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Is there really any difference between yellow and white PTFE tape? Yellow PTFE tape (aka Teflon) is supposed to be used for sealing gas pipe thread, and white PTFE tape, for water. But is there really any difference between them? I had always thought that yellow was specially formulated to resist methane and other natural gas additives, but an HVAC tech told me the different colors are just markers, so that anyone looking at a pipe can immediately tell if it's gas or water. Other than their colors, they're just the same. Was he correct? <Q> The colors mean something, but the meaning has changed over the years so some info may be old. <S> pipe. <S> Most people are unaware of this. " <S> Double Density" tape used to come in white as well, but because that could be used for larger pipes, it was impossible for inspectors to know if the white tape used on 1/2" and larger pipe was in fact double density, so they stopped making it. <S> Yellow = double density, required for natural gas (methane) piping 1/2" to 2" dia. <S> pipe. <S> Pink = triple density, required for NPT threads 1/2" to 2". <S> Again, most people are unaware of this change and hardware stores rarely sell it for the DIY market, but if you are going to get an inspection, this is what you must use now. <S> This is also good for gasoline and propane lines. <S> There is also green for medical gasses (oil free tape) and gray / silver for use with stainless steel and aluminum pipe (has anti-seizing compounds embedded in the tape). <S> Over 2" you must use sealing compounds. <A> I know from handling it that it is clearly heavier. <S> One or two wraps would be equivalent to to six or eight of the white stuff. <S> It is rated for slightly lower temperature. <S> *** <S> After some minor research, evidently there are differences, however, as I see it, these differences are way beyond the scope of the common everyday amateur or even most professionals, i.e. the yellow stuff is rated for 10,000 Lbs. <S> It is considered double density. <S> The white is considered single density. <S> There evidently is a red type also, that is triple density. <S> The red tape is for large diameter pipe, 2" and above. <S> (I've never seen that). <S> The white is rated for something less than 10,000-Lbs. <S> The yellow is rated for -500*F. <S> The white is rated for -450*F. <S> Are you getting my drift. <S> If I could add a side note; after running several miles of gas pipe in my time, I never used TFE tape on my joints exclusively. <S> I would always use a pipe joint compound/paste type product, Rectorseal was my go-to choice. <S> One day I was in the process of installing one of my gas pipe jobs. <S> It just happened that the local gas supplier tech showed and was checking on something. <S> They supply gas to thousands of homes in our area. <S> He noticed that I was using Rectorseal. <S> He made a point to come over and thank me for using this product. <S> He said that if all the contractors in the area used this product, his job would be a lot easier. <S> So after all this talk about TFE tape, I wouldn't recommend it. <S> It doesn't seal as well as a good quality joint compound. <A> Yellow is now my preferred choice to use with pvc and metal water pipes. <S> I was forced to use it over traditional pink or white tapes not being stocked. <S> It's cost more but requires less layers and is a lot less fussy. <S> Never had any problems.
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In many jurisdictions you MUST use double density tape on gas piping, so inspectors will look for yellow. The CURRENT standard is: White = single density tape and is ONLY good for small fittings up to 3/8 in.
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Oven shuts down the power in the whole appartment when it heats up I own an appartment in the residential, 2-storey building in Edmonton, AB, Canada. There is an older oven that always worked well with no issues. I recently cleaned it thoroughly. In the process, I unscrewed 2 crews that hold the top heating element and after cleaning, screwed them back in. Now, when I turn the oven back it works fine for about 10-12 minutes, but then the power in the whole appartment goes off. After about 15-20 minutes the power comes back on. No breakers are tripped. I have 2 questions: Obviously, my removing the heating element caused some issues with the oven. What could they be? Should resetting the element help? Should I replace the heating element? Should I replace the stove? Why would this issue cause the power in the whole appartment to go off. When the power goes off, no breakers are tripped and the power loss is confined to my appartment only. Thank you for your help. <Q> Had an electrician over who confirmed that the oven and all the wiring in the apartment was in perfect condition. <S> He was puzzled himself, then told to me to hang on and dialed some phone number and after 20 minutes on the phone he found the solution. <S> Turns out that the power company placed a limiter on my apartment's line because the new renter picked up the power service a bit later than the rules allowed. <S> Basically if one renter stops his/her power service and there is no one who picks up the power service within few weeks, the power company (Epcor in Edmonton) places a limiter on the line. <S> You still get the power at the apartment but if you exceed a certain power flow - the limiter shuts down the power in your unit. <S> Here is more about this: https://www.epcor.com/learn/meters/Pages/power-meter-limiters.aspx <S> Thank you all for your suggestions. <S> Lesson learned. <A> I doubt that this problem is being cause by your cleaning the oven at all. <S> You need an electrician to check your electrical service. <S> I suspect you need a panel upgrade and possibly a service up grade. <A> You didn't state your location, but you also didn't call it a hob, so I'm guessing not UK. <S> Some countries, particularly the ones that follow European wiring methods, use a GFCI, or they call it an RCD that protects the whole house/building. <S> That could be tripping from a ground fault, which would match up with the condition you descrive. <S> Otherwise, you're looking at the symptom rather than the problem. <S> There is a defect in your electric meter or electrical panel. <S> The defect is revealed when you put a high load on it, but the load isn't the defect. <S> There is nothing in consumer-tier panels that would reset itself. <S> However a wiring defect such as a loose connection may break when it heats up, and reconnect when it cools down. <A> The heating elements most likely have an obstruction between the element and the electrical connection for the element. <S> OR the cleaning process damaged the elements. <S> If no issues are found, look at the connectors from service to stove. <S> If the breakers in the home are not tripping it is a issue at the stove. <S> So stove replacement or repair is the best possible action to solve issues.
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My advice before hiring an expensive electrician if you have skills on diagnostics...first check all element connectors to ensure no residual metal from the stove covers has been placed between the connector and the element. This can cause grounding and shut the stoves trip GSFI.
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How can I remove smeared latex paint from a wood floor? I recently had some painting done, and the people who were responsible did not use anything to protect the floor from paint dripping. It also looks like they walked all over the paint, smearing it on my wood floors. See the following photo: Now, if the paint were in little droplets I'd be able to scrape it off with a little effort. With this I'm just not sure. How can I remove all this paint from my wood floor? <Q> How old is it? <S> A few days and you should be able to remove it with <S> some <S> a lot of elbow grease, hot water, and a non-abrasive cloth. <S> If you own a random orbit sander (if not, go buy one) you should just put a fresh coat on the entire floor. <S> I recommend 150 grit sand paper, and a lambs wool applicator on a pole. <S> Try not to sand completely through the finish; you just have to open it up so it can key into the existing layer. <S> Try w <S> /e you want, as long as a complete refinish is in the cards if that doesn't work - because you'll have messed up the floor trying to find out. <S> If all is said and done, and there's dull spots in your floor, are you going to be satisfied? <S> Just skip straight to the part where you make it look better than it did. <A> I use Citron in most cases of latex paint removal. <S> The concentrated forms are more effective and can be found at most janitorial supply stores. <S> Home depot has a diluted gallon they sell but not effective. <S> Citron is the main chemical used in the diluted form of Goof Off or Goo Off. <S> Keep in mind <S> Citron will remove the sealer or shiny aspect of the wood so you will need to make some repairs to that. <S> But will remove the paint 100% Latex paint on wood gets into the cracks of the wood <S> so general water removal methods are not as effective. <A> You will probably not be able to remove this mechanically , but will need to use a chemical product. <S> I would try out the product in an inconspicuous area to test.
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There are various chemicals/solvents that will remove dried latex paint but all have the potential for damaging the underlying finish. IMO, whatever damage occurs will hopefully be limited to a slight dulling of the floor's finish in that area, and that will look a hell of alot better than what it looks like now.
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Can I legally run wiring through a window or its frame? I am planning on hooking up a hot tub in our in backyard and we need to run a wire from the breaker panel to the tub. Although we could run the wire through the concrete, there is an unused basement window and it would be easier to run the wire through the window or its frame. I imagine other people wanting a hot tub may also have a similar situation. I've attached a picture of both sides of the window for reference. I've also attached a picture of another location in the house where someone has done exactly as described. Is it okay, as for as the ESA (Electrical Safety Authority) in Ontario (Canada) goes, to run the electrical wire for the hot tub through this window? Thanks so much. <Q> First, does the window open, and is it required by fire codes for emergency egress? <S> If so, you could remove the window and install a shorter or narrower window, that still meets code, and then use the margin to pass through your utilities. <S> I would use fairly tough metal conduit for electrical to make it resistant to damage. <S> I already see a wood margin that might suffice. <S> Either remove the window entirely or panel it over on both sides so it is entirely buried, remove a pane, put the service through, and fill the voids with insulation. <S> I hate to remove a classic window like that made of solid material and well installed, so I would go for the remove-a-pane option. <A> Its a basement window... <S> Most code in the USA requires windows to be free of obstructions in the event of fire. <S> You should contact your local city to determine code as when and if you sell, you will be required to pass code when an inspector comes to your home. <S> A window is not an area to run power. <A> Yes, far better to drill foundation wall.
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Otherwise you'd want to permanently remove the window from service as a window, by doing a surface treatment on both sides that renders it not a window. My advice...drill a hole in the wood or brick and run properly.
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Uneven ceiling, best way to fix it? Contractor responsible for preparing the ceiling and painting, neglected to mention the ceiling for bathroom is visibly uneven. 7cm difference from one end to the other. Looks also a bit concave. The contractor said it's not his responsibility and blamed it on someone else. Said best way to fix it is buying trims to cover up the edges between wall and ceiling. And advised against tearing it down and starting again, waste of time and still might end up uneven. Is he right? <Q> As a home shifts with settlement of ground and foundation the current strongbacks are compromised. <S> So when installing ned to old, the old ceiling joists need to be supported. <S> When the old drywall was removed, the old strongback releases pressure and caused the joists to shift. <S> So work must be done to the structure of the attic. <S> It is obvious that the strongbacks and the joists are drooping. <S> Is it the drywall guys fault? <S> Yes and no. <S> He is not a structure contractor. <S> It is the General Contractors fault. <S> And if the home owner was the GC... <S> it is the inexperience of the homeowner. <S> In a court situation if you attempt to litigate, the finisher will win the suit as he is there to install the drywall to the existing structure only... <S> He does not have the skills for anything else. <A> No he is not right. <S> If you want it nice, you can insist on it being right. <S> Don't pay until it meets your satisfaction. <A> If your contract stipulated that the ceiling should be level and even, then you should get that. <S> You could tear everything down and get it perfect, but the cost/results ratio might not seem very good. <S> I'd wonder if the contractor is hedging because he doesn't want to do it.
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When you hire a finisher to repair problems, you have bad results. In many cases a ceiing in an older home if replaced needs to have an attic strongback installed to occomdate the new ceiling. If it's not in the contract, it's not the fault of the trades.
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Going from conduit to NM in new framed wall (commercial) I'm framing up an office inside a warehouse using 2x4 lumber. There is a framed wall against an existing side wall of the warehouse. Along the existing wall is conduit and two boxes with receptacles. I was going to remove the entire thing, but one of these boxes is also a junction box that leads to the lighting. I need to remove at least one of the boxes (because it's in the way of a stud), and so I'd like to run new wire through the new framed wall (NM). However, I'm not sure how to transition (any of) the wiring from the panel at the back wall (which will not have a new framed wall around it) to the new framed walls. The run to the lighting connects here: Here you can see where the conduit continues to the panel, and the box that needs to be removed. I need to build a last framed wall section in that corner, but the conduit is in the way (I don't want to notch the studs, particularly the last stud). How can I run NM through the studs and properly transition to connect to the panel? Note: as I understand it, I can't have receptacles in the wall like that, so I'll be removing it and replacing the junction box with a cover. But it's still not accessible once drywalled, so I'm not sure if that's to code or not. <Q> "In the way of a stud" implies a heck of a lot more stud consistency than is actually required in a (pretty clearly) non-load-bearing wall, for one thing. <S> Of course, at that point you need new wires on whichever side got longer in that event, since you would otherwise need an accessible junction box where the box you want to move was. <S> NM cable is generally not allowed in commercial, for another. <S> And junction boxes cannot be covered up, period. <S> They can, however, be extended to the face of the wall (look at box extension rings, they clip to the box like a cover at one end, and take the box cover at the other end. <S> Alternatively, there are standard access panels to install in drywall and give more working room ( <S> if the wires won't come out to the face of an extended box, you once again need new longer wires that will. <S> A panel makes the original non-extended box accessible.) <S> Personally, I'd suggest getting comfortable with bending EMT - it's not hard, and it's got some advantages over MC in my opinion <S> (you can pull wires as needed, for the most obvious point.) <A> Remove some of the conduit or all the conduit and replace it with MC cable. <S> Replace the boxes where you can easily. <S> On the box or boxes that must stay, install extension rings and mud rings to bring flush with outer surface of finished sheet rock. <S> After wall is painted trim as normal. <S> At the panel to start the run, if need be, install a piece of 1/2" EMT from the panel and bend it to enter the open stud wall and terminate in the middle, both ways, of the stud bay. <S> Finish the termination with a 1/2" SS connector and a 1/2" GRC coupling. <S> Put an MC connector into the GRC coupling. <S> Strip sufficient extra jacket off the MC to allow the conductors to reach well into the panel. <S> Still short on conductors, make two runs from the panel. <A> You can do as @Paul Logan suggested or you can cut your EMT back, mount the 4 sq box flush with the stud and add a plaster ring for the thickness of your drywall and finish. <S> Then make a transition from EMT to flex and connect it to the box. <S> Keep the flex under 3 feet. <S> If you want to run more devices than just the one shown then I would continue with MC just as @Paul Logan suggested.
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But if you feel you must, if there's no wire into the wall from that box, you can reposition the box by pulling out the wire, cutting the conduit and using a conduit coupling to shift the position of the box along the conduit by the amount you cut off. You can make a transition with a EMT to Flex adapter or build one out of an EMT connector, A threaded coupling and a flex connector. MC may be an easier concept if you think like NM but need to work commercial, but in many cases EMT will also come out cheaper all told. Use 12-3 if necessary.
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Sauna has regular plug but pops the breaker My Sauna draws 17 amps and blows the breaker after about 10 minutes,would I be ok to install a 20 amp breaker on this circuit.I realize that it is only 14 gauge wire but the sauna is only on for 45 minutes at a time and only 2 amps over.The sauna was plugged into a basement plug(closer to panel)and had no issuses.Should also note the bedroom plug that the sauna is now plugged into is an arc fault breaker <Q> Do not upsize the breaker without increasing the wire size, 20 minutes at this overloaded value is about right for most inverse time breakers. <S> I would put the sauna on a dedicated GFCI circuit since water is usually dumped on the rocks / heating element. <S> Is the name plate value is 17a or is this the measured circuit draw? <S> Since the circuit may have lighting included that could be what is pushing you over the limit, with a 16a draw the sauna could be safely powered with a dedicated 20 a breaker and 12 awg wire. <A> No you can’t change the breaker. <S> It does not directly protecting the appliance (sauna). <S> The wiring protection is needed 24/7 regardless of whether the sauna is on or off. <S> Perhaps the sauna, while off, becomes shorted, perhaps there is a short elsewhere on the circuit--without the breaker being properly sized for the wire <S> it is protecting-- <S> the wiring will overheat, catch fire, and burn your house down. <S> Again, the circuit breaker is NOT there to protect the sauna, it protects the house wiring, energized 24 hours a day, from catching fire. <A> And it surely should not be installed on a circuit of 14-gauge wire. <S> A 17-Amp load should not be installed on a circuit protected by a 20-Amp breaker. <S> And it should not be installed on a circuit of 12-gauge wire. <S> The minimum size should be #10 and should be protected by a 30-Amp breaker. <S> The Arc Fault business in this situation is irrelevant. <S> A significant margin of safety should be built into all electrical circuitry. <S> This type of circuit should have at least its 125%. <S> Overloaded circuits get hot and hot starts fires.
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The circuit breaker is protecting the wiring between the breaker and the plug from becoming hot due to over-current draw. A 17-Amp load should not be installed on a circuit protected by a 15-Amp breaker.
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How to seal a unused thimble in exhaust chimney I have a 1955 farm home which has a chimney currently being used to exhaust an oil furnace. The furnace is in the basement, and on the main floor there was a thimble extending out on each side of the chimney. When I had a chimney expert out to inspect the chimneys, he suggested I brick/mortar one side up and place a thimble cover plate on the other side. In case the next owners move away from the oil furnace and want to put in a wood burning stove. So I followed his advice and blocked in one side and mortared it up. The side that still has an accessible thimble is in the kitchen and it currently has an original thimble cover plate (tension rods on back that slip into thimble) on it that was hand painted. I also have carbon monoxide detectors which have never gone off. Problem: home inspector said I have to remove the cover plate and seal the thimble to prevent carbon monoxide leaks. I reached out to the chimney guy that I originally worked with and he said that he knows of no building code regulations that say how to seal the thimble so the thimble plate w silicone caulk should be fine or to just brick/mortar the hole (which I don't want to do). Question : can I use a high temp silicone caulk around the thimble cover plate so it's not permanent like brick/mortar but still air tight. Is there other methods of sealing a thimble so carbon monoxide doesn't escape but aren't permanent? <Q> I think you can <S> but I also think you are going to loose this fight. <S> Do what the inspector says. <S> Life will go easier for you. <S> If in the future, someone wants to install a wood stove in that spot, it is not that hard to re-chink a hole. <S> (BTW the oil furnace probably should be vented through a chimney liner. <S> And any future wood stove will probable be required to have its own flue-way.) <A> The "seal" you mention (like a pie-plate and a coat hanger) is quite common in old houses, where coal-fired parlor stoves may have been installed in nearly every room. <S> You're lucky yours were not also plastered over and wallpapered, creating a potentially deadly situation (fire and CO venting). <S> Under some building codes, an "approved method of non-combustible sealing" is required, without further specificity. <S> Your chimney expert should reference NFPA 211 "Standard for Chimneys, Fireplaces, Vents, and Solid Fuel–Burning Appliances", or similar code enacted in your locale, for more guidance. <S> Consider the fact that a proper masonry chimney is presumed to be able to safely endure extremely high temperatures for short intervals, e.g., a chimney fire lasting a few minutes at 1,800 degrees F, without necessarily burning down your house. <S> Imagine how long your "pie-plate" seal will last at that temperature. <S> Also worth noting that CO can penetrate brick, plaster, concrete and gypsum, over time, although most of it SHOULD vent with the vertical convection up an unobstructed flue. <S> They also approved a properly installed metal cap, listed for the purpose, on a proper connector pipe in a metal "safety thimble" having the required clearance from combustibles (e.g., listed for 2-inch clearance from combustible structure) and installed according to the manufacturer's instructions. <S> For instance, twist-on lock-seal, with non-combustible sealant, minimum of three screws holding it to the abandoned pipe and permanently marked as not available for future use by any solid-fuel appliances. <S> They have also required approved installation of a completely new, UL-listed, metal liner for an oil-fired boiler in a three-story wooden school-house that was built in the 19th century. <S> That way we can be more certain that there aren't any "gaps" hidden in potentially dangerous places. <A> "home inspectors" actually have zero authority and almost zero knowledge about anything. <S> Most of the time the furnace flue is separate from any other flues in the house. <S> At least your oil burner technician should have made sure of that like 30 years ago. <S> You would be better off having an oil tech or certified chimney person (WETT certified in my parts) have a look. <S> There is a very good chance of it being completely separate. <S> Besides chimneys draw constantly. <S> There is little to no chance of anything coming out of it let alone <S> CO.
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Our local fire inspector has approved sealing a masonry flue opening by use of 4-inch fire-clay bricks and refractory mortar, although it may technically leave a "defect" in the masonry liner of the chimney.
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What is this thing that looks like a light socket but isn't I recently moved into a new (to me) house and there's a thing in the crawl space that looks like a light socket, but it's not. It might be some sort of fuse? There's a chain I can pull but I'm not sure what it does. What is this? Please see pictures. https://imgur.com/a/B6kFC <Q> It looks like the outer shell broke off that the lamp screws into. <S> You can still purchase ceramic ones just like the one you have <S> Some of these have screws that the wires are attached to some pig tails. <S> Make sure to note the wires they should be white on the shell and black on the switch and then to the center conductor. <S> A real easy fix. <A> It needs to be replaced. <S> It's a very inexpensive fixture. <A> EDIT <S> bought at the same time from a big box store. <S> They began failing one-by-one--the switches failed. <S> I replaced them with another brand (Cooper Wiring Devices also made in China) and have not had any problems. <S> I figure that a whole batch of switches had the same manufacturing fault. <S> I like the ones with the "grounding outlet" <S> in case you need to plug in an extension cord. <S> The outlet (receptacle) is not switched.
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It's a broken light socket. These are simple 2 wire fixtures with a pull chain on off switch. and there are some plastic ones that can be found for less than 5$. Make sure to turn the power off Remove the 2 screws and lower the fixture. I put in 7 of these from a major brand (made in China)
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60A subpanel service - when does it trip? I am looking at running new 60A subpanel to my shed. According to what I understand from the electrician, there will be two HOT wires and neutral wire running on 6/3 wire. My question is, since the sub-panel will be supplied with a 60A @ 240V, will each hot wire allow 60A?Will this allow me to load 120amps @ 120V before it trips? Further information:I will be running 3 x 20A circuits at 120V from the subpanel. I am expecting to have a ~42A continuous load , (14 amp per circuit). If in the future I wish to add additional circuits, I don't want to have to run another wire. <Q> Double pole breakers are common trip, therefore if one side trips then both poles trip. <S> So drawing .5 amps @120v <S> on one leg, and 61 amps @120v <S> on the other, is a trip condition--and because it's common trip, both sides will go off. <S> However you could pull up to 60 amps on both lines, as long as 60 is not exceed on either . <A> Yes, a 60 amp 240 volt breaker is two 60 A 120 V breakers joined together to guarantee tripping both if either trips. <S> Your sub will be able to handle 60 amps of 240 volt load or 120 amps of 120 volt load, excluding things like the 80% reduction for continuous loads. <A> You have two poles, L1 and L2. <S> You can pull 60A down each of them at the same time. <S> If either one exceeds 60, snap 120V feeds between a pole and neutral, so you can pull 60A@120V off L1, and another 60A@120V off L2. <S> How does this work? <S> Neutral is in the middle of the 240V, so most power goes through one bank, then through the other. <S> Neutral handles <S> only differential current. <S> Let's say you load one side with 3 servers at 42A and the other side with four air conditioners at 40A. L1 carries 42A, neutral carries 2A and L2 carries 40A. <S> Don't forget the air conditioners, how else will you remove 5kw of heat from a shed? <S> If it's computers, a better way is "whole room water cooling" like these guys did , and put the disposal radiator outside. <S> But use an SUV radiator from a junkyard (with its own fans and thermostats), don't dingdong a bunch of PC radiators like they did. <S> How do you rate this? <S> You start with nameplate VA or amps, or preferably measured VA under actual max load. <S> Do not use watts, use VA. <S> * Divide VA by volts to get practical amps. <S> Continuous loads must then be factored by 125%, so your 14A unit needs 17.5A wire capacity. <S> Try to balance the loads, it will improve wire transmission losses by a factor of 4. <S> * AC power comes in a sine wave, but many loads don't use the whole sine wave in the normal way. <S> Watts is the part you use. <S> VA is <S> the whole sinewave the wires must deliver to you. <S> VA is what makes the wires hot. <A> If you do indeed need 42-Amps continuous, I would run no less than 100-amps of carrying capacity, #3 or #2 Copper, 1/0 Aluminum. <S> This will actually give you only modest expansion capability for the future. <S> With continuous loading, you need significant buffer. <A> To know when a 60 amp breaker will trip you need the brand and type to look at the trip curves. <S> Most breakers are inverse time trip, if a direct short the trip less than .1 second when the listed value is reached. <S> Most don't know that a standard breaker will hold 3x its value for up to 1 minute depending on the brand and style. <S> I have certified hundreds of breakers <S> Both residential and industrial there is a lot of misunderstanding on how breakers work <S> but if you look at the trip curves you can see what I am talking about.
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The double pole common trip breaker will trip when either pole exceeds 60amps. If those branch circuit are going to supply high intensity lighting, the circuit wire should be no smaller than #10. They do not trip as you slowly exceed the stamped value until the inverse time / current values are exceeded.
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Can I run a kitchen sink drain 19' through a hollow stud wall with seven 90-degree turns? I am adding a kitchen sink to a basement and want to run the sink drain through a hollow stud wall to reach the existing soil stack. My concern is it is 17' away and requires seven 90-degree elbows. Yes, seven. I know it's crazy, but this is what I have to work with. There is a pillar in the way which can't be moved, and I don't see any other options besides cutting a long trench in the concrete from the sink to the stack in the bathroom, which I really don't want to do. Three questions: 1) Is this feasible?2) Will it pass inspection?3) Do I need a vent near the kitchen sink or will the stack in the bathroom serve as an adequate vent? <Q> Drilling holes in 17 feet of studs to accommodate a 1 1/2 inch drain line would not be recommended. <S> A second consideration with what is shown in your picture is that if it ever plugged it would be impossible to run a snake through such piping construction. <S> It is common to organize the house layout so that the plumbing routing is optimized and clustered into one particular area. <S> This way you avoid much of what you are proposing. <S> You may want to seriously consider just where you plan to put this kitchen sink and drains. <A> It appears you want to run the pipe though an outside stud wall next to your basement wall. <S> (However, as Michael points out drilling large holes in all these studs could affect the strength of the wall.) <S> Also, you would need a vent stack or an Air Admittance Valve (AAV) at the sink. <S> I would consider a small ejector-style pump for the sink and then run the drain line overhead. <S> I don't even know if they make a pump like this <S> but it would be worth a look. <S> They must make something for wet-bar sinks located away from the drain stack. <S> Almost more trouble than what you are planning. <S> Here are a couple pertinent sections to the International Building Code: <S> P3005.2.4 Change of direction. <S> Cleanouts shall be installed at each fitting with a change of direction more than 45 degrees (0.79 rad) in the building sewer, building drain and horizontal waste or soil lines. <S> Where more than one change of direction occurs in a run of piping, only one cleanout shall be required in each 40 feet (12 192 mm) of developed length of the drainage piping. <S> P3005.2.5 Accessibility. <S> Cleanouts shall be accessible. <S> Minimum clearance in front of cleanouts shall be 18 inches (457 mm) on 3-inch (76 mm) and larger pipes, and 12 inches (305 mm) on smaller pipes. <S> Concealed cleanouts shall be provided with access of sufficient size to permit removal of the cleanout plug and rodding of the system. <S> Cleanout plugs shall not be concealed by permanent finishing material. <S> Good luck with your project! <A> I would consider possibly pumping up overhead or break the floor. <S> Otherwise Michael is giving you the straight scoop.
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Sump-style ejectors have to be vented all the way to the attic and require a hole in the basement floor. You would also need to add at least one two-way drain clean-out strategically placed near the center of the run and it would need to remain accessible. The sheer number of studs impacted, including two corners, would definitely weaken the wall, especially if it is a exterior load bearing wall. This wall wouldn't normally be load bearing but for aesthetic purposes.
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Choosing a material to cover wood and paint with emulsion We're using a floor to ceiling stained pine bookcase to subdivide a room. On the front side it looks great. However, the back of the bookcase is quite ugly. I'd like to cover the back with something that I can paint with emulsion so, from that side, it looks like part of the dry wall rather than a piece of furniture. I considered using plywood but I imagine the woodgrain texture could show through. I've also wondered about either a sheet of MDF or sticking plasterboard to the back (although would this require skimming?) Could anyone suggest what the best material to make wood, not look like wood. I would imagine that a similar problem would occur when picking a material for boxing in pipes or vents. <Q> Depending on how fussy you are, the best thing to look like drywall is drywall. <S> It may also be the least expensive thing that looks like drywall. <S> You have to accept that you have limited attachment points for the drywall <S> (unless there's a terribly thick back on the shelf, which would be unusual) and that will upset folks that want it attached as if there were studs there, but this has not proven to be a problem as far as I can tell. <S> I carefully marked where the fixed uprights and fixed horizontal shelves were, and screwed into those. <S> You could probably use resilient channel if you wanted a better screwing situation, but you give up some space and add issues treating the end to cover the gap that would create behind the drywall. <A> Not quite the idea you were looking for but one idea might be to use another bookcase so that you have two of them back to back. <S> More storage that way. <S> Now onto your immediate question. <S> I would suggest that you consider a hardboard Masonite type product. <S> This comes in a 4x8 foot sheet that can be cut just to your size. <S> It has a very smooth surface that will take primer and paint very well. <S> The material that I am thinking of is about 3/16 inch thick. <S> (Do not confuse with the softer type product that is thicker and is not smooth on both sides). <S> Depending upon the construction detail of the rear side of the bookshelf it may even be possible for you to glue the hardboard in place using construction adhesive so that you can eliminate having to put fasteners through the material. <S> If you do end up having to use fasteners I recommend using short #6 flat head screws and countersink the heads into the surface of the hardboard material. <S> You can then use a filler like spackle and light sanding to restore the nice flat surface for painting. <S> Note that when working with hardboard material sanding with too course of sand paper can result in a fuzzy surface or edge so step up to finer grit to smooth down. <S> Sanding dust is a health hazard so make sure to wear a nose and mouth mask when sanding the stuff. <A> I have used heavy white paper and glued this to wood in the past, then it can be textured or painted once the glue dries. <S> (Like a linen white wallpaper). <S> This covers wood grain quite well <S> and it can be skim coated , stomp design or spray textured if desired looks like a sheetrocked wall without the thickness and weight. <A> You could attach a decorative sheet at the top, or a curtain rod and a light curtain. <S> How high and how long is the bookcase?
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I have built a bookcase (attached to the floor and ceiling, so functionally a wall) with a drywall backing, mudded the drywall as usual and indeed the other side looks just like a wall.
