Split (1)

train · 95.7k rows

source stringlengths 620 29.3k	target stringlengths 12 1.24k
2 White Neutral Wires But Need Only One I'm trying to install this new Smart Switch I purchased from Amazon . According to the instructions, I need a neutral connection. A short white neutral wire is included in a box as well. The next photo shows the current configuration with my old switch.As you can see, there are 2 black hot wires 1 copper ground wire AND 2 unused white neutral wires. I'm wondering if I can just randomly pick one of the two neutrals and directly connect it to the new switch. OR Do I need to use the short neutral that came with the new switch and do something with it (if so, specific instructions are appreciated) <Q> Do I need to use the short neutral that came with the new switch <S> Yes. <S> (if so, specific instructions are appreciated) <S> The best instructions you should follow are those of the manufacturor of that switch. <S> But generally here's what you do. <S> Remove the orange wire cap and add one end of the short neutral that came with the switch you bought. <S> (It's called a pigtail btw) <S> Take the two black wires out of the old switch, and use a volt meter to determine which one is live when the breaker is on. <S> Label <S> it line, or 'from panel' if you want to be extra nice. <S> Connect tha live black wire to the 'line' side of the smart switch. <S> Connect the dead black one to the 'load' side of the smart switch. <S> This diagram shows the general idea. <S> Ignore <S> the shape of the hole in the wall. <S> Also your switch doesn't have wires coming out of it it sounds, or you'd probably have a red one for the switched load. <A> Those neutrals aren't unused. <S> They complete the circuit that runs through the switch, through the load (light bulb), and back to the panel. <S> (The fact that this is news suggests that you should do some study of the basics of house wiring before you continue, for safety.) <S> Simply add your smart switch's neutral pigtail to those neutrals and use a larger nut (yellow, red, or tan). <A> If so, they will correspond with the advice presented in the other answers. <S> I bought some home automation switches (INSTEON) to install in my house. <S> Each came with an instruction sheet, so I would be surprised if yours did not. <S> Anyway... some key points: <S> Black wires are "hot" (120V) and lethal to touch exposed conductors when live White wires are the return path; they should be at zero volts, but I'd never assume they are safe to touch (can always become live due to faults or errors; that's why there is a ground wire) <S> The "simple" switch only needs to interrupt the "hot" side to control the light; that's why the white wires are joined directly. <S> The box in which the switch is housed is "on the way" to the light for both sides of the circuit. <S> The smart switch needs to be powered, so it needs a neutral (white) connection. <S> All together, the smart switch should have 4 terminals: <S> "hot" supply (incoming black wire, which by the way powers the device), "hot" switched (controls the load, the other black wire), neutral (completes the circuit needed to power the smart switch), and ground (for safety; normally carries no current). <S> All the white wires get pigtailed together, all grounds get connected together (and to the metal box). <S> If all this is new/unfamiliar, best to get some expert help.	Connect the other end of that pigtail to the neutral terminal of the smart switch. Detailed, illustrated instructions should have been included with the device. It isn't rocket science, but you have to know what you're doing.
Why does my food truck trip GFCI outlets only when a grounded cord is used? I have a food truck with a 60 amp service installed. When I plug into a GFCI with an ungrounded cord it works fine. But when I plug into GFCI with grounded plug it trips immediately. Please help. <Q> GFCI's work by measuring the current going out on the hot wire and the current coming back on the neutral. <S> If there is more than ~5ma of current difference they trip. <S> If it trips with just the cord with nothing attached to it, then the cord seems to be the problem and you should try another cord. <S> If a piece of a equipment has a ground fault problem and is leaking current to the ground wire, then a two wire cord continues to work, while a three wire cord allows the current to leak to ground and trips the GFCI. <S> This is a dangerous situation and should be corrected immediately. <S> That is the purpose of the GFCI. <S> It tells you when your equipment has a problem. <S> Repair it now. <S> Good luck! <A> Tripping with the ground present, but not tripping when it's absent, means there is a hot-ground fault or neutral-ground fault within the wiring and appliances. <S> Turn all the breakers off and plug it in. <S> See what happens. <S> If it trips immediately, you have a neutral-ground bond somewhere on the truck. <S> I'd start looking at the service panel, because most panels come default configured as a "main panel", with neutral and ground intentionally bonded. <S> If you are downstream of a GFCI you must operate in the mode of a "sub-panel" with neutral and ground scrupulously separated. <S> If there's no neutral-ground bond, and breakers off, and it still fails, then lift all your neutrals off your neutral bar. <S> It must surely clear at that point <S> (or it's still in the panel somewhere). <S> Re-add neutrals one at a time until you find the culprit. <S> (still is, technically, but it's bad.) <S> OK. <S> If it doesn't trip with all the neutrals attached, start throwing hots on one at a time, and powering up everything on that circuit. <S> This is more of that "process of elimination". <S> As Sigmund Freud once said , sometimes a ground-fault-detector trip is actually a ground fault. <S> There is such a thing as defective appliances; that's the whole point of using GFCI detectors. <S> Usually commercial grade appliances are repairable, and often a plain old teardown/cleaning will suffice. <A> That means that somewhere on your truck, neutral (or worse, hot!) is connecting to ground. <S> That means that a patron could get injured if they touch your truck! <S> Add a picture of the 60-amp service panel with the cover off to be more clear. <S> But I suspect the two are bonded together in there, and you need to disconnect the bonding strap in the panel. <S> Bonding ground to neutral should only be done at the facility's main service panel, or in your generator.	It could be that someone "helpfully" bonded neutral to ground in a junction box or at an appliance; that once was the official way to wire ranges and dryers. So, if it does not trip when you use the 2 wire cord and then trips with a grounded cord, that tells me your equipment or cord has a problem.
Can I use a 15w LED bulb in a fixture that says max 40w incandescent or 11w CFL? I picked up a light fixture at a reuse store and it says max 40w incandescent or 11w CFL. It doesn't say anything about LEDs. Thoughts? <Q> I would be willing to bet you are all set. <S> but, err on the side of caution, and do not exceed the 11W for the base of the socket. <S> CFL's generate a lot of heat in the base, so its a better measure of that socket's rating to compare the heat the LED bulb generates to that fixture. <S> An incandescent generates most heat at the filament, which is not centrally located in the base of the bulb, unlike a CFL. <S> This is why you see many cooked CFL's. <S> Here is a comparison chart to relay the idea (thanks Google and Milwaukee): <S> Another goodie from Google: <A> Two issues Can the fixture handle the heat? <S> With all lights now on the market, quite close to 100% of the energy turns into heat. <S> That means essentially we can assume the actual-watt rating of the bulb equates to its heat output. <S> The fixture is rated to handle the heat of a 40W bulb. <S> So it will not be damaged if the CFL/LED is less than 40 watts. <S> Can the bulb handle the heat enclosed in the fixture? <S> This varies wildly, because it's all about how air moves through the fixture. <S> While an incandescent works great inside an oven, CFLs and LEDs both dislike excessive heat. <S> So it's a question of how well heat can leave the fixture, or alternately, how well air moves through the fixture... and that varies wildly depending on fixture design. <S> It's pretty much a matter of trial and error. <S> It helps a lot to use quality screw-in LED "bulbs" with well-built power supplies and overbuilt heat sinks -- as opposed to the built-for-price cheapies often found in the big box and dollar stores. <A> 40 Watts is the amount of Power that the fixture can handle! <S> So to be clear on my answer here : The 40W -11W CFL are generalizations to equate heat , but that is really not what those numbers represent.. <S> It is a generalization because of the amount of heat dissipated - this is the real concern for your light socket and generally any LED <S> you are going to put into that socket should be using less than 10 Watts - most likely around a 5 Watt LED (40 Watt Equivalent) to a 10 Watt LED (100W equivalent). <S> It would not be advisable to install a 100Watt equivalent .. <S> a decent 60 Watt equivalent (800 lumens) should use about 6 to 8 watts max. <S> The heat dissipated depending on brand may vary greatly .. also your lamp enclosure itself may dictate a different bulb. <S> Unlike Incandescent bulbs; LEDs should not be enclosed because of their requirement to dissipate heat. <S> https://spectrum.ieee.org/tech-talk/semiconductors/devices/cree-loses-heat-sink-to-engineer-cheaper-led-bulb	You can put anything in that socket that uses LESS than 40 Watts - so long as the heat of the unit does not exceed that of a 40 Watt Incandescent- if it says 11W CFL - 11W CFL is the rough equivalent wattage required to get the same level of light output as a 40 Watt incandescent bulb and you can be assured the heat of the unit in the fixture will be in that range as well.
Is it ok to use a ground rod at a subpanel instead of a fourth wire? I understand running the neutral wire back to the main service panel and not bonding the subpanel... but running the equipment ground back to the main panel seems to get conflicting answers. If code requires it, then I'm assuming it's because the main panel should be adequately grounded but is it against code to also install a ground rod at the subpanel just to be safe? If the subpanel is mounted to a metal stake or metal building wouldn't it be grounded anyway? Talking to different so-called experts some say on a long run to a subpanel just install a ground rod at that location and save the cost of a fourth wire . <Q> To make this easier, consider the grounding conductor (the ground wire) as a backup neutral. <S> It's not used unless a ground fault occurs, in which case it's only purpose is to provide a path back to the source so that a protective device will trip. <S> (breaker, fuse, etc.) <S> Your grounding electrode system on the other hand, the ground rod here, is only used for over-voltages on the line such as static or potentially lightning. <S> Although we bond the grounding system, they serve two different purposes. <S> So for your first question: no, it is not against code to install a ground rod at the subpanel. <S> It is actually required by code. <S> NEC 2014 - 250.32(A) Grounding Electrode. <S> Building(s) or structure(s) <S> suppliedby feeder(s) <S> or branch circuit(s) shall have a groundingelectrode or grounding electrode system installed inaccordance with Part III of Article 250. <S> The groundingelectrode conductor(s) shall be connected in accordancewith 250.32(B) or (C). <S> Where there is <S> no existing groundingelectrode, the grounding electrode(s) required in 250.50shall be installed. <S> The only exception to that being that if you were only running a single circuit (or multiwire branch circuit) with a ground wire, then you would not need an electrode system. <S> Now on to your next question on if a metal stake/metal building works as an electrode: yes and no. <S> There are a few conditions were these could apply, but they do have to have direct contact to the ground (the earth itself, the dirt or concrete below). <S> Check out 250.52 (NEC 2014) for the list of electrodes that can be used. <S> Lastly, all new feeders to outbuildings must contain a ground wire. <S> However, modifications to existing 3-wire systems do not require the pulling of a new ground wire as long as it fits a few requirements for the exception; as seen in 250.32(B) <S> (NEC 2014) <A> So you want to stick a rod in the ground, and use that as a ground instead of the ground wire . <S> Let's see how that works. <S> Electric current travels in loops, and we are concerned with two separate loops. <S> First, natural electricity (lightning and ESD) - <S> it's sourced from the earth, and wants to return to the earth. <S> Ground rods are great for this. <S> Second, human-made electricity (mains power). <S> This is sourced from the generating plant, or in the local loop from the transformer. <S> Since it's an artificial source, it wants to return to that source - not the earth . <S> For that, you need a ground wire back to source (the service panel). <S> Ok, so without a return ground wire, what happens when a light or tool develops a hard short from hot to ground? <S> It should draw about 300 amps and magnetic-trip the breaker. <S> so let's follow the amps. <S> through the local grounding system to the shed's ground rod into dirt ??? <S> ?? <S> Needless to say, if dirt could carry 300A, we wouldn't use wires! <S> So the dirt will be unable to return the large fault current. <S> As a result, the grounding system floats up to 120V. <S> The next guy to touch a switchplate gets nailed. <S> The ground rod lets you do more <S> I really don't like the idea of an outdoor subpanel without a local ground rod. <S> It's local for a reason, and that reason doesn't go away without a structure there. <S> For what it's worth, however, you can put a lot more power up that expensive wire. <S> There would be no trouble provisioning a 240V/50A, 240V/100A or 240V/125A panel up there on those same wires... especially if you already have 480V, 575V or 600V in the building. <S> Come on back and ask if you ever get to the point of needing that. <A> YOU NEED THE 4TH WIRE OR RISK ELECTROCUTION. <S> The supplementary ground (ground rod) must connect to the equipment ground terminal bar that is installed in the subpanel. <S> If someone is telling you that you "don't need the 4th wire" see #1 (above).	If you install the 4th wire (as you are supposed to), then it is also permissible to install a ground rod at the subpanel. Previously they were not required, but this is no longer legal or up to code for new installations.
How can I hide an HVAC line on the blank face of house with a chimney? We have an exterior HVAC line running up the center of an exterior wall to a second floor unit. The face in question is the side of a colonial style, and has a two story chimney with a taper at the top of the first story. Currently the line is only protected by an ugly galvanized steel cover. These are the only two features on this face of the house, with the chimney about one third of the way from the rear of the house, and the HVAC line approximately dead center. There is no eave overhang on the side, and the line only runs to the top of the second floor, not all the way to the roof. We are re-siding the house with Hardie Board (cement board), a slightly expensive job. The contractor recommends (and I agree) that putting the HVAC line back inside the walls is a bad idea, since any HVAC repairs would require tearing off siding (brand new, and expensive), or putting on an exterior cover (ugly). The current plan is to frame out an exterior chase (there is no interior chase from crawlspace to attic), and run the lines in there. While it's the best plan I've heard of yet, I'm not a fan of some random column of siding running up the outside off the house. We discussed running the chase along the chimney, but the jog at the top of the first floor will make that weird, plus require HVAC line relocation. Are there any ways to "hide" the exterior HVAC line, or to camouflage the exterior chase so that it doesn't look likely an out-of-place mistake that will lower appeal? I'm open to literally any ideas, but can say that we've already ruled out building an internal chase (too complicated/expensive). For reference, this is a nice-ish house built in the 70's/80's, in a decent part of town - there are no historical or aesthetic restrictions, just an upper-middle-class house that were trying to take good care of. <Q> If I had to do it all over again, I would have had the line run over to the corner of the house, up the edge by the downspout, and into the attic near the edge of the soffit (finishing the line run in the interior). <S> This would have better camouflaged the cover, as it does look incredibly similar to a downspout, but is rated to carry HVAC line. <A> There isn’t any reason not to run it inside the wall. <S> Just pressure test the lines for a few days for leaks. <S> Alternatively you could frame out a soffit on the outside of the building and cover it with the same siding as the rest of the house, trim it and paint it. <A> There are adjustable plastic covers that pop on and won't fall off and are profession grade; some are even paintable.	We ended up having the line rerouted to beside the chimney and will use a line-set cover to disguise the run and make it look similar to a downspout. If it holds it will hold for as long as you are alive providing you don’t put a nail through it.
Depth of 4X4 Fence Post? I would like to repair a Florida wooden fence similar to: Is there a rule of thumb (ratio) for the amount of post exposed to the amount buried underground? Home Depot has the option for 8,10 & 12 foot posts . <Q> I always have used 2' underground so use an 8' post for a 6' fence. <S> I don't know if this would be adequate for a taller fence, but it would probably do at least for an 8' fence. <S> Once while replacing termite eaten cedar 4x4" posts I encountered a soft limestone 14" <S> or so below ground. <S> I dug 4" or 6" deep into the limestone with a steel digging bar and stopped. <S> I put in the post and then cut 6" or 4" off the top. <A> General rule of thumb is 1/3 <S> the post should be below grade. <S> 4' fence = 2' in the ground 6' fence = 3' in the ground <S> But it's just a rule of thumb. <A> This also depends on if you have a frost line. <S> If you do, as in NJ, then your 6' post needs 3' underground for a total of 9'. <S> Trim the excess from the top to level the post. <S> Also, no need for concrete. <S> It just hastens rot due to trapped water. <S> Gravel allows drainage and tight fit. <S> The spruce rails will rot (if untreated) faster than the posts or pickets.	If you have a 6' fence with an open panel design (ie, not solid) then 2' in the ground is likely just fine.
Hiding Ugly HVAC Outdoor Venting and Intake I have 3 HVAC pipes coming out of my house, by my entrance that are eye sores. One set (intake/exhaust) is for my furnace and the largest one is an exhaust for my hot water tank. They are directly beside my side entrance and I need a solution to hide them. I would like to build a vented wooden box to place plants on top to cover the pipes, but I understand that the pipes need a certain clearance to vent and take in fresh air. Is it possible to build a box with 1 inch slats or is that not enough? Any suggestions would be appreciated. I have attached a picture of the pipes, along with a rough idea of the flower box. <Q> You will want to construct some form of baffle to keep separate the air flow from the exhaust/intake/exhaust. <S> An indication of that consideration is clear in the orientation of the elbows currently attached. <S> Consider also to measure the diameters of the pipes involved, specifically at the elbows. <S> Area equals pi times the radius squared. <S> For the portion of the box baffled to each elbow, note the area calculated and compare it to the open area available to the box. <S> Just a dinner napkin guess here, but it would seem likely that your left-most elbow will have a smaller area than the gap below the planter's left side, between the feet. <S> It is smarter to measure and compare, however. <S> Depending on your final design, you may be able to direct the exhaust gaps above the intake gaps, allowing for lower cooler air to avoid the rising exhaust gas, especially if there is sufficient separation. <S> The drawing is mediocre, but may provide some assistance in understanding my suggestion. <S> Even a thin plastic sheet material wedged between the pipes will direct and separate air flow to ensure that the intake does not pull in exhausted air. <S> If the exhausts are the pair at the right, you may get away with only the left most divider, as I doubt there would be any exhaust from one pipe forced into the other. <A> There is nothing in the installation manual against it however there are a few concise rations. <S> If the gasses aren’t allowed to exit freely it may cause intermittent problems for the appliances. <S> Shutting off or not starting. <S> Usually when it is really cold or really windy. <S> The gases are very moist and acidic and will likely make a mess of things if not allowed to vent freely. <S> You could build your box and cut round holes to run your pipes through and terminate them with something like <S> Trane P/N BAYVANT200B. <A> The reason you have the pipes like that is due to codes that dictate they be so many inches above ground level. <S> We have ours coming out from the wall without the extensions like you have and after I built the garden up a bit with mulch and moved plants I didn't know I'd created a violation. <S> Water heater guy came to check on our leaky heater and told us he could shut down our furnace if we didn't do something. <S> This was in the winter <S> so we just dug back the garden. <S> I'm trying to look up measurements now to see how much space is needed and to reconfigure things. <S> So Don't build a tall planter box as I think it would be deemed an obstruction. <S> How about laying some nice rock/gravel down to code level? <S> I think I see. <S> Maybe not as extravagant as this, but an idea http://www.plowhearth.com/hanging-tree-trellis-with-pot-holders.htm	Take into consideration how easily the gaps you will create in the planter box could be restricted by plant growth or other debris and also if the box is exposed to prevailing winds that may push the exhaust back into the area of the intake. Different sides of the box for each inlet/outlet gap may be useful, as well. Add a trellis that holds pots as a distraction, leaving access to your electrical plugs
How much wooded land should be cleared around a new home site? I'm planning to build in a wooded lot, and want to leave as much woods as possible. What is the minimum buffer that is required or recommended to allow around the home's footprint, taking into account tree fall risk, fire risk, needs for construction equipment and workmen around the house, etc? Are there any official recommendations or best practices for this? <Q> In California, if you build in the "wildland interface", wildfire risk drives the clearance requirement of 100'. <S> The following quote is from the CalFire web page: <S> Protecting a building from wildfire takes a two-pronged approach: <S> Remove flammable materials from around the building; Construct the building of fire resistant material. <A> That's a wildly local question that totally depends on local threat conditions <S> the construction method of your home <S> As such, it needs to be run by your building inspectors, your fire marshals, and the California Department of Forestry (CalFire). <S> Or your state's equivalent. <S> If you just want to build a stick house, then you'll probably have to do like everyone else in your community. <S> However a variety of alternative constructions are in your best interest, <S> double especially if you live in the firelands. <S> So for instance an earth-sheltered home, of heavy concrete construction with an earthen roof, that house has a completely different threat matrix regarding falling trees and wildfire. <S> It could be designed <S> so the wildfire plan is to dozer some earth over the windows, evac, and let the fire roll right over the place. <S> The art of it is to respect where you are and build accordingly. <S> Like in Houston, all those 2-floor buildings that still had power -- the electric service was built expecting the first floor to flood. <A> The biggest mistake I made building my house in East TX was not removing nearly all pines and sweetgum and oaks. <S> I can still hear the "land man" saying " You're not going to want to keep those pines" ; me ,"oh, yes". <S> Big ( 100 ft) mistakes. <S> I have recently had 4 expensive trees cut down and am hoping the 8 other close pines don't fall on the house . <S> Likely they would fall to the foundation. <S> If you are talking cute little 40 ft trees, I would cut back at least 10 feet from the house to permit construction access. <S> Also, the remaining trees will "fill-in" the hole in the canopy in a couple years. <S> My house can not be seen in the Google Earth photos ; Neighbor houses are there but mine is just a patch of forest.	The law requires that homeowners do fuel modification to 100 feet (or the property line) around their buildings to create a defensible space for firefighters and to protect their homes from wildfires.
Is voltage on the ground conductor a sign of short circuit? When we touch the ground wire(!) on some of our power outlets, the tester lights up. Not as bright as when touching the live wire and the circuit breaker doesn't tip, but there is definitely "something". On the search for the potential cause, we opened up a few walls and found the following phenomenon: The copper wires in one of the distribution thingies are discolored. All three wire strands are affected. Is that an indicator of arching? Are we getting close to the culprit? Or is there another problem present? <Q> I am not sure where you live, but I have never seen that particular type of conductor connector. <S> In answer to your first question you probably don't have a short circuit. <S> If you did you wold have your overcurrent protection tripping or blowing if it was a fuse. <S> In answer to your last question, yes you have a problem with the splices. <S> I appears they are not making a good mechanical or electrical connection. <S> This is causing a fluctuation in your normal current flow. <S> You need to go through you residence and clean and replace as many of these as you can find. <S> I would use a standard wire nut. <A> When we touch the ground wire <S> (!) <S> on some of our power outlets, the tester lights up <S> That might be because you are using the cheapest (€1?) kind of tester - a screwdriver with a metal cap you have to touch. <S> Consider using a better sort of voltage tester that you can obtain relatively cheaply ( <S> €10?). <S> and the circuit breaker doesn't [trip] <S> A Circuit breaker only trips for high currents, those voltage testers only pass tiny currents (otherwise you'd be too dead to post a question here). <S> Worst case is the earth wires are live and not properly connected to ground at the main distribution panel. <S> A better voltage tester would help you to establish the facts. <S> The copper wires in one of the distribution thingies ... <S> > <S> A more usual name for those "distribution thingies" is "screw-terminal" "connector-block" or some variation. <S> ... <S> are discolored ... <S> Is that an indicator of [arcing]? <S> In my (limited) experience, arcing usually produces much more pitting and blackening than is visible in your photo. <S> This discoloration could be a sign of overheating - though the plastic nearby seems unaffected. <S> However there should be no current flowing through the earth wires. <S> That should only happen very briefly in a fault condition that quickly ends with the panel saving your house from burning down by tripping a breaker. <S> Usually, overheating is caused by not screwing down the connector tight enough. <S> Tightening the connectors ought to be sufficient - though I'd remove them and check for corrosion in the contact area. <S> As a precaution you could replace the connectors with new ones of the same type and clip off the discoloured parts of the wires, re-trim the insulation to a suitable length and reconnect tightly. <S> I don't know what might have caused that in your photo. <A> This sounds like a ground loop and can happen if, for example, if you bridge the earth potential from different floors of one building or in some cases between buildings, for example with a LAN cable. <S> The term for what is happening is stray voltage and can cause discoloration / corrosion of your wiring and potentially lead to a fire. <S> Immediately get high quality surge protectors for your expensive electronic equipment, try and track down the cause of the ground loop and <S> if nothing turns up get a professional to look at your breaker box. <A> 1 <S> > <S> If not already present Install a differential breaker (aka RCD) just after the meter -> <S> it breaks with 30mA current leak 2> check if ground is good (use a multimetre and see if you have voltage between heater / metal pipe and live and heater and ground) <S> Anyway if the differential doesn't trip, it's not a leaking current.	If your earth wires were really live, you'd be right to expect the circuit breakers to have tripped. From what I can see is that your splices are failing. A blue or blue-green colour can also be caused by some kinds of copper corrosion.
Any ideas on how to remove the back part of this fire surround? I’m really struggling to remove the back part of my fireplace. It’s made of marble and stuck onto the wall, which is made of plasterboard as far as I can tell. It seems like it’s stuck on with a type of adhesive which are placed in big blobs in the corners and middle. It’s quite rubbery / pliable. I’ve tried using a chisel and a hammer, which isn’t making much progress. I’ve also tried sawing through, but that doesn’t really work either. I’m a little worried that I’ll end up ripping big chunks out of the plasterboard. Any advice would be welcome, photos below. Fire Surround Adhesive <Q> Try piano wire or mason's line (string) in a sawing motion. <S> (Partner helps for this. <S> So does tying a loop and putting a handhold in it, as the pressure you'll need usually hurts bare hands.) <S> Sadly, you're apt to have to patch the drywall in the end... <S> maybe just a little less if you get lucky. <A> Big blobs of rubbery/pliable adhesive makes me think "silicone", because other types of adhesive generally cure/dry and get hard. <S> Unfortunately, the only way to break the bond would be by slicing through it or mechanically tearing it free. <S> Slicing it would require a long straight thin blade, like a long fillet knife or sharp machete. <S> Then you would still be faced with the task of scraping it from the wallboard, which would likely cause some damage that you would need to repair. <S> Tearing it loose would probably cause damage to the wallboard like you fear it would. <S> If it were me, I would probably start at the top and try to slice through the glue while gently pulling/prying the marble outward, working my way down and slicing the glue as best as possible, tearing it away in spots I could not reach to slice. <S> Either way, I think you should prepare yourself for the inevitable wall repair. <A> There is no way to remove a rubbery adhesive from the surface of drywall without removing some of the drywall surface. <S> One problem you face is that some adhesive is fairly far from the edge of the face panel. <S> that will let you get far behind the face panel. <S> You need help or bracing to prevent the panel from falling as the last of the adhesive is cut. <S> After the panel is off, remove the remaining adhesive (and inevitably some of the face paper of the drywall), and patch the drywall with drywall compound or setting compound. <S> Sand smooth and paint. <S> It's not as hard as it sounds. <S> Images and links for illustration only, not an endorsement of goods or sources	Basically, you need to cut through the adhesive, remove the surface material, and then remove the remaining adhesive. You might consider investing in a Japanese style flexible pull saw (sometimes sold as a flush cut saw)
Can I run a ground wire along the outside of conduit? I have a sub panel on back of house. From main in garage is three wire. 2 hot one neutral. NO GROUND WIRE. Sub has a single bar used as neutral and grounds. Its bonded to case (Screw in). I will add a ground only bar, a ground to earth rod and wire them together. I cannot get the snake all the way through the conduit to pull a ground wire. Can I run a separate ground wire alongside the conduit to the sub? =========================================================================== Update/clarifications: Thank you Speters. ArchonOSX, I understand there should be a common ground back to the main, I do not have that. Currently (pre-existing), I have a 3wire 50 amp gfci breaker for a spa in this SUB. Its the only circuit. I was advised to Isolate the neutral bar and add a ground bar, bonding it to earth; Where new circuits utilize the ground bar. In this config would I be protected and no SUB/main panel metal become energized if a short occurred? <Q> Absolutely, you can run a separate ground - they have allowed this for a long time and have recently liberalized the rules on retrofitting grounds to practically everything else. <S> So if you have other outlets that could also use a ground, food for thought. <S> They do need to be thick enough for their purpose. <S> Also, other circuits can share a ground wire, as long as they originate from the same panel. <S> Should you do it? <S> Absolutely! <S> The problem is, right now you have the NEMA 10 problem. <S> Now, if ground is also the same wire (like in NEMA 10), it too will be pulled up toward 120V - and now things which are supposed to be grounded will instead shock you! <S> Including switch plate screws, metal chassis of equipment, and of course, the metal chassis of your subpanel, which you will be opening directly when you realize there's a problem. <S> Touch that and a water pipe, and blammo! <A> Ground rods do NOT effectively protect people from shock and are NOT installed for that purpose - they effectively ground the distribution system to protect from transients etc. <S> Bonding protects people from shock by not allowing metal parts to become energized and above ground potential for long after a fault takes place. <S> Yes, you can add an external bonding wire back to the panel. <S> Connection if bonding ground to the distribution system neutral should take place in ONLY one place - the main disconnect location. <S> Everywhere else neutral and ground should be separated. <A> Yes, you can run an external equipment ground wire. <S> But my question is.... <S> why do you want to? <S> If the sub-panel was installed years ago under a previous Code then it is grandfathered and does not need to be updated. <S> If it ain't broke don't fix it. <S> Good luck!	The grounds do not need to follow the same route as the original wiring. Normally if a neutral wire breaks, the neutral wire is pulled up toward 120V because power has nowhere to return, but we don't care because the grounding system still protects us. BONDING is for connecting ALL metal parts together to form a return path in case any fault takes place and allows the fault to clear by tripping the breaker.
Should the meter base be installed before chink siding in new construction? I'm planning to do my own electrical for a new house that will have pine chink siding. Should I: A. Install the meter base on the OSB sheathing, and flash the Tyvek around it? B. Install the meter base on the sheathing over the Tyvek? C. Wait until the pine chink siding is fully installed and put the meter base over that? (there will be gaps behind the meter though, do to the elevation changes in chink siding). D. Install some kind of board over the OSB, screwed through the sheathing to the studs and then attach the meter to that? If so, how should it be flashed? <Q> Should the meter base be installed before chink siding in new construction? <S> Yes. <S> B. Install the meter base on the sheathing over the Tyvek? <A> As other's commented, there are down sides to installing meter box on the siding. <S> I had Hardie plank siding installed a few years ago, and if read all their fine print, they don't like extra penetrations that the attachment screws/nails would cause.tl:dr <S> The installer put all external box and fixtures on cut PVC bases and flashed over the top to the tyvek. <S> The siding butts to those. <A> I disagree with Billy C. <S> I would install the chink siding first, and then attach the electrical box to the wall through the siding. <S> If you install the meter box first, imagine what the water that runs down the siding above the meter will do once it reaches the meter. <S> Half will run out and over the front of the meter, and the other half will run back and behind the meter and reach the house wrap. <S> Now that water on the house wrap will either find it's way into the wall assembly at worst, or best make the back of the chink siding wet underneath the meter. <S> It's dangerous to temp that in with stakes in the ground, it's another trip for the electrician, it's in the way for final grading and anyone working in that area. <S> Siding is literally the second to last thing you do outside when building a house, with laying a driveway as the last thing. <S> It simply makes the most practical sense to install it on the sheathing after the house wrap like Billy C said, but it's not the best way to prevent water intrusion which is what I think you're asking. <S> Millions of homes have it installed both ways and don't have problems with it.	The reason all electricians will tell you to install the meter first is because it's not practical to temporarily install 200 amp service to a house and wait to install the meter once the siding is installed. Interior electrical work is already started after the shingles are put on. Either way you choose to do it, you'll be fine.
