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how to protect outdoor cables I've installed some outdoor security cameras and ran the Cat5e cables along the outside of the walls. Now I want to protect the parts where the cables are exposed to the sun. What are my options? I was thinking to use some kind of spiral wrap. Thanks for the help. <Q> Paint <S> All the answers posted so far entail shielding devices which themselves will require paint to last very long under UV light bombardment. <S> So with or without them, you will need a suitable primer and paint. <S> I recommend running a Scotchbrite pad down the wire or shield before priming, to give the material some microscopic "tooth" for the primer to lock into. <S> Then a solvent based primer. <S> Then an exterior rated paint of your choice. <S> If you want to match what you have on the house, find a way to remove something that is painted in that color, and the hardware store can match it with their scanner. <A> The Cat5e cable is somewhat fragile and the insulation will degrade left exposed the UV light and elements. <S> I suggest using a flexible conduit. <S> You will be protecting the cable from the elements and signal degradation. <A> When installing security camera outsides, make sure the connection between the camera and the cable is well protected. <S> To do that, you need to use waterproof cable cap to make sure you cover the jack and the port with protective cover. <S> As for the cable exposing outside, use protective tape to make sure the cable is not easily exposed to the element but not too much to cause heat. <A> You can purchase and install cable race ways that are typically made out of plastic. <S> An alternative to consider is to split PVC pipe down the middle of its length to create a cross section that looks like below. <S> Then install this with fasteners or clamp devices over the wiring.
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For better understanding, you can use plastic conduit to provide extra layer of protection and you can refer to these two articles https://reolink.com/how-to-run-security-camera-wires/ and https://www.securitycameraking.com/securityinfo/cctv-installation-and-wiring-options/ .
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Issue replacing a regular 3 way switch with smart one that requires neutral This is what my downstairs 3 way switch looks like: The new smart switch requires a neutral, but it appears that the white wire is the hot wire, I checked with a non-touch voltage tester and it is, in fact, hot. There is nothing else tucked inside the switch box, so am I basically missing the neutral wire? The upstairs switch box does contain the neutral wires, but none of the cables have voltage unless I flip the switch downstairs. Is my assumption that the hot (downstairs) box is missing the neutral line? The house was built in 2005, I thought newer houses had neutrals by code. Just 2 feet up is the thermostat which I believe does contain a neutral since it has power, would be it okay to somehow piggy back off that neutral? <Q> Yes, that box is missing the neutral. <S> The National Electrical Code did not add that requirement until 2011. <S> Smart switches require a source of constant power to work. <S> Therefore, they trickle a small amount of current on the neutral while they are working. <S> They used to trickle this current on the equipment ground which was decided to be unsafe by the code making community. <S> However, these older style switches that do not require a neutral are still available and can be installed in your situation. <S> Depending on how "smart" you want your switch to be, you can find occupancy / vacancy style switches that do not need a neutral and use the equipment ground instead. <S> Similar to this one. <S> Harper is correct in his observation that thermostats use a low voltage system that is powered by the HVAC system through a transformer. <S> You cannot get a neutral here. <S> Good luck and stay safe! <A> You're trying to solve this upside-down. <S> You are locked into the idea of putting the master in the lower box. <S> The wires just aren't there for that. <S> The lay of the land is telling you to put the master upstairs. <A> Thirty-five years ago I installed a programmable timer in place of one switch of a pair of 3-way switches that controlled a single outside fixture. <S> An always hot was available in this box. <S> (Probably the instructions said the timer must be installed in the box with the always hot.) <S> I think it may be that the box with an always hot will also have a neutral, but there will certainly be a neutral if the line feed enters at that box. <S> If the line feed is entering at the box of the controlled light fixture it may be that a neutral will not always be available. <S> The instructions were to use a supplied jumper across a particular two of the three contacts of the other switch. <S> And the instructions claimed that despite being jumped in this way the second switch would function as a 3-way switch. <S> Cannot the new smart switches be used this way? <S> In any pair of 3-way switches one box will have an always hot so put the smart switch there and leave the old switch in place and use a jumper if necessary. <S> New smart switches may not require a jumper like my old programmable switch did. <S> When I did this 35 years ago I was perfectionist and doubted that the puny jumper (looked like #18 stranded wire) would be the best practice. <S> I realized that the jumper turned the 3-way switch into a 1-pole switch <S> so I replaced the 3-way with a 1-pole switch. <S> (I put two wires under a single screw of the 1-pole switch.) <S> The circuit worked perfectly as if there were two 3-way switches. <S> This timer (which also was a two position dimmer) was only rated for incandescent lights, and when I switched to LEDs I removed it and put the original 3-way mechanical switches back in. <S> I actually reinstalled 50-year-old mechanical switches in my house!
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Return the switch you have and look for a "no-neutral required" type of switch.
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Paint or Stain a repaired deck I need help deciding to paint or stain my deck. About a year ago, a tree fell on my deck and half of it had to be rebuilt. The deck builder suggested letting the wood weather for a bit before painting and now it’s time. He specifically recommended painting instead of stain but most people online seems to lean towards using stain. With half the deck new and half old, is stain a good option? Is there a stain solid enough that would blend the old and new or should I use paint? I haven't pressure washed the old half of the deck yet but I don't imagine it will be much lighter when I'm done. <Q> They are tintable in many colors, will fill small gaps, water based, thicker than paint, will make your deck look uniform. <S> Just follow the instructions. <A> Assuming the new wood is the same species as the old wood, and the old wood isn't too rotten, if you really must have the true stain-on-wood look and are prepared to put in a lot of hours, consider renting a floor sander and taking all the boards (old and new) down to raw wood. <S> You'll have to use a belt or disk sander to hit the railings and spindles. <S> Then, you'll have to prep all of the surfaces as if it's new wood. <S> All the boards should then take up the stain at about the same rate. <A> Solid-color stain is more likely to stick and stay stuck, and it has the opacity to reduce UV damage. <S> It also soaks in better, and therefore doesn't wear of with foot traffic like paint does. <S> I've never seen a painted deck that still looked good two years later for those reasons. <S> This borders on a product recommendation question, though, since "paint" and "stain" are fuzzy categories. <S> Visit your local paint store and see what's available. <S> If it's not designed specifically for decks, I wouldn't use it.
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Instead of paint or stain you might want to look into Rust-Oleum Restore or Behr Deckover.
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How do I determine which outlets are on the same circuit without power? I just bought an old house that I'm currently fixing up. Right now, the house doesn't have any power or water because I don't want to pay for power and water before I move in. I have a few chipped receptacles, but instead of replacing those few by themselves, I'm instead going to buy and install gfci outlets at the start of each circuit and move those old receptacles to where the chipped ones are. Of course though, I don't know which outlets are on which circuits, or even how many different circuits my house has for outlets. How can I figure out which outlets are in the same circuit, preferably on the cheap? Is it even possible to do? I was thinking that if I had some sort of cheap ac power generator, I could attach it to the load wires and take note of which outlets start receiving power, but that sounds too expensive. Actually, if the wires aren't connected to anything, could I technically just attach a 9-volt dc battery to the load wires? Would it basically just be like a square wave with really slow hz? How stupid is this idea? <Q> I'd use one of these - a tone tracer. <S> They're mainly used by telecoms engineers to trace pairs in large multipair cables and junction boxes but they'll do just as well for this application. <S> Though why you don't want to pay for electricity before you move in beats me. <S> Surely you can get a plan where you just pay for what you actually use? <S> I'd have to advise against doing electrical work on the cheap though, it rarely ends well. <A> Get a common DVM, variety of resistors and some orange wire nuts. <S> Go into the panel, turn off the main supply (yes, even if it's failing to deliver right now) and all breakers, even the ones not under test. <S> For each hot wire you want to test, pull the hot wire off the breaker (and neutral if wired to it) and wire-nut on a resistor between hot and neutral. <S> If neutral doesn't go to the breaker put the other end of the resistor on the neutral bar. <S> Use a different value of resistor (or resistors in combo) for each circuit. <S> Make a list of all their values. <S> You should get one of those values. <S> If you don't, search for loads which might be on the circuit, like light bulbs, illuminated switch plates, radon blowers, etc and get rid of them until you get an expected resistance. <A> You can use the 9v batt or two 9v batt in series connection. <S> Follow these steps: <S> Remove all circuit breakers (or turn off) and make sure that there is no ac. <S> THIS IS A DANGEROUS OPERATION! <S> BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL!!! <S> Mark every circuit breaker with a number (or letter) <S> this will identify your circuit. <S> Connect your batt to first circuit breaker and measure voltage on outlets. <S> THE SYSTEM SHOULD BE OFFLINE FROM AC GRID!!! <S> YOU HAVE TO BE SURE ABOUT THIS!! <S> Connect (-) minus terminal of batt to AC - null (neutral) (N). <S> Connect (+) plus terminal of batt to AC - Line (L) which is the output of circuit breaker. <S> Then go to any outlet socket and measure the (N) and (L) terminals with a multimeter. <S> if you see dc voltage equal to or a little bit lower than the batt voltage, then this outlet is on the XXX breaker's circuit. <S> Mark the outlets with the breakers mark. <S> Also you can note them on a paper if you wish. <S> Repeat the process until every circuit is identified. <A> All you need is a continuity tester. <S> Since you don't have any power then you don't need to worry about getting shocked. <S> Make sure the main breaker is shut off. <S> Make sure nothing is plugged it to any receptacles. <S> At the main panel, disconnect each hot wire from their breaker one at a time. <S> Connect that wire to the neutral or ground bus. <S> Take your continuity tester to each outlet and check between hot and neutral or ground. <S> The receptacles with continuity are on that circuit. <S> Lather, rinse, repeat! <S> Don't forget to put each hot wire back on the breaker it came from. <S> Good luck! <A> THE POWER MUST BE OFF! <S> This would be the quickest way to identify all the branch circuits. <S> The only to know for certain the first outlet on a branch is to trace the wire or break the chain but usually the closest to the service panel <S> is the first. <A> Turn off all the breakers, including the main. <S> Connect one lead of the tone generator to the neutral bus, and the other to one of the hot bus bars. <S> Turn on one of the breakers that's connected to the hot bus with the tone generator connected. <S> Wave the tone detector near electrical devices, and take note of any that cause the alarm to go off. <S> Repeat steps 4 and 5, until all the circuits are mapped. <S> NOTE: <S> For 240V circuits, you'll have to connect one tone generator probes to each hot bus. <A> Do you have a multi-meter with a resistance setting? <S> If so, you don't need an external battery. <S> The multi-meter has a battery inside which is used for resistance measuring. <S> All you need in addition to the multi-meter is a long extension cord or set of cords. <S> Plug the cord into any receptacle and pull the female end of the cord over to another receptacle. <S> Measure the resistance between the hot slot on the receptacle under test and the hot slot in the extension cord. <S> If the circuit is open (infinite resistance), then the receptacle under test is not on the same circuit. <S> If the resistance is zero or close to zero, then the receptacle is on the same circuit. <S> This will not indicate the order of the receptacles from the panel. <S> Note that in some cheaply built houses from the 1970s (like mine) some wall receptacles are switched with a wall switch. <S> Make sure that all single pole wall switches in the house are on (convention is that the up position is on). <S> A receptacle which is switched by two 3-way switches represents a slight complication but that is rare <S> and I think you can dismiss that possibility for the first pass.
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Go to each receptacle or light socket and measure the resistance. What you do is flip all the circuit breakers to off. A toner/ tracer ( extech 24.99 / byes cable 19.99) will work well but the transmitter and pickup wand. Get a tone generator (Can be had for less than $20 at local home improvement store).
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Securing conduit to HardiePlank So I've decided to buy this conduit to run some Cat5e cables outdoor (POE cameras). I've also bought clamps for the conduits. My question is should I nail or screw the clamps into the HardiePlank siding? Also what type of nail or screw because the holes on the clamps are pretty big. Thanks for the help <Q> Screw to the studs, behind the siding - you can screw through the siding, but expecting screws to hold in (just) siding is foolishness. <S> Look for the fasteners that are holding the siding in place to indicate where the studs are. <S> Use screws (or short lag bolts) <S> about an inch longer than the siding is thick. <A> Personally I would use metal roofing screws at the studs just follow the nail for location. <S> When you use the screw it has a rubber washer on it <S> well take it off then thread the metal roofing screw through the brackets and then into the seal <S> so you have a watertight bond. <S> Also I noticed your using flex why not use pvc conduit. <S> It is cheaper and saves having to add so many brackets. <S> Metal screws here is a link of what i recommend any roofing supply company carries them http://www.bestmaterials.com/images/ws10Z1-zac-large.jpg <S> enter link description here <A> You could go "overboard" and use large diameter, short lag screws, perhaps with a washer under each one. <S> A pilot hole drilled for the lag screw will make the job easier and reduce blooming or mushrooming of the material around the lag screw. <S> The above item lists on the 'net for US$5.50 for 75 pieces, not a bank breaker. <S> Unless you spring for the stainless version, expect some rust over time on the zinc plated/galvanized ones. <S> Stainless might be a bank-breaker, though. <S> Fender screws are larger in diameter than the average washer used on bolts. <S> Curiously, the above item happens to be available at the same web site for US$5.40 for 100 pieces. <S> The same caveat applies regarding rust versus stainless steel. <S> Generally speaking, screws are going to be preferred over nails for ease of service and/or removal over time. <S> Nails might not be quite as easy to install. <S> Even a lag screw that passes only a half inch into the studs will have greater hold than a nail.
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If you don't want to use large diameter lag screws, smaller screws with fender washers under each one will also provide a secure mount.
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What is attached to this spigot and how to remove This adapter is attached to an outdoor spigot: It is near the location of a former hot tub so I believe it has something to do with pressure control. When I attach a hose to it and turn it on if the hose is not flowing (e.g. a closed nozzle at the end) the water leaks (more like squirts, lots of it) from this adapter, it appears to be from the holes and not the connection to the spigot or the hose. What is this thing? Is there a way to utilize it? I'd like to remove it so I can use this spigot but when I try to unscrew it with a wrench it does not budge - in fact the spigot itself starts to rotate. I wasn't really able to tighten a pipe wrench to the spigot due to the available clearance & pipe width. There appears to be a rivot on the under side of the adapter but it is difficult to tell, it is somewhat rusted over. Follow Up My original concern was water leaking from it when it was used. While a plumber was on site doing a different job I asked him to look at this to see if something was wrong. He said the vacuum breaker wasn't working properly and ended up replacing the entire hose bib (with new vacuum breaker), I presume because he was not able to remove the vacuum breaker as well or it wasn't salvageable. Now no water spews out when it is used. <Q> An anti-siphon plumbing device is a special device that has a one-way valve designed to stop the flow of potentially contaminated water back into the drinkable (potable) water supply . <S> Anti-siphoning capabilities are required by code on certain plumbing devices such as exterior faucets (sillcocks). <S> On exterior faucets or sill-cocks, the anti-siphon device protects against the risk of the faucet being connected to a hose that is immersed in contaminated water or attached to a chemical sprayer. <S> These special faucets keep freezing cold temperatures away from any water supply line feeding the exterior faucet . <S> They allow remote control of the water supply faucet valve located inside the home, which then controls water flow to the exterior faucet spout. <S> The faucet head is attached to a 6” to 20” long tube. <S> https://www.thespruce.com/anti-siphon-faucet-1824942 <S> I agree that this appears to be an add-on device which could probably be removed with a locking pliers or pipe wrench. <A> This is defiantly an add on vacuum breaker . <S> As mentioned in @isherwood's answer it is a form of anti-siphon device. <S> Unless it is broken, there should be no need to remove it. <S> Most are held in place via a set screw. <S> This is most likely the ‘rivet’ you observed. <S> The set screw might be might have a round head, hex head, or even a hex key. <S> Most newer codes require that hose bibs be of the anti-siphon type and this devise is often used when upgrading an existing hose bib to meet code. <A> This might be normal. <S> Really! <S> The device you're talking about is a hose bibb vacuum breaker that protects the water system from backsiphonage. <S> Without it, leaving your hose end in the backyard kiddie pool could turn into a real mess for you and the City if a water pipe breaks or needs to be turned off for maintenance at the wrong time. <S> Closing the valve on the hose nozzle creates a situation similar to backpressure, as the pressure change from the nozzle closing propagates back up the hose and pipe past the vacuum breaker. <S> The vacuum breaker is spitting out water to keep that water from getting into your plumbing because it might not be just water -- it might have crud in it that you don't want in your plumbing. <S> If it spits out water all the time not just in a burst when the valve is closed though, it might be faulty or jammed inside. <S> I'd replace it with a new one though, or if you're willing to do some plumbing, replace the whole hose bibb with a frost-free type that has an integral vacuum breaker.
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The device simply screws over the existing hose bib connection, adds a simple vacuum breaker, and a new hose connection on it's end. Some are designed to that you break the head of the screw off after install so that it remains permanent.
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Does primer really require 3/8 -1/2 inch nap? I am painting an exterior steel door in our garage. We have some Behr Premium Plus Primer. I was planning on keeping the flat look so I was going to use the foam roller. But the primer instructions said to use 3/8-1/2 nap roller. Is that necessary? <Q> They're trying to help you apply it efficiently, perhaps because it is thick. <S> You can beat roller texture by using the "roll and tip" method . <S> That means rolling it out to lay it down, and swishing over it with a brush wetted in paint to remove the roller stipple. <S> I do it so often that I find myself doing it even when I don't need to. <S> The link and similar Youtube videos talk about marine paints, the best of which have very good flow-out and will "look sprayed" if roll/tip is done properly. <S> Disregard what they say about mineral spirits and chemical thinners, <S> thin according to your paint's instructions. <A> If you are painting a door I would use a shorter nap or a sponge roller to get a smoother look. <S> You could also cut the paint with water if it is latex (or mineral spirits if it is oil base) to get it to lay down better. <S> Good luck! <A> Paint manufacturers like to advertise their products as "one coat coverage" but they fail to emphasize the many variables that determine how well a paint film covers. <S> One of the factors is the amount of paint applied to the surface . <S> By recommending a 3/8-1/2" nap roller, the manufacturer is at least assured that a decent amount of paint will end up on the surface, thereby bolstering their dubious "one coat" boast. <S> Feel free to use a foam roller if you wish <S> (I'm not a fan); if you are concerned about coverage use a thick nap roller then go over it with a high quality brush, low-nap or foam roller. <S> I would question why you are using primer as most steel doors come pre-primed.
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You do not need to prime previously painted or primed surfaces except for certain circumstances with specialty coatings or where you have an issue with the surface.
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How can I put a knob on a threaded rod? I need to create a "thumb screw" or "hand wheel" out of a 1/2-20 UNF threaded rod to serve as fine linear adjustment screw for a heavy load. (I can't find ready-made knobs with this thread, nor thumb screws in any reasonable length.) I have hex nuts matching the threads, so I can use two nuts to "thread-lock" the cut end of the rod. But how can I attach an extended knob or handle to the nuts so that I can easily turn the rod when it's under a load? <Q> There are many variations on this answer, allowing you to fine tune the results to your liking. <S> If you have a disk cut from thin plywood or similarly flat material and tighten your locking nuts on each side, you have a knob of sorts. <S> The larger the diameter of the disk, the greater control you will have, as the resulting lever become longer. <S> You didn't note that the nuts are at the end of the threaded rod, but the above method will work regardless of the location. <S> If you need a knobby knob, just about any dome or spherical shape will suffice. <S> Instead of a disk, you could use a hexagon or octagon shape, or a pointed star shape. <S> If a balanced control is required, a longer flat bar with a hole in the center would also work. <S> In all of the above designs, the force with which you secure the locking nuts will determine how much load the system will handle when you want to make an adjustment. <S> If the load is high, your lever or disk may slip if the nuts cannot apply sufficient force. <A> If you want a nice clean solution then you want to check out a selection of hand wheels. <S> Some types even have a crank built into them. <S> Many even have a provision for a set screw to lock it to the shaft to which they mount. <S> There are styles made of various types of materials. <S> Those shown here are made of aluminum . <A> If you cannot find s suitable knob, take some nuts and short pieces of solid rod to a weld shop and have them weld the rod to the sides of the nuts. <S> This makes an improvised wing nut. <S> Good luck!
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At the simplest form, a single flat rod with a hole at one end, locked into the nuts provides a lever for adjustment, somewhat like the lever on a ball valve assembly.
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How to wire a light , switch and receptacle The light gets hit by power first, then the single pole switch, and lastly the receptacle. I wire this to my knowledge but only get 98v at max out of the end(receptacle). I have the wire like this: http://www.buildmyowncabin.com/electrical/wiring-switch-power-into-light.html And the receptacle onto the switch being the end of circuit. <Q> In the diagram you link to there is no neutral in the switch box so you cannot start there to wire a receptacle. <S> You would need 3-wire romex + gnd (black, white, red, gnd) to a carry a neutral from the line cable in the fixture box to the switch box. <S> You would use B for the always hot, R for the switched hot, W for the neutral. <S> EDIT <S> There are several ways to power this receptacle using standard ordinary wiring <S> but you cannot start from the switch if is wired as in the diagram because there is no neutral there. <S> One way would be to run another cable (2-wire + gnd) from the ceiling box to the receptacle. <S> This would go in the attic to the top plate above the receptacle where you would drill a hole and run the cable down to the receptacle box. <S> The box currently there would have been removed, the wire pulled through the opening and into an "old work" box and the box inserted into the hole. <S> Then install the receptacle. <S> The cable you have right now from the switch to the receptacle would be cut at both ends and abandoned in the wall or pull it out if you can. <S> Another way would be to run a new cable (3-wire + gnd) from the fixture box to the switch. <S> This may be easier than the first choice. <A> This is not a best-practice for how houses should be wired. <S> This is a way to rescue difficult situations like OP's. <S> On their drawing, it is an always-hot (to make it easier to detect this configuration with a meter since the white is conspicuously hot). <S> You need to go to a totally different system where you use a "smart bulb" like a Philips Hue, then some sort of powered smart-switch which takes hot and neutral, and communicates wirelessly to the smart-bulb . <S> For this you may need to go into some sort of smart-home system like Zwave. <S> Once the bulb and switch are both smart devices, you then completely rewire the spur to the switch so black is always-hot and white is neutral throughout . <S> Then you will have neutral at the switch. <A> I just removed the bulb, tied the hots and neutral wires. <S> Next I removed the switch and in place of it used the receptacle. <S> Finally from the receptacle to a 2pole switch and lastly at the end of the branch, a light. <S> Voilà!
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This would allow you to have a neutral in the switch box which your existing cable to the receptacle would connect to. As a side-effect, you get the benefit of smart-home tech, but that's not the goal here. Note that in this diagram, the white wire is actually "taped to be a hot". Smart switches to the rescue
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Can a low-flow shower head cause a leak behind the wall? The short question is this: would a low-flow shower head cause some kind of increase in pressure to the water supply pipes that would cause a rupture and leak? The longer story is this: I removed a previous stationary shower head and replaced it with this hand-held shower head ( http://www.homedepot.com/p/MOEN-Propel-5-Spray-4-5-in-Hand-Shower-in-Chrome-26040/300676251 ). There was nothing unusual about the installation, it worked fine and there were no visible leaks. About two weeks of daily use later the hot water to that bathtub faucet and only that bathtub faucet stopped working. A plumber came out and replaced the cartridge inside the handle ( http://www.homedepot.com/p/MOEN-Posi-Temp-Pressure-Balanced-Shower-Cartridge-1222/202059049 ) saying that sometimes the temperature regulator inside the cartridge stops working, just one of those things. Hot water had returned, we went back to daily use. About 4 days later we heard water behind the wall and found our downstairs bathroom below the shower in question was flooding from the ceiling. We turned off the main water and waited for the plumber to come back out. He found that the cold water supply line to the shower handle was leaking significantly at a solder point. His initial diagnosis was whoever installed the line had done a bad job soldering the pipe and it had finally given out. He cut out the pipe and replaced it with his own, presumably superior, soldering job. After he was done, as he was using the shower head to clean out the tub he mentioned how much he hated these kinds of shower heads because they restrict the flow of water so much, and that since "that pressure has to go somewhere" the new shower head was likely the cause of both the cartridge replacement issue and the later leak. I would agree the shower head does not put out the most impressive pressure, but it doesn't seem anemic or problematic. I can't understand how a restrictive shower head could ruin a scald protector or supply line. Is this actually a thing? Should I look to replace my shower head, or was he just looking for something to be the cause that wasn't him? If not the shower head, could the cartridge be doing something that would cause the pipe to leak? <Q> This is a fun question. <S> I feel your plight and frustration. <S> The answer is multi-point. <S> The TLDR version: <S> Yes, a restrictive component upstream from your faucet control and the spicket can introduce the conditions needed for a leak between those two points. <S> When the faucet itself was off however, all of the water pressure in the home in the pipe is pushing on all sides of the pipe's and faucet's inner surfaces. <S> Home water pressures can be about 60 psi (different codes in different places), but this PSI is regulated by a regulator on your main water supply. <S> All the water in your home is restricted to whatever this is set at. <S> Now, when you open a faucet, you are giving that water a place to go. <S> Think path of least resistance. <S> The water goes there, but unless the pipes it is going through are too small (like a refrigerator water line) <S> that water will come out at 60psi. <S> Suffice it to say for the example <S> , the pipe between your shower handle and the shower head can handle say 40psi…. <S> when you open the faucet, with no head, all 40 psi (nearly all), blasts out into the tub. <S> Now put your thumb on it, and some MORE pressure pushes on the pipe sidewalls, while less than 40 comes out. <S> Now put a low flow head on it, and even less. <S> So yes — if a pipe was weak to begin with, it can start leaking. <S> Now, as far as the cold supply leaking because of the new head? <S> BALONEY. <S> Because when the water is OFF, it is seeing all of the pressure at those connections. <S> What is most likely the issue with the leak and the faulty faucet (I assert…) is that the act of you touching the shower head pipe had more vibrational impact on the overall piping installation. <S> Also, calcium or other water impurities built up in the pipes may have broken free. <S> This could be what caused the water mixer to "seize up" and also could be what weakened the pipes more than they were before you started the task. <S> How old is the house? <S> These things do happen. <S> Also, the plumber (while not at any fault), also jostled these connections, and he is right, if the job was lacking in quality, then everything you experienced could happen. <A> I think it's much more likely <S> you leak was due to a combination of a poor joint plus the actions of the plumber. <S> When you work on pipes you put force on the joints. <S> If there was one that was already marginal it might fail. <S> This is not wrongdoing on the plumber's part, force is inevitable. <S> You rarely have anything you can grip (with a wrench—holding it by hand isn't enough to matter) to avoid putting the force on the pipe and its joints. <A> If you’re experiencing fluctuations in shower water pressure, don’t brush the issue off. <S> The problem could be more severe than you imagine (as it is with leaking or cracked water pipes), and possibly require professional intervention before snowballing into a home plumbing disaster.
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Yes, low-flow shower head can cause a leak or rupture.
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Is a 240v solar panel setup better than 120v? I am considering a small 1kW solar system (4x 250-watt panels). The seller offers them in both 120v and 240v configurations with "micro-inverters". Given a 25-year panel warranty, could the amperage reduction and following lesser (but is it measurable?) heat output of having the inverters output 240v on the AC side have any measurable impact in longevity over running at 120v? I can as easily do 120v as 240v. Running a line from the breaker box is not a problem. I'm just curious if there's any actual measurable benefit over time with running 240v instead of 120v. I use a 240v outlet for my computer just for the 1%-2% efficiency gain, so I don't need much of an excuse, but I have no idea if DC-AC conversion gains the same benefit. <Q> Because of Ohm's Law, double the voltage and your transmission losses drop to 1/4 with the same diameter of wire. <S> Go here and punch in your voltage, actual service amperage, distance and tolerable voltage drop in percent (try different numbers here to see the effects of different size of cable). <S> If the distance is rather far , the calc may start talking about fat wire like 6AWG or larger. <S> Don't buy that, come back and ask us. <S> 14AWG wire at 120V will be 8.333A (repeating of course), and load a 14AWG wire enough for voltage drop to be an important factor. <S> Going 240V cuts that by 75%. <S> Going 240V also gives expansion "room". <S> I can't possibly guess whether the build quality of the solar panels in question has cut corners on current pathways (endangering 120V panels) or insulation and component voltage rating (endangering 240V panels). <S> Insulation is generally cheaper than current pathways, so all things being equal I'd favor the higher voltage. <S> I'm no fan of marrying the PV and the inverter hardware. <S> If either fails, both are scrap, so you are beholden to the build quality on both of them. <S> They are also only good for grid tie. <S> If it's on a roof, love your firefighters . <A> Running a set of implied solar panels (as you didn't use that word in your question) at 240v means the current passing through the wiring is lower for the same amount of power. <S> Lower current also means lower power losses in transmission, although for very short distances, it's not likely to be particularly noteworthy. <S> For most electronics, the reduction in current will reduce loads on conversion, generally creating a benefit overall. <S> If the wiring between the two units is the same, one could wonder if one of the two is going to overheat, or is one over-engineered compared to the other. <A> This becomes more important the longer the circuit gets, that's why most panels are daisy-chained to raise the operating voltage even if they are operating on D.C. until they reach the line inverter. <S> Additionally though, micro-inverters offer the advantage of eliminating the single point of failure with a single inverter. <S> If an inverter fails you only lose the output of one (or two with some inverters) panels until it is replaced. <S> They also allow you to create a circuit at the higher voltage with only a few panels and to add to the circuit later. <S> On the con side they are more expensive. <S> Good luck!
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Yes for two reasons: As others pointed out, voltage drop and lost power is reduced with a higher voltage.
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Should I use plumbers putty to install a sink drain? I'm installing a Push Button (not pop-up) drain in my pedestal sink. A rubber washer goes between the metal drain and the sink (another rubber washer goes under the sink). Is it still appropriate to use plumbers putty in this situation? <Q> Increasingly, I'm finding that plumber's putty is not recommended for sink drains, especially if it has its own rubber gasket. <S> In places where the manufacturer does not supply a gasket (and the flange is not metal) they suggest silicone caulk. <S> Be sure to read the directions for your drain assembly! <A> Never had leaks at that point and agree with the person who said it allows a more flush fit. <S> Do not use cooking oil if you use the rubber gasket. <S> Use silicone based valve grease. <S> It will keep the rubber supple over time, is compatible with rubber and will keep the rubber from deformity during the installation. <S> Though if you use a proper drain wrench, the drain should not be rotating. <S> The nut on the bottom side rotates. <S> Same is true when using plumber's putty. <S> If the drain is rotating, that is likely the reason people are getting leaks using putty. <S> You want the drain portion to pull down evenly as the nut is firmed up from below. <S> If you are cocking the drain off vertical due to careless installation, or uneven putty ring to start, that can cause a leak too as the drain does not seat evenly and properly. <S> Be sure to not be too stingy with the putty ring. <S> Make sure you kneed, warm and roll the putty before making the ring around the underside of the drain flange and press well into place. <S> When you install the drain, gently, firmly and keeping drain plumb (vertical and perpendicular to the sink, press the drain down to start the putty squish and form a seal then tighten the nut. <S> Be sure the the sink is spotlessly clean and smooth before installation. <S> I usually do a final clean with 91% isopropyl rubbing alcohol. <S> Be sure to let it dry thoroughly and do a final wipe with a high quality paper towel or clean dry paper "shop towel". <S> Putty has been around forever and works very well. <S> I have never seen it leak if installed properly. <S> Also, make sure the putty is compatible with the material of the sink. <S> On rare occasions, there may be some potential staining, some say, but I have never had an issue with that either. <A> Not unless it leaks. <S> I've installed a couple of sink wastes with supplied foam washers that compress down to almost nothing. <S> They were very effective (I first thoroughly cleaned the old putty completely away from the porcelain). <A> I would not use putty. <S> Be sure the bottom of the sink is clean and smooth. <S> The rubber gasket should be sufficient to seal without putty. <A> Of the few drains I’ve installed, I always discarded the top rubber foam-like seal. <S> The main reason for this is that the drain will sit slightly lower, hardly leaving a gap between top of the drain and sink. <S> This allows the water to drain completely, instead of a small amount of water remaining around the drain seal. <S> This way, in time, there will be no dry water stain around the drain seal. <A> I would use a the rubber seal on top and the bottom if i had an extra . <S> Put a little cooking oil on the rubber <S> both sides to keep it bind free ( like an oil filter) and torque down till the rubber starts to oval on the outside edge . <S> (plumbers putty solidifies over time under high hot water heater settings and cracks at cold water expansion and contraction and allows the leaks .
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I have always used plumber's putty.
