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Would a vernal pond (as either a retention basin or a infiltration basin) be a viable solution for this drainage issue? So my backyard is showing some heavy pooling issues. I am in Southern Maine, USA The lowest point (picture 1) is, unfortunately pretty close to the garage pier foundation, and when the water pools it includes two of the pillars. My thought is to dig out an area where Picture 3 shows the center of the swale and digging out to the left to move the water away from the building and provide an additional feature to the landscape. This would also involve backfilling some of the area nearest the building to ensure the water is moving away. 1) Would a solution be to dig out an area to be a pond (either a retention basin or a infiltration basin - Link: Nomenclature reference ), and put in a small channel system to move all the water from the other pictures spot into it? 2) The lowest point is also near an out-of-use dug well. Would this cause any additional obstacle? Can you incorporate a dug well into a pond? Some comments asked about the well. The dug well is the brick structure in picture 1 and is out of use. My neighbors and I all used deep drilled wells to pull from the lower aquifer for our water supply. We also all have personal septic tanks and leach fields. The land behind the house is a four acre field, but due to the mound for the septic leaching, the slop declines towards the yard, causing the natural swales to form. I hope to refine the question, perhaps with a little feed back because I am out of my milieu. <Q> I don't think that digging a pond will help <S> The water is where it's at and the soil is saturated like a wet sponge, removing dirt for clear open water, aka a pond, is just removing the dirt in the pond, it won't change the water level. <S> These days the construction of houses take lot drainage into consideration but that was not the case for your older house. <S> It looks like the surrounding area tends to slope right to your house and the low spot is at the deepest water. <S> Other Ways to Deal With The Water <S> In the picture it looks like your yard slopes down hill to a forest. <S> You need to get water to a place lower than where it is currently, and the forest, if lower than your lowest spot near the house, is a great place for it. <S> You would need to slope downhill to it at least 1/4" per foot of length <S> Place a catch basin attached to the pipe low spot near the house To deal with it one-off style each season, rent or buy a pump and collapsible hose and pump the water over to the forest <A> I am going to skip the pond talk and all that because that diverts us from the real problem. <S> You must change the grading by the house. <S> You should not have dips that start at the foundation blocks. <S> You haven't shown us other pictures but for this particular area I would fill it with a ton of dirt and grade it out slowly to the yard <S> - could probably stop it at the firepit or whatever that big circular thing is. <S> This is easy and cheap and often you can find someone looking to unload dirt. <S> I think creating draining (french drains, pond system, whatever) is just asking for a lot of maintenance. <S> You have a lot of land, there is no reason you should have to worry about stuff like that. <S> You grade correctly by your house once and enjoy. <A> It's hard to tell without topography indicated on a plat, but I'd probably settle for a combination of a corrugated drainage pipe and/or digging a artificial, directed swale down the obvious slope in your backyard. <S> A swale needn't be deep like a ditch as long as you follow the contours of the turf, you can even mow it with relative ease and it will blend in. <S> You'd only need to use a drainage box and a run of pipe starting with a packed in 3/4" and landscaping fabric if you had to take the water through a high point reducing the amount of pipe needed. <S> They even have a prefab french drain tube . <S> It looks like from the picture, however, that the natural swale you already have might not be that much lower than earth trapping it up hill avoiding the need for pipe at all.
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Dig a channel and leave it open, maybe gently slope the sides to make it look good like a old small valley or depression Dig a ditch and put in a drainage pipe and cover it up.
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Can I steal neutral from fixture for 3-way switch device with no neutral? my 3-way switch is wired this way, because i am unlucky: so i have neutral in the line box, no neutral in the load box. i want to use a leviton smart switch that requires neutral in both boxes. if i were crafty enough, could i pigtail a new line off the neutral line in the fixture to run down to the load box? i am super green at this, so forgive me for asking a stupid question. there's also some information out there saying i can use one of the travelers as neutral, which i'll try first... i'm just playing 'worst case scenario'. <Q> It appears pretty clear to me that you can't run the neutral separate from the existing cable, it would be prohibited by NEC 300.3(B) that requires all conductors of a circuit to be contained in the same cable raceway, cable or cord. <S> We don't know the configuration required for the specific smart switch you are using, at least one model I have used only required one "traveler" between switches, so <S> I was able un-reidentify the white for use as a neutral. <A> You cannot run a separate, loose neutral wire. <S> Absolutely not. <S> So for instance you cannot use 2 cables and just combine em. <S> It would work if you replaced the /3 <S> in the wall with /4, or if you ran conduit between the two 3-ways. <S> However, that won't be a problem with smart switches. <S> You select a pair of smart switches able to use powerline or wireless signaling. <S> Then you re-task <S> all the wires as follows: <S> Black = always-hot (connects everywhere but the lamp) <S> White = neutral (connects everywhere) <S> Red = switched-hot from one of the switches to the lamp. <S> Note the other red segment is unnecessary and should be capped. <A> (if it was taped in the first place), then moved over to the neutral junction in the light fixture box. <S> However , this isn't what's stopping you from installing your dimmer. <S> Your problem is that the DD00R-DL remote needs line-hot , a signal wire, and a neutral; however, the incoming hot is only available at the line-side switch box in your setup. <S> So, you'll have to re-run one of the cables with /4 <S> instead of /3 <S> (or an ENT with THHNs in it) if you want to use this dimmer, or use different hardware that can work with the remote being on the load-side of the setup instead of the line-side. <A> If your circuit is wired per the drawing, then the answer is yes you can. <S> The key is the neutral <S> must be the same neutral as the line side circuit. <S> The second part of your question is a little trickier. <S> If you are going to use mechanical three way <S> switches you cannot eliminate one of the carriers since it is necessary to complete the switching sequence. <S> If you use a smart switch which uses electronics for control then you can, but you will have to rearrange the circuitry to get a neutral and a line side circuit to the second box. <S> There is no standard on electronic controls so we cannot tell you exactly how to connect them up until we know exactly what you are buying. <S> If you are super green you may want to seek some local help before making a final purchase. <S> Good luck
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The neutral must be in the same cable or conduit as the other wires. Your problem isn't what you think it is Getting neutral down to the load-side switch for the remote (DD00R-DL) used with your dimmer (Leviton DW6HD-1BZ) is easy enough; the white wire in the existing cable can simply be un-redesignated
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How to build long, chunky bed supports I'm trying to build a bed frame similar to the one shown below. I'm struggling to design the long, chunky white support beneath the top bunk. It looks like its about 200cm x 18cm x 8cm. For such a long structure, I've thought about using two softwood CLS beams glued together with MDF boxing, but this seems fiddly and I wonder how strong it would be with a child jumping on top of it. I imagine CLS beams flex quite a bit and any mdf boxing around it may crack as a result or the glue may break. Then I thought about maybe using 3 layers of 25cm birch plywood glued together vertically to create a single smooth beam which can easily be routed on the corners and painted easily without the need for boxing. Although this much plywood sounds a bit heavy, but think it would be very strong for the weight in the vertical axis at least. It would be supported horizontally to the wall, so I'm not as worried about horizontal or sidewise movement. I couldn't find many examples of creating un-supported boxing like this on the internet. Does anymore know of a better/best way to create long but strong structures like this? I'm just interested in the long horizontal beam and not about connecting it to the other bits at the moment. Thanks <Q> There is not a convincing reason this has to be any sort of box structure. <S> In fact for a bed support like that a single USA type of 2x8 (actual 1.5"by 7.5" 38mm by 190mm) on edge on each side of the bed would be way more than enough support. <S> The overall weight can also be accommodated by using proper means to join the ends to the vertical posts. <S> MDF would work for the cap too but is going to be more susceptible to damage over time if it gets wet. <A> That is a relatively short span and a 2x6 as a beam would support the weight of the bed and things on it (people, etc). <S> The weak point is the connections, use joist hangers at the end for the connection to the post and wall. <S> Then cover with dry wall to make it look nice. <A> There is different ways to do this <S> but you could create 3 ledgers going around and lag <S> bolt the front in. <S> You can hide the lag bolts pretty easy. <S> I have done similar type of bunk beds in my beach rentals. <S> I used pine LVLs (both 2x8 and 2x10s) and bolted the front in. <S> Mine were similar with a front ladder, not side. <S> The pine LVLS paint really nice <S> so it gives it that custom look without having to put a ton of work on refacing it. <S> Yea they might cost a little more but maybe like $50 more for the whole bed and they will never have an issue and look great. <S> I would not use any MDF in your design period... <S> Maybe plywood under the top slats to give a nice flat surface for the top of the bottom bunk. <S> But that should be eat. <S> These are things easily damaged and I would assume bunkbeds are going to hold kids or rowdy adults.
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If you like the wider top surface of the beam next to the side of the bed then that could be easily attained by using two of the typical 2x8s side by side or spread them a small amount and then cap the top and bottom with thin plywood.
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Why do floor tiles exist? Floor tiles: We all know them, we all love them, but who are they really? Floor tiles can be beautiful and stylish, adding color and interesting patterns to a room. But 90% of the time, they're anonymous squares that you never even think of unless you're stuck home in quarantine. My question is: Do floor tiles have any practical advantages over any cheap alternatives like plain concrete? <Q> "Floor tiles can be beautiful and stylish, adding color and interesting patterns to a room. <S> " I think you answered your own question. <S> Edit Responding to your rephrased question. <S> Same in homes. <S> In playrooms, kitchens, etc. <S> that get a lot of hard use they will wear better than linoleum or carpeting. <S> I think in many applications <S> it's functionality/durability over beauty. <S> Again, they can also be very attractive but beauty is and always will be subjective and personal. <S> Flooring is always a balance of durability, beauty and cost. <A> Floor tiles has many advantages over other floor coverings- <S> 1) <S> They are pretty much impervious to moisture & water, which is why they are favored in kitchens, bathrooms, & entry halls. <S> 2) <S> The stand up to a lot of abuse. <S> Yes, they can crack if you drop something heavy on them. <S> But if the installer provider extra tiles, it's relatively easy matter to replace the cracked tile. <S> 3) <S> Real wood is a disaster waiting to happen in rooms like kitchens and bathrooms. <S> Yeah, I know people do it, but they must be a lot easier with where the water goes than in my house. <S> 4) <S> Same thing is true of carpets. <S> When was the last time you saw wall to wall carpeting in a bath or kitchen? <S> Throw rugs, maybe. <S> 5) <S> Most laminates just look artificial (I know, this is an opinion). <S> I have them in some rooms, but that was more a decision based on trying to match the heights of a new and existing floor. <S> And no, they don't have to be anonymous squares, unless this falls into your description. <S> This is a kitchen makeover <S> I did myself. <A> Really the main reason is the ability to swap out the tiles. <S> Whether this is for aesthetics or to clean them or replace old/damaged tiles. <S> There are no advantages beyond this because everything else comes with a big con asterisk. <S> On a side note my grandma had an auction house with square 2x2 carpet tiles. <S> They were in about 6 different colors and she had the business name spelled out in the middle. <S> Myself and 3 other grandkids moved the tiles around to make a checkerboard. <S> (It was common to take a few tiles out back and hit it with a pressure washer and some soap - the auction house ran banquets and wedding too <S> so there were spilled drinks, mud, whatever...) <S> Advantages: <S> You can clean them by removing. <S> Good for things like daycares, workout rooms, places that have high flooring damage <S> You can make designs <S> In offices they can be coordinated with flooring pullups to be able to access electrical and conduit <S> They will not stretch with heavy furniture on them <S> An advantage over concrete sound reduction. <S> You could not have concrete floors on a floor with 200 cube workers. <S> The sounds would be bouncing everywhere. <S> Any idiot can install them <S> Disadvantages: <S> Often looks like an idiot installed them <S> Unless you go super high-end you often see the seams which doesn't look good <S> Unless you glue them (which kind of defeats the purpose) they can be pushed or scrunched over time <S> The edges will eventually fray Hard to hide any under flooring issues
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Most floor tiles are very functional and can take a lot of abuse which is one reason they are used in commercial settings.
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Germany - wire 3 core garage to 4 core mains We have an external garage and a 4 core (brown, blue, green/yellow, black,) cable is supplied from the main property. The garage is supplied with an electric door opener, wall sockets and an internal light. The cable in the garage is a 3 core (brown, blue, green/yellow) cable that needs connecting. I assume (need to measure) the black wire is connected to a switch in the main property. As I will not use this, I'm wondering the best way to handle the black. Should I just connect this to a connector block and leave it at that? Thanks for any pointers <Q> It's hard to say. <S> Euro power is 3 phases of 230V each arranged in 3-phase "wye". <S> (whereas America said "Wye not!") <S> Phase-center is <S> 230V. Phase-phase is 400V. Draw an equal triangle with 230mm from the center to each corner. <S> Now measure corner-corner. <S> You got it. <S> Germany is fond of delivering all 3 phases to houses. <S> So one possibility is that someone brought 2 of the 3 phases to the garage for 400V tools. <S> Another possibility (common American trick) is that the second phase wire is switched . <S> Say there are lights in the garage or outdoor lights, the second phase is meant to be used to feed them. <S> Then they can be turned off from the house. <S> If all your garage outlets/lights are currently under the control of the switch, then check the black wire - it may be always-hot. <S> Yes, it's OK to share neutral in that case. <A> Just to elaborate Harper's answer: <S> 4 voltage measurements should be done. <S> brown to blue black to blue brown to black blue to green/yellow <S> From which year is the garage installation/wiring? <S> Normally it should have a Fehlerstromschutzschalter <S> (new names are RCD or GFCI) upstream, even if it is an older installation. <A> Wiring colours in modern installations are supposed to be harmonised across Europe, in which case you've got Earth (Gn/Yw, or bare wire sleeved at the ends). <S> This is always earth unless you've had some very dodgy work done in the past. <S> A voltmeter between this and some independently earthed metal should show near-zero volts; if you see 0V, and you've got a resistance meter, it should show only a few Ohms (I get 1 Ω from my earth line to my incoming water and gas pipes, but my conveniently-placed garage door frame isn't earthed). <S> Neutral (blue). <S> Blue has also been used for one of 3 phases, in some parts of Europe at least, but not combined with brown and black like that. <S> Live (brown) <S> Another live (black) <S> - probably . <S> This fits with your assumption, but black has also been used for neutral in fixed wiring. <S> Another possibility is that there are 3 phases supplied, and 2 have been taken to the garage for different circuits at some point in the past - perhaps lighting on one and sockets on another to avoid too much load on one. <S> If there is a grey, don't assume it's not live until you've checked. <S> It's possible that the cable used wasn't quite the right on for the job but had the right number of cores, hence why I've suggested a few additional possibilities, some of which may not be proper in Germany (or here in the UK) but creative shortcuts can't be ruled out except by testing. <A> The cable from the property needs to be connected to a subpanel at the garage. <S> The subpanel will then have a main circuit breaker for each of the phases in the cable and if one of the phases is not going be used it just gets connected to a main circuit breaker and the breaker is left turned off.
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And a possible switch should be searched, easy done if an extension cable (drum) is pulled back from the garage outlet into the main house and a radio/TV or audio system is connected to the drum plugs in order to hear the interruption when testing all switches. I'd check carefully that there isn't a grey wire cut off short, because brown/black/blue/earth isn't a common combination, but brown/black/grey/blue/earth would be 3-phase and neutral. In that case simply terminate it off. Move the receptacles to that wire instead of the switch.
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What is this pipe coming out of the basement floor? I’m finishing an old (1930) empty basement and have a random pipe coming out of the floor. I have no clue what it is or what it went to as it sits alone in the space. It is metallic (tested with a magnet). It’s currently capped off and did have threading. I would say it is 3/4in thick. I am wondering if I can cut it off and recap or if it’s not able to be cut, if I should build it into a wall? Thanks in advance!!! <Q> In a basement, galvanized pipe like that could have been a pipe feeding oil from an underground tank to an oil heater that has long ago been removed and replaced with something else. <S> I had one like that and figured it out by looking at where an old chimney had been removed by looking at the sub-floor structures made to accommodate it. <S> I didn't know exactly where the pipe lead until I accidentally found the tank one day in my front yard while digging holes to plant trees. <S> That was an unpleasant surprise, cost me $10k to have the tank removed and the soil cleaned from leaks. <S> If it was natural gas, it would be black iron pipe, not galvanized. <S> unscrew the cap and smell it, the smell of fuel oil never completely goes away. <S> If water starts to leak out when you loosen it, tighten it up again right away! <A> This could be: water waste gas oil for furnace <S> radon system remnants (unlikely) but the earlier ones used metal pipes <S> other <S> The picture is pretty clear, this pipe was installed when they poured the foundation. <S> It does something. <S> You are going to have to open that cap and smell and possibly stick something in there <S> so you can see whats further in. <S> Short term if this isn't gas you could get an angle grinder to that and shave it off at floor and fill with concrete. <S> Notes: <S> My money is on gas. <S> It is just we aren't seeing any duct work coming off of this location. <S> If it is a gas line I would just let the gas company close the line - they usually do this for free. <S> I am not assuming that they poured this floor when house was built in the 1930s. <S> It just doesn't make sense. <S> I am not saying it isn't <S> but the concrete does not look time period <S> and I doubt they would pour a 1" floor. <S> This seems more likely something the home owner did later on to make the space more usable. <A> I have galvanized natural gas pipe in my 1950 Metro Detroit house. <S> It's common to have the furnace in the middle of the house so the heat is distributed evenly. <S> Removing the cap and smelling is probably your best bet. <A> I would check with the city. <S> The previous owner may have taken out a building permit for that work and the local building inspector may have blueprints of it. <A> Don't cut it or gas will fill the basement!! <S> best to turn off the gas and then remove the cap and smell for gas.. <A> The way I can see it that looks like a 2: gal pipe with a 2 <S> : cap I think it was for a oil drum at one time for a oil furnace. <S> Back in the day they did not use black pipe for a oil burner. <S> Or it could be a waste line of some kind cut the pipe and check <S> and also you can smell what it is. <A> You might be able to find that it is connected to other pipes that you are familiar with. <S> Good luck. <A> How long gas has been available in town? <S> Most towns, at least here, have had (natural) gas between 60s and 90s, really bigger towns had "gas factories" between second half of XIX (19th century, meaning 1850-1900) and first half of XX (20th century, meaning 1900-1950) but that gas was used mostly for lighting and cooking, so it's improbable that it would go in the basement (it was expensive and coal was a cheaper option for heat) <S> so my guess is that leads to an oil tank or next to where an oil tank was (usually water was fed from an attic open vase, and flow/return pipes had to be bigger).
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If it's not oil, it could be gas going to the original furnace location. If it is, you could rig up a set of long leads and test the pipe's association to any other pipes in and around the house. You can also have a buddy quickly turn on and off the gas while the cap is off and you can easily confirm that it's a gas line that way. But if it's gas, make sure you use pipe dope when you screw the cap back on or you will have a leak. If it has a 3/4 inch diameter like you say it's most likely a natural gas line. I'm not sure if it is acceptable or legal to put an ohm meter to gas pipes to check for continuity. I can see a bright spot in the floor where something stood for a while.
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How to child-proof a floor vent? Our upstairs playroom has a floor vent leading to the furnace that children like to throw toys down. Is there any kind of vent cover that can be substituted that is less likely to result in this activity? <Q> It sounds as if the vent is completely open - hope that isn't the case. <S> It could be dangerous. <S> Assuming you have some type of vent cover on it I would cut and attach a piece of wire or even cloth mesh over the top or just under the vent cover. <S> You could attach it to the cover itself or the ductwork. <A> <A> If this is truly in the floor itself (as I've seen in plenty of ancient houses here in New England), then moving it isn't an option. <S> I would second the suggestion to put in a grille. <S> Pick holes smaller than their toys. <S> If they've graduated to crayons or pencils, then you will probably need some very fine grid, or a layer of screen over the grille plate.
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The wire would probably work best under the vent cover. Extend it up higher and put a 90 or U bend with a grille on it. I would probably look for a piece of "perforated" steel, i.e. one with small holes closely spaced.
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Toilet Supply Valve Not Turning Off Novice here.The fill valve was leaking and causing the water to coming very very slow. Like 45 minutes to fill up tank. I bought a fill valve top and replaced it. Let me add that I did turn water off at the supply valve but water was still trickling up the fill valve. Like the water was not completely shutting off. After replacement I turned the water back on and the water would not stop coming in the tank. Even when the float lifted on the fill valve. I flushed and same thing. Turned water off again and water would very slowly start filling the tank. EDIT:From comments I will have to replace the Fill Valve. My concern is the supply valve not completely shutting the water off. This is a older house so it would have to be shut off at the main. I don't know how to do this. If there is very little water coming out from the supply valve could I still install/hook up the Fill Valve? Thank you. <Q> The proper way to address this is to turn off the water and replace both valves. <S> EVERY HOME OWNER should know where the main water supply enters the house and where the valve is located in their home. <S> It may be coming out of the ground in a crawl space, in a wall behind an access panel, in the utility room where the water heater is or elsewhere. <S> If there is very little water coming out from the supply valve could I still install/hook up the Fill Valve? <S> Yes IF the flow is slow enough that you can capture it in container before the container overflows. <S> If the flow is significant then it is not practical. <S> I have done this more than once. <S> Leave the supply hose attached to the supply valve and put the end that connects to the fill valve in a bowl or bucket. <S> This may be difficult in the small space between the toilet and the wall. <S> You may need a small bowl and that could result in having to empty it frequently while you are changing the fill valve. <S> Fortunately you have a many places to empty it in a bathroom . <S> Doable but not exactly fun, <S> two containers <S> so you can have one catching the flow while you empty the other. <S> Install a new 1/4 turn supply valve and a new braided supply line if it is as old as the valve. <S> Edit: <S> Jack makes a good point about the age of the valve. <S> If your main valve is a gate valve <S> it is probable that it may have issues shutting off completely or getting it open again. <S> The only way to change that valve is to call your water utility company and have them shut off the water supply at the curb main shut off. <S> Then you can install a new 1/4 turn valve, much nicer. <S> If you do get it back on make sure you open it all the way <S> , counter clockwise until it stops. <S> It can leak if you do not. <S> I flooded a basement once because i did not open it completely and it leaked, opening it completely stopped the leak. <A> I agree with everything said however I would say that you should replace that shutoff in the crawlspace. <S> If you're a newbie, you can use a push to connect ball valve, as with that you would need to do no soldering. <S> Some people dont trust those, however they are easy to install and many professional plumbers use them. <S> If you go out to the hardware store, make sure you also get a small section of the size pipe you are using (3/4 or 1/2) and a coupler. <S> When you cut the old valve out you will likely be a bit short if you dont get a coupler and a new piece of pipe. <S> And of course, MAKE SURE you shut off the water at the street before you cut the pipe. <S> As for the toilet shut off, go ahead and do it while its leaking. <S> You're likely to get more water leaking from the tank as you remove the old fill valve than you are from the leaky supply itself. <S> If you replace that supply valve, go with a 1/4 turn variety. <S> They are a couple of bucks more but the peace of mind is worth it. <A> I would hesitate to turn off the water at the main valve. <S> If it hasn't been operated in years, you might not be able to turn it back on because the shaft to the gate could be rusted in half. <S> If just a very small amount of water is escaping from the supply valve, you can try to tighten it up just a bit with a wrench to see if the water stops but be careful not to over tighten. <S> You can also get a lot of towels and a bucket, get everything ready and loosen the nut for the fill valve, then the connection between the fill valve and the supply line and swap out the fill valve, tighten it up and reconnect the the supply line. <S> Then worry about the possibly bad valves. <A> Alaska Man has it right, however the leaky shutoff valve isn't going to get any better. <S> So if you decide to replace the valve this is how I would proceed. <S> Take a look at your main shutoff valve. <S> Hopefully, it'll be in good enough shape to turn off - most of them are. <S> If it is, shut it down by turning slowly. <S> Once it's off open the faucet on your bathroom sink to release any residual pressure in the system. <S> Then slowly turn on the shutoff valve at the toilet with a bowl under it to catch any water that might be in the line. <S> The stub coming out of the wall should be standard 1/2" copper. <S> If the valve is held on with a compression nut, loosen it with a wrench, while holding the valve steady. <S> Once it's loose you should be able to remove the valve by turning it and pulling. <S> When it's off replace it with another compression type valve like this one: <S> You'll want to make sure you use some emery cloth or low grit sandpaper to clean the copper before pushing the valve onto the stub. <S> From there you just reverse the steps to get it up and working again.
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If the valve is not compression but is sweated on and there is 3 or 4 inches of stub behind it you can cut it off with a hacksaw right behind the valve and relace it with a Sharkbite style fitting like the one below that will push on to the stub.
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How to tighten big wires into circuit breaker holes? I am installing this. After tightening the screw hardly, the big wire still falls out if I pull it a little bit with very small force. I am not sure that I am doing like others would do. Do you have any idea to tighten the wire into that hole? The wire is 105C - 600V, the circuit breaker is 63A <Q> No guessing is allowed. <S> The breaker's labeling or specification sheet will call out a specific torque you must use. <S> Torque it to that spec. <S> And no other. <S> If you lack the equipment to do so, get it. <S> I would say look closely inside there while you turn the screw on an empty one, so you have a clear understanding of how the mechanism works. <S> The wire flaring out like that suggests it may be missing the mechanism. <S> Also, as Programmer66 suggests, make sure that particular hole isn't broken; try another hole. <A> If you are certain that the wire is stripped bare to the correct length, and inserted into the correct spot, and tightened, the wire will not easily pull out, if at all. <A> That appears to be a rising clamp wire attachment, with these you must fully loosen the screw before inserting the wire, else you risk the wire passing below the clamp jaw and not being connected, or worse only some of the wire strands being clamped and the join overheating. <S> After insering the wire tighten the screw to the correct torque,
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That I am aware of, it is not to be tightened gently, it needs to be tightened rather snugly, typically there is a torque rating that is given, that will be on the breaker itself, if not on the makers website.
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Threading cable through existing pex-like tubing My apartment (top floor) has runs of 3/4" (-ish) pex-like tubing (photo attached, Switzerland if it's relevant) running from a central point. One such tube carries an existing coaxial cable (landlord provided, I do not want to detach) from a satellite splitter in my apartment to the roof, where, together with a large number of other such cables it emerges through a (non-removable) metal pipe about 4" in diameter with a 180 degree turn on. My corona-virus challenge is: to somehow thread a cat-6 cable up the same pex-like tubing so as to get internet access on my roof terrace (where the pipe is). preferably to do the above with either no new tools or no tools I can't get by mail order. EDIT: The pex-like tubing is not split (it's solid all the way around). EDIT: I think I've now gained access to where the pex-like tubes end in the roof void. If I'm correct the cables emerge from many tubes, and are then cable-tied together to a cable frame in the open and go through what looks like some plastered gauze into a roof void, presumably into a pipe the opening of which must be about 15" above the gauze. So there are now two separate tasks: getting the cable up the pex tube (or down it having identified it), and getting it through the gauze and up the pipe (or the other way). How would you approach the above? <Q> I agree with Solar Mike that a vacuum may work to pull a string, If the smurf tube or flexible nonmetallic conduit is 1 piece. <S> The nickname is from a kids carton where the characters are blue. <S> Having 9 or more flex lines going through a 4” makes me think this would not be 1 piece or <S> the flex ends at the 4”, so you will need to try a fish tape. <S> A fish tape is a reel of steel or plastic that is used to push through a conduit, connect a wire and pull the wire back. <S> The only problem(s) may be if the conduits stop prior to the 4” and the tape doesn’t go into the large pipe. <S> The second possible problem is the 180 degree turn; depending on how tight this turn is, it may be tough getting a fish tape through depending on how far from the 4” pipe the flex conduits end. <S> If the smurf tube exits the 4” connect a vacuum and suck a string thru the tube a little plastic like a bit of bread wrapper on the end of the string helps the vacuum work. <S> Fish tapes come in different lengths from 25’ to 250’, it will need to be as long as the length of the conduit. <S> Just finished and saw your edit <S> I think a tape or combination of tape and string are the paths forward. <S> Good luck <A> This is ENT (corrugated PVC), not anything like PEX <S> Running a Cat6 cable through this should be not an issue at all, provided you stay within the fill limits of the ENT you are using. <S> As Ed Beal mentions, you'll likely need to use a fish tape to pull either the cable itself, or a pulling string, through the conduit. <A> You will need to check carefully regarding the tubing. <S> There is evidence that this tubing is the style that has a cut all along one side from end to end. <S> Such tubing is primarily used to protect the cable. <S> If the tubes are indeed the split type you are very likely going to have much difficulty trying to pull an additional cable through the tube without it spilling out of the slit as it goes around a corner. <A> I have and use rigid fibreglass poles- <S> they can be threaded together and 'pushed up the stack. <S> You'll need some sort of cone on the top to let it bounce out and around things, and if it bends tight it won't work at all. <S> Best way would be to disconnect the coax, time 3 strings and a new line to it, pull them all through, then pull the coax back in. <S> Assuming it bends and turns a lot.
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Tubing like this that has a split is designed to be used where the cable can be inserted into the tubing without having to thread it in all from one end. What you're looking at is most likely ENT (Electrical Nonmetallic Tubing, aka "smurf tube"), not any sort of tubing/pipe intended for plumbing work.