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insulate knee wall with faced or unface Looking for more info on the insulation process of a knee wall. I was thinking of insulating the diagonals of the roof line. not what I'm unsure of is, was is the correct type of insulation faced or unfaced for that part of the knee wall? Thank you for your time <Q> The kraft paper facing on insulation works as a vapor barrier <S> and you usually want to avoid trapping moisture in a wall cavity. <S> If this is in unconditioned space, then definitely use unfaced. <S> If this is in conditioned space, then post a picture of the wall (or describe the wall assembly) and tell us where you live and we can give you more specific recommendations. <A> If you’re asking about “faced” or “unfaced”, then there is no interior finish on the wall. <S> Otherwise, you couldn’t install batts with the paper facing. <S> So, if you live in a climate where you are mostly “heating”, I’d use: <S> 1) paper faced <S> batt insulation on the heated side, 2) fasten the paper to the studs, 3) completely fill the stud space with insulation, <S> (i.e.: 4” batts in 4” wall, 6” batts in 6” wall, etc.), and 4) make sure the “attic” is ventilated. <S> If you live in a climate where you mostly cool, then same thing, except use unfaced. <A> Do the roof rafters above that slanted ceiling lead to an attic above? <S> This is common in a cape code; I live in one. <S> If so, the answer is <S> NOT to add insulation to those roof rafter bays, though this is common. <S> Many can't pull that insulation out, so they take the fascia off and shove small PVC pipes through those bays to allow air to migrate up. <S> The air from the knee wall attic space needs to escape upwards, allowing fresh air to be pulled in from the soffit vents. <S> Filling those rafter bays with insulation would prevent this from happening. <S> If those slanted parts are making the room cold, foam insulation board could be installed behind the drywall, or just sandwiched between the existing drywall and another layer. <S> Attic Venting of Knee Wall in Cape Cod
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The short answer is that if you're going to randomly add insulation to a wall, adding unfaced insulation is the best answer without more information.
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How can I replace this P-trap This metal p-trap in my kitchen has rusted out at the bottom and is leaking. I removed it and in this case the nut goes on the trap side and the piece it connects to is threaded. I'm used to seeing the opposite where the trap is threaded. All the traps I saw at HD were threaded as well so wasn't sure what to purchase to repair this. <Q> To elaborate on what Hari said, it's important to note that the most common kind of trap is for a PVC to PVC (compression fitting with top-screw). <S> You have a chrome pipe there, so you need a P-trap that is threaded with the screw below. <S> Something he didn't mention is that, with chrome, you have to have a rubber washer . <S> If I were you, however, I'd go ahead and replace the chrome wall tube as well (you have a reducing cap behind it). <S> This will require a washer for that nut, but once it's done you don't need to worry about it again. <S> The reason to do this is the PVC removes more easily if you have a clog. <S> If that washer on the chrome dries out, you'll have to replace it potentially any time you need to remove the trap. <A> You should be able to find a replacement pretty easily. <S> I put "home depot p trap" into Google and came up with the following product in under a minute: <S> I believe this would work for your application. <S> Where I am, they list it as available in-store, so you should have luck finding it in store. <S> Otherwise, you could order it. <S> The one in the image is specifically called "1-1/2 in. <S> Plastic J-Bend." <A> Just wanted to add (for anyone else that comes across this like we did) that we have the exact same metal trap in our house and had to replace a leaking J-Bend that had rusted out as well. <S> Bought the J-Bend that Hari posted at HD and it fit perfectly and formed a tight seal with a 1-1/4 in. <S> washer (didn't seal at first with a 1-1/2 in. <S> washer).
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Then you can buy a PVC kit that contains both the trap and the wall tube.
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layman terms: Lengths of not more than 6 feet from an outlet Below is an amendment to my village electrical code. Can someone please help me understand what #2 below means? Does this mean we can not daisy change can lights using BX? Can we use use junction boxes to tie it all together, or can we only install can lights using BX when we tie into a wall outlet using 6' or less BX? I am wondering if I need to hard pipe it all. Article 333, Armored cable (BX), shall be deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following: “Armored cable (BX) is not allowed except for the following installations: Lengths of not more than 2 feet at terminals where flexibility is necessary and installation is approved by the code official. Lengths of not more than 6 feet from an outlet for connections within an accessible ceiling to lighting fixtures or equipment.” <Q> As the cable flies Length limits on cables and cords in the NEC are measured in the length of the cable or cord you need to get there by the most direct route. <S> Keep in mind that instead of type AC (nee BX) cable, you can use type MC cable instead. <S> (In particular, I'd do some research into what's generically known as a type MCI-A cable -- these are basically a cross between AC and MC that beats both of its parents on most things.) <S> Outlet ! <S> = <S> receptacle An "outlet" in the NEC is any point where the house wiring stops and other wiring (cordage or utilization equipment whips) begins. <S> Receptacles are simply devices that make outlets convenient to use -- an outlet under the NEC for a hardwired appliance that's not in yet will simply be a junction box with nutted-off wires tucked inside and a cover slapped on. <A> Exception 1 is for industrial applications, when machinery is subject to movement, might also apply to an air conditioning unit, water heater etc. <S> Exception 2 is talking about whips for fluorescent troffers inside drop ceilings. <S> I.E. <S> The hard ceiling has an array of junction boxes, and then there is a drop ceiling with easily removable panels, and some panels are replaced with a panel-sized luminaire (a troffer). <S> The troffer floats in the drop ceiling, and it is powered by a flexible cable up to the junction box in the hard ceiling. <S> Using cords with plugs is hotly debated and often illegal. <S> That leaves "whips", or metal jacketed flexible cable. <S> They are saying the whips can't be over 6 feet. <S> If you don't have this setup, this exception does not apply to you. <S> They are not saying you can use it for inter-lamp interconnects for fixed lamps above a hard ceiling in an attic. <A> You cannot daisy chain BX cable from light fixture to light fixture. <S> You need another acceptable wiring method for most of the wiring. <S> If that means hard pipe or MC cable is based on your local ordinance. <S> Locate a junction box above the accessible ceiling between a couple of lights. <S> One junction box can feed multiple lights. <S> That's why it is located between a couple fixtures. <S> Maybe you can reach 4 lights from one junction box. <S> Only from junction box to fixture (or equipment). <S> Only above an accessible ceiling. <S> Only in lengths up to 6 feet of BX cable.
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You can use up to 6 feet of BX cable from this junction box to the light fixture, keeping the BX cable above the ceiling.
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Can I safely disconnect this television outlet? I have what appears to be an old tv antenna outlet connection in our bedroom. This outlet has since been replaced (elsewhere in the room) by coaxial cable. I would like to disconnect this cable and cover with a solid wallplate, however, want to make sure there are no hazards to leaving the wires in place in the box. <Q> This shouldn't be an issue. <A> Yes, you can unscrew the terminals, keep the wires separated with individual wire nuts or other insulated wire terminating device, or just separately wrapped with electrical tape, and install a blank plate. <S> The accessible portion of abandoned communications cables shall be removed. <S> Where cables are identified for future use with a tag, the tag shall be of sufficient durability to withstand the environment involved. <A> No problem. <S> Just cap the wires individually with twist-on wire connectors (or other preferred device). <S> Then cover the box with a blank cover plate.
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You could put a wire nut on the bare wires in the box or wrap each of them in electrical tape in case the same wire runs to other outlets or is connected to your coaxial distribution. If you want to do it correctly, you might need to consider this part of the National Electrical Code (NEC): 800.25 Abandoned Cables.
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What's this wiring contraption in my closet? I recently moved into an old apartment and found this contraption in a closet, with wiring going in different directions around the door frame. Some of the wires are cut in places mid-wall and have been painted over into the wall. Right adjacent to it, by the closet door, is the equally ancient buzzer I use to let people into the building. Both the audio AND video feedback don't work -- I just press the unlabeled button for entry; it has no telephone capability. My concern with the wiring is that occasionally my buzzer will go off for a split second even though my door isn't being rung (when it IS my door, the screen turns on too, so I'd know). The screws on the contraption are labeled "RGBY," which a quick Google suggests landline telephone wiring -- except! -- there is no phone jack in my apartment. So: Is this just a remnant of previous landline wiring? Can it be causing the false buzzing? What's that hole in the center? Just, what is it overall? <Q> Normally, it would have a square cover that's held in place by a screw that goes into that center hole. <S> The false buzzing cannot be caused by this alone; there must be wiring errors elsewhere in the building. <A> That's an old-fashioned terminal block used for making hard-wired telephone wiring connections. <S> It is plausible <S> your intercom/buzzer uses this wiring given the positioning, but I don't see any reason to believe this terminal block is particularly likely to be part of the problem. <S> (A model number for the intercom might help find out whether it is likely to use telephone style wiring or not.) <S> It might be helpful for diagnosing the problem if you were to start investigating how the equipment works and whether the fault is in your apartment or outside it, because it is an easily accessible point at which you can separate the circuit. <S> But that is irrelevant unless you have test gear and knowledge. <A> for what its worth a single POTS phone line would have just used the red-green pair and it would not be unusual for the black/yellow to be re purposed for something else.
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The device is simply a junction block for telephone wiring. The hole in the center is used to screw down the cover plate which is missing.
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How many heating watts can I draw from a pair of tied 15A breakers? Currently there are 3 baseboard heaters (750, 1000 and 1500) 3250 watts total running on 2 tied 15 amp breakers. I want to change all three heaters. What is the maximum number of combined watts I can install? <Q> Resistive heating loads are required to be calculated as continuous loads so the circuit can only be loaded to 80% of its rating. <S> Therefore a 15 amp circuit at 120 volts is good for 12 amps which yields 1440 watts of power. <S> More likely the heaters are 240 volts which yields 2880 watts per circuit for a totoal of 5760 watts for both circuits. <S> (240 volt circuits will require a 2 pole breaker for each circuit occupying 2 spaces in your panel for each one.) <S> However, you would have to put two on one circuit and one on the other <S> so you have to make sure the circuit with two heaters does not exceed 2880 watts at 240 volts and then put the largest one on a circuit by itself. <S> Here is part of the pertinant article from the 2017 National Electrical Code: 424.3 Branch Circuits. <S> (A) Branch-Circuit Requirements. <S> Individual branch circuits shall be permitted to supply any volt-ampere or wattage rating of fixed electric space-heating equipment for which they are rated. <S> In other than a dwelling unit, fixed infrared heating equipment shall be permitted to be supplied from branch circuits rated not over 50 amperes. <S> (B) <S> Branch-Circuit Sizing. <S> Fixed electric space-heating equipment and motors shall be considered continuous load. <S> Good luck with your project! <A> The "quadplex" breaker you linked, the "innermost two" are a 2-pole breaker and common trip. <S> You are all set. <S> (otherwise, adding a handle-tie to two breakers does not guarantee common trip <S> **; <S> only common maintenance shut-off. <S> That won't do for 240V loads, but is OK for separate circuits or MWBC <S> ***. <S> I'll address that part for others with a similar problem.) <S> See what ArchonOSX says about factoring 80% (or inverse of 125%) for continuous loads. <S> Two 120V circuits <S> In this case you have two <S> 15A, 120V breakers. <S> Since the breakers are handle-tied, they can be configured as an MWBC, sharing neutral. <S> One 240V circuit <S> You must change your breaker to a 2-pole type, which for most panels is cheap. <S> Amperage does not double; voltage does instead. <S> With one 240V , 15A breaker, you can drive 12A of heater -- giving 2880 watts. <S> A 2000W heater is fine in this configuration. <S> ** <S> Common trip means if one side overloads, both sides trip. <S> * <S> ** <S> There would be no reason to tie separate circuits, unless there is. <S> MWBCs share neutral, so must be on opposite poles and must have common maintenance shut-off for safety, both assured by using a listed handle-tie. <A> 15A breakers at 240V = <S> 3,600W max <S> You mention that the existing heaters are not enough and you want to put out more heat. <S> That suggest the load will be used continuously, so you need to derate the circuit to 80%. <S> That means your current circuit can safely support only 3600 * 0.8 <S> = 2,880W. <S> Why? <S> When you're using a toaster or a hair dryer, you use it for a short amount of time, so you can use 100% of the circuit capacity. <S> The goal is to protect the wires in the walls, and prevent them from starting a fire. <S> You are already beyond the capacity of your circuit. <S> Your current setup is already unsafe. <S> Please don't add more to it. <S> I suggest you need rewire your circuit to a 30A 240V circuit, using 10-3 wires.
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You must balance your heaters so neither circuit exceeds 1440W. For instance, a 2000W heater is out of the question. Each of the two circuits can drive 12A of heaters, or 1440W. But if you use a load for a long time, the heat builds up in the wires, calling for a safety derating of the circuit. Branch circuits supplying two or more outlets for fixed electric space-heating equipment shall be rated not over 30 amperes.
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I have a car EV charger with a NEMA 6-20 plug and a different 220v receptacle -- adapter? I bought a 220V car EV charger with what I understand is a NEMA 6-20 plug: But the socket is some other 220V that I can't find the specifications for: Is there an adapter I can get to use this plug for this socket or do I need to get the socket replaced? Thanks in advance for any guidance ... I'm a software guy and new to 220V nuances. <Q> Your charger should be rated around 15-16 amperes, which is 80 percent of the alleged capacity of that plug. <S> The photo is a bit dark, but odds are good <S> it's a NEMA 14-50 <S> if there are four pins/sockets. <S> If you connect your charger to that socket, and something goes amiss, you would be getting up to 40 amperes of current before the circuit breaker does its job. <S> Such a consideration would not stop me from purchasing a 14-50 plug and 6-20 socket and wiring the two together, but I would also attempt an additional level of safety by putting a 20 amp breaker inline to the adapter. <S> Because of the disparity of current ratings, you'll not find an off-the-shelf adapter and any construction you create is at your own risk. <S> The numbers imply a 3 kw charger, kind of on the low side for a home charger, common in the wild, but superior to using a 110v version. <A> Thanks for clarifying the name of the socket ... I found an adapter for just what I needed: https://www.evseadapters.com/collections/other-adapters/products/nema-14-50r-to-l14-20p-twist-lock-adapter <S> I should have it in a few days and be charging my Leaf @ <S> 220V. <S> Thanks again all! <A> Your cord is a 20A 240V <S> but your wall outlet is a 50A 240V. <S> You're better off getting the manufacturer to provide you with a 50A 240v cord.
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As the number implies, that should be a 50 amp (40 at 80 percent) socket. A NEMA 6-20 plug "implies" a current limit of 20 amps but more accurately, one should avoid approaching that figure.
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How can I trim out a supply pipe passing through a tile floor against the toilet base? I need a recommendation for a product that I can use to hide where this pipe meets the floor in my bathroom. There was a metal piece here but I had to cut it off since the new toilet comes so close to the pipe, it was hitting it. I need some kind of piece that I can slide on from the side. It also needs to be very narrow or somehow not symmetrical to fit here. Any ideas? <Q> They come sized to fit different pipes, so take a measure of yours. <S> You would need to take off one side, just about to the edge of the hole, and then probably cut the hole to be a U shape, rather than round. <S> You could hold it on place with a few dabs of silicone sealer underneath. <S> Images and links for illustration only, not an endorsement of goods or sources. <A> That's a mighty small space and most are going to be too big. <S> So you need to find a particularly small one. <S> Carbide or diamond tooling makes that sort of thing fairly easy. <A> They now have plastic escutcheons. <S> This would be easier to cut. <S> My home grown solution is calk.
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If you are crafty, you could possibly make one from floor tile scraps (to match floor) or plain while tile to match toilet. The simplest approach is to buy a solid round escutcheon and cut it to fit. Might have been best to notch the one part one you had, but too late for that now. Generically, it's an escutcheon, and you need a hinged, screw, snap-together or otherwise two part one.
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How can I clean high roof gutters? My house is a tall colonial. At the tallest point the gutters are almost 30 feet above ground. I do not have a tall ladder and do not want to climb on a roof which is even higher. I do have a gutter cleaning gadget with a steel fork at the end BUT it is only 5 feet long. Is there a extension pole system or some other idea so I can raise this gadget up to 20 feet safely? <Q> There comes a time when every do it yourselfer reaches the limit. <S> In your case this may be yours. <S> At some point the risk offsets the cost. <S> Even with a forty foot ladder you will be working on the upper rungs. <S> You will have a working range of a few feet on each side of the ladder. <S> This means you will be moving the ladder 15 or 20 times. <S> Unless you manhandle 40 foot ladders for a living it is a difficult and arduous task. <S> You may want to consider having the gutters evaluated. <S> If you have large trees they may dropped leaves into you gutters. <S> If they are clean now you may want to consider one of the many types of gutter- guard systems so they will stay clean. <A> It works like a champ. <S> Just search for "gutter attachment for shop vac". <S> I have looked at the gutters after cleaning from above, and they are amazingly spotless. <A> I would rent a Bil-JAX boom lift or small snorkel lift truck for the day. <S> These run about $250 per day in our area. <S> Then use a power washer to blow out the eave troughs. <S> Certainly much safer than a 40 foot extension ladder. <S> Good luck!
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I use extension tubes on my wet/dry shopvac, along with a J attachment.
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How can a steep driveway be kept safe in snowy climates? I looked at a house today and one of its drawbacks was that it had a very long, steep driveway. In New England we get thick snow, sleet and ice and with a steep driveway I am concerned the car might have trouble getting up it, or might slide off it going down. The driveway drops 50 feet over 300 feet which is a grade of over 9 degrees in some places. Is there any way to make such a steep driveway safer? <Q> You should at all possibilities try to keep it shoveled, plowed or blown before any attempt to drive on it. <S> In many cases driving on it compacts the snow down and begins to cause a build up of compacted snow ice that will tend to want to stay there for the rest of the winter. <S> These comments can apply to any driveway but especially to one like you describe which is a serious grade. <S> In my last years of living in snow country I had a medium steep driveway that rose about 6 feet over a run of about 45 feet. <S> I was working long days at my job <S> and there were multiple drivers in the family that used the driveway multiple times before I could get it cleaned out each time it snowed. <S> I can say that it was a mess of slippery iciness that was hard to drive in. <S> Some years the icy build up was as much as 8 inches thick. <S> The work around solution that I used was to spread liberal amounts of course sand over it to provide traction till the next snow. <A> I spent 5 years living in a cabin deep in the woods with a 1/4-mile long driveway of gravel and dirt. <S> It had some very steep grades here and there, and none of the local plows would have anything to do with me except one, who charged $175 per plowing. <S> That was unthinkable, as I was deep in the snow at a high elevation for typically 7 months out of the year. <S> For the cost of two plowings, I purchased a rusty old 4WD Bronco and widened the first 20 feet of the driveway at the road end. <S> I parked my regular car at the end of the driveway and used the Bronco, with chains, as my driveway vehicle. <S> It was the best and cheapest solution I ever came up with, and I regularly got up the steep parts in 3 feet of snow. <S> I never registered, insured or inspected the Bronco. <S> That's what made the solution so cheap. <A> We have a 550' uphill (8 degree slope and worse in some points), north facing driveway in winter, we thougth it would be a nightmare when we bought it but loved it and just wanted the seclusion. <S> We got great advice from the previous owner who lived there for ten years and just needed to move to a smaller place due to age. <S> Recommendations <S> : Make sure you have a four wheel drive vehicle and make sure you have snow/traction tires and in some places, you can have studded tires like in our province. <S> Then make sure you have a reliable tractor with both a bucket to push snow and blower to move snow. <S> Then have a smaller side by side or 4x4 to use in the most difficult situations to get up and down when you don't have time to plow or move snow off the driveway. <S> Finally, order a mix of course sand and salt (we use about 56 or 6 yards delivered in early fall) to put on the surface only after you remove the snow, if a gravel combination with dirt driveway, better chance of keeping good traction. <S> We have even been able to use our Ram truck with 4 wheel drive even on snow and ice to get up and down <S> but only if you keep your speed up and down very low and steady, no heavy braking at all and no heavy acceleration when going up. <S> So, great all terrain or heavy tread snow tires(studs if allowed), course sand and salt mix to spread after clearing the entire driveway, you can save amounts by covering only one drive wheel side of the vehicle tracks, tractor for blowing and pushing snow with bucket (blow up hill and push downhill), are just some of the options. <S> Good luck <A> Indeed it it a hard slog during the winter. <S> I've used snowblowers, atv with plows and a 4x4 Silverado with a plow. <S> The problem with he Silverado is I have to back back up the hill if the Plow is on. <S> Need chains I guess. <S> The atv is great but the plow takes a beating and you will need to rebuild and reinforce every couple of years. <S> The snowblower is just a hassle for a long steep driveway. <S> If u want to drive up and down during the winter, u need to spend bucks starting with the 4x4 pickup. <S> No cheap fix here. <A> A widely available solution is to install a driveway heater to keep the crucial section unfrozen. <S> This technique is also commonly used on walkways.
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Having lived a good portion of my life in an area where heavy snowfall is common I can say that the best way to deal with snow in any driveway is to keep it shoveled out down to the underlying surface.
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Quickest way to identify line wire and load wire in a multiway switch I am upgrading a lot of light switches in my home to Z-Wave smart switches. It is easy when it is a simple switch, but a 3-way, 4-way or n-way switch circuit is trickier. When doing so, I need to know where the hot "line" wire is and where the most downstream "load" wire is. I am able to accomplish this but it is time consuming. My current approach is as follows: Shut power off at the breaker for the circuit Pick a switch and disconnect it Turn power back on at the breaker Probe the wires at the disconnected switch. If I find a hot wire, then go flip a switch elsewhere in the circuit and probe again. If the hot wire remains hot, I have found the most upstream "line" wire. If not, I know the most upstream "line" wire isn't at this switch. [REPEAT FROM STEP 1 with a new switch] Once the "line" wire is identified, I can then use a similar technique to identify the wire that powers the lights. This takes a really long time, especially when other people (and children) are in the house and you have to ensure nobody else is in danger of touching an exposed wire. I can reliably and consistently identify the line & load wires using this method, but I am really hoping someone has a hack or shortcut to quickly accomplish this same goal. <Q> Every 3-way switch has two brass screws, and the two traveler wires always go on those. <S> They also have one black screw whose name is common , and <S> either your always-hot or your switched-hot wires will go on those. <S> Every 4-way screw has two brass screws for two travelers inward, and two black screws for two travelers outward. <S> Every wire on a 4-way is a traveler. <S> This means in an entire 3/4-way complex of any size, every wire is a traveler, except two. <S> If you're fond of not losing your mind, I have a suggestion. <S> I work in conduit with individual wires in my choice of color. <S> I use 2 yellow wires for travelers <S> *. <S> Travelers are interchangeable, and there is no need to distingish them from each other , though it sure helps to distinguish them from other wires. <S> If you're not in conduit, you are stuck with black white red for everything, but you can mark them with colored electrical tape. <S> They sell 5-packs of colored electrical tape for $3 in a lot of stores. <S> I'm fond of yellow for travelers, <S> green** and blue for alt-travelers if two separate sets are nearby, red for switched-hot, black for always-hot and <S> the law already requires neutral be white. <S> (But white can be anything). <S> * <S> If I have several 3-way circuits in close proximity, then I'll use purple, blue, etc. <S> for the others, again in pairs, it's quite distinctive.) <S> ** Small wires cannot be remarked with green tape to be a ground. <S> So it changes nothing; the wire is still a hot. <A> When you addressing two 3-ways and one 4-way. <S> Remember that one side of the common on the three way is the line side and the other common is the load side or switch leg. <S> The two wires that connect between the 3-ways switches are carriers. <S> If you have a 4-way it simply flips the carriers, two carriers in two carriers out. <S> So, no there should never be a configuration where a line side "hot" leg will be connected to the 4-way. <S> Although it may pass through the box. <S> Other than that the only other way to save time is to have a helper turn the breakers on and off to save you some steps, or employ a circuit tracer to trace out the circuits. <S> These may be well and fine for someone who is doing a large number of circuits but usually isn't cost effective for a one off DIYer. <S> Good luck <A> Well, I could be wrong but in multi-switch circuit, you normally have two 3-way switches and x number of 4-way switches. <S> Any of the 4-way switches can break the circuit to the lighting. <S> If there is still power on that 3-way, you have located to Line-in power. <S> If not, locate the other 3-way and test it. <S> It should have line in power.
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Two identical odd-color wires running together are quite distinctive. Those are always at 3-ways, always on the ends, always on black screws, and are always either always-hot or switched-hot . So, if you opened up the boxes and locate a 3-way switch and then turned any of the interior four-way switches off, you should be able to test the inputs on the 3-way.
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Filling in drywall gaps I had to remove the panel for my shower to get at the pipes behind it. I cut a square around the panel in the drywall to take it out - now I need to fill in the gaps between the panel and the rest of the wall. I want to cut drywall to fill in the holes and then putty them together however I need a way to attach the drywall to the studs at the top, and the panel side on the right. Does anyone have any goods ideas on how to do this? Obviously I don't want to screw it in since it will show on the outside. thanks, <Q> If you leave a 1/8" gap between panels so that joint compound can achieve full depth, there's little you need to do in that location. <S> There will be virtually no pressure on it there. <S> I'd float some scrap lumber between the studs in the middle to reduce the span by half, and maybe at the upper left. <S> 4" lengths of 1x2 or plywood will do. <S> You could also use the hemmed edge of a drywall sheet for even more strength. <A> however I need a way to attach the drywall to the studs at the top, and the panel side on the right. <S> Does anyone have any goods ideas on how to do this? <S> Obviously I don't want to screw it in since it will show on the outside. <S> Dry wall screws (or nails) are always set deeper then the surface of the dry wall. <S> Then using joint compound you fill in the dimple left by the screw <S> and you never see it. <S> I would put 2 - 3 screws into the top patch, but I love using my dry wall screw gun. <A> I've seen people backup that top part with 1/4 or 3/8, and bring it out with DuraBond, then top coat to finish. <S> If it were me, I'd go out to the corner, 12" above, and at least out to the next stud, then hang as normal. <S> It's going to be a pain, to piece work around that tub surround, with small pieces, and dealing with the different surface depths. <S> Sister a board in the corner, and at the next stud, so you aren't putting screws right on the edge of your patch pieces.
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First, know that drywall tape joints are actually quite strong. It doesn't look like the wall was furred out for the flange, so I'm not sure how things will fit, but doing so might benefit by it being a thinner piece.
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Water heater anode rod replacement, teflon tape or no? For replacing an anode rod in a residential water heater, there seems to be some conflicting opinions regarding using teflon tape to prevent leaks. The rod manufacturer's instructions say to use it. Some people say to not use it as it prevents making a good electrical contact between the metals. Others say use it, the teflon tape will be cut by the bolt threads thus you will get an electrical contact. What should I do? For the people not using teflon tape, how are you preventing water leaks? <Q> I just replaced my anode. <S> I wrapped three layers of teflon tape and torqued it to 66ft-lb which seemed adequately tight. <S> Online torque tables specified max 78ft-lb for 3/4 NPT. <S> Resistance between anode hex head and outlet was 0.6ohm. <S> This is essentially zero resistance. <S> The lead to lead resistance alone is 0.2ohm. <A> The chances of it completely isolating it are nearly impossible though. <S> Use pipe joint compound if you have it, and use teflon tape if you don't. <A> We have a 1988 hot water heater. <S> We replaced the anode rod about 15 years ago and just replaced again today with a new magnesium rod. <S> We used Teflon tape both times. <S> The rod we took out today was definately getting eatened away. <S> I posted a video about this on Youtube, that shows the rod we just took out. <S> You can view that video at https://youtu.be/9Q6Gv0pM2os .
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Yes, teflon tape may reduce the effectiveness of the anode rode by electrically insulating the rod from the water heater chassis.
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Can I use 10 gauge to first distribution point, then 12? Can I replace 12 gauge line to attic with 10 gauge when distributed wires will remain 12 gauge. Can I then increase Circuit breaker amps as each distributed line handles little amperage and only short main line to circuit board may have higher amperage. Changing wire from board to attic distribution point is easily done.Would this be Code?Would this endanger House insurance?Dan B. <Q> You haven't said how you will manage the transition from 10 gauge to 12 gauge. <S> If you are thinking of wire nuts in a junction box, then the answer is that you cannot do this safely. <S> The 20A breaker's job is to protect the load wire connected to it. <S> A 12 gauge wire needs a 20A breaker to protect it. <S> You cannot guarantee that a device at the end of one of these runs will not draw in excess of 20A (the rated capacity for 12 gauge wire). <S> In addition to being unsafe, it is also not to code. <S> Code requires the breaker to be no larger than the ampacity of the wire and since you're using 12 gauge wire at some point <S> that's your limiting factor. <S> However, if you are thinking of installing a sub-panel then you may be able to do this. <S> It would be fine (if you follow all the rules for sub-panels) to run 10 gauge wire protected by a 30A breaker to a sub-panel and then run 12 gauge wires each protected by a 20A breaker from the sub-panel. <S> However, this seems a little silly (if you're going to all this work you probably want to run more than 10 gauge to the sub-panel). <S> If you explain more about your goals you might get more useful advice about what approach to take. <A> You can do that. <S> You must use a 20A breaker since there is any 12AWG in the circuit. <S> I gather that's not what you're after. <S> A single large load is typically 1440W, leaving 960W remaining on the 2400W breaker. <S> Clearly the other loads are not small! <S> Since you do have an easy time running new cable from the service panel to the distribution point, <S> run additional cables and use the distribution point to split the circuit into several circuits with additional breakers. <S> You were going to buy 10AWG and scrap 12AWG. <S> I'd have you buy 12AWG and keep the other. <S> Ideally run two 12AWG (for about the price of one 10) - wire and breakers are cheap, and now you have a legal 60A instead of illegal 30A. <A> Upgrading your wire is allowed. <S> But remember, the role of the breaker is to protect the wires connected to the breaker. <S> Breakers are not protecting the loads, or whatever is connected to the outlets, breakers protect the wires. <S> So, that's simple <S> : look at the wires which are downstream of the breaker, and size your breaker to protect those wires.