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how to remove mold on wall? I'm trying to paint this wall but as you can see, there are mold on it What would be the best way to remove the mold on my walls? Thanks <Q> Soap and water with a rag or scrubby brush while wearing a mask. <S> I was at Home Depot yesterday and noticed a number of products for cleaning, killing, protecting from mold growth that I never saw before. <S> I don't know if they're any better than soap and water and just keeping the area dry. <A> I think a mildewcide is absolutely necessary. <S> What is the material of this wall: drywall, plaster, or concrete? <S> If this is drywall and the mold has penetrated deeply into the wall, the best procedure might be to replace the drywall. <S> If this is concrete, then it should be possible to use a mildew killer, dry the wall, then prime and paint. <S> Did the wall get wet from the side we are viewing or from the other side? <A> It would depend if the mold is only on the surface and why it's growing there. <S> You'll just run in to the same situation again and again. <S> If it's because of humid room air, like a bathroom, you should ensure the room has better ventilation. <S> Get a better fan or install one if it doesn't exist. <S> If it's because of improper wall construction, no insulation, no vapor barrier, etc. <S> Then you'll need to correct that. <S> All else good, use bleach and water to kill the mold and a fan to ventilate the room (because it will be toxic). <S> Final wash with a sponge and soap and water, let dry, paint with a good sealer primer, then paint with a bathroom type paint.
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Soap and water will in general not kill the mold if the wall is at all porous.
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Trying to design and build a system where water pump into multiple outlets (pvc) evenly I am trying to build a little irrigation system where my water pump distributes the water into multiple outlets. I guess my question is how do I make sure the water flows evenly in all the pipes. I am using Pvc for everything. Any tips or suggestion would greatly be appreciated. Feel free to ask questions as my drawings are detailed. Thank you <Q> In general to get the water to flow evenly to all three outputs you have to ensure that all the paths from the pump to all three outputs is the same including length. <S> In addition what ever nozzle or outlet opening you have has to be exactly the same for all three. <S> To achieve this you will have to split the three outlet flow pipes before you get to the outputs. <S> Something like this: I have made the above sketch to show how the paths from the split point to the outlets is the same length. <S> Now with that said if the distribution pipe inside diameter is large compared to the outlet nozzle and the pressure inside the pipe has a significant drop across the nozzle then the pipe path similarity and length as stated is less significant. <S> What that means is that the manifold type outlets like you show in your drawing would work if they are close together and the pump maintains a head of pressure in the lines. <S> On the other hand if ends of the delivery pipes to the outlets is just an open ended pipe then the similarity of the paths will be important to achieve the same flow at each output. <A> Can't be done in a pressurized system <S> This is a hard problem often encountered in engineering and there's no easy solution short of individual pumps or other rotating machinery. <S> If you're looking for the magic bullet "how to fit your pipes so it works", there isn't one. <S> If one pipe has more impedance than the others, it will flow significantly less. <S> If it was unpressurized, you could do it with a weir by segmenting the outlets. <S> But if you need head of pressure to run a sprinkler system, the weir idea will only work if the weir is at a much higher altitude to give the head you need. <A> You can do this in many different ways here <S> is couple ways should be easy enough to do: <S> First option is creating a evenly distributed free low system. <S> this would take a bit more effort than second option. <S> Make sure this container is perfectly leveled the and attach your PVC pipes as exactly same height as individual outlets. <S> give the pipes minimum of 10 degree down angle for the first 6 inches or so than you can divert them any direction you like as long as you don't go up :) <S> This is the closest picture i could find to what i am trying to describe... <S> If you could use a elbow pointing down at the end of the inlet pipe it would eliminate the extra natural flow would feed the outlet pipe directly in the same line with inlet pipe. <S> Second option would be much more simpler, just use a manifold like the one in the picture below and regulate the flow by adjusting the ball valves individually <S> The only set back for the second option is if you are using a submersible pump without a pressure vessel you will wear out the submersible pump much more quicker since the rotary vane type of pumps would not perform well in pressurized systems without a pressure vessel specially with long pipes.
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Use something like a barrel right at the end of the water inlet as a water container before distributing the flow in to separate pipes.
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How do you count the number of wires in a fill capacity of an outlet box? Please could you explain the number of wires, connectors that go into a 4x4x1 1/2 square box that is only 14 gauge. I have only a switch (two wires) connected to that box as well. Do you count the connectors as one besides the three wires or so that might be connected to it? Also the switch itself? Or do you just count only the number of wires? Thank you <Q> I use a shorthand version of the full NEC treatment. <S> Start with this table that says how much space for each wire size. <S> Pick your largest ground wire and look it up and add it once . <S> All other grounds are free. <S> Any cable clamps? <S> Pick the largest wire clamped, ditto. <S> Covers all clamps. <S> Any support brackets? <S> Pick the largest wire associated with the supported item, look it up. <S> it counts once. <S> Pigtails are free. <S> Other than that, every wire passing through entering and terminating in the box in a cap, splice or device, costs what the table says. <S> e.g. if you have two 12/2 cables into the box, grounds are already accounted for leaving 4 wires, x 2.25 cubic inches = 9.00. <S> 2 wires nutted together <S> don't count as one, sorry. <S> Any wires over 12" length, look it up, that per extra foot. <S> For each yoke , what's the largest wire going onto that yoke? <S> So if you have a 10AWG wire in there for some reason, that yoke counts as <S> 5.00 c.i. <S> Common box sizes have official sizes, and the sales literature for those boxes will also say. <S> What's a yoke? <S> Yes I know they are dramatically different sizes. <S> I don't write the rules. <S> So as an exercise. <S> Box in EMT conduit. <S> You have four #6 THHN wires (hot hot neutral ground) passing through the back of the box on their way to a subpanel. <S> You also have #14 hot and neutral THHN coming in, going to a receptacle at this box. <S> Then 14/2 Romex going out to some other location, with a clamp, and its ground goes to the steel box case. <S> You have: 1 ground, largest <S> is #6 <S> so 5.00. 3 #6 wires, so 15.00. <S> Its ground was counted earlier. <S> 4 wires #14 (the Romex ground was counted earlier) so 8.00.1 receptacle, largest wire involved is #14, x2 so 4.00. 1 cable clamp, largest clamped is #14 so 2.00. <S> You need 34 cubic inches total. <S> It's a 120mm x 1.5" box, that's 29 cubic inches, <S> so you get a raised receptacle cover that gives 5 more cubes <S> and you're done. <A> As Tester101's answer that he referred you to states, go to Table 314.16(A) and you would see that a 4x4x1 ½ box can hold 10 #14 wires as counted according to the article. <S> Read through Article 314 to see how to perform the count. <S> Do you count the connectors as one besides the three wires or so that might be connected to it? <S> Wire connectors don't count extra. <S> So, if you hae a joint with three wires that counts as 3. <S> Each wire that enters the box and is terminated on a device counts as one. <S> Each wire that passes through the box without making a joint counts as only one. <S> All gound wires only count as one <S> no matter how many ground wires you have. <S> Wires that originate in the box and stay in the box, such as pigtails <S> , do not count. <S> Also the switch itself? <S> Yoke mounted devices count as a 2 wire allowance for the largest conductor terminated to the device. <S> Or do you just count only the number of wires? <S> You then add up all the wires that are counted and <S> all the items counted extra like yoke mounted devices and internal cable clamps. <S> This is your total cubic inch fill required. <S> You then select a box that will has that much volume. <S> A raised cover or mud ring (used to mount a device) also adds volume to the box. <S> But it isn't much. <S> Most of the time electricians don't go through all this. <S> We just use 4 square deep boxes and add an extension ring if we are crowded for space. <S> Good luck and stay safe! <A> You need to go to NEC Table 314.16(B) which would make your answer 12 #14 in a 12x12x1 1/2 box with no devices. <S> NEC 314.16(4) gives your device fill which by my understanding deduct <S> two wires for the switch makes the conductor fill at 10. <S> You do not have to include wire nuts or pigtails. <S> So there are all kinds of rules for box fill. <S> which include the raise of a plaster ring and industrial cover. <S> If you want to make it simple? calculate the total cu/in in the box and extenders then deduct the cu/in displacement of everything in the wire which can not exceed 40%.
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Each wire that enters the box and makes a joint is counted as one wire. If you have four #14 grounds and one #8, that's 3.00 cubic inches. There should be a stamping on the box saying how many cubic inches it is. Multiply that by the cubic inch of the size of wire on Table 314.16(B). Look it up and count it twice . A switch, receptacle, GFCI etc.
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What is the name of this metal bar with holes at the ends? I need to find a metal part that looks a bit like this: hole for bolt strong metal | | ___|____________________________v_______ / v \ ( (_) (_) ) <--round end \________________________________________/ This looks like a common part from a Meccano set, but with just two holes at either end for bolts. Two of these can go around a 2x4, then bolts run through the holes. /__\ /__\<--end of bolt ____________________________________________<--the part __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ <---bolt __ __ __ __ __ __ ____________________________________________<--the part [==] [==]<---nut I am searching for a name so that I can find these to buy. Is there a common application where these appear? Are they commonly used by a particular contractor for a particular type of job? What is the name of this kind of part? <Q> (so far, other answers don't show something I'd use on a 2x4, hence this answer) <S> Two of these can go around a 2x4, then bolts run through the holes ... <S> Is there a common application where these appear? <S> "Straight Timber Connector" - for non-structural connections such as landscaping. <S> Smaller versions are usually called mending plates in my part of the world. <S> For structural applications involving vertical shear loads - like splicing joists - in buildings, you'd typically use something very different to that illustrated above. <S> E.g. a "splice plate" or "nail plate". <S> As Isherwood noted, there are likely to be a variety of names for these types of connector. <A> I might have learned about the terminology in shop class, it's that old: <S> A quick google search using those terms results in far too many links to list. <S> Stainless steel, brass, zinc plated steel, probably even copper, although the latter would be a terminal jumper rather than a mending plate. <S> Prices from under a dollar to triple that or more. <A> It's not going to have a standard name. <S> It performs different roles in different applications, where it receives semantic names. <S> It's just a bar or strap that's bored for fasteners. <S> For example, here it's a bracelet blank : <S> And here it's a separator bar : <A> I have seen these in the big box stores the are for generic timber frame connections, this is a small sample , not exactly what I seen but gets the idea across. <S> It is 5"X 1/12", the square holes will not matter. <S> They are a help if you use carriage bolts <A> It is Available in Hardware store and it called Coupling Plates available in many length or you can make by yourself just by drilling holes on plates <S> but if you want strong steel plates purchase pre holed plates. <A> FISHPLATES or COUPLERS is quite a common term in the UK <A> If it's for electrical it's a bus bar plate. <A>
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That is the mount(ing) plate for a U-bolt, like this: In the USA, this has been known as a mending plate for as long as I can recall.
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Nuisance Trip GFCI by Electric Motor I have an old 1950s bandsaw (Beaver 2300) that has been refitted, by the previous owner, with a new motor. It runs fine. But now that I am using a power bar with a built in GFCI, the GFCI trips after being on for 15 seconds. When I plug directly into the wall outlet, the 15A breaker does not trip. Any suggestions on why this should occur, or how I should explore this problem? I have read about ground leakage of electric motors causing nuisance tripping of GFCIs, but I would like to be sure, for safety reasons. Thanks in advance. Edit:There is no GFCI on the receptacle. A shop vac and drill press both plugged into the same GFCI power bar do not trip it. The GFCI seems to be tripping after the bandsaw is on for about 15 seconds, even without cutting. I thought it was only with a heavy load before, but I could be mistaken. There is no measured resistance between ground and neutral on the motor (ie. open circuit). Likewise for live to ground, and live to neutral with the switch off. When the switch is on (unplugged of course, the resistance is around 1.1 ohms. I took apart the switch, and verified all the connections. Everything is tight, well connected, and looks quite new. All connections were clean. I vacuumed it all for good measure. Once I put it all back, there was no change. The motor has no markings on it. I will include a photo. 3 leads go from neutral to the motor, and another 3 go from live to the motor. They are marked 1-6. One of the go to a momentary switch with markings CET36CA-7. I was told the motor is 1 hp, and it runs off 110v ac. The outlet breaker is 15A and does not trip when the bandsaw is plugged directly into the outlet (ie. no GFCI). The power bar is Woods Pro Power GFCI 4 outlet https://www.rona.ca/en/electricity-and-lighting/cords-and-timers/power-strips/2 . It is UL listed. Motor connections: <Q> A <S> 1 Hp on 115/120v line is rated at 16 amps putting a heavy load on the motor could draw 3x the amperage some GFCI's will trip for overload. <S> Shop vacuums rate horse power differently than true HP rated motors. <S> A megger is needed to check for winding leakage. <S> Most ohm meters are very low voltage where a megger is a high voltage ohm meter. <S> With a megger you connect 1 lead to the case and 1 to the winding I usually use the 500v setting when checking 120v motors. <A> A shop vac and drill press both plugged into the same power bar GFCI do not trip it. <S> The bandsaw does, but only when cutting thick hard wood. <S> It sounds like the heavy load of the bandsaw motor is shifting the current out of phase enough to trip the GFCI. <S> GFCI's can sometimes have problems with inductive loads like motors and lighting ballasts. <S> Circuit breakers and GFCI on power strips are not as well manufactured as receptacles and circuit breakers. <S> Their tolerances are probably really bad. <S> Personally, I would not trust them to protect me or my family. <S> You need a higher quality GFCI. <S> If you have a shop area that is unfinished or in a garage, it should all be protected by GFCI. <S> Either use the load side of a GFCI receptacle to protect other receptacles or install a GFCI breaker for all circuits. <S> Once you have done this, if the bandsaw still trips, I would say the GFCI it has a problem <S> and it should be repaired or replaced. <S> Since it is only tripping during heavy loading I would say it is the power strip that is suspect not the bandsaw. <S> After you posted the 1 HP spec of the motor I would suspect the power strip's circuit breaker is actually what's tripping. <S> Not the GFCI. <S> Good luck and stay safe! <A> > never gave me any trouble until I added ground fault detection <S> > <S> everything else works> <S> this one fails> only possibility <S> > ground fault detector must be broken <S> This is what everyone says every single time they get a GFCI trip. <S> Seriously. <S> People just can't believe their stuff has ground faults. <S> It does, and that's why we have ground fault protection. <S> Yes, you changed the motor. <S> What about the switch, interlocks or other controls? <S> Could they be dusty, oily, full of sawdust, in need of a cleanout? <S> Is the motor a quality machine (e.g. Made in USA)? <S> Speaking of that, is the power strip a quality machine? <S> A GFCI power strip isn't really Code anyway. <S> A garage requires GFCI protection at the receptacle or breaker. <S> These tend to be better units as they are made by mid-tier receptacle makers (e.g. Leviton) or top-tier panel makers (e.g. GE, Siemens). <A> Not all GFCIs are created equal. <S> , probably Cap-Start / Cap-Run, meaning there are multiple capacitors in it and the Run cap is always in the circuit. <S> it takes a while for a capacitive charge to build up across the rotor and stator to where it discharges to ground, which is what the GFCI sees and reacts to. <S> The more sophisticated GFCIs have filtering to discriminate those sorts of events and not over react to them, cheaper ones don't. <S> Your vacuum cleaner likely has what is called a "universal" motor, i.e. the kind with brushes, so no capacitors. <S> I wouldn't run a table saw from a GFCI power strip anyway <S> , there is no need.
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Cheaper GFCIs are susceptible to being "fooled" by capacitance in a circuit, and your AC induction motor looks to be a Capacitor Start at least The drill press may be Split Phase, maybe even a universal motor too, or just Cap-Start / Induction Run, so the capacitor is only in the circuit for a second or two, it's hard to say.
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How to determine which neutral to which power? I have 20 Amp power run to part of my house. The conduit that carries it runs down one of the walls of my garage. I've cut the conduit, inserted a metal junction box, and intend on putting in a single 20 amp outlet in my garage for power tools, etc. The conduit carried four wires: blue, yellow, gray, gray. As it turns out, I'd thought about this as I turned off two breaker switches, but yes, the conduit is actually carrying two 20 amp circuits. I cut the wires too quick without thinking about it though, and now find myself wondering if it matters which power is matched with which neutral. I tested by installing the outlet with yellow, and one of the grays, and turned the breakers on (and off) one at a time. I thought that if a lamp plugged in to the outlet turned on, I would have my match. Problem is, I know which breaker is for yellow and blue respectively now, but the lamp works with either neutral. Given that this is two distinct circuits, AND one of the circuits powers a room with expensive electronics, I'm paranoid. So, does it matter which neutral is connected in pair with which power? If so, how do I test and figure out which neutral is which? <Q> Yes, it matters. <S> You should have marked the wires at the time you installed them, either by tagging the wires with tape, or by bundling the pairs with tape, or any other method that makes sense. <S> Now, your best bet is to document carefully which outlets are on which hots. <S> Then, pull one of the neutrals off the neutral rail and insulate it. <S> Make sure that all the outlets on one circuit do work, and all the outlets on the other circuit do not work. <S> Now you know the still-connected neutral is associated with that hot. <S> Mark it! <S> Do not allow a situation where some outlets on hot A return on neutral A, and other outlets on hot A return on neutral B. <S> That is a wiring defect that should be corrected ASAP because it will result in the neutral being overloaded. <S> Neutrals do not have circuit breakers, so the system absolutely depends on neutrals not serving two hots. <A> If that happens, there is a potential for the neutral to carry up to twice as much current as it is rated for, because the amperage from the hot conductors is additive, which could result in equipment problems or even a fire. <S> If the hots are on different legs (different poles), they can share a neutral because the power on each leg is 180 degrees out of phase with the power on the other, and they cancel each other out like any other example of wave interference, like sound waves. <S> In fact electricity moving along a wire is an electromagnetic wave essentially the same as a light wave moving through the air. <S> Anyway, the neutral will carry the imbalance between the two hots--always at or below its capacity. <S> You also must use a 2-pole breaker (or an adjacent pair of handle-tied breakers or another mechanism allowed by the electrical code in your area) and connect both hots to it in this case, so that they are both de-energized if the breaker trips. <S> Since you have 2 hots and 2 neutrals, just assume they are two entirely separate circuits which should NOT share a neutral. <S> They both connect to the same common bus in the panel. <S> It doesn't matter which one you pair with which <S> hot conductor, as long as it is paired with one and only one hot conductor. <A> Presumably before cutting the wires you powered down all the expensive equipment and shut off the breakers, right? <S> Now plug an extension cord into a receptacle that powers the equipment and bring the other end of the extension cord to the place you have cut the wire. <S> Use a VOM in resistance mode to check the continuity of the hot slot in the cord with each of the two (distal) hot ends to identify which hot goes to the electronics. <S> Similiarly use continuity of the neutral slot in the cord to identify which of the two (distal) neutrals goes to the electronics. <S> Of course, now label these. <S> Now consider the two proximal hots and the two proximal neutrals. <S> Presumably the breakers are labeled or you remember which was used for the electronics so that takes care of identifying the hots. <S> If there is no receptacle and if all the four current carrying wires of these two circuits stay in the same conduit to the panel, it does not matter which neutral you use for the electronics room. <S> Are the neutrals labelled in the panel? <S> If they are, you can of course use that.
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If there are receptacles between the cut and the panel, you can use that with the extension cord to identify the neutral end that goes to that receptacle. What really matters is that two hot conductors, fed through two different circuit breakers, do not share a neutral if the two hot conductors are on the same pole (or the same "phase leg" as some folks call it). It is vital to pair the neutrals with their partner hots. Having said all of the foregoing, the neutrals in the conduit are interchangeable, presuming that a) they are the same size and b) they both go back to the same panel.
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Do I need common trip breakers for a house wired with shared neutrals? My home inspector stated that my home is wired with shared neutrals for most circuits. I guess this makes sense, as long as the safety ground is present. He also said that most of the circuits with shared neutral do not have common trip breakers. He said I should replace them with common trip breakers. For some reason the installer stripped the insulation on the romex back so far you can't identify what wires are part of what circuit. This complicates things quite a bit. What type of breakers do I need to buy for my breaker box? What breakers in my box need to be replaced? <Q> The National Electrical Code requires simultaneous disconnection of multiwire branch circuit ungrounded conductors. <S> Here are the pertinent articles: 210.4(B) Disconnecting Means. <S> Each multiwire branch circuit shall be provided with a means that will simultaneously disconnect all ungrounded conductors at the point where the branch circuit originates. <S> Informational Note: <S> See 240.15(B) for information on the use of single-pole circuit breakers as the disconnecting means. <S> 240.15(B) Circuit Breaker as Overcurrent Device. <S> Circuit breakers shall open all ungrounded conductors of the circuit both manually and automatically unless otherwise permitted in 240.15(B)(1), (B)(2), (B)(3), and (B)(4). <S> (1) Multiwire Branch Circuit. <S> Individual single-pole circuit breakers, with identified handle ties, shall be permitted as the protection for each ungrounded conductor of multi-wire branch circuits that serve only single-phase line-to-neutral loads. <S> Notice <S> the last Article 240.15(B)(1) allows you to use identified handle ties on single pole breakers for multiwire branch circuits. <S> Besides that, any house built under an older Code (like 1983) is normally grandfathered until you make major changes, like replacing the panel, and have to then upgrade to the new code requirements. <S> As far as determining which circuits are multiwire. <S> You can start with the white and black on the 50 amp breakers <S> those should be paired. <S> Then any red wire would normally be in a multiwire cable with a black. <S> Determining which red goes with which black will be your project. <S> Good luck and stay safe! <A> Shared neutral describes a variety of schemes , only one of which is a multi-wire branch circuit . <S> All of them are sensitive to miswiring, because in the US, we don't put circuit breakers on the neutral. <S> The neutral can be overloaded if the wiring isn't perfect. <S> If it is a multi-wire branch circuit, the two hots must be on opposite poles, so the neutral carries only differential (imbalance) current. <S> ** which in a circuit breaker panel usually amounts to a double breaker. <S> A weakness of the Q-line panels is that handle-tying any two single breakers does not guarantee they are on opposite poles. <S> A strength of the Q-line is that 2-pole breakers are quite compact and can go almost anywhere. <S> So the right answer with this panel is use 2-pole breakers with this panel. <S> 2-pole breakers do 2 things for you: 1) they assure you land on opposite poles (so you don't overload the neutral), and 2) they give you common maintenance shut-off. <S> As a side-effect, 3) they do indeed <S> give you common trip. <S> That is a side-effect inherent in using breakers. <S> If it is not MWBC, then you must be very careful. <S> In particular, all the hots on one pole, acting together at full power , must not be able to overload the neutral wire. <S> There are more Code requirements discussed in NEC 215.4(A) and 225.7(B) . <S> ** <S> the requirement is the normal maintenance shut-off must de-energize all parts of the MWBC. <S> Common trip is not a requirement. <S> That is relevant if the circuit is fed by fuses, a shut-off switch will suffice, no need to assure both fuses blow at once. <S> However in a breaker panel, breakers are the presumptive maintenance shut-off. <S> Effectively this requires a 2-pole breaker or handle ties. <A> If only one side of a multi-wire branch circuit is disconnected, the devices on that side will appear to be "off", but not in a way that makes any attached wires safe to touch. <S> While the neutral wire should ideally be at ground potential, it may have voltage on it if either side of the branch circuit is live. <S> In most cases where someone would be expecting wires to be safe to touch, it would be because they deliberately switched off the breaker, and so disconnecting both legs when either leg is deliberately switched off would avoid the aforementioned hazard in such cases. <S> If, however, a breaker was tripped, someone who was trying to investigate why might incorrectly assume that any wiring feeding the devices that no longer worked would be safe to touch, thus creating a potential hazard. <S> Having both sides of a multi-wire branch circuit switch off when either side is tripped is generally safer than having just one side trip(*), but the hazard from having <S> just one side trip is small enough that many jurisdictions will regard it as tolerable. <S> That doesn't mean having both sides trip wouldn't be better , but having one side trip may be acceptable nonetheless. <S> On the other hand, unless there is some particular advantage to having an overcurrent trip just affect one side, having both sides trip would be better (especially if the breakers have a "tripped" indicator that could show which side tripped). <S> (*) <S> If a region of a building is fed by one MWBC, and has some lighting on each leg, and if both sides trip and unexpectedly kill all the lighting, the resulting darkness could create hazards of its own. <S> If it is understood that whenever anything is live, everything is must be treated as live, having an over-current trips only kill one side might be better than having everything go dark. <S> On the other hand, having battery-backed emergency lighting might be better yet.
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It does NOT require common trip breakers. Indeed, you need breakers with common shut-off ,
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Junction box with screws 2 3/4" apart, but fixture needs 3 1/2" I recently bought a new fixture for my back patio light. (Just replacing an old halogen motion-detector light with a new LED motion-detector light.) Unfortunately, the mounting bracket for the new light has screw holes which are 3 1/2" apart, while the existing junction box has screw holes which are 2 3/4" apart. (And I can't use the old mounting bracket with the new light, because the way it attaches to the light is completely different.) First off, is it the new light which is unusual for expecting 3 1/2", or is it the house that's unusual for having 2 3/4" holes? How does one normally solve this problem? Is it possible to buy a light fixture that works with 2 3/4" mounting holes? Unfortunately, none of the fixtures I can find online or in the store say what distance of mounting holes they expect... it isn't until you open the box that it says what it's expecting. Update: In the end, I didn't have enough confidence to DIY this, so I called an electrician. I'm not sure how he solved the problem, but he solved it. <Q> Normally, we just take a drill and make a hole in the strap that lines up with the other hole. <S> 2 3/4" would be an old, obsolete size so if your house uses these you may have this problem again. <S> Good luck! <A> The 2 3/4" and 3 1/2" sizes are both common. <S> Many fixtures have screw slots for both. <S> Screws to 3 1/2 box and 2 3/4 fixture mounts to strap bracket. <S> In this case you can drill or open some holes under the bracket to allow the fixture mounting screws to go through the bracket and into the wall/ceiling. <S> You may want to also investigate the possibility to see if you can drill 2 3/4 mounting space holes in the fixture itself and forgo the use of any strap bracket itself. <A> The porcelain light fixture I just got at Home Depot has breakout holes for screws on 2.75" centers. <S> A hammer and screwdriver and a little persuasion was all I needed to bust them open. <S> Eye protection would have been smart. <S> This answers the same question about a different ceiling-mount fixture than the OP's. <S> It gives one example of the first sentence of Michael Karas' answer . <S> I googled my way here looking for instructions on opening those inner holes. <S> Turns out brute force works.
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Some 2 3/4" boxes, particularly the metal styles, can allow a strap bracket to be mounted to the box and let the ends overhang the box so that screws on 3 1/2" centers can clear the outside of the box. A cross strap is a common way to adapt the larger size down to the smaller size.
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Adding an outlet to an existing light switch: Can the outlet be switched along with the light? Is it possible add an outlet to an existing light switch where the outlet is switched along with the light? The switch is not at the end of the run. So far I've only been able to find answers where the outlet has constant power. <Q> Yes, that can be done. <S> Connect the neutral from the light, and the neutral from the receptacle to the feeder neutral. <S> Connect the feeder hot to one side of the switch. <S> Connect together a wire from the other side of the switch, the hot to the light, and a wire to the hot side of the receptacle. <S> Connect all grounding conductors. <S> If you're a more visual learner, search google for " switched receptacle wiring ". <A> Thanks Tester101 . <S> Outlet is switched with the light. <S> Outlet and light come off of the switch. <S> To make it switch with the light, follow the instructions in Tester101's answer above. <A> As long as the outlet is after the switch then it will work when the switch is energized. <S> I have a 4 outlet at the end of my garage light wiring. <S> If the lights are on it works. <S> If it overloads the circuit it's on you'll know when the breaker pops but there generally aren't limits on outlets per circuit just be aware the amps being pulled
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For the visually oriented: Adding the outlet between the switch and the light. Outlet has constant power (Thanks brichins).
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Can I safely use a #12 extension cord on a 15A circuit temporarily for extended periods? Is it okay to use an outdoor 25 foot 12 gauge extension cord for an outlet to appliance (temporarily) to make sure there will be no overheating of any wires, which will be running on a 15 Amp Circuit (which probably has 14 gauge wire inside the outlet within the walls)? In other words, would this be dangerous, being the circuit breaker might not detect overheating (if any) during an extended period of continual usage? As I mentioned, that the wall outlet leads to a 15 amp circuit, all my 20 and 30 amp circuits are used to the max). I have used several 6ft 14/3 gauge extensions listed for 15A with a max of 1875 watts, of course this is bad, at each end they heat up and is very dangerous, because of the resistance. I was think a heavier wire - directly from wall outlet to appliance might be better (for now). Thanks in advance <Q> The heavier wire (12 AWG as opposed to 14 AWG) wire in the extension cord will reduce the resistance of the cord. <S> For a given load there will be less heating in the cord. <S> Don't use a 25 foot cord if a 10 foot one would work instead. <S> Half the cord length half the resistance. <S> Over heating electrical circuits are dangerous and can lead to fires. <A> Am I reading this question correctly? <S> From what I am seeing in your question. <S> If so your overheating is in the internal wiring from your receptacle to your breaker and no oversizing of an extension cord is going to prevent it. <S> Example: You have a 1/2" water pipe with x amount of pressure and it produces y amount of GPM. <S> Adding a 3/4" pipe to the end of it is not going to change the GPM. <S> When an electrician looks at providing a circuit for an appliance he must have Nameplate Ratings in HP or VA or Watts, and the length of the circuit to determine the correct overcurrent protection and the correct wire size. <S> Not much else matters other than that. <S> Also, FYI a breaker is an overcurrent device not a heat detector. <S> In fact it is the opposite of overheating, more current flow causes the breaker to trip. <S> Overheating is a sign of increasing resistance and restricts current flow. <S> So unless the breaker is sustaining damage by overheating, it will not trip. <A> It is perfectly OK to use a 25 ft 12 ga extension cord on a 15 A circuit. <S> If 25 ft is longer than needed you do not need to go to the trouble and expense of buying a shorter one. <S> A 12 ga cord is a very heavy cord. <S> Of course, if this cord goes across where people walk, this could be a tripping hazard to someone walking over the cord. <S> You might want to get one of those rubber covers to reduce risk of tripping and protect the cord. <S> It is normal for a cord to a high current device to get warm to the touch <S> and this is not dangerous or especially wasteful of electric power. <S> I have a 120 V 1500 W electric heater ("Sunbeam" made in China) and its cord gets quite warm to the touch when the heater is on high.
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Be aware that if such extension cord heats up too much it is likely that you are putting too much load on the circuit and the wires in the wall are going to be subject to heating as well. You are connecting a #12 gauge extension cord to a 15A circuit feeding a receptacle. However you should consider using as short of cord as possible.
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How do I run ENT to an old work box? I have an existing low-voltage old-work box similar to this which I am using to provide a cable TV outlet: I would like to run more cables to this location, namely, phone and CAT6. I do have access to the location behind the wall through the attic. However, I would like to improve this by drilling a hole through the floor into the basement where all the cables come into the house anyway, and pushing ENT through the hole and attaching it to something different in this location (this box does not have ENT connections). The only way I know of to make this work is to rip out drywall to expose the entire cavity between the studs, install a new-work low-voltage box to one of the studs, and replace and patch the section of drywall: I am certainly capable of doing this and have done similar tasks in the past, but would rather avoid the extra work if possible. One thing I have done in other locations is to push ENT into the wall cavity and get it close enough to the outlet location that when I fish cable though, it is possible to grab it through the hole with fingers or pliers. However, this particular wall cavity has the chimney stack behind it with extra room (much deeper than a 2x4 stud cavity), so cables have too much room to wiggle around and there is a risk they will be too far behind the wall to reach and pull through the outlet box. If I can somehow do the difficult task of grabbing ENT once, and get it attached to a box, then future work will be trivially easy. Is there a way to securely attach ENT to a box in this location without removing any drywall? This particular project is restricted to low-voltage work and does not involve real electrical. Location is the USA with no known building codes out of the ordinary that are relevant to this project. <Q> Just use a metal old-work box, perfectly fine for low-voltage stuff. <S> It will have standard knock-outs for conduit connection, as opposed to PVC boxes which commonly have spring-lever grabbers for NM sheathed cable: <A> Drill the hole in the basement into the wall Push your ENT up to the opening after you remove the box. <S> Put a connector on your ENT if you haven't already. <S> Here is the trick, insert a bent piece of tie wire or a bent coat hanger into the ENT. <S> Put you low voltage box over the wire and insert it into the wall. <S> Pull on the wire to bring the connector up into the box. <S> Once the connector is in the box pull hard on the wire to remove it. <S> Usually this trick works better with steel flex and a locknut but it can be done with ENT. <S> Good luck! <A> I think you will find it much easier to push a fish tape through the hole than trying to fish the ENT directly. <S> It's probably going to be easier to push the fish tape through the hole from the outlet side, where you hit the hole by controlling the tape, rather than by pushing the tape up from the basement and trying to grab it inside the wall. <S> If you don't have a fish tape, you can try using just about any stiff wire or tubing. <S> I have fished short distances such as you describe with a 10/2 romex, 75ohm coax, and the plastic tubing that delivers water to my refrigerator. <S> The principle is to trace out the path with something stiffer and more controllable than ENT, Cat5E, etc.
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Either way, once you have the fish tape in place, you can either attach the end of the ENT in a traditional manner and pull it through, or slide the ENT over the end of the fish tape and push it through the hole using the stiff tape as a guide.