Electrical shock when touching the water faucet in the shower Yesterday when I took a shower, I got a pretty bad jolt of electricity in my arm when I was done showering, and was about to switch off the water faucet. I immediately jumped out of the shower, grabbed a flashlight and shut off the main fuse. Grabbed a piece of insulated pliers, and managed to close the faucet without another shock. The day after, I got a hold of the landlord to tell him about this issue. I borrowed a multimeter from him to check the faucet again today. I connected the ground cable of the multimeter to a ground pin in an outlet, and probed the faucet: And sure enough, it's live! However, the voltage is not constant. It seems to oscillate between 100mV and 82V, in a sort of random phase-pattern. Next, I tried to disconnect the fuse for the water heater and probed again. It's still live and nothing different. So I then tried to disconnect the fuse for the bathroom as well: And it's still live! (I didn't try with main fuse off, sorry, The landlord had to run and I had to return the multimeter before I could finish) So here is my question: What could this be? Is there a bad ground connection somewhere, or a leak somewhere to a neutral connection in the pipes? Why is there still voltage on it despite the fuse being shut off? I live in Norway, So the mains voltage is around 230-240V @50Hz. The house is roughly 30 years old, and the electricity and plumbing system appears to be well maintained. I am somewhat familiar with electricity and how it works, however, I am no professional. So I won't try to diagnose this issue too deeply unless the clues I give here tell some of you something that could be obvious and potentially easy to fix. I was shocked so badly I had to go to the emergency room an hour later because I still felt pain in my arm. I was released roughly an hour later, with no diagnosis. My arm is fine today. I am showering at my mother's house until the problem is rectified. Update: The landlord just called me and informed me that an electrician will come tomorrow to look at this problem. I will post an answer with the update on what caused this as soon as I know. <Q> I will bet that your equipotential bond on the water pipes has degraded or even fallen off. <S> I'm in Australia <S> so things may be a little different in Norway, but typically the earth terminals in your outlets will be wired directly to the earth stake (the main earth of the installation). <S> If you have metallic water pipes (which I'm guessing you do based on the issue you have) they need to have an equipotential bond to make the pipes the same potential (the same voltage) as the main earth point. <S> If there is no bond then circulating currents in the earth can cause voltages to develop in your water pipes. <S> These currents can come from overhead powerlines or the neighbours house. <S> The reason for the alternating between 100mV and 82V would be that the source of the current is not operating 100% of the time. <S> You've done the right thing by changing where you shower until the issue is rectified. <S> Electricity is not something to gamble with. <A> I forgot to update this after the electrician visited and I'm terribly sorry, so here is what happened: <S> The fault was caused by a neighbor two houses down the street. <S> He had wired a ground and a neutral wire together in an outlet that he installed himself. <S> Causing voltage to leak over the ground wire. <S> It is illegal to wire outlets yourself in Norway if you're not a certified electrician (and probably a lot of other places as well). <S> The electrician said I was lucky to escape without any injury or complications. <S> The person who did that wiring was clearly not an electrician, and was fined accordingly. <S> Apparently I wasn't the only person who had noticed the problem. <S> Another neighbor in the neighborhood had also complained. <A> We talk about boot leg grounds regularly on this site where some one tied the neutral and ground together in an outlet thinking that would be ok or an old 3wire oven. <S> All the faucets in your apartment may have the same problem but water breaks down your skin resistance <S> so you get shocked at lower voltage levels, you may not feel a shock when wearing socks because the cloth insulates you from ground. <S> I remember getting shocked from the toaster as a kid when barefoot at my grandmother's home <S> , she pulled the plug and turned it over <S> it was old non polarized 2 wire outlets but with socks on I did not get shocked <S> I experimented quite a bit with this and may have been the thing that got me interested in elecricity. <S> So it could be several things a bad connection to earth ground as someone else said <S> but then I would expect more people to experiance to be getting shocked in the building. <S> It could be a heating element in the water heater but pipes are usually bonded to ground. <S> If a boot leg ground or appliance it may be difficult to find unless each breaker is turned off until the voltage is gone then track down that circuit for the items connected until the fault is found. <S> Added I did think of another issue I have seen in the last few years in one <S> are <S> all the water mains were changed from metallic to plastic, during this upgrade several home supplys from the meter to the home also were changed, when these homes were built that was the only grounding method so now those homes had no ground initially <S> I did 2 homes driving 2 rods and connecting to there main panel, later I dropped flyers offering to update the houses as I had to the 2 <S> , I think I had 20+ home owners have the upgrade. <S> How many more homes out there have this same potential hazard because of plumbing changes?	As others have mentioned the fault could be coming from an appliance in your unit or another.
Can I install a switch on my overhead door opener's circuit for added security? Garage doors in our neighborhood are being opened by a master code. Can an electrician wire the light switch to shut off power to the garage, so the door doesn't open at night or when we are away? I have seen the locks you can install on the door itself. <Q> Yes, a switch that shuts off power to the garage door opener would make it unresponsive to commands from a remote (or anything else, such as a hardwired button). <S> In some models, it may be possible to wire a separate switch to disable only the remote receiver while maintaining the functionality of wired buttons. <S> You may also look into setting a new code for your opener - this may not help but you should at least ensure the current setting isn't simply the factory default. <S> These are wired like a button control, but come with their own remote receiver and transmitters. <S> An electrician or garage door specialist should be able to help you with these. <A> After disengaging from the motor, most garage doors have a sliding lock. <S> Disengage, and lock. <S> You cannot open the door now. <A> I think you're better off with something that prevents the door from opening by blocking the wheels in the track or throws a bolt from the door through the track. <S> But then also opens itself automatically. <S> Something like this: https://www.surelock4homes.com/ or https://www.liftmaster.com/for-homes/autolock <S> But you have to make sure the default codes won't open your door or else the locks will be triggered to open. <S> Combining one of these with a power cutoff seems like a really secure solution. <S> What about unplugging the opener?? <A> Most garage doors that I've seen have a pull string to disconnect the motor from the door (it disconnects a tab from the chain). <S> You could pull it at night and engage it again when you needed it. <S> Edit: This would required the mentioned door lock be used. <A> A WiFi-Controlled Socket... ...may be just the ticket. <S> If you have WiFi in your home that covers your garage area, you could use a device such as this or this . <S> Either would allow you to turn on/off the socket into which your door opener was plugged, thereby securing your door opener. <S> They both support a full 15A load, so you shouldn't have any issueswith that. <S> They both can interface with Amazon Alexa, as well as anyiOS/Android device, so you could enable/disable it with your phonefrom your driveway whenever you arrive/leave, or from your Echo viavoice command when you get/leave home. <S> At least one of them also interfaces with Nest thermostats, so if you use those, you could have it automatically enable/disable your door opener automatically as well ( <S> if it sensed you were away, it could turn off the door opener socket, for instance.)	Another option, aside from replacing the whole opener with a new model that is more secure, might be to get an aftermarket remote kit and replace the built-in remote system.
Why does a furnace need a fuse? Rural USA. We just had a gas furnace installed. The new furnace has a 1-gang junction box with a switch and a fuse . It's the 21st century, here, I swear. And not England. The furnace circuit is tip-top. It's punched down into a modern service panel with perfectly typical 15A breaker, and if it needed something special, that really wouldn't be a problem. So why does the furnace also need a fuse? <Q> You have an electrical connection to the Furnace - even if it is gas. <S> Blower motors and control circuits require electricity; should you have a short - you will need the overload protection to prevent a fire that only a pyromaniac could enjoy. <S> The fuse is most likely of a lower amperage than your Circuit Breaker - it guarantees the safety of the furnace - regardless of your Circuit Breaker. <S> Think on this <S> Why do Microwave Ovens have Fuses in them or other appliances such as TV's <S> have fuses in them when we have these wonderful circuit breakers installed? <S> In Summary: The consuming unit may not trip the breaker, and if not a fire could easily erupt first before that breaker ever went into overload. <A> Newer furnaces might not need an SSU if they have internal motor overload protection. <S> The fuse is sized to protect the blower motor from overload. <S> It should be about a 3 amp fuse. <S> The 20 amp breaker is there to protect the conductors from ground fault and short circuits. <S> The breaker alone would allow the motor to overheat and burn up if a bearing jammed. <A> You also need a fuse to protect the hot surface ignitor in case it attempts to ignite a non-existent gas flow. <S> I've blown mine twice in the fourteen years we've owned this house, and in both cases it was when the furnace was turned on while the gas was turned off. <A> Not entirely sure where the fuse is you are talking about. <S> Most new furnaces have a 3-5 amp fuse on the low voltage side to protect the circuit board and transformer from a possible short or overload. <S> Also if a thermostat wire were to ground on the cabinet it would save the electronics. <A> I'm not American (nor British), anyway I still like to have fuses on expensive appliances 'just in case main breaker fails'. <S> Or, if on a bigger circuit, to limit the ampacity available to the specific appliance (eg: all my thermostats valves have a 1A fuse, and are connected to 10A light circuit). <S> So in case of failure (that once occurred me) I have just to replace a few cent fuse and not a thousand Euro thermostat with its thermo-electric actuator, Also fuses usually can break bugger currents than 'standard' switch-like breakers. <S> So if a 10kA failure occurs (AKA short circuit) it's more probable <S> a fuse will fuse than a standard breaker will trip because standard breaker cannot extinguish the arc well as a old-style fuse.	If someone were to put too many accessories on the existing transformer the fuse should protect it.
Can anyone identify this old wiring in my walls? In several of the rooms of the house I moved into last year (built 1973, USA), there are blank wall plates. I've removed a few to investigate and found somehting similar to the below pictures each time: a loop of what appears to be thick brown electrical cable, accompanied by a foot or so of thin 2-conductor black cable that is either insulated with rubber or a very flexible plastic, and covered in orange muck. I've given the large loop a god tug and it doesn't appear to be an off-cut tucked back up into the wall. If it is, it's jammed in there pretty good. Neither appears to carry any voltage according to a NCV tester, and it doesn't resemble the mains wiring in any of the live outlets or switches (which is all white plastic NMC and generally a bit thinner than the thick brown wire here). I'm not intending to do anything with it at this point, just curious as to what it is/was. <Q> Given that the large loop (that will be a multi-conductor cable - if you could see more of the writing on the jacket you could tell exactly what sort of multiconductor cable without cutting it open - It's Belden, based on "BELD" visible) is uncut, I'd guess whatever this was planned for was never actually installed. <S> The "Zip-cord-like wire" also resembles certain types of telephone two-wire service cord and in any case was probably intended for something low-voltage <S> or it would not have passed inspection even in 1970. <S> But the fact that the large cable loop is uncut leads me to think that this was planned for, and then never completed. <S> You could look around in the basement or where the telephone service comes into the building for wire <S> ends that look like these. <A> I believe you are showing regular zip cord. <S> What is zip cord? <S> (Wikipedia) <S> Excerpt: <S> Zip-cord is a type of electrical cable with two or more conductors held together by an insulating jacket that can be easily separated simply by pulling apart. <S> Typical uses include lamp cord and speaker wire. <S> Zip cords are intended for use on portable equipment, and the US and Canadian electrical codes do not permit their use for permanently installed wiring of line-voltage circuits. <S> Certainly no licensed electrician would have installed such wiring. <S> One of the biggest concerns is that if it is pulled it might chafe off some of the insulation (perhaps at bends in a conduit), and then you could end up with a hot conduit. <S> Either that or a breaker that appears to blow for no apparent reason. <S> In any case, this is not a good thing to find in your wall. <A> Likely an old intercom system. <S> These used to be quite popular in the 60s and 70s, but are often removed or inactivated, leaving behind mystery wires in the walls. <S> The smaller wires are speaker/signal wires for the units and the larger wires to power the systems.	Conductors may be identified by a color tracer on the insulation, or by a ridge molded into the insulation of one wire, or by a colored tracer thread inside the insulation. The signal wires wouldn't carry any voltage without units installed and the power wires were likely disconnected at the breaker when the units were removed, hence no voltage on any of the wires now.
Is the maximum load of my circuit panel split evenly between the two legs? I’ve been curious about the max load of the home. I have a 200 amp service coming into my home. My question is, is it 200 amps per phase or 100 amps per phase 200 amps total? I couldn’t seem to find an answer simply my searching. We’ve bought a few large appliances and when the ac and dryer and cooktop are on it draws close to 80 amps per phase. I started to wonder if this was approaching the limit of the service. <Q> What you have is 240V @ <S> 200A, with a center tap neutral giving you a neutral/center return. <S> This is single phase with a center tap, it is not conventionally called "two phases" but rather "two poles", L1 and L2. <S> You can pull any amount of current you please down the neutral. <S> Since the neutral essentially breaks the big loop into two little loops, neutral only pulls differential current: if you pull 40A across L1-neutral, and 30A across L2-neutral, then neutral flows 10A. <S> If you draw 200A down L1 and 0A down L2, neutral carries 200A. <S> There is no combination of draws that can make neutral draw more than the largest pole. <S> If you're now thinking "I can power two 120V circuits with a common neutral", you are correct and that is called a multi-wire branch circuit. <S> It's fallen out of style in the age of GFCIs, because it requires GFCIs which are special. <S> The three conductors in a GFCI only carry two wires' worth of current, so only count as 2 wires for thermal calculations. <A> "Per phase"? <S> You don't have multiple phases. <S> You have single phase power. <S> It is delivered over two line conductors. <S> The phase is split by a third neutral conductor. <S> Thus to be more specific than single phase, you have 'split phase' power. <S> Most electrical services are good for 370A. <S> To put it simply, your 200 main breaker will cut power to BOTH lines if the current on EITHER exceeds 200A. 240v appliance loads like your examples, place the same load on both lines. <A> I see a form of this question come up quite a bit. <S> The problem is that you cannot explore whether or not a dwelling service is large enough or OK with just partial information. <S> You must follow the scope of NEC Article 220 Branch Circuit, Feeder and Service Calculations. <S> You simply can't add up all of your breaker sizes and come up with a service size. <S> We need to know the connected load <S> and then we can calculate the demand load. <S> Believe it or not a dwelling unit has more calculations to determine the correct service size than any other type of construction. <S> Simply because it has so much diversification. <S> I would suggest to have competent master electrician or engineer do a survey and do a true calculated load on your dwelling before deciding on increasing your service size. <S> It could save you a lot of money in the end.	If you fully load it, you will pull 200A down the L1 pole and necessarily by the nature of current flowing in loops, 200A down the L2 pole.
Can I combine two power lines from power company My house used to have two residents. So there are two 110v power sources from power company. Now I want to combine them into one so I can have bigger current. Is it possible and how? <Q> There are 2 questions here: <S> Can you convert one panel to a sub panel so that both sides are on the same service Probably. <S> It won't require ripping out any existing wiring and shouldn't be too expensive - though some big (expensive) wire needs to be run between the panels. <S> I don't think so, but anyways this is none of your business. <S> Call the electric company and tell them you want to cancel one service and upgrade the other. <S> They will charge you the same whether they run new wires or not. <A> If you measure phase to phase on the two circuits and get 0V AC then you could short the two hot lines (and two neutrals) together and no current will flow (theoretically). <S> But what did you accomplish? <S> Assuming, you don't fry yourself or burn down your house in the process... <S> you started with 2 electrical boxes with X capacity each. <S> You now have one box with 2X capacity (best case). <S> The wiring in the walls and the circuits themselves (building codes) are still limited to their original values (typically 10A-20A). <S> All you did was eliminate one electrical box at the cost of opening most of the walls in your house and moving the wires. <S> You didn't add any circuits, you didn't increase the total site capacity. <S> Pointless. <S> If you want more outlets just wire some of them to one box and some to the other. <S> Consult a qualified electrician. <A> Why bother? <S> You DO ALREADY have the full service available to you. <S> Say you have two 100A panels, you can get 100A out of one panel and 100A out of the other. <S> That's just fine. <S> Your house has a total of 200A available. <S> That is not a barrier to anything you want to do. <S> I know this because there's nothing you could buy that <S> would, alone, need more than 100A. <S> The loads already present are already reasonably balanced between the two panels. <S> If you want to move them around to let you run something big out of one panel, just move one circuit at a time. <S> (as many as you like.) <S> If you need more breaker spaces in the panel, then add a subpanel. <S> The subpanel can be as many amps as the main panel it's branched off of. <S> Subpanels cannnot merge power from 2 main panels. <S> If you really want to double them up so you can have, say, a 200A panel, like I say that doesn't buy you much, but it's a conversation you must have with the power company, because only they can do that . <S> I'm not wagging my finger saying you need to get permission, <S> I mean it isn't really possible to do it stealthy.	Can you connect the wires before the meter to get twice as much service capacity Possibly, but it's pointless You should be able to get an electrician to do this.
60 Hz home appliances on 50 Hz electricity (both 220 volt) I am not an electrical engineer, and I want a simple language answer to a question that I think covered elsewhere, but I didn't understand. If I get a washing machine designed to work on 220 V 60 Hz, can it run safely on a 220 V 50 Hz electricity source? The item is relatively new ( the specific product I am asking about ). <Q> The general answer is <S> no because the washing machine may have an AC induction motor which gets overexcited and overheats when connected to a lower mains frequency but the same voltage. <S> You had to lower the voltage accordingly. <S> Torque stays the same but the speed reduces to 50/60. <S> BUT there should be only very few 220V appliances which aren't built for 50Hz originally, and simply labelled 50/60Hz. <S> Because higher frequency is seldom a problem. <S> So, check the device and/or motor plate if it says 50/60Hz. <A> I am not an electrical engineer <S> Then here is a simple answer. <S> Check the nameplate of the appliance. <S> This should be a little plaque or embossed writing close to where the line cord comes out. <S> If it says 220 VAC, 50-60 Hz, then you're fine. <S> If it doesn't say anything about the frequency, then you have to assume it is intended for whatever your specific local frequency is. <S> If you are in North America, for example, then assume 60 Hz, and that anything else won't work unless the nameplate explicitly says it's OK. <A> As outlined, you may see issues with the motor, but I would suggest it may be OK, since many are designed to be cross compatible. <S> A closer look at the drum motor may be worthwhile. <S> Another thing to consider is the timings for the programs. <S> I have played with 50 and 60 Hz microwaves... <S> they work on either, but the clocks and timer circuits, at least from my experience, use the mains frequency for timings - thus you may find your 1 hour program takes 72 minutes! ;-) <A> Although some modern appliances convert to DC, it is not obvious unless the nameplate specifies it. <S> e.g. <S> 50/60Hz <S> Although It does mention Europe in the preliminary info, no mention of 50Hz . <S> So for best answer , send an email to Samsung. <S> http://www.samsung.com/sa_en/support/erms1/ <A> Simple answer is: No it will not work At 50Hz (lower freq) <S> , motor inductive reactance decreases, current increases, winding temp increases, insulation breaks, short circuit <S> If doesnt say 50/60Hz then don't run it on lower frequency (50Hz)	If it just says 60 Hz, then don't try to run it at 50 Hz.
Installing hardwire EVSE from existing NEMA 14-50? I'm looking to install a hardwired EVSE, but currently I have the necessary wiring going into a NEMA 14-50 outlet. Can I splice the wiring going into the outlet and run new wire to the EVSE? The EVSE would go above the outlet in the picture. Advice on what's needed would be appreciated. <Q> It's pretty straightforward. <S> Remove the wires from the old receptacle. <S> Your two hots are brown and yellow, and it doesn't matter which is which. <S> Usually that is color coded red/black or black/black, but brown/yellow is absolutely fine. <S> You don't need that, so you can get a blank cover plate for that box, they make domed covr plates if you want that. <S> The old receptacle and mud ring go into storage. <S> A NEMA 14 is a nice modern safe receptacle, no reason to throw it out. <S> Then you splice the wires inside the junction box. <S> so it stays. <S> Use the size of wire specified in the installation instructions, or larger . <S> Change the circuit breaker to the size specified in the installation instructions. <S> If the instructions do not say, then look at the wires you used to connect, particularly if the wire whip came with the charger. <S> Otherwise breaker size is determined from the smallest conductor size (do not consider grounds or wiring that is entirely inside the charger proper): 6 AWG -- 50A or 60A breaker 8 AWG -- 40A breaker 10 AWG -- <S> 30A breaker 12 AWG -- 20A breaker 14 AWG -- <S> 15A breaker <A> The 2017 version of the National Electrical Code prohibits any other outlet but the EVSE. <S> So you couldn't add it as a hardwired device unless you eliminate the receptacle. <S> 2017 <S> NEC 625.40 Electric Vehicle Branch Circuit. <S> Each outlet installed for the purpose of charging electric vehicles shall be supplied by an individual branch circuit. <S> Each circuit shall have no other outlets. <S> The 2014 would still allow it <S> IF your wire size and breaker was large enough to handle 100 percent of the other load plus 125 percent of the EVSE. <S> Probably not likely in your situation but possible. <S> 2014 <S> ..... <S> Where noncontinuous loads are supplied from the same feeder or branch circuit, the overcurrent device shall have a rating of not less than the sum of the noncontinuous loads plus 125 percent of the continuous loads. <S> The 2014 version of the NEC would allow you to use that existing receptacle to plug in your EVSE. <S> The 2017 will not allow it unless it is portable equipment not fastened in place. <S> If you are under the 2014 Code consider attaching a plug to the EVSE and just plugging it in. <S> Then swap it when you need to use the other equipment. <S> If you are under the 2017 Code, you need to run another circuit if the equipment is to be fastened in place or the receptacle can't be a 3 pole 4 wire like you have there. <S> So, it all depends on who will be inspecting it and which Code you are using. <S> Good luck and stay safe. <A> Why are your wires Yellow and Brown? <S> BOY (Brown Orange Yellow) <S> color coding is supposed to indicate a three phase 480V power system, where each hot B,O,Y each measure 277V to Neutral and 480V Hot to Hot. <S> If there is any chance that outlet is a 480V outlet, you need to verify that before proceeding. <S> If you installed this on your own and it indeed is a 240V outlet, please use correct color coding. <S> Residential split phase 240V service is Black/Red/Blue Blue if you have 3 phase power coming in (common in apartment buildings/condos)	You run either a whip or EMT conduit from the charger to the junction box through one of the knockouts. It depends on what version, if any, of the National Electrical Code is being enforced in your area. You may not need neutral; if not, just put a wire nut cap on it and tape it The cover plate on that junction box is what you call a mud ring, meant to be behind drywall. NEC 625.40 Overcurrent Protection.
Can I or Should I Sand Drywall? We're re-doing our kitchen that was built in 1980. The old countertops were cement & tile with the tile continuing into the backsplash on the wall. We've removed the old counters, backsplash, and cabinets which has given us a better look at the current drywall situation: As you can see there is still a significant amount of binding agent left over from where the tile backsplash was (it seems like cement but idk). Overall though, it seems like the drywall is in decent shape so I don't think we need all out replacement. We are getting new cabinets and countertops and plan on doing another tile backsplash that has a similar (but probably not identical) footprint where the previous backsplash was. Based on my research, we should be removing the old material in order to make sure the new tiles can be installed flush and bind successfully. My first instinct was to use our handheld orbital sander to try to remove it. Is there a better way? <Q> The process is to first scrape it with a scraper and then use a razor scraper - very time consuming and it will not be perfect. <S> You can then come back with high grain sand paper if need be. <S> Patience is your friend here.. <S> If a bit of the dry wall paper comes off : If the new backsplash will be covering it: Just use yourthinset/mastic liek normal it will cover it and protect it. <S> If it is in an area where the new back splash will not cover - apply a very thin layer of joint compound in multiple steps with a 6" - 8" wide putty knife.. allow to dry between steps. <S> Lightly sand and you will be fine. <S> Because your back splash is about the location of the divide between upper and lower wall - replacing the entire dry wall would require both upper and lower drywall sections (for that kitchen about 10-12 boards $150.00) - not hard and not very expensive .. <S> just depends on how your removal work turns out. <S> Again this will be dependent on you as to if you want or need to replace / repair a section. <A> Assuming you are doing a similar layout I would finish removing the cabinets. <S> Then I would cut two inches beyond the existing tiled area and put in new drywall in the middle part of the wall. <S> Most of your seams would be hidden by the cabinets or the tile <S> so it wouldn't require a lot of finishing. <A> Drywall surface is paper. <S> They can be peeled off. <S> Sanding is doable, but you risk going through the paper because the material is so much weaker than your sander. <S> Something like a scraper will work, but once you start peeling off the drywall outer paper, you want a sharp knife to control the peel <S> so you don't rip off more than intended. <S> If things don't work out, you can just cut off the whole area and do a drywall repair. <A> Thank you for everyone's advice; I tackled the project over the weekend and thought I'd post my method as an answer as well. <S> Took about 6 hours <S> but I was able to remove almost all of the thinset from the walls. <S> Since a new tile backsplash will be installed where the old one was, I think it doesn't have to be perfect. <S> I first started manually using a 3" flat head chisel to try getting as much off the walls as possible. <S> It was very labor intensive but actually quite effective. <S> For the areas that I couldn't get all the thinset removed I used the handheld orbital sander to sand it down smooth. <S> About halfway in our flooring contractors showed up and offered me one of these: <S> Which worked like a charm. <S> I was able to use this oscillating tool to get between the drywall and thinset and chip most of it off. <S> Again, where I couldn't get all of the thinset removed, I went over it with the sander to smooth it out.	Sanding is not a good idea as the material you are trying to sand off is known as thinset or mastic ; it is a mortar like cement by the time you sand it off you will most likely damage the dry wall.
Pinched a wire, is this an electical danger? I was swapping out the gears in my garage door opener and when I plugged it back in I heard a pop and some smoke, unplugged it immediately and realized that I had pinched a wire with a screw that I had totally not noticed. I can see on the circuit board that something blew out on it and it looks like the wire leads to the light that is supposed to come on when the garage door opens/closes. The light doesn't work but I am honestly not sure if it worked before as the others don't but the garage door itself works fine. I wrapped the wire that I messed up with electrical tape to prevent any raw wire from being exposed but my lack of electrical knowledge has me worried that this is a dangerous situation. Should I be concerned to leave the garage door opener powered? <Q> This is a potential fire hazard since it may result in the wire overheating. <S> You should replace the damaged part of the wire. <S> Depending on circumstances of the wire (which you haven't fully detailed) you may be able to cut out the damaged section and splice the resulting free ends together (or splice a replacement section in to the gap). <S> You should use proper splice hardware for the task, which could well be a simple wire nut (though this depends on the type and gauge of the wire as well as the service conditions - eg, wet or dry, exposed to oil, gas, etc). <S> If you are certain that the insulation and only the insulation was damaged (ie, the damage is no worse than would have been incurred had you been stripping the insulation from the wire with the appropriate tool), electrical tape may be a sufficient repair - again, considering service conditions. <S> It's hard to say whether the damage to the circuit board will result in dangerous conditions or not. <S> Chances are, everything on the board is sufficiently low power that there is no danger - but with the information available here, we can't say for sure . <A> There are two basic concerns <S> The electrical safety: As long as the wire is wrapped in electrical tape and not touching anything you should be fine. <S> There are lots of wires in your house that have electrical tape on them. <S> This is what electrical tape is used for. <S> The safety of the garage door opener: When something blew there may be damage that you are not accounting for. <S> Test every safety feature of the garage door opener including but not limited to the safety eyes and auto reverse. <S> Also, make sure the remotes and keypad/inside button still work. <S> If you are satisfied with the operation of the undamaged systems then you can continue to use it. <A> Any one that tells you that it is safe from this distance is a fool. <S> Yes it may be safe, but you will need an expert to look at it. <S> After the repair, an electrical safety test should be done. <S> This should be at minimum: checking the circuit diagram of the device, a visual inspection of the device, and a PAT test, or equivalent electrical safety test. <S> Call an electrician, they can do every thing that is needed to check that it is safe.	If you damaged the wire then it is possible it is no longer capable of safely operating under the load that is called for.
Where is American Wire Gauge (AWG) used? European standards I live in Italy. I would like to know whether American Wire Gauge (AWG) is used in Europe for electrical wires that run within homes, or whether Europe usea different standards. Does each country in Europe use its own standards for home electrical wiring or is AWG somewhat of an international thing? Thanks. <Q> <A> AWG is used in North America, the Philippines, Guam, Puerto Rico, some of the Carribean, etc. <S> The color code is white or gray for neutral (hots everything else but green), and the voltage is typically 240/120 split phase. <S> Everywhere else it's metric wires dictated by square millimeters of cross section, i.e. 1.0 ( which is very small by North American standards), 1.5, 2.5, 4, and increasing 50-60% per size from there. <S> Color codes are generally harmonizing toward light blue for neutral, brown for the first hot, and voltage is 220-240V single phase derived from 3-phase wye. <S> Ground is green, green/yellow, or bare everywhere. <S> When the USA gets into the big stuff we use circular mil , which is a circle 1/1000" diameter. <S> That is to say, 1 million cmil (1000 k cmil) is a wire 1" diameter. <A> Europe is "metric", meaning it is uses the IEC 60228 standard gauges. <S> Common wires at local store thus are 0.5, 0.75, 1, 1.5, 2.5, 4, 6 square mm. <S> In my experience, the 0.75 to 2.5 sq mm range is carried by even small stores. <S> Historically, the British use[d] <S> their own SWG <S> but this changed roughly when they joined the EU; Brexit will apparently not change anything in this regard ... <S> for the subtle reason that the EU-wide standardization body in this area (namely CENELEC ) technically is not an EU institution... so the UK is still a member of it after Brexit. <S> The colors of wires used in European power cables (e.g. brown, blue, red/green) come from CENELEC HD-21 and HD-22 documents, recently merged as EN 50525 . <S> The same standard specifies <S> the types of common power cables that you see in stores, e.g. H05VV-F etc. <S> (Note that the latter CENELEC standard begins with a 5, not a 6, which means it is a regional European standard, not an incorporation of a IEC standard, like the metric gauge one.) <S> Finally, "home electrical wiring" involves much more than wire gauge or the color of wires. <S> Generally, there are two sets of standards those of (US) NEC and those of IEC. <S> Legrand has a map of roughly where they apply (reproduced below). <S> Going into more detail is far too elaborate for this Q&A format; for further information, refer to the document <S> I extracted this map from.	As far as I know, Europe (or pretty much the whole world other than USA/perhaps Canada) uses the wire cross sectional area in square millimeters as the standard for wire sizing.
