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Should I keep this surge suppressor in my main load center? I found this curious item in my main load center (circuit breaker box), marked "SQUARE D COMPANY / SECONDARY SURGE ARRESTER / J9200-10". It has been there for at least 20 years, attached to the ground/neutral bar and the load side of the main breakers, and dangling free inside the load center. At Schneider's site (apparently bought Square D), "the J9200-10 was a 175Vac to neutral/ground maximum, single-phase arrestor". So I assume it was installed in my panel with the intention of offering whole-house surge protection. Questions: Should I keep it installed ? Should I replace it, since it's so old, that is, do surge arrestors "wear out" ? Not visible in this image, but it has a round threaded protrusion and locknut, obviously meant to be installed in a 1/2" knockout. Seems like the body of the thing is meant to be on the outside of an enclosure (as opposed to the inside), since loose wires come out the other side. Perhaps it was simply left dangling inside the box due to laziness. Should I install it in a knockout (of the load center) ? I imagine this is a metal-oxide varistor (MOV) and these things dissipate surges as heat, which gives me pause in having it outside any enclosure. If I install it in a knockout (with the body outside), the wires will not reach. Is it ok to extend them with soldered THWN and heat-shrink insulation ? I prefer to avoid the clutter of 3 add'l wire nuts. I believe solder is considered satisfactory electrically, but not mechanically; but since the solder joint and both ends of wire are within the same enclosure, I don't think the mechanical thing is of concern. Here is the backside of it. <Q> They are intended to be mounted outside the box... <S> You are correct that they are intended to be mounted to a KO (usually on the breaker box), instead of being left inside, all flop-a-dop, as yours was. <S> (All MOV-based suppressors have a finite life; a MOV that's seen too much will break down under normal mains voltage, which on good suppressors will cause a thermal fuse to blow and take it out of the picture.) <S> ...and not double-tapped either <S> While you're in there, you'll want to clean up the "double tap" on your main breaker's lugs and move the surge suppressor wiring to its own two-pole breaker of an appropriate ampere rating, or use wirenuts and appropriate-gauge pigtails to add it to an existing 240V circuit of a suitable ampere rating. <S> Note that Siemens breakers (unlike Square-D QO and HOM and Eaton CH) are <S> not rated for two wires under a branch breaker lug, by the way. <A> Attached to the load side of the main breakers <S> How? <S> A special mini-lug just for the purpose? <S> It sounds like it was double tapped on lugs not made for that. <S> That is a common problem with how people install these things. <S> Instructions usually say to put them on a breaker. <S> That makes physical installation make more sense. <S> You can double tap some branch circuit breakers. <A> That needs to be enclosed, modern ones have LED’s to show when they blow. <S> If there are any dark areas on the case I would replace it they don’t really wear out but when a large spike hits they dump the spike to ground when they take two large of a hit they overheat and many times burn up, <S> So if there are dark areas replace. <S> If you live in an area with clean power it may be ok. <A> This is a modern one. <S> I imagine the threaded connector is similar? <S> https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00VWGY3YK/ref=pe_2602560_258877390_em_1p_0_ti <S> I'd probably replace the one you have with the CHSPT2MAX so that you have the lifetime warranty on anything that blows. <S> Some competitors only had the warranty for a number of years - you could look into the square D device warranty but since they were acquired I wonder even if the warranty would still be valid. <S> The Eaton Cutler Hammer CHSPT2MAX Surge Trap warranties $50,000 for lifetime limited (on both the product and anything connected to the protected panel) which handles 72k Amps. <S> I have one installed where the wires from the panel enter a square junction box that is located above the device and the threaded connector uses a knockout in the junction box. <S> I'd probably opt for a similar setup so you can replace it in the event it fails without having to mess with the panel.
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You can use this unit still, although you will probably want to leave some space around it, as its further lifespan is unknown.
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Can I increase the ceiling height in my mobile home? In the main living area of my 1990s single-wide mobile home (living room, kitchen, dining area), the ceiling is 8' with a decline from the center that brings it down to 7', which is the height of the ceiling in every other room. Even if only in my bedroom, and even if only partially, I'd love to expand the height of the ceiling. Please forgive my obvious ignorance here...although I'm relatively new in the DIY space, I'm serious about it and am a quick learner. To be clear, I'm not asking about modifying my home structurally to increase the area inside. Instead, I'm wondering about the possibility of "reclaiming" some of the space, primarily in my bedroom, between the existing ceiling and roof by simply moving the ceiling up, even if only by 6". There are no obvious existing structural barriers for this, but what is to consider in assessing the practicality of such a thing? Also, I'm not in a park, and I own both the home and the land. Thanks in advance for your time! <Q> No. <S> Your roof is built to minimal height standards for cost, insulation, travel height, wind handling, etc. <S> You basically have ceiling joists, a relatively small space for insulation, and the roof. <S> There's no extra height available there. <S> Here's a short list of things that need to happen to raise the roof in part or all of your home: <S> Roof demolition Wall framing Roof framing Plumbing vent extension (if present) <S> Utility vent/flue extension (if present) <S> Roofing repair (shingles or membrane, edge flashing, penetration flashing) <S> Electrical wiring extension/reconfiguration Wall and roof insulation & vapor barrier <S> Exterior siding & soffit <S> Drywall hanging and taping Wall and ceiling texture and painting Building permits Inspections <S> Whether this project is appropriate for you is entirely a matter of prerogative, budget and legality and not ours to say. <S> One other consideration is that mobile homes tend to be subject to wind damage (tipover). <S> Raising the height of yours exacerbates that problem. <A> Much depends on your situation (park lot rental .vs. <S> own land, very different) <S> but I will guarantee that building an add-on room with more height (and more space, yay!) would be far less trouble and expense than trying to "raise the roof" on a mobile home. <S> If you don't own the land that's not remotely practical. <S> Otherwise, flip the bedroom and the living room functions. <S> Or pull up a flatbed trailer and build a "tiny house" on that with the headroom you want for your bedroom, and either or both parts can be towed away to a new site as needed. <A> Of course you can raise the roof. <S> Given unlimited budget you can raise the roof, install marble floors, and have a fireplace on each end. <S> Is raising the roof on a mobile home a good idea? <S> F@@k no. <S> Honestly it is a good thought. <S> I grew up part of my life in a mobile home and grandmother owned a mobile park. <S> I get the ceiling issue. <S> But most of these (all almost)have specific weldings for the roof load. <S> But these "beams" also give lateral support to the walls - these are enclosed units. <S> Example <S> - On older homes not taken care of they may develop rust. <S> If the rust hits the support beams/crosses we would have to weld a new piece of metal - usually outside. <S> The detachment due to rust would cause the home to become "wavy" and move when walking. <S> Eventually the movement causes other supports to wear and welds/screws/bolts to loosen and home is done. <S> (newer mobile homes have the same issues but hide these joints better which make them look better but also harder to repair) <S> Isherwood has a list of things. <S> What it is not explaining well is the lateral load the roof is holding. <S> This means to add height you will have to attach that to something - which means creating all new walls along the perimeter or some really expensive metal beams (plus welding). <S> So to summarize you are basically building a house inside your mobile home - so why not just build a house? <A> I lived in a mobile home for 4 years in the 1970s. <S> Based on this I think you should not attempt to raise the roof in a 7 ft section. <S> The original structural integrity would be called into question.
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You will need to raise the upper roof surface to make room for livable space below. The structure is already "just barely adequate" and modifying it is a huge undertaking for minimal benefit. If you own the land you are on, it can be quite practical to build enough real house (a piece you can afford at a time) that you can eventually sell the mobile part and have it towed away. You would probably reduce the resale value.
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How to wire a 2 bulb ceiling light to two different circuit breakers We live in a 2 unit townhouse that had a flush mount ceiling light in the shared hallway. Each bulb was controlled by a switch in each flat. When we turned on our light switch one bulb lit up, when the other flat turned on their switch on the other bulb lit up. If both switches are on both bulbs lit up. Each flat has their own breaker box and each bulb was wired to their respective switch and breaker box. When our ex-tenant was here they took it upon themselves to change the fixture and now nothing works. We would like to know what type of light to buy and how to wire it to get the same results we originally had. <Q> Any fixture with separate leads for each bulb socket exposed in the housing should do. <S> In many cases they pairs of leads are connected together in such a way that you can clip off the ends to separate the wires. <S> While such modification may void warranties and UL listing, it's not inherently unsafe. <A> This is a really strange configuration. <S> A better way would have been to have two separate fixture <S> but I'll y to address just returning it to the way it was. <S> You'll need a two bulb fixture with each bulb in it's own socket and individually wired. <S> Then turn off both breakers to the fixture and determine which two wires from each unit control the the light. <S> It could be a white wire and a red wire from each unit or maybe a different color than red, if in the USA. <S> Connect the colored wire and the white wire from one unit to the colored and white wire from one of the sockets in the fixture. <S> Do the same for the other unit and other socket. <S> Connect any ground wires and mount the fixture. <S> Add the bulbs and turn on the breakers. <A> You just need a 2-lamp fixture which provides separate neutral wires for each lamp. <S> Many fixtures provide only one hot and one neutral, and internally split it to the 2 lights. <S> A few fixtures provide only one neutral as above, but give you 2 separate hot wires - <S> that’s so you can have dim/bright control. <S> You don’t want that either. <S> You mustn’t use that, no matter how tempting it is! <S> That is the one you want . <A> Right now, the arrangement you have with the common-area fixture "split in half" and fed from breakers in both tenant panels is a violation of NEC 210.25(B): <S> (B) <S> Common Area Branch Circuits. <S> Branch circuits installedfor the purpose of lighting, central alarm, signal, communications, or other purposes for public or common areas of a two-family dwelling, a multifamily dwelling, or a multi-occupancybuilding shall not be supplied from equipment that supplies anindividual dwelling unit or tenant space. <S> So, you'll need to fix the underlying problem that your building has, namely that there is no electric meter or service disconnect devoted to the common area circuits, in order to have a Code-compliant light fixture in the common area.
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Some fixtures provide a separate hot and neutral wire for each light bulb socket, so 2 blacks and 2 whites. You'll need to do more than mess with the fixture to fix this situation properly You don’t want that.
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GFCI Breaker - Good or Bad? I have a GFCI circuit (GFCI breaker in the breaker box). If I attempt to test this circuit by plugging in my GFI Tester into a standard outlet that is on this GFCI circuit, the GFI Tester lights illuminates showing the proper wiring, however, it does not trip the GFI breaker in the breaker box if I press the test button on the GFCI Tester. If I press the test button on the GFCI Breaker, it does kill the power to the outlets on that circuit. So, my question is, what should happen at the breaker box on this circuit when I press the GFI test button on the GFCI Tester? I thought it should trip the breaker or cause the test button at the GFCI breaker to trip but it doesn't. Does this mean that a device plugged into the receptacle is Not protected or is it still protected even though the breaker doesn't trip? I have noticed that on another circuit that has a GFCI Receptacle (but not a GFCI Breaker), that if I plug in the GFCI Tester in either that receptacle or one beyond the GFCI Receptable and press the Test button on the GFCI Tester that it trips the GFCI test switch in the GFCI Receptacle. <Q> It depends on the grounding setup. <S> The pocket tester creates a GFCI fault by using the ground wire. <S> If ground isn’t wired properly, weird stuff happens. <S> If ground is present and wired correctly: the tester will light 2 yellow lights <S> the GFCI will trip If ground is absent, and wired correctly (for ground being absent): <S> The tester will light 1 yellow light <S> the tester will light 2 yellow lights <S> The GFCI will not trip <S> So it sounds like your tester is indicating that some son-of-a-Be-Nice-Policy decided to “bootleg” ground on those receptacles, specifically to fool an inspector running around with a tester. <S> Bootleg grounds are dangerous setups, and they are more dangerous with GFCI because the GFCI hides their hazard. <S> If you get between “hot” on that circuit and “bootleg ground” on that circuit, the GFCI will not protect you. <A> You have a receptacle with no ground or I believe that to be the case. <S> The GFCI breaker doesn’t use or need the ground <S> the test circuit creates an imbalance in the hot / neutral and the circuit trips so your breaker is good. <S> I believe your ground is open and on the plug in testers a resistor is connected hot to ground this creates an imbalance but an open ground it won’t trip. <S> Since your tester works on another circuit the open ground is all that can be wrong. <A> Assuming that the tester is showing a good ground (good ground light is on), you may have a bootleg ground on the outlet. <S> That is, the outlet ground is connected to neutral, not ground. <S> The tester tries to trip the GFCI by connecting hot to ground through a resistor. <S> In this case, because the resistor connects to neutral instead of ground, the GFCI cannot detect it. <S> The bootleg ground is dangerous because if the neutral wire were to fail, the ground pin would become energized through the device plugged in. <S> If there is no actual ground in the switch box, you should disconnect the ground pin and label the outlet “protected by GFCI”. <A> The breaker panel GFCI is most likely only sensitive to a bigger current then 5mA, since the capacitive current between long wires could already create some mA imbalance current without any device plugged into the protected outlets. <S> In many countries, breaker panel GFCIs are of the type <S> 30mA. <S> A GFCI tester made for outlet GFCIs would only produce 5mA, which would trip an outlet GFCI, but not a panel GFCI. <S> A panel GFCI with a threshold of only 5mA would most likely cause many trippings, since some mA can easily flow through earth via plugged-in devices with huge grounded metal cases, especially in high humidity locations, thus creating an imbalance in the GFCI.
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Besides wrong wiring, i.e. a connection between Neutral and Ground downstream of the panel GFCI, there is some likelihood for another reason, as already mentioned in an comment above: The GFCI tester creates a too small imbalance current. The GFCI will not trip If ground is illegally BOOTLEGGED to the outlet:
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Are electrical screws a standard diameter? I've just had to reset the thermal cutout of my immersion heater. Whilst removing the cover, I've stupidly dropped the nut somewhere behind the tank. Fishing around with a magnet has pulled up all sorts of metal objects, but unfortunately not the nut. The long threaded screw/bolt in the above picture goes through the hole in the cap. The nut then secures the cap in place. Will this screw (or threaded bolt, I suppose) normally be a standard size? If I were to try and buy a replacement, what should I be searching for? Or will I have to get hold of some calipers and measure the darn thing? <Q> There's no reason it would not be a locally standard size (given a British location based on the label, presumably metric or pre-metric British Standard threading) <S> so some basic measurements (no calipers required, if you are willing to use a ruler carefully and buy 2 or 3 nuts, one of which will be the right one) and a trip to the hardware store should find a nut to fit. <S> You might also try putting fine net mesh over a vacuum cleaner inlet and vacuuming for the nut, first. <A> Dab a light coating of any oil on the outermost cm of the screw. <S> It doesn't need to be hexagonal. <S> When the epoxy hardens, unscrew it from the screw. <S> Replace the cover and install your epoxy nut. <A> Standard screws for fixing faceplates etc is M3.5. <S> tbh that could be anything - but looking at it <S> I'd guess M5? <S> If you've an engineering supplies place near you <S> then you'll get a handfull of nuts for under £1, screwfix tend not to be any good for 1 or 2 item
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Mix up a very small quantity of epoxy putty and form it into a nut-like ring on the oily threads near the end of the screw.
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What to do with the neutral in a 240V 2-pole hot tub disconnect? I'm planning a hot tub installation (nothing built yet). The current plan is: 50A 240V 2 pole GFCI breaker indoors (added to existing 100A subpanel) 4-wire from subpanel to exterior disconnect (2 hots, neutral, ground) 4-wire from exterior disconnect to hot tub I prefer the GFCI indoors to keep it out of the weather. That way the exposed disconnect is relatively inexpensive if it ever needs replacement. I might not actually need a 4-wire (TBD) but it seems silly not to just have it and future-proof. Most if not all disconnects I can find (either for "spas" or air conditioners) are 2-pole. So the question is: what to do with the neutral wire at the disconnect ? Does it need to be switched also, ie is a 3-pole disconnect required? Even if not required, is there any benefit of switching the neutral anyway? If not, how to connect the two neutral wires within the disconnect enclosure? Wire nuts? Bus bar? (Maybe if THWN is used it could just be continuous.) Location: USA I should add that I've looked at some PDFs of a few disconnects (when they are even available) and haven't seen this detail addressed. Maybe printed instructions would cover it but I didn't want to purchase anything before having a full plan. <Q> You never switch the neutral, well, "never" is a strong word, sometimes some special generator installations switch the neutral, but almost never should you switch the neutral, just the 2 hots. <S> I like your idea of putting the GFCI inside to protect it. <S> To connect the neutral, there is usually a small bussbar you can land those on. <S> If your new hot tub doesn't require a neutral, just cap it off in the disconnect. <S> Your idea about just passing the neutral thru the disconnect unbroken works too. <S> You got this! <A> Keeping the GFCI indoors will cut the cost of a GFCI disconnect but be prepared to shell out some bucks for indoor GFCI.It's a great idea to still run the neutral, you never know when you might want to change out that cheap disconnect with a little subpanel (think about it). <S> You would just cap the neutral in your disconnect box with a wire nut and leave it disconnected in the main panel. <S> There is no need to switch it and no advantage. <S> You ask about connecting two neutrals in the disconnect box. <S> I'm assuming you mean grounds since you've already stated you don't need the neutral. <S> The grounds should be connected to a grounding bar in the disconnect which would also ground the box. <S> If you meant connecting neutrals in the bos in the event you ran them, wire nuts would be the way. <S> Plain disconnect switches usually don't have a neutral lug. <S> If you used a GFCI disconnect then that would probably have a neutral bar that you would attach to. <A> Neutral should not be switched. <S> 50A is not a small amount, though, so I'd shy away from wire nuts, as you should be using a 6 awg wire. <S> Putting two of those into a wire nut requires a special wire nut. <S> At this size you should instead consider a split bolt connector. <S> Another option would be polaris connectors , which don't require the effort needed to properly insulate a split bolt. <S> Wire nuts, split bolts, and polaris connectors are less convenient than a neutral bar. <S> You don't have to worry about whether you've tightened and secured the wire nut enough, insulate the split bolt, or take up as much space as all three options. <S> For split bolts, make sure you understand how to insulate it properly - it often requires several layers of two or more different coverings to do properly. <S> Also please be aware that ground and neutral should be separate at this point. <S> If you place a neutral bar in there you might be tempted to make it look like the main breaker box, and connect both neutral and ground to the bar. <S> This will interfere with the GFCI operation. <S> Some neutral bars are not insulated, so even if the ground isn't connected directly to the neutral bar, they might be connected due to the way the neutral bar is attached to the metal (grounded) disconnect box. <A> Cap it off at the disconnect Hot tubs, by and large, are single-voltage, 208/240V loads, connecting to two hots and a ground. <S> As a result, you'll want to simply cap off (insulate) <S> the neutral at the local disconnect using a wirenut of the correct size. <S> There's no sense in bringing it further, nor do you need to provision a pole for switching it, so a bog-standard two-pole air-conditioner pullout disconnect works.
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Ideally the disconnect box supports a neutral bar, but if not a suitable wire nut or any other code compliant wire connection method for in-box connections is suitable. If you use a a neutral bar make sure it is insulated from the box and ground.
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Is this cord bend ok on electric range? Will this be okay for a 40 amp range? The box was set a little too low. I wasn't sure if they bend what cause any issues. <Q> I'm not certain what guage that wire is but many manufacturers will cite a minimum bend radius. <S> I suspect that wire has a minimum bend radius between 1 and 2 inches. <S> You can achieve that most easily by just rotating the receptacle. <S> The wire will tail upwards, which will look strange, but it will be behind the range so as long as you can maintain the clearance required, you'll be fine. <A> I can't comment on the correctness of the bend radius, but if you're concerned its too tight, this might help: <S> I searched around a bit and found this Eaton 5745N which I think would fit as a replacement plug in your situation: <S> (Image borrowed from Amazon) <S> It seems to be available from various online and big-box outlets. <S> As @FreeMan comments - make sure there is enough of clearance behind the range such that the cable doesn't get overly bent by the back of the range as it it is put back in place. <A> Depending on regs where you are, the whole lead may need changing for one with a moulded plug as described. <S> 40 Amps out of a plug top?? <S> Not with 220v... <S> Another solution might be to dig out whatever is impeding the wire - so there is some room under, where the wire is jammed.
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That's obviously a moulded plug, but if there's room between the socket and whatever's in front of it, that plug could be changed for one which lets the wire come out of it perpendicularly. It may or may not be code compliance wherever you are in the world.
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Door, space separator options with limited frame space? I want to separate a big room into a working room and open kitchen space. The problem in separating the space is to find proper door -- the problem is that it is very hard to get a door frame to a frame of window and balcony door: The window-door frame is about 7-9cm and limited by the valve of water-based heater. Consider also this option where finding door mechanisms would be even more important: where you may want to use consistent style and mechanisms in both doors, not two separate door designs like the picture. What are options to separate a space with limited frame space? <Q> I'm still not 100% clear, however, I can think of 3 options: <S> Make both doors pocket doors. <S> These slide into the wall and are, therefore, quite narrow. <S> Where the door butts up against the "PARVEKE" wall, it would only be 1" - 1 1/2" wide (~25 <S> -37 mm) and should fit against the trim between the existing window and door in that wall. <S> You would, in effect, be using the "PARVEKE" wall as the right side of the door's frame instead of using that part of the frame. <S> This would take some careful work to ensure that the door's top track/frame is accurately attached to that wall so the door can slide properly. <S> The door would open into the wall to the left (from the point of view of the drawing) and close to the right against the window/door trim. <S> You might need to adjust/replace the existing trim so that it's a flat surface for the door to close against if you need a good, tight closure. <S> i.e. if you have some sort of curved surfaces on the trim now, the door may not fit well against it. <S> A matching pocket-door (opening whichever direction is most convenient/aesthetically pleasing) at the other location <S> is an easy install. <S> Make both doors barn doors. <S> They take up minimal floor space. <S> It's possible that the door that meets the "PARVEKE" wall will butt up against the trim (you'd want it to be on the window side, not the door side) and that may not be optimal, but you would still be able to operate the window. <S> Install a matching door at the other location. <S> Offset the "PARVEKE" wall door further to the left. <S> This will take the most work. <S> Build a short stub wall dividing "MH" and "OH" and have this meet the "PARVEKE" wall, replacing the trim between them with a wall at a 90° angle. <S> You now have the exact same wall condition for this door as you do for the one to the left <S> and you can use any door you choose in any width you desire without worrying about running into the trim between window and door (since that trim no longer exists). <S> A fourth option: Drop the door at the "PARVEKE" wall and go with only the door on the left. <A> This answer summarizes all potential options: pivot door sliding door internal door with thin/slim physical dimensions particularly for the frame curtain <S> some Japanese door design pocket door <S> Hanging bead curtain Accordion folding wall/door <S> (very common for dividing large spaces) ... <A> Option 4 Answer here and its fourth option visualisation with DreamPlan software: There has to be 1.3 metre circular working space in front of the kitchen: <S> View from the main door: <S> Option 3 <S> Versus its third option with OFFSET.There <S> has to be 1.3 metre circular working space in front of the kitchen: <S> View from the main door: <S> Discussion <S> Also in option 4, the door is closer to the main door <S> so the shorter distance from the main door to MH2, which is a good thing. <S> Visualisation DreamPlan: 5.28. <S> OS: <S> OS X Catalina 10.15.5. <S> Sofas 2-seat: <S> Ikea Klippan code 790.106.14, width: 91 cm height: 37 cm length: 182 cm. <S> Other sizes standard from DreamPlan.
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Barn doors slide along the wall (instead of inside the wall like a pocket door) and don't swing. I think the option 4 could be the best one here because the door and MH2 window are at the same line, also easier to build that door than in option 3.
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What wall materials to use behind glass shower wall? I am looking to install a glass wall shower system like the one in this video: https://youtu.be/8-qDda-c6yo Question is: What should be behind here? They don’t say in video. Should it be some kind of concrete board or is drywall sufficient? <Q> They are gluing it to a form of drywall in the video. <S> I am not sure what the choices are from the manufacturer <S> but I will make two comments. <S> Glass panels are probably hung the same way as big mirrors. <S> Preferred on drywall and glued. <S> Why drywall? <S> It has a little bend in it. <S> For instance you would think gluing mirrors on plywood or concrete board would be more secure or easier. <S> Nothing further from the truth. <S> Love this system. <S> Glass/Tile-like paneling will be the wave of the future. <S> The maintenance levels, longevity, water-proofing... <S> this is where it is at. <S> I have installed some granite sheet showers. <S> They are great but granite is porous. <S> This one-ups the granite sheets. <S> Also these can carefully be taken out if there is an issue. <S> Coolest shower I have seen in my life was pure glass panels. <S> The inside of the walls were painted 3 different colors and it was a work of art - used antique plumbing lines. <A> I have done mirrored walls on Sheetrock back when it was in fashion (70’s).That looks like fire resistant Sheetrock to me (slightly pink) <S> As long as the seams are well sealed existing Sheetrock will be fine. <S> Water resistant normally green and blue in my area are better than standard Sheetrock. <S> Prior to backer board tiles were commonly glued to Sheetrock in the US and even with all the grout lines this held up for over 20 years and some 40 when the grout was sealed every few years so I don’t see a problem with any wall covering and construction adhesive as long as the Sheetrock / plaster is in good shape. <A> They appear to have be gluing it to plywood. <S> Glass is heavy <S> so you need something fairly strong, the screws can easily tear through drywall, and fibre cement is only a little better.
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Glass/mirrors have play too.
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How can I lift a sunken paver in the middle of my driveway / patio / walkway / sidewalk? I have a couple pavers that have sunk in my driveway. If this was close to the edge, I’d take up a few, re-level and replace. But this is in the middle of a large expanse of pavers. How can I pull up a few in the middle to fix this without having to pull apart 1/2 my driveway? <Q> I've done it two ways. <S> Take a coat hanger and bend a 1" 90 degree at the end of a straightened out hanger. <S> Insert the bent edge down into the seem and twist the hanger so the 1" piece turns under the paver you want to pull up. <S> work it back and forth with a screwdriver in the opposite edge while pulling the paver up. <S> My other trick was to drill a hole in the paver I wanted to remove and stick in a plastic anchor. <S> Insert the screw, screw it in a bit and lift up. <S> Save the dust from drilling and when you reset the paver mix it with a little silicone, clear, caulk and stuff it into the hole. <A> Using a crowbar or screwdriver etc. <S> lift the pavers to the left of the sunken ones first. <S> Lift the ones numbered 1 and 2 in the image: <S> Then you should have enough room to dig out the sunken ones. <A> I've recently seen a video but can't find the link. <S> Get a pair of them, to enable uniform lifting. <S> Slice from each edge of the spatula about one-third of the way inward, about an inch or two from the bottom. <S> Bend those cut tabs in the same direction. <S> As you force the tool into the crack, the tabs will be in the same plane as the crack, until you get below the level of the brick. <S> At that point, the tabs will extend under the paver providing lift points at four locations. <S> Gently work the tool upward, lifting the paver a bit at a time. <A> Try using a pressure washer and a wet/dry vac to erode the sand and debris in the gap between the pavers. <S> That'll hopefully get you to a place where at least the paver block can wobble freely, which will ease lifting it up. <S> For lifting.. if you're lucky, and/or have a sufficiently large vacuum, the paver might be lifted by vacuum alone. <S> A ring of clay or putty massaged into the face of the paver could help seal the vacuum hose and improve the odds. <S> Otherwise maybe fashion a wire hook, or use a bit of thin sheet metal, etc. <S> Mechanical lift will require at least two lifting hooks. <S> If you have or can get spares/replacements then it might be OK to use more aggressive tactics which might result in breaking the paver. <S> If it does break, grab a paver from a less-noticeable position and install it here, then use a whatever-you-can-get paver to restore the less-noticeable spot. <A> Just to add to the various hints, and complete the picture of available techniques, professionals who do this a lot would use a vacuum slab lifter, something like this: <S> Source: Express Tools <S> However your surface area may be too small for this, but even smaller attachments are made for bespoke situations. <S> A bit much of a purchase for a one-off, but worthy of note for completeness sake! <A> What works for me is using two pruning saws. <S> Place one in the gap on each side of the paver, then twist each one so the teeth grab the paver. <S> Then lift. <S> Easy. <A> How about using some white glue (or other water-soluable) glue to attach a bolt/handle to the face of the paver? <S> Once the repair is done, leave a soaking-wet rag on the glue overnight and wipe it off. <S> If that doesn’t work, maybe some construction adhesive that can be dissolved with mineral spirits or ground off? <A> In this video Mike Haduck shows how he fixes pavers in his area (IIUC, he's been a stone mason for many years) <S> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioJsUnUDvok <S> Basically he uses two screw drivers to get the first paver out, he gets it gradually from one side, then the other and so on and so forth until it's out. <S> The rest of them should be easy. <S> IIUC, pavers are usually not cemented to the ground. <S> And as he writes in the description of many of his videos: "... all my videos are my ways and ideas, I always suggest anyone doing any type of work to consult professional help". <S> EDIT: described the process a bit, as @ThreePhaseEel pointed out, if for whatever reason the video/link is down, there should be some description. <A> After that the others should be fairly easy. <S> When you've filled the void, replace the paver with the spare (perhaps using the one with the eye for a test fit) <S> Even without a spare, you may be able to swap the one with the screw hole to a less obvious place at an edge.
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If you have even a single spare paver (as I do) then drilling in and using an appropriate plug can allow you to attach a screw eye and lift one straight out. Consider a Flexible Joint Knife , or the equivalent in a fairly wide spatula.
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How is 240v derived from 120/208v feed My apartment house feed is 120/208v 4 wire ( plus ground ) wye connected. Apartments have 120/240v service. I can't see how the 240v circuit is derived from 120/208. I'd welcome an answer or a link! <Q> It isn't. <S> 120/240V is a 240V single phase supply, center tapped to produce a "split phase" with 120V between either side to neutral, and 240V between the two hot lines. <S> 120/208V is two phases from a three-phase supply. <S> There is 120V from either phase to neutral, and 208V between the phases. <A> Apartments have 120/240v service. <S> Says who? <S> Apartments have the service they have . <S> It really depends what the power company has in the area, and what they are willing to provision to the development. <S> My apartment house feed is 120/208v 4 wire (plus ground) <S> wye connected. <S> Well, then, that is that. <S> Your apartment does not have 240V service. <S> Water heater, range and dryer are resistive loads, and they will work alright on 208V instead of 240V, just will heat at a 25% reduced capacity. <S> Consider that when sizing those appliances, although it’s usually not a big deal. <S> Motor loads (A/C; heat pump water heater or dryer) will care about 208V vs 240V, but many of them can be internally jumpered for either voltage. <S> Shop carefully! <A> the advantage of feeding a complex with 3 phase is the phases can be split up and balanced allowing smaller feeders at the main. <S> The only negative the water heater will be slightly slower to heat up same with the oven or range and dryer. <S> The dryer motor is usually 120 v <S> so that is not a problem. <S> In residential complexes there are normally very few 240 motor loads, a 240 motor will usually work ok , remember the voltage described by code is 208 / 230 <S> so we are right at <S> +-10% so most motor loads won’t have a problem. <S> The big advantage comes when the complex has elevators or provides hot water or cooling 3 phase power is more efficient than single phase . <S> Today 208 is the common “low voltage” 3 phase years back <S> it was 230v <A> first, thanks to everybody. <S> i came into this with a mistaken impression based on a lifetime in single-family homes with 120/240 service (at 180 degrees). <S> my apartment indeed has 120/208 at 120 degrees. <S> (the service panel, etc look the same). <S> i imagine 1/3 of the apartments are on AB, 1/3 on AC and 1/3 on BC. <S> as others have said, heating appliances take 30% longer to come up but achieve the target temperature because they are thermostat-limited.i greatly appreciate all the interest and support.enjoy yourselves and stay safe!
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120/240V implies a “split-phase” service which is universal for single-family dwellings outside NYC, but apartment buildings are actually commercial and are often wired to commercial standards.