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IKEA Billy DIY bookcases without bolting in a wall. Is it a good idea/safe? Is it a good idea to buy a bookcase that is a DIY assembly for a large collection of big and heavy books? Is it safe? To be clear I am interested if the Billy bookcases of IKEA can be safely used for heavy books without bolting (L brackets or similar) it to the wall. Does it depend on the height? Would something like bookshelf shims be needed/help? <Q> Screwing to the wall has nothing to do with capacity <S> Think about it. <S> The furniture isn't necessarily directly against the wall, and a screw or very thin bracket reaching across some distance isn't going to carry much weight in shear . <S> I.E. <S> the wall doesn't ordinarily bear any weight. <S> It's about safety <S> Ikea has a very strong message about standing furniture being screwed into the wall. <S> You didn't quite get the whole message. <S> It's to prevent furniture from toppling over and killing someone . <S> Furniture topples over when its center of gravity goes outside its feet. <S> Examples of how that happens: <S> It isn't level <S> the floor sags under the weight someone grabbing the furniture to catch their balance or pull themselves onto their feet Someone (e.g. child) trying to climb the furniture <S> All the drawers open Heavy items in an open drawer not counterbalanced by heavy items in closed ones Use in a mobile structure (boat, RV, #vanlife, "tiny house" on wheels) Earthquakes <S> The top heavily loaded when the bottom is not (greatly amplifying the above) <S> Every piece of furniture from every manufacturer of the same size will have the exact same problem -- that is basic physics . <S> The only reason it's such an intense thing for Ikea <S> is, they have chosen to invest heavily in their brand, which makes them targetable. <S> Likewise, people are sickened by Mexican food trucks and burrito shops every day - but it only makes the news when it's Chipotle. <A> They can be used without bolts as long as no one is trying to climb the front of the bookcase. <S> Something which greatly correlates with the amount of children in the vicinity <A> I have 7 Billy cases with extensions around the house. <S> They are not bolted and full of books. <S> Feels perfectly safe, but it may be just me - the huge believer in Darwinism.
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If you don't trust household occupants to never pull on the shelves and bury themselves in books or other items with a case on top, you should bolt them to the walls.
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Furnace blower motor makes buzzing noise and won't start I'm having a bizarre issue with my HVAC forced air blower motor. Specifically, it will not start and just buzzes while showing a great deal of startup current (20-22 amps). Background: This is a TEMPSTAR Model# NUG5150BKA1 furnace that is ~8 years old. I purchased the home last December, and I noticed back then when the blower fan would turn on, I would hear a loud buzzing sound for 1-2 seconds and then the fan would kick on. When the old motor failed a few weeks ago, it was just buzzing continuously for a minute and by the time I ran downstairs the motor was smoking. A friend and I just replaced the motor with an equivalent new model (same brand - FASCO). We went through the entire wiring and verified to the best of our ability that it matched up with the wiring diagram on the blower door. When we power on the system and have the thermostat call for cool / cycle on the fan, the motor BUZZes loudly and will not turn over. A clamp ammeter on the high speed motor line shows 20-22amps (running full load is rated at 9.5 amps). When the motor terminals are disconnected from the board, the terminals for the motor show 117volts as they should when the system thinks the motor is on. Link to video detailing noise. We have replaced the blower motor with a brand new unit as well as a brand new matching capacitor. The capacitor test setting of the clamp meter indicates the capacitor is good (reading 15.2mfd on a 15mfd rated cap). We have also tried replacing the contactor relay in case that was the source of the noise. No difference. I'm absolutely stumped. Is it possible the brand new motor is also bad or am I missing something obvious (or perhaps less obvious). <Q> I can only add that the high current is normal for a motor that is starting. <S> It's called locked rotor current. <S> But if left in that condition the motor will indeed overheat. <S> I would have suspected the cap but you eliminated that... <A> There are 2 main or common things that can cause buzzing and not starting. <S> The first is a starting capacitor that has gone bad. <S> The capacitor(s) are usually close to the motor in a electrical box on the unit (some motors have the caps mounted on the motor but more often in a HVAC system <S> they are behind a panel). <S> The second is the contactor (motor relay) that connects the high amperage to the motor using low amperage / voltage to energise the motor. <S> To check a cap. <S> It needs to be removed from the circuit power off for a few minutes before removal and if it has a bleed resistor this disconnected after removal the easiest way is to use a meter with a capacitor function and see if the value in uf (microfarids ) is within 10% of the value stamped on the cap. <S> A more complex way and less accurate is to use a ohm meter put the leads on the cap and watch for the value to start increasing, switch leads and the value should start high and drop ( the meter is charging the cap in 1 direction and discharging in the other) if there is no change or the cap dosent charge and discharge it is bad. <S> If the cap appears bulged or leaking it should be replaced. <S> With the contactor sometimes they just get weak and can not pull in from rust or the coil is swolen because of overheating. <S> For any of these issues. <S> I find the starting cap to be the problem more often than the contactor but have had both fail. <S> 1 additional note there may be a second capacitor or 2 capacitors in 1 can <S> the second if it has <S> it is usually the run cap. <S> Make sure to label the wires when you take them off <S> I even do this especially with dual caps. <S> Sorry this got long but was trying to give enough info for you to troubleshoot and repair without waiting for multiple steps as you check things out. <A> For my unit (similar issue) I think the issue is the blower relay, which should be an easy swap when the part comes in tomorrow. <S> I'm just a novice that is very safe, does a lot of research, and follows directions well. <S> I have read on other forums that a failing relay can cause the buzzing sound - lets hope <S> that's the case because the next step is blower motor for me!
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The electrical contacts can be pitted and not making a good contact it will need to be replaced. Starting caps provide a phase shift to help the motor start.
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How to check if floor is level Is there any way to check if a floor is completely level without having any advanced tools? I want to be sure that a bookcase would not need extra support <Q> The common tool to do this is a level. <S> One that is 4 feet long is better because it can check the floor over a wider area for flatness and level. <S> You really only need to check the area where you intend to set the book shelf and not the whole room. <S> If you find the longer sized levels too expensive you can instead find cheap short ones that you can use on the top edge of a 4 foot long, straight and even pine board. <S> If you want to avoid buying any tool at all you could consider the idea to use pine board like the above example but substitute the cheap level with a Smart Phone running an app that simulates the bubble style level. <S> For example there are many apps like this in the Google Play store for Android phones. <S> (Similar apps on iPhone at the iTunes store site). <S> The smart phone apps require you to calibrate your phone on a known level surface. <S> Some folks may consider this idea a gimmick <S> but it may be just what you need for a quick and simple check. <S> The quality and repeatability of the cell phone type of app can vary from app to app and be affected by the quality of sensors in the phone. <S> So if you go this direction I encourage you to download three or four of the free apps and find the one that best suits your needs. <A> find a place you know to be level <S> fill a jug or cup with water mark a line around jug showing where water is when level then take jug into room u want bookcase set it in a few spots around the area that if u dont want to spend 30$ for a cheap levle and more like 80$ for a good one <A> <A> If you have a length of clear tubing, you can attach each end to a stick that you attach to some base <S> so it's vertical. <S> Fill the tube with colored water until it's about 1/2 way up the stick, then mark the sticks where the water line is. <S> If you move the ends around, and find a place where the water level isn't at the line, it's not level. <A> If your bookcase is perfectly square † , you can use a plumb bob. <S> Once you've put the bookcase into position, suspend the weight to the left/right of it - <S> the gap between the string and the bookcase should be the same distance all the way from top to bottom. <S> This method should only really be used where you need it to be approximately level, since you're essentially just eyeballing it with a little extra help. <S> But it's quick and can be quickly assembled with stuff <S> you should already have lying around the house. <S> † <S> If the bookcase is an irregular shape or wasn't assembled with perfect right angles between the base and sides then this method won't work.
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A level like this would not be considered an advanced tool as they are rather simple devices. You can make a plumb bob out of a thin piece of string and any suitably heavy small object tied to the end. Some "home inspectors" use a 1-inch marble or ball-bearing to see if it rolls, then may follow up with a 4-foot level for more accurate measurement of the slope.
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How should I fasten air exchanger ducts to unit? I have an air-exchanger, and the hoses are little loose. That is I can feel the air flowing out between the motor and the hose. Here is a picture of the overall thing: Here is closer picture that shows where the air escapes from exactly: How do I make it more air tight? I see that there is some sort of sticky aluminium foil or something that they used before: Maybe that's what I need to use again? If yes, what's it called? <Q> I agree with Michael, and add that you could also use large HVAC zip ties. <S> If the lines seem to come loose easily, then you would be better off using a tape. <S> Now, "Duct" tape and "Duck" tape are not the same. <S> " <S> Duck" tape is what most people see as the old fashion silver/gray colored roll of tape that now comes in wild designs and colors and can be bought at every store that sells tape. <S> "Duct" tape is designed for duct lines, HVAC, and is usually an aluminum foil type tape, and a common brand is 3M. <A> The metalic tape is simply called "Aluminum Tape". <S> I have had excellent results with the 3M brand as the ones I used had awesome glue. <S> There is another tape that is more flexible than the metal tape. <S> Called GORILLA tape <S> it looks sort of like duct tape but with a much more durable backing and also incredible glue. <S> Again be prepared to spend a hefty price for a premuim product. <S> GORILLA tape sticks well to glass, plastic and metal but not quite so good for wood. <A> I normally place 2 or 3 screws through the flexible duct and not the insulation. <S> i then hook it on the metal wire that runs through the interior flexible duct and tighten them until snug against the collar. <S> This is however extremely challenging if you haven't worked with the flexible duct before. <S> Then Foil tape the inner pipe (not the insulation and exterior plastic) to the collar of the duct work that you screwed your flexible duct to. <S> Pull the insulation back over pipe and it should be sealed as long as your taping skills are adequate. <S> For mounting the ducts higher you can use standard metal strapping. <S> Make sure not to kink any ducts or strap it to tight and crush the insulation or the duct. <S> If you crush the insulation to much, you will decrease its R-value. <S> Screw the strapping into studs, or if screwing only into the drywall, use some heavy duty drywall plugs. <A> Slide back the outter covering and insulation, use a zip tie on the inner layer, some duct tape will make it seal even better. <S> Now slide the putter cover and insulation back over and use a zip tie to keep the insulation in place. <S> Duct tape only on the inner flex duct fails because of the flexing when air is pushed. <S> zip tie only on the inner will hold but may not seal 100% so I usually use both a tie and tape on the inner with great success.
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The way we usually seal flex ducting is with zip ties. Be prepared to spend some more than "duct tape" but it will last longer without degrading as much.
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What could cause high power usage in HVAC system after lightning strike? My house was recently struck by lightning. It fried several components of the HVAC system. Technician was able to restore operation, however the system does not cool anywhere near as crisp as it did before. And immediately after the strike, the energy usage has spiked and held consistent way above normal/average. I have the thermostat set to 79 F to restrict cooling run time and have turned off or turned down practically everything else non-essential in the house. Daily power usage continues to be way above normal even with far less things running. A separate air conditioning technician advised me that regardless of the system actually functioning, the compressor may be grounded resulting in weak cooling and high energy draw. I need serious help on this confounding situation as my electric bill has suddenly quadrupled over pre-strike usage. What are your professional opinions on this matter please? <Q> Like others said, you need to shut the breakers off to the equipment and see if the power draw decreases over time to know for sure. <S> Or you could have a technician check the equipment. <S> The issue may not be your hvac system at all, however the fact that is is not cooling properly means it needs to be looked at by a professional. <S> Im not sure what type of system you have (condenser, Evaporator and air handler or furnace) <S> but you need to have a technician check and test the compressor windings and motor windings of the condenser fan motor. <S> It would also be wise to check to see if the blower motor for the indoor unit is still functioning properly. <S> He should also check if anything is over amping. <S> I would advise not using the unit until it is checked. <A> This usually means that the heaters are also on; something fried or fused. <S> Test for voltage across the heater coils or control relay(s). <A> Ok...since my last entry I have had the AC system checked. <S> Compressor was deemed ok. <S> Freon was low...resulting in frequent cycling on/off. <S> That's confounding because the unit was cooling like a refrigerator at setpoint 79° before the lightning strike. <S> How could the lightning have affected the refrigerant charge??Secondly - a discovery: Pool pump timers were fried. <S> Pumps running continuously since the incident. <S> Didn't suspect them damaged since, at a glance, the pumps were running. <S> Only the other day did I notice they weren't clocking. <S> Replaced those .... <S> With AC running properly and pumps back on timer control...power usage has dropped dramatically.
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Your excessive power draw can definitely be attributed to your hvac equipment having a faulty electrical component.
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Stiffen up slanted deck railing Just got a mountain "cabin" and the angled/slanted deck railing is a bit loose; just enough to instill some fear in those wanting to lean over and take in the view. Here's a shot of what I'm dealing with. Tightening the bolts is usually an effort in futility, so I'm thinking more along the lines of a bracket, but I'm open all ideas. Thanks for looking, and any input/insight would be appreciated! <Q> I'd try something simple first. <S> The problem is there's too much play in the fastening of the post boards to the joists below. <S> Gluing, suggested in another answer, could work - it would take out the play - you'd just have to be careful to use a good strong outdoor rated glue. <S> I am not sure the glue would hold up with the weight of the post and the length of the lever. <S> Even if it does hold up, gluing would make it difficult to maintain - you would have to cut the posts off the joists if any post needs to be replaced. <S> The posts are attached to the joists with two carriage bolts. <S> Carriage bolts are inserted through drilled holes, and the top of the bolt has a square chunk under the cap that keeps it from spinning when you tighten it. <S> You only put a wrench on the nut. <S> You can't apply too much force without spinning the bolt. <S> I'd replace those carriage bolts with hex head bolts, and use a fender washer under the bolt head and the nut. <S> With a hex bolt, you'll have a wrench on the bolt head and another on the nut and you can apply a lot of force. <S> The fender washer will spread the force over more area than a regular washer. <S> I'd also loosen all the bolts, then replace them one by one. <S> Let the rail sag before you tighten everything <S> so it's not sprung in place, it's already at rest when you tighten everything. <A> Triangles are your friend. <S> It's impractical to make the horizontal support and slanted support into a triangle by running from the top of the slanted support to the wall joint of the horizontal, although it would be quite strong. <S> Consider instead to extend the horizontal beam either from below or from either or both sides to a point outward as far as you can tolerate. <S> If you extend the beam outward to a point that matches a plumb line from the slanted support, you'll have a compromise between strength and appearance. <S> If you extend the beam outward to a point twice the distance of a plumb line, you improve the strength of the slanted portion and lose only a bit in appearance, but that's an opinion. <S> Image not to scale. <A> What you have doesn't look too bad. <S> Maybe some new bolts that have a hex head with flat hasher under bolt the head and the nut could be tightned better. <S> Looks like you have carriage bolts that are pulling through. <S> Tip - replace one bolt at a time! <S> If you still want something stiffer, you could run a piece of steel or even wood, bad from the top bolt (replace with a longer one) at an angle back to the bottom of the beam. <S> That triangulation would stiffen it up. <A> What's your budget look like? <S> You could replace that with built in seats that have an angled back (maybe like the 2x4 basics seating bracket). <S> You will end up with more direct-to-deck connections and hopefully a more solid feel. <S> It may end up blocking some of that view though. <S> Good luck!
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You could go to a larger bolt, drilling out the holes so that the bolts have a tighter fit.
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what kind of radiator is this? Can I build a wood cover for it? There is a thin pipe coming from wall on the left that attaches to this metal filterlike coil thing. This coil thing is this very dirty, is it a filter? The dirty filter thing measures 1.5" thick, 8.5" deep and 34" wide from pipe entry to end of white metal cabinet that its encased by. Building said they use oil/natural gas for heat so not sure what type of radiator this is? I wanted to build a nice wooden window seat to go over it, can I do this with this type? <Q> Also called "fin-tube radiators". <S> How the water is heated is not entirely relevant (oil, gas, wood, coal, electric, solar -- same radiator). <S> The fins conduct heat from the water in the supply pipes (tubes) and "amplify" the transfer to the air, which flows across the fins. <S> Airflow may be natural convection or mechanically forced by a fan. <S> You need to straighten the fins for best airflow <S> (there are heavy-duty "combs" made for the purpose) and blow/vacuum them out from time to time, if you want to maintain maximum efficiency. <S> You can dress it in wood if you like. <S> They are generally designed to carry water no hotter than about 180 degrees <S> F. Wood will not be as good at conducting or radiating heat as the metal enclosure. <S> You must provide adequate air vents in any enclosure so that the warm air has a way to heat the room. <S> My fin-tube baseboards run nicely at around 150, except on the coldest days, at which point our on-site engineer raises the boiler temperature and chucks in more wood. <A> That type of heating unit is called a convector and was probably made by "The Burnham Boiler Company". <S> It was designed to utilize low pressure steam (15 PSIG) or hot water as the heating medium. <S> Your is probably hot water since the connection piping looks like that of a hot water system. <S> Changing the cover design will affect the heating output of the unit. <S> Cleaning this heating unit can be done with compressed air, vacuum cleaner or a water hose is the installation allows. <S> The fins are usually aluminum or they could be steel if the convector is old enough. <S> The fins shown are aluminum. <S> If you decide to try and straighten the fins use protective gloves since the fins are thin, sharp and will cut you. <S> Building a window seat above this unit will reduce the heat output so be careful of what you build, and how restrictive of the air flow you make it. <A> It's not actually a filter, it's a radiator. <S> The fins radiate heat. <S> It's best not to cover it in wood, you might be surprised how hot that thing can get. <S> Covering it may require some intense Pinterest research. <S> ;) Good luck.
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It appears to be a "forced hot water" radiator, unless there is a steam vent you're not showing us. Almost any type of wood product can be used. The fins should be straightened if possible with a fin comb.
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Nail sticking out other side of wooden door - how do I remove the sharp end? I've hammered two nails into a wooden door and approx. 2mm (the sharp ends) are sticking out the other side. What's the best/easiest way to take the ends off the nails? Thanks in advance,Stephen <Q> You can spend 30 min ( or much more ) filing them down and who know how much time repairing the file mark on door or you could spend 10 min removing them and replacing them with an appropriate size SCREW. <S> Tap the point of the nail until the head of the nail is out far enough to get a pry bar or the claws of a hammer on it and pull it out (gently and protect the door from the hammer or bar with a scrap of wood). <S> Install a screw that has a larger diameter that <S> the nail and is shorter. <S> If the door is hollow you may need an anchor for the screw and if it is hollow a nail is not the appropriate fastener. <A> I suggest a grinder. <A> You can partially cut with nail nippers then grip with pliers and carefully bend back and forth a couple of times to break the nail. <S> Given that the nails are protruding very little, bend across the grain with a spring drive nail set punch (google or amazon or youtube to see one in action--not expensive) to bury the sharp points into the wood. <S> A Dremel tool with a cutting disc will work, but is slower.
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Either grind them off with a grinder, or try to use a nail set and bend over the tip without pushing the nail back out the other side.
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Breakers loose in main panel, does whole panel need to be replaced? I went on a breaker flipping binge the other day because the panel at my house wasn't labeled and I had a doorbell transformer to replace. After I got the doorbell finished I realized the fridge wasn't running. Investigated and found that the issue is the breakers have some wiggle to them, not flopping around but if you apply slight pressure to top or bottom they move a fair bit. Can reliably get fridge to turn off by wiggling that breaker. The Wiggle (animated gif but seems to only go if clicked on): I'm not super comfortable with fussing in the main panel, I'm just wondering if I should expect an electrician to want to replace the whole panel? Does replacing the whole panel seem reasonable for something like this? Should I just swap out this one breaker for now and see if that helps? <Q> Boy, that's a classic. <S> Is it a GE? <S> It's fine, just replace the offending breaker, and have your electrician check the others while he's there. <S> The looseness is in the breaker, not the panel itself. <A> Replace it (and check the others while you're there) <S> This sort of wobbling is a symptom that the contact jaws on the breaker have loosened up and are no longer making good contact with the stab "tab" on the busbar. <A> Newer panels have better grounding and main breaker. <S> Other problem you may run into no new breakers or even used breakers. <S> The older panels don't have any GFCI breakers and today's code you need them in the bathroom <S> and/or kitchen (Any where water and electric circuits meet.) -- <S> 30 plus years as electrician. <A> It not unusual for plug in breakers to "jiggle" a little. <S> The question would be; Is it making a secure electrical connection. <S> You can test this two different ways. <S> First get out an appliance with a substantial load. <S> Use a toaster or hair dryer or I used to carry along a small 1500W unit heater. <S> Plug it into the circuit in question and turn it on. <S> Let it run for a while. <S> Second use an infrared thermal detector (they can be purchased for less than $40.00). <S> Take a heat reading at the base of the breaker and see if it has an unusual rise in temperature. <S> Or you can use a multimeter, it has to be able to read fractional voltages. <S> Check the voltage between the line side of the breaker and the load side. <S> What you are looking for is a substantial voltage drop across the breaker. <S> Check across other breakers without a load for a normal drop, then see how much is building up with a load. <S> If you're up to it do both tests and evaluate if the breaker is burning up or is it holding a circuit just fine. <S> Good luck <A> I'm surprised that no one has mentioned this, but most of the time you can fix the wiggle just by pulling out the breaker and narrowing the contact jaws a bit using needlenose pliers. <S> Usually I also check if there is any carbon buildup (caused by arcing from the loose contacts to the busbar) and remove it with an emery fingernail board or sandpaper if necessary. <S> Finally, in really bad cases of prolonged arcing, then the busbar itself might be carbonized or pitted in which case I'll power down the whole house at the master breaker panel outside, remove all the breakers and either sand or replace the busbar. <S> Of course, the zero-risk answer is "Replace the breaker and/or panel", but a lot of times that is overkill if you know what you are doing and can intelligently evaluate the risk of repairing vs. replacing. <A> It's a "rule of six" panel. <S> It has a top area of 8-12 spaces, containing legally a maximum of 6 breakers. <S> One of them powers the rest of the panel. <S> In effect it has its own subpanel. <S> So replace the "subpanel" area of the panel. <S> Install a new real subpanel somewhere convenient, and power that from a double breaker in the upper area. <S> Move all the lower (subpanely) loads from the old panel to the new one. <S> If you can get a 100A (?) breaker, you could hypothetically move every single load to the new panel, with the old rule-of-six panel having only one breaker. <S> This is GE Q-line, which is still a current product, but <S> "Rule of Six" panels have been outlawed for decades. <S> If you are extra clever, choose the new "sub" panel's spec and location so at some point in the future, the power feed could be cut over to it, promoting it to main panel.
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Replacing the breaker will fix the problem -- you should check the others though as a loose connection like this will not get better with time! If the panel was made 40 to 50 years ago, I would replace the whole panel.
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Wiring up a subpanel in attached workshop I need to wire up my attached workshop, which is about 50' from the main panel. I don't want to make a bunch of homeruns and would rather install a workshop-specific panel for this task. I will be running the following: 5HP Planer - 30A 240V 5HP Shaper - 30A 240V 1HP Power feeder - 15A 240V 2x 1.5HP Shapers - 15A 240V Down the line I will also be adding an air compressor and a dust collection system. Obviously I will not be running all of the equipment at once, but it's very likely that I might run my 5HP shaper, 1HP power feeder, and my dust collection system at the same time in the very near future. Having said that, I'm trying to figure out how to make my life easiest. My main panel is located outside on the opposite side of the house, so the plan is to run in conduit down to my crawl space and then once inside, run through the joists without protection. Here are my questions: I will feed my subpanel with 4 wire cable. 2 hots, a neutral, and a ground. Right? In my subpanel, I will NOT bond my neutral and grounding blocks. Ground and neutral will be independent. Right? What size subpanel should I get for these needs? I was thinking a 60A. Right? What size wire? For 60A at that distance, my calculations say 6 gauge copper. Is that correct? I don't intend on placing a ground rod anywhere, as this subpanel is attached to my main structure (And the subpanel is inside, it'd be very difficult to drive a ground rod anywhere near it). Is this OK? I don't quite understand why I need to separate the ground and neutral at the subpanel. My main panel has the two bonded, so my neutral at my subpanel will still be grounded since it's grounded at the main panel. Can someone explain why this is necessary, just to satisfy my curiosity? How many different circuits should I be considering for these needs? I was thinking 1 for the 5HP planer, 1 for the 5HP shaper, 1 for the power feeder (And future power feeders), and 1 15A for the 2 1.5HP shapers, as they will never run at the same time. Is there anything else I'm missing or overlooking? I'd like to start working on this expansion by the weekend, so your advice is very much appreciated. UPDATE : I purchased https://www.lowes.com/pd/Eaton-40-Circuit-20-Space-100-Amp-Main-Breaker-Load-Center-Value-Pack/3027588 which comes with two neutral bars bonded together with a strap. Am I allowed to simply remove the strap and use one of the bus bars as a ground bar, or do I need to purchase a ground bar kit separately? Additionally, the panel came with a small piece of bent metal that attaches one of the bars to the panel. Should this be connected so that the panel is grounded? <Q> Right <S> Right. <S> At the subpanel, the neutral and grounding blocks should remain separate. <S> Now is not the time to skimp. <S> 60A looks OK for now, but if you add a 30A dust collector, you've run out of capacity. <S> 100A panels are not much more expensive than 60A. Related to this, get a physically bigger panel than you think you need, too. <S> Your plan calls for 8 spaces, but I'd go with at least 16, maybe 20 or 21 or 22, depending on what's available from the manufacturer. <S> As this answer indicates, you'll want #1 Cu or #1/0 Al for 100A, unless everything is temperature rated for 75C in which case #3 Cu or #1 Al would work. <S> See this answer or this question and its answers or this one for an explanation of why. <S> The gist is that, with the neutral and ground bonded together at both the main panel and subpanel, any ground fault would energize anything that is grounded. <S> Same as above. <S> Sounds reasonable. <A> I don't quite understand why I need to separate the ground and neutral at the subpanel. <S> My main panel has the two bonded, so my neutral at my subpanel will still be grounded since it's grounded at the main panel. <S> Can someone explain why this is necessary, just to satisfy my curiosity? <S> By keeping the neutrals and grounds separate you ensure there will be no neutral current on the feeder ground (the wire feeding the sub-panel) <S> and there will be no ground fault current on the feeder neutral. <S> Normally, a ground wire is safe to touch and if it has neutral current flowing on it will no longer be safe. <S> This is simplistic explanation but easier to understand. <S> Good luck! <A> Getting this right <S> Given your choice of subpanel, you'll need to do three things when connecting it to make it safe for your application: You'll need to fit a separate ground bar -- you can get a pair of GBK21s for somewhere between $20 and $40. <S> Your ground wires will all land on these, which simply screw into the back of the cabinet. <S> You'll need to pull the bonding strap out -- this is the small piece of bent metal that connects the neutral bar to the cabinet. <S> It should just pivot down once you've loosened the neutral bar screw and popped it out of the neutral bar though. <S> You'll want to keep the inter-neutral-bar strap in there and make sure all your neutrals land on the neutral bars. <A> Why bond neutral-ground in a single location, at the service entrance? <S> Imagine the neutral wire from the sub panel to the main is cut. <S> If the ground is bonded to the neutral at the sub panel, then the ground will carry a load and become energized. <S> And you wouldn't know about the wiring issue. <S> That's a safety hazard. <S> If the ground is not bonded to neutral at the sub panel, then a cut neutral would result in appliances not working in your workshop. <S> The ground should only carry ground fault currents (short time current to trip a breaker) but should not carry load currents. <S> Statistically, the risk of that happening at the main panel is much lower. <S> But if the neutral is cut from the main panel, then the ground can become energized. <S> That's the drawback of tying the neutral to earth.
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This makes sure you won't mix up neutral and ground (as having current flow on the grounding system can be a serious shock hazard, say due to a failing neutral somewhere), while providing maximum flexibility when landing wires into the panel. Again, bigger panels are cheap now, and they give you a lot more flexibility in the future. This is not only OK, this is the correct and safe way to do it. If you add any lights, 120V receptacles, etc to that subpanel, you're limiting yourself even more.
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What product or method to waterproof an underground concrete-bottomed water cistern? I have an existing 42" diameter x 11' deep underground water cistern installed in my backyard that I am starting to use for irrigation. It has HDPE walls and poured concrete bottom. There is no waterproofing applied to it, and so water stored in it slowly seeps into the ground until it reaches 6' full, which appears to be the height of the groundwater. However, when pumped dry, the tank starts filling up with water immediately, and after about an hour fills to its maximum fill height of 6'. Thus, I can't pump the tank dry to use most waterproofing chemicals, which ask for the concrete to be dry. What can I do to waterproof the tank?Potability, while not required (this is an irrigation cistern), would be nice in case I needed to ever drink this water in a SHTF situation. <Q> From the potability standpoint I think you will want to definitely plan to have high performance hand operated water filter unit available to filter any water you would try to drink from this tank. <S> Check at a place like REI to find a filter like the type used by canoeists when they make trips on rivers and lakes and filter lake water for drinking. <S> It seems to me that it is going to be very difficult to get this tank dry enough to seal it. <S> One way that may work is to dig down five or six holes that are about a foot in diameter to a depth of maybe 13 to 14 feet deep (i.e. a good amount below the existing concrete tank floor). <S> Then insert a sump type pump into the bottom of each hole that pumps out accumulated water as fast as it can accumulate. <S> You would want to spill the pumped water out in the street or rain sewer so as to carry the water away from your cistern area. <S> It is possible that this could lower the water table near the tank bottom enough to keep it dry for a period of time. <S> Of course you would want to do this at a time of the year when there has been little or no rain for a goodly length of time. <A> There are epoxies which cure underwater and are commonly available as pool repair kits. <S> One thing you might try is lowering the water level and caulking around the base of the tube with one. <S> With any luck that will slow the seepage enough that you can seal over the entire thing with something that will work in damp conditions. <S> If the tube is actually round you could stuff an insert down it; either one from a fabricator or a tube you capped yourself. <S> Between finding a fabricator and possibly paying freight if they aren't nearby that option is going to come with an appreciable price tag though. <A> I think you might have to put a bladder or liner in it. <S> A liner similar to one used in an in-ground vinyl pool might work, but I bet there are liners specifically for this purpose. <S> If you can get it dry, there is a product called Thoroseal that can be used to waterproof the concrete. <S> It even says its good for cisterns in their FAQ: http://www.thoroproducts.com/faq.htm . <S> However, I think the issue would be the seal between the walls and the concrete.
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Alternately you could try pumping it down and going over the entire bottom with an underwater grout, which again may slow the seepage enough to let you apply something waterproof.
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How dangerous is it to leave a 35KVA diesel generator ungrounded? How dangerous is it to leave 35KVA diesel generator ungrounded? This generator is connected to temporary metal buildings for workers, AC and other electrical devices. <Q> Temporary structures and (cheap) workers - permanent graves... <S> And so should all the structures and any other electrical devices. <A> "not grounding things" has been tried. <S> Gets people killed. <S> The problem is, what happens in case of a ground fault? <S> That is where current leaks from one of the hot wires to a surface you can touch. <S> What keeps a ground fault from energizing the entire side of the building? <S> Without a proper ground, you leave to Providence what happens next. <S> And lots of people get electrocuted this way, and it starts fires. <S> Your generator has a steel skid or landing gear, yes? <S> What happens when it rains? <S> Now the impedance between your building and generator case is much lower, and now electrocution risks exist that weren't there in the dry. <S> With a ground, surfaces and structures are prevented from floating at high voltage, a bolted fault will have high-current path back to source, assuring a circuit breaker trip. <S> a smaller ground fault will complete its loop through the grounding system, resulting in a reliable trip of GFCI/RCD <S> (ground fault aka residual-current) protection. <S> Why not an isolated system ? <S> Two problems. <S> #1, you need a maintenance program wherein staff electricians regularly checking for your first ground fault, or else you'll be blindsided by the second that completes the circuit. <S> #2, you must engineer it to be an isolated system, which means you can't use common, off-the-shelf gear intended for grounded systems - it is disallowed to use gear contrary to its labeling and instructions (since it was only tested and listed for uses conforming to the instructions). <S> The world of the Electrical Code is based on hard-won experience. <A> It depends on the generator but they do not recommend grounding 'for fun' <S> I would strongly suggest you ground it, <S> so you don't get all kinds of random stuff happening, or worse, people getting killed. <S> Some reading: http://www.ecmweb.com/content/solid-grounding-your-generator
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The generator should be properly earthed or grounded as per the manufacturer's instructions and / or relevant codes in the area.