Adding a circuit breaker to stop a constant tripping breaker I have a panel in this two story house that has a weird wiring setup. The outlets around the house have been divided into 4 breakers of 15AMP each, which normally work however there is a single one of the four that takes a majority of them (living room, dining room, master bedroom, and a second bedroom). This is causing that breaker to be tripped at least 1-2 a week. The panel does have 5 or so spots left on it where no breakers are installed. I'm wondering if it's possible to take that one breaker that's constantly tripping and divide it into a newly installed 15AMP breaker? If anyone has the answer or maybe a different solution for how to fix this that would be great as I'm worried about wearing out the existing breaker. <Q> The problem is that all of those outlets and fixtures are on a single circuit. <S> That means a single cable. <S> The circuit breaker is merely the beginning of that circuit run. <S> What you need is more wire, not just more breakers. <S> Supplement: <S> You would, of course, disconnect these outlets and fixtures from the original circuit. <S> Also, though you do not suggest it, please do not even consider changing to a higher amperage breaker. <S> The amperage is again controlled by the wire (in this case, size), not the breaker. <A> These have a lifetime. <S> Replace it with a new 15 A breaker of the same type. <S> These are very cheap. <S> Can you replace any light bulbs with LEDs? <S> Are there any high power appliances which could be replaced with new ones which would do the same job with lower power? <A> First, remember that the breaker tripping is a good thing. <S> While inconvenient it's far better than a fire. <S> Also, if the breaker has been tripping this often, it should be replaced, they do have a limited useful life. <S> As for resolving the issue, while you can try to reduce the load with more efficient lights or appliances, the best solution is to split the rooms into different circuits. <S> Now this may or may not be a simple process, it really depends on how the house was wired. <S> If the rooms are wired in sequence and there is only one wire coming to that breaker, then the poster above is correct about having to rewire to add circuits and more breakers. <S> However, I suspect that there are probably several wires running into this breaker and that each wire connected to the breaker is actually a different set of outlets and/or switches. <S> If that is the case, then it is a relatively easy job for an electrician to split out the circuits into multiple breakers. <S> You won't know until an electrician pulls the breaker and looks at the panel. <S> Regardless of how you proceed, you should call an electrician to do the work. <S> Splitting up circuits into new breakers is not a DIY project unless you have a lot of electrical experience. <S> I'm happy to change switches, outlets and fixtures, but even though I understand the process, I wouldn't tackle this one myself. <A> Breakers are there to protect wires. <S> If you think that you'll just put two 15A breakers in parallel to "take the load" off the single 15A, but send that down the same wiring as before, then you're now effectively working with a 30A breaker on the 15A wire -- very bad. <S> If you split the wiring so that there are now two separate circuits going into the box (one for living/dining, and one for master/second bedroom, say) and then use a separate 15A breaker for each of those two circuits, then absolutely, that's why panels have multiple slots! <S> Make suring wiring is to code, use a high quality UL listed 15A breaker that fits your panel, tighten all connections sufficiently, and you should be all good. <S> Each panel has a master breaker at the top, which makes sure that the panel itself is not overloaded. <S> If you have a really skewed wiring, you may end up drawing all the power on one of the two phases that go into a typical box; if so, you can move some breakers to a different phase to even the load. <S> This is a less common problem, though. <A> I have had this problem with older houses. <S> If the breaker trips to often carbon builds up on the points and yes the breaker wears out. <S> By installing a new 15amp breaker is the problem resolved? <S> If not you can buy or borrow an Amp meter to measure the current flow. <S> start by switching on normal load then go to heavy load see where it trips. <S> Some Amp-meters have a hold key that holds onto the last reading so you can read it when the current trips. <S> Its very handy for heavy load devices such as water heater and stoves.	You would have to run a separate wire from one or more of those outlets and fixtures to the panel box, and then you could add a new breaker. The fact that this one breaker is regularly tripping could mean that that breaker is worn out. In the short term analyze what the loads are in those rooms.
Need some help with wall patch I’ve sanded down to where the wall feels even but now the patch’s showing what should I do next? <Q> Part of the problem may be sanding technique. <S> It appears that you have used a soft pad or bare sheet. <S> You need to use a rigid block to prevent sinking into soft spots. <S> Apply another coat of patch material, and taper it out a bit further. <S> Proper drywall work doesn't involve much sanding at all, so make sure to use a wide knife or trowel at a low angle to create a flat, smooth repair. <S> Sanding should take mere seconds. <A> It's not uncommon to see what's under the bare mud patch (I sometimes use a yellow fiberglass mesh tape which sticks out from the white mud). <S> Seeing underneath isn't an issue. <S> Once you paint it, you can't see it anymore. <S> The larger issue is you don't want to feel what's underneath. <S> Once it's painted, you'll notice the shape on the wall. <S> mound it up perpendicular to the edge of the patch, then run it down the side. <S> After it's dried, sand it with something minor (like 200 or 220 grit sandpaper). <S> Just enough to smooth it, without taking too much off. <S> If you can still feel it, rinse and repeat until you can't. <A> That looks like a 5" or 6" patch. <S> I would suggest using mud or spackle and taking it out to half the width of the patch, so about 3 inches around the edges. <S> Use more than you think you need and try to feather it at the edges. <S> Then use a hard sanding block to smooth the patch, texture and paint. <S> You should be in good shape at that point.	Your best bet is to take some spackle and layer it around the sides.
Main Breaker Gets tripped every 1-2 hours but last longer in the night Our home is located in India. We have an individual circuit breakers for all the 7 rooms in our home. And wrapping them whole is the main breaker. Earlier there used to be short circuit in certain rooms due to water leakage. When short-circuit occurred, everything thing else worked if turned of the individual breaker corresponding to that branch where short-circuit originated. But now we have a different problem. Even after switching off all the individual circuit breakers corresponding to each branch, the main breaker is getting tripped. Electrician told us that it was due to ground-fault. He opened up a few switch boxes and found out that termite had eaten some portions of the wire, which resulted in neutral wire coming in contact with the ground wire. They identified 3-4 switch boxes and we completely rewired it. Even ceiling fans were given extra rubber bushes at the support. But after a week since they left, the issue is persisting. Earlier, where the ground-fault problem was identified, the main breaker used to never turn on even when the individual circuit breakers were turned off. Now, the same issue persists but now we get 1-2 hours of electricity before the main breaker trips. One another observation I have made in the current scenario is that, if I try to switch on the main breaker right after it got turned off with all the circuit breaks in off mode, it will get tripped right away. But if I do it after 10-15 minutes, it stay on for another 1-2 hours. And in the night, if we are lucky, we get 5-6 hours gap before it gets tripped! I would be glad if somebody can help to put possible reasons why this is occurring. We had already brought in electrician 3 times already! Edit:I turned all the knobs to phase 2 and it is working okay for the past one week. What could be the possible reason that it doesn't work in Phase 1 and 3? Here is quick picture of our electricity distribution panel with the individual circuit breaker and main breaker: <Q> When an appliance has an internal shorting or arcing fault, or electrical wiring has is shorting hot or neutral to ground, that is called a "ground fault". <S> You have a "Whole-house RCD" - aka GFCI <S> - it looks for current leakage from ground faults. <S> SOP in Europe-influenced electrical installations is to fit a 30-35ma (milliamp) RCD that protects the whole house. <S> The goal is to protect the house from arcing fires; 30ma can kill you. <S> This unit is typically combined with the main circuit breaker. <S> Most of them will be one size such as 13 amp or 16 amp. <S> Take note of that. <S> North American practice is to protect each branch circuit with its own GFCI (RCD) device (breaker). <S> The goal here is personnel protection, so only bathrooms, kitchens etc., and a lower detection threshold of 8ma. <S> My suggestion is to do the American thing - and replace one of your branch circuit breakers with an 8ma personnel-grade RCD, of the amperage rating of most of your branch circuit breakers. <S> This will have a lower threshold than the main, so it "should" trip sooner. <S> If the problem is on that branch, the trips will mostly now occur on this breaker. <S> If that branch circuit is not the problem, then swap the breaker to another branch circuit, and try it again. <S> Eventually you will narrow it to a single branch. <S> Then unplug all the appliances and test again. <S> If that does not clear the problem, then disassemble all the junction boxes in that branch and look at the wiring. <S> If unplugging the appliances does clear it, then return one appliance a day and when the problem returns, that's the one. <S> Have the appliance serviced. <S> This method won't work for the few odd-sized breakers you may have for stove, water heater, air conditioning, etc. <S> Simply switch those off for a day (when feasible) and see if the problem goes away when they are off. <A> It can easily create a fire or someone can get electrocutated. <S> A ground fault occurs when an ungounded conductor ("hot wire") makes contact with a grounded "neutral" conductor or the grounding (green) conductor, but a continuos and or effective path for current to travel back and trip the breaker has been compromise. <S> The breaker has been doing what it was made for. <S> Eventually it will fail and you may end with catastrophic results. <S> There are several conditions that need to be present in an electrical circuit in order for it to operate safely. <S> Not having the big picture is just not save changing parts here or there. <A> I believe your Main Breaker is bad. <S> If you put your hand on the main breaker does it feel abnormally hot? <S> Better yet you can use an infrared thermometer to check it out. <S> You can buy one for about $30. <S> I should be reading less than 30C or 90F. <S> A breaker has a bimetal part that expands at different rates. <S> so when the breaker begins to overload it heats up and warps and causes the breaker to trip. <S> After the breaker has tripped several times this part becomes damaged and will continue to heat up and trip even if the breaker is not overloaded. <S> That's why it doesn't reset right after it trips it needs to cool down first. <S> This condition will continue to get worse until it won't reset at all. <S> Of course since we are not on the property I can't be 100% sure, but that's where I would start looking. <S> Hope this helps and good luck. <A> Have your electrician run an insulation test on all circuits. <S> However, RCDs care about the current on both hot and neutral, so <S> if you have a neutral to ground fault somewhere in your wiring network, it will still trip the RCD even if all your branch breakers are shut off, making the fault very hard to localize in an Eurostyle master-RCD setup. <S> At a suitable time (when all power to the unit can be turned off at the main breaker/RCD and all appliances can be unplugged/unhooked), have him take each circuit's hot and neutral and run an insulation test to ground at 500V. <S> This should expose the failing circuit -- from there, it's simply a matter of eliminating parts of the circuit in question with further insulation resistance tests until the problem is found.	Ordinary breakers only care about the current on the hot -- the neutral's assumed to be carrying the same current, so it's not going to overheat if the hot's fine barring a wiring error. Beyond the whole-house RCD, you then have branch circuits with circuit breakers. However, you can have your electrician bring to bear a power tool on this problem, namely an insulation resistance tester or "megger". The scenario you are describing is waiting for something bad to happened. From what you are descibing it seems a ground fault is present.
Garbage disposal spins manually, but not on its own. There are all kinds of garbage disposal questions and answers on the internet but none of them seem to address my issue. My garbage disposal seems to be jammed, but not in the usual way. If I go to run it and look down into the hole with a light it tries to start but then catches on something and stops. If I don't turn it off it pops the reset switch, like it should. To help loosen whatever is in there I pulled out an Allen wrench and tried spinning it from the bottom. To my surprise, it spins totally freely. Finally, I removed it from its mount and (while unplugged, obviously) inspected the inside for anything obviously jammed between the rotator and the grate-like thing. Seeing nothing, I reached my hand in to spin it manually from the top and found that it spins freely that way as well. Any thoughts on what may be wrong or what I should try next? FWIW, it's an insinkerator and I have no idea how old it is. I just bought the house, but it's a 17 year old house whose kitchen was redone somewhere in that time. Thanks in advance for your help. <Q> sounds like a mechanical failure, most likely <S> the pin(s) <S> or bushing(s) that hold the anvils in position are worn. <S> when you hand spin it you can't product enough force to replicate the problem.a new disposal should be no more than $125 and maybe an hour to install. <A> As far as I can tell, they don't have shear pins. <S> And I don't see any gears as replacement parts. <S> All I came across that it might be was a spring . <S> They're like 100 bucks... <A> Motors for garbage disposals are single phase capacitor start, induction run. <S> That means there is a centrifugal switch inside that opens once the motor gets close to to full speed to take the capacitor out of the circuit, because it is only needed to make the motor START to spin. <S> If that switch gets stuck open, the capacitor is left out of the circuit from the beginning so the motor will not spin. <S> They get old / rusted / burned out from someone flipping the switch on and off really fast <S> (my daughter did that to me when she was young). <S> It can be repaired by a motor shop, but will likely cost as much or more than a new one anyway. <S> You could try to do it yourself if you are mechanically and electrically astute AND very meticulous about observing how things come apart and go back together. <S> But in my experience, most people are not and this is not an intuitive (or forgiving) type of task.	You'd have to take it apart to find out what's wrong with it.
Electric sockets directly under water pipes under the sink - Safety I am in the process of buying a new bungalow. However I have noticed that there is a standard double 13a socket below the plumbing under the sink which is giving me cause for concern. The builder advises it is fine as it has a cut out switch. There is no visible cut out switch so would appreciate any advice as to whether I should challenge this <Q> I believe this is not uncommon. <S> The circuit must be protected by an RCD (RCBO). <S> There is usually a means of disconnecting or isolating the socket from above if the socket is inaccessible when appliances are installed. <S> However see <S> NICEIC/ELECSA Guide to Electrical Work in the Kitchen <S> Electrical sockets or switches should be fitted at a safe distance (it is recommended at least 30cm horizontally) from a sink to avoid the chance of water coming into contact with electricity. <S> Sockets should also be easily accessible. <S> If appliances such as fridges, dishwashers and washing machines are fitted under worktops, getting to sockets may be difficult. <S> Ideally, these appliances should be controlled by a switched fuse connection unit mounted above the worktop where you can reach it easily. <S> All new sockets in a house require protection by an RCD (Residual Current Device) <S> The Consumer Units (Main Electrical Panel) in UK homes now typically have Dual-RCD protection. <S> You can buy advanced socket testers that would allow you to verify correct RCD operation at the sockets under your sink. <S> If you want, I suspect there is nothing stopping you replacing the socket faceplate with one rated for external use (with a rainproof cover which can be closed over plug-cables) - some incorporate RCD protection. <S> I suspect most electricians would regard this as pretty odd though. <S> If you search for advice you'll often see something like Regulation 512.2.1, requires equipment to be of a design appropriate to the situation in which it is to be used or its mode of installation must take account of the conditions likely to be encountered. <S> The above does not constitute advice from a qualified person. <A> If you're concerned about the socket being flooded in the wall, GFCI/RCD protecting it must be further upstream to be effective in that case. <S> If it was visible nearby, that would be alarming, as it would be vulnerable to flooding itself, defeating the protection. <S> It's best practice to place safety devices as soon as possible (in the fusebox), so they protect not only the appliance, but the wall wiring as well. <S> Rewiring old house is the best solution, but prohibitively expensive, that's how receptacle+RCD combos came into existence. <S> Seeing one is not a sign of state-of-the-art wiring. <S> Nevertheless, the builder should explain you where all the circuit breakers are and how they work, in case one trips and you'll need to reset it. <S> An RCD should be among them. <S> Ask how the wiring is divided into circuits. <A> In the case of appliances which are under/by the sink, an outlet in this location makes perfect sense. <S> As already mentioned, such an outlet normally requires a GFCI/RCD (which may be located 'upstream' in the same circuit), and is typically controlled by a wall switch above the counter (often in the same box with a switch for an over-sink light). <S> I know they aren't as common in the UK as here in the USA, but do you by any chance have a food disposal or dishwasher which is plugged into the outlet? <S> If not, there may have been one previously which was taken out by the previous owner/occupant.	A socket with integrated RCD is merely a hack to retrofit RCD to a house with old wiring that can't support a "real" RCD in the fusebox. You could easily check this by inspection. You can pay for an independent inspection and electrical installation condition report (EICR) I am not an electrician and do not have access to the 17th Edition.
Discovered 10/2 wired 3-prong receptacle for dryer. Is it ok to leave as is? We removed a drop ceiling in our 2nd bathroom and discovered that some previous homeowner/DIYer had run wiring for a new dryer through the drywall ceiling into the wall, and hid it with the drop ceiling - rather than drill through the top plate of the wall.We shut off the breaker, unhooked the receptacle, drilled, and ran it through the top plate. The wire is 10/2. I am attaching a photo of how it was wired. Ground is screwed into the metal box, and then into the neutral prong. When we reconnected it, we re-wired it exactly as it had been.Dryer came with the house when we moved in 2 years ago. We have never had any problems with it. Dryer is on a 30A breaker all by itself. Is it ok to leave it as is? <Q> Replace it with a homerun of 10/3 and a NEMA 14-30. <S> It's the only way to be sure. <S> Frames of electric ranges, wall-mounted ovens, counter-mounted cooking units, clothes dryers, and outlet or junction boxes <S> that are part of the circuit for these appliances <S> shall be connected to the equipment grounding conductor in the manner specified by 250.134 or 250.138. <S> (1) <S> The supply circuit is 120/240-volt, single-phase, 3-wire; or 208Y/120-volt derived from a 3-phase, 4-wire, wye-connected system. <S> (2) <S> The grounded conductor is not smaller than 10 AWG copper or 8 AWG aluminum. <S> (3) <S> The grounded conductor is insulated, or the grounded conductor is uninsulated and part of a Type SE service-entrance cable and the branch circuit originates at the service equipment. <S> (4) Grounding contacts of receptacles furnished as part of the equipment are bonded to the equipment. <S> So, replace this abomination with a fresh homerun of 10/3 and a NEMA 14-30 receptacle -- you'll have to change the power cord on your dryer to a four-prong one, but that's a small price to pay for never having to worry about getting bit by your dryer again. <A> This is an outdated wiring method where you're just bonding the frame of the dryer to the neutral/ground wire. <S> As long as the wire was intact, you would have no problems. <S> In modern code, for new work, it's required that you have separate ground and neutral wires. <S> If you're messing with it and can update it, then I would. <S> Run the new 10/3 wire and provide a new receptacle. <S> If you plan to leave it, then there are exceptions in 250.140 (NEC 2014) that cover this case. <A> The old 3-prong NEMA 10 receptacles, and their associated wiring, are bad news. <S> They do not provida ground, and bootleg ground using neutral. <S> The problem is the same as any bootlegging: if neutral breaks, things which are supposed to be safety-grounded are now danger-hot. <S> This kills people, and it's unreported in the papers because it is called "miswiring" when it is in fact proper wiring that simply failed. <S> Wires fail, and they shouldn't fail deadly, which is why it is no longer proper - and hasn't been for 40 years. <S> It is grandfathered, allowed to continue in service where already installed, that as a result of appliance industry lobbying. <S> The last guy felt Very Strongly about saving $3.00 on buying 10/2 instead of 10/3, so he used the "old style" of wiring instead of the modern and proper NEMA 14 which has separate ground. <S> I hope that frappucino tasted good. <S> Or what often happens <S> is folks get a used dryer, and it already has the NEMA 10 plug, and so they just fit a NEMA 10 socket instead of a proper NEMA 14 plug. <S> Get a NEMA 14-30 plug and socket. <S> Remove the jumper on the dryer so neutral and ground <S> are no longer connected at the dryer. <A> It is not okay to leave it as is. <S> Replace it with 10/3 (black, red, white, plus ground) at the very least. <S> Install a new grounded receptacle on top of that at the very best.	What to do Replace the wiring with 10/3 obviously. Exception: For existing branch-circuit installations only, where an equipment grounding conductor is not present in the outlet or junction box, the frames of electric ranges, wall-mounted ovens, counter-mounted cooking units, clothes dryers, and outlet or junction boxes that are part of the circuit for these appliances shall be permitted to be connected to the grounded circuit conductor if all the following conditions are met. However, if for some reason a short occurs and there is an issue with this wire, the frame will remain energized = bad. The original installer was a massive cheapskate with no understanding of the NEC -- even if the install was old enough to be grandfathered in under NEC 250.140 and friends, it still was a violation at the time of install as using an uninsulated wire for the neutral (grounded conductor) is only allowed when using type SE cable, not type NM as the original installer did: 50.140 Frames of Ranges and Clothes Dryers. Like measles resurfacing after vaccines beat it, NEMA 10 just won't die.
Can I build my own walk-in meat cooler? A family member is building a brand new barn and she's amenable to my idea of makeshift-ing a 4'x4' (or so) closet that would be used primarily for meat ageing (I like to hunt) but also pickling and other similar stuff that a regular fridge is too small for and a restaurant-grade walk-in cooler would be too costly. The barn is studed up and I can use a corner to implement this idea. The ceiling is high enough to hang even a cow although deer is more likely. I was planning to modify (hack) a regular window AC unit to be able to chill down to 40 deg F, I have heard this is possible and if not, I hear Cabela's sells some kind of conversion kits. The room would be against a wall facing outside so I could make an opening to fit the unit. Questions: Considering it is a makeshift cooler, what insulation should I put? Will using a regular (laminated) door with a spongy gasket around the perimeter properly seal it from the outside? Any ideas on how actually difficult it is to modify an AC unit for this purpose? When not in use, I would like the closet to be modifiable for storage, e.g. have shelf support brackets etc. <Q> I made a locker in my shop using atlas energy shield foil covered foam panels, it was a little larger 6x6 <S> it worked ok the second time I set it up <S> I doubled the insulation because it was in the high 90 <S> ' s . <S> I used a 8k BTU unit and changed the thermostat to a cheep refrigerator one. <S> The only problem I found is it takes almost 24 hours to get the temp to 36f. <S> And I really need a fan to pull the hot air away from the corner. <S> I used the panels to make the door also. <S> I collapse my room down when not in use. <S> One change for the next time is a track (trolley) down the center so I can run the animal in as it is tough to hang a whole cow in this small area even using a tractor. <S> A deer would be much easier, I did install a 2 tube fluorescent fixture that I converted to LED. <S> Running a window AC unit colder like this can lead to icing <S> but I have not seen this but do check every morning that I have it running. <S> It is a very old R12 unit with a simple stat (not electronic). <S> Note getting the room down to 36 and putting the animal in there the temp did raise up I hang at 38f. <S> But try to get everything pre cooled with the lights off to get it to temp as quickly as possible. <A> I found a website that actually talks about DIY walk-in coolers. <S> Based on what they say <S> You want an R value of 25 or more. <S> This will require foam insulation, since fiberglass can retain water. <S> Might be worth putting some rigid foam over top of spray-foam and then foil-taping joints. <S> They recommend a standard pre-hung exterior metal door. <S> It already has a gasket and they report these work well enough <S> The real purposes of the site is to sell their device to convert a standard window unit for these purposes. <S> A normal window until won't cool to the temps you need (about 38 degrees F), nor would I suggest trying to modify one to do that. <S> They suggest an 8k BTU unit for a 4' x 4' room <A> Just assuming the room would actually cool into the 30s it would be extremely hard on the compressor. <S> They just aren’t meant to go much below 70. <S> I have run them at 60 degrees for cheap wine rooms with a different thermostat. <S> They usually last about 2 years. <S> There is no way to seal a window unit, they just aren’t made that way. <S> I am sceptical if you could get it down into the 30’s <S> but if you could you would have condensation issues and the unit wouldn’t last very long. <S> If you are willing to put up with those pitfalls then it is doable.	The room needs to be completely sealed with a vapor barrier or you will have condensation issues.
Relay before or after power transformer For my project I plan on controlling an off-the-shelve LED lamp using a relay board which is connected to my Raspberry Pi. As can be seen from the Lamp image below, there is a power converter which changes the 230V/50Hz to something the LED's can work with. (There are 9x 1W LEDs, the lamp says 10 Watts in total). My question is whether I should place the relay between the converter and the lamp or between the converter and the power socket. <Q> It's not possible to predict what will happen if you break the circuit between the converter and the lamp. <S> The converter may fail catastrophically if it is switched on without the load it was designed for. <S> If you could be confident that the converter is nothing more than a step-down transformer, perhaps with a load limiting resistor, then you could insert the relay between the converter and the lamp. <S> But since this product is touted as a superior energy saving device, it is likely to use a TCBH 1 power technique that requires the lamp to be permanently connected. <S> Therefore I recommend inserting the relay between the power socket and the converter. <S> 1 <S> Too Clever <S> By Half <A> The instructions say the lamp and power block are a "matched set". <S> The cord between them does not have a plug, and mustn't be cut, altered or extended. <S> Considering how little IKEA says generally, and how much they say on this particular topic, it's clearly important. <S> That makes sense: <S> It's preferable to drive LEDs in "constant current" mode, and as a practical design, all 9 LEDs would be connected in series, and fed from a single constant-current driver module. <S> Those (by nature) are variable voltage, and will increase the voltage as necessary to get the current to flow! <S> The old transformer-based industrial types were scary as they had no upper voltage limit and would arc across anything. <S> So tampering with the connecting cable is out of the question . <S> You have to switch the mains supply on these devices. <A> A couple points to consider: A relay on the DC side could be smaller and less protected since it is low voltage. <S> This would require a high voltage relay that is mounted in a junction box. <S> Good luck!	However, if the converter uses any power at all in standby mode, then it would be more efficient to control the AC side and prevent the converter from drawing power while the light is off.
Can anyone help me identify this old audio cable? I have this old Bang & Olufsen vinyl record player, with a old connector for the speakers. Do anyone know what type of connector this is? And if there exist some converters? Looks like DMX, but it can't be that? Would love to get this to work again. <Q> From the photo this is obviously a patch cable of some kind for an audio application. <S> Here are some typical wiring schemes: <S> (Shields are connected to pin 2) <S> 5 pin Male cord Mt. 180 degree, Din Connector <S> (Amazon) <A> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DIN_connector#Analog_audio <S> Though your equipment could be wired differently, so it's worth checking carefully with a multimeter to avoid possible damage. <S> It's unlikely that the record player had an amplifier, so it wasn't meant to connect directly to speakers. <S> You've use this cable to connect to an amplifier, then attach the amplifier to speakers. <S> It's a common enough problem, though, that if you search for "Bang & Olufsen 5-pin DIN to rca" you'll find cables you can buy <S> that convert it to the more common RCA audio connectors you'll find on amplifiers today. <A> Still alive and kicking, as a MIDI connector, albeit with only 3 pins connected - the three central ones. <S> Be aware that there are three sorts of 5 pin DIN plug/sockets - 180 degree, as you have, and 270 degree, for much the same uses, and domino, with a central pin, impossible to get them mixed up when plugging in. <A> Bang and Olufsen equipment were designed to work together very closely, ie, connecting your turntable to tape deck to the receiver allowed the receiver to control the turntable and tape deck directly. <S> Pressing turntable on the remote would power up the receiver and turntable and switch the receiver the the turntable input. <S> https://www.beoworld.org/beotech/mclconn3.htm <A> Plain old 5-pin DIN cable, used to be very common up until the mid 80s before, for some reason, RCAs came along and displaced it, <S> even though to do the same job as a 5-DIN you needed four separate RCAs (or two stereo ones each with 2 plugs at each end), all connected to the correct sockets in the right order, and the separate grounds aren't of any benefit when Ground is Ground in all the interconnected equipment. <S> I've got a classic turntable and receiver-amp pair that connect straight together with a single one of these, and it's a total piece of cake. <S> Like a SCART or HDMI for four different analogue audio channels. <S> If the mismatched tape deck that also sits with them was but a few years older it would connect to one of the two-way "tape" sockets on the amp (the turntable connecting to a specific Phono socket, which has a built in EQ stage) with another single cable <S> but, thanks to the standardisation, be able to both play and record using that one lead. <S> As it happens, it is an RCA device, same as the DVD player (well, various different inputs passing though a manual switchbox in truth, but it's the normal user) feeding "tape 2", so <S> I've had to use a 2RCA to <S> DIN-5 converter lead with my fingers <S> crossed that it's the "right" way out for both (got lucky...). <S> (oddly, I do have a 4xRCA to DIN-5 cable somewhere around here that I once salvaged from an old rig at work, with a stereo in and a stereo out (or as it was for some bastardised video editing rig, video + mono audio in and video + mono audio out), but never yet got to use in anger... <S> thankfully no need (yet)) <S> I wouldn't immediately have thought it was for speakers, as it's not meant for carrying any significant power, but people have done a lot of corner cutting or otherwise easily enabling hacks down the years, official or otherwise, so it may well be a very strange way of connecting them, with somewhat limited power? <S> The amp I have uses 2-pin Speaker-DIN, breaking out of the same chassis backplane as the line-level connectors... absolutely no chance of junior accidentally plugging something in backwards and making it go boom, therefore..	This was enabled by having control signals passed between receiver and turntable over the additional pins in the connector. Those are 5-pin male DIN connectors. Same as used in the original IBM-PC keyboard cables. This is common on old audio equipment in Europe:
Running power to an outside shed In my house I have a main panel with 3-50 amp breakers feeding a subpanel right next to it. The main panel has an opening for a double breaker. I plan on adding a 50 amp 2 pole breaker to the main panel that will feed a second subpanel in a building that will have a 30, 20, and 15 amp breaker. It will be 240/120 service. I'm using #4 gauge aluminum service wire direct burial between house and building. Is there a problem with any of this? <Q> Use conduit Putting in some 2" schedule 80 PVC now is a cheap investment compared to having to dig up a busted cable to replace it. <S> Torque your lugs to spec! <S> Get an inch-pound torque wrench and torque your breaker and panelboard lugs to manufacturer's spec . <S> This is a new requirement with the 2017 NEC, spelled out in 110.14(D), and simply good practice anyway, especially with aluminum (which is a bit more sensitive to torques than copper is). <S> Make sure the outbuilding is grounded Since you have a feeder to a subpanel at the outbuilding, you'll need to put in a ground electrode at the outbuilding and wire it to the ground bar in the subpanel, which will be separate from the neutral bar, by the way. <S> (Make sure to pull that bonding screw or strap in the new subpanel!) <A> I agree with ThreePhaseEel and would add a few things: <S> Two hots, a neutral, and a ground. <S> The conductors need to be rated for direct burial. <S> According to Table 310.15(B)(16) of the National Electrical Code #4 Aluminum at 75°C is rated for 65 amps of current. <S> Section 240.4(B) allows you to use the next higher standard size breaker in this case. <S> Since 65 amps does not correspond to a standard size you could then use a 70 amp breaker. <S> Since a 70 amp breaker and a 50 amp will be the same price you could use the 70 amp as long as the sub-panel is rated for 70 amps or more. <S> Usually this would be a 100 amp sub-panel since these only come in certain standard sizes. <S> Also, as Harper points out in the comments, your first sub-panel should not be fed by multiple breakers. <S> This is a Code violation and safety issue. <S> Essentially, you should reduce this feed to a single breaker e.g. a single 100 amp breaker feeding a 100 amp sub-panel with 100 amp wire. <S> This would have an added benefit of opening up 4 more slots in your main panel. <S> Good luck and stay safe! <A> Sounds good to me. <S> You'll be within 3% voltage drop which should be fine. <S> I'd maybe recommend laying this cable in conduit so its better protected from excavation and damage later on and easier to service. <S> 120 ft is a lot of digging to do twice! <S> But your plan sounds good.	Whatever the sub-panel is rated for, you should feed it with larger wire rated for that amperage from a breaker sized for that panel. Your conductors need to be sized for the breaker size. Make sure your feeder is 4 wires since it is a new installation.