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The plug for my laptop is slowly changing colour, is it still safe to use until I get a new one? So, right now my charger plug, that connects into the extension cord is slowly changing colour and it looks like it has small bumps, I can’t really tell though. Is it because i’m using an extension cord or is it something else? I use an extension cord instead of the actual outlet because, the outlet is too far from where I’m situated with the laptop. I know I can move but there isn’t much room in my apartment to move furniture around. I’ve never had this problem with my older laptop and that was also plugged into an extension cord, but it was one of the bigger multiple outlet ones, with the ability to turn it on or off. I just want to know is it still safe to use until I get a new one, or do I need to change my extension cord? Laptop is - Acer Spin5 Input - 100-240V-50-80hz 1.2AOutput- 19V-2.37A Extension - 16 gauge calibreWire type: SPT-36’7”/6pi 7po(2m)Length 0-50ft/pi(0-15m) 51-100ft/pi(16-30m)Max.Amperage: 13-10I got this extension cord at Canadian tire Thank you UPDATE:I want to thank everyone for there suggestions as to what the problem could be. Sorry for not getting back quick enough it’s been an insane month. When I first posted this, I decided I would leave my laptop alone until I got a new extension cord and new plug. If anyone has any recommendations on a new extensions cord, that would be greatly appreciated. Before I continue into that, I do want to thank everyone here who is, at this point in time and when it all started, an essential worker. Really thank you so much for all that you’ve done! So back to the plug; I got the extension cord, maybe a couple months after the laptop, and that was at the beginning of January 2018. So from what I could remember it started to change colour around the end of 2018-beginning of 2019.It started small but slowly started to change over time. I suppose with being home now a lot more than before I’m really noticing it. The plug won’t heat up but, when I do pull it out of the ext. cord, it will be warm, not like warm-hot but cold-warm, if that makes sense?Someone did suggest that it could be the extension cord, this has never happened other extension cords before, so I hope it’s only that. Edit: Then again, I’ve plugged other things into the extension cord, like; my portable charger, hair dryer, stuff like that, and none of there prongs have ever started to change colour. So about the laptop, it does heat up when it’s plugged in and I’m using it, but it’s always done that, since I first got it. I do put it down to let it rest for a couple hours until I’m back in again. The outlets in the apartment are pretty old, maybe as old as me, I’m not sure? When I asked my parents they said that they don’t remember when the outlets were last changed. Some of the outlets I did notice are a lot stronger, most of them could handle objects that need to stay plugged in for a long time without causing a fire. Others have at this point become loose, so using them is a no go. Once I do get a new extension and plug, I’ll probably move into the living room. Here’s the thing I would love to have them all replaced, but it would only give the new owners of the building more incentive to add onto the rent we already pay. Even if we had someone, not in a contract with the buildings, to come do it, they would still probably add onto our rent anyway. Trust me they’ll do that to just about anyone in the apartment, no matter what. Thank you though for reading this, if you did get down here, again if you have any good extension cord recommendations, it would be appreciated. Also I think I’ll start using it again for a short while, I’m back to work (New Job!), so I think I would be ok to use it for 3hrs and then stop for about an hour or two and then go back? This is just until the new extension cord and charger come in. I hope some of the new information on both the laptop and plug for it was helpful, if you do need more info just ask. Again thank you! I hope you and your families stay safe during this time! <Q> Marks like that suggest that one of the receptacles that you are plugging into may be worn out. <S> they do not suggest a problem with your laptop power supply. <S> The marks on your plug are cosmetic only, they will not significanly affect its performance. <S> However the socket end of that extension cord is faulty <S> and there's a potential for fire if you continue using it. <A> EDITED TO MATCH <S> THE EDITED QUESTION <S> The OP has edited the question by posted a picture clarifying that the issues are with the METAL of the plug and not the plastic case <S> so this answer <S> no makes sense. <S> -end of edit <S> Probably, <S> but I suggest unplugging it while you are out of the room for a length of time until we can troubleshoot the problem and make it go away <S> or you replace it. <S> Might Not Need Replacing <S> so that is most likely the cause of the things you are seeing. <S> Now, it's a matter of figuring out the 'why' for the heat, the issue we need to deal with is why is it too hot. <S> The charging 'pucks' create some heat that isn't an issue during normal use and conditions. <S> Ensure that the puck has has adequate ventilation by making sure it is not covered by something, especially other things that create heat. <S> Make sure that it is in a place what air can move around normally. <S> Make sure it's not near a heater, a floor register, not in the sunlight or is around any other source of heat. <S> Verify that you are using the correct charger for your device. <S> If you use one that has a lower rating then needed, it will cause the puck to heat up too much as it overworks trying to keep up. <A> Edit: I answered this before the pictures were posted so this answer doesn't make sense now. <S> As a previous poster asked is it hot to touch ? <S> The reason they are asking this is because the cord is insulated and normally you wouldn't feel anything. <S> The best place to check is near the plug that goes into the wall outlet. <S> You can check it by running your hand along the cord you should also do this near where the charger connects to the extension cord. <S> If it feels too hot to touch then it means that too much power is going through the cord. <A> The heat is then transferring to the charger case, discoloring it. <A> Watch for a bad connection, aka arcing <S> The way you spot that is the plug or socket being warm. <S> This is easiest to see in a FLIR camera, <S> but you can just feel it with your hand.
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Another possibility is that the socket part of your extension cord is worn out and/or poorly made, so it is not making a good connection to the prongs of your charger and that is creating resistance, making them heat up. A laptop AC plug should not be warm st all. Plastic often changes color and distorts when heated up closer to it's melting point But It's likely safe to use while you are in the room to supervise it Otherwise, the puck is going bad and needs to be replaced
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Safety cover for exposed brick exhaust inside a bedroom My husband and I just purchased a 95 year old Dutch Colonial with an old brick stack now being used to exhaust the gas furnace. The brick is exposed in one of the upstairs bedrooms which currently belongs to our oldest son who is disabled with autism. We are concerned for safety with both our two year old son and our oldest who is six. We are trying to cover the brick with something to prevent injury in case of a fall. We tried industrial Velcro attached to the brick and to thick yoga mat material but the adhesive on the velcro came off within 24 hours as the brick heated and cooled. What can we cover the brick with? It's two sides of the exhaust stack, each side is roughly six foot high and sixteen inches from corner to where it meets the wall. [We only need half the height covered]Is there something that is safe to put over the warming brick that could pad it? Furthermore, is there a way to insulate it so that it stops overheating our son's room with extra radiant heat? Our top priority here is safety padding, but the heat barrier would be a plus. <Q> For a longer term solution it might be worth considering two investigations. <S> Look at building out the wall around the exposed brick in the room. <S> Such wall structure with its "studs", however that is configured, offers a lot more options for installing safety measures. <S> The easiest case is one that would fit within the existing flue of the brick chimney. <S> More invasive rework involves removing the brick chimney down to some level and replacing the stack with the rigid style multi-wall stainless steel stack that is supported with a new wood structure then sheathed appropriately for interior or exterior surfaces. <A> <A> You could add eye or hook screws into the ceiling and hang the mats from there. <S> There should be at least a 2x (1-1/2") board all around the chimney behind the ceiling finish. <S> I suspect that you have lath and plaster, so 1/2 <S> " - 3/4" lathing boards too and they can hold some weight but not as much mainly due to the amount of screw threads that would be in the wood. <S> You can do the same at the floor but those might be toe subbers. <S> Also at the exterior wall if needed. <S> This would avoid any connection to the brick and avoid the issue of having to attach anything to it or drill holes in to it or have glue to clean up later if you wanted to go back to the exposed brick later. <S> Anything you put up that reduces airflow will help slow the heat transfer. <S> You might consider an air circulating fan too if heat raising from the floor below is also part of the issue. <S> For the eyes and hooks, I would use something more substantial that those small wall hooks for hanging pictures and keys. <S> In the range of at least 1/8" and up, to 1/4" or so. <S> Use a drill bit the size of the shank at the treads but smaller than the threads so there is still wood left for them to screw into.
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get some screw hooks and some wall plugs drill into the bricks fit the plugs and attach the hooks, use the hooks to support your padding material consider fitting an automatic vent to deal with the heat. This could be built to sit a couple of inches (4 - 5 cm) away from the brick to create a dead air space behind the wall to isolate the room from the temperature variations of the bricks. Your wood is old so it is going to be very hard, you'll need to pre-drill the holes to make it easy to get them in and to avoid cracking the wood. Look into see if it would be possible to retrofit the chimney with an inserted double or triple wall stainless steel flue liner.
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What is this tube sticking out of my roof? I'm not sure what kind of vent this is for, but I'm wondering if its supposed to have a cap to protect from rain. Sorry for lack of description. I'm completely ignorant to whatever this is. If it helps at all, I have two turbines on my house plus this pipe. So I know it's not for venting the attic. My guess is its for the bathroom vents maybe? <Q> Almost certainly a vent for plumbing. <S> It connects to the sewer, so it doesn't need a cap. <S> It's highly likely there's a sink or other fixture nearly below it. <A> It will catch a small amount of rain but the rain will stay inside the pipe and eventually reach the sewer. <S> You're probably not supposed to put rain into the sewer but this pipe catches such a small amount of rain that nobody cares. <A> Actually there is a better chance that it is a Radon discharge pipe roughed in at construction. <S> That pipe is schedule 40 PVC. <S> Nobody uses that pipe for sewer vents. <S> Try to trace it down through the structure a d see where it goes. <A> They are plumbing Exhaust pipes You need to leave the end open to allow the air to escape <A> Get your ear near to it, and ask someone to flush the toilet.if you hear sound of flush, then its what @Ack said in the comments (it prevents vacuum in your wastewater plumbing). <A> In my area plumbing vents don't have caps in the sense that they close the end of the pipe. <S> But they do have lead flashing that goes over the pipe and is then worked in with the shingles or other roofing material. <S> Finally a cap is installed on top. <S> The cap is something like an upside down cup with a a sleeve that runs down the inside of the vent. <S> See examples of these products here 1 <S> In your case I would worry about UV/weather damage to the bare pipe. <S> I'm also concerned about the seal between the roofing and the pipe. <S> It looks like there's a black rubber seal <S> but it's hard to tell in the picture. <A> It's a bathroom vent , connected directly to your plumbing . <S> It does not need a cap to protect from rain however it could use a mesh metal cap to prevent critters from entering inside . <A> Not a clue where your house is, but in U.K. we attach an air admittance valve , which allows air in to aid draining of baths, toilets, etc. <S> An open tube would do much the same job, but with a one way valve, there's no chance of it getting clogged eventually, or of any smells coming out. <S> So much so, that they are often mounted inside the house, making the plumbing of them so much easier.
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It's a vent pipe for the plumbing it connects eventually to the sewer.
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What is this architectural shingle condition called? Is it reparable? I have architectural shingles. I noticed on a few of them that the some of the lower portions of the top layer of the shingle are loose, as shown. What is this condition called? If I search for delamination, I get results about the seal between two different shingles failing. Should I just re-adhere with roofing tar/adhesive? You can see where the original adhesive was at the bottom and mid-points of the shingle. Any other thoughts? <Q> It’s called “self sealing” shingles (or lack thereof). <S> Shingles are made to self seal to each other by having the sun heat them up (including the asphalt strip on the underside) and the weight of the shingle will cause the asphalt to press into the lower shingle. <S> When the shingle is hung at more than about 6:12 or in a cool environment, then the weight does not affect the shingle and it does not stick to the lower shingle. <S> Often “hand tabbing” is required. <S> Hand tabbing is merely “hand applying” a glob of asphalt about the size of a quarter to the lower shingle about every 12” on center and then stepping on the upper shingle to squish it flat. <S> Without the shingles sticking together, they are susceptible to “blow off” in high wind areas. <S> In your case, use a single glob for the small shingle. <S> Do not coat the entire area, because the shingle will heat up from the sun and need to move and expand. <A> It doesn't come fully attached. <S> The black line at the bottom is an asphalt strip that is sticky when hot, the sun heats it and it sticks the pieces together. <S> This is a bit of a special case because of where the shingle is located and thus the smaller size and odd shape and that is why the problem happened here. <S> And at the bottom so water flow down the valley <S> is greatest here Clean out the dirt and put some roofing asphalt between them especially on the right side where the valley is located so water won't be forced under when running down the valley and all will be well <A> It was probably installed in cold weather. <S> Being in a valley it most likely sperated when the installer pushed it in to valley. <S> When was roof installed <A> It appears the layer of shingle material adhered at the factory is coming apart. <S> Use roofing tar or even roof caulking which is also an adhesive. <S> Watch out for this continuing to happen as it may require replacement under the manufacturers warranty. <A> Its delaminating like you said! <S> The shingle is made of two mats that are adhered together giving the shingle its dimension! <S> You can try and make a claim with the manufacturer if you know what kind of shingles you have! <S> Best thing is get a couple tubes of roof cement and put a dab under any loose spots so they don't end up sliding on you! <A> You should be able to make a claim if its several pieces sounds like the lamination never did its job to stick to the other part of the shingle. <S> Could be due to the way it was made from the company its worth the shot to make the claim.
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This is a manufacturer defect and more commonly happens on steep or mansord roofs!
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How do you make flush cuts to a precise depth? I'm renovating a small shed that was built with 2x4 wall studs on top of 2x6 bottom plates, for some reason. I'm realizing that this will create a problem once I get to the drywall and flooring stages, as I will need to either raise the subfloor, thicken the walls, or cut down the bottom plates to match the 2x4 wall thickness. Raising the floor or thickening the walls present substantial complications and additional costs, so I feel like cutting down the bottom plates to 2x4 thickness to match the existing wall makes the most sense. However this would require making flush cuts at the exact height of the bottom plates (1.5") to avoid damaging the subfloor and floor joists below. How do I make flush cuts to a fairly precise 1.5" depth as required here? A circular saw wouldn't do because I can't make a flush cut with it, and a sawzall with a flexible blade would damage the subfloor and joists below the top plate. Could an angle grinder work with some kind of flush cutting blade? Would one of those fancy Japanese pull-saws work? <Q> If you don't have a lot I would use a normal hand wood saw. <S> An oscillating tool with a blade for rough wood will work as well. <S> If you are careful with a long blade on the reciprocating saw, you won't damage much of the subfloor. <S> Go slow, steady, at a consistent angle, in multiple passes <A> It is an investment, but there are flush cutting circular saws out there, also called a jamb saw. <S> Or perhaps a rental?? <S> A lot of flooring people use them for cutting door jambs off to get the flooring under the bottoms <A> Since you're insulating and dry walling this "shed", you may want to treat it as an additional room, where extra insulation would go a long way toward your comfort. <S> Although it's possible to rip 1.5" off the edge of the 2x6 with an oscillating saw, you're likely to burn through several blades, and possibly a saw or 2 doing it. <S> It'll be much easier to add 2x2 furring onto your 2x4 studs to make up the thickness. <S> If you're insulating and dry walling, this would also let you add more insulation for a more comfortable room with only minimal cost and labor. <S> For more strength, in addition to insulation, if you have 2x6 top plates also, you could sister in 2x6 studs or add offset 2x4 studs between the existing ones for a double- stud wall. <A> This is not a pleasant job to have to do for obvious reasons. <S> I'd get rowdy with it and fix the drywall backing later. <S> You'll spend a lot of time trying to cut it cleanly otherwise. <S> Set your circular saw to depth (about 1-5/8") and cut between each stud, back 1/2" or so from flush. <S> If the grain in your plates is very straight, 1/4" might do. <S> Using a flat bar or framing hammer, pry the front portion of the stud outward. <S> It'll split along the grain. <S> The split won't be perfectly straight, but your goal here is just to remove the offending wood. <S> Encourage it with a chisel if needed. <S> Use a chisel or reciprocating saw to remove any wood protruding beyond the face of the studs due to curving grain. <S> Lay in blocks above the mangled plate in each stud bay to act as drywall backing. <A> I happen to love my oscillating saw that may be useful for cuts of this type. <S> They are pretty lightweight but you will still need to practice some for long cuts. <A> I really think you are making this way too hard... <S> A thing to think about since this is a shed is using the 2x6 as a kickplate. <S> You don't want it sticking out 2" though. <S> But given you are putting up drywall at 1/2"... <S> You can: 1. <S> Install drywall plus trim to meet flush with 2x6 (this would in effect make your trim higher). <S> 2. <S> Probably the cleaner look. <S> This means that you can either leave a half inch or a full inch sticking out. <S> If you cannot reach do this with a circular saw (I would go 95% and chisel out) then I would use an electric planer. <S> Mine does 1/16" at a time max <S> so at most that is 24 passes which would take about 15 mins (note not all planers can cut flush with ground). <S> Obviously circular saw way faster but a planer here is easy too. <S> If these don't work I would look for a plunge cut saw. <S> With a reciprocating saw would being doable but a mess and an oscillating saw might take a day.
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You can use you circular saw to do some of the work in between joist. Install drywall flush with 2x6 and put trim on top of that.
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Wobble in the Desk I am building I have started to build a farmhouse table and now facing an issue in the build. The Storage Area i have built is rocking and i believe one of the legs as shown in the attached picture is a slight 1 - 2 mm above the ground and guess this is causing the wobble. Any Suggestions on how do i rectify this and improve the build as I am new woodworker and this is my first project. Note : I have glued the Aprons that connect my two legs and i found the wobble only after that and i am using pocket holes for jointery. Please find the plan and my build images as shown in the picture below.1. Plan of My Desk2. Image of the Leg which is slightly higher from the ground3. Straight View of the storage area 4. Top View of the storage area ] 3 enter image description here enter image description here <Q> How do I rectify this? <S> This is my first project. <S> That's an easy, inexpensive and useful first project. <S> Even if the work is square and accurately cut, it's easy to be off by a couple millimeters. <S> And even if you're not, it's easy for the floor to be off a couple millimeters; tile is not perfect. <S> Your best bet is to do a web search for furniture leveling screws . <S> You screw them into the feet, and by adjusting the depth of each one individually you can dial it right in to not just remove the wobble, but also get the work surface exactly level in both directions. <S> They'll be fifty cents or a dollar each, or thereabouts. <A> Glue a piece of packing to the short leg.orcut the other three legs to match. <S> Make sure that the floor surface is level as a small difference could also cause the issue you face and if it is the cause I would go with my first option. <A> Congrats on a new addiction! <S> You can try to cut them down with a circular saw, but the cuts are probably going to be inaccurate. <S> You can increase the accuracy of the cut by holding a framing square to use as a guide for the saw. <S> If your floor isn't quite level, then you can use felt pads doubled up on the short ones to help take care of it (and preserve your floor). <S> Just another note, although pocket-hole screws look pretty good in this situation, the shear strength of pocket hole screws is dismal at best. <S> You want to make sure that nobody (even children) stand on the lower parts of the table. <S> Ideally you'd sink something with higher shear strength through the whole adjoining board. <S> You can counter-sink the holes larger and then fill them in with plugs to make it look really good. <S> Also invest in a Japanese pull saw (they aren't that expensive) so that when you fill the plugs, either in pocket-holes or dowels, you can cut them flush. <S> Another tip, if you want to make 2x4's look "furniture quality", pick one without knots then cut each long edge on a table saw to take off the round-over, usually 1/8" or so will take it off.
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First, for leveling the table I'd suggest a belt sander on the long legs, just make sure you measure and mark where the sanding should stop.
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Electrical outlet arcs only for non polarized grounded plug Let me start by saying I have ceased the use of this outlet, and will be contacting maintenance for a replacement. I have a grounded outlet in my apartment that has had a power strip plugged into it for nearly 2 years. The plug on the strip is 3 prong without the wider blade of a polarized plug. I believe I may have bumped the cord when I was running some cables nearby as the power strip had lost power. I checked the plug to find it ever so slightly tilted out of the socket (tipped down, pivoting on the ground prong if that matters). Upon tipping it back to be fully seated I heard the telltale sound of an arc happening. I pulled the plug out and found a scorch mark on a very specific spot on the left prong. Upon re-seating the plug I heard it again. I shut off the strip and moved it to the plug above on the same outlet. I figured I had a bad connection in that particular socket, so I plugged in my lamp which has a polarized 2 prong plug. No issue. Not even when wiggling it. So now I thought, well maybe only a non-polarized plug will have a bad connection due to the size. So I plugged in a simple night light. It has 2 prongs and is not polarized. Again, no issue. Regardless of the orientation or any wiggling. So that leaves me wondering, what is so special about the power strip that makes it arc? Is it that it's grounded? Is it the amount of power being drawn? <Q> When you "bumped" the grounded cord, you bent up the grounding clamp of the outlet and made momentary contact with the neutral side of the outlet causing the arcing. <S> When you removed the grounded plug and just used a two prong plug the ground inside the outlet didn't make contact because no ground plug was inserted.... <S> Those outlets are very close quarters inside and can arc over with little pressure when damaged. <A> You don't need to do too much analysis. <S> The response to arcing is always the same: <S> Kill it with fire, before it kills you with fire . <S> Plainly from your question, you have inspected the plugs closely, and have nothing special to report about them. <S> That narrows it down to the receptacle. <S> The internal springs in receptacle contacts do get fatigued, bent or broken. <S> That fact is not anything exciting, nor worthy of any forensics unless you are bored. <S> Since you have excluded plugs, what remains is to swap the receptacles. <S> Receps are 50-75 cents for the cheapies or $2.50-$3.00 for the good'uns, or $10 for the hospital-grade (whatever that is). <S> Generally you are not allowed to do your own electrical work in a rental unit. <S> However some jurisdictions make exception for trivial work such as swapping receptacles, light switches or lamps. <S> (though each can be quite complicated actually). <A> Arcing only happens when a significant current is running. <S> No current, no arcing. <S> That is a law of physics. <S> Some loads, like most power supplies, draw a significant current for a short moment, just when connected. <S> If the room is dark and I plug in my laptop, I can see a tiny spark, every single time. <S> When I connect or disconnect my vacuum cleaner, there is a spark. <S> There is nothing wrong about that. <S> I can't make the same happen with a regular light bulb though. <S> If there is a continuous arc that's a real problem. <S> That means that there is bad connection, with a gap of air between two conductive parts and current is passing through the air via an arc. <S> An arc can only be sustained as long as current is running. <S> But if that was the case, then the current would be very high because the only resistance in that short circuit would be the wires, which have very low resistance, and the arc itself, which also has very low resistance. <S> And a high current would mean that a circuit breaker would trip instantly. <S> In your case two things must be fulfilled for a continuous arc to exist. <S> There is a bad connection. <S> Each of the two brass pins (live and neutral) in the plug are supposed to touch their respective brass spring blades. <S> For one of them, it is either touching only very little or not at all. <S> Under most circumstances, small loads like light bulbs could not do that, though it is possible. <S> In my opinion, as an electrician, the safest and most correct way to deal with your situation is to replace both the plug and the outlet since both are scorched. <A> Yes, it is most likely the different voltage on the contacts. <S> With a low power (= high resistance) device as a voltage divider the resulting voltage at the contacts is too low to ensure that enough electrons are set free from the metal resp. <S> to ensure that the electrons are accelerated to en energy level/speed where they can ionize N2 or O2 in the air before they recombine. <S> Arcing needs enough electrons with enough speed to start an avalanche. <A> By mistake, added my answer as a comment. <S> Re-edited and modified with new information and moved to Answer. <S> A probable cause of why your power strip was arcing in the outlet is either the power strip or outlet was damage. <S> With new information from OP, the outlet was damage when "bumped" and now has a poor connection or broken insulator. <S> The connection involves the ground (round) connection in the outlet. <S> You are right to not use that outlet and until it is replaced. <S> Also I would throw away the power strip that was arcing.
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Perhaps the bad connection is there because of a broken plug, perhaps because of a broken outlet, perhaps because of a combination of the two. The load must draw a current high enough to sustain an arc. I'd turn off the breaker for that outlet until it gets replaced. There is nothing special about a normal power strip with three prongs. In theory the arc could be from live (or from neutral even) to ground.
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sewer waste coming from main line clean out Please help, I need advice. I have sewage waste coming from second cleanouts that connects to neighbors and city. My inside plumbing shows nothing no issues, nothing coming up in the sinks, toilets flush normal. I have two clean outs in my backyard and I have contacted the management who is not doing anything. Meanwhile I have had sewage waste leaking into my backyard for a week now. <Q> Call AND send management a letter telling them of the problem and that you’ll notify the City of the problem in 3 days if it’s not fixed. <S> (City will make them clean up the grounds too.) <A> Call whoever is in charge ans <S> ask them if they would like a sample. <S> when they say "No!" tell them to get it fixed by the end of tomorrow. <S> Their incompetance is not your fault, plumbers work all hours. <A> From the description and your followed up comments. <S> There may be a blockage between the 2nd clean-out to the main. <S> Blockage has backed up to the 2nd clean out, but not to the first. <S> The line past the 2nd clean out to the main still to be snaked by the responsible party, HOA or City, <S> Since this is HOA, the HOA needs to call a plumber to clear the blockage.
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If your inside sinks, toilets, etc. are higher than your outside cleanout, then a plugged drainline will cause the waste to empty out the cleanout when you flush or drain your sink.
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Can I use 2 black THHN wires for a 240v line? I'm going to be wiring a 50A 240V circuit to a shed through an MF conduit. There will be about 3 feet of conduit connecting to a subpanel and it will remain above ground. I know the neutral wire must be white or grey and the ground _must be green, yellow-green or bare. Can I use 2 black conductors for the hot wires or must they be black and red? This is for a location in the United States. <Q> and they can be any color except white, gray, or green. <S> If your circuit is only 220. <S> (240 in modern terms) you will also need a ground, the ground can be metallic conduit or if using pvc conduit a green is normally used. <S> If you want to run anything other than 240v you will also need a neutral to set up a breaker panel. <S> If this is a detached shed a ground rod will also be needed. <S> With more info we can help you size the wires & conduit based on the load and distance but more info will be needed to do that <S> but Yes you can use 2 black insulated conductors. <A> That must be white or gray, with optional colored stripe (e.g. white with red stripe). <S> You absolutely must run a ground wire even if you have a ground rod at the shed. <S> That must be green, yellow w/ green stripe, or bare. <S> The hot wires can be any other colors. <S> They can be the same color. <S> For instance if you are a Prince fan, you can use purple, pink and white :) <S> One guy left me a system with two 30A 240V circuits: one black-red, and the other black-red. <S> Thanks . <S> I rearranged them so circuit 1 was <S> black-black and circuit 2 was red-red. <A> Assuming this shed is behind your home, then you are working on a single phase system with only one voltage system (240/120v is one system) <S> you can use two blacks as the hot conductors. <S> Gray, green and white color restrictions also apply as noted by others. <S> If this shed is behind a building with multiple voltage systems then each phase must be identified "by phase or line and system at all terminations" [NEC 210.5(C)]. <S> Designating wire color and posting it on the panel is the easiest of the allowed methods that follow. <S> (I know this likely doesn't apply to your question, but sometimes people misapply one answer they see to all applications. <S> Like it's true "you can't bury NM or THHN in pvc", but not because you can't put NM or THHN in PVC, but because buried is considered wet location, even in conduit). <A> No you cannot, THHN is only suited for dry locations. <S> Buried conduit is a damp location. <S> the wire must be instead (or also) rated THWN or THWN-2 etc.
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The answer is yes you can run your 2 hots the same color If you are going to a shed and want 120V, you will really, really want a neutral wire. The other answers cover the matter of neutral and ground conductors which will also be needed.
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Right tool to drill a 3 to 4" diameter hole approximately 3ft deep through remnants of a ground up tree stump I'm installing a very basic fence with welded wire mesh that will be fastened to galvanized steel T-posts. But I've run into a snag. At the very end of my run on one side I cannot dig into the ground. This is because there used to be a very large 40ft tall horse chestnut tree. Most of the stump was ground away. Unfortunately, it couldn't be done as thoroughly as we all had hoped because the base of the tree was growing right up next to a cement wall that is our neighbor's garage. My T-posts are 10ft tall that have been dropped into the ground at about 3ft. I'm not dead center on where the tree trunk was but I'm about a foot over. This is where my last post will go. However, the trunk was approximately 20" or so in diameter. Even though I'm off to the side a bit I'm going to guess that the area I want to insert my T-post will be solid root. If successful, my plan is to drill a hole large enough to drop the T-post in, use a cement or some type of epoxy (or I'm open to suggestions) to adhere the T-post in place inside the hole. Then I'll use braces to help secure it along the run of my fence and then another one that will run perpendicular into our yard to help secure it in place. See the link for the braces/ enter link description here Those braces will help keep it secure. My question is, what type of drill bit can I use. In addition to drill bits I was looking at extensions to help me get down deep and am a bit overwhelmed with what to use. Anyone have any suggestions/recommendations? <Q> You might be able to rent a gas powered 2-man well drilling auger with as small of a bit as they have for it, then wedge sticks or something in with your post before pouring epoxy resin in it, otherwise you may end up needing a gallon or more of resin. <S> But...Anything you do here is only going to last until the tree root fully rots away, then you will have to replace that entire post setup. <S> Once you drill into it, it may accelerate the process and you could be looking at a couple of years max. <S> The "geometry" option seems better to me; just add a post before and after the stump and angle that corner to go around it. <S> Another option would be to forestall the fence <S> post installation a bit and either use a chemical stump remover (potassium nitrate) now, or drill a hole in the root and burn it out when the weather is dry. <A> I think that you will end up chiseling and chipping, rather than drilling. <S> I would be very difficult to hold a tool by hand and drill a hole that size into hard wood. <S> I would consider renting (or buying) a chipping hammer and use a chisel bit: <A> It has a threaded tip <S> so it self drives and <S> no downward force is needed, just insert and go. <S> Also, it won't spin in the chuck under high stress, the end that inserts into the drill is hex instead of round. <S> They come in some pretty large sizes. <S> Be careful because the self driving feature also means that the bit is in constant drive mode and therefore, unlike regular bits, there is always a torque on the drill and <S> the only way to stop that is to let go of the drill trigger (stop drilling). <S> If you use a 'hole hawg' or other larger and VERY POWERFUL drill it is very possible to break a wrist.
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The amount of torque it would take to auger even a 3 inch hole in a tree root would be way beyond what you could safely do with a hand drill. An auger bit would work very well for this situation.
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How can I shorten a reciprocating saw blade? This rather dated article recommends using a shortened reciprocating saw blade to punch through drywall. I have an old blade (intended to be used to cut wood, as far as I can tell) that I'm happy to cut short for this purpose, but the page's recommendation of cutting through the blade with cable pliers is a non-starter. Perhaps recip saw blades were thinner in the 80s. I have a decent selection of tools in the house, but not anything particularly geared toward metalworking. How can I cut through this blade to shorten it? I do have a recip saw blade that appears to be intended for cutting through metal (it has an icon of what appears to be a girder on it, and is red) but I'm not sure if another blade was the target that they had in mind for it. <Q> I just save my broken blades for this. <S> Clamp it in a vise, where you want it to break off and hit it with a hammer very sharply. <S> It should snap off (make sure the part you want to KEEP is in the vise). <S> If you have to work it back and forth a little, you can clean up the edges on a grinder. <A> Use pliers or vise grips to grab the blade on each side of the line you marked for the cut and just wiggle back and forth. <S> Metal fatigue will cause the blade to break. <S> This works better on stiff brittle metal better than soft flexible metal. <S> This is a hack thou, and if you are doing this often enough, there is a much better way which is a dedicated drywall cutout tool <A> The composition of the metal in a recip blade may be a composite, hardened steel for the teeth, softer stuff for the backbone, or it could be lower grade throughout. <S> The hardened stuff is pretty brittle, and the "softer" metal of the backbone gives it strength. <S> If you have a dremel tool (rotary hobbyist type) or a side grinder, you can score the blade at the desired location. <S> Even a bench grinder can be used, if one exercises greate care. <S> It's certainly possible to cut through the blade, but once the score is of sufficient depth, you may be able to snap it. <S> For testing, make your first cut farther out than the final location. <S> It may be possible, depending on the material of your blade, to use a metal file to score the blade, but that will require a bit more elbow grease. <S> If using a power tool, consider to dip the cut in water periodically to keep it cool and to maintain the temper of the steel. <S> Lacking the above tools, it's also possible to clamp one end and work the other end with pliers until the steel fatigues and breaks of its own accord. <S> As I typed this, two additional answers have appeared, but this is different enough to retain. <A> Maybe they are already short enough for the purpose. <S> I'm thinking of this type of jigsaw <S> blade: <S> which has a similar shank as a recip blade: <S> (There are also quick-release style jigsaw blades without a hole - <S> these will almost certainly not work). <S> A caution is that the fit could be "sloppy" <S> so I'd test it out carefully before committing to an actual cut. <S> FWIW you can also fit a hacksaw blade in a recip saw, though the extra length would certainly not be any help in this specific case. <A> As an alternative, you may be able to temporarily fasten a spacer to the wall, to hold the body of the tool further away and reduce blade penetration that way. <S> If you're lucky you may be able to fix it to the part you're going to remove. <S> 2x2 would be one example of a suitable material <A> Caveat- this is potentially dangerous... <S> I have 'cut' blades using a sharp cold masonry chisel and lump hammer. <S> BUT, you need to put a piece of heavy cloth, piece of old towel etc. <S> on top of the blade or parts of it will dangerously ricochet away, potentially hurting yourself. <S> You'll also need to do this on a solid metal surface, the flat part of a heavy vise is ideal. <S> Lay the cloth on the vise, then lay the blade and fold the cloth over it. <S> Position the sharp cold chisel where you want the blade cut and then one sharp hit with a heavy hammer should snap the blade.
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If you also own a jigsaw you may find that its blades will fit well enough in the recip saw that you can use them instead.
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Electrical breaker and outlet wiring question I want to run a dedicated circuit for my air compressor. Can I run a 20 amp breaker with 12-2 to a single 20 amp receptacle for an air compressor? <Q> Including an air compressor. <S> If that is the case, I'd then look at provisioning a 240V (two-pole) breaker of appropriate amperage to a 240V outlet of the appropriate amperage rating on appropriate size wire for that amperage (or 12/2 if you are already sitting on it, even if it's larger than needed for 240V and fewer amps.) <S> Rewire the compressor for 240V operation and install the matching plug. <A> You can run 12/2 (plus ground) to a dedicated 20A receptacle. <S> I don't know if is adequate for the specs of the compressor. <A> 12/2 w/ground is fine but you want to check the service rating on your compressor. <S> More than likely a 20 amp circuit will handle it. <S> The other consideration is if you're running it to an indoor or outdoor receptacle. <S> Also, if you're adding a breaker make sure it's compatible with your main panel and you follow code. <S> i.e. GFCI or AFCI beaker.