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New home with gaps in stairs The stairs in our home being built (production builder) is concerning. The gaps in risers and treads doesn't seem right. When seeing all other homes in same neighborhood under construction they do not have gaps and risers are plywood allowing a butt to be flush. There is carpet going to be installed so the builder is not concerned about gaps. I know it will be covered but years later what problem will this cause when we want hard finished stairs. My other concern is there was no wood glue used at all. Will I be dealing with squeaky stairs in a year? What things can I do myself to ensure no squeaks? Drywall has already been installed so I have no access to underside. <Q> Those look like temporary steps to me. <S> For carpeting you usually see 1-1/8" bullnose particle board treads and 1x8 or 3/4" plywood risers. <S> Rarely is two-by lumber left as a final product, as it's heavier-duty than necessary and creates very thick and squarish nosings when carpeted. <S> We'd commonly do something like that, or doubled scrap plywood, until after taping and painting is done, then install the final materials using construction adhesive. <S> Yes, it should be done better, but that's my opinion. <S> Ask your builder if that's the final state. <A> I would also say those look like temporary stairs, but lets ignore that for the moment. <S> You correctly observe that there are gaps on every stair between the tread and riser and the photos <S> show that the gaps are even. <S> Now having well made stairs is very important in that uneven or other badly made stairs are a safety risk. <S> gaps are often a pointer to uneven stairs, but all the gaps are even, which points either to careful deliberate workmanship or jigs both of which are good things. <S> Overall these stairs show an interesting mix of over build and cost cutting that leads me to believe that they were built by an experienced carpenter with cheapest materials intending them to be a temporary stair. <S> depending on humidity and other factors they look like they may last several years before warping gets annoying or dangerous, but they do not have shims under the treads and behind the risers that would allow a stair to last decades. <S> Final analysis: well made but temporary, replace before carpeting. <S> The gap is not a problem, the lack of shims or wedges is. <A> If you do, in fact, want exposed wood stairs at some future date, the wood you see there is not the wood you would want to be exposed. <S> If you replace both, problem solved. <S> If you replace only the treads, the problem can still be solved by using a sturdy "veneer" layer on the risers. <S> Contrary to what you may think, it is actually quite difficult to kick that exact spot, so "sturdy" is a relative term. <S> You obviously don't want true veneer, which is often 1/32" or thinner, these days, but you don't need 3/4" plywood, either. <S> 1/8" veneered plywood would do fine. <S> As for squeaks, this construction method actually reduces one source of potential squeaks, which is the movement of the tread against the riser. <S> You still may eventually get some squeaking due to other sources of friction, but there's not much you can do to totally eliminate that possibility. <S> Wood moves. <S> Even Giant Redwoods sway in the wind. <S> As long as it's quality construction, using screws, it's a low probability.
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No, those gaps are nothing to worry about. You would either replace the treads and apply a "veneer" over the risers, or replace both risers and treads. It really comes down to your relationship with the builder and your contract. As you correctly stated, when the stairs are carpeted, they will be invisible and their location makes them unimportant.
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Name the architectural feature of thin strip of roof on side wall connecting gabel end points? Is there a specific name for this feature: I think this is purely for aesthetics, generally a horizontal mini-roof that connects the lowest points of a gable end. I believe it's to visually break up the otherwise large expanse of side wall, although without a term to look up I'm finding it hard to research. <Q> As answered in the comments, it looks like this feature has a few names: <S> Just an "eave", like any other eave on the house "eave return", or "full eave return" "cornice return" or "full cornice return" <S> There are a handful of colloquial terms for specific types of "eave returns" - "pork chop returns", "mutton chop returns", "bird boxes". <S> Sources: <S> http://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/cornicer.html http://www.contractortalk.com/f14/what-type-eave-called-see-picture-38794/ https://www.houzz.com/discussions/2287882/why-are-full-cornice-returns-aka-mutton-chops-disliked-here <A> Its a "pent" roof that forms the bottom of triangular pediment. <S> Its all derived from classical Greek and Roman temples. <S> It does allow the cornice to return and creates a roof eave. <A>
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Full cornice return is a fairly correct description (although it is more than just a return).We have used the term closed gable.
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How to handle 1 inch gap between bathtub tile and drywall? I have a new tub put in, and tile to go with it in my tub area. The tile is only in my tub area. I have a one inch gap between the tile and the drywall. How do I make it so this edge looks nice. On the other side of the tub, the gap is about 1 inch. The bathroom is small, and the one inch gap will stick out. <Q> There is a 1" quarter round ceramic available. <S> Local home centers here stock it. <S> You could also rip down bullnose edging. <S> If you're bold enough, you could try to mix up some colored sanded grout on the stiff side, and try to run a chamferred edge detail. <A> Search "tile edging trim" at Home Depot or your favorite retailer. <A> Thanks for the help. <S> For the wall, I opted to extend the wall to the end of the bathroom. <S> I appreciate the help and quidance. <S> I had trouble matching my tile <S> so <S> I went with extending the one wall that has a inch gap to the end of the bathroom.
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One option in addition to bullnose tile from other posts would be to use a metallic edge trim. Lastly, although it might be ugly, you could install vinyl quarter round.
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Can anyone identify this mystery outlet? I found a mystery socket thing in my cupboard and I was wondering what it is. Here are some pictures of the front and inside the box. <Q> That is an older style UK "unswitched cable outlet", also known as an "unswitched flex outlet". <S> The current style have a cable exit point at the lower edge, not the middle of the faceplate. <S> They are typically rated for 20A. <S> It is used for permanently-wired electrical-loads such as heating systems (boiler, immersion heater, etc). <S> It is likely some device was removed from inside that cupboard and the cable disconnected. <S> It might be a dedicated circuit with it's own circuit-breaker in your main panel ("consumer unit"). <A> That appears to be a "plugless" plate intended to connect a flexible cord (as is usually attached to a plug) semi-permanently to power. <S> The cable clamp on the opening and the extra screw terminals to connect the cord conductors to are the clues, here, after seeing that nothing "plugged in" would connect to anything, but that it's clearly well-grounded and keeps the power connections nicely isolated. <A> The face plate is the same as that used for a coaxial cable that would run to an outdoor/roof aerial or a satellite dish. <S> However the wiring is UK Mains (AC 240v) & fairly old as it still has the red (L) & black (N) <S> coloured insulation. <S> The wires to your outlet are not part of a ring main but are or were a permanent live feed/spu3ee possibly to a storage heater or similar as looking at your photo, the cable guage isn't thick enough to carry more than 20A safely. <S> Also I don't see any brown scorching at the terminals or other evidence of over heating. <S> Provided there's no current running to it <S> and you can't locate any point supply side <S> it's likely just been left simply due to being out of sight. <S> If the property was ever owned by your local authority and they carried out any electrical work, it was accepted as common practice not to remove sockets or obsolete cableruns so check the property history if you don't know. <S> It may help you.
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It should run from the supply via a consumer unit or other isolation point - most likely an old fuse box given the age of cabling. Of course, there is no such cord connected at the moment. That rules out higher load appliances eg: cookers, showers or immersion heaters etc which at 40A - 45A would overload the circuit, (serious fire hazard). Finally, check if other wiring in the building complies with the newer colour code Brown (L) & Blue (N).
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What ikea screwdriver type is this? I am trying to disassemble by bedframe and theScrewdriver that I have seems too loose.Where can I find a screwdriver to do this? <Q> It is called a " hex key ", "Allen key", or "Allen wrench". <S> You can also find socket wrench tools with this hexagonal drive shape. <S> Hex key socket wrenches are almost always stronger than Allen keys, and less likely to round out the screw head. <S> Both the fasteners and the tools shipped with Ikea furniture kits are necessarily the cheapest that can still do the job, so it should be no surprise that the wrench seems too loose. <S> You may need to use a slightly larger hex key tool, even if it is nominally the "wrong" size. <S> If the next size larger hex key is too large, try one from a different standard, i.e. the next size metric for a SAE screw. <S> Once you have removed the cheap Ikea screws you should replace them with better quality. <S> " <S> Star drive" would be the best; purchase the screws and driver together. <A> As a last resort before drilling it out if it becomes to stripped to remove. <S> Find a slightly larger straight slot screwdriver and expand the current Allen driver contact points. <S> Then use a 6 point star driver or being furniture just tap the screwdriver into the fastener and remove and replace it since it's not likely to be corroded. <A> You need 4 mm, 5 mm or 6 mm <S> Hex key <S> (a.k.a Allen wrench, Inbus) for IKEA furniture. <S> (I have 2 hex key sets and 4 different screwdriver bit sets, and all of them includes these sizes.)
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I recommend to buy a screwdriver bit set or a hex key set, because these are the most common hexagonal socket sizes.
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can I install cement backer board over plank subfloor I have old plank subfloor installed at a 45 degree angle to the floor joists. How should I install cbu(cement backer board) on top of this for a tile installation? The entire area is approximately four feet by four feet.the joist are 2 inches by 9 inches by 11 feet <Q> My experience is no, too much bounce. <S> Either install 1/2-3/4" t&g ply over it (glued & nailed), or cut it out and install new t&g 3/4 subfloor, glued and nailed. <S> Also consider your floor joist width and span. <S> In this question, that's undetermined. <S> In either case, then you can install 1/2" cement board. <A> Virtually all brands specify minimum 5/8" plywood or OSB as a base. <S> I have to say, if it was my house and there were significant challenges related to plywood installation (plank removal difficult, heigh problem with plywood over plank, etc.) <A> fasten any loose planks and flatten (plane, sand, chisel) <S> any planks that are not level <S> 1/2 inch - 3/4 inch exterior rated plywood or osb, screwed down to the planks the screws should avoid hitting the joists <S> thinset applied with 1/4 inch x 1/4 inch trowel applied on top of the plywood/osb 1/2 inch cement backer board on top of the thinset and screwed in just after the thinset is applied. <S> it's O.K. to walk on the cement board before the thinset sets
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I might consider mortaring and screwing it down without the plywood if and only if the plank subfloor was very sturdy (no flex/bounce/deflection when jumped up and down on) and very flat.
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Can I use Schedule 40 PVC to protect a grounding electrode conductor where exposed to physical damage? Can I use Schedule 40 PVC to protect a 4 AWG grounding electrode conductor (wire from main panel to grounding electrode) where exposed to physical damage (a few feet between the panel and the ground rods)? Per the section 250.64 of the 2014 NEC, it looks like I can use schedule 40 because it lists "rigid polyvinyl chloride conduit (PVC)" without specifying the schedule. In other sections of code, it is usually very specific about the use schedule 80 where wire is exposed to physical damage. Also, the inclusion of "cable armor" in section 250.64 as a means of protection from physical damage is a possible indicator that this section of code is relaxed since I otherwise understood cable armor to be prohibited for use where protection from physical damage is required (see heading "Question #3" in this answer). Ideally, I would use EMT since I am most used to working with it when I need conduit or a raceway, however the additional requirements to bond metallic raceways at their termination for a grounding electrode conductor adds additional hassle/fittings that I would rather not deal with. Therefore, I am looking at the non-metallic conduit options and I am having a tougher time finding schedule 80 PVC in sizes less than 1 1/4" at local stores while schedule 40 PVC is plentiful in a variety of sizes. Below Quotation is from NFPA-70:2014; The 2014 National Electrical Code 250.64 Grounding Electrode Conductor Installation. ... (B) Securing and Protection Against Physical Damage. Where exposed, a grounding electrode conductor or its enclosure shall be securely fastened to the surface on which it is carried. Grounding electrode conductors shall be permitted to be installed on or through framing members. A 4 AWG or larger copper or aluminum grounding electrode conductor shall be protected if exposed to physical damage. A 6 AWG grounding electrode conductor that is free from exposure to physical damage shall be permitted to be run along the surface of the building construction without metal covering or protection if it is securely fastened to the construction; otherwise, it shall be protected in rigid metal conduit RMC, intermediate metal conduit (IMC), rigid polyvinyl chloride conduit (PVC), reinforced thermosetting resin conduit (RTRC), electrical metallic tubing EMT, or cable armor. Grounding electrode conductors smaller than 6 AWG shall be protected in (RMC), IMC, PVC, RTRC, (EMT), or cable armor. Grounding electrode conductors and grounding electrode bonding jumpers shall not be required to comply with 300.5. <Q> After some more research, the answer appears to be no. <S> Per section 352.10(F) of the 2014 NEC and its informational note (quoted below), only schedule 80 is allowed where PVC is exposed to physical damage. <S> Below Quotation is from NFPA-70:2014; The 2014 National Electrical Code <S> 352.10 Uses Permitted. <S> ... <S> (F) Exposed. <S> PVC conduit shall be permitted for exposed work. <S> PVC conduit used exposed in areas of physical damage shall be identified for the use. <S> Informational Note: <S> PVC Conduit, Type Schedule 80, is identified for areas of physical damage. <A> Your research is great, but you'll have to look at the UL white book to see where the informational note comes from. <S> UL White Book 2015-2016 Rigid Nonmetallic PVC conduit (DZYR) ... <S> The marking ‘‘Schedule 80 PVC’’ <S> identifies conduit suitable for use where exposed to physical damage... <S> So as you can see, only Schedule 80 PVC conduit can be used where subject to physical damage. <A> That's good research on your part, and yes you can use schedule 40 PVC for protection. <S> The biggest question you should have about any selection of conduit would be: What am I trying to protect it from? <S> For example if you are placing the grounding electrode conductor along side your residence where it may be subject to foot traffic, a mower bumping into it or gardening equipment. <S> There would be no reason why you couldn't put it in schedule 40. <S> If the location is subject to vehicular traffic then maybe you want to put it in schedule 80 or rigid. <S> Of course there's nothing wrong with conservative discretion. <S> One thing I might bring up. <S> Make sure you are using UL listed PVC conduit and not plumbing PVC.
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Schedule 40 conduit is also suitable for aboveground use indoors or outdoors exposed to sunlight and weather where not subject to physical damage... ...
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How can I temporarily close an arched interior passageway? I need to close an opening and I am not sure the best way to do it. The goals are Low cost Good sound insulation Easy to take apart with minimal damage to the existing walls. It doesn't have to look perfect edit: my original thought was to attach drywall panel to each side of the opening (bout 7 inch apart) and to screw them to the preexisting frame without using additional studs. To remove, unscrew the screws, fill with mud and paint again. what do you think of this solution? edit: task mostly done. I probably need to paint it or hide it behind a curtain. but is is up and block sounds pretty well. I used the two plywood system of the selected answer without weather striping. I have also cut the plywood to smaller pieces for easier handling <Q> I would take two sheets of plywood or similar material, cut slightly larger than the opening, place one on either side, and use a few big bolts & nuts driven through to pull the panels towards each other. <S> The tension from the bolts will hold the contraption in place; some weatherstripping or the like on the edges will create a better seal and protect your walls. <S> You can fill the inside cavity with fiberglass insulation and paint the wood the same color as your walls. <A> One solution that might look reasonable is to get a bookshelf (IKEA Billy are cheap) larger than the opening and stand it against the opening. <S> The cavity can be filled with loose sound-insulating material. <A> For a clean, elegant appearance I would build a framed wall that fits inside that arched opening with 1/2" gap at sides and top. <S> I'd sheath it with plywood or paneling to suit, and I'd insulate it with fiberglass. <S> Alternatively, sandwich 2" rigid foam between paneling using appropriate construction adhesive and weight it until the glue sets. <S> I'd then stand it in the opening and gently stuff 1" foam rope caulk into the gap--one bead from each room. <S> Chances are, that alone will secure the temporary wall enough that you don't have to use screws or adhesives at all. <S> If you find that it's not secure enough, a couple shims set in silicone caulk on each side of the opening, and inside the rope beads, will hold it firmly and invisibly until you need to remove it. <A> Your solution sounds fine to me. <S> For sound insulation, you need mass - so if you have some spare bricks or concrete blocks: put in one sheet of drywall stack the bricks/blocks in the void (you don't need to fill it <S> completelyand <S> you don't need it to form a strong wall) <S> attach the other sheet of drywall.
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For better sound insulation I'd combine this with Robert's answer: put a sheet of ply on the other side of the opening and bolt it to the back of the bookshelf or screw bookshelf and ply to some intervening 2x4 + shim.
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remove sheared screw from electrical outlet box? A previous owner of my house (I swear it was not me :) ) appears to have broken off a screw in the hole (red circle) that allows the bottom of the outlet to attach to the box, leaving only the top hole (yellow circle) free to attach the outlet to. What's the best way to get the screw out? I know that one option is described in Removing broken screw from electrical box , but I'd like to preserve the existing threads if possible. I tried grabbing it with needle-nosed pliers from the front and twisting it out, but it appears stuck either via corrosion or because it's the wrong size (although they did get it in that far). I was thinking of trying the following approach: apply WD-40 to the hole in the front and back to loosen up any rust try grabbing it from behind the hole with curved needle-nosed pliers and see if I can at least move it out a little bit farther if I can move it with the pliers, either unscrew it all the way, or get it out far enough that I could cut a groove in it to put a flathead screwdriver in I could just try cutting the groove now, but that seems risky given that it might be stuck in there pretty well if it's the wrong size, and I don't currently have a lot of room for error if I cut it incorrectly. What do you think? Thanks in advance for any help! <Q> Corrosion isn't your problem. <S> The screw was too long and it bottomed out on what looks like a cable clamp in the box. <S> The screw is in compression. <S> If you get in there with a Dremel with the tiny cutoff wheel, you should be able to saw through it. <S> Once you do the compression will be gone and you should be able to finger-spin it out. <S> And he went extra extra long, and was too long and bottomed out. <S> Choose length more carefully, or use the feature on your wire stripper to cut bolts. <A> You'll probably have better luck with vise-grips than needle-nose pliers. <S> After that, I'd hit it with something like liquid-wrench, specifically formulated to break up corrosion, or a penetrating oil. <S> WD-40 isn't the best lubricant. <S> This would be tricky to do, but as a second option you could remove a little more drywall (to make space) and see if you can tighten a drill chuck around the screw. <A> If you need to cut it you can but all you need to do is continue tightening it until it clears the hole. <S> Or you can always drill it out any if you need to rethread the hole just find a larger screw and a tap and die kit. <S> It's only a few threads I'd just use vice grips and force it through.
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A hand drill has a lot of torque, and should break the seized threads free. It looks like his mistake was using extra long screws because of the depth of the plaster there.
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Is a strain relief clamp necessary for dryer cord installation? Just got a new dryer yesterday, and the installation instructions say I need a strain relief for the power cord. Unfortunately, the delivery guys took my old dryer for recycling and only left the cord - no strain relief. Is the strain relief absolutely necessary? Seems they are only sold with new cords, and I'm trying to avoid spending money needlessly. <Q> Yes, for legality and safety. <S> Dryers in particular move a lot, and you don't want your conductors wearing through on the sharp edges of the chassis and electrifying the entire unit or starting a fire. <S> There's often one built into the dryer. <S> It may be reversed for shipping. <S> Otherwise they're readily available at hardware and home improvement stores for a buck or two. <A> This is not a retail store, they are in industrial parks and keep bankers hours, but will happily trade with the public. <S> Except 0-1 cars in the parking lot, no well lit showroom, and a service desk with very knowledgeable staff. <S> Take some photos with your phone and show them. <A> Why take a chance. <S> Be safe for the long run. <S> Dryer relief bracket costs $5-$10 and takes under 10 minutes to install.
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Like others said clean out the dryer vent regularly or at least occassionally. Strain-relief hardware is readily available at an electrical supply house.
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How to clean textured brick fireplace? The brick around our fireplace looks dingy. The fireplace used to be wood burning but was converted to gas by the previous owner about 10 years ago (i think). I would like to clean it. The problem is that the brick is textured. Everything that I've found so far (every video or article) cleans smooth brick. The general solutions I'm finding are dish soap, borax, salt, baking soda, ammonia ... etc with a stiff nylon brush. How do clean the nooks and crannies of the textured brick without using a pressure washer indoors? <Q> I have white terrazzo floor. <S> It is very hard to clean. <S> I tried straight bleach on it on a corner, and believe it or not it helped alot. <S> I never tried on brick, but maybe you can try in a hidden spot, and see how it works. <S> I just put the bleach on straight, and aired out the room. <S> I did it like 3 separate times. <S> Got great results though. <S> On my walls in my house, I use degreaser in a spray pump bottle. <S> If the area was dirty I sprayed with degreaser, and it seemed to clean all areas of my house pretty well. <S> Again, never tried on brick, but could try on a hidden spot, and see if it helps. <A> I have smooth brick <S> but I used rags and a free changes of the warm water bucket. <S> I Used paste of cream of tartar and water and then let that dry and cleaned it off with rags, a scrub brush and warm water. <A> And use it in a certain way. <S> The idea is that each bristle is flexible poke stick, stiff enough to chip stuff off and flexible enough to get around corners and into grooves. <S> So use it more with a pushing or jabbing action, so that you chisel the dirt off. <S> Don't paint it like a rag, though you can for some situations. <S> Then use your favorite cleaner appropriate for the task. <A> Small power washer or small sandblaster
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A trick I've used is a paint brush to get into the cracks and groves.
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How to cool a server closet with window? I put 2 servers in my closet which run at about 90F. The closet has a window, but simply opening the window doesn't drop the temperature very much even when it is 60F outside. If I open the closet door also, then the temperature matches the other rooms no problem: ~75F, but I'm worried I'm losing all the cool air inside my house and wasting A/C because of this. I'd like to keep the closet door closed and rig something up to pump hot air out of the room just through the window. I'd like to do it as cheaply as possible and I don't care about how it looks. I could install a window A/C unit, but that would cost $150. I was hoping I could buy a box fan for $10 and some ducting for another $10 to solve this problem. If I install the fan and the intake duct right next to each other, is that a problem? Do I need to seal the fan or intake duct to the window or is that just an optimization? I'd really appreciate any advice! Thank you! <Q> Question for you to ponder before spending any money:Do you live in the arctic? <S> Almost certainly you do not, since you just said "you're worried about wasting AC air outside" if you open the closet door. <S> So with the postulation above, why do you think you can cool the closet with outside air? <S> You cannot. <S> I'd take the stance that there will be many days that the outside air is greater or equal to the 90 degrees you comment on. <S> Now in the winter time, how will you cool the closet? <S> The simple answer to your post if you are going to spend the money is to have a window fan, two way unit, or at least one "blower" unit setup, and then you ensure you run some 6" flex tubing from the outlet of the machines to the window, with the blower fan in the piping, anywhere. <S> Now this said, depending on the house you have, and the mod you are willing to do, you can vent the air from the server into the attic, or into the crawl space, but you still need a way for a cooler source of air to come back into the closet space. <S> Without an equalized pressure differential, no amount of blowing is going to help you, unless you recirculate already hot air. <S> So <S> ..... Buy an AC? <S> Open the window in the winter?It's generally best to not close off "appliances" that generate heat, in a closed space. <S> Thus, you need to bring cool air in from somewhere, and where it comes from has to be controlled. <S> The outside is not going to suffice for each day of the week and all seasons. <A> If I was trying to deal with this situation I would first vent the door to the closet. <S> This could be done by cutting a hole in the door and placing a vent grate over it. <S> Another alternative would be to replace the door with one that comes with a louvered panel. <S> I would then install a decent quality room ventilation fan that mounts in the ceiling of the closet or on the wall. <S> (Since you have a window there it is an outside wall and a wall vent fan would be easy to install). <S> There is a wide range of fan types to choose from including typical bathroom fans. <S> The ventilation fan that I am suggesting would vent out to the outside wall or through the roof. <S> From your question it sounds like you are trying to find a quick and cheap way to ventilate this closet. <S> But I will suggest that this is the wrong approach and you should approach this from a professional and craftsman like way. <S> After all it sounds like you have placed some expensive equipment in this room <S> and you should resort to protecting it in a proper way rather than some kludge. <S> Part of doing this properly will be to install a temperature controlled switch into the power line to the vent fan such that it shuts off when it is not needed. <S> this can save considerable energy over the course of a year. <S> This could even be implemented with some of the modern home automation gear with a WiFi controlled switch and an app that runs on the server and obtains the temperature from the sensors inside the server itself. <S> Any venting to the outside will want to be implemented with swinging vanes (especially for a direct wall outlet) to prevent outside weather from coming back in through the vent when the fan is not operating. <A> The first thing you should ask yourself is whether or not the outside climate provides a feasible way to provide clean cool air. <S> If the air is humid or the window is unprotected from rain, do not attempt to use it. <S> If the air is polluted or contains dirt or pollen often, do not attempt to use it. <S> Based on the fact that you mention running air conditioning, the outside air is probably too hot to consider using consistently. <S> If you weren't aware, A/C is basically a "heat pump", pulling heat out of your house. <S> Buying a separate A/C would be redundant. <S> As another answer put it: "you need to bring cool air in from somewhere, and where it comes from has to be controlled. <S> The outside is not going to suffice for each day of the week and all seasons. <S> " <S> One option would be to leave the door open, or you could add a vent to your door or even replace the door with one that is made of vents. <S> You could also add an air duct that goes from the house A/C to the closet, to have the house <S> A/C directly push cold air into the room. <S> If so, you should also have at least one air exhaust vent to the rest of the house, so that the existing air has way to leave so that the cool air can enter without resistance.
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Your best option is probably to create a system of ventilating between the closet and your main house. If the outside can get hot sometimes, then cooling using outside air is not a consistent option.
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Best way to wire multiple lights in multiple rooms on single circuit? In new wiring, when running a new circuit from the main panel in the basement to multiple rooms upstairs, what is the most efficient way to wire lights in each room so they are 1.) on the same circuit and 2.) controlled by an individual switch in each room? I'm sure I can run my main 12-2 or 14-2 (I will use 12) to the closest light in this circuit, and continue the power to the next room, but I am not sure what the best method of switching the power in each individual room is. Or if I should run power to each room's switch and then use a new wire to go from each powered switch to the series of each room's lights. <Q> In the old days you could run neutral and ground to all the lights and a single hot throu the switch in each room to the lights in that room. <S> BUT, since 2011 NEC code requires all 3 wires to be available in each switch box even if the neutral is just capped off (this is for remotely controlled switches - smart homes). <S> Here is a nifty diagram for you <S> (source) <S> Seems sort of a waste though to be doing it this way now that LED and occupancy (motion/light) sensors are cheap. <S> At minimum, installing a dual switch with one low level LED light fixture is preferable to most people and even Leviton is making inexpensive bluetooth remotes so people can have a switch wherever they put the bed. <S> Some combination of these has greatly improved our family's quality of lighting and now it's unimaginable to have to go back to the single full light on/off scenario. <S> You asked for efficiency and that can be interpreted differently: do you want to save an hour on the initial installation or make living/working there efficient for years to come? <A> The most 'efficient' method would be to tap off at a switch to feed power to the next switch. <S> The only reason here being that you'd be able to run 12-2 for the entire circuit (assuming single pole switching only with the example given). <S> The only true difference in this over running to the light first and creating a switch loop is that you are now required to have a neutral at each switch box - which would then call for 12-3 for the loops. <S> As well though, this is on the condition of new wiring in presumably new construction - giving you the freedom on locating the wiring. <S> But at the same time, it all comes down to the distance to the fixtures and switches. <S> If you have a light right by the panel and the switch is on the other side of the room, it'd be easier to run the short distance of homerun 12-2 to the light <S> and then a 12-3 loop to the switch rather than the two long distance runs of 12-2. <S> Seeing as 12-2 is nearly half the cost of 12-3 though, you'd be able to essentially run a 2 wire across the room and back for the same as using a single 3 wire. <S> In this case it'd be efficient in only have a single strand of romex between each device, but you'd be paying a little more if you don't have 12-3 on hand - making it less cost efficient. <S> Simply because you're now required to have access to neutral at each switch. <S> EDIT:I'll tack this on for extra measure. <S> Your primary hot coming from the panel, regardless of how the wires are ran physically, must tap off such as this to feed each switch in parallel to one another. <S> The the load on each switch is as well included in parallel powered from that particular switch. <A> We can't answer that because it all depends on the physical topology of your particular construction. <S> The key design issue is to run always-hot and neutral to every switch and lamp location - then add a third switched-hot wire (red typically) between the switch and the lamp(s) it controls, by using 12/3 cable for that segment. <S> You absolutely can and should use a "tree" topology, branching a spur line wherever that makes sense to do. <S> At that point, wiring is dog simple: at any splice, reds go to reds, whites go to whites and blacks go to blacks. <S> A lamp taps red and white. <S> A switch taps black and red, unused whites at switches are capped. <A> You can easily do this by running your 12-2 between the light fixture boxes themselves. <S> This should be easy inside the attic. <S> Just pick a starting point and drop one back to the breaker. <S> When you wire your switches, you should drop 14-3 <S> so you get the required neutral to the box. <A> here's a quick diy sketch (had to post as separate answer because of obscure rules). <S> This uses all 14/2 (3 wire).
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Running 12-2 throughout, tapping off to feed other rooms at the switches, is probably the simplest answer to being the most 'efficient'. In short; it depends on the situation based on the locations of everything.
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Copper 1/2" MIP Threads Likely Stripped, Small Leak - But Sweated Fitting I just replaced the 90° cutoff valve because the old washer perished and the valve was shut off very hard. The cutoff was threaded onto a copper adapter which is sweated onto 1/2" rigid copper pipe. I put the new valve on with ~4 wraps of teflon tape, and it had a slight leak. So I removed the new cutoff, gave it 9 wraps of tape, tightened the valve back on, but there is still a slight leak at the threaded joint, maybe a drop every 20 minutes. I would just replace the sweated fitting, but as the picture shows it's very tight to the wall -- I think I'd have to make a fairly large hole around the area and maybe still run some fire risk. I'm looking for a creative solution, possibly with continuing to use the stripped fitting.... Would it be possible to bed the threads in epoxy and reconnect the cutoff? Would that use liquid or gel consistency, or a putty type? Is there a way to solder a tube into the adapter or over it? Or do I have to lump it and tear into the wall? Thanks for suggestions edit, added: wondering if I could sweat threads to threads if I put a FIPS copper adapter or brass coupling onto the male adapter sticking out of the wall. Would that work, in a pressure holding sort of way? The adapter threads seem to be the part that's leaking, and soldering will not depend just on the threads. <Q> 1-2 wraps of teflon tape, then use pipe dope. <S> You can't go wrong. <S> Too many wraps of teflon only distort threads. <S> Same theory as your idea of epoxy, but more 'plumbery'. <A> Next thing to try is unscrew the valve, remove the Teflon tape and use a good quality pipe dope. <S> This might fix the leak, but even if it still seeps a little, the seep may gradually seal over a week. <A> It's hard to tell from the photo, but you should have 1 1/2 to 2 threads showing once the joint is properly tightened. <S> If you have more, the joint is not tight enough and will likely leak. <S> If you have less, the joint is too tight and you may damage the female threaded fitting. <S> You didn't mention how tight you tightened the valve, so it's hard to say if you tightened it enough, or too much. <S> If you really cranked it down, you might have damaged the valve, the threaded fitting, or both. <S> If the valve isn't tight enough, try tightening it a bit before trying anything else. <S> If you see the proper number of threads, you'll have to look for another problem. <S> As others have mentioned, you only need a couple wraps of tape dope. <S> As I've said many times in the past, dope is there to reduce friction, not to seal the threads. <S> More dope, doesn't mean more better. <S> Remove the valve, and closely inspect the threads on the copper fitting. <S> Copper is a soft metal, and the threads are likely slightly deformed, This deformation either occurred when the old fitting was originally installed, or when you installed the new valve. <S> If the threads are damaged, you'll likely have to replace the fitting. <S> I'd probably start with a new valve, <S> a couple wraps of tape dope, and tightening the valve down enough. <S> If you still have a drip, try giving the valve another 1/8th of a turn. <A> Nylog is a sealent so perhaps that would helped
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If the threads of the fitting in the wall don't look too bad, you might still be able to get the joint to seal. Use nylog and then use Teflon tape over it. Put some dope on the female threads as well as the male.
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Do 2 bulbs with 500 lumens provide the same illumination as one with 1000 lumens? When calculating the illumination in a room, do I simply add up the lumen value of the individual bulbs, or is the equation more complicated? <Q> Do 2 bulbs with 500 lumens provide the same illumination as one with 1000 lumens? <S> I agree with our local Retired Master Electrician's answer <S> but if you want to put on your physicist's hat, the answer is no . <S> You need to understand (at least in a basic way) <S> the difference between Illuminance (Lux) Luminous Intensity (Candela) Luminous Flux (Lumens) <S> Lumens are a measure of luminous flux not of illuminance (which is closest to what you probably mean by illumination). <S> Two 500-lumen bulbs might produce very different values of Illuminance as one 1000-lumen bulb. <S> Two 500-lumen bulbs produce the same <S> luminous flux as one 1000-lumen bulb. <S> If you were specifying some office space and needed to meet some regulations, you'd need to understand these distinctions. <S> If you are a home-owner choosing between light fittings or bulbs made 8,000 miles away, it is likely that this sort of distinction is unimportant to you. <S> You can buy light-meters that measure illuminance. <S> I suppose an old-school photographer's light-meter makes a reasonable substitute. <S> The marketing departments of different manufacturers/distributors lie in different ways and different light-fittings are likely to make a difference to illuminance. <A> The simple answer is yes. <S> Of course there are several other things you need to consider. <S> One brought up by Ed Beal. <S> Then there is a Room Cavity Ratio, Lamp Lumen Depreciation, Reflectance, and Maintenance Factor. <A> I agree with the other answers if they are both located in the exact same place. <S> Of course this is physically impossible so they would have to be right next to each other in the same fixture <S> and you will percieve about the same amount of light. <S> However, if you place the two lamps apart from each other their overlapping light will eliminate shadows that you will perceive as more light or at least a better lit space. <S> IMHO more lights of lower lumens will light a space better than a single lamp of the total of all their lumens. <S> Ask the theater people. <A> Don't get too confused with all that candela/lux witchcraft, that requires breaking out the sharp pencil and that's only useful if you're suing a lighthouse. <S> Lumens are simply visible light output at the bulb. <S> If they're reasonably aimable, then yes. <S> Two 2-tube fluorescent fixtures next to each other will be almost exactly as bright as one 4-tube. <S> If they're not aimable, then each light is putting the other light in shadow, so you're losing some to that. <S> It really helps to use LEDs which can be well-aimed. <A> But you will perceive it differently. <S> A collection of smaller light bulbs will be perceived as more luminous than a single source. <S> To calculate the illumination of a room you need to take into account the room shape, fixture position and height, light source angle, CRI, light temperature, wall coverings, etc..