Should I replace this 4" furnace filter with a 5" one? I got a new furnace this year, and want to replace the filter. It's 4" (actually 3 5/8), but the cabinet looks like it would easily take 5. Would a 5" replacement be better? Or should I just get another 4"? <Q> It looks as if a certain type filter should be installed since it has a cover door. <S> Usually these filter racks handle a certain type of filter and not a standard 4" or 5" filter. <A> The whole point of a nice filter cabinet like that is to have a tight fit so very little air bypasses <S> the filter otherwise you might as well just stick a cheap filter in there. <S> Those usually take a manufacturer specific filter to fit properly. <S> Most universal filters are under sized so they can fit most cabinets, <S> just bit well. <S> Manufacturer specific filters are usually more money but should fit like a glove. <A> The thing to make sure of is that the rating of the filter allows the proper air flow and filter level. <S> If the 5" filter will fit and it has a similar density it would allow the system to move the air with less resistance. <S> I have repaired a blower that the owners thought if 1 filter was good 2 would be better and got some really expensive heppa filters this caused the blower motor to run very hot <S> and it baked the grease out of the bearings in just a few years. <S> I added an electrostatic element and the went back to the standard filter after this <S> the owners said the house was more evenly heated and the furnace was running less. <A> It certainly appears that the filter is undersized. <S> Ideally, it matters only a small amount as long as the existing filter seals against the outflow as noted by the arrow. <S> You can ensure that a larger filter would work/fit by checking the Actual Size for the 5" filter you are considering. <S> According to AirFiltersDelivered , the 16 x 25 x 5 filter is 15 3/8" x 25 1/2" x 5 1/4", while your filter shows 15 1/2" x 24 1/2" x 3 5/8". <S> The five inch filter would be 1/8" smaller in the 16" direction, not too bad, although larger might be a better direction to have a mismatch. <S> Is there enough flange on the outflow window to allow another eighth inch smaller filter casing? <S> The longer measurement for the five inch filter is one inch. <S> It's tough to be certain from the photo, but you might make that okay. <S> The thickness is another uncertain-from-the-image measurement. <S> Can you fit another inch and five-eighths? <S> I'm going to say no, as that's a huge proportion of the filter to air-gap ratio in the photo. <S> That's one resource. <S> The Home Depot carries a filter labeled as a 16 x 25 x 5 but the specifications read as follows: 15.88 (15 7/8) <S> x 24.75 (24 3/4) <S> x 4.38 (4 3/8) <S> It's still an inch thicker than your current filter. <S> Amazon has a filter listing, but it matches Home Depot in dimension. <S> Lowes gets a bit closer but not in the important dimension. <S> 15.75-in <S> x 24.4375-in <S> x 4.88-in <S> your filter shows 15 1/2" x 24 1/2" x 3 5/8a quarter inch larger in the short direction, almost a perfect match on the long side, but once again, far too thick to fit. <S> One could conclude that NO is the answer to your first question and YES to the second. <S> If your measurements show otherwise, mock up a cardboard version with hot glue and see how well it fits.	I would caution about increasing the density of the filter as this may affect the efficiency of the unit. Call the furnace installer and ask what size, type, and specs for the filter to fit the rack he installed.
Samsung RF266 refrigerator not cooling - Fan making noise We have a Samsung RF266 refrigerator that has started on make funny noises. More like fan noise. It has something called to twin cooling technology similar this image. There is evidence of ice buildup inside the refrigerator particularity around vent holes indicated by the red marking in the picture. Also recently we have observed some of the food is starting to go bad. Anything thought on what might be the cause. <Q> I've had this issue before with Samsung refrigerators. <S> The sound of the fan is usually it hitting against an ice build-up, which means no air-circulation, which means no cooling. <S> This worked for my fridge. <A> Here is an easy but temporary fix for noise caused by fan blades hitting ice build-up (temporary, since it treats only the symptom of Samsung's flawed design, rather than the cause). <S> You don't need to remove food or even open the fridge: Simultaneously press "Freezer" and "Lighting" on front panel of fridge and hold (8 seconds on my fridge) until it beeps. <S> Release, and press "Freezer" repeatedly (three times for my model) until it displays "rd" (rear defrost). <S> This manually activates the rear defroster, and your fridge will beep annoyingly for awhile (about 27 minutes on my fridge). <S> I usually repeat this process 4-6 times in a row, setting my phone timer for 27 minutes to keep reminding me to go and restart it. <S> This fix usually lasts me a couple of weeks. <S> If you remember to do it frequently, on a preventative basis--say, before going to work or to bed, you may stay ahead of the problem. <A> The fan to circulate air is essential in full sized refrigerators. <S> I have a similar fridge <S> and I have never heard the fan. <S> You hearing noises seems to indicate that something is happening to the fan. <S> If that is the problem, its probably going to be one of the cheaper issues you can have - maybe not "cheap", but a lot better than a bad compressor or something. <S> You might want to stop using it until you can get it fixed because it may be over-working the compressor in its current state.	If the fan has slipped on its shaft or the motor is not spinning at full speed, the cooling coils would get too cold (and form ice), and the rest of the fridge would not cool properly because of the lack of airflow. The best solution to try first is to do a complete defrost (unplug the fridge and leave the doors open for 72 hours, removing any ice build-up that you can see/find).
Weight a foundation can hold Would a 6" slab with mesh, rebar and fiber hold a 2 story log home made from hemlock logs that are 16" wide? The mesh will be doubled up on the outer edges and rebar will run both ways. It's 32x40. <Q> Log homes are designed to distribute the weight of the house fairly evenly around the perimeter and with the logs being about 16” wide it could easily support about 3,500 lbs. <S> per linear foot, depending on soil conditions in your area. <S> However, the reason footings (or as @isherwood indicated, thickened slabs at edges) are used is 1) to be installed below frost lines, which could be from 12” down to 48” below ground level, depending where you live, 2) help span across soft spots in the soil, and 3) removes loose topsoil which is easily compressed. <S> Your slab does not do any of those. <S> In addition, if you have any posts in the middle of your house, that is a “concentrated “ load and will require an extra large footing with extra reinforcement. <S> A 6” slab will fail, even with rebar installed, as you indicated. <A> You'd almost certainly need what's known as a thickened-edge slab. <S> It's basically a slab with footings integrated into its edges. <A> You really should get a engineer, not a architect or both. <S> That being said you need footers running under all support walls and posts, even a 4 inch slab has 12 or 16 inch footers under all load points. <S> You would also need to consider climate, soild composition, and compaction. <S> Due yourself a favor and get a engineer, the foundations the most important thing you mess that up and everything else is screwed also.	Six inches is not considered adequate to support the weight of the structure.
Slow spinning ceiling fan that won't turn off: dangerous? Our ceiling fan spins very slowly, and constantly, no matter how many times I pull the chain to try and turn it off. I've tried leaving it for several minutes between chain yanks, to give it time to spin down (even though it's spinning at about a revolution per ten seconds), but it never stops. I'm not worried about the fan working - I don't need it. I just want to be sure it's not going to cause a fire. Am I ok? <Q> I had the same problem just recently, and learned that our space heater was sitting just right to create a draft and make the fan spin very slowly. <A> Unless you know the exact failure mode, you have to assume the worst. <S> A ceiling fan and it’s light kit will commonly have different wires for the fan motor and the light kit. <S> If you don’t want to replace the fan, someone that has some electrical experience should be able to disconnect the wire for the fan motor and leave everything else connected and in place. <S> This is probably your safest and cheapest option. <S> If the fan happens to only have one supply wire, I’d have to recommend replacing it with a basic ceiling light or another fan. <A> After several years in the electrical service business I also would recommend disconnecting and taking down the unit. <S> Throw it away. <S> My experience is that these units do not experience a long, long life; ten years is a good life. <S> I have never seen one of these units overheat; they are no doubt impedance protected. <S> Just the same, play it safe and get it out of your house.	An electric appliance/device that isn’t working correctly should not be used and should be unplugged or disconnected even if it won’t turn on.
Are there any special tools, materials or techniques required for building a staircase door? I have recently moved to a house that has a converted attic. It isn't a huge space but would make a reasonable den or man-cave were it not for the fact that the staircase cuts the room almost in half and restricts the use of the floor space - see photo I've been thinking of doing away with the railings and getting a staircase or cellar type door instead. This would act as a sort of trapdoor and maximise available space. I've measured up and been looking at various designs, for example this commercial offering and this one found on Pinterest . My basic design is going to be a reinforced rectangle of wood attached with strong hinges to act as a trapdoor. There will be say a 4x4 retaining beam running along the opposite side to the hinges to keep the door in place when closed. Does anyone have any tips that might be useful for me to know? For example what kind of hinges should I use, how best to reinforce a door panel to make it sturdy enough to be walked on? Any safety considerations and so on. EDIT: I'm in a two story brick built house in the UK. Thanks in advance for your help. <Q> From this picture it hardly looks like the stairs "cuts the room in half". <S> In fact it looks like the stairs hug all the way to one side of the room. <S> I would strongly discourage you from proceeding with the idea that you propose. <S> If the horizontal trap door were closed in the event of a fire it may very well be just that... <S> a trap <S> the prevents you from escaping in a timely manner, if at all. <A> I also would discourage this idea. <S> The railing is there for reason; to keep people from falling through the hole. <S> No mater how you build your trap door <S> you are always going to have a hole in the floor that someone could fall through. <A> (Basements and attics used primarily for storage, for example.) <S> They're annoying to open since you have to either reach down to the ground or above your head, and need to pull against gravity to use them. <S> This damages the usability of the space, not so much on a practical level, but on a psychological level. <S> Also remember that you can't use the space for a lot of stuff, since you still need the ability to open it. <S> You won't gain as much room as you might want. <S> Finally, there's no way this meets code. <S> You'll need to put everything back if you sell.	Staircase doors are only really suitable for areas that don't see much use.
How to approach insulating my rim joist I'm working on finishing my 1924 home's basement in Minnesota and am currently working on insulation. My rim-joists look like this: 2x8 Joists with a board between each joist. Behind that board is a bit of concrete and a bunch of sand, rocks, construction debris from when the house was built. A few of the sections have penetrations already for faucets, venting, electrical, A/C, etc. Those Rim-Joist cavities look like this once cleaned out: The open space above the concrete is ~4 inches high. The subfloor seen is the primary living area. At the back of the rim-joist is another 2x8 and stucco exterior.No further insulation. What is my best bet for insulating this? Should I remove the boards and sand to do this, or leave them as-is and insulate over the wood? <Q> Actually you only want to use fiber insulation against cold surfaces (rim joist) when you can completely cut off the air supply from the interior. <S> Interior air carries a lot of water. <S> The air moves through the fiber insulation and condenses when it hits the rim joist and you have a potential issue. <S> Cut the foam board <S> so it fits loosely over the rim joist. <S> Fill in around it with the foam in a can. <S> Cover that whole thing with the fiber. <S> Now the dew point is inside the foam board where the air can't reach. <S> No condensation, really good insulation. <S> If you want to get all geeky, you can calculate the dew point location in the assembly based on exterior and interior temps, interior relative humidity, and insulation type and thickness, to make sure the dew point is in the foam. <S> For example, don't use 1/4" foam board and R-30 fiber. <S> Use 2" foam board (about R10) and 6" fiber (about R19) and <S> you should be OK. <S> BTW, same principle applies to cold basement walls. <S> A nice layer of fiber insulation against the wall commonly creates a mold problem. <A> What you have there is what's known as a mud sill. <S> Mortar was set around the joist for whatever reason. <S> My previous home was exactly like this. <S> It's not really important how you fit the fiberglass in the cavity as long as it's filling all the void without any air pockets <S> and it's not packed tight. <S> Assuming that you don't also need to solve airflow / leakage issues this will be just fine. <S> It's substantially better than what's probably in your walls. <S> I don't have any concerns with you removing the cross blocks. <S> With the joists being fastened to the subfloor and locked in with the mortar there's really nowhere they can go. <S> Alternatively you could have someone come in and spray foam into each cavity. <S> This would give you an equivalent R-value and would also seal it up tightly against air flow. <S> It would be fairly expensive, though. <A> Yea, just cut some small strips of R-30 and shove them on up in there. <S> Try not to pack them in too tight though because the fluffiness is where the insulation comes from. <S> Or I suppose you could have them spray insulated if you have the money for it.	Better way is to buy a sheet of foam board insulation, like the blue or pink stuff, a can of spray foam insulation, and a roll of fiber insulation. I simply cut 16 in fiberglass batts into roughly two foot lengths and folded them into the space to create something like an R-30 thickness.
Do clothes dryers have heat insulation that could be mistaken as lint? My friend's dryer leaves partially wet clothes. I plan to clean it and remove any lint. My question is - Do dryers have heat insulation that looks like lint and should not be removed? Here are few pictures: While this dryer looks different than mine, I think what is in the doors is actually lint and not heat insulation (to reduce heat loss via doors)? And the thing in the back probably is lint as well that should be cleaned: Update #1 (the other side of drum that shows close up of picture #3): <Q> No. <S> No such insulation that looks like lint. <S> Can use compressed air carefully to get at the hard to reach stuff. <S> Or a vent that does not vent clearly to the out of doors. <S> Check out the vent pipe first. <S> Make sure that it is clear all the way with no restrictions or reductions. <S> Make sure that it is as straight and short as possible. <S> When you put your hand on the air flow outside at the vent cap you should feel a hard pressing column of air. <S> Without lots of air movement, you just can't dry clothes. <A> Don't use spray air unless you take the thing outdoors for god sakes. <S> Get a kit like this from your local home improvement store: <S> Avoid kits like this at all costs! <S> Usually blockages occur in the duct work in the walls. <S> Run the dryer in air only mode, and push the brush in and out from outside while spinning back and forth. <S> Repeat until you stop getting loads of dust come out. <S> If you want to be super thorough, you can do a second pass from the dryer end with the dryer removed, but that's a lot of work <S> so I don't. <S> Then take the ribbon vacuum attachment, and stick it in to your dryer's filter slot without breaking the dryer. <S> Run the vacuum while you brush around in there to gather lint. <A> I cleaned the went pipe and other areas. <S> It did not help with "partially wet clothes". <S> A month later after I posted this question the belt that spins drum snapped. <S> After replacing the belt dryer does not leave partially wet clothes anymore. <S> My guess is that belt was slipping and caused clothes to remain partially wet. <S> Since the belt was old I just replaced it, but it could be that there is another issue with pulleys or drum that caused the belt to snap. <S> Will see later if anything else needs to be replaced too, because I am not sure if the shedding that I just saw were from old belt or the new one.	However the more likely culprit is a blocked or kinked vent pipe. Anything that looks like lint is lint and has to go. Use a vacuum cleaner!
Sealing Terminals on 150w Garden Transformer I bought a garden transformer to power 2x 12v 50w Halogen lights near the pool. https://www.bunnings.com.au/hpm-12v-150w-garden-light-transformer_p4396752 Should I be concerned that the terminals on the transformer aren't weather sealed? What can I seal these with to ensure no water enters the terminal in case of rain, splash etc? Thanks Scott <Q> If you look at the specs on the link in the question, you'll see they claim that the power supply is rated for outdoors, but not for wet locations. <S> It will have to be installed indoors or in a suitable enclosure. <A> 12 volts near a freshwater pool or outdoors where saltwater is not present is not much of a danger. <S> The most likely danger is of burns associated with metal shorting the conductors, like a (jewelry) ring, bracelet, etc. <S> Pressing a tongue against live 12 volt terminals is exciting—but not dangerous. <S> If you prefer the terminals be idiot proof (which is a reasonable thing for most people) cover them with silicon caulk, though that inconveniences disconnecting and reconnecting. <A> You can buy silicone filled wire nuts (most commonly sold under the Dryconn brand). <S> The silicone is safe for wires and will help protect from corrosion	The clear flavor of caulk would be my preference so that one can see what is being protected.
Combine/merge 2 light switches into 1 I have two light switches that I would like to combine to one. See image. On the left is my existing setup, on the right is what I am thinking of doing (apologies, I never learned proper electrical diagramming). Both light switches are on the same circuit breaker. What I gather from a similar question is that I can just cap one of the incoming wires, which I assume, is either A or C? This would mean that my idea (right diagram) is incorrect? If that were the case, would I also cap the ground and white neutral wires from the same line? EDIT: So I have since learned after testing the wires, that only A is hot. C was a separate light switch in another room, so it needed an uninterrupted line going to it. This still makes my diagram work. <Q> I figured it out. <S> C is going to another light switch in another room so it needed an uninterrupted line. <S> My diagram on the right worked! <A> You can buy and I recommend that you get what is called a 'stack' switch. <S> When you remove the tab on the line side of this switch it will now handle two completely separate and isolated switching functions. <S> Now just pass the two switch legs through this switch. <S> Don't change anything on the neutrals, 'whites' and all the grounds should all go together. <S> Hope this helps. <S> Good Luck. <A> I am assuming that C comes from the breaker panel, and that the diagram represents a single electrical box which houses the two switches. <S> Only the black wires are changing. <S> It's very straightforward. <S> Assuming you are starting with two separate switches in a 2-gang box, and depending on what style or model of dimmer you go with, you can get a wallplate which will blank-out the second gang, ala:	Now with one single device you can switch two items. Your diagram looks just fine to me. I tested which wires were hot and it turns out that only the black wire in A was hot . Make sure your dimmer switch is designed to handle the amount of current (watts) and design (incandescent, florescent, etc) of whatever it is you're dimming.
Is the toilet bowl's coating the secret to a clean flush? Note: I am in Australia, which has very different toilet systems to the USA, which is why this similar question was no help to me. I have two bathrooms, which are both being renovated, and I will be replacing the toilet suites. One of the toilets has problems with... for want of a more delicate way to put it... skid marks. The other is absolutely fine. I want to avoid this problem with the new toilets. I spoke to a salesman today who said it was all due to the coating on the bowl and recommended an expensive brand that he said was the best. I am dubious. I suspect the cause is something to do with the geometric design - the relative location of the water to the back of the seat, or similar, so the waste never hits the sides. The toilet that has no problems is a reasonably cheap brand , but a discontinued model so I can't just get two more of those. Is it all about the coating? If it is about the physical shape, is there something I can look out for in the showroom? <Q> Many brands of washlet <S> will spray water on the inside of the bowl before you start, which does wonders for this problem. <A> I'm going to go with the glazing of the surface of the porcelain. <S> But on the heels of that you don'e need an expensive toilet to get quality glazing. <S> Welcome aboard. <A> The relative position of the seat to the sewer drain in the floor beneath the toilet varies between models. <S> Some models have the sewer relatively far forward compared the seat - or at least, they are designed to accommodate such set-ups. <S> They cannot have a "straight back" or "straight drop" at the back of the bowl, near the rear of the seat. <S> Instead, the back of the bowl comes forward before the water. <S> This leaves an area at the back where there waste can hit the bowl rather than the water. <S> The solution seems to be to find a model of toilet which has a bowl with a straight back - this might mean ensuring the sewer drain is closer to the wall, or that the toilet seat comes out from the wall further. <S> I believe this is the secret, not coatings, although it is difficult to prove I am right.	It is true that the smoothness of the porcelain is a factor; a newer bowl or a higher quality one will have less of a problem.
Is it ok that a hot wire connects to two separate switches? I recently tried to replace my light switch with some smart switches but when I open it, the wiring was a bit odd to me. The top of wire of the first switch was piggy tailed/connected to the bottom of the second light switch. Is that correct? I have included pictures and a bad hand drawn picture. <Q> That is a perfectly functional way of splitting a single hot (highlighted green in your sketch) to supply power to two separate switched fixtures. <S> It's hard to tell whether or not you have this because all of your conductors have the same color insulation. <S> It looks like knob and tube wiring, so there is a distinct possibility of the neutral not being present in the switch box. <S> In older circuitry it wasn't uncommon for the installer to run hot to fixtures via one path and return the neutral to the fuse/breaker panel via a completely different route. <A> With simple switches, the tops and bottoms are interchangeable. <S> It will be more logical to you if you swap terminals on one of the switches, so <S> the always-hots are serving e.g. the top of the switch, and the switched-hot serves the bottoms of each switch. <S> Once you make that logical "shift", this is fairly easy to understand, and very normal and proper way to wire, provided the neutrals to both lamps return to the same neutral. <A> This was permitted by older codes. <S> It's not now. <S> Pigtails joined in a wire nut should be used to connect a single wire to multiple terminals.	However, most smart switches require a neutral conductor in the switch box so there can be an always-on connection for the "smart" circuitry.
Multiple layers of roofing shingles? I am replacing some flashing on a roof and therefore need to take up some shingles. Unfortunately, there appears to be four layers of shingles, so I will have remove quite a mass of shingling. Is this normal to have four layers of shingles on a roof? I thought when a new roof is added they are supposed to remove the old shingling first. <Q> It was fairly common years ago, but even then there was a right way and a wrong way. <S> The right way was to nest the new layer into the existing layer such that there's no structural span happening--each new shingle is fully supported. <S> When that wasn't done the new layer was sure to fail prematurely. <S> I watched it happen across the alley--a brand new roof came completely apart after about 8 years. <S> In my area the practice became outlawed some years ago (and manufacturers began to specifically reject warranty claims when it was done). <A> If you visualize four layers at the eave, where the metal nosing is, it is actually the starter course and first course. <S> If there are four separate layers at the eave that would actually be two roofs. <S> The only variable would be if a new piece of nosing was installed OVER an existing roof, when installing another roof. <S> I do not recommend you recover a third time for a few reasons. <S> One, the weight. <S> Two, the quality of the installation will be affected by the likely deteriorated condition of the material you will be going over. <S> Three, after this many years it would be wise to examine the roof sheathing. <S> Replace any broken or dry rotted sheathing and if it's one by six "solid sheathing", consider skinning over your roof deck with 1/2 in ply or oriented strand board sheathing. <S> (You can go right over the existing 1X6 sheathing without having to remove it.) <S> It will give you a more consistent nailing surface without the occasional "nail in the gap" effect, common when going over 1X6 solid roof sheathing, and provide the shear strength afforded by a plywood sheathed roof deck. <S> Was a roofer for over forty years and although you can probably get away with a third re-cover, in my experience, it is not a good idea at all. <A> Yes, 3 roofs is the limit. <S> (See ICC Section R907.3.1.1 Reroofing.)	It's rare to come across lingering roofs with multiple layers aside from the odd neglected outbuilding, for example.
Tankless point of use water heater that only heats when inlet is cold There are other questions such as this that ask about a point of use heater to provide quicker hot water, but they don't seem to fit what I want. Our kitchen sink takes a while to get hot, and I would like this to be more immediate. If I use a small tank water heater (2.5 gal) under the sink, and connect that to the hot water, it seems that I would get 2.5 gallons of hot water immediately, followed by 20 seconds of cool water (the time it normally takes to get hot water) that would then gradually warm back up, right? What I would love to have is an inline tankless, plug in (120v) water heater that would immediately provide warm (ok if not super hot) water, and then automatically turn off once hot water from the tank arrives so that the water is not over heated. It seems like such an obvious solution, but I haven't been able to find such a device. Is there a reason why this does not exist? <Q> TLDR: <S> they all do that, it's a safety feature to avoid scalding. <S> It takes a lot of power to make heat. <S> You won't get much heat out of a 120V on-demand heater unless you really, really, really restrict water flow, like, you could get a cup of tea out of it if you're patient. <S> Don't even bother with on-demand unless you are willing to run 240V to the heater and at least 20A preferably 30. <S> An on-demand heater made to run alone on a 15A circuit, is 1440W. <S> It will only embarrass itself and its entire class of heaters. <S> You will be disappointed, swear them off for good, and that will be a shame because they are wonderful when you size them properly. <S> As others discuss, they have safety controls to prevent outputting scalding water. <S> You should not set your on-demand heater to scalding to avoid legionella, legionella can't grow in an on-demand. <S> You should set your tank heater to kill legionella. <A> The tankless water heaters I have installed have thermostats. <S> When the water exiting the full sized or under counter model gets to the set temp it quits heating. <S> I have installed electric point of use models in bathrooms and kitchens from memory the hottest setting was 130-140f as the water gets warmer from the primary water <S> heater the point of use unit shuts down no over heating at all. <S> The first time I installed this setup I was concerned as you are about scalding. <S> I measured the temp set at 115f and turned the water on full hot at first the flow of cold water was more than the small unit could heat only about 110-112 within 3 minutes the water was running 120f. <S> I checked another hot tap and the water was at 120. <S> I turned up the small unit and the water never exceeded the set point. <S> I have done this test with several brands and they all preformed close to the same. <S> One test I did on a system that had a gas tankless and electric point of use was to run more hot than the gas tankless could keep up with and measure the point of use then turned of the extra tap <S> so all the hot water went to the point of use electric, it did overshoot by 2 or 3 degrees <S> but that was worst case. <S> I don't know if the smaller gas tankless heaters would respond as quickly as the electric because I have not tested that <S> but I recommend the smaller point of use heaters for bathrooms that are a long way from the waterheater <S> I think this is more efficient than recirculation systems and the small electrics are reasonable to wire in not major power hogs like the whole house electric units. <A> I recognize the risk of messing with a kettle of scalding water once a day. <S> Now that I think about it I will start holding the kettle over the counter when transferring it the 7' to the sink. <S> I think any good quality electric tankless water heater would do what you want. <S> I expect that they would have temperature feedback control circuitry to regulate the power input in response to flow and input water temperature to avoid output water over the set temperature. <S> In my case the 120-V 20-A dishwasher circuit in the next cabinet could be used to power an under-sink tankless WH. <S> The dishwasher was taken out in kitchen remodel 15 years ago and the fact is that 38 years ago we used it a few times but never after (noisy builder's model). <S> I have a good dedicated circuit sitting idle, breaker turned off.	I have thought about what you are proposing, but at no expense and installation trouble I just use a kettle on the stove.
How to open a door that has the insides of a door handle inside without a door knob Currently this is what my doorknob looks like below I was trying to change out my doorknob and left both sides inside of the room but the AC kicked on and shut the door on me and now I am stuck outside of the room. I was wondering how I could I open the door? <Q> See the lock insides? <S> That's a metal sleeve, with an inside sliding piece. <S> That inside sliding piece is connected to the latch bolt. <S> Push it to the left, and voila! <S> Some additional details. <S> This is what you see when you remove the knobs, shaft and escutcheons from a knob set. <S> The central shaft, which is has a flat, vertical cross-section, goes through that D-shaped hole. <S> (Hence bib 's suggestion of using a large screwdriver to act as that shaft.) <S> I believe the smaller hole on the right is for a lock. <S> Push a button on the (interior?) <S> escutcheon and a round shaft is pushed into that hole, preventing the sliding piece from sliding. <S> Low-tech, but quite functional. <A> Lacking any regular tools, a pair of scissors works great. <S> Open up the scissors to a cross, and push one blade all the way into the hole in the metal part then turn. <S> You can use the other handle as a lever if it is tight. <S> Hey presto, she be open. <S> DISCLAIMER: <S> Do not cut yourself or run with this tool, or use your spouse's good tailoring scissors. <A> If it is accessible, take the circled part of the door knob and put it into the hole. <S> You'll then be able to open the door.	Turn a knob either way, and the top or bottom edge of the bar pushes against that sliding piece to open the latch.
How do I connect a subpanel with neutral and ground to the same bus bar in main panel? My main panel has the neutral and ground to the same bus bar and I am planning to connect a subpanel for a detached garage. So I have a few questions. When I connect the subpanel to the main panel, does it matter which bus bar I connect the ground and neutral? Do I need to separate all of the other ground and neutral wires on the bus bar when I connect the sub panel? <Q> bus bar singular? <S> There are supposed to be two bus bars in every panel. <S> One for neutrals, and one for grounds. <S> In the main panel ONLY, they are to be bonded together. <S> This is what references your electrical system to earth voltage. <S> It must only be done one place in a system. <S> Because of the required bond in the main panel, a great many electricians conclude that there is no difference between neutral and ground in the main panel since the N-G bond is right there . <S> And they simply spam all neutrals and grounds onto the same bus. <S> That logic is actually... reasonable... in the main panel. <S> However... <S> If you want to be a precise and competent worker, then you separate them always , as if every panel were a subpanel, and let the neutral-ground bond do its job. <S> This has a couple of neat benefits for you. <S> if you convert that panel to a subpanel later, it's cake. <S> if you want to troubleshoot a ground fault, you can remove the neutral-ground bond, and replace it with a wire which you loop 10 times and clamp an ammeter around the loop. <S> Now the meter indicates ground leakage at 10x resolution. <S> It'll take you literally 30 seconds of snapping off breakers before you find which breaker it is. <S> That was easy. <S> not that this is typically done in residential in the US, partly because of risk of damage to hardwired loads and controls... <S> but you can separate the neutral-ground bond, then do insulation testing (megging) on the conductors to ground, to affirm no ground faults in the wiring proper. <S> This is especially important at higher voltages like 480/277. <A> To actually answer your specific questions: <S> How do I connect a sub-panel with neutral and ground to the same bus bar in main panel? <S> you land the feeder's neutral and ground, but make sure the lugs you choose are rated for the gauge and type of conductor, and if using aluminum, you should use Noalox and the proper torque. <S> When I connect the sub-panel to the main panel, does it matter which bus bar <S> I connect the ground and neutral? <S> No, It doesn't matter in the main panel. <S> Yes, it matters in the sub panel. <S> First, REMOVE the bonding strap that connects the two bus bars in the sub-panel. <S> Then in the sub, it should be visually obvious that one of the bus bars is insulated from the case. <S> If not, use a volt meter to find out. <S> The insulated one is for neutral. <S> The one that conducts to the case is ground. <S> Do I need to separate all of the other ground and neutral wires on the bus bar when I connect the sub panel? <S> Yes. <A> It is correct that the ground and neutral share the same bus bar in your main panel. <S> The ground and neutral buses only need to be separated inside of a subpanel. <S> In other words: Tie the subpanel's ground and neutral wire to either bus inside of the main panel, but keep them on separate buses at the subpanel. <S> If you have a subpanel feeding another subpanel, you would need to keep the ground and neutral lines <S> /buses separate in both subpanels. <A> This is not a new topic. <S> I had similar questions a few years ago. <S> See here: <S> Rewiring Garage, building grounds To answer your questions, If you have separate neutral and ground busses in your main panel, I would connect it to the neutral as a general practice. <S> The two busses should be connected anyway. <S> Not the main panel. <S> The subpanel requires either its own ground or a dedicated ground wire back to your main panel. <S> I do not recommend the second option. <S> The reason for this is to prevent neutral voltage from returning to the main panel in the ground.	In the sub-panel grounds and neutrals must be only on their corresponding bus bars. Yes, you will need to separate them for the subpanel. They can (and should) only be tied together at the main panel. In the main panel it doesn't matter on which us bar
Comparing American 240VAC equipment to European 230VAC This is more a question for curiosity, as I don't have a 240 volt appliance nor do I plan on visiting Europe. As far as I have been able to tell, much of Europe uses the CEE 7 standard for household receptacles, which (I think) consists of 1 hot leg at 230 volts and 1 neutral. The American standard is of course two alternating hot legs, each at 120 volts, which can be used individually (with a neutral) to supply 120 volts, or together (but without a neutral) to supply 240 volts. Original question: Other than the slight difference in voltage, and the utility frequency difference (60 Hz vs 50 Hz), does the actual equipment (say a motor) even notice a difference? Can it even tell that the current is being supplied by 2 alternating hot legs vs 1 hot leg and a neutral? Editing the question for clarity, because I have a specific gap in my knowledge that I am trying to understand: (Ok, I have more gaps than just one, but this question is focusing on one.) To make things more comparable, imagine a magical world where Europe uses 240 volts instead of 230 volts, and 60 Hz instead of 50 Hz. Now in this hypothetical situation, the major difference we face is: in America we have 2 alternating hot legs, and-- in Europe they have 1 hot leg and a neutral. What differences, if any, would be noticed by equipment such as a motor? <Q> Yeah, a motor is going to care a lot about the different frequency. <S> A lot. <S> So will anything involved with induction. <S> Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln... <S> The main difference is that Euro power is corner grounded whereas North American is center grounded. <S> It will handle North American power, 120V from ground, just fine. <S> A North American machine only expects to be insulated 120V from ground, so it may have to contend with higher voltage than it's been tested/listed for. <A> Some gear cares about where the N-G bond lives <S> There are pieces of equipment (such as line-interactive inverters) that care deeply about how the N-G bonding is done for design and safety reasons. <S> Because of this, they are a bit... <S> pickier than other pieces of gear -- using an European solar inverter in the USA, or vice versa, would be rather unwise and could lead to some serious magic smoke emissions, even. <S> More straightforward utilization equipment (such as motors and heaters) won't care about the location of the N-G bond, though. <S> Motors care, but due to frequency Most AC motors are sensitive to frequency even if the voltage is the same. <S> So, you won't get good results with a 240V 60Hz motor on 50Hz, or vice versa. <S> Inverter drives, OTOH, don't care -- inverter appliances and VFDs will likely shrug at the mains frequency change. <A> In the 1960's we used US tape recorders in the UK with a 240 to 120 volt transformer and running at 120 volts 50 cycles and the only difference was <S> the speed of the tape was affected, it was slightly slower on 50 cycles but only a little. <S> Some people didn't even notice.	European plugs also aren't very good at being polarized, so a Euro device must have 230V of insulation value from each conductor to ground.