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However, for an air compressor "dedicated circuit" the FIRST question I'd ask is whether the motor can be converted to run on 240V, and if it can, I'd strongly suggest doing that unless you have strong reasons not to (such as this being a portable compressor that you often take to job sites where 240V is hard to come by.) You can run a 20A breaker and 12-2 copper (with ground, but that's a given unless you have found some antique wire) to a single 20A receptacle for any purpose. Anything outdoors has to be rated for weather.
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Brand new shallow well jet pump, noisy and slow 1/2 hp Red Lion shallow well jet pump, 20 gal pressure tank, well water table was measured 8 feet down the well pipe. When priming the pump, water came steady but not at a good rate. Not knowing how fast the water should come out without going through the pressure tank I finally just closed the drain and let things fill up. The pump always sounded like it still has air in it or something rattling around. After several days and some investigating I found at first one leak at the pressure switch line going out from the pump, fixed that and a day later I found another leak of the line going into the switch, fixed that as well. The pump is still noisy and it takes 8 minutes to replenish the pressure tank even though no water is running in the house. It pressurizes with lots of slurping noises to 50 psi and shuts off. My question is: Where should I start trouble shooting without having to tear everything apart? I already checked for air leaks with soap suds. Is it possible the pump was damaged during priming due to the two existing leaks? Thank you! Susi <Q> In my area, nobody would use a well where the normal water level in the well with the pump off is 8 feet below grade. <S> Usually the water is not good and may have a lot of ground water and possible bacteria in it. <S> Looking at the motor in the picture, take a flash light and look into the motor at those slots at the front of the motor. <S> start and stop the motor and as it slows down you can see the rotating armature inside. <S> It should turn CW. <S> If it is turning the wrong way it usually can be changed by removing the wiring cover and changing some wires. <S> Check the instructions that came with the pump. <A> Looking at your pump with a lift of 5’ to 16’ at 50 psi the pump is only rated between 4-6 gallons per minute. <S> So the slow rate you have sounds almost normal for a 1/2 hp shallow <S> well setup. <S> We have many wells like this in Oregon as long as the casing is good there won’t be a problem with ground water contamination in this area. <A> Were I looking for leaks causing the noise & slow fill issues, I would not expect them to bubble out - they would be leaks on the suction side sucking air in. <S> A shallow-well pump sucks water in (practical limit 27 ft lift from surface of water when pumping - theory might give more than 30 <S> but it's not practical - limited by air pressure and how closely the pump approximates a vacuum) and then spits it out under pressure. <S> Static Water level is 8 ft down - how deep is the well, where is the foot valve located? <S> Does the water level drop significantly when pumping? <S> Here's my best guess as to your root problem: <S> What is your priming procedure? <S> It appears that you have a check valve on the input, which will prevent priming the pipe from the prime port on the pump - so you'll have to also fill the pipe from the plug in the top of the Tee before the check valve. <S> IMHO that check valve is not a great idea, as the foot valve either works or does not work, and the additional check is not helpful, but many pumbing codes are check-valve happy to the point of not helping things.
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Make sure that the rotation of the pump/motor is correct.
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Will low well water pH cause plumbing damage or health problems? Our well has been having some bacteria issues so we are installing a UV filter system. The installer also recommended a system to correct the acidic quality of our water which is PH 6.0. He said it can corrode pipes and its not healthy to consume copper. My questions are -The house is from 1974 and mostly used for weekends. Am I really in danger of pipes leaking in the next 10-20 years from this level? -Is there any health risk to this level? Really just trying to figure out if I being upsold or this is a valid concern. Most of the info on the web is from companies that sell water filtration products so I don’t know how objective they are. <Q> A pH of 6.0 is not unreasonably low for a well-water system. <S> That's at the low end of the "normal" range but <S> not anything I'd worry about. <S> Copper pipes will not be "dissolved" at this pH level and the minute amount of Cu that you are consuming is not a concern. <S> It's a common mineral and it is not generally harmful to humans, certainly not in the quantities you're talking about here. <S> I'm sure the installer you talked to has a solution to this "problem" <S> and he's trying to sell you one. <A> No, but you may want to filter it inside the house for drinking if you don't like the taste of well water. <S> Typically Iron is more of a problem to drink (and messing your laundry up). <S> I'd direct you here: <S> https://www.researchgate.net/publication/254155501_Alkalinity_pH_and_copper_corrosion_by-product_release <S> Carbonates are nastier than 'milk' which is what pH 6.0 is approximately. <S> Not all acid is bad. <A> My first thought is not to believe it. <S> You can check it inexpensively with a pH test kit from a tropical fish shop. <S> Our city water is from a river ,so expect acidic surface water .I <S> never measured anything below pH 6.6 . <S> Many well water sources are limestone aquifers, they would never produce pH 6. <S> However , would be very low , less than 0.001 " per year, at full time use with pH 6.
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A pH of 6 for a natural water is surprisingly acidic in my experience.
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Can an AC condenser be wired inside the wall, underneath siding? The label on the disconnect box says this is a 60amp, 240v system (box might be oversized for this unit, it's old and a 2 ton I think, I doubt that it's truly 60A). I know that I need 6awg for it, and the wiring currently is in metal conduit on the outside of the wall. The run itself is only about 15ft (plus or minus a few inches) to the main electrical panel. [edit] The AC unit is an UAKA-030JAZ, and the label lists itself as says that it is minimum 19/19 (not sure what the double number means, honestly) ampacity. Looks like this is a 2.5ton. I'd expect if/when it needs replaced to be replaced with a larger unit. I don't think any of the new homes of this size built around here are less than 3.5ton. I will have opportunity to put this in-wall when I repair some of the siding at some point this summer. Does the code (US, Texas) allow for in-wall wiring for the condenser? Does it have to be in conduit, if in the wall? What wiring do I need to purchase for this? [edit] Is there any reason not to go with a heavier gauge wire, considering that the cost is minimal, it possibly future-proofs, and I might need to drill slightly larger holes? Both Home Depot and Lowes offer 15ft and 25ft sections of NM 8/3 and NM 6/3, not to mention the many places on the internet that I can apparently order this. [edit] Adding a photograph of the label on the main wiring panel, as requested. <Q> You could in theory do it inside of the wall, but the "device box" would have to a a Flush Mount 3R box, and that's not something I have ever seen for a simple AC disconnect. <S> So although it COULD be done, I don't think you will find the hardware to make it happen (at least not to Code). <A> Speedypetey is correct a 5 ton will only require ~30 amp disconnect and can be run on #10 wire. <S> You can run the wires inside the walls if it is a cable with all the wires contained in a outer sheath conduit is not needed inside. <S> If separate wires thhn/thwn it will need to be in conduit inside the walls. <S> A standard 30 amp disconnect would be proper is there a 120v receptacle? <S> Some of the disconnects I install have a separate 120v receptacle, very nice place for one if there is not one “in sight” as code requires. <A> If I wanted to future-proof this, I would run a 1/2" ENT inside the walls. <S> This provides enough space for any feeder up to 50A circuit ampacity (given that most breaker and disconnect lugs are rated for 75°C, which lets us use 8AWG wire for the feeder), while leaving room still for a 15A branch circuit for the maintenance receptacle, if need be.
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In other words you can't just exit the wall through a hole in the siding and run into the bottom of a surface mount box, and for all of the surface mount ones I have seen, you can't enter the box from the rear because that's where the disconnect device is. If a maintenance receptacle is not needed, then said 1/2" ENT can handle a 60A feeder without trouble. I would run a 1/2" ENT instead of a cable if I were in your shoes
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Can a water leak cause a fire in a light fixture? The upstairs bathroom got too much water on the floor and it dripped through to the kitchen below, by the ceiling light fixture (discoloration on ceiling around light fixture). The place was built about 7 years ago, with circuit breakers. Is there a fire risk having the lights on? Is there a fire risk keeping the lights off until it dries out? <Q> Chances are the ceiling is damp and you'll be fine. <S> However, I have never been a fan of water and electricity at the same time. <S> With the breaker switched off, take the globe, glass off the fixture. <S> Water probably wouldn't be in the junction box but could have dripped between the box and the ceiling. <S> If there is any dampness, dry everything off. <S> Put the fixture back together and operate the light as usual... <S> the heat will dry out the ceiling. <A> Water can corrode connections, which increases contact resistance. <S> When current flows in such a connection with high resistance, it will heat. <S> This can cause problems. <S> Water can also cause current to leak to Earth via the fixture or conduit metal parts and trip the RCD if you have one. <S> If you don't have one, or if everything is not properly earthed, then some metal parts may be dangerous to touch. <S> If you change a lightbulb you might get shocked. <S> You probably won't be electrocuted that badly, but the most likely cause of injury is falling off the ladder due to the shock. <S> but it can certainly damage the electronics if they are powered when wet. <S> Don't turn it back on until everything is dry. <A> I cant think of any non-obscure scenarios where water in a regular electrical installation could cause a fire. <S> However it could cause some building parts to carry an electrical potential and current which means a risk of electrical shock, but even that is quite unlikely in the scenario you are describing. <S> The second most likely thing is that either an RCD (aka GFCI) or circuit breaker will trip. <S> If the bathroom floor is not properly grounded there is a small risk of electrical shock if someone walks bare foot on the floor, and touches something grounded, e.g. tap or a radiator. <S> And even if so, I also consider it unlikely that the water could cause a fault current in the scenario you describe. <S> Not impossible though. <S> I would not worry if I was you. <S> When the water has dried out, the danger is over. <S> Until then you could consider wearing slippers in the bathroom and avoid showering. <A> Got kids? <S> Ours will splash outside of the tub, or hit it just right, so it runs under/around the tub onto the floor and then into the drywall ceiling. <S> Enough water and <S> it'll leak through the seams/follow them to the light fixture, and then fill up the light. <S> No, it's not going to break that much UNLESS you're taking baths in pure Epsom salts or NaCl. <S> However it's a good idea to get those leaks fixed, or at least find out where it's coming from. <S> A one-off isn't going to be too bad. <S> Just get some air into the area the leak was (access panel under the tub) and blow it dry.
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If the light fixture uses an electronic transformer, LED driver or LED lightbulbs and that gets wet, I don't think it can cause a fire After fixing the leak, you should check inside your light fixture for corrosion (turn off power at the panel first). The most likely thing to happen is nothing at all. But I consider it unlikely that the bathroom is constructed in such a way that the floor is not electrically bonded with all other metal parts (tap, etc).
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120v house equipment with 240v generator question Tornado took out power around here for a good while. Parents aren't here and I'm stuck with the task of hooking up a generator. I'm not savvy with this stuff very much at all. Here's the issue. The connection coming out of the house is L14-30P. The generator has L14-30R. In my head we just need a 30a cable between the two. The only stuff we have right now is an adapter L14-30P to L14-20R. My dad says this adapter is needed because it puts the voltage down to 120v. It's literally just an adapter. He says at 240v it would fry our equipment and appliances in the house. Doesn't make sense to me to have this adapter, then have a L14-20P to L14-30R cord connected between the adapter and the house. Seems like an extra useless step right? I'm not worried about breaker positioning and all that. I just need to make sure I have the cords done properly between the generator and the house. I've got the rest done. Feel free to correct everything that is incorrect about what I just stated, logic and all. Here is the front of the generator : https://imgur.com/a/4SzrEbm https://imgur.com/a/Emj9TKR <Q> Both carry both 120 volts and 240 volts (actually two legs of 120 which can be combined for 240). <S> As you suspected, the combination of the adapter and cord are useless (as opposed to a direct L14-30 to L14-30 cable). <S> Actually, it’s worse that that. <S> The L14-20 connectors are only rated for 20 amps. <S> Since the generator can produce 30 amps, those connectors could melt or catch fire! <S> I’m assuming your father went shopping for a 30 amp cable and <S> the sales critter sold his those, what it had, making up the story about voltages. <S> For safety, you really need an L14-30P to L14-30R cable. <S> Since you don’t have one, I suggest you follow @JACK’s advice and plug the appliances you need directly into the generator instead. <A> <A> I'm trusting you on having a proper interlock. <S> Get help <S> The deal-killer is the father saying "because it puts the voltage down to 120v". <S> Whoa, whoa, whoa, what the heck is going on there!!? <S> ? <S> That place serious doubt as to the configuration of the whole setup. <S> Why does it need 120V? <S> How did dad wire this thing? <S> Is this being done in the adapter cables or the panel wiring? <S> These are questions only Dad can answer, and you'd either need to listen to his advice, or else start popping covers off things and shooting us photos. <S> If the wiring from the inlet to the panel is tip top, then you could just go down to the RV supply and get a 30A L14-30 extension cord, and Bob's your uncle. <S> But we'd need to know that . <A> FIRST: DISCONNECT THE MAIN BREAKER! <S> I realize that you may end up running extension cords, but if for any reason you are going to go through the panel, please turn off the main breaker to the house. <S> You do NOT want to kill a lineman by energizing that. <S> Please do this.
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Do yourself a favor and just run some extension chords from the 120 V outlets on the generator into your house and plug the appliances you need into them. If you are not familiar with the setup don't mess with it. To answer your specific question, the difference between L14-20 and L14-30 is maximum amperage , not voltage. I'm not sure what adapters you have but most adapters are bad news...
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How to keep a window from opening too widely? I am moving into an apartment, and I have a cat. I need to alter the windows in a way so that it can’t be opened beyond a couple of inches - little enough that there’s no chance of that cat slipping out. Here are the catches: We can’t alter/damage the window frame in any way; we have to be able to leave it just as we found it. No screwing into the frame. We’d rather not install screens, as we really love the view. We’re hoping for something that can be done with easily accessible hardware, since we’ll be stuck with the windows closed until we figure this out. I imagine two strategies: a cord/chain of some sort that limits how far open the window can go, or something to jam into the hinge so that it stops earlier than at it’s built-in bump. But I am open to other options! This is my first time trying to do something like this, and I’m not sure who I could ask about this other than the internet. Thanks in advance. Any thoughts or ideas could help! <Q> It appears that the regulation for the angle of the window is the distance between the mounting screws for the rails in which the brace slides. <S> The ideal work-around would entail removing the bottom screw from each side and inserting a metal shim that fits within the track below the slider. <S> Return the screw and the slider cannot drop far enough to open the window to cat-head-width. <S> CAUTION: <S> cats can pass through holes far smaller than you might think! <S> One aspect of this method is that the sliding mechanism, including the rail, has to be accessible when the window is closed to the maximum desired opening. <S> But wait, there's a work-around to that as well. <S> It is of sufficient length to reach to the bottom of the window frame and can be slipped into place even if the window opens only a few inches. <S> Depending on the width of the pivot assembly, one may be able to purchase a piece of aluminum or steel of sufficient width to work in this manner. <S> The Home Depot has a materials section with solid aluminum rod and flat as well as solid steel rod and flat. <S> Aluminum is easier to work and should hold up well enough if one does not slam things together. <S> You'd need a piece thin enough to slip under the inward facing lips with sufficient width to engage as much of the lip area as possible. <S> Even if the thinnest piece you find is too thick, you could file or sand away material to get it to fit in place. <S> The bottom is the answer if the piece is too thick, and has the corners filed/sanded away to provide placement. <S> All of this should work with the recently revealed "bumps" that provide limitation of travel of the sliding mechanism. <S> The bumps are going to pose a problem with placing a single spacer above the screw, but the single spacer above the screw can be of the right hand side of my original drawing with a hole for the screw to engage. <A> You could go with an adjustable window screen , One that is just tall enough to discourage your smart cat but not so big <S> it blocks the entire window and your view. <S> It slides to adjust to the width of your opening, you could put it up when needed and take it down when not needed. <S> If it does not fit exactly or does not stay in place then You can make some modifications and learn to love your adjustable window screen . <A> If you're lazy like me fit a regular security chain, <S> or maybe you can jam that track using a coin.
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The shim that would have been inserted between the bottom screw and the slider now has a slot to allow it to pass around the bottom screw. In the image above, the top represents the view from above if the flat aluminum is thin enough to fit in the groove/lips.
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Intermittent power outtages to only part of the house. Power can be restored by turning the stove on for just a second, then turning it off I have the standard, split phase power to my house. (Two hots and a neutral). There's a meter box and breaker panel outside, which has the main service disconnect. There's an additional service disconnect which controls the sub panel in the house, at the top of the stairs. That sub panel has a service disconnect which controls the smaller sub panel at the bottom of the stairs. Anyway, for about the last two weeks, I've noticed my lights will sometimes flicker, or the power will go out for part of the house. For example, the kitchen, hall lights, and family room lights stop working. But the clock on the stove still works, along with the lights and receptacles to most of the bedrooms. It's like I'm losing one leg of power. When it does this, sometimes the power is out for a quick second or two, then comes right back on. Other times it goes out and stays out for several minutes or longer. I discovered a strange scenario last night when this happened; The power did it again. I went into the kitchen and turned on a burner on the stove, then immediately turned it off. This did the trick, and my power came back on and stayed on the rest of the night. (I might add, when the power came back on, my doorbell started ringing. There was nobody there.) When the power went out again this afternoon, I tried that same trick; I turned the stove on for just a second, and then turned it back off. Again the power came back on. So... what's going on here? There have been other posts where people have gotten their power to come back on by turning on the stove, but those posts don't say whether or not they're leaving the stove on, or that the power goes right back out as soon as they turn off the stove. In my case, I'm only turning on the stove for a second or two, then off, and the power to the house is restored, at least for a while. Can someone explain this? As to the cause of the power interruptions, I've had the power company out twice. They told me the power from the pole to the meter is fine. They did put some kind of monitoring device on the meter, left it on there for a week, then retrieved it. They haven't contacted me yet with the results. Anyway, I'm thinking the problem has got to be with one of the legs. Maybe there's a loose connection at the main breaker, or one of the service disconnect breakers. What are your thoughts? I seriously doubt the problem would be at a junction box, or could it? I'm interested in what you all have to say or suggest on this one. Thanks! UPDATE: I had a certified electrician come out to the house. He wasn't able to duplicate the problem while he was here, (Lights never flickered, power never went out) but he did find a couple of breakers with bad connections, which he tightened. He also installed a surge protector on the main panel. The power has not gone out since, however..... That evening when I turned on my hallway lights, they started flickering like crazy. I did some investigating and it appears there was a faulty 3-way switch which was causing that. I replaced it. Lights no longer flicker. Hopefully (knock on wood) the electrical problem has been fixed. 2ND UPDATE: Guess I spoke too soon. First, thanks to those who have responded. I appreciate your input. OK, so a couple days after the electrician had come to the house, the power went out AGAIN to half the house. (same half). The electrician had mentioned that if the power should go out again, I should check the status lights on the surge protector he had installed on the main breaker. He said both lights should be on. If only one is lit, I should call the power co. I checked and sure enough, only one light was on. Aha! I left everything as is and called the power company. This time they could clearly see I had lost a leg of power. Problem was on their side. They mentioned possibly re-stringing the overhead lines on the pole and possibly replacing the transformer. I don't know what they did, other than the problem has not returned since they were last out here. Hopefully it is really fixed now. Thanks everyone! <Q> I suspect you have a connection that is loose - turning the stove on may arc-weld it for a brief time before thermal cycling cracks it again. <S> I HOPE you are uncomfortable with random arc-welding in your wiring, as it tends to lead to house fires eventually. <S> i.e. this is a serious problem, the "fix" you have found is not a good workaround and may actually accelerate having a much larger problem with sirens & flashing lights and all. <A> You have one leg of your service out. <S> Either way, this is your responsibility and it typically not something that can be done DIY. <S> On a side note, if the lights in the house go dim and extra-bright at times, this is a sign of an open service neutral. <A> It's a weak connection: at the wires going into the subpanel's main breaker at the wires coming out of the feeder breaker in the main panel at the bus stabs of the feeder breaker in the main panel (likely if that breaker is a different make than the panel; the buses are not compatible!) <S> at the house's main breaker where the service entrance wires attach to it at the meter where the service entrance wires attach to it in the blades of the meter up at the weatherhead up at the pole in this subpanel where the main breaker engages the bus stabs
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This is likely at the main breaker since the power company was in your meter box, they would typically have seen if the problem was there.
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Is this closet wall load bearing? Wanting to remove this closet that is by my front door. Nervous that the wall that is parallel to the door is wall bearing. First time renovating. [![enter image description here][1]][1] [1]: https://i.stack.imgur.com/HdXz4.jpg <Q> From the 2 images you've attached, this is not a load bearing group of walls. <S> Feel free to remove all 3 of them. <A> I'd expect more blocking in a load-bearing wall (more than none) <S> Corners always have lots of wood, but the purpose of that is just to provide somewhere to attach the lining. <A> Even without the attic picture, I would find it very, very unusual that any of these three walls are load bearing. <S> Your attic picture shows that the roof is bearing on a continuous wall which is the exterior wall. <S> There would be some very obvious change in the roof framing at the area of the closet walls if they were to be bearing walls. <S> To be most clear and direct: your closet walls are not bearing walls
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It would be many times more unusual for the wall -parallel- to your front door (thus parallel to your roof framing) to be bearing.
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Electric Power comes back when I open up warm tap water and then goes when I close the tap I've run into a electric power problem today that I can't seem to explain it. The problem began when I opened up the warm tap water and I heared a sudden loud noise coming from the instantaneous water heater; I realised afterwards that power went out. I noticed then that the kitchen (fridge + electric plates) still have power but everything else can't have it anymore even when I reset the breaker. Surprisingly, I noticed that when I turn on the warm tap water, power comes back again as long as the warm water is running (when I close the warm tap, power goes out). Is there a reason that could explain how power only functions normally when I switch on warm water? <Q> Sorry <S> I was on a rush. <S> I'm in Germany and the device is called "Vaillant Durchlauferhitzer electronic VED E 27/7 Elektro-Durchlauferhitzer 27 kW" <S> heizungsdiscount24.de/durchlauferhitzer/… <S> Your heater is a three-phase load, most likely with the heating elements connected between the phases. <S> I'm not an expert on german wiring practices, but my guess would be that your heater has developed a short circuit in one of the elements, said fault blew out the fuse supplying one of the phases and is now back-feeding said phase. <S> Whether said fuse is your responsibility or your electricity suppliers responsibility I could not say. <S> I would advise against operating the heater until it has been inspected by a competent service technician and the supply fault has been rectified. <A> You lost a phase Germany often delivers 3 phases of power to a home. <S> That unit, being 27 kw, is almost certainly wired up 3-phase, and according to the spec sheets, it is wired "delta", phase-phase-phase with no interaction with neutral. <S> via the low-resistance heater coils themselves . <S> This is having the effect of bringing the dead phase(s) back to life. <S> If you are using modern bulbs that accept 100-240V input, they are happy with the somewhat lesser voltage caused by this weird connection. <S> The "bang" was something in your service panel/consumer unit burning itself out due to a faulty connection, or possibly in the meter, or possibly at the service line from the electric company to your meter. <S> About half this territory is the power company's responsibility and the rest is yours. <S> Since the power company is probably free, I'd start with them. <S> The single most likely cause of this is overhead power lines, long having flexed in the wind, finally snapping at a connection from metal fatigue. <S> The second most likely is an weak connection due to improper screw torque. <S> This is such an epidemic in America <S> they now make us use torque screwdrivers to set torque. <A> Do shut off the water heater via the circuit breaker(s) <S> AND via the switch or thermostat at the water heater. <S> As already said by other authors, the interrupted phase is supplied by one or both of the other 2 phases when the water heater switches on ( backfeed ) <S> .It could be a also multiple problem with a combination of shortcut(s) and low resistances between phases or phase to Neutral. <S> This could increase the voltage to a level that destroys the devices that are fed by this backfeed via the water heater, since the water heater's resistances are very low and the sum of 2 phases with 120 degree difference could be fed back. <S> The heater is connected to a 3-phase breaker that can only interrupt 3 phases alltogether, even if there is an overload on 1 phase only. <S> Most likely an upstream fuse or breaker did trip, which is separate for all 3 phases. <S> Do neighbours report problems with some electric circuits not working? <S> If not, the problem is within the own house/apartment. <S> The heavy main fuses/breakers upstream of the water heater directly at the incomer box of the supplier should give the downstream breakers the priority, i.e. a short in the wiring of the water heater should cause the downstream breaker(s) to trip, and not the main fuse/breaker. <S> Another 3 main fuses or breakers (for each phase) normally sits upstream close to the meter, and one of those could also have tripped.
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That breaker apparently did not trip - or the heater does not have a combined triple circuit breaker , but only 3 separate ones, which is against the standard/code. What's happening is when the unit turns on, it's having the effect of connecting the live phase(s) to the dead phases(s)
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Is this a stress fracture or natural cedar characteristics on a swing set? This a 3 year old (lightly used) weather exposed swing set. Should I be concerned about the cracks? <Q> This is typical of wood movement. <S> The wood will eventually start to rot because of the "pockets" created by the cracks. <S> Those will hold water, expediting the rot that will occur over the years. <S> Cedar is rot resistant, but with these cracks it will quicken the inevitable. <S> If a well formed metal cap can be added to the length of the top which would be preferred so it can be fastened on the sides, or covered with a peel and stick waterproofing , so the movement of the wood will not affect the covering. <S> This is another preferred fix, since a metal cap is a nice harbor for insects, depending on how close it is set to the wood. <A> It is not stress from the weight of the swings nor is it because the wood is cedar <S> It happens to all species of wood and he cracking was caused by sun drying not structural issues such as overloading. <S> Wood expands and contracts on the sun dried side and the sun also has an aging affect on the wood making it more hard and brittle <S> (less able to tolerate expansion and contraction cycles). <S> This causes the wood to tear apart in the weakest places which is the softer spring growth layers that are in between the strong fall growth rings (lines on the edges of the boards). <S> Is it an issue that you need to fix? <S> No <S> and yes. <S> No, in that it does not yet need to be replaced. <S> (I suspect that the cracks don't come anywhere close to going through the entire beam). <S> It likely won't become a structural issue <S> ASSUMING that it doesn't also get further weakened by wood decay (rot) that is likely to occur in the cracks. <S> Do this by protecting it from both moisture and the sun's rays. <S> This can be done in many ways including such things as metal flashing, brush on sealant, or a rubberized roofing member. <S> Suggested Action <S> I suggest cleaning the debris out of the cracks and then covering the top of the wood beam with a rubberized roofing material to prevent moisture from rain and the drying rays of the sun from getting to the top surface of the wood. <S> This material should be available in most home improvement stores <A> This is known in the lumber and construction industries as "checking", and it's normal. <S> Wood contracts about its circumference as it dries. <S> As long as it's parallel to the wood grain <S> it's generally not a concern in the short term. <A> Weathering of the member certainly was the initial cause of this cracking. <S> As the wood expands and contracts with the seasons, the countersunk washers remained (relatively) the same size and thus the wood split. <S> The fact that the member is splitting along the bolt line leads me to the suggestion that this should be replaced.
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Yes, it that it is necessary to fix the situation by protecting the wood from further damage. It is not a structural issue right now
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Accidentally left hose on and now have no pressure Yesterday I turned the hose on to fill a swimming pool. We have been running it for about an hour every other day. I got distracted and totally forgot about the water and it was left on for about 5 hours. We have an artesian well with a submersible pump. We stopped using water in the house for 24 hours and I can see water down the well hole which we could not see yesterday but the water in the house is coming out but no pressure. We always had city water till we moved here 4 years ago and have no clue what it could be. <Q> My neighbor came over and we found that the filter was clogged. <S> When we installed a new filter <S> the water started to work. <A> To summarize all of this...You found a plugged filter that was causing the problem. <S> Congratulations! <S> We all need to be careful about giving advice in situations like this without knowing more. <S> There are many types of water systems: <S> Old, hand dug wells; Cisterns; Surface wells; drilled wells with steel casing; <S> Springs feeding a holding tank that is pumped out of; and who knows what else. <S> We did learn it was a submersible pump, but really didn't know much about the well. <S> Please don't snip me for offering this suggestion. <S> We are helpful people or we wouldn't be here. <S> Still, the advice needs to be solid. <S> Wells all have their own characteristics based on underground geography. <S> That affects the rate the well can "produce" water. <S> Ack is right, it'll recharge. <S> The OP may have to repeatedly clean the filter for a while. <S> I would also suggest to the OP that they get more familiar with their system. <S> Maybe get a reputable well/pump guy to evaluate their system and how to manage an on site water system. <A> The filter at the entrance to the pump could be clogged. <S> Enough water is getting through at the start, but the pumping cause debris to quickly clog up the filter, reducing pressure. <S> The water in the casting at the bottom could have a lot of debris now, clogging the filter at the inlet of the water pipe at the bottom of the well. <A> We have a low-producing well, and I installed a "pump saver" electronic device that detects when the pump is under no load (sucking air or no input) and shuts it off. <S> It stays off for an adjustable period of time. <S> These devices run about $200 but can really pay off in saved pump motors. <A> Water can only flow so fast underground because it is flowing through soil. <S> This is unlike above ground where flow can keep increasing either by getting faster or deeper or wider. <S> You probably took more water out than the well can supply over that given time. <S> It takes time for it to recover because the soil and water profile around your well is affected for some distance away from the well. <S> To visualize, think of a shop vacuum sucking up water on the floor, it sucks some up in the general area without affecting the entire floor and then takes time for the surrounding water to flow into the now water-less area. <S> During the recovery period you can still get water out, or see it, but it will not be the full amount and will deplete completely faster. <S> Your well will recover soon, just give it time. <S> Then don't over use it. <S> In fact, it sounds like it did already recover If you have water in the house <S> but no pressure it sounds like your pump got damaged when the well went dry. <S> A capped artesian well is a pressurized system which is why you have some water flow. <S> Your pump provides the remainder of the pressure and flow. <S> When a well pump goes dry it can be damaged. <S> There are parts of it that need lubricant and the lubricant is the water. <S> If the water goes away, so doe the lubricant. <S> You'll need to have the pump pulled, checked and probably repaired
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The amount of pumping done may have stirred up sediment at the bottom of the well that may take a while to clear out.
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Options for current armored cable 12/2 but need 12/3 I currently have an armored cable 12/2 with green (ground) leading to a light switch, running outside the wall (simply runs from the light fixture to a surface mounted box where the light switch is).I will convert this light switch to an outlet light combination.That means I need a 12/3 cable. Unless for some reason I'm able to use the green as a neutral or hot return. In case I really need a new cable (12/3):I assume I can't use NM cable. This is a New York city 13-floors building built in 1965. Correct?I've found Service Entrance Wire, Portable Power Cord and Armored Cable. It's unclear to me the specific purpose of the SE Wire and Portable Power Cord.It seems a little hard to find Armored Cable 12/3 - for some reason they are not cheap as 12/2, so that's why I looked into other options. Any insight is appreciated, thank you! <Q> First off, you can not use the green, ground, wire as a neutral. <S> You are right about not being able to use NM cable in NYC. <S> It is allowed in certain residential applications in other parts of NY but not in the city. <S> 12/3 with a ground armored cable is what you need. <S> Most home stores will sell a 25 ft reel. <S> 14 gauge wire is also not allowed in the City so don't try to bring some in. <A> Assuming there is a switch controlling the existing light, eliminate that switch and just connect the 12/2 straight to the new light + outlet, then put a new switch out there by dropping a piece of conduit straight down below it to another surface mount box.. <A> Portable power cord is for appliances. <S> You know it from every plug-in appliance you have ever owned. <S> It is illegal to use in installed wiring (NEC 400.8). <S> Service Entrance wire is for connecting services from the transformer to the electric meter in places that are not NYC. <S> Your call. <S> If it is surface mounted, I find EMT generally provides a more elegant installation. <S> The stuff is a learning curve, but it's real nice when done. <S> The only wires to own are AC and THHN.