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2 bulbs of 500 lumen will produce the same quantity of light as a 1000 lumen bulb.
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What height are lumens measured at when calculating lighting layout? I'm trying to determine how many recessed lighting fixtures I'll need to light an area that is a 500 square foot rectangle, with 30 lumens per square foot (30fc). 30 lumens per square foot is what is recommended for the type of room in question, but the recommendation guides don't say what height those recommendations are intended for. In my case, 30fc times 500 sqft would be 15,000fc total. An R40 compact florescent lamp has a rating of 1150 initial lumens (at the fixture). Looking at photometric data though, it appears that this lamp produces 1fc at a 12' height with a 37' spread. So, if 30fc is the goal for the room, do I want 12 fixtures, which will produce 30 lumens per square foot near the ceiling? Or 30 fixtures to produce 30 fc at the floor? Or something in between? Or to put it more succinctly, when guides recommend that such and such a room should be x lumens, do they mean initial lumens at the fixture, or lumens at the floor, or lumens at the expected working height (like a counter top)? <Q> Where are we getting all of these lumen questions all of a sudden? <S> So let's start with your nomenclature, you start out with lumens <S> but what you are looking for is footcandles, which you actually reference. <S> Lumens are the amount of light created by a lamp. <S> Footcandles are the light measurement on a flat plane. <S> By reading your third paragraph you are using an R40. <S> So I am assuming you are using a recessed can. <S> A recessed can is designed to direct light in a certain direction. <S> So depending on the lamp and can it could be a wide flood, a flood, a narrow flood, a spotlight, a narrow spot or a very narrow spot. <S> This doesn't include asymmetrical designs. <S> Regardless you need to layout recessed lighting so you don't get dark spots or shadows in between bright light spots unless you're a fan of film noir motif. <S> Google the fixture manufacturer <S> they should have a specification sheet. <S> That sheet should have the fixtures photometrics. <S> Then you can determine the footcandle level of one fixture. <S> You're looking for 30 footcandles at task level (about 3' above the floor). <S> Then look at the spacing of the fixture and determine the spread of the fixture and set your spacing that way. <S> But you can always do what I do. <S> I start by Googling and contacting their tech help center or if they have a local manufacturer's rep <S> I'll call and ask them to give you the spacing. <S> If you give them the right information they can email you a rough plan and give you the right spacing and lamp. <A> You're thinking of candela or lux. <S> Lumens are the absolute light output of the bulb in 360 degree sphere. <S> If you are lighting the interior of a sphere, divide by the surface area of the sphere, and you have lumens per square foot. <S> However most of the time you want a wedge of light. <S> Before LED, tough beans, all lights gave you a sphere, and reflectors were pretty lousy and wasted a lot of light. <S> Now LED naturally emits a wedge narrow enough to direct it further with optics, which are near 100% efficient when clean. <S> Again, take the LED lumens <S> , the surface area it is striking, divide, there's your lumens per square foot. <S> If you are wasting light illuminating things you don't need to light, then you'll need to deduct that fraction of lumens. <S> The guides are trying to simplify it for you. <S> You're turning it complicated again. <S> What the guides are saying is if your 500sf room needs 30 lumens/sf, that's 15,000 lumens. <S> If the light is wasteful, discount for that. <S> So for instance a 4' fluorescent tube replacement LED is about 1500 lumens, so five 2-bulb fixtures, throw in 1-3 more as a fudge factor, 6-8 fixtures and yer done. <A> The height matters only from the standpoint of light distribution: shadows and beam angle. <S> Given the relatively small distances, we consider no loss of light from the height. <S> Given the amount of light and the room size, I suppose the OP is talking about a plant growing facility, not an office space. <S> In that case, you might want to think in terms of flux, because the lumen scale is weighted to account for the human eye response. <S> Place your lights high enough to prevent shading from the tall plants. <S> And please place your lights on a GFCI circuit. <S> And protect them from the irrigation splashes and leaks.
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Put 15,000 lumens of reasonable quality light in the ceiling, you should be done.
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Completely remove nicotine stains and odors from walls? We're in the process of buying an apartment that was previously occupied by a heavy smoker for 20+ years. This isn't the unit, but the damage is about as bad . I've scoured the internet for examples of people who have had success removing the stains and, maybe more importantly, the odor, but they're aren't many that I've been able to find. Has anyone on here been able to successfully remove nicotine stains and odor from the walls of a house or apartment? I'm not really interested in hearing anyone's opinions of what should work, but rather a testimony of someone who has faced this issue and was able to remedy it successfully. Alternatively, if you've tried something and it hasn't work, I'd like to hear that as well. This is my game plan: Wash the walls and ceilings extensively with TSP Apply two coats of stain blocker (maybe KILZ?) Apply one coat of plaster weld, plaster and skim coat the walls Apply two coats of primer-sealer and two coats of finish paint <Q> For walls you definitely want to wash with HOT water and a hefty mix if tri-sodium phosphate (TSP). <S> TSP exposure can be quite hard in the skin of your hands. <S> This is necessary because the smoking deposits on the wall are not a good candidate for paint adhesion. <S> TSP on the other hand actually will take some of the gloss on old paint layer making an improved surface to which to apply a primer. <S> I reclaimed a house from a very heavy smoker family and had to also remove all the popcorn textured ceiling material. <S> It had to be scraped off to the bare ceiling drywall. <S> Then the ceiling needed to be sealed with a clear sealer material to seal in stains and the odors that had worked their way up into the drywall. <S> I had to install a gable end attic fan that I let run continuously for months to reduce the smell of the insulation. <A> Run into this alot in rental maintenance. <S> The worst one I ever covered took 2 coats of oil-based primer, then the top coats of paint. <S> The product you listed (if we were allowed product endorsement ;) ) works well, but I suggest using exterior grade house primer, oil based if you can hack the stink for awhile. <S> That's a cheaper and better option. <S> EDITTED TO ADD <S> : I've never prewashed the walls, due to my laziness. <S> Not a bad way to start though, if you have the patience. <A> After my grandfather passed we had to do his bedroom <S> it was awful. <S> We did wash the walls with tsp. <S> We ended up having to use a shellac based primer and it still took 2 coats. <S> After that fresh paint and new carpet is what it took. <S> Also the Windows the guides at the bottom had a cover on 1 side that had to be removed and cleaned. <S> We even replaced the light switch and fixture because they were yellowed. <S> This is all I remember <S> but my grandmother lived in the house for many years after and I do not remember it smelling after this <S> (he only smoked in his bedroom). <A> Your plan sounds fine. <S> Really it's a trade off... <S> I moved into a house with an asthmatic <S> and so I had to scrub a little harder, but it was worth it <S> and we had no incidents. <S> I used dish soap and hot water first, to break the surface. <S> Then simple green cleaner, several times, and then dish soap and water again. <S> I kept very few of the interior doors... <S> the effort to clean and restore them was not worth it <S> and it was a chance to modernize too. <S> But it can be done. <S> On the plus side, it pretty much guarantees you will never ever smoke. <A> Scrub with warm water with dishwashing detergent. <S> This is very friendly to your skin and lungs and will dissolve tobacco residue which is a mixture of organic compounds that are not very water soluble but will come out with detergent.
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It can also be helpful to rinse after the wash with a clear wash of warm water. In my case the smoking smell had even permeated up into the attic space and the insulation up there. Little things like the bifold door guides needed to be removed cleaned. I primed with zinsser stain blocking primer, two coats, and then finally regular paint. You will need tons of water for this, a good mask, gloves and more rags than you can imagine. Make sure to wear good rubber work gloves that cover some of your arms as well. How much effort vs how rigorous you want or need to be.
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How much cheaper is it to buy nuts and bolts by the pound? I have heard that buying nuts/bolts/lag screws by the pound is cheaper than buying them individually. In my town, Tractor Supply sells them by the pound, whereas Lowes sells them individually. Is this true? I know the answer is "It depends on how much each charges," but wondered if anyone actually tried buying a pound of something from each place and looked at the cost. <Q> You do not really need to buy a pound of the item to determine the cost per pound. <S> From the weight of a single item, you can figure out home many there are to a pound. <S> Then from the price per item and the price per weight, you can figure out which is a better buy. <S> The nice thing is people have already weighed a lot of items. <S> Here is a chart of bolt weights and another with nails and screw weights . <A> Vastly, vastly cheaper. <S> By the unit, you are paying for the cost of counting, packaging, attaching a barcode, tracking SKUs, etc. <S> etc. <S> etc. <S> Packaging isn't free. <S> Rule of thumb: search for the cheapest bolt in the store, typically $1.09, that is the cost of packaging which is added to the cost of every package. <S> Buying at big-box, you are paying (through the nose) for their convenience of easy tracking and being able to hire minimum wage stockboys to do jobs that can be automated at an institutional level... instead of an actual, competent hardware store manager who knows how to run a bolt bin. <S> Dealing with big-box stores, you are also paying the gotcha tax . <S> Big-box knows perfectly well folks don't know how to shop, and trust big-box blindly to be the lowest price in town. <S> First, folks don't even know where alternative stores are. <S> But if they did, they'd only price-compare certain items, and those items are very predictable: in electrical, that'll be 100' or 500' spools of /2 Romex. <S> That is four products they need to lowball. <S> The rest, they overcharge as much as they dare, I have seen them charge three times electrical-supply prices for the same part. <S> Outrageous. <S> There's a reason electricians shop at electrical supply houses. <S> Big-box is for suckers. <A> After asking my question, I went to a local store and bought 20 5/16" lags and 20 washers, by the pound, for $1.75. <S> Then I went to a different store and priced how much it would cost per item (non-packaged, just loose items to put in plastic baggy). <S> The latter cost was $7.40. <S> That's a little over 4 times as much. <S> So I've got my answer, small sample size as it is.
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In fact it's very expensive, unless you are buying in large enough quantity for packaging cost to be spread across many, many units.
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Most reasonable way to raise desk by 4 inches I have this desk , and I love it so far. It's a big desk and pretty sturdy for being extremely cheap and made of particle board. My problem with it is it being 4" shorter than my last desk, which I thought I could get used to but that is proving impossible. I get strain in my lower back and shoulders when I am at my desk for more than 2 hours, which previously I could work for 8 hours straight and not even notice. I want to raise my desk by 4 inches, hopefully in a more elegant way than shoving some books under it or wood gluing some 2x4s. Thanks, Lelentos <Q> I probably would rip a 2x6 down to 4 inches, make a three sided frame out of that and put the desk on top of it. <S> Then attach the desk to the frame with some pieces of metal called "mending plates". <S> make the inside dimensions of the frame the inside dimensions of the desk. <S> Paint the new wood and plates black. <S> You could Isherwood's idea, only use 2x4s instead of aluminum tube. <S> Probably be a cheaper. <S> There are also "bed risers". <S> They re small cone line platforms. <S> It would take 4. <S> I personally wouldn't like this because it wouldn't be that stable. <A> Add 4" locking wheels to the legs of the desk. <S> I'm new here. <S> I just saw the actual desk. <S> Doh! <S> You can't do much to the bottom because particle board doesn't act like solid wood, because it isn't. <S> Some adjustments aren't worthy of our precious ability to remedy them. <S> I found this out the hard way, of course. <A> To maintain the clean, elegant look of the desk, I'd do this: <S> Get yourself some 3/4" by 1-1/2" aluminum box tubing. <S> You may find this at your hardware store, but a metal wholesaler might be a better option. <S> You'll need four lengths, each the inside height of the desk sides plus 4". <S> Buy some hammered-finish spray paint (or something else that coordinates with your desk's pattern). <S> Cut the aluminum "legs", if necessary, and pre-drill them for at least four 3/16" screws each, spaced uniformly starting at about 6" from one end. <S> Paint the legs. <S> Mount the legs to the inside of the desk sides, tight to the top, using #14 or 3/16" screws. <S> Pilot as needed to prevent blowout or bulging of the outer face of the desk. <S> Masking tape on the bit helps gauge depth. <S> I'd set the legs back from the front edge an inch or so, rather than leaving them flush, to reduce their visual impact. <S> Add some black table feet to the tubing bottoms to save your floor. <S> Alternatively, buy some threaded insert feet to give yourself some height adjustability. <A> These are commonly sold for desks and beds, and are available in a variety of styles/materials. <S> Here's one set <S> Alternatively, if the feet on your desk are a standard screw, you could just buy a set of legs (like for a couch) and replace the bottom pads.
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If you wouldn't like the look of 2x4s at the bottom, you could cut some strips out of 3/4 plywood (or whatever thickness the desk is) and attach those to the desk bottom in some way, like more mending plates or pieces of wood. Find someone who is tired of their drafting table and really wants a particle board desk. You could make or buy a set of risers.
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Can I use toothpicks in power outlet for better grip? I have a UPS and the problem is that my monitor's plug no longer fits in perfectly. It kind of slips and my monitor turns off and when I try to adjust it, it turns on but with little sparks from the UPS outlet. My question is can I insert toothpicks in the outlet along with the plug for better grip? Would that be safe because I don't want to replace the UPS. <Q> No. <S> That would not be safe. <S> In fact, do not even try to stick anything else in the outlet besides the plug. <S> Now that said, how old is the UPS? <S> Indeed... how old are the batteries in the UPS? <S> Do you need the monitor on a UPS? <S> I suspect if the outlet is frail, then the ups is YEARS old. <S> So, go replace the UPS. <S> If the unit has been serviced by you, and you have been replacing batteries, and you absolutely must use the outlet on it in question, replace the outlet. <S> There is a chance you can service the outlet and expand the spring/blades but sincerely, I wouldn't bother. <A> Do not insert toothpicks into the outlet. <S> The plug blades on the cord depend upon the friction contact with the metal contacts in the power outlet to make a good low resistance connection. <S> If you insert toothpicks you may actually be making the connection worse which can lead to heat buildup in the outlet and possibly even letting it catch fire. <S> If so you may be able to replace the monitor cord with another one. <S> Most monitor power cords use standard plugs on each end and these are replacable. <S> The sad fact exists that not all power cords are designed to the same dimensions in all aspects. <S> Even the IEC type plug at the monitor can be so loose in some cases with certain cheap import cords that they literally fall out of the monitor jack with minimal pull. <S> If the outlet on the back of the UPS is truly worn out then there is the possibility to replace it. <S> Even unplugged from the wall there can be high voltage inside the UPS on capacitors or from the battery to AC conversion circuitry that can give you a severe shock or even electrocute you. <A> Absolutely do not stick things in the receptacle. <S> It's broken anyway; that will not even solve the problem. <S> Replace the receptacle <S> Turn off and unplug, remove the battery, and disassemble the UPS (warning <S> : it still has energized stuff inside, at low voltage unless it's on, then high voltage too! <S> unless the battery is out.) <S> If this is the very familiar, common shape - you know the one - you can get a good one for $3 at the hardware store. <S> (Avoid the 99 cent ones). <S> If it is an odder shape, then go hit your favorite electronics supplier, e.g. mouser.com, digikey.com, Galco, Halted, etc. <S> and shop for a receptacle of the same dimensions and securement type. <S> I've never had any trouble finding such things, fact is there are only a few styles. <A> Harper once shared this teardown and the image you really need to see is this <S> Note that the one on the left simply has a folded piece of metal. <S> That's your "cheap" outlet.
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You should investigate if another power cord does fit well into the UPS outlet. Many of the panel mount outlet components used are standard parts that you may be able to purchase at a place like Mouser.com. Absolutely DO NOT DO IT. But if you do venture to open up a UPS to lookinto repair be very careful. I'd hypothesize it doesn't even work anymore. The one on the right has several more substantial pieces making the connection. Even if it weren't a fire hazard, it would eventually just drive that piece loose again. So a toothpick won't actually fix the problem.
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How to fix squeaking in carpeted stair treads I have 3 or 4 carpeted steps that make a muffled crunching sound when being stepped on. There is no access from below. How do I determine the location where the problem is and how do I fix the affected treads. I'm aware of kits that work through the carpet with breakaway screws, but how do I determine the location where the screw has to be drilled into the tread to eliminate the noise. <Q> If it slides up and down easy, you missed....move over and try again. <S> Once you find the stringer, use the special screw, driver bit, knock off/standoff and drive the screw in. <S> Break the head off and walk on,the step to see if it's fixed. <S> After fixing the first step, the next step will be easy to fix. <A> FIND the supporting joists they can be 16",24" or 12" on center. <S> Use wood screws and screw the squeaky steps down. <S> If possible,glue them and then fasten them2with screws. <S> Screw on each end and measure to center. <A> If you have standard residential stairs in the neighborhood of 36-42" wide, there's probably a stringer at the center and one at each side, just inside the drywall. <S> If they're substantially wider, you may have four or more stringers. <S> They'll generally be evenly distributed. <S> It won't hurt anything if you use extra screws and some miss, but you should be able to feel whether you're hitting lumber below the treads. <S> Be very careful to not allow the screws to grab the carpet threads and zing a row out. <S> There's no easy fix for that. <S> It could also be that the noise is the result of debris left between the stair framing and the wall. <S> You won't be able to fix that without opening things up.
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The squeaky floor repair kits have a special rod that you "drill" into the floor.
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New GFCI outlet; green light is on but no power I installed a new GFCI outlet with an one that was working. I wired it exactly as the older one and it isnt working. The green light is on but no power? I reversed the wires and no light. I replaced it back with the old one and it works.... I purchased a 3 pack of GFCI outlets and tried all 3 of them. None of them work but the old one does... Im stumped and need some suggestions. Thanks <Q> The key is that is the Leviton GFCI is lit green from the start it means its wired wrong. <S> Counter-intuitive but true. <S> Had the same problem and some searches finally told me this. <S> I switched both sides top to bottom and bottom to top, and the light flashed red and then went off. <S> Reset it <S> and it went green <S> and THEN I had power. <S> Guess Leviton is wired opposite of others. <S> Remember though, don’t switch left to right... <S> just top to bottom. <S> Black to brass, white to silver. <S> Just to help clarify <S> : Read where the live and load are on the old unit and which wires go <S> where, then read where live and load are located on the new unit and wire it the same. <A> How are you testing it? <S> The only thing I can offer is this site. <S> http://www.leviton.com/en/products/gftr1-3w Click on the PDF file "Instruction Sheet <S> " there is a test procedure on the second page. <S> Let us know how it turns out. <A> Have you pressed test then reset? <S> Some of the new GFCI'S need to be cycled to turn on the load <S> If the green light is on solid not flashing the instructions <S> say it is properly installed . <S> the new GFCI'S are tough to reset my fingers <S> have a tough time pressing in far enough and now use a tool. <S> The last Weather resistant Leviton gfci's I installed the terminals were supposed to be torqued to 14 in lbs. <S> All Leviton gfci's are shipped in the tripped condition according to the document that comes with them. <S> Since solid green= <S> the wiring is good try a test reset cycle.
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If the indicator light is green, then it is telling you that there is power and the device is on.
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Screw specification for ceiling electric box Is there a standard size screw for electric boxes in ceilings? Box is 25 years old and I am installing a new fan. UPDATE: a fan was removed from these boxes, however, the contractor did not keep the screws <Q> Device (switch) boxes are 6-32. <S> Junction boxes like <S> that one are 8-32. <S> Also, you could buy a ceiling hugger style fan instead of a stem mounted one, and fasten it directly to the ceiling with toggle bolts or similar fasteners, instead of just the box, since that box is most likely not rated for a fan. <S> Good luck and stay safe! <A> First, this has to be a properly installed ceiling fan box - you can't put a fan on a lamp box because the dynamic forces of the vibration will tear it out of the ceiling. <S> On normal electrical boxes, screws are usually 6-32... <S> this being a bit light for a fan, also expect 8-32 or 10-32. <S> Ground screws are 10-32. <S> It's not a coincidence that they are -32, given the thickness of standard metal junction boxes, that is the minimum number of threads to properly engage. <S> Never use sheetmetal screws. <A> Pretty much everywhere code in the USA states that you need a ceiling fan rated box. <S> The box is stronger and comes with all mounting hardware in multiple types from joist to between joist options. <S> I personally used this product for all my interior and deck fan mounts <S> and I have 60 inch fans on the porch deck. https://www.lowes.com/pd/Raco-1-Gang-Gray-Steel-Interior-New-Work-Standard-Ceiling-Fan-Electrical-Box/1099543
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Ground screws are 10-32.
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AC shuts but fan keeps running After running for some time, AC shuts but blower keeps running.NEST says no power to Rh line.Have a Rheem Criterion, have separate breakers for AC and Fan. Twice, I have turned off both and after a couple of hrs, it works ok. Would appreciate if I can get pointers to what is happening, and what I can deal do, short of calling in someone for a simple fix..Thanks in advance... <Q> Your Rh line is Heating, RC is for Cooling , R is similar but systems might be separated and use dedicated lines. <S> What it sounds like is that you are hooking up your thermostat for the first time ?? <S> Since your question says HVAC - I am assuming AC .. <S> however if the Unit is calling for heat Rh .. <S> your system will have a cool down period - the Blower will run after the elements have turned off for about 5 to 10 minutes I think. <S> A typical color coding of wires is this : BUT DON'T BE FOOLED - Not everyone installs things correctly .. <S> So, this is what you might expect to see in terms of colored wires and <S> what they mean: <S> White – <S> The white wire is what connects to the (auxiliary) heat on your system. <S> Yellow – The yellow wire connects to your compressor. <S> Green – The green wire connects to the fan. <S> Orange – This wire connects to your heat pump ( <S> if you have one).Red – Now, there can be two separate wires for this. <S> One is for cool and the other is for heat, hence the abbreviation “RH” and “RC”. <S> Blue – This is your common or “C” wire. <S> So it would be nice to see a picture of your connections in the NEST and at the Air Handler. <S> Your wiring seems to be incorrect. <S> especially when there is a message about Rh and <S> you are trying to cool. <S> Look Here <S> http://www.thermostatcenter.com/thermostat-wiring/ <S> Also Here : On a thermostat, are "R" and "Rh" terminals the same thing? <A> One of Nest's selling points is something called "Airwave," which keeps the fan running after the compressor turns off in order to circulate the cool air in the chilled ducts throughout the house. <S> You can turn this feature off in the settings. <A> Some Aircond model have this function to ensure no condensation occurs on the cooling fins. <S> Without the air flow, water condensation will occur quickly on the cooling fins. <S> Wetness in the fins will cause bacterial growth. <S> With the fan running for sometimes, all moist will dry off and the cooling coil will return to room temperature quickly. <S> With this system in place your Aircond won't produce weird odour the next time you switch it on.
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Either your wiring is incorrect or there is a program mode where the fan runs.
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Is it permissible to install a low-voltage fixture over an existing ceiling box? I inherited an installation of several wired AC smoke detectors. They're three-wire units (AC hot/neutral, plus an interconnect wire). At some point a previous installer removed one of the detectors, kept the wires in the ceiling box joined to prevent interruption to the other detectors, and replaced the unit with a 2-wire 12 VDC smoke detector monitored by an alarm panel: The wires inside the ceiling box are live. The 12V wire goes around the outside of the box directly into the attic -- the DC and AC lines aren't technically in the same box. However they are in front of each other, and I'm not sure if they're too close. Per the NEC, is there any violation here? The safest thing I can think to do is put a round cover over the box, move the 12 VDC wire a foot or two over, and install the detector in its own separate spot. <Q> You're overthinking it <S> provided you can route the cable around it. <A> Per NEC there should be a partition between the 120v and the 12v since the insulation is not the same voltage rating <S> but that's the only violation that I know about. <A> I'm probably doubling ThreePhaseEel's answer, but with one change: steel cover plate. <S> The low voltage wires are already outside the junction box. <S> All you need to do is cover the box. <S> They make steel junction box covers (intended for steel octagon boxes, but they have the same bolt pattern). <S> Get ones that are round, not octagon. <S> They are so thin they won't make the detector stick out noticeably or need longer screws. <S> Generally they slot over the screws. <S> Fit them and leave the screws still loose enough to fit the smoke detector also. <S> Just be careful not to dislodge the steel plate when you fit the detector.
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You'll need to use slightly longer screws than what came in the box, though, as you'll have to mount the smoke detector base through the cover plate holes and into the box mounting holes. All you need here is some insulating means to separate the 120V circuit from the 12V circuit -- while they don't make box barriers in the configuration you're after, a non-metallic cover plate of the appropriate size will do just as well
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Why would silicone caulk not cure? I re-caulked my shower on Saturday afternoon, using GE Silicone II Kitchen & Bath Caulk . I left it alone until Monday morning, when I showered in it. I assumed it had plenty of time to cure so did not check before using the shower. When I used a squeegee to clean water off the walls of the shower, I hit a corner and discovered the caulk was still as soft as when I had applied it over 36 hours earlier. I could wipe it away with my finger. What would cause my caulk to not cure? Some possibilities: Humidity is about 100% right now. I live close enough to Hurricane Harvey to get lots of rain. The silicone caulk tube says to use by 2014. Does this caulk really expire? I smoothed the caulk application using my finger dippped in warm water, based on a YouTube video I watched to give me confidence. Was this a bad idea? <Q> Expired caulk <S> You bet it expires, and fast. <S> That is because of the chemistry of this type of caulk. <S> The stuff is nearly magic, but that comes at a price. <S> Extremes of temperature are not kind to it either. <S> That's not a surprise, even latex paint has that problem. <S> I have had your experience myself, grabbing random caulk found around the shop and going " <S> this must be OK", only to have to redo the project. <S> Removing the old material completely is a huge chore, and the job will fail if you don't. <S> Never again! <A> The answer will depend on the exact type of sealant you used. <S> So high humidity or use of water in smoothing should not have prevented the curing. <S> This type of sealant usually uses organotin catalysts which are non-volatile; the most likely degradation in storage is premature hardening in the tube. <S> Acid-cure silicone is known for being resistant to cure inhibition ( "Next to nothing stops a condensation cure setting" ), though this reference <S> states that isopropyl alcohol and some Lithium compounds can inhibit cure. <S> For addition-cure silicones which contain a platinum catalyst, there are many substances which can interfere with curing (see "Platinum catalyst poisons" on this page for a complete list), including rubber, latex, previously cured silicone and PVC. <A> Humidity can definitely affect cure time (for latex caulk especially) <S> Caulk can expire, but that usually means it's spoiled (i.e. hardened). <S> Still, some rely on a curing agent, which evaporates, and caulk tubes are not necessarily 100% airtight <S> Not at all. <S> It's a good idea to use cleanup solvent/water (in moderation) to spread caulk <S> Try staying out of the shower a couple of days. <S> If it still fails to cure, get some fresh caulk and start over. <A> GE Silicone II caulk is not an acid cure (vinegar smell) <S> caulk. <S> Once it is past its expiration date throw it away. <S> Be sure to check when you buy it too that it is not past the expiration date. <S> Stores are not good about rotating the stock for items like this. <S> I was just burned by this caulk. <S> I went to use it after it was sitting in my basement for quite a while. <S> I checked it and saw that it did not harden and found it was still very soft, so I thought all was good. <S> Not so much though, 2 days later my little job is a clean up and redo. <A> I have experienced the non-drying silicone a couple of times. <S> Both times it was black, last time was with the GE product. <S> First time was an old tube from the local small hardware store and it was years past the expiration date. <S> I used it to install a bathroom sink so one can imagine the work to clean both surfaces to redo the job. <S> Last time was an old tube from my garage shelf. <S> It was oily on the outside (first sign it’s gone bad) but it flowed perfectly. <S> Next day I had to remove it because it hadn’t cured even slightly. <S> So to sum it up, watch that black GE silicone. <S> I have never experienced any issue with curing when I use small permatex tubes like automotive gasket material.
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For the standard silicone sealant (acetoxy- condensation cure or "acid cure": smells of vinegar as it cures), the curing reaction actually requires water to take place.
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Non dimmable switch where dimmer switch previously was? I just found that the dimmable switch to my dining room overhead light had stopped working. I currently have 4 dimmable led bulbs in the overhead light. When the light switch (and the overhead light) was working, the LED bulbs created a slight buzz even when the dimmer was up all the way on the switch. I was wondering if I was able to replace the dimmable light switch with a simple on and off switch and if so, would that solve the buzzing problem as well? Thank you,Justin <Q> First question would be, are the LED's dimmable? <S> This would be listed on the box it came in. <S> Second question would be, is the dimmer rated for LED's. <S> Changing the dimmer out for a standard switch would stop the LED's from buzzing if the LED's were not damaged by the dimmer. <S> Hope this helps <A> The answer is yes you can change a dimmer to a simple on off switch. <S> The electronics in some dimmers can cause noise if this is the cause the simple on off will eliminate the noise. <A> Try the bulbs in another, non-dimmed fixture (such as a switched desk lamp). <S> If they don't buzz there, they shouldn't buzz after you change the existing dimmer to a switch. <S> It's worth testing before installing the new switch because some low-quality LED bulbs buzz all the time. <S> It's also possible these particular bulbs were damaged and will buzz because of that.
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But buzzing is often louder when a dimmer is in use and converting to a regular switch can help.
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Electrical Circuit for Detached Shed 200 ft Would it be acceptable to run a branch circuit from a panel to a detached storage shed that will be approximately 200 feet away, instead of a feeder with sub-panel and grounding rods? The circuit will power 4 low current draw LED wall packs (<1A each), and possibly one wall receptacle that would be used for a battery tender. Planning direct burial 10/2 with ground. <Q> Yes, you can run a single branch circuit to a structure <S> The exception to 250.32(A) means you won't need a ground rod at the shed as the equipment grounding conductor to the main structure is a sufficient grounding means for a single branch circuit. <S> You'll need a disconnecting means at the shed to satisfy 225.31; however, this can be a simple light switch in a weatherproof box or just inside the shed, nothing fancier is needed for a single branch circuit. <S> due to the fact this is an unfinished space. <S> However, I'd trench in a fat conduit anyway <S> Renting a trencher for the day isn't cheap. <S> Schedule 80 PVC is, even in say 2 or 3" diameter. <S> Besides, Schedule 80 is going to hold up to an inadvertent excavator encounter better than a UF cable anyhow. <A> I ran 12 /3 <S> about 100 ft. <S> to a shed without sub-panel or ground rod ; it hasn't killed me in 15 years. <S> I did use plastic conduit which I recommend and GFI. <S> I use up to 500 watts ( 110 V). <A> You're barely pulling 2 amps. <S> 10/2, 10/3 branch circuit will do fine. <S> Do you hear that? <S> Here come the code book copy/pasters.... <S> The afci's!! <S> Where are the afci's?!?!!!! <S> ;)
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Considering you only need a single branch circuit there, you can run a single branch circuit out to your shed with say 10AWG for hot/neutral/ground, or hot/hot/neutral/ground if you want to run a multi-wire branch circuit. You'll want the receptacle to be GFCI-protected, by the way, This means that while you're digging, you might as well put in a fat PVC conduit to the shed even if you're only running a few 10AWG THHNs in it, instead of using a direct bury cable, as the conduit will make expansion way easier.