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Your larger breaker (30A, the maximum 10 gauge is rated for) will not trip in this situation and the 12 gauge wire may start a fire.
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previous owner painted over door latches, preventing doors from closing - how to proceed? This door (pictured below) used to work just fine, but my superstitious mother, may she rest in peace, painted over it to prevent it from closing. Now it is sealed open. Since it is the door to the bathroom and I intend to rent out the house, I would like to get it in working order again. Is there a way to repair this? Do I need to replace the entire door? Note that this procedure has also been applied to several other doors in the house, so I will be looking to implement a solution multiple times over. <Q> That's an interesting tactic. <S> You may be able to mask things off and use paint stripper to clean up the latch area in place. <S> Otherwise, take the hardware apart and soak it clean. <S> Lubricate as appropriate and reinstall. <A> One way to address this problem is to use a paint stripper. <S> Stripper is nasty stuff <S> so you want to use it with hands, skin and face protection in a well ventilated space. <S> I would paint on the stripper with a small discardable bristle brush over the metal latch piece on the edge of the door. <S> If you use care you can try to confine the stripper to just that area so you do not remove paint from the wood parts of the door. <S> The stripper will make the first layers of paint start to soften and bubble up. <S> A scraper can help to remove the paint that has softened. <S> Be careful as sometimes the latch plate is made of brass metal which is soft and can be seriously scratched by too aggressive of action with a sharp scraper. <S> Some steel wool is also handy for removing the softened paint. <S> You want to use a fairly coarse grade of steel wool for this purpose. <S> Since the paint appears to be rather thick you may very well have to apply the stripper multiple times to get all the paint off. <A> Dissolving, scrapping, cutting, and/or stripping away the paint are all good options for restoring the latch. <S> You could also just buy a brand new set on amazon for $10-$30 depending on style: <S> https://www.amazon.com/Prime-Line-2497-Mortise-Classic-Bronze/dp/B00CTHSVV2/ref=pd_sim_60_14?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=HX8Y7WEP63ZCZN0YZ4XC <S> Scrub off any flaking paint with a wire brush and spray a little WD-40 in there. <S> Not elegant or pretty <S> but your door will close and the knob will work. <A> The paint looks like it covers small trenches and holes rather than filling them. <S> Try to unscrew the screws on the side and put the lock mechanism out. <S> Then remove as much paint as possible mechanically (wire brush, file). <S> Try to move the latch <S> (bang it gently with a small hammer). <S> If it is still stuck, try to dissolve the rest using paint stripper or acetone. <S> Try to move the latch. <S> If it moves, lube it well, clean it and return it to the doors. <S> If it doesn't move, carefully open the lock and disasembly it. <S> Clean every single piece and lube it well. <S> Put it back together and try to move the latch. <S> You can also use "If hammer doesn't work for you, lager hammer does." approach, but the risk of damaging the lock or yourself will rise. <S> There is no need to replace whole door, except you apply the hammer rule to removing the lock out of the door. <S> In the worst case you will need to buy new lock - look for the one with same dimensions and latch direction.
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Or if you goal is just to do something quick to get the door to open and close: take a hammer and smack the latch into the door - the paint will break off and the knob/latch will be functional.
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How to Use GFCI Square Cover? I have a 4" square box which I'm going to put a GFCI outlet in. I got one of the raised covers with a rectangular cutout for GFCIs. However, the outlet itself doesn't sit flush with the cover. When I put it over the outlet, the screw holes at the top and bottom of the outlet stick out too far and prevents it from sitting flush. I know that I can remove the corner perforated tabs but there are still additional screw holes that stick out. See circled in blue here: Do I just bend the secondary screw holes back or something? Seems kind of weird because I've only read online about removing the tabs and not that second set of holes. <Q> On an expensive rundown timer, no less! <S> The rectangle shape is Decora, and those outer screws hold Decora plate covers, which use an extreme outer position. <S> You have two choices: bend or hacksaw them off. <S> Your device can never be used with a normal Decora cover plate. <S> This is flush, but has a 1/2" extrusion the size of a 1-gang box. <S> This has the space needed. <S> And then you use a plain Decora cover plate, which needs those threaded holes. <S> If you need dual Decora, they make 2-gang mud rings too. <S> src <A> Code requires more than 1 screw to attach the outlet to the box the covers usually come with them (or the ones I purchase do). <S> The small threaded hole can be bent back <S> but if it interferes with the nuts that hold the outlet in place I would cut it off. <A> Take the tabs (two each end, one on each side of the blue circle) off. <S> They are scored, so you can use pliers to grab them, and then bend back and forth until they snap off. <S> Then you can use the same pliers to gently bend the blue-circled part back <S> 90° <S> so it clears the inside of the cover.
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Use the bolts and nuts supplied with cover to attach the outlet to it. The small ears have a crimp that allows them to break off with a few twists front to back. I just had to deal with that last week. dump the accursed raised cover (you certainly don't need the cubic inches) and go with a 1-gang mud ring for a 4" box.
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Is voltage drop calculated from the meter or the service panel? In sizing underground feeder wire to a detached garage/shop do I calculate voltage drop based on distance from the main service panel on back of house to the shop(175feet)? Or do I include the distance from the meter to the house main service panel(160feet) and the distance to the shop(175) to come up with a total distance of (335feet)? I want to run power to a new building(24X32). I've trenched approx. 165ft from my main service panel(200amp) on back of the house to the shop. I am thinking of installing 100amp sub-panel in a one-person shop and run; air compressor, small heater, lights, table saw, welder. Thinking of running 2/0 Al MFH cable to sub-panel. The small house was built on sub-divided property, so the meter is actually 160 feet behind the house(main service panel) and the cable coming into the house I believe is 4/0. I am trying to determine cable size to run in my trench, in conduit, with these variables. <Q> The conductors are already sized for the panel size from the meter to the panel. <A> Here is what the National Electrical Code has to say about voltage drop. <S> It appears a couple times in the Code <S> but it is an Informational Note and not an enforceable part of the Code. <S> It is however an engineering recommendation that is followed by most designers. <S> Article 215.2(A)(1)(b) <S> Informational Note <S> No. <S> 2: Conductors for feeders, as defined in Article 100, sized to prevent a voltage drop exceeding 3 percent at the farthest outlet of power, heating, and lighting loads, or combinations of such loads, and where the maximum total voltage drop on both feeders and branch circuits to the farthest outlet does not exceed 5 percent, will provide reasonable efficiency of operation. <S> Since the Code defines a feeder as: Feeder. <S> All circuit conductors between the service equipment, the source of a separately derived system, or other power supply source and the final branch-circuit overcurrent device. <S> And the Code defines service conductors as: Service Conductors. <S> The conductors from the service point to the service disconnecting means. <S> So, the answer to your question according to the Code is; from the beginning of the feeder at the main panel to the final outlet is how voltage drop is calculated and either the feeder or the branch circuit can be 3% but both combined should not exceed 5%. <S> Good luck! <A> You need to consider both length segments. <S> The first segment (160ft) was designed to ensure an acceptable voltage at the 200A main panel. <S> You know you have adequate voltage at the main panel <S> : you know there's a voltage drop, but it's within acceptable limits. <S> When you add the second segment to the 100A sub-panel, you will incur a second voltage drop. <S> Calculate the voltage drop on the 160ft segment, then calculate the voltage drop for the 175ft segment.
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For a sub panel fed from your main panel normaly we size base wire size on the distance from the panel to the load or location using distance and the max load or supply breaker size. Both voltage drops add up.
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Can you have both 15 and 20 Amp receptacles off the same 20 Amp GFCI? Currently, in my kitchen I have a 20amp GFCI receptacle (faceplate only accepts 15amp plugs but back says it is 20 amp rated) off of that GFCI outlet there are 3 15amp receptacles, one is for a garbage disposal, the other 2 are at counter top level for usage. The breaker for the kitchen is 20amps. I have purchased two new 20amp outlets with USB charger capability for phones etc. Is it okay to have the two receptacles at counter level be 20amp and the disposal be on a 15amp receptacle or should I return the new 20amp receptacles and install 15amp ones? Not sure if it is correct to have both 15amp and 20amp receptacles off of the 20amp GFCI. <Q> Yes you can. <S> (I see the OP was edited to include details and will retain the rest for the database) Having the GFCI marked 20 <S> Amp is <S> so the one model can be used for either type of circuit. <S> If you have a 20 Amp Circuit then there is no problem with using 15 Amp receptacles on the same run. <S> BUT Having the receptacles is one thing. <S> Having the wiring and circuit breaker to support 20 Amps is another matter. <S> Unless you have the 20 Amp breaker and proper wiring, you will want to limit the total current draw to 15 Amps. <S> PLUS, <S> Most 20 Amp circuits are dedicated for specific purposes. <S> Most often there will only be one single outlet for a specific need like a computer rack or a dialysis machine. <S> In a GFCI situation like described here, the second outlet would most likely be very near to prevent causing the breaker to trip inadvertently. <S> Example: <S> Plugging in an electric heater. <S> Something that has nothing to do with the original reason a 20 Amp circuit was installed. <S> ALL THAT BEING SAID, <A> It is usual, customary and code approved to install 15-amp rated duplex type receptacles on 20-amp rated circuits. <S> The reason being is that there are two receptacles from which to draw power on that one device. <S> Both of them are rated at 15-Amps. <S> It is understood that it is unlikely that the full capacity of the circuit will be drawn through just one of he two available receptacles. <S> Now if it is a single receptacle on a single device, those have to be matched. <A> Short answer: <S> If the 15's are cheaper and you wish to save some money you could return the 20's and get the 15's. <S> Longer answer: <S> Appliance circuits in kitchens have been required to be 20 amp circuits for decades. <S> They are not dedicated or individual circuits. <S> They are just larger than the 15 amp circuits in very old houses. <S> The GFCI receptacle is rated 20 amps since it may have to interrupt a 20 amp circuit when it trips. <S> As in the case of a kitchen appliance circuit. <S> 15 amp receptacles can be used on 20 amp circuits without a problem. <S> Article 210 of the National Electrical Code allows this. <S> Refer to Tables 210.21(B)(3) and Table 210.24 of the National Electrical Code for more information. <S> The National Fire Protection Association allows free viewing of the Code on their web site at NFPA.org. <S> Good luck! <A> Start from the breaker. <S> You said it's 20A.Then look at the wire. <S> Make sure you have 12 gauge wires (or larger) all the way from the breaker. <S> Finally, the receptacles. <S> They can be either 20A or the usual dual 15A receptacles. <S> You can mix and match 15A and 20A. <S> But your garbage disposal should be on a dedicated, circuit. <S> No GFCI required for that circuit.
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You are fine with the 20 amp receptacles. Yes, you can have either or both kinds of outlets on the same circuit, and it will work well unless you exceed the amperage allowed by the circuit breaker. Either way you are good. The garbage disposal is just fine as it is don't worry about it. The breaker protects the wires.
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Add combo (switch and outlet) with only two wires out of wall for the current light) I probably have this diagram for my project. Or problem. Facts : a) only 2 wires out of wall, B & W; b) switch ON, lights ON Ceiling electrical box : One black and one white connects to the ceiling light fixture. Project : I need to add a combo switch/outlet UPDATE after suggestions Grey= NeutralIs this right?If it is, it seems to me receptacle will be ON at all times, right? <Q> Your first diagram shows a switch loop. <S> Neutral and hot wires arrive at the light box, the neutral stays in that box, while only the hot is sent to the switch box (customary using white with black marking), and returns with the (customary) black wire, which is now a "switched hot". <S> If you want an outlet at the switch box, you need to bring a neutral from the light box. <S> A customary way would be to wire a 14/3 or 12/3 from the light box to the switch box:- white neutral- <S> black hot- red switched hot (returns from the switch and connects to the light fixture black). <S> You can then decide wether you want this outlet to be always hot, or if you want the outlet to be switched. <S> 15A breaker requires 14 gauge or bigger. <S> 20A breaker requires 12 gouger bigger. <A> Three options Run a new /3 cable <S> You either replace the existing cable with /3 <S> cable (which is now required in new work), in which case your three wires are: always-hot (traditionally black, often white-with-black-tape, sometimes white) switched-hot (ideally red, sometimes black, often white-black-tape <S> , often white) <S> neutral (always white) <S> Run a whole separate /2 cable <S> In a perfect world you source that from another location which is not a lighting circuit, but does provide GFCI, AFCI or whatever other protection you need owing to that location. <S> But if you need to, you can get this from the lighting box, if Code allows this, e.g. In bathrooms it might not. <S> In this case your two new wires are: always-hot (black usually) neutral (always white) <S> And you break the tab off the hot side of the switch/recep combo. <S> These two new wires go to the receptacle side, neutral to the taller pin side. <S> You must break off the tab. <S> Smart switches <S> Talking something like Insteon. <S> In this case, rewire <S> so all black wires are always-hot, and all white wires are in fact neutral. <S> Up in the lamp, the switched-hot to the lamp is now dangling, as it has nowhere to connect to, there are no switched-hot wires up there, you killed them. <S> So you get a smart-switch module, that connects to always-hot and neutral. <S> It also has a "Load" line which goes to switched-hot, and that's where the lamp's switched-hot wire goes. <S> Now if you leave the light on, you can turn it off with your phone. <S> From Kazakhstan. <A> The bridge (wall receptacle/switch) on the right side (two black screws) intact. <S> The plug is ON at all times. <S> The light works as expected. <S> I wanted the switch to control the receptacle but didn't manage to do it. <S> Ceiling light box had 2 sets of wires: <S> B and W from the wall switch/plug. <S> It does require extra wire. <S> 2 wires will NOT work. <S> Ceiling box: <S> B hot and W were there. <S> https://i.stack.imgur.com/rybSZ.png
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Always-hot and neutral go to your smart switch w/ receptacle. The two existing wires go to the switch side only. The wire gauge depends on the breaker size. So 12/3 (or 14) needs to be added. And these three go to the lamp/receptacle combo, always-hot to the common bar, switched-hot to the switch side, and neutral to the receptacle side. This set up worked well.
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What are these fasteners on this hinge? Just moved into a new apartment and one of the doors is mounted with these fasteners I’ve never seen. I’d like to take this door out, but I’m struggling to figure out how to remove these without breaking them. Any help would be much appreciated. <Q> The only way to remove them, is to destroy them (drill them out). <A> Those look like rivets to me. <S> You can simply drill the rivets out to release the hinge, however reinstalling the door could be complicated. <S> A simple solution is to drive out the swivel pin from the center of the hinge. <S> Look under the bottom of the center swivel joint. <S> There you should find a hole into which you can insert a 16 penny nail or equivalent. <S> The pin will drive up and out. <A> Called 'pop' rivets in the UK, also 'blind' rivets, since you don't have to have access to the other side on the part receiving the rivet. <S> Be careful drilling out, as the centre pin is steel, and the rivet is aluminium. <S> If you drill out too large, and wish to use the same holes, you can have problems finding a suitable replacement. <S> 1/8" is a common size, but these look larger. <A> Pry off the bottom caps and then from below insert a "drift" or a large nail and tap with a hammer. <S> Before prying off the bottom caps try inserting a thin drift into the hole in the bottom and pushing the hinge pin up far enough that you can get screwdriver on the underside of the top of the pin.
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A (usually) reversible way to remove a door is to drive out the hinge pins. Looks like they used rivets .
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Existing 40 amp breaker with a 50 amp range spec? I have a 40 amp breaker for the range receptacle, but the new range specifies a 50 amp circuit. Can I just have a 50 amp breaker installed or will it require rewiring? <Q> In general, no. <S> Installing a 50A breaker on wiring only designed to support 40A is dangerous and can result in a house fire. <S> 40A circuits need #8 copper wire, whereas 50A circuits need #6 copper. <S> The only way to know for sure is to open it up and look at the wiring. <S> The size and other specs should be printed on the sheath; as isherwood mentioned, you're looking for AWG #8 or something similar. <S> In the more likely case that the existing wiring is #8, you'll either need to pull new #6 wire or get a different (lower-powered) stove that will work with the existing 40A receptacle. <A> You just have to look <S> Modern best-practice is to run 6 AWG cable on the stove circuit and then fit a 50A receptacle, which is legal on both 40A and 50A circuits since there is no such thing as a 40A receptacle. <S> Then, once it is known whether the range is 40A or 50A, that correct breaker is fitted. <S> On the other hand, if it was known the range would be 40A, they may well have fit 8 AWG cable, which is not fit for 50A. <S> The wire size is written along the edge of the cable jacket, every 12 inches, along with a lot of other useless garf. <S> This can be seen anywhere the cable is visible. <S> On a fully finished house, that may be nowhere. <S> In that case, you'd have to pull the wires out and measure their diameter with a micrometer or other tool. <A> Save yourself some money and keep the 40A breaker, as the other answers have mentioned, you're probably looking at rewiring to run a 50A circuit. <S> Worst case, you trip the breaker if you turn on the oven and all burners to high while cooking dinner, but seriously do you ever see yourself doing that?
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It's possible, although very unlikely, that the wiring used in the circuit is #6 and thus could support 50A (maybe somebody was planning for the future), but for some reason a 40A breaker was used.
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Is this wiring safe? Purchased a mid 50's built house last year. Knew that a switch in one of hallways had a switch that appeared to do nothing... Having done many simple wiring projects (lucky to have done renovation with a friend who was an electrician) that passed building inspection, I thought I'd check this out myself! I checked receptacles, lights, even looked for possible pump or furnace connections, to no avail. So I opened the switch box to see if it was maybe disconnected ... and found 5 wires in the box. The drawing represents what I found. The switches themselves had only two screws each, both on the same side, with a ground switch at the back. All of the white wires were maretted together. Note that switch 1 and 2 (and switch two and three) have a jumper between them and that switch two has 4 black wires on a single screw (which is the safety concern I have.) I am hoping someone here can tell me if: three wires on a single switch screw is advisable they have ever seen a set up like this before, and what the function of switch three might be? ADDENDUM: I have been rummaging around in the attic (yes, low and cold) and determined that the feed from the panel enters the switch box as wire D. The mystery switch goes to a wire that runs the length of the attic to another part of the house with a second attic (there was an addition in the 70's). I believe the solution to the terminal overload is a pigtail (everything in the green circle) that includes the power feed from wire(cable?) D. <Q> Having more than one conductor under a screw is usually illegal and considered unwise. <S> ("Jumper" is a better term--"traveler <S> " usually refers to three-way switch wiring.) <S> The only concern there relates to question 1. <S> Again, change it to a pigtail configuration. <S> We can only guess. <S> You'd normally trace the downstream conductor, but there apparently isn't one. <A> With the new pigtail config then you should be good if everything is properly grounded and the box is big enough. <S> If the box is metal (which I suspect it is) then the ground wire should be bonded to the box. <A> 1./2. <S> You can use splicing connector to connect all 5 wires to power up switches safely. <S> To answer this you have to trace down where the C cable leads to. <S> If something suddenly stopped working you have a good chance it relied on the switch 3. <S> You may need to drill a hole somewhere and finding such cable by the drill is not good at all.
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It's not uncommon to see a hot chained across multiple switches. Having hot wire leading "somewhere" in the house is not good idea. Pigtails would fix that. If you are not sure, disconnect the switch, blank the cable to C and write it down somewhere.
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20 amp Circuit, 15 amp switch that controls receptacles ok? I have a 20 amp circuit in my home (the breaker is 20 amps). On that circuit there is a light switch rated for 15 amps that controls three 15 amp receptacles. Is the 15 amp switch ok, or should it be a 20 amp light switch? <Q> Dean MacGregor is correct. <S> Here is the pertinent National Electrical Code Article. <S> Article 404.14(F) <S> Cord- and Plug-Connected Loads. <S> Where a snap switch or control device is used to control cord- and plug-connected equipment on a general-purpose branch circuit, <S> each snap switch or control device controlling receptacle outlets or cord connectors that are supplied by permanently connected cord pendants shall be rated at not less than the rating of the maximum permitted ampere rating or setting of the overcurrent device protecting the receptacles or cord connectors, as provided in 210.21(B). <S> So, basically the switch needs to be a 20 amp switch for multiple receptacles on a 20 amp circuit. <A> In theory it's fine as long as the combined draw of the 3 receptacles never goes above 15amps. <S> Of course since you won't really know whether or not that is the case, what happens if you accidently do draw more than the 15 amps on those 3 outlets? <S> TLDR: <S> no not ok. <A> Short answer: <S> No, it is not good at all. <S> Fuse, breaker, torque limitter,... <S> Fuses and breakers shall be the weakest points in the circuit, because they are designed to "fail" safely. <S> 15A switch will burn without 20A fuse ever noticing it. <S> They must break first to protect the rest. <S> If they don't, they are no more a protection. <S> If you want to use 15A switch you have to protect it with at most 15A rated fuse/breaker. <S> In other words, you have to create sub-circuit with lower rating and appropriate protection.
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Well, the breaker won't trip (unless you go over 20 as well) because it's a 20amp breaker so the switch will be overloaded and could heat up and start a fire. Any protection shall break first with large enough margin, no matter what and how it protects.
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Sheath is too short! Can I finish in EMT? Gah!! My fat, expensive #4 SE cable going to a subpanel... Somebody stripped the sheath a little too far back. I have tried my darnedest and cannot find enough slack to bring the sheath inside the panel. So here's my plan. I want to use a 1" knockout to a very short nipple to a 4-11/16 square box, which will be barely an inch from the panel. I want to enter the SE cable into a knockout in the square box, and fit it down properly with a cable clamp. Then run its bared wires through the nipple into the panel proper and to the lugs. Here's my worry. It is not legal to unsheath a cable and use its individual conductors in place of THHN wire, mainly because those individual conductors are not marked/listed as such. Would this count as that naughty thing, or would it be OK because it is shch a short hop? <Q> Technically it would be a nipple and the code does allow for certain liberties in nipples such as larger fill requirements and no derating of conductors. <S> I wouldn't call a short piece of SE "unsheathing to use as individual conductor". <S> Also consider the alternative, which would be to splice say THWN to the SE. <S> What would be worse? <S> The small piece of SE extended or a splice where you have to leave accessible to maintain the splice, since splices are 80% of all electrical conductor problems. <A> I like the idea of heat-shrink tubing. <S> Runner-up: <S> Install your 1" EMT or <S> GRC nipple say 8" or so long, secure if necessary. <S> Install SE into the NM connector. <S> The splice represents a far greater liability than the XHHW run through a short piece of conduit. <A> If it is very close consider using a Meyer's hub or similar to raise the connector up to 1" away from the panel so it can clamp on the cable. <S> If it is further away than 1" you could insall a (supported) conduit nipple with the SE connector on the end of it. <S> No need for a J-box. <S> It will be ugly but it will satisfy the Code requirement for physical protection. <S> Here's my worry. <S> Would this count as that naughty thing, or would it be OK because it is shch a short hop? <S> Actually, they may not be individually marked but they are listed and the cable is marked. <S> Here is an excerpt from the 2015 UL White Book: SERVICE CABLE (TXKT) <S> SERVICE-ENTRANCE CABLE (TYLZ) <S> GENERAL <S> This category covers service-entrance cable designated Type SE and Type USE for use in accordance with Article 338 of ANSI/NFPA 70, <S> ‘‘National Electrical Code’’ <S> (NEC). <S> Service-entrance cable, rated 600 V, is certified in sizes 14 AWG and larger for copper, and 12 AWG and larger for aluminum or copper-clad aluminum. <S> The cable is designated as follows: Type SE — Indicates cable for aboveground installation. <S> Both the individual insulated conductors and the outer jacket or finish of Type SE are suitable for use where exposed to sun. <S> Type SE cable contains Type RHW, RHW-2, XHHW, XHHW-2, THWN or THWN-2 conductors. <S> Maximum size is 4/0 AWG copper or 300 kcmil aluminum or copper-clad aluminum. <S> The exact type of wire would depend on the manufacturer and should be labeled on the packaging and sheath. <S> Good luck with your project!
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Put a rigid coupling on the out end of the nipple; install a 1" NM connector into the coupling. It is not legal to unsheath a cable and use its individual conductors in place of THHN wire, mainly because those individual conductors are not marked/listed as such. This nipple is now simply a sleeve that is being called into a little extra duty. Personally I would just as soon reduce the number of splices over any other alternative. In short it's all a matter of following code to the letter or the actual intent of the code.
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Window treatment that allows for a projection to be visible? As a creative project, I'm trying to project some lines or text onto a window. That is, I have a large window that I still want to see out of, but I want to use an LCD projector from the inside to project onto the window. Someone looking at the window would be able to see through it, but could also read the time or temperature or something projected onto it. Of course, most of the light from the projector is going to go through the window, but some of it is bouncing back in as glare. I'm going to experiment to see if I can take advantage of this effect, but it might be tricky. Is there any other sort of window treatment I can apply that might make this work better? Perhaps some sort of stick on window darkening material that might reflect a bit more light from the inside? Or, some sort of stick-on plastic that would react to UV? (The LCD projectors tend to kick out quite a bit of UV, so maybe the visible light plus UV would be fine. Color doesn't matter... this is going to be in monochrome.) Any other alternatives you can think of to get a similar effect? Open to oddball and creative ideas! Thanks. <Q> or if you are only displaying monochromatic images you can use a partially reflective mirror coating like EdmundOpticals.com <S> .Here's one that looks useful: Abrisa Technologies. <A> Why do you want to project an image on the glass when you can create it in there? <S> The window can be large LCD/OLED screen with no backlight . <A> @Arluin has the same notion that I had. <S> Do you need the entire window space able to accept text? <S> If so, then @Crowley's notion is worth a look. <S> Does it have to be projection? <S> Could it be an LCD display instead? <S> Does it have to be on the window? <S> Can you project onto the window frame instead. <S> Experiment: <S> Test with a projection onto a piece of onionskin paper, a piece of wax paper, a piece of mylar reflective window coating, and a wrinkled piece of shrink wrap. <S> This will give you a feel for how much reflectivity you need to show up against a daylight scene (which is very bright. <S> There is a reason we turn the lights off when running displays) <S> You probably don't want to use these <S> but it will give you a better handle on what you need. <S> While you are at it, project onto a chunk of bond paper taped to the window frame. <S> All of these are cheap experiments. <S> A sunlit scene is several hundred watts per square meter. <S> I don't think any projector can compete with that. <S> Indeed, I doubt that even projecting onto a white wall adjacent to the window will give satisfactory results. <S> You might be able to do it if the window is glazed with something like a 90% reflective coating. <S> (Lot of buildings are to reduce cooling costs. <S> 90% barely looks dimmer than sunlight.)
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Depending on how much optical interference you can tolerate, you can either use a translucent film like they use for this product: Window Wonderland
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Sharkbite fitting connection is leaking around painted pipe I just installed this sharkbite valve. 1/2 copper pipe. The right side of the valve is dry, but the left side is leaking. What could be the problem? I tried pushing more of the right side of the pipe into the valve but it won’t go any further. What can I do from here? Cut it out and get a longer valve to make up the space difference? <Q> It looks like the paint on the pipe is causing your problems. <S> I'd recommend shutting off the water, removing the shark bite connector, and stripping the paint for a couple inches on either side. <S> The hardware store will have chemicals to help strip the paint so you don't have to do it all manually. <S> Here is a video of how to use emery cloth to clean a copper pipe. <S> The video is a bit long for the topic but covers it well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4LvzHt4m3 <S> M <S> When you reinsert it, SharkBite recommends 15/16" insertion depth for 1/2" pipe. <S> Typically you should measure that distance from the end of the pipe and mark it with a permanent marker <S> so you have a sight line for reference when pushing the fitting on. <A> The wall of the pipe has to be absolutely free of debris. <A> You can fix this with just a standard pair of pliers. <S> Use them sideways to put pressure on both sides of the lock nut to release the pipe. <S> After the fitting is completely removed, run the pliers around the pipes to scrape the paint off (DO NOT squish the pipe at all). <S> It looks like it will all come right off, if not, finish with an abrasive. <S> If it still leaks after that, the pipes are likely deformed. <S> At that point the easy fix is over and it's time to sweat it. <S> Or you can keep cutting bits off to get a better connection and trying SB connectors: you'll need a length of pipe to make up the difference and some straight couplings. <S> Check <S> that fittings and pipe are clean, in good condition and are free from damage and foreign objects. <S> Cut the pipe so that the ends are square. <S> Ensure that there are no burrs or damage to the cut end. <S> Wherever possible proper pipe cutting tools <S> such as rotary pipe cutters (copper tubing) or pipe shears (for plastic pipe) should be used. <S> – <S> sharkbite.com, pdf Crap inside the pipe doesn't really matter; they're talking about the OD: "in good condition and are free from damage and foreign objects."
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If it still leaks, you've messed up the fitting; get a new one. You can also use any number of abrasive or sanding products but that paint has got to go.
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How to remove chrome sleeve from copper pipe on vanity? enter image description hereI am getting ready to replace the vanity in our older home. The problem I have is how do I remove the chrome sleeve from the pipe so I can attach fittings to the copper pipe. This looks like a compression fitting. Is the sleeve attached to the fitting or compressed up inside. I would like to use the same pipe just remove the sleeve. How can I remove the sleeve without damaging the copper pipe. The pipe can be cut, there is about 2 ft between the floor and the fawcett. If I cut the pipe with the tube cutter will I be able to remove the sleeve? Anyone have experience with these? The sleeves are new to me. Thanks <Q> Answered by OP in a comment: <S> Thanks to all who presented their ideas and theories. <S> I did the job today . <S> It turned out that they were brass /chrome plated pipes not sleeves at all. <S> They were threaded on the bottom and the joint was between the floors out of sight. <S> They just wound out with vice grips. <S> This would be original plumbing installed in the late 1940s and still going strong. <S> My Mrs just wanted it updated. <S> Methods have sure changed our the last 80 years. <S> Thanks all .Job complete. <S> – <S> jer <S> prime Dec 8 '17 at 21:26 <A> Is the other end of the copper pipe attached to a valve? <S> Typically you would remove the old supply line from the valve to the sink and install new if needed. <S> You are going to have to cut the copper if you do not have threaded connection on the other end, so if you do not have a valve <S> then you should install one so you can turn off the water in the event of a faucet failure or replacement. <A> I do not believe that is chrome <S> I think it is a sweated fitting that the solder flowed over the edge when soldering the connection. <S> If you can drain the line you could heat it with a torch and disassemble. <S> I like using map gas over propane because it is hotter, but a standard propane torch will work with no water in the line.