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As an NYC dweller, there is no reason for you to own any kind of non-metal cable: not NM, not UF, not SE anything, not MH. You can use armored cable, FMC flexible metal conduit, EMT hardshell conduit, IMC or Rigid pipe-threaded conduit.
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Why do different meters show different voltages between hot and ground? I am measuring voltage between hot and ground wires on a light box. Why does one voltmeter show 4 volts. And another shows 0 volts? How many volts should there be between these two wires? <Q> Any time you see wack-a-doodle voltages associated with safety ground, you should consider that safety ground might not be connected to anything . <S> It's very common in pre-1965 homes to have the original wiring laid groundless with contemporary /2 <S> no-ground cable, and then in the 1970s and onward, extended with /2+ground cable. <S> Typically they either connect the extension ground to nothing (preferred), or to the metal boxes (bad, since if it isn't connected back to the panel it only causes those locations to share their ground faults, energizing all their grounds if one has a ground fault). <S> So when you see a hot-ground reading like that, you are best off investigating why that safety ground is not properly connected back to the main panel (or maybe the hot is not properly connected). <S> If the wiring is old enough that it simply isn't connected, then furl up the ground wire in reserve for the happy day when ground is retrofitted, and do your best to insulate it from touching the metal box. <A> If one lead or the other is floating, the readings are not reliable. <S> This forms a voltage divider where both parts are of a similar impedance - several megaohms. <S> Changes in the impedance of either side will substantially change the measured voltage. <S> Different multimeters will have different internal resistances, and different makeup of capacitance vs inductance as part of that. <A> In layman's terms, meters have different readings because they all have different degrees of accuracy, 1 to 3.5% plus or minus.
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This is because the internal resistance in the multimeter is in series with any parasitic capacitance, inductance, or resistance from the floating line to other parts (e.g. coupling through the insulation to an adjacent hot wire, or for ungrounded gear, through timber to ground). If your question is correct, the reading between hot and ground should be 120V + or -.
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Why would these wires be stored this way? My house was built in the 1920’s. My living room only has two wall sconces until I found two additional hookups within the plaster walls. I have tested them with an old light fixture and they turn on with the same living room switch. Why would they store them in the wall like this? It looks like they used cloth tape and then hooked them together with lower gauge wire below. <Q> It's certainly not appropriate nor legal to bury a junction box inside a wall. <S> That should never have been done. <S> I agree with JACK that this looks like pretty normal chain wiring: one of the larger wires comes from supply and the other one goes onward to other lamps. <S> The smaller wires were pigtails to a former lamp which is now gone. <S> I don't know what the story is with the two splices in the foreground. <S> I assume those were once possibly soldered? <S> But otherwise, competently executed friction-tape splices. <S> If they still look in good condition, you could continue them in service. <S> Otherwise you may need to remove all the friction tape and vinyl whatever-that-is, and put wire nuts there. <S> If it's soldered you are probably better off just re-wrapping it. <S> If you want to put a lamp there, you can add the lamp's wires to the bundles if you wire-nutted it, otherwise pigtail the lamp's wires to the existing pigtails. <A> The two larger black wires and two larger white wires are feeds to other locations. <S> I'm betting they're not connected electrically. <S> the tape used looks like friction tape which was commonly used back then with some vinyl tape wrapped on the outside. <S> You should cover the box with an appropriate cover <A> I think the "why" here is that they were cutting corners when removing whatever was there before. <S> But just taping the wires and leaving them in an open box like this is a fire waiting to happen. <S> No, this is not acceptable. <S> As a minimum you'll want to cover the opening of the box with a proper cover <S> but I suspect if you look deeper you'll see that there are more corners cut that need to be addressed.
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The smaller black wire and smaller white wire are pigtailed off the feed and were probably hooked up to a fixture at one time. Otherwise put the wires back into the junction box and cover it with a blank cover plate. When the fixture was removed, it was easier to just cut the smaller black wire and white wire and tape them.
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High temperature aluminum to copper connection Summary 120v Oven power wire connector melted and shorted out. Was going to splice the wires together with high temperature wire nut, but found that internal oven power wires are aluminum and the power cord wires are copper. Oven wire sheathing has 150*C temperature rating. What high temperature , aluminum to copper connectors exist? More Detail I have a GE model J2B912SEK2SS oven that uses 120v power. Was using the oven when arcing started to occur behind the oven. I unplugged the oven, took off the back plates and found this: https://imgur.com/a/O9weZOU (scroll down and see all 3 pics) I read that corrosion just happens over time which increases resistance which increases heat which probably melted the connector. I figured I could just cut that melted connector out and wire-nut the wires together. So I bought some high temp 150*C wire nuts and they finally got here today. I cut the melted connector out, stripped the wires about 7/16", and noticed that the RED oven internal wire (pictured in link above) is aluminum. Power wire is copper. Argh. Then I started going down the copper+aluminum connector rabbit hole and read about some options that appear are NOT going to work for me: Purple Wire nuts specifically for aluminum to copper connections. Can't use these because they're only rated to 105*C AlumiConn connector. Can't use this because it is also only rated to 105*C Squirt some anti-oxidation paste inside the wire nut -- Don't want to use this because it seems super sketchy. This wire obviously gets hot and from what I've read, aluminum and copper expanding at different rates inside a wire nut is not good. So I'm reaching out to people smarter than me to figure out what I can do here. I'd like to avoid buying a new oven if possible, but if it means that I don't have to worry about starting my home on fire then maybe I will go that route. Thanks all! UPDATE Wire has "3321" written on it, which according to HERE is a "Fully annealed tinned copper, flexible stranding". Which I think is great news! Will I be okay with just a high temperature wire nut, taped up liberally around where it touches the sheet metal? <Q> Parts for that model are still available. <S> Instead of trying to fabricate your own solution you can buy a new cord with connector for under $30. <S> GE P/N AP4412100. <A> Fixture wire the cloth braided type wire (tinned) and many times has a thin high temp sleeve over the wire under the cloth is not aluminum and may have melted due to a bad connection. <S> I have seen folks replace female spade connectors with standard crimp connectors not 900 degree crimps that are needed for elements and after a time of heat cycles the non heat rated connectors start arcing and melt the conductors and even burn the end off of oven elements. <S> The black connector looks like it got hot <S> but it is still functional. <S> I did not notice anything out of the ordinary on the other photos but would suggest if you have a wiring issue check the elements as they may have failed causing the overheat. <S> Repairing with “quick disconnects” / spade connectors or butt splices should be done with high temp components. <A> I would have to agree, most likely tinned copper. <S> I would be concerned about eliminating the connector and running the power cord through the sheet metal. <S> A strain relief might be a suitable alternative if you drill a hole for it.
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I'd also inspect the mating connector and replace that component too if it shows damage. First I will suggest that the wire is tinned copper there is no such thing as high temp aluminum.
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Can I use toggle bolts to install faux wood beams to the drywall in the ceiling? Unfortunately the ceiling ceiling joists run in the wrong direction.I was wondering if I can use toggle bolts to support ~50 pounds of faux wood beams on ceiling dry wall. It would be about 4 toggle bolts across a 16.5 ft ceiling holding up ~50 pounds of weight. <Q> Is there an attic above that leaves the joists accessible? <S> Add 2x6 blocking between the joists to get the support you need. <S> Toenail the blocking to the joists on both sides of the blocking. <S> Then you can fasten the faux beam to the blocking rather than the drywall. <A> I would not recommend it. <S> That much weight, even with double the toggles holding will still be an issue in my opinion. <S> Starting with the fasteners that hold the drywall. <S> They are meant to only hold the drywall. <S> Drywall barely stays flat on a ceiling with 24" framing centers. <S> ! <S> 6' centers is better, but still, I do not want to imagine what would go on with 50 lbs of downward force applied to it 24/7/128.... <S> Why 128?, because I don't think it will last 365 <A> 50 pounds weight will likely pull the drywall down on top of you. <S> If you can run the beams all the way to the walls and support their weight on the wall instead of the ceiling that would work much better. <S> yet another it to cut a 2" hole and using a drill extension to drove a self drilling screw screw attach a wire to the joists either side of the hole. <S> The attachment of the wire to the joist could be by a two-hole angle bracket with one hole for the screw and the wire hooked through the other hole and twisted. <S> you're going to want to use hex or square drive screws here because you're driving them one-handed. <S> the wire carries a coupling nut that has been drilled through for the wire, screw some all thread in there to provide a hanger point and to fix the nut in position on the wire.
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Another option would be to put expanding braces like used to hang ceiling fans inside the ceiling and use the beams to cover the holes
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Garage door opener will not close unless the wall button is held I do not know if this could cause the problem or not but it is hooked up to an extension cord (not sure what size). There are two garage doors plugged in with extension cords. One is working but it is closer to the outlet. Could this be the cause of the problem? Either way I am going to install outlets so she can plug them in correctly. <Q> 99% of the time, the issue is the door sensor. <S> Usually an infrared beam, it runs across the bottom of the doorway to reverse the door if anything blocks it. <S> You'll need to check them. <S> There's typically a green light unit (transmitter) and a red light unit (receiver). <S> The red light will flash if there's no beam from the transmitter. <S> Make sure they are aligned properly. <S> If someone bumped it, it can fail easily <S> Make sure the sun is not hitting the transmitter or receiver. <S> In the spring and fall, it sometimes hits mine and causes issues at certain times of the day. <S> Make sure nothing is covering any holes. <S> My newer Genie unit has transmitters that have a nice hole for spiders to build a nest in. <S> A can of compressed air can help with that <A> Running the extension cords is not causing the problem but you're smart to install the outlets and correct the installation. <S> The momentary operation of the wall switch triggers a normally open relay to close in the unit that operates the motor until the limit switches open the circuit. <S> Check that relay. <A> Often the door opener, by not working, is working exactly how it is supposed to work because it's not supposed to work when there is a safety issue such as someone (a child) standing under the door. <S> If nothing is in the way of the door then the door opener is getting faulty information. <S> It works by transmitting a type of light (we usually can't see it) across the door gap and seeing the reflection if it off of a reflector on the other side. <S> If something blocks the light then it assumes that something is in the way, that the path is not clear. <S> For the door opener to get an 'ok the path is clear' the signal must be complete all the way around, from the door opener down a wire to the transmitter, across the door way, to the reflector, reflected back across the door way returning to the transmitter (also a receiver) and back up the wire to the door opener. <S> If any part of that path is incomplete then the door opener will not work. <S> Less often the transmitter/ receiver is dirty, or broken, and sometimes the wire is cut or broken, or it is not attached properly. <A> If it has an led bulb remove the bulb and see if it will close with the remote. <S> Some led bulbs interfere with some remotes. <S> If this solves the problem then use an incandescent bulb.
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The 'not supposed to work' signal comes from a safety sensor near the bottom of the door and near or on the metal door track. Usually it is simply a misalignment of the transmitter, it can't see the return signal not because something (or someone) is physically blocking it by being in the door way, but rather because it is not hitting the reflector and bouncing back.
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Fixing cuts in floorboards We've noticed some cut in half floorboards, underneath old carpet looking to see if it is possible to repair these cuts with some way. Or does the entire floorboard need replacing? We can't put on new carpet until these are fixed, we noticed dents/rips in carpets previously because the flooring bends close to the cuts in the wood. Image: <Q> It's normal for floorboards to have cuts in them as getting boards long enough for the entire span is impractical or would be more costly. <S> Shorter boards are commonly used so you will have joints. <S> However, the joints are normally level and both sides of the board should be supported. <S> A joint should only be made on top of a joist so that both sides are properly supported. <S> In your case it seems like the top half doesn't have the proper support. <S> Perhaps the joint missed the underlying joist and the builder was too lazy to fix it properly or maybe some extra bracing has come loose. <S> The fix is going to be to remove the board on top and add some bracing underneath it. <S> If the joist is more than 1" away, you may just want to remove the top and bottom board and trim them properly do the joint is centered on the joist or replace the boards if trimming them would make them too short. <A> Probably the easiest thing to do here is pop up the board that isn't fastened. <S> This is just small blocking that you get a couple of nails in. <S> Then just screw the floorboard into it. <S> Whatever is taking the screws for the board right under it can easily support this blocking. <S> If there is still lipping issues between the two boards a planer or sander is the next step. <S> If you need to do this I would suggest countersinking your screws at least 1/4". <A> The first thing I would verify is that both of the boards are resting on the joist below. <S> If this is the case, I would try is using some screws to fasten it to it's support tighter than the nails are currently doing. <S> If only one of the boards is resting on the joist, the only long term fix for this would be to replace the board.
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It should be pretty straightforward to screw a block of bracing to the nearby joist. Then add additional support below for it. If that doesn't get rid of the uneven surface I'd look into sanding the surface to make the bump smoother, similar to what is done to sidewalks when there is differential movement between two segments.
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Why not use tile instead of mineral wool for sound proofing? I read that the heavier the material the better it blocks sound. Then why do people stuff their walls with soft insulation like mineral wool. Why not just put clay/ceramic tiles or wooden boardsIf the purpose is to decrease decibel levels ? <Q> This is difficult to answer, because we can't read people's minds, but assuming it is correct that, for example, tile would cut the sound better than mineral wool, there are a lot of practical barriers: <S> Tile is not made for this, it would be very difficult / impossible to install. <S> Bat insulation can just be stuffed in between studs and it stays in place while the wall is being sheathed on its own. <S> Tile would keep falling out. <S> Tile would be much more expensive. <S> For example, in my area, a roll of R11 insulation for a 2x4 wall cavity is about $10. <S> This covers 50 sq ft, or 14.6 cu ft. <S> The cheapest ceramic tile I can find here is $1.59 sq ft. <S> and would be 3/8" thick. <S> Doing the math, we would need 466 sq ft of tile to fill the 14.6 cu ft of wall cavity. <S> Price would be $10 for the insulation, and $742 for the tile - the tile is 74 times more expensive. <S> Even if you don't fill the cavity entirely ( don't think R11 would ), it would still be much more expensive. <S> Depending on your construction methods, you wouldn't be able to use sheetrock for the wall sheathing. <S> This would also pose problems for upper floor walls. <A> Heavy, but not rigid. <S> Rigid materials just propagate sound vibrations. <S> Also: Material like tile would require upgraded structural members such as floor beams <S> It would be much more difficult to install, assuming you want it to not jangle in your walls <S> It would be very expensive <A> The other answers are good, but you might also want to consider the effect this will have inside the room. <S> Tile will prevent sounds from entering the room, but it also is very reflective, so the sounds inside the room will echo around. <S> Mineral wool absorbs the sound going both directions, so it will be quieter inside the room. <S> If the goal is too achieve and overall quieter room, mineral wool will give you better results.
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Tile is also much heavier.
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Mystery Clog & Backup in Upstairs Bathtub I've got a bathtub upstairs that won't drain (at all), and slowly fills with water apparently from fixtures in the same bath room and the adjacent bathroom. Whatever is going on doesn't appear to be impacting any downstairs fixtures (sinks, toilet, washing machine). I tried to snake the bath but the snake stops advancing without being able to clear the clog. It brings back small clumps of hair. I called out a solid professional plumber, and he was also not able to either clear the clog or explain the backing up. His recommendation was to begin cutting out ceiling downstairs to get into the pipe and figure out what was going on, but I wanted some other input before I embarked on something expensive. Is it possible that a local clog at the tub could be causing the backup? I'm obviously not a plumber, but it seems like that would have to be somewhere in the pipes shared by the two bathrooms for water to come across from the other shower into this tub. <Q> Based on your description and what you have snaked, it appears that the blockage is in the down-pipe between the first and 2nd floor. <S> Water is traversing horizontal and able to back flow into the tub. <S> I don’t know why the plumber didn’t do this, but if you can safely do this, look for the sewer vent pipes on the roof above the area where the blockage is. <S> You should be able to snake from the vent pipe to the down pipe and clear the blockage. <S> Before doing the snake from the vent pipes on the roof, You might try the chemical method first, such as Drano Gel and Main Line Clearners. <S> As always be careful while using the toxic chemicals. <A> I will give you a plastic pipe suggestion as this chemical will damage metal drains. <S> Since you and a plumber have tried snake without luck I would find a product called mule kick. <S> This stuff is nasty and although will work with metal pipes it can damage metal. <S> Mule kick will not harm plastic pipes and it will eat through almost any clog but kids plastic toys that may have been flushed, However it will dissolve the plug around the toy or this is what I found <S> and we finally got the drain flowing and brought up a toy <S> we think our oldest grandson flushed. <S> Stopping 2 of 3 bathrooms and the kitchen. <S> I would not consider this stuff environmentally friendly <S> but it worked when multiple power snakes failed. <S> Much cheaper than guessing where the plug is and opening walls and lines full of poop. <A> I agree with the others, but some pointers may be useful. <S> All drains, in both baths, should be snaked clear while running or pouring hot water into the drain and then tested in full by at least a couple of gallons of water to drain. <S> And, any tub should only ever be snaked through its overflow and never through its drain. <S> Meaning, there's absolutely no reason for a far reaching or properly run snake to fail in any Soft Clog situation. <S> However, a Hard Clog like a bracelet could be in there and flipping or a toy may stopping the snake, these would require invasive actions. <S> But very typically, anything that fits down a tub or sink drain is always able to be pushed into the toilet's much bigger pipe that they connect to.
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Snaking a drain dry or without a water load behind it will almost never clear a clog. The clog could be further down than you think or could be related to venting from other fixtures.
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Is EMT or PVC more durable under a porch that gets rain? I have a 2nd story porch that I want to put lights under. I'm not sure whether EMT or PVC will be more durable in the long run. It will get both rain and some sun, and I'd like it to last a long time. What's more long lasting ? Will the EMT rust over time ? <Q> Steel EMT will rust over time in a buried environment with moisture where PVC will last virtually forever unless it's exposed to sunlight. <S> I'd go with PVC which is also likely to be less expensive. <A> EMT has the merit of being protected from physical damage, but it will rust and requires special boxes and kit to prevent that. <S> PVC Sched 80 is also protected from physical damage, and, you can use Sched 80 and Sched 40 interchangeably (since the critical dimension, the OD of the pipe, is the same). <S> It's sun resistant, but that only applies until the warranty expires :) <S> Your best bet is to scuff-sand it with some 3M green Scotchbrite pad, then paint it with an alkyd primer and normal house topcoat. <A> Aluminum EMT is available. <S> Check with your local electrical supplier. <S> If you feel that the higher cost is worth it, you'll know that it won't rust and is unaffected by sunlight.
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PVC conduit will degrade in the sun.
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Clamps for cutting PVC or other circular objects This is about as simplistic as it gets... They make wood clamps, C clamps, etc, for securing objects with a flat surface that you are about to cut. Whether it's a circular saw, sawzall, jigsaw, whatever. Is there a clamp for securing various circular/cylindrical objects like PVC pipe? Or maybe a trick when you have wood clamps? Various diameters... I would love to be able to clamp a PVC pipe to my wood sawhorses, hands free, so I can focus on cutting it cleanly with a sawzall or circular saw plunge cut. Does such a thing or a technique exist? <Q> There are an array of things that will clamp a PVC pipe. <S> The best thing for a bench is probably a vice clamp - probably need to put a thin rag on each side. <S> They also make circle clamps but you will need one for various sizes. <S> Probably the most used plumbing tool is a chain vice. <S> Coupled with some rubber matting or rags you can clamp PVC tight. <S> I have cut a lot of PVC in my life and I have never felt the need to clamp it. <S> You should be using a mitre saw or you should just buy a PVC pipe cutter - I use both ways. <A> Vee blocks are fairly normal in actual critical applications (such as machine shops.) <S> For clamping pipe to your sawhorses, a tie down strap or strap wrench will be more than adequate. <S> As would a chunk of rope and a wedge. <S> Or some tape, but that's wasteful. <A> If i already have my electric miter saw set up <S> i just cut it on the miter saw. <S> ( do not use the miter saw if you are only cutting off pieces less than 3 or 4 inches as they may get jammed or thrown out at dangerous velocity ) <S> Most of the time i just hold it against my leg and use a hand saw. <S> I have been known to hold it against a bench or free hand it using a reciprocating saw or an angle grinder, ( not recommended and not against my leg ) <S> I have also used bar clamps to secure it to a bench or saw horse, its best if the bar clamp is big enough to hook over the pipe, not directly on the pipe. <S> Someday, maybe, i will by an actual PVC cutting tool. <S> ( Hopefully before i have "reciprocating saw" indecent !) <S> Think outside the miter box. <S> Photo from; FamilyHandyman.com
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But if you like, cut some wooden Vee blocks and use them to help apply a normal bar clamp to the task of holding down your pipe on top of the sawhorse.
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Does a small bolt cutter exist which tensions with a wrench? Does anyone know if there a bolt cutter which tensions using a wrench? The closet I can find is a nut splitter, but it is not really intended for cutting... Update I need to cut iron rods (I would prefer to use steel rods, if I can cut them) of 5mm to 10mm in thickness. I have looked at bolt cutters, but the ones I could try out in the shop couldn't open wide enough and is just not handy for me. I am 159cm. When I search for "hydraulic pliers" it begins to look promising, but all I can find are for cables, which I suppose are for soft metal such as copper and the blades doesn't look to completely close. With hydraulic it just means how it works internally in the tool. A wrench is still needed for tension, which I also feel more comfortable with safety wise. <Q> Bolt cutters come in many sizes, you may need to shop around to find some that can cut 10mm, <S> simple mechanical bolt cutters for cutting 10mm steel will have handles about a metre long. <S> Hydraulic cutters are more compact and are operated by pumping the handle several times. <S> each stroke closes the jaws slightly. <S> hydraulic cutters with jaws intended for cutting steel bar are available, but seem much more expensive than the simple type of bolt cutter. <A> Given you want to cut up to 10mm, then consider a set of bench mounted shears. <S> Can’t do an image as I am on a smartphone, but the handle is usually long enough that 10mm is easy. <S> See an example here: <S> https://www.amazon.com/Mounting-Bench-Manual-Slices-Cutter/dp/B00HG0LBX2 <S> Compared to cutting discs or saws there is less waste, sparks etc but the end is not usually perfectly square. <S> Edit, have to borrow this from Alaskaman: be very careful - <S> they are designed to cut steel so bone is no problem... <A> Electric cordless rebar cutter <S> I'm not sure what kind of iron bars you need to cut, but there are tools called rebar cutters. <S> For example the Makita versions retails for around 1800 USD. <S> Angle grinder <S> When I've had to cut threaded rods at my job, I've used an angle grinder. <S> It is a cheap and versatile tool, and this approach is both quick and easy. <S> However, I generally hate using an angle grinder and here is a list of reasons why. <S> Gives very sharp burrs. <S> It is possible to remove these with the angle grinder, but it sometimes take a surprising amount of time. <S> It's a bit dangerous. <S> Specially if you are in a tight spot and get tempted to use it in a less safe way, like holding it too close to your face. <S> It shoots glowing metal at you, and burns your face, head and arms if they are exposed. <S> Those glowing metal parts will soon make your clothes look brownish/burned, and holes start appearing. <S> Noisy. <S> Smelly. <S> You risk inhaling these burned fumes, and I suspect they are not healthy. <S> Risk of fire. <S> It's not easy to start a fire with an angle grinder, but it does happen. <S> Risk of setting of fire alarms. <S> At construction sites with fire detection systems, we always need them to temporarily turn of those systems while we use angle grinders. <S> And furthermore there are requirements for extra fire extinguishers within close reach. <S> Hand held cordless band saw <S> My company never gave me one, but I have seen plumbers and electricians use them for pipes and conduit of both plastic and metal and for threaded rods. <S> They all they say that this tool is in almost every way a better tool than an angle grinders. <S> The only drawback I know of, is that you sometimes need to clamp the pipe/rod down in a more rigid way than if using an angle grinder. <A> A tubing cutter should work well but may leave a bit at the center. <S> You almost certainly do not have iron bars, that would be a special order to get carbon of about 0.01 %. <S> The difference is steel has carbon <S> but there is no sharp boundary level of carbon. <S> Hardware store steel bar likely has carbon of 0.1 to 0.2% and may be 0.05%. <S> There are alloy steel bars sold to make fasteners;These <S> could be many different things.
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If you look for cordless rebar cuttes you will find such tools, quite compact, but also very expensive.
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Placing tiles on concrete wall The bathroom tiles in my shower began to let loose, we decided to rip them off (I'll admit it wasn't a good idea), but with the tiles, the cement also came off. I would just cover it in cement again and place some new tiles but the cement at the top and bottom also came lose so the tiles are now 'movable'. I've included a video of the problem so you can click here to view it. I was wonder what's the best way to go about fixing this? I thought about just cementing over the concrete and placing new tiles but I'm afraid the top ones will let lose too, but the other hand if I take those off to I think I'll just end up taking the whole wall out :( <Q> There is almost no chance that is concrete. <S> Everything has to come down. <S> If it is concrete (don't think it is) then you need to assess the shower. <S> If the concrete is in good shape, remove any damaged concrete the put a skim coat of thinset, let dry. <S> Then tile with a generous amount of thinset (different question). <S> If it is not concrete - after you assess when tile is removed... ask a new question and more than happy to help. <S> A concrete shower is awesome... unless you want it to be a different size! <A> I cannot tell what was used to attach your tile but can say it was not the correct material. <S> If a mastic most mastics are water based and a bad choice for both concrete wall and shower stall, I also see no evidence of the set there should be ridges or notches that are flattened out , also a good tile job is “back buttered” with a concrete wall if done properly <S> the tiles should be just about impossible to remove even under water. <A> it looks like the waterproofing has failed, all those tiles will have to come out. <S> then the waterproofing be re-done, then re-tiled.
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That looks like some kind of concrete board material (if that) with mastic slapped on and tiles.
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Whirlpool oven gas shuts off one second after turning on Problem: I have a Whirlpool oven in the US, model WFG540H0ES0 (photo) . It's worked fine for the last 3.5 years, but a few weeks ago the oven stopped igniting. When I start the oven in the control panel, the following sequence takes place: I can hear the gas valve open and gas starts flowing out The gas valve closes a second later, stopping the flow of gas Igniter then sparks 4 times, but by that time there is no more gas coming out Here's a video that demonstrates the issue . I lit a candle next to the vents so you can see gas come out for a split second, but then the gas shuts off before the igniter starts sparking. Solutions I've tried: Some Youtube videos online suggested I replace the igniter, so I purchased this replacement online and installed it, but the problem is exactly the same so I know it's not the igniter. I tested the thermostat by holding a candle to it. It indicates 100°F when the oven is off, and starts climbing when the flame touches it, so I know it works. I've unplugged it from the wall and plugged it back again, to no avail. I took some photos: Oven igniter (Since been replaced with a newer one) Underside where the drawer usually is (You can see the gas valve leading to the burner tube) Gas valves from behind the oven (One pipe leads to the broiler, the other to the stovetop range, which works fine) Questions: What is the determining part that tells the gas valve to shut off so I can clean or replace it? I know it must have a sensor that automatically shuts off the gas if a flame is not detected (to prevent flooding the house with gas), but where is this sensor? I've scoured the parts list here but I don't see anything that suggest it's a flame sensor. Does anyone have any solutions to my issue? I already replaced the spark igniter, which didn't work. I'm trying to fix the oven myself because we're in quarantine and don't want to ask a repairman to come into our house. <Q> Have you considered looking at the control board and the computer system behind it? <S> Based on what I have read and seen from what you posted, that may be the issue. <S> I don't know for certain <S> but it sounds like a short circuit in that area. <S> It may have occurred if you have kids. <S> They perhaps may have repeatedly flipped a breaker in the breaker box or it may have occurred during a power outage. <S> It is a $243 part though, and you might want to do more research on that specifically before purchasing this part. <S> I will post a link here if you want to look at that information I read (mainly specs on the part). <S> https://www.searspartsdirect.com/product/1vx34izmuz-0022-664/id-w10349742 Have a good day! <S> New correction <S> : I asked someone who had more experience, and he suggested that you unplug and re-plug the stove many times before considering what I suggested. <S> Electronic systems often will exhibit symptoms such as you explained if their system is fried by a surge. <S> For example: due to several unexpected power outages and resulting surges, our printer started to glitch, our laminator died, an expensive part in our dishwasher failed, and the motherboard in our washer was fried. <S> Also re-read the above section for edited parts. <A> I think the problem may be in the gas valve assembly (#12 on the manifold part list. <S> In the photo taken through the drawer opening you can see just behind and slightly above the gas coupling going into the valve is what looks suspiciously like a thermopile. <S> A thermopile is typically what is used to shut down gas flow when there is no ignition and provide consistent gas flow after ignition takes place. <S> I didn't see a thermopile listed in the parts <S> so I think it may be considered part of the gas valve <S> #W10720102. <S> I don't know for sure that this is the culprit <S> but it may be. <A> Gas to an appliance is really low pressure so it doesn't take much of an obstruction to cause this. <S> I'm sure you've probably already visually inspected the hookup line for any crimps, but a badly crimped line or a shutoff valve that's clogged could restrict the flow enough to do that. <S> If the line looks good on the outside, a gas pressure manometer might be needed to confirm whether you're getting enough pressure and flow at the stove. <S> Years ago I saw something similar happen with a furnace that was doing pretty close to what you're seeing here. <S> It would fully light and burn for a few seconds then go out. <S> They ultimately called the gas company to replace a filter someone had installed between the meter and the furnace. <S> The filter fouled up and reduced the gas flow. <S> EDIT: I just noticed you said you can hear the gas valve open then close, and that an adjacent cooktop works fine. <S> SO unless the hookup line is crimped I presume it's likely the electronic control unit or a bad sensor causing this instead.
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In addition to checking the control valve as others have suggested, it's possible you have low pressure or an obstruction in the gas line to the stove.
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Are there different tiers (good/better/best) of door hardware? We have a new house (3 yrs old), and have been having problems with the door knobs all coming loose and sliding around. I thought it was something we were doing, but talked to a couple of neighbors, and they are all having similar problems. I figured this was another issue with “builder grade” hardware, but looking at the different manufacturers, I don’t see any sort of tiers. It looks like they mostly differentiate based on style. Sine I’ve never seen this in any other house I’ve lived in, I assume there are better sets out there, but I’m not sure what to look for. Any ideas for better hardware? <Q> Yes, there are tiers of lock product. <S> They are called Grades . <S> They are denoted by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) , most famous for defining standard thread sizes, and computer languages such as COBOL and C. <S> However, in my experience, there are tiers within tiers. <S> For instance Home Depot will sell you a $60 Kwikset Class II deadbolt with a smile. <S> I've paid $200 for a Medeco Class II lockset. <S> These products are not equivalent . <S> That Medeco has an unbelievably solid feel to it. <S> It's tough. <S> Honestly I'm surprised there's a tier above that. <S> (mind you this Medeco accepts "figure 8" exchangeable cores; since we're all up into Primus type "cannot duplicate" keys, and we need that feature.) <S> One difference is the Kwikset is sold by Home Depot, whereas I got the Medeco at a "Security Solutions" shop. <S> I'm evading the word "locksmith" because most people think of a locksmith as someone you call in a panic, who shows up in a van, and $150 of the total bill is just for rolling the van. <S> No no, I'm talking about a "trade" retail store (in an industrial park, with a counter you talk to a clerk who gets what you want from the back room). <S> When you walk up, you get locksmith services at perfectly sane prices, including custom keying and all that bench work. <S> This describes a small minority of locksmiths. <S> The simple fact is, Home Depot will never sell the $200 Medeco, because it won't move. <S> Random consumers are hypnotized by Home Depot's own low prices, but also by nifty trinkets like the Nest, Ring etc. <S> The only way they'd pay $200 for a lock-set is if you could unlock it with your phone. <A> The best thing to do is make informed decisions based on research, reviews, manufacturer reputation etc. <S> Price is not always a true indicator of quality but it is generally a good indication of quality. <S> ( of course there are exceptions to every rule .) <S> If you do not want to replace all of your door knobs, you could put some locktite on the screw threads so they do not work their way loose again. <A> There are absolutely differences in level of quality for passage door knob sets and door lock sets. <S> The main differentiation between them is largely price. <S> In years past I had noticed that there was differentiation by brand name. <S> Some manufacturers just simply made better products that would also cost more. <S> But as more of the business has gone to DIY and Big Box type home stores <S> the higher end manufacturers have introduced new product at lower price points in order to compete. <S> As you can imagine these lower priced products are just not built the same and are thus likely to be lower quality as well. <S> Take notice when you go to a commercial site such as a clinic or office building and make your own judgement as to the quality difference of door knobs compared to the ones you will find in the typical mass produced home. <S> In the old days doors were heavy duty solid wood construction with wood styles that may even have been 1.75 inches thick. <S> These days doors are often hollow core with thin veneer skins or fiberboard skins. <S> These newer types are aimed at lower cost and mass usage and the methods used to mount the catch part of the door knob (typically the cheaper models) is often just press fit into a round hole on the edge of door with no chiseled inset or fastening screws. <S> This does in my experience lead to overall poorer performance and less quality operation of the door knobs.