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Do Most LED Hallway Lighting Fixtures have replaceable lamps Most traditional hallway lighting fixtures have replaceable lamps (bulbs). I've been told that with LED sconces that "most" do not have replaceable lamps. For an apartment building that would mean replacing the entire fixture every 5-6 years, assuming a 50,000 hour expected life, since they run 24 hours a day. That doesn't seem acceptable. <Q> Time for math! <S> I love math. <S> 50,000 hours x 25W x $0.12/kWh = <S> $150 total running costs over the lifetime of the LED fixture. <S> Plus the cost of the unit itself - say another $150. <S> That's $300/fixture, or $60/fixture-year. <S> By contrast, a halogen bulb costs $2.50 and lasts 1000 hours. <S> So you need to buy 50 of them to meet the lifetime of the LED bulb. <S> That's $125 in bulbs. <S> Plus running costs: 50,000 hours x 72W x $0.12/kWh = <S> $432 in electricity. <S> Neglecting the cost of the fixture, as it doesn't get replaced, you're spending $111.40/fixture-year for something that has the benefit of being replaceable. <S> A CFL equivalent might be $4.50, so it's more expensive than the halogen, but it also lasts longer (10,000 hours-ish). <S> It also uses less power than the halogen, but more than the LED. <S> Using the same math, you'll spend $45 in bulbs and $132 in electricity, for an average of $35.40/fixture-year. <S> So if you're going to go replaceable bulbs, definitely go CFL <S> (but then you have to live with the light of CFLs, which some find objectionable). <S> TL; DR: <S> Even replacing the fixture every 5 years, LEDs are cheaper in the long run than halogens. <S> CFLs are even cheaper than LEDs (slightly less efficient, but cheaper bulbs), but their light is objectionable to some. <A> I get it. <S> A light emitter is a "bulb" which frequently burns out, and the fixture is a durable thing which does not. <S> That's <S> been the paradigm, and now it's dead. <S> Buh-bye. <S> LED is an extremely long-lived technology - so long that in a fixture, the LED emitter life is not the limiting factor . <S> Probably the #1 threat is electronic driver failure, particularly capacitors, then solder crystallization over years, corrosion from weather, physical damage and the like. <S> They talk about old LEDs getting dimmer, I've never actually seen that. <S> So where do they get 50,000 hours? <S> It's arm-waving guesswork. <S> Because somebody pinned them to the wall and said "You have to say a number, you can't sell this thing without saying a number!" <S> So they made something up. <S> And mostly they are basing that on things like driver failure, solder crystallization, etc. <S> and some have to do with absolute fixture life, not "powered on" life. <S> So they make assumptions as to your usage, e.g. if they expect failure in 23 years and 25% (6 h/d) usage, they call it 50,000 hours. <S> Fully expect that at hour 50,000, 5% of them will have failed, and at hour 100,000, another 10% will have failed. <S> And if you take them to a rework bench and replace some caps and reflow the solder or whatever, most could be brought back to life for another 50,000 hours. <S> I don't want to hear about life-cycle cost considerations if they involve cheap fixtures gotten from Home Depot. <S> If life-cycle is a genuine consideration, shop wisely for fixtures with excellent build quality and make some careful decisions about cost of servicing vs cost of quality. <S> Hey, Google built their empire on cheap, unreliable servers, and robust software that dispatched around hardware failure. <S> The numbers may say that's the way to go. <A> Some of these have designs that are 'novel' and could not possibly be done with regular bulbs, others seem to be simply trying to use "LED fixture" as their selling point. <S> If you're concerned about maintenance and longevity, just install a regular fixture and put LED bulbs in it. <S> There are LED bulbs of literally every type on the market. <S> To be safe, stick with a fixture that supports one of the common size bulbs: <S> A19 (probably what you think of when someone says "light bulb"), MR16 or GU10. <S> If you want a brighter bulb, many "100W-equivalent" LED bulbs are A21 (which is slightly larger than A19).
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Many fixtures that call themselves "LED fixtures" do in fact have hardwired LEDs, and if they burn out, you have to replace the entire fixture.
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What type of hurricane protection offers the best ease of deployment? Seeking lesson-learned from seasoned hurricane survivors: I would like to install hurricane protection for windows / sliding glass doors for multiple properties. The primary consideration is the ease (minimal manpower and effort) to deploy and remove protection. There are 8+ homes, so if it took 1 hour to deploy it would cost 8 hours. Ideally it would take less than 10 minutes to deploy / remove one unit. Half of the windows and a sliding glass door or on the second floor and another sliding glass door on the ground floor. What are the best candidates for hurricane protection, given the emphasis on speed? If you have experience and any specific recommendations lessons learned, this would be highly appreciated. Thank you <Q> Speed of deployment in the event of a storm - permanently installed sliding/folding metal hurricane shutters, hands down. <S> Always ready, 30 seconds or less per opening to pull them and lock them in place. <S> Not too much of an eyesore if in an area where they are ever needed. <S> They also don't need to be stored, found, and installed when needed, as they are there, always. <A> I gather you're thinking of pre-fitted plywood or OSB panels, with latching or boltdown hardware already installed, pre-stenciled with diagrams of exactly on the house where they go, which quickly peg to tiedown points which have been pre-fitted on each window. <S> And there's a shed or corner in the garage where these will be stored. <S> I could see that. <S> That is viable. <S> You will need to keep tenants from stuffing a bunch of their junk in front of them <S> so you don't have to spend 20 minutes digging out. <S> Even assuming quick access, I would figure a bit more than 10 minutes per house. <S> Now... ever see the pretty decorative shutters on certain styles of house? <S> They're not real, they don't do anything. <S> src <S> However, they are a stylistic mimicry of real shutters, whose purpose is what you want. <S> Although, looking closer at my chosen photo, I see a pocket in the windowframe and obvious linkage equipment on the shutter proper -- this may indeed be a functioning shutter. <S> These can close in seconds, and the tenant can do it, assuming they can access whatever mechanism holds them open. <S> While we're on the subject, I noticed an astonishing number of Houston 2-story apartments in TV footage that still had power despite the first floor being 3' underwater. <S> It is obvious their power service came into the 2nd floor, the trunks ran along the 2nd floor, and only certain branches dipped to the 1st floor and they had GFCI protection, so when they got wet, those individual branches just tripped. <S> Those owners were ready for it! <A> Getting along in years means not as much flexibility or strength when it comes to installing hurricane protection. <S> Sheets of plywood screwed or bolted in place <S> doesn't work any more. <S> Storage is a pain too. <S> Hurricane fabric is a development that we've embraced and recently installed. <S> The preparation involves drilling and mounting studs around the area to be protected, and those remain as minor eyesores. <S> The fabric is cut to match the opening and gussets are bolted to the fabric. <S> The stuff appears to be a heavy duty fiberglass type cloth, much more durable than, but resembling trampoline fabric in a yellowish color. <S> It's heavy duty and not too heavy to handle easily. <S> It folds away in seconds and mounts in a matter of minutes per opening. <S> If one does not spring for the permanent stuff, this seems to be a good option. <S> An upside to this stuff is that it passes some light, allowing the panels to remain in place without the interior feeling like a tomb. <S> Florida hurricane regulations are somewhat severe, not that other locations are lax and these panels pass those guidelines. <A> I live about 20 miles inland between Galveston Island and Houston. <S> We get our share of storms. <S> The older and historic homes (like the ones that survived the Great Storm of 1900) on the island are all fitted with hurricane shutters. <S> Most of the smaller homes are also fitted. <S> Some are wooden, but the newer ones are either like a rolling garage door or slatted shutters. <S> And you can get the ones that are motorized to close or open or hand cranked. <S> Of course, your property value is increased by investing in this kind of protection. <S> If you Google <S> "Hurricane shutters <S> " you'll see everything from sheet metal to plywood to functional shutters to rolling and stationary shutters. <S> And I think 3M has a window treatment that helps mitigate the damage. <S> I know there are new windows available that are supposed to be up to hurricane codes. <S> If you go with the plywood, I suggest Hurricane Clips. <S> They fit in the space surrounding the window outside and hold plywood in place. <S> No scarring the facade.t Just slide on, push in place, and that is hdone. <S> We cannot use them because of he way the previous owner "fixed" the windows by installing exterior storm windows that stick out past the brick facade. <S> A good place to start looking would be a storm shutter distributor or a home improvement trade show along the coast. <S> You'll find out more than you can imagine is available.
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There is hurricane fabric, too, that you might consider.
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I get no water from the kitchen faucet I've read the answers on this site, and now I'm wondering, where is the aerator? OP: noted there was no water from the Faucet or Dishwasher, in subsequent follow up, it was noted the dishwasher does work & use of the Hot or Cold produces no water flow. <Q> To directly answer your question the aerator of a typical kitchen faucet is located as shown below by the arrow. <A> I am assuming you are speaking of the cold water supply. <S> If you do not get water from these 2 items then the problem is in the supply piping. <S> Chemicals in the water can coat and plug smaller passage ways in the valves and tubing connections. <S> My neighbor had very little cold water flow and the problem was a plugged shut-off valve under the kitchen sink. <S> The valve was replaced and that solved the problem. <A> There are two knobs usually located under the sink. <S> One is for Hot water and the other for cold water - it is where you can directly turn off water on the Sink or Dishwasher with out affecting the rest of the house. <S> EDIT 9-2-2017 see the Additional Causes listed below the picture. <S> They look like this: EDIT 9-2-2017 <S> If you now have water to your Dishwasher and no water from the faucet. <S> 1 <S> : Single Handle Faucet ? <S> Then the Faucet unit could be bad - <S> there is usually a cartridge fitting that you can replace. <S> 2 <S> : You do not state if it is a new install or older install <S> - it could be the handle is not properly attached to the cartridge .. <S> on a single handle there is usually a screw that fits into the handle mechanics - it may have backed out or is broken. <S> You could have pinched the lines to your faucet if it was a new install and using PVC line - UNLIKELY but doable. <S> I would not suspect a clogged aerator even though it is possible - you would notice a trickle effect and if this is the case - buy a new faucet and install a filter on the lines - too much sediment and garbage in your water line.
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The aerator is mounted on the end of the faucet and is probably not the problem.
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Is it safe to use old, rotted wood fixed to an attic joist? I had a pack of old attic boards in my shed. They've been there for 10 years or so. I got them out today to lay them in the attic and found the packaging had broken and some damp had got in. One end was white and flaky enough to crumble with my fingers. It hasn't gone far down the board. I have screwed this into the attic joist but after doing so I had some doubts. If the board has rot - which I presume it did - could that now get in to the joist? The damage seems to have occurred in the wet and my loft is pretty dry. Plus the damage is old and the rot may well be long dead. Even if not the tiny patch of damage in 10 years suggests its super slow. But am I running a terrible risk here of destroying all the timber in my roof by spreading For? <Q> Since mold and structural integrity are safety issues, any answer that isn't "yes" is "no" - and <S> the answer isn't "yes." <A> Maybeeee, sorta kinda, technically, yes? <S> However, I wouldn't lose sleep over it. <S> As you thought, it'd take years/decades, if it happened at all. <S> To be on the safe side, spray some bleach on the white spots to kill any live mold spores. <A> The old chip boards left out in the rain would swell-up, get fuzzy, and disintegrate. <S> Today, manufactured wood is much more water-resistant, due to the improved adhesives. <S> I don't see the usual multi-shaded darkened signs of organic decomposition in the old particle board, rather some crumbling like the glue has failed. <S> So you are in about the same position as when you originally stored the material. <S> If it stays dry, it will probably be OK. <S> If it gets damp, the old manufactured wood will continue to deteriorate. <S> Given the history of the material, I wouldn't use it for anything that I wanted to last. <S> It would probably be OK for shop shelving.
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The old chip boards (particle board, oriented strand board and even plywood) from years ago were made with glue that wouldn't stand up to moisture.
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How can I power a load from two separate circuit breakers? On one circuit breaker I have a manual switch. On the second circuit breaker I have a motion sensing switch (using a mechanical relay). I have a number of lights wired in parallel as the load. The lights should turn on as a result of motion or manually turning them on. Unfortunately I can't just wire the two switches in parallel on the same breaker because of physical constraints; I'd have to perform a major renovation to rewire. It seems I need a sort of DPDT relay like this, which is normally open, has two magnetic coils, and keeps both circuits separate: Does a relay like this exist? Is this the correct way to solve this problem? <Q> Use a simpler relay A better plan would be to use a UL-listed SPST relay with a 120V coil driven from the motion sensor, with its contacts in parallel with the lightswitch. <S> (A Functional Devices RIBU1C or RIBU1S will do the trick, provided your lighting load <S> does not exceed 600W.) <S> That way, all your lighting is powered from one breaker, and you don't have to do a bunch of rewiring. <S> Of course, this requires that your motion sensor power itself through the neutral, or be replaced with one that does, instead of "cheating" and trickling power through the load. <A> You can't use 2 supplies for the same load. <S> Aside from that, Mrs. Lincoln, the motion sensor will be a very unhappy puppy if its supply/load relationship is interrupted. <S> Mainly, it will "forget" what the terrain looks like, tend to malfunction as a detector, while the light sensor that keeps it from coming on during the day will also forget what day and night look like. <S> (Since that perspective varies depending on exposure and ambient light). <S> Two better plans: <S> Smart switch <S> This is a cakewalk with a smart switches. <S> You power the light off only one of them, the master. <S> The other remote/slave smart switch has no wired connection to the light whatsoever. <S> It uses radio waves or power-line signaling to communicate with the master smart switch. <S> Shop carefully for products which do this. <S> Relay on one switch Power <S> the light from the motion sensor switch location. <S> There, install a 12/24V relay with transformer (they make combo relay/transformers). <S> Use plain old low-voltage doorbell wire to connect the two switch locations, this is only carrying 12/24V so the rules are much relaxed. <S> At the other switch location, install a surface-mount switch with no mains wiring in its junction box... and have that switch short the two doorbell wires. <S> This operates the relay, whose contacts are wired in parallel with the motion sensor. <S> If you wanted, you could use 3-4 wire doorbell/thermostat cable and put 12V motion sensors there. <A> First off, why are you trying to operate a load from two different breakers? <S> All you need to do is parallel the switches. <S> You may have L1 and L2 on two different legs of the service and are getting a dead short of 240 volts. <S> That's bad. <S> You don't need any fancy relays or wiring scheme. <S> You didn't specify exactly what your goal was <S> but from your drawings this is what I surmised. <A> I think this is a perfect application for some simple home automation. <S> You can replace the manual switch with a smart switch, and install a motion sensor that links to the manual switch. <S> It avoids all the complications of two separate circuits.
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Then either switch can operate the lights and if both switches are on at the same time nothing bad happens. You cannot entangle two supplies like this, it will create a death trap. You don't need to do this.
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AC - frozen tubes, no air flowing when fan on and system off Last night I realized my AC stopped working. I turned the thermostat to 74 degrees and by the time I woke up the house temperature was 80 degrees. My home has a single Carrier compressor (obviously outside). The air handler, evaporator coil and blower are upstairs in the attic. I spent the day troubleshooting and figured out a few things: The refrigerant-filled tubes that come out of the compressor unit and into the house had ice around them, but right outside the compressor case and right before entering the house (see 2 pictures below). The condenser seems to be working OK as I can see some water on it (see picture). On the thermostat, when the system is off and the fan is on no air comes out of the registers (is my blower broken?). Every 5 minutes the attic makes a loud noise for about 10 seconds, a motor noise. I could smell burnt in my bedroom for a few minutes as well. Return vent filters were replaced 3 weeks ago. I cannot open the evaporator coils as the casing seems to be "glued" somehow with sparkling (??) or some sort of tape (see picture with red arrows). There is a tube coming out of the furnace in the attic with some green liquid spill around it. I'm assuming it's the refrigerant liquid. Is this normal or is there a leak going on? After speaking to an AC repair guy over the phone, he thinks the blower is broken. That makes sense and would explain the loud noise (blower trying to work) + the "burnt" smell + the fact that there is no air coming out of the registers even when the fan is set to "On" on the thermostat. Any thoughts will be much appreciated. <Q> Turn the system off and let it warm up this may take a while if the evaporator coil is frozen up. <S> When a system charge is low icing of the coils is a indication. <S> The fan motor may be bad but once fully defrosted it is possible it will work. <S> (Thermal overload tripped and was just hot because the coils were iced up) . <S> If you can not get into the evaporator coil the indoor one give it a good long time to thaw out there may be 20-40 pounds of ice in there <S> and it takes a while. <S> The green liquid could possibly be a leak we regularly narrow leaks down by spotting oil that has leaked. <S> The green liquid could be condensate that has grown some green gunkies. <S> Don't jump to conclusions I have seen systems do exactly what yours has done that worked after thawing. <S> In these cases adding some Freon or in more severe cases pulling the system to a vacuum after repairing the leak and recharging has worked for me. <S> The noise every 10 minutes may be the thermal overload on the fan resetting and then overheating from blocked coils. <S> I did not see the photos on first review but the PVC line looks like your condensate line and it has been leaking could be plugged with algae or my technical term Green Gunkies. <S> The coil and drain need to be cleaned for health reasons! <S> The heavy frost could be from a low Freon charge or the evaporator coil icing up and the heat exchange not occurring. <S> Since you can not open the evaporator get an HVAC person to do it it was probably sealed with calking that a razor knife can cut through the system must be opened and inspected at a minimum. <A> I think Ed's answer is on point, in fact from your story I don't assume the fan is bad. <S> I think he is spot on, its thermal overload. <S> So, the fan COULD have, or WILL burn out, so, turn the system off. <S> Open all of the registers, let the hot air in. <S> It will need to thaw (almost certainly!) <S> With all that said, I'm also in agreement that the green liquid is likely algae . <S> This makes me actually wonder more if your condensate drain line is plugged AND also if the pump itself is burned out. <S> They are "cheap" and the float limit switches, and the motors, and the pumps, that make up these units are not very expensive. <S> I'd almost say that if you can move that drain line by hand to a bucket, go for it. <S> You want to get that water out of the unit. <S> Also the core issue could have been from condensate not getting out of the unit. <S> Again to Ed's point, you may have a 40lb block of ice in there. <S> The air cannot get past it, the motor shuts off. <S> after a few hours, you can try having a helper call for fan, and feel the plenum, if it starts vibrating, your motor "works" - turn it off and wait until the water is done draining from the unit. <S> It might take a day! <S> It also could have been blocking air flow, promoting ice build up, and maybe helping you get unpleasant smells from the unit. <S> Having an AC tech there, they will pressure test almost always as a matter of procedure, so they will rule out leaks quickly. <A> The coil needs to transfer heat by having airflow across it. <S> If there is no airflow the coil freezes; hence, the ice. <S> The coil is either too dirty for sufficient air to pass through or the fan blowing air isn't working anymore. <S> Thanks,Tom
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The AC coil in your ductwork is freezing due to insufficient airflow across the coil. You'll probably want to get the coils cleaned, if there is algae at the outlet, there is probably in the unit.
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Why is woodwork relatively meager in modern homes? I notice that older houses tend to have much more massive and finely wrought woodwork than new homes. For example, here is a railing from an early 20th century house: Notice the elaborate paneling on the floor siding. We can compare this to a typical railing found in a modern McMansion: Is it simply too expensive to have turned balusters and massive hardwood railings, or is it because the craftsmanship and knowledge to build such railings has been lost? I looked at some contemporary manuals used by carpenters to build staircases before 1930 and they are amazingly complicated with complex mathematical equations and drawings. Here is an extract of two plates: I got the impression that a carpenter would have to spend years studying this stuff before they could do it. Has this knowledge been lost, or are there still carpenters who can do it? <Q> Getting rid of the kids would be fairly simple if you put them to work as indentured carpentry apprentices making all those beautiful banisters. <S> Honestly the answer is several fold: 1) <S> stately homes like that require immense upkeep and refurbishment which means money that most people don't have; 2) wear, tear, termites, and age don't mix well; 3) <S> design and taste changes as quickly as a new magazine is printed; 4) <S> many of these homes were built prior to current electrical and fire codes often making them deathtraps; and 5) given the previous four, demand has driven the experience necessary to turn these pieces out of economic reality. <S> Supply and demand. <S> I'm sure there are other reasons, but I'm betting these five rank in the top ten. <S> I am all ears for more! <A> I think it's primarily cost. <S> When I built my addition I put in hardwood stairs - just a simple straight run, wrought iron balusters. <S> It easily cost me $1K-$2K in materials and a few weekends labor over what it would have taken to do the standard tract home staircase (OSB, carpet & drywall). <S> With hardwood, everything has to be perfect - you'll see every gap where something doesn't line up. <S> And then sanding & finishing like a piece of furniture. <S> Versus the tract home where you slap it together in an afternoon and the carpet & drywall covers a huge multitude of gaps, cracks, misalignments, etc. <S> A friend tried to hire somebody to do hardwood stairs in his renovation - gave up when it became clear it would consume his budget. <A> Really, it comes down to one simple thing: the lust for square footage and the compromise it takes to achieve it on a particular budget. <S> Size became the standard for status, real or imagined, and folks decided that they'd trade quality and richness for the ability to play cornhole indoors.
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Home buyers have deliberately traded richness of design and quality of construction for sheer size.
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What is the generic term for kitchen counter laminate without particle board? I'm trying to see if I can buy the laminate that kitchen counters usually have, but without the particle board underside. I'm trying to resurface a desk with something stronger, and it would be easy to simply adhere a strong laminate layer onto the top (plus more decorative options). I couldn't figure out a way to describe this laminate without it simply being the full counter top product. Does anyone know if there is a specific name for this layer sold separately, or will I have to call around? <Q> Try Formica (brand name) available in homedepot <A> Formulations vary by manufacturer and for different purposes, but that's what it is. <S> Omit "countertop" in searches and conversation to avoid pre-built products. <S> It's readily available at big-box stores, though I'm not sure they keep it in stock anymore. <S> You should be able to custom order from several brands. <A> You could try searching for HPL or High Pressure Laminate. <S> I used to work in a worktop/countertop production area. <S> We stuck the laminate using a glue & hardener process, Hardener was put on the particle board top & bottom, then glue top & bottom. <S> Paper cover applied to bottom then the top laminate. <S> Complete assembly was pressed at high temperature. <S> From here to another Post Forming machine, any profile required was machined then the laminate was heated and gently coaxed into shape. <S> This had rollers to keep the laminate against the wood. <S> The laminate went under the board and the edge sealed against moister with a bead of hot melt adhesive. <S> Obviously you won't have access to this process <S> but long before I got into the industry I had some units that needed replacing <S> , I bought some sheets & stuck them using Bostik Contact adhesive & placed some plastic bags with sand in to apply pressure over night <S> You could try halogen lamps or heat guns if you need to fold it over an edge. <A> If you go to a home improvement store and ask for Formica they will give you what you need. <S> As previously mentioned, it is glued down with contact cement. <S> You spray the glue both on your laminate and the working surface, let it dry for a few minutes until it is no longer tacky, then stick them together. <S> Once they are stuck together, take a roller and go over the surface to ensure even and proper adhesion. <S> You can buy a solvent that will take excess glue off as well <S> but I am not sure if they sell it at any of the big box stores. <S> You use a hand held router with either a straight cut or beveled bit in it to clean up your edges to they <S> are flush with the edge of your surface. <S> If you already have laminate edging in place you will need to use some wax on the top section of edging to prevent the router bit from burning the laminate. <S> After you have trimmed it, take a sharp file and cut the edge of your top piece as it will be extremely sharp after cutting.
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The generic term is simply "plastic laminate" or "high-pressure laminate".
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Any thoughts as to what these wires might be? Red/black/orange-ish/yellow. New house. In the front closet, right next to the front door, there's a low voltage junction box with (seemingly) two sets of wires—red, black, orangey, and yellow. I've tested them and there doesn't seem to be any voltage passing through. On a hunch, I tried connecting them, thinking maybe it was a doorbell or something. Nothing happened I taped the ends up and was just about to shrug it off and cover them, but not knowing what it is nags at me. Any thoughts? <Q> Use a DVOM (digital volt ohm meter) to test each wire to ground for ANY AC/DC voltage. <S> Test the mix of each wire to each wire. <S> While this does NOT rule out any kind of voltage it gets you pretty close to comfortable. <S> Then use OHM setting and check for essentially an open circuit on each combination of wire. <S> Now, if you DO find voltage (greater than about 60mV), or any ohm reading less than ..... <S> 40Mohms, I would turn off breakers to see the voltage vanish, or if there is Ohms, look for physical items, like a security keypad, boxes/transformers/other physical items, or even open doors/windows with a switch sensor on it. <A> Apparently, the previous owners were holiday decoration enthusiasts. <S> One way to investigate that is by finding any other ringers in the house and seeing how they are wired. <A> Do not leave them taped together as you have them now. <S> Tape the ends individually since it is low voltage, it does not need wire nuts, but you do not know the conditions the wires are residing at on the other ends. <S> It is not a door bell wire, it may be an extension of one, but they are usually just 2 wires, it will also be in a line voltage box with a 120V wire in with it for a transformer setup if it was. <S> Although anything from me would be a guess, it may be a security wire or remote thermostat. <S> Audio is a less of a chance.
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Once you have ruled out live active power, and open connections on each wire, use a ringer like a Fluke ringer/toner and trace the direction of the wire through the wall, potentially to its destination. I had a similar issue in a similar place at my house and they turned out to be extra wiring for Christmas/ Holiday decorations. I thought it was for the doorbell as well.
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How do I remove this Schlage double-cylinder deadbolt with no visible screws? Does anyone know how to remove this dead bolt that has no screw heads to use a screw driver? Here's a picture below. <Q> Those are just metal "caps" that push into the screw heads.. <S> The screws are located under those metal "pins"The metal pins are actually screws that have metal caps pushed into them so they look like you can't unscrew them. <S> See here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxtUFCHXBF0 <A> From the other side It would be a super terrible lock manufacturer that put the screws on the "thief side" of the door. <S> You put them on the authorized-resident side. <A> I had a similar lock in our home. <S> Those are caps as another poster said. <S> A putty knife or slim screwdriver should pop them off, revealing screws. <S> And yes, the protruding part is always inside. <S> The external piece is almost always flush or near flush. <S> But never with screws showing. <S> Grandpa was a fireman and locksmith. <S> Had I not grown up in his shop, I would have been in the same boat wondering how to get them off.
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Take a very sharp small screw driver and pry under those caps and they will pop off revealing the screw head.
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I've stripped woodchip wallpaper with lead paint on it. I think I have all the dust in my carpet and furnitre. What do I do? I'm 17, I wanted to decorate my bedroom and decided to start stripping the wallpaper as my dad is working on other things at the moment (planning on moving house soon). Our house was built around 1974 so it's likely there is lead paint on the walls (or under a newer layer). I didn't cover my bed or my carpet or anything and now my carpet must have microscopic lead particles as i've read online can be quite dangerous. My mum has cleaned up my room (even though I said i'll do it) and she has vacuumed the bits of wallpaper up. I've heard that lead dust is blown into the air if you do that. What is my risk of getting lead poisoning from airborne lead paint dust. I was wet stripping the woodchip wallpaper with a wet sponge after scoring the wall to help it penetrate easier. My parents think i'm mad and I can't afford one of these "HEPA vacuums". Is my room that dangerous to live in and sleep in ? What can I do ? Thanks <Q> What can I do? <S> You could get a sample tested for lead. <S> For example there is a 3M product called LeadCheck . <S> From what I've read: in the UK, lead-based paint was mostly used on woodwork. <S> The relevant Wikipedia article suggests this. <S> lead chromate was not used on walls after the early 1970s. <A> Likely non leachable so not much to worry about. <S> Vacuum with hepa filter . <S> Half madk while doing so . <S> Dispose of in regular garbage . <S> If it doesn't get runny when wet its non leachable and the risk factor is minimal as long as you use a hepa filter on vacuum and p100 filtets on your mask <A> Then you could have easily cleaned up the mess with your vacuum (let the vacuum sit outside and the hose inside. <S> With your version of the word 'Mom' used as 'Mum' - are you in the UK or Michigan? <S> You should have worn protective equipment while cleaning the paint because you breathed those particulates in. <S> Before any painting job on an old home - lead based paint test should be completed. <S> Lead based paints were outlawed in the USA in 1978 - however that did not mean that you could not get stocks of those paints after that date - nor did it guarantee that people did not already have stocks of them and paint rooms or paint the house with it. <S> NOT PRODUCT ENDORSEMENTS Just for reference: <S> Trimaco-Lead-Based-Paint-Protection-Kit PRO-LAB-Lead-Paint-and-Dust-Test-Kit Lead based Paint Precautions and Health Safety Information
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What you could have done was get a mask for lead based paint - microfibers - like painters air particulate masks. Put your sheets outside and vacuum them outside.
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Drywall taping/floating steps if finish will be skim coating I am finishing up a master bath remodel which involved removing some walls, and creating new walls. I have: Hung new sheetrock for the new walls Patched the ceiling where the old walls were with drywall (~4.5" wide strips) Patched some gaps with hot mud Taped all the joints and covered with the first layer of all-purpose joint compound. The next step will be to sand down this first layer as prep for the subsequent layers, repeating until the joints 'disappear'. For the final finish, we have decided to skim coat as we like the way this worked and looked in our previous bathroom. My question is: Do I need to do the subsequent (2 or 3) layers of joint and screw-divot feathering if I intend to put 2 or 3 coats on for skimming? I have not skim-coated a wall before, and I just don't know how much of the surface topography I will be able to hide. Thanks! <Q> Read the datasheet for the compound you want to use to skim coat and see what's the maximum allowable depth for a layer. <S> (For European products I'm familiar with <S> it's about 2 or 3 mm.) <S> YMMV. <A> Treat the skim coat, as you would a layer of paint. <S> Any imperfections will telegraph through, and require much more compound to hide/feather out. <A> Everything is 3 coats. <S> Thin is best.
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Then you can decide what dimples need pre-covering and which can simply get covered in the skim coat. If you exceed the max depth you might get hairline cracks, but [in my experience] that only happens on larger areas, not screw-size... and you can fix it anyway by filling the crack(s) with the same compound, which usually takes less time than strictly following the prescribed layer depth.
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changing water pump outlet connection from 1.25-inch to 1-inch, how to calculation flow and pressure Submersible well pump with 1.25-inch outlet connection I've changed to 1-inch how to calculation the flow and the pressure? Here's the submersible well pump details with standard 1.25-inch outlet connection. Q = 100 L/min Head = 213 m How to find out the Q and the head of the same pump with 1-inch outlet connection? <Q> First off, the largest residential submersible pumps (5HP +/-) will not typically have 25 GPM flow at a total system head of 800' <S> or so, so I think you might be a bit misinformed as to the capabilities of your pump. <S> A 5 HP pump I found showed about 4GPM +/- <S> at 800' of head. <S> At that flow 1" pipe will be no problem. <S> Second, pump aside, 100L/min will flow way too fast through 1" pipe, so assume you will not be getting any where near that even if you could. <S> A typical way to identify flow from a pump through a system is to calculate an equivalent head, then reference the pump data to find the flow at that head (PSI instead of ft/m). <S> That is actual head <S> + head from pipe losses (typically PSI per 100' at given flow) <S> + head from fitting & valve losses <S> + target output pressure. <S> Say you had a bushing and fittings that added 2 PSI and 700'+100' of 1" pipe that adds 3.5 PSI per 100' @ <S> 15 GPM + target output pressure of 50 PSI , you would have an equivalent head of about 875'. <S> Then you could reference the expected output on the pump chart at 875' of head and select a pump based on the total system head pressure. <S> Although again, to get the flows you are talking at the head you are talking would be a three phase higher HP (for residential) pump which would be rare. <S> Fluid dynamics is actually rather complex to predict. <S> This is why manufacturers use test and measure methods and then let you extrapolate on the data based on your total calculated head. <A> Actually, the pressure will not change. <S> Pressure is resistance at the end point, where ever that may be measured (in your case, the holding tank setup). <S> The pump doesn't create pressure. <S> Once the water pressurizes, the intake water will stagnate, not continuing through the pump. <S> To not go too deep, I'd say, if you have a factory flow rate of 100L/m with a full size outlet of 1 1/4", it's probably safe to say that reducing the pipe size about 20% to 1" pipe would give you a flow rate of around 80L/m. <S> Btw, great question. <A> You'll want to focus on the Head loss Portion of that equation. <S> Head loss is what your pump has to overcome to push water through the system. <S> I can tell you that by reducing your pipe size you will increase your system head, which will require your pump to work harder. <S> Whether or not your pump will actually overcome this increase in head would have to be determined by using bernoulli's equation and comparing it to your pump's performance curve. <S> Hope that helps.
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You'll have to look into bernoulli's equation which esentially describes how fluids work in a system.
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Name for a partially-circular metal clasp that fits into an indentation in a tube What's the name of the "circle" that the arrow points to? In the picture is the end of a barbell. That thing that arrow points to is put onto the tube. The tube has a "dent" where that circle fits. There are eyes in the end of the circle that are used to expand it slightly so it can move easily onto the tube and when it's in the dent, it's released so it clasps. <Q> The clips that you are referring to are called snap rings in North America. <A> That is called a "circlip" and can be removed or positioned with special pliers made for them. <S> They come in internal and external varieties. <S> What you have pictured are internal. <S> Some circlip pliers are reversible (the ones in the picture) so you can use them with internal or external circlips. <A> E-Clips perform a similar function but have a slightly different shape, including a spacer (the bar in the middle of the "E") which keeps the ring at a set distance from the shaft: <S> *If you Google "C-Ring", add the word "retaining" or have Safe Search on!
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I've also seen them called C-Rings* or C-Clips, to differentiate them from E-Clips/E-Rings.