Installing European outlets in American kitchen for heat-based appliances I'm interested in using European kitchen appliances to heat things faster. My house is a 2014 construction in America, split-phase power. My understanding is that their 230V toasters, kettles, and toaster ovens cook faster because they have more watts available due to the higher voltage on a given size of wire. Understanding that I'd have to avoid appliances with electronics and motors, What are the pros and cons to adding a circuit to my kitchen with European outlets? I imagine that I might have to use a breaker smaller than optimal for the European outlets since American and European breakers don't come in the same capacities. What else could I be missing, and is there a better way to accomplish this? It would be nice to have a microwave that was twice as fast too, but that definitely gets into electronic and motor land. Not to mention the magnetron might derive its frequency from mains. <Q> The main problem with European outlets and appliances is that they won't be listed to local standards, even if they are perfectly safe. <S> We have our own set of 240V outlets and plugs, you'd just chop the cord and install the correct US standard plug - but that appliance itself would likely not carry US specific listings. <S> That could cause you insurance problems. <S> The secondary problem is that there's no inherent "things go faster becasue the voltage is higher" - a 1000W kettle will boil water just as fast if it's designed to be supplied from 120V as if it's designed to be supplied from 240V - the only way it gets faster is to choose a higher wattage, on either voltage. <S> Ditto the microwave <S> oven. <S> More power is more power, regardless of the supply voltage it's designed for. <S> You might find more joy investigating the expensive toys at a USA Restaurant supply for "commercial" appliances than importing things from Europe. <S> Just beware of the ones that want 3-phase power. <A> You can then purchase a 2100 watt microwave instead of the 1200 watt light duty residential ones. <S> Panasonic NE-21521 is just one example of this. <S> For water kettles, coffee makers, and toasters, buying European models will be your best option in the US as you probably don't want the commercial equivalent which would be overkill. <S> I agree with the comment above to install NEMA 6-15 or 6-20 plugs instead of European equivalents to avoid insurance problems and to instead change the power cords of the appliances to hide what you did to limit liability. <S> If you do this, make sure you include GFI protection in the circuit. <S> The reason is that UK electronics are designed expecting the neutral to not have any voltage present and to be grounded at the service entrance, but powering it with split-phase you're taking that away from it. <S> Both hot and neutral will now have 120 volts relative to ground. <S> This can happen in the US too, but that's why we have polarized power plugs where the neutral side is slightly larger than the hot side. <S> On a side note, if the 50 Hz appliance has a clock display on it, then the time might run about 20% fast if it uses the mains frequency as the timing signal. <S> But I've heard that a 50 Hz magnetron simply won't work on 60 Hz if you were thinking about trying it. <S> If you purchased a VFD (variable frequency drive), then depending on the model you purchased you can get any voltage and frequency combination you want. <S> VFDs are typically used in industrial motors as speed controls, but you can use them for whatever you want! <S> While Ecnerwal's answer above is technically correct about the voltage not mattering when it comes to heating faster, there is another variable that does matter: wire gauge. <S> 12 gauge wire can carry 20 amps. <S> V <S> =I*R, so 120 volts is 2400 watts at 20 amps, but 230 volts is 4600 watts at 20 amps. <S> You'll see 3000 watt 230 volt water kettles for sale in the UK, but only 1500 watt models for sale in the US. <S> This is why UK water kettles boil water faster than US water kettles. <A> or motor they will burn up. <S> We have some amana microwaves where I work that are 3000 watt ovens. <S> I bought a 3000 watt kettle from the UK <S> and I put in a 240 volt plug and it works fine. <S> At first I tried a 120 volt plug on the kettle and it heated a little faster then <S> my 1300 watt kettle <S> but then I put in the 240 volt twist lock receptacle and plug and it really heated fast. <S> I put the twist lock in so no one would be tempted to try and twist the prongs on a 120 volt cord cap to make it fit the 240 volt regular receptacle. <A> Wouldn't one violate U.S./North American electrical code by wiring their house with European, Australian, or wherever, electrical outlets, lighting, switches, etc??? <S> This is the reason you never find such hardware at your local Home Depot? <S> I don't think they would even sell such stuff as they might be liable if customers install it 0and <S> somehow blow-up their house. <S> That said, you sure as hell will need to wire everything back to code before selling your house. <S> Just buy appliances that work for where you live. <S> I doubt there are appliances that work superior in Europe and no where else, based solely on the voltage.	As long as it's a resistive load (toaster, Kettle or oven you can use any 240 volt european appliance but, if there is any digital display. For microwaves and other motorized appliances, your best option in the US will be heavy duty commercial products that are typically used in food service/restaurants.
How do I connect a Class B vent to this heater When I moved in a two years ago this heater wasn't working. Turns out the tree roots crushed the gas line. When I did my patio I had a new gas line put in. The heater fires up and runs good. The prior owner removed the vent when he replaced the roof. I can't find an oval vent to connect to this. It's 3" high by approximately 4 1/2" wide. Do I bend a single wall 4" vent to fit and connect the Class B vent to the single wall or does someone make an oval vent? <Q> A common way is with a single wall oval to round elbow. <S> Then you use a listed adapter for joining single-wall vent to Type B round vent. <S> Do not "squeeze" or "bend" a pipe, fitting, or adapter to make it fit. <S> Contrary to some things you might hear, gas fired appliance vent pipes and fittings must be fit for purpose and used according to code and manufacturers' instructions or you could have a fire or die from CO poisoning . <S> There are all kinds of restrictions; length and slope of horizontal runs, number and degree of bends, requirements by space/area, passing through floors/walls/roof, height of vent stack, type of cap, etc. <S> All the rules are there for a reason (usually the reason is that someone was injured or killed). <A> To jimmy Fix-it, that heater is probably older than you are and squeezing the connecting flue pipe was the way it was done when this dinosaur was built. <S> Looking at the motor and heater construction this thing is an antique <S> and I would look for a replacement rather than using it If the Writer really wants to use this heater I would call a licensed HVAC company to check this unit carefully for chamber integrity. <S> According to the name plate this thing was made in Oct. 1967 – <S> d.george <S> 11 mins ago <A> Side note: <S> Please check to make sure the exchanger is still in good shape. <S> Thanks.	The fitting you show may work but you have to squeeze the round end to get it installed. The heater looks very old.
When installing a three way dimmer switch, does it matter which switch is the dimmer? My grandmother called me the other day to troubleshoot from half way accross the country. She installed a three way dimmer switch in her dinning room at the location most used. It turns the light on and off, but does not dim. It is an incandescent fixture and it has incandescent candelabra lamps. Even as a wireman I have been racking my brain to figure out what else it could be. After reading some other Q&As, I noticed some people suggested that a dimmer should be on the line side, doesn't the power need to go through both switches? And, therefore, shouldn't it dim regardless? I suggested she try to find dimmable bulbs as the first, easiest, and cheapest attempt to solve the issue. If it does matter which side the dimmer is on, would it help at all to have a dimmer on each end?TIA <Q> I know it sounds pretentious, but it really does depend on what dimmer or set of dimmers or dimmer kit you buy. <S> If you're a wireman you can probably go online to a manufacturer like Lutron and look up a set of specification sheets to help you select a proper dimmer. <A> Replacing a 3-way switch with a dimmer should be an easy project. <S> It doesn't matter which switch gets replaced as long as the three wires are hooked up correctly. <S> If it's wired incorrectly, the lights will not turn on and off as expected (maybe only one switch will work, maybe nothing will work). <S> So, turn the dimmer up all the way, and turn each switch on an off. <S> Do the lights turn on and off as expected? <S> If the light bulbs are not just plain incandescent bulbs, I'd bet they are not dimmable. <S> Right now, dimmable LED and CF bulbs are common, but in the past they were hard to find or unavailable. <A> The problem could be an older wired home with incorrect neutral switching. <S> A good electrician will have the problem diagnosed the first ten minutes he is there.	If that works, but the lights do not dim, it's either because the bulbs/light fixture are not dimmable, not compatible with the dimmer you selected, or in rare cases, the new dimmer could be bad. She needs a professional electrician to troubleshoot the problem and not some handyman and make the necessary corrections.
What is this and how can I remove it? I have a very small combination bathtub/shower. There is not much room to begin with and I am already bumping and banging into things. There are two what I'll call "racks" on the wall inside the shower/tub. Here is the first one, which we use to keep towels on: Then, there is another rack, this is the problematic one... I bang into this second one constantly while washing... Is there something I can do to remove it without making too much of a mess? We have two in there, shouldn't one be enough anyway? We have another storage thing inside anyway: <Q> Those are ceramic towel bar posts. <S> This type of towel bar is set in with the tile, a tile is cut so there is a space for the towel bar ends to "seat" into, held in by the grout. <S> If it is removed you may crack or break some surrounding tile, at the least there will be missing tile where the rack was. <A> However, the bigger problem is what are you going to do with the holes in your tile wall? <S> I suppose you could fill the holes with grout or caulk, either way it's going to be rather ugly and just look wrong. <S> If you're dead set on removing them, I'd carefully chip them out and fill the hole with grout that matches the rest of the grout and hope for the best. <A> Use an angle grinder to cut the arms off as close to the wall as you can. <S> Then a belt sander to level them off as nicely as possible.	You can, if you're careful, chip them out without breaking the surrounding tile. The previous poster is correct that they are ceramic towel bat posts.
Replaced light fixture, now 3 way switch doesn’t work I replaced an old lighting fixture with a remodel can and led trim, but in doing so the three way switches no longer work. I didn’t touch either switch’s wiring, but now the switch with the circuit running to it has to be on for the other switch to function. If the first is on, the other switch can turn on and off the light, but if the first one is off, the second switch doesn’t work. My next step is to pull out the switches and check the wiring, but I’m curious if replacing the light could have affected the switches somehow? EDIT: now with photos <Q> Sometimes a NM cable is not fastened down along its length, either because it was fished through an existing wall (old work) or because the builder just laid it between the attic joists (poor work). <S> If the NM cable that you moved is not thoroughly fastened down, and if the strain relief at the other end is inadequate, then you probably moved the wires or wire nuts around inside the box at the other end and knocked one of the travelers off its terminal. <A> Yet you say you never touched the three way switches. <S> I can tell you that if the only wires you had in the box was one 14/2 or <S> 12/2 romex, you replacing a fixture with a can did not cause the problem. <S> I know this sounds silly but did the 3-ways work correctly before you did the replacement? <S> That has happened before. <A> Also check that the light you put up doesn't have a certain polarity for the wires as pretty much all LED's are DC voltage. <S> There will be a small power supply in the new light and occasionally they will be marked with black here and white here. <S> Most always it doesn't matter which way the wires go but, try it switch the hot and neutral. <S> You didn't say if the light works from the switch or if the light doesn't work from the switch, is it the light or the switch?	The problem you are describing is a classic miswired three way switch scenario where one of your carriers is connected to the common terminal and the load or switch wire is connected to the carrier terminal.
Should I install house wrap under board-and-batten siding on a heated shed? I just bought a new home and I would like to board and batten a very ugly shed that is on the property. It's a large shed with a concrete floor that I plan to use as a work shop. It will have a wood stove in it for heat. Should I wrap the outside of the building before installing the B&B? There is currently that old ugly gray shingle stuff on it. If I wrap the outside do I also vapor barrier the inside? <Q> It would always be a good idea to wrap the outside of the place before the B&B is installed. <S> Ditto for the inside. <S> I hope you plan to insulate the walls as well if not already done. <S> Good Luck <A> Yes I would install a new MOISTURE BARRIER before installing the board and batt. <S> (We Install moisture barriers because we know the siding will leak due to rain storms, wind, etc.) <S> We’ve learned that vapor will past the plastic sheeting (around outlets, joints at floor and ceiling, etc.) <S> and turn to moisture. <S> However, it will not be able to “escape” out of the stud space and go back into the house when temperatures reverse. <S> (I’d just provide a coat of paint with a good perm rating. ) <A> I think on an old shed with a wood stove <S> I'd worry mostly about not getting any water trapped and rotting things. <S> I'd probably go with a double layer of asphalt / tar paper on top of the old sheathing <S> , I just trust it over the plastic or Tyvek wraps. <S> I'd consider screwing the board and batten right to the sheathing, but probably prefer to attach it to horizontal furring strips. <S> With furring strips you could use foam board between the furring strips for insulation if you need it, but even without the foam, the dead space should provide some additional insulation and a rain screen. <A> Tyvek is NOT a vapor barrier, it is meant to resist water penetration but still breath. <S> It is designed prevent most outside rain and such to sheet off, but to still allow any water vapor trapped behind it to pass into the outside air so it doesn't condense behind it (i.e. inside your walls). <S> A vapor barrier (e.g. plastic sheeting) should always be placed on the warm side of the insulation. <S> In your case over the rock wool insulation. <S> It is meant to prevent the water vapor in the inside of the warm building from penetrating through to the insulation. <A> R-value, condensing, vapor trapping, drying time, mold, health problems. <S> To get accurate information, this web site may help: Ubakus.de <S> By inputting all existing and planned layers, possible problems will be shown in a second. <S> Experimenting/researching is easy by switching on/off of layers. <S> R-value can be shown by clicking on the spanner/tool icon next to the U-value. <S> It s free for private use. <S> Disclaimer: I do not have any association with that web site <S> , I do not benefit/profit in any way from my recommendation of that site. <S> It is just by far the most professional and sophisticated site to calculate and visualize the relevant insulation parameters that I have found up to now.	If you live in a cold climate in winters, I’d use a VAPOR BARRIER on the batt insulation but don’t install plastic sheeting on the walls.
Why are light fixture wires allowed to be lighter gauge than house wiring on the same circuit? why do cables joining the wall sockets in a house need to be thicker than the cables joining the light fittings? I don't understand and I need to know before I buy it. <Q> The wires to the light fixture will only carry the current drawn by that particular light fixture (on the order of 1A or less, for simple fixtures). <S> The wires in the wall between fixtures carry current for all fixtures on the circuit, and are protected by a fuse or circuit breaker in the main panel. <S> The wires in the wall must thus be sized to carry the maximum current allowed by that circuit breaker. <S> For 15A circuits, this is #14 wire; for 20A circuits, it is #12 wire. <S> Note that the wires to the fixture must also be sized to carry the maximum expected current, but that is (largely) determined by the manufacturer of the fixture. <S> Light fixtures have a sticker somewhere stating the maximum wattage of bulb that can be installed. <S> This is partially due to heat (not really a concern anymore with CFL and LED bulbs) and partially due to the size of the wiring. <S> Some (better quality) fixtures / equipment will also have internal fuses or breakers that are sized to protect the wiring in the cord. <A> <A> They don't. <S> Wiring to a light fixture must be the same gage as the circuit proper (12AWG for 20A). <S> Wiring inside <S> a fixture can be a smaller gage, but those follow inside-appliance rules, which come from UL, not Code. <S> There's also a set of deep-arcana buried in Code called the "tap rules", but good luck finding a home inspector who will let you use tap rules in a residence in his jurisdiction. <A> Wires which are exposed to ambient air can dissipate a lot more heat than wires that are buried within a mass of insulation. <S> Rather than requiring different sizes of wiring based upon the level of exposure to ambient air or flammable objects that could ignite if a wire gets too hot, the Standard generally mandates the same size of wiring regardless. <S> Within a luminary, however, it's practical to define requirements in more functional terms. <S> The wiring within a luminary should be large enough to avoid overheating even if the filament of a dying bulb falls in such a way as to draw any excessive amount of current that doesn't trip the breaker. <S> The size of wire necessary to accomplish that within a luminary, however, would be much smaller than would be required to safely carry current through an insulated wall.	Because house wiring must be capable of carrying the load that the breaker allows (typically 15 or 20 amps), whereas a light fixture has a specific load limit related to the bulbs it is rated for (maybe just an amp or two). The primary factor limiting the amount of current wires can carry is the amount of heat that wires can safely dissipate without getting too hot.
Why should we replace smoke alarms every 10 years? I'm having a hard time understanding a requirement to replace smoke detectors every 10 years (or whatever the manufacturer suggests). With previous generations of ionization based detectors, I understand that the radioactive substance would decay over time, reducing its ability to reliably do what it's supposed to do, but the photoelectic ones I'm having a harder time understanding exactly why there is still a requirement to replace them. For example, I own 2 Nest Protect 2nd generation smoke/CO detectors, which as I understand use a split-spectrum photoelectric sensor. The device will trigger all kinds of alerts and warnings when it comes time to replace them. However, as this is LED based, why does it do this? Is there an actual technical reason for replacing it, or does this basically come down to some law somewhere? <Q> It likely has to do with the lifetime of the hardware itself. <S> Remember, there's a circuit board and a light source, as well as a detector. <S> Those don't last forever. <S> In some regards, this solves the problem of people just putting new batteries into older detectors forever, not realizing the devices have stopped working <S> (when was the last time you tested one?) <A> Smoke alarms come in two categories (sometimes combined). <S> Photoelectric and ionization. <S> The lifetime is directly related to the technologies and the environment. <S> The particles attracted to the plate indicate particles (smoke) in the air. <S> The radioactive isotopes decay and the ionization grows weaker - thus impairing the ability of the alarm to count as many particles. <S> Smoke can build up on electrostatic plates (ionization type) and impair their ability. <S> Similarly smoke can build up on photoelectric emitters and detectors. <S> The detectors do attempt to detect these issues and one (not guaranteed) response is to beep to annoy you into their replacement. <S> As it's difficult to vette these impairments over time it is truly best to replace them every 10 years or so and the batteries every year (put the partially used batteries in less critical items). <S> Here's a very approachable short summary I found to accompany this response: http://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/By-topic/Smoke-alarms/Ionization-vs-photoelectric <S> Consider a smoke alarm in a kitchen. <S> Boiling pasta water - particulate laden water vapor; stir fried foods, pan fried meats, burn off of spills on the range. <S> In particular the greasier smoke from cooking for example is particularly likely to impact both photoelectric components as well as ionization electrostatic plates. <S> So kitchen alarms are often the most critical to replace early and often. <S> Other places to watch are bathrooms (steamy water, particularly if not very soft), shops and garage (think sawdust), your porch near your smoker. <S> Please don't wait until they fail into constant beeping to replace them. <S> That's their last ditch notice to you <S> and they've likely been highly compromised long before then. <A> Highly condensed version: <S> studies have shown that the electronics within the detectors fail at a rate of 3% per year. <S> The 10 year mark was chosen based on the cumulative fail rate being over 25%. <S> Sources: <S> Council of Canadian Fire Marshals Fire Commissioners <S> National Fire Protection Agency <S> Underwriters Laboratories <S> There is little to gain for manufacturers to create something that will never need to be replaced.	So the manufacturer certifies the device will work for only 10 years, and then (in some modern units) sets a hard sunset by using an unreplacable battery. The technology limitation of the ionization is that a small amount of a radioactive isotope is used to ionize the air/particle near the electrostatic detector plates. Environmental conditions can also impact lifetime.
Analog multimeter won't calibrate to zero I have a multimeter that I haven't used in many years. I wanted to recalibrate it, so I touched the two probes and tried to adjust the reading to zero, but 500 ohms was as low as it would go. Is the meter bad? <Q> I assume, since it has a zero-ohms adjustment at all, that this is an analog multimeter (one with a physical moving needle). <S> In which case, you should try replacing the internal batteries. <S> They are used only in resistance mode (so everything else will work), and if they are weak they will not be able to produce enough current to move the needle to full scale, which is what you are seeing. <S> Many meters do not have separate battery compartment doors. <S> If you do not see one, try removing the entire back cover (if there are obvious screws with which to do so). <S> You may also find fuses, which would need to be replaced if the current mode of the meter is not working. <S> The above advice is for the zero ohms point which is at the far-right end of the scale. <S> The left-end zero in other modes — where the needle rests when no connection is made — should be adjusted using the screw or knob on the face of the meter at the pivot point of the needle. <S> This is a mechanical adjustment of the return spring. <A> Analog meters can get knocked out of whack from being banged around or a modest drop. <S> It may need a trip to the repair shop. <S> A cost conscious move might dictate a replacement is in order. <A> +1 on internal batteries. <S> I always use top quality batteries so hey dont leak, i always label or mark the back as well as batteries the replacement date. <S> i it has been a few years you are at risk. <S> Remove if shelving the meter. <S> I frequently use my 30+ year old taut-band analog meter as it's very easy to tracking changing values vs on a digital where the lower digits are just a blur.	If turning it has no effect, then the meter may be damaged, or the linkage between the adjustment screw and internal parts may have become disconnected in which case careful disassembly and reassembly may fix it.
Would drilling a small hole through joist / sole plate cause structural problems? New home owner. I need to wire some ethernet and coax across the basement up into to the first floor wall. The perimeter wall is cinderblock, it is a twin and this is the shared wall. It looks framed. I believe I would want to go up through the sole plate? of the framed wall but there are two joists that run lengthwise across the basement that I can't get through very easily, there is a very little crack in the back of it I can scope up and can see what I believe is the first floor and not the sole plate. Can I drill an angled hole through these joists and up into the wall behind the drywall or should I be worried about the structural integrity? Can I reinforce them? Looking for options. Thanks <Q> You can drill through the plate anywhere you want to. <S> You can put a notch on the right or left third of the span in the top of the joist up to a sixth of the joist depth. <S> A sixth of the depth of a 2x10 is 1-1/2", do just don't go deeper than that. <A> A 5/8" or 3/4" bore through the joists and plate are not a structural concern. <S> I see several in the photo. <A> Small hole no Problem, (Co-Ax size). <S> When possible, we try to stay to the center of the joist. <S> Carry on!	Ideally the hole would be in the center third of the joist, but since it's so small it can go anywhere. Heck, you could have knots that large at any location in your framing. Ideally don't put any notches in the top 2" or bottom 2" of the middle third of the joist span.
How to remove a shelf fastener with a round head and no slot I have some shelving in my closet and it's screwed into the wall with fasteners that look like this (see image). It's a smooth circle and doesn't have any type of hole of slot on top. Is this a screw? If so, what kind of screw is this and how do i get it out? I want to take this shelving down! <Q> Pull the nail out by the head (a locking plier works well), then pull the plastic plug out. <S> Here's a representative item: <S> ClosetMaid has a blog post on removal . <A> Get a pair of vise-grip locking pliers: They clamp down and can turn ANYTHING. <S> I used them to remove some one-way screws. <S> Just be careful never to try them out on your fingers, unless you like the idea of having your bones replaced with metal implants. <A> That looks like a ramset fastener (fancy schmancy powder-actuated nail) to my eye, not a screw at all. <S> If you can't pry it out, you'll probably have to grind it off. <S> Feel free to apply locking pliers to grab the head very firmly and wiggle it, but I sincerely doubt it will unscrew. <A> If it's actually a screw, use something like a Dremel with a cutoff wheel (or even a hacksaw if you can get one in there) to cut a slot, and unscrew using that. <S> I've also successfully drilled a pair of holes and used a snake-eyes bit, when I didn't have room to get a Dremel at the head. <S> If it's not a screw you'll soon find out -- it will turn without unscrewing. <S> A third option is to drill a hole on axis and use a stud extractor. <S> An easier variant on this is a left-hand drill bit, but they're rare. <S> If you don't have a stud extractor a trick I learnt recently <S> is to grind a bolt into a square taper and hammer that into the screw head, then unscrew the bolt. <A> It could be a decorative screw head cover. <S> See if it will come of to expose the actual screw head. <S> P. <A> This is most likely a plug like @isherwood suggests - nothing new there. <S> I'm adding an answer to recommend a tool. <S> I picked mine up for about $20. <S> No regrets- works great for stripped screws, too.	If the OP doesn't happen to have a pair of vise grips on hand, a pair of screw pliers is in order: These are a bit of luxury, but work like a champ, and are the perfect tool here. That's an expanding plug anchor as is commonly supplied by closet system manufacturers. Another option is to file flats on it and use an adjustable spanner, but getting them both flat and parallel is tricky.
What type of screws would work best for hanging a projector from the ceiling? I installed a projector and a screen a few days using toggle bolts in my drywall ceiling. One of the anchors didn't open all the way up, and the screen fell. So, I searched here, and quickly came to a realization that hanging anything heavy from the drywall ceiling is a terrible idea. I took everything down, and would like to mount the projector directly to the joists. Here's what I have in mind. What kind of screw should I be using to secure the extra wood to the joist? How far into the joist should it be going? Does it matter what I use for the extra wood (pine or MDF)? What kind of screws should I use to secure the projector to the extra wood? I can't really use bolts, since the extra wood will be flush with the ceiling. <Q> I'm assuming your projector isn't terribly heavy, so... 2 1/2" gold construction screws should work fine to hold the board to the joists. <S> I also like to use decking screws because of their strength and color. <S> They both have small enough heads that shouldn't stick out once they are tightened. <S> I think that larger fasteners like lag bolts just aren't warranted for this project. <S> The 2 1/2" screws should end up going into the joist about 1 1/4". <S> If you use a thicker board for support, you might want to bump up to 3" screws. <S> Try to get more than an 1" into the joist. <S> Since this is interior, and not a large span to tremendous weight, pine or MDF should be fine. <S> MDF will be easier to work with because it will not be warped or twisted. <S> I used it to mount my TV to the wall. <S> Even if the screws are a little long, they will just poke into the drywall a bit, which will be fine. <S> Use a screw as thick as possible based on the holes in the mount, and use as many screws as you have holes for. <A> I'll attempt to answer with an incomplete understanding of the problem. <S> The bottom line is that screw size <S> is key, not type . <S> After that, choose what looks best for your use case. <S> The screws that mount the board to the ceiling should penetrate the framing at least 1". <S> They can be anything from a #8 construction screw on up. <S> The screws mounting the projector to the board should penetrate 1" or the thickness of the board, whichever is less. <S> Any screws larger than #10 or not self-piloting should be piloted slightly smaller than the shaft diameter. <S> The type of wood is not critical. <S> Pine or MDF are fine, assuming an adequately large piece (a 1x2" strip is probably not appropriate). <A> For most projectors (not that heavy these days), you can (depending where it needs to end up relative to the joists) put a single piece of wood that's wide enough for the projector mount screws and screwed into one joist. <S> If it needs to be between joists, the method you show is better, unless you are doing drywall work anyway (or have access above, as when it's an open attic, not the next floor), in which case you cut a hole (or not if it's an attic) and put that chunk of wood between the joists above the drywall, then patch it (or not if it's an attic.) <S> For screens, in most cases you are better off putting hooks directly into the joists and hanging the screen on chains, which allows the end of the screen to not line up with the position of the joists, yet still be solidly connected to them. <S> If you want a "bolted" connection, drill holes and install "T-Nuts" into the board before screwing the board to the joist. <S> Or, drill a shallow countersink and a hole and install carriage bolts from the top before screwing the board into the joists. <S> The first way you'd have machine screws/bolts, the second way you use nuts/washers to finish the mount attachment. <S> The prongs of the T-nut or square part of the carriage bolt are to keep each from turning as you connect the other side.	Any wood screw that goes into the full thickness of the mounting board should be fine to hold up the projector mount.
Light fixture mounting bracket too small to attach to junction box Installing a ceiling fixture. With the other fixtures I installed the bracket just screwed into the box. This one the bracket width is too small to screw in, the box is too big. What kind of adapter do I need, or should I just replace the whole box with a smaller one? <Q> That's not a fixture box, that's a junction box (fixture boxes are typically round or octagonal). <S> It looks like it's clamped in one corner so hopefully the wire is loose. <S> Since it looks like it's been screwed in, I would buy a metal fixture box (should fit inside the existing hole), unscrew the existing clamp, knock out a hole and reattach the clamp to the new box. <S> Don't forget to ground your new metal box! <A> Try a 4" square to round device ring <S> The thing you want is a 4", square to round device (mud) ring. <S> A flat one (say a Garvin 52C3-F, or equivalent) would be preferable for this situation, but one with a small depth (say 1/2") would be manageable still if you can't find a flat one, even though you should be able to find the flat version at your local electrical supply house. <A> Assuming the fixture canopy is large enough to cover the existing box, you are better off leaving it in. <S> There are numerous types of mounting <S> crossbars <S> that cover a range of box sizes. <S> Your box looks like a 4" one, so the corner to corner distance is about 4.75" <S> If the canopy does not cover, you may need a ceiling rose (a decorative larger cover that goes above the canopy), or you may need to change the box. <S> You do not want gaps at the corners that leave parts of the interior of an electrical box exposed. <S> Images and links are illustrative only, not an endorsement of goods or sources. <A> I'm not sure if they make a flush raise, but it definitely would be a special order. <S> If you can't make a drywall patch, I wouldn't try to just plaster since it will not adhere to metal. <S> If you need to cover it you might try and use a medaillen. <S> They make them in various decorated styles and sizes. <S> Good luck.	If you're lucky, it should all fit in the same hole and the fixture will cover the remaining parts. You can install a 4/0 or 3/0 mud/plaster ring, but the 4 sq box has to be recessed back into the wall at around 1/2 inch since the mud ring has a raise anywhere from 1/2 and up to 2" in 1/4 inch increments.