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Another factor at play is the difference in the way doors are made and the way knobs / lock sets are installed. The one category that you can look for is "commercial" and you will generally get higher quality parts (also at higher prices).
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How do I drywall when the studs are not flush? I have a problem with my bathroom. I recently had someone come and switch the door from the kitchen side to the other side while redoing my kitchen. He did a great job and the kitchen looks great. That being said he used new studs to re-frame the wall and those studs are smaller than the 2x4's used 100 years ago on the original bathroom. I do not know how to correct this issue while dry-walling.... Any suggestions would be great! Thank you i have provided a picture. <Q> The difference appears to be about 1/4" to 3/8". <S> If so, I'd fur it out with some 1/4" plywood strips or some 3/8" lath strips. <A> Depending upon the spacing, you could just go ahead and drywall over the old studs, or fur out the new studs (add a 1/2" or so) to the new studs if they are too far from existing studs. <S> The entire wall will need to be in the same plane. <S> As others suggested, be sure to pay special attention to keeping the drywall flush with the door jamb and <S> well supported or it will make trimming it out difficult. <A> The furring strips are fine but usually a pain to get right and could have some long-term issues. <S> If someone tries to hang something and they don't hit the furring strip they will make the drywall concave and possibly deform. <S> I am thinking the older 2x4s were actually 2" by 4". <S> Easiest thing to do is double up your drywall in that spot. <S> You may need either 3/8" or 1/4" drywall to make it even. <S> This is usually cheaper, easier, and better long-term. <A> The easiest way I have found is through the use of these cardboard furring strips . <S> They're 1/16" thick, so you can stack them together for wider spaces, and you can also peel them apart to make them thinner. <S> I've used them for everything from furring out studs to leveling cabinets and cabinet drawer mechanisms. <A> I would install some furring strips to the new studs to make them flush with the old studs. <S> You will probably not get an exact match right away, so you should expect to run your furring strips through a table saw a few times. <S> Also keep in mind that you do not need perfection here. <S> You just need to support the drywall at 16-24" intervals so it installs cleanly. <S> Sometimes you can solve problems like that with some wood scrap, or some old wooden paint stirrers... <A> This happens all the time. <S> Easiest solution is to get a sheet of hardboard that is ⅛" thick. <S> Rip it down to 1½" strips and put that on top of the low studs. <S> Much easier than ripping wood down and you can stack them up if you need more than ⅛. <S> You can cut them to length by simply snapping them by hand <S> and it'll only take a few minutes. <S> If you're feeling really ambitious you can even glue them to the studs with spray glue. <S> Make sure your drywall screws are long enough to go to the framing and not just the shims. <A> What you need to do is put a layer of 1/4" drywall over the new framing and then put the new drywall over and that will make your wall straight, if you still have a gap between the levels use some construction adhesive around the edges and that will give you the strength that you need around the door frame. <A> Fur the wall out. <S> Now a word of caution... <S> Don't make the mistake of furring out the wall to much. <S> If you do this you will run into the problem of the drywall pushing out farther then your door jamb which then will lead you into the problem of your trim having a gap between the trim and the jam. <S> If this happens you will end up having to add some type of caulk to fill that gap... <S> Which if you were planning on staining not painting that obviously is a problem. <S> If your drywall isn't flush to the door jamb <S> it is much more desirable for the jam to be out past the drywall. <S> The reason being is that it is easy to feather out some mud to make the drywall flush with the jamb. <S> If you have a table saw you could easily rip the proper width of furring strip. <S> If you don't have that, I've even stapled shims or even paint sticks to the studs to get the job done. <S> Best wishes buddy. <S> You can do it! <A> Once the foam cures, it is very strong and stuff. <S> Regular foam works, but I find the foam adhesive expands less over time and is just a little bit thicker.
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If that is the only place then I would put some expanding foam drywall adhesive on the studs with the gap and screw in the older stud.
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Can I hire non-licensed architecture firm for residential project? I recently considering on a major renovation/remolding of our house in Los Angeles, and we do contacted a few candidates from online, the talented one we like told us that their small firm is not a licensed architecture firm in California. And we are told in California an architecture license is not required to work on residential project. I'm not sure if this is true, and we really do want to hire them, but we don't want get into any troubles in the future. Thank you. <Q> No, you do not need a licensed and/or registered architect for a residential project in California. <S> You can check with the State licensing agency. <S> Here: https://www.cab.ca.gov/ <S> The building department can require anything, including peanut butter on the roof. <S> (If they do, there’s an appeals process, which they’d loose on the peanut butter issue.) <S> However, if they require seismic calculations, footing calculations, plumbing calculations, electrical calculations, setback requirements, etc. <S> your designer can hire a local engineer and/or architect to prepare such calculations. <S> Make certain you know what your design firm is responsible for...approved plans and specs suitable for a building permit? <S> AND what is the fee for such plans and specs and when they’ll be completed and suitable for submission to the Building Department. <S> Also, are they going to assist during construction? <S> If not, what is their fee (hourly) to answer the contractor’s questions. <S> Are they helping pick the colors, size of HVAC unit(s), plumbing fixtures, vents, etc. <A> A lot of residential projects only have designers. <S> I don't know explicitly about California <S> but I'd expect this varies with the individual cities/counties and if architects are required in certain places it would certainly not be a state wide requirement. <A> I'd be checking with my homeowner's insurance company to make sure I'd still be covered with a non licensed architecture, and get it in writing. <A> This is really only going to be answered by your local inspector. <S> Tell him what you plan on doing and who will be doing the design. <S> Ask him if he has any problems. <S> Be up front. <S> There is a good chance the firm you are using could do everything and have an engineer stamp it which might be just a couple hundred more.
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California might not require it but there could be some legal problems down the road if someone gets hurt.
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No power at light fixture I am installing a new vanity light fixture, but after installation it did not turn on. I reinstalled the old one and now that one doesn't turn on either at that fixture. So I used a multi-meter on the wires and it does not detect any AC voltage - I've checked the breaker and it has not tripped. I am out of ideas of where else or what else to check.Any ideas? <Q> As it turned out, it was the dimmer which must have been shorted by the new light fixture. <S> While the light fixture is dimmer compatible, I guess the old dimmer wasn't up to the task - and was probably why there was no power getting to the light fixture. <S> bought and installed a new dimmer and now it works! <A> <A> Check this bathroom and all the others for a tripped GFI. <S> There could be a GFI somewhere in the house- often in another bathroom- that controls this fixture. <S> BTW, you should have killed power to this fixture at the circuit breaker before you started. <A> If this fixture controlled by a wall switch, check for power on the always hot side of the switch and on the switched side with switch on. <S> If the power is present on the hot side of the switch, but not on the switched side, and the switch is connected through backwire holes, change the wires to the side screws. <S> If switch still doesn't send power through, get another switch. <S> Don't connect through old type spring loaded backwire holes. <S> New type screw secured backwire clamps are fine and are perhaps even more secure than looping around the screw.
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If there is a GFCI outlet in the bathroom or surrounding area you need to reset it.
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Smells in kitchen sink We have a smell that only comes from the kitchen sink sometimes. I have tried cleaning it all different ways many times. Have taken the plumbing apart by the Ptrap and have done the baking soda thing all different ways. We put in a new dishwasher a few months back and the smell subsided. It is now back but only sometimes from the sink, which makes it go to dishwasher also. When dishwasher was installed the guys were told of the problem so I am sure my plumbing is right. I also had a friend look at it and he told me it looked good. He is a plumber. Can it be something behind the walls that I would have no clue about? <Q> I would look at the garbage disposer. <S> In the bottom chamber that is connected to the drain pipe. <S> I would remove the drain pipe at the disposal. <S> If possible look through the opening and see if grind up food and grease has formed a 'paste' on the inter-wall. <S> Fibrous vegetables can also form large gobs of waste matter after passing through the grinder. <S> Water is able to pass through, but the decaying waste on the wall is nearly impossible to flush out. <S> Unplug the disposer. <S> Use a long thin stick, drain brush, or other items to scrape the rotten mess out of the chamber. <S> Reconnect the drain pipe, and flush with hot water several minutes. <A> Funny that you should ask, I just resolved this issue in my old home yesterday. <S> To clean it out <S> I used a larger diameter tube cleaner (~1/2" diameter) <S> inserted into each hole and slot in the cover. <S> I found that it worked best to use an up-and-down and twisting motion. <S> Then I used a bleach mixture of about 1 cup of 1:10 ratio bleach to water and poured it into the drain and let sit for a while, about 10 minutes. <S> Protip: when pulling the tube cleaner out it will tend to flick nasty black gunk everywhere. <S> To prevent this, cover the drain and tube clean with your hand so that the gunk is contained <A> "Can it be something behind the walls that I would have no clue about?" <S> YES - sometimes smelly drains are an indication of a partial blockage or inadequate (or blocked) venting. <S> Sometimes even a partial blockage can cause malfunction of the vent system and allow smelly sewer gases to rise from a sink drain. <S> I would suggest that you run a drain cable down the line, since you do not mention having tried that.
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I found that the source of the smell had been gunk in the drain pipe and especially just under the drain cover piece.
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Hanging a Tree Swing I was going to buy a swing for my two boys, each weighing under 100 pounds. I can't imagine more than three of them on the swing, so 250/300 pounds max. This silver maple is the only viable place for me to hang it in my backyard. I was planning on using an single I-bolt, directly through a large branch. Does this photo depiction look safe? My biggest concern is that silver maples are notorious for having weak crotches that grow at angles, rather than perpendicular to the main trunk; however, I can also find articles that argue these trees get bad reputations based on hearsay more than fact. See the pink I-bolt in the furthest right branch. <Q> I would not use any type of bolt through the branch. <S> i would use a rope or, better, a strap to make a collar around that branch and another around a branch behind to share the load, which will give ample support. <S> Think of those 2 or 3" wide loading straps and then use a D-link to attach the swing to the strap, <S> that way you won't damage the tree. <S> You could esily brace to two other branches... <A> My biggest concern is that silver maples are notorious for having weak crotches that grow at angles, rather than perpendicular to the main trunk; however, I can also find articles that argue these trees get bad reputations based on hearsay more than fact. <S> If you can't show that it's ok <S> , then I suggest not risking it. <S> You could still attach as you suggest AND mitigate your concern by bracing your connection point back to the vertical truck, this allows for the angled branch to LOCATE the swing, and the main truck to take the FORCE (of concern, the branch only experiences compression force and it is very strong against that) <A> Silver maple wood is not strong and crotches make it worse . <S> From Handbook of Physics (1936 ed. <S> - I don't think this is on line.) <S> .Silver <S> Maple= 6.34, Sugar maple =10.97, White Oak = 10.95, Loblolly Pine ( typical southern pine) <S> = <S> 9.09 <S> ( units Kg/mm square). <S> Also , dynamic loads like a swing ,produce higher stresses than static loads such as a weight. <S> Maybe just make maple syrup if you as far north as Chicago ( too late for this year). <A> Tree farmer here. <S> Other comments about the weakness of silver maple are right on. <S> This one has very narrow crotch angles. <S> Not recommended. <S> Look: <S> here I can get a used 35 foot telephone pole for $28. <S> Buy two. <S> The two butt ends and some 2 7/8 gas pipeline are the support for the swings. <S> The two top ends are set to form a triangle with one of the swing supports, and you can do some assortment of climbing bars. <A> Good info hear, but I figured I should accept the answer from the arborist I hired to come out and look at the tree. <S> He stated that it would be no problem for a single adult swinging from where I indicated an eye bolt would be placed. <S> He is going to cable the branches together for me, but that would just help even more as the tree grows.
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If the tree had a single trunk up to about 20 feet ,it would likely be strong enough.
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Need help to ID and remove electric outlet cover I Need some help identifying and removing an electrical outlet cover in the kitchen. I removed the middle screw but the cover is still not coming off, no screws on the sides either. <Q> Loosen the center screw and then pull (or pry if it's stuck) around the edges. <S> These plug into both outlets and can be fairly tight. <S> I recommend you shut off power at the service panel before trying this for safety. <A> Then get cleaning with degreaser and warm water. <S> The upper slope especially looks like it has caked-on grease and oils from cooking, which will have wicked inside the fitting and "glued" the whole thing together. <A> If you look at the back of this guy there are two 3-prong plugs, spaced to plug into the two outlets in a standard duplex outlet.
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They are installed by removing the cover plate, plugging in the extender, then inserting the center screw and screwing it into the existing outlet's cover plate screw hole. I would shut off the circuit, then test the sockets are all dead (test all, I'm paranoid.) It might help to use warm air from a hairdryer to soften the congealed grease too.
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Hot and Neutral on Same Circuit Breaker I just installed a new GFCI and it keeps shutting off even though I connected it properly. I traced the wires and found that the neutral was connected to the same Circuit Breaker as the hot. WHY? And how can I fix this so my GFCI will work? <Q> You'll need a 20A GFCI breaker for this <S> What you are looking at there is a 240V circuit on a two-pole breaker; both the black and white wires are hots, but from opposite legs of your service (one pulls one way, the other pulls the other way), which is why connecting them both to the LINE HOT on the GFCI receptacle tripped the breaker (as it should have, to stop the game of electrical tug-of-war you inadvertently created). <S> As a result, you can't use a GFCI receptacle on this circuit at all, as 240V GFCI receptacles simply are not made; instead, you need to use the correct GFCI circuit breaker for your panel to provide protection to a regular (non-GFCI) 240V receptacle of the correct configuration (and a Sharpie, black electrical tape, or the likes to remark that white wire in your picture as a hot wire). <S> And by the way, the correct receptacle for your application is a NEMA 6-20T; if the receptacle there already wasn't a NEMA 6, it'll need to be replaced with one, lest you leave a 240V boobytrap for the next poor bloke who has to service this circuit! <A> That was a 240V circuit <S> The problem was, it was a different style of outlet, and you didn't notice that. <S> In the future, don't throw any parts away until the project is done. <S> It was one of the two on the right. <S> (Or at least, it was supposed to be . <S> Sometimes lazy people running grow lights or Bitcoin miners just use the standard recep and put 240V on it). <S> You did not realize that the circuit was for 240V. <S> You actually want a 120V circuit, apparently. <S> Now, I gather that you don't give any care about running 240V anything, and what you actually want is the one on the left, but with GFCI. <S> Am I right? <S> So that won't be terribly hard. <S> You're going to need to go back into your service panel where you took the picture, grab a flashlight and shut off the main breaker. <S> Parts of the panel will still be hot; don't touch anything you don't absolutely need to . <S> Then you see that white wire on the breaker? <S> Move that to the neutral bar. <S> The bar with a whole bunch of other white wires. <S> It must have its own screw; it can't share a screw even if you see other wires sharing screws . <S> At that point you should be able to wire up the GFCI normally and have it work. <S> Be prepared for the possibility that you fried this GFCI and anything you had plugged into it at the time. <S> No <S> no, I really need a 240V circuit <S> If took a close look at the pool pump, boat lift, tanning bed or European coffeemaker and thought "Wait. <S> That does have a different plug than all my other stuff. <S> I do need one of the ones on the right." <S> Then you need to follow ThreePhaseEel's advice above. <S> A $80 GFCI circuit breaker is the only possible way to GFCI protect this 240V load. <S> It is mandatory as of NEC 2020 (which only Massachusetts has adopted, so far, but 44 states will in the next 2 years). <S> It is a good idea in a kitchen or anyplace with water <S> e.g. poolside or dockside . <A> The White Wire Is A Hot Wire. <S> It is not neutral. <S> Black electrical tape should have been rapped around the end of the white wire signifying <S> it's a hot wire, not neutral.
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Neutrals can never share screws (3 grounds probably can, if your panel labeling says they can).
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Wrong wiring color used for 240V appliance (white/black instead of red/black) We had the electrical system in our house upgraded as part of a remodel. While investigating an electrical issue, I noticed that our AC unit (which is rated 240 volt / 25 amp) appears to be wired with the wrong color wiring: it uses white/black wiring instead of red/black wiring. I'm certain it's 240V because I measured between the white/black terminals within the breaker box, and the label on the AC unit also says it's a 240V appliance. How egregious is it to wire a 240V appliance using white/black wiring? Should I ask the electrician to redo this piece of wiring? (The gauge of the wire seems to be correct -- 10AWG -- given that it's a 25 amp appliance.) <Q> If this is a cable assembly (like NM or MC cable) NEC 200.7(C) allows re-identifying the white wire for use as an ungrounded conductor by tape, paint, or other permanent means. <S> If it pipe and wire then you need to re-pull the wire. <S> Usually it doesn't have to be red, but red is good <S> , it can't be grey, white, or green <S> and it's easier to not pick through details and avoid anything with stripes. <A> AFAIK <S> the convention is white==neutral=="won't electrocute you". <S> You need to know further. <S> If it's a 240V <S> only appliance (no neutral, no 120V loads, just 240V and ground) fed by a cable, the fact of the matter is that white will be hot, because they don't make two wire cable that's red/black in standard household wiring. <S> A detailed approach will apply black or red tape to the white wire at the termination to indicate that it's hot, but this is actually quite rare, since the fact that it's connected to a two-pole breaker makes that "obvious" at the panel, and the fact that it's connected to a 240V appliance makes it "obvious" at the appliance. <S> But I personally would apply the red tape, though I doubt I'd call back an electrician and expect them to do it for me. <A> What NoSparksPlease said. <S> It's perfectly legit to use /2 <S> cable (black-white) to hook up a 240V-only load (hot-hot-ground). <S> However, you MUST re-mark <S> the white wire with tape or paint to indicate that it is a hot, <S> so this doesn't happen . <S> A long time ago, this marking could be omitted if the usage was obvious . <S> Code was changed to "always", because "obvious" is a problem for novices. <S> Some good-ole-boy electricians refuse to respect that change because it benefits DIYers, who they think ought to stay the heck out of boxes and hire an electrician. <S> So if your work is old enough, it's grandfathered and doesn't need a mark. <S> However, give it one just the same :) <S> Now, as NoSparksPlease says, in conduit you're not allowed to re-mark white wires to make them hots. <S> (you can re-mark white wires <S> all you like, but that won't make them hots). <S> However, sometimes, conduit novices don't realize this, and go ahead and use white on switch loops because that's what the website said to do.
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If there's a conduit run, the hot wires should be any of the hot colors (black red brown blue yellow orange purple...) and not white or gray or green - but only if there's conduit, not cable.
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Running electrical to a shed I have a shed in my backyard about 200ft from the house. I would like to run electrical to the shed to install 2 or 3 power outlets, and two LED lights for the inside. Currently from the house to about 50ft from the house there is an exterior power outlet on a pole (no light on the pole, just the outlet). The line from the circuit breaker is completely dedicated to this one outlet the whole way -- currently no forks or splices. It is a 12 gauge UF-B wire run connected to a 20 amp gfci breaker. It is not in conduit and looks about 2 to 2.5 feet deep. I am wondering if I can continue the line from the power outlet 50ft from the house on more 12 gauge UF-B for another 150ft to the shed -- which will have 2 or 3 power outlets and two LED lights for the inside. Or I am wondering if it would be required for me to have a dedicated line and a subpanel in the shed -- and maybe heavier wire. Thanks! <Q> Generically I'd knee-jerk to conduit and 30A 240V service with a sub-panel, <S> Given the relative expense of digging a ditch once, and never having to dig it again if the small cost of conduit is added, I think direct burial is a terrible idea, so I'd use conduit and THWN at least for the extra 150 ft, and I'd contemplate using heavier wire than 12Ga for that 150ft to reduce voltage drop from the long run. <S> At which point I'd be looking hard at just digging another 50 ft and doing the whole thing to a higher standard, but you may not think the way I do. <S> Harper will stop in to say the 3% voltage drop rule isn't a rule ( <S> and it's not, merely a guideline), <S> but if you get close to 20A at 200 feet on 12Ga copper you'll be down 12 volts or more - over 10% of 120V service, and generally not a good plan. <S> But if the actual shed use will be down below 10A the 5% or so loss is unlikely to be a problem, until someone loads it up fully despite your planned use. <A> In the USA you get to play fast and loose with this. <S> If you simply extend with 12 AWG, you'll have 0.6% voltage drop per amp that you draw ... <S> so a 1/4 amp battery charger won't give any drop at all, but a 14 amp lawnmower will give you about 8% drop - not good. <S> For permanently installed wiring, I like to keep voltage drop under about 5-6%. <S> So you're pretty much maxing out at 10 amps in my book . <S> On the other hand, this is a far superior situation than that other thing you would do , running two 100' 16 AWG extension cords; that gives you voltage drop in the twenties of percent for the same lawnmower. <S> If you bumped to 10 AWG copper wire , at 16A max you'd be at 4.20% for this 150' section of the run, added to the 2.31% drop you already have for the 50' section, that'd be 6.51% @ <S> 16A and proportionately less at fewer amps, so about 5% at 12A. <S> I could probably live with that . <S> Since it's a GFCI protected single circuit, you can trench it at 12" of cover. <S> If you're in Canada, this is a mess because you're not allowed to have more than 3% voltage drop at 80% of breaker trip (16A). <S> The 50' run already has 2.31%, and you'd pretty much need industrial service feeder to get 150' at 0.69% voltage drop @ <S> 16A. <S> So in Canada, you'd want to homerun from the house using 4 AWG aluminum to get under 3% drop. <S> On the upside, Tim Hortons. <A> The code doesn't prohibit what you propose, it does (oddly) advise that minimum required size of wire may result in unacceptable voltage loss due to the resistance of the wire. <S> The voltage loss is dependent on the actual load, there are various "voltage loss calculators online that you can use to compare the effects of load and length. <S> If you only really power lights and battery chargers it could work, but I would in no way recommend or be involved in such an installation. <S> Voltage loss is most often mitigated by using larger wire (that has less resistance), at very least start by using #10 or maybe even #8 for the rest of the circuit.
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but if your needs are going to be adequately met by 20A 120V power and the loading is sufficiently low that the voltage drop from 200 ft of 12Ga wire won't be a huge issue, yes, you can do that.
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Shower runs cold, then hot, then cold. Faucet in same bathroom runs hot after shower The 50 gallon gas water heater is on the first floor. Water pressure coming into the house is roughly 40 psi. On the second floor the kitchen and bathroom faucets are cold when turned on. I mention it, but it might be due to the design of the house. On the third floor in the shower, when turned on it runs cold, then a normal temperature, then it starts progressively getting colder so I have to keep turning it up. After taking a shower, a faucet in the same bathroom runs scalding hot. Giving it a minute, it gets to a more normal temperature. The mixer in the shower is an old design, the faucet is brand new. Water pressure everywhere in the house feels a little weak. <Q> Besides clogged pipes as described by Programmer66, thermostatic shower valves are known for this problem. <S> The cold and hot water side is mixed upstream of the closing valve. <S> In normal faucets, the mixing is downstream of the valves. <S> To avoid cold water to be pushed into the hot water pipes (and vice versa), thermostatic valves have special pressure balancing or one-way valves that could be made with diaphragmas, which are not reliable in the long run being a rubber-like thin material, especially the element in contact with the hot water. <S> A Google search "thermostatic shower valve temperature problem" will present many Infos including DIY videos. <A> finding water pressure release valve around the water meter, adjust the water pressure to 50 psi,if still same problem, try to change the shower cartridge,or good shower head to the bad one,might be the shower head. <S> Or you can add a mixer valve at the water heater outline to get a constant hot water temperature. <A> My guess is that the sediments are from your hot water heater. <S> The first step is to check the hot water heater for sediments and to remove the sediment if any. <S> Your hot water heater can be flushed by opening the drain valve and drain about a gallon of the water out of the tank into a bucket. <S> If the tank has a lot of sediment, the water will be brown in color. <S> After several flushes and the water is still brown, you will need to do a deep flush, A deep flush requires draining the tank and flushing the tank (gas off-or vacation mode) as it refills. <S> See video on how to do a deep flushing here . <S> After checking and flushing your hot water heater, you need to clear the sediment out of the hot water line to all your fixtures. <S> It seems that the shower is the farthest hot water outlet. <S> Open the hot water in the shower and let it run for the amount of time that it would take to get hot. <S> On all the faucets, remove the aerator/filters and clean the filters, but before inserting it back in, open the hot water and let the water run for a few minutes. <S> Additional Notes: <S> The water flow from all hot and <S> all cold setting should be the same if all stop valves are fully opened. <S> If after performing the flushing of the tank, cleaning the filters, and flushing the line without the filter does not solve the problem, then you still have a blockage in the hot water line.
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Based on the various change in water temperature with the hot water at the various faucets is most likely due to sediments in the hot water lines and fixtures.
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Setting fence post in gravel/backfill? I am attempting to build a privacy fence that will sit just behind a retaining wall (as in, on the ground behind the wall and not on the wall itself). While digging today I realized that while the ground behind the retaining wall does have ~10" of soil on top, underneath the thin layer of soil seems to be gravel. I assume that the retaining wall looks almost exactly like this underneath https://imgur.com/cYi6Jf4 . The good news is I only need to set two posts into this gravel, but I am a bit of a loss on how to create the hole for the post. A few questions for anyone who may have some knowledgeable advice First and foremost, will setting two posts in concrete behind this wall create any structural risk to the wall? How should I dig 2 foots deep holes into straight gravel? Will a rented auger even work through it? Will a post hole digger and a digging bar work any better? Thanks in advance! <Q> I watched my fence installers and there where some areas that had a lot of stone. <S> They would take a pointed metal rod and jam it into the hole to loosen up the rock and then use the post hole digger to get the loosened rock out. <S> He alternated between the pointed rod and the post hole digger. <S> Two men dug 9 holes by hand and finished the fence in one day. <A> First and foremost, will setting two posts in concrete behind this wall create any structural risk to the wall? <S> You will not be adding any loads to the retaining wall that are of much concern. <S> The wood screen wall is relatively very light so not adding surcharge to the soil behind the retaining wall and any forces from wind are relatively minor. <S> The gravel is there as part of the water drainage system. <S> Related to the gavel: if water is not allowed to drain away it would add very significant loads to the wall that would very much be a concern. <S> However, the adding of two posts into the gravel shouldn't change the effectiveness of the overall draining system and in addition they are located at the top of the retaining wall where the drainage is least important. <S> The drainage is meant to prevent a full wall-height of water behind the wall like a dam on a river situation. <S> How should I dig 2 foots deep holes into straight gravel? <S> Will a rented auger even work through it? <S> Will a post hole digger and a digging bar work any better? <S> An auger would probably tear things up too much. <S> A post hole digger would be the way that I would go with it. <A> Once it's in place most gravel is not all that mobile, but it's also not hard to dig. <S> I would not bother with a power auger, a clamshell posthole digger should get it done easily. <S> I've just revisited some areas I backfilled with gravel to make some modifications, and got in just fine with a clamshell and a shovel - any large rocks were not in the area I backfilled, so unless the "gravel" had abnormally large stones in it, it should be excellent digging. <S> I would also skip the concrete, which tends to cause more problems than it solves, if it solves any. <S> Just pack/tamp the fill back in very well, in 2" layers, after setting the post, for which purpose a bar or pipe may be handy. <A> Having dug post-holes for a deck 2 summers ago through a former gravel driveway, I'd say your success level will vary with they type of gravel you encounter. <S> Our driveway had been covered with very large "crushed" gravel - many pieces were fist-sized. <S> In this situation, the auger worked great at getting some of the rocks out, but it would hit others and bind, twisting the motor instead of the bit. <S> We ended up using a combination of powered auger, post-hole digger, spud-bar and laying on the ground with an old screwdriver to pry some of the rocks out. <S> Each hole was an adventure in frustration and soreness. <S> However, if your gravel layer is pea gravel (small, rounded rocks) usually used for drainage precisely because they don't compact and lock in place, the powered auger may be able to grab them and pull them out. <S> You may have to allow the auger to spin into a bit of gravel then haul it up while the bit is spinning to have the bit pull the loose rock out of the hole. <S> As you go deeper, you'll essentially be doing squats with the weight of the auger, so prepare for a lot of thigh burn! <S> If your gravel is compacted crushed gravel used as a footing, you may well be able to get the auger to bite into it and pull it up, though the squat method may be necessary for this, too. <A> A tiny bucket sideways and a garden shovel or just a shop vac (post hole diggers are too heavy; hate 'em). <S> The 2' hole is going to end up being about 1.5 feet in diameter or more (the angle of repose of gravel is more than 45, but not enough...). <S> Post hole diggers are for compacted soil, where the hole needs only be as large as the tool because cave-ins don't happen once you're passed the overburden. <S> You can lift a fifteen pound tool out of a hole with 1 pound of dirt in it... <S> way too many times, or <S> you can get down there and scoop it out hand fulls at a time. <S> Granted <S> , I've seen some dudes hustle the shit out of a post hole digger no matter what it is, but that's not how I want to live my life.
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I think that it is probably most likely that the problem you'll have is not getting through the gravel, but actually that the gravel will be too loose and want to fall back into the hole as you dig it.
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Splice new outlet branch in attic I’m adding an outlet above our fireplace and the “easiest” way is fishing a 14/2 with ground NM down 24” from the attic. Very close to where I want to go fishing is an outlet run in the attic. What’s the best way to tap into this run? I’ve drawn up my thoughts on a whiteboard and attached them here. The wire I’m tapping into is pulled super tight so the only way I found was to add 3 jumpers into the system. Please let me know your thoughts if this is the way to go. The circuit I’m adding to is lightly loaded with only 7 outlets currently on the 15A breaker. Please note the two wires marked existing in the drawing were once one continuous wire I’m “breaking” to add to. The “squares” inside the box in the drawing are wire nuts <Q> You got the right idea but all those wires and splices in a 4"box will be tough. <S> If there's no slack, the existing cable will only be 2" into the box on each side. <S> That will give you plenty of room to work with. <S> You'll be running and splicing 14'2 with ground. <S> Your drawing shows 14'3, I think you mean 14/2 with ground. <A> Each lead coming into a box must have enough cable sheath to get onto the clamp and 1/4" past the clamp (more is better for marking purposes). <S> And then the wires inside the box <S> must continue beyond the sheath for 6" minimum. <S> You can't do it the way you propose, unless the box is 14" long lol. <S> When you want to mid-splice like that, your better bet is 2 boxes set about 16" apart. <S> My own preference is an EMT "dogbone", with 2 steel boxes, 2 EMT fittings and an appropriate length of EMT conduit, then THHN white and black individual wires inside the conduit. <S> (black can be re-marked to serve as red etc.) <A> You may want to consider an NEC 334.40(B) compliant splice kit, like a NSi <S> NMT-2 splice. <S> https://images.homedepot-static.com/catalog/pdfImages/49/4927386c-f90e-4fc6-b8ae-6d113682d82a.pdf
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Think about using two 4" boxes and connect them together with a 2" nipple or piece of EMT.