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What do i need to stop my computer from rebooting in electricity fluctuations AC 240V location. My computer at home keeps restarting at the time of fluctuations and i loose all my work, this happens minimum once every day and some days more than 2 times. I have 1100va Microtek Inverter ( Microtek ups sebz 1100va ) with UPS mode for computers for quicker switching . still it started to reboot my computer. at the time of fluctuations and low voltage . MAINS POWER => INVERTER => COMPUTER Then i have been told i need a stabilizer so recently i bought Microteck EMT2090 Stabilizer ( Microtek EMT 2090 Voltage Stabilizer for LED Television (2 Amps) (90V ~ 300V) ) and connected it before the Inverter. MAINS POWER => STABILIZER => INVERTER => COMPUTER But still my computer keeps restarting. Now i have been told i need double or triple booster Stabilizer . What i need to do , so that my computer wont restart at the time of low voltage and fluctuations. More details : My PC runs 24x7 There are low voltage and electrical fluctuations are common in my area.My inverter and external battery (exide tubular battery 180ah) is 1 year old, my stabilizer is new. My computer has corsair VS450 SMPS and i have calculated computer power usage from https://outervision.com/power-supply-calculator and its not more than 300 watts. so its not like , my computer is drawing more power than the inverter can provide. i have checked earthing in home and its Good. i was thinking that my inverter was faulty so i sent it for repair at customer care and they told me, its fine. so issue with my home power supply only. If i switch power supply of inverter off then inverter comes online and PC doesnt reboot. i have tried doing it many times. switching power supply of inverter off then on continuously , and computer does not restarts . But once in while at the fluctuations computer reboots . Why exactly is this happening ? what i need to make it stop rebooting the computer ? I can think of 2 ways. 1) buy Triple BOOSTER Stabilizer ( Microtek EM4090 Digital Display For AC upto 1.5Ton Voltage Stabilizer (90V-300V) ) MAINS POWER => TRIPLE BOOSTER STABILIZER => INVERTER => COMPUTER 2) buy small UPS which gives power backup for 15 minutes and install it like this. MAINS POWER => STABILIZER => INVERTER => NEW SMALL UPS => COMPUTER update 1 : i as suggested to measure the fluctuations , i dont have Battery powered oscilloscope with me. update 2 : The UPS operates from Standard Voltage range from 100 V~ 300 V and Narrow Voltage range from 180 V ~ 260 V for running computers and sensitive appliances. idk how i missed it, but the UPS/Inverter has narrow mode which works in 180 V ~ 260 V so if input voltage to UPS/Inverter goes below that range then it does not works in narrow mode i guees so , so what i need is power supply cutter when the voltage drops below 180 V or goes above 260 V so it will get my UPS online. so i have ordered Microtek EM 4170+ Voltage Stabilizer ( Microtek EM 4170+ Voltage Stabilizer for A.C. upto 1.5 Ton (170V ~ 270V) ) i don't want my stabilizer to double or triple boost voltage, and reach the 180 V ~ 260 V range. so that inverter can work in narrow mode , i just want it to cut power altogether and let the UPS take over, UPS is more than enough to give power backup for 8+ hours. will update when i receive the new stabilizer and do some tests. <Q> Not wishing to state the obvious, but really, the first thing to do is resolve the power fluctuations if at all possible. <S> Assuming that's out of your control, then a decent UPS should be able to handle this by itself. <S> You shouldn't need external inverters or stabilisers. <S> To be honest, at first glance, it sounds like your initial UPS may be faulty or simply not up to the job. <S> Can you be more specific about the nature of the fluctuations and how long they last? <A> Your UPS seems expansive enough that it might have its own logs. <S> See if its AVR kicks in when the fluctuations happened (if you're not there yourself.) <S> Alternative, you seem to have enough money to get a battery powered oscilloscope. <S> I'm guessing it's letting these fluctuations through and or your PC is sensitive enough to those to reboot. <S> A beefier power supply for your computer might also solve this. <S> Its caps will have more reserve power. <S> EDIT: <S> Actually, looking at your UPS more closely (I couldn't find an on-line manual for it), it doesn't have a data port <S> and I can't see any indication of AVR-like function. <S> Who knows at what voltage <S> it's pre-configured to switch... <S> I would not buy the voltage stabilizer from the same company unless you have a satisfaction/money-back guaranteed right to return it if doesn't solve your problem. <S> It doesn't seem to have much in the way of features either, like data connection or any way to configure anything. <S> Also, a separate stabilizer (with no data connection) has no way to trigger your UPS' to turn on its battery... and itself the stabilizer may not have enough reserve energy to ride the fluctuations. <S> "Now i have been told i need double or triple booster Stabilizer. <S> " <S> Yeah, right... <S> what you need is a UPS from a reputable company with built-in stabilizer (AVR). <S> That means something that's not sold only in India. <S> Have a look at the feature list of a reputable UPS in the power range you need ... data connection, adjustable sensitivities, AVR etc. <A> Your PC power supply is the issue <S> The problem is your PC power supply is extremely sensitive to brownouts. <S> That's a bit hard to understand, since most PC power supplies are world voltage <S> 100-240V (dynamically; they buck the voltage down to their working voltage) and your power is normally 220. <S> A good PC supply should "ride the brownout" down as low as 100V before it has a problem, and then a good one will have enough capacitance to ride through a fraction of a second of blackout. <S> And it's not doing that, because either it's a Cheese piece of junk, or it is worn out (capacitors do age out). <S> How do we know that? <S> Because you already have a UPS - you have been calling it an inverter. <S> You know it works on a blackout: you have tested it by unplugging it, and it works. <S> Therefore the only possible failure here is that the UPS isn't kicking in, because power is still available, it is just browned out. <S> And the UPS does not see that as a reason to kick in.
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Getting a more reputable UPS (with data connection/collection that you can connect to say a laptop, so you can troubleshoot it) would probably be the best way to proceed here. My guess is your UPS probably has a subpar or incorrectly calibrated AVR, which probably explains why if effs up on some fluctuations but not on outright outage. You generally don't need pure sine for a computer.
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Switching power to an air compressor I have an air compressor for running tools in my garage. I recently moved the compressor to the basement and put an accumulator tank in the garage ceiling. I did this to reduce noise in the garage and outside. It works very well, but now I'd like to control power to the compressor from the garage via my insteon or zwave home automation system. Years ago, I made the mistake of plugging a compressor into an outlet with its switch in the 'on' position. (The manual advises against this.) After a major arc flash, part of the plug was missing, and I replaced the outlet and plug. So, I suspect that the initial inrush current may be some hundreds of amps depending on where the piston last stopped, and I'm reluctant to trust a standard 20 amp relay to the job. How many amps should I plan for? The compressor is "rated" at 120v, 14.5A. My compressor manual does not mention how I would like to choose a relay or switch that will show no appreciable wear after 5000-10000 cycles. What type of relay should I use? Here's a picture of the compressor: And one of the labels on the back <Q> I would just use a standard air conditioning condenser relay rated for 30 amps or more to start with. <S> Make sure it is rated for horsepower larger than your compressor. <S> (To really calculate the inrush current you need the code letter from the motor nameplate under the LRA or locked rotor current. <S> Then see Table 430.7(B) in the NEC. <S> Multiply your horsepower by the number from the table and divide by one thousand. <S> See this article here .) <S> Or just start with an A/C relay <S> like I said above and if it wears out fairly quickly you could spend much more money for a higher rated motor contactor. <S> The other thing to consider is when you decide to upgrade your compressor, make sure it is a two-stage compressor. <S> A two stage starts the motor unloaded and then engage the compressor after the motor is running. <S> This significantly reduces the inrush current to the motor since it is starting unloaded. <S> The single stage style is required to start with the compressor under pressure and consequently requires a large inrush current. <S> Good luck and stay safe! <A> I would suggest you use a motor rated switch. <S> You need to make sure it is rated for the hp of your compressor motor. <S> You can order them with their own enclosure. <S> Here's a link http://www.cooperindustries.com/content/dam/public/wiringdevices/BuyersGuides/AHBG/E/AHBG-E-Sec.pdf <S> Good luck <A> You probably can't do this. <S> Some air compressors (like the one pictured) have to be shut down properly to be able to start up again. <S> (Look for an overly bulky switch module with multiple air hoses entering it.) <S> The power switch on such a compressor accomplishes this by mechanically venting pressure between the compression piston chamber and a check valve. <S> This is why you normally hear a 'hiss' when you shut the running compressor off via that switch. <S> Cutting electrical power to the unit will not cause that venting to occur, and the pressure pushing against the stopped piston head will prevent the motor from turning when power is re-applied. <S> This causes the motor to draw far more than its normal power, its 'Locked Rotor Amperage', continuously and it will either melt the motor winding, or pop the breaker on the compressor.
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To control the compressor pictured, you will have to improvise a mechanical means of rotating its provided power switch in either direction. An A/C relay probably costs $30 or less.
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Help with vinyl planks on damaged subfloor It previously had sheet vinyl and still has some adhesive residue on it. How do I cover up the residue? I can't get it completely off. Thanks! <Q> I have found that serious application of a CARBIDE "paint scraper" will remove some truly miserable adhesive residue in a purely mechanical fashion. <S> Don't even bother with the steel blade types, they proved useless. <S> Typically have a narrow tungsten carbide blade that is clamped, and has two sides so you can flip it once for a fresh edge before replacing or resharpening. <S> Not even terribly expensive. <A> The vinyl planks will need a hard smooth surface to lay over. <S> A a wood based laminate floor <S> your could float right over the adhesive because they all typically have or require a thin foam like underlayment that could float right over the old adhesive as long as you got off the peaks and filled the dips in the over floor. <A> Get as much as you can off. <S> Go over it a level off the low spots . <S> Add a 1/4 inch underlayment plywood such as louan . <S> Then your pad for floor , Get a good pad mine was of poor thickness and will never use again..And fill all areas !/8 <S> , and a good pad will take care of the rest.
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Typically you would scrape the adhesive clean off then use floor patch and self leveling underlayment as required to get the floor smooth and even.
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Removing old thermostat when replacing electric baseboard heaters We're renovating a 30 year old home in the US and replacing three 240 volt electric baseboard heaters with new, modern heaters. Currently, each of the three 15+ year old heaters are wired into their own "dumb" analog thermostats on the wall. We're looking at possibly replacing these with "smart" heaters like these which have an onboard thermostat, and then can be centrally controlled. As I understand it, these new heaters should not have a thermostat in the wall; they should be connected directly to the breaker box. And I believe that currently 240 volts run from the breaker box to the thermostat in the wall and then from there to the heater. If that's correct, can I simply remove the thermostats, connect and cap the wires, and replace them with blank panels? Or would I need to run all new cable directly to the new baseboard heaters? <Q> Your plan to connect the wires bypassing the old thermostats is a good one and it is code legal. <S> Make sure to turn the breaker(s) off and test to be sure both legs are off. <S> I have found some 240 volt units that the thermostat only opened one leg. <S> Make sure to use the proper size wirenut or insulated crimps for the size and type of wire. <S> If aluminum wire is installed, make sure to use deox / noalox or some other type of inhibitors and <S> the connectors rated cu/al for the size wire. <A> You don't want thermostats on the heater! <S> That's a strategy done to make the heaters <S> cheap , not better performing. <S> The thermostat is feeling air coming off the heater, not air in the room, and so it won't regulate nearly as well as an external thermostat in a normal location. <S> That said, it's easy to control electric heaters with 24V thermostat systems like you use for gas furnaces - and that opens you up to using almost any of the "smart thermostats" now on the market , with all their features and connectivity -- as opposed to being "married to a single vendor". <S> You switch the 240V with the same large relays used by thermostats to control air conditioning units (those take 30A @ 240V, and they switch both poles, so they work great). <S> They simply need to be installed in a large junction box, or inside the heater. <S> If it's practicable for you to run new wiring - or at least bypass any unnecessary detour to the old thermostat - I recommend you do so. <S> Electric heaters place a hefty load on the wires. <S> If your wire length is longer than it needs to be, your heater performance is reduced. <S> Some of that is lost in heat (in the walls, not useless, but not what you are trying to do). <A> Another idea is to replace the thermostats with "smart" line voltage thermostats (like https://casaconnect.com/caleo/?v=7516fd43adaa ). <S> Then you can just replace the thermostat without needing to replace the heaters themselves.
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And, if you do replace the thermostats, then you may not need to run new wire.
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Non-destructive test to determine 110V electrical in backyard pipes? I have 3 plastic pipes in my backyard and one (two?) of them have 110V lines in them. All wires - hot, neutral and potentially ground are inside the pipe so I can't just use a clamp meter / current transformer. Image below, you can see two white PVC pipes and one grey PVC pipe. Without destroying the outer PVC pipes, how can I determine which plastic pipes are carrying the real 110V circuits and which ones are just empty? I can turn on the hot tub at the end of the circuit to start/stop electricity. I also have basic tools like voltmeters and a clamp meter. <Q> Use the electric field, imbalanced, into your multimeter. <S> Make a metal pickup, wrap halfway around <S> (so you are likely to have imbalanced Efields, even if +-120 is inside. <S> Signal strength? <S> Assume 1cm distance between wire and external metal pickup. <S> Assume pickup is 4cm (wrapped halfway around) and 10cm long. <S> Assume <S> air is your dielectric. <S> We'll use the parallel-plate model of capacitance. <S> C = <S> Eo <S> * <S> Er <S> * Area/Distance <S> C = <S> 9e-12 <S> * 1(air <S> ) * 4cm <S> * 10cm/1cm <S> C = <S> 9e-12Farad/meter * 40 cm <S> * (1meter/100cm) <S> C = <S> 9e-12 <S> * 40/100 = <S> 9e-12 <S> * 0.4 <S> ~~ 4pF <S> We know Q = <S> C * V, and differentiated with constant C <S> , we get I = <S> C <S> * dV/dT dV/dt = 377 radian/second[60Hz] <S> * <S> 120VACrms <S> * 1.414 <S> ~~~ <S> 60,000 volts/ <S> second <S> I = <S> C <S> * dV/dT = <S> 4e-12 <S> * 60,000 <S> = 240 e-12+3 = 240 <S> e-9 = 0.24 <S> uA. <S> Across a 10Meg Ohm DVM Rin <S> , that 0.24uA produces 2.4 volts AC. <S> Now, you need "ground" of the other meter lead. <A> I'd go full retard on this one, and have an assistant blow a hairdryer into one of the pipes from the open end, then put your hand on it down the hole and check which one gets hot. <S> It may take a while to warm up, though. <A> Use the clamp meter, and an artificial return Since you posted this on ee.se, I'm assuming you know a little about electricity. <S> This requires some insulated wire and a little daring. <S> The goal here is to take power down the conduit, but return it via another route, so the magnetic fields no longer cancel. <S> This is super bad in any other context. <S> De-energize the entire house while setting this up. <S> Find the nearest point to each end of the conduit where you can access neutral and hot. <S> On the house side location, find the neutral. <S> (if it's on the LOAD side of a GFCI, tap there). <S> String a wire from there to wherever, on the other end of the conduit, you can tap "hot". <S> Cut the plug off a 2-prong extension cord, retaining the socket, and wire the neutral (ribbed end) to temporary neutral wire from the house. <S> Wire the hot (non-ribbed) to a hot terminal fed by the conduit. <S> For any load plugged into this extension cord, power will go in a huge loop. <S> Clear enough roots you can get the clamp meter around all the pipes. <S> Have an associate turn on the double-insulated device (tool etc.) <S> Now current is flowing. <S> Clamp the conduits until you get a hit. <S> Don't do this anywhere near water, by the way. <S> If that ground wire comes loose, it will be energized at 120 or 230 volts. <S> This is much less of a concern if it's fed by a GFCI. <S> You might even install a GFCI on the house side for this test and then just leave it there. <A> Then you connect the load from line to the earth from the rod bypassing the neutral or earth from the pipe. <S> In such way, the current will flow just in one direction, no back flow through the pipe, so the magnetic field won't be cancelled.
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This is Very Bad normally, because it makes anything inside the loop the core of a transformer - and will cause eddy current heating and very high EMFs. You can use a clamp meter / current transformer if you have any such size, Or you can wrap some wire around the pipe and measure the induced voltage with DMM when you switch on/off the load. So, summary use a 4cm by 10cm piece of metal, to which you get a clean metal-contact (copper foil is good, whereas aluminum foil instantly oxides) with one wire of you meter. Plug something double-insulated into the extension cord, and power up the house. You will need a rod placed into the soil and you may wet the soil with salt water for better conduction.
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How to best clean unsealed kitchen grout so that it can be sealed and/or regrouting later I have a problem with unsealed kitchen grout on ceramic tile as it has never been sealed and dirt has allowed to set in. In addition it probably needs regrouted later (pictures below) but sealing it could prevent damage and allow it to be addressed in the future when there is more time. The issues is I don't know what chemicals I can or should not use nor how to clean unsealed tile without causing more damage. I would normally use professional strength products but I'm afraid it will damage the tile and/or grout as I'm inexperienced with cleaning unsealed grout. The picture below provides below give indication of the status of my grout. I would appreciate any advice. Another thing I would appreciate from an expert is assurance that grout is porous and that some stains will "soak in" and not come out despite how much of cleans them thus eventually requiring more reason to regrout much later. I need this "assurance" to accept it and move one. I'm hoping professional tile layers will answer but all opinions and advice are appreciated at this point. I want to thank anyone who takes time to respond. If possible could someone confirm if it will need regrouted later? Pictures can be found at Imgur <Q> I have done this many times. <S> Yes, I am an electrician, but I grew up in a family business doing everything and working for a electrical contractor that paid me more as an apprentice. <S> If the grout is solid (it looks good) <S> I would use a very weak solution of muriatic acid and water, maybe a cup of MA to a gallon of water to clean it out. <S> After that, triple rinse with with clear water, and after it has dried it can be sealed. <S> I do see a few minor voids but the weak acid solution will clean out the area. <S> It may take a wet vac to pull the moisture between rinses but once done it will be clean and a fresh surface to seal. <S> If it looks uneven a 2nd treatment with maybe a stronger muriatic acid/water may be needed. <S> I had to do this on my mom's new countertops a while after dad passed many years ago. <S> I have resealed the counter tops several times over the years and they still look great after more than 35 years. <S> Please remember always add acid to water (to prevent splashing of full-strength acid) and use gloves. <S> Muriatic can be purchased at many big box stores and pool supply outlets. <A> I have not personally done this <S> but I know they make an attachment for oscillating tools that help clean grout. <S> It seems that this particular product has mixed reviews, but perhaps this will help you out a little! <A> You don't need crazy chemicals. <S> If it isn't coming clean with a hard bristled brush and whatever household cleanser <S> you prefer <S> (tilex? <S> bar keepers friend? <S> ajax?) <S> then try something like Clean Team Scum Bum. <S> But yes, grout is porous and it is possible to stain it. <S> Usually a stiff bristle brush and some cleanser will get it clean. <S> Note: as noted in the comments, "crazy chemicals" is not particularly specific. <S> I mostly meant that in my experience, you don't need to find a specialized "professional strength product." <A>
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Steam is the best for that; it removes all dirt and stains most of the time, and leaves no residues behind.
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Stuck Faucet Handles - How do I remove Can anyone tell me how to remove these faucet handles? I have removed the allen screws and removed the faucet handles. But then I assumed the cones under the handles woudl screw off, but I cannot get them to budge. Is there a trick to this? I do not know the make/model. I have attached a picture above that shows the hot and cold faucet after I removed the handles. How do I proceed from here? <Q> Now the problem is getting the ceramic unit unscrewed, but I hope spraying them with WD-40 a few times will loosen them up. <A> Some of these have a nut on the bottom side. <S> Unccrew the nut and supply line and pull it up. <S> Many times plumbers putty is there to seal easily cleaned off with a razor blade. <A> Turning the handle counter clockwise won't do anything, the handle will be unscrewed and loose, but the cover cones will still be stuck. <S> Pulling it up is also not an option as there is a connection going to the side there, which won't let it pass up through the hole. <S> So your only option is to unscrew a thing which is perfectly round and polished. <S> This is dumb engineering and pita for somebody trying to do it. <S> I've managed to do it with a combination of luck, penetrating oil a hose clamp and a combination wrench. <S> I put open clamp through the ring side of the wrench, then closed the clamp and put in on the cone cover. <S> Then used the wrench as the leverage while holding the piece from the bottom with the other hand and unscrewed it.
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The answer was to put the handles back on and turn them counter clockwise to unscrew the rest of the part that held the ceramic unit that needed to be replaced.
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all my 240 circuits aren't working anymore in sub panel but the sub panel is getting 240 volts am having an issue with a sub panel in my kitchen. I am reading 240 volts across the red and black coming from the main panel, in the panel I am reading 120 from each conductor to ground on all circuits. But on all of my double pole breakers I am reading 120 to ground but only 10 volts between line 1 and line 2... So it appears I am not getting 240 volts in the panel. The breakers don't need to be moved as everything used to work fine... More weird info - The stove lights come on but no heat... the light in the kitchen and the outside lights only seem to work with the stove element on... Time for a new panel? help! Thanks! <Q> I have had a main breaker fail on 1 hammer (the contacts inside the breaker) on more than 1 occasion. <S> In some cases with all the load breakers turned off cycle the main 10 times on and off This can temporarily clean the contact and make it useful until the bkr or panel can be replaced. <S> If this is a lug only (no main on the sub) <S> your buss on one of the legs may have fried since you said all the 240v breakers <S> ,,, I have had this happen with FPE stab lock but it can happen with all brands of panels <S> but I have only had buss failures on FPE and any problems with FPE stab lock needs replacement of the panel in my opinion <S> , I won't do any work on them except to replace them. <A> Nothing wrong with your panel, probably. <S> You lost a hot leg somewhere. <S> When you turn the stove on, you nearly short the legs, with a very low resistance load. <S> This brings the other side back. <S> You have a tiny anount of leakage between the two hots, probably in the stove <S> , that's why you read 120 on both. <A> Yeah, you lost a leg. <S> This happened to me once. <S> The thermostat was dimming the kitchen light.
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If you have 240 at the main lugs of the sub and do not have 240v at the breakers the main breaker could be bad.
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Issue with clocks running fast in my apartment I noticed recently that my bedside clock and oven clock, which are both powered from the wall, were about 15 minutes ahead. I changed them back to the correct time, but the next day they were already a few minutes ahead. I have also had a few WiFi routers suddenly stop working over the past few months. Could this indicate that something is wrong with the electricity in my apartment? If so, what can I do to check it myself before calling an electrician? Thanks! Update: I contacted the power company and it turns out that the mains frequency was, in fact, higher than normal. There was a water main that burst (and caved in part of the street) in my neighborhood and the city feared that it would damage the underground powerlines, so they turned on the emergency power generators to ensure that nobody would lose power, even temporarily, while they fixed the water pipes. They said that they had to increase the mains frequency in order to prevent damaging the generators. They ran the generators for about a week, but service is back to normal now. My clocks are functioning normally again and it turns out that my router issue was unrelated. Thanks for everyone's input! <Q> Digital clocks convert the AC line voltage to DC and in most cases use a crystal oscillator but in some designs multi vibrator circuit or rc time constant circuit at many times the line voltage frequency for improved accuracy. <S> I have seen RFI (radio frequency interference) that can screw up the internal oscillator. <S> Power spikes & drooping can cause the Power supplies that power routers to hiccup requiring reboot. <S> You may have voltage fluctuations and or RFI problems <S> but I have never seen frequency variations of more than <S> + <S> - 1Hz when measuring in the U.S. , Japan or Singapore. <S> An inexpensive way to reduce electrical noise is to add an RFI filter, these require a ground to work well <S> and they are just some basic electronics that dump higher frequencies protecting the equipment. <S> I would purchase an inexpensive inline one to test if it works a few more on the affected clocks & routers would solve the RFI problem. <A> Ask your power company Because mains frequency is serious business, and if anybody will know that -- they will! <S> Yes, many mains-powered clocks either use synchronous motors or count power pulses to keep sync with time. <S> In the industrialized West, mains power frequency is considered a "gold standard" and many devices are built with this expectation. <S> Before really good crystal-based clocks, this was the only way to have really reliable time. <S> In the third world, not so much. <S> Also anytime you have to fall back onto locally generated emergency power. <S> In the UK, the mains frequency often lags very slightly during the heavy-load working day. <S> In evening at lower load, they intentionally hasten the generators slightly to make up the exact number of cycles that should exist in a day. <S> If you can't make it work, you may need to resort to Internet powered clocks or ones with onboard crystal timekeeping. <S> I suspect the router problems are unrelated. <S> However extremely high line noise might create the illusion of false cycles, which might throw off a line-listening digital clock. <S> Wouldn't affect a synchronous motor clock, as motors can't double their speed suddenly like that. <A> These types of clocks usually keep time by counting mains cycles rather than using any sort of internal timer chip. <S> So, if your mains frequency is too high, they will run fast. <S> The fact that two clocks are running similarly fast is another clue that this may be the case. <S> If you have a technical manual for them that might give a frequency tolerance figure. <S> To check the mains frequency yourself, you'll need an oscilloscope. <S> Pretty much any oscilloscope will do. <S> There is a quality standard for the frequency of the mains supply. <S> You can always challenge your electricity supplier and get them to measure it. <S> If your frequency is different from other nearby homes, then something is interfering. <S> You could try an online tester such as <S> this one <S> but I can't vouch for their accuracy. <S> It might at least give you an initial guide <S> but it seems black magic for a webapp to tell you your mains frequency.
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It is conceivable that too high a frequency is upsetting your routers.
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Electrical Code for wiring multiple outlets Is there a code that states whether a pigtail is required for each outlet or if the second screw on each outlet can be used to continue current to the next outlet in the series? Since the only connection is that thin metal clip I was wondering if that is considered a proper connection versus wiring a pigtail into the connection for each outlet so that all wires are interconnected at each box. For what it's worth...if pig tailing, are Wago or similar push in connectors allowed or must it be an actual wirenut? <Q> The Code requires that continuity of the ground wire (equipment ground) cannot depend on a device. <S> The Code also requires that the continuity of the neutral (grounded conductor) cannot depend on a device if you are using a multi-wire branch circuit (Two hot legs, a neutral, and ground). <S> The Code never requires the continuity of the hot leg to be continuous. <S> So, that means if you are not using a multiwire branch circuit then you can use the clamps on the devices for the hot and neutral. <S> The ground would need to be pigtailed on every device but the end of the line. <S> If using a MWBC then you would also have it pigtail the neutral on all devices but the end of the line. <S> Wago, Ideal, and other push-in connectors are UL listed for use and can be used for joints in an electrical installations. <S> Or you can use wire nuts. <S> The choice is yours. <S> Good luck and stay safe! <A> Pigtails are not required or prohibited in general. <S> Receptacles with multiple screws are listed for such a use, so you're good there. <S> Similarly, Wago and other push-in connectors are listed for connecting two or more wires together, as are wirenuts - assuming you don't overfill them of course. <A> I like pigtails because it makes it easier to pull the outlet <S> but if at the max wire fill it may fit better going to the screws.
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You can use the screw or pigtail. The NEC simply indicates that any connectors or devices have to be listed for that use.
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How to get a TL light working I have a set of fluorescent tubes (2) in my kitchen and they both do not work (noticed while I came home). Normally one of the starters is broken and I replace it but this time both lights to not work. Changing starts neither. What can I best do component inside but I don't know if I can buy it separately and I wonder if buying new tubes will help if maybe there might be some other problem. <Q> Flouresent lamps do go bad over time, If you have replaced several starters the next step would be new lamps especially if the ends are dark or black. <S> On older fixtures with mag ballast (requiring starters) the ballast do go bad <S> but I have seen them last over 50 years. <S> It amazes me that you can find entire fixtures for 1/2 the cost of a ballast. <S> You may notice quite a bit more light with new lamps I recommend going for 5k or higher color for a true light color where 3k looks a bit orange/yellow in comparison. <S> When purchasing a new ballast make sure to get one rated for the size and length lamps your fixture uses if saving a high quality fixture. <S> Just thought I should add this if a t8 or t12 4' lamp is in the fixture I have started going with 22 watt <S> led replacements easier than replacing a ballast and more light from what I see. <S> Most of the UL approved. <S> LED retrofits have the neutral on 1 side of the tombstone and the hot on the other side (I get the ones that do not need the ballast) <S> I have completely relamped 2 workshops and 1/2 of my shop at work with these for just a couple $ more than quality lamps cost with no ballast to fail. <S> Less power used instant on to full power and longer life. <S> There 18 watt that is supposed to be the same light output as a 4' t8 lamp but <S> the price difference was less than 1 dollar per unit, I have requests to do 6 more areas every one loves them <S> and they don't flicker when it is cold. <A> If you don't feel like replacing the fixture and know the lamp is good <S> then I would suggest that you replace the ballast. <S> The newer generation of electronic ballasts are smaller and inexpensive, they do away with the starter cap. <S> Go to either an electrical supply store or order online. <S> Online is the best option IMO. <S> Match input voltage and match the ballasts output to the lamps specs. <S> Turn the power off and remove the old ballast. <S> After power is confirmed off, clip all wires close to the ballast, this will ensure you have enough wire to splice in a new ballast. <S> You will need to follow a relatively easy diagram to rewire which is usually printed on the ballast. <S> Make sure to have some strippers and small blue wire nuts or the proper size push in pressure type connectors on hand to make splices. <S> Of course, this depends on skill, determination, etc. <S> It's an easy job time wise. <S> If you supply the parts the cost won't be that bad. <A> If your fixture still uses starters, I would modernize it. <S> I'd start by figuring out which tube it takes. <S> Then I'd try to find for a T8 type tube that physically fits the same: if that can be found, it is preferable. <S> You can also get them as high as 90 CRI which makes for really excellent light, better than even available LEDs. <S> All of them will start reliably, not hum, and not flicker. <S> Look at your fixture and see whether there is one wire going to each end of each tube, or two. <S> If it has starters, it is most likely two. <S> If only one, you need an instant start ballast. <S> Otherwise any will do. <S> The difference is that a rapid-start ballast pauses for an instant before starting, but the tubes will last 2-3 times as long; and a programmed-start ballast will take potentially longer still to start, depending on conditions, but will be much easier still on the tubes. <S> Programmed-start is desirable when the bulb is rather hard to get to, or turns on/off a lot. <S> If you prefer, you can find LED replacement "tubes" that direct-wire, and bypass the ballast completely.
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If the fixture will not light with new lamps the next item would be the ballast (most of the time it is cheaper to purchase a cheap fixture with a ballast and use the ballast in the old fixture. Once I have settled on the tubes to be used, I would then look for an electronic ballast that is compatible with the tubes. If you don't feel comfortable with electricity then hire an electrician.
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Can a clear tube added on the outside of a water tank be used to read the water level? I have a water tank that I want to read the level on. I would like whatever device I use to be passive. I have seen the 'cat and mouse'-type weight and pulley device, which doesn't suit my purposes (I would like something self-contained). The question is: can I take clear tubing, connect it to the outside of the tank at the bottom and run it up the side of the tank to just over the full line? Will I need a vented cap? What about the head pressure on the tube? Is this not advisable for any conceivable reason (assuming the tube is secured properly)? <Q> There should be no fundamental problem with this, provided that the indicator tube is not closed at the top. <S> You can either install a vented cap to keep debris out, or connect the top of the tube to the top of the tank. <S> As a callow youth I assisted in the construction of a water tank indicator like that. <S> I have also operated a steam boiler with similar indicators. <S> If common experience is any guide, your most likely problems will be: Discoloration of the inside of the tube, from scaling or even fromalgae, that makes it difficult to read the level. <S> Hidden blockage that prevents the free flow of water to and from the tube. <S> Damage or fracture of the indicator tube leading to a serious leak. <S> Against (1) you should make the tube dismountable so you can clean or replace it. <S> This will require a shutoff valve and a threaded joint or union. <S> Against <S> (2) you can rely on dismounting the tube and briefly opening the shutoff valve, or you can install a drain valve that you can open briefly, thus restoring your confidence that the flow is unrestricted. <S> Against (3) you must install a shutoff valve. <S> Note that the combination of the shutoff valve and a drain valve can also serve to drain the tank when necessary. <S> If your tank presently has a drain valve, this might be a place to install the indicator without boring any more holes in your tank. <S> Here is a sketch to show the order of the valves and fittings for a couple of possible tank drain positions: <S> The order of the fittings must be: Tank Tap -- Shutoff -- Sight Glass Connection -- Drain Spigot. <S> You will have to shop for the transparent tube and the compression fitting together. <A> I would call an HVAC company that works on boilers and have them install a "gauge glass" in the tank. <S> They can use standard gauge glass, Pyrex gauge glass or plastic/vinyl tubing or other material depending on temperature and pressure. <S> They would normally install the gauge glass with shut off valves to allow for cleaning and/or replacement of the sight tube, and a check valve in the lower glass to slow the leakage of water in case the tube breaks or becomes loose. <S> If this is how you proceed, make sure that you purchase at least 1 replacement sight tube and if possible a tube cleaning device. <A> I have a set of 2500 gallon tanks connected together that catch rain water from a shop roof to be used for watering our greenhouse during the summer. <S> at a glance I know how much remains in the tanks at all times.
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I placed a piece of clear tubing from the bottom of one of the tanks and ran it up the side. Those of us that have serviced or installed boilers are familiar with this procedure. Don't bother with a big-box home supply store, go to a plumbing supply shop and talk to the oldest guy there.