How to bypass this component to a Tetco Heat Pump I have Tetco Heat Pump system that came with my house when it was purchased. About a year ago, I started hearing a water hammer in my pipes that I traced back to the solenoid(?) in the picture below. It would continually "click" and cause a small hammer to travel back along my cold water pipes toward the main pressure tank. A small amount of water seeps out at the base of the "coils" when this is happening, as well. The local firm that installed the Tetco unit is still in business and suggested that I try to bypass this component. The instructions given to me over the phone was that I should be able to open up the top of device and manually lift up a pin. After looking things over, there's not an obvious way to disassemble the device and I'm hesitant to jump in without knowing more about the device and its function. I did contact a local plumper and he said he doesn't work on heat pumps and referred me back to original installers. So, can anyone identify the component in the picture and its purpose? Is it safe to bypass and what is the proper way to go about it? Edit: Video of “clicking” and knocking https://youtu.be/7TYZdOBjJKM https://youtu.be/KHxNaMSR9bo <Q> As per @Lukus , that unit is a geothermal heat pump that is using well water to provide for an approximately 55 degree source water. <S> Wow, what a waste of good water! <S> If the device you are speaking of is the item on the left side with the gray top and the spring it is temperature sensing control valve, probably made by "Johnson Controls", that maintains a given set point temperature, at the sensing bulbs location. <S> (NO, it is not a solenoid valve) . <S> If you bypass this device you will affect the heat-pumps operation, good or bad, I don't know, and you will probably use much more water. <S> A similar model number of this control would be V47AA or AC. <S> AS for a solenoid valve <S> I do not see one in either picture, but there probably is one somewhere. <S> Item last; the people you called that originally installed the unit are probably not the same people that run the company now. <S> Their advice on how to proceed was not in your best interest and shows that they have little knowledge of your installation. <A> As the head pressure builds in the cooling mode this valve allows more water through to dissipate the excess heat. <S> If it is on the heating side, as the suction pressure drops it allows in more water providing heat to be absorbed by the system. <S> I appears to be adjusted all the way down, someone is clearly out of their depth. <S> This is an extremely sophisticated system requiring specialized knowledge. <S> I would encourage you to do some home work to find someone familiar with and trained on water cooled heat pumps. <S> You might look for the name plate find the manufacturer and call them to make recommendations as to service providers. <S> I doubt seriously that this valve is causing the water hammer. <S> This is not a solenoid activated valve <S> it is a temperature activated valve. <S> By what I see in the pictures I believe that it was likely installed in the 80's. <S> From what I see in the pictures and the age they indicate I expect this system has given its usable life. <S> Be careful not to put a lot of money in a system that is due to retire. <S> With this valve adjusted all the way down as it is, it is already essentially bypassed. <S> At this adjustment level, it is likely the compressor has been seriously compromised; very expensive repair. <S> Second Option: <S> Consider starting with a clean slate. <A> I wouldn't bypass a solenoid without knowing what it does. <S> Put a container under the leaky solenoid <S> so you can visually tell how much water is actually leaking to determine if you should have it replaced. <S> If the leak is greater than what can evaporate naturally, then replace it. <S> My guess is that the solenoid is adding water to your closed loop geothermal system. <S> If it is operating fairly often there might be a leak somewhere else and by bypassing the solenoid the system will run out of water eventually. <S> (Or if you force it to stay open you'll have a wide open connection between the cold water line and your geothermal loop <S> and I don't think that's any better.) <S> http://www.supplyhouse.com/Watts-0121227-1-2-LF150A-Water-Hammer-Arrestor-Lead-Free <A> Since you have the hammer and you traced it back to that unit - your arrestor is BROKE..and needs to be replaced. <S> There are 4 screws on the top of it - <S> that look like the point of disassembly. <S> The Spring Compressed in that unit is a big deal - so don't touch it!! <S> Those pipes look like 3 inch water lines - so a new arrestor will need to be sized for that. <S> Your service company might have been thinking you were talking to them about a solenoid - which is a completely DIFFERENT animal all together <S> and I would think is the reason they said you should try to by pass it. <S> Of course the device could be mounted upside down and the cover you need to find the pin on could be on the bottom side. <S> " The local firm that installed the Tetco unit is still in business " are they familiar with that unit as well <S> - you might want to have them do this job for you. <S> Just looking at the pipes (age - HINT much more stubborn to remove) and the fact that you should not touch that arrestor.	That does not look like a solenoid to me - it actually looks like a water hammer arrestor! What you are dealing with here is a water cooled heat pump. Safest solution is to add a water hammer arrester to your cold water line near this thing that is causing the water hammer.
how to avoid tiny gaps in end joints of hardwood floor install I am installing my first ever hardwood floor. It's pre-finished 3/4" solid wood, and it's been pretty fun. I've noticed that some of my end joints have some very tiny gaps on one side of the joint (flush on the other side). I often have to look closely to notice, but some are visible from standing up. My assumption is that these small gaps result when the board next to the end joint has a very slight bow to it (either concave or convex relative to the boards that comprise the end joint). I suppose it's also possible that the boards were not cut at the factory with perfectly square ends, but enough of my joints do meet perfectly that I don't think this is the case. My question is: is there anything I can realistically do about this ? It's not really a big problem and maybe the answer is just to live with it, but it's slightly irksome to the perfectionist in me. How do I ensure as I lay each row that it doesn't have any slight curve and, therefore, will not pass along any problems to the next row? Are there any tricks to this? If I could perfectly straighten the bowed boards, it would presumably solve the problem, but frankly, I usually can't even tell if a given board is indeed bowed or not. Certainly not by eye, and not with a 4' straightedge for the shorter pieces. Some of the longer pieces appear to have a very slight bow relative to my 4' level. And even if I did know a board was slightly bowed before I installed it into the floor, I'm not sure how to install it perfectly enough that such slight discrepancies are avoided...? Here is a photo of the floor - it was put down from right to left (tongues facing left of photo). Here is close up of end joint from the middle of the photo. board width is 4 1/4". My guess is the light-colored board to the right of the end joint is slightly concave relative to the end joint. <Q> I'd use wax filler or even colored caulk (sometimes sold as wood mastic) -- a tiny amount. <S> Let a bit of it dry first and compare the color to the wood--it can change substantially as it dries/hardens. <S> Some laminate flooring I bought last summer (made by Classen) came with a wax sealer pre-applied. <S> and it's more labor intensive, but you can reshape the bevels this way. <S> This requires pulling out the pieces though. <S> If you really wanna go this way use a fine grit, 180-220 at least and an orbital sander. <S> Try your technique on a piece of scrap first. <S> You'd have to apply varnish after that and chances are it won't look exactly the same as the factory applied one. <S> So I'd leave this route for when you redo your whole floor. <A> Looks good! <S> I don't think it gets much better than that with most prefinished flooring. <A> Sometimes you can have cases where there will be a little saw dust, dirt, etc. <S> that gets trapped in the groove of your boards, and sometimes there can be small shards of wood hanging off of the tongue of your male boards. <S> Both of these can hold you off from getting a perfect fit. <S> As for the gaps that are already in your floor, wood filler is a good way to go. <S> Just get some to match the wood that your flooring is made from, scoop it out with your finger, rub it into the space, and wipe the excess off with a rag. <S> It would also be a good idea to check periodically and make sure your floor is staying square, because this can sometimes cause tiny cracks too.	For a solid (or even multi-ply) wood, sanding is sometimes an option, but for a beveled (v-groove) edges like yours it will probably look a little odd anyway It would be a good idea just to check them real quick before you install them.
94V at an outlet in GFCI Circuit I am having the following problem.A few months ago I finished my basement (1 Bedroom and 1 Bathroom).I had an existing GFCI outlet down there to which I connected a couple more outlets, an exhaust fan in the bathroom and some LED lighting.Everything worked just fine until 2 days ago. Nothing works anymore in the basement. Breaker did not flip.I disconnected everything that I had connected to this one existing GFCI outlet when I finished the basement. I also took off the existing GFCI outlet to have better access to the incoming cable (source). Below you see the existing circuit (as far as I was able to find out) as well as the measured voltages in the finished basement. Like I said, I disconnected everything in the basement (back to original condition before finishing the basement) and still getting this low voltage. Too low to make anything work.Why did that happen all the sudden and what can I do to fix it?Thanks a lot! <Q> One way I have found that will often fix this is not rely on the device (switches, receptacles) to carry the power on down the circuit. <S> Put them all under a wire nut with a short pig tail for the device at that location. <S> Good Luck, P. <A> The neutral wire in the section highlighted below is broken or nor connected. <S> Go back and check both ends of that particular line. <A> Is it possible that that is in a box somewhere and the bad connection is there? <S> Look around. <S> Maybe its in the ceiling of the basement. <S> Were the "backstab" (the push in connectors on the back of outlets) used? <S> I have seen those become intermittent. <S> Or does the circuit to from the upstairs bathroom to the to the garage and then from the garage to the basement? <S> Good luck!	You picture shows a T where the wire goes to the outlet and garage. Somehow you have lost the neutral to the basement outlet.
How to remove these nails (no access to head)? Installing closet doors. Had to knock these guys out of the way (first image). Realized after doing that the magical hidden nails are sticking out. Didn't expect that. Thoughts on how to get rid of that without having to remove the whole framing situation going on? <Q> Grab them with a locking plier and bend them back and forth a few times. <S> They'll fatigue and snap off. <S> Or use a rotary tool with a cutoff wheel. <S> Then use a nail set to drive them below flush. <A> Without removing the framing lumber from the door, consider the brute force method. <S> Without a rotary tool, one may be able to accomplish the same with an oscillating blade with an abrasive edge, although it's likely to be slower. <S> As noted in the answer that popped in while I was composing this, side cutters to nick and bend the nail will likely work. <A> Next time, consider using a reciprocating saw with a framing blade to remove the board itself (I wouldn't try on the hanging nails as they are now). <S> Chews through wood and metal. <S> Just lean the blade more on the wood block side <S> so you don't gouge the frame as much.	If you have a rotary tool such as a Dremel, an abrasive blade will make short work of cutting the nails at or slightly below the surface. I've done similar work, gouging a bit into the wood, then covering it with wood putty/filler to make an invisible repair.
No screws on drywall near top plate? I was reading some tips from a pro-drywaller and he stated to not screw within 7" of the top plate when attaching wall rock. Do not screw into the top plate. Fasten walls about seven inches below the top plate. On the rare occasions that I have had screw pop problems, they were concentrated at along the top plate. I was wondering if this has any science behind it? And doesn't it go against the installation instructions per building code and USG company? (8" to 12" on all edges) <Q> My assessment: <S> This guy drew an incorrect conclusion from one experience and has made a personal rule of it without good reason. <S> My suggestion: Disregard that advice. <S> 99.9999% of all homes built with modern drywall have screws in the top plates. <S> 99.9998% of the time it's not an issue. <S> * <S> * 99.99999% of the statistics used in this post are fabricated. <A> If the bottom chord of the roof truss is fastened to the top plate, then humidity and load changes could cause the bottom chord to lift the top plate from the studs. <S> If this is the case, then I presume that you'd want to fasten the ceiling panels in a similar fashion to the wall panels. <S> Search "Truss Uplift" <A> I like that technique of not nailing to the top plates. <S> Show me a newly framed wall <S> and I’ll show you that I can slide a piece of paper between the stud and the top plates. <S> Those studs are not all cut EXACTLY the same length, plus those plates are not perfectly flat. ... <S> then, let those studs dry for a few months and they’ll all shrink (and twist) <S> different amounts. <S> THEN add a roof joist perpendicular to the wall <S> and you’re asking for that wall framing to shrink when all that snow piles up. <S> If the gyp board is fastened to the top plate, then something has to give. <S> The argument that the gyp board should be fastened at all edges isn’t practical either. <S> Usually, the gyp board is not “blocked” <S> so there’s nothing to fasten to at the 4’ height either. <S> Now, I have one exception: If it’s a shear wall (Yes, we use gyp board for shear) then it must be fastened to the top plates.	In my house, I used drywall clips to fasten the edges of the ceiling panels to the top plate to mitigate the potential risk of truss chord uplift.
Power a 20A device from 15A circuits? If I need ~20A to power a device, but all the available circuits in the building are 15A tops, would I be able to power said device? Perhaps using a UPS and some tomfoolery? <Q> [Can I power a 20A load when available circuits are 15A] <S> There is no way to provide a continous 20A from one 15A circuit. <S> This is due to <S> The principle of conservation of energy. <S> Safety rules aimed at preventing your house/building burning down. <S> Even if I can pull from two separate 15A feeds? <S> In most jurisdictions, there is no legal way to combine circuits to provide more power to a single load. <S> See also: How to combine in phase 120VAC <S> 15A 60 Hz feeds on a pair of outdoor GFCI outlets? <S> Can I substitute two wires for one heavier-gauge wire? <S> Can two 30 ampere circuits be combined in an outlet? <S> All of which essentially say no. <A> Generally, nope. <S> But... Is this a commercial building, or in Chicago or a few other places? <S> Most likely your wire is in conduit. <S> Pull some 12AWG wire and breaker it properly. <S> Does the machine come in a 240V version? <S> Is there a circuit in your building that you can knock out without falling below legally required minimum outlet and receptacle locations? <S> Convert that circuit to 240V and use that. <S> You will only need 10A at 240V. <S> Is it a machine capable of taking multiple power supply inputs? <S> Many server-tier PCs or UPSs are capable of drawing from redundant power supplies, and current-limiting themselves. <S> Internally they convert to DC onto a shared DC bus, which is the only electrical way to gang supply from multiple circuits. <S> Is it, or can it be broken into, several separate machines on a rack? <S> Nobody cares if 2 servers on a rack are plugged into 2 different circuits. <S> Is it a welder? <S> Special rules apply. <S> Is this an older air conditioner? <S> Talk to your power company about whether they have an appliance upgrade program. <S> Often they will buy you a new, efficient air conditioner because it will save X watts of power on the power grid, and that is actually cheaper than building X watts of additional power plant. <A> There's a real safety issue there. <S> So a UPS battery is not an option as a workaround.	There's no UPS battery that I know of that provides 20A off a 15A plug. The correct way to deal with this is to run a new circuit back to the main panel using wire sized for the load.
What size circuit breaker is required for a GE model JBP68HKWW range? What size circuit breaker is required for a GE model JBP68HKWW range? <Q> It depends on the wire going to the range. <S> If the wire is 8 AWG you can only use a 40A breaker, regardless of what the range's instructions may tell you. <S> While you're in there... <S> this is a very good time to make sure you are using the modern, grounded 4-wire connection including a NEMA 14 plug/socket if it uses a plug. <S> The old 3-wire connection is hazardous, as any problem with the neutral wire will electrify the chassis of the range. <S> No kidding, and this problem has a body count. <S> It's especially a shame if the house is wired with modern /3 <S> cable +ground, but someone downgraded it because their used range had a 3-prong connection. <S> If it doesn't have a ground now, the rules now allow you to add just a ground wire, either back to the panel or anywhere else with a 10AWG ground wire back to the panel. <A> Here are the power ratings for your particular range. <S> POWER / RATINGS Amp Rating at 208V <S> 40 Amp Rating at 240V <S> 40 KW Rating at 208V <S> 8.3 KW Rating at 240V <S> 11.0 <S> So a 40A circuit would work and a #8 conductor is good for 50A <S> according to 2014 NEC Table 310.15 (B)(16), that makes you good to go. <S> I should warn you though that a standard range circuit installed in any residence in the US is a 50A breaker and a #6 conductor circuit with a NEMA 14-50R receptacle. <S> So you might consider meeting everyone else's standards. <S> That way if you ever upgrade your range or sold the house, it would cause less complications down the road. <A> A 40A appliance on a dedicated circuit usually needs a breaker of at least 40A and wire gauge to match. <S> See <S> What amp breaker for 20 Amp electrical oven and 40 Amp electrical range on same circuit	If it is 6 AWG, you should use 40A or 50A depending on what the range's instructions say to use.
What is this cement structure under ground? I had a fence. It was destroyed in a hurricane. I thought I just would need to put new posts in an existing 2 feet hole. But the holes there were not 2 feet. So I started digging holes around where the posts were. And I noticed cement structures going deep into the ground. Could this really be quick set concrete? It is stronger than a rock. I can not get these structures out of ground (they go real deep). Right now I am just digging holes around the concrete, which will make the fence uneven. I attached pictures here. <Q> The square in the middle should have some wood left to be sure. <S> The hole may go 36-48" down depending on local code even deeper. <S> I usually use a tractor and a chain to pop old fence <S> post out when on a job but <S> on my place I just shifted the fence post several feet and left them in the ground. <A> I agree with Ed Beal: this appears to be (have been) just a regular wood post set in concrete. <S> The common method of pouring dry mix into a hole with water poured over the top can work, but if the dry mix is well-blended with the right amount of water and then poured into the hole the resulting concrete will often turn out much stronger. <S> That may be what you're up against. <S> Going beyond the <S> "what is it?" <S> question that was asked.. <S> You'll get those out with the least effort by lifting them vertically. <S> A small tractor like a skid loader or mini excavator will do nicely. <S> Put a few wraps of chain around the concrete a few inches below the top and pull upward. <S> (by "a few wraps" what I really mean is to tie a clove hitch with the chain.) <S> When heavy equipment isn't an option I've used a 2-ton chain hoist. <S> I lash a tripod with 2x4 boards 8 or 10 feet long and suspend the chain hoist from this directly above the concrete. <S> The whole chunk usually lifts out readily, and once it's up on the surface of the ground it can more easily be broken down if necessary. <A> If the remaining wood in the center is not totally rotten, you can often drive a lag bolt (huge wood screw) through the gap in one link of a heavy chain (tow chain), then pull up on the chain with a tractor or farm jack to pull the post out. <S> Or if the concrete is tapered so it's smaller lower down, just wrap the chain around it once or twice and hook it back to itself. <S> It's amazing what you can pull out like that. <A> 100% agree that it's a 4"x4" post setting, I just set one myself this last weekend! <S> If it helps to know I dug my hole a little over 2 feet deep and then dumped three 50 lbs bags of quick curing Quikrete in there. <S> So mine is anchored by 150 lbs of concrete. <S> In your case, considering that it's just a fence post <S> I'd be surprised if that setting goes deeper than a foot and a half or two feet, but you can probably expect that plug of concrete to be about 150+ lbs. <S> I'm confident you can extract it in pieces if you drill some holes in it and take to it with a sledge and a demo chisel. <S> Alternatively you might want to research renting a jack hammer in your area. <S> Whatever you do <S> ...don't forget eye protection and ear plugs. <S> @GregHill's suggestion to use an excavator or skid loader is further than I would go, however I wonder if his technique would work if you swapped in a 2 or 3 ton shop jack in place of the machinery? <S> You'd need some wood under the jack to keep it from sinking into the dirt. <S> And I'd also use a couple cinder blocks to get additional clearance. <S> But it might be enough to lift the plug just enough to wack it in the side with a sledge, then remove the individual pieces! <A>	If you have the right tools (hammer drill,long chisel ) you can remove the rotten wood ,using the same pocket to set your new 4x4 post,I've done this and it takes a little time but it works and you can maintain your same spacing and maybe reuse some fence sections It looks like a standard 4×4 post with concrete poured around it.
Why does my freezer get a little warmer every 14 hours? I equipped my fridge-freezer (Bosch KGN 33X48/13, bought around 2013) with a self-made temperature monitoring system to warn me whenever the internal temperature of the freezer rises above a certain level. Looking at the resulting curve I'd expect the temperature to more or less steadily swing around a target value. What I rather see is this: So the built-in thermostat switches on the cooling unit whenever the internal temperature rises above around 18 °F. However, quite consistently about every 14 hours the cooling unit appears to hold off a bit, allowing the temperature to rise up to 23 °F for a short time. After that the cycle continues normally again. These short temperature spikes look so equably and intentional that I assume a purpose. Why would the freezer designers arrange for this small temperature increase every 14 hours? <Q> It is defrosting. <S> Frost free refrigeration equipment goes through a defrost cycle every few hours. <S> This normally involves turning off the cooling compressor and activating a heat tape that is attached to the evaporator coil for about 20 minutes. <S> This melts any frost and ice that has accumulated on the evaporator coil and keeps it from accumulating. <S> It is completely normal to the operation of modern frost free equipment. <A> Every Freezer including yours has to have a defrost cycle designed in or <S> the cooling coils become so encrusted with frost the recirculation air can no longer pass over them. <S> Then everything goes downhill. <S> So the engineers design for and install an element between the coils, Control it with a timer and turn it on periodically to eliminate the frost build-up. <S> They operate this element for the shortest possible time span to melt the frost build-up and at the same time affecting to overall box temp the least. <S> What you are seeing on the graph is that system working. <A> I'd just like to add two additional observations: 1) <S> There are commonly two kinds of defrost timers: mechanical and adaptive. <S> Your fridge seems to have a mechanical defrost timer due to its regular 14hr cycle regardless of usage. <S> That means it's often wasting energy defrosting when it doesn't have to. <S> Adaptive defrosters OTOH try to be more efficient and not run so frequently. <S> They have a computer monitor things like how often the doors have been open since last defrost, how long the compressor has been on since last defrost, how long the heater was on during the last defrost, etc. <S> (Unfortunately, that's not how it necessarily works out in practice. <S> For my GE fridge, at least, the circuit board has been through many revisions and still fails quite often...and it's darn expensive to replace, too, compared to a simple timer! <S> It's a neat idea, but there's clearly more work to be done in this area. <S> It doesn't take too many CPU - and food - replacements to outweight the minor savings of the defrost cycling running a little more often IMHO.) <S> 2) <S> It looks like you're directly measuring the air temperature in the freezer, so you're catching every little fluctuation. <S> The actual food in your fridge isn't changing so rapidly, so more accurate temperature monitoring for things like food, vaccines, etc. <S> usually involve a probe with a temperature buffer of some kind to better reflect the slower temperature changes that the items in the freezer are actually experiencing (e.g. a probe bottle filled with glycol). <S> And while the claim that a fuller freezer is more energy efficient than an emptier one is still a bit controversial, from a temperature stability standpoint, a fuller freezer should have a more stable temperature, too.	The other answers are correct that you are seeing the normal defrost cycle of your freezer.
Ground-level electrical wiring to shed outdoors possible? I was telling an uncle about the concern of digging a conduit trench in my heavily planted garden (trying not to disturb the plants) to run electricity from the house to the shed about 35 feet away. He said that you could run conduit on the ground (or barely cover it with mulch); no need to dig a trench and bury it. I am highly skeptical as I've never heard of this before nor can I find anything on it. He's done habitat houses. Can you? I live in the US, Nebraska. It gets very hot and cold here seasonally. Any tips on making a trench with a tight space? <Q> Unless you want a concrete path through your garden along the route of the conduit, that's not likely what you want. <S> Rigid and intermediate metal are tough enough that you won't likely damage them while digging with hand tools. <S> PVC needs to be 18" under unless concrete protected. <S> Table 300.5 of the NEC should clarify all that for you. <A> I'm not sure on the cost of this option, but you could use directional boring. <S> You may be able to rent the machine, but it's fairly specialized work and it might be preferable to hire a company to do it. <S> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Directional_boring <S> This process allows pipe to be buried underground without disturbing the land above anywhere except at the entry and exit points. <S> Here's a youtube video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/FQBVTlcl20c <A> None are at ground level, however. <S> I recently ran a similar line through several flower gardens. <A> Possibly there are code restrictions. <A> I would consider a cheap solar setup for the shed. <S> Most likely you don't have huge power needs. <S> Even a few hundred US dollar setup can provide you lighting, music, and battery float-charging. <S> This might very well be cheaper than playing for outside electrical work, potentially much cheaper, and certainly less effort. <S> I realize Nebraska isn't ideal for going fully solar house-wise, but it still should work for a shed.	Do it in spring or fall when the plants are less active and they probably won't mind the disturbance. With rigid or intermediate metal conduit ($$) you can follow code without going very deep - 6" under dirt, 4" under a concrete cover of at least 4" thickness extending at least 6" to either side. However , I would bury it "deep" To avoid hitting it with shovels, etc, later after you have forgotten where it is located. It's not difficult to create shovel-width channels for conduit down 18 inches or so. There are basically three levels of depth allowed by code (to my knowledge), and they depend on cable and conduit type.
How do I prevent ice dams from forming on the eaves of an addition? I added an addition several years age and now have eaves that form ice dams I understand that ventilating the attic may help but that is not an option. I have tried heated wires on the lower edge of the shingles but they are not durable and very short life. I am looking for ways to do something from the exterior side of the roof and considering galvanized or aluminum flashing at the lower 18" of the shingles.Any thoughts or ideas? <Q> If the insulation of your home is not adequate then warm air from the living space fills your attic and melts the snow on the roof, the melted water then run down the roof where it freezes over the eves because the eves are not warmed from below. <S> Ice-and-water barrier or heat cables do not address the reason for the ice damning in the first place. <S> Ice-and-water barrier will minimize damage that can be caused by the ice and the heat cable can melt the ice ( or prevent it from becoming so thick it does cause damage. <S> You have to prevent the melting, anything else does not fix the problem. <A> This is not the best answer, nor is it an answer for everybody. <S> However, depending on the situation, it can eliminate the problem until you are able to properly solve it. <S> If you remove the snow from the roof after every snowfall, then you'll never have problems with ice dams. <S> I know this is not practical for most folks, but it may be a temporary workaround. <S> You should be able to find long handled roof snow rakes, or roof snow removal systems, at your local hardware store. <A> Most houses in the far north have steeper roofs than the standard 4/12 pitch. <S> They also install sheet metal on the last 2 feet or so of roof edge. <S> This prevents the snow from building up on the eave. <S> It slides off before it can melt and refreeze. <S> This can be a problem if you have a porch or sidwalk there. <S> In the future when you re-roof the house you might consider metal roofing to eliminate this problem. <S> Good luck with your project! <A> You dismissed attic ventilation as not being an option, but I think you need to know it may not be as difficult as you think. <S> Basic roof venting is comprised of both intake and exhaust vents. <S> The ratio is 1:1, 50% intake and 50% exhaust. <S> Intake happens down at your eves, and through convection the heat rises and goes out your exhaust vents near the ridge (top) of your roof. <S> Most of the time, the problem with ice dams comes from the lack of intake vents. <S> The most common intake is vented aluminum/steel/vinyl soffit, followed by wood soffit with holes drilled in it and covered with vent grills. <S> Adding these intake vents at ice dam areas is the typical solution, but there are more solutions that you probably don't know about. <S> If the exhaust net free area is too small, then you can add a shingle over ridge vent. <S> If you have a hip roof and don't have much horizontal ridge lines, you can also use hip vent. <S> Alternative solutions for adding exhaust vents is with <S> Omni-Wall vent for where the roof meets the wall and <S> you can't put a regular vent. <S> Adding regular roof louvers is the obvious option, but like I said earlier, exhaust is rarely the problem with ice dams. <S> Either of these options should work.	The way to prevent ice damning is to prevent the snow on the roof from melting in the first place and that means adequate insulation and venting in the attic. Alternative solutions for adding intake vents in places other than at the soffit are vented drip edge and shingle-over edge vent .
Rust and ash in my AC/furnace - should I be concerned? TL;DR - Furnace/AC generates a lot of rust flakes and ash, not sure what this means. UPDATE - An inspector came by to look at the furnace. While the inspector didn't find anything broken, he said it was nearing its end of days, and that it was only a matter of time until something broke. As per his recommendation, my apartment complex replaced the unit. I live in an apartment unit that's 34 years old, and I'm a little concerned about the state of my furnace and AC unit. I don't know exactly when it unit was installed, but it seems to be showing its age. I noticed an excessive amount of rust flakes and, now that the gas heater is flexing its muscles for the cold this season, some ash. I honestly don't know much about HVAC systems in general, so I took some pictures. Is the condition of my system any cause for concern? This is where most of the rust would pile up. I have cleaned most of it off. Before I did, it would simply drop to the ledge and floor below. This is underneath the rusty ledge, looking at the burners. You can see some of the rust that fell from above, as well as some ash from near the pilot light. A closer view of the pilot light, showing the rust flakes and ash piling up below. The ash was not present before this season when the heat kicked in. Underneath the rusty "hood" in the first image, there are two holes where it seemed most of the rust would fall from. It was a little difficult to get a good picture of these holes, so please excuse the poor camera work on my part. This is the left one. I'm not sure what the larger bits once were, but they don't look or feel like metal or rust. My guess is that at some point this hole was partially covered by some material that fell apart through the years. The right hole didn't have the same non-metallic flaky bits, but did show a good amount of rust flakes sitting inside. I'm not entirely sure what these holes are for, but again, I'm not very familiar with these systems. It seems like a majority of the rust comes from these holes and drops onto the rusty "hood" (first picture). I lightly brushed my finger along the outer rim of the hole and rust eagerly fell out. This last picture is of the floor below the unit. You can see a small section where I dragged my finger through the rust that had piled up. I doubt this picture is very relevant, but I included it to give a scope of how messy this system is. I know this is a long post, so thank you for reading it through. My question is, should I be concerned about the excessive amount of rust accumulating through this system? As far as I'm aware, the furnace and AC work alright apart from being noisy and inefficient. <Q> I would talk to your landlord to ask them to inspect your furnace/AC for the year and let them make the determination. <S> When I do something like this with my landlord, I remind them that making sure things are right will save them from a catastrophe, possibly in the near future. <S> And yes, I do say it something similar to that. <S> I hold back only enough to let them feel as if the decision is theirs. <S> I also make valid statements about things should work, vs how it currently is working, even if I have to research that info first (like you are doing). <S> Most furnaces are designed to last around 20 years, so it's a good chance it's been replaced sometime in those 34 years since the building was built. <S> It may simply need a good cleaning and some basic maintenance. <S> Furnaces usually smell of burnt rust and dust when they first come on for the season. <S> If that odor continues past the first week of steady use, then it's not normal, in my experience. <S> Again, letting your landlord make the decision will make you sound like less of a jerk tenant (or worse) and more of a concerned person who knows what you/ <S> they're talking about. <S> Just because you got your information of the Interwebs doesn't have to mean anything to them. <S> ;-) <S> Simply making them away of a situation before it becomes a problem will, eventually and hopefully, will get you on their good side. <S> I find that useful, myself. <A> Humidity in the air condenses on the condenser coil and drips into a pan that drains the condensate to the sewer. <S> Water that is supposed to go to a drain is overflowing and going into your furnace. <S> The ash is just is just further rust oxidation from the additional heat/moisture of the furnace burners operating. <A> First off, let me add my 2 cents; a water droplet will never short out a thermocouple and on this type of furnace, wind movement outside will not effect the pilot flame due to the furnace's construction. <S> Air movement from the furnace fan will effect the pilot. <S> If you look at the 3rd. <S> to last picture, the furnace chamber looks to be compromised, with a small crack shown on the right side of the picture at the 4:00 o'clock position. <S> I would have a furnace company inspect the integrity of the chamber to make sure it is not compromised. <S> The rust in the burner chamber could also be caused by a poor burning gas flame, poor chimney or flue draw, plugged or leaking A/C condensate drain pan, or any number of things. <S> I am not there <S> so I can't say what is causing the rusting. <S> A small amount of scale in this type of furnace is normal. <S> this is why they need yearly service. <S> Hope this helps. <A> Nothing worth saving. <S> I did not see the AC evaporator coil , that may worth saving. <S> I am surprised there were not warnings about carbon monoxide although it is not a problem. <S> I put in a gas furnace years ago, it is not "rocket science". <S> I suggest that you don't put in a unit with too much capacity; there is likely a BTU rating somewhere on the existing unit , that is a good guide.	It looks like the drain is clogged or the drain pan leaking on your AC condenser coil which is usually directly above the furnace burners. If your landlord is honest, and not a slumlord, you have a good chance to get at least some work done to it, if not replaced. I think the engineering term is "worn out".