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HELP! Need advice for Bike Wall mount So the first installation of my bike mount, I failed miserably because the wall isn't completely straight above the door and has a slight angle to it. I thought it'd still be able to hold up my bike but nope, the weight of the bike started pulling out the mount from the drywall (I used drywall anchors too). So now I'm thinking of using a long-ass 2x4 to support , but I don't want to fail again or create a mess too difficult to fix. Does anyone have tips? (I will, of course, fix the wall) See images so you can see my fail and get an idea of what I'm trying to do (sorry if my question/explanation is crude). <Q> Drywall is not meant to support weight. <S> If you want to "do it right", fix the damage to the drywall by replacing a large section extending from one stud to the next. <S> While the wall is open, you can install a horizontal 2×4 between the studs (known as "blocking"). <S> When you're finished, screw the upper screw of your bicycle mount into this wood, and it will support the weight. <S> The lower screw can go into a drywall anchor to prevent twisting, but not supporting weight. <S> A much quicker, but uglier, fix is to simply attach a horizontal 2×4 to the surface of the wall, properly attaching it to two studs. <S> Then screw your mount into that wood. <S> In your case, it would work best with two horizontals to properly space the lower screw. <S> I used this latter approach to attach a large wall-mounted TV whose mount didn't line up with the wall studs. <S> And the idea can be extended to surface-mounting a long horizontal 2×4 along most of the length of the garage wall. <S> It makes a convenient and secure place to install hooks, etc. <S> for hanging equipment, hoses, tools, etc. <A> Bike mounts like that are problematic because you will need two 2x4s that are horizontal or one that is vertical, or you will need to anchor the mount into an existing stud. <S> Setting those two 2x4s will require a lot of work. <S> Works even better if you remove the drywall before putting in the plywood. <S> Consider yourself lucky <S> : the wall can be repaired easily, the rack didn't bend, and the bike didn't fall off and break a lot of stuff along the way. <A> For something as heavy as a bike you need to mount it into the wall studs. <S> It's hard to tell from the picture but you might find one just to the left of where the bike rack is now. <S> Studs are 16" apart center to center. <S> A stud finder will help you locate one. <S> If you don't have one, even an inexpensive one is a good investment and will prevent this type of problem in the future. <S> Sometimes you can locate a stud by knocking along the wall until it sounds solid and not hollow. <S> Once you've located the stud, pre-drill the holes slightly smaller than the screw size you're using and you should be good.
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An alternative is to get a rectangular piece of 3/4"+ thick plywood and anchor it to the two adjacent studs, then mount the rack on that piece of plywood.
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How to reduce brightness of LED spotlight permanently without dimmer? Some of my LED GU10s (dimmable) produce too much of light and I'd like to reduce it. I'd like to use on/off switch on those GU10s with permanently reduced light. How it could be done and what kind of components I should use? <Q> They're called cinematic gels <S> They are just a gray filter that you put over the LED. <S> You can also get color-tinted, if you are trying to white-balance with other lights. <S> But a light one , and if you need more dimming, add layers. <A> This would be completely code legal, give you the convenience of setting the dimming level once and then just use the switch. <S> You'd also have the flexibility to adjust it easily if your needs change. <S> Just make sure whatever dimmer you choose is compatible with your LEDs. <A> Besides series resistors and gels/foils a series X2 capacitor could also help without wasting energy and extending the mean time between failures of the LED bulbs. <S> These mostly rectangular yellow capacitors can be easily harvested from junk electronics at home or from the next recycling yard and can be located near where the power cable enters the junk device. <S> Trying some values around 100 to 1000nF like 220nF or 330nF should dim the bulbs. <S> The lower the value, the lower the brightness. <S> These X2 capacities are very safe. <S> In case of using series resistors they should be also explicitly suited for this application (flameproofed, voltageproofed). <S> Of course all safety requirements must be met, one important is that the series elements must be inside an insulating housing that can only be opened with tools. <S> Both ends of the series resistor or capacitor can have the full line voltage. <A> Use an inline dimmer, set it to the level that you want, than forget about it. <S> Here is one that I've used https://www.amazon.com/Low-profile-Inline-Controller-Dimmer-Switch/dp/B00KAFESOE <S> Another https://www.amazon.com/Dewenwils-Plug-Dimmer-Bulb-HPID02B/dp/B07CZXLNWL <S> more https://www.1000bulbs.com/category/in-line-lamp-dimmer-switch/
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You might consider a dimmer switch that has a "slider" that is separated from the switch.
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Why do unused Refrigerator Appliances Grow Mold, while unused Cabinets and electronics don't? I have a refrigerator that I thoroughly cleaned out and washed with soap/baking soda, and let thoroughly dry. They always recommend to keep Doors Open for long term refrigerator storage.This prevents mold and mildew growth even when unplugged. My question, why does mold/mildew grow in Refrigerators unplugged, but they do Not grow in closed cabinets or electronic interior equipment as much? Do unplugged refrigerator plastics have tenacity to grow more mold? https://www.kentstorage.com.au/how-to-store-a-refrigerator-in-storage *Just fyi, after cleaning refrigerator, I left door open for few days to dry out, but I guess keeping doors open for Long Term is the question <Q> They don't mean "Even when unplugged". <S> They mean "When unplugged". <S> Because refrigerators are wet inside, and refrigerator doors seal too well <S> Try putting 1/2 cup of water inside a cabinet, then bagging the outside of the cabinet door with plastic. <S> You'll get mold inside that too. <S> The interior shell is not a hermetic seal. <S> It's just some cosmetic cowlings because white plastic is more attractive than galvanized metal and insulation fiber. <S> Moist air still moves around and through it, then condenses or freezes. <S> It's water in all those inaccessible spaces that is the problem. <S> After some number of months, that will eventually dry out. <S> And then, you can let the door close. <A> Washing with regular soap does not necessary kill all and maybe just a few of the bacteria or mold spores. <S> You would have to use a antibacterial soap. <S> Also you would need to use hot water with the soap to start. <S> Even with is, mold will still start to grow again, because of the moisture and bacterial in the ducts that bring cold air to the refrigerator compartment. <S> Leaving the door closed does not allow the refrigerator to dry out. <S> See the Ans to similar question here about how often, etc. <A> New refrigerators can be stored for long time with doors closed, without getting molded. <S> Even when they are transported passing different climate zones or temperatures where condensation can not be totally avoided. <S> Used refrigerators are much more problematic, since they are often a location for unintended breeding of mold/fungi/bacteria. <S> Open food like vegetables bring some spores into the refrigerator, even if they can not be seen and the food seems to be not affected. <S> The tubing/holes which connects the inner rear side with the backside to evaporate any condensed water is very difficult to clean and the backside itself would have to be disinfected as well to destroy every spores. <S> These hiding places among possible others are the reason why cleaned used refrigerators should be stored with open doors. <S> Maybe a plate full of vinegar (high acidity) would stop the spores to come back from their hiding places into the storage area if the door is kept closed.
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Other items such as cabinets and electronic devices do not generate a moist environment, therefore the growth of mold is substantially reduced.
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Is the insulation on this cable burned? I read in other answers with similar photos that this is tar from insulation. The insulation is not that old (30 years). Is this burned cable or tar or something else? <Q> First, de-energize the cable entirely until you are sure. <S> Dip a rag in paint thinner, not dripping, just slightly moist. <S> Wipe the spot. <S> Burn marks won't wipe away. <A> While I would play it safe like Harper suggested (turn it off to be sure before any inspection), I would say it's possible <S> this was caused by someone pulling on the cable after it was stapled. <S> There's two signs pointing to it, per the photo <S> The staple is askew, causing a potential pinch point <S> There's a small welt on the sheath just above the spot in question, indicating a hard pull that was stopped by the cable itself <S> So it might indeed be burn marks, but caused by something external . <S> If the sheath isn't anything more than scuffed, you're fine <A> Since the black spot seems going in the insulation material I would consider the cable burned with hot wire exposed. <S> Considernig <S> the shape of the insulation above the hook <S> I wouldn't consider the wire safe at all. <S> If it is possible, replace the cable. <S> The sooner, the better. <S> Also consider using conduit to protect new cable and use insulated mounts instead of (metal) pins. <A> Felt or tar paper can leave black marks on romex. <S> If the right hand side of this photo is the bottom I would say this may be an arc mark and want to pull that staple and get a better inspection of the wire. <S> Romex is usually stapled in the middle of the board so if a nail misses the 2x it won’t hit the wires that may have happened here <S> but it is hard to tell. <S> But I would take a closer look. <A> Cropped photo House Roof and details <S> Sept 18 2007 001 by G MacRae (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) Appears to be acoustical sealant , aka Tremco or "black death". <S> This messy, tar-like substance is used to seal poly vapor barriers. <S> It never really dries and gets all over the place if you're not careful including your clothes, framing, insulation, and of course electric wiring. <S> You can clean it up with xylene or mineral spirits (see data sheet ), but I wouldn't bother. <A> It kinda appears that this was in fact tar from the insulation. <S> I wiped most of it off with water and a rag. <S> Some remains. <S> The question now becomes, WHY did the wire become so hot that tar leaches from the insulation to the wire?
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If it spreads all over the place and eventually cleans off the cable entirely, it's tar.
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Extension cord for 220 outlet? I have a 220 outlet for my air-conditioner. I just got a tanning bed,also 220. The cord on tanning bed is too short to reach the outlet. Is it ok if i make an extension cord to reach the outlet? <Q> Depends what you mean by "make". <S> If you mean hokey-doke something together out of random bits, then no. <S> But if you have the skill/experience/attention to detail, that is needed for good workpersonship... and go down to a competent electrical supplier and get some #14/3 SJOOW cordage (noting that cordage numbering does count the ground)... and get a NEMA 6-15R socket and 6-15P plug whose strain relief is compatible with the cord size... and assemble them competently according to instructions... and the strain reliefs work properly on the cable sheath... and you check it in-service for heat where none should be... <S> then <S> yeah. <S> Build away. <S> It could also be built with 6-20 plug/socket and 12 AWG cordage. <S> However the plug and socket must match, and a 6-20 plug will not fit a 6-15 (Ms. Nope) socket in the wall. <A> Unless you really know what you're doing, I'd hold off on making an extension cord for your tanning bed. <S> 220 (240) volts is nothing to mess with. <S> but I wouldn't recommend that. <S> Your best bet would be to have someone that knows what they're doing make a longer cord and terminate it in the tanning bed panel. <S> Any chance of moving the bed closer to the outlet or relocating the outlet closer to the bed? <S> You don't want to be tripping over that cord. <S> Good luck and stay safe out there. <A> To make a cord you need $9 and $14 cord ends, cord for about $1/ft, or you could by a $25 cord on Amazon. <S> The instructions from the tanning bed probably says not to use an extension cord, the instructions are part of the UL listing. <S> Could be due to resistance of the cord length, tripping hazard, compliance with the NEC regarding receptacle location for appliance locations or who knows what other reasons they have, if it says so I won't second guess.
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The instructions that came with the tanning bed probably say not to use an extension cord and doing so would void the warranty. If the blades on the plug line up with each other search NEMA 6-15 extension cord, if opposing NEMA 6-20. You can probably get a 220 Volt appliance cord at your home store or an electrical supply company
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Is this the transformer for my door chime? I'm looking to install Ring Pro doorbell. I have looked around the junction box for a transformer and couldn't seem to find one this is the inside of the chime. If this isn't it where could it be ? <Q> No - that is not the transformer. <S> If you are installing the Ring doorbell, you do not need to locate the transformer. <S> You should be able to connect to the existing two wires where the old doorbell pushbutton was located. <S> Attach the two wires to the back of the Ring doorbell. <A> The transformer could be anywhere - ours is under the stairs, and looks like this: <S> The thing you have shown is the solenoid block which actually rings the bell. <S> You can see two wires going out of the bottom. <S> One is going to your doorbell, the other is going to the transformer. <A> Most of the ones I have installed are in the attic above the chime, if your furnace / electrical closet is close to the front door it may be in there photo <S> many times attached to an electrical box but most look like this. <S> You can only see the low voltage side and the wires that feed the chime go to the screws. <S> I should say the ones I have installed or seen in the US.
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The transformer could be located in the furnace closet, the garage, laundry room. From your picture, your original doorbell was AC power, so that is good. There may be a box behind the chime base look to see if you can tell which way the wires go.
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How do I limit the water flowing through my neighbor's fence into my yard? Our neighbors yard is elevated and they water their yard a lot. The water flows over into our vegetable garden and floods it. I would like to add a barrier. Some ideas have been slim pavers with a plastic sheet, or a tree root guard. I looked at grass barriers but they are only 5-6 inches wide - this will need to be at least 12 inches to go into the soil and be tall enough to stop the water flowing in. What could I use as a good barrier? <Q> You need to be careful how much you impede the natural flow of water off your neighbor's yard. <S> If your property is downhill of your neighbor's, the water flows naturally from his property to yours. <S> You could find yourself in legal jeopardy if you dam up or otherwise prevent that natural flow. <S> On the other side of the coin, your up-hill neighbor can not, and should not make changes to the topography of his property that would increase the amount of runoff onto your property. <S> There a legal doctrine involving this kind of thing, <S> but I can't remember what it's called. <S> Here's one reference I found on line. <S> https://www.hg.org/legal-articles/what-can-i-do-about-water-drainage-on-my-property-caused-by-the-adjourning-property-43279 <A> So put a drain channel along the edge of the fence - even a trench filled with gravel can help. <S> Then create some raised beds where you can control the water ie humidity and it can help with pests as well. <A> A small trench may not help, but most certainly a full-on dry well with some French Drain buried along the property boundary will do the trick. <S> That's a lot of work, <S> but it is the solution. <S> Keep in mind that your low veggie garden will get flooded every time <S> there's a serious rainstorm, due to the slope of the land. <S> You might as well find a solution that work regardless of your neighbor's behavior. <A> A quick and easy solution would be to get a 2" x 12" x 10' P.T.board and bury it a few inches into the ground along the fence and screw it into the bottom of the fence. <S> You could extend it as far as you needed along the fence. <A> Mulch. <S> Put a pile of fine wood mulch just inside your fenceline, about 2' wide and 6" <S> high, it will serve as a physical barrier but allow the water to soak in. <S> That way you allow the water to flow onto your property and provide a simple place for storage. <A> You can go high or low, but I'd also think about partnering with your neighbor to solve your problem as a first step. <S> Use of potable water to grow turf grasses is about the most ignorant thing anyone can do with it, but notwithstanding that, no turf grass requires THAT much watering, so you might encourage him to allow it to grow a bit longer, use a mulching mower, and water it less to condition his lawn to adapt to a more reasonable watering schedule. <S> If the neighbor is an unredeemable ass and completely belligerent, I would move and rent your old home to folks who enjoy midnight suppers and roasting goat in the front yard while listening to overly loud music that doesn't fit with your neighbor's, ahhh, ethic? <S> Ignoring that and staying put, you could install a French drain (geo-textile lined trench filled with washed gravel surrounding a perforated piece of ABS or PVC piping run to a sump or daylight). <S> If you use a sump and pump solution for the outfall you can route the pump discharge wherever you need. <S> Typically neither of you are legally permitted to substantially alter any natural drainage paths without some sort of engineered plans and a permit, and most jurisdictions will still hold folks responsible for things like chemical drift from spraying, over application of economic poisons, and over-watering, so maybe check with your county storm-water management or State agricultural office if you can't get the neighbor to cooperate. <S> Another solution would be to construct either a raised bed, using lightweight concrete (Youtube has some great DIY tutorials on the subject) or you can build hugelkultur beds to better utilize the excess moisture while keeping your garden plants from being overwhelmed with constant wet feet. <S> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HinNgUdPkv4 <A> Try building a small earth mound with a slight depression along the ~20' fence line (seems like there is already a depression). <S> Depending on how much overwatering is occurring it could give the ground enough time to absorb it. <S> Bonus points for finding plants that can handle excessively wet soil and planting them in the earth mound. <S> Types Of Plants That Tolerate Wet Areas - GardeningKnowHow.com <A> I my case, I installed a French drain that leads to a dry well with a sump pump. <S> I pump the water from there to the curb.
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If you put a thick layer of mulch on your garden it will soak up the water and release it slowly into your garden, turning a problem into an opportunity. Get a board rated for ground contact.
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Removing and adding skirting boards when installing floors? I read for carpet it should be installed without removng skirting. For laimnate, wood and tiles one should remove the skirting board, lay the floor, then re-add the skirting board. . Why so? What about for vinyl sheet, is it recommended to remove the skirting then re-add and why? Can you get away with installing while skirting board is on? Thanks. <Q> Yes, carpet can be installed without removing the skirting because slightly uneven carpet edges can be stuffed down between the tack strips and the skirting. <S> For wood and tile, straight edges are harder to come by and even a 1/16 of an inch looks bad. <S> The same goes for vinyl, that straight edge will be hard to get. <S> Your alternative to removing the skirting is to add a quarter round piece of molding all the way around the room after laying the vinyl. <A> Laminate requires an expansion gap . <S> When installed without a gap, laminate buckles up as the flooring heats and expands. <S> Leaving the gap exposed would be unsightly, so the floor trim should be installed over the laminate. <S> Tile likewise should have an expansion gap when installed over a dissimilar material, like wood subfloor. <S> If the gap around the perimeter of the room is filled with grout, either there won't be sufficient room for expansion and the grout or tile will crack, or the title will contract and you'll be left with an unsightly gap. <S> Solid or engineered wood flooring can be installed over a subfloor floating (like laminate), nailed, or glued . <S> When floating it requires an expansion gap for the same reasons as laminate. <S> Even when nailed or glued, there's still a little thermal expansion happening. <S> It's also difficult to apply a floor finish right up to the edge. <S> So installing trim over the flooring edge is easier and looks better. <S> In contrast, carpet is stretched between tack strips. <S> There's enough elasticity in the carpet to accommodate thermal changes and cutting inaccuracies (for normal-sized residential rooms, anyhow), so there's no need for an expansion gap, and the edge of the carpet pressed against the wall looks neat. <S> Lacking any technical or aesthetic reason to have a gap, it's less labor intensive to simply leave the skirting in place. <A>
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Walls are never exactly straight, and it's difficult to cut the flooring to fit just right without an unsightly gap. Because all the floor coverings you mention expand / contract as the temperature changes, but carpet does not.
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Why is my lawn sprinkler system timer on but not operating the valves? My lawn sprinkler system was working perfectly last summer. When I went to turn it on this summer, I've noticed that the timer isn't working. Well, it is but it isn't. The timer's display is responsive and I can get it to respond to different settings with the buttons and knob. This issue is that it's not actually turning the water on and off. I'd imagine that it should be controlling an internal component within the valves in the third image. Right now, I have to manually turn the valve shown in the second image to get the sprinklers to operate, I can't just leave it on and let the timer do its job. Its not the end of the world, but if you have a timer why not use it? Does anyone know what the issue here is? Could it be electrical damage within the valve box? Any advise would be greatly appreciated. <Q> You'd want to check the voltage at the valves to see if the controller is working correctly. <A> I would almost certainly go for the fact that its a bad controller. <S> The reason being is that you say that you can manually set it (I am assuming that is a manual set on the controller). <S> That means that the valve solenoid is working properly. <S> New controllers aren't too difficult to install especially if you have the old one to reference. <S> I'd suggest a good upgrade, perhaps one that has WiFi so you can control it from you phone and only water when there is no rain forecast. <A> Based on your second picture, your water is off. <S> The handles typically want to be parallel to the pipe. <A> Three things I advise you to find out: Are the wires continuous and still attached to controller? <S> (want to keep using them) <S> Are the solonoids on the valves working? <S> (unlikely both failed) <S> Is the controller both receiving and delivering 24V AC? <S> Do you have a meter to check voltage? <S> Check at the controller first (the lower panel comes off) with the controller set "on" appropriately. <S> If nothing, check power supply to controller (not sure if accessible).If good there, turn off power to controller and check continuity between the wires going to the solonoids. <S> One connection will have all the commons wired to it. <S> check between common and each of the others in turn. <S> If no continuity then the wire is broken.
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If there's voltage, then the valve solenoid is probably bad and needs replacement. It's a common failure.
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Tandem Breaker is in half-off position. Unable to reset I recently bought a condo (2002 construction) and have no experience with electric systems. So please bear with me if I am using incorrect terms. A few days ago, the plug point where the water kettle was connected stopped working. On the opposite wall of the kitchen, the microwave also stopped working. Both the kettle and microwave were connected to the lower plug points in the outlet. When this happened, I checked the circuit breaker box and only one half of the tandem breakers (circled in red) was in a kind of off position. (I say "kind of off" because the yellow circled breaker is in a "full off" position, but the red ones are not moving at all.) When half of the red circled breaker tripped, the lower half of outlets stopped working. I switched the appliances to the upper half. (Stupid thing to do in hindsight). Now the top half of the outlets also tripped and both halves of the red circled breaker are stuck in this position. I am not able to reset them. I have removed all appliances from the two outlets it was powering. 1) Can someone please help me understand what is the problem? Like why did half the tandem breaker trip half way. 2) How do I diagnose the problem and what do I need to do to fix this? (I am handy with fixing electronics, but have never done anything with electric appliances) 3) What is this half tripped position called? I am not sure what to look for. I would've gotten an electrician to look at, but I cannot have anyone come home till the COVID situation is done... my immuno-compromised mom stays with me. Thank you for your time! Breaker box - Red circled tripped breaker, yellow circled normal breaker switched off position One of the two Outlets that tripped <Q> It is tripped <S> For more about what the breakers are generally , here . <S> To reset it, move it all the way to the "off" position, and then back to the "On" position. <S> Don't make a habit of that . <S> Whatever you're doing to overload the breaker, stop doing that :) <S> Adapting from Euro power <S> You have 240V power on that side of the pond. <S> Here, we have 240V, <S> however we center-split it <S> (just like UK does on construction sites) giving us two "sides" of 120V. <S> We use that for small appliances. <S> Unfortunately that includes kitchen appliances. <S> Now, let's have a word about US and EU appliances, particularly heat appliances. <S> In the EU ( checks calendar, after Jan 31, yup ) and <S> Britain, appliances just use as much energy as they need for their job. <S> In the US, appliances are limited to 1500 watts, which is not really enough for a lot of jobs by EU standards. <S> However your breakers have an 1800W (120V x 15A) capacity, so it means you can't run 2 of them at once regardless! <S> So you either tripped it from running a Euro appliance or from running 2 things at once on the same half-circuit. <S> Two half-circuits Remember how I said America splits the 240V to make 120V "legs"? <S> That circuit is a "Multi-wire branch circuit" which uses both "legs" to provide two half-circuits of 120V and 15 amps each . <S> Some of your receptacles (and possibly microwave) are on one half-circuit, and something else is on the other half-circuit. <S> If you can figure out which ones (an electrician can easily mark this for you), you can arrange your appliances <S> so you have one big heat appliance on each one, and then you won't trip! <A> First, unplug anything connected to the tripped circuit. <S> Then, try swinging the breakers all the way to the "off" position before you try moving them back to "on". <S> Sounds like something that you had plugged in is causing a short circuit. <S> You might be able to test that with a continuity tester or a multimeter, if you have one. <S> Look for an appliance with a closed circuit or very low resistance between the 2 prongs on the plug. <S> If you plug them back in, be prepared for the breaker to trip again and possibly a bit of electrical arcing. <S> Probably not a good idea to test things this way, but some folks might be tempted to try. <S> Also, if you have any GFCI outlets, make sure that those are not tripped too. <S> These are the kind you usually see in the bathroom with a "TEST" and "RESET" switch. <S> Pushing the "TEST" firmly should make a snapping noise and turn off power to that outlet. <S> Firmly pressing the "RESET" switch will turn the outlet back on. <S> I'm not sure what the details of the NEC have to say about that, but someone will probably be along that will be able to tell if this is up to code or not. <S> Regarding the last question (and not trying to be cheeky here... <S> well, not too cheeky...) <S> but I think this condition is just called "tripped" :) <A> The 1/2 off position shows that the breaker tripped. <S> It sounds like your house is wired like I used to wire. <S> A multi wire branch circuit with the top receptacle on 1 breaker and the bottom on another. <S> To reset the breakers pull them completely to the off position. <S> Then pull them to the on position. <S> If one of them clicks and returns to the mid position the over current may be due to a short in the wires. <S> I have not had issues with square D resetting when properly cycled to off then on positions.
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It might be connected to a GFCI breaker, or wired with another GFCI on the same circuit that protects both outlets. The halfway position is the normal "tripped" position. The outlet in the picture you posted should probably be a GFCI because of how close it is to the sink.
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How far can a 2x4 or maybe 2x6 support over a 10' span? I am creating a shelf in my garage to go over the front of the car. The rules of the town home community is that we can't have anything that puts weight on the structure of the garage, so have created two by side supports designed to have something go horizontally go from one to the other ( it's 42" deep ). I was thinking of 2 or 3 2x4's to go span the 10', and then using 1 x 4 slats over that for the shelf. How much weight would this hold ? Should I use 2x6's ? Should I use 2 or 3? Or ? Not planning to put a lot of weight up there, maybe cumulative around 150 - 250 pounds. Any thoughts on what I should use to span the 10' wide, 42" deep shelf space ? <Q> I do not know how your side supports are constructed or how you plan to keep it from racking side to side. <S> Three 2 <S> " x 6" set on there side <S> so they are like floor joists, I.E. not laying flat. <S> One front, one middle one back, use Simpson joist hangers to attach to side support rim joist. <S> 1/2" Plywood decking on top of that to create a shelf. <S> If you want even more weight capacity overkill make it four joists. <S> How much weight will it hold ? <S> There is an online sag calculator you can use <S> https://www.woodbin.com/calcs/sagulator/ <S> When it does, Turn your joists over in the joist hangers so the crown is on top and get a few more years out of them. <S> Or use 2"x 8". <A> Given your desire to make it comparatively thin (which is bad for stiffness in general) <S> It's an interesting and educational experiment to compare how two sheets of plywood separated by a foam core behave without glue when you stand on them as compared to how they behave when the core is glued in, but for a shelf you don't need foam as a core - wood will do. <S> What this does (compared to using several joists, unbonded) is to provide a full sheet worth of strength on the tension side of the structure - similar in principle to an I beam, where the sheets of plywood (or OSB, it IS a garage shelf...) <S> act as the tension and compression "flanges" and the wood spacers act as the "web" that holds them apart. <S> However, it is STILL the case (it is ALWAYS the case...) <S> that additional depth (space between sheets in this case) pays off hugely, because stiffness is related to the cube of the depth of a beam - so a beam twice as thick is 8 times as stiff. <S> Or a beam merely 1.25 times as thick is nearly twice as stiff, and one 1.5 times as thick is more than 3 times as stiff as the original beam. <S> (A different option in the "buy a solution" direction would be to get prefabricated steel pallet racking, but I assume that if you have already built side supports you are not interested in going that direction.) <S> If you wish to play with loading options (this is NOT set up for stressed skins, just beams/joists): https://courses.cit.cornell.edu/arch264/calculators/example8.1/index.html <A> Like the good answers by Alaska Man and Ecnerwal indicate, you won't span 10 feet with flat lumber. <S> Even if you made the platform entirely of 2x lumber it would be a trampoline. <S> It need to be thicker (taller), and that height needs to be composed of a single ply, not layers that can slide with respect to one another. <S> I'd get three small-knot 4x4 posts (or four pairs of doubled 2x4 on edge), space them evenly front to back, and overlay them with 1/2" plywood or OSB. <S> That's as thin as you'll get (4" total) with non-engineered wood and reliably carry that load. <S> Be sure to crown all members up for best sag resistance.
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the best bet would be a Stressed Skin Panel also known as a Torsion Box Common construction for that as a DIY is two sheets of plywood, (one top, one bottom) and some sort of spacers plus lots of glue. It is a garage shelf, if it sags a little over time it is not the end of the world.
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Outdoor spotlight stuck on without a switch My Grandma has an outdoor spotlight that hasn't worked for quite some time. I realised there wasn't actually a bulb in it so I ordered a new one, switched off the mains, fitted it, put the power back on, and it works, the light comes on! There's only one problem - it won't switch off again! Here is a picture of the outdoor spotlight: There is also this light indoors above the front door: Years ago, I remember that when the outdoor spotlight was triggered by someone approaching the door, the bulb indoors would light up as well. However, both bulbs are just permanently shining and I can't figure out why. My Gran has since forgotten why the bulbs were removed from the outdoor and indoor lights, or how they've gotten like this. An initial Google of how to fix the problem mainly returns results saying to switch the spotlight on and off again rapidly to reset the sensor. However, I can't actually find a switch for it, and I believe it is wired directly into the mains. I did find this cover in the upstairs bedroom shown in the first photo which is directly behind the spotlight and I'm 99% sure this is the wiring for it but it's just that, wiring, and not an on/off switch. Any help in remedying this would be much appreciated! <Q> I believe the key words here are "years ago" and "motion sensor". <S> Motion sensors don't generally live that long. <S> It may be time for a new fixture, or if modular, a new motion sensor. <A> I agree with Harper's comments, and this is strongly supported by your own statement <S> "My Gran has since forgotten why the bulbs were removed from the outdoor and indoor lights... <S> " <S> I is most likely that the sensor broke a long time ago, and your Gran - either herself or perhaps asking someone else to - remove both bulbs because they were permanently stuck on, day and night - and rather than get it fixed at the time, "the problem" was removed. <S> You have simply highlighted the old problem. <S> Maybe your dad could shed some light on this. <S> If replacement parts or entire unit from the same manufacture is impossible, maybe its time to remove the entire configuration and go back to a basic light switch system. <A> It's also possible the sensor has failed. <S> Removing the brown wire going to the fixture will remove the power to the light, the red is normally the output from the sensor, and the blue is neutral or the return. <S> If you add a switch on that brown 1 side going to the switch the other side going back to where the brown was connected, you could control it with the switch. <S> Make sure to make any changes with the power off. <A> A lot of early security lights (and some modern ones) have a feature whereby if you flick the power off and then back on within a few seconds the light will stay on permanently. <S> To make it work normally (switched by the proximity sensor) <S> the power needs to be off for at least 10seconds before going on again. <S> The problem was that a momentary supply glitch would result in the light being on permanently. <S> I agree with comments about broken ring, fused spur, sleeved earth etc. <A> When you turned off the power did you just turned off the power main power if so then flip it off and back on very quickly if it is the lights that need resetting. <S> Then that should work. <S> Cheers. <S> GT <A> Ok... Add a switch. <S> I suggest a 13a switched fused spur unit. <S> But you put a 5a fuse into it. <S> Really this should have been done when fitted. <S> Both of the blue /brown / earth wires at the top look to be part of a ring... <S> Which has been broken! <S> (Turn the main incoming power off at the consumer unit and do a continuity test to confirm.) <S> Put both of the load wires into the load side of the fsu, and both supply lines into the supply side of the fsu. <S> You can use those terminal blocks and cut some short jumper leads to the terminals if it's tight. <S> But since you don't know this basic thing ( and you're therefore not legally competent) <S> I'd suggest getting a sparky, ... <S> Electricity kills. <S> Most sparks only charge about £40 to fit a socket ... <S> This shouldn't be any more difficult. <S> Also. <S> If this isn't on a rcd circuit, you will need an rcd fsu. <S> All outdoor wiring has to be on an rcd protected circuit. <S> Also note that those earth cables should have sleeves. <S> It's only about £1.50 in bnq for 5m
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Some motion lights need to be reset, and a quick on off on some models will turn them on while a longer off on cycle may turn it off.