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If there is not a shut off valve I would probably install one then use a flex line instead of hard line a lot easier.
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Is a tilted drywall joint at an angled roof intersection to be expected? We have an older house and looking to sell it. We have a contractor in to add a small closet to my son’s room since we didn’t have one in there. The problem is that the joint between the wall and slanted wall is crooked. When I asked the contractor about this he replied the following: I tried to put the closet in as square, plumb and level as I could. I had to shorten the right inside of the closet to compensate for the out of level roof and reduce that angle as much as I could to keep the new walls plumb and doors operating correctly. I don’t think we can adjust any further without negatively affecting more crucial lines and door operation. Is this a valid point? I’m out of my element here. <Q> I'm assuming the drywall at the top was not installed by the contractor, and he simply added the new drywall against it. <S> In this case his point is definitely valid, old drywall is going to be tough to butt up against, especially a slanted ceiling. <S> I'd just paint this and move on with life. <S> There is nothing structurally wrong done here, and I highly doubt anyone is going to notice, much less make a purchasing decision based on this! <A> One could have perhaps leveled it out by allowing the angle between the walls (yellow arrow) to be less than 90 degrees (thereby making the right side of the closet wall the same height as the left side). <S> He could have moved moved only the top corner down (back) <S> the ceiling (green arrow), but that would have left the opening and the new opening out of plumb as he said. <S> Another thing you could do is just tack a piece of crown molding over that joint. <A> Carpentry and plastering (drywall) are two totally different disciplines and the skills, tricks of the trade, and expertise do not necessarily cross over. <S> The carpenter's explanation is certainly plausible from a geometry perspective but a good plasterer could probably make the situation less obvious by "splitting the difference" between the three planes/surfaces. <S> Hiring two different tradesmen for this small job may not make financial sense to you, in that case you end of living with results of "cross-crafting".
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Perhaps a real drywall pro would have some trick to help. But then you'd likely end up with a misalignment of the opening on the wood floor (blue arrow), which in my opinion would be much more visually apparent. I really think it looks pretty good anyway and will look better when textured and painted.
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How can I bolt a microwave to the upper cabinet if the bolt hole is stripped? Of course this happened on the very last step... I am trying to install an over-the-range microwave. I've got it hanging on the bracket that attached to the back wall. All I need to do now is bolt the top front to the upper cabinet. But the ****** bolt hole is stripped on one of them. The bolt will go all the way in but never catch enough to hold the microwave's weight. Tge bolt itself is fine. The other hole works like it should, too. I thought about attaching a nut that fits the bolt onto the top of the microwave with epoxy but whether or not it would really stick seems like a gamble. I also thought about cutting a small notch into the side, slipping in a nut epoxied to a washer and positioning them under the hole where the bolt should enter. That also seems risky since there's a chance I'd cut something I shouldn't or that the washer and nut would fall someplace I couldn't reach. A third option would be to drill a home in to the side cabinet and insert a screw through there but that would also entail drilling into the microwave. I really don't want this thing crashing down on to the oven! Thanks in advance. <Q> If the microwave is under warranty then get a replacement telling them it's a manufacturing defect, if not then you can do what you want with it <S> so my course of action would be to remove the cover and see what my options are. <S> The metal covers on microwaves are generally pretty easy to get off, a few screws <S> and they slide off, getting them back on is the reverse process. <S> Working with the cover on is challenging because you don't want metal shavings getting into the electronics or tools to damage it while you're working. <S> I like your nut on the underside idea <S> , it's simple and the least work once you have the cover off, unless you can borrow a tap and die set and re-cut the thread. <S> You could try that with the cover on of course, however small shavings of metal will get into the microwave from that, which could lead to a short. <S> Epoxy on the top is not a great course because it's probably painted, you'd be gluing onto the paint instead of metal, so you'd want to sand a clean surface if you tried that. <S> It might hold or it might not, and if it were me <S> I'd be constantly worried it was going to drop on me. <S> There are other options, for instance a toggle bolt: <S> If you can find one of these that's small enough to fit through the hole, and <S> if there's enough space behind the hold you could push one it through and use it to hold it up, just be aware you wouldn't be able to get it back out again without taking the cover off. <S> Personally I'd use that as a last option, my first would be to get the cover off, just be careful about your own safety around the electronics. <A> Get a bigger bolt/screw. <S> Can't really see from the photo what that bolt is screwing into but a larger diameter bolt should work. <S> If it's sheet metal get a sheet metal screw which may require you to drill the hole slightly larger. <S> As a last resort you may be able to just drill a new hole in the cover panel and use a sheet metal screw. <S> There may be a frame inside that the original bolt fastens to <S> so the cover panel might not be a structural portion of the microwave and may sag a little. <A> I like the idea of replacing the oven under Warr. <S> If you can't hang the oven safely than it is not really an eye-level oven. <S> As an honorable mention: install small corbels under the unit connected to the side cabinets; small hard wood blocks stained to match, etc.
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If there's a threaded nut in there then go up one size on the bolt and drill and tap the nut for the larger bolt.
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Dog-friendly mouse hunting strategies after a year of using standard products? TL;DR: When commercial products have been ineffective or proven dog-unfriendly, what are some other mouse-catching strategies when the mice hide in baseboard heaters and have learned to avoid most traps? Context: I bought an old home in an old neighborhood. It soon became apparent that there are mice and they get everywhere*. Steps taken: I called 2 big name pest control companies. They both charged a lump fee of $350-500 then came out and put snap traps, then suggested I have a $3000-ish service come out to seal up the house. snap traps (my own, all over the house) glue traps (caught far more mice than the pros did) many completely ineffective repellents electronic sound-repllents sprays pellets I never got them 100% gone and they keep breeding (or possibly entering from outside, but I sealed everything up as best as I could on my budget). I've probably caught 20 mice over the course of the year. Maybe more. I had almost elminiated them for a while with well placed glue traps, but then They learned to avoid them (I caught all the dumb mice; the surviving generation of mice are brilliant) My dog got her paws stuck in the glue traps 2x despite preventative measures, and I can't let that happen again So now their activity / numbers seems way up because I can't use almost any traps. The places where I know they go are also often places where my dog could get to and there's really no safe trap I know of for a dog. What's a good strategy or tool for catching, killing, and/or driving out mice that's very dog-safe? Any ideas, strategies, or recommendations would be greatly appreciated. *I hate mice more than I describe to you. I've been cleaning their droppings and sterilizing everything in the house everyday for over a year. <Q> There is a "home brew" and a commercial form of "bucket-trap" which basically lures them out to a freely rotating element baited with peanut butter and drops them into water to drown. <S> If you build it with a hole in the side and use a lid (as the commercial version I recall is built) it's fairly dog-safe <S> as there's just the hole in the side (typically with a ramp) for the mice to crawl in. <S> The illustrated version would be not dog-safe at all, as it's open and appears to be using antifreeze (suggested when using them in the winter in unheated buildings.) <S> There are also the enclosed repeating traps which are dog-safe, since again, the mice have to crawl into them. <S> How well either works depends on your mice. <A> I live in an older home <S> and I had a pretty significant mouse issue for a while. <S> I could hear them in the ceilings at night. <S> The first thing I tried was putting snap traps. <S> These are somewhat effective but there are issues: <S> One mouse at a time. <S> If you have a lot of mice, you will need a lot of traps <S> Don't forget to check the traps. <S> The odor of weeks old dead mouse is unpleasant, to say the least. <S> Some times the traps go flying into weird spots when trapped. <S> Cannibal mice might also drag the bodies into unreachable areas. <S> See #2. <S> What I finally did that seems to have mostly worked is to put out a lot (I mean a lot) of the poison blocks. <S> The key with these is that they need to be up high. <S> When redid the ceiling the room where I was hearing them, 5 decades of mouse droppings came down. <S> It was disgusting and cemented my murderous rage towards mice in my house (mice outside: we're cool.) <S> So when I put up the new ceiling I put dozens of the rodent poison blocks up in it. <S> The late night mice parties have ceased. <S> Some people worry about having dead mice in the walls or whatever. <S> As I understand it, the active ingredient acts like desiccant. <S> The mice immediately need water. <S> In theory this means they will leave and die outside assuming there isn't water readily available inside. <S> I've never had any smells or anything. <S> but you will probably forget about them after while <S> (see #2 above.) <A> Similar to the other bucket idea, I just recently saw this "Walk-the-plank" type mouse trap and thought it sounded efficient and safe, although I've never used one. <S> Basically, you fill the bucket with a small amount of water (or not), prop up a board against the bucket so that they have access to the plank, and then dab some peanut butter or some type of bait on the end of the plank. <S> The plank falls out below them whenever they go out for the bait, and they land in the bucket - trapped. <S> Only condition here is you'd have to probably put something over or around the bucket to keep the dog away, but still let the mice through. <S> My two would definitely clean the bait off themselves.
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The snap traps are good for monitoring for mice
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Why does my home's power fade and surge when I plug things in? I live in Texas. I ran 300 ft of aluminum electric direct-bury 4-4-2 from the pole on street to my new home. The pole is metered and yes, I had my utility's blessing to do so. Everything worked perfectly for 6 months, but now suddenly if I plug anything (lamp, heater, charger ) in my lights dim, or sometimes if I plug in elsewhere things get very bright or plug in heaters work better or worse depending. There’s no rhyme or reason to any of it. I have undone and redone every receptacle to be sure. I installed 50 amp breakers in every slot of box on house to try to solve this problem to no avail. (I have never once tripped a breaker ever) I haven’t been able to put up sheetrock because I don’t want to have to remove it. <Q> Call your UTILITY now on their EMERGENCY NUMBER <S> Your service neutral is going bad. <S> There's a good chance some things will eventually catch on fire if you keep this up <S> And please put properly rated breakers back in, so you aren't playing with fire for any longer than you already have been! <S> Whoever told you to do what you did with your breakers knows nothing about electricity, and should not be treated as a reliable source of electrical advice ever again! <A> There's clearly a reluctance to ask the utility or others for local help. <S> To convince yourself of the need to get help with the wiring, use a volt meter to check the line-to-neutral voltage on both legs of the supply coming in to the main panel during a time when this bright-and-dim phenomenon is occurring. <S> A difference of more than 1-2 volts in the two readings suggests an imbalanced/overloaded neutral or a failing connection on the neutral, as many others have already suggested. <S> In my experience, a utility will disconnect and reconnect service at no charge to the customer to support this kind of repair. <S> Please don't hesitate to involve the utility because of concerns about budget. <A> I'd have to guess that there is (as usual, which is why I never go direct burial) <S> a problem with the direct-buried wire - some rodent decided to chew it, or it was damaged by careless backfilling. <S> Conduit provides better protection for the wire and means only having to dig the trench once. <S> But, before you go to digging it up, it's worth going over the connections, since aluminum wire connections are tricky, and doing them right might solve your problem. <S> You need to use a proper anti-oxidiant joint compound, and apply it correctly, then torque the connections to the correct specified torque. <S> Obviously power needs to be OFF when doing this, so if one end of your wire is in the meterbox, you will need the utility's cooperation in getting this done, and you might want to hire an electrician anyway for the benefit of years of experience connecting aluminum wires. <A> Clearly the connection is showing some resistance and it is intermittent. <S> It would be a very good idea to call a qualified electrician to take a look at it since any resistance translates directly into heat and can be a fire hazard. <S> It can be a loosening connection, or perhaps water intrusion causing corrosion, or even stray critters, all of which can be easily checked. <S> It might very well be oxidation. <S> Aluminum is famous for it. <S> Here is an example of the compound that can be applied to the connection: NOALOX 4 <S> oz. <S> Anti-Oxidant Compound <S> (Home Depot $6.95) <A> It's just a hunch, but the fact that it worked correctly for 6 months and is now displaying symptoms of a ground fault to me indicates corrosion. <S> You mention that the 300 foot of wire you buried from the utility pole was aluminum. <S> Your house is most likely copper. <S> Did you use bi-metal splices to join the two wires together? <S> You should never join dissimilar metals together directly. <S> The two different metals will result in galvanic corrosion. <S> Over time this will be a fire hazard, as you will get arcing across the gap created by the corrosion. <S> So my advice would be to have a qualified electrician inspect these wires and the unions as quickly as possible. <S> The situation you describe is a dangerous fire hazard.
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If you find this condition then there's nothing you can safely do to resolve it without involving the utility at least. This is a power outage even though it doesn't appear so -- the fluctuations in light and heat you see are because the 0V reference mark for all your 120V outlets is no longer acting as such, resulting in outlets getting higher and lower voltages depending on what else is plugged in. It is recommended that all Aluminum connections be treated to prevent oxidation.
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Does my extension cord have too much internal resistance? We had a snow storm yesterday and today I found in my front yard the 25-foot 110-volt outdoor-rated extension cord had caused a melt depression in the 5-inch snow. (In the picture the curving line is the extension cord) I'm not looking for system optimization here. I just want to make sure that this isn't a fire hazard and it's within safety tolerances of the extension cord. Edit: I should add it got to 30 deg Fahrenheit (-1 Celsius) last night so it wouldn't take too much of a temperature increase to cause melt. New Edit: thank you all for your help. I don't have a voltometer. I will check the temperature when the timer clicks on but I don't think it's too hot to hold as some snow was left on top of the cord. If more snow fall comes down (it's all melted away now) I will swap out cords to see if I can demonstrate the same effect. <Q> A few relevant facts: <S> The maximum current of the extension cord is the current where it produces some specified temperature increase above ambient, possibly 10 or 20 degrees C. <S> (Or some specified voltage drop from one end to the other, hopefully not more than 10 V). <S> Snow is a fairly good insulator, so once it has covered the extension cord, all the heat produced by the cord will be contained around the cord. <S> This means the cord temperature will rise more than it would if the cord were surrounded by air. <S> Snow (typically) falls only when the air temperature is in a fairly narrow temperature range around the freezing point of water. <S> So it won't normally take much added heat to start melting new-fallen snow. <S> These three facts mean that what you saw does not necessarily indicate a problem. <A> First off, if the cord is not overtly warm to the touch, it's safe. <S> Some resistance is expected, normal and ok. <S> Here this is a SJTW type cord with 16 gauge wire and 3 conductors. <S> You can readily look up maximum length/amperage for a given cord wire gauge. <A> Since you stated the length in feet and the voltage is 110 volts, I will assume you are in the USA or Canada. <S> The cord should have a UL, cUL, ULc, CSA, or ETL <S> (USA only) mark. <S> That provides pretty good assurance that the cord will safely carry the maximum current that any one appliance will draw if it has a plug for a 15 amp outlet. <S> That is assuming that the appliance is also marked with one of those marks. <A> I just want to make sure that this isn't a fire hazard <S> and it's within safety tolerances of the extension cord. <S> When I ask myself a question like that, I do the following ball-park estimation. <S> I carefully touch the cord by my hand. <S> If I can hold it for about 5 seconds or more (it's not too hot), then I guess there is no danger.
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But of course you should make sure the current load is no more than the cord is rated for, and that the two ends of the cord are both well protected from water intrusion if you're going to use it with snow falling or on the ground. Second, check the rating: Cords come in different wire gauges, ranging from light duty cords unsuitable for heavy use at any length, to thick wires for running long distances with minimal heat or voltage drop.
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Can different gauges of wire be used on the same circuit? My father-in-law is a builder. He has put in 20 amp and 15 amp breakers, and ran 12-2 as the home runs to the switch's and the first plug to make them hot. He then ran 14-2 to feed the rest of the plugs, lights, and ceiling fans. Is it okay that he used different gauge wires on the same circuit? <Q> It is fine for the 15 amp circuits, but not for the 20 amp circuits. <S> The National Electrical Code requires circuits protected by a 20 amp circuit breaker to use #12 AWG copper wire throughout the circuit. <S> Regardless of where it is in the circuit, even if it is after the first receptacle, #14 wire cannot be used on a power or lighting circuit protected by a 20 amp breaker. <S> The following are pertinent excerpts from articles of the National Electrical Code: <S> 210.20(B) Conductor Protection. <S> Conductors shall be protected in accordance with 240.4. <S> 240.4(D) <S> Small Conductors. <S> Unless specifically permitted in 240.4(E) or (G), the overcurrent protection shall not exceed that required by (D)(1) through (D)(7) after any correction factors for ambient temperature and number of conductors have been applied. <S> ... <S> (3) 14 AWG Copper. <S> 15 amperes ... (5) 12 AWG Copper. <S> 20 amperes The #14 wire that is installed on 20 amp circuits would need to be replaced with #12 or the breaker on that circuit needs to be replaced by a 15 amp breaker. <S> Usually, 20 amp circuits are used for receptacle circuits and 15 amp circuits are used for lighting circuits. <S> Good luck! <A> It sounds like your father-in-law "reasoned things out" and "used his own judgement" rather than "blindly following" the "common practice" (in this case the electrical code). <S> He was possibly thinking about the way water pipes (supply and drain) are sized. <S> Unfortunately this does not work for home electrical systems. <S> It actually works well under most normal operation, but fails if there is a combination of loads which allows close to 20 A to flow through the #14 conductors. <S> A #14 copper conductor carrying 20 A would get very hot. <S> The immediate thing to do is to replace the 20-A breakers with 15-A breakers on any circuits which have any sections of 14 AWG copper wires. <S> Then analyze the wiring and you would see that some circuits could be rewired to disconnect the 14 AWG part from the #12 and these all #12 sections could be upgraded to 20-A breakers. <S> New #14 cables from 15-A breakers could then be installed to power the lights which are on #14. <A> You can always use a larger gauge than is required <S> So if you have a 15A circuit, you are required to use least 14 AWG wire. <S> However if you want to use #12, #8, 4/0... <S> whatever, as long as your wiring methods are proper. <S> There's one hitch, but it's a "practical, implementation" issue moreso than a rule. <S> That's attaching the wire to the device, receptacle, switch, whatever, or making the larger wire fit somewhere. <S> For instance I just looked at a 15A receptacle, and it is listed for #12 or #14 copper wire -- and only #14 solid if using the backstab (which is a bad idea). <S> You have to comply with all that. <S> Or say you have 10 of these conductors to put down a 1/2" EMT conduit. <S> That's legal with #12, but if you upsize to #10, that exceeds conduit fill rules. <S> And of course you still have to follow all the other circuit rules, so if you have a 20A socket, it still has to be on a 20A breaker even if the wire is #8. <A> If a 15 amp breaker is installed on a 12 gauge wire, any electrician should think the wire is a long run and not that it was incorrectly installed on a 15 amp breaker. <S> Before changing the 15 amp breaker to a 20 amp breaker, it is the responsibility of the electrician to make sure the entire circuit is run with a minimum wire size of 12 gauge. <A> Yes you can use on a 15 amp circuit breaker a 12 gauge wire from your panel to the first receptacle then continue with 14 gauge wire. <S> It would in fact need to be done that way if your first receptacle requières a wire that was more than 50 feet long. <S> Then, assuming the other receptacles would be in the vicinity of the first receptacle, a 14 gauge wire could be used to connect the rest of the receptacles
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The National Electrical Code allows circuits protected by a 15 amp circuit breaker to use #12 AWG copper wire but #14 AWG wire cannot be protected by anything larger than a 15 amp breaker for power and lighting. So if you upsized to #10, you can't connect it to that receptacle directly , you must pigtail the receptacle with a #12 (or possibly #14 if on a 15A circuit).
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How can I reduce the noise of a street in front of the house? Situation: A rented flat with a busy street right in front of it.The bed room faces towards the street with a window front.As the flat is rented I can not build something permanently like new windows or a wall. I already thougt about styrofoam plates, other foam or heavy curtains but don't know what is usable. According to a municpial computer model the noise is between 55-75 dbA in 4m height from the ground. The flat is like 10-15m from the ground. How could I reduce the noise from the street? Edit: As it was suggested that this question is a duplicate of this one and this one : I don't have a garden and can not set up a wall. My question is only about inhouse insulation. Edit 2: The noise is mostly a problem during bedtime as it disturbs the sleep. Foam earplugs are not a solution for everyone due to medical reasons. <Q> I use a white noise generator while sleeping. <S> These devices can provide a neutral sound that is fairly relaxing, while drowning out most of the street noise. <S> This isn't a 100% solution, but it's something that sits on your night <S> stand/dresser and doesn't have to cost a lot. <S> It can also be taken with you on vacation. <S> These usually have multiple options for sounds, so <S> if you like trains, ocean waves, birds, or whatever, there's probably a setting for you. <S> Mine has 11 options (IIRC), and I use the rain storm option exclusively. <S> I think I've even heard of phone apps to do the same thing. <S> You might be able to get a white noise generator device with an oil/scent option, to further help relaxing. <S> This is usually a paper or cotton pad that you put scented oil on, which has a tiny fan to under it to spread the aroma. <S> I never used it, but it's something to think about. <S> FYI, pink noise is not white noise. <A> Since you specifically mention the bedroom, should I assume you're mostly concerned with noise during the time you'll be in bed? <S> If so, the crazy cheap way to fix the problem is foam earplugs. <S> My only worry would be the elevated risk in case of fire or burglary... <A> If you have an older home with original windows, replacing them with modern insulated glass (aka double glazing, double pane, etc.) will provide the biggest improvement. <S> A further step would be adding additional insulation to your exterior walls. <S> I don't know a lot about this, but I've seen done cheaply by adding sound insulation on top of the drywall, then adding another sheet of drywall on 1" wood spacers. <S> Of course, this means you loose a tiny bit of interior space. <A> YOu can look into getting "board panels" that you hang on the walls and that might help. <S> These boards are made of different materials for different application. <S> Read through these website for information about which kind will suit your problem best: https://www.atsacoustics.com/page--Selecting-the-Right-Acoustic-Material--ac.html <S> Good LuckNOTE: I am not promoting the website or the products there. <S> I just find their page about insulation type informative. <A> Place one of these on the street 200 feet in either direction of your house. <A> Otherwise, move to a quiet place in the country. <S> You've claimed you can't do pretty much anything else that would help. <S> A meter available for a few Dollars/Pounds/Euros could give you a sound measurement (rather than a model), as can most smartphones. <A> You can typically buy up to 2" thick foam insulation board from a home improvement store, around $20 for a 4 foot by 8 foot sheet. <S> Very cheap and lightweight, that could help cut down the noise. <S> You want it as close to the wall as possible, and as far away from you as possible. <S> Ideally you'd block the window as well since that is most likely letting more noise in than the walls. <S> Then you'd have no light though, so it's a choice to consider.
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Any insulated glass will be much better than non-insulated glass, but you can also get special kinds of insulated glass for sound isolation. Your options are limited and not too effective due to the fact that you are renting and thus need something that is not permanent and affordable. Might take a little while to get used to sleeping in them. If the bedroom is in the front of the house and the road is in front of the house, change the use of rooms so the bedroom is in the back of the house.
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Need info on AFCI requirements Are AFCI breakers required on 30 amp dryer circuits and 50 amp furnace and stove circuits or just the 20 and 15's? I haven't done residential in a long time. Thanks fellas. <Q> Assuming that you're concerned with AFCI requirements in dwellings , the generic National Electrical Code (NEC) 2014 edition, Section 210.12 only requires AFCI for selected "120-volt, single-phase, 15- and 20-ampere branch circuits", according to their locations. <S> Additional requirements may apply for plug-connected room-air conditioners (Art 440) and with interconnected power sources (Section 705.12(D)) related to utility-connected inverters. <S> In theory, a 230-v A/C requires "factory-installed" AFCI, if connected via plug and cord. <S> Section 440.65. <S> Local codes may vary (somewhat wildly) on the requirements for any AFCI at all. <A> In our area, what is called the Inland NW, (eastern Washington State) <S> what is being required in residences, (I don't think they are required at all outside of residential) <S> all 110-volt circuits, both 15-Amp and 20-Amp circuits in new construction will be protected by AFCI. <S> None of the 240-volt circuits are required to be protected by arc-fault. <S> In remodel, if a circuit has been altered then it is required to be brought up modern standard, meaning it must be protected by AFCI. <S> Hope this helps. <A> If I was going to do anything like that, especially in floodlands, I would want GFCI. <S> One thing that really struck mee during Harvey was all the 2-storey buildings where the first storey had 3 feet of water in it, but the ceiling lights were on, and the second storey was habitable. <S> That's <S> because the service panel was on the 2nd floor, everything down to the first floor was on GFCI, and it just auto-tripped. <S> AFCI is for detecting arcing wiring faults. <S> 90% of what I do is in metal conduit, where arc fault protection is pointless. <S> As appalling as this sounds, I feel like arc fault protection exists because of builders' fondness for cheap construction like blue plastic boxes and backstabs. <S> If it's practical for you to fit EMT where you are running large appliances, it takes that issue right off the table. <S> I would aim to slope horizontal EMT runs very slightly <S> so it self-drains.
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Again the 240-volt circuits are not required to be protected by AFCI. In some jurisdictions, in 200-Amp service alterations, i.e. new panel, meter base, service raceway and service conductor, etc; as long as the panel in not moved more than 6-feet, they are not considering that as altering the 120-volt circuits.
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Is it safe to add shelving to truss members in my attic? I have a (I believe it's called) "W" frame loft: (sorry about the quality of the pictures - maybe I should ask in the photography Stack Exchange how to take such pictures) There are no floorboards, just ceiling joists, but I had an idea that I could create some additional storage by lashing some lengths of chipboard between the frames (making an upside-down A on the two arms of the W). My question is: could this affect either the structural integrity or the airflow in the loft; or, generally, are there any reasons this should not be done? Further, if there are no reasons to not do it, then are there any considerations to bear in mind (for example, it occurred to me that I shouldn't screw anything in place to allow the beams to expand and contract). EDIT: Following a request in the comments for more detail, I have (badly) sketched what I'm trying to achieve. This illustrates the loft / attic space currently: And this illustrates what I'm contemplating doing: <Q> Trusses are engineered to support loads that are applied in certain ways. <S> It would often not be practical to make a truss support all of its required loads without it also being able to support some additional load applied in other places, but it's generally unwise to expect trusses to support much additional loading beyond their own weight. <S> For example, a truss which intended only to hold up a roof above it (and not a ceiling below) might well use a thinner bottom board than would be required to support a ceiling, and one which is intended only to support a ceiling might use a thinner board than one which is designed to support both a ceiling and a storage area. <S> Note that applying a load in the middle of a truss member will create stress on that member proportional to the ratio of its length to its thickness. <S> If a truss has an 8' long 2x4 board with nothing attached to the middle of it, each pound of loading to the middle may increase the stress on some parts of the board by more than twenty pounds. <S> It's not hard to design trusses to withstand interior loading, but such trusses would cost more than those that aren't designed for such use. <A> Fastening flooring to the ceiling joists is okay. <S> (This is what would be done if you were going to add a second floor anyway.) <S> The roof over the loft is built with trusses, which you show in your pictures. <S> DO NOT CUT THE TRUSSES. <S> I cannot stress that enough. <S> Cutting the trusses will definitely effect the structural integrity of your home/roof. <S> Adding items for storage in the loft space should be okay as well, as long as it's not a bunch of extremely heavy objects all resting on one or two of the trusses. <S> But for some storage boxes or whatever you need, it should be fine. <S> (To put it in perspective, if you wanted to install a furnace in that attic space, you would be able to rest the weight of the furnace on a couple of those trusses.) <S> Hope that helps! <A> Very dangerous...I wouldn’t do it. <S> You’re putting “unrecognized loads” on the chords (and connections) that were not designed into the design of the truss. <S> Those chords and connectors are designed to carry specific loads. <S> If one chord fails, the entire truss fails. <S> By the way, if you’re putting books up there, the Code lists books as one of the heaviest loads to design for on a per square foot basis. <S> That will cause it to buckle.
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Adding loads to a truss which are small relative to the weight of the truss itself (e.g. an attic light fixture) should be safe, but adding loads beyond that could be dangerous. Also, don’t attach anything to the side of a truss.
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Would two 1x10 placed together be as strong/load bearing as one 2x10 I have a rotted joist in my floor that I can access through my basement, but is above several pipes. I could squeeze a 1x10 through the gaps but can't get a 2x10 to fit. So wondering if I got two 1x10 to fit, then affixed them together, would that have the same strength that a single 2x10 would have? <Q> In theory, yes, if you're able to bond them together adequately. <S> This would typically mean a glue bond across the entire surface, or closely-spaced screw fasteners. <S> You might even consider a triple. <A> In theory, yes. <S> Look online to compare the strength of various species of wood before you go this route. <S> The reason for caution here is that there are strong woods that you would typically find good quality 2x framing members cut from. <S> On the other hand the typical wide boards (1x material) that you see are cut from much softer and less strong types of wood. <S> Another thing to consider is the portion of the log that 2x beams and 1x boards are cut from. <S> Study the wood's grain pattern on the end of the beams/boards before committing. <S> If your length is not longer than the lengths that you can get in plywood you may want to consider composing a beam out of lengths of plywood that you sandwich together in place. <S> With enough layers you may even be able to stagger butt joints in the lengths of the plywood strips to achieve longer lengths. <S> Glue bonding with fasteners to draw the strips together would be essential for this type of sandwiching. <A> It’s probably stronger if same grade... <S> (whether they are fastened together or not,) because: 1) same cross-sectional area, 2) same area from same distance from neutral axis, and 3) more surface area seen during grading. <S> 1) Strength of beam is based on several factors, one of which is cross-sectional area. <S> If they match, they are the same strength. <S> 2) <S> Extreme Fiber in Bending: <S> 3) <S> Lumber is graded on what is seen and not seen by the grader. <S> More surface area of small pieces of lumber can be seen in small pieces of lumber than larger pieces of lumber, so the grader is more certain of the quality of the wood and therefore has a higher grade strength. <S> That is to say, the grader can’t see the inside of a large piece, so there’s a safety factor in the grading (and thus structural design) that reduces its strength. <S> Strength has nothing to do with how to fasten the two pieces of lumber together. <S> However, if you’re fastening sheathing to the top, you’ll need to be more careful to fasten directly into the skinnier 1x10’s. <A> Yes, but it will be much weaker. <S> Here. <S> Get some sheets of paper. <S> Kids' construction paper would be best, but any will do. <S> Take 2 sheets at a time and do these things: one pair, do nothing one pair, draw dots on a 2” (50mm) grid and staple the paper everywhere there are dots. <S> one pair, mix up a 1/4 teaspoon of Elmer's or any wood glue thinned with water, and brush it lightly across one sheet and lay the other on it. <S> Press them together and let them dry. <S> Now see which one is the stiffest. <S> The unaltered paper will flop like a noodle. <S> The stapled paper will be stiffer, but the staples will "work", enlarging their holes and reducing stiffness. <S> The glue-laminate will in hands down. <S> A great glue to use is West System epoxy with bonding filler added to it - not too much, a lot of the epoxy will soak into the wood and it won't take the filler with it. <S> The wood will be pretty well-finished just by virtue of being the finer one-by stock; if not, a thin pass through a planer would not be uncalled for. <S> It might also pay to "triple" it.