Why do my lightbulbs keep breaking in the fixtures? I moved into an apartment maybe a year ago, and noticed many lightbulbs were out. When I went to unscrew them, they simply broke off (not shattered) in my hand. It was like someone had scored the glass right where it connects to the metal. In addition, there was a significant buildup of corrosion along the inside of the metal part (I don't have any pictures of how they look, but I'll try to add one the next time this happens). I thought that was pretty weird, but I finished replacing them anyway (the metal parts remained stuck in the fixture so I had to use a pair of pliers to unscrew them). Ever since, another bulb breaks in the same way every month or so. This happens in multiple rooms, so I don't think it's one incorrectly wired fixture. I've also tried 60W and 75W lightbulbs (just your everyday incandescent bulbs), but that doesn't seem to matter. Why might my lightbulbs be breaking in this way? Is there anything I can to stop it? I have a theory that my lightbulbs aren't the proper wattage for my fixtures, and the excess current is causing the corrosion, which in turn destroys the connection between the metal and the glass, but I don't know much about lightbulbs. If my theory is right, is there a way to determine which watt bulb to use? <Q> Most fixtures can handle 60 w lamps but recently I have run across some 40 w fixtures. <S> There should be a stamp inside the fixture listing the max wattage. <S> Too much heat will cause the problem you describe. <S> Added I normally do not use lube below 400w lamps but do use dielectric grease on 400 & 1000 w lamps if having problems removing lamps an electrical grade of grease used sparingly cannot hurt. <A> There are certain designer bulbs I have used that do that. <S> Sylvania 40-Wt. <S> " <S> flame-shaped" bulbs are bad about it. <S> What I believe is they are best suited for up-mount rather then down-mount. <S> The heat concentrates at the base when used in a down-pointing fixture. <A> Aluminum against aluminum is very prone to galling ; inexpensive fixtures and bulbs often use aluminum for the socket/ thread so they "stick ". <S> It is actually welding on a microscopic level. <S> And put graphite on the threads ( not grease or oil because they are poor conductors ) . <S> Graphite with a little oil as a carrier is OK. <S> MoS ( molybdenum sulfide) will also work . <S> I happen to have MoS power which I have used for years , but it is not readily available. <S> Nothing to do with wattage. <A> Before insertion of each bulb lube the threads with a small amount of silicone grease. <S> You can get this in a small foil packet at the auto parts stores. <S> They are used to lube auto bulbs to prevent corrosion. <S> The grease is non-conducting but the threads bite through and make electrical contact. <S> Screw them in firmly but not "hard".	Depending on the fixture you may have a lamp with too much wattage. Look for bulbs with brass threads.
Will a thin or thick cutoff angle grinder wheel last longer? If size of cut didn’t matter (not in a confined area), wouldn’t a thicker cutoff wheel last longer? I was comparing mainly between a 1/16 and 1/8 width wheel. I was trying to compare between cutoff wheels that you can get at Harbour Freight vs what you would buy at big box home improvement stores. Also, do the diamond cutoff wheels work that much better than masonary wheels? <Q> Cutting disks should be thin. <S> Grinding disks are thicker. <S> Thicker disks means removing more material, which takes more time. <S> Typical disks in Europe is 1mm thick, and I'd categorize a 1/8" (3.7mm) as a hybrid, usable for both cutting and grinding, but not excellent at either. <S> A thinner disk also leads to less heating in the material cut, as less energy is deposited. <S> In addition the disk should be made for the material you're working with. <S> Different materials behave differently. <A> Stick to a brand name cutoff wheel. <S> , 1/8 " should last longer depends on what you are cutting. <S> And always wear safety glasses. <A> It depends what you are cutting. <S> A metal disk will out preform with metal. <S> a metal cut off disk is a good recipe for an injury with masonry. <S> Are diamond blades worth the cost <S> I use them when I need a very clean cut with not much damage next to the area being cut. <S> I have 1/2 a dozen different blade types and thicknesses as there is really no true universal disk, or blade for a grinder when considering both cutting and grinding both metal and masonry. <A> It isn't that the diamond blades have a longer rating on them. <S> It is that they provide a cleaner cut. <S> If I am cutting rebar I get the cheapest blades possible and they last 4-6 cuts. <S> If I get something 10 times more expensive they last 6-10 cuts. <S> If I am cutting tile I go with a diamond blade to get a smoother cut and less cracking chance (vibration means more chance to crack). <S> I will get a thinner disc for tile (thicker for stone). <S> If I am cutting granite or other stone I go diamond to lessen chance of chipping. <S> If I am cutting off things that don't belong or cutting weird stuff like backer board I generally use a cheap metal disk. <S> On my metal disks I get thicker because they last longer <S> and I don't need to be exact. <S> I would also agree with most here on HF <S> is not the ideal place to buy an angle grinder. <S> I have tried their tools and like all of their cheap power tools the number one issue is the shutoff not working right. <S> The last thing you need in an angle grinder is, your a stuck on a cut and <S> the wheel won't stop spinning when you release.	Diamond blades also are usually coated on a metal disk so they do not fly apart like a fiber blade.
How to extend existing circuit 5 ft I would like to use my garage lighting circuit for my garage door opener but I need to extend it 5 feet. The lighting circuit is 14/2 wire but I have 12/2 wire. Should I buy a 6 foot piece of 14/2 wire or could I use the 12/2 wire for that length? <Q> You can use #12 to extend a 15-A circuit wired with #14. <A> Keep in mind if you use the lighting wiring to power the opener, whenever the lights are off the opener will not work. <A> Just use the 12/2. <S> You're always allowed to upsize wire. <S> How does that work with circuit rating? <S> The smallest wire on the circuit decides the circuit rating (in amps) so the smallest will still be 14 AWG and the circuit will still be 15A. <S> Now, you have to watch your connections. <S> Wire-nutting 12 to 14 is no problem (I nut 12 to 18 all the time). <S> However you can't mix screws and stabs, so you'll need to use the screws for all the wires. <S> The $3 screw-and-clamp type receptacles help with this (they can also handle 4 wires per side!)	If your receptacle uses back-stab connections, those are not compatible with 12AWG wire, so you'll need to use the screws.
Mixing 18awg wire and 16awg wire on a ceiling fan installation I am moving a minkaire ceiling fan from a flat kithen ceiling to a sloped family room ceiling. The slope of the fm rm ceiling requires that a 1 foot extension be added to the fan to avoid having the blades touch the ceiling. The fan has a receiving unit on it that receives signals from the wall switch unit, which controls various aspects of the fan and it's lights. The extension will require me to add extensions to the wires from the ceiling down to the fan unit. All of the wires on the receiving unit and wall switch are 18 awg stranded wires. I can not find 18 awg at either HD or Lowes. The closest they have is 16 awg. Is it safe to make my 1 foot extensions out of 16 awg wire? <Q> Yes the 16-gauge will work just fine. <S> Make sure your connections are well insulated. <S> P. <A> 14AWG is the minimum legal size usable for AC power wiring in the US. <S> That's why you don't find anything smaller. <S> Smaller wires are legal inside an appliance or as the leads to a lamp. <S> But if you are extending power, that is part of the power system, not the lamp, and should use the appropriate wire size for your circuit. <S> Signal wires are a different matter and can be as small as 18AWG. <S> You are always allowed to use a larger size wire, so no need to go crazy trying to find a particular size. <A> You said all of the wires on the receiving unit and wall switch are 18 awg stranded wires. <S> I can not imagine a wall switch wired with 18AWG and carrying anything but low voltage - certainly a code violation in the USA if it is carrying 120V or higher.. <S> The minimum gauge for carrying 120v to a ceiling fan / light is 14awg. <S> If it is not low voltage - you have a bigger problem - the wiring is not in code and is really a fire waiting to happen.	If it is truly a low voltage system (control circuit - like a garage door opener wall switch or door bell switch) going up from 18(smaller) to 16(thicker wire) should not be an issue.
Voltage detected on gas pipe The gas company technician has turned gas off to the gas meter because he detected .4 volts coming off the gas pipe leading to our furnace. The meter was disconnected when he tested the pipe. He stuck a screw driver in the soil to use as a ground and then put the multi meters red lead on the pipe to show .4 volts. However, when tested at the furnace using its ground there is no voltage at all on his multimeter. Any ideas on what the discrepancy is caused by? I have done my own tests at multiple different properties and consistently get .3-.6 volts on gas meters using a Fluke 117. So, is this normal? <Q> I agree with Ed Beal. <S> The technician had no idea what they were doing. <S> The gas pipe is required to be bonded <S> yes, <S> but the equipment ground that serves the electrical circuit for the furnace is allowed to be the sole means of that bonding. <S> From the 2017 National Electrical Code (also in earlier versions) <S> 250.104 <S> (B) <S> Other Metal Piping. <S> You said -- <S> However, when tested at the furnace using its ground there is no voltage at all on his multimeter. <S> This tells me your equipment grounding conductor for the gas furnace circuit is in good condition. <S> The Utility should immediately restore your service and that technician needs to be properly trained. <S> Good luck! <A> This is completely wrong! <S> The screw driver is not a proper ground rod. <S> I think the proper grounding is at least 8 feet for a ground rod. <S> It is possible also that some ground rods are no longer at 'ground' potential which is why they can get replaced every now and again - so people can get a bad reading. <S> Typically this is checked with a megger. <S> I said that to say this - did he check his screwdriver with a megger to make sure it was correctly at ground? <S> NEC 250.52(A)(5) states: “Rods and pipe electrodes shall not be less than 2.44 m (8 ft.) in length.” ... <S> With regard to diameter requirements, NEC 250.52(A) (5)(b) states, “Grounding electrodes of stainless steel and copper or zinc coated steel shall be at least 15.87 mm (5/8 in.) <S> So considering that - does the Gas Technicians Screw Driver match those requirements ? <S> If he had a 5/8 inch diameter screw driver eight feet long plus handle that he drove into the ground <S> then he is right; otherwise, as others have said call the gas company back out and have them send someone else. <A> Yes, I think the gas company tech is completely out of his league. <S> Additionally, he is trying to enforce a testing program designed by someone just as far out of his element. <S> 4/10 of a volt wouldn't even qualify as phantom voltage much less intrinsically safe voltage. <S> You can walk across dry carpet and produce more than that. <S> I hate to say it <S> but you need a lawyer. <S> The utility company is required by law to supply you with gas as long as you pay your bill and your system does not present a hazard to yourself, your neighbors or the utility itself. <S> Good Luck. <S> P.	A millivolt signal to a screwdriver stuck in the ground is not a reliable way to do earth ground testing . If installed in or attached to a building or structure, a metal piping system(s), including gas piping, that is likely to become energized shall be bonded to any of the following: (1) Equipment grounding conductor for the circuit that is likely to energize the piping system....
How can I find out what a switch does? I have a switch that's part of a three switch panel, and it doesn't seem to do anything. The other two switches go to a ceiling light in the same room, and a ceiling light in an adjacent room. I've checked most, if not all of the plugs in this and adjacent rooms by plugging a lamp in and flipping the switch, to no avail. After additionally searching the attic, I've discovered two cables obviously connected to the switch panel. These seem to go to the two lights that are affected by the other two switches. There's a third cable leading from an exterior motion light to an area between the 3 panel switches and the nearby breaker panel. I can't tell which it might be connected to. The motion light doesn't seem to activate in either position of the switch, but I've known those things to be finicky. How can I determine what the switch is meant to do? <Q> Like someone said on the comments, sometimes a house is wired so that there are two lines going to a fan/ceiling enclosure: one for controlling the fan, and the other for controlling the fan's light <S> (tho some fans' wiring <S> don't allow for this type of setup). <S> and it's not connected to anything. <S> Edit: just saw your comment that's unlikely for a fan. <S> Another possibility it's that it controls one of the power outlets.. <S> you could test this by plugging a small light/hairdryer/w.e. and switch the light to see if it turns on/off the appliance you connected. <A> Check your outside lights. <A> Does it have an "On" and "Off" legend on the moving part of the switch? <S> No on/ <S> off marking <S> It is a 3-way switch sharing control with another point. <S> You don't realize this and have always been controlling it from the other point, thinking that was the only switch. <S> Unfortunately, this is hard to find becuase throwing the switch will only "flip" the on/off status of the device. <S> You'd have to throw it, walk the house, throw it, walk the house, etc. <S> while looking for something that has changed. <S> As a rule, you don't want to sever power to motion sensors, because it wipes out their memory of the terrain, and of day/night luminance levels for the light sensor. <S> The latter in particular takes at least 24 hours to recalibrate. <S> Default values often work, but in dark or well-lit areas, sensors take a few 24hr cycles to learn what "normal" is. <S> On/off marking <S> This is likely the only switch controlling that device. <S> Turn the switch "OFF" and tape it in that position. <S> Live your life. <S> Eventually you will find something that does not work. <S> Try the switch. <S> Eureka!	So one switch could be just going to a ceiling enclosure (where there might be just a light) It may control one or more of those. If the controlled thing also has motion sensors, this could be messy.
Mounting 65” tv on panel construction wall with metal studs 24” on center The wall is Sheetrock over styrofoam panel no clearance under Sheetrock. Is there a way to mount this without opening the wall. Reading has indicated steel studs do not hold screws well <Q> Depending on your TV mount style, I would simply drill extra holes in it and run four to six sheet metal screws through into the studs. <S> 8 to 12 sheet metal screws will easily carry that television. <S> This assumes that it's tight to the wall and <S> not an articulating arm style mount Size <S> the holes in the mount so that the screws slip through freely, and be sure not to overtighten so you don't strip the threads in the studs. <S> Just snug them up. <A> As long as the wall is faced with quality, intact 1/2" standard sheet rock, 4-each, 1/4" standard toggle bolts will work just fine. <S> A quarter inch bolt is rated at 200-Lbs, sheer strength. <S> The 1/2" rock is also rater at 200-Lbs both sheer and tension with a standard 1/4" toggle bolt configuration. <S> I happen to disagree about the holding strength of a standard metal stud. <S> With a standard #12 sheet metal screw, the pull-out strength would easily be over 75-Lbs per unit; of course no stripping. <S> P. <A> How heavy is your mount and your TV ? <S> That is the first question to answer in order to determine what methods of mounting will work for you. <S> For example if your mount and TV total weight is 30LBS .. consider using anchors that can hold up to 50lbs each such as these screw in anchors: https://www.amazon.com/Drilling-Drywall-Plastic-Anchors-Screws/dp/B01FCZ8I3I/ref=pd_sbs_60_5?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=EHAFDWBD2QPWSVYJY14P <S> U Bar - both commonly found at HD or Lo's).	You can on the other hand build a mount strip across the 24 inch centers for a total of 48 inches width with 3 stud mounting points and you could even add drywall anchors if you were a little freaked and wanted to do over kill - your TV mount would then mount to the two strips (which can be simple flat bar or the shelving
Will fasteners straighten a pressure treated bottom plate? I am framing a basement and have been working at my own pace. Because of this some of the pressure treated boards I purchased have developed a twist to them. I don't want to go through all the trouble of framing a portion and securing it and having it not come out correctly. When I fasten the frame to the foundation will it straighten out the green board? Is this something I should even worry about? <Q> Sometimes you can get away with this. <S> You will know when you can't when in the process <S> the lumber splits and breaks. <S> Also you will incur additional labor and hardware costs. <S> The overall quality of the job can be affected by sub-standard lumber. <S> Note to self: Always when purchasing new lumber, lay flat and stack to avoid warping. <S> If you know it will be awhile before you can get to it, you can weight your stacks. <S> Additionally, try to keep the lumber from drying out before it is framed into place. <A> It's not really a concern within reason. <S> I wouldn't try to use a board with more than a 3/4" lift. <S> Cut those up and use them in shorter walls, or simply cut them into sections between studs and fasten them to the slab appropriately. <S> You haven't said what type of fasteners you're using, but most will flatting the plates out if you also apply pressure to the plate as you attach it. <S> Even white lumber often has slight twists, and it's not really a problem. <S> You also have pressure from above to work with in many cases. <S> Cut your studs accurately and let the joists force the wall down. <A> This is called worming, and has never let me down.	However depending on how bad the lumber has warped, sometimes you can't. Typically if you're trying to secure a board to concrete, you can usually fasten the board down on one end, and then work your way to the other end, putting fasteners in as you go, also bending your board to line up with your chalk line as you go.
How to manage water pooling at a particular spot in my lawn? Per the picture, I have an interesting draining issue where some rain water will drain along my roof's edge to a spot on my lawn. Problem is that the water is pooling in heavier rains (see picture below) Are there recommended ways to handle water pooling due to draining water? <Q> Cut the down spout off about a foot and one half. <S> Then fix a 45* bend to the bottom of the down spout. <S> Now install a 3 or 4' section onto that elbow and extend it out onto the lawn. <S> The rain water should now dissipate into the lawn before it can find its way back to that low spot. <S> When mowing set to the side the extension. <A> From your picture being this side of the gutter it is hard to tell if the roof edge you are referring to extends out away from the gutter system but that is what I am thinking you are trying to show and if that is the case - there is a simple solution to this problem - some people who do not have gutters use a guide flashing (diverter) to cause the water to run away from the entry ways. <S> So here is my suggestion: <S> How to Install a Rain Water Diverter <A> Not completely sure, but that downspout is definitely not doing what it is intended to do, which is move water away from your house. <S> it would be a good idea to dig a trench leading away from your house with a slight downward slope and attach run a corrugated pipe from the bottom of your downspout into that trench, and then cover it back up. <S> This might actually help your problem... but as far as the water actually dripping off the corner of your roof, not so sure what to do about that.	Place a rain diverter on your roof to cause the water that runs down the edge of it to run into the gutter that you have.
Why is home heating wiring so low tech? Having recently had to struggle with the wiring on my home heating (y plan) to get it working with a nest, I would like to know why central heating systems are not more modern: Why isn't there a central controller that receives information from all sensors (tank temp, boiler temp etc) and outputs commands to valves/pump/boiler rather than the series style wiring (programmer commands stat commands valve commands boiler). Is it just a case of if it ain't broke don't fix it? , getting a single standard would be a pain , reliability and ease of maintenance or is there something more to why heating systems are relatively low tech to 'smart' tech? I ask purely out of interest (not to criticise the existing wiring systems), I am interested to know if with having more localised generation (pv cells etc) if heating systems could become smarter and more efficient; use the pv cells if there is excess generation or if a home battery has charge, switch on an immersion heater instead of gas boiler for one example. I am happy to admit the simplicity of it does allow for modification (shove an arduino in there with some relays etc). <Q> why central heating systems are not more modern Because the established systems like Honeywell Y-plan or S-plan havemany benefits ... <S> Low cost parts, simpler and sold in volume. <S> lower cost maintenance - heating engineers are used to these arrangementsand know how to diagnose problems. <S> Fail-safe. <S> A fault in a sensor can't turn on a boiler without turning on a pump. <S> Compatibility - the traditional programmer has a common backplateused by most manufacturers. <S> You can snap in a new programmerwithout rewiring. <S> Reliability - most failures are due to wear in pumps and zone-valves, ordue to lack of maintenance of the boiler. <S> Internet appliance makers have an appalling record for security , privacy etc. <S> I can buy parts and accessories for a 30-year old system. <S> There'sno track record for companies like Nest - we don't yet know whetherthey will be around in 30 years time or whether they will makedrop-in replacements for current products. <S> Vladmir Putin's henchmen can't hack your heating to improve GazProm revenue. <S> So far as I can tell, systems like Nest only have significant benefit if yourlifestyle is erratic and you need to remotely instruct your house to keep cold to save money. <S> Why isn't there a central controller <S> There seems to be a trend where more of the functionality is incorporated into the boiler. <S> For example it is becoming more common for the boiler to control the pump so that it can run-on after the boiler stops, thus removing residual heat from the boiler. <S> Of course, systems like Nest don't change much of the above, they are designed to slot into those types of system. <S> Often they function as a combined programmer and room-thermostat replacement with additional features. <S> Hacking Nest <S> Random example showing industry standard backplate interoperability: <A> Will your high tech solution work in 50 years? <S> That's a conservative guess for the current age of the terrifying hazardous-substance-containing bimetallic thermostat that still works in my house. <S> The terrifying hazardous substance is nicely contained in glass, and does not terrify me. <S> I don't plan to take a hammer to it, and I don't expect it to suddenly break after 50 or more years. <S> As it happens, it's on a shelf, having been replaced with a battery operated automatic setback unit that still works fine with the two wires that were sufficient for it when it was installed, 50 or more years ago. <S> But if that one fails, the old round honeywell will keep the temperature that's set, quite accurately, using its (quite sophisticated, actually) low technology. <S> Neither can be hacked over a network. <S> One will survive an electro-magnetic pulse (EMP) attack, though there would be other problems with the overall system at that point. <A> Easy. <S> Closing switches is as simple as electrical gets, and easy to troubleshoot. <S> You simply shunt (short) wires: shunt R and W to call for heat, R and G for fan, R and Y for cool. <S> You're accustomed to thinking in protocols and APIs. <S> Believe me when you think in both worlds, this is the simplest way. <S> Yes it does constrain features somewhat, such as it's hard to tell an air conditioner with VFD how fast to run. <S> Anyway, you won't save wire; even CANbus would need 4 wires and lots of houses get it done with 2-3. <S> Modular is the crux of the matter. <S> Most people don't replace their furnace, condenser and thermostat all in one go. <S> And we wouldn't be having the "upgrade to a Nest" conversation if the standard were not open and simple. <S> What's more, by being modular, the system is hackable. <S> Want to put 240 V electric heaters on a Nest? <S> Trivial hack with a $12 A/C contactor. <S> Want a Nest to control a millivolt heater? <S> Also easy with a $3 relay. <S> Failsafe comes out of simple. <S> It means that if the heater has fired, it can only happen because something shunted R and W, not because some glitch happened in some piece of software that only 3 people in India understand . <S> If R and W are not shunted and the heater is on, the heater is defective.	The system is simple, modular and failsafe.
Fridgidaire Gallery Powers off for several hours and sometimes days I have a Fridgidaire Gallery Model: FGHN2866PF0. The issue I have is that the fridge powers off for hours at a time and sometimes days at a time. No cooling, no lights in fridge. Only the door control panel stays alive. The inner door control panel stays lit with the codes OF OF on the Fridge and freezer temperature readings. I've changed the main board 3 times. and the control panel as well.Each time the problem returns after 1 month. I don't know what else may be causing the issue. It's not the home breaker popping, because the display stay lit. When the fridge comes back to life, the high temperature alarms go off, the ice maker begins to make ice, the compressor comes on, the lights come on. What could be wrong? <Q> Well, I finally solved the issue. <S> There was a pinch ground wire from the power cord. <S> The ground was pinched between the frame and housing. <S> I also found 2 ground wires that were grounded to the compressor. <S> These wires were screwed to the compressor mounting frame, but there was a piece of green tape between the metal and the eye loops of the grounds. <S> Basically, the grounds were not grounded. <S> Since un-pinching the power line ground wire and removing the tape to allow the other 2 grounds to have a good ground, fridge is working non-stop for 30 days now. <S> Regards, <A> Ok, Here is what I see. <S> The control panel remains lit because of internal battery function. <S> When power is restored, the frig starts and is going again. <S> Unplug the frig from its own receptacle. <S> Use a good quality extension cord and power the frig from a bath room or clothes washer receptacle.(no other receptacle choices & cord no longer than necessary) <S> Monitor its operation here for several days. <S> This will tell us if we have failure in the frig or in the house wiring. <S> Although very unlikely, you could have a bad breaker. <S> We will try that next. <S> Also, just because the kitchen and its wiring is new doesn't mean you don't have a problem in one of these receptacles. <S> Are you resetting any GFI receptacles during this process? <S> Are you resetting breakers during this process. <S> Are the kitchen circuits on ark-fault breakers? <S> (Do the breakers controlling kitchen circuits have push-buttons on them?) <A> A good electrician or appliance service tech should be able to trouble shoot this problem. <S> Someplace in the frig there is a connection that is opening up. <S> It has nothing to do with grounding wires. <S> The hot lead or the neutral is opening up somewhere intermittently. <S> One way that may help you find it is when the unit is in failed condition leave it plugged and start moving things around in there. <S> Touch and wiggle every place where you see wires coming together. <S> Get a good light and look for signs of burning, sparking or heat discoloration. <S> Look for melted plastic. <S> Follow the wiring path, pushing and prodding as you go. <S> A loose connection will show itself with this treatment. <S> If you get some response, you know you have found the problem.	By all appearances you are either loosing the power leg or neutral leg intermittently to the frig. The vast majority of the time this type of problem is caused by a bad wiring connection in a kitchen receptacle, possible the one the frig is plugged in to.
Securing rubber mats to garage floor I'm renting a house in which I have some gym equipment in the garage. I'm anticipating buying some 3'x4'x3/4" rubber stall mats to protect the floor and deaden noise from dropped weights. I would be lying the mats side by side in a tiling fashion but I have some concern about the mats slipping on the bare concrete. What would be the best way to safely secure these rubber mats in an impermanent way? <Q> Once the concrete is cleaned of all dust and oils, the rubber mats should stay in place, especially once you get a few of them down. <S> If you want a little extra help, I'd offer two options: "Carpet tape" is a thin, double sided tape that's usually about 1.5" to 2" wide and can be placed on the floor under the mats. <S> It's will be easier to remove than other adhesive options, but it will only provide a little extra grip. <S> If you find you need more holding power, you might want to install some type of perimeter strip around the mats (assuming they are laid in a rectangular pattern) to make a "frame" that holds it all together. <S> Holding the mats from sliding out from the edges means there will be less to remove when you are done. <S> Rather than adhesive under the whole mats, you could glue or screw down strips of wood along the edges. <S> Screws might leave divots in the floor, which could be unacceptable. <A> I don't know if this would be the "best" way, but A way would be to use carpet glue, the same stuff they use for carpet squares. <S> It'll be difficult to remove later on, but it's an option. <A> If you have enough rubber mats, lay them out and tape them together using strong tape like duct tape. <S> If the sides reach right to the walls, then it has nowhere to go. <S> Downside is that this mega-mat can still slide, especially if you turn sharply while walking, or brake a car/bike to a stop in the garage. <S> Given its a rental, bolting through into the concrete is probably undesirable, but if done properly could be accepted. <S> Another way would be to find a glue to stick the rubber mats straight to the concrete, and when it comes time to move out you tear the matt up and then use a chisel or paint scraper to remove any leftover. <S> Small dots in each corner would be easier to clean than an enthusiastic slather of glue.	You could put down a plywood floor layer and screw/glue the mats to that, would reduce the number of "mats" but still have the same fastening problem, or could use angle brackets to fasten the wooden subfloor to the garage wall bottom plates.
What kind of tool can I use to tighten a faucet bolt in a tight place? I am trying to tighten a kitchen faucet bolt (7/16 inch) in a very tight spot. Please refer to the picture. Standard size wrenches don't fit well enough for me to turn it. I've used a stubby wrench but I can't get any leverage because of the tight spot. I bought a set of flex head rachet wrenches, but they keep slipping off. I also tried a basin wrench, but it keeps slipping off and is very hard to attach. Do you recommend any other tools that would work? Would an offset wrench work or an adjustable flex head wrench work? I just don't want to keep collecting tools that I won't use! Thanks for your help :) <Q> I think that is a standard application for a "crows foot" wrench. <A> <A> The standard tool for these under-sink nuts is a tube spanner: <S> The tube is long enough to go over the thread and the holes take the handle which can be shifted side to side when you're in a confined space. <S> I had a faucet bolt that kept coming loose that I would keep tightening as best <S> I could with a shifter (and grazed knuckles). <S> Once I got a tube spanner, I tightened it once and it's been good ever since. <A> If you can almost get that nut with a proper wrench, but the nut is just not long enough... there is a cheaper option than buying a tool for this. <S> Just use a coupling nut <A> What may work is very deep socket. <S> There is a chance the bolt may extend thru the socket. <S> If that happens clamp onto the socket with a pair of vice grips to tighten the last few turns. <A> These are 11 mm nuts, and really the only good way that I've found to tighten them is with a standard 12-point <S> angled box end wrench. <S> Get the 12-point box end on the nut and turn in 30-degree turns. <S> It will take a while <S> but it goes in easily. <S> In fact, be careful not to overtighten, as the nut is typically copper and the bolt is also a soft metal. <S> These metals are used because the area is extremely corrosion prone. <S> Note that the 7/16 inch specified in the question <S> is not the right size, and may explain the slippage that the OP experienced. <S> The right size is 11 mm . <A> My approach was to use a piece of wood to space the mounting plate off and thus take up the length of the bolt. <S> This also spreads the load from the tap over a greater area on the sink. <S> With <S> the length of the bolt taken up <S> I was then able to tighten <S> /loosen it with a normal depth socket. <A> Perhaps try a Ridgid Sink & Faucet Installer Tool . <S> I've seen them used a few times and they make most aspects of the install much more quick.	I think your options are either a Basin Wrench or an extra deep socket
How do I remove the T shaped metal device that is holding my fluorescent ballast cover on? I'm trying to take the cover off of my fluorescent fixture, but I can't seem to figure out this fastener. I've tried rotating it to no effect. <Q> Turn it 90 degrees and it will release same with the one at the other end if it has one. <A> Turn it 90 degrees. <S> As you turn it, you'll find one position is more relaxed (sloppy) than the other. <S> That is the release position. <S> It goes into an oval hole in the upper part. <S> Sometimes the leaky tar from the ballast glues the lid on. <S> Those lampholders are done for. <S> The one is broken, but most likely the plastic is fatigued on all of them and they are all fragile. <S> That's a standard lampholder type and they cost as little as 60 cents apiece at 1000bulbs.com. <S> That's a normal/tall type intended for T12 bulbs, if you're switching to T8 you can stay with those or use the shorter ones. <S> If you're going LED or rapid/programmed start ballast, remember to get non-shunted type. <S> Honestly I think the best light available today is actual fluorescent tubes, driven by an electronic ballast, either the T8 90+ CRI (at your choice of color temp). <S> Or the T12 98 CRI type. <A> Rotating it into alignment (quarter turn) is the normal procedure. <S> If it still won't come off, then just use a screwdriver in the center to pry with. <S> They are made to be able to snap into place even when not aligned and the screwdriver can bring the two sides together enough to pop it out. <S> It is made of spring steel so you are unlikely to break it.	It may take some rattling to get it to let loose, or possibly prying.