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Can a 240V light fixture be used in the US with a 120V light bulb? The title is pretty much my entire question. If I order a 240V lamp from Europe that takes removable light bulbs, can I simply use a 120V light bulb? I understand that I would change the plug for a plug-in light, but this particular question is for a hard-wired lamp. <Q> Hard to say without details. <S> But again, the devil is in the details. <S> If we are discussing screw-in base bulbs, Europeans mainly use E14 and E27 bases. <S> E14 is equivalent to what we in North America call a "medium" base, which is not very common (specialty lamps like aquarium bulbs). <S> We use "candelabra" bases for small bulbs, which is equivalent to an E11, but that is uncommon in Europe. <S> Larger bulbs in Europe are E27 bases. <S> The E number has to do with the width of the base; E27 is 27mm wide. <S> Here in NA we use what's called an "Edison base" and it is 26mm wide, what the EU would call an E26. <S> So it's possible, because of tolerances, for an E27 bulb to screw into an Edison (E26) socket, meaning you can use an EU light bulb in NA fixtures (however the voltage is usually wrong). <S> But going the other way; an Edison (E26) bulb screwed into an EU E27 socket, results in the bulb being loose in the threads and possibly getting jammed, then difficult to remove. <S> If the lamp has a CFL or LED, then it would depend on whether the "ballast" for the CFL or the "driver" for the LED is able to accept the different voltage. <S> A whole different kettle of fish. <A> Answer is that probably you can, but you really shouldn't. <S> Cables, switches and contacts inside the lamp are rated for specific voltage and current. <S> You can go lower on both, but not higher. <S> Ampers go up if you want the same power with lower voltage. <S> For example , if your lamp accepts 60 watt light bulb at 240V, then cables etc are rated for 0.25A. <S> Similar 60 watt on 120V would require 0.5A, something cables in the lamp cannot take. <S> You are limited to 30 watt bulbs then. <S> Make sure to replace stickers to prevent mistakes. <S> Of course, if there are any active components, like electronic switches for touch turning on and off, or brightness controls, these may stop working when undervolted. <S> If you are buying something exclusive enough you have to import it from another continent, good chance is that you are buying from a small manufacturer. <S> If that's the case, ask them if you can do this, what would be the limits and if they could make a lower voltage version for you. <S> If you still want to do it yourself, open the lamp to see if there are any active components and what amper limits are there on switches and bulb holders. <S> If you can, you may replace wires for much thicker ones, to be sure. <S> If you will get stuck, or need a specific electrical advice, you should not guess but ask on a sister site Electrical Engineering . <S> Still, I'd rather recommend buying lamp that simply works with the electrical installation you have. <S> Bulb sizes are nicely discussed in another answer . <S> Don't screw in a bulb that would be lose. <A> I bought a really unique ceiling lamp in Dubai a few years ago, and it was set up with E-14 Euro style lamps. <S> They're (barely) available here in Canada in incandescent but short-lived and rather pricey. <S> Found some nice 4W 120VAC <S> (35 or 40W equivalent) <S> LED 'filament'-look bulbs that fit it and were dimmable (with a proper LED dimmer), bought the set with one spare and it's been working since. <S> Another option was to buy adapters from E-14 to the tiny E-12 base, but I chose not to do that. <S> The fixture is not approved by CSA or UL <S> but it's properly grounded and running at half the design voltage (and much less heating and current), and is all metal/glass, so it presents negligible risk, in my opinion, and I've seen much worse stuff for sale at big-box stores. <A> If dealing with 1" Medium base Edison sockets when manufactured IEC standards, E26 and E27 actually have the same diameter specifications of 26.05 mm (min) to 26.45 mm (max). <S> The notable difference is that bulbs intended to operate at 120v have a thinner insulator between the tip and the shell, the minimum insulator height for E26 lamps bulbs is 3.25mm and for E27 is 5mm. <S> So putting a E26 bulb in a E27 socket at 240v could allow an increased arcing risk, but at 120v should not be a problem. <S> Watts are little more confusing, watts are heat, 3.41 btu's per watt/hour. <S> But is the rating just a limit on the heat the sockets or shades can withstand, or is it a derived number setting the current limit of tiny components? <S> An extreme hypothetical example could be they could make a fixture designed for six 100w bulbs, at 240v that would be less than 3A, so they only need to design internal components for approved for 3A. <S> But if you were to plug in 100W 120v lamps at 120v you would be up to 5A. <S> But in reality you are probably dealing with 3 or less 60W bulbs at 120v, you are only dealing maximum current of 1.5A. <S> Do I think that's an issue? <S> Probably not, but I can't prove it. <S> I could also be concerned I've seen European plugs with built in fuses <S> , the only place I seen plugs like that in the US were on 1970's Christmas lights, there might be some hesitation on my part cutting off a fuse and putting on an unfused plug, into a time delayed 15A circuit without blow characteristics required by lamp maker or approving agency.
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If it is an incandescent lamp with a replaceable screw-in bulb, and the socket fits a bulb made for here and 120V, then yes, it shouldn't matter.
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Greenhouse subfloor (greenhouse on top of concrete) -- best material? I'm putting together a greenhouse, 10x13-feet base. Unfortunately it will be on a concrete-paved section of my backyard, and I know it will lose a lot of heat to the ground via conduction in wintertime. My goal is a 4-season greenhouse. I would like to insulate the subfloor of the greenhouse to prevent heat loss via the concrete floor. What is the best way to achieve this? "Best" meaning bang for the buck, and durable, and won't degrade over time due to direct sunlight, or being in contact with a frozen concrete floor? Appreciate the help! <Q> You will lose VERY little heat through the floor . <S> Heat loss will be through glass/plastic and a little through the walls ; assuming you insulate the walls. <S> I have some experience ; an 8 X 12 semi-greenhouse with tropical fish aquariums , about 70 F minimum water temperature. <S> The only heat is a few hundred watts of aquarium heaters. <S> And several tender plant pots sitting on the floor. <S> My coldest weather is about 20F but many nights below freezing. <S> Concentrate all your heat loss plans on the window area. <A> Your concrete floor even if not insulated is still the best flooring for the small greenhouse you are planning for. <S> I would use wood pallets where you place containers on the floor and use tables or racks for raised bed. <S> If the concrete has drainage, the floor is easy to clean and could just be spray with a hose or a blower to do quick cleaning. <S> Any sub-floor like foam would trap water and bacterial and other dirty stuff underneath. <S> Just keep it simple. <S> Any sun light coming in will heat the concrete. <S> The concrete is easy to maintain and clean. <A> For a small greenhouse? <S> Cheap, effective, durable: degrades slowly but easily renewed - straw, 6 inches to a foot deep (15-30 cm.) <S> (you can get them pre-bonded, but unless you find them surplus (roof insulation and surface for commercial flat roofs) that might cost you more than a layer of each, unbonded. <S> The cementboard protects the foam from sunlight and point impacts. <S> You could also use that ONLY where you intend to walk to spend a bit less, and use straw for the rest. <S> It would be thinner than the straw for similar effect (2 inches/5 cm.) <A> Extruded foam in your choice of thickness with 1/2" plywood over the top. <S> Easy and foolproof. <S> You could use some project adhesive to secure it, build a simple frame, connect the plywood sheets with flooring tape underneath, or just let it float. <S> You could also use play mats or livestock mats. <S> The idea is just to get a layer of wood off the concrete a bit. <S> Beyond that the benefit will be minimal. <S> Note that this assumes good water management on your part--drainage trays and other means of keeping water off the floor. <S> If it's routinely sprayed down it'll begin to degrade after a year or two. <S> Don't overestimate how much heat you'll lose through the slab, though.
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Concrete is not a good conductor, and the layer of air at the floor will always be cold anyway without a heat source or lots of circulation. If you want to spend a lot more money you could use eXtruded PolyStyrene panels (XPS foamboard) covered with cementboard
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Water Holding-Tank Apparatus Converting warm water to cool water coming from the main water line that dispenses warm water to a water tank I live in Tucson Arizona (in the Sonoran Desert) almost all year round where the temperature high ranges are 98°F up to 108°F from May to August. Our PVC pipe water mainline is buried 2ft underground from the main street to the house water-meter (the main water line is approximately 75 feet in length). During the high noon, the sun heats the underground water line pipe. Therefore the problem is that the tap water temperature comes out of the showerhead and bathroom faucet at a 105°F to a warm-cool 90°F! The question to the plumber or the engineer: Are there any devices that have been developed or marketed to convert warm water of 105°F to a warm-cool water temperature between 89°F - 77°F from an electric water-holding cooling tank that can produce approximately 22 gallons of warm-cool water. Which can be connected to a water demand line. So I can take approximately a 10-minute cool shower? <Q> This may not be the cheapest solution, but it's still probably cheaper than or close to the price of a cistern plus all the extra plumbing to make it work. <S> Other posters are correct, you don't want to store potable water (unless you want to treat and manage it yourself). <S> Go on LabX or Ebay and look for a "liquid chiller" or "recirculating chiller". <S> You might be able to get similar functionality with an aquarium chiller, but you need at least several hundred watts of power. <S> Expect to pay $500-2000. <S> Buy or make a liquid-liquid heat exchanger (can be made with a tube-in-tube design, countercurrent flow) to keep your potable water and your coolant loop separate. <S> Your coolant loop needs antifreeze or antifouling agent, borax will often do the trick. <S> Do NOT try to do this with a minifridge. <S> Not enough power. <S> You could try to roll your own with a window AC unit. <S> You can dismantle it and CAREFULLY bend the cold coil away from the main unit and dip in in a liquid bath, such as a cooler. <S> Use a fountain pump to recirculate. <S> You'll want to make some sort of confinement to keep the liquid from boiling off too fast. <S> You'll also likely still need some reservoir to "save up the cold". <S> If you want to go from ~100F-80F <S> (-10 C) <S> and you have a 8L/min shower <S> , that's 80 degree-liters (aka kilocalories) <S> a minute, roughly 5 KW, if you had to do it in real time. <S> On second thought, maybe the cistern isn't a bad idea after all. <S> Also, if the water temp at the mains is significantly cooler, it might even be worthwhile digging up the water line and insulating it, if code allows for it, or just re-running it deeper (the latter will likely cost you several grand plus going back and forth with the town) <A> What do you need is thermal storage. <S> As it happens, water is the densest thermal storage medium known to man. <S> You need large water tanks, and the cheapest way to get those is IBC totes. <S> At this point, you are building a solar heat system that works in reverse. <S> By day, you run a water-water heat exchanger between the supply water from the utility and the water in your tanks. <S> You will need to pump this tank water. <S> In such desert environments you typically have cool nights, so at night, you pump the tank water up to a water-air heat exchanger, to cool it back down. <S> Or else your water tanks will just keep getting warmer and warmer. <S> You could also have an actual cooling pond or tower with spargers (sprayers), and exploit the low humidity to get evaporative cooling, but I would not return pond/sparger water to the tank, as it will bring all manner of crud with it and clog your pumps. <S> I would bring tank water through another heat exchanger, which could be as simple as some coils of aluminum tubing in the bottom of the pond. <S> Add some sensors <S> so the cooling loop only runs when pond water is cooler than tank water. <S> I’m not overly concerned with where to put the water storage. <S> Thermal interchange via the skin of the tank won't be large enough to matter, and you could always wrap it in insulation if you had to. <S> Do not store potable water. <S> Your idea of having a tank water cooler akin to a tank water heater is not a good idea. <S> For the same reason tank water heaters themselves are not the greatest idea. <S> Legionella and other bacteria will grow in the water, in certain temperature ranges from 70 to 130 F. <S> That is why water heaters must be cranked up to 140F <S> once anti-scald valves have been fitted. <S> The city water coming into a hypothetical cool-off tank, is the ideal temperature range for those bacteria to grow. <S> For that same reason, do not mix the storage tank water with the potable water from the street. <S> In fact, you would be able to add antifreeze to the storage tank water if needed. <S> (But it helps to buy propylene glycol instead of ethylene, because one is a foodstuff and the other is deadly poison, much like methanol vs ethanol.) <A> They do make such a device. <S> Water chillers <S> there are several different types some use heat exchangers they have a bath of cold water / glycol that is chilled <S> the water lines are in the cold bath a basic Refridgeration unit similar in size to the compressor on your Refrigerator cool the bath. <S> These are somewhat common in industrial equipment that needs to be cooledThere are other types that have the heat exchanger directly flowing Freon into a jacket with tubes flowing water / oil , similar principal the Freon takes the heat away this method is not as stable as the bath type <S> but they are much smaller. <S> No product recommendations but the 2 types I have worked on that could do what you want. <A> Since I am from Pennsylvania and I do not have that problem I have to go to my imagination place to come up with a solution. <S> Since I am a tinkerer I would probably buy a small refrigerator and install a large coil of tubing in it to produce the cold water you want to have. <S> Another "way out" solution may be to dig a large "hole in the ground" at least 6 feet deep and bury a long coil of 3/4" water line. <S> At that depth, the ground temp should be around 55F degrees. <S> Last, you could do as @FreeMan suggested and install an underground cistern. <S> These 4 ideas may sound like B.S. <S> but you may need to imagine your way to a solution.
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A third way would be to fashion a swamp cooler a device used in your area to produce the wanted cooler water. I know of nothing that is made for what you are looking to do so you would have to "invent" a solution.
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Where do you get scrap wire for making pigtail connections e.g. when wiring a switch? I’m learning some basic electrical in order to wire some smart switches and I’ll have to make some pigtail connections. Where are the best places to get scrap wire for this? Should I just pick up 25ft of cable so I can pull out some white and black wires, or should one get wire spools of THHN wire? It’s not clear to me what’s the right kind of wires to use. <Q> You generally want solid core wire to match what you're working with in your home. <S> I keep rolls of #14 and #12 cable on hand and cut off those as needed. <S> You may be able to purchase pre-cut pigtails, but they're probably quite expensive as compared to regular cable. <S> Also note that 250 ft. rolls are far more cost-effective than short rolls. <S> It's far cheaper per foot and you might be surprised how quickly you go through it as a homeowner. <A> Many stores will cheerfully sell you NM or THWN wire by-the-foot. <S> I typically buy 2 feet of it, shuck the sheath off the NM, and then cut it into either three 8" or four 6" lengths, depending on how long I want my pigtails. <S> That's when I'm working far from where I do electrical, obviously I have a glut of wire here. <S> If your preferred store won't sell by-the-foot, that's not an electrical problem, that's a shopping problem. <S> If you had a good relationship with a proper electrical supply house, I would expect them to disappear into the back, and come back with a few scraps, wave hand and say "don¡t worry about it". <A> As you're doing other wiring, you're bound to cut off bits that are 6" or longer. <S> Keep 'em somewhere handy and use these when necessary. <S> Just remember, it's OK to use #12 for pigtails on a 15amp circuit with #14 wire, but IT IS NOT OK to use #14 on a 20amp circuit that requires #12 wire end-to-end. <S> It's pretty easy to tell them apart, even if you'll pulled wires out of the cable and have just the bits of wire laying around. <A> If you don't have scrap NM/UF handy to shuck... <S> appropriate gauge THHN (either solid or stranded) can be used for pigtails as well. <S> (Note that stranded wire doesn't mix with backstabs, not that backstab connections were ever a good idea to begin with!)
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While the typical way electricians make pigtails is by "shucking" the jacket from NM or UF cable of the appropriate gauge and using the wires inside, this isn't the only way to do it. Many hardware stores and electrical supply houses will sell THHN by-the-foot for a small additional charge atop the per-foot price of the wire, and
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What is the maximum span for a beam made of two 2x10s screwed together? This is for a deck. If I make a beam out of two 2x10s, what would the maximum span be? The beams will be 8 feet apart (joist span). They will be resting on posts. The number of posts depends on how far the beams can span. This will be standard pressure treated lumber. I was going to use screws to hold the beams together. Maybe construction adhesive, too. I have a book that says 8 feet, but want to double check that I'm reading the tables right. this is under a deck, no crazy loads like a hot tub. Thanks! <Q> The Code requires a Live Load of 40 lbs. <S> per square foot (psf) plus a Dead Load of 10 psf for a total load of 50 psf. <S> You indicate the beams are 8’ on center, so the total load on each beam is:50 psf x 8’ (4’ on ea.side of beam) = <S> 400 plf <S> In addition, the code requires an adjustment for wood being pressure treated. <S> If wood is pressure treated without incising then <S> it’s a 5% reduction. <S> If it is incised, then it’s a 20% reduction. <S> Summary: <S> Depending on the species and grade, 2-2x10’s can span 12’ with pressure treated lumber without incising and 10’-6” with incising. <S> (I’m using a species of SPF and a Grade of No.1) <A> In general a double 2x beam can support a span in feet equal to its nominal width in inches. <S> A double 2x10 can thus span 10 feet. <S> Double 2x12 spans 12 feet etc... <A> Use the prescriptions from AWC. <S> A beam must be 3 members unless you are getting a PE to do the design for you or you are using southern pine. <S> The beam span also depends what your joist span is between the beams/ledger but lets assume 6' then with southern pine it would be 10' 1". <S> https://www.awc.org/pdf/codes-standards/publications/dca/AWC-DCA62015-DeckGuide-1804.pdf
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Note:If the beam is along the edge of a deck and is loaded with a single span, then 2-2x10’s can span about 15’ without incising and 11’ with incising.
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Exterior conduit run to fan, condensation issues I want to run power from a sconce in our patio to a fan. My original plan is to put UF in conduit. As I’ve been reading I came across condensation issues in conduit. I’m a bit confused about what is the right way to do this. Should the line from the sconce come out of the box toward the ground and then turn up to the ceiling? Is there an alternative to this? For a run that will total about 11 feet in total distance do I need a conduit drain or breather or both? If so where is the best place to put it? Instead of UF I believe I can use THHN as this location is considered damp and not wet. Any issues with that? Any other things I should be considering? Thank you! <Q> Condensation isn't as much of an issue with conduit as water intrusion, usually in buried conduit. <S> THHN/THWN <S> (they are almost always the same now) would be much easier to pull and allow you to use smaller conduit. <S> 11' isn't much of a run, so size or difficult pulling probably isn't an issue. <S> Still, THHN/THWN is a lot easier to work with than UF. <S> I doubt you'll have a condensation issue <S> bc the pipe will be at the same temp as surrounding area. <A> UF is a bad idea on so many levels - use THWN. <S> Most THHN is also THWN and a few other listings. <S> UF is hard to pull and requires larger conduit in most cases. <S> All exterior conduit is wet by definition, and in reality. <S> You can minimize condensation in conduits by using duct seal (a usually gray, non-hardening putty) to minimize air movement, but you can't eliminate it. <S> If you don't go nuts trying to seal up the boxes, any water that forms by condensation will happily leak out. <A> If you run UF in conduit, the conduit ID needs to be 138% of the widest width of the UF. <S> UF is pretty wide, so that makes the conduit pretty big. <S> I gather you've done enough wiring to know how ridiculously stiff NM and UF cable are. <S> The stuff you want is THWN, which is individual wires, and if you get it stranded, it's very flexible and an easy pull. <S> You can sidestep that by choosing outlets that attach with pigtails/wirenuts, or use the screw-and-clamp system. <S> Condensation is because air changes temperature faster than objects. <S> It can happen anywhere.
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Condensation occurs when things are colder than surrounding area (like a glass of ice water). But there is no point in running UF in conduit. The only snag with stranded is it can be tricky to place on screw terminals, it takes a fairly well-developed skill to get the twisted wires to hold shape as you tighten, and not turn into a bad hair day. Simply assume that all outdoor conduit is 100% full of water 100% of the time.
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Moen two handle bathroom faucet - new cartridges but still drip Ugh! So this is an older model Moen 91111 two-handle faucet. The hot water tap had been dripping, so I swapped out the cartridges. Basic 1224 models with the little tab that fits into the notch in the collar...easy. Both collars and stems were pretty corroded from hard water. The cold went in easily but the hot was a bit of a problem. Used WD40 to clean it all up and cartridges and collars are seated and handles all in correct positions.The hot water side is still dripping same as before though. A drop every hour or so...not terrible just want zero drips.The hot water shut off valve isn’t working right, fyi. Even fully engaged it’s shutting the water off to a just a few drops...the cold shut off is fully engaging. I tightened the sealing nut on the shut off but nothing...maybe I’m not strong enough to tighten it?(im a woman btw)So I’m having the plumber come fix the shut off, but wanted any advice on the hot water drip. Is there some other seal somewhere that could be bad? All I can think is the aerator sealing washer but I’m stumped for sure. Any advice besides leave that for the plumber too? <Q> The slightest deposit will break the seal and you'll have a drip. <S> Get some fine emery paper and gently clean out the valve making sure <S> it's totally smooth inside. <S> Then get some plumber's grease, coat the cartridge and reinstall. <S> Hopefully you didn't damage the O rings inserting the cartridge the first time. <A> It's most likely the valve body <A> This will happen sometime when the valve body has corrosion in it preventing the O rings from seating properly. <S> Remove the hot water cartridge and check the cartridge seat. <S> You may need to use a small flashlight or try to feel down in the valve body with a finger. <S> My guess it will feel rough. <S> Clean the valve body out with a decalcifying agent and a wire brush being careful not to damage the surface. <S> You can also use some 0000 gauge steel wool. <S> Once it's smooth reinstall the cartridge and you should be good to go.
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There is probably some hard water deposits inside the valve where the cartridge O rings and seal make contact.
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Refrigerator on a shared electric line with Stove and 5 countertop outlets When we moved in our new construction home the dedicated fridge outlet in the kitchen was faulty. The builder sent his electrician who said the the entire line has an issue so they did a connection from the adjacent counter top outlets + gas stove line. So now GFCI 5 counter outlets + gas stove + refrigerator shares the same line. They also relabeled the circuit box. I think this is a quick hack and wondering if this will affect resale value down the road or fail inspection. The electrician said that it is as per the NEC code and running a new line will cause 20 plus drywall holes or so. Since we are under warranty all these fixes will be covered but I was wondering if it’s worth poking those holes for a dedicated line. If we leave it this way is it going to jeopardize future sale or inspection failed because the fridge did not have a dedicated outlet. Does this affect resale value? <Q> The refrigerator outlet being shared with countertop outlets is fine, and very common in older houses. <S> The primary advantage is that you're at no risk of some other device tripping the breaker, and you don't turn it back on right away for whatever reason, not realizing that your food is spoiling. <S> The other advantage is that if you ever install a backup power source, such as a generator, it's much easier to wire that to keep your food save through power outages. <A> The question is about resale value. <S> In some jurisdictions like Canada, or in the US where there is an applicable code amendments, the kitchen refrigerators must be on their own circuit. <S> Gas stoves can share a circuit. <S> A home inspector (for sales - not electrical inspection) likely won't find that issue: they don't check loads & circuits unless there is an obvious and visible reason to dig deeper. <S> Whether you disclose it is a different matter. <S> Cleaning the fridge spotless will do much for your resale value! <A> It sounds like you've got a good bead on the situation and that the circuit was already butchered with the stove. <S> So absolutely, document your complaint, who responded and how along with a call and/or visit by whatever (could be City, Township or County) <S> Code Inspector. <S> Your investment should be taken seriously, especially when "professionals" only take their shortcuts seriously...which is ALWAYS. <S> Definitely, raise a stink, make some waves and burn those bridges while you can for anything and everything out of whack.
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However, there are some advantages to having the refrigerator be on a dedicated circuit. It's up to you whether this is worth breaking out the drywall for or not. The same may apply to a garburator, or dishwasher circuit. Your documentation then goes with the house that you never had a problem with and your price can be confidently top-dollar firm.
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Is this mold or some other substance? My bath tub side panel was not sealed and it seems water has been splashing in causing some damage. I always thought mold would have to smell musky however the damage doesnt smell musky. I previously had a can of drink turn into an algae like substance(see can drink in pic). The damage smells more like that. Incidentally could it be that it was spores from the bathroom panel that went into the drink can and rapidly turned it into the subtance. Anyways its the substance is different colours and look like the result of water damage. Is this mold or is it something else? What are the black, green and other bits? <Q> It may not always smell musty, especially if it is thoroughly dry right now, so you can't always go by that. <S> The mold in your drink can is most likely not related. <S> Mold spores are around us all the time, looking for food. <S> Sugary drinks are good food for them... <A> It is mold/mildew and water stains (or some combination of both) and the panel needs to be replaced. <S> I don't think it can be rehabilitated successfully and the cost of new materials is not that significant...probably less than the chemicals and sealers that you'd use and would ultimately be unsuccessful. <A> It looks like several species of mold / fungi. <S> Not a big problem and easy to kill but hard to keep it dormant if allowed to be moist. <S> Use a hydrogen peroxide mixture on it at least 3% , sponge it on <S> let it dry and that will kill the surface spores (everything you can see) you don’t want to saturate the board it it will fall apart. <S> 3% sponged on to dampen the surface but not soaked. <S> If you have stronger hydrogen peroxide you can use up to ~7% any it will go a big deeper but <S> at 7% it starts bleaching at 12% it takes the color out of cloth and carpets. <S> Remember AAA always add acid when diluting the hydrogen peroxide to prevent exothermic reactions (boiling and spattering when done the other way) <S> Once you have treated the panel and the area around and behind it let it dry and put it back in it will be fine. <S> I have treated much worse even carpet on concrete growing mushrooms a good scrub with ~5% then used a steam. <S> Leaner with water and hydrogen peroxide (no other chemicals) <S> The carpet looked new and the house smelled fresh. <S> This saved me several thousand not having to replace the carpet.
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The damage to the panel does indeed look like mold and mildew damage.
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Conduit in kitchens, pro's and cons This question may sound dumb to those that live in an area requiring residential conduit, but I live in philly, where everybody tries to do as much as they can with NM-B. After wiring my second kitchen, I can't help but look at it and think, what a friggin mess! I try my hardest to be as neat as possible, but I have to cram 8 x 120V 20A circuits, 2 x 240V circuits and a lighting circuit with travel wires into an 8' x 10' shed kitchen with a block wall on one side.Since the old studs are less than 3.5" thick, I also have to use stackers and kickplates everywhere. Now conversely, I don't know all the rules as I am not an electrician, but I can bend conduit and it seems like it would be much easier to run 2 circuits of 3/4". the conduit which should be enough for everything except the lighting. It would probably take a whole day just to run the conduit, but after that, it would be easy, and half the issues people run into on inspections would be eliminated. What am I missing? is there a good reason not to run conduit? <Q> EMT is definitely an awesome way to do it. <S> I do 99% of my work in EMT. <S> However, you have to follow a few rules. <S> One of them is "No more than four" circuits. <S> If your service is 120V/240V split-phase it's that simple. <S> However if you're in 3-phase land (120/208V), then the rule is "No More Than Three" if you have two or more 120/208 circuits in the pipe. <S> If you exceed 4 circuits, every circuit in the pipe needs a wire size bump. <S> Yikes! <S> But still, you can get a kitchen done with three (or at the outside four) 1/2" conduits. <S> The conduits themselves permit nine 12 AWG wires per pipe, so will hit "No more than four" limits before you hit pipe limits, unless they are Multi-wire branch circuits or larger than 12 AWG. <S> Yes, I'm ignoring the ground wire. <S> The EMT metal shell is ground. <S> You don't need to wire one unless you really, really want to. <S> Also you get to use THHN wire in as many colors as you care to buy. <S> So you can do the whole kaboodle with just black and white, and mark both with red and yellow tape to show they're a matched set. <A> Conduit provides expandability <S> One of the banes of amateur chefs that we have seen over and over again on this site is having too much kitchen equipment and not enough juice available to make good use of it. <S> The Code-minimum of two 20A small appliance circuits is good for well, about two kitchen appliances, give or take one depending on how they are mapped to receptacles, and there are plenty of situations where you might want to run say, the microwave, the coffeepot, and the toaster oven at the same time without tripping a breaker. <S> With NM, you're stuck opening walls, fishing cable, and patching drywall if you want any more power to that kitchen. <S> However, with conduit work, any electrician can get in there and fish additional wires through the conduit, up to its fill limits (both physical and thermal/ampacity). <S> You can put away the pipe bender though <S> However, you can get that benefit without having to spend major money and time on hand-bending EMT until it's just so. <S> One of the not-so-dirty little tricks that not many outside the trade are familiar with is that ENT (blue or grey corrugated PVC "smurf tube", albeit not the similar-looking orange stuff known as communications raceway ) is legal to use as a mains wiring method in any application where NM is acceptable. <S> It's also cheap and rather easy to find on home-store shelves; furthermore, the conduit itself can be bent by hand and fished in long lengths, and suitable plastic boxes are readily available for new work applications. <S> Keep in mind that you'll need to make sure there's a box or conduit body for every 360° of bend to provide an access point for pulling, just like with EMT, and that you'll also need to provision a grounding wire in your ENT, since it's made of plastic, not metal. <S> You'll still need the nail-plates to protect it, just like NM, but given what you gain (conduit expandability at a NM-cable pricetag), that's a rather acceptable tradeoff to make in my book. <A> There are two primary reasons to use conduit: Fire protection/prevention and future wiring . <S> If neither are concerns for you, don't bother. <S> Here in Minnesota, conduit in single-family homes is all but unheard of.
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If you go to 3/4 conduit, then you're allowed enough wires you'll definitely hit 4 circuits before you run out of space, even with a range circuit in there. You do need to mark wires to associate them, but that's easy - just get multiple colors of tape and mark them. I can see it becoming code eventually if evidence accumulates that it's worth the loss of life and property it may prevent. As a result, conduit is ideal for running wiring to places like kitchen islands, where things like floor slabs can make installing additional cables a nightmare. Since you're not allowed to mark THHN wires to be neutrals or grounds, white gray or green tape on a hot or neutral is fair game for marking.
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Fix 40 kg TV to plasterboard and OSB wall I need to fix a 65 inch TV to a wall that is made of plasterboard on 18 mm OSB. These are fixed on with metal stud/rails at 600 mm intervals.My worry is the OSB isn't thick enough to hold the TV on its own, and the metal studs offer nothing to fix into of any great note. Any advice would be appreciated. <Q> Assuming that "plasterboard on OSB" means that the studs were first fully covered with OSB, then that was dressed up with plasterboard for a nicer finish, you have a very sturdy wall! <S> I just build a storage shed using 3/4" (~18mm) plywood as the floor . <S> I expect it to hold 100s of kilos at the contact points for each of the shelving units. <S> If this is how your wall was built, you've got the added advantage of being able to put the TV anywhere <S> you want <S> because with the proper bolts, you don't really even need to worry about hitting a stud, that 18mm OSB should hold your TV without a second thought. <S> Of course, hitting a stud is an added bonus, and will take the proper sheet-metal screws to get a good grip into the steel studs. <S> If you're referring to OSB on <S> the outside of the building and drywall on the inside, then this advice goes out the window, use sheet-metal screws into the studs as Ecnerwal suggested . <S> In either case, you have nothing to worry about. <A> Use proper sheet-metal screws into the studs. " <S> Self-drilling" screws will save a step, or you can pre-drill the proper size hole for the screws. <S> Your worry is unrealistic - steel studs are quite robust. <A> I don't think it would be necessary to screw the bracket into the studs. <S> Four appropriate screws into the OSB should be sufficient with a safety factor, and no more than six would possibly be needed. <S> This assumes that the bracket is fixed and holds the TV close to the wall.
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With 18 mm OSB attached to steel studs and drywall over that the wall is very strong.