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I’d fasten them together with minimal number of fasteners, because they’ll tend to “buckle” under extreme loading before the wider lumber. But do consider the type of wood. Because the two 1x10’s have the same surface area as the single 2x10 from the neutral axis, it’s the same strength.
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How to deal with the trapped air in a loft attic? I live in an apartment (not a house) with a loft attic. It has enough space and I use it as a study room. In summer, the air is extremely hot as I walk up the steps to the attic. Initially I was thinking to get a solar powered roof fan installed on the roof with its opening inside the attic (of course this needs strata approval), however, there is a problem: My bathroom has a hole that leads to a dome shaped skylight window and at the end of the hole, it has access to the roof cavity (the gap between the roof and the ceiling). I guess they made it that way to vent the air in the bathroom. Now, if I install this vent in my attic, the vent sucks the air inside the flat out and as the result the replacement air will be pulled from bathroom and since it's connected to the roof cavity, the air in there will be pulled inside the flat. I already have problem with dust and dead insects coming through that hole in my bathroom, if I install the vent, this gets even worst. So then my next thought was that, perhaps I can install the roof vent without any opening inside the unit and the opening will be inside the roof cavity. However, I'm not sure if that will be effective and if it makes any different to the current state. So I am kind of desperate and the air in my attic is so hot and humid that makes the attic useless. I can't even use it as storage because I'm worried molds will be grow so I keep it empty during the summer. I hope I can find a solution here. I guess there are some misunderstanding, I draw something to explain what I mean. My attic is loft so from there you can see the living room. Also there is no access from toilet to attic, it’s venting into roof cavity So here are my questions: If I install the roof fan to vent the air from attic to outside, doesn’t that pull the air from the cavity via bathroom into the living area? If I install the roof fan to vent the air from cavity and NOT the attic, does that even help? Considering the roof is shared with another unit. Any other option? P.S.: The wall on the other end of my attic is shared with the other unit, so I can't really open a hole to install an exhaust fan. <Q> First off the bathroom should be sealed from the attic space, any venting from the bathroom should be to outside. <S> Venting moist bathroom air into the attic space is a recipe for mold and should never happen, fix that first. <S> Next the attic is supposed to get hot, this keeps the heat away from the living space, if you are using the attic as living space it needs to be properly insulated and ventilated. <S> Don't skip the insulation step keeping the heat out is a great first step. <S> Another option would be to setup interior fans to increase the air exchange between the attic and the other living space, allowing the living space HVAC to cool the warm attic air. <S> A big thing to consider here is that cooling the attic space with living space air is likely to make the other living spaces warmer in the summer. <A> You could install a roof fan with a duct from the fan to the loft space that you want to vent. <S> If there is a window you could install a small window A/C unit to help cool the loft. <A> If you can get approval from your landlord for it, you could install a Y on your bathroom vent. <S> One branch goes back to the bathroom and one is for the attic, with the "leg" of the Y going outside. <S> On each branch of the Y, install an air duct gate so you can close off each branch selectively. <S> Between the gate and the Y for the attic side, also install an inline duct fan. <S> When you use the attic, turn off the bathroom gate, turn on the attic gate, and turn on the duct fan. <S> When you leave, do the reverse. <S> If you are really handy, or have the money to do so, you can get gates with motors so all that could be done at the flick of a light switch. <S> Duct gate/damper example: <S> http://www.atlantasupply.com/nlhtml/images/zcrdn.jpg <S> Duct fan example: <S> http://www.espenergy.com/5_inli6.jpg
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As for ventilation you can either as you said, add a vent fan to send the hot attic air outside, and setup other attic vents to either draw air in from outside (normal for an attic space) or draw air up from the living space (not normal, but might be what you want as you are using the attic as living space).
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Is it permissible to have exposed mains conductors in holiday lights? I've just had a holiday lights company install some outside tree lights, and I found they had done it so that at several places the prongs of mains cable plugs had been left exposed, and carrying mains voltage. I've put a couple of pictures here: https://tinyurl.com/tk-wiring-pics (In the one with the voltmeter, that plug is just as it was left lying on the grass by the installer -- I didn't have to unplug it to get to the pins.) Is that permitted under the US NEC? I know there is provision in the NEC for temporary (up to 90 days) installations, and the installer has told me that their setup is fine because of that. But that sounds a bit dubious if it implies you can leave 100V+ lying around in the grass for some kid to stand on. Also, I think I found the reason it has happened, and that is that the installer has made up some of their own cables, and one of them has a plug at both ends (i.e. instead of a plug at one, and a socket at the other). As a result they have in a sense "reversed the direction" of plug-to-socket, and so instead of the usual power going into plugs and out of sockets, they have a big section of our yard lights where power is going into sockets and out of plugs (several of which are then exposed to the outside). Seems very unsafe to me but, again, is that actually allowed by NEC under the temporary installation allowances? <Q> You are correct in assuming there should not be any live connections exposed in any situation. <S> I suppose it should be said that this is a dangerous situation and could be fixed fairly easy with a set of wire cutters and some appropriate wire nuts. <S> So call the installer and see if they want to make the repair. <S> If they give you any static I would report it to the AHJ in you area and let them deal with it. <S> Regardless I would not recommend you turn these lights on until a repair was made. <S> As I said before this is a potential fire and shock hazard. <A> It's incorporated by reference. <S> The electrical code cites 110.3 listed and labeled equipment shall be installed and used in accordance with any instructions included in the listing or labeling. <S> Which punts the entire matter over to UL. <S> Let's test the theory that this is legal. <S> They either bought this item off the shelf, or they modified it themselves. <S> If they bought it off the shelf -- then UL would have had to test, approve and list the cable with male <S> NEMA 1‘s <S> on both ends. <S> I think we can reject that as highly improbable. <S> If they modified it -- then they would need to be doing so in accordance with instructions to do so , these instructions being approved by UL as part of the testing, approval and listing of that product. <S> Now, can you imagine UL approving instructions that advise or fail to prohibit attachment of a male connector in more than one place? <S> I am not a product manufacturer <S> so I don't know the guts of the UL rules, but I don't see that happening. <S> Realistically, they modified it gypsy/illegal, which violates 110.3. <S> That is so stupid-easy <S> I cannot believe the installer didn't just do that. <S> Don't lop off an extension cord to do this, as the cut end will have hot and neutral about 1mm apart and could burn little fingers. <S> Or big ones. <A> Combined my comment and answer since the OP asked about NEC rules and holiday lighting . <S> Not legal at all!! <S> ! <S> 406.7.A , in short says NO exposed current carrying conductors totally illegal this could never be listed! <S> 590.5 states the holiday lighting shall be listed and labeled, there is no way this is a listed product.
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As a practical matter I would buy a bare NEMA 1 socket for about a dollar, and slip that over the bare contacts, tape it down with electrical tape (to make it obvious this should not be taken apart) and call it good.
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Are light socket to outlet adapters safe for outdoor holiday lights? We just moved into a split level house about 40 years old. This will be our first Christmas and I cannot figure out how to put up lights because we don't seem to have any outlets outside. I could buy socket adaptor and put it on one of my outside lights but I don't know if this would be safe or not. Suggestions welcome. Not enough time to get an electrician out to put in some outside sockets. <Q> The key is making sure you're not overloading anything. <S> Figure out what else is on the circuit with the outside light, and what size breaker protects that circuit. <S> Figure out what size wire is used inside the light - this will typically be smaller than the #14 used in lighting circuits . <S> Determine the current capacity of that smaller wire, and keep the total load less than that capacity. <S> Using LED bulbs will allow you to run more lights this way. <S> Of course, using an actual receptacle is the preferred option, so make sure you don't have any outside. <S> Check around the AC unit for a receptacle, and near each entry door. <S> Check in your garage (including on the ceiling, where an opener may be plugged in). <S> Running extension cords all over is quite normal during the holidays. <S> You may prefer to run an extension cord from inside; just make sure that it isn't crushed when closing the window or door it passes through. <A> First of all talk to either an license electrician, an electrical inspector, or even an electrical engineer instead of asking the average person about wiring. <S> And I would never put an extension cord under the garage door for it being pinched by the closing of the door. <S> I went to electrician school, back in the 80's and had an electrical engineering with a bachelors degree in electrical engineering teaching the course, who had his own business with residential wiring. <S> I am also a electronic engineering technologist with a background in residential wiring too. <S> And my extensions cords that are made for the outside are water resistance to a certain point , they stand up to snow, rain, and if they would get to wet the GFI would trip shutting off the ground fault. <S> Check with somebody who actually works in the field. <A> Another thing is that any electrical outlet according to the US Electrical Code has to be a ground fault circuit interrupter receptacle under the NEC (National Electrical Code, article 210-8 for it to be accessible to grade level, or the ground. <S> Now most homes have GFCI breakers in the garage for several decades since that law was passed. <S> But I still wouldn't put it under a garage door before checking with an electrical inspector in your local area where you live.
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As long as you don't overload the fixture or the circuit, those socket adapters would be OK, especially for a temporary setup like Christmas lights.
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Building a DIY window-opener In my bathroom is one small window, which handle is 3 m above ground. Underneath the window stands my washing machine, so after showering, to get the humidity out, I need to climb on the washing machine in order to open the window. That is somewhat annoying and I am afraid the top of the machine will break through someday. So I did some research for products to open windows which are hard to reach because of the place they are build or for disabled people living in places which weren't constructed for somebody with a wheelchair, for example. I found these to website offering what I was looking for (sorry that both are in German, but I guess the pictures ( 1 , 2 ) give enough information). The window looks like this. 6 o'clock position of the handle is closed, 9 o'clock is open, I don't need the 12 o'clock position. However with costs more than 60 €, I wondered if somebody had an idea on how to DIY build something that fits the purpose and is not expensive. <Q> The window handle should have an eye (ring) on the end of it. <S> You use a stick with a hook on the end to open and close the window. <A> Wrap the eye with tape or something <S> so it doesn't scratch up your handle. <S> Another option, depending on the diameter of your handle, would be to get the wooden dowel and drill a large perpendicular hole through the end big enough for the handle to fit in. <A> Consider having an exhaust fan installed for the area. <S> Set timer for 15-Minutes. <S> This will exhaust the area in short order at very little cost. <S> And less painful that a fall from the top of the washer.
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My immediate thoughts are to get a large diameter wooden dowel (30-40mm, sold as stair railings or closet rods) and screw a large eye-bolt into the top of that and use it just as the tool you pictured. If you also have a clothes dryer in the area and it is vented outside properly, consider a setting of no-heat tumble action for a short period of time.
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Replacing existing ceiling fan but there’s no junction box I’m replacing an older existing ceiling fan in our home hat was built in 1997, located in Corydon, Indiana. We’ve lived here for 4 years. When I removed the existing ceiling fan, I️ noticed there was no outlet box, the wiring is simply staples to the ceiling joist and the fan itself was screwed into the joist. I’ve replaced several ceiling fans but this is the first time I’ve come across an installation done this way without an outlet box. I am concerned this may not be code and may pose a safety concern. The wire can be pulled down 2-3 inches. <Q> To get this right you would have to install an electrical box rated for hanging a fan mounted in the ceiling. <S> The box should have a built in or applied cable clamp to secure the wire. <S> The top piece is screwed to the upper side of the joists and the lower piece is screwed to the upper piece. <S> The lower piece is typically part of a 2x4 ripped for width and sits on edge under the flat upper 2x4. <S> After careful measurement and cutting the two pieces can be pre-assembled before installing over the electrical box hole. <A> Add box, retain fan mount <S> The actual fan mounting scheme the installer used is actually OK -- a fan mounted directly to a joist is going absolutely nowhere . <S> The problem, though, is the lack of a box to house the splices in, which is indeed a Code violation. <S> I'd use an offset (single sided) saddle-style box in this case due to the proximity of the joist <S> (image provided as an example only): Note that with this style of box in your retrofit-type application, you may need to mount it off-center on the joist somewhat to allow it to "nestle" in under the existing fan mounting bracket. <A> What you would do is Mark along the drywall where you want the box to go, centering the middle holes over your joist <S> Cut the drywall out <S> Put a clamp on your wire and knock out one of the holes on the pancake. <S> Attach the clamp to your pancake Attach the pancake to the joist Mount the fan to your pacake
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If you have access to the attic area above this ceiling the best way I've used to secure the electrical box in place for hanging a fan or heavy lighting fixture is to cut several pieces of wood that span across the ceiling joists as shown in the picture below. Indeed this is a code violation and shows that some previous cowboy owner or DIYer installed it in an inappropriate manner. You could install a fan-rated pancake box .
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Can I double-feed a low voltage DC system? I am trying to make some lighting resilient to breaker trips. (I.e. You trip the breaker and the lights don't go out.) Naturally it's all LED, and I am favorable toward low voltage DC lighting. I want to have a DC always-positive and return bus (e.g. Red and black) then lighting wired in the usual way with a switch interrupting a switched-positive line to the light. My question is -- can I use multiple DC power supplies to feed this DC bus off multiple mains AC circuits? Idea being if an overload or GFCI trip knocks out a circuit, the other one keeps the lights on. Supplies would be oversized with that in mind. <Q> I parallel power supplies all the time. <S> The only problems I have found is with switching supplies sometimes they don't work well together <S> but this is on loads that are inductive in nature. <S> If I want to be 100% sure it will work I use a transformer based regulated supply set at the same voltage. <S> So both supplies under normal load are being used. <S> No diodes or anything else is needed. <S> It is much like hooking 2 batteries in parallel for more amperage. <A> I know you are favorable to DC lighting .. <S> Put those circuits on a UPS ? <S> T hey regulate in either constant voltage or constant current mode. <S> They are really turning on and off rapidly to regulate either current or voltage and have a sense circuit to determine regulation. <S> I said all of that <S> so you will understand there are two things you require in your scenario current and voltage regulation <S> - You will need to make sure you have the right power supplies to do this - although I will say the DC power supplies probably use AC - although you can find DC to DC supplies. <S> "Two or more power supplies being capable of CV/CC automatic cross over operation can be connected in parallel to obtain a total output current greater than that available from one power supply. <S> The total output current is the sum of the output currents of the individual power supplies. <S> The output of each power supply can be set separately. <S> The output voltage controls of one power supply should be set to the desired output voltage (CV); the other power supplies should be set for a slightly higher output voltage. <S> The supplies with the higher output voltage setting will provide constant current output, and will drop their output voltage until it equals the output of the CV supply. " <S> copied from the link below: https://www.keysight.com/main/editorial.jspx?cc=US&lc=eng&ckey=520808&nid=-11143.0.00&id=520808 <A> Yes, you can. <S> Connect them via diodes. <S> You will have a small voltage drop (0.7V) over the diodes, but it ensures that only one power supply will be feeding the system at a time, and that it will not feed the other PSU. <S> There's several products that does this, for instance this Trio Diode from Phoenix .
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Setting 1 supply at a different level has the higher voltage one doing all the work and possibly failing earlier than if both are set at the same level. The problem you have with multiple DC power supplies is that they are switching power supplies.
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Is it safe to use an old fridge after 14 years of non use? Recently our fridge broke. We have a working one in the kitchen, standing upright in the same position in the kitchen for 14 years, it just hasn't been plugged in during that amount of time. It's clean inside and out and was working fine last time it was on 14 years ago. I live in Britain so it never really gets that humid here except for a month or so every year in the summer. Is it safe to use and should I expect any problems with it? <Q> The only safety concern I'd have would be if it was stored some place where critters could have got in and chewed up the wiring. <S> That doesn't seem to be the case here. <S> Plug it in and see if it works. <A> I doubt if if could be cleaned to a satisfactory level. <S> Much of this space is not available to the end user. <S> The smell alone I suspect would render it untenable. <S> My vote is no. <A> Is it safe, since you said it was clean it should be safe. <S> What problems can be expected? <S> I would plug it in and put some water in the freezer if you get ice it is ready to use, if it won't freeze the refredgrant probably needs a recharge.
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If it runs and cools down it should be fine and other than door seals there should be no problems. From a health point of view you should obviously clean it really well. I would be concerned about the mold and mildew that has grown in the evaporator coil and fan area.
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How can I prevent the nuts in my shelving from coming loose? So I got "creative" with these shelves I installed. Looking for ideas to keep these nuts from loosening. I considered just gluing them in but that would make it annoying in future if adjustments are required. Thoughts? I know they have nuts that specifically are supposed to not loosen but that requires me taking it apart more than I'd prefer. Thanks <Q> If you use a product known generically as anaerobic thread locker, you will prevent the rotation of the fastener unless it is done by a wrench. <S> Locktite™ is one such brand name, although many other names abound. <S> Do not use the red version, as it is nearly permanent, requiring application of intense heat to release. <S> Blue is medium and holds well under vibration, while green is considered low strength. <S> For your application, one would expect even green will work well, although in my experience it is rare to see it on the shelf. <S> You can find threadlocker in red and blue at most auto parts stores and certainly in a well stocked hardware store. <S> Until I read the Loctite page , I wasn't aware there is also purple threadlock. <S> As noted in the text from the web site, use caution on selecting the product. <S> The packaging/bottle color is not a good indication of the holding strength. <A> The answer is simple: Lock washer. <S> It looks like a washer <S> but it's split, and slightly bent to form a spring compression against both surfaces and locks them together. <S> Hence, "lock washer. <S> " There are various types of lock washers (I'm technically referring to a "split washer"). <S> The split ones are most common. <S> They're simple, cheap, and effective. <S> Check out the Wikipedia article on washers (or Google) for pictures of split washers. <S> They're available at almost any store with a hardware aisle. <A> An even cheaper solution is locknuts, which are different to nyloc nuts. <S> Locknuts are simply second nuts threadded on at the same time as the main load bearing nut. <S> Then you oppose the two nuts by tightening them against one another. <S> This technique is used in bicycle wheels, where one nut is a bearing race, and the outside is held in position with a thin locknut. <S> Its only expensive pro bikes in the last decade have gone away from this, the vast bulk of bikes still use this. <S> My car's wheel bearings are held on by two 2 1/8" nuts, cinched against each other in this matter. <S> Here's a nyloc nut <S> and here's a locknut - as you can see its quite thin. <A> Post fab, your only choice is threadlocker as Fred describes, or really, any sort of glue will do, maybe even nail polish. <S> Pre-assembly, you use two nuts, and fix them by cranking them in opposite directions so they bind. <S> "Nylok" or other binding nuts. <S> However this is a nightmare to assemble because they will not easily turn, and you must turn them rather far... <S> All the while struggling to hold the threaded rod firm without damaging the threads (which would make it impossible to disassemble). <S> pipe or tubing as a sleeve around the threaded rod, which then allows you to tighten the screws, putting the sleeves in compression which binds the nut. <S> Of course the tube lengths define the spacing and are not adjustable. <A> My preferred solution is to use locknuts, which have a nylon insert that grips the nut. <S> Or, as fred_dot_u mentioned, Loctite. <A> A simple dab of clear silicone calk will also to the trick. <S> Apply it where the threads of the rod exit the existing nut. <A> I often had these situations especially in installing professional light equipment. <S> The best (and cheapest) solution I found was adding a second nut. <S> First you use your first nut to find the desired distance, than you get your second nut to this location. <S> While keeping the first nut on its place with a wrench, tighten the second nut with another wrench. <A> See Hairpin Locking Pin . <S> The trouble will be finding one small enough. <S> You can re-drill later if you end up changing the configuration (or switch to nylon nuts). <A> I suspect they will not move in any noticeable way. <S> It depends on lots of things like vibration and force that the nuts are resisting. <S> I would suggest just leaving it alone and seeing if you have anything to fix. <A> Use A 1/4 inch tie wrap to grip the threads below the nut.
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Or, post-installation, drill a small hole through the nut and rod and place a locking pin or wire in the hole. Locknuts are often thinner, and strangely they cost more than normal nuts, so its totally workable to use two normal nuts threadded onto the rod together.
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Are the washer drain and electrical outlets underneath up to code? My daughter got her washer and dryer only to find out that the water supply/drain is 6 feet from the ground. Obviously none of the hoses can reach. I am aware that the maximum height for washer drain is 36"....anything higher can cause overflow/backflow. The 2 outlets underneath....the left one is the dryer outlet and other is standard non gfci. The Landlord is crappy and wont put ANY money into ANY repairs. He said to buy extra long water supply hoses and hang the washer drain pipe into a large trashcan.....being since you don't typically find them that long. Please breakdown Which code specifies potential problems for this setup. The Landlord asked why it wasn't code. What needs to be done to correct this? <Q> As mentioned above, I'd consider putting the washer on a platform (can be built pretty quickly), with room for the operator. <S> It's low cost and solves the issue. <S> Have the landlord do it. <S> :) <S> Unless he wants to risk his basement being flooded by backflow from the washer. <A> I would cut and extend the drain hose. <S> More hose can be purchased from any hardware store with barbed couplings and hose clamps. <A> Get a small submersible water pump and rig it with a float switch , then put it into a covered bucket/trash <S> can next to the washer then run the washer discharge to the bucket and from the bucket to the drain. <S> I'm not sure how much waste water the "reservoir bucket" will have to handle with that particular washer, but I would think 7-10 gallons would work. <S> You'd definitely want to check that to be sure. <S> Cut appropriate holes in the lid of the bucket and seal them up appropriately. <S> There are other pumps and float switches that are, perhaps, better for this application, but I included these as examples of what you might put together. <S> The pump is probably much stronger than what you'd need (maybe a fish pond pump instead?) <S> and there are probably float switches that will work better in a small bucket too. <S> Granted, it's not "code" but for a rental, it should cost less than $100 and be good enough to get you through a few years. <S> Better than having dirty water flow back into the washer or all over the floor.
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The basement should support a standard washer. Then if need be get the longer fill hoses as well.
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Power a ceiling fan motor and light from the supply side of a three way switch I currently have a standard three way switch: 14/2 source -> three way switch -> 14/3 wire -> three way switch -> lights. I would like to add a ceiling fan. I have room and access in the box with the 14/2 source. I can easily wire the fan to a simple switch and then control lights and motor with the ceiling fan chains. I would like to have the motor on the single switch and the lighting from my three way circuit. I can run 14/3 to my fan, but I don't see any possible way to provide power for the lights from the 14/2 supply box. Is there a way? My other option is power to the motor from the 14/2 supply box using a simple switch then run a second line from an existing light to the fan. The idea of running two 14/2 romex lines to single fan seems wrong to me though. <Q> You could replace the 14/3wG between the two three-way switches with a 14/ 4 wG cable, and use the fourth conductor to carry the switched-hot back to the 14/2 supply box, where you would connect it to the fan light wire. <S> This is more labor than your other plan, to connect the fan light directly to the existing light, but it will be a lot less confusing to any future electrician or handyman who has to deal with the circuit. <A> Making your controls slightly smarter and more capable makes this an easier job. <S> While not being able to re-run the cable between the two light switches sounds like a problem, it really isn't. <S> Certain fan speed controller/dimmer combinations that rely on a communicating canopy module, such as the Lutron MA-LFQ35M + CM-L300FQ1 combination with a Lutron MA-ALFQ35 accessory control, can provide you with three-way control of both the fan and the lights with only a single additional 14/2 run beyond what you have planned: namely, from the new fan box to the existing light boxes. <S> From the line-side switch box, you'd run a new 14/2 to the fan location, where the CM-L300FQ1 is installed. <S> The light output from the CM-L300FQ1 would then be tapped with another 14/2 that feeds the existing light fixtures. <S> This would require abandoning the existing 14/2 from the existing load-side switch box to the existing light fixtures, but this is a small price to pay to get full multi-way, multi-speed control of the fan as well as multi-way light dimming. <A> You can do it without pulling any wires <S> Use smart switches. <S> Uses the existing cables. <S> New/moved wires are drawn THICK. <S> I also "mark wires with colored tape" to designate their function when it isn't the natural wire color: <S> Gray - neutral <S> Black <S> - always hot Red - Switched-hot for lamp Blue - switched-hot for fan <S> Put the master switch at the left location in the 3-way pair. <S> The remote goes onto the right location. <S> The 14/3 between them, the messengers get new jobs: black to be always hot to the remote smart switch, red to be switched hot to the lamp - and notice that's carried right past <S> the remote smart switch, without that ever touching it. <S> Now the lamp control is at the left switch and you're all set. <S> We're not a "shop for me" site, but you would need smart switches that communicate via power-line signaling or wireless, like a variety of HomeKit, WeMo or Insteon switches. <A> It is OK to run two different cables to the fan as long as they are on the same circuit.
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Now you have two switches (plus the other 3-way) to turn on all the lights and one switch for the fan. You'd wire the MA-LFQ35M at your existing line-side switch box with an "old style" 3-way loop to the MA-ALFQ35 at the existing load-side box. There are no spare wires available for signaling. Another option is to install a stack switch in place of the single pole switch.
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How can I secure this faucet: the pipe is not secured inside the wall The pipe leading to this exterior faucet was apparently never secured inside the wall (contractor mistake when the wall was built): So it pulls in and out in use, and no doubt lets rain water drip into the wall. It certainly means the grade D stucco paper behind has an unintended gap. Accessing it from inside is hard. What would the external repair options be? What would a proper bracket look like, to secure this pipe from the outside (after caulking the heck out of the gap)? The right thing seems almost like a floor flange: But this flange would require pipe cutting, so it could slip over the pipe for solder, and that all seems a bit awkward also, in part because soldering might stress or melt the tar paper inside. <Q> Don't cut the pipe to seek some "creative" or "inventive" complete resolution to a springy pipe. <S> Especially forget about a floor flange. <S> Let the pipe relax to its unstressed position, direct caulk into the space between the pipe and the wall, and push the loose flange flush. <S> If the existing flange interferes with caulking, you could cut it off with tin snips and put on a two part flange. <S> This is not an emergency, you are not getting any significant rain water into the wall around this pipe. <S> A possible alternative to ordinary caulk would be copper wool. <S> This is used to block openings to prevent rodent entry. <S> Force this into the space around the pipe. <S> See this <S> How do I secure a copper pipe going through a wall? <S> This is the only fitting I can find and it does not really look suitable for the outside of a finished wall. <S> https://www.amazon.com/Pasco-5023-Hose-Bibb-Anchor/dp/B005G8UTUC <A> You will probably want to use a "split drop-ear" pipe strap like this: <S> Can be found at most any decent plumbing supply shop. <A> When I ran a faucet through my wall last year, I used an exterior grade adhesive (i.e. Liquid Nails Heavy Duty ) to glue the faucet to the wall. <S> The beauty of this approach is it doubles to seal the hole. <S> You'll still want some exterior caulk around the edges, but my pipe doesn't move. <A> If you just want to secure it and aren't too concerned about aesthetics you can come underneath with a block of pressure treated wood. <S> Then use a pipe strap to fix the pipe to the wood. <S> If you can source a short piece of composite deck lumber for the job it might even look ok. <S> Fill the hole with spray insulation foam. <A> Fill the opening with silicone and push the plate back. <S> Once the silicone dries it may be enough to keep the pipe from moving back and forth. <S> If it's not then pull the pipe out push the plate <S> back then put and automotive hose clamp on the pipe, if the pipe tires to spring back into the wall the automotive hose clamp will keep it from springing back into the wall.
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Surely there must be purpose-designed two-part clamps available that would clamp to the copper pipe and then be secured to the wall with screws into anchors.
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Insulation of an unheated workshop I have a small workshop in my backyard. The previous owner of has installed an insulation with mineral wool behind paneling on the walls and the ceiling. Now I have to replace the electric installation and that requires to remove the paneling. Currently it looks like this: My original plan was to replace the paneling or install OSBs when the electric installation is finished, but now I am unsure if insulation is reasonable at all or if should just remove the remaining insulation and thats it. So is it reasonable to insulate a workshop that is only used from time to time and has no heating installed? <Q> Well.. 1) <S> If it's not in the way and not hurting anything, then removing it seems like unnecessary work. <S> Besides the initial removal, there's disposal. <S> 2) <S> It provides some sound dampening... <S> shop work can be loud and your neighbors may appreciate it as-is. <S> 3) <S> Where there's at least a 110v/15amp outlet, there can be a temporary space heater, and so that insulation could potentially provide some benefits in that respect. <A> I would keep the insulation. <S> It helps diminish noise transmission, both ways, and it decreases draftiness. <A> Too late for you, but for a workshop/shed, if you have to replace the electrical, just put it on the surface in conduit, rather than ripping walls open.
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Even without heating, insulation slows the change of temperature in the building, and that can reduce issues like condensation on tools. My opinion: Keep it.