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How dangerous is to repair a stopcock without closing the main water entrance? I have, more or less, the situation bellow. I have simplified the scheme. It's a bathroom, (A) is a shower, (B) is a tap.I would like to repair both A and B. The main stopcock doesn't work anymore.Assuming I keep both A and B open while repairing one of them to alleviate the pressure, is it still too dangerous? I'm trying to anticipate as much as possible problems that can occur before trying anything. In another bathroom where the main stopcock works and have a similar layout, I was able to hold the water with the finger while simulating a repair. Not without lots of water in my chest. <Q> As far as danger there is 9 meters of head approx that will be close to 14 psi slightly less so as a pressure hazard <S> it’s <S> not a big deal <S> but if you cannot replace the parts quickly the water may end up causing problems weather you keep the other valve flowing or not. <S> Knowing the size of the supply pipe and valves would help to provide more information. <A> Then you can use your new shutoff valve to change your internal valves. <A> If this is your own home, I would call the municipal water company and ask about the possibility of shutting off the feed line to the house, and installing a new valve on that feed line. <S> If they will shut the water off for a short time, even for a few minutes, you could buy a compression type valve or a shark bite valve and have them shut off the water long enough to cut the supply line and install a valve in that line. <S> Another option would be to freeze the line with "dry ice" and make the repair. <S> I have done this on copper feed lines up to 2". <S> I would purchase shaved dry ice, put it into a towel, and carefully wrap the line with the dry ice in the towel, and cover that dry ice towel with a second one for insulation. <S> Use about an 6" or larger section of dry ice to freeze. <S> Wait for the line to freeze and make the repair. <S> When the repairs are completed remove the dry ice. <S> If you choose this fix, please be careful and wear gloves and safety glasses for your safety. <S> Remember dry ice is extremely cold. <S> The line will stay frozen until the dry ice is removed. <S> There are also "Plumbers" who can do this if this repair is above your skill level. <S> Once you put in a main line shut off valve, replacing other valves and doing other repairs can be accomplished.
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I think you must ask the manager of the building to shut off the water at the tank long enough for you to change the shut off to your apartment.
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Can I swap parts from a new to old shutoff valve instead of soldering a new sweat valve? The shutoff valve on my water heater has an extremely slow leak. A couple years ago I disassembled it by removing the handle and changing out either the packing or the rubber washer, or maybe both (can't remember now), which did help, but sometime in the past few months it's started to leak slowly again. Can I buy a new valve and just swap the circled area, or must I solder a complete sweat fitting. I've never soldered copper pipes before but I'm not afraid to give it a try. <Q> Possibly, but only if the interior mating surfaces are in good condition. <A> but I'd replace it with a quarter-turn ball valve. <S> You can either sweat one on which is not a big deal or simply install one with shark bite connections which is easier still. <S> I recently installed one on my hot water heater. <S> I think the quarter-turn ball valve is more reliable and less prone to failure. <A> I expect it is the stem packing under the top small nut that is leaking. <S> If so a pretty simple ,cheap fix. <S> Turn off the water upstream of this valve. <S> Back-off the small nut to see the stem . <S> Wrap teflon pipe dope around the stem , several wraps , as many as you can get under the nut. <S> Tighten the nut , the teflon is a seal and a lube so the nut can be pretty tight and still turn the stem. <S> You can make it a nicer job by pulling the stem first and polishing with 400 grit, as needed, to remove any corrosion or roughness ; then proceed as above. <S> An old refinery maintenance guy taught me that many decades ago, I have used it on several valves.
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You might be able to find a valve with interchangeable parts
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Buying 110V power tools for my father in law to take back to 220v Russia My wife's mom and dad are here from Russia. We'd like to buy him a dremel tool, a cordless drill, and a 1/4 sheet palm sander for his birthday to take back. I know the cordless drill is not a problem for a converter since it's a battery charger. The dremel tool probably is not either. But what about the 1/4 sheet palm sander. Is there any way to convert the tools once he gets there? I'm looking for the most sensible and durable way. Also, he's kind of stubborn and there's really no way to give a "gift coupon" to take to Russia. It doesn't really work that way over there :) And as said, he'd be too stubborn to use it. Thanks. <Q> This seems like a really bad idea. <S> First, you can't just ignore the voltage difference problem. <S> The battery charger might have a chance of working natively or with an adapter (read its labeling) - but that's a hokey way to hook it up. <S> The Dremel is probably beyond the ability of cheap Chinese power adapters, not least because it's a motor <S> and I seriously doubt that overpriced $23 thing with 50 cents of electronics inside it <S> actually does VFD. <S> It's generally a fool's errand to try to convert tools from one voltage/frequency to another. <S> If you want that, then get Euro or UK tools that are 230V/50 Hz. <S> Further, there's the matter of plugs. <S> USA stuff will not plug into Russian outlets, nor should it . <S> Russia uses the Europlug (ungrounded) or Schuko (grounded). <S> This is the same as almost all of mainland Europe. <S> So order your father-in-law European appliances if you must. <S> Lastly, tools are personal. <S> You select the tool you like, and then you adapt to it and love it. <S> It's a thing you've got to do. <S> Parents don't just use stuff you give them because you gave them. <S> You know perfectly well this is the best you can hope for . <S> 90% of the time it goes on the shelf or in the trash. <S> Given that you'll be giving tools of incompatible voltage, and incompatible plugs, this is 100% guaranteed in this case. <S> If you want to do a gesture like this, either recognize it for the foolhardy, empty gesture it is and hope your FiL will feel the love... or get serious and obtain Euro appliances. <S> Or better yet, sort out the barriers to giving a gift card at your FIL's favorite tool shop. <A> Go cordless and make it a set. <S> Probably won't find as a combination set, but that's OK. <S> All the big names have everything available cordless now. <S> For example, Ryobi (Home Depot): Hammer drill + 2 batteries + charger + bag: 1/4 sander: <S> Rotary tool: <S> If you can find a brand also sold in Russia that's better so he can get replacement batteries and other tools if he wants. <S> But even if that is the case, start him off with at least 2 batteries for redundancy. <S> But do be careful and make sure that you either get a 220V (230/240/etc.) <S> charger or that the charger handles a full range 100 - 240V (like a typical laptop charger) <S> . <S> I checked my own Ryobi charger and it is specifically 120V. <S> There are "modifications" available, but far better to find something where no modifications are needed, just an adapter (no transformer, no electronics) for the plug or a different power cable. <A> Palm sanders are no exception. <S> The advantage of this should follow from your comment about the charger for the other cordless tools. <S> Many battery chargers these days are designed to work on AC voltage from ~90VAC up to over 240VAC making then almost universal the world over save just for different power cord ends. <S> Also be aware that cordless Dremel Tools are a real existing thing with similar knock off tools from other vendors as well.
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Actually better to have multiple tools to end up with extra batteries and even a 2nd charger so that he is set if things go bad. Almost all hand operated power tools these days are available in battery/portable versions.
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Drain line higher than sink outlet ^^^ UPDATED PHOTO ^^^ I recently purchased a mobile home and have changed out the vanities in the bathrooms. In the master the drain line was to low and had to extending the sink drain to hit that line, which was easy. But now the second bath the drain line is HIGHER than the P-trap. Hopefully not busting into the wall to drop that line. How do I fix this ? Thanks in advance for any help. <Q> As long as your sink is above the drain it will work. <S> Make you get everything sealed or it will leak but it will work because the drain is below the sink bottom. <A> The whole point of a P-trap or S-trap is to have some standing water <S> so you don't get sewer gas coming into the building. <S> Since this is a bathroom sink, not kitchen, that shouldn't be an issue for you. <S> The weight of water sitting in the bowl will push the water in the trap up the bit of pipe until it's in the horizontal run and running down hill on its own again. <S> If the bowl was below that drain line then you'd need a pump or to relocate the drain. <S> You could shorten the line coming in from the wall (as suggested in another answer). <S> You can also shorten the tail piece coming off the bottom of the sink. <S> Purchase your trap (if you haven't already) and fiddle around with it until you get everything to fit, adjusting pipe lengths as necessary. <S> Just remember "I cut it 3 times <S> and it's still to long <S> " is far better than "I cut it once <S> and now it's too short". <A> Get a different tailpiece, the part that connects to the underside of the sink, one without the 'drain plug hole'. <S> This will allow you to slide the trap up tighter to the underside of the sink (right up against the nut).
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Looking at your photo I would shorten the drain line from the wall. There is no required maximum depth of the trap, but if it gets too tall, you may get waste standing and rotting in the trap.
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Why is my house wired with two coax in every room and an RJ11 splitter? My house was built around 2005, though I've only owned it a year. Setting aside from the insane cluster of coax wiring we found in the attic, I'm trying to understand why every room in the house has at least one, and usually two outlets that look like the attached pictures - two coax connectors, and two RJ11 cables connected to a single splitter. As I'm trying to figure out how best to get wired ethernet to various parts of the house, can anyone help me understand the purpose of this setup? Is it as simple as wanting the ability to put a TV and phone on every wall in the house? It doesn't seem like a pro did the work, especially considering the rats nest of coax in the attic. <Q> Most likely this was a satellite dish hookup. <S> Back in the 90s, when the technology was nascent, each box got its own LNB feed from the dish. <S> You'd also need an antenna hookup to get local broadcasts (as in two separate cable feeds). <S> It doesn't seem like a pro did the work, especially considering the rats nest of coax in the attic. <S> In the earliest days you didn't have a whole cottage industry of professional installers like today. <S> Instead, you had a lot of installers who doubled as local sales associates and it was merely a side business for them. <S> My parents had one installed in their rural house in the mid 90s by a man from a nearby town who ran a hardware store. <S> As such, you'd have some strange things done by installers (like using a phone duplexer to join lines). <S> Most modern installers don't even bother with your attic nowadays. <S> They run it around the eaves of your house, then drop it down and straight through the outer and inner walls. <A> I'm curious if those are all bundled together into one cable in the wall? <S> I have used cable that contained all 4 in one to simplify running it. <S> Notice that the two coax are different colors so the person wanted to be able to tell the difference between them. <S> To me this implies a separate CATV and Satellite line, but it also could be cable internet or security cameras or many things. <S> The blue cables appear to be cat5, but with only the center pair of each being used. <S> This might have been done if one served landline phone and the other served something like a voip bridge like Magic Jack. <S> They're in the splitter so that one will serve as "Line 1" and the other as "Line 2" to typical multi-line telephones. <S> If your goal is cable and Ethernet to each room <S> I think you're in great shape! <S> You need to find out where the Ethernet goes and hope they all go to one place instead if being bonded up in the attic. <A> There might be many answers to this but as someone that had both satellite and cable tv in the past this could be the reason for 2 coax drops in each rooms. <S> For the modular connection that looks like someone used a cat 5? <S> Cable for phone. <S> Using the 2-1 device ties the cables together and not all the conductors are used so that was possibly their way of doing the phones without patch panels or punch down blocks. <S> I have not seen that method used since cat 3 days. <S> There could be other reasons but I have seen and wired dual coax drops but not the phone / data like that unless only phone. <A> I had a similar system wired in my house. <S> They ran a 6 pair cable to every room in the house and connected them all together in a junction box with a 6 pair to the Bell pedestal. <S> They also ran two coax to each room. <S> One set was run outdoors for CATV and the other set was hooked up to an indoor antenna located in the attic for local TV. <S> I've actually kept that hooked up because that way, when we lose cable, I still have the locals. <A> A two into one is for either for data line and phone, which is the most likely reason. <S> While the input is two sets of four wires, only two in each set is active. <S> The single R11 plug will provide phone connect to the phone and the other pair provides data connection to the data line. <S> The data line was a voice line dedicated to a modem for people who needed data connective for a long period of time. <S> Using the modem prevented incoming calls and also prevented you from making a call, so two lines were required. <S> A two line phones is plug in, and the phone can connect or answer calls coming into either phone. <S> The third use for this type of connection was for two phone lines, one for voice, and the other was a fax machine. <S> Older phones were POTS (Plain Old Telephone System) with no intelligence, same as the fax machine. <S> None of these after 4 rings, the fax machine would pick up the call. <S> For installing wired ethernet into every room, you will need Cat-6 or Cat-6 POE or newer types of ethernet cables to support the bandwidth. <S> The existing wires cannot support this. <S> You may be able to use the wires to provide a map of the path to use to route new wires or to assist in pulling the wires through existing holes through the header and on to the outlets in the wall. <A> It sure seems that they had DSL at some point. <S> To run DSL you need a line for data and another for phone. <S> Also depending on company (DSL setup) you cannot just "disconnect" (or cut) <S> the phone line as the lines are looped at a point and the phone line is used to help meter (filter) the line to certain specs.
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The same setup is sometimes used to connect two phone lines to one outlet. The phone line was so the satellite box could phone the company and report whatever purchases were made via the remote (like pay per view)
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Install a new tub that has cracks? first question here. We're having a bathroom remodeled. The first tub that was delivered had a huge crack in it, so we asked for a replacement. The second one took 2 weeks to arrive. It has two tiny cracks in the corner. One appears to be (shoddily) covered over by plaster. We're ready to send this back and ask for another replacement, knowing fully well that this will delay our project further. Is there any universe in which we'd actually install this instead? What would the risks of doing so be? <Q> The key questions are: Is it warranted? <S> For how long? <S> Are you willing to accept liability for failure after that period (or after the company closes its doors)? <S> Does the warranty cover replacement expenses? <S> I'd wager no. <S> The problem there is apparent. <S> Don't do it unless you have no practical alternative or are compensated for potential costs in advance. <A> I would send it back and for sure not get that type of tub again. <S> I mean I wouldn't even think about it. <S> I have had cracked tubs come to me for new bathrooms <S> and I have never thought about getting a new one. <S> I mean you take your cast iron tubs that you get in a lot of older home, and you are not cracking those without a hammer. <S> There is no way you do all of that plumbing and tile work and waterproofing and all that and skimp on a tub that will have problems and snowball into a much larger project when it cracks. <A> Get an enameled steel one instead. <S> One in picture looks like acrylic tub, and these appear to be quite fragile (and expensive). <S> Good old enameled steel is more durable and easier to replace - it doesn't even need fancy supports. <S> If you are after "not so cold to the touch" feeling of acrylic tub, you can put the steel one into a dedicated styrofoam stand, so it keeps the water warm longer. <S> It is not warm like acrylic, but bearable. <S> Experience: <S> First acrylic tub came broken, second had ugly scratches, that manufacturer removed making another set of scratches. <S> At this point seller gave up and returned money. <S> Bought plain regular enameled steel for fraction of the price. <S> [Mind that depending on local code, steel tub might require grounding wire.]
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If tubs are cracking during the shipping process I would not trust them to stay in one piece when there is a bunch of weight and water in them.
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How do you add a T join in to an existing underground drain pipe? I have an existing drain pipe that takes water from our roof catchment, and sends it down into our drinking water tank (this is our household water supply). We now have a new building, and I wish to route the extra rain water from this roof into the same pipe. So I want to add a T-junction to this existing pipe, and route the new roof pipe into it. I have repaired broken in-ground agricultural pipe sections before, but had (too much) trouble trying to insert joiners as there is no "give" in the buried pipe. Eventually I used rubber-sleeve type joins, but am unsure of using these with drinking water. So, short of digging up 20 metres of pipe to get some extra bend/movement, with an existing 100mm UPVC "poly" pipe in the ground, is there technique for adding a new T-intersection? Not relevant: Add T fitting to pipe <Q> One technique with a little more digging, but not a lot, is to cut out a section of pipe, add 4 elbows to make an offset and put the tee in the offset. <S> Depending on what fittings you can get, there are also "saddle" or "snap" tees made to attach by clipping onto the pipe (and drilling a hole, and gluing, typically.) <S> This assumes that the pipe size is sufficient for the flow from both roofs <S> - otherwise, you might be better off with a new pipe from the new roof right to the tank. <A> I'd usually approach this with a pair of slip couplings. <S> Build an insert composed of your new sanitary tee and short pipe stubs on each horizontal end. <S> Slide slip couplings on each stub (without cement). <S> Cut the existing pipe twice at the width of the assembly from step 1. <S> Drop the assembly in place and slide the slip couplings over the joints, cementing them in. <S> If you plan well you can do this by reusing the section of pipe you cut out, saving the cost of new pipe. <A> Look it up, it may solve your problem. <S> You also mentioned that the rubber couplings may not be compatible or suited for drinking water. <S> If the collected rain water is not filtered and treated correctly I would be more concerned about it not being safe to be used with drinking water than to worry about a rubber coupling.
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Oatey and other makers of PVC piping have PVC saddle tee kits that cost about $20.00, that allow you to make a tee in an existing pipe layout.
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Prevent sun shade pole from rotating in base I have bought a centre pole sun shade (a Doppler Sunliner) for my balcony, along with a hollow base filled with water for it to stand in, which works fine. But as soon as there is a tiny bit of wind, the sun shade starts rotating. How do I prevent this? As far as I can see, the base I bought does not have any mechanism in place to prevent rotating (the hole into which the pole is inserted is a plain cylinder with a smooth bottom). There is a possibility to tighten the grip around the pole through tightening a screw of sorts but this does not seem enough. The instructions for the sun shade state that if there is wind the sun shade should not be used, but it seems silly to stow it away even at the slightest hint of wind, which is sadly enough to send it spinning. So far we make do with a system of ropes and carabiner hooks but I wonder if anyone has any other suggestion on how to prevent the sun shade from spinning in its base. <Q> It's going to take some caution and some experimentation to arrive at a solution you can live with. <S> For light wind Alaska Man's suggestion seems good - tighten the wing nut/loop bolt in the base. <S> If you have tightened the wing nut/loop bolt as much as is practical (too much tightening will break something) and you are still getting spinning <S> it's time to get creative. <S> What you have is in effect a windmill. <S> As large as the umbrella is very little wind could apply significant torque on the pole. <S> Try to find a way to reduce the wind effect <S> : - Angle the umbrella so that the windmill effect is reduced. <S> - Position the umbrella in your location so that it's protected from the wind - Experiment with how open the umbrella is to reduce the windmill effect - An umbrella ring can add friction and help keep the pole from spinning (link is an example not an endorsement) <S> If none of these things work you may have arrived at your best solution. <A> Just get some rubber sheet (or other thin flexible sheet material that grips, e.g. leather) and use contact glue to attach it around the bottom of the pole; just to make the pole a bit bigger where it stabs into the base. <S> Then the factory pole-gripping mechanism on the base should grip it tighter. <S> If the wind is strong enough it could still move it, but you should not have to tolerate your shade spinning around in the slightest breeze... <A>
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I would drill a hole through the base and umbrella poles, then thread a bolt through the new hole to stop the rotation.
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Is my repair to this plug safe? The red copper wire was burned so I took out the burnt part of the wire and reinserted all the wires by myself. <Q> You should trim the extra copper off <S> it will not help to have it hanging out there. <S> You also need to make sure when you put things back together <S> the clamp is on the covering for the cable not the individual wires but other than those items I would say it looks safe. <S> A proper torque would be needed to be 100%. <A> It would be a cleaner installation to not allow the wire to stick out very far on the far side (looking at you red wire). <S> Make sure that there is only copper under the clamp for the red wire and no insulation under the screw and cramp <S> (it looks like it's pushed in too far) <A> The wires are way too long, they need to be shortened and the sheath of the flex needs to be secured under the cord grip. <S> The stripped section at the end of the wire should be long enough that the screw can properly clamp down on it but not excessively long. <S> Ideally the live wire should have no slack the neutral wire <S> a medium amount of slack and the earth wire should have the most slack. <S> Also personally I would not reuse a plug that had shown signs of heat damage.
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This way in the unlikely event that the cord grip fails and the cable gets ripped out of the plug the wires should become disconnected in the safest possible order.
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How do you store a magnetic base and a dial indicator to prolong their life and retain accuracy? I'm getting into turning with a lathe, starting small with some decent-used tools from the local ebay(trademe) and some janky chinese-grade tools. But I want to learn Best Practices. Right now I have one mag base/noga-style arm, and one dial indicator, and one test indicator. How should I store a magnetic base and a dial indicator to prolong their life and retain accuracy? A magnetic base. These have a circular core which can rotate 90 degrees. In the on position there's a solid magnetic field from the underside, to hold the base on a ferrous surface like a lathe, drill, mill, or similar Big Tool. When off, there is minimal magnetic attraction so the unit can fall over, but it won't attract metal chips and filings. do I store the mag base in the ON position, clamped to a metal surface? Or do I store it OFF? should the unit be vertical or horizontal or doesn't matter? should I leave the dial indicator in the mag base permanently or return it to a shelf? (mine are all sub $20 items, so the boxes aren't good for long-term storage.) <Q> Storing the mag base "off" is equivalent to storing it "on" attached to a thick ferrous item - "off" is "magnetically attached to itself internally. <S> " Either is fine. <S> This serves the same function as a "keeper" bar for a plain permanent magnet. <S> A thin surface (sheet metal) is not as good, and "on" but not attached to anything risks weakening the magnet over time. <S> Orientation during storage does not matter. <S> Leaving the dial indicator out is going to vary with local hazards - are you likely to knock into it if it's just sitting there? <S> - Then put it away. <S> Putting it away is standard in a multiperson shop, but your home shop practices can vary with your level of care. <A> So one thing professional toolmakers have a lot of is <S> toolchests - storing delicate instruments safely takes space... <S> Many look out for those custom old wood toolchests and even refurb them. <S> Others buy them or make them, but those expensive small tools need looking after. <A> You can make custom sized channels for the different pieces to lay down in, line them with glued in felt, and put a lid on it. <S> They may be cheap, jankey stuff, but they'll look very professional and impress your mates when you pull it out of the custom box! <S> If you're not into working with wood, just bang together a simple box, throw some foam in the bottom and another piece on top and call it good. <S> Make the foam thick enough that it just squeezes down to hold the pieces in place when the lid is closed & latched. <A> I have learned from an Abom79 video that best practice for a Noga arm is to leave it pointing upward in a straight line. <S> This decreases the likelyhood of it falling over, they fit better together, and vibration is less likely to affect it. <S> He is also seen turning on the magnet when putting the item down, on a lathe headstock for storage.
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While you're obviously working with metal here, if you're into wood working at all, build yourself a small custom storage box for it.
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Why are there ovens with control panel toward the back? I often see ovens with their control panel behind the elements, mostly in US American settings, like in the picture below. Where I live, the controls are always in front of the appliance. It seems unnecessarily dangerous to me that one has to reach over the pots or pans on the stove to regulate the heat. Is there some historic or technical reason to this? <Q> It's much more difficult for a small child to "play with the controls" and turn the stove elements on in that location. <S> Having lived with stoves like this for a long time, I've never burned myself reaching for them. <A> It’s an old or perhaps a better word is classic design - there are some advantages like if you spill something it won’t go all over the controls. <S> However disadvantages include having to reach over a spitting or steaming pan <S> but it is always down to what you learned on or are used to. <A> <A> Aside from the major parental control feature, already mentioned, this allows the oven door to extend all the way up, granting a more spacious oven chamber opening for inserting taller things if needed. <S> Probably too minor to make enough of a difference to most, but sure does look more "dedicated" and potentially a selling feature to some. <A> At first I thought that it would reduce usage of copper wiring, by keeping all the circuit runs as short as possible. <S> Having the controls at the back put them close to where the power feed enters, simplifying the design. <S> While copper is expensive, that's a more recent cost increase. <S> Back in the day copper was cheaper, which is why it was used for pipes and hot water cylinders. <A> On a gas appliance you would have the controls on the front because reaching over flames is a hazard in itself. <S> On an electric stove, it does not really pose a problem to reach over hot elements if you are careful enough. <A> In the USA there are two types of electric range like this: standalone and slide-in. <S> This is a standalone. <S> A standalone has finish metal panels on the sides so it can be located in the open. <S> AFIK standalones always have the controls on the top back and slide-ins have the controls on the front. <S> The slide in is generally more expensive and is used in higher end kitchens. <S> The lack of a high control panel in the back allows more space for installation of a fancy back-splash behind the range. <S> Also having the controls on the front is reminiscent of the appearance of a traditional high end gas range <S> We have a slide-in of this type <S> and I find I have to step back and bend my neck to read the writing on the controls to make sure I am operating the burner I wish to. <S> However with a standalone in the event of spattering hot grease (or worse) it does appear that it would be dangerous to reach for the temperature control.
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In addition to the useful comments already posted, the design prevents accidental turn on's due to leaning up against the stove to stir a pot, etc.
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Cracks on second-story cement slab I just purchased a 50-year-old condo. I pulled up the carpet and found the second floor to be a concrete slab. There are thin cracks in areas and a small pit in one area. What are my options for resolving/minimizing cracking. Rhino Crack Locks Tear it all out and start over, my least desirable option Just fill in the cracks and leave it. There are no cracks in the walls etc., it's not a foundation issue. <Q> This seems to be a cosmetic issue if it's 50 years old and not having foundation issues. <S> In which case "Option C: fill it and leave it" seems perfectly reasonable. <A> This appears to be a topping slab from your second image. <S> Wood buildings can be loud and this is a common a solution. <S> My advice would be to cover it up with a carpet or any type of flooring. <S> This was the original intent for the building and the most effective solution. <S> The width of the crack is very minimal and it's likely that it will never get wider than it already has over <S> it's 50 year life. <A> Repeating Answers from previous question but now revised. <S> Answer to your revised question. <S> I would go with option (3) fill in the cracks <S> For the liquid, look at products similar to Dap 37584 product and for the larger cracks, Dap Ready-Mixed Patch .
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Its purpose isn't structural at all but to dampen noise for the levels below when you walk around. If repairs/sealing of the cracks is to be done, I would go with two types of products, liquid/self leveling for the thinner-fine cracks and a heavier product for the larger cracks.
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How can I enlarge an opening in wall tile for an electrical box? When the backsplash was installed, the hole left for an outlet box is a tad too small. What is my best option to enlarge the hole to slide the box in? <Q> It's very messy, of course, so have a helper hold a strong vacuum right near the blade as you cut. <S> You might also be able to just file enough material away to get it to fit. <S> A common rasp or other abrasive tool could work. <S> Don't use your best woodworking equipment. <A> When I did my backsplash, I used a Dremel rotary tool with small diamond cutoff wheel made to cut tile. <S> It worked like a charm. <S> I did have to squirt water on the tile/blade to prevent overheating. <S> I have seen tile files but have not used them. <A> To help any other's in the same situation, since I didn't need to remove much to widen the opening, I just used a low grit sandpaper and was able to remove enough material. <S> Cheaper than destroying a file or rasp. <S> Thanks for the tips!
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An angle grinder with a diamond-dust blade will cut that tile easily. Wall tile is relatively soft, but the glaze isn't, so expect some dulling of such tools to occur.
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Furnace intake on both floors I have a furnace located in my basement in a small enclosed room. I also have a large vent upstairs above this room in my kitchen. I always thought that the furnace takes the air from the kitchen upstairs, heats it up and circulates it back. However, when I was changing the air filter today, my wife asked about the vent located downstairs near the furnace. It seems to me that the air is bring pulled from 2 locations. First, upstairs by the kitchen and second also directly in the room where the furnace is located (the second location is not ideal. In an enclosed room with hot water heater and sewer pump) I searched around online and I couldn't find anyone with a furnace design similar to mine that had another intake in the air return. I closed the second intake off by wrapping the vent in a plastic bag to prevent any additional airflow. Once the furnace started again, we noticed a much stronger pull from the first intake upstairs. Does anyone know why there would be two intakes and will blocking off the second intake in the enclosed room be a problem? Edit:The main problem is there is a slight smell that gets circulated from that room. Once I closed it off, the air got quite a bit fresher. My worry is that there was some good reason it was there in the first place. <Q> Actually it is quite common to have multiple air return ducts, with both heating and air conditioning it can save 20-30% by making slight adjustments and changing the flows. <S> I usually suggest dampers on both the supply and return trunk lines for each level for the maximum savings, summer with ac more flow to the upper floor(s) in the winter more flow to the lower floors when heating. <S> This balancing if done well with a air handler appropriately sized can save up to 30% so it may be uncommon in your area but higher end systems do have multiple intakes. <A> Having single returns on each floor is now the new (cheaper) normal. <S> When I was still doing some residential heat & a/c <S> it was imperative to have a return and a supply in each room. <S> This single return concept lowers the overall efficiency of the system to control the home's temperature while also making noise transmission a problem since the bottom of all doors need to be cut to allow for air flow out of that room. <S> If smells are a problem with your home try to find a charcoal filter that fits your furnace. <S> It was a problem with mine since my wife can smell a "rabbit fart" at 2 miles. <S> I have an electronic air cleaner in which I removed the pre-filter and in it's place <S> I put a cut to size charcoal filter called "the absorber" which I purchase from the orange or blue store. <S> This is a pain in the a*s <S> but it keeps my wife happy <S> (you get the picture). <S> If you look around your area at the newer patio homes and duplexes you will see this single or double return concept. <S> my 2 cents <A> The contractor likely put in the minimum air recycle inlets required for that furnace By choking-off one off you may cause the furnace heat exchanger to over-heat. <S> I would remove the blockage as soon as possible. <S> My house was built with a single ( cheap) air return. <S> I have added two more ; now a total of 20 X 30 + 16 <S> X 20 + 12 X 12. <S> , works fine. <S> When I lived in IL every room had a return ( built in the '60's). <S> I believe the lower air velocity through my 3 filters helps the filters work more efficiently also. <S> My house is one level <S> so no summer/winter air flow adjustments are needed.
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The more recycle air supply , the more efficient your furnace. Today, in order to save money on the installation, most if not all of the of the multi-unit housing plans are opting for the single returns.
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Electrical socket is tripping off light I had a builder install some lights and also an electrical socket. He used a junction box to do this from the loft lights as it was easy access. However, the hoover and hair dryer is causing this now to trip. I was wondering what may cause this and if there is a better solution. <Q> More than likely, your loft lights will be on a 5A ring, totally unsuitable for a socket. <S> Get your money back from this cowboy and get a competent electrician to do the work. <A> This sounds like a clear case of overloading a circuit. <S> Adding additional lights and an outlet wouldn't be so bad except for the fact that you're using the outlet for a hair dryer and a vacuum cleaner. <S> Both those appliances are relatively heavy users of electricity and are causing the breaker to trip. <A> Both a hair dryer and a hoover can consume 10 or 20 times the energy that is used by (LED) lights. <S> So it is ok for the circuit breaker to trip, if the light breaker is too weak. <S> In this case the wiring and all connected devices should be checked for correct resistances and insulation.
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But if the breaker and the wiring is made for higher loads, most likeley the GFCI did trip, which could be an indication that grounding and neutral are connected somewhere downstream the GFCI or another device in the same circuit is faulty. The hair-dryer & hoover are probably drawing too much and tripping it. The existing loft lights were probably on a 15AMP breaker. Try talking to the builder and get him to fix this, put the outlet on a different circuit.