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Should I replace a single powered roof vent with ridge vent according to my roofer's advice? I am new to home improvement, and I'd like to ask your advice. I am the owner of a house in Maryland. Within a few weeks, we will install a new roof. Currently, my roof doesn't have a ridge vent, and an attic fan only runs.My contractor told me he can add a ridge vent. Do you think I'd better keep the attic fan running in addition to a new ridge vent? Both can be working together? or do you think I'd better remove the attic fan, and have the new ridge vent only? It should be a good idea? or do you think I'd better keep the attic fan without installing a new ridge vent if Howard county doesn't require it. I thought that in the long run, if the attic fan could cause any rain/snow/leaves-related leaking issues, it could be safer to remove it. The chance is extremely low? or my thought is a good idea? Usually, how often (in years) do I need to replace an attic fan with a new one? I appreciate your advice in advance. (Added) Yes. we have soffit venting (under the eaves), and each vent on two sides. However, I found that some portions of the soffit venting are closed somehow, maybe (see the picture). I am not sure how though. Should I clean them up ASAP? <Q> The space feels nearly unvented, despite "being vented" as the air movement through the ridge vent (with plenty of venting at the eaves) is pathetic. <S> What you have there appears to be a "mushroom fan vent" rather than a turbine vent (i.e <S> it only really moves air when powered up, while a turbine vent as I understand the term vents passively all the time and more actively whenever the wind blows.) <S> That can be useful for increasing air movement in the space when needed, and should not be particularly prone to leak if it's in good shape. <S> It would not meet code requiring passive ventilation, though. <S> I would strongly suggest reading the actual code applicable to your local area to see what it actually calls for, rather than accepting that it specifies "ridge vent" if, in fact, it simply requires passive vents but does not specify how that is to be done (which would be more likely, in my experience.) <A> I would keep the ridge vent and add the powered attic roof fan like one of your pictures shows. <S> Done right (proper attention to flashing), the fan will not leak. <S> And the powered fan is much more effective at clearing hot hot attic air than any passive system. <S> And do call the HoCo inspector's office. <S> When I lived in HoCo, I found them to be very friendly and helpful. <S> They want to help you do the job <S> right. <S> EDIT <S> 1 - Replacing the roof mounted fan <S> I've found the fan motors and mounting brackets to be fairly universal. <S> I had the motor go out in my roof mount fan, and was able to replace it with a motor from another unit. <S> Yes, I had to buy the entire unit, but at least I didn't have to remove & replace the fan housing itself, which was flashed and water-tight to the roof. <A> while you are trouble-shooting the paint-blocked soffits, you might check that they are not blocked inside your attic, especially if you have blown-in insulation. <S> Check that you have "rafter vents" installed which provide for unobstructed ventilation from the soffits.
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In my personal experience, a "real vent" on top of the roof (cupola, turbine, etc) is far more effective than continuous ridge vent, and I will in fact be retrofitting a cupola onto a roof with continuous ridge vent for exactly that reason.
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Replace A/C Unit or add refrigerant? I have a 20 year old A/C unit in my house here in Texas. Two weeks ago, the unit stopped cooling. A/C company couldn't come out until the next day and the house got pretty miserable. When the tech arrived early the next day he measured temps in the return plenum at 78, and supply plenum at 76. Obviously air was not being cooled. His diagnosis was that the evaporator coil was broken and needed to be replaced and that we should probably replace the whole system as well given the age. Then we went outside to the condenser and he measured the R-22 levels. The readings were 58/196 (those numbers mean nothing to me, but he said it was pretty low) and the temperature in the system was 33 degrees, instead of 40 like it should be. He hooked everything back up and gave us quotes for $7200-$8600 to get a whole new system. However, after hooking everything back up, the A/C began cooling just like it had before. My suspicion is that the line was either frozen (given the very close to freezing temperatures) or something else was preventing freon from moving through the system, and his measuring the levels caused it to start working again. We obviously have an R-22 system, and the cost of adding R-22 is very expensive now, but it seems the rest of the system is still working fine (I just replaced a blower motor myself 2-3 months ago). I'd hate to dump $7k in a system that might have a year or more left in it before something really goes wrong. Would adding additional R-22 cause the temperature in the freon line to increase, and potentially prevent this from happening again for the short term? Would it be better to bite the bullet and just replace everything now? Edit: After listening to the advice here, I added 2lbs of R-22 to the system. Unfortunately, everything stopped working again 8 days later and we couldn't get it to start cooling again after 36hours of turning it off and back on. We had to go ahead and replace the whole system. My assumption is that we had two problems: the R-22 was low, and the evaporator coil had gone bad and the initial problem was that the coil just hadn't completely died when the first service call happened. <Q> The 58/196 pressures mentioned is the low (suction) side pressure and the high side pressure. <S> Those aren't horrible values since I believe 68/250 would be typical. <S> If the system was 33F outside, then that is cooling better than 40F, so you should be fine there. <S> Is there any chance that your evaporator inside the house froze? <S> That can happen if humidity is high and the air flow is too low. <S> The solution is to turn off the A/C and leave the fan running until the ice melts. <S> If it working again, check your airflow. <S> You mentioned that you replaced the blower motor <S> -- did you happen to change the fan speed to a lower setting at the same time? <A> Continuing with @Eric's comments/answer, check the temperature difference between the air at the return and the air at the discharge or the temperature drop across the coil. <S> You can purchase a probe type thermometer or use the temperature setting available on many multi-meters. <S> The temperature difference should be between 15F & 20F degrees on a correctly charged A/C system. <S> If it is more than 20F you do not have enough air movement if it is less than 15F <S> it could be too much air movement. <S> The A/C may work OK at a lower outside temperature and stop cooling as the outside temp gets hotter. <S> If the unit needs to be recharged once a year then there is a refrigerant leak. <S> If the leak is easy to repair then that is what I would do and if the leak is in one of the coils then it is time to replace the unit. <S> If you replace the unit, and noise is a problem, buy a higher SEER unit say 16 SEER or higher since these tend to be quieter than the standard units. <S> The higher the SEER, <S> the higher the cost (my 2 cents) <A> At this point I would call the tech back out to add R-22. <S> When you call them ask what would be the cost to cone out and add R-22. <S> Two or 3 lb might restore full function for several more years. <S> The theory behind this is the system has a very slow leak. <S> I have a 3.5 ton R-22 Carrier system installed in June 1991. <S> Looking at the sight glass. <S> I would say the R-22 is a little low, but it is cooling so <S> I am doing nothing. <S> EDIT <S> My 29 year old unit had bubbles in the sight glass and it stopped cooling a couple of times, but resumed after turning off and letting sit. <S> This afternoon I called my HVAC service and they were out in less than 2 hr. <S> I met the tech in the front yard and told him to come into the backyard with R-22. <S> He quickly added 2 lb, told me he would charge it as a short visit and was out in less than 15 min. <S> He said the coil was now at 43 deg F, sightglass clear and suction line noticeably cooler. <S> Outside temp today was over 100 F and inside was 75 F.
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If there is not enough refrigerant in the system it could cause the coil to freeze up.
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Can I run Cat-6 in conduit with line-level power cables? I am sitting on a beautiful and relatively new patio in my back yard. When installing the concrete patio, one electrical conduit was installed to run power out to the gazebo. This coming week it will be installed. I’m thinking I would like to also run a Ethernet cable, too. I like the idea of a WiFi access point out here. I know all the experts say don’t run low voltage and high voltage together because someone might run a nail or something into both, but we are talking conduit here, no nails will ever be a factor. My main concern is RF shielding. Will CAT6 give a good solid 1G connection, or do I need something better shielded? <Q> Barring you bother to source high-voltage rated Cat5e or Cat6A, sharing a conduit with line voltage is a clear and blatant code violation. <S> It's got nothing to do with nails. <S> You should have put in two conduits, or three to cover the unknown next thing. <S> Cat5e will carry full gigabit the same distance that Cat6 or 6A will. <S> If you are committed to a cable solution, "all dielectric" (no conductive members) <S> fiber optic would be the best choice and code compliant. <S> Either type of cable needs to be wet-rated as all exterior conduits <S> are wet by definition (and in reality.) <S> Your least expensive effective option would be a pair of high-quality 802.11ac point-to-point links if there is a clear line of sight from the building with networking to the gazebo. <S> You could also try a pair of those "powerline ethernet adapters" <S> but I can't say I recommend them. <A> Given that gazebos are made from a lot of air, there's a chance your wireless will reach there. <S> Go out there with a chair, and see how well it works at this point. <S> If you get a good-enough signal then go with that. <A> I suggest direct burial fiber optic cable. <S> It's not terribly expensive, immune to electrical interference, and you don't have to worry about incorrectly grounded shielded cables. <S> You would need two media adapters to convert from copper to fiber and back. <A> One answer I can give is that either the suggested non conductive fiber or pure WiFi link is the correct way to go - avoid any wired approach. <S> Everybody forgets the damage lightening does, and as soon as you take electricity from one building to another, lightening is attracted to the difference in charge that builds up between them. <S> Your equipment will pay the price if you use wire to connect the Ethernet. <A> As others have cited the code violation, I won't repeat it. <S> Google "Ethernet over power" and you will see what I am talking about. <S> I am using this setup to get Ethernet to my barn/cabin which is 200+ feet from my house. <S> I get a good enough signal out there to hold Zoom meetings, watch YouTube videos, etc. <S> without buffering. <S> This works better than the AP <S> I previously had setup outside pointing towards the barn. <A> I can't speak to codes but I can tell you that you will likely never notice any interference issues. <S> When I was in the military we used to bundle unshielded cat5e cables with the main lines coming out of 15kw generators and <S> I've never heard of a connection having interference. <S> That being said you should use shielded cable because it's what is called for in that situation <S> and it's better safe than sorry. <S> Alternatively they make exterior ethernet cable that can be buried outside of a conduit <S> so you could just run it as a separate line. <A> WiFi transmitters are the way to go IMHO. <S> I've linked two buildings with a pair of these (TP-Link Long Range Outdoor Wifi Transmitter – 5GHz, 300Mbps) and they work great. <S> Have also found Ethernet over Power to work indoors <S> but I don't think you want to expose an unprotected area to a direct ethernet link (as others have pointed out).
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So, you cannot bundle the wires together, but you CAN send Ethernet over the power line into the gazebo.
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Do I need to relocate the shower and open the floor again if I rotate by basement bathtub 90 degree around the drain point? In the picture below (current layout) the shower heads will be located in the corner on the exterior wall.As you can see in the new layout I would like to install a new bath tub but this time along the exterior wall AND keep the shower head and the water pipes/ and the tap in the same position/Are there any pros and cons for this plan?Can I expect to have to open the floor again to reposition the drain IF the drain is off a couple of inches (2-3in)? Is there a solution to avoid that? As you can guess I am trying to not to have to redo the plumbing Here is the current layout and here is the new layout <Q> The location where the tub drain is, typically has an area of the floor where the drain is that is not poured, so the p-trap can be adjusted the final amount for the connection to the tub. <S> You most likely will need to cut out the old p-trap to configure the new one. <S> I am not certain of the code, but for one sink you can use 1 1/2" pipe for the drain, but since you have 2 sinks, you will need to run 2" pipe. <S> That means drilling 2 1/2" to 2 5/8" holes through the 3 1/2" studs, not leaving much for strength. <S> In addition, you will need to run a vent line to tie back in to the original as well. <S> Vents are to be within 5' of a sink or tub. <S> If the vent comes off the tub drain, you may be in luck, but if it come off the old sink location, it will need to be added. <S> Back at the drilling, you cold notch the pipe, leaving 1" on one side and use a reinforcement piece that guards the pipe from fasteners and strengthens the notch. <A> You may have trouble with the drain positioning. <S> The waste-and-overflow assembly is designed to tuck into the space at the head of the tub, created by the sloping end of the tub. <S> To get to where the drain pipe in the floor is now, you will likely need to bend around the tub wall. <S> So be prepared to get creative with one or more 45° fittings. <S> There is also the problem with it being a generally bad idea to mount the shower head such that it sprays out toward the room, but with a proper enclosure you should be fine. <S> If this will be inspected by the AHJ (Authority Having Jurisdiction) you may want to open a dialog with her <S> /him before you start... <A> You will most certainly need to move the tub drain. <S> That move may very well be more than just a inch or two. <S> There are three issues I see here. <S> Non-uniform dimensions. <S> As in the diagram below the green dimension on a bath tub is typically longer than the red dimension. <S> Then depending on the top side shelf widths the green dimension may very well likely not be centered on the tub overall width. <S> This means that if you can rotate the tub ninety degrees the drain will not be possible to be the center of rotation. <S> The second issue is that built in tubs have one side face that comes down to the floor. <S> The tubs can be purchased with the drain hole on the left or right side when the side face of the tub is in front of you. <S> If you intend to reuse the same tub you will end up having the drain on the opposite end that what you envision with a simple rotate. <S> The picture below shows the right hand and left hand models of the same alcove style bathtub. <S> Picture Source <S> From your pictures where you depict the toilet located on the second floor it seems very likely that there is plumbing coming down from the upper floor to the lower floor in that stub wall that is in the lower level bathroom. <S> You will want to check this carefully before you finalize your plans so you can factor in what this may mean to your overall project.
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If you intend to replace with a new tub you will have to make sure to switch the leftness/rightness of the drain hole location with respect to the current tub.
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Replacing 14/2 wire with larger gauge (12/3), is this a problem? I replaced a 2 conductor NM wire running from a light fixture to the switch with a 3 conductor 12/3 wire, to bring a neutral line to the switch box for a smart switch. Then I pulled out the old wire and realized that it actually was 14/2, not 12/2. I thought it was 12/2 so I picked up 12 gauge from the store, and this of course was after I already fished the line through the wall. Is there potentially a problem switching out a wire for a higher gauge? Theoretically a 12 gauge wire can conduct more amps than a 14, so my assumption is that it’s not a problem because it can handle more current than the old wire, not less. But I thought I’d double check. <Q> You're good to go. <S> You could run #10, #8 or #6 if you wanted (of course you'd have a heck of a time terminating it in the box, but that's another story). <S> You're always free to run a larger gauge wire since, <S> as you know, it can handle the higher amps. <S> Make sure you label the circuit (as others very properly noted) to remind yourself and future electricians that this is a 15a circuit with some #12 wiring and that it's not #12 all the way to the breaker. <A> <A> The minimum wire size is based on the overcurrent protection, so assuming the breaker was properly sized to begin with then it should be a 15A breaker which will limit the current to about 15A. <S> So wire that can carry 20A is fine since current will be limited by the breaker anyway. <S> In fact often wire sizes are increased to provide lower wire resistance, which reduces voltage loss suffered due to length. <S> The charts based on NEC (310.16/310.16(B)(7)) are the maximum allowed current on the size wire shown.
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Using the larger gauge wire is OK as it can easily carry the current capacity of the lighter gauge wire that it was replaced with. In an instance like this it can be a good idea to place a label in the electrical boxes where 12AWG wire is located to indicate the the circuit is only protected with a 15A breaker and that 14AWG wire is deployed in the rest of the circuit. This helps a future you or next owner of service person to understand that this is NOT a 20A circuit.
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What is this device in my basement? I bought a house recently. Some of the wiring, particularly in the basement, while not obviously unsafe , is... inspired . On the side of a junction box in the basement, there's a device with two thin wires coming off of it, going up into a hole. I believe, but don't know for sure, that above the hole is an exterior wall, but there's nothing on that wall that would use such thin wires - just switches and outlets, which I'd hope are fed from the thicker cables also going through that hole. So what is this thing? <Q> Looks like a doorbell transformer. <A> About 40 years ago, I saw a similar transformer in our basement. <S> I asked my father what it was, and he thought doorbell. <S> We disconnected a wire and the bell still worked. <S> That night, my mom went to make a phone call and the phone dial wasn't lit. <S> In the old days, mid-late 70's, 4 wires to the phone. <S> Red/Green were the phone service, the other 2 lit up the dial. <S> Sometime later, the current in the phone line itself was enough to light the dial, and the 4 conductor wire was useful to run two phone lines. <A> There is a slim chance that this is electric osmotic damp treatment. <S> You might see a couple of electrodes on the wall. <A> It should show a low amount of voltage ≈20-40VAC.
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I saw one of those things in my basement as well, and I can confirm that it is a doorbell transformer. If you want, you can get a multimeter and put the two leads on the two screws on the top. Prolly output is 24 V ac from input 120 V ac in the metal box. We had this in a house we moved into in about 1977, we disconnected it and cured the damp by unblocking the gutter...
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Securing NM cable along a steel beam I'm planning on finishing my basement, and the wiring as-is is a mess, in the way of putting up a ceiling, and code deficient in several ways. So I'm looking at ways to rework the wiring, and I'd really like to avoid drilling several dozen holes in the joists. To me, the obvious answer is to run everything from the panel, through the joist bay directly over it, to the central carrying beam, and then run wires in both directions along the carrier beam to their destinations. The beam has to be boxed in anyway, and will definitely provide support and mechanical protection. But I can't find any examples or talk of doing anything like this, which makes me wonder if there is something I'm missing that makes this undesirable or against code. The only thing I can think of is that it's not the most efficient path and contractors want to save copper. Is there any reason not to do this? And if not, does anyone have suggestions on how to attach a running board/cable tray/cable stacker to a steel beam? <Q> Attaching wiring hangars to an I-beam is simplicity itself. <S> You need these, which run about a buck each. <S> This clamps to the flange of the I-beam. <S> Note the 1/4”-20 holes, which let you attach whatever you need. <A> I have welded metal tabs and also drilled holes in the web to attach gutter to beams both methods work and have passed inspection. <S> I don’t like directly welding gutter as sometimes that makes a rough point in the tray. <A> Idea 1 Stand 1x4 or strips of 3/4" plywood as "studs" in the beam cavity at intervals, flat against the beam's vertical rib. <S> Fit them snugly and use construction adhesive on the back. <S> They'll never budge and you can use common plastic staples as needed. <S> Idea 2 Do your soffit framing first and staple to the inside of the vertical members of that structure.
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If the beam where you want to put the wire is below 8’ then the wiring would need to be protected.
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Well system cant keep up Hello I have a well system and cannot run my 2 hose bibs at the same time. Also my sprinkler system only runs for about 2 mins before my pump runs to 0 pressure in the system. I installed a new bladder tank last year and I just installed a new 40-60 pressure switch <Q> If this is a change from past behavior, it could reflect a pump degrading with age, or a change in the hydrology around the well. <S> In the case of a degrading pump, there might be plenty of water <S> inthe <S> well, but the pump can only pump it out so fast. <S> In the case of a change in hydrology, the pump could be pumping outall the water in the well faster than the well refills from theground around it. <A> Most likely you are "pumping air" bc you pumped the well down below the pump. <S> The well can't produce the volume you are trying to pull. <S> There are controls that can detect when you are "pumping air"... <S> the amp draw of the pump is a lot less when pumping air than when pumping water. <S> The control will shut off the pump for some period of time to allow the well to recover. <S> The timings are adjustable to the hydrologics of the well. <S> Systems can be designed to have a holding tank (not a pressure tank) that can be slowly filled based on the production capacity of the well. <S> Then a jet pump can get the water from the holding tank and pump it into a pressure tank. <S> Obviously this is a much more complex system that will need to be designed, but it's the best way to deal with a low producing well. <A> You should call in a person or company <S> that drills and services wells. <S> The well may not have the capacity it used to due to mud and debris sealing the water entry to the well cavity. <S> The existing pump impellers could be plugged with mud not allowing the pump to develop <S> it's normal capacity and pressure. <S> The pump may not have the capacity to do the job you want it to do. <S> Save yourself the aggravation of trying to guess what the problem is and "make the call" to an expert.
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You appear to be exceeding the amount of water (or rate of water per unit time) that your pump (or well itself) can supply at once.
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Should an optical cable inside a house be run in conduit? I am hoping to run a fibre optic cable from the office/study to the "server" room where I'll have my NAS. The idea is to use a 10 Gbit/s connection. We are building and are currently framing. Should I run conduit and put the fibre in it, or is it fine just to staple the fibre optic cable (with wire staples of course)? I doubt it'll need replacing, but who knows. <Q> Run Conduit <S> Then if you need a 2nd fiber later, or this one goes bad, or you want to add something else , you're all set. <S> Plus, one staple that hits wrong, and you've clobbered your fiber <S> - you can't (realistically) splice and patch the way you could with copper Ethernet. <A> Absolutely without question the industrial strength answer is install an empty plastic conduit pipe, and blow the fiber through later. <S> Make all your bends very gentle so the pull is easy. <S> The conduit needed is tiny and very flexible. <S> However, you may be using pre-terminated fiber, in which case the needed conduit starts to get large. <S> See <S> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8PgrvTrwAM <S> for a guide to pre-terminated fiber. <S> NEVER staple fiber. <S> If you're framing, just drill holes and string the fiber from hole to hole. <S> For your redundant backup fiber use different holes. <A> Assuming you're installing single mode fiber... <S> The other answers would have been correct many years ago, but developments in optical fiber technology have come a long way. <S> Construction grade fiber is widely available now that is rugged and robust enough to be laid down like normal building wire. <S> You can staple it, pull it tight around sharp 90-deg corners, and even wind it around pipe without any signal degradation. <S> Conduit is an option also, but it is absolutely not necessary any more - just make sure to buy the correct grade of ruggedized fiber for domestic construction applications <S> You're more likely to break non-rugged fiber just trying to install it, to be honest, particularly if you're not experienced with fragile fiber - the rugged stuff <S> you can't kill without a lot of dedicated neglect and abuse. <S> It's made for builders with hard-toe boots, work gloves, power staplers, and thumbs bigger than their hammers. <S> If you're building a multimode network that's a different story altogether. <S> I wouldn't invest in building multimode fiber into a building at this point. <S> Go SMF - it will last forever. <S> MMF - conduit, because you'll want to replace it at some point. <S> At that, the extra you'll spend on the conduit and more-expensive multimode fiber would pay for the SFP+ SMF modules, so it seems silly to go cheap here. <S> MMF is dead. <S> It's not like you're a datacenter and have to shave every dollar off of thousands upon thousands of endpoints. <S> This isn't to say that you can't put plain SMF in a conduit, though - it does let you add more lines in the future, so that's always a plus, but as long as your SMF doesn't break you should never need to upgrade it - <S> it will be good for 10GBit, 100GBit, 1000GBit, and whatever comes after that. <A> and you won’t crack your fiber. <S> It is not recommended to staple fiber 1 over set staple or missed strike and the fiber is toast. <S> For many years the only thing I used flexible non metallic was for fiber. <S> Fled is about as easy but provides a safe path and put a pull string if you ever need you can pull a new cable or fiber at a later date.
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The conduit will also protect the fiber from damage during the instal. You want to use conduit ( flexible non metallic conduit) is the best for fiber use long sweeps for 90’s and you can absolutely just run this like any other wire in your house. I wouldn't bother investing in it at this point.
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Bevel a 2x6 long ways I need to make a bevel plate (of 10 degrees) to support wooden I-joists on a single slope (shed) roof assembly. I'm working with 2x6s, and I'd really like to cut the ten degree bevel across the 5.5'' dimension of the board, but I am really struggling to figure out how to do it. Just to be clear, I need to rip these 2x6 long ways, with a 10 degree bevel going the width of the board to support a wooden I-joist at 10 degree angle. I thought I could cut the boards on both sides with a circular saw, but unless I have a monster (8'' + inches) circular saw they blade is too short for the cut to meet in the middle. Any ideas? Update: Just to follow up for those who want the "problem", I have a single slope roof and I am using wooden I-joists for rafters. I am going to use a birdsmouth cut for the lower bearing wall. For the higher bearing wall, the office documentation for those I-joists (and all other I-joist documentation I have seen) says I need a "bevel plate" (see 10a in the attached). I think I will end up just putting a 10 degree cut bevel in a 2x4 and putting that on two top plates as suggested here , but open to hearing more ideas and thank you for taking the time. <Q> Bandsaw, but still tricky. <S> Reliable solution would be to throw away half the board (not get two usable pieces from each board) and use a router sled to plane off the wood not used. <S> Router sleds are an amazing tool to have in your list of options, and produce great work. <S> If attempting this with a hand-held circular saw: A: <S> Don't B: <S> check your insurance coverage and have someone looking on to call 911. <S> That is a bad cut to try and do with a hand-held circular saw, in my experienced opinion. <S> I also agree with the commenters that there is no way you need a full width beveled top plate. <S> Normal rectangular top plate and (easily made) wedges under each joist will be done before you are done setting up to make the thing you don't need but think you do. <A> If you have rafters butting, you don't need the whole 2x6 ripped, right? <S> You only need a small notch at a 10 degree angle. <S> So grab a handsaw, mark the face and edge where you want the cut to stop, make 2 (maybe 3 or 4 if you feel like it) <S> kerfs, then whack at the wedge with a chisel. <S> It'll come out pretty easily. <S> Rinse and repeat for each rafter. <A> (Migrating my answer from the closed duplicate question) The best way to do this is going to be shimming up one side and running the board through a planer. <S> Basically you'll draw your angle on the endgrain, get a piece of MDF wider and longer than your work piece, then use framing shims to get your line parallel to the sheet of MDF. <S> Tack/screw the shims in place and then tack stops on all the sides of the board to keep it from moving on the MDF. <S> Make sure none of your brad nails/screws will contact the planer blades (or poke through the MDF to hit the planer bed). <S> Then run it through till you hit your line.
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Traditional blended approach and probably good enough for framing is to cut both sides with a tablesaw as far as it reaches (which might be more than halfway for a 10" belt-driven saw, and you are done) and then finish with a handsaw guided by the tablesaw kerfs to complete the cut.
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Heat and water safe material for internal dishwasher repair On the inside of my dishwasher is a plastic tube that transports water to a spinning piece in order to clean the upper rack. Part of the plastic tube has melted through and the top rack is no longer getting properly clean Edit: The dishwasher was obtained used and already had the damage when I got it. Based on the way it's melted, something hot came from above, so it's probably not a fault in the appliance itself. It is a Kenmore of some sort, but I currently have a lot more time than money, so I would really prefer to find a DIY solution instead of shopping for OEM parts. <Q> The recommended, long term method <S> There are quite a number of places on line that sell repair parts for <S> all types of home appliances. <S> It will likely be easier to purchase and install the proper replacement part than to attempt to repair a part. <S> Using your favorite internet search engine, look for replacement parts <make <S> > <model <S> > <S> Where <make <S> > <S> = Whirlpool, or GE, or Bosch (as appropriate), and <model <S> > <S> = xyz, or pdq, or alpha123soup-b as listed on your machine. <S> and you'll probably come up with 4* options right off the bat! <S> *number guaranteed to be correct for as long as it took me to type it. <S> The short-term quick fix methods <S> Since the OP has indicated that he's looking for a short-term repair before replacing the appliance... <S> (As seen on TV!™) <S> You could probably even pick some up at your local 24-hour superstore while you're getting groceries. <S> It seems like this would be a good time to try one out and see how close it comes to the claims on its package. <S> If one doesn't work very well, try a different brand. <S> I've never had need to use any, so couldn't make a recommendation. <S> If you wanted to be really solid, but spend a bit more money (or maybe not), and can get that pipe out of there, <S> a rubber coupling (sometimes known as Fernco connector) should be more than sturdy enough to hold in the pressure and, for only a couple of years the rubber should take the heat, as well. <S> It might not last much beyond 2 years, but that's all your looking for. <A> If the tube has melted you better find out why? <S> It's unusual for that to happen. <S> That being said, I can't count how many hoses, radiator hoses, <S> PVC pipes i've fixed just by wrapping black vinyl electrical tape around the ruptured part. <S> Don't skimp on the tape and pull it tight. <S> Add two or three layers. <A> When I was 17, a mechanic helped me repair my radiator. <S> He was swamped with business and didn't feel the need to take money from me for something I could do on my own. <S> While the fins were metal, the tubing on the back side of the radiator was molded plastic. <S> He used a garden hose to force water into the radiator and showed me where a crack was in the plastic and told me to take it out, clean, dry it, and find the best silicone I could find; one with a high melting point. <S> I got a tube from the big box store and viola; it was fixed for years. <S> I suspect this could work here as well, but you need to make sure the silicone is food safe. <A> If you know anyone who will donate a lady's nylon stocking and you have some 1-hour epoxy on hand, cut the stocking into strips, mix up a batch of epoxy, wet the strips with the epoxy and wrap the epoxy-soaked strips around the plastic part, overlapping for double or triple coverage. <S> Just like gauze and plaster on a broken arm. <S> I've done this kind of repair on plastic parts, and it's waterproof and amazingly strong after it cures. <S> Use rubber gloves. <S> It's probably best to let it cure for 24 hours before using it. <S> Run a wash cycle with no dishes to wash away any unmixed / uncured epoxy.
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All the big-box home improvement stores stock all sorts of miracle leak stopping tapes and wraps that will work on anything from glass to plastic to metal to cement and more!!!
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How do I put legs on a curved surface? I cut an oak tree in half ( image below, but with the rough bark on the outside! ) and want to make a seat. The legs are the problem. I've made a few attempts ( like short 2x4's, etc ), but I can't make a stable chair. I can't really make a solid connection to the rounded bark side. <Q> Get some thick stock, maybe a few heavy branches from the tree, and drill a 1.5" hole saw into the end of each leg about two inches deep. <S> then with a regular saw, cut around the outside two inches from the end until the outer part falls out and you're left with a 1.5" round stud out the end of the leg. <S> You'll have to file the peg a bit to get it into the hole. <S> I'm assuming you don't have access to a wood turning lathe. <A> Log furniture is usually assembled using large hole saws and or Forstner bits. <S> I have an adjustable bit that I can expand the cutter. <S> I find the depth of the hole needs to be 1.5-2 <S> x the diameter for chairs if the legs are not set deep enough they tear out. <S> The other thing that I found out after making some furniture MAKE SURE IT IS DRY! <S> I made some chairs out of trees <S> we cut I trimmed everything assembled and <S> a few months later it became very wobbly the legs dried and were smaller than the holes <S> (gorilla glue saved me having to redo all the legs). <S> If you look at log furniture you will see what I mean on cutting the ends down <S> , I make the ends as tight as possible with out splitting the rail or seat. <S> If the wood is well dried and the leg goes in 1.5 x <S> the diameter only a small finish nail can be used just in case they start to losen up. <A> Traditionally, you want tapered holes and tapered legs inserted in the holes. <S> Those holes should be bored at an outward angle, as well, not vertically. <S> If things shrink, the leg just seats a bit further in the hole (if the hole is deep enough to allow that, of course.) <S> This may require tools you do not own, but they can be found. <S> For reasons of geometry, 3 is the magic number of legs to not wobble, and traditional for this sort of stool as a result. <S> Best to remove the bark, by the way <S> - it may fall off later, and tends to harbor wood eating beetles. <A> There are tools made just for what you are trying to do. <S> Maybe more than you want to spend, but wanted to show you anyway. <S> Below is a screen shot of parts of it as well as a link. <S> I have not used these personally, but I have heard they work well. <S> https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200459372_200459372?cm_mmc=Google-pla&utm_source=Google_PLA&utm_medium=Power%20Tools%20%3E%20Drills%20%2B%20Accessories%20%3E%20Tenon%20Cutters%20%2B%20Kits&utm_campaign=Lumberjack%20Tools&utm_content=16804&gclid=CjwKCAjwmf_4BRABEiwAGhDfSWvXYEPazetB9Yl9tCK3GuJb8yTg9l3L5JsylUHSrUTY7lMAVqcSeRoCbM8QAvD_BwE
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Drill the holes then shape the legs to fit I found a strip sander quite handy for getting my legs and rail pieces to the correct size. Then drill a 1.5" hole in the seat and insert the leg into the hole.
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Can a through-the-wall A/C unit be mounted in a window? I've seen many posts about how you can't install a window AC unit through the wall. However, I have the opposite question. Can you install a through-the-wall AC unit in a window? It seems like someone would have created the hardware to do so, but I can't find it. Specifically, window AC units have a bracket on them that secure them when the window closes on them. Essentially, I would be looking for a sleeve like you have in the wall, but with the appropriate hardware to mount in a window. I know it's not as efficient as a window AC unit, but we moved into an apartment without a wall sleeve, so we would rather not buy another unit. <Q> Wow and here after all these years I thought they were the same thing. <S> Well they are the same, basically. <S> The part that is critical is the external vents can not be blocked by the wall, and that’s where the problem comes in - because of the thickness of the wall. <S> I state this with the understanding that the unit has the normal fully enclosed system except the coils and air vents (I have not seen one that was not enclosed, but wanted to cover all the bases). <A> It seems to me that it could be supported from the window frame by adding rails (red) across the top and the bottom of the sleeve (blue) that catch on the window frame (green). <S> side view outdoors on left indoors on right. <S> I'd go with 1" aluminium angle for the rails and attach them to the sleeve with stainless gutter bolts with locking nuts. <S> I'd have a fiber washer under the bolt heads of the lower ones to prevent leaks. <A> Follow the advice from @Ed <S> Beal and remember to make sure that none of the louvered spots are being obstructed. <S> There is no difference between a window mount or a "through the wall" installation except that the wall installation is a permanent opening.
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However, going from a wall mount to a window should be no problem at all, other than the mount and making sure to tilt it just enough that the condensate drains outside.