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Extension cord can't plug into christmas light string? I am setting up christmas lights. I have two shrubs which are about 6 feet apart, and I want to put an LED string set on each. I bought a two-prong outdoor extension cord to run between the shrubs. The prongs from the extension cord do not fit into the end of the LED string. However the LED prongs can plug into the other side of the extension cord without issue. Do you need some sort of converter to allow the prongs of the extension cord to go into the xmas light string set? Thanks This is the extension cord prong end: This is the LED string light end: The packaging of the extension cord says it is polarized. <Q> Thanks for the pictures! <S> It looks like the problem is that your extension cord is polarized, but your Christmas lights aren't. <S> They sell replacement receptacles for Christmas lights . <S> You could use a ground plug adapter to do this, but you would need to trim the polarized neutral plug to fit in a non-polarized hole which is a bad idea. <S> It will be fine for this season, but once you take your lights down for the season you'll forget that you have a modified adapter that could be reused for something else and hurt somebody. <A> Can you plug the extension cord in near the first bush, using a splitter or three-way tap if needed, and run it from there to the second bush? <S> That would avoid the need to modify anything. <A> Do you have an old string of Christmas lights you can sacrifice? <S> If so, you can convert it into a non-polarized extension cord. <S> The basic technique is shown in this video . <S> If you search online, you'll easily find other sources for the same information. <S> One problem I have with the video is that he splices the wires by twisting them together and wrapping them with electrical tape. <S> That can work, but I'm not happy with it from a safety standpoint. <S> I recommend using solder and heat shrink tubing. <S> For outdoor use, get the type of heat shrink tubing with adhesive in it to keep the water out.
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The best solution is to replace the electrical receptacle at the end of the first set of lights with a polarized one.
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When is an expansion joint required for PVC service entrance conduit? The service entrance will use 2.5" RNC, about 100' run underground, with 2 90 degree sweeps, with the second sweep coming up to a meter/panel mounted on the outside of the house. The conduit will be about 3' underground, and will rise 3-4' above ground to reach the panel. So the total vertical rise will be about 6'-7'. The climate is zone 4 in the northern part of Georgia. Temperature fluctuation might be as much as 90 degrees F throughout the year. Do I need (code requirement) or should I have (good practice) an expansion joint on the vertical rise? If it was cheap I'd just do it it, but it looks like a $55 part. Is it required or worth it? <Q> My utility requires them. <S> Climate zone 4, the ground freezes, so frost heaves/movement from frost are likely. <S> That's what these deal with on short risers from the ground. <S> Whether or not code required, if the conduit breaks from movement after installation, it will cost a lot more than $55 to fix. <A> In this situation it is not because of temperature fluctuations that I believe in expansion joints it is because of the ground settling. <S> After a couple of years that PVC conduit will pull right out of the meter base. <S> I have seen it break the knock-out's out of the container. <S> And please don't tell me about bedding it in sand. <S> I don't see any need for one on the pole. <A> What I can also tell you is in the state I work in, I really haven't seen expansion joints on vertical risers. <S> That may or may not apply in Georgia, but you can always resort to just driving around and see what everyone else is doing with similar installations. <A> The National Electrical Code states as follow: <S> (B) Expansion, Expansion-Deflection, and Deflection Fittings. <S> Raceways shall be provided with expansion, expansion-deflection, or deflection fittings where necessary to compensate for thermal expansion, deflection, and contraction. <S> Informational Note: <S> Table 352.44 and Table 355.44 provide the expansion information for polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and for reinforced thermosetting resin conduit (RTRC), respectively. <S> A nominal number for steel conduit can be determined by multiplying the expansion length in Table 352.44 by 0.20. <S> The coeffi‐ cient of expansion for steel electrical metallic tubing, intermediate metal conduit, and rigid metal conduit is 1.170 × 10-5 (0.0000117 mm per mm of conduit for each °C in temperature change) [0.650 <S> × 10-5 (0.0000065 in. <S> per inch of conduit for each °F in temperature change)]. <S> A nominal number for aluminum conduit and aluminum electrical metallic tubing can be determined by multiplying the expansion length in Table 352.44 by 0.40. <S> The coefficient of expansion for aluminum electrical metallic tubing and aluminum rigid metal conduit is 2.34 × 10-5 (0.0000234 mm per mm of conduit for each °C in temperature change) <S> [1.30 × 10-5(0.000013 in. <S> per inch of conduit for each °F in temperature change)]. <S> The key words here are "where necessary". <S> In Michigan we have even greater temperature swings <S> and I have never seen an expansion joint on an underground lateral. <S> Not a bad idea necessarily, but unless required, I wouldn't spend the money unless you are really worried about frost heave. <S> Good luck!
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In general expansion joints are used on long runs where the conduit is attached to material that may expand and contract under certain weather conditions. Upon installation, I would leave the expansion joint at 15%.
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What knot can I use to connect to an eye bolt without losing tension? So I have a rope that goes through an eyebolt, like in the image. I pull from B so it's as tight as it can be. B is under the eyebolt. What knot can I use with this rope so I don't lose any of the tightness after pulling it? Thanks. <Q> 100% Trucker's hitch . <S> It's the only knot I'd ever use in the situation you described: .. <S> so I don't lose any of the tightness after pulling it. <S> From the linked page, above. <S> Emphasis mine. <S> The Trucker's Hitch (also called the Lorry Knot) is a self binding knot. <S> It's most common use is for tying loads to secure them to a fixed point. <S> For example to secure a canoe to a car top, a tarp to a trailer, or any application where a very tight rope is needed. <S> This knot has many advantages. <S> It is non-jamming, can be tied anywhere in the standing part of a line, and even under the most severe tension, these knots remain easy to untie. <S> 1) You must first tie a quick release loop above the tie-down point. <S> To do this, create a small bight with the running end, leaving plenty of tag to work with. <S> 2) <S> When this is complete, pass the running end around or through the tie-down point then pass it through the quick release loop. <S> 3) Pull down on the running end to tighten. <S> 4) Secure the knot with two half-hitches. <S> 5) <S> Pull tight. <S> You can also find several videos on YouTube demonstrating how to tie the knot. <S> Learning this knot is a game-changer. <A> Use a Midshipman's hitch (also called Taut-Line Hitch) <S> This is typically used to secure an awning or tent line to a peg, and it is adjustable. <S> For your application, make the loop part large and loose. <S> Then pull on B, near the eyelet to tighten the load, then slide the knot down until everything is tight. <S> See: http://www.animatedknots.com/midshipmans/index.php <A> If it's holding a force you can't pull by hand, maybe the taut-line hitch, or the similar knot used by aviators to tether their wings to the ground. <S> There is also a "girth hitch" used by riggers, where the load may be suspended on both sides of the knot. <S> Some of it depends upon how often you need to untie it and <S> how durable and reliable it must be while holding.
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The first knot that comes to mind, for tying to a ring against a force you can pull by hand (i.e., able to hold a hitch as you put the knot together), is the bowline, followed by the sailor's knot, or even two half-hitches, a figure-eight or an anchor-bend.
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Use screw into steel tube without using nut? I have a regular round 1 1/4" steel tube, and I want to put a screw in it. The tube only has one hole (where the screw goes) so I can't use a nut. What options do I have and can I find it at Home Depot? Thanks. <Q> Not a bolt, but a screw. <S> Some of them are self drilling/tapping (these are commonly referred to as simply "self-tapping" in the US). <S> They will drill their own hole and tap their own threads all in one step. <S> If you can't find the right sized metal screw, you can get a self-tapper a little bigger than the hole and it will tap itself a larger hole and hold tight. <S> These are available at Home Depot (or any hardware store, really) in the little plastic baggies if you need a few, or in small boxes if you need a lot. <S> Self drilling and tapping metal screw <A> Look for rivnuts, or nutserts. <S> Both are brand names for the same type of fastener. <S> These fasteners are pulled up like a rivet, expanding and squishing the fluted section of the sides into the hole in your pipe. <S> Although it might be overkill for a one off, you should look up flowdrills. <S> Flowdrill <S> these are a solid metal cone which heats up the pipe by friction until it is hot enough to flow into a thick boss, which can then be threaded with a conventional tap set. <A> A "pop rivet" (sometimes called a "blind rivet") may work for you, depending upon the application. <S> It is a fastener designed to work in a "blind" hole, i.e. a hole with no access to the back side. <S> A special tool is needed to attach them but the tool and rivets are relatively inexpensive. <S> They are available in many different lengths and diameters, to accommodate different material thickness and strength needs. <S> Rivets are made of steel, aluminum, and perhaps other materials. <S> They can be used to attach materials directly to the base material, or they also have "rivet nuts" that are internally threaded, allowing you to fasten with a machine screw or bolt (see lower picture). <A> It won't be very neat or very sturdy, but you can get in any DIY outlet. <S> Plus, they are cheap and you don't need any special tools to work with them.
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Your best bet would be the correctly sized metal screw. For a quick and possibly dirty fix, I'd look for some type of expanding dowel or plug - preferably one with a large expansion area.
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Ends of 25' 12/3 and short 14/3 extension cords get warm with 1500W heater I've 'tested' three listed extension cords, one at a time, by plugging a 4 year old 1500W fanned heater ($10 at Home Depot) into a 20 amp house circuit (no other appreciable load). The cords: orange 20+ year old 9 foot 14/3 round grey 20+ year old 8 foot 14/3 flat yellow unknown-age (but modern) 25 ft 12/3 flat All cords have molded plugs and are unmodified. None are damaged or look worn. All are single-taps, that is, none are triple-taps. Likely three different manufactures, none known. I suspect code probably requires such a heater be plugged directly into the wall a outlet. I don't know. Regardless, this is how I tested them. Anyway, used one at a time, all three female ends get warm. The middle of the cords stay 'room temperature' 60F. The female ends get warm to the touch, noticeable, but no where near 'hot', just pleasantly mildly warm. The 12/3 flat cord has very thick insulation, and the warmth travels from the plug further up the cord - say 12" - than the either of the two 14/3 cords. The plugs on the 14/3 cords feel warmer than the adjacent cord. The plug on the 12/3 cord feels the same, or possibly a bit cooler. I attribute the differences to differences in heat-conduction of 12 ga vs 14 ga wire. I imagine all 9 female terminals (molded within rubber plug) are soldered to the conductors with no increase in resistance at the connection. I suspect this means that there is a huge 'contact' resistance between female terminals and the male terminals in the heater's end. How can I further investigate and hopefully eliminate the 'problem' if there is one. Maybe cord amperage/gauge/length tables are for peak amps, not sustained amps. <Q> What you're learning is that wire gauge is only part of the equation. <S> As you noted, plugs introduce resistance, and that makes heat. <S> You're right that heaters should not be run on extension cords. <S> Monitor them for excessive heat which can melt the plastic and cause a failure of the connection. <S> FYI, those connections are likely crimped, not soldered. <A> I carefully 'lab' tested the voltage drop across a typical socket <S> /plug interface and found the contact voltage drop to be minimal, 22 mV at 5 amps, the most I could do on the bench. <S> I actually think the issue is not connector resistance but instead the 'end effect' of heat dissipation of the copper wires. <S> The only oddity is that the location where the two extensions connect together does not exhibit this issue. <S> Perhaps that's because either side of the interface is copper inside an 'exposed' extension cord. <S> This is probably completely consistent with the thermal mathematical model of this system. <A> At Jim Stewart, I have to take issue, guy. <S> Heat and current carrying conductors is never a good state. <S> Although we may have to accept a certain amount of heat being generated in our wires as they carry the load to the end use, we are never happy about it. <S> To tell the OP that warm cord ends is all cool, I think sends the wrong massage. <S> Every winter folks young and old die in house fires because of warm cord ends that deliver power to portable space heaters. <S> To say, "hey! <S> here is another cool way to make heat with an extension cord is misguided at best. <S> " <S> Those folks are looking to us to keep them out of trouble not to show them how to make more. <S> Here is what I would say to 'user'; <S> First, any cord that is 20+ years old is suspect and probably should be retired. <S> Second; these types of cords are mass produced and the manufacturer uses molded cord because it is cost effective and they are competing for shelf space in hardware stores around the world. <S> And if the truth be known, they are not the best cord ends available today. <S> I would go on to say that if I needed to support a load of 1500-watts at 120-volts for any extended period of time I would be reluctant to do it with this quality of cord at all. <S> If I had to make arrangements for the above situation I would insist on a 20 Amp dedicated circuit with a 20-amp spec grade receptacle into which I could plug the cord. <S> I would buy or use a fairly new cord that is 12-gauge wire, no longer than necessary. <S> Now the customer has a genuinely safe application. <S> If the Hubbell cord ends are installed properly any heat generated with this load would be truly negligible. <S> With the molded cord ends we don't know what is going on in there. <S> But if it gets warm quickly, we know something is wrong.
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If you must, use high-grade cords with good plugs, and expect them to get warm. I would cut the existing cord ends off, throw them away, buy and install Hubbell heavy duty replacement cord ends. I've noticed the same phenomenon at two out of three plugs in a system with two heavy duty extension cords connected in series to a 7 amp load off from a normal 230 VAC 10A NZ outlet. Just because it is all over the shelves at Home Depot doesn't mean it is a good and safe set-up for a given situation.
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LED bulbs in lamp sockets? I have a table lamp that had standard 75 watt bulb (I believe in a 3 way socket) which suddenly lowered to about a 40 W, or less without my touching the switch. I replaced it with a new 8.5 W 60 W = . The bulb appeared to flash and burn out, I did it twice with brand new bulbs, then quit before I wasted more bulbs! I have bought a new 3 way socket to replace in the lamp thinking it was a defective socket (I haven't done it yet as I've been pretty busy w/Christmas). Am I on the right track, or it another problem? <Q> You may in fact be on the wrong track. <S> When bulbs start blowing out, it's often a LOOSE NEUTRAL at your panel or the supply pole. <S> Test the bulbs in another socket: if they are really blown, then look elsewhere for a serious issue. <A> 3-way sockets have two energized contact points; 3-way bulbs also have two contact points to match those in the socket, because they have two filaments. <S> You need to by an LED bulb that specifically says it's compatible with 3-way sockets or replace the socket with a standard one (or use a traditional incandescent bulb). <A> It is possible that you have a socket that is in the process of failing. <S> They typically are not precision quality items and experience a rather limited life. <S> I doubt if you have damaged any bulbs. <S> If the contact points seem to be loose in the socket or the switch seeming to make too much noise, it is suspect. <S> Does the socket show signs of wear, any dark or burn marks. <S> Is the socket old? <S> All things that would point toward replacement of the socket. <S> Only 3-way bulbs can be properly matched to 3-way sockets. <S> I would say that something less than 60% perform flawlessly for a standard life of 10-years.
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A bit less critical; given the nature of mass production and the ancient technology in these types of sockets, these 3-way sockets, even brand new, can be erratic and preform inconsistently.
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Why don't heat pumps run for a bit BEFORE starting the air circulation fan? I'd like to think I understand how heat pumps work decently well. My home has one plus electric heat, which I try not to resort to because heat pump is more efficient, if slower. When a traditional thermostat calls for the heat pump however, it turns on the big fan in the basement at the same time as the heat pump (or perhaps it's the heat pump calling for the fan right away when it's called on to pump heat). This uses electricity and makes nose to just to move cold air while the heat pump builds pressure and starts to heat the coils in the basement. Couldn't a delay be added, or a thermocouple added to the indoor coils, so that the fan indoors doesn't run until the indoor coils are nice and warm? For that matter. I would think the outdoor fan could be delayed a bit too to save electricity and reduce noise at the beginning of a cycle while a temperature delta builds up. I realize that if you ran the heat pump or AC for 'too long'/indefinitely without the indoor fan, it could damage the system. But why don't heat pumps run for 'a bit' BEFORE starting the air circulation fan? I could understand parts cost of a thermocouple (though that's what a marketing department is for), but just using an delay wouldn't cost any money, and would be pretty easy to add to the firmware, I would expect. <Q> I don't think the problem you're having would be solved by a fan delay. <S> When the fan turns on, it has to purge all the "cold" air from the ducts, before the warm air reaches the registers. <S> There's not much that can be done to solve that problem, other than having really short duct runs. <S> If you did add a delay, the system would likely overheat. <S> This could cause a bunch of problems, as well as reducing efficiency. <S> If you did want to add a delay. <S> It would require a thermocouple and relay, or a time delay relay. <S> I doubt your furnace has any firmware, unless it's a super fancy custom system. <A> Many fan coils do have a delay for the fan. <S> A solid state delay and relay could also be added to a fan coil unit. <S> However the air is not actually cold but room temperature except for any air trapped in the ducts which needs to be purged anyway <S> so a delay wouldn’t help. <S> Any little heat being produced by the heat pump will go into the house so the only thing you might be gaining is not hearing the unit for an extra 30 seconds or a cold draft blowing on you if the registers are in a poor location. <A> Another consideration is head pressure. <S> We don't want to under any circumstances to build unnecessary head pressure. <S> Running the compressor at any time without dissipating the resultant heat generated could shorten the life of the compressor.
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Any delay would be slightly less efficient and a long delay would cause undue wear to the heat pump.
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Do I need to re-sheath, wrap and side an old house just insulate it? Looking into buying this house that was built around 1900. From the photos, it appears that there is a layer of shiplap underneath the siding. Is there any way, barring ripping all of the siding off and re-sheathing and wrapping the house, that I could go about insulating? I've read a bit about insulation and moisture problems, and the idea that you need the vapor barrier seems to be somewhat disputed (according to this article the sheetrock ends up behaving as a vapor barrier). It also appears that this structure has some lateral bracing, so the sheathing may also be overkill. So what would be the most efficient way to insulate? just pack the walls with insulation and seal for air leeks? Get some closed cell foam panels and cut to size? Experience would be appreciated. Also found this interesting article. <Q> Ahhh...the good ‘ol days. <S> We didn’t worry about much: 1) single top plate, 2) <S> top plates not lapped at corners, 3) <S> no headers in non-bearing walls, 4) <S> no hold downs, 5) is that a floor above those ceiling joists? <S> 6) that beam on the left with just a single stud under it probably doesn’t mean anything either. <S> If you live in a high wind area or a high seismic zone, you may want to put some clips on those ceiling/roof joists, add a hold down or two, check your anchor bolt sizes, etc. <S> You can’t follow the “prescriptive path” for energy compliance requirements with those 2x4’s. <S> BTW, do not install plastic sheeting vapor barrier on the inside of the walls, unless you live at the North Pole. <S> You’ll need to Solve some of these issues to get a Building Permit. <S> You are getting a Building Permit, right? <A> Your options more or less come down to: Spray foam, trimmed to the stud bays, then sheetrock Fiberglass, probably UNFACED without the vapor barrier. <S> I don't recommend cellulose. <S> While cheaper it retains too much moisture given probable other problems. <S> Really you appear to need local help, as there are a dozen other concerns that come before insulation here. <S> And for that matter consider contacting a local historical society... <S> you may run into some vintage photos of the place and be able to add vintage touches. <A> I agree with the article, but insulate to suit you and let the house do what it's always done...on a smaller level. <S> This way, the siding still does its breathing and drying like it always has and no moisture gets into the stud bays, but you get comfort. <S> If spray or rigid foam is too expensive, then batts are perfectly fine. <S> However, to stop the drafts you must have vapor barrier and it must be against the shiplap. <S> Why? <S> Because, batts only work in dead-air space and breezy siding will destroy fluffy insulation's R-value instantly and completely. <S> For between floors, I do the vapor barrier on the bottom... <S> heat rising takes moisture with it. <S> For exterior masonry walls, I do the vapor barrier on the inside...keeps moisture to a minimum and any that gets <S> it is sucked up by the masonry and bled right out. <S> You saw above what I do with breezy exterior walls... <S> it kills all drafts and convection that draws moisture into the wall. <S> I've never had the slightest problem, mold, dampness, rot nor wet-bug attraction... <S> potato bugs, silverfish, etc. <S> For the structure, the house was built right and has the joists lined-up with the studs, but you may want to replace your almost worthless joist bridging with homemade or purchased <S> IBS2000's <S> , they make a huge difference (see - IBS2000 Fix for Bouncy Floors <S> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTf-pGj6zoU <S> AND How to Fix <S> Bouncy Floors https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_OF9KgWhzI
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To air-seal breezy siding, go for spray or rigid foam. You’ll need 2x6’s or add some rigid wall insulation, extra ceiling insulation or install a super efficient heating system...all of which requires a ton of calculations. If it's 118 year old wood siding outside, you don't really want to mess with it.
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What is the proper way to prep and paint aluminum siding A portion of my home's 40 year old aluminum siding is discolored and needs to be repainted. What is the proper way to prep and paint it? <Q> I used primer that claimed suitability for chalking finishes and a topcoat of high quality latex. <S> It held up well for 15 years with one refreshing coat along the way. <S> I had considered washing with TSP, but decided it wasn't necessary. <A> In your question you use the word "repainted", so the assumption would be that there is an existing coating of paint. <S> If the existing paint is sound; that is, no peeling, bubbling, crazing, alligatoring, etc., than it can be directly repainted after being washed/cleaned thoroughly. <S> If the existing paint has any sheen (gloss) <S> then it should be deglossed (by sanding, or chemically) prior to cleaning and repainting. <A> Older aluminum siding (in upper midwest, US ) was almost always coated with vinyl. <S> If it is vinyl you will need specialized paint. <S> I had a house with aluminum siding built in about 1970 , the white siding was dull and almost light grey. <S> I decided to paint it in 1992. <S> I hired a guy to wash it first. <S> He hand washed the whole thing with dish detergent and it looked like new when he finished. <S> So no paint needed.
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If the existing paint is not sound, or if any of it peels or is discovered to be unsound during your prep work, than primer (for aluminum) should be applied (after previously mentioned prep work) prior to painting.
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Is it safe to exhaust a portable electric clothes dryer indoors? Is it safe for us to breath in the house if the portable dryer vent blows into the house? <Q> Portable probably means electric, so yes that should be safe in the short term. <S> You may soon have mold problems and the like from excess moisture, if you keep doing this, but there's no immediate danger from the exhaust, as would be the case with a gas dryer which exhausts combustion products. <S> You could simply put clothes on hangers and set them to dry - during the winter, they dry fairly quickly just hanging on the shower curtain rod over the tub, without blowing lint around the house. <A> There's nothing inherently dangerous about the exhaust vent. <S> It simply emits warm, humid air. <S> But it also makes a mess. <S> Clothes produce lint, and over time that lint will build up anywhere the exhaust blows. <A> The lint will become unmanageable soon. <S> It is no small thing. <S> However a bigger issue exists, the clothes are going to take considerably longer to dry. <S> The dryer uses the relatively dry air from the house, warms it and passes it across the clothes in the dryer. <S> That dry hot air is good at picking-up moisture from the clothes. <S> That moisture carrying air is then expelled out doors. <S> That moisture laden air has far less ability to pick-up moisture from the clothes. <S> The air can only hold so much moisture. <S> Pretty soon all you are doing is recirculating the same moisture over and over. <A> You can do it if it's an electric dryer, but there are some caveats. <S> The lint will make an awful mess if you don't trap it. <S> You can't just stick a screen over the dryer's exhaust port because that would cause the lint to build up inside the dryer, reducing its efficiency and creating a fire hazard. <S> Search online for "indoor dryer vent kit" for some ideas. <S> Your house may get uncomfortably warm in the summer. <S> If you also use an air conditioner, your power bill will go up because the air conditioner will have to dispose of the heat and humidity from the dryer. <S> You may get condensation on your windows in the winter. <S> If you keep your dryer in a small room or closet, you'll need to provide some ventilation. <S> Using scented fabric care products may result in a very powerful smell in your house.
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If you dump that air back into the house then it will be recirculated through the dryer.
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Replace Over the range microwave with hood I currently have a ductless over the range microwave. It's too close to the range. The heat from the range is melting the microwave handle. I want to remove the microwave and cabinet and replace it with range hood. I've already ordered 30" 900CFM hood. Problem is that there is no duct work at the moment and I have not done duct work before but I can't imagine it being that hard. My situation is that right behind the kitchen is my sunroom so I can't use that route. Right Above the cabinet is the attic. Should I vent it through the roof or the side wall? If I vent through the roof, the distance between the ceiling and the roof will probably be 2-3 feet. If I use the side wall, I would need use a 90" elbow and from the elbow, the wall will be about 10 ft away. Here is the picture maybe there is another way that I can't think of? The sidewall I'm talking about is to the right of this picture. My Ceiling height is about 8ft. <Q> Manufacturers will generally direct the installer to minimize the number of elbows and transitions, example: <S> There should be no problem installing it whichever way is easier for you as long as you follow recommendations and restrictions in the manufacturer's installation instructions and any other direction from your permitting authorities (if you are pulling a permit...) <S> I would recommend that you retrieve the installation details from your chosen appliance supplier or manufacturer, before you actually purchase the unit, so you can ensure that you are prepared to install it properly. <A> Given your beautiful kitchen, I wouldn't even consider a recirculating unit. <S> The best solution for duct pathway is straight up. <S> It may look intimidating to go through that cabinet but with a little strategic planning is doable. <S> It looks like you have a 36" or 40" space above the range. <S> I think it would look a lot better filling the entire space. <S> I would recommend an additional quality back draft damper. <S> The one that comes with these units is not adequate. <S> You are going to be happy with the results. <A> I was able to install this myself <S> and I did end up going to the roof. <S> I ran into trouble when I cut the cabinet and the ceiling, I used a nail to see where it lands on the roof and turns out, My sunroom was added on top of my house roof and <S> it was overlapping. <S> I couldn't see the nail since it was under the sunroom. <S> I ended up using 2 90 degree elbows and then went to the roof. <S> This worked out. <S> There are no leaks. <S> I checked a few times after it rained heavy and all is well.
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Keep your duct work full size right off the fan unit; reducing the duct diameter, a trap many fall into.
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How can I install a steel sink if the mounting rails don't fit through the cutout? I need a stainless steel double bowl kitchen sink (33 × 22, standard size). All the ones I see have these rails under the edge. This is to clamp the sink to the counter. The hole I have cut is a bit too small so the sinks with rails won't drop in as the rails prevent that. Is there a stainless steel sink that doesn't have the rails underneath but some other way to clamp? I really can't modify the hole for this project. Am I stuck with acrylic? <Q> As I was finishing that one off <S> I discovered I could peel what was left off with a pair of needlenosed plyers. <S> Think opening a can of spam. <S> On the next rail I used the needlenose to pry the rail open and give the Dremel more room to work. <S> I heard a couple of the spot wields pop. <S> Wiggled the rail back and forth somemore and... presto. <S> It popped right off. <S> Time to remove the first rail - 1 hour (had to keep letting the Dremel cool down). <S> Time to remove the next three rails - five minutes. <S> Be sure <S> the sink edge is well supported <S> so you don't bend it if you try this. <A> Formica countertop. <S> I took a hammer and tapped along the outer rails, bending them in slightly. <S> Dropped right into the hole but was still a tad too big <S> so I used a bastard file to take off a litle from the countertop. <S> The sink then dropped right in and no issues with getting the screws into the rails. <A> Yes you can. <S> Just did it. <S> I have a Glacier Bay 33” double bowl stainless steel. <S> I took channel locks, crimped channel together and started to wiggle back and forth. <S> Got some rivets to pop moved over and continued to wiggle. <S> Came off, no damage. <S> Crimped it all first before I began to wiggle it loose. <S> Hope this helps.
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I got a Dremel with a cutting wheel and cut one rail off.
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Why is the furnace heating the house far past the thermostat setting Problem: Furnace came on as usual in the morning but failed to shut off after the set temp on the thermostat was reached. The house temp (as measured on the thermostat) reached about 10 degrees higher than the set temp and hot air was still blowing out of the registers. Thermostat: Inexpensive (Honeywell), programmable thermostat Heating system: Hydronic Air Handler? In case I'm getting the name wrong, the basic setup is that the Hot Water heater (same as for hot tap water) sends hot water to the 'furnace' where a fan blows over a heat exchanger thus blowing hot air out through the ducts. (Sorry I don't have the brand and model/info of the furnace unit handy right now - it is about 17 years old.) Trouble-shooting/Notes: Switching the thermostat switch to System-Off (vs Heat or Cool) did not turn off the hot air coming out of the registers (i.e. 'burner' and blower still On). Fan switch on Thermostat was correctly set on Auto. Switching fan from Auto to On, waiting, and then setting back to Auto DID turn the furnace and blower Off. Like it 'alerted' the furnace to the fact that the temp had been reached/exceeded and it could now turn off. (This is the weirdest part, I haven't seen this same symptom listed elsewhere online.) I replaced the Thermostat with a similar one and the problem still recurred - after switching the system off during the thermostat replacement and it being off as expected until the 'wake-up' program time, the system failed to shut off (even when exceeding the set temperature by 10-degrees). The system did shut off with the same 'trick' of switching the fan from Auto to On, and back to Auto. The posts I've found so far online mention Limit Switch (which seems to be relevant only if Cold air were coming out) and the Furnace Relay Switch. It's not clear to me if the problem IS the Furnace Relay Switch if fixing it is something I'd be able to handle as a novice DIYer. I'd appreciate any feedback on what might be causing this problem, on further trouble-shooting or testing that I should do, and of course on any beginner-level user-serviceable types of solutions. Thank you,Andrew <Q> <A> I would check the heat anticipator in the thermostat. <S> The furnace blower motor is often run on a separate circuit (120 vs 24 V) which is controlled by it's own fan limit switch. <S> This switch keeps the blower running after the call for heat has been satisfied in order to extract the heat from the furnace, which is why you will feel heated air from the registers. <S> It sounds like the furnace is operational, however you are having a problem with "overshoot". <S> It may not necessarily be a faulty thermostat though, it may simply need adjusting. <S> Google has plenty of information on how to do that as it's fairly simple. <S> This is only my opinion after a quick read-through, so take it for what it's worth. <S> Source: <S> Red Seal Plumber/Gasfitter <A> According to a furnace repair person who came out today, the most likely culprits are failing pump relay or fan relay. <S> (Though of course Murphy's Law applied and the problem did not manifest for the tech.)