Is it code to nut off a ground wire instead of connecting it? I was replacing a standard light switch and noticed that the current light switch’s ground wire (green) was not being connected to anything. It was connected to the switch on one end and to a wirenut on the opposite end, however no other wires were included in the wirenut. The wirenut was simply terminating the single grounding wire. This goes against my understanding of how a grounding wire should be wired, but this building is brand new construction and so must have passed inspection recently. Is this a valid way to ground a light switch and if so, why? <Q> The ground wire should be properly connected back to the box ground connection, or back to the line ground if there is no ground connection in the box. <S> Some will argue that the metal screws provide the grounding to the plate and so the ground wire is superfluous. <S> However, there are two issues with that. <S> The screws and the screw holes are very loose tolerance. <S> The screws wobble around in them. <S> The plate itself gets painted over, OFTEN. <S> Any paint or other contaminant, eg. <S> drywall dust, can get into the screw threads and break that electrical contact quite easily. <S> That leaves your plate ungrounded. <S> When working on the switches, it is not uncommon to have them hanging out of the box while the electrician, or would be electrician / E.R. bait, works on the circuit as a whole. <S> If you do not connect the ground wire, the plate again is, obviously, ungrounded. <S> may be legally "valid", but for complete safety, you should wire it up anyway. <S> BTW: Inspectors do not inspect every outlet, that would take too long. <S> Instead they normally sample test a few and trust that the electrician followed the same standards everywhere. <A> The wire nut was to prevent the bare wire from contacting anything charged within the box. <S> Since the box itself appears metal, it's probable that the box itself is grounded. <S> It's not great, but not dangerous. <S> The preferred way to handle grounding to the box is to use a grounding clip <A> The green ground wire of that dimmer is not required for the dimmer to operate correctly. <S> It IS required to meet safety regulations and FCC noise radiation rules. <S> However, it probably is redundant because the photo shows a metal wall box that probably already is grounded. <S> The single ground wire was covered with a wire nut <S> so it doesn't make accidental contact with anything live within the box.	In this case, the metallic connection between the dimmer mounting ears and the box provides the safety ground and RF shield connections. The electrician, not knowing which outlets the inspector is going to test, is therefore "enticed" to do them all the same way. The code in your area may indicate it is not necessary, so not doing so
How do I soundproof a room behind an open doorway with little room for a proper door? I've got a laundry room immediately behind a kitchen that will soon be doing double duty as a server room of sorts - a rack with a decent amount of computer gear is going into it. If you know anything about rackmount equipment, you should know that it's generally loud . Imagine a few really good dust busters all running at the same time - that's what it sounds like. I have two things working against me here: Laminate flooring across 75% of the home that is an excellent sound reflector The entrance to the room opens immediately into the kitchen, via an open doorway, which is centrally located in an open floor plan. Result: The whole damn house can hear when this equipment is turned on. And it's not just my computer equipment that's the problem here. A washer/dryer in the same room has the same problem in that it echoes out everywhere . To the point where you need to raise the volume on the living room TV when there's a load on. With that in mind, I want to do some kind of sound isolation between this room and the kitchen. I don't care much about the sound through the walls, (thank god for good insulation) just that open doorway. Putting an actual swinging or sliding door there probably wouldn't work. There's very little room on either side of the doorway for both rooms. That leads me towards a heavy sound-dampening curtain on both sides, but I question how effective that would be. What should I be looking at, here? <Q> You can add a pocket door-use an outside type door that way is is more dense. <S> Mount it on a track inside the laundry room and slide to open or close. <S> Whatever gap is there between the wall and door cut some trim or dense foam to fill it in..if you use the foam attach it to the door... <S> And match or paint to the kitchen area...... <S> They will look very nice.. <A> I'd line the room (walls and ceiling) with high-performance sound absorption media. <S> Most of the sound energy getting out the door is reflected, so this would cut it dramatically. <A> You will never 'sound proof' the room, but you can dampen the sound. <S> You mentioned hard reflective surfaces everywhere. <S> Accoustic products are expensive but you could make sound panels filled with Roxul (or some other sound insulation product) covered with a cloth cover. <S> The product I looked at come in 15.25" width X 3" thick. <S> Make the depth approx 2.5" deep. <S> ½ - ¾" plywood on edge would work well for the frame. <S> Make the frames as long as you need with some cross braces where needed. <S> place the panels on the 3 walls of the laundry room above the machines and perhaps on the opposite wall of the hallway. <S> If you want to reduce the noise of the machines transferred through the floor try placing the machines on a plywood base with a thick excercise mat type flooring underneath the plywood (between the plywood and the floor)	You need something to stop the echo affect in that laundry room and hallway. The cloth can be stretched over the plywood and stapled to the back for a nice finished look. If you do not have enough wall space maybe you could use two solid pine folding doors but take off the hinges and add top slides. A number of panels 15" wide will friction hold the pieces.
How should I reconnect my light fixture? I took my ceiling light down to paint it and when I put it back I connected the white wire to the 2 white wires in the pic. I connected the black wire to the black bundle in the pic. Now the light is on all the time no matter the switch position. I can't figure it out. I don't have a meter. <Q> Your specific wiring is not entirely clear from your picture but here is the number one mistake novices make: In most older homes the switch loop comes down from the light fixture to the switch and then back up to feed the light. <S> At the time your house was built the switch location did not require a neutral. <S> The white wire to the switch is supposed to be re-identified a different color. <S> Usually it just gets black tape put on it but often it was not properly re-identified at all. <S> (Probably the case at your place) <S> So, what this means is that you have reconnected your light to the hot black from the panel and the neutral white back to the panel. <S> So your light is on all the time as long as the breaker is on. <S> If you connected the white and black from the switch to these bundles then when you flip the switch it should trip the breaker. <S> You need to identify which cable goes to the switch. <S> The white wire in that cable should be taped black and connected to the black bundle. <S> Then the black wire coming back from the switch goes to the black on the light. <S> The white on the light goes to the white of the cable feeding the box from the panel. <S> Good luck! <A> Insulate the black bundle well. <S> Stuff it back in the box. <S> Hook you light to the other two, wire to wire. <S> Happy Thanksgiving. <S> P. <A> Given the number of wires in that box, it's clear you also have power rolling through there on the way to somewhere else. <S> That is to say, this box is also being used as a junction box for other loads. <S> Cables have generally 2 colors of wire: black and white. <S> They can be assigned to different purposes, but Neutral if present must be the white. <S> Therefore usually, black is always-hot and white <S> is neutral. <S> Almost certainly, your big clump of blacks and whites are always-hot and neutral. <S> That was easy. <S> Your lamp needs neutral and it looks like one of those bared wires is pigtailed off the neutral bundle. <S> That's for the lamp. <S> That was also eqsy. <S> The lamp needs one more wire (besides ground): switched-hot. <S> Where does it get that? <S> A switch loop, which is one cable to the switch. <S> Its wire functions are hot and switched-hot. <S> a switch loop installed post-2011 also requires a neutral and uses black-white-red wires. <S> Yours is probably not. <S> In that case it will have the same black-white cable, so the colors won't match the function. <S> White has to be hot or switched-hot. <S> If white goes into a bundle of blacks, that makes it easy to tell. <S> If not, switched-hot will be white. <S> Don't put it in the neutral bundle . <S> They both have seen wire nuts, I would say those are your lamp wires. <S> The one to the white bundle is actual neutral. <S> Code now requires "hot" white wires be marked by wrapping with tape etc.	So you probably only have a 2 wire cable going to the switch and as the Electrical Code requires, the white wire feeds the switch hot and the return from the switch back to the light is a black wire. If you had just found it like the picture, I would say that one white is neutral and the other white was switched-hot.
Will a fire pit damage my patio's ceiling? I just got a portable fire pit and some new furniture for my back porch. The fire pit is 3' in diameter, and the porch is 10'×10', with a 9' ceiling. It would be nice to be able to have a small fire with the fire pit sitting at the far edge of the patio without having to move it to the yard every time I'd like to use it. My only concern would be that the heat from it might cause damage to the paint on the ceiling of the patio. Certainly, after time, I might be able to see some residue from the smoke, but as long as it's not causing damage, I'm okay with that. Would this cause damage to the paint, or should this setup be fine? Additional details The patio ceiling is painted with the same exterior paint as the rest of the house. The house was built earlier this year. The area I live in almost always has at least a slight breeze. There are no obstructions near the patio that would block wind. I'm not interested in creating any gigantic bonfires in this fire pit—just a few logs at a time. <Q> Unless you limit usage to tiny kindling fires, this is a bad plan. <S> Sparks are common when burning wood, and a slight breeze can put them almost anywhere. <S> Logs burn at 600-1000 degrees F or more and hold a lot of heat in case of a tipover, etc. <S> You will see smoke deposits almost immediately, not "over time". <S> Wood smoke is very dirty. <S> It's also likely that the ceiling will get hot enough to sustain physical damage, especially on calm days. <S> Then, the notion that wood smoke is somehow less dangerous from a health perspective is simply wrong. <S> It contains many carcinogenic chemicals and other irritants. <S> It's almost certainly illegal as well. <A> The smoke alone is going to choke you out. <S> Even a small fire in this location is a genuine hazard. <S> The overhead roof is way to close. <S> The fire department would go nuts if they know you wanted to do this. <A> If you want to have a fire pit there, go get yourself a nice propane fire pit . <S> If you want to have a wood fire there, you'll have to build some type of chimney to direct the heat/smoke away from the ceiling. <S> If you're really ambitious, you could build an outdoor fireplace. <S> Just make sure the chimney is high enough above the roof, to meet local codes. <A> I’ll take the other side of this discussion. <S> I think a small fire (in a fire pit) in that location would be fine if you painted the ceiling, roof beams, etc. <S> with intumescent paint. http://shieldindustries.com/fireguard_wp/fireguard/fireguard-e-84/?gclid=CjwKCAjw27jnBRBuEiwAdjQXDBszDaAGKwemqG01k31kreOJUTFw2hwQfTKtEylEi8_X_FBANbOZjhoCRgcQAvD_BwE <A> If you want to install a (wood) fire pit in an enclosed, semi-outdoor space, you will need to add a vent hood in your design, to make it safe.	Having an unvented fire in a confined space and that near your house is simply unwise.
Recommended way to bolt toilet tank I've read variations on what hardware to use in bolting the toilet tank to the bowl. From a top down sequence with optional/variation items indicated in parentheses: bolt (metal washer) rubber washer tank (rubber washer) (metal washer) (nut) bowl (rubber washer) metal washer [wing]nut Observations: metal washer under bolt head seems discouraged due to possible leaks, but some feel it will provide more even pressure on the rubber washer some avoid anything (nut, washers) between the tank and bowl, perhaps to avoid clearance issues between the tank and bowl; this means the lower nut is both providing the pressure for the seal in the tank and securing it to the bowl the rubber washer under the bowl seems optional, maybe to help mitigate overtightening/cracking the bowl Comments? What sequence is recommended? <Q> The proper way is: <S> Put <S> the rubber washer on the bolt Put the tank on the toilet base <S> Put bolt through tank and toilet base <S> Put metal washer on bolt and then screw on nut Tighten accordingly <A> I say that the rubber washers should fit very tightly around the shank of the bolt. <S> With this, when pressure is applied to the bolt pulling the tank down against the bowl, this downward pressure will squeeze and press the washer not only against the bottom of the tank to eliminate leaks but also around the shaft of the bolt. <S> This is my story <S> and I'm sticking with it. <A> What sequence is recommended? <S> The one that comes with the tank when you buy it... <A> All rubber washers are always used closest to where water could possibly leak out. <S> Metal washers back them up for strength in sealing. <A> I've never seen a nut between the tank and the bowl. <S> Seems like this could interfere with the seal of a thinner tank-to-bowl gasket as well. <S> I have seen installations where rubber washers are stacked in between. <S> I don't think it's useful under standard tank-to-bowl bolts, because they already have such large heads. <S> If you are improvising with hardware on hand and lack a wide-headed fastener, it's probably necessary to get a good seal. <S> Pretty much always see them under the nut. <S> Metal washer under the bolt head shouldn't have a leak if bolts are properly tightened - metal-to-metal seals fine when properly tightened, just look at flare and compression fittings.	I have seen installations with metal washers under the bolt head and the nut, as well as without.
How to attach an appliance bracket to a stainless steel table? I need to attach this base plate to a stainless steel table in a commercial kitchen. It'd be attached to the top surface off to the side. It's for a commercial size can-opener . How do I go about that? Drill holes and then use bolts? Use some special type of screw? Do I need a special drill bit to create the holes? The tables aren't a solid slab of steel...they're actually pretty thin on the surfaces. I'm a woodworker...doing anything with steel is way out of my wheelhouse. :) Here's a photo showing the item attached so you can see what I'm after. <Q> That application obviously results in a lot of torsional stress on the part. <S> You'll want to drill the top for bolts and nuts, as opposed to using sheet metal screws, which will eventually work loose. <S> I'd size them to the holes in the bracket plate. <S> The type of bolt isn't really important, but you probably want something with a low head profile. <S> It must be stainless, of course. <S> Use lock washers under the nuts, or use flat washers and stop nuts (with nylon inserts). <S> You may also want to add a backer plate of heavier material to reduce flex in the table, depending on its thickness gauge. <S> 1/4" aluminum bar between the nuts and the table would do well. <S> Drilling stainless can be challenging. <S> Do a little reading on tools and technique. <A> This can opener should be clamped to the table without drilling through the top. <S> At a later time you may wish to move the opener and would be inhibited from doing so by the presence of holes drilled in the surface. <S> To get the opener into operation I would try to clamp the base to the side of the table with C-clamps, one on each side, with the crank handles under the table. <S> Notice that the orientation of the base in use is this: <A> All above said is good; Quarter inch diameter stainless steel bolts with recessed heads would be a good choice. <S> I would counter sink the holes in the mounting plate slightly so nothing sticks up to get caught on. <S> One inch square strut washers would provide some nice additional stability. <S> Any good quality steel drill bit should handle the table. <S> Nylon inserts are a given. <S> P. <A> I would make a template (paper is OK) from the base plate. <S> This must have holes in the same place as the holes in the bracket. <S> Then, I'd acquire a rectangular piece of steel longer and wider than the part of the bracket being attached to the top. <S> Drill out the new piece in the same hole pattern using the template and undersized holes, then tap them out for bolts. <S> You can then use the same template to drill the top of the table - using a slightly larger hole size, a center punch, and working slowly with cutting oil. <S> Use stout stainless steel bolts and tighten thoroughly to avoid metal fatigue. <S> I would put anti-seize compound in the holes of the new plate before assembling, but ymmv. <S> Assembled this way, the can-opener will stay put more or less forever.	I have found that drilling stainless steel is a challenge.
Should I replace this cracked bathroom wall tile? Just had someone install ceramic tiles for bathroom. But to my surprise one tile on the shower walls, appears to have a hairline crack. I asked him about it and he said it was a manufacturing cosmetic defect and it's not a real crack more like a harmless scratch. I don't know, but I know replacing it is not easy. The pipes out of the tiles are for the fauce, so there are two holes for them in the same tile already. The tile has 4 horizontal squares and two vertical, the two important holes are in the center: <Q> I had posted this as a comment but believe it should be an answer. <S> Wow to me from that photo this is a full blown broken tile not a hair line crack that you would see in a natural stone. <S> This porcelain tile should have no broken tiles. <S> I hope you have not made the final payment <S> and if you have contact your local contractors board this is unacceptable in my opinion and not a hairline crack. <S> It looks like they used snipers and not a saw to make that crappy cut out. <S> Just my opinion <S> but it looks like a DIY job for a first time tile person to me. <A> I also see that as a full blown crack; not a cosmetic defect. <S> They should replace the tile completely under Warr. <S> P. <A> That sucks. <S> What happened there is that the moron who made that hole used an angle grinder (doh) and when he pushed in to make the cut, the vibration cracked the tile below. <S> Water will, of course, go through that crack. <S> Make sure that the guy you hire is an old Italian guy. <S> They are the only ones who know how to do this stuff correctly. <S> You know the Romans were using tile like 2000 years ago, right? <S> You hired some idiot non-Italian to do this job <S> and you see what happened, don't you? <S> Don't make the same mistake twice, hire an Italian guy. <A> It does look like a crack. <S> But not a particularly serious one <S> -- there's relatively little water dripping against the wall under the faucet, and the odds are that you'll make things worse rather than better by trying to fix it. <S> I'd tape the sides and try to force some epoxy into it, and live with it as is.	You should have the tile replaced.
Shut off tub water behind wall How can I shut off water to shower only? Or is it bkr possible? I don't see a shut off valve, am I missing it? This picture is the back of my tub where wall was remixed. I want to cut off only shower water as of right now, the hot water coming into water heater is off. We need it on for dishwasher. Cheers <Q> You can temporarily cap off the shower with a 1/2" FNPT pipe cap attached where the shower head would go, or install a shower head with an on/off switch. <A> The immediate fault is that the hot water valve is stuck open. <S> Locking pliers (Vise-Grips) would be easiest, but you could use regular pliers or a pipe wrench. <S> Note that you will have to determine which direction to turn it off. <S> Some of these shower valves have "counter rotating valves" in which the cold is turned off one way (usually CW) and the hot the other way (usu CCW). <S> But in some shower valves both close the same way. <A> Ultimately, I would plan to replace that shower valve, sooner rather than later. <S> It is understood that you turn the whole house off to do any extensive work on a tub/shower valve. <S> Always has been. <S> Hopefully you can get the previously owners to defray the cost. <A> You can most likely replace the valve cartridges for the shower and fix the problem. <S> Best to do that in pairs while you're at it <S> so you know both are good for the foreseeable future. <S> It's not complicated or hard to do and there are videos on YouTube that will show you how. <S> The hard part would be ascertaining exactly what cartridges you need. <S> See if you have manufacturer's marks or branding on the visible parts of the faucets or handles. <S> If you can't find any identifying features like that, you should be able to figure it out by removing one/both and taking them to a home center or plumbing supply store to match up.	Get some pliers and try to shut the hot water valve on the tub/shower.
Determining minimum dimensions for circular driveway What should be the minimum dimensions for a circular driveway on a 100' wide property, including the radius? The property is flat, and the house will be wherever we want to place it relative to the circular driveway. Largest vehicles using it will be Ford Explorer, Toyota 4-Runner, so driveway will about 9'-10' wide. We want enough space for a small lawn between the driveway and the house. I guess the real question we have is: what is the minimum distance the outside curve would be on the 100' wide property, so we don't use up too much front property for the driveway itself? <Q> If the space is drivable right now I would go there with a friend and the vehicle in question. <S> Load up your friend with a dozen stakes and 2-lb mall. <S> Do some experimenting. <S> Find out what is comfortable. <S> Solution #2. <S> Find a little used intersection in a quiet neighborhood or an abandoned parking lot. <S> Take a friend and a can of spray paint. <S> Do some experimenting. <S> Find out what is comfortable to you. <S> Specifications are available on all automobiles that state the minimum turning radius of the vehicle. <S> I would probably start with the minimum x2. <S> Then add what is comfortable for you. <S> Then you would consider all the things isherwood listed above plus the things that have now, through the experimenting, become apparent to you. <S> Good Luck. <S> P. <A> Architects and traffic engineers have used “Architectural Graphic Standards” by Ramsey and Sleeper since 1932. <S> It’s been updated every 4-5 years by The American Institute of Architects and John Wiley & Sons, Inc. <S> They recommend a minimum INSIDE radius of 12’ for sports car, 15’ for sedan, 19’ for SUV’s and Cadillacs and 22’ for pickup trucks with small boat trailers (boat=16’ or less). <S> We do not provide a curb between the driveway and walkway on the outside radius for “extra” cushion. <A> I have an inside radius of 15.5 ft ( 29 ft diameter). <S> It works for vehicles up to the size of a pickup truck, driving carefully , no curbs. <S> The pavement is 10 ft wide for most of the circle. <S> I think it is about the smallest practical radius one can use.	They recommend a minimum OUTSIDE radius of 22’ for sedans, 29’ for SUVs and Cadillacs and 41’ for pickup trucks with small boat trailers.
Why is turning down the heat during day and night considered more efficient? I just want to point out right away that I am not sure if this stack exchange is the most appropriate for this question - perhaps Stack exchange Chemistry or Physics would be more suitable? My Question I live in Canada so our winters are pretty cold and I often hear that turning the temperature down in our house during the day (when we're away) and during the night (when we're sleeping) and only turning it back up when we need it saves energy. But I am wondering, is the following assumption correct? : The total heat dissipated by a house will be the same regardless of the interior temperature. This makes sense to me, the same house (same isolation, same emplacement etc...) will lose the same energy no matter if it's interior temperature is 21°C or 23°C. Note : For this question, I am only interested by electric heating (no gas, no wood ...) My explanation I have a few theories as to why turning down the heat when we don't need it might be true but I would love for someone to confirm them. The efficiency of electric heaters depends on the intensity at which it's running (letting it run all day at 50% might be less efficient than letting it run for a few hours at 100%) This could perhaps be related to how the metal elements resist to electricity at different temperatures? The sun in the morning helps heat the house quicker and gives the illusion that it takes less energy to heat the house in the morning? Can someone confirm whether or not it is true that turning the temperature down in our home when we don't need it is more energy efficient and also maybe confirm or deny my hypothesis? <Q> Your assumption is incorrect. <S> More heat is lost when the difference between inside and outside temperatures is greater. <S> So, if you keep the house at 72F (22C) it will lose heat faster than if you kept it at 62F (17C). <S> Thus, your heater will need to run more often and/or for longer to maintain your desired temperature. <S> It therefore uses more energy to maintain the higher set point than the lower set point. <S> This effect becomes more pronounced the longer the lower set point is maintained, but may not be noticeable at all for short periods. <S> However, it's important to note that it doesn't become less efficient if you turn down the heat for short periods, since the heater is not running at all while the house is cooling to the lower set point. <S> Heaters (and AC) in general do not have an intensity setting - they're either on or off. <S> The energy from the sun does play into things a little bit, but not a whole lot and not really in the morning. <S> Opening curtains during the day can certainly help to make the house feel warmer. <S> All of these effects apply in the summer, too, although then you want a higher set point when you're not home, not a lower one, close curtains during the day, etc. <A> The total heat dissipated by a house will be the same regardless of the interior temperature. <S> Nope. <S> Actually, thermal transfer is proportional to the difference in temperature. <S> This is the base presumption on which everything else is built, so they all topple like a house of cards at this point. <S> We see this a lot. <S> It's a rationalization . <S> The underlying motive is to leave the heat/AC up all the time, so the house is comfortable when you come home. <S> The real answer is "get a Nest". <S> Nope, not that either. <S> Electric heat is 100% efficient because the only energy exit is heat, and there's nowhere else for the heat to go but your house. <S> (Mind you it's possible to botch this up, e.g. Putting a baseboard heater on an exterior wall, making the wall 45C and thus pushing a lot of the heat through the wall). <S> Generally all electric use becomes heat, unless it shines photons out a window, or drives an endothermic chemical or isotopic conversion e.g. A battery. <S> The only exception is Bitcoin mining etc., which becomes heat and money . <S> The sun in the morning <S> Yup, this helps. <S> Houses designed to exploit this are called passive solar homes. <A> To answer the query about why the heat flow into or out of the house is proportional to the difference in temperature, it is a case following the equations for heat flow which we have found experimentally to be true for a wide range of physical situations. <S> The law of heat conduction, also known as Fourier's law <S> , states that the time rate of heat transfer through a material is proportional to the negative gradient in the temperature and to the area, at right angles to that gradient, through which the heat flows. <S> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermal_conduction#Fourier.27s_law <S> A related formulation of this property is Newton's Law of Cooling. <S> Newton's law of cooling states that the rate of heat loss of a body is directly proportional to the difference in the temperatures between the body and its surroundings provided the temperature difference is small and the nature of radiating surface remains same. <S> As such, it is equivalent to a statement that the heat transfer coefficient, which mediates between heat losses and temperature differences, is a constant. <S> This condition is generally true in thermal conduction (where it is guaranteed by Fourier's law), but it is often only approximately true in conditions of convective heat transfer, where a number of physical processes make effective heat transfer coefficients somewhat dependent on temperature differences. <S> Finally, in the case of heat transfer by thermal radiation, Newton's law of cooling is not true. <S> Sir Isaac Newton did not originally state his law in the above form in 1701, when it was originally formulated. <S> Rather, using today's terms, Newton noted after some mathematical manipulation that the rate of temperature change of a body is proportional to the difference in temperatures between the body and its surroundings. <S> This final simplest version of the law given by Newton himself, was partly due to confusion in Newton's time between the concepts of heat and temperature, which would not be fully disentangled until much later.	The efficiency of electric heaters depends on the intensity at which it's running
Resting joist hanger on top plate? I'm building a lumber-framed office inside a commercial warehouse. It's essentially an 8' x 30' x 9' box with a ceiling and "second floor" made of 2x6" joists, with 2x6" rim joists resting on top of the two 2x4" walls. Note that the second floor will only be used for light storage. Because one wall of the office is up against the wall of the warehouse, I can't end-nail the joists. I could toe-nail the joists, but I want to use metal hangers instead. Is there any problem with doing do, even though the rim joist and the hangers will be resting on the top plate? Building Construction The back wall of the building is a decorative cinder block. I’ll anchor the top of my walls to the back wall. The front wall is large steel studs. I bolted the top of the outer wall to one of those studs (although it was out of plumb, so there's about a 1" gap at the bottom). I’ll bolt the inner wall, too, but haven't gotten to it yet (have to find the stud behind it and drill, then use some kind of toggle): I'm tying the rim joists to the top plate with Simpson TA9ZKT staircase angles every 5': <Q> I see no problem with that. <S> The wall below takes all the weight. <S> All you need is something to keep the joist in place and from falling over. <S> Hangers would certainly do that. <A> We worry about verticals loading AND horizontal loading. <S> (A cheaper clip, like Simpson’s A34 or A35 on one side of each joist would work too.) <S> However, I’d worry about 1) spacing of the joists, 2) securing that overhead load to the vertical supports (stud wall), 3) keeping the loft from rotating or moving away from the main building. <S> 1) <S> You said, “above you office”, so it’s not residential storage. <S> The Code requires a minimum of 125 lbs. <S> per square foot for light loads and 250 lbs. <S> per square foot for heavy loads. <S> (See ICC Table 1607.1.) <S> That means those 2x6’s need to be 12” oc to span you 8’ loft. <S> 2) You don’t have to design against wind loading, because you’re inside another building. <S> However, depending where you’re located, seismic loading could be severe and you can’t rely on toe-nailing to secure the loft framing to the studs. <S> I’d use either a clip from the joist to the top plate or studs at about 24” <S> oc <S> or I’d use plywood sheathing to hold the joists to the top plate (and keep the loft framing rigid... <S> but more about that in item 3) below. ) <S> When you have a lot of weight up in the air, an earthquake can get (and keep) it moving. <S> Gypsum board (wallboard) can resist this movement, but it’s fairly weak. <S> OSB board or plywood is much better. <S> If you told me you were going to store your Christmas decorations up there <S> But if you are putting books, dead files, or that old transmission you were going to fix someday, up there, I’d worry.... <S> then you’re well into the 250 lbs. <S> per square foot. <S> 3) <S> The whole loft needs to be rigid enough to keep everything in the loft off your head while you’re preparing your will. <S> I like 1/2” plywood nailed at 6” oc to all WALLS and all supports, including the loft rim joists. <S> That way you solve item 2) above, and item 3). <S> Fastening the office and loft to the main building is a good idea, but I’d need more info on type of building, height, material, etc. <A> You can end nail the joists--by building the ceiling with the rim board away from the wall (e.g. 24" out) and then sliding the ceiling (rim board and joists end nailed from the block wall side) up to the block wall. <A> I think I'd just build the roof as though it were another wall. <S> I would use screws instead of nails on the joints against the shed wall, and then I would screw the plate into the shed wall. <S> Like Paul said, there's very little force at play here. <S> The drywall or other sheathing on the walls of the room are going to provide plenty of diagonal bracing. <S> You're just looking for a little attachment to the shed wall to keep things tight. <A> Hangers are the way to go with this, but be sure that you are toe-nailing the rim joist, and I'd recommend toggle-bolting the rim-joist to the concrete block wall, if it is concrete block, for structural stability of the whole build.	Resting the joists on the double top plate works great for vertical loading and using hangers to keep them aligned until the loft floor sheathing is installed is a great idea, because you can’t end nail them through the rim joist. I’d thing gypsum board would work.
Living near a highway in SoCal with no standard windows - how to install A/C? I have an air purifier and keeping all windows/doors closed is going to be a must. But the humidity and temperature are issues now. I can get a dehumidifier but then I'm left with the temperature problem - I like a cool 68F. It seems like my options are: Portable A/C with some kind of tube - I haven't seen any on Amazon that have good reviews though. I also don't know where I would go about installing the exhaust tube. In-window AC - I'd be fine with this if it fit a standard outlet however none of my windows seem compatible with this setup (see below for photos). Evaporative cooler - this seems nice in theory but I'm in SoCal where humidity can be an issue. I also haven't seen any with promising consumer reviews. Ductless - I like this but... $$$ Am I missing any options? How would you go about keeping your air crisp, clean, and cool in my situation? Pics of my windows: BATHROOM - one little window, sliding: KITCHEN - two windows, sliding: BEDROOM - one window, sliding: And then I have a sliding door in my living room. I consider myself to be handy-capable - enough so to remove windows and such. I just repainted my place, replaced all outlets/switches, installed a fan etc so I'm comfortable making modifications as needed but I'd like to keep costs (time, money) as low as possible. <Q> As mentioned in another answer, casement window air conditioners are available. <S> The portable units work okay. <S> Obviously they eat some floor space. <S> You may have to empty the condensate that collects. <S> You have to run a dryer type hose to exhaust hot air. <S> The units usually come with a mounting bracket that go in a window, but somehow these are always useless plastic junk. <S> However it's very easy to make a plywood window bracket for the hose. <S> It's not that hard to install a permanent dryer vent if you'll use the same unit in the same window every year. <S> There is obviously some carpentry involved <S> but it's not too difficult. <S> If you can place them below a window, usually you don't have to install a header over the opening. <S> If you don't want to DIY it, it's not something for a handyman, but an easy job for a carpenter. <S> I think the ductless will be your best option - they are a lot more money, but popular for good reasons and although definitely advanced DIY, DIY-able. <S> Flexible options for location of indoor units <S> Efficient electric heat for moderate climates <S> Quiet <S> No annual installation / removal <S> No cords <S> No compromise of security (break ins) <S> No drafts around window units <S> Adds value to home <A> You can buy a casement window unit that fits both sliding windows and casement windows. <S> Just enter the term "casement window air conditioners". <S> Also inquire about an installation kit that will fill in the space above the unit to keep out the outside air. <A> Yes: split system. <S> Won't be like whole-house <S> but if you put splits in strategical points as: <S> night-zone corridor living room <S> And leaving the doors open so it will do <S> it's <S> job.3 splits won't be too expensive too. <S> I paid my two split (3.6 thermal-kW each) system about 3000€, about 10 years ago, installation included. <S> I'm in a 120 m^2 flat, not <S> well insulated, I'm in a very moisty area (Po Valley). <S> In summer we reach quite often 38° <S> C and moisture is around 95% (at least at night). <S> Mine is a Mitsubishi system.	You can buy air conditioners that are made to install in a permanent wall penetration, search for "through-wall air conditioner" - they usually have a sheet metal box that stays in place year round.

Subsets and Splits

No community queries yet

The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.