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60 amp Fuse box as junction box for 150a panel Electrician in PA wants to use old 60amp FEDERAL fuse box panel (which happens to be in bathroom wall, less than 3 feet from sink and shower) as junction Box to new 150 or 200 amp panel which will be less than 12 feet away from old fuse panel. I say NO WAY! Wont pass inspection to get us electric turned back on (been vacant) and besides, it is just plain dangerous! Please settle this argument. Opens in bathroom, literally an arms length across from shower. I dont know specifics if he going to gut old panel. Perhaps thats what he was thinking. I pictured it as running thru old panel to new. But if using just empty metal box w lid screwed shut, it seems a little safer as long as splicing to a larger amp panel is ok... rest of wiring still intact in house but we would like to upgrade and run new wiring after we get some power out there. <Q> Once the work is done, the cover plate can be screwed down to prevent opening while still being "permanently accessible". <S> If you don't like to appearance, hang a picture over it! <S> But it will pass code in most places. <A> USA Code allows splices inside breaker/fuse panels, so this would be legit even if the fuses were retained. <S> The panel having been put in the bathroom a living age ago, is surely grandfathered and is legal today because it was legal when installed. <S> Merely having the building be vacant does not zero out grandfathering . <S> It might if during the vacancy all the wiring had been gutted by copper thieves etc. <A> Gutting a cabinet to use as a junction box is A-OK; they just can't leave the fuse blocks in it <S> The key to understanding what your electrician is likely proposing is that a panelboard (the technical term for fuse panels, breaker boxes, loadcenters, and such) consists of two parts: an interior that holds the fuses or breakers and busbars, then mounts to a cabinet that encloses the interior, overcurrent devices, and attached wiring, complete with cover and door. <S> As a result of this distinction, which is both historical (panelboards back in the day were built up in the field from individual fuse blocks, busbars, and a cabinet) and practical (you can put in the cabinet and run conduits to it during roughin, then return with the interior once all the finish work's done <S> so it doesn't get gooped with drywall mud, paint, texture, or other worksite contaminants), there are not one, but two UL standards that apply. <S> Panelboards are built and tested to UL 67, while the cabinet standing alone are constructed to meet a different UL standard, namely UL 50. <S> Thing is, UL 50 is a generic standard that covers a variety of different types of electrical boxes, including the junction box's bigger brother, the pull box . <S> As a result of this, and the fact that splices are generally legal in panelboard cabinets to begin with (NEC 312.6), it is generally considered permissible during a service upgrade to remove the interior from a panelboard cabinet and reuse the cabinet as a junction/pull box to feed the new wiring. <S> Note that in this case, they can't leave the interior intact because overcurrent devices can't be installed in a bathroom (240.24(E)) <S> ; however, with the interior removed, that's no longer an issue.
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It is fairly typical to use an old panel box with the guts removed for use as a junction box. Also, best practice when doing this is to replace the existing cover with a piece of suitably thick (17 gauge or thicker, as per 312.11(B)) sheet steel that's been painted whatever color is called for; barring that, your AHJ may accept simply having the door on the existing cover screwed shut to keep someone from opening it and thus being able to poke live parts through the door holes that once provided access to the fuse blocks.
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Why do well pumps need 240V when the wattage is not that high? I want to be able to power my well pump from a battery when the power goes out, but I am learning that well pumps are heavy duty, running at 240V high voltage, even though mine is only 3/4 hp, which is about 560W, which is much less than a microwave oven, which sits on my counter and runs off 120V house current. What else is going on here besides wattage/horsepower than determines why a well pump needs the higher voltage? <Q> Need is not the right word here. <S> Preferred is probably a better choice. <S> While you could do this with a large AWG wire at 120V, you can use a smaller and less expensive wire at 240V. <S> So this is commonly done. <S> I've not shopped for one <S> but I suspect you may be able to locate a 120V submersible pump if you needed one. <S> By the way, keep in mind that a 500W pump may need a 1500W inverter to start it up. <S> Check the specs for your specific pump. <S> Apart from that, why not get a 240V inverter for your battery backup instead of a 120V one? <A> Volts is the "pressure" or force behind electricity. <S> Note that 240V power has 20 times the force of a 12 volt battery. <S> Amps is the flow/volume of electricity. <S> Power (the thing you ultimately want) is pressure <S> x flow, or volts x amps. <S> For instance the Oroville Dam has 600 feet of head (water pressure). <S> Flowing 1000 cubic feet per second of water, it can make a lot of power. <S> To make that same power, a Mississippi River dam (with only 20 feet of head) has to drop 30,000 CFS. <S> So your 560 watt pump can happen either at 2.33 amps at 240V 4.7 amps at 120V 47 amps at 12V <S> Why 240V well pumps <S> It's all about voltage drop due to distance. <S> Voltage drop is figured by Ohm's Law: Vdrop = <S> I (current) <S> x R (resistance of wires). <S> Remember <S> - it's not just the wire length from the house to the wellhead. <S> It's also the wire length down the well shaft . <S> The pump is at the bottom. <S> To keep the math easy, let's say your well pump is run with 10 AWG wire <S> and it's 500.5 feet out and down. <S> Round trip, the resistance of that 1001 feet of wire is 1.000 ohms. <S> Now I'm going to show you how to compute 240V, and I want you to follow up and compute the others. <S> Current at 240V is 2.33 amps. <S> Resistance, as said, is 1.000 ohms. <S> Plug that into Ohm's Law: <S> Vdrop = <S> I <S> * R <S> Vdrop = <S> 2.33 <S> * 1.000 <S> ...... <S> Vdrop is 2.33 volts. <S> That means 237.67 volts actually makes it to the pump. <S> 2.33 volts divided by 240V gives us 1% voltage drop. <S> That is perfectly reasonable. <S> 1% x 560W = 5.6 watts - acceptable loss. <S> Now compute these for 120V and for 12V. <S> Ideally we aim to keep under 3% voltage drop, but a little flex is OK. <A> Unless you're planning a battery the size of a Tesla WallPack, (which I believe has a 240 inverter built in), you're probably going to be better off with a generator than a battery. <S> Good ones aren't cheap (see, e.g. the Generac line), but they are designed to run indefinitely. <S> And that can be a good thing when a hurricane takes out power for a week.
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240V is preferred because submersible pumps are often well away from the house and deep down in the hole and you must run a wire there capable of supplying its power needs without too much voltage drop in the line.
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What to use a 90 and when to two 45s in copper piping? I'm replacing the tubing for an outdoor hose and in the wall I found what you see in the picture below. Why did they use two 45s and not one 90? Is there a general guideline for when to avoid 90s in favor of 2x45? And what is that ugly coupling in the picture? It looks like they took a coupling and bent it into a 45. (To be it looks like they didn't have a 90 and improvised.) <Q> When to use a pair of 45° versus one 90°? <S> Most in the construction trades work according to these guiding principles: <S> As for the mangled fitting: that's not a coupler. <S> It's much too long; there's no way a person could bend a coupler without kinking/crimping it shut. <S> This looks like a 45° elbow that has been twisted about half a turn. <S> Perhaps the faucet was installed upside down and somebody, working from the outside and assuming that faucets are always connected with a threaded adapter, decided to just twist it around to fix the orientation. <A> We can only speculate, and your guess makes sense. <S> The usual reasons are: To effectively create a longer-radius bend to get around something To shorten the length of a run between pipes at right angles where space allows <S> Here we have no way of knowing. <A> ... <S> it looks like they didn't have a 90 and improvised... <S> Looks that way to me too. <S> Ran out of 90s, didn't want to drive to the store. <S> There IS a concept of using a "sweep ell" instead of a sharp elbow in order to reduce the slight pressure drop that is created by the sharp turn, but that's generally insignificant in a residential system like this.
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Use as few parts as possible, because handling more parts takes more time Get the job done with whatever I have on the truck, because trips to the supply house and back to the job site waste time With that philosophy in mind one would use a pair of 45° elbows only if using a single 90° is impossible given building constraints, or if a 90° isn't on hand.
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How do I wire a modern 240V 3 prong range to a 250V 50A 3 prong outlet? This is for wiring in the United States. My wife ordered a new GE electric range top, and it came with a 3 wire flex conduit permanently attached. I cannot change it. It has a black wire, a red wire and a ground wire. It looks like this: We plan to use it in an old cabin that was built in the 1940's. There is an existing 240V 3 prong 50A outlet in the kitchen. Upon opening the outlet, I found a red wire, white wire and black wire in what looks to be 6 gauge? It's very thick, and hard to bend. There is no ground wire present. My understanding was that I could just wire in the black and red on the range top, and not use the neutral wire in the outlet box. But the fact that there is no ground in the outlet box means I can't ground the range top. What is the proper way to wire this up without having to run an entirely new outlet from the breaker panel? UPDATE: Added picture of breaker panel wiring, and it appears the metal box is indeed grounded? @ThreePhaseEel, yes I plan to hard wire it. I'm away at the moment, but can take a photo later. There is a 3/4 inch metal conduit entering the top of the outlet box. You can see it in the 3rd photo. Update 2: Okay, you guys are going to freak, but here is a photo of what I'm dealing with here. This is all the panels for the cabin: Now, I consider myself to be very handy. I do all my own mechanical and electrical work on my cars, I run my own outdoor gas lines, run my own electrical for my landscaping, etc. Add outlets within the house... But I'm obviously not an electrician. It seems like it would be easy enough to replace that sub-panel myself, but in light of all the other panels on that wall, is this looking like something that I should have an electrician handle? Update 3 My original question has been answered, but it opened another can of worms. And so I've created a new question to address the panel replacement/rewiring: Proper way to modernize 1940's cabin sub-panels Thank you all so much for your very generous help! It is greatly appreciated. <Q> While this may sound odd at the moment, it's actually a rather sensible move since you don't have separate neutral and ground in the feeder, thus we need to pick one or the other to provide at the subpanel, and since the other load has no use for neutral, we pick ground. <S> Of course, if you are planning to consolidate the panels, then the white wire can stay since it'll become a proper isolated neutral in that case. <S> You'll want to cap it off at the cooktop junction box in the meantime, though. <S> That subpanel needs to go, though, too <S> However, once that white wire's gone from the equation, the challenge begins, as sadly, that subpanel is a Zinsco, with all the relatively checkered failure history attendant to that fact. <S> Sadly, the fact it's recessed is going to make this a tricky (albeit rather necessary!) <S> job, especially considering that retrofit interiors aren't made for small panels like yours. <S> You'll want to ignore the bonded bar and fit a ground bar to the new panel, though, landing the bare ground wires on the incoming feeder cable and outgoing 10/2 NM cable on the ground bar and leaving the bonded bar empty as a cue <S> that neutral is not available at this panel. <S> Once all that's out of the way <S> Once you get all that taken care of, then the green wire from the range can just land on a small mechanical lug (Brumall 6T or equivalent 4-14 foot lug with a #10 hole in it) connected to the box by a 10-32 self-tapping screw (Garvin GSST). <S> From there, the conduit continues the equipment grounding path to the subpanel, which then is grounded via the bare outer braid of the SEU cable used to feed it. <A> IF (and with some houses that's a big if) <S> the metal conduit is continuous and properly joined all the way from the box to the panel, that is your ground. <S> You can either install a 4-Prong range outlet (and use a plug, leaving the neutral pin unused in the plug) or you can hardwire and tape off the neutral for future use. <S> The ground would attach to the box, if you look closely almost all metal boxes have at least one pre-threaded hole which takes a #10-32 <S> screw - you can get short green ones in the electrical aisle, or non-green ones (which should still be short, particularly since old boxes tend not to have the "bump in" that modern boxes usually do for screw clearance behind this hole.) <S> If your box, after close examination, is the exception to this rule, you can get self-threading screws for the job, but they need to be fine thread so that they have enough threads in the metal - not just any self-threading screw. <S> For a #6 wire you'll probably need a ring terminal to make a connection you can trust, and you want to be able to trust the connection. <A> Check instructions for maximum fuse/breaker size on new cooktop - could be lower than 50 amps. <S> A new panel location that meets NEC requirements would have to be selected and all circuits extended to the new location, some of the old panels could be kept as junction boxes.
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That white wire can just...go Since your new range doesn't use a neutral, and this circuit appears to be run in conduit, I would turn off the feeder to the subpanel box at the main panel, make sure the power's off in the sub, then unhook the white wire headed rangeward from the neutral bar of the subpanel and pull it out as a starting point. Would be a good idea to re-wire that mess, but requires a lot of work.
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Main Electrical Circuit Breaker 150 Amp Keeps Tripping but the Branch Circuit Breakers 100 Amp and Appliance CB 30 Amp Do Not Trip After replacing the main panel board of our 2.5HP split type aircon. We started to experience tripping of our MAIN 150 Amp Circuit Breaker (CB1). This 150 Amp Circuit Breaker is outside our house (at the Electrical Post) which is standard in our Country. I wanted to have the Circuit Breaker trip to happen inside our house so I installed a similar 150 Amp (CB2) (same brand) inside our house. However, when the trip happens it still happens at the outside circuit breaker (CB2). The tripping is intermittent it only happens when certain appliances are operated at certain conditions. We have isolated that when we a. use the 2.5 HP aircon tripping happens b. use the Water Heater (at highest level (level 3). It causes tripping. However, the tripping always happens at CB1 not at CB2?. After the initial rewiring I was expecting that the tripping should happen at the inside CB. The 2.5hp aircon is connected to 30amp CB which is connected to a 100amp sub-panel CB then connected to the inside 150amp main CB before being connected to the 150amp electrical post CB. But always tripping happens at the 150amp electrical post CB. The Water Heater is also connected to 32 amp CB which is connected to a 60amp sub-panel CB then connected to a 100amp sub-panel CB then connected to the inside 150amp CB before being connected to the 150amp electrical post CB. The Water Heater and 2.5HP aircon are on not on the same sub-panel which are both 100amp. But always the tripping happens at the outside 150Amp CB outside the house. Questions:a. Why is the tripping happening at the outside 150amp CB not at the inside 150amp CB?b. Why are not the inside CB not tripping: 30amp, 100amp, 150amp? <Q> A: Breaker trip ratings aren't exact. <S> They have to fit a certain profile, but there are tolerances in manufacturing that will cause one circuit breaker to trip earlier than another equally marked breaker, even from the same production line. <S> Both fit within the prescribed limits and both get labelled with the same amp rating. <S> This is the first reason why a pair of breakers with the same amp rating will trip according to their own invisible preferences rather than yours. <S> B <S> : You've identified 62 amps of breaker capacity corresponding to the air conditioner and water heater. <S> We don't know whether those actually pull those levels of current -- their actual consumption should probably be only 80% of the breaker value (or even less). <S> These two loads should amount to about 1/3 of the 150 amp breaker's rating. <S> It's worth noting that start current for the air conditioning compressor <S> could be substantially higher, but circuit breakers are designed to not trip instantly specifically to deal with startup currents. <S> Are there other loads also running which haven't been accounted? <S> It could be that the sum of all loads distributed across all those panels works fine, but the addition of those two big loads approaches the limit of that 150 amp breaker. <S> and it trips at much lower current than it should. <S> Breakers can fail. <S> If you can acquire the use of a clamp-on ammeter you'll be able to check the currents on the various circuits and feeders. <S> That will reveal whether you have an overcurrent problem or a faulty breaker. <A> Once a breaker trips multiple times, it starts to take less and less to make it trip again. <S> The bi-metal strips used to sense an overload by bending inside of the breaker develop what's called a "thermal memory" in that they stop returning all the way to their original position when they cool down, so they need less load to make them trip again. <S> Replace the main breaker. <A> I have to jump to a conclusion that you added the indoor breaker because the outdoor one tripped numerous times, this could make the tripping mechanism more sensitive. <S> But it could be ambient heat, maybe a loose connection creating extra heat, or just a difference within manufacturing tolerance or an manufacturing alteration that resulted in an different actual trip point within the tolerance. <S> I would guess most manufacturers probably have a tighter tolerance that allowed by NEMA, but if you look at the "unknown band" for 1.5x the rating you can see NEMA specs require tripping from about 2 to 5 minutes. <S> (Sorry about the image being so large.)
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It's also possible that there's just something wrong with that breaker
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Can a MWBC ever be on 2 breakers? Has it ever been acceptable for a multi wire branch circuit to be on 2 separate breakers? My house, which was built in the mid 90s, has the dishwasher and the disposal on the same 12/3 cable, but not on a common trip breaker. I'm going to replace the breaker, but I'm just curious if this was ever allowed. <Q> Yes, it was allowed to have MWBC on separate breakers. <S> My house was built in 1981 and I had my refrig and two outlets on one MWBC and my dishwasher and disposal on another. <S> They were not handle tied and not even next to each other in the panel <S> but they were on different phases so the neutral wouldn't be overloaded. <S> The whole subdivision was built like that and many panels that I've been in have had them wired the same way. <A> I suspect the handle-tie requirement came along either in the late 90s or the 00s. <S> Back in 1994 they were still allowing 3-prong range and dryer connections to be built (though, not with NM nor UF cable). <A> I don't have my old books, but it wasn't until the 2000's that the common trip requirements entered the code, but even then your local authority may have not have immediately adopted the code or that section immediately upon publication. <S> For instance 3 states are still using the 2008, four cycles behind. <S> Free access to the NEC at https://www.nfpa.org/codes-and-standards/all-codes-and-standards/list-of-codes-and-standards/detail?code=70
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Yes it is allowed, up through the 2020 NEC section 240.15(B)(1) single pole 120/240v breakers with handle ties are still allowed when the MWBC only feeds line to neutral loads.
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Can I join two 4x4 fence posts? I purchased 6’ 4x4’s to put up a 4’ fence. I learned about digging below the frost line after. So now the non returnable 4x4’s I have are too short. Is it possible to join two 4x4’s together to make my six foot posts into eight foot posts? If so can the joint be below ground? <Q> Is it practical (.vs. <S> just buying the right size posts), not really. <S> Should it be below ground - no. <S> To really do it right <S> you want a router bit or shaper cutter that will put tapered "fingers" on the end of the joint which interlock for maximum glued surface - <S> which, unsurprisingly, is exactly what you'll see in the end joints of engineered lumber - but if making a 4x4 from engineered lumber, there would be 2 offset <S> 2x4's that were end jointed, so that the end joints were not all at the same point on the resulting timber. <S> You can, of course, do it to a lower standard. <S> It may work well enough, or it may fail. <S> Another option would be to: Set steel posts and bolt the wood to them. <S> Either cut them off or just let the posts stick 2 feet above the main fence (bolt them to the steel posts above ground level - don't half-bury them.) <S> Depending on the purpose of the fence those extra 2 feet can be useful, i.e to string trellis wire for plants or monfilimaent to annoy deer above your solid fence. <A> I would avoid doing it. <S> Get 8' posts and keep the 6' ones for other projects. <S> If you have to do it, I would do it at or above ground level. <S> Presumably you're talking PT posts, which are treated on the surface but not inside. <S> So the inside of any "join" will be less durable and you don't want it exposed to permanent moisture. <S> I've done it at my off-grid remote property, where you can't go to a lumber yard and get the right stuff. <S> I McGyvered it 2 ways, intending it to be temporary, but 2 years later both ways still work. <S> Butt end to butt end with no cutting, but with a metal tie like this, since I had an extra one. <S> https://www.homedepot.com/p/Simpson-Strong-Tie-BC-ZMAX-Galvanized-Post-Cap-for-4x-Nominal-Lumber-BC4Z-R/206059722 <S> Note <S> if you have to buy these, I'd just get the right-sized posts instead. <S> Note you can get variety of steel connectors, say 2 flat long ones per post With a half-lap joint with carriage bolts (don't use deck board screws, not strong enough). <S> Looking for a pic of the half-lap joints, I've come across https://backyardscape.com/how-to-extend-wooden-fence-post-height-step-by-step/ <S> which describes both methods. <S> The good thing is that a 4' fence (unless e.g. has snow pushed against it) is actually fairly undemanding structurally, especially if it's attached to something solid at the ends. <S> The bad thing is that it will still be a hassle to get it right, it will be weaker, and it will be less durable esp. <S> in wet conditions, so don't do it unless you really have to! <A> You could do it if you have to doing a joint like the one shown below. <S> Ideally, new posts would be desirable. <S> You would want to keep this joint above ground and use bolts,washers and nuts that are stainless steel.
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Is it possible, yes.
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How to differentiate neutral or ground bar? This is the main panel, the green neutral bonding screw is there. How to differentiate the neutral and ground bars? In this case, does it matter which one I use as ground or neutral for the interlock kit installation? <Q> Best practice is to wire grounds and neutrals separated in case this panel ever needs to become a sub-panel, but what you've got here now is a typical main panel where the neutrals and grounds are intermixed. <A> In a main panel with bond, there is no (functional) difference. <S> Many workers will still separate the functions, and "you tell" based on "what's in this bar? - White or Green/bare?" <S> Also, Neutrals are one wire per hole, while grounds in most bars are allowed to be multiple wires per hole (check the label on the box for details and torques - and always use a torque driver.) <S> In a bonded main, mixing them is allowed, as they are "the same" due to the bond. <A> You can use that lug for the neutral from the generator. <S> I would not use it for ground. <S> Go to a neutral or ground bar for that. <S> There are ~56 neutral lugs, and 40 spaces, so barely enough neutrals. <S> If you needed to run this panel as a sub, you would need accessory ground bars. <S> On a service panel, the metal chassis is grounded. <S> It's important to <S> be able to separate neutral and ground. <S> The key feature of a neutral bar is the insulation: it is insulated from the panel chassis. <S> You only need to remove a ground screw or strap, and the bar is isolated from chassis. <S> Neutral bars have a heavy, high-current path between the bar and neutral lug, which is itself isolated from the chassis <S> It is obvious that the neutral lug-to-bar connection is heavy, and designed to flow a lot of current all the time. <S> Ground bars are, by design, in direct contact with the panel chassis. <S> This can't be removed; there'd be no way to isolate them even if you wanted to. <S> Ground bars may not have a dedicated electrical connection to neutral. <S> They may rely on the case itself for their current flow to the other ground bars and any neutral-ground bonds. <S> In a main panel, there is nothing wrong with using neutral bars to attach grounds. <S> Do not put neutrals on ground bars. <S> Their current paths are not designed to flow high current continuously . <S> If you see "an awful lot of neutrals", consider the worst-case for the panel, of every space in the breaker filled with a tandem/duplex/twin breaker driving a single circuit; thus you need twice as many neutral screws as you have spaces . <S> If you have a gross excess of that number, then most likely the manufacturer intended some bars to be ground bars.
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It appears all the bars in this panel are configured as neutral bars. This is wired as a main panel (not a sub-panel), so they are effectively the same.
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How can I shorten ABS pipe to move a drain trap? What’s the right way to shorten an abs pipe. I’d like to move my basement sink over 3 inches to make room for a wall. Should I simply cut a chunk out of the Horizontal pipe and join the ends with a coupler ? See attachment. Thanks! <Q> Why do you need a coupler? <S> I would undo the u bend outlet, shorten and re tighten. <A> If the union on the trap is cemented (which it is NOT supposed to be), then I think you would have to redo much of the drain to get it properly positioned if you move it. <S> If the white on the union is just joint compound, then it could just be wiped off. <S> A union does not need any joint compound and certainly is not to be cemented. <S> Normally in the horizontal section there would be a slip joint with smaller tubing from the sink fitting inside slightly larger tubing going into the wall. <S> This allows axial rotation and in-and-out translation needed to properly mate all parts. <S> EDITSee this video https://youtu.be/hzLqWu4DNO0 . <S> The teflon tape is strictly not necessary because the sealing of the slip joints is done by the plastic seals. <S> But this video shows all the elements necessary to have a drain in which all the parts can be in the correct positions and angles. <S> Also in the video the narrator incorrectly calls a slip joint a "union". <S> The only union in the drain is on the wall side of the trap. <S> There are two faces which are held together with a nut and there is no separate seal needed. <A> That's about all there is to it. <S> Make sure you get an ABS coupling and the appropriate glue. <S> PVC pipe glue won't work properly, and you don't want to mix ABS and PVC pipe pieces.
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If the union on the trap can be loosened so the sink end of the trap can be swung on an arc, then you could cut out a piece in the horizontal section and reconnect with a rubber connector which would allow axial rotation and would allow some in and out repositioning to properly line up all the parts for a leak free drain.
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GFCI tester is tripping 15A breaker in panel; outlets on circuit do not appear to be GFCI outlets - is this a problem? Level of electrical wiring knowledge: Very basic, if that Problem: 15A single-pole breaker in panel randomly trips - has been doing so since buying house in 2009 (house built in 1987) Trouble shooting steps: I have an outdoor power outlet and two bathroom power outlets that do not appear to be GFCI. The outlets do not have Test/Reset buttons- there's no labeling for GFCI anywhere. I bought a $10 GFCI Tester. (Those little three-pronged things with 2 yellow/1 red light and a "GFCI test" button) When I insert the GFCI tester into the any of 3 known outlets on the circuit (2 bathroom outlets, 1 outdoor outlet) and push the button on the tester, the 15A breaker in the panel flips, killing power to all 3 outlets and the hall lights. Far as I can tell these are the only connections on that 15A breaker. Worth noting(?) this 15A breaker that keeps tripping is the only one in the panel with a test button. When I insert the GFCI tester into other non-GFCI outlets in the house and push the button, nothing happens - outlet remains hot and the connected source breaker in the panel does not flip. I have replaced all 3 outlets myself since moving in, but this overall problem persisted prior to me replacing the 3 outlets (2 bathroom, 1 outdoor) - and has persisted since outlet replacement. Breaker randomly flips, often when the A/C kicks on or is running (not on same circuit, per the breaker panel) or the pool filter is running (connecting to outdoor outlet in question) or a hair dryer is used in one of the 2 bathroom outlets in question. Sometimes the vacuum running in the living room will flip it, despite those other outlets apparently not being connected to the 3 outlets on the circuit in question. Looking for some guidance on what this means. I've since read on this site that these cheap GFCI testers are not really good for old wiring troubleshooting, but I didn't know that prior to purchasing one. I would like to spare the expense of an electrician, if I can. My next thought is to replace all 3 outlets with GFCI outlets and see if that resolves this. Or maybe replace the 15A breaker itself, except that I assume it's doing what it's supposed to do - trip when there's a problem on the circuit. Thanks in advance. <Q> Worth noting(?) <S> this 15A breaker that keeps tripping is the only one in the panel with a test button. <S> Because it is a GFCI breaker . <S> Yup. <S> That's a thing. <S> The GFCI rabbit hole gets weirder: <S> Any GFCI device (recep, breaker, deadfront, switch, combo switch/recep) can protect downline circuits . <S> So if you have a GFCI recep at spot 1, and cable going onward to spot 2, there is an option to wire it <S> so the GFCI recep at 1 protects both the cable to 2 and the outlet at 2. <S> Or 3 or beyond. <S> In fact that is exactly what a GFCI breaker is doing: protecting the whole circuit. <S> The reason this wasn't apparent to you is that the receps did not have the mandatory sticker: GFCI Protected . <S> As such, they were a code violation and need to have the sticker added. <S> This puts the "random trips" in a whole new light. <S> It's simply ground-faulting of the various appliances. <S> So an additional appliance (like the vacuum) can "push it over the edge" as it were. <S> However, a 2-prong appliance is unlikely to cause a GFCI trip unless it is ground faulting internally and <S> it contacts something grounded. <S> (E.G. if the vacuum tripped everytime you vac'd under a water pipe or something). <S> If you have a cyclical load like an air conditioner that sometimes trips it, then the trip will appear to sporadically occur with any appliance you regularly plug in: the appliance isn't at fault, the other load just happened to choose that moment to trip it. <S> If unrelated circuits trip it, it's possible the 2 circuits' neutral wires have been bridged together at some point. <S> Current from that circuit returning on <S> this circuit's neutral will cause a trip. <S> Lastly, it's not impossible for a GFCI to fail outright. <S> I strongly discourage people from thinking in those terms, because experience has shown most people will instantly leap to that conclusion: a version of "shoot the messenger". <S> I am glad you are not vulnerable to that. <S> It wouldn't hurt to buy a second GFCI breaker with an aim to fit it on a second circuit, and use it to test this circuit before assigning it that task. <A> Your GFCI circuit breaker is behaving normally, and you observations confirm that. <S> An inductive load switching on or off, such as a motor (the compressor motor of an air conditioner or refrigerator, or bath exhaust fan), can trip a GFCI breaker . <S> It might also be tripping because of water entering the outside outlet, or an appliance onnected to it, i.e. an actual ground fault current, where it is helping to pevent a dangerous shock. <S> There are a few remedies: <S> Plug the motor into another outlet, as with a room AC. <S> Insert a snubber or L/C line filter (e.g., this type ). <S> Use a GFCI outlet in a wet location, and hopefully it would trip before the house circuit breaker. <S> Replace the GFCI breaker with one designed for a motor load . <A> DrMoishe's answer is correct, but I thought I would add a little bit of context. <S> The purpose of a GFCI is to compare the incoming current to the returning current. <S> If these are not the same, the difference is going somewhere else, possibly through an object (or person!) <S> to ground. <S> When the GFCI detects this condition, it interrupts the circuit to stop the current. <S> Your little tester gizmo is working properly, and so is your GFCI breaker. <S> The tester diverts a very small amount of current into the ground circuit (the round hole in the outlet) in order to cause the GFCI to detect a mismatch and break the circuit. <S> Many times you will see GFCIs co-located with an outlet; these are the outlets with the test and reset buttons. <S> Any outlets located downstream from a GFCI will also be protected. <S> In your case, the GFCI is part of the circuit breaker in your electrical panel, which you noted has its own test button. <S> Every outlet on that circuit should be protected. <S> It's okay to use your tester on any outlet in the house. <S> Unprotected outlets will continue to operate when the test current is diverted. <S> This tells you they are not protected. <S> To check the protected circuit, you can use your toy or simply press the test button on the breaker itself. <S> Both methods do exactly the same thing. <S> If your breaker is randomly tripping, it could mean one of two things: (1) A short to ground is tripping the GFCI, or (2) a current load greater than 15A is tripping the breaker. <S> As DrMoishe says, anything with a motor can cause a temporary current spike that might trip the breaker. <S> Try to find out exactly what appliances are running on that circuit, and whether they might be misbehaving or starting at unexpected times. <S> Good luck!
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Keep in mind that small leakage from several appliances can add up to enough leakage to trip a GFCI device.
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How can I insulate under flooring panels in my attic? I am removing the original barely-still-there insulation in my 1950 attic (S. Cal.) and then sealing and then placing R 30 fiberglass batting. A problem I have is that about 5%-10% of the attic is covered with plywood nailed to the joists. I have been advised by a professional to not lift up the plywood for fear that tension between the joists and plywood would be released potentially cracking the drywall ceiling below it. To take a stab at insulating the plywood areas I'm thinking of adhering panels of rigid foam to the top of the plywood. It would probably be only R-7. Is it worth it and am I asking for any problems like condensation between the layers? Assuming any insulation under the plywood is the same as the exposed areas it is so thin it almost just paper. The smallest plywood area is about 3' x 4'. And I do not think condensation is a big issue here. I have thought about pushing blown insulation under the plywood by hand and also sliding in 14" wide slices of rigid foam. <Q> Condensation should not be a problem in SoCal. <S> IS there insulation under the plywood now? <S> If so, but is has compressed or something, or if not, you could drill holes in it and use blown-in insulation under there. <S> If you put the foam on top, you eliminate the option of walking on it, in which case you may have well as removed it. <A> For any changes or construction concerning the hull of buildings there is a site providing an easy tool for calculating thermal losses, dew points and more . <S> But it is mainly based on European materials and standards. <S> It is free for private use. <S> www.ubakus.de <S> Fastest way is to choose an adequate example (menu) and to edit the layers. <S> Switching to R value can be done by clicking on the tool icon next to the U value output. <S> Disclaimer: I do not have any association with that web site <S> , I do not benefit/profit in any way from my recommendation/mentioning of that site. <S> It is just by far the most professional and sophisticated and easy-to-use- site to calculate and visualize the relevant insulation parameters that I have found up to now. <A> I'd be blowing cellulose insulation in the entire attic. <S> Batts are a pain to move and fit well. <S> It would probably take half the time, including picking up the blower (which is often free to rent), cost less, and you'd have as more consistent insulation blanket. <S> Otherwise, just cut out larger portions of the plywood with a circular saw set to depth.