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The problem is pretty clearly at the furnace end, if switching off the thermostat does not stop operation.
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Splitting a 220v line into a 110v line and a 220v line? This question reminded me that when we bought our house, I found the previous owner had taken the dryer's 220v circuit and continued half of it from the 220v outlet to make a 110v circuit for the rest of the garage. The 220v outlet still powered the dryer. Even as a new naive home owner this struck me as probably incorrect and had it fixed when we upgraded the panel. Can you explain the specific reasons why this was bad - and what code it breaks? <Q> 20A outlet on 30A circuit = <S> no The Code problem here has nothing to do with voltages and everything to do with currents . <S> In addition to that, you can't run a receptacle off a tap conductor, as this is prohibited by 210.19(A)(2) <S> (as well as being excluded by the list in 210.19(A)(4) exception 1): <S> (2) Branch Circuits with More than One Receptacle. <S> Conductors of branch circuits supplying more than one receptacle for cord-and-plug-connected portable loads shall have an ampacity of not less than the rating of the branch circuit. <A> There is an exception that allows line to neutral loads and line to line loads on the same Multi-Wire Branch Circuit as long as the circuit breaker opens all ungrounded conductors. <S> A double pole breaker satisfies this requirement. <S> 210.4 <S> (C) Line-to-Neutral Loads. <S> Multiwire branch circuits shall supply only line-to-neutral loads. <S> Exception <S> No. <S> 1: A multiwire branch circuit that supplies only one utilization equipment. <S> Exception <S> No. 2: Where all ungrounded conductors of the multiwire branch circuit are opened simultaneously by the branch-circuit overcurrent device. <S> However, single pole breakers with a handle tie do NOT satisfy this other section of the Code. <S> 240.15 <S> Ungrounded Conductors. <S> (B) Circuit Breaker as Overcurrent Device. <S> Circuit breakers shall open all ungrounded conductors of the circuit both manually and automatically unless otherwise permitted in 240.15(B)(1), (B)(2), (B)(3), and (B)(4). <S> (1) Multiwire Branch Circuits. <S> Additionally, you stated the previous owner continued the 120 volt circuit for the rest of the garage. <S> Since you stated the rest of the garage I concluded your dryer was installed in the garage. <S> I would agree it is better form to have those circuits separated but the Code allows it if someone so chooses. <S> Hopefully, this post helps advance the understanding of this particular section of the Code. <A> Other than what @ArchonOSX has pointed out as code requirements. <S> Adding receptacles added on to a dryer circuit is just not considered good electrical practice. <S> Consider how you started your question <S> "previous owner had taken the dryer's 220v circuit". <S> You called it the Dryer's circuit. <S> Depending on what you put on the circuit, it could create an imbalance (impedance) between the two phases and directly affect the life of both the circuit and piece of equipment. <S> I also have a question about what your overcurrent protection looks like since most branch wire is protected by 15A and 20A breakers. <S> To add devices that should be protected by these breakers to be attached to a 30A breaker would they have to meet a whole new set of requirements. <S> By the way if you have a problem with your dryer and call for warranty repair and the service representative sees the attached receptacles. <S> He would be in his right to void the warranty. <S> Some could make an argument that it might not affect the dryer <S> but we don't design circuits around what they might do. <S> We design circuits that we know work. <S> So best advice install dryer circuits for dryers and add general power circuits for general power. <S> Hope this helps and stay safe.
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That means the original circuit installed is a specific circuit designed to service a dryer, not a dryer and anything else we can stick on it. Individual single-pole circuit breakers, with identified handle ties, shall be permitted as the protection for each ungrounded conductor of multiwire branch circuits that serve only single-phase line-to-neutral loads. First off, 210.21(B)(3) and the associated table prohibit putting a 20A receptacle on a 30A branch circuit. If you read my answer to that other question you cited and read the National Electrical Code carefully, you will see that your case was NOT necessarily a Code violation. Therefore you could use the double-pole breaker exception cited above. There is a Code requirement that prohibits the garage circuit from supplying outlets outside the garage.
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Protection from water pressure surge Is there a way to prevent damage to your pipes from a water pressure spike from the city supply? In my case, sweated and threaded copper, no PTC. It seems like a large water hammer arrester anywhere in the system would do that, but I also have never heard of something like that. <Q> although hammering will does not damage pipes, it can and will damage toilet and sink angle stop valves. <S> I live in Arizona with 80-90 psi water pressure, and had to replace all. <S> Water pressure surge absorbers cost about $35 plus installation, and is worth every penny spent. <S> If you live in an area with high water pressure, my advice is to install one. <A> <A> I have seen more damage to home faucets than to the plumbing. <S> When pressures get above 90 it puts a lot of wear on the seals. <S> To protect things adding a regulator for potable water is used and setting the pressure <S> ~60 <S> + range keeps the system spikes from causing problems.
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Decent copper plumbing in the home could easily handle pressure spikes double or triple the normal water pressure entering a home, so there would be no need for a pressure arrester
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The back of plywood is damaged after cut or drill. How to prevent it? When I cut a piece plywood that I have, the front looks perfect, but the back is becomes completely damage and unpresentable. The same problem happens when I drill it. I use a table saw and drill press. How to prevent such damage? <Q> put a piece of 2x4 under the board when you drill it. <S> the drill bit has to drill into the 2x4 clamp the board down against the 2x4 if you can <S> https://www.woodmagazine.com/woodworking-tips/techniques/sawing-solutions/pointers-for-perfect-plywood-cuts <S> use a fine toothed blade to cut the board raise blade as high as possible place board good-side-up <S> use masking tape <S> ... cover cut line so that the blade cuts the tape in 1/2 lengthwise <S> ________________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ < cut along dotted line________________________________________________ <A> For Drilling - Drill a smaller pilot hole before you drill your final size hole, this will give you the ability to have the hole location visible on both sides of the board. <S> Then switch to your final size bit and only drill part way through the existing pilot hole, turn the piece over and finish drilling the hole from the other side. <S> Then turn over your board and use the small hole created by the pilot point to start drilling the hole to completion. <S> For cutting - using tape helps <S> but on some plywood it can tear some up/off the ply up as you pull the tape off. <S> Using a finish blade with a high tooth count will help considerably. <S> This will prevent the blade from lifting the ply up as it cuts up through the wood. <S> On a circular saw the blade is cutting the bottom side of the board first so the nicer or finish side of the board should be on BOTTOM ( on a table <S> say it is the opposite, finished side up ) <S> The point being that you want the blade to plunge into the finish side for a nice clean cut, the tear out happens on the side where the blade is exiting the cut. <S> That is the side you tape and score. <A> Use drills for wood and not the regular ones(for the metal)! <S> That's the first advice I have for woodworking. <S> Use high turning speed and take slow cuts with drill press. <A> It's the wood. <S> That looks like luaun plywood, which can be like that. <S> Different wood varies. <S> Also, wood varies when coated. <S> I would brush on a liberal coat of West System epoxy on the punch-through side, and I doubt there'd be any more splintering. <S> Or, since you're using a drill press anyway , drill pilot holes with the tape trick to keep them from splintering. <S> Then set your depth so the drill bit can't go all the way through. <S> Drill the holes from one side, flip it, drill them from the other. <S> The pilot hole should keep you on center, and none of your main-hole drills will be punching through the far side.
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When using a spade bit or auger bit, it has a pilot point so you can drill just until the pilot point penetrates through the other side of the board and stop so the rest of the bit has not drilled all the way through. If you have a track saw or are using a straight edge you can use a utility knife to score the wood ( shallow cut )on the exit side along the line that the blade will be cutting.
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Installed Harbor Breeze ceiling fan/light with remote unit - wall switch no longer functions I installed a Harbor Breeze ceiling fan/light with a remote control unit earlier this evening. I've installed several fans and never had a problem. This one sort of has me perplexed. There was an existing fan/light in place. There are 4 wires inside the box (Red, Bare, Black, and White) It was wired as such: Box Fan----------------------------------Black Blue & BlackBare GreenWhite WhiteRed (capped off) --- The new fan has a remote unit that connects to the fan first with only a white and black wire exiting the unit. It is wired as such: Box Fan----------------------------------Black BlackBare GreenWhite WhiteRed (capped off) --- The previous unit used a wall switch to power the unit. Once the switch was on, you could pull the chains for the light and the fan to adjust speed. If you turned the switch off, it cut power to the unit altogether. The new fan/light does not respond to the switch at all. The only thing that controls the fan/light is the remote. Even if the wall switch is off you can still control the fan/light. I would've expected the switch to operate the fan/light the same way, meaning instead of chains, you would control the fan/light functions with the remote but if you turned the wall switch off the fan/light would turn off completely until the switch was turned back on. Am I wrong about this? Is there something I overlooked? Thanks. <Q> Taking the information you have given us, what you are describing doesn't make sense. <S> The only way you could connect the fan without it operating on the switch is to bypass the switch, if it is a mechanical switch (not a controller from the previous fan). <S> Meaning you have somehow tapped the line side to the switch and disconnected the switch leg returning to the fan. <S> If the switch was a controller installed for the previous fan, you need to replace it with a standard mechanical switch. <S> Happy new year and good luck. <A> I have the capped red wire, only one switch and my fan/light stays on with the switch on. <S> Controls fine with the remote. <A> Connect the black wire from the fan to the red wire from the wall. <S> Cap off the black wire from the wall. <S> The red wire is from your switch..... <S> If it is connected you use the switch.
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You need to take a voltage tester and check which wire is the switch leg and which wire is the line side hot to the switch by turning the switch on and off and seeing which one is permanently hot and which one is the switch leg and reconnect them to reinstall a mechanical switch.
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Can I mount a smoke alarm using magnets? I am installing smoke alarms in my 1930s house. I'd rather not drill into the plaster at this time, but I want to get them mounted. I have drywall beads along the top of all my walls, so I was thinking that I could mount the smoke detectors using some rare-earth magnets. They can hold the weight, but I don't know if the magnets will interfere with the smoke detectors. I've searched around, and it sounds like some smoke detectors can be tested with magnets, but that is it. Is mounting smoke alarms with magnets going to render the smoke detectors ineffective? Edit: Thanks for the answers. I'm going to go with a more solid approach, and either find the studs or use an full anchor. Given the importance of fire detection, it's not worth the risk. <Q> Smoke detectors should not be mounted within 12" of the corner of the wall. <S> The air movement in the corner is practically nil thus rendering the detector useless. <S> It needs air movement through the unit to work. <A> For a life safety device, I'd strongly caution against improvising an attachment. <S> You need to respect positioning the smoke alarm for effectiveness, and a secure attachment that will not be compromised before and during its alerting. <S> Depending on the type of the alarm, fires can progress significantly before they alert (see NIST link for smoke alarm tests.) <S> Expect both magnets and adhesives to be affected by heat. <S> Magnets, for instance, lose strength as they approach the Curie point . <S> That temperature varies by material, but is well within the range for a room fire. . <S> Command strips, from their FAQ , hold up to around 125F (51C.) Good resources include: US Fire Administration website NIST Engineering Laboratorywebsite about smoke alarm tests <A> I wouldn't use a powerful magnet to mount it. <S> It could easily interfere with the circuitry. <S> Maybe mounting to the top of a wall with something temporary, like maybe a Command strip (they probably wouldn't work well on a ceiling)
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It's not something I would take a chance on. It would be a major problem to have the alarm fall to the floor and not alert at all or stop alerting as the fire grew.
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Very low humidity levels in new construction home - over ventilation? I just purchased a new home in the suburbs of Boston with move in date of November 2017. The home has felt unusually drafty and cold and i've had to increase the heat about 4 degrees above what I usually use. Ordinarily i'm comfortable at 68 but in this house the heat needs to be at 72 for equivalent comfort. In addition to feeling a bit uncomfortable, it has been very dry inside the home for the past 2 weeks. I purchased 2 ThermPro Hygrometers and they have consistently read 10-13 RH for the past 2 weeks. Right now it is 5 degrees outside and the RH is measured at 11% both upstairs and downstairs. We have 2 exhaust fans that appear to run 24/7. They are both located in bathrooms on each floor. I removed the vent cover and there is a switch that reads they are both operating at 110CFM. This means total venting is 220CFM? Curiously, in our home energy audit packet we received it says the mechanical ventilation rate is 145CFM. I wonder why the difference? I tried turning both exhaust fans to 50CFM for a total of 100CFM and the home seems a little more comfortable but the very low humidity hasn't changed. These fans are running ALL the time. The wall switch will not turn them off. I'm worried that even at 100CFM the house is being over ventilated causing cold air to be pulled into the house through the building envelope and exhausting warm moist air too quickly causing the house to dry out. I'm also worried about the opposite problem in the summer - too much humid air being pulled into the house. Here are the specs on the home: Basic stats of home: - 2700sq feet - unfinished attic + basement - spray foam in attic + basement - fiberglass batt in exterior walls - forced hot air heat. Dual zone w/ furnaces in Basement and Attic - 8 foot ceilings. Info from energy audit - Infiltration rate: Htg 688 Clg: 688 CFM50 - Method: blower door test From 2016 IECC r-406 Confirmed Energy Index Report - R402.4 - Envelope air leakage maximum leakage rate: (3 ACH50 for CZ3-8) PASS Are indoor RH levels of 10-15% in winter months unusual for a cold climate like Boston? Could my home be over ventilated? <Q> If you have an energy saving, very tight home, then why would you run an exhaust fan of any size 24/7? <S> Bathroom fans should only be run when the occupants are showering or doing the other thing that requires ventilation. <S> If you need that much ventilation just open a window! <S> There are energy recovery systems that move air in and out of the house and maintain a balanced pressure in the home. <S> They have a type of heat exchange mechanism, to transfer heat between the outgoing and incoming air to make the units "more green" or energy friendly. <S> Oh, by the way, contrary to some peoples opinion, forced air heating systems or any heating systems do not "dry out" the humidity in any home. <S> The humidity is relative to the temperature, raising the air temperature lowers the relative humidity and visa/versa. <S> For your house, you will have to add 1 or maybe 2 whole house humidifiers to the heating systems. <S> Raising the homes humidity will yield a more comfortable feeling at a lower temperature. <A> One fan going I think is more than enough. <S> I would say that 30-minutes every 24-hrs is enough. <S> A humidifier would be a nice addition. <S> Thermostats vary considerably. <A> I'm worried that even at 100CFM the house is being over ventilated causing cold air to be pulled into the house through the building envelope and exhausting warm moist air too quickly causing the house to dry out. <S> The warm air being vented outside isn't moist, because it's warm. <S> When you heat air, you reduce its RH (conversely, when you cool air, you increase its RH). <S> Thus, as your furnace warms up the intake air, the RH of the resulting warm air is low. <S> The colder or drier the incoming air, the lower the RH of the warmed air. <S> This is a very common problem in the winter, especially in the northern climates (and 10% RH is not unusual). <S> Many people use humidifiers to add moisture to the air to keep the RH at a more comfortable level. <S> Low humidity levels lead to dry skin and chapped lips; more shocks from static electricity; increased condensation on windows, especially in the morning; doors and windows sticking or not closing properly; damage to solid wood furniture. <S> Air at a given temperature can hold some amount of water vapor. <S> The relative humidity (RH) is a measure of how much water vapor that air is holding relative to the total amount it can hold. <S> Air's moisture capacity increases with temperature - so warm air can hold more water than cold air. <S> The air coming in to your furnace is holding some amount of water. <S> As it's heated by the furnace, it doesn't lose any* of that moisture - but, because it's warmer, the total amount of water it can hold increases and thus the RH drops. <S> *or only very little
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Some people use humidifiers in individual (bed)rooms, or you can install one on your furnace to humidify the entire house. I would allow the fans to run when the bathroom is occupied either by the use of a timer, or by a motion detector.
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Furnace runs for about 5-minutes only and shuts off Furnace (Lennox G40UH, 12 years old) runs for about 5-minutes (sometimes as high as 7-minutes) and they turns off despite the heating call from the thermostat continuing. Flame sensor has been replaced. All vents in the house are open. Removing the furnace filter and it’s cap (5”x16” cap)appears to buy about another 2-minutes of run time…though that could have been a fluke. The High Limit switch is showing 0 ohms when the furnace is not in a heat call and for the most of the cycle during the heat call, sometimes there would be a few ohms (under 10) for a few seconds. On multiple shutoffs when the flame when out (blower still on) the High Limit switch jumped to an open circuit and then quickly to 142K ohms (photo below) and then stepped back down to 0 ohms over the course of a minute or two. When the flame was turned off in this way (aka not by the thermostat), the furnace would try to fire 1-3 times again before it was able to fire and stay on for the roughly 5-minutes again. When it tried to restart some resistance would appear across the High Limit switch. Flame is a healthy blue with no signs of drafting from the exhaust venting. When the furnace is unable to fire, it does signal a code for “Primary or secondary limit switch open. Limit must close within 3 minutes or unit goes into 1 hour Watchguard.” Actions taken: - used compressed air to blow out dust from blower area, burner, exhaust fan, and exhaust venting pipe. - Replaced the flame sensor - Ensured vents throughout the house are open. - Tested removing allergenic 3M furnace filter. - Tested using a cheap blue furnace filter. - Tested using no filter. Could the fact that I am running the furnace’s heating cycle back-to-back-to-back be causing the issue? For about 90 minutes I was running heat cycles typically with no more than 5-minutes in between. <Q> The limit switch should always be at 0 ohms. <S> Subtract the two to get you the delta <S> T. Look on the name plate for the correct delta T for your particular furnace. <S> It will always be a range such as 30-60 degrees. <S> If you are over the max number you will need more air flow. <S> If you are measuring over 140 degrees or so at the outlet it is likely the limit switch is doing its job <S> and you need more air flow <A> I resolved the issue by reducing pressure on the duct system. <S> I opened up some closed vents in the house. <S> Buddy claims he had not closed any recently (to the issue starting). <S> But we opened up multiple vents further and one that had been closed shut for 3+ years (without any issues). <S> My theory is the limit switch is getting old. <S> Months after this issue, and the furnace running great, we went ahead and changed the limit switch for good insurance against more issues this upcoming winter. <A> Possible defective holding coil in gas valve that once warmed up will open from heat expansion, and then the gas flow is interrupted when the coil opens and permits the valve to close, and shuts off the fire until it cools and closes after cooling down <S> Then the furnace is recycled and the fire comes on again. <S> Flame sensors rarely fail. <S> It can do this erratically.
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Check the temperature at the outlet of the furnace and at the inlet of the furnace. The limit switch is much higher than this number however and you should not be anywhere near hot enough to trip the limit switch. Since it is bouncing around it sounds like a bad switch.
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Is my hot water circulation pump plumbed correctly? Read some related questions here but none of them seemed to address my exact problem: Bought a house this year that has the water heater in a closet near all the bathrooms. The only long run goes to the kitchen sink/dishwasher, where it will take 2+ minutes to get hot water, much to the wife's annoyance. Investigated and found a circulation pump (Grundfos up 15-42f) in the crawlspace with a setup very similar to the picture below. I'll skip the stories of the pump being clogged, burning out, dealing with home warranty, etc but go right to my questions: What improvements can we make to the system? Right now the pump is either continuously on or off, only controlled by a switch annoyingly located in the crawlspace. My hopeful improvements would be: Move the switch into the closet with the water heater (luckily the pump and switch are located right under where the heater is). Add a timer so that it turns off at night (wife works from home so uses hot water throughout the day) Add isolation valves before and after the pump so that I can isolate it for repairs, etc. Get a pump that has either a demand sensor or a temp sensor, or both. When the pump is off (such as at night or right now when it's broken), will the cold water supply feed back through the pump (ignoring the shown arrows)? I expect it does because when I went to drain the water heater and closed the cold valve right on the heater, water would still go into it - feeding from the cold street supply all the way backwards through the hot line (I think). I had to shut off water to the whole house at the street to get it drained. Would this partly explain why it takes so long for the kitchen to get hot water? It's pulling water both from the water heater and from the cold supply? Would this cause problems for the pump? Should we install another check valve between the pump and the cold supply line? Thanks for the help. <Q> To awnser your first question I would advise checking your local plumbing and electrical code before relocating the switch as it may be required to be within sight of the pump (this is so a service tech can easily see that the powers is off and no one has turned it on when they weren't looking) <S> Instead you could add another switch in series and locate that beside the heater. <S> Isolation valves are always a good idea (as you said for future service work) <S> Instead of getting a pump with a thermostat built into it you could buy a clip-on aquastat and mount that on the copper piping in the kitchen and run a cable back to the pump as it may be cheaper. <S> And then there will be no need for a timer. <S> For your second question there should (hopefully) already be a check valve after the pump but before the tee fitting <S> This is to prevent the cold water going back through the pump (one this will make your hot water cold as you said and two it can spin the impeller backwards and damage the motor). <S> If there is one it might be worn down and have failed in which case you will need to replace it. <S> If there isn't one then you might want to add one. <A> Laing pumps for example have two different manifolds. <S> One with and embedded ball check valve and two without ( thread or sweat) for 1/2” copper. <S> Turns out <S> I’ve opperated my system now for almost 6 years without a check valve and <S> only really started noticing backflip issues when my pump started to go and cold water from the supply line was pushing past my pump and into the hot water system. <S> It’s more apparent in the hot water systems closest to the recirculation line and not so bad farther down stream. <A> Grundfos makes a pump that has a timer built in. <S> Set it to come on about 1 hour before the water is likely to be used. <S> Definitely make sure there is a check valve between the cold water valve and where the pump ties in to it so hot water doesn’t bleed in to your cold water. <S> Last thing to check is if the recirculation line goes to the kitchen and then back to the pump. <S> If it does then it’s plumbed correctly. <S> If not then put a tee in the line going to your kitchen sink hot water and run it back to the pump. <S> Good luck. <S> Hope it works out or has already worked out. <A> 1: I would put an "occupancy sensor" type switch in the kitchen that ran the pump when motion was detected in the kitchen. <S> For an improved solution, it would pass through a thermostatic switch (sensor on kitchen faucet line) <S> that would not let it turn on if already hot, and switch it off as soon as hot. <S> I'd also insulate the hot water lines quite a bit, if not already done. <S> 2: There's supposed to be a check valve in the pump. <S> You can get a replacement parts kit for it. <S> You could also add a separate external check (in which case you should remove the pump's internal check.)
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2) not all circulation pumps come standard with a check valve. If it works correctly and has not been removed, it should not backflow.
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No hot water (at all) on upper floors A few days ago, the bathrooms on the 2nd and 3rd floor of my townhouse stopped getting any hot water. Nothing comes out of the faucets when they are turned all the way to the hot side. The cold water works fine. The kitchen on the main floor and bathroom in the basement still receive hot and cold water. On the day this happened, we checked our smart thermostat and it shows that the basement was under 10 degrees Celsius, and main floor was around 14 degrees. The weather outside in Toronto was around high -10s and low -20s. We suspect this has caused a section of the hot water pipe to freeze and have been keeping all areas of the house around 23 degrees for 3-4 days now, but a couple things don't seem to make sense if this suspicious is true: How does/did the hot water pipe freeze before the cold water pipe? How has running heaters near the walls and increasing internal temperatures not melted or thawed the problem sections yet? We have been keeping a couple of the faucets on the 2nd and 3rd floors slightly open to relieve any pressure buildup. With only the hot water tap turned on, sometimes nothing comes out and at other times, a slow stream of cold water comes out. Townhouse was built in 2012. Water boiler/heater is in garage. Heating works fine. Water pressure in working areas (basement and main floor) seem fine. I have no idea what is going on. The weather is not going to warm up anytime soon and I want to prevent any further damage or complications. Photos of faucets: https://imgur.com/a/lIjIK Any suggestions/advice/tips are welcome! Thanks! <Q> We brought in a couple heaters and set them to 26 degrees Celsius. <S> We also kept faucets dripping "hot" (actually just cold) water. <S> We additionally opened the water main access door and blew hot air into the walls, as well as heating up all our bathrooms with the vent fans on. <S> This all happened for over 72 hours. <S> A few hours ago, our hot water has been restored. <A> 1) How does/did the hot water pipe freeze before the cold water pipe? <S> Once tap water has been heated, most of the entrapped gases such as chlorine, fluorine and air are released losing the insulating properties that cold, treated water would have. <S> 2) <S> How has running heaters near the walls and increasing internal temperatures not melted or thawed the problem sections yet? <S> The walls provide greater insulation/resistance than you suspect. <S> 3) We have been keeping a couple of the faucets on the 2nd and 3rd floors slightly open to relieve any pressure buildup. <S> With only the hot water tap turned on, sometimes nothing comes out and at other times, a slow stream of cold water comes out. <S> Whatever marginal melting occurs in the hot water pipes, occurs in a very thin layer with direct contact with the pipe wall. <S> The pipe core remains frozen, which chills the small amount of water flowing around it. <S> Movement of the melt water is the key to re-establishing flow. <S> Pipe thawing of this type is usually done by passing electric current through the metal pipe. <S> Welding contractors are best suited for the job. <A> You have plastic pipes, so I'm afraid that rules out the electric thawing technique. <S> Heat tapes/cables might work if you have an isolated frozen section. <S> The better variety are thermostatically controlled. <S> Make sure you find one approved for plastic pipe.
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You don’t have enough heat and/or haven’t given it enough time.
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Wire reqs for a 40 amp circuit I have read that I should use 8 gauge wire for a 40 amp circuit. If I had extra 12 gauge wire from a 20 amp circuit, could I simply use two lines of 12 gauge wire instead? <Q> You should not even think of attempting to wire a 40A circuit with two 12 AWG (20A) parallel conductors. <S> If you did this and then by chance one of the 12 AWG conductors failed to an open circuit for some reason you would have a serious overload condition possible on the other lone conductor. <S> That conductor could very well overheat and cause a fire when the circuit is still backed up with a 40A breaker. <A> NO! <S> This would be a serious safety issue and Code violation. <S> 310.10(H) Conductors in Parallel. <S> (1) General. <S> Aluminum, copper-clad aluminum, or copper conductors, for each phase, polarity, neutral, or grounded circuit shall be permitted to be connected in parallel (electrically joined at both ends) only in sizes 1/0 AWG and larger where installed in accordance with 310.10(H)(2) through (H)(6). <S> [emphasis added] Get the right sized wire, it is not worth you and your family's safety. <A> It's forbidden with wire that small. <S> If you had a 400A circuit and wanted to use paralleled 4/0 instead of having to go buy 1000kcmil, then there are ways to do that. <S> Particularly, you need to use a listed enclosure that is specifically designed for paralleling. <S> This will include both a common shutoff switch and separate fusing for each wire . <S> That way if one conductor breaks and you are pulling 400A down a single 4/0, that fuse will blow, protecting the wire.
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Paralleling of conductors under 1/0 is not allowed according to the National Electrical Code.
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Can I funnel the output of a portable air conditioner to direct it? I have a portable air conditioner similar to the one in the picture below. I want to direct the output flow through a small duct system to the feet of people sitting on a large table. Can I just tape a large fabric funnel on around the blades of the unit and into my duct system? <Q> The manufacturer would clearly say no! <S> His blower is designed to deliver air into an unobstructed space. <S> The squirrel cage blower wheel in the standard furnace is designed altogether differently. <S> It is designed to push against back pressure. <S> The blower in this type of unit is not designed to do that. <S> Additionally, you will knock all of the design parameters out of wack. <S> You could dramatically shorten the life of the compressor. <S> An accepted solution would be a through-the-wall fan to move the cooling to another room, preferably placed lower on the wall. <S> Or use a breeze box set in the discharge path of this unit, not too close, to augment air flow to the immediate area. <A> The machine is designed to be ducted in the exhaust side. <S> Extend that duct and place the machine closer to the area you want cooled. <A>
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Makeing a duct would work to channel the air to a specific location however there will be some efficiency lost but the underside of the table would be directly cooled. You will definitely loose all of your warrantee coverage.
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Insulating a 2x4 wall with exterior rigid foam I'm gutting the interior and redoing the siding of my old house. Unfortunately the exterior walls are only 2x4 which makes it challenging to reach R20 code let alone go above it to make a greener more energy efficient home. So if you fill the 2x4 cavity with rock wool, then mount 4 inches of rigid foam to the sheathing, would that surpass R20? What would others do in my shoes? Double studding and losing square footage could be a possibility but would seem a lot more expensive. Also where does the house wrap and vapor barrier go? Climate Zone 5 (cold winters/hot summers) <Q> Given that typical foams are R5 per inch, 4 inches of foam alone will exceed R-19. Rockwool in the stud spaces will help somewhat on top of that (with a thermal break at each stud, but an additional R11 or so between studs.) <A> Consider a foamed in place product. <S> Then a thin layer of expanded polystyrene under the siding should get you there. <S> Make sure to include a heavy mil vapor barrier. <A> Your foam is fine, and is a vapor barrier, so don't put another one in there! <S> However, water gets into walls despite all our best efforts to stop it, so it needs a path out of the wall, either to the inside or the outside. <S> In other words, do NOT put poly or any other vapor barrier material on the inside, or else you'll have a soggy mess on your hands when you turn the air conditioner on!
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Since the closed-cell foam is an effective vapor barrier, it can't exit to the outside, so it must have a path back to the inside, through the drywall, to exit. Your plan to use 4" of closed cell rigid foam as continuous exterior insulation is sound, and will get your R-20 or thereabouts without any insulation in the stud cavities, so adding rockwool to the stud cavities will get you well above your R-20 target.