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How to lock an inside door with round doorknobs turning both clockwise and counterclockwise (without a key)? I'd like to lock an inside building door, which I'm pretty sure is possible. The lock/doorknobs look like the pictures. The doorknobs can turn both clockwise and counterclockwise. How do I lock the door without the key? Thank You! <Q> The lock/doorknobs look like the pictures. <S> Does that mean the knob in the photo is not the actual door knob you have ? <S> It may be that it is only lockable with a key. <S> Grasp <S> the door knob that does not have the key slot in it, push the knob in and then while holding it in turn it, probably clockwise, just little <S> and it should stay in when you release it <S> and that should lock it. <S> You can do this with door open so you can test the other side to be sure it is locked. <A> You can get door handles that are designed for bathrooms, which have a small lever in the middle. <S> This activates the same bar that the lock moves. <S> Or you add a bolt to the door. <A> If you don't have the key, get rid of that doorknob <S> Right Now. <S> It's a matter of time before that knob mysteriously locks on you. <S> No one will know why, and no one will be able to get back in. <S> In its unlocked state, it can typically be removed. <S> You unbend a large paper clip and jam it down the hole you can see (on the non-locking side; that releases the knob. <S> Then you measure your spacing (center of big hole to door edge) - <S> either 2-3/8" or 2-3/4". <S> Go to the hardware store and get a knob set that you like. <S> Unless you are sharing the house with strangers, most such doors are privacy knobs that only lock from the inside. <S> They have a hole in the end of the doorknob that you stick a paperclip into in order to override the internal lock.
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I am not sure about you door knob but on some older door knobs you push and turn to lock.
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Why is electric bill all of a sudden $300+ when normally it is under $100? My dads been pulling the last of his hairs out over this. The past two years around this time, the electric bill jumps to about $300 when typically it’s around $100. Nothing has changed, we haven’t acquired any new appliances ( all kitchen appliances are relatively brand energy efficient appliances ) We have one LCD TV that’s rated at something like $20 annually. Dad and wife suspect someone is somehow siphoning power. When the the main breaker is shut off, the meter stops spinning. We’ve been selectively unplugging drier, washer, fridges, stove etc. Water heater is gas. We have central AC and it hasn’t run much at all as well. Any ideas on how to troubleshoot this aside from selectively unpluging devices ? <Q> Contact the electric company. <S> Find out when they do physical meter readings, versus merely projecting your estimated usage. <S> I bet it's in May. <S> If you have a smart meter that communicates via powerlines, then my theory is blown. <S> But you said your meter spins , and smart meters don't do that. <A> If it's actual use, I'd suspect a spring-time event (the running of the sump pump, particularly) rather than that someone steals power but only in May (or April, depending how your bills map to when the power was actually used.) <S> If there is a sump pump, and it normally does nothing, but runs a lot in the spring... <A> It depends on what your heating system is, and when the bill increase happens. <S> However, when it gets warm enough outside, it will switch over to the heat pump which is more efficient (from an energy-consumption standpoint), but shows up on your electric bill instead of your gas bill. <S> So, you are basically having a transfer of heating costs from your gas bill to your electric bill (your gas bill should go down in a commensurate fashion, assuming your electric and gas companies don't do estimated readings, as was noted earlier).
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If you have central forced-air heat pump with natural gas backup, it could be that over the winter your heating system is almost exclusively using the natural gas (which these days is much cheaper than electric).
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What could be a reason for RCCB triggering? I have RCCB/RCD with four circuit breakers at the entrance of my aparment (I am actually not quite sure how it is called in english, so here is RCCD and CB is ABB s231r with different max amps) Recently, I've been setting up electrical socket in the kitchen, so I turned off cb, that handling kitchen line and installed socket. During this process from time to time I've been double checking on line voltage (with N and with PE ) with multimeter (just in case) and couple of times during this process my RCCB triggered. What can cause this behaviour? As I know, RCCB only triggers when there are differential current in the circuit, so if every properly working circuit have some small amount of differential current by design, if I disable one of the lines with CB this differential current should decrease? <Q> An RCD (in any form) is always looking at the current going out vs the current coming back, which SHOULD be zero difference, so if they are different by the amount of your RCD (usually 10 to 30mA in your part of the world), the device trips. <A> Most circuit breakers only disconnect hot/phase. <S> They do not disconnect neutral. <S> The problem is, somewhere in your handling of the wires, you managed to touch neutral to safety earth. <S> Now, the electricity returning on neutralfrom other circuits has two paths: It can go back the normal way through the RCCB, or it can go via this circuit's neutral, to the safety earth wire, to the panel, and to the neutral-earth equipotential bond on the far side of the RCCB. <S> It flows on both paths at once, in proportion to their conductance (1/resistance). <S> That diverted enough current flow to imbalance the RCCB and trip it. <A> Is your RCD 1P or 1P+N? <S> The first only interrupts th live, the second both conductors. <S> If it's 1P you may have a residual current on the neutral leacking to PE making it to trip. <S> An easy fix could be replacing the RCD with a 2P model <S> Also are you on TT earthing or TN distribution? <S> If you're on TT your breakers must be at least 1P+N because neutral is considered "active" conductor, if you're on TN(-S) a connected neutral isn't that big issue.
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It might be that your type of meter is one that measures by looking at the potential difference by putting on a small load, so the act of trying to read voltages was a condition that the RCD interpreted as a short.
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Bathroom fan do I use 12-2/20a or 14-2/15a Hey guys I am hooking up my bathroom fan and wanted to get clarity on the electrical requirements. The fans requirements state: “Run 120V AC house wiring to the location of the fan”On the box is says 120V/60Hz My current 20a/12-2 will be to much power for this fan correct? Does the 120V mean it is expecting 15a/14-2? <Q> Your fan really only draws a few watts. <S> You need the wire size to match the circuit breaker if it is a 20 amp circuit breaker you must use 12 gauge wire. <S> 14 gauge is too small and can start a fire. <S> If it is a 15 amp circuit breaker it needs to be 14 gauge or larger (you can use a larger wire gauge than required). <S> The circuit breaker is protecting the circuit wiring. <S> The UL listing says it’s OK to use in the US. <S> On a 15 or 20 amp circuit. <A> For simple understanding, it's often helpful to think of electricity flowing through a wire as analogous to water flowing through a pipe. <S> Voltage is like pressure and amperage is like flow. <S> To accommodate more flow, you need a larger pipe but both a narrow pipe and a wide pipe can have the same pressure. <S> Regardless of whether you have a 14-gauge wire or a 12, the pressure (voltage) is the same. <S> The difference is the amount of flow (amperage) it can handle. <S> This is where the analogy breaks down a bit: <S> when you don't have a big enough wire to handle the flow (amperage), it gets hot, possibly really hot. <S> To prevent this from happening, we have circuit breakers. <S> They are designed to kill the power almost instantly in the event the flow exceeds the breaker rating. <S> A 14-gauge wire (in typical circumstances) can handle up to 15 amps so if there are any 14-gauge wires connected to a circuit, you need a 15A breaker (or amller). <S> You are completely fine to connect this to your 20A circuit <S> just don't add any wires to the circuit that are smaller than 12-gauge. <S> That is, don't connect any 14-gauge wires to the circuit. <A> A fan will typically use about 30-60 watts, which is about 1/4 - 1/2 of an amp. <S> So given your logic even a 15 amp circuit would be 30-60 TIMES the amount of power the fan uses. <S> Bottom line, you'll be fine putting it on a 20 amp circuit. <S> I just did this on my son's house, no issues
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For a 20A circuit, you need all 12-gauge wires (or bigger.)
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Bathroom lights went out, but breaker isn't tripped I just bought a house built in the late 90's. While upgrading some lights in the bathroom, I replaced a recessed can light with an LED version that uses an adapter for the bulb socket and simply fits over the can. The only wiring involved is a ground wire. After getting the new light setup, I tested it and it worked just fine, including when I had the ground wire hooked to the can. As I was pushing the cover onto the can, all the bathroom lights went out. This included the shower & toilet cubby next to it. I also found that the other 1.5 bathrooms also didn't have working lights anymore. Fortunately the wall sockets still worked. I find this strange, but evidently code allows bathroom lights to be all on the same circuit as long as the outlets are on a different circuit. I think I still want to separate them out, but that's a different topic for later, I think. I went to the breaker panel and tripped what I thought was the correct breakers, but I still didn't have lights. Then I flipped all the breakers to make sure I got the right one and still nothing. I ended up getting out my multimeter and taking the front panel off the box, then checking that the breakers were working correctly. They were, but still no lights. I've searched the whole house multiple times and there isn't any subpanel or anything else I can find with breakers in it, except for the dedicated breaker for the AC unit outside. I'm going to self-answer, since I finally figured it out accidentally. I'm writing this up so that other people might benefit from my weird solution. <Q> The first part of the problem is that yes, your lights are downstream of a GFCI. <S> Which is not usually required. <S> It may be that someone was in the mode of "I better put GFCI wherever I can and protect everything in the bathrooms, including the light ", or it could be that there is another receptacle (bathroom, garage, outside, kitchen) on the same circuit that actually needs GFCI protection. <S> The second part is right there in your question: As I was pushing the cover onto the can, all the bathroom lights went out. <S> You mentioned a ground wire, so this sounds like more than just a simple screw in bulb replacement. <S> But whether that new ground wire was involved or not, it sounds like you pinched or shorted a wire when putting the cover on the can. <S> That could easily cause a ground fault and trip the GFCI . <S> Then you took things out, double-checked everything, etc. <S> and when you put it all back together, everything was OK. <S> Except that you had to find the GFCI and reset. <S> Once you did that, all the lights worked. <A> I'd already tried testing a GFCI outlet in the bathroom to no effect, so I tested this one "just because". <S> It didn't feel as if it tripped, so I reset it and tested it again, which felt like it tripped as expected. <S> As I was going to walk away confused at another oddity of the house, I decided to try the bathroom lights for no other reason as "maybe it worked". <S> I don't know enough about housing code and electrical systems like this to know why this was done, if it's up to code, what the person installing this was thinking, or how I was supposed to find this when the lights went out, but there it is. <S> If I had anything in that closet, I wouldn't have found this GFCI. <S> I want to get rid of this situation and do some/significant rewiring, but that's a different topic, I think. <A> Probably because the person was dealing with legacy wiring that was not easy to change, so the deadfront in the closet was the least bad option. <S> I suspect the purpose of this GFCI is to protect receptacles in the bathroom that are on the same circuit. <S> (Note that circuits that serve bathroom receptacles aren't allowed to serve outlets in any other rooms, therefore the use of the deadfront instead of a GFCI recep, which is obviously just the same thing with sockets). <S> That inevitable socket has a Code violation <S> Any socket protected by GFCI must have a sticker saying "GFCI Protected". <S> It doesn't have to be the blue labels that went into the trash 5 minutes after the GFCI was installed. <S> You can use any sensible labeling method; I like white cover plates and P-touch/Brother labels. <S> While you're at it, you can add a second line of text, "Reset in hall closet" .
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Well, obviously the person went to a lot of trouble to put GFCI protection to the downline circuit, and obviously the lights were accidentally swept up in this. While getting ready to call an electrician to figure out what was wrong, and making a last desperate attempt to find a subpanel, I found a "dead front" GFCI in a closet next to one of the bathrooms. So, I reset it again. As it turns out, the lights turned on, as did the lights in the other bathrooms. Nobody cares about GFCI protecting lights .
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Does leaving the Central AC on all day and all night cause the motor to burn or compressor line to freeze up? I'm not suggesting doing this or whatever, I just want to know the answer. Let's say it is 80 deg F outside and I put the AC on 50 deg F. Obviously this will cause the AC to run all day, would this running all day cause the motor to burn or would the AC be fine? Would the Compressor lines freeze? Again this is a general, model agnostic, question. You can assume it's a good functioning unit with no obvious problems. <Q> With a properly functioning system no the motor will not burn up. <S> And the coils and line set may show some frost but would not freeze up. <S> If you leave the system running and there is a drastic temp drop things might ice up a little but the throttle valve will start restricting the flow of refrigerant so the compressor may start cycling , systems usually have a minimum off time so the cycling will not over heat the motor. <S> For systems with simple orifices the pressure switch turns off the compressor until time to start again. <S> Most all residential compressors have internal thermal overloads that stop the motor from operating if they get two hot. <A> Compressor motors are self-cooling and designed to work for extended periods. <S> Obviously more runtime means more wear, but there's no point at which it'll typically overheat or suffer other damage. <S> Refrigerant lines shouldn't freeze. <S> In theory enough heat is taken out in the exchanger that it never gets out of operating range. <S> Refrigerant stays liquid far below where it should ever be in use--around -150°F. <S> What can happen, though, is ice buildup. <S> If you actually cool the building to such low temps, relative humidity rises dramatically. <S> This leads to condensation and ice. <S> Eventually the heat exchanger becomes completely clogged and the system breaks down. <S> Then it runs without actually doing much, just wasting energy. <S> If the weather is warm outside you'd be hard-pressed to get that to happen, though. <A> It shouldn't. <S> When our previous house was for sale an incompetent house inspector set the thermostat to about 55 F. <S> We were not home <S> and it ran about 36 hours. <S> The outside temp was only in the low 70's so the thermostat had to be turned low to run . <S> The house was cold when we got home but otherwise no problem. <S> The incompetent part was about a water heater TP valve. <A> This often occurs when an a/c system is undersized. <S> It will run continuously and never cycle off because the system does not have the cooling capacity to reach a reasonable set point like 75 F. <S> This does not cause any problems except I think it can cause excessively dry air inside. <S> We have a 3.5 ton unit in a 2000 sq ft poorly insulated house. <S> On a very hot day with the set point at 75 F, the unit will come on at 11 am and not cycle off till 4 pm or later. <S> The unit has been in service for 29 years (orig compressor and air handler motor). <S> EDIT <S> The explanation of excessive drying of indoor air with an undersized a/c is that when the evaporator is cycled on it still removes nearly all the moisture from the air passing over it. <S> The claim is that an evaporator with more cooling capacity does not remove significantly more moisture than one with less cooling capacity while it is cycled on . <S> And since a properly sized evaporator will be cycled off a lot of the time, then the relative humidity in the house will be higher with a properly sized evaporator. <S> Some fancier units can control both temp and humidity. <S> I think they do this by regulating the cooling capacity of the evaporator which affects the relative duty cycle.
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This is yet another safety so no a properly operating hvac system will not burn up if left on all the time.
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Regrouting, what to do with screw holes We are going to regrout our shower tiles due to some cracks since the technical inspection said it was leaking into the wall which could cause water damage. We removed one soap holder and it seems that there has been leaking water behind it, it was a bit rusty and maybe even molded. Now there are two deep screw holes (see photo). Can we just fill them with grout as well or should it be a different filler? The wall behind is concrete. Do you recommend using a professional for this job or can we just do it ourselves? Worrying a bit for insurance if there is water damage later. <Q> I'd be inclined to either: fit another soap holder; remove the offending tiles and replace; fill the holes with grout, making sure it does more than plug the surface. <S> With idea 1, put silicone in the holes first, then the screw plug (deeper than the tile, please!) and screw holder on, with a touch of silicone to finish. <S> With idea 2, there's always a chance you can't get tiles to match, but if yiu can, it's the best option. <S> With idea 3, putting enough grout to seal the hole won't be difficult, but there will always be two blemishes on the tiles that won't go away. <A> I removed the worn out shower doors from the bathrooms in the older house we bought. <S> That left the holes in the tile. <S> I opted to fill them with caulk. <S> Since your tile is white <S> it's easy to match <S> and it would barely be noticable. <A> When you re-grout the stall, presumably you will use a mildew remover to get rid of the dark lines that may be left over after the old grout is removed. <S> While using the mildew remover, use a small brush to get the remover deep into the holes of the screws, yes you must have had some leakage there. <S> This must be absolutely clean of mildew and soap scum <S> /residue before grouting or the mildew will grow back out of the grout joints and the screw holes. <S> The soap scum will prevent the grout from sticking the way it needs to as well. <S> Rinse everything really well. <S> The little bit of water that will get through will be no different that the leaks before. <S> Since this is part of doing a thorough job, this will...hopefully be the last time it gets wet from leakage. <S> when wiping down, the grout will recess a tiny bit. <S> Let everything dry for 2 days, check to see if the screw holes are acceptable as they are. <S> If not CAREFULLY, fill and level with caulk. <S> Let dry. <S> If that is acceptable, seal everything with a silicone based tile and grout sealer.
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Grout everything, including the screw holes.
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Should loose underlayment nails be driven in or removed? When installing vinyl sheet you should not allow nails etc to be sticking out because these will show in the floor. When taking up the old floor you will often find nails are sticking out. How did this happen and if one was to hammer them in, wouldn't they come back out with time, in which case, isn't it better to remove and fill them up? <Q> Depends how thin the vinyl is. <S> They probably are proud due to wood shrinkage over time/humidity etc. <S> Removing them may not even be followed by filling holes - depends how wide they are. <S> Nails used for floorboarding are usually lost head, so hammering them level would be all that's needed. <A> If they worked their way out now (due to shrinkage in lumber, nails too short, deflection of joists, etc.) <S> they could work their way out again. <A> Are they ring shank nails? <S> If so you should be ok hitting them back in. <S> If not, I would remove and use deck screws to fasten the subfloor back down.
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If you wanted, you could remove the proud ones and fill, or drift them just below surface and fill, but with decent thickness vinyl there should be no need. I’d remove them, fill in the holes and re-nail or screw the underlayment down.
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How can I repair or remove my bathroom sink's tailpiece? I easily removed the S bend pipes, but the "last piece" actually in the sink is leaky. (I do not know what that piece is called.) Notice I've got it a bit loose .. close up .. close up underneath ... is there a special tool for this maybe? notice the last large image - that large plastic turnable collar/bolt - in fact, is my problem just that I have to turn that ? It's very hard to turn more, unclear if it can turn more. (If so I will get more purchase on it and do so, but maybe that's not the issue?) last image - notice the black flange-thing against the white sink, has a kind of notch to our left - is that relevant to my problem ?! notice the unit has the "stopper inside the drain". I hate those, so, I will ideally replace it with just an ordinary plain one, no stopper mechanism. (So, up top the silver pull handle behind the taps will just do nothing.) Is that OK, no pitfalls? If it works out, do you use a sealant?? or such putting the new piece in? Finally - I know every detail of how to, say, plaster a wall. But I always get a plasterer to plaster a wall! Is this one of those things where you really need someone who has done it 1000 times, to end up with a perfect seal? (The whole point here is it has a drip I can't beat.) Should I just get a plumber? Maybe I have H.U.A. and the drip is not related to this, I mean, perhaps replacing this piece is misguided in some way? <Q> The typical setup here is you have The top collar A rubber gasket or sealant (i.e. plumber's putty or silicone) <S> The sink holes <S> A rubber gasket <S> A compression collar <S> The rubber gasket can be a fiddly thing, where you need to seat and re-seat it to get a positive seal. <S> If you're having trouble with it (and based on the pictures I'd say that's likely) try coating it in petroleum jelly. <S> It should help if you have any odd spots in the sink hole that the rubber can't fill <A> you just continue unscrewing the large black retaining ring counter-clockwise. <S> Previous person may have tighten it with a wrench (channel lock pliers). <S> You have to unscrewed it a few turns. <S> Once loosen, the tailpipe will come off. <S> Use a wrench and remove the flat nut on bottom of the sink. <S> Once nut is completely removed, the drain pipe can be removed from the top. <A> It's called a tail piece and usually comes with the faucet. <S> The piece in back of it with the rod connected controls your stopper (which I don't see, has it gone missing?). <S> It could be leaking around the drain fitting in the sink. <S> The black nut with the ridges on it should turn separately from the tail piece allowing you to remove it if you wanted. <S> There may be a gasket there too that needs replacing. <S> All this comes with the caveat that I usually do electrical work, not plumbing! <S> Maybe others could improve on this answer.
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There is usually a rubber gasket that seals it but it may have gone bad.
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What is this fastener attaching electrical box to concrete wall and how do I remove it? I have a ranch house built in 1985 in Pennsylvania. The foundation is poured concrete. I want to replace one of the electrical boxes in the basement with a 2-gang. What is the white plastic fastener seen in the photo (there are two). There is a shallow slot across the top of the metal pin in the center, but it doesn't appear to be deep enough to be a screw. Should I try to unscrew it? Or just pry the box loose? <Q> I call them "pin anchors" but I think they have a longer actual name like "mushroom head drive anchors". <S> Just unscrew then pry out. <A> https://www.confast.com/product-1-4-x-2-nylon-nail-it-round-head/ <S> Sometimes you can successfully rotate and remove the pin, but a flat claw hammer will normally take them out pretty quickly. <S> If installing a new box in the old holes you can use a more permanent replacement version that are often called "lead anchors", even though they aren't made from lead any longer. <S> https://www.homedepot.com/p/Red-Head-1-4-in-x-1-in-Hammer-Set-Nail-Drive-Concrete-Anchors-25-Pack-35200/100129334 <S> When installing these anchors often times the hole in the electrical boxes is a bit to small for the anchor to slide through, you can usually slide a good quality nut driver or deep socket over the pin and gently persuade the anchor through the hole with a hammer. <A> They are called nylon nail-its. <S> Drill 3/16" or 1/4" hole, push them in then hammer them down till snug. <S> Just take a narrow-tipped flat screw driver and back them out. <S> No big deal.
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The anchor is set by driving with a hammer, but can be "un-set" by unscrewing the pin because it has a twist thread on it. It's just a plastic wall plug, sometimes called an expansion anchor or by various brands names.
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Lift for storing stuff above my fridge I want to lift stuff (chairs or a baby stroller) and store them above my fridge. I was thinking about installing some floor to ceiling rod and somehow connect a winch to pull some platform up and down.The thing is that I need this system to have 2 axis, since once the platform with goods reaches its max height I need to push it back. Any ideas? Thanks <Q> Buy a folding step-stool. <S> they fold flat (about 2 inches thick) so can be stored in many convenient places, and then can be opened and closed with one hand (which is convenient if your other hand is full) <A> It should be able to hold 40lbs. <S> This way the rod will do the heavy lifting. <S> What do you think? – <S> chegov 2 hours ago <S> Here is what I think: You mentioned stowing multiple items up there. <S> If 40lbs is the max any one item would be less than that, say 15 pounds or so in order to leave a safety margin. <S> I suggest that for lifting up the 15 pound items that a hoist, cable system, platform with linear actuator etc are far far overkill. <S> You will save yourself a ton of money and avoid installing a butt ugly contraption in your kitchen. <S> Even if you did some how manage to create your contraption you would still need a stool or ladder to get up there to slide the items onto/off of the platform. <S> Picture Source <A> I would make a ramp that sits on the top edge of the cupboard, then all you have to do is slide the stuff up.
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I was thinking about attaching a threaded rod to the wall and connect a platform to a linear actuator sliding on the rod. You really should consider the folding step stool as suggested by Jasen or even a full fledged step ladder instead of the scheme that you seem set on. All that stuff about winches etc sounds bulky, ugly and expensive. Unless these items are ones that would be very seldom used there is a strong bet on the fact that you or others in your household would quickly get very tired of the inconvenience and time needed to deploy the contraption that you may very well stop using it.
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How many 240V wires per hole in studs? Background: New construction, 2x6 load bearing wall that will contain insulation, installing individual cooktop modules in the kitchen and the run from the breaker box is 40'. There are 4 cooktop modules (these are Miele combisets if you are curious what I mean by cooktop modules) each requiring 240V and a 15A circuit. I am a little confused by 334.80 and 310.15 of NEC code. My County does not impose additional requirements other than the NEC. My plan: I would like to run (4) 14/2 cables from the breaker box to the cooktop destination using the neutral wire as a second hot wire (black-striping them at the ends). Question: what is the correct way to route the cables from the breaker box to the cooktop(s)? All 4 in 1-inch stud holes? Two cables each in two 3/4" stud holes? Each cable in its own 1/2" stud hole throughout the 2x6 studs? Also, given that these cables will be carrying 240v, if I combine cables in stud holes, will they be derated and would it be smart to switch to using 12/2 wire instead of the 14/2? <Q> You're in the clear, as described For 310.15(B)(3)(a), this boils down to a very simple rule for circuits <S> 15-30 amps: <S> No more than four . <S> * <S> So you're G2G for any of your plans. <S> You could even run all 4 of these in conduit (as individual wires please... <S> **) <S> Also look to see if the instructions allow 2 cooktops on a 30A circuit. <S> However... plan for the future <S> You have the walls open and easy access. <S> Now is the time for provision for the future. <S> And this is expensive, high-end stuff, <S> so I don't want to hear about chintzing out :) <S> Do it right, now. <S> Between ranges and ovens, ONE of your cables needs to be ready for 50A <S> w/ neutral -- so a 6/3 cable. <S> And another of your cables needs <S> be 30A-ready -- <S> so a 10/3 or 10/2 cable; I recommend 10/3 because it makes you more stupid-proof. <S> Why? <S> Because that makes you ready for a future installation of more pedestrian fare: either a 50A range+oven, or separate range and oven of 30A each. <S> You really don't want to be 10 years down the road, modernizing to a different setup, and discover the only thing in the walls is a bunch of #14. <S> Different deal in conduit. <S> With conduit it is very easy to change wires, so just go ahead and pull #14. <S> You can easily swap it out for different wires later. <S> 1/2" conduit should suffice. <S> (since you can use #8 for 50A). <S> * Why? <S> First, in split-phase (not 3-phase), all circuits have exactly 2 conductors that matter to the 310.15(B)(3)(a). <S> Four circuits means 8 conductors means a 30% derate. <S> This derate is off the 90C column for NM-B and UF-B and most other wires . <S> Separate to that, NEC 240.4(B) <S> already has statutory limits on #14-#10 wires, and those limits amount to 30%-ish derate. <S> off the 90C numbers. <S> ** And the way you color-code four 240V circuit in conduit is circuit 1: <S> Black x2.... <S> circuit 2: brown x2... <S> Circuit 3: red x2... <S> Circuit 4: blue x2. <S> Or whatever. <S> It's perfectly fine for both hots to be the same color. <A> I would run a conduit instead of a bank of cables here While your plan is OK as far as the derate rules go, as with 14-10AWG, you can go up to 9 current-carrying conductors before the derates start to become an issue, I would not do it this way. <S> Inside this ENT, you can simply run 9 14AWG THHNs (2 each of 4 different "hot" colors for the 240V circuits, and a green 14AWG ground) to a large box (such as a deep 120mm (aka "5S") square box) mounted somewhere convenient, then distribute out to the individual cooktop modules with 14/2 NM cables. <S> If this is in an island, I would run two 3/4" ENTs to the island, even; the other ENT can then be used for the island's general receptacle circuits. <A> Not sure what exactly what issue you are having? <S> NM-b is 90°C wire, <S> #14 90° is good for 25A, 70% of 25A is 17.5A. <S> Would I run all 4 cables through a single hole? <S> Probably not. <S> Wouldn't be any fun or save any time or effort trying to keep it tidy, and I would expect that one of the cables might get twisted out of order and increase the possibility of insulation damage. <S> Cables tend to have more friction than the wood, so all those cables get difficult to slide. <S> Attracts unnecessary attention from Inspectors. <S> I guess you could argue that you think that one 1" hole is easier to drill than two 3/4", but even that is an unresolvable debate since it is opinion. <A> Subpanel <S> You can just as easily, and almost as cheaply (just the difference between 14 and 12 wire) have them ready for 20A each. <S> But this is an unusual setup. <S> Most people don't have 4 separate cooktop modules. <S> They have either a combination oven/cooktop or a separate cooktop and oven. <S> Depending on the types (excluding gas, of course, but I assume that isn't an option or you would likely be doing that now), those are typically 30A to 50A each. <S> Code, as cited by Harper, requires you to have the big circuits available in a kitchen anyway. <S> Put in a subpanel, minimum 60A. 60A is enough for your current (pun intended, of course) 4 cooktop modules all going at once. <S> It will cost more for cable (6 AWG minimum, hot/hot/neutral/ground) but you only have to run one of them. <S> Don't get too <S> small - extra spaces are always good and since your walls are open, you can wire up extra circuits for countertop receptacles and other built-in appliances using the same subpanel, which will save you on more of those 40' runs back to the main panel. <S> Depending on how many circuits you add, you may want to upsize the cable and the main panel breaker serving the panel (the subpanel doesn't need a main breaker but can have one as long as it is >= the main panel breaker feeding it) to increase capacity. <S> And the usual requirements that the experts are always listing here apply: <S> torque everything appropriately, separate grounds & neutrals, etc.
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It is also enough for pretty much any other typical combination of ovens & cooktops. Running a 3/4" ENT ("smurf tube") instead of the bundle of cables provides far more flexibility for the next installer, who may wish a range or a conventional cooktop instead of the multi-module arrangement you describe. This is especially useful if you are doing slab-on-grade construction, where having to chisel cables out that are directly buried in concrete is a major barrier to any sort of upgrade down the road. Right now you are running 4 circuits with 15A each. The subpanel will cost some money, but a small panel doesn't cost much. Keep in mind that the subpanel needs to be accessible, which determines height min/max and that it can't be blocked by stuff.
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Turn off hot water without hot water valve I have a leaky pipe on the hot water side that I'd like to fix. Following the pipes back to the water heater, I don't think there's a shutoff valve installed anywhere in the line, not even at the water heater outlet. At least, not one that is obvious for me to identify. How inconvenient! I definitely have a shutoff valve on the cold supply inlet. What is the correct way to "turn off" the hot water so I'm not swimming when I disconnect the leaky pipe? The water heater is in the basement and the pipes in question are a few feet higher than the water heater. <Q> My approach would be to turn off the water heater and the cold supply. <S> Then open a hot tap below, or as close to the area of the leak, to drain the hot pipe. <S> Then be prepared to catch the remaining water when you cut the pipe around the leak. <S> Supplement:One can get “ice clamps” that can be used to isolate either side of the leak but can be fun if the water pressure pushes the ice plug out... <A> Must meet the correct requirements like temperature, pipe type, drinking water compatibility. <S> A drainage could be avoided , and thus the danger of destroying old valves by closing and opening them the first time after decades. <S> If it is an old standard valve that is already leaky, the stem (compression) sealing package could be the cause. <S> A simple tightening of the pressure nut may help. <S> The thermal insulation (re-) applied afterwards should have the same thickness all over the pipe - <S> that way this clamp location could be easily identified. <S> And the cause for the leak should be identified. <S> With metal pipes, the rule is from less noble to more noble in flow direction. <S> F.e. <S> the sequence copper - steel - copper could produce corrosion pits . <S> Copper can only be used if the water meets the requirements for copper (ion types and quantity, acidity). <A> I had this with a previous house. <S> I've also had a house where in spite of having a hot water shut-off, the valve was leaky and was mainly only useful for damage limitation. <S> This will be time-consuming with the heater in the basement, of course. <S> Drain the pipes at ground level first, as best you can. <S> Start by opening all taps/faucets. <S> After that, if there is a suitable drain valve and hose connector then use that to drain down the remainder of the contents of above-ground pipes. <S> Finally you'll have to drain the pipes in the basement into buckets. <S> If you have a suitable pump then you may be able to just drain into a bucket and have it pumped out for you. <S> (Since this is likely to happen again in future, I suggest investing in a pump would be a very good idea.) <S> If not, you'll just have to get several buckets and bucket-brigade the water out of the basement. <S> If you can guarantee to have the fix completed quickly, then a pipe freezing kit (such as <S> this one for example) can shut off water in a pipe temporarily by creating a frozen "plug". <S> These kits are great for professionals who can get the job done rapidly and have all the right tools and parts to hand. <S> As a DIYer though, you can usually expect jobs to take longer than you expected. <S> I would 100% recommend <S> not using a pipe freezer for any repairs you'll be doing, because there is an extremely high risk of the pipe unfreezing while you're working and filling your basement with a couple of inches of water! <S> Do it the safe way instead, and drain the system down. <S> It's much better to regret a bit of time and some aching muscles than to regret Katrina-style flood damage.
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Another simple and easy approach might be a repair clamp , search term " repair clamps for pipe leaks". The solution is pretty simple - turn off the cold water inlet and drain down the entire system, hot and cold.
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