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You could leave strips or a frame to tie the ceiling joists together (though I don't have the same concerns as your "professional"--that sounds like a liability thing to me). Each layer can be edited and switched on/off to instantly see any changes. Then you could just fill the voids completely by poking the hose under, cutting small holes where necessary, and fill over the top.
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Why do I have a coax splice behind this blank face plate? Behind this blank face plate is a coaxial cable. I already have a coaxial cable in the middle of this room that I use for cable. I'd like to just push this into the wall and patch up the hole but I'm not sure if its used for anything. <Q> It is likely a remnant from either the initial cable-pulling process, or that connected cable is an extension that was used to "move" the coax to that other point in the room that you mentioned. <S> I would see what happens if you disconnect it - does the coax stop working somewhere else in your house? <S> Since it is a connection, having the access box is handy if you ever need to tighten the connection / move the coax port back to this box. <S> I don't think there is any code requirement on having access in this instance, though, as it's a signal wire (low voltage) - not power. <S> (as always, IANAL) <A> I get we all want smooth walls, but you really shouldn’t just cover up a splice box . <S> You need to be able to access each end of the cable for testing and repair. <S> Further, you are looking at the matter from the perspective of the room as it’s arranged currently. <S> It’s quite likely this is the original location of the coax outlet, and you’re seeing an extension cable to the present location, because someone agreed with your arrangement. <S> You or someone else might want to arrange the room differently. <S> You could swap cover plates with the present outlet, and make this the live outlet instead. <A> It's a just a coupling - a splice. <S> There are many reasons it may have been installed, but the most likely is to relocate the TV that was originally in that location. <S> You can close it up inside the box without any issue.
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It’s even possible you arranged the room that way because that’s where the coax or other utilities were located. That's the surest way to find out what it is used for. The reason is that splices do fail (whereas cables in walls generally do not). While that is a less serious problem with data cable, it is absolutely essential it not be done with power cables, especially AC mains!
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Proper glue for sticking foam on window glass? Strong enough, removable, and without gap Winter is coming. I plan to stick soft polyethelene foam on window glass for thermal insulation. Last time I use Styrofoam glue, and it is a disaster. It is hard to remove it. It take hours with alcohol and box cuter. Is there any proper material for the job? The house is rented. In future I will have to remove it. I am looking for a glue strong enough to keep polyethelene foam and glass together, removable in future, and leave no gap. I tried gap before, if foam and glass has a gap between, moisture condenses and molds. I wonder is 3M 77 spray adhesive will do the job? It sticks like a 3M post-it. Or is there any alternative? Thank you! <Q> Small dabs of clear silicone caulk . <S> You'll have to secure the foam while the silicone cures (maybe 4 hours), but it'll hold very well and will be a breeze to remove and clean up. <S> You could use masking tape or lean a broom against it. <S> Start with pea-sized dabs, and leave them round until the foam presses into them. <S> Keep them away from the window frame for easier removal. <S> Double-sided foam tape . <S> This would be fast and easy, but it would leave a small gap against the glass. <S> This just means that you'll need to seal the foam well at the edges. <S> Rope caulk could help with that. <S> A few squares around the perimeter should do nicely, or you could seal the entire edge. <A> Because this application of polystyrene has been so problemmatic, have you considered thermal liners/draperies, or applying long sections of large sized bubble wrap, which only require spritzing the glass lightly with water to cause the bubble wrap to tightly adhere to the window panes? <S> Either remedy should afford better insulation with less work. <A> I'd try regular white PVA glue, paint the foam with glue and allow it to dry overnight, then dampen them with a little fresh glue and press them on the glass. <S> it should stick and hold there when you are done it should just peel off <A> Glass is hard to glue to, since it is such a glossy surface. <S> Generally effective glues will be the "sticky forever" kind that behave like gum. <S> The problem is, UV light will be your enemy. <S> It is going to modify almost any glue you could use, into a brittle, deteriorated haze of a mess to remove from the window. <S> One important concept about insulation is that narrow air gaps are not your enemy. <S> Consider how a double-pane window works. <S> When airspace is narrow enough (less than 1 inch), it stops convection from operating in that space. <S> The air actually becomes a pretty good insulator. <S> Another insulation that uses that concept is fiberglas; the strands don't insulate, they just add friction to keep the air from moving freely. <S> The air does the insulating; that's why compressing fiberglas hurts its insulation value. <S> As such, you should not be afraid at all to leave a 1/2" to 1" gap. <S> Trying to conform the foam tightly to the window and frame is actually working against yourself. <S> That opens the possibility of using rigid products such as XPS or polyiso foam, which simply span the window, and are affixed at the edges. <S> They have considerably greater insulation value than any of the sheet foam you have been looking at. <S> That said, don't forget about the impact of window air leakage. <S> If the window is drafting, it could push the air through that intentional gap, defeating its purpose. <S> So address any leaky window gaskets. <S> Keep in mind <S> old windows weren't built to be drafty; they were built with competent seals, whose maintenance has since been neglected. <A> This is an ideal case for hot glue. <S> It holds plenty strong, won't break down much in UV conditions, and is cheap and widely available. <S> You can probably just yank the foam off when you move, but if it's vacuumed on good, a hair dryer can be blown on both sides to heat it enough to soften the grip. <S> Once the foam is removed, any globs of leftover hotglue will easily pull or scrape off without leaving something messy that needs solvents to cleanup.
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Clean the window and foam before applying for best adhesion.
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How I can make wood stop sliding once I plane it? I bought a hand plane in order to smooth and level my cuts I do using my hand saw. Before I use it in my project I tested it in a scrap piece of wood. But once I started planing the wood, the wood itself was sliding on the table I used as my work bench. Therefore, how I can make my wood to stop moving once I plane it? <Q> If you are talking about smoothing cross cuts on a board, you are going to want to use a Shooting Board . <S> Nothing fancy, keep it simple. <S> The height is adjustable so the plane doesn't hit the stop. <A> If you are going to be doing woodworking on a regular basis then you may find a good woodworkers bench a valuable and important "tool" to have. <S> ( Photo from Finewoodworking.com ) <S> A solid heavy workbench provides a stable surface to work on and the ability to hold down or onto the piece you are working on. <S> There are different styles of bench's but most have Two common features that are for holding wood, A vise, or three, and bench dog holes for bench dogs and hooks. <S> These offer different methods of holding a work piece depending on its size or how you need to interact with it. <S> Until you can build or buy a good workbench you can come up with alternatives like some of the other answers here. <S> A planing stop on any old work surface would work well, you can buy one like this one or just come up with your own idea. <S> You could also use bench cookies , they look like a hockey puck but have a nonslip coating that grips the bench and the work piece or accepts accessories for bench holes or clips. <S> I am a customer of Rockler and like there products <S> but there are many good woodworking tool suppliers out there. <S> Also, you may find that the Woodworking stack exchange has deeper knowledge base for woodworking specific questions. <S> Here is good YouTube video on sizing a workbench that you may find interesting. <A> Use 2 of any random wood clamp , to clamp the piece to the bench. <S> As you move down the piece, you'll need to relocate the clamps.
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If you are planing the board along the long edge, or on the surface, you will need a solid workbench with a stop at one end.
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Can I convert an old dual fuel Electric/Propane range into a cooktop only that uses 120V instead of 240V? We have an old dual fuel range - electric oven / propane cooktop - that we'd like to transform into a propane cooktop only. The range is old and outdated and we want something new for the kitchen, but I'd like to keep the old thing as a propane cooktop only and use it in the garage/outdoor for canning garden goodies in the fall. Now the range obviously uses a 240V outlet cause of the electric oven, but I'm wondering if it's possible to convert/rewire to be able to plug it into 120V (in the garage outdoor) as we'd only need electricity to light the cooktop. Who has a 240V outlet in the garage?!? :) It's not really a big deal cause we still can use a lighter to light them up, but if we could plug it in 120V it would be nice to be able to use the clock/timer on the cooktop. We still have the electric wiring plan, but we're not sure where and how to wire it into 110 V for the lighter and clock/timer front plate. Would that be doable? Edit: Added electrical wiring schema <Q> Many people have one or more 240V outlet in the garage (shop tools, welder, etc.,) and many more will as electric vehicles (and associated chargers) permeate the marketplace more. <S> Anyway, if you don't, certainly the simplest option is to light with a lighter. <S> If the igniter circuit works from 120V (which you appear to assume, but I don't), and both the clock (where that assumption is more valid, IME) and igniter circuit are on the same leg of the 240V line, it should be possible (with care) to determine which leg of the 240V feed that is, and to wire a 120V plug to the line, Neutral, and Ground for that purpose - <S> whether that's going to be a technical code violation or not, I don't know. <S> If the current range cord is a 3-wire, you'll need to separate the neutral and ground, for sure. <S> You will need to take care that the other side of the stove's line connection is well-isolated, as that will be energized when someone unfamiliar with your modification tries to use the oven, unless you make more internal modifications to disable that. <A> The vast majority of dryers and ranges are wired with all of the 120V crud wired between one of the 240V legs and neutral. <S> The other 120V leg is used only for the 240V large heating elements. <S> So... if you confirm that is actually so by reviewing the wiring diagram... then it’s easy. <S> Simply hook up your 120V cord to ground, neutral (remember to remove any neutral-ground bonding strap that may exist), and connect your one 120V hot to one of the phase legs. <S> This will either work, or it won’t . <S> If it doesn’t work, unplug and move the 120V hot to the other phase leg. <S> Now, on your first try, you may reach an interesting state: the 120V parts of the oven power up, but only if the oven is switched on . <S> If that happens, you are on the wrong leg. <S> Switch it. <A> The ignition section is the entire left half of the diagram. <S> You will see it is connected to the right half at the bottom middle where it says "POWER CORD". <S> From there, the wiring goes to L1 and N. <S> It does not get involved with or interrupted by any of the other electronics in the oven. <A> Basically anything is possible given enough time and money. <S> But I suspect you are looking for a practical solution. <S> One thing that may work to power the non-heating parts of the range is a 120V-240V step-up transformer. <S> That would allow you to keep using it unmodified but still have 240V to power its electronics.
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Yes, you can do this by connecting 120 volts to L1, neutral to N, and ground to chassis ground.
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How can I safely get power strip to desk in center of room? I can't even tell if this is a stupid question anymore. I have a desk in the center of a 12′ × 13′ room, on which I would like to have a power strip to power a computer and other, less power-hungry devices. After my first, definitely stupid and dangerous idea (to run an extension cord under a rug), I started looking into the NEC and the UL White Book and the difference between "relocatable power taps" and "multioutlet assemblies" and now I feel like I have no idea what is safe. Here's what I think I know: Extension cords are not to be used as a replacement for permanent wiring. I want this setup to basically stay in place for the next one to five years, so extension cords seem to be out. A power strip—erm, "relocatable power tap"—can maybe be used as permanent wiring if it contains a fuse or circuit breaker and if no tools are needed to remove it. But it still can't do things like go in walls (I'm a renter; I'm not looking to break through any walls anyway). "Flexible cords" (which includes the cord of an RPT?) must not be attached to "building surfaces." (But does that prohibit attaching cords to walls/ceilings using hardware designed for this, like cable staples large enough not to put pressure on the cord, or ceiling hooks like what I see used with lamps sometimes? Neither of these methods require tools to remove; is that relevant?) Power cords should not be covered because they are designed assuming they can be cooled in the open air. (But does that prohibit floor covers like this , or raceway sections like this ?) I should also note that my computer has a 1200W power supply, and while I've never actually measured it using nearly that much power, to have a margin of safety, I want to assume that it could basically start drawing 10A at any time. Therefore, whatever powers it should both be rated for that level of current (ideally the full 15A that the room's circuit can provide) and also be installed in such a way that resistance heating in the power cord isn't a fire hazard. So it seems like I have three general approaches: Run a power strip with a circuit breaker and a long power cord across the carpet up to my desk. Try not to trip on it. There is a virtue in simplicity, but hey, everyone trips sometimes. Same as above, but cover it with something safely (i.e., by means that prevent tripping, damaging the cord, and up-to-15A currents causing anything to heat to an unsafe temperature). I'm not a huge fan of the floor cord protectors I've seen (they seem like they'll be obnoxious to move when vacuuming), but if it's the right thing to do, I'll do it. Run a power strip with an even longer power cord (I'm looking at this one ) up the nearest wall, across the (drywall) ceiling, and drop down onto the desk. Barring electrical issues, this is my favorite approach, but it leaves me with a lot of questions about whether there is a code-approved (or not technically code-approved but still assuredly safe) way to affix a power cord to walls and ceilings. The codes all seem to forbid this generally but things like that Wiremold raceway and ceiling hooks for lamp cords seem to indicate otherwise (and if those are safe, I don't see why appropriately-sized cable staples wouldn't be also). If the Wiremold raceway is the way to go, I also can't tell if there's a meaningful difference between just covering the power strip's existing cord with raceway versus doing a more extensive Wiremold installation, which seems to involve tapping into an outlet with a starter box, running a different kind of wire through the gateway, placing a receptacle... on the ceiling? And running the power strip down from the ceiling receptacle? Is that actually safer? What should I do, and which of these various questions and concerns are actually safety issues versus misunderstandings or excessive pedantry? (If relevant, I live in Connecticut, USA.) <Q> Appliance and extension cords are called cordage . <S> Use the right stuff <S> The issue with cordage as a substitute for permanent wiring of the structure is not a “don’t do it” issue: it’s a “use the right stuff” issue. <S> “The right stuff” is appropriate wires designed for permanent use in structures, including appropriate physical protection. <S> For instance instead of stapling cordage to a wall, you should use surface conduit with THHN wires inside. <S> Of course, that requires a transition from the THHN to the cordage at some point. <S> That happens at a junction box, e.g. with a receptacle in it; the easiest way to transition from hardwiring to cordage. <S> Consider a pendant for center-of-room power <S> You then plug into that recep. <S> Probably best to use a fan-rated ceiling box. <S> The suspended box would probably be a metal box rated for a fan, since they are tough and built to endure tugs on the pendant. <S> That PC power supply is a terror <S> The “1200 watt” figure is the actually useful DC output of the supply; it is NOT the AC mains input — that is affected first by the efficiency of the unit and by the power factor. <S> X (actual power drawn) <S> x efficiency% <S> x PF% = <S> useful power out. <S> The “850 watt” power supplies actually draw 10 amps. <S> So I could see a 1200 watt supply drawing 16A or 17A. I would revisit the necessity of such an ostentatiously large power supply. <A> I would use a cable protector. <S> It is true <S> the NEC doesn’t want cords used for permanent installs but a movable desk is really not permanent even though it is going to be there beyond the 90 day temporary rule. <S> I would use something like Electra duct a plastic ramp like cover to protect the cable and prevent tripping. <S> There are many other types like, pedestrian cable covers, and durable cable ramps. <S> I just searched for power cord floor covers. <S> And found the above examples. <S> In commercial facilities they use a hard wired version that has the cord covers for both power and data the only difference <S> is there is a box extension to connect the assembly that then goes on the floor to the wall sections. <S> I would suggest a heavy 12 awg cord since you plan on a heavy load, if you have a 15 amp breaker 14 awg would be ok. <S> The place I normally see problems is at the receptacle where a cheap $1.00 contractors grade receptacle is used and possibly back-stabbed. <S> A spec grade receptacle like a back and side type using the clamps would be better. <S> These receptacles have better contacts and a higher withdrawal force reducing overheating problems at the plug. <S> The last thing I thought of was a 90 degree cord cap this replacement plug plugs in like normal but the wires exit at 90 degrees to the wall <S> so there is no side force on the contacts. <S> I use these in offices for this reason and when the office personal move things around these hold up to something being pushed into them breaking the receptacle and plug. <A> Posting this as an answer to be able to use an image, but this is what Ed Beal was referring to (concept, not the brand). <S> Lower picture is what it looks like flipped over, showing the track that the cord snaps into. <S> You can get them at office supply stores or on-line. <S> The Code is for premise wiring that would stay with the building when you leave, not how you set up and use things while you are there.
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A pendant is a piece of special cordage with high quality strain relief on both ends (think the Chinese finger puzzle webbing) that drops straight down from a box on the ceiling down to a junction box suspended in midair by the cordage. That “1200 watt” PC power supply is a gigantic beast made for gaming. If you want to be very fancy, you can have the pendant lock into a locking connector like a NEMA L5-15. As your desk is not a permanent fixture even though being in place more than 90 days the cord protector should be fine for your use This can be a surface-mount box (you’ll need to find the studs) which in turn can be supplied via surface conduit such as Legrand Wiremold.
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How do I lower the water level in a toilet bowl TMI Warning We have a round toilet bowl in our apartment (building constructed around 1960). An older man has difficulty cleaning himself because water level is high. How would one lower the water level to cover just the draining point. See pictures below for water level and toilet structure. <Q> Usually water level is determined by the height of the siphon bottom. <S> Any liquid higher than that will drain to sewer line. <S> That's not adjustable on a toilet, as it's in the shape of the porcelain tubing cast into the stool. <S> You should be able to kludge things to a lower lever by adding a piece of flexible tubing which goes drops further into the bowl, and the waste line than does the original porcelain. <S> However, that's going to be problematic, as it'll be prone to clogging and make the toilet harder to clean. <S> Only real option is to replace the toilet with one that behaves as you want. <S> Some extra tall toilets give more room between the seat and the water level. <A> The shape of the outflow channel determines the maximum amount of water that can rest in the bowl, but the momentum of the water in a flush would leave the level lower than the maximum. <S> Therefore, water is trickled in after the main flush to bring the level up to or near the maximum. <S> In a standard gravity toilet this trickle is via a small tube going into the overflow tube, but this is not adjustable AFIK. <S> I wonder if it is adjustable in this commercial flush valve? <S> But IMHO <S> the level in this toilet is fine. <S> If a particular user thinks they could benefit from a lower level, they could lower the level before use with a couple of downward strokes with a plumber's plunger. <A> Your bowl has a gallon rating. <S> Use a diaphragm that's smaller or a smaller relief valve to reduce the amount of water. <A> Reduce the amount of water that enters the bowl after a flush <S> The bowl gets refilled by the tank after a flush. <S> You can also use an adjustable clamp and use that to adjust how much water goes into the bowl. <S> If that still doesn't work, you can drill holes into the tube so that some water leaks into the tank before going into the bowl. <S> Obviously this is non-reversible, so do this only as a last resort. <S> You can also completely remove the tube so that the absolute minimum of water is in the bowl, but that may risk having sewer gas come through if the water level leaves air gaps in the toilet.
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If you change the tube so less water goes into the bowl, then the water level will be lower.
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Mold growth in home My home is a mold catastrophe. My fiancé was sick for a year and we got an air quality test and it tested the highest level. I started ripping the house apart and found that there was mold in three place. Around windows (easy enough, rehang windows correctly On north side of house close to attic vents Wall behind my toilet with galvanized steel vent pipe running up it.I tested the roof where it meets vent for leaks with hose yesterday and go nothing.In regards to vents, I want to plug them but have never heard of an attic without vents.I live in Santa Rosa California <Q> Get a second independent mold test before you do any modifications. <S> Do your bathroom vent fans just empty into the attic or do they go through ducting out the roof or an outside soffit? <S> Do not seal off any soffit vents. <A> The code requires “cross ventilation” in the attic. <S> Like @Jim Stewart says, don’t seal any vents off. <S> (See ICC R806 Vents.) <S> However, there is one exception: <S> The attic ventilation can be reduced to 1/300th the area to be vented provided one of the following items are met: a Class I or II vapor retarder is installed on the “warm-in-winter” side of the ceiling, or not less than 40% and not more than 50% of the ventilation is located in the upper portion of the attic. <S> The upper portion is defined as: “Upper ventilation shall not be lower than 3’ below the ridge or highest point of the roof. <S> “ <S> (See ICC R806.1.2.) <S> So, you can see there is clearly a benefit to having ridge vents, gable vents, etc. , <S> but in a proportion that allows COMPLETE CROSS-VENTILATION to the attic. <S> You are chasing down the problem the right way. <S> We’ll use a garden hose and soak one area at a time until we make it leak or become convinced it’s solid and dry...then move to the next area. <A> Some areas in Santa Rosa have issues with standing water due to the high Clay and poor drainage <S> this can increase the moisture in the home. <S> A dehumidifier can reduce the moisture in the house and will be better than changing the vents (they are required). <S> I installed a French drain in my grandmothers house starting under her house out to the sidewalk. <S> This allowed the water to naturally drain out from the crawl space. <S> Back then this was legal but putting a pipe to the street through the curb was not. <S> Quite a few homes did the same later. <S> As long as a gravity drain through the rock the city inspector said it was fine (a neighbor turned me in because she thought it was illegal) they had gotten in trouble for cutting the curb. <S> Behind a toilet is a common place for mold <S> I don’t think I would do any further work other than a dehumidifier and re test, since you have fixed the windows. <S> I purchase concentrated hydrogen peroxide on line 30% or so , purity chemical used to have it I would check with them (if still in business I have been gone for over 45 years). <S> So verify that your crawl space is dry it may be dry already this year but check when the rains start again that can increase the humidity inside the home and mold <S> likes moist places. <S> Hydrogen peroxide is a good general use cleaner that will kill mold always remember to AAA . <S> Always add acid to water when diluting.
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carpets are a source also and a weak 3% solution of hydrogen peroxide and water used with a steam cleaner will kill any mold in the carpet and the hydrogen peroxide won’t stink. Most buildings codes in U.S. require Attic Ventilation shall be “cross ventilation “ and shall be 1/150th the area that is to be vented. Where you live it may not be much, but check with Building Codes and they can tell you how much.
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What type wire to use for 240V, 30amp, 6-30R, with 60' run? I'm installing a glass kiln with specs of 240V, 30amp, 6-30R, with 60' run for wire.I need to run from the breaker box-in the garage-to the basement where the kiln will sit. What type of wire to use? What is the name for this? Does this size allow for run? Can I use conduit from the breaker to the basement-to look clean-and then leave the wire without conduit to the outlet box?Thanks for your help,V <Q> We don't generally worry about upsizing 240V wire until about 180', so 10 AWG will be fine. <S> You only need 2 hots + ground. <S> If you use cable, consider using /3 <S> (2 hots + neutral + ground). <S> That's for 2 reasons: <S> it's round; and it improves ability to reuse the wiring for other purposes later. <S> You can use any of the following wiring methods: <S> THWN/THHN wire in conduit - you might as well use stranded wire, which will be an easy pull Cable in physically protected locations e.g. inside walls <S> Cable inside conduit provided the conduit <S> is large enough <S> By "large enough" conduit <S> , I mean the conduit's actual inside diameter must be 138% of the cable's widest width (hence the importance of round cable). <S> However pulling any cable through conduit is quite hard, and upsizing just to make the pull easier helps a lot. <S> A novice DIYer can easily wind up in a situation where you run out of swear words, and have to call in a professional :) <S> I recommend a 4x4 metal junction box <S> so you have enough cubic inches. <S> If you plan to ever use that conduit for other circuits, use THHN - multiple cables requires a HUGE conduit. <A> 30 amp 10 awg wire will be fine. <S> using conduit From the box to your kiln is always a good idea and required in some locations. <S> Use thhn wire. <S> Thhn is almost always dual rated thwn and the conduit in the ground requires the wet rating. <S> The conduit from your service to the receptacle box protects the wire <S> your cord that plugs the kiln in can be used as the service disconnect. <S> With 4 wire #10 1/2” conduit will work fine. <S> After answering I thought this sounds unusual is your garage attached and where your service comes in to the house? <A> In addition to what Ed said, you can run conduit from the panel into the basement, install a junction box, and then run 10/2 with ground NM cable to your outlet box. <S> The cable needs to be protected where it drops down to the outlet box.
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Anywhere you transition between THHN and cable, that must happen in a junction box. You'd use 2#10 AWG THHN wires in the conduit and the conduit would serve as your ground if EMT or RMC was used.
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There is a pvc pipe that goes into my floor next to my water heater and central ac unit and its overflowing..but why? Let me start by saying i'm not a plumber nor have i done HVAC. Last night i walked in and noticed I've have a leak in the corner of my living room so i looked for where it was coming from and on the other side of wall is a closet with my central air unit and my hot water heater, neither are leaking directly. I notice the water was overflowing from a PVC pipe in the floor ( what looks to be a drain ) but has a pipe from the hot water heater and a pipe from the central air unit leading down into it. It doesn't seem to be overflowing constantly, i had it pretty dry last night and my wife took a shower this morning and it started overflowing again. Why would this be happening? Also: I live in an apartment and I have contacted maintenance/plumber, but they're usually pretty slow about things so I'm stuck between should i wait from them or is it something i can fix myself. <Q> Though a photo might help, from your description, this is most likely a drain, as you surmised, meant to take the flow from the water heater, should the over-pressure valve pop open or leak, and condensation from the air conditioner that has not evaporated. <S> Since this drain receives little or no water on a regular basis, it could be blocked somewhere down the line and not be noticed. <S> You might try using a drain snake from the shower, and from the overflow pipe, if you can feed it in, but since you live in an apartment, you likely would be responsible for any damage. <S> My inclination would be to put some old towels around the pipe, and give written notice to the landlord and to the building superintendent warning them of possible damage to carpet, underlayment and to other apartments should this not be promptly repaired. <A> As a landlord myself - please please please notify your landlord. <S> Leaks are bad news since they can cause long-term damage, and landlords usually reply quickly to leaks to protect their investment. <S> This is also important to you in that you may risk losing some of your damage deposit if they don't know about the problem and find some kind of floor damage when you move out. <S> I am having a similar problem in my condo - the A/C and hot water drain into a common pipe that gets backed up occasionally due to things growing in the A/C units and getting washed into the pipe. <S> I am on the bottom floor and the two floors above me share the same pipe. <S> Twice, their A/C condensation has run into my unit when the pipe got blocked up below me. <S> I have started putting tablets in the A/C unit to kill the growth and occasionally pour some diluted bleach into the drain to keep it clear. <S> If you could provide a photo of the pipes, it might be easier to provide specific recommendations. <A> From your description of the shower causing water to flow out of the pipe, this is a sewer backup into your rental. <S> You want to let the management know that you have good reason to believe it is a sewer backup and you should request proper remediation.
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The blockage could be before the main drain pipe, and after the shower drain, so that water from the shower is backing up into the pipe and overflowing. I had to snake mine out twice, but I knew where the pipes were and how they connected.
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Using 12/3 as 12/2? If I only need a 20A circuit but I have 12/3 running from a 20A double pole breaker can I replace the double pole with a single 20A breaker and only use the black hot, the neutral and the ground? The 12/3 is buried deep in my stucco walls of my cement house and since it's there I would like to use it. Alternatively could I use both 20A circuits to power my 120V 20A fan/light/heater? I guess the heater could be on its own circuit, but that seems overkill. <Q> You don't even need to change the breaker. <S> You can just disconnect the red wire at both ends and done. <S> You're allowed to use half of a 2-pole breaker as a 1-pole breaker. <S> It'll work fine. <S> There are ways to get additional capacity out of a /3 cable (as compared to a /2 cable) <S> but they are rather complex and arcane, and there are many ways to screw them up and create a hazard. <S> Google "MWBC" but bring your SCUBA tank <S> - it's a deep dive. <A> If you use the black, white and ground, just cap the red with a wire nut in the box where the 12/3 ends. <S> If your fan/light/heater is a combined unit, you don't want to separate the feeds unless the direction say to do so. <S> If you're comfortable working inside your main panel, you can switch out the breaker to a single and cap the red wire in the panel and get a blank filler for the empty space in the cover or leave the double pole breaker in place, mark it as a spare and add the single breaker. <A> Yes, you can leave a conductor unused.
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You don't even need to change out the double pole breaker. Just cap it at each end to prevent unintentional contact and indicate that the wire wasn't connected elsewhere.
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Do solid hardwood floors have top laminate layers--or is this engineered? I am looking to refinish or replace an existing wood floor. The previous owner says the floor is solid hardwood. A contractor came to look and said he thinks it is solid, too. However, we had a dishwasher leak, and where there was water, a "laminate" looking layer of the floor has curled up and away from the rest of one plank. I've checked the air registers and I can't see an edge of a plank anywhere on the floor. Is is possible for a solid wood floor to have a thin layer on top? Or is this engineered? <Q> Looks like a composite or engineered floor to me. <S> That top layer will be 3mm or so thick and can be sanded once or twice if you don't go crazy with the sander. <S> Unfortunately most of these engineered floors do not fare well with moisture. <S> Leave an offcut outside for a day or two <S> and you'll see what I mean. <A> It could be "real" hardwood on top of "real" wood, meaning a hardwood (looks like oak in the picture) veneer on top of a less expensive real wood base, making it "solid wood", just not "solid hardwood". <S> Flooring can be a semantics game... <A> Back in the olden days, hardwood furniture would sometimes use different hardwood veneers to embellish what would otherwise look "too plain" and unattractive. <S> But hardwood floors are typically designed to sustain abuse.
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Your floor could very well be some sort of engineered laminate. This could be a thin hardwood layer on top of softwood, plywood or even MDF (which hopefully it isn't in the case... especially for a kitchen floor).
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Do I need to add studs to install a floating vanity in this layout? The vanity will have one sink unlike in the picture, one piece, 48" wide.The vanity position is exact, the distance between studs measurements are exact for the right side but aproximative for the left side where as you can see in the picture the studs are not plumb Rendering Rel life picture The cabinet is this one https://www.bathdepot.ca/48in-walnut-wall-mount-vanity-set-with-porcelain-top-essence-collection-vw4818-23wal-127.html <Q> I followed your link to the vendor site, and located a link to a PDF containing installation instructions. <S> It was under Product Page > <S> [Features & Specs] <S> > Technical Specs . <S> The installation instructions appear to show the cabinet mounting using a "French Cleat" system, with 4 screws through the supporting cleat, and 2 screws through the cabinet after hanging it from the cleat. <S> In the instructions, the mounting was to plastic hangers, commonly referred to as "drywall anchors". <S> However, the drawings were stylized, so this is not definite. <S> Since you have studs available, I would suggest that you visit your local home center (or "home centre", eh?) and pick up some hex-headed lag bolts, along with a similar number of matching washers. <S> You can mark the position of your studs during the renovation process (or go back later with a stud finder), then drill larger holes in the mounting cleat to sink the lags into your studs. <S> Beware, though: my experience with big-box store lags is that many of them are made of "Chinesium. <S> " You want to go one or two sizes up from what you think will work. <S> If you're thinking 1/4" (6mm), then go 3/8" instead (9mm). <S> Also beware: <S> if you and your significant other are likely to "get frisky" on this surface, make sure you look at how it's engineered. <S> I suspect it's probably just melamine (particle-board, MDF), which would contra-indicate friskiness unless you're both "heroin chic". <A> You do not need to add any studs to the back wall, but I have provided additional hints if you want to make sure. <S> Attached is a diagram for mounting your floating Vanity. <S> This should be more than enough to have the cabinet and sink be supported on the back wall. <S> Your cabinet comes with a 48” cleat that the cabinet hands off of. <S> The left sister stub or full stub is only needed if the left most stud is not exposed enough to provide a mounting point. <S> Also just use stronger screws ¼” or 5/16” to mount the cleat to the back wall studs. <S> I am guessing the approx. <S> location of where the 48” end on the right side. <S> The cabinet corner bracket (not shown) is used to prevent the cabinet from lifting off the cleat and is not used to directly support the cabinet. <S> If possible, screw the back of the cabinet to a stub on the right and left side. <A> locations on the back wall. <S> You have a first stud at a fairly good location on the side wall. <S> With this information and little else it's a reasonable bet that you'll be able to mount a typical cabinet that's intended to be used in a floating fashion without issue.
