light. <S> This might apear to "work" with a hair dryer, but it will damage some types of appliances and possibly blow the bulb out. <S> UNDO <S> UNDO UNDO Power runs from the source, to the light's junction box <S> and then there's two wires to the switch that can interrupt current to the light. <S> If you need an outlet there, the best option is to find a light with a switch built into it, and then rewire the light's jbox so that the former swith leg is in parallel with the light. <S> You'd still want a ground on that outlet probably. <S> So hopefully when you said "only has 1 cable with a black and a white wire <S> " you were ignoring the uninsulated ground wire. <S> Switches are also available from home automation vendors that can be concealed in a jbox or in the fixture housing and controlled wirelessly from wall mounted remotes. <A> Sorry for my first answer, I didn't get that the power was coming from the light. <S> The combo switch will not work for your setup since you can't get power back to the light separately, so put the old switch back. <S> However, since you are getting power from the light you should have the same 2-cables & 4-wires as you saw in the YT vids in your light's box. <S> EXCEPT, since you had a lazy "professional" in there you don't want to do anything with the white going to the light, as that is hot & not labeled as it should be in either existing box. <S> From the light box you can run a new separate line for a new box & GFCI outlet. <S> You'll plier & then wire-nut the blacks for your outlet & plier & wire-nut your new white to the white that's NOT connected to the light. <S> If not, then the cabinet will still cover your very short fishing holes, still patch them though.
|
You made an assumption about the wiring: that power came from the breaker panel first to the light switch, then up to the fixture. Since the light switch only switches a hot, they didn't bother bringing a neutral to that location. For outlets, you need neutral. Especially if you chose a GFCI, and its next to a sink.... If the medicine cabinet is recessed, just a hole in the wall, this can make the whole process an absolute breeze.
|
How to repair chipped glass My tabletop glass corner was chipped about 1 square cm in area. How can i reattach this chip to glass so there is no trace of breakage. I am looking for a cheaper and best approach. <Q> I agree that replacing with tempered glass is your best option. <S> But if you want cheap, there are other options. <S> I don't know about regular super glue or Krazy glue. <S> It would probably work fine. <S> Loctite makes a super glue specifically for glass. <S> I used to work for an art glass/leaded glass company 20 years ago and we used a glue that was cured by UV light. <S> It was nice because you could easily wipe up any excess before you set the glue. <S> It is slower, but you can also use sunlight. <S> It cures absolutely clear and is permanent. <S> The bond is super strong. <S> We used this glue to attach glass "jewels" and flat beveled glass to glass windows that we made. <S> Once it was cured, there was no removing it. <S> You couldn't break the bevel off with a hammer. <S> I don't remember the name of it, but there are cheap UV cured glues available online and probably Lowe's/Home Depot. <A> If you really don't accept any trace, then cheapest way is to replace glass, simple as that. <S> Cyanoacrylic glue might hold it in place, but the edge of crack will be visible if someone will look up close. <S> And melting glass to connect it without any layer between pieces would be tricky, and it would be extremely difficult to make it as smooth as new. <S> So difficult <S> I'm sure no professional glassblower would even give you a price for it. <S> Not worth it, not with cheap machine <S> made glass you can buy. <S> For the table, please buy something that is hard to break, and if you can't stand minor chips, buy glass that shatters into relatively small, not too sharp pieces (tempered glass). <S> Hey, you will be replacing it anyway, and you can't replace blood and skin so easily! <A> Crazy glue. <S> I just did it yesterday to the bottom of a vase <S> & it's almost undetectable as well as completely water tight <S> & I couldn't bump it back off, thankfully. <A> It is almost impossible to make a repair to a glass surface and not be able to detect the damaged outline. <S> If you are lucky the glass top when damaged produced a "chip" on the underside of the top. <S> If so it will be easier to repair and less noticeable. <S> For simple and fast repairs use a cyanoacrylate-type glue (other names are "super" and "crazy glue"). <S> Hold the chip in place and consider how it appears. <S> If you still see a fracture line this is how it will look once the glue dries. <S> You will need hand protection for the next steps. <S> Have a strip of masking tape near by and place one drop (no more) onto the glass chip. <S> immediately and with great accuracy place the chip back into its' divot. <S> Hold for several seconds to let the glue harden. <S> Place the tape over the repair for additional support. <A> I would suggest glue as @ZeroOneZero wrote and then use a compound meant to repair car windscreens to fill the remaining gaps. <S> The seal may be invisible at the end.
|
You can use a cheap UV light ($15 or less) to cure the glue.