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Thermostatic Control of Simple Apartment Heater My daughter's apartment has a very simple heater. As shown in the pictures below, it is an heater-coil unit with only a fan control. There is no temperature control or thermostatic feedback. So, for example, the heater cannot be left running unattended for extended periods of time, like overnight. I'm wondering if there are any solutions that can attach to a heater like this to provide automated thermostatic control. Since this is in a rental unit, replacing the heater is the last thing she would want to do. In my mind, a simple mechanical attachment to the fan control would be ideal. Has anyone seen a solution to a problem like this? I found a link to the product line for this heater ( SeasonMaker ThinLine Fan-Coil Units ), and it shows that there are thermostats available for some configurations. I can't decipher the catalog to understand how this might work with this particular unit, or if it can work at all. <Q> NOT an electric heater - a hot-water heater with an electric fan, connected to a central source of hot water (which might be under control of a thermostat not local to the Fan Coil Unit .) <S> It is not inherently hazardous to leave such a unit turned on 24 hours a day. <S> Would be a fairly simple/inexpensive "robotics" project to have a temperature sensor and a servo or stepper motor that connected to the dial, which would not require any "landlord irritating" attempts to modify the internals of the heat unit. <S> Landlords are not generally thrilled with tenants who modify things the landlord owns, so don't go there. <A> They make external thermostats for that very unit. <S> Tell the super you'd like one, ask them how much they'd want to install it, and if you can do a deal, you can do a deal. <S> But you understand how that unit works? <S> It does not make heat nor cold. <S> Service water, supplied by the building's plant/ boiler works, arrives at your heater at 45-140F (depending on whether it is configured for heating or cooling). <S> Service water is circulated through your heater, and returned to be re-heated or re-chilled. <S> The upshot is that nothing in it operates at a hazardous temperature. <A> I think Ecnerwal in is right. <S> Especially because you are in a big city ape. <S> Most of those buildings have a large single boiler in the basement and circulate a certain temperature of water throughout the building constantly; as the outdoor temperature drops the water temp is raised. <S> If you want heat in your apt you simply turn on the fan the speed you want. <A> Leave the internal fan off. <S> The thermostat sensor might be placed elsewhere in the room, for more even temperature control.
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Add external ductwork feeding the air inlet from a thermostatically controlled fan -- which can be a bathroom ultra-quiet blower so you don't have to listen to the thing.
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Covering a Window with insulation I am a college student living in a cheap rental. I have a window in my bedroom that leaks a lot of cold air. I live in a northern climate, and during this recent cold snap my heater can't keep up. The window is in a recess and I currently have a thin curtain covering the window. The window looks only on the side of a neighbor's wall. Would it be a stupid idea to buy insulation to stuff into the recess and prevent cold air from leaking, and would it be effective? I've been researching and others have suggested thin plastic window covering but this doesn't seem like it would greatly improve the situation. A few drawbacks I can see to my idea is that it would obstruct the view which I don't care about and would not let any sun in which might effect my sleep. <Q> You could, but getting the foam to fit right and seal won't be easy. <S> The easiest is a plastic window covering. <S> They make some that you shrink with a hair dryer after installing. <S> This will ensure a seal. <A> For $5 you can retain the natural light the window provides and hold back a lot of cold air; very noticeable difference. <S> When installed it's barely noticeable. <S> Trim any excess beyond the tape with a sharp knife. <S> I just removed and replaced (after three+ years) <S> this type of insulation on two of my basement windows just an hour ago. <S> Easy peazy. <A> Best would be pieces cut from a large box that covered the whole opening at once from side to side of the recess but using multiple layers of overlapping pieces can work just as well. <S> Use the two inch wide style of blue painters tape to hold the cardboard pieces in place and seal the edges to the wall. <S> Painters tape is recommended for this because it can later be removed without much damage to the wall surfaces (paint and window trim). <S> The loss of ability to look out the window can easily be weighed against the energy savings and comfort. <S> And if the existing window curtain covers the opening you do not even have to look at the brown corrugated cardboard. <S> When warmer weather returns the cardboard can easily be removed to allow light to come into the room again. <S> For future plan to keep a roll or two of the tape around and do not recycle every cardboard box. <A> When insulating a space, the primary objective should be to remove air movement in that space. <S> A single layer covering over the recess will not prevent thermal transfer in the enclosed space and will not be very effective. <S> Layers of cardboard fully enclosing the space will be more effective, as it restricts air movement to the channels in the cardboard, as well as reducing the amount of air in the space. <S> The cardboard will also provide some restriction to the temperature transfer. <S> Expanded foam sheets will be more effective, if they are cut to completely fill the space. <S> Remove as much air as possible by carefully trimming the pieces to fit tightly against the window and window frame as well as the edges of the recess. <S> Fill as much of the recess as possible. <S> If you are unable to purchase suitable foam sheeting, one can also use packing peanuts and fill the space. <S> It's debatable whether this method would be as effective as cardboard sheets, however, as the volume of air between the packing peanuts may be greater than that in the cardboard corrugations.
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You could even consider cutting out flat sections of a corrugated cardboard box and fitting them over the window opening. Heat shrink window insulation kits are easy to install (5 to 10 minutes) and the double-stick tape that holds the plastic is easily removed. This solution can make a substantial difference in the room warmth during times of extreme cold spells.
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Should the solenoid to a Furnace Humidifier be intermittent? This should be a simple yes or no question but I can't determine it myself. I have an AprilAire 550 Humidifier built into the ducting from my furnace. It appears that the humidifier isn't working due to water never spraying out of the line. I have narrowed it down to the solenoid. I can test the line going to the solenoid with a multimeter and confirm that 24 volts is going to it. Whenever the solenoid is connected, while monitoring the power, the power stays at 24 volts but the solenoid only opens the valve briefly when I connect it. So I do know solenoids can be both intermittent and not. My question is, should this solenoid be an intermittent one? If the answer is no then of course I will replace it. I believe the answer is no since the humidistat and furnace circuit will determine whether it should be on or off. <Q> This solenoid should not be making any decisions on its own. <A> The Aprilaire 4040 solenoid assembly appears to be a non-intermittent valve. <S> As long as power is applied, it should be open. <S> Try thumping the solenoid while it is energized in an attempt to un-stick it. <S> A sharp thump with something not too hard, like a block of lumber or a rubber mallet, might work. <S> If you have an ohmmeter available, check the coil resistance (disconnect the wires, measure ohms through the coil); should be something like 30 to 400 ohms. <S> If it is infinite (open), replace the solenoid. <S> The owners manual hints that the solenoid stays energized to be on here (page 6) . <A> Solenoids can get dirty just like any other valve, if it is opening but only allowing a little water through it probably could use a cleaning. <S> Remove the nut and if a spring washer make sure you note how it is sitting you want to put it back together the same way. <S> Pull the solenoid OFF. <S> Now there are usually flats you can use a wrench to unscrew the body. <S> once you have the valve opened you may see all kinds of debris stuck in the valve, clean it out. <S> I usually inspect the small rubber seat that is embedded in the slug if it looks badly worn I will replace this seal. <S> After cleaning out reassemble, put your coil back on and give a try. <S> I can clean most of these type of valves in 2-3 minutes a bit longer to replace the seat. <S> It's worth a try as these valves usually tip the scales at +$50 with some in the $300+ range. <S> So a couple of minutes cleaning them out is well worth the time.
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As you unscrew use caution as some solenoidss have a small spring . With the water and power turned off unscrew the nut on the top of the solenoid. It you give it power it should stay on.
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Can I block large open vent in basement Fairly new to this house and I have a large open vent in our basement that is letting a lot of cold air in. The diameter is 8-9 inches. The inside duct is connected directly to the outside vent screen in the second image. It is in the furnace/utility room. The furnace and water heater both consume gas. Will blocking it impact carbon monoxide levels in the basement? Here is what it looks like inside and out. <Q> I believe the vent is for combustion air. <S> If there is no fresh air to the furnace and water heater this could create serious problems both with carbon monoxide and inefficient operation. <S> Plugging the fresh air vent could be quite hazardous and cost in inefficiency. <A> The furnace and water heater both consume gas. <S> Will blocking it impact carbon monoxide levels in the basement? <S> Definitely it will impact carbon monoxide and not only that - the vent is REQUIRED by code. <S> Don't block it! <S> Buy an electric or heat pump water heater and furnace if it is too unbearable. <A> As others have mentioned, that's almost certainly a combustion air vent. <S> Your appliances consume air from the utility room, and that air must be replaced, otherwise safety problems can develop. <S> There's a couple different things you can do about it. <S> This is what I did, 90% AFUE furnace has its own intake snorkel, and an electric water heater. <S> It's possible, though I don't know if it's allowed, to put a damper on the combustion air intake that opens whenever an appliance fires up. <S> However this mechanism could fail, or pilot lights may consume too much air to close the intake. <S> Seal off the utility room. <S> You're allowed to box the appliances into a tiny utility closet, if you follow certain rules (I think you need two intakes, one high and one low) and if you air seal it and insulate it, cold air won't get in to the rest of the house. <S> Combustion air vents are pretty terrible for home efficiency, my old 6" vent was passively flowing 100-200cfm at all times, including the dead of winter. <A> Another possibility is that this used to be connected to the furnace or hot water heater and one or both systems were replaced with the combustion output vented through a different duct. <S> If the furnace & hot water heater ductwork are currently combined then that is very possibly what happened. <S> It is also possible it was the dryer vent. <S> If your washer/dryer is currently located elsewhere <S> but there is indication (electrical and/or plumbing) that it used to be near this vent <S> then that is another possibility. <S> If either of these scenarios is what happened then this would definitely not be needed for fresh air. <S> The last time my plumber worked on my furnace, he made it clear to me that I should have multiple CO detectors for safety (I installed them right away) <S> - <S> so <S> I second that recommendation made by others already. <A> I have my air intake connected directly into the air intake duct on the furnace with flexible insulated piping similar to attached photo. <A> Be careful. <S> CO is lighter than air at 70 F, but heavier than air at 32 F. Where you place the CO monitor will depend on the room temperature. <S> Maybe use two monitors, one located at an outlet 12" off the floor, and one at the ceiling level.
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If you block the large vent air may be pulled in from the vents on the water heater and furnace causing a buildup of carbon monoxide and because of the reduced fresh air the gas may not be completely burn. Switch to all sealed combustion or electric appliances.
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Interior walls - why skim coat with joint compound? Roughly put, my understanding of the history of interior walls is: In olden days, plaster. Good/bad/indifferent - not everything was 3-coat. Good work took time. $$$ Drywall. Faster, cheaper. Largely supplanted plaster, ex in Europe and Boston. $ Then, skim coat. With joint compound. $$? Apparently, skim coat looks better than straight drywall? If so, is that because the (taped & coated) joints are hard to hide? Bonus question: if you're going to skim anyway, why not use veneer plaster, either over blueboard or over drywall plus a bonder? Am I wrong in thinking that plaster is much easier to trowel? (Full disclosure: I'm going to do some drywall, for the first time. I have done some veneer plastering. I found the results more that adequate, and didn't think it was impossibly difficult - mostly, it set faster than I wanted. But, I'm far from a pro.) <Q> I'm not sure if we're talking about the same thing with "skim coat", but it's just a higher level of drywall finishing for improved sheen management. <S> Level 1 : This level means that your drywall joint tape has been embedded in joint compound, and nothing more. <S> Level 2 : <S> This next level means that you have skimmed a thin coat of joint compound over the tape and covered the drywall screw holes. <S> You can stop at this level if you intend to cover with tile. <S> Level 3 : For this stage, you apply a coat of joint compound to the tape and screws. <S> Walls that will receive a heavy texture, such as knockdown texture, can end at this level. <S> It would be pointless to progress beyond this level, since texturing is rougher than level 3. <S> Level 4 <S> : This is the classic drywall finish. <S> Here, you apply another coat of joint compound to the tape and screws and sand the dried compound. <S> Level 5 <S> : The highest possible level of drywall finishing involves applying a skim coat, if applicable. <S> ... <S> The two instances when you need a level 5 <S> coating: the finish will be glossy <S> and/or light will be coming from an angle low enough to highlight bumps and depressions. <S> https://www.thespruce.com/the-five-levels-of-drywall-finishing-4120152 <S> Modern joint compounds are used for their ease of application, relatively quick drying, and light weight. <S> I'm not familiar with the application of plaster over drywall in modern scenarios. <S> My 1950s home did have plaster over drywall, but that's a much more involved process than simply skimming wallboard. <A> It is almost impossible to get a uniform appearance without it <S> but I guess it depends on how hard you look and the sheen of the paint. <S> I have never skim coated with blue board and plaster <S> but I had a job quoted both ways and plaster <S> was almost twice the cost. <A> The plasterer did a terrific job and swirled the finish to my wife's liking. <S> (you get the picture) <S> WE (she) then had the painter paint the whole house with a semi-gloss paint finish which she can clean to remove spots. <S> Flat finish paints are always used with "dry wall" jobs to try and hide the taped joints, which can always be seen. <S> The walls and ceiling are semi shiny and looks great. <S> No tape joints, no marks that she can't remove.
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Skimming the entire surface with a looser joint compound just makes the entire surface uniform. In my house built 20 years ago, we opted for a 2 coat plaster system that is in my area called "hard coat plaster".
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Check if propane gas tank is almost empty? We have a 100-lb propane gas tank that we use for our gas stove. We never know if the tank's almost empty, and I always wonder if we're changing it too soon. Is there an accessory that I can add to the line that will let me know how much gas is left? Thanks. <Q> Yes there is, but it's not added to the feed line. <S> It's an astonishingly simple device. <S> It's a liquid crystal thermometer mounted on a magnetic strip . <S> You apply the strip (after it's been flattened out from the packaging) to the tank in a vertical orientation. <S> Pour boiling hot water (is that redundant?) <S> over the tank area around the strip. <S> This causes the propane in the tank to vaporize in that area, cooling the liquid down and warming the gas. <S> The thermal capacities of the strip change color and the line between the two colors shows the level. <S> I've used it a few times, although my color-blindness required another set of eyes to determine the correct level. <S> Since then, I've purchased a Flir-One which also presents temperature differences by color change. <S> No need for the strip, just the hot water on the tank and the level is clearly indicated on the screen. <S> The magnetic strip is orders of magnitude less expensive than a Flir-One, but far less entertaining. <S> The image above shows my tanks. <S> The left one having been doused with hot water, the right one in progress. <A> Keep a spare tank and always bleed them dry. <A> In my last house, we had propane for cooking. <S> We had the same problem as you until we contacted a propane dealer who would come on a regular schedule and refill our tank and only charge for the amount we needed. <S> It cost a little more but is was well worth the added cost since I no longer had to take the tank somewhere to be refilled. <S> At a later date we added a second tank with an automatic switch-over with an indicator of the status of the empty tank. <S> The propane dealer could then come and fill the empty tank. <S> This way we always had a spare tank in case of a near disaster such being isolated due to a snow storm or a flood <S> and we could use the kitchen stove for heat in case the furnace quit. <A> Not one you add to the line, <S> Special propane scales exist.
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but if your tank is even vaguely portable you can put it on a scale to weigh it.
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Does a 2100W angle grinder need an earth pin? I have recently purchased a Makita 2100W angle grinder. It has just the live (L) and neutral (N) connectors unlike the one I previously used, which had a third protected earth (PE) connection. Would it be better if I changed the connections to a 3 pin connector? <Q> Your grinder is a Class-II Double Insulated appliance and therefore does not require a ground/earth connection. <S> But even if you did decide to fit a 3-pin plug, what would you connect the 3rd pin to? <S> There's no 3rd wire in the cord, nor is there a ground point in the device to connect it to. <A> It is double insulated. <S> Your prior one wasn't so its case had to be grounded. <A> Well, your modification would very likely worsen the safety. <S> Either you replace only the plug, it would be just that, a new plug, with the GND not connected anywhere. <S> That makes it worse by giving a false belief that the appliance is grounded. <S> Or you decide to replace the cord as well. <S> It would mean opening the chassis, finding a connection point somewhere and soldering or connecting the GND wire there. <S> However, you first, can't be sure that the connection point is "good enough". <S> Second, opening the chassis may damage some insulation. <S> Third, the device, as is, was tested against various failures and use conditions, your modification would not be.
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Look for the square in the square icon on the name plate of the device: You will not be any safer if you replace the plug.
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Clicking noise in wall, every 23 seconds I have a 2-story colonial house (with a basement) in Michigan. I have forced-air heating. The house was built in 2001. On the upper floor, my daughter noticed that a clicking sound (similar to an old light-switch) started which sounds like it's coming from within the wall. The wall is between two bedrooms. It is made of drywall. The heating register for her bedroom is on that wall, but is about 5-6 feet away from where the clicking sound seems to be coming. We timed the clicks. They are occurring every 23 seconds, like clockwork. Lastly, they seem to be coming from the upper area of the wall. I have not yet looked into the rafters of the house. I will do that as soon as I can. I can barely hear the click when I stand in the living room below the bedrooms. It's definitely emanating from the upper floor area. Any ideas as to what could be causing this? I'm the original owner of the house and this is a new thing. UPDATE: As I was looking for appropriate tags for this question, the clicking started coming pretty fast for about a minute or so. Now it's back down to a regular interval of about 10-15 seconds. Also, I looked in the rafters and was not able to see much beyond a lot of blown-in insulation. <Q> Typically a main stack vent that is rubbing against a structural stud, sill plate, or drywall. <S> I have fixed this ticking/clicking noise in two houses by cutting out the offending piece of 3/4" drywall and replacing with 1/2" on top of furring strips to give the pipe some room to expand. <A> Consistent timing (23 seconds) seems to rule out expansion / contraction issues in my opinion. <S> The fact that it briefly changed the time interval makes me think it's some sort of thermostat device, maybe snow melting tape? <S> Where you hear it in the wall / floor can be misleading, because sound transmission can do funny things inside of wall spaces, especially those with insulation. <S> I would start with the electrical system check as described earlier, but I would go the other way. <S> While the sound is happening, turn off breakers one at a time and see if stops. <S> Then you just have to determine what that circuit is feeding. <S> If you turn off the main and it goes away, but it is tied to a thermostatic type of device, turning everything off may delay how long it takes to start clicking again. <A> does this sound only happen in the winter? <S> i have the same type of sounds in my basement. <S> google "oil canning duct"
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A vibration taking place in a device somewhere else can get amplified as a sound in another area simply because it is the only place where that vibration is not being absorbed. It is probably expansion and contraction of your ducts. If it does, that's the circuit.
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Can I pull 120v outlets from a 220v box with no neutral? I want to run a couple of 110 volt plugs from a box that has 220 volts. Both the black and white wires are 110 volt and there is only a ground wire with them. Can I tie into one of the hot wires and just connect the neutral wire to ground? <Q> NO! <S> That would energize the the ground wire and someone could be electrocuted from a wire they can normally expect to be safe. <A> This is called a "separately derived source". <S> That transformer would also need to have proper primary and secondary circuit protection based on the size / capacity of 120V that you need. <S> Trust me, it would likely be cheaper to rip open the walls and run a new cable... <A> Neutral is not ground, and you must never misuse neutral for ground or vice versa. <S> It can cause a serious safety hazard. <S> Most 240V circuits are dedicated to a single machine, device or receptacle. <S> If this circuit serves only this location, or if you are able to convert all its locations to 120V, you can convert this circuit to 120V . <S> Change how it's punched down in the service panel, so instead of white and black going to the two sides of a 240V breaker, the white goes to neutral. <S> (the black can still go to 1/2 of a 240V breaker, so you don't even need to move it). <S> Now change each receptacle to the appropriate type. <S> Remember that if your circuit breaker is 30A, all its receptacles must also be 30A. If you need to plug 15-20A plugs into that, check out a PDU or power distribution unit intended for computer servers. <S> You could also downsize your breaker to 20A, as the breaker size decides circuit size. <S> Don't upsize breakers without fully understanding wire size and the rules there.
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If you cannot pull new cable with a proper neutral AND ground conductor separately, then the only legal way to attain 120V would be to use a 240-120V transformer and power the transformer from the 240V circuit, then let it create a new 120V circuit from it with a legal Neutral that is now bonded to ground at the transformer. That would be a National Electrical Code violation and a dangerous practice.
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Is there a way to safely have exposed electrical wires? We have a dumpster on our property for another home project and are hoping to take advantage of this by disposing of some bathroom lights and a ceiling fan. However, we do not currently have a replacement for these items. I don't believe turning the breaker off (and leaving off) is an option. If I were to remove these lights and then cap off with wire nuts and electrical tape would that be a safe option or is this just asking for trouble? <Q> Yes. <S> This is not only safe but best practice. <S> Tuck the capped wires completely into the junction boxes to avoid accidentally snagging on passing ladders, wallboard, etc. <S> If the room continues in general use then install blank cover plates. <A> (don't nut them all together!) <S> and you're good to go. <S> That is the proper way to terminate unused wires, whether the breaker is to be turned back on or not. <A> In addition to just capping with wirenuts, depending on your wiring configuration and your expertise, I would suggest labeling the wires as you remove them (maybe if you use large enough wirenuts to write on put a different number/letter on each one and keep a log of what each letter's wirenut was connected to) <S> so you'll know what was connected where in each junction box when you eventually install the new fixtures. <S> This will avoid a future SE question on " <S> how do I know what should be connected to what" question that's all too common.
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With the breaker off, put a wire nut on each wire separately
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No power at outlets but breaker isn't tripped. What do I troubleshoot next? My "Family Room Receptacles" have lost power. 6 total that I believe are all on the same breaker. I can not locate a GFCI anywhere. I have reset the breaker which also did not restore power. What should my next steps be in troubleshooting? Is it possible the breaker has gone bad? The house was built in 2001. 1/9/17 - Update: I've found two more receptacles on the exterior of my house that have also lost power. One of them is a GFCI and I am not able to reset it. Given the location of this socket, it appears that it may be the 1st in the chain of receptacles going through my living room that have lost power. What are the chances that 2 exterior outlets are wired in with 6 interior outlets? I can not locate a breaker in the box for the exterior outlets so I can only assume they are wired in with one of the interior lines. I only have a glow stick but can get the one suggested and begin checking for power from there. <Q> Outside gfci's do go bad replace the one that won't reset with a weather resistant model <S> it should have WR stamped on the face the electronics are coated so they last longer. <S> While you are getting the new WR GFCI outlet pick up a extra heavy duty cover (sometimes called an in use cover) <S> this will protect the outlet from the elements and the WR rating protects from fog and dew that wipes out the non rated gfci's over time. <A> Start replacing non-working receptacles. <S> The new receptacles are much better quality. <S> Also you might consider a slightly more expensive receptacle. <S> You will find the problem child. <S> It is one of those six. <S> Also look for a wall switch that has gotten turned off. <A> Do you have a voltage tester? <S> Not a glow stick but or a multimeter just a contact type voltage tester like this . <S> If so you can begin testing the circuit at the circuit breaker in the panelboard and continue through the circuit until you find the problem. <S> This will require knowledge of the layout of the circuit so you will need to trace the cable or conduit as it goes from the panel to the receptacles. <S> You will be testing from the hot wire to the neutral or ground just looking for the presence of power. <S> Circuit breakers can go bad over time just as any part of the circuit can. <S> Before replacing things hoping that fixes the problem you should determine what the problem actually is. <S> WARNING! <S> Testing live circuits is potentially dangerous and if you feel this is beyond your expertise then call a reputable electrician. <A> I would suggest getting a tester screwdriver like this <S> [ Caution: <S> These could be dangerous ]: <S> Then remove the cover of your panel and check whether the input and output contacts on your breaker are live. <S> Otherwise you have a problem in the wiring further down the circuit. <S> Electricity is dangerous business, you risk getting electrocuted or starting a fire ... <S> if you don't know what you are doing, call a professional.
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Breakers may occasionally go bad after tripping, I once had one burn the contacts on the inside so that it worked intermittently when reset. If your breaker has input but no output then it has gone bad.
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Ground wire from the junction box Background: I am a regular DIYer just starting out. My question is regarding the ground wire while installing a chandelier. I have just moved to a new location in Ontario, Canada. The house was built in 1999. This is a picture of the previous installation of the fixture onto the junction box. Observation: The ground coming out of the previous fixture was connected to the green nut on the bracket. However, in the pic above, the ground from the supply is visible in the junction box but isn't connected to the green nut. I installed the chandelier the same way. It works. Concerns: Is it safe to assume that the installation is safely grounded because the fixture ground wire is connected to the green nut on the bracket which in turn is connected to a grounded junction box? If the junction box is indeed grounded, is it normal for the ground wire to be visible in such a manner? If the junction box isn't grounded, should I pull down that ground, connect it to the fixture's ground and then connect an external copper piece to the other 2 grounds and finally the external ground to the green nut? Research indicates that the green nut has place for just 1 wire. Thanks for reading. <Q> The green screw firmly grounds the lamp to the mounting bracket. <S> You are asking "How does the mounting bracket ground itself to the steel junction box? <S> Does only metal-metal contact suffice, or does it need to be wired also?" <S> Yes, metal-metal contact between parts is acceptable grounding if all these are true: <S> the mounting bracket is bottomed out "hard" against the metal junction box (not dangling by the screws or floating on drywall ears, as is usually the case with receptacles and switches) <S> and both are clean bare metal (not contaminated with paint, rust etc.) <S> and there are no insulators in the way <S> (those little squares that outlets use to capture screws). <S> Unless there are any of those little screw-capture squares that I can't see, both your old bracket and your new one look like valid grounding paths to me. <A> The National Electrical Code Article to support Paul Logan's answer [attention to (C)]: <S> 250.148 Continuity and Attachment of Equipment Grounding Conductors to Boxes. <S> If circuit conductors are spliced within a box or terminated on equipment within or supported by a box, all equipment grounding conductor(s) associated with any of those circuit conductors shall be connected within the box or to the box with devices suitable for the use in accordance with 250.8 and 250.148(A) through (E). <S> (A) Connections. <S> Connections and splices shall be made in accordance with 110.14(B) except that insulation shall not be required. <S> (B) <S> Grounding Continuity. <S> (C) Metal Boxes. <S> A connection shall be made between the one or more equipment grounding conductors and a metal box by means of a grounding screw that shall be used for no other purpose, equipment listed for grounding, or a listed grounding device. <S> (D) <S> Nonmetallic Boxes. <S> One or more equipment grounding conductors brought into a nonmetallic outlet box shall be arranged such that a connection can be made to any fitting or device in that box requiring grounding. <A> The ground wire coming with the supply cable should be securely connected to the box itself with a threaded machine screw. <S> From there this ground should come out of the box and wire nutted to a wire from the screw on the fixture strap. <S> Under that same wire nut include the ground wire from the new fixture. <S> 1 <S> No <S> 2 <S> Yes 3 see above With the ground wire coming out of the cable, try to keep it a bit longer. <S> As soon as it leaves the jacket of the cable pull it tight around the screw in the box and then keep going up and out of the box. <S> If it is already too short just pull it out of the box. <S> Wire nut two pieces of bare #14 and the ground wire from the fixture under one nut. <S> Hit the box and the strap with the two bare leads.
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The arrangement of grounding connections shall be such that the disconnection or the removal of a receptacle, luminaire, or other device fed from the box does not interfere with or interrupt the grounding continuity.
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what lightbulb can I use in this 250V 100W light fixture? I am located in the United States and have a light fixture in my kitchen w/ the following parameters: 250V, 100Wmodel: K512GUnot sure what this part is: 2/250 Can I use this 60W bulb in this fixture: http://a.co/eMM1v4R ? More generally, do I have to use a 250V, 100W bulb, or can the voltage on the bulb differ, or can the wattage differ, or can both differ? Pictures of the existing bulbs (which stopped working) and the info in the light fixture are attached. <Q> The numbers you have found are the maximum ratings of the socket . <S> The wattage of the bulb, if incandescent, must not exceed 100 W but may be less. <S> The voltage rating of the socket is irrelevant. <S> Check the old bulb for a voltage marking. <A> Those types of ratings are always for the upper limits for wattage. <S> In this case I'm certain that the voltage is an upper limit regarding that socket also. <S> However, you are going to want to match the voltage of the lamp you took out. <S> That is the only thing that will work. <S> You can always go lower on wattage. <A> This bulb is a GU10 which means the pins on the bulb are 10mm apart (just less than 0.5 inch). <S> They come as halogen type and also as the new LED type which are very energy efficient but more expensive to buy. <S> The halogen ones get very hot and the LED ones stay pretty cool. <S> USA uses 110-120 volt standard for regular house wiring. <S> Your 250 volt socket is capable of 250 volts if used in other countries that use 250 volts. <S> Just take the bulb to the store and get a GU10 which are 110-120 volts in the USA. <S> Typically the halogen bulbs are 50 watts and the equivalent LED is about 6 watts but puts out the same amount of light. <S> You can even get these at Walmart.
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The voltage of the bulb must match the voltage supplied by the electric service, which is almost certainly whichever of either 120 or 240 volts is standard for your country. You can always go smaller on the wattage.
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How can I duplicate this paint texture? I patched a hole in my wall. Now I am going to paint. My walls have a slight texture to them. I think it's a pretty common type of texturing; very subtle.How can I match this texture?Preferably a manual way since it's a small hole (baseball size). But if I need a product that would be helpful information also. <Q> Ok this looks like orange peal <S> it is tough to match. <S> Unless a large area is tapered . <S> be careful <S> don't try to tape off and. <S> Make a zone area <S> I did this many years ago and <S> after 3 tries I could still see the lines from the tape but the owner was happyI have learned to never use tape because there is always a line even with sanding. <A> Tape some plastic cling film on a piece of wall that is undamaged. <S> Mix plaster of Paris with sand and smear onto the plastic, a little bit larger than your hole and about 2cm / 1” <S> thick. <S> When dry, remove from wall. <S> This is your ‘casting mold’. <S> Smear some plaster on the repaired spot, lay clingfilm over it and press your casting mold into wet plaster. <S> When dry remove the film and paint. <A> It looks like you could use a shaggy paint roller to get this effect. <S> There are a variety of rollers and covers, so you should take those pics with you to ask a store associate which roller would likely get you that result. <S> As @EdBeal mentions, don't use tape as it'll leave a line. <S> Feather out your paint to make the repair virtually disappear. <S> And make sure you aren't filling in too much of the existing texture. <S> You don't want an odd looking, smooth ring around your repair.
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Take a wooden board and press firmly onto the plaster, compressing it into the plastic, waiting 10 minutes. The simplest way to feather is to let your roller get dry and roll it around the edges of your wet paint to try to soak some of it back up.
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