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You have studs in standard(ish)
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Heat transfer to adjacent solder joints behind wall I need to remove a soldered valve from a supply line and there is a soldered elbow only about 2 inches away. I've read another post about trying to keep the second joint cool but it sounded less than convincing. It's the first branch in the house so if I mess up I'll have no water until I can fix it. Am I wasting my time trying to keep it cool or should I just open up the wall so I can deal with the elbow right away? <Q> I don't see any reason why unintentional reflow of the solder on that nearby elbow would inherently be any problem. <S> It'll probably work out just fine, and if you have the parts and tools on hand you'll be ready to deal with any trouble that might arise. <S> The biggest thing is to make sure you keep all the water cleared out while trying to solder. <S> Have a dissolvable sponge (such as a slice of white bread) on hand to stuff up into the pipe to hold water at bay, just in case. <A> Any particular reason not to just cut the valve out and add a new one with a few repair sleeves or sharkbite connectors? <S> Problem with heating to remove the valve, you still have to spend time cleaning/emering off the old solder from the pipe so it will fit into the new pipe fittings. <S> I have found it takes less heat to solder a new joint than to un solder and clean an old one. <A> Use a piece of scrap metal (old beans can etc) to keep the firey blasts of your torch from hitting the other pipe. <S> If the scrap metal has paint or varnish pre-bake it out of doors, to avoid releasing noxious fumes indoors.
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Try to minimize disturbing it while the solder is molten -- don't pull the pipe out of the elbow, and hold it with pliers so the pipe won't rotate while you're trying to work the other fitting off the same stub of pipe. Fiberglass insulation will also work.
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Can I place a receptacle entirely inside a box and close it up? There is a metal junction box sticking up 6" out of the ground mounted to the top of a piece of conduit. There is a rubber gasket and metal cover screwed to the box. Inside the box is simply six wires, 2 black, 2 white, 2 ground, each pair wire nutted together. I want to connect a 120V 15A receptacle to the wires, put the entire receptacle inside the box, and close the lid, making sure no screws can be shorted. Is this acceptable? <Q> That is called a bell box and yes you can add a receptacle to it if not on a GFCI circuit you could use a WR rated GFCI with a extra duty or in use cover and this would be code compliant. <S> And yes it needs to also be tamper resistant. <S> I use these boxes as junction boxes all the time with a blank cover but when adding the receptacle a special cover is required to keep the rain off or out of the receptacle. <A> Outlets have to be secured to the junction box feeding them. <S> You can put an outlet there <S> but since it's outdoors, it would have to be GFCI protected, preferably at the main panel. <S> If not there, then a GFCI outlet would need to be installed in the box. <S> You'd want to check that the existing lighting load and future load of the outlet won't exceed the breaker rating. <S> You might need a box extender depending on what exactly is in the field. <A> Assuming your circuit is suitable for adding a receptacle in-line (e.g. not a dedicated circuit for a pump, or some type of switched circuit if you don't want the plug going on/off), you could install a receptacle in the box. <S> To make that proper, you would need to install a 20A GFCI receptacle with a weatherproof "in-use" cover that allows you to use the plug while the box is closed (the flat types aren't up to code anymore although they are still sold). <S> They have metal ones with holes for a padlock if you think you might have issues with random people using it.
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You could then put a locking cover over the outlet similar to the one shown below.
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Where is residential power voltage reduced to home level from the street line level? What is the potential/voltage of the power line on a city street? Where does the potential/voltage of the line drop to the indoor value, e.g., 120 V in the US? If I need to upgrade the whole electric circuitry of a house, do I need to worry about the high voltage and if so, where does the high voltage starts to drop down to the indoor value coming into the house? To address the concern expressed in the comment below, I am looking to hire an electrician to upgrade the electric circuitry including the panel, meter, distributor, weather head and riser. I am wondering what are actually involved and what kind of price I would expect to be charged. The house is a single family house in Sacramento county, CA, USA. <Q> The power delivery utility company distributes the AC power to locations away from the power generating stations using high voltages. <S> This is done to help minimize the amount of power loss in the distribution wires and cables. <S> The power loss is always related to the amount of current being distributed to the loads. <S> For each doubling of the voltage used in the distribution network the amount of current for the same load is cut in half. <S> The voltage levels used will depend in part upon the type, location and distance that section of the power grid needs to deliver electrical power to the consumer loads. <S> Voltages can be in the 1000s of volts. <S> Pictures of some typical power transformers are shown below. <S> Typically these transformers are owned and maintained by the power delivery utility company. <S> When you would need service at a particular current level the power company will deploy the proper transformers and then provide a power line connection from the transformer to the electrical usage meter which would be on or adjacent to the home or business. <S> Typical Transformers: <S> Picture Source Picture Source <S> Picture Source <A> In most places in the US, residential power comes into the meter at 240V/120V - three conductors, 2 hot and 1 neutral. <S> The hots are 240V apart (there are some situations where they may 208V or some other value, but 240V is most common) and the hots are each 120V from neutral. <S> Typically there will be a transformer either on a pole or in an underground vault or on a street corner which transforms power from some higher voltage to 240V. <S> But you don't need to worry about that. <S> Your utility provides 240V, and how it gets there is up to them. <S> In some large buildings, that transformer may even be inside the building, but you, as the ordinary consumer, only get 240V/120V. <S> If you have to upgrade the entire electrical system of a house, the safest thing to do is often to have the utility pull the meter (or lock it out in some fashion). <S> That will make your main electrical panel "dead" so that it can be replaced safely. <S> Once you have a new main panel with a shutoff of some sort (either a main breaker or a separate shutoff switch) then any additional work can be done with the meter connected and power "live" to the house. <A> What is the potential/voltage of the power line on a city street? <S> Usually distribution 2300, 4160, 12.47k, or 13.8k, but can be higher. <S> Transmission would be higher and can be run around city streets, but would generally go to a substation. <S> Where does the potential/voltage of the line drop to the indoor value, e.g., 110 V in the US? <S> As shown by Michael, there are transformers that convert the higher voltage to lower voltage to your house. <S> The voltage to a residence is 240V, but between two lines. <S> The 120 (110) that you refer to is between one line and neutral. <S> If I need to upgrade the whole electric circuitry of a house, do I need to worry about the high voltage and if so <S> , where does the high voltage starts to drop down to the indoor value coming into the house? <S> The lower 240V lines will start at the transformer. <S> This is either on the pole, or on a padmount transformer. <S> In a residence, the voltage would only be 240V. <S> If you are modifying or updating in your residence, you'll either use 120V (single pole), or 240V (double pole). <S> You would choose based on the need of the line. <S> Generally, you'll always use a single unless it's a high load device such as an electric oven or air conditioner. <S> Devices are built for a voltage <S> and you'll just need to supply what they need. <S> When in doubt, you can ask at a hardware store, or get help from an electrician.
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When high voltage power distribution reaches a residential neighborhood or a business center transformers are used to step the high voltage down to the voltages used in the homes and businesses.
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Is there an alternative to buying a tamper to compact the ground? I plan to build a brick wall, so I need to compact the ground first. The hardware store sells a tool called a tamper, that sells for $60 and only weighs 15 lbs, so it seems inefficient. How is that sufficient weight to pack down the ground? If a worker weighs 200+ lbs, is that more efficient to have them cut on a small square of wood and jump on that? If not, is there some alternative method of stamping the ground down? <Q> You can rent a power compactor which would do a much better job than a hand operated tamper. <A> The first question is why you think "you need to compact the ground first" - even without frost as a consideration (not knowing where you live or if it freezes there) the first step in putting up such a wall is to remove the spongy/squishy topsoil and humus and get down into the mineral subsoil, which (if undisturbed) is normally stable and fairly compact already. <S> In a freezing climate you need to get below frost line unless you are simply making a short loose-stack (no mortar) garden wall that can shift with the ground movement and may need occasional restacking. <S> Once down to subsoil or below frost line a reinforced concrete foundation set on undisturbed soil will support the wall, and tamping is not normally needed unless the area you are working in was recently filled and has not consolidated yet. <S> Your typical hardware store "tamper" is of no practical use in compacting earth, as it's commonly 10x10 inches (100 square inches) and is more a "flattener" than a tamper. <S> Good for mashing asphalt driveway patch level, perhaps. <S> Handle vertical, lift and drop, repeat. <S> Doing a good job with one is tedious but quite possible if you prefer not to rent a powered plate compactor. <S> For something like compacting around a fencepost, an iron digging bar can be used to compact. <S> With any compacting method, the soil to be compacted must be put in as shallow layers, each compacted individually, or only the top few inches/centimeters will be effectively compacted. <S> The pressure applied to the soil surface spreads out in a cone, and is soon negligible and unable to move soil particles. <S> Thus, compacting the bottom of a trench (which you are not building up) has very little overall effect. <A> if you need to compact the ground before you dig a foundation you definately want to use motorised tools. <S> probably a whacker/kango type thing
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Alternatives might include a well-drained "rubble trench" foundation or other means of preventing frost movement, which will crack your mortared brick wall. An ordinary sledgehammer is a better hand-operated tool for tamping.
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A/B switch for Two 240V connections into Electrical Panel I have 125amps coming into my house from PGE and my panel is 125amps and has a few free breaker slots. Currently I have a 240v oven, 24v clothes drier, 240v floor heating and 240v EV car charger (plus the usual 110 appliances: laundry, dishwasher, garbage disposal etc). Now I want to add an AC unit which they tell me will require 30amps. Now based on some load calculation table that the city permit folks want me to fill it seems I will go over the 125amps. They give you demand-factor reduction, take into account that you will not use AC and floor heating at same time etc - but taking all that into account and I still go over 125 amps by a little - the total is 135amps. One solution is to use a DPDT switch that switches between either my EV car charger or my AC. Note I am okay with using 2 breakers in my main panel - one for AC and one for EV car. Alternatively I can use a generator interlock to solve my problem - I don't fully get how that works and would need some guidance. Would either of the above two solutions pass code?Can EV charging 24v outlet into which I plug my car go through a DPDT switch? Or is there a rule against it like needing a dedicated circuit? If legal could someone please draw a diagram for the DPDT switch and also for the generator interlock + subpanel. The DPDT switch seems simpler. <Q> What I would look at though is the physical location of the loads. <S> For example is your 240V dryer in the garage? <S> If so, then I would put the DPDT switch in there to feed either the dryer or the car charger (assuming the sizes match), because you are going to manually connect the car anyway, <S> so you throw the switch when you make the connection. <S> It does mean not running the dryer and the car charger at the same time, but you are going to be giving up one load in any case. <S> What I would get is called a "Double Throw Safety Switch", like a disconnect switch except the handle is On-Off-On, as in Dryer up, Off in the center, Charger down. <S> This is a picture of a 3 pole version, you only need a 2 pole, but it gives you the idea. <A> If only there was a gadget that mounted on two adjacent breakers so only one could be on at a time! <S> Then, you would simply place the two breakers next to each other, mount this device, and then would be able to turn one off and the other on. <S> Easy peasy. <S> There is. <S> For Siemens/Murray it's called an ECSBPK01. <S> For Square D "QO <S> " it's called a QO2DTI. <S> For Eaton CH <S> it's called a CHML. <S> For Eaton BR <S> it's called a BRPMIKBR . <S> You get the idea. <S> You can call it a "Generator Interlock" if you really want to ... <S> but the manufacturers don't. <A> Since your ac and heat are not used at the same time you can ignore the smaller load when doing load calculations. <S> So your 30 amp ac will be fine. <S> Even with your total breaker count most panels do exceed the main rating. <S> If you want to get exact article 220.80 has a optional load calculations it is easier than the standard method, there are also load calculators on line.
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If close get an amp clamp and measure your draw , in almost every case you will ding you have room to add the 30 amp ac. Assuming that your load calcs were based on actual load and not breaker sizes, the DPDT switch idea has merit.
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What is the cause of this short in the outlet receptacle? My dishwasher was plugged into this socket, and then this happened, tripping the circuit breaker. So I assume there was a short in the outlet, but how could that have happened? I replaced the outlet and plugged the dishwasher back in, and all seems to be working well. There was no sign of water in or near the receptacle, and I can't imagine a piece of metal or wire somehow got into the wrong place. I'm now concerned it might happen again, but I have no idea where to check. <Q> The most likely explanation is that the screws were loose causing a poor connection, and arcing under load - evidenced by the fact that the base material has gone brown where it's been hot over a long period. <S> What happens in this case is that the contact surfaces slowly carbonize (so become higher resistance, and get hotter), and it gets progressively worse <S> You can see that the right-hand screw-terminal has actually moved because the plastic melted. <S> I assume that it moved enough for the contacts inside to either come into contact or arc between themselves, and that's what tripped your breaker. <S> It's unlikely this will repeat itself, provided the new outlet has been wired correctly, but it wouldn't hurt to keep an eye on it for a few weeks, just to be sure. <S> Also, as mentioned in the comments above, check the plug and replace if there's any evidence of damage. <A> Another thing to look for is aluminum wiring <S> - I don't know if that's "a thing" in your area/house. <S> AL wiring gets a mostly deserved bad rap, but the worst thing is to connect it to a non-AL-compliant (wrong type) socket and then make it even worse by drawing lots of current through it. <A> At this point, being disconnected from any wiring, it's difficult to impossible to tell what happened. <S> Clearly there was excess heat. <S> My first inclination is that there is a problem in the dishwasher itself where it's developed a short circuit and is drawing excessive current. <S> I'd check the dishwasher itself carefully before plugging it back in. <S> Chances are there is similar damage in it somewhere. <S> Also, is it possible <S> you have a circuit breaker on this line that is too large? <S> You should check that too. <A> This is a classic signature of arcing. <S> It happened in one of two ways: <S> Improperly torqued screw. <S> As to screw torque EC&M Magazine made a test rig and took it to four trade shows . <S> Their data was interesting. <S> They tallied under-torqued, torqued within 20% of spec, and over-torqued - and whether a person was an electrician or not. <S> Both groups turned in exactly the same scores . <S> it was obvious during the test that people who had never made an electrical connection before had as much chance of getting it within 20% as an electrician with decades of experience. <S> And given the broad tolerance (+/- <S> 20%), it's as likely that the 25% correct were simply attributable to luck. <S> Cheap outlets <S> The presence of "backstab" holes reveals this recep to be a cheapie "Builder grade". <S> They are made to be cheap and fast to assemble, so the builder can get to closing, collect a signature and get paid. <S> When a maintainer has a long-term stake in the reliability of the outlet, they tend to go for "spec grade" or "industrial-grade" outlets. <S> These are in the $2.50 to $10 range, and have better everything - including deletion of the "backstab" connection often replaced by a screw-and-clamp arrangement. <S> The one thing going for backstabs is you can't screw up the torque setting. <S> But they have so many other problems they are not worth using. <A> We can only guess, but another reason that happens is simple long-term use by a high-current device. <S> A space heater that draws just under the current limit for extended periods, maybe with a worn outlet, results in slow but significant heat buildup. <S> I've seen the same thing when extension cords are used for such devices. <S> The plug ends will actually get hot to the touch or melt but the breaker won't trip. <A> It could be that suds , not water, overflowed the machine and made it's way to the outlet. <S> Did someone put in the wrong kind of detergent? <A> Were the wires under the screws or in the push-in “backstab” connections on the back of the receptacle? <S> Backstabs are notorious for failing exactly like this - the contact area can be much smaller than a proper screw connection, leading to heating and meltdown.
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That might account for the damage to the outlet if it was improperly installed or just defective. The spring which holds the plug blade got sloppy, probably because this is a cheapie ($1.00) receptacle This is what arc-fault breakers detect. Make sure that your new receptacle is using the screw connections with the wire bent into a hook shape that wraps all the way around the screw, and under the screw all the way around - not squeezed out to the side anywhere (unless it’s the clamp type, then keep the wire straight).
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Are Soap Suds Normal After the Dishwasher is done? This washing machine uses the normal pods. I set the jet dry to minimal. However, at the end of the wash cycle I see soap suds on the bottom. Is this normal? I was wondering if the soap suds were from the jets washing the soap off the dishes. The dishes come out really clean and I do not detect any soap on the dishes. <Q> If you use a rinse or "anti-spotting" agent ("Jet Dry®" is one brand name of such products) <S> this is almost certainly the residue of that. <S> Put a drop of in in a bottle of water and shake to observe the effect. <S> Personal opinion - I don't fill that spot in my dishwasher and see no ill effects from not using it. <S> Actual dishwasher detergent makes almost no bubbles - as anyone who has screwed up and put hand dishwashing liquid into the dishwasher will understand better than any who have not (don't do it for the experience <S> , though - just imagine opening the dishwasher door to a wall of foam...) <A> To answer the question in your title: <S> No. <S> This is not a normal amount of soapsuds to see in a dishwasher after it is finished. <S> If there is this much soap in the washer at the end, then there is a lot of soap left on the dishes. <S> Even though you can't taste it. <S> Try dipping your finished dishes in a pan of clean water to see how much soap rinses off. <S> Check carefully that you are using the detergent specified by the manufacturer. <S> I hope that you have just used the wrong, or too much, detergent, because that would be such an easy fix. <S> The most likely cause of your soapsuds problem is not enough water. <S> For some reason, your dishwasher is not filling completely. <S> You can tell by opening the door (which pauses the washing action) during a wash or rinse phase and looking at the water level. <S> In order to really test this properly, you need to know what the normal water level looks like. <S> I don't know exactly how you would find this out. <S> But most dishwashers have a float valve that shuts off the water at the proper level. <S> If you can find this switch, you can at least tell whether it is being switched by the water level. <S> Another thing look at is the amount of residual water remaining in the machine between cycles. <S> If the dishwasher is not emptying completely between phases then you are rinsing with soapy water. <S> You have to lift the debris filter to check the low water level between phases. <S> If you find that the dishwasher isn't filling or emptying properly, then you're looking at a plumbing problem. <S> Check for debris in the supply line. <S> Check for a clogged input filter. <S> Check for a broken or partially operating fill valve. <S> Check for a kinked or blocked drain line. <S> Check for a broken or partially operating drain valve. <S> Check for debris blocking the drain opening inside the washer under that large round screen. <S> Keep lots of towels handy. <S> Wear work clothing. <S> You will probably get splashed in the face at least once. <A> Jet dry is a surfactant it breaks the water tension to reduce spotting and get things clean , standard dishwasher soap is non sudsing so if you are getting suds some regular dish soap made its way into your machine. <S> I did this as a young kid and it made one hell of a mess but just a drop or 2 on a pan or other item that may have been pre washed is probably where the suds came from because standard dishwashing soap is non sudsing and jet dry breaks down bubbles.
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I have had this much suds left in a clothes washer, and it turned out I was using the wrong detergent.
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How to properly clean a uneven basement concrete floor? I have an old house with an uneven concrete floor that occasionally needs to be cleaned. The basement floods during a hard rain due to some landscaping issues that I'm working on. I've cleaned it with a scrub brush and mop, but that can take quite a while and many passes before it's fully cleaned. I could also use a pressure washer but the spray from it might get other parts of my basement wet. I've looked at some concrete floor cleaning machines but they all seem designed for flat, smooth floors. What's the best way to easily clean the floor? <Q> You already found it, nobody said it would be easy. <S> If you have a functioning sump you might be able to use a normal hose rather than a pressure washer to move most of the loosened-by-the-brush dirt out to the sump before a final mopping up. <S> If you don't have a sump, either keep doing what you are doing or look into leveling it. <S> One approach to leveling and easier to clean would be to set tiles in a thick mortar bed (or over a self leveling product, using thinset) that eases most of the bumps. <S> Another, possibly helpful, approach would be a wet/dry shop vacuum. <A> A light acid etch will make cleaning easier 1-2% muriatic and water, prior to epoxy coating a small garage I used to etch the floor every year after we cut up our deer and elk <S> I think I had done that <S> in this garage 10+ years <S> and it did not damage the concrete, if a stronger solution was used the acid could over etch. <S> It sounds like you don’t have drainage so a shop vac will be needed to suck up the excess water. <S> After I finally epoxy coated that floor the next year the mess from cutting up several animals cleaned up with a mild soap and water. <S> You might consider a floor paint to make the cleanup easier <S> I mentioned paint because it will be 1/3 the cost of epoxy but still seal and make cleanup easier. <A> Mopping is great. <S> It shouldn't be that dirty subsequent times, so it won't take as long from here out. <S> Sweeping or vacuuming before mopping will help reduce the chance of needing more than one pass. <S> If you want a less manual mopping, you can get a mopping floor machine, steam floor machine, or a robotic mopper (like a roomba). <S> Or you can get a big yellow rubbermade janitor-level mop and bucket for about $75 that will make mopping a lot quicker. <S> You can also just get cheap indoor/outdoor carpet for the flattest parts to cut down on what need scrubbed and mopped.
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Adding a floor treatment like epoxy would also help reduce the permeability and increase the smoothness of the floor, which makes sweeping and mopping more effective.
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how to trim existing stud width? I want to recess something into the wall between the studs. Problem is that it is approx. 1/4" longer than the gap between the studs. Is there a way to shave off this small amount of the existing stud (i.e. the "2" (1.5") side for about 2' length <Q> You have several options here, and you're going to be stuck with some limitations as to which method you use. <S> You can use a reciprocating saw, but as it was pointed out by @JACK, there'e the danger of being unable to control the saw and cuttin all the way through to the other side. <S> You can use a hammer and chisel, but here you'll be shaking the entire wall and potentially cause some superficial damage that can cause some severe headaches if you have to match texture and/or paint. <S> The reciprocating saw can also run this risk. <S> @Chris Butler also suggested a circular saw, which can work, but you're teetering on a very narrow edge and will cause a fair amount of mess. <S> My preference is to use a multitool if you have one available. <S> If you don't have one, they're pretty inexpensive and very handy. <S> This would allow you to do a plunge cut and you can use the fat edge of a speed square to help ensure you're keep to your 1/8" or 1/4" depth (1/8" if trimming both studs or 1/4" if only trimming 1 stud. <S> These are also great in tight places. <S> You can try a combination of a laminate router, sharp utility knife, or chisel, but I wouldn't recommend that. <S> I only mention it to try and cover all bases I can think of. <S> In case you have seen or heard of the multitool, here's a picture of one. <A> I would tackle that with a reciprocating saw. <S> You could do two 1.75" cuts or one 3.5" cut depending on how comfortable you are with the saw. <S> Just make sure you don't cut through the opposite wall. <S> Cut your 1/4" cuts two feet apart and then cut out the strip between them. <A> I'd either do that old school with a hammer and chisel, or if I was feeling brave/foolhardy, with a circular saw with cut depth adjustment.
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If you use a circular saw, check and set the cut depth to just minimally less than the depth of the stud that you're trimming, that way you can avoid damaging the wall and finish it off easily with a hammer/chisel. Make sure there's no wiring going through the stud.
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Does this seem like the right place to tap a C-Wire from my heater? I need a C-wire for my thermostat but my heater only has R and W connectors (red circle).On the schematic on the heater, up top (red arrow), looks like: 5 is 24V Gnd (bit hard to read but i've double checked that's what it says) and 6 is 24V I assume the 6 24V is the same as the R connector. So would it be safe to assume that 5 would be the equivilent of a C-Wire ? UPDATE: after some hunting I managed to locate the service manual :)I've included a page with the circuit overview: And have revised my though on a candidate spot to tap the C-Wire.Based on the text in the green box and the comments, I am assuming the top right of the middle connector along the bottoms (with the green arrow) would be the best location. Update #2:I've now located the block diagram for the S8065 INTERMITTENT PILOT MODULES (block at the top of the picture). And from it, one can clearly see that connectors 2, 4 and 5 and joined together. I confirmed this with a continuity test and they 2, 4 and 5 and the chasis of the unit are all connected. I then checked the potenital between these points and the R connector and it was 29.5VAC. Just one last question.. Is it normal that the voltage is 29.5VAC, this seems quite a bit higher than 24VAC.I just wouldn't want to fry a modern thermostat! <Q> We've seen exactly the same wiring diagram.. with almost the same question asked.. over there: Where to connect C wire if no C terminal . <S> But you've found additional information about the appliance controls! <S> It looks like the pin 6 <S> you've identified is not always-on 24V. <S> Instead, it is the switched line coming from the thermostat's call for heat. <S> The text from the service manual does lead one to believe that pin 5 is the common terminal you're looking for. <S> You can confirm it with a meter by measuring voltage from pin 5 to the R terminal, or you might consider the answer I gave on that other question . <A> It looks like the word common Or ground are in the boxes. <S> I would double check with a meter just to be sure, or trace the transformer connection on the board to the transformer low voltage connection they are probably bonded and in that case it would not matter which one you chose. <S> But if not bonded you need to be on the transformer not the ground. <A> That "System Circuitry" diagram is wrong which leaves us guessing. <S> The problem is that one one of the transformer wires is shown as connected to anything, and it takes 2 terminals to get power. <S> I suspect this because a fuse with one end grounded is most unusual and unlikely to be reliable protection. <S> C is usually ground Measure the AC voltage from the bottom of the fuse to the case <S> ground if you get an answer that's <S> close to 24case ground is the common terminal.
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If that's the case you can use the ground of the case or the terminal indicated by the green arrow as the C terminal. I suspect the error is that the red line from the top of the 2A fuse is connected to the wrong transformer terminal.
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What is the failure mode of making an adapter to convert a 240 V outlet to 120 V I have an EV charger that uses a NEMA 14-50 outlet with 6 AWG back to a 50 amp breaker. The outlet is in a location where there are no nearby 120 V outlets and it would be convenient to occasionally to have 120 V there instead. Functionally it is possible with just a dryer plug, a 20 amp duplex outlet, and a box to create an adapter to convert (in the functional sense, not physics) the 240 V outlet into 120 V. Edit for clarification: I'm not talking about making a permanent hard wired change to my home's wiring. I'm talking about a stand alone adapter that I can unplug the EVSE and then plug in this adapter on an as needed basis and then switch it back. In this way it's impossible for both to be used simultaneously. One safety failure of the adapter is if a device pulls more current than its own cord (or internals) can handle but less than 50 amps because it wouldn't trip the breaker and potentially cause a fire. Is there anything else I'm missing? I saw some inline circuit breakers on Amazon for up to 250 VAC 20 amp. Would that be a way to fix the safety issue or am I thinking about it too simplistically? What is wrong with adding these sort of circuit breakers to the outlet? Another clarification: I'm not interested in adding a subpanel for a few reasons. It requires a permit It is more expensive even setting aside the permitting cost It's cumbersome on the wall It would then allow the car to charge while also using the 120 V at the same time. In doing so, it may trip the 50A breaker since the car pulls quite a bit of current unless. I recognize that I could reduce the charging rate but I don't want to. <Q> You can't just slap up a subpanel anytime <S> you want to split a 240V plug. <S> However, with a NEMA 14, you can -- because it has all the right wires to feed a subpanel. <S> So, that's it. <S> You convert the 6/3 cable run into a "Feeder" to the subpanel. <S> They don't make breakers that size, so the feed breaker (in your main panel) gets bumped to 60A. Eaton CH and Square D QO <S> have perfectly compact 8-space panels, and that's the way to go if you are cramped for space. <S> Otherwise if you match your main breaker's type, you can reuse that 50A breaker. <S> You don't need a main breaker in this panel, unless the building is detached from the house <S> (and then you do). <S> If so, either choose a panel with a main breaker, or <S> those 8-space panels can have a main breaker added via backfeeding. <S> Install a 50A breaker to feed that EVSE socket. <S> Then install as many 15A or 20A breakers as you please to supply receptacle loads. <S> You can safely use two 120V circuits at the same time while charging. <S> Realistically due to the 80% rule, your EVSE will actually pull 39A and your random power tools will pull 12A per leg. <S> So you're at 51A which is not a challenge for the 6/3 or the 60A feed breaker. <S> You can't overdo this. <S> If you're really going to town and running the saw, dust collector, compressor for blowing sawdust away, shop vac for your apprentice to pick up sawdust, <S> etc. <S> -- then the EV is certainly not in the garage at this time! <A> The biggest problem, as you noted, is current. <S> If you put a 15A or 20A device, or even worse, a 15A or 20A receptacle, on a circuit that is designed (and breakered) for 50A, then if there is an in-between fault - e.g., 30A for a significant amount of time - the circuit breaker will not trip but the device, receptacle, etc. <S> could easily burn up (in the literal sense of the word, taking your house with it). <S> You may say (as many have before): I'll put in this receptacle, and I'll be there when I use the device, so I can make sure nothing goes wrong and pull the plug if something goes wrong. <S> But then you have a guest or someone fixing something in your garage, or the next owner of the house, and they don't know about the non-standard setup and plug in something that turns out to have a fault, and go away for lunch and come back to greet the fire department. <S> Unlikely, but it could happen. <S> There is a solution. <S> Assuming the key problem is: I don't want to run 50' of wire around the house and through the walls just to add a convenience outlet. <S> You can install a SUBPANEL . <S> This will take the 50A connection as an input and provide outputs to the EV and to one or more circuits for 120V devices/receptacles (and even other 240V), all breakered appropriately. <S> It will cost a little more to start with, but be safe and code-compliant, and not require running a new cable back to the main panel. <S> You may be able to hook in to the lighting circuit. <S> Residential lighting circuits are typically 120V, 15A or 20A, and can (generally) have receptacles on the same circuit. <S> With any of these options, keep in mind that garage receptacles generally require GFCI protection, either at the breaker or at the receptacle. <A> Technically, yes you could do it and the cemeteries are probably full of people who tried it. <S> Many sold online are not approved for use in the USA. <A> Code and liability issues come to mind, I'm pretty sure the instructions for your charger say to use on a dedicated circuit. <S> The UL (or other NRTL) <S> Listing is only valid when installed and used as instructed in the instructions that were submitted with the device for testing. <S> The NEC requires compliance with the listing. <S> I can't really think of at instance that adding a fused tap sharing a circuit would actually damage your charger or car being charged, but I am not an electrical engineer or lawyer, so I personally wouldn't be making second guesses. <A> What you are proposing is VERY non-code compliant and dangerous. <S> For a few more dollars, do a small sub-panel that provides proper over-current protection for the EV charging outlet as well appropriate breakers for 120v outlets. <S> There are tons of Q/A posts here on sub-panels. <S> You'll thank me later!
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If it's just for occasional use, use an occasional extension cord from an existing 120V outlet. There are adapters out there that would do the job similar to the one below but as you stated as a safety concern, there's no protection for the items plugged into it. That might work for you. As feeder, 6/3 cable is rated for 55A. You may have existing receptacles in the garage that don't have GFCI, but if you add a new receptacle then that is usually required. These are not a good idea. There is one other possibility if you really don't want to install a subpanel.
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What are the risks of improvising to use a nearby embedded metal as a local electrical ground? I'm in India where domestic supply is 250V 50cps 1ph. My question is similar to Why does my new floodlight trip the circuit breaker? ? In my case the supply does not have a ground to this particular outlet. There is however an old rusted iron angle in the ground approx 10 feet away. The angle goes perhaps a metre deep into midly sticky soil. What are the risks of improvising to use this iron angle as an electrical ground? <Q> Broadly speaking there are two main types of earthing system (there are also some others that are only used in specialised situations). <S> In a TN system the customer's earth is connected to the Neutral and the whole system is connected to the general mass of the earth in one or more places , this provides a low-impedance path for ground faults. <S> TN systems can be divided into three subtypes, in a TN-S system the earth and neutral are kept seperate and only interconnected at a single point. <S> In a TN-C system (now banned in most places) they are combined throughout the system. <S> In a TN-C-S system they are combined in some but not all of the system (commonly they are combined in the suppliers wiring but not in the customer's wiring). <S> In a TT system the customer's earth and the supply neutral are seperately connected to the general mass of the earth. <S> So TT systems nearly always have to rely on a RCD for earth fault detection. <S> Which systems are legal varies between countries, I have no idea what the rules in India are. <S> In addition to earthing there is also a concept of bonding, the aim of bonding is to ensure that different metal objects that someone can touch are at the same potential, even if the earthing system or the general mass of the earth has fault currents flowing through it. <S> At least in the UK incoming metal water and gas pipes (and occasionally other things <S> but these are by far the most common) are bonded to the electrical earthing system for this purpose. <S> Using a local earth then has two potential dangers. <S> It won't be a very good earth, it will almost certainly not be good enough for use without a RCD, it may or may not be good enough to use with a RCD, you can't be sure without testing it. <S> It won't be bonded to all the other earthed metalwork, so during a fault there could be a significant potential between your new earth and existing earths. <S> Depending on how close together metalwork connected to different earthing systems is this could pose a hazard. <A> The risks are that you won't have a proper ground and won't have the protection a ground provides. <S> The fact that the angle iron is old and rusted proves my point. <S> even if you clean it off, the rust will return. <S> Only being a metre deep will also be a problem because it's just not deep enough and the sticky soil will just promote more rust. <S> Any chance you can add a ground in the existing conduit (if it's conduit)? <A> Doesn't work at all. <S> A piece of metal embedded in the earth is only good for returning <S> natural electricity sources - lightning and ESD. <S> This works because those sources are extremely high voltage, so they are able to push through the high resistance dirt. <S> If you have an electrical fault, you need to return human-generated electricity. <S> For that you need a ground wire. <S> You can't use dirt as a substitute for a copper (or aluminum) wire. <S> It just doesn't work. <S> 230V doesn't have nearly enough force to push through dirt.
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The rust will prevent you from getting a good connection. The issue with TT systems is that the earth fault loop impedance is usually pretty high. Normal ground rods are made of copper, galvanized steel and numerous other materials base on their ability to conduct and not corrode.
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How to visualize air circulation between rooms? My house gets very hot on some days. I don't have a central AC system, and cannot install it because the house is a rental. I have to make do with various floor fans and portable AC units. There are several doors to the backyard with shady, cool spots. However because the layout is a bit complicated, I am having trouble about the optimal arrangement of my fans (and what additional fans to budget for). I have some ideas about how I would like the air to move, but I need to have a way to see how it is actually moving so I can optimize my fan placement. What is a low cost way of measuring this? Searching online has turned up many guides about measuring airflow through ducts of a centralized AC system. If only I had that problem! :) Simply trying one fan setup and seeing what parts get cooler is not precise enough. There's not enough temperature differential across my house for me to feel it precisely, it would take too long and besides the temperature is not stable over time. I tried walking around with a strip of toilet paper, but it doesn't have enough precision for a good measurement. I could throw some kind of confetti in the air, which would solve my problem, but my wife would kill me when she sees the mess. I have a room scenter that vaporizes an oil/water mixture. It looks like thick white smoke coming out of the machine, and goes about 1-3 ft before dissipating. In theory I could try to turn it on and carry it around, but it seems a bit of a hassle. Didn't work -- the smoke it makes is too faint and too turbulent. I could purchase some kind of anemometer. However my fans are cheap and it's not like I have high winds blowing through my house either way, so I don't know if I will have trouble finding a sensitive enough anemometer that is not very expensive. I could purchase a pressure meter, but I suspect that the pressure differential will be too small for a cheap one to work. I could purchase a smoke machine, which apparently start at $30. Then try putting it in different rooms. Among other things though, would this trigger the fire alarm or stain the walls in any way? Surely this must be a common enough problem, that there is some standard method or technique to see where the air is going? <Q> The best way to see air flow is to use a fog there are commercial cans really expensive or if your grocery store has dry ice buy a pound, when you get home , put some warm water in a pan and put a chunk of the dry ice in the water, as the heat breaks the dry ice down a cloud of non toxic smoke that will leave no residue is released. <S> I used to put a couple bowls of water on the porch and in a fish pond (no fish) on Halloween, as long as there was no breeze the fog looked really cool and the kids loved it <A> Whenever I want to check airflow <S> In your case I would: <S> Create a rough plan of your apartment Take and light a candle Walk to a position where you want to "measure" the airflow Standstill and wait for candlelight to settle Note air movement direction on the plan Repeat a meter <S> or so away from the first spot <A> Use painter's tape to hang a bunch of crepe-paper streamers from the ceilings and doorways. <S> Make the streamers long enough to nearly touch the floor to be sure they're catching all the breeze being created by your fans. <S> You should be able to quickly see which way the air is moving and how far each fan is pushing the air. <S> Don't forget that while you're setting up to push cool air from the shady spots inside or chilled air from the portable AC units around, that it's not a bad idea to <S> pull air from cooler places to warmer places and to put fans in windows pointing out to pull the warmer air out of the house, too.
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, we needed to check ventilation on some process benches and I used some pvc pipe water and dry ice to make the smoke in a clean room and check flow , putting the dry ice in a pan with warm water will do the same and makes it easy to see how the air is moving. I use a candle and see where the flame is pointing.
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Replacing lighting in a 3 way switched hallway with motion detected lights I have a hallway that makes a 90` turn and there is a wall switch at each end of the hallway. There are 2 ceiling lights, one in each section of the hallway. They are not visible from each other. The existing lights are controlled by 2 3-way switches. I want to replace the 2 lights with motion activated lighting. Once installed, I rarely would use the actual wall switches and just let the MA lights do the work. What options do I have to do this and what issues could I encounter? Would the existing wiring work if I don't plan to alter the switches once installed? Thanks. <Q> Have you considered swapping out the 3 way switches with motion activated <S> 3 way switches? <S> Maybe you want to replace the fixtures bc <S> they are ugly or outdated, but if not, this might be a viable alternative. <S> Some do not require a neutral so should work in most cases. <A> The problems are that you'd need a large field of motion sensing for each fixture because the fixtures would have to be activated from each direction at the beginning of the hallway. <S> The switches could cause a problem because if they were operated, they'd shut off the fixtures completely leaving you in the dark with two armloads of laundry. <S> Depending on the type of fixtures, they could be going on and off during the daytime when they might not be needed. <S> You might also find it annoying having the lights going on separately as you proceed down the hallway. <S> I'm pretty sure Codes would require the switches to remain. <A> I installed 2 motion activated light fixtures in the hallway with existing wiring at all locations. <S> It works exactly like I want. <S> I leave one switch powered up (on) and the lights come on and off by themselves. <S> The hallway is about 20' on one end and another 20 on the other. <S> The lights are fast acting and come on as you enter or turn the corner. <S> Thanks for the feedback.
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Both lights go on at the same time so you'd be able to just replace the individual fixtures with motion sensing ones.
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Should I store my staple gun with the handle up or down? How should I store my staple gun long term? Lever up like this: Or lever down, like this: I'm worried about the strength of the spring over time. <Q> I can't say for every stapler, but this works for all the ones I've used; While in the Open position, pull the lever handle backwards. <S> This will disengage it from the spring mechanism, and you can then lower the handle and use the storage loop to hold it in place. <S> When you subsequently release the loop, the handle will engage itself on the spring. <A> I can't confirm that this is the way is "should" be done, but... <S> I've had a similar staple gun in my garage for about 28 years. <S> I almost always put the lever catch on (lever down), and I still have to squeeze pretty darn hard to fire a staple and it still sinks them all the way on every fire (unless, of course, I'm not holding the stapler firmly against the surface). <A> Leave the lever up. <S> In the lever up position the main spring is relaxed. <S> As you press the lever down the spring is progressively tensioned until it is triggered to drive the staple. <S> If the lever would be restrained then, then the main spring would not be under tension. <S> But if you would restrain the lever before release is triggered, then the main spring would be stored under tension. <S> That rectangular metal loop may be intended for hooking onto a belt and not to restrain the actuation lever. <S> EDIT . <S> . <S> . or store it with the lever restrained by the metal loop. <S> With the lever restrained by the loop (assuming the main spring is untensioned) then the gun cannot fire and it cannot be cocked .
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If the lever is completely up, the gun cannot fire a staple, but if the gun were to be forced inadvertently (say against the back of a drawer), it could possibly be cocked and fired accidentally.
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Best way to fill gaps between lumber and masonry or rocks We have built 4x4 retaining walls around existing rocks and concrete that we were unable to get rid of. The idea was - and is - use something fill the gaps between the lumber and the rocks / cements. Given that some of the gaps are over 2 inches, what is the best - and easiest - way to fill these gaps? <Q> Sanding down to the exact shape would have been the first step for me then doing the filling. <A> I would use mortar , if you wanted to get fancy you could add pigment and match the color of the rocks. <S> The one in the corner looks to have some color. <S> I have not done this exactly but have seen it done at first <S> I thought he had chiseled the rocks <S> but then I realized he matched the rock color and filled with mortar. <A> Mortar and putty are going to look out of place. <S> You could plant some ivy or vines near the gaps and let it climb up and cover the gaps. <S> Nobody will ever know they're there.
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I have seen fine wood dust mixed with a putty of some kind mixed and placed inside gaps, if the wood is stained then also add a little stain to match the color.
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Shopvac a Toilet that is clogged? Can a shop vac be used to unclog toilet by putting hose from vac in toilet ( with most of water removed and filter removed from shop vac ) to suction and remove a clog? <Q> I seriously considered throwing it away. <S> It is nearly impossible to clean the corrugations in the hose. <S> If the clog is human waste I would try a closet snake first even if you have to buy one. <S> If its a toy or a rag or similar item you still don't know what else you will suck up. <S> On top of the mess in the vacuum you have to realize with out a filter you will potentially be spraying bacteria out the exhaust port hole. <A> It may work, in REVERSE <S> Last time I had a main drain clog, I went through chemicals (sometimes works for me), CO2 cartridges (sometimes works for me) and a small snake (usually doesn't work on the main drain). <S> I was very close to calling a handyman (always works, but cost$) or renting a big snake (usually works, but not my favorite job). <S> I decided to try the shop vac. <S> Not to suck out the clog - I highly doubt that would work - but to blow out the clog. <S> It worked perfectly. <S> Unfortunately, I forgot to plug up the laundry tub drain, so I did get some of the clog coming out there, not entirely contained by the laundry tub. <S> But it did work. <S> I have never tried this on a toilet, but if you can get a tight fit (stuff some rags around the hose) <S> then it has a good chance of working. <S> But definitely blower mode, not vacuum mode. <A> I would never use a shop vac on a toilet. <S> Once I suggested trying to clear a washing machine drain with a shop vacuum simply because the poster had not been able to clear the drain after multiple tries, but this would probably be a disaster. <A> P traps are built into toilets and are required in plumbing drains under State building codes. ... <S> Often toilets can get things such as combs hung in the curve of the p trap. <S> Sucking or blowing may not remove whatever is hung in the curve, but only the remove the toilet paper that's accumulated on it. <S> Given that, it may be a waste of time and a mess to use a shop vac (because it would only get clogged again if, say, a comb is stuck in there. <S> I'm sure you know your options, given this. <S> A new, larger hole toilet only costs about $120.00. <S> That was my solution to the occasional stopped up toilet. <A> The shopvac might work, it really depends what is causing the clog, 1 large things, or a bunch of small things. <S> I think a shopvac would work great on something like sand or jello or ball bearings in a toilet, but not a hair brush. <S> I did once use a shop vac to suck out some screws that were dropped in a drain, and it worked great. <S> But I got the shopvac out right away before any water was run though the system. <S> A reliable way to fix a toilet when a plunger fails is to lift the toilet off the floor and reach up to remove the clog. <S> I know it's messy <S> but it tends to work without fancy equipment.
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I have used a Shop-Vac to empty a clogged garbage disposal,It was messy and smelly.
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Is it possible to have a projection screen mounted vertically to the wall (not ceiling, not floor)? All I see are projection screens that are mounted to the ceiling, or pull-up (floor, desk). I'm interested in installing it vertically, on the wall. So I can pull it to the left (or right, depending on direction). I have a wall that is free and could host the case with the screen, just need to open it to the left. Yes, it must have a backing support so it stays flat. I was thinking about getting a tabletop version (they have backing) and install it on the wall, however the screen size becomes weird because their ratio is now inverted (height becomes width).It needs to be slim, so it doesn't call too much attention. Is it possible? What would you use for this, even in a DYI setup (buying a roll of projection screen, then some kind of mechanism to be able to open/retract it). <Q> It possibly a flexible rail that can be rolled but it would not fit inside the standard screen retract mechanism. <S> A tape measure would not be thick enough but a 1” wide curved tape can be rolled up and may provide support to hang on a few points , that’s all I could think of. <A> You might be able to use an awning mount hung vertically. <S> Generally, they will have arms that will lock to support the weight of the awning as it's hanging out over the window/deck/patio/whatever, so it should be reasonably sturdy enough to support its own weight when extended horizontally. <S> I'd think that the weight of a screen would be less than the weight of an awning, so it should hold the weight. <S> The kind I'm thinking of has an arm at each side of the awning that ends up <S> straight when the awning is fully extended, something like this: Image from outsidepursuits.com . <S> No endorsement intended or implied - it was the first image I could find of what I was looking for <S> You'd replace the awning material with your screen material and presto, zappo, giant sidways-roll-up screen. <S> If necessary, you may need to apply some bulldog clips to keep the top from sagging. <S> This would be a roll-out, apply clips, watch show, remove clips, roll-up use pattern, and I can see that getting annoying, but that's what happens when you buck the trend. <S> You may want to contact the manufacturer to see about vertical deployment. <S> I'm sure they'd tell you that it wouldn't work, but since it won't see any wind load (I'm assuming this is an indoor application), you might ignore them and call it good anyway. <S> That's your call, not mine. <S> To be honest, though, if you don't want a ceiling mounted one, I'd get a floor standing one and call it good. <S> When you're not using it, store it leaning up against the wall where you're planning on installing this. <S> I'm pretty sure it will be cheaper and much easier in the long run. <A> You can mount any which way you choose.
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I understand what you want but believe the weight of the screen will cause wrinkles unless you come up with some clamps to hold the top edge. If you want to mount it vertically then i would suggest a fixed projection screen . OR You can make one , OR Paint one on a wall.
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How to install deck railing top board slanted I'm building the railings for my new deck and plan to use a 2x6 as the top board. 4x4 posts, 2x4 rails. How can I make it a bit slanted to help shed rain water with minimal tools? (No table saw, no router...). <Q> A slight wedge gap would be present, but that's not going to look terrible. <S> I'd reconsider for a few reasons, though: <S> You'll need a substantial slope to drain enough water to make a difference. <S> We're talking about beads of water or, at worst, shallow puddling. <S> Both require at least several degrees of slope to eliminate. <S> This isn't going to substantially extend the life of the rail. <S> Even if it did, replacing just the top rails after 10-15 years might be worth not creating conditions whereby... <S> You'll eliminate the railing as a drink/dish platform. <S> Don't underestimate the utility of that surface for you and your guests. <S> I'm in a moist climate and we routinely used 5/4x6 deck boards as top rails. <S> Folks really liked being able to rest dishes and elbows on that wide surface. <S> They didn't rot out any quicker than the hundreds of feet of decking below. <S> A quick squeegee cleans them off after a rain. <A> I'm not sure it's worth the trouble if you don't have a saw to cut an angle off the posts. <S> Odds are that the wood will dry out to whatever shape it wants to be anyway, either holding or shedding water accordingly. <S> I find any water sitting on top of this board soon evaporates. <S> Just make sure you keep up with the protection on the top board especially. <S> 2x6 is so thick, I suspect you'll be long gone before it rots out and keeping it flat will make it more useful to put plates/drinks on etc. <S> (assuming the drop isn't over someones head). <S> If you have a circular saw you can cut the slant from both sides following the image below. <S> The offset equals the height of the slope you want (suggest 10mm which gives you about 5-6 degrees slope). . <A> I agree with some of the other answers and comments, but to answer the question as asked; How to slant the railing, without having a power saw to cut the post tops at an angle -Or the tools to cut slanted mounting blocks. <S> Consider using Composite Shims. <S> Just like regular shims but weather proof: <S> Example: 8 in. <S> Composite Shim (Bundle of 12) Experiment with the angle of the shims and cut to fit the top of the posts. <S> You could glue or tack nail them together before attaching the railing.
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You'd just slope the 4x4 posts, set the top rails on them, and fit your 2x4 rails underneath.
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Does a drainage pipe need to be continuously sloped? I need to move water from the back yard to the front yard, to combat the monsoon season, in which a 50 gallon container in the backyard can fill up in 1-2 minutes. I bought some 4" piping, and will have it collect water in a drain in the higher back yard, and divert it in a half-circle around the house to the lower front yard. I'm finding that due to the length of the pipes, about 150 feet, it is difficult to make it continuously downhill. There already is a slight slope of 1" per 10 feet horizontally. Is there any issue if the pipe is not perfectly sloped, and in places goes slightly higher than before, so long as all of the pipe is lower than the entry drain? <Q> It's true that, so long as the exit is lower than the entrance, water will find its way through the pipe even if there are low points in the path. <S> However, as others have noted, debris could accumulate in those low points. <S> So the answer to your specific questions "does it need to be continuously sloped" <S> is a squishy " <S> yes.. unless you're willing to install mitigations." <S> One mitigation you could consider is one or more sump pits/traps/catch basins along the path. <S> Here's a sketch from Dejana Industries : <S> This construction is specifically designed to catch debris in storm water systems. <S> That's not what you're after, so we can modify the design a bit. <S> Run pipe with a continuous slope at a sufficiently steep grade so that debris will carry along well. <S> When you reach a point that the pipe is getting too deep in the ground, install a catch basin there. <S> Take an exit pipe out of the pit at a level <S> higher than the inlet and proceed to the destination. <S> During a storm water will fill the catch basin. <S> Eventually the water level will rise high enough to flow out the exit pipe. <S> Some debris will settle in the basin; other debris will float up and flow out the exit. <S> Construct the basin to be leaky so that after the storm the water remaining in the basin slowly drains away. <S> That'll minimize the chance of breeding mosquitos or odors. <S> From time to time you'll have to clean out the debris from the bottom of the basin, but it's better to have it there than in some unknown and inaccessible section of pipe buried in the yard! <A> If you are in a climate where the water can freeze it is a definite problem. <S> If not, there is still the potential for debris and sediment to settle in the low sections and eventually clog the pipe. <A> Your fix is to make like a Roman Aqueduct and support the lower "dips" so that the pipe runs at a more-consistent downward angle. <S> This will also make the water flow faster, flushing possible sediments without a chance to block up. <S> Aim for a straight run of pipe with the same drop over distance, rather than a specific angle. <S> Start by supporting the pipe with wood or stone and once its well-aligned, consider more permanent solutions like concrete. <A> Two problems can be encountered without continuous slope: <S> Ice can form, damaging the pipe. <S> Obviously this is climate-dependent. <S> Silt can accumulate. <S> When water sits stagnant, solids settle to the bottom and can harden. <S> Eventually the pipe becomes clogged. <S> Otherwise, siphon effect and gravity will keep the water draining as you would hope. <A> One idea is to elevate the 50-gallon container in the backyard that is initially catching the water. <S> Instead of setting the 50-gallon container on the ground, you can use pavers or other sturdy materials to create a platform on which the container will rest. <S> Note: 50 gallons of water weighs 400 pounds, so whatever you set the container on needs to be really sturdy. <S> My rain barrel is only 35 gallons, but you can see that I have elevated it about 10-12 inches:
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Elevating the container itself will elevate the container's drain hole, which may give you enough elevation so that the piping to the front yard will run downhill.
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Thoughts on Home Security Camera Location We are building a new home and now is the time to run CAT5/6 for IP cameras I have planned. The system can support more than 4 cameras, but that's what I'm think of starting with for now. I've marked the areas I'm thinking in red. The house has a courtyard where the pool is. I'd like a camera on the pool, the driveway, the back of the house, and the front east corner. I know there are some blind spots, I'm not looking for 100% coverage. But this will get most of everything coming and going. <Q> Since it is a new build, I would run wiring to every corner (including inside corners) and just put a cover plate on the ones you aren't using. <S> Small cost up front, but tons of flexibility. <S> Make sure the CAT cables are clearly labelled at the switch side of things. <A> I like to have cameras cover all of the doors in the house. <S> I use the cameras to watch for guests or see when a package was dropped off. <S> I like to think the cameras are for "watching the state of the house", more than "catching criminals". <A> Conduit <S> CAT 5/6 is plenty for today's cameras, but (a) you may want multiple cables in the future (e.g., a second camera, WiFi extender, etc.) <S> and (b) you may want fiber in the future, or some enhanced CAT 'n'. <S> Many houses around today were built long before Ethernet (even the old coaxial type) or even before any digital computers existed! <S> Starting with a new house, you don't want to limit yourself to today's technology. <S> Conduit gives you flexibility.
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As mentioned in numerous other questions, if you run conduit to each location then you will have maximum future flexibility.
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Do I really need an air conditioner filter? Do my AC air intake vents really need air filters? Is there any downside to removing them? Like are the blowers expecting a certain level of resistance from the filters in order to work properly? Could I damage the blower or the AC unit by not having a filter installed? I really want the least amount of resistance in order to cool the house as fast as possible during these hot summer days. <Q> Yes, you'll distribute crud through your ventilation. <S> On top of that, you'll accumulate crud in your AC unit. <S> BAAAAADDD idea. <A> Yep... "BAAAADDD" idea. <S> Don't remove your filters, you'll gum up your equipment. <S> Nobody's house is "lint free". <S> I really want the least amount of resistance in order to cool the house as fast as possible during these hot summer days. <S> Wondering what you guys think about this, thanks. <S> How about OTHER sources of "resistance". <S> Simple things like, is your condenser exposed to direct sunlight? <S> Are the coils of both the condenser and the evaporator clean? <S> Is your current air filter new? <A> Modern motor controls may limit the overspeeding risk, but most definitely in the past fan motors were burned up by overspeeding from unloading the inlet. <S> I have been told this by an a/c tech, and <S> 55 years ago I destroyed an expensive fan motor by running it without the loading filter on the inlet side. <S> My landlord was not happy with me, and to this day I can hear her blistering criticism of how I treated her property. <S> The fact is that the loading of the ductwork on the output side is almost certainly enough loading to prevent burning up the motor even with the filters removed, but this would pressurize the ductwork beyond design limits and would cause higher air flow through the ductwork (and through the a/c coil and furnace heat exchanger) than designed. <A> I was naive when I moved into my first apartment with an HVAC. <S> But the owners were also negligent and did not keep up with a maintenance schedule. <S> I was later told that they replace the filter "once a year" but privately that it was more like "only when people ask". <S> What happened was the unit never had a filter installed or it had a filter <S> and it was never replaced (I don't remember which). <S> Because it has AC, there is a pipe to drain the water that accumulates. <S> Well, the pipe got clogged up with lint and other debris through regular use. <S> And when the water had nowhere else to go, it started to pool onto the floor of the storage closet. <S> The closet was shut and I never looked at it; until I started hearing an ominous "drip-drip-drip" sound coming from it. <S> The water had soaked the carpet, waterlogged everything beneath, and had started to pool. <S> Mold had also started to grow into the wall. <S> I've never forgotten to check the filter since. <A> All of the answers are to the question of whether your HVAC system needs a filter. <S> However, that's not what the wording in the question asks: <S> Do my AC air intake vents really need air filters? <S> If you're referring to filters in the return vents, that's a different question. <S> Just in case <S> that's actually what you're asking, let me clarify. <S> The air handler should have a filter in or next to the furnace that filters all of the air as it goes in. <S> You need that <S> and that's the only filter you should have. <S> Supplemental filters are sold for the registers and/or return vents. <S> Those are a bad idea. <S> Best case, they're thin and not dense, and don't have much air resistance. <S> They will degrade system performance a little but aren't likely to damage it. <S> They will accumulate some dirt and discolor over time but don't really add any useful filtration, so they're a waste of money and your system won't be as efficient. <S> If you add anything to the vents that does useful filtration, those will add excessive air resistance. <S> System efficiency will suffer and it can strain the system. <S> The HVAC system is designed to need only the central filter, and it should do all of the required air filtration. <S> If the central filter is not doing an adequate job, use a filter with a higher MERV rating and/or replace it more often.
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If you would remove all resistance on the inlet side, the air handler motor could overspeed and be damaged. The air handler is designed to work with a certain amount of resistance on the air inlet side as well as on the output side.
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Where is A/C switch? How to turn it off? I'm trying to install a new c-wire based thermostat, and I plan to turn off the A/C power before I touch the C and R wires (24v). However, I couldn't locate the power switch. The breaker box has some switches with suspicious labels: 'SD', 'E.D.O' and 'F.A.U'. Not sure which one belongs to A/C.( BTW: what does those abbreviations mean? ) I also find there is a standalone breaker box with only 1 switch next to the A/C external unit. Is it the right one? Any cautious needs to be paid attention to when turn off ( and turn it back on ) this standalone switch? <Q> That panel does not appear to have a main breaker in it, so that would mean the Main is somewhere else, probably outside next to the meter. <S> In that box, there is probably another large 2 pole breaker to feed the A/C unit. <S> You are allowed to have up to 6 breakers in that service entrance box, so because this panel looks full, when someone installed the A/C, they put the breaker out with the main. <S> But also, is your A/C a central air system, where is it combined with the heating system? <S> That is required for doing exactly this; it is JUST the control power for the furnace/AC unit so when you turn off that switch, your little 24V transformer for the thermostat circuit is off too. <S> For what you want to do, that's all you need. <A> Double or Nothing (Assuming US/Canada) <S> A traditional hardwired air conditioning system is almost certainly going to be a 240V system using a double breaker . <S> So look for breakers in your panel that are in pairs - the handles will be together, like: <S> Most houses will only have a handful of these, typically for: Air Conditioning <S> Electric Hot Water Heater Car Charger <S> Oven <S> Clothes Dryer Feed to another panel (Subpanel) <S> That should cut down significantly on the number of things you need to try. <S> As noted in a comment, make sure the fan is in " <S> On" instead of "Auto" so that you know when you turn off the system. <S> First picture doesn't seem to have anything for the air conditioner, unless it is a small (120V 20A) unit with a funny abbreviation. <S> There is almost certainly another panel somewhere . <A> what does those abbreviations mean? <S> Money. <S> That is, money out of your pocket and into the pocket of the next electrician working on this. <S> That was the idea (whether articulated or not) of whoever did this. <S> People seem to think that such abbreviations make them sound cool and educated. <S> Nah. <S> It's the Essence of Stupid (tm). <S> Nobody who knows their stuff needs to use uncommon abbreviations. <S> GFI or GFCI is about as far as I'd go. <S> We're not living in the days when small fonts were extra and you paid the typesetter by column inch, for crying out loud. <S> so why abbreviate... <S> The mind boggles. <S> Here's what I've done a decade ago in my own place... <S> electricians that can't do even this are beyond contempt IMHO. <A> Those abbreviations explained (or FAU is what you're after) <S> Sometimes, electricians in a hurry wind up leaning on a shorthand they learn from reading blueprints instead of spelling everything out when they label a panel. <S> Fortunately, it's not too hard to crack. <S> We'll start with the most important one for your situation, FAU. <S> That stands for Forced Air Unit, which is another name for a thing with a blower in it that hooks up to ducts, like a furnace does. <S> You may also see AHU used here, which stands for Air Handling Unit; the distinction between an AHU or a FAU and a furnace is that furnaces <S> burn some sort of fuel such as gas or oil, while an AHU or FAU may not have burners and other combustion gear at all, simply using one or more of electricity, hot refrigerant, or hot water to heat the air going through it. <S> The other abbreviations are not too much harder: GDO is simply short for Garage Door Opener, while SD is most likely the circuit your smoke alarms were put on, the latter standing for Smoke Detector. <S> (The difference between a smoke detector and a smoke alarm, by the way, is that a smoke alarm can make noise about the smoky situation on its own, while a smoke detector can only tell a fire alarm panel to start making loud noises about the problem on the detector's behalf.)
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If so, there must be a separate switch in the closet with the HVAC unit, usually just a toggle switch, sometimes with a fuse holder too, either on the wall or sometimes on the side of the furnace (see picture below). Label makers or even plain old paper and pencil and a modicum of penmanship lets you pretty much put an act of Hamlet on those panel doors and have it be readable,
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What is the difference between a "handle tie" and "common trip" in circuit breakers? This image shows a quad-breaker with handle ties. Image borrowed from this DIY question One of the comments noted that despite the "handle ties", this is not a "common trip" breaker. I, in my ignorance, previously assumed that a trip on one of the tied breakers would have forced the tied mate to trip as well and that this would, therefore, also be a "common trip". It seems I was wrong. What is the difference between a "handle tie" and a "common trip"? For bonus points, when should each be used? As was pointed out in an answer on that original question, this quad-breaker is labeled ALL POLES HAVE NO COMMON TRIP Does this mean that "common trip" is internal to the breaker and can only be identified by reading the labeling, while "handle tie" is the external plastic/metal piece that physically ties the handles together? If so, does that mean (theoretically) that one could have a common trip breaker without a handle tie? <Q> It ain't about the handle-tie <S> Common trip does NOT work by one handle tripping, and that action dragging the other handle over via the handle-tie . <S> That is not how that works. <S> That wouldn't work because the handles "trip free" - that is, if the breaker needs to trip and a padlock or naughty human is impeding the handle from moving, <S> the breaker just trips anyway. <S> So if the other half of the breaker impeded the handle from moving, the side that tripped would just trip anyway, and common trip would not occur. <S> This means <S> you cannot 'bolt on' common trip by adding a handle-tie. <S> Common trip works by an internal mechanism within the breaker. <S> Either the breaker has it, or does not. <S> In the case of this Siemens breaker, it does not. <S> Eaton also makes a line of non-common-trip quadplex breakers just like these, but they also make nearly identical breakers with common trip inner and outer. <S> Other makers build them with inner common-trip and outer independent trip. <S> So from a common-trip perspective, a handle-tie is nothing but "trip theater". <S> The real purpose of a handle-tie, as manassehkatz discusses, is to assure common shutoff when the handle is used as an "off" switch. <S> And provide a visual cue that the circuits are related. <A> Common trip means if one trips, so does the other. <S> Common trip effectively includes handle tie but handle tie doesn't guarantee common trip. <S> Common trip makes sure that if part of an appliance has trouble, the entire circuit is shut off. <S> Handle tie makes sure that related circuits, such as two halves of a multi wire branch circuit are turned off at the same time, to protect people working on one circuit from getting shocked by the other one. <S> The problem is not only "the trip of the top breaker could twist that long, thin looking handle leaving the bottom breaker live instead of forcing it to trip", but also because many breakers don't actually cause a big sudden external handle "flip". <S> In fact, sometimes it isn't so obvious that a breaker has tripped because the handle has hardly moved at all! <S> A true common trip is an internal mechanism, where the thermal or GFCI or AFCI trigger event causes both of the protected wires in the circuit to be disconnected at the same time. <A> A basic requirement for such breakers is that their tripping is independent of handle position . <S> Ergo, you can completely immobilize the handle and it must never defeat proper operation, i.e. tripping. <S> So common trip and a common handle are independent matters, and you can have common trip breakers without a common handle, as well as common handle breakers without common trip. <S> Those are not visible when the multipole breaker is handled as a unit. <S> But if you disassemble the breaker into individual poles (this is potentially destructive and voids warranty), you'd find little mechanical links that connects the trip mechanism across the breakers. <S> So if one pole trips, it will set off other ones to trip.
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Handle tie means if a person turns off one, they turn off the other. Common trip is handled outside of view, by mechanical interconnects going between the side panels of the breakers.
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Is it normal to use a grinder to finish a new driveway? Yesterday we had new concrete pads poured. We expected pour-day to be the last day. I saw them out there finishing, but when we went out that evening after everyone had left, it looked half done. There were unfinished areas, dips in the concrete, and piles of stuff: I texted the concrete guys and asked if they were coming back after dinner or what was going on. They texted back that it's normal for it to look like that and that they were coming back today with a grinder to finish it out. I've never heard of using a grinder as a finishing step (though I've only been a part of a few driveway pours). Is this normal? Will there be any long-term consequences (to stability or performance or appearance) of using a grinder at the end like this instead of just finishing it when wet? Or is this a red flag that things are about to go very badly and I need another contractor to come in and tell me the correct next steps? I worry that the guys weren't prepared and just ran out of working-time. Edit To follow up and let everyone know what happened, I confronted them about the work. They admitted that the did not have sufficient experience, and ran out of time before the concrete set. They ground it down and said they would be back in next week to 'resurface' it, and grind down the resurface so it looks like finished concrete. They also told me that as long as the original concrete had not cured, the resurfacing should fully bond and provide adequate strength. <Q> That looks like a very poor finishing job to me. <S> I've assisted on many driveways and never had to go back with a grinder. <S> Finishing it wet is all it takes and leaves the desired surface that isn't slippery. <S> Watch them carefully and hold off on final payment until you're satisfied with the job. <A> Jack has a good answer but want to add. <S> This strikes me as a concrete job done after they did another with whatever was left over. <S> If the mix is that dry there could be major long-term issues. <S> From your picture <S> (and I know its a picture <S> and I am not there) <S> it looks like that mix was never wet enough. <S> You simply don't get "crumbles" with poured concrete. <S> They tried to flatten/skim the concrete either way too late (I doubt) or with mix that had started to settle. <S> The "crumbles" left potmarks. <S> These are a disaster if you are in a wet/cold climate. <S> Water will sit in them, water will freeze, and the normal concrete issues you get at year 10-20 will happen in year 5-6. <S> And to answer your question - no you don't use a grinder on a concrete job. <S> Also a grinder would be used to shave things. <S> While the "crumbles" need to be shaved if they stick, the bigger issue as mentioned before are the small holes (potmarks) left. <S> How does a grinder fix that? <A> Great answers here already. <S> To add... <S> The seam between the current concrete that's "set", and the new surface concrete they plan to pour, is referred to as a "cold joint". <S> It's true that concrete continues to cure over time <S> (the molecular crystalline structures continue to grow outwards, which is why you continue to water fresh concrete for a few days after a pour). <S> However, concrete never fully bonds across a cold joint. <S> Depending on the depth of the surface pour, I'd expect it to possibly begin to flake off after a few years. <S> For this reason alone, the thicker the surface pour the better. <A> Finishing does not just make the concrete look nice - it surfaces the 'cream' <S> - it makes the cement come on top to make it stronger. <S> Each hour, the top should be resurfaced to drive out the excess water reduce cracks. <S> You should NEVER lay new concrete on top of dried concrete. <S> (Unless each slab is thicker than 3 inches and you use rebar to bind the layers). <S> They will NOT bond together and WILL crack when water gets between. <S> Source: Dad runs concrete company for 40 years <A> Not poured wet as noted above, the strength of the slab on grade will be compromised. <S> Strength is directly related to length of curing time. <S> Such inexperience also calls the installation of reinforcement into question. <S> Ordinary concrete mixes or cement cannot be used as an "overlay" or skim coat as it requires much thickness for strength. <S> Specialty modified cement mixes, in pails or pumped, are required to obtain adhesion and compressive strength in thin overlays. <S> These are expensive. <S> Grinding concrete requires diamond wheels and is laughable in this situation. <A> Expired concrete will not cure to "design" strength. <S> I would ask the contractor remove all of the concrete to restore the site to the condition before they arrived and for a total refund. <S> Then I would find another contractor that agrees to the 90 minute rule explained below. <S> As the concrete hardens over the first few days, the sooner they jack it out, the easier it will be. <S> After 30 days, the concrete will be 3 times stronger than it was at seven days. <S> Break it up soon. <S> As evidence and to use to convince the contractor that you have a case, you chould get a copy of the "Batch Ticket" from the concrete company. <S> They should have this record at their office. <S> The ticket will have the batching time and other information on it. <S> Next time, view the batch ticket before the pour and stop the pour at 90 minutes. <S> Send the truck back. <S> The industry standard is: "Discharge of the concrete shall be completed within 1 ½ hours or before the drum has revolved 300 revolutions, whichever comes first, after the introduction of the mixing water to the cement and aggregates.” <S> It is clear to this standard that it should only take 90 minutes for the concrete to be discharged from the mixer, otherwise the concrete can be considered “expired. <S> I hope this helps. <S> Good luck. <S> Please do not take my answer as 100% correct. <S> I learned from "how was your day" dinner conversations. <S> My partner is an expert in this and she has been "Owner's Engineer" on several job sites. <S> She has placed many hundreds of loads or concrete. <S> She has turned trucks back.
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If the concrete has "expired" before or during the pour, I believe that concrete needs to be completely removed and redone.
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What is the definitively correct way to hook up a 3-prong electrical dryer cord? I have a new dryer, and I have a 3-prong outlet (NEMA 10-30). The written instructions and the video instructions for this model contradict each other. Internet research has only confused me more. Looking for a clear, definitive answer... Do I install the wires like this (pic 1): ...where the white wire is left connected to the chassis (this is what the manufacturer video says, and what most other videos I’ve found say) OR do I do it like this (pic 2): ...where I connect the white wire to the middle (neutral) terminal? This is what some internet things say, and this is also what the written instructions say, with an additional claim that I need an external ground wire connected to the chassis and then imaginably, a ground. <Q> It's only legal on a legacy basis, with certain cable types because the appliance industry complained and moaned that they'd lose appliance sales if it was outlawed. <S> What they are actually doing is connecting chassis to the live neutral. <S> The concept is that neutral is supposed to be safe... as long as there aren't any loose connections... and loose connections are unlikely since these plugs and wiring are rarely disturbed. <S> Uh huh. <S> So it is leeeegal to jumper the appliance chassis to the neutral wire and then call it a day. <S> Would I do it? <S> Heck no! <S> However in my experience many installations either have a 3-wire receptacle <S> needlessly because they actually do have ground behind the receptacle... or they are using a cable type that was always illegal (/2 + ground NM or UF). <S> You are really, really better off upgrading to 4-prong receptacle and plug ASAP. <S> That will give you a separate neutral and ground. <S> If your installation is old and uses a legal cable type (/3 noground or SE), then it's legal to retrofit a ground from the socket to anywhere that has a #10 or larger ground back to the panel - water heater, grounding electrode wires, any metal conduit, or back to the panel. <S> anyway <S> (meaning: isolate neutral from ground, very important!), and then use a 2-pole GFCI breaker to feed it. <S> This is labeled "GFCI Protected / No Equipment Ground". <A> You do it like in picture one. <S> The neutral is grounded to the cabinet with the green screw. <S> If you had a four wire outlet, then the white wire to the cabinet would be moved to the center post like in your picture 2 and the green ground wire from your four wire plug cord would go to the cabinet with the green screw. <S> If I were you, I'd check to see if you have four wires available in your outlet box and think about replacing the three prong cord and outlet with a four prong setup. <S> It's a nice safety feature. <A> There is no "definitive" answer, or standard hookup; <S> You have to follow the manufacturer's instructions but the manufacturer has dropped the ball if they have contradictory instructions out there. <S> That said, you will want picture two. <S> BUT, please make sure the spade terminal is straight and the bare metal is well clear of the terminals on the left and right <S> , you do not want to create a short. <S> There is a simple principle that determines how you'll make the connections. <S> When 240/120V appliances are connected without the fourth equipment grounding conductor, the connections are done such that the dryer's metal frame is bonded to the neutral (white) wire. <S> That's what the jumper is doing. <S> The exact details of the connections will differ from appliance to appliance, it will depend on how the terminal block inside the dryer is wired. <S> In the picture below, there is a ground strap that you remove when you have four wires. <S> Upgrading to a four-wire circuit would make this safer, but it's very common on older homes and not a major hazard. <S> Alternately adding GFCI protection to the circuit by replacing the breaker in the panel would make it safer and usually dryers are pretty GFCI compatible. <S> The picture is from http://www.adamselectric.coop/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Bonding-Frames-of-Major-Appliances.pdf <S> where you can read a more detailed explanation. <A> This is where you need to look at the MFG requirements. <S> Notice the 2 larger wires on the outside those are normally the hots the center wire is the neutral for 3 wire without ground because the heating element is 220-240 and the motor that turns the drum is usually 120v and the controls are 120v in these cases the best option is a grounding connection from the metal water pipe to the frame of the dryer . <S> I can say this because by the time plastic plumbing became the norm 4 wire was code.
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If it is infeasible to retrofit a ground, you can change the receptacle to 4-prong anyway , wire the appliance for 4-prong There is no way to make a 3-wire connection safe.
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Building a deck without help I am planning to build a deck but it has been difficult to find contractor. My question is - how difficult is it to build a deck without another set of hands ? Are there any devices available which can do such as supporting a beam at one end etc. <Q> A lot depends on what you are building. <S> There are two different types of decks: Traditional Deck <S> This involves (typically) some sort of footings to hold the posts, a ledger board on the side of the house and a lot of very specific rules designed to make sure the deck doesn't fall down and hurt people. <S> The deck has to be extremely rigid - you can't have it move away from the house. <S> Floating Deck <S> A floating deck (typically) has posts fit into specially designed blocks: which simply sit on the ground. <S> The entire deck may move a bit over time. <S> As a result, there are limits (which may vary by jurisdiction) as to the maximum height and other constraints. <S> But a big difference is that you do not attach the deck to your house. <S> That actually removes a lot of the usual concerns about how everything is connected together. <S> End result: <S> a floating deck is much easier to build than a traditional deck. <S> In some cases, a floating deck may not even need a building permit, which is a big advantage. <S> However, that is dependent on jurisdiction (in my area, OK up to 200 square feet). <S> Check with your local building department (county, city, etc.) <S> and find out if a floating deck is permitted and, if so, what the constraints are. <S> That may go a long way towards making this a one-man project. <S> I built mine (< 200 square feet, very short posts) together with my evil twin. <S> I could have done it myself, but an extra set of hands is really useful when you are placing 10' or longer boards. <A> When I was much younger around 1980, I built an "L" shaped deck that was 12'X28' and 10'X 24' or about 720 sq ft by myself. <S> What A hard job it was. <S> When I was done I looked at that deck with pride in the fact that I did the build myself. <S> My best recommendation is to plan very carefully <S> and I mean everything and have a plan "B" just in case. <S> For the vertical posts I found a rental place that had a 1 man post hole digger that could drill 12" holes 48" deep. <S> It was mounted on a "tow behind" wheeled platform. <S> Other than that device everything else was done by hand. <S> I built the main beams in place using 2X10's and 1/2" plywood. <S> (Joist, plywood, joist, plywood, joist, all glued together and bolted together). <S> My advice as I said before PLAN, PLAN, PLAN. <A> This is more of a philosophical answer rather than specific. <S> First and foremost keep in mind that badly built decks are dangerous, and the danger is in proportion to the height. <S> Seriously, there are a lot of actual injuries caused, so if you're going to do it do it right. <S> Building a deck alone is no big deal. <S> It's easy to get a good set of plans drawn up for a deck that will make the deck safe and sound. <S> But the drawings detail what to do, not how to do it. <S> You can find some good resources (and plenty of bad resources) on how to do it, watching youtube videos, books at Home Depot, etc. <S> It's not simple assembly / disassembly of parts, you have to make the parts. <S> Most of the how-to resources you'll find are going to assume you have more than one person working. <S> It will take some ingenuity to come up with a way to do things with one set of hands. <S> Safety is important not just so that the deck is sound but so that you don't hurt yourself in the process of building. <S> For safety, it's very important to temper ingenuity with good judgement . <S> Good judgement is developed by experience. <S> So, it's probably not wise to attempt your first deck alone. <S> Maybe not even your second deck. <S> I guess my answer boils down to, <S> if you're asking how hard it is, it's going to be too hard. <A> Here's a deck with roof that I did maybe 75% by myself. <S> It's 24 ft x <S> 16 ft. <S> I did have help (provided by my dad and a friend) with the roof ridge beam, rafters, and roof sheathing. <S> This is before it was screened in, and was done approximately 25 years ago. <S> Neighborhood was still being built, so with all the county inspectors poking around, I had it permitted and inspected.
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It's possible for one person to do some pretty big projects. Building a deck is harder than something like say fixing a toilet because there's a lot more steps involved.
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How should I deal with a cable found underground on my property? I was digging in my garden and I found a wire coming through my garden underground. It looks old and dead, and I would like to take it off the ground, but the problem is that both ends lead somewhere outside my garden, so I don't really know where it ends or starts. I called the TV providers and no one seems to know anything about it. Ex owner of my property is dead. As I found out by asking neighbors, some time ago (~50 years ago) this property (now mine) was bigger and included a shack and a well on it. This cable was used to provide electricity to both. Now there's a new house in that place and I don't know what's happened to the cable part which is under this house's property. They said, the cable comes from our house, so I'll try to get to the basement and check if I see it there. It looks dead to me because I used a cable locator to check if it sees anything - and it doesn't. I'm not sure if it's a valid test in this case, though It's plain black, no writing at all. I's about 1 cm thick (0.4 in), I live in Europe, Czech Republic. It seems that I actually cut it a bit accidentally while digging. I found the cuts and I see the copper wires inside, as can be seen on the last photo. It looks 100% like the electric cable. I believe it's not very safe to just cut it at both ends? I called the local electric provider, but they told me they didn't have anything in there. Any ideas on how to handle it? <Q> The images show a cable similar to a spool I have of "cable-in-conduit" which is used for cable television service. <S> Typical cable television cable drops, from the service point (tap) to the house can be 6 mm diameter, but the c-in-c will be slightly larger. <S> It's hard to tell from the image, but even if it's direct-bury drop cable, it's not dangerous. <S> Are you able to view a service point for local cable tv service in either direction? <S> Cable television drops are buried less than 30 cm deep in many cases and are easily cut by accident. <S> Cable in conduit ostensibly protects the cable, but a sharp shovel and a determined gardener can certainly cause damage. <S> Consider to contact your local cable television provider with the same query you've posed to the power company. <S> Allowing for your edit, determining that it is a power cable of some sort, you can check for active current with an ordinary compass, the magnetic type, not the circle drawing type. <S> According to one web site , for alternating current, the needle will vibrate at the frequency of the electricity, likely 50 Hz in your country. <S> If it is direct current, the needle will point in one direction as you move it about the wire. <S> A more expensive method is to use a clamp-on ammeter, if one is available. <S> That is sometimes inconclusive as it often requires to separate the conductors to ensure an accurate reading. <A> It looks like a direct-burial RG6 coax cable. <S> Cut it without calling and you risk knocking out cable television and internet service to your neighborhood, your own home included, and you may face fines digging without having your property marked. <A> In addition to the great answers already given, another possibility is that it is a "locator wire" buried above a plastic pipe. <S> There are usually a few inches of dirt between the locator wire and the pipe so that accidental discovery of the locator wire during digging saves the pipe from being broken. <S> Last summer I worked with a crew digging on a property where some of the sprinkler pipes had such wires and other pipes did not. <S> The crew ended up breaking one pipe that didn't have a wire above it, but managed to avoid a pipe that did have a wire. <A> Is it possible <S> you have an automatic irrigation system? <S> It also looks like standard irrigation/sprinkler wire that goes from the controller to a valve.
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This is often done when burying plastic pipes for an irrigation system - a wire is buried right above the pipe so that a metal detector will show that there is something in the ground below. Call your local utility locating service and have them mark your property to see if the line is in use.
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Is my furnace fresh air intake correctly installed at my apartment? I have a furnace with an uncovered air intake. I cant imagine it is pulling very much fresh air in through the duct because it is uncovered. I am wondering, is this correct? I believe there should be some grill covering this. Should I cover the outside panel so that most air is being pulled through the duct? Outside: Intake: Duct work: Overview: <Q> It's hard to tell from your photos, but I believe that duct is a passive makeup air system. <S> For it to be able to exhaust gasses it needs to recover fresh air. <S> Most buildings have plenty of little leaks which can let air get back in. <S> But some new homes are built with sealed building envelopes, trying to keep the home bottled up. <S> This presents a problem for gas burning appliances (or any exhaust appliance for that matter). <S> Ducting in from the roof will allow the furnace to recover air, but it's unlikely to seriously impact your thermal envelope. <S> If your home were "too air tight" <S> then your furnace wouldn't work. <A> Hate to say it <S> but I don't think anybody got it right yet. <S> From what I see this is just an air handler unit because there appears to be refrigerant lines visible in the upper right of the 2nd picture. <S> I also don't see a flue or gas supply line. <S> There also appears to be a condensate line coming out the bottom of the unit, which you would have for A/C. Bottom line, I think you're fine as long as the fresh air return is ducted to the outside and not the attic. <A> When a furnace is setup to use outside air, it is for combustion...the fire. <S> Then the air goes up the chimney. <S> The air going through the filter is from inside the building...normally. <S> Where does that duct go? <S> You are missing a panel which means the air is being pulled in adjacent to the furnace and not pulling it in from other parts of the building. <S> So you are not getting good circulation.
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When the furnace goes on it needs to exhaust gasses out the flue. So it's almost certainly just an air handler connected to a heat pump (outdoor unit) and the small round duct is for fresh air.
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Idea to fill the tile gap after removing the wall I removed the wall in my basement which has a tile floor. I want to fill this gap where the wall was and looking for ways on what i can do which is going to look good. Shared picture is part of the wall and other half of the wall (with door in middle) where the tile lines dont match up. So putting existing tiles is not a good option has the size would vary. UPDATE: Other side of the wall Complete picture: SOLUTION: This is I how ended up solving this problem. <Q> I think I have another solution, but it's not great. <S> Remove the entire row of tiles that affects most of the right hand void. <S> Retile the area on the left, continuing the pattern from above. <S> You will need to seriously think this through, and maybe intentionally mis-align the tiles a little bit so that the black line on the photo is <S> eyeball straight <S> (Although the void from the removed row will probably be different widths at either end. <S> Get a chalk line, and draw it out on the existing tile before you do anything! <A> You really only have one choice. <S> Pop up the cut tiles and replace them with new ones. <S> This assumes that you can find tiles that match. <S> Cut the grout lines around all tiles. <S> While wearing safety glasses, pry up the cut tiles. <S> Clean the subfloor of old mortar as best you can. <S> Apply new tiles <S> (Yes, I'm hand waving! <S> - how to do this is readily searchable). <S> After about 24 hours, fill the gaps with grout. <S> Depending on how you are going to finish the exposed wood, you may be able to avoid replacing the tile on the bottom right if you cover it. <S> EDIT (After further photos). <S> I stand by my answer on the right side, but and totally stymied by the left. <S> And the angles just make it worse. <S> At this stage, I'd look at replacing the entire floor as the correct solution, which is a lot of work. <S> You may wish to hire an experienced professional. <S> With a tile blade on a circular saw and a good straight edge, cut out the the affected area, and redo with another tile, creating a transition zone of contrasting colour and angles. <S> You may want to install transition strips. <S> Rebuild the wall. <A> If you have any extra tiles of the same type or if they still sell that pattern than I would recommend replacing all cut tiles. <S> Looks like you will need to replace 5 tiles. <S> Edit: <S> Based on the new photos, I would agree with Chris' answer. <S> A full replacement would be the best option. <S> Another possibility would be to cut the floor at some point and redo a subsection of the flooring. <A> Just a crazy, low budget idea. <S> For the short-term. <S> Clean thoroughly. <S> Fill the caps with tile cement. <S> Same level as the tiles. <S> Mimic the grout lines. <S> Once dry, ask a local artist to 'paint' the tiles. <S> You can even cover the painted surfaces with a clear, glossy finish to match the rest of the floor's surface. <A> Make it a feature! <S> My quickest, cheapest fix for this would be to get some small, maybe almost mosaic tiles, in a heavily contrasting color, blue, slate, or something. <S> I'd maybe cut away a bit more of the tiles around it, and fill it in with the contrasting tile. <S> If it ends up looking terrible, you're only out a tiny number of tiles. <S> The lack of lining up tiles would be less obvious with this clear marker. <A> Well I see what happened, the gaps between the tiles are irregular sized. <S> The mess where the short wall came out looks easily recoverableyou probably only need to replace the six cut tiles. <S> The long wall is a different matter. <S> you'll need to pull more tiles around that to be able to merge the two patterns. <S> you'll probably wan to start with tile-sized cards placed on the floor (or stuck with temporary glue like blu-tack) to figure out which tiles to pull.
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Like I said before, this depends on finding matching tiles, and also finding an acceptable mosaic. Other options: Fill the gaps with mortar or any old tile of appropriate thickness., and carpet the whole area. However, the cut edge will be a bit sharp. There are paint techniques that can copy this. Retile the removed row with a small, somewhat random shaped mosaic, making a transition strip between the two rooms. You'd end up with a marker of the old floorplan.
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How should I deal with pine needles falling from tree onto roof? I live in a 100 year old house with an addition on the back. We have a pine tree that is hanging over the addition. The roof and sky lights are leaking. The rest of the roof is ok. We want to just replace the 35+- year old sky lights, shingles and flashing. We are planning on keeping the pine tree. But I was hoping that someone can make recommendations for what kind of flashing that we should use and is it worthwhile going for something other than asphalt shingles? We will probably get Velux sky lights. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks <Q> Metal roofing will shed pine needles far better than asphalt shingles will. <S> Still, trimming the tree is your best option, particularly since the skylights will make an area where the debris is easily trapped. <S> Putting "crickets" (peaked flashing) above them as for a chimney might reduce that somewhat <S> .vs. <S> the way they are now. <A> Skylights typically have full-height flashing. <S> That's normal and what you should do. <S> Whether you should switch to metal roofing is a large question and not suited to us making the decision. <S> That's at your budgetary and aesthetic discretion. <S> I've lived with a huge, beautiful white pine over my home for many years. <S> The bottom line is that you have to do seasonal cleanup. <S> White pines drop a third or a half of their needles every fall. <S> You need to remove them after it happens. <S> You should also do a spring cleanup since lingering needles tend to accumulate, especially if snow is present. <S> This is all standard home-ownership stuff. <S> There's no roofing or flashing that eliminate it entirely. <A> Dropped needles aside <S> , I would counsel some serious tree-trimming here. <S> Overhanging branches are a serious damage risk next time there's high winds or heavy snowfall. <S> Keep trees away from houses! <A> If I let mine go a year , the needles form a "carpet" that can be pulled off in big pieces. <S> You will need to seriously trim the pine for people to work on the skylights or shingles. <S> Looks like white pine , I would say no big loss , cut it down and plant what you what want you further away. <S> You need the right roofer to flash it to prevent leaks ; ask locally who has had experience ( good) with skylights. <A> You blow them off. <S> There is no other way to deal with an asphalt shingled roof as any other method would deteriorate the shingles. <S> Buy a lopper and trim those. <S> That little of branches over your house has no benefit. <S> You are talking about 45 mins of maintenance and you want to replace a roof?
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You will need to blow,rake or otherwise remove the needles from the roof a couple times a year or in a couple years you will have pine trees growing on your roof.
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How to fix a crack in the corner of an outside wooden lamp post What is the best way to fix this wooden light post? I was thinking clamps and glue. Or maybe a nail? [![enter image description here][1]][1] [1]: https://i.stack.imgur.com/3S3lF.jpg <Q> You'll have to do a little checking to determine if you can clamp that seam back together. <S> It might have been a poor fit to begin with in which case you won't be able to clamp it back. <S> Try getting a hold of a clamp similar to the one pictured below and see if you can close the gap. <S> If you can, get some good exterior wood glue and have at it. <S> If you can't close the gap, get some quality wood filler that's paintable and fill the gap. <S> Then paint. <S> but it looks like a nice light <S> so do it right. <S> Picture from amazon.com <A> Jack has great answer and <S> wow that clamp. <S> I don't have time to wait for that thing to come in the mail though - amazon has been taking 5 days for their 2 day shipping. <S> Get the drill out, at about 2 inches on either side drill a 45 degree pilot hole to the other side - needs to be straight obviously... take your time on this. <S> After that get a wide bit and punch a hole right over that so your screw head fits inside. <S> You will need a 3.5"+ wood screw. <S> Don't over tighten and don't go overboard on screw size. <S> This should take 10 mins max. <S> Cover your small hole with some Durham's wood putty. <S> With 2 mins of sanding and light touch up paint it can be 100%. <A> It is rather clear when looking at a closeup of the photo that the corner was not originally a nice tight miter joint. <S> You can see that some type of wood filler material was used to fill the gap which was much larger out at the tip than it was down closer to the post. <S> I am on board with DMoore's idea of using a couple of large screws to try to pull that back together <S> but it may be a good idea to clean out the old filler first and <S> then after screwing it a bit back to the original gap and then refill with new filler. <S> For outdoor use it may be applicable to use bondo to fill the gap but some sanding will be required depending upon how much care is taken to smooth out the bondo filler. <S> Of course after the filler is applied let it cure and then repaint the whole thing when the whole post is nice and dry. <S> Picture Source
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A quick and easy fix would be to just caulk it
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How can I install an on/off indicator for a lighting circuit? We installed smart lights that work with Alexa/Google Home. The problem is that when the lights are off, we don't know if they are off because the (3-way) switch is off or because we voiced them off. I'm thinking a good solution would be to install a tiny LED light somewhere that would signal whether the switch is physically on or off? Any suggestions on how to insert an tiny LED indicator light somewhere along a circuit. E.g. I'm open to adding another gang to the junction box. What's a good way to insert some indicator light into a line-voltage circuit? <Q> It sounds like you have light bulbs or fixtures directly controlled by Alexa/Google Home. <S> A better solution, though sometimes a bit more work to install, is a smart switch . <S> With a smart switch, the actual switch is replaced with a device that functions as both a physical switch and as a WiFi/remote/voice-activated/etc. <S> device. <S> There is actually a bigger problem, potentially, than simply inconvenience. <S> With your current setup, if the lights are turned off via Alexa/Google Home <S> and then there is an emergency and <S> someone who doesn't know about your Alexa/Google Home setup needs to turn on the lights, can they do it? <S> Maybe (depends on the device) turning the switch on/off multiple times will do it. <S> Maybe not. <S> This is a real safety concern. <S> Related: you also need to ensure that you can toggle the lights regardless of whether your home assistant is available. <S> If you can't turn your lights on because your Alexa is updating the firmware or because a backhoe tore through your fiber cable, that is an equally real safety concern. <S> A proper smart switch can often work in a 3-way configuration - i.e., with the 2nd 3-way switch being either a regular 3-way switch (possibly rewired a little bit) or with a "remote" at the other location (possibly wired using the existing wiring, possibly battery powered and radio controlled). <S> There are a lot of possibilities. <S> Back to the original problem. <S> There are lighted switches available such as: <S> However, as with smart switches, dimmers, timers, motion detectors, etc., lighted switches have to get their power from somewhere. <S> There are 3 options: Neutral - Arguably the best, but neutral is often not available in switch boxes in older homes Ground - Usable in limited circumstances. <S> Do not use ground instead of neutral unless the device is designed to do so. <S> Leak current through the main circuit - Lighted switches used to all work this way. <S> Many still do. <S> The problem is that this is generally not compatible with LED lighting. <S> If you decide to install lighted switches, make sure they are compatible with your wiring and with your current and anticipated lighting fixtures. <A> What you need is a combination of smart switch and smart bulb <S> You are correct that smart bulbs allow local control of color. <S> Do use your smart platform of choice to use the smart switches for on/off, and the smart bulb for color tuning. <S> Do not turn the light off at the bulb. <A> Do you frequently need to turn the lights off at the switch, or do you only use the smart assistant to control them? <S> If you don't generally control them using the switch, a cheap and easy solution would be to install switch guards on the switches for that circuit. <S> They will prevent the lights from accidentally being turned off at the switch. <S> You can still flip the switch if you really need to, but it's now a two-step process which is enough to remind the user that they should probably be using the smart controls instead. <S> This is particularly useful when first switching to smart lighting and people are still in the habit of flipping switches.
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However you still need at-the-switch control of on/off, and that is because of requirements in both electrical and building codes that there be a switch on the usual place(s), and the switch works.
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water pressure drops when irrigation system is turned on I am using well water. The static pressure measured with the outside faucet is 60 psi. When irrigation system is turned on, the water coming out of all sprinkler heads in any zone is weak. I guess the pressure at sprinkler heads is low. When irrigation system is on, water pressure inside the house is very low too and the PSI I read at outside faucet drops to 20 PSI. What could be the problem? Can low water in the well cause the problem? Thank you! <Q> Let's say that your well/pump/plumbing are able to provide 5 gal./minute. <S> If you exceed that rate then the pressure will drop. <S> It's unlikely that low water level in the well is the source of your problem as in that case the pump would start sucking air <S> and you would notice the air in the system as it "burps" out. <S> I'd start by checking your plumbing for suitable sizes of pipes and fittings and see if there are any obvious problems such as way too small pipes. <S> If that fails to reveal any issues you likely need to engage a well service professional who can evaluate your well and pump and make any recommendations that might correct your problem. <S> Keep in mind, especially if your well and pump are old, that fixing this may involve replacing the pump, drilling a new well, running a new pipe from the well to the home, etc. <S> In other words, it may be expensive. <A> There could be several causes. <S> Is this a new problem? <S> Have you made any changes to the irrigation system? <S> The most likely cause is you are simply using too much water than the pump can provide so the pressure drops until the delivery rate matches the consumption rate. <S> Reducing the number of heads on a zone would address that issue. <S> You may have to increase the number of zones to cover the same area. <S> I assume you are only running one zone at a time, <S> right? <S> It could also mean your well isn't producing enough water anymore, but the production rate of wells is usually pretty consistent. <S> Still, the water level in your well might be dropping, making the pump work harder. <S> And the pump could be wearing out. <S> They don't last forever and maybe slowly failing. <A> One thing that has not been mentioned is what happened to me. <S> I suppose through the minor vibrations caused by the pump turning on and off, over time, my main shutoff valve rotated itself into the off position. <S> At first, pressure was dropping when more then one thing was using water in the house, eventually, no water at all. <S> When I went to turn the shutoff off, I noticed it was already off. <S> So that is an easy thing to check before looking at other things. <S> If it's a gate valve, also make sure it is fully open (and then back off half a turn to help prevent it seizing).
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It sounds like your well is not able to provide the flow rate needed to supply your sprinkler system.
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Why don't any of my electric ovens actually keep the temperature that is displayed? I had an older oven that was consistently 25-50 degrees Fahrenheit lower than what it was set to be and what the display unit stated. I purchased an oven thermometer and keep it inside to check the temperature. The oven display would show 450, but the thermometer inside would be 425 or even 400. Thinking it was a problem with the oven, my landlord replaced it with a brand new oven. The first day I had the new oven, the temperature was maybe 10 degrees lower than it displayed. Yay, problem fixed, right? Sadly, no. Now, over time, the new oven gets really inconsistent temperatures. Sometimes it is 25-50 degrees cooler, and sometimes it is 25-50 degrees (or more) hotter! As you can imagine, this is causing a lot of issues with cooking. Since the problem is likely not the ovens themselves, as two different ovens are displaying this behavior, does anyone have any suggestions about what could be going wrong? <Q> A variance of 50 degrees or more - both high & low - sounds extreme. <S> However, a consistent offset of 25 to 50 degrees <S> is actually not that unusual. <S> Hypothetically, that could be 35 degrees miscalibration of the thermostat combined with a 15 degree temperature swing between cycles. <S> I don't know what the typical temperature swing is for a residential oven. <S> For a typical HVAC thermostat, a typical temperature swing is +2, -1, or 3 degrees total - so 5 degrees if you include the extra degree in each direction to actually trigger any action. <S> I am sure an oven will have a wider range - <S> the chicken or cake is not as sensitive to minor variations as people are. <S> Thermostats are manufactured to behave a particular way, but I highly doubt they are factory calibrated, just as mass-produced cars aren't taken out on the highway before being delivered in order to make sure the speedometer accurately reads 65 MPH. <S> Many ovens now have a user-accessible calibration feature. <S> For example, Kitchenaid has a page describing the calibration process . <S> You can also determine your oven temperature with sugar! <S> You don't actually need a thermometer. <S> (And thermometers themselves are often miscalibrated.) <S> A quick search finds How to Test Your Oven Temperature with Sugar , though I first read about it in The Science of Cooking : which is well worth reading for anyone interested in both science and cooking. <A> Electric ovens are known for inaccurate temp readings. <S> A lot has to do with the area that you place your small oven thermometer. <S> If you place it closer to the elements, you'll get a higher reading and it will fluctuate as the oven cycles. <S> It's usually right up close to the top element and on the side <S> so it's prone to read higher. <S> Make sure it's always clean. <S> Some experimenting with the location of this probe can reduce the errors in the readings. <S> All you can really is use your separate oven thermometer and get a feel for how the oven will operate. <S> Check it often. <A> The technology to have the reading be accurate exists, but (most? <S> all?) <S> appliance makers don't bother. <S> Likewise, they don't bother making the actual set temp be tightly accurate, though that technology also exists, albeit at a higher cost (which appliance makers hate) than an accurate built-in thermometer. <S> A previous oven would display what appeared to be accurate and detailed temperatures during pre-heat, but had two noticeable flaws