|
How to install wheels on shelves? I am looking at this product, and wondering if I can install wheels on them. <Q> You don't want to install wheels on those shelves. <S> They will fall apart on you. <S> Instead of trying to find a way to install wheels on shelves, find shelving that is already on wheels and buy that. <A> There is no "one-step" way to install casters on these types of shelves. <S> You would have to build a base, or affix them to something like a mobile power tool base. <S> In general this would be a lot of work for a potentially dangerous rolling shelf. <S> You would be better off finding a wire-type shelving unit, which are often built either with casters, or slots for casters in each post. <S> The cheaper the model, the more risk of collapse, so if you are planning on putting anything heavy on it, I recommend finding a restaurant model, which are built to handle pretty heavy loads. <A> Those shelves require a solid base. <S> So you'd have to build a solid base (plywood could work) and attach casters to those. <S> Then attach the shelf to that. <S> However, you still have the issue of moving said shelves. <S> Those shelves are designed primarily for vertical loads and tend to not handle lateral loads well at all...which would be the case when you push or pull against them to move them. <S> As such, I'd strongly suggest not using those types of shelves if you want them on wheels. <S> Instead, use wire racks (typically used in kitchens) that are designed specifically for casters and handling being pulled and pushed around: <S> You can find these in most big-box stores. <S> Sam's Club and Costco often sell them. <S> I have both these types of shelves and the ones you refer to. <S> There is a price difference, but it's not huge <S> and I much prefer the wire shelves. <S> They're also much more durable in terms of disassembly and reassembly when moving. <A> You could drill through the bottom shelf and attach some casters and then reinforce the sides with some wood or other means. <S> This should make it durable enough to roll around somewhat. <S> Then again attached some siding if needed. <S> Same concept, just a different way to get the wheels on there. <S> As the others said though, this setup might not be the best choice for rolling around. <S> Even if you can't get something else with wheels, there would be better choices that would be easier to attach to.
|
I guess the other option would be to mount a support below the bottom shelf, screwed on through the corner holes, and attach the casters to that.
|
Is there a Dremel attachment for removing Gorilla Glue? I find myself having an on-off love affair with Gorilla Glue but can't quite commit to it. It's the mess due to the foaming behaviour during cure. I try to glue small things together with it and then clean off the glue during the foaming phase. These items are a few inches across. I got a Dremel (type) tool for Christmas. I'm wondering if I could use it to surgically remove the cured foam. I think that it's a polyurethane glue. Is there an appropriate attachment for this? <Q> It is polyurethane. <S> Much easier to slice than to grind, as it tends to get a bit gummy, and the things that you glue (e.g. wood) tend to be softer than the glue itself, meaning that you are risking damaging the workpiece. <S> If you had to, I'd use a vibrating oscilating mini-saw on a nultifunction tool <S> but I generally just use a razor. <A> I don't think there's any one magic attachment specifically for gorilla glue. <S> I'd just go with whatever grinder <S> /sander attachment fits the piece you are trying to remove glue from. <A> Gorilla Glue is primarily used for bonding wood together although I'm sure the company has expanded the glue for different functions. <S> To remove excess that has expanded from the seam while it is still uncured wipe with a damp rag. <S> If it has hardened slice off as much as possible with a razor. <S> There will be some residual glue on the surface. <S> Depending on the material that was bonded a fine grit sanding drum chucked in your Dremel should work. <S> If the glue film that can't be scraped-off with a razor needs to be removed from a wood surface use a 150-180 grit sanding attachment and apply light pressure. <S> You want to remove the glue only. <S> If the material has detail or coloring that may get erased or damaged by using the previous two suggestions you will need to meticulously and patiently use a dental pick and a magnifier to scrape the adhesive coating away.
|
If the material is a type of metal attach a wire wheel or cup brush to the multi-tool and gently remove the dried glue haze.
|
How to install recessed lights without bar hangers? I'm sure I can figure out a way to mount the recessed I reclaimed, which are missing the bar hangers; however, does anyone have any previous experience in doing so? <Q> Sure, just rotate them 90° and attach them to a ceiling joist with nails or screws through the bracket where the bars used to go. <S> Of course then you have no adjustment for placement between joists. <A> Why not just use lumber? <S> Run two boards between trusses where the bars were, then screw the can housings to that through the vertical flanges. <S> I applaud your motivation to reuse hardware in this throwaway society. <S> The financial cost of the product isn't the only cost. <S> That steel and the work to galvanize and form it takes a lot of energy, chemicals, and water. <A> edit: <S> it's available for $2.12 online, may be available cheaper at a local electrical supply or industrial supply.
|
This gadget, the Caddy TSGB16 , would probably work with the keyholes in the plate in your picture.
|
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.