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What type of cable should I run to future-proof an outlet for an air conditioner? Our new house is still under construction by a standard builder. After the home is finished, I will be installing a small mini split ductless AC system for a home office that will get much warmer than the rest of the house. I received permission from the construction manager to run a cable from the breaker to an outdoor wall, so that I would not have to tear up the drywall or run conduit from the breaker to wherever the compressor will go. I will not be installing the wire into the breaker, or the outdoor outlet, until after we have closed on the home. It will essentially be a dead wire sitting in the wall until I add it do the breaker and then add the outlet. That being said, I am not sure if the compressor will be a 110v or 220v configuration (I haven't decided on a unit). What would be the best cable to run to ensure that I can either install a 110v outlet or 220v outlet using the same wire? Is this possible? Also, what should my outdoor outlet look like? Is just an outdoor junction box sufficient or should I use something similar to a non-fuse metallic disconnect? Thanks for the help! <Q> If you truly want to future proof, install conduit instead of cable. <S> This will allow you to pull whatever wire you need, once you've decided what you want. <S> 3/4" conduit should work fine, and would give you the option to install up to four 8 AWG condcutors (Schedule 80 PVC). <S> If you think you'd ever upgrade to a whole house unit, this might be a good option. <S> If you only ever plan to have a single mini-split unit, you'll probably be alright installing 1/2" conduit. <S> Though upgrading to 3/4", would make pulling easier. <A> I would install a three wire NM with ground. <S> You didn't mention what size your unit would be a 10/3 would handle everything up to a 5 ton. <S> Just make sure when you install the unit you check the MOCP (maximum overcurrent protection) and use the right breaker. <S> Make sure you wirenut off the conductors in the junction box. <S> Good Luck <A> Generally most whole-house air conditioners (for modest size houses) are served with a 30A circuit using 10AWG wire in 10/2 cable. <S> This can be configured at 15, 20 or 30A, at 120V or 240V. <S> There is nothing wrong with wire that is too big. <S> You can put a 20A receptacle on a 20A breaker on #6 wire. <S> You'd have fitment problems getting the #6 to fit the terminals, but that is a trivial problem easily solved. <S> It's unlikely that you would need both 240V and neutral to run an air conditioner. <S> But if you did, running /3 <S> cable would cover that. <S> If you expect to have multiple pieces of equipment out there, a subpanel there may be necessary, and you might think about 8/3 or 6/3 cable. <S> 6/3 is good to 60A, so it could power a whole cottage. <A> Unless you're planning on having a lot of computing hardware or live <S> somewhere really hot a 120V unit is almost certainly going to be sufficient. <S> I'm cooling a 600 sqft apartment and ~1000W <S> (actual 24/7 load, not PSU max output) of electronics with a 12000 BTU air conditioner on a standard 15A 120V plug. <S> I suspect I am running up against the upper limit of what it can do, but it lets me maintain an 75F internal temperature when the outside temp's as high as the mid 80s. <S> It hasn't gotten that hot recently, but it was able to handle the ~700W <S> I was running a few summers ago with a 90F outside temp. <A> Why is everyone missing his question? <S> , there's no need to actually match the wire to the task. <S> (Mobile uses are another matter, thicker wire adds weight.) <S> 110V vs 220V? <S> Simply go with 220V-- <S> not that I think you actually have a choice here <S> , I don't think they sell power wire not suitable for 220V. Thickness? <S> Look at the units you're considering, how much power do they draw? <S> (Note that 110V units might draw more amps than 220V!) <S> Pick the highest value you get, then round it up to the next breaker size. <S> End of problem. <S> (Note that the wire must be matched to the breaker, not to the air conditioner. <S> No fixed wiring can be thinner than the rating of the breaker that guards it. <S> It doesn't matter if you know that alarm circuit will never draw more than 1 amp, 20 amp breaker means #12 wire.)
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If you think you would need two circuits for equipment and wouldn't want a subpanel, then you could run two cables out there. Voltage is not an issue since any wire you're allowed to use is good for 300V. Installing a n-3r (raintite) junction box would be fine. However Cables cannot be paralleled so two 10/3's cannot substitute for a 6/3 for instance. There are tables that tell you what wire thickness you need with what breaker amperage. Wire is nice in this regard in that going over spec simply costs a bit of money
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Are there concerns with leaving part of a home's ground level unfinished? I'm designing a new house for myself, and I've always wanted a basement so I would have unfinished hobby space. The kind of space where you can get messy stuff on the ground like water, paint, sawdust, whatever, and nobody cares because it's just a basement. In talking to concrete contractors, however, a full basement costs 3x as much as a slab, for only double the square footage of the main floor. In other words, I could have the same square footage for a lot less money by having a slab on grade that's twice as big, rather than putting a full basement underneath. So, I want a "basement", but I don't care if it's actually below grade. So I was considering a design where there is just one floor on grade, and the "basement" is on the same level as the rest of the house. By "basement", I mean a big (~800 sqft) unfinished room with a concrete (or epoxy) floor, unfinished walls, a floor drain, and everything an unfinished basement would have, just on grade level, not underneath the house. Unlike a garage, though, it would be climate controlled and not have any vehicle doors. Are there any issues with having an unfinished room like this on the main level? Has anybody done it before? What would such a room be called? Would there be code issues, where inspectors wouldn't be able to figure out how to classify it? Edit : Just to clarify a bit, by "unfinished", I meant not doing trim carpentry, not installing a finish floor over the concrete slab, and maybe not doing drywall if allowed by code. It would still have electrical sockets, lighting, insulation, air ducts. Code has specific requirements based on what type of room it is. There are certain things that a "garage" requires, certain things that you can't do it a "closet", etc. I know that I don't want it to be a "garage" because "garages" have to be lower than the house for carbon monoxide, have steel doors, fire-rated drywall board, etc. "Garages" also use GFCI breakers where "bedrooms" need pricey arc-fault breakers. Bedrooms need egress windows. etc, etc. So the essence of the question is, what should I call the room on the plans, so that it's governed by the most appropriate codes for what I'm trying to do? (My intent is to use it like an unfinished basement). <Q> The full basement may cost 3 times what the corresponding slab size may cost from a concrete perspective. <S> If you double your slab size you need twice as large of structure to cover it. <S> On the other hand the structure footprint is the same size whether it has a basement or a slab under it. <A> If it's on slab, it's not exactly a basement. <S> I think what you are actually asking for is 'studio space'. <S> As Michael Karas, the concrete contractor is correct... <S> the more concrete you use ( <S> ie, full basement) the more the concrete will cost. <S> But the more slab you use, the bigger the footprint of the house, which will cost more in framing, roofing, etc. <S> The best of both worlds would be to make it a two story house... <S> the first floor being mostly open studio space, second floor your living area. <S> But I'd strongly consider some other options as well... <S> are you building a garage? <S> Make the garage a bit bigger for your 'hobby shop' consider an out-building such as a custom shed or a pole barn incorporate an extra, larger room in your house plans and just don't put much money into the finishings in it (assuming you'll eventually want to redo it when you sell the house) <S> what should I call the room on the plans, so that it's governed by the most appropriate codes for what I'm trying to do <S> This will depend entirely on your local code enforcement/planning office's preferences. <S> Where I live, we have to mark it as 'storage'. <S> But, that said... <S> I don't know that you have to label it as anything. <S> Code doesn't typically involve itself with finish. <S> They may require sheetrock, but they don't care what paint you use. <S> They may require a door, but they don't care what trim you use. <S> They likely require a floor, but probably are fine with it being sheets of plywood. <A> You could potentially call it a storage space, a workshop, or something else clever, but those terms may ultimately get shot down by the AHJ (Authority Having Jurisdiction, such as a local building department) because if it looks and smells like it could be habitable space, they may be tempted to make you finish it anyways regardless of what you call it. <S> So in that case, the best recommendation I can give is to talk to the Authority Having Jurisdiction about the purpose of the room and how best to describe it in the plans. <S> Since they will be approving the plans, they would be best able to help you come up with a term for the space that they would approve.
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But you have to also consider the cost per square foot to build the structure that covers the slab/basement. Generally, it needs to fall into the category of "Uninhabitable Space".
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Shared neutral on the same leg I have a two bedroom cape with 14-3 running to the second floor where it splits. I noticed at the panel some time much later that the two 15 amp breakers that power up the individual rooms, are separated by a 20 amp breaker that feeds a designated circuit. The 14-3 neutral is carrying the return load of both 15 amp circuits from the same leg. The electrician was qualified and licensed. Shouldn't he have moved the two 15 amp circuit breakers together so that they would be pulling from separate legs? I am trying to better understand this. <Q> Absolutely right, this is super bad for exactly the reason you say! <S> Turn off both circuits and get yourself a 2-pole breaker of that same type. <S> Put the two hots on that breaker and install it, moving other breakers as needed. <S> The use of a 2-pole breaker will guarantee they are correctly on opposite poles, and is now required by Code. <S> (well, handle ties are, but it works out the same. <S> 30 places near hear stock 2-pole breakers, only 1 stocks handle ties.) <S> In fact, watch for more - where there's one, there's five. <S> Also, make sure you're not dealing with double-stuff or the GE Q-line "half width breakers". <S> In a Q-line, an intermediate breaker would be correct, but a 2-pole breaker would be a great deal more correct . <A> Yes. <S> The two breakers for a multiwire branch circuit would normally be right next to each other even if it was wired 50 years ago. <S> Also, recent National Electrical Code changes require that the two breakers be tied with an approved handle tie or you need to install a two pole breaker. <S> Then attach an approved handle tie to the two 15 amp breakers. <S> Good luck and stay safe! <A> Make sure your breakers are on opposite phase. <S> Do that by putting a volt meter between the two breakers. <S> If you read 220v you are good. <S> If it reads 0 you are on the same phase and the neutral can carry twice the intended current. <S> I have a house wired with the ge q-line half width breakers. <S> Those go a-a-b-b-a-a-b-b etc. <S> so it’s easy to get two adjacent breakers on the same phase. <S> I found one split circuit in the box wired wrong. <A> The slots on a breaker panel go +-+-, so a two pole breaker will draw from +- and the maximum load on the neutral will never be double the breaker rating on a MWBC, but only the breaker rating. <S> Suppose you have a 15A single pole (breaker 1), 20A double pole (breaker 2), and a 15A single pole (breaker 3) as you describe. <S> We'll number the slots as +1, -1, +2, -2. <S> Then the breakers would connect as follows: <S> +1 (breaker 1), -1, +2 (breaker 2), -2 (breaker 3). <S> The ideal would be +1 (breaker 1), <S> -1 (breaker 3), +2, -2 (breaker 2). <S> But in both cases, breaker 1 and 3 are on + and - which is safe for the neutral. <S> The situation you want to avoid is ++ or --. <S> Putting a double pole breaker between two single poles will not cause this.
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You do want the two breakers for a multiwire branch circuit to be right next to each other so the handles can be tied together, but in terms of overload protection and the effect on the neutral, it should not be a problem. Be careful not to split up another multi-wire branch circuit. Verify that your panel bus is staggered and the breakers next to each other come from different legs of the service. The easiest and cheapest thing to do is swap one of the 15 amp breakers with the 20 that is in between.
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How do I get a dishwasher to fit with pipes in the way? The installer showed up with the new dishwasher ( KitchenAid KDTM404EWH ). Once he took the old one out, he found that these pipes are in the way: Any ideas about what I can do? The installer said I'd need a dishwasher with a depth no greater than 19.25 inches. That seems small to me. Do they make dishwashers like that? Additional Details Here's a picture of the space with measurements: Here are the details: | Measurement | Value | |-------------------------------------------------------------------|--------| | Full height of opening | 34.5" | | Full width of opening | 24.5" | | Full depth of space | 24.0" | | Distance from front of pipes to back wall | 4.75" | | Height of pipes | 3" | | Width of pipes | 6" | | Full width of opening - width of pipes | 18.5" | | Full depth of opening - distance from front of pipes to back wall | 19.25" | | Full height of opening - height of pipes | 31.5" | <Q> What can you do? <S> : <S> Move the pipes: This is ideal, because that is .... UGH. <S> Move the/a/some cabinets: reconfigure the counter arrangements such that the pipes are behind/under a cabinet Raise your counter in this area, trim it off up top and box in a platform on the bottom <S> , so the dishwasher can be mounted above the pipes Find a short tub dishwasher with a rather open back. <S> There are hundreds of dishwashers on the market, you could find one, but knowing how they are framed, it is very very unlikely. <S> Don't install the dishwasher here, put some other device here, and locate the dishwasher somewhere else. <S> (same basic idea as #2) but leave cabinets where they are, put a garbage can here <S> Cut a cabinet down, re-frame it (customize the cabinet) to allow room to the right to mount the dishwasher I vote for #1, because what you have here is just, unpleasant. <S> But these are "all" of the things you can do that I can creatively dream up. <A> You should be able to find a dishwasher that will fit there without moving the pipes. <S> The image of a typical dishwasher below shows how the back is mostly empty space on some models. <S> So you might be able to buy a different dishwasher that will fit without doing any extra work! <A> So we found a dishwasher that fit. <S> It's an ADA compliant Frigidaire 24" FDB2410HIS . <S> It's not the fanciest dishwasher, but it gets the dishes clean.
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The back left of many dishwashers don't have anything there, so at the worst you would just have to modify the support/frame depending on the specific model of dishwasher you purchase.
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How to avoid cutting electrical wires when cutting into drywal I want to install an attic access pull down ladder in the ceiling of my garage to put plywood on the rafters for storage. How do I know where to cut into the drywall of the ceiling without cutting wiring? <Q> First you need to lay out the general area where you want the opening. <S> It needs to fit between 24" centered ceiling joists. <S> Properly installed electric cabling is always at least 1 1/2" away from the back edge of the sheetrock (or protected by a metal shield). <S> So, if you cut a small hole near the middle of your proposed opening with a shallow cutting tool, such as a utility knife or a multisaw, big enough to get your hand and arm through, you can reach in to make sure there are no wires draped in the area where you are working. <S> If clear, cut a bigger hole with a drywall saw or multitool, large enough to get your head through. <S> Insert a light <S> and then your head and scan the area. <S> Now you're prepared to cut the full opening back to the joist with no surprises. <A> @bib <S> : I cant say I have seen metal around long runs of power cable in joists... ever. <S> But it is certainly true it should never be within nailing areas. <S> I.e., 1-1/2". <S> I think most electricians aim for at least center. <S> (so on a 2x6, it would be 2-3/4 or so off. <S> My approach would be:@Tyson has a point, it is best to visually look first. <S> So if you have an access area, go inspect from above. <S> Use a nail, screwdriver, a drill, whatever. <S> Then you can use a drywall saw or the like, and knowing there is no wire to hit, go to town. <S> Then as @bib was getting at, score the bottom area with a knife to cut through the paint. <S> Score an entire box <S> the shape you want keeping it inside the edge of the joist. <S> Cut both ends perpendicular to the joists and then down the middle. <S> You should now be able to press up and get a clean break, score the other piece from the top, and do the same. <S> Both pieces should come out without damaging the painted surface. <A> If you are certain of the location, just use a regular hammer, 14oz or <S> 16oz or ..., to knock a small hole in the ceiling sheetrock, then rip off by pulling down enough sheetrock to stick your head up there and look for electrical wiring, then enough for your shoulders to look into other bays. <S> Nowadays, inspection cameras for wall/floor cavities etc are cheap. <S> see amazon.com for borescopes or endoscopes that plug into smartphone or laptop. <S> There as little as $5 plus shipping online.
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Preferably with a drywall saw as you aren't going to do much damage to the joist with it. Start your hole from above. You can't count on the ceiling being framed strong enough to serve as storage. Cut to the joist in each direction, enough off center to work it from both sides.
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Can a hammer concrete drill bit be used with a regular drill for a small project I have to run a 1/2 inch pvc electrical conduit through a mortar joint The mfg calls for a 7/8 masonry bit to be used to allow the conduit through. Have not been able to find such a bit at the big box stores, but did find a 5/8 hammer drill concrete bit. Will I be able to use that 5/8 hammer bit in a conventional power drill for this small project? Thanks for your help <Q> Block and brick, maybe. <S> That's a pretty large hole. <S> I've drilled up to maybe 3/8" through mortar without hammer action, but it's slow. <S> Concrete, no. <S> You need impact action to break through the stones. <A> If it fits in the drill chuck and it is a mini?? <S> SDS or SDS plus, or spline bit, and is the right size??? <S> (5/8"vs 7/8") or maybe I am missing something here. <S> But I have used the SDS bits in my regular drill in a pinch with no problems. <A> You are never going to squeeze 1/2" PVC through a 5/8" hole. <S> You can find 7/8" plain shank bits at any of the big box stores. <S> You can usually make small holes in soft masonry without a hammer drill, it takes a bit longer of course. <S> A 1/4" hole with a masonry bit in a regular drill is no problem except in the very hardest concrete. <S> A 3/8" hole might try your patience. <S> A 7/8" hole might take forever, unless you're drilling through some very soft stuff. <S> I have drilled through old brick that wasn't much harder than drywall.
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Unless your "regular" drill has a hammer mode, you'll spin that bit for an age and not get through concrete.
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Is using a non-GFCI circuit more risky now than before GFCI entered the electrical code? When using a non-GFCI grounded receptacle with a modern device (e.g. manufactured date 21st century) are the risks the same as they were in pre-GFCI era? I can imagine some situations in which risk is higher, for example if manufacturers have learned to skimp on their devices because of the added safety of GFCI-code (not that this would make sense from a liability standpoint). If I am content with the level of safety during my childhood, what benefits does a GFCI circuit offer? (Assume neither my local code nor insurance require the circuit to be updated to GFCI. Neglect risks/burdens to others, such as emergency responders, or such as another user of the circuit.) EDIT Sept 19 2017: This question is about to be closed for being too broad. Despite that possibility, and despite the cruft below, it has been answered as far as I am concerned. Still, I thought I'd add a follow up to help clarify my question so as to meet forum guidelines, then bug out. While one person noted more devices are including built in GFIs nowadays, no one noted manufactures were skimping based on the uptick in GFCIs. Devices may be more 'cheaply made', whatever that means, but they are still listed and labeled. As far as I know, no ordinary devices have manufacturer requirements stipulating plugging into a GFCI receptacle or a GFCI adapter. Also, as far as I know, there are no regulations that require plugging a device into a GFCI when using the device around water. I assume that to mean that the powers-that-be are content with the level of safety when using listed and labeled devices in non-GFCI receptacles. <Q> Yes, because products are much more cheaply made today than before. <S> Also they are no longer grounded. <S> You should see some of the dreck on the market. <S> Follow any of the Youtube videos where EE's do teardowns of consumer products. <S> It's appalling. <S> The reason not to rely on "past safety standards you were happy with" is the winner's bias: you're only happy with them because you got lucky. <S> The dice don't care. <S> Dice have no memory . <S> Every day they roll again, and every day it's a new risk. <S> If Russian Roulette works twice, stop doing it! <S> Now if a $20 gadget increases your odds by like 95%, statistically that's a good play. <S> People's resistance to GFCI is often based on wild misestimates of cost. <S> For instance believing you need one per receptacle, at $20 each that adds up fast. <S> Incorrect, if you apply a little education, you can use them as intended and use one per circuit. <A> Let's look at your question from another angle. <S> If you stopped using your seat belt, would you have less accidents because you would be more likely to be hurt or dead? <S> That question is similar to the question you are asking. <S> The upgrade to all codes are necessary because people were being injured or dying. <S> Now with the newer codes there is less of a chance of a possible burn or electric shock. <S> Preventing accidents is a progressive and proactive response to new data and the increase and use of new electrical products. <S> You might think these codes are written as a humanitarian effort, but it's not. <S> These codes are written by the NFPA and they are the underwriters for all insurable interests in the US. <S> So the insurance company gets tired of writing people checks for accidents that can be prevented, and acts upon it by trying to prevent them through the update of codes. <S> In short if we as electricians don't follow these required codes then the insurance companies won't insure the installation or require higher premiums to cover their costs. <S> In conclusion updates for more safe installations are really not up to public opinion. <S> They are required from people who have an interest in preventing accidents and in this state it becomes law. <S> And as someone who is licensed by the state we sign an agreement to obey the law or face penalties, loss of license, and/or criminal prosecution whether we like it or not. <A> Not really. <S> My wife replaces her hair dryer every few years and they still come with their own GFI. <S> A lot more devices designed to work around water have them as well, likely due to legal liability <S> Most devices have never been designed to work around water. <S> My wife uses a crock pot on our kitchen counter next to the sink. <S> It could fall in, but I have a GFI there for that reason. <S> The crock pot has no reason to expect it will be used next to a sink. <S> Remember, the GFI is there to prevent electrocution. <S> If you're OK being electrocuted, carry on. <A> I would say today's devices are safer because of plastics used for the cases where in years past the cases were metal. <S> Would you be safer having GFCI'S? <S> Sure GFCIs limit the amount of current to prevent electrocution <S> but you can still receive a shock that hurts. <S> I recommend GFCI's. <S> For all out door outlets and bathrooms in older homes because this is where the highest risk is. <S> Yes within 6' of a sink is a good idea. <A> If I am content with the level of safety during my childhood, what benefits does a GFCI circuit offer? <S> It offers exactly what a GFCI offers: protection from a ground fault. <S> The difference in the level of safety previously and currently is that it is an automatic disconnect when things go wrong. <S> Sure you might not have gotten zapped, and in most cases you can play things safely yourself to prevent possible cases (like not using or placing electrical devices by water sources), but what about when things don't go as planned or an accident happens? <S> A GFCI is essentially insurance if there are greater chances for a ground fault.
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But as far as device safety I would say things are safer because of lawsuits in the past and the materials used in modern manufacturing.
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Concrete vs crushed gravel for fence posts in clay soil? I'm prepping to build a fence in the back yard and am going back and forth between using crushed gravel and concrete. I've read lots of differing opinions on the pros and cons of each. I'm leaning towards using crushed gravel as it's easier to repair posts if they rot. I'm just worried that with clay soil it will just fill with water and stay there for days. I'm not 100% sure the concrete would help that though as I assume water would still get in to the post and sit there. On the other hand I'm also thinking concrete would be easier to install, as tamping 30ish holes 48" deep with crushed gravel doesn't sound very fun. I will be using pressure treated lumber if that helps Anyone else build fence in heavy clay with any luck? Any recommendations greatly appreciated, thanks! <Q> In clay soil, the water just sits in the hole, especially where the water table is close to the surface. <S> Gravel lets the water get right up against the post, which will rot it out fast. <S> This will ensure that no water gets down into the post. <S> Also, make sure the bottom of the post is not below the concrete level or the post will soak water up from the bottom (pour a little concrete in the hole, then set the post, then fill the rest of the way) <A> Your reservations are very warranted. <S> I've never had a problem in using just the soil I took out to put the post in. <S> Even posts that warped severely after installation moved the fence, not the ground. <S> The good thing about clay is that water runs off and doesn't penetrate deeply at all. <S> So, stay away from concrete <S> , it retains moisture to the full depth and rots the post. <S> Same goes for gravel, it just creates a pocket to receive water to then drain into the soil. <S> Crown around your posts to force water away and keep fence panels/pickets 1/2" off the ground, you'll be set for decades. <A> I always use exterior clear sealant where concrete meets post at base. <S> This keeps water from getting between concrete and post. <S> I also brush on a waterproofer on entire post that is above the concrete. <S> I then spray the post a rubberized undercoater to about 4 or 5 inches above the base. <S> Very effective in case any water or dirt contacts the post. <S> I use pressure treated posts. <S> Takes no time at all and a very economical way to keep posts lasting many years.
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Using concrete will help the post to last longer, if you create a dome of concrete above soil level and make sure it is smooth and tight against the post.
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Will a magnetic flashlight attached to a metal junction box cause problems? I have a metal light switch box that is mounted on the outside of a wall and I would like to set a magnetic flashlight on it. Is electricity adversely affected by having a magnet near it? <Q> Short answer: <S> No. <S> Long answer: Nnnooooooo. <S> Serious answer: A permanent magnet, even one a thousand times stronger than the one holding your flashlight in place, placed near your home <S> wiring but not moving has no effect on the circuit at all. <S> A permanent magnet as small as the one on your flashlight, when moved around near your home wiring (eg. <S> when you take the flashlight and put it back), will theoretically generate tiny surges of current in the wires. <S> In order to measure those surges you would have to be a very careful physicist. <S> A magnet moved around near a metal junction box will generate tiny surges of current in the box walls. <S> In order to measure those surges you would have to be a very careful physicist with pernicious insomnia. <S> Theoretically a tiny amount of magnetic influence makes its way into the interior of the junction box, via screw holes etc. <S> In order to measure those surges you would have to be a very careful physicist who is going through a bad divorce and expects to never sleep again. <S> All this is of no practical consequence. <S> Any magnet you would have around the house cannot interfere with your domestic electric supply. <A> For one thing, the steel box is going to weaken the magnetism. <S> But even if the magnet were in direct contact, it still wouldn't have an effect. <S> Because you don't have anything like a transformer or motor winding there. <S> (To answer the inevitable question, magnets can reduce the effectiveness of a transformer core. <S> Imagine <S> you're jogging around your oval 1/4 mile high school track, round and round. <S> Then the glee club sets up a stage, intruding on one end and forcing you to shortcut, that's like static magnetism intruding upon and saturating a transformer core. <S> Now it's not 1/4 mile anymore. <S> Thieves stick magnets on old style electric meters hoping it would under-report how much power they used.) <A> Going to tack-on an answer. <S> Even though your specific question has been answered 100% correctly, I want to point out that you should never stick anything magnetic to a computer or other delicate electronics. <S> When putting the light on the junction/switch box the amount of EMI generated is so tiny it really can't hurt anything. <S> When putting that magnet on a computer or similar, it could really mess things up. <S> First it could effect magnetic storage (tapes, and hard drives for example), and in some cases it could alter the "signal" voltage in, for example, Ethernet cables enough to cause issues. <S> The most common effect is likely to be distortion of other magnetic fields though, and not that of actual voltage. <S> That said, it's perfectly fine to stick where your describing, I just wanted to pop in and make sure it's clear that it's not ok to sick on, say, the back of a plasma TV, or your favorite collection of floppy disks. <A> In general no, it will be fine. <S> I would however avoid putting strong magnets near electricity meters. <S> The accuracy on some models can be affected by the magnetic field, and others have sensors that will indicate a "tampering event" to the electricity company if they detect a strong field.
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Mostly though, the magnet, could, if strong enough, alter the voltages enough on the circuit lines of delicate electronics enough to cause issue. Won't make a difference
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What's the best way to mark wallboard for electrical box openings? Putting up 3/4" x 8' x 4' Plywood wall covering with a receptacle behind.What is the best way to mark it out for the cut? Guess just to measure the horizontal and vertical in reference from the sides. Then there's the receptacle cover plate that is larger than the box. Any cool handyman tricks for this? Like to cut it after securing the plywood sheet. I've cut two already and they are mis-aligned. <Q> You have to measure really accurately with this. <S> The opening in the wallboard should be sized to the electrical box. <S> One handyman tip is that they sell extra-large cover plates to help hide sloppier cuts! <S> You can also buy tools designed to help mark these cuts: https://www.amazon.com/Calculated-Industries-8105-Drywall-Electrical/dp/B00YX8KZGO/ or https://www.amazon.com/HandyMark-Drywall-Marker-2-Pack-HM1002-BF/dp/B000V5MPZM/ <S> One last idea if your cuts are significantly off is to replace the electrical boxes. <S> You can get old-work boxes that attach to the wallboard (rather than structure). <S> I like to use an oscillating saw for this. <A> Your guess is right. <S> There's no rocket science involved. <S> Make accurate measurements, marks, and cuts, and you won't have problems. <S> Some tips: Make all measurements from adjacent panels (not the floor or other nearby points), as that's where the new panel will be installed. <S> Dimensions change when taken at an angle. <S> Allow 1/16" around all boxes from your exact measurements when marking. <S> Measure to the near and far edges of each box from the same point. <S> For example, if a previously installed sheet is on the left, measure from there to the left side of the box, and then to the right side. <S> Same from the top or bottom. <S> Do not measure to one side of the box, and then add the width of the box. <S> This introduces error. <S> If you're up to the mental task, mark and cut the back of the sheet. <S> This requires reversal of horizontal measurements, but your marks and any slips made with the saw will be hidden. <S> You can also make the cuts with a circular saw and overcut slightly to get full blade penetration. <A> Try mocking up the location with stiff cardboard. <S> I use an old box, taped to the floor, with the edge of the box up against the wall. <S> Then mark and cut the space in that. <S> Once that's done, place the real sheet in place and mark out the opening. <S> Check one more time and then cut.
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Be sure your tape measure is parallel to the edge of the sheet when measuring. Just trace the outline of the box onto the wallboard and cut. Then the cover plate helps you hide any gaps. With drywall you might be able to go with a rough location and cut the edges while the board is held or lightly screwed into the wall, but that probably won't work with something as rigid as plywood.
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Do I need to replace my copper gas line before installing a new dryer? Why? Just purchased a new dryer, and when it was delivered the installer said he could not connect it to our soft copper gas line -- he said it needs to be replaced with another type before he is allowed to touch it. He also said that any appliance installer would have the same policy. He did say, though, that we can connect it ourselves to the current line if we want to. Can someone explain to me what the issues are here? Is it really necessary for me to swap out my current gas line with something different in order to install a new dryer? <Q> Sounds like a liability issue. <S> If they hook it up and the line breaks or leaks, they can be held liable. <S> They probably want a gas flex line (something like this ) installed between the copper and appliance. <S> If I were you, I'd get a gasfitter out to have one installed and hook up the appliance (which means future deliverers will install it). <S> You don't want to be wrong on a gas line. <A> This started as a comment and got long. <S> I do agree the "real" reason is because the legal/governing bodies say so, <S> but there's also a defacto reason: <S> I just installed a water heater in an older home, and I had to replace the gas valve as well as the soft copper pipe because they no longer make any fittings for the old valve or copper that was there. <S> So, your copper might not have a fitting that is compatible with the dryer and you might not be able to find an adapter. <S> Now, I would have replaced the soft copper anyway because it wasn't a good fit <S> and I would have had to bend it more. <S> I didn't want to mess with a possible kink or stressed connection, but even if I wanted to use it, I'm not sure if I could have found the parts/fittings to make it happen. <A> Everyone did it this way <S> but after a few of the lines broke, came loose or just leaked due to a poor work ethic, most governing bodies said no to soft copper lines. <S> Now you have to use (buy) an approved gas connection line before any licensed contractor or service company will work on these units. <S> You can thank big brother. <A> The ICC Fuel Gas Code, doesn't forbid the use of copper gas lines. <S> And for that reason the jurisdiction I work for does not forbid it currently. <S> IFGC 403.4.3 Copper and brass. <S> Copper and brass pipe shall not be used if the gas contains more than an average of 0.3 grains of hydrogen sulfide per 100 standard cubic feet of gas (0.7 milligrams per 100 litres). <S> Threaded copper, brass and aluminum pipe shall not be used with gases corrosive to such materials. <S> However, our gas utility forbids it under all circumstances. <S> If they perform an inspection and find any kind copper line they will not provide service. <S> Doesn't matter if the house was built in the 1920s or it would a major inconvenience for you to replace. <S> It has to go and my City has no authority to demand you get such service. <S> I think the big reason the gas company doesn't like copper pipe is that it is soft enough you can drive a nail through it. <S> And depending on the installation practice of owner, it might not be easily identified between gas or water lines. <S> Another thing is that gas comes usually from various sources and therefore the quality of the source might not be uniform. <S> So some areas might have too much hydrogen sulfide in the gas, making it corrosive to the copper lines. <S> The installation tech doesn't know the quality of the gas line considering the potentially but perhaps minor risk that the gas quality is poor. <A> Agreeing with most of the comments : It is known that hydrogen sulfide corrodes copper , I believe there were traces of H2S in gas one hundred years ago, today there is "none". <S> Mercaptan odorant contains sulfur but it does not corrode ( although shyster lawyers file lawsuits on that basis). <S> So , legislators , being technically ignorant ,often outlaw copper for gas lines on the basis of what their grandfathers told them. <S> Bottom line , copper is safe but often against the law. <S> Copper is not subject to stress corrosion cracking in H2S. Ammonia ( in many house hold cleaners) will attack copper and brass. <S> With much the same reasoning galvanized steel is also often not permitted for gas ; black iron is the standard. <A> I just hooked up a new gas heater and dryer. <S> There were no issues before, and yes, my home was built in 1920, so, I purchased 2 ft. of flex line and hooked up both to the main gas. <S> I ran a test on everything and wala!... <S> no problems. <S> But, it's your decision. <A> The existing line is probably a thinner type "M" copper tube line that is used for water only. <S> It will work for NG and LP, but ii is not really made for a gas application. <S> The copper line needed for gasses application is "L" type copper tubing. <S> It is thicker walled and flexible.
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Some years ago, the use of flexible copper lines were frowned upon by all the gas line governing bodies. So as @Machavity pointed, out it is probably a liability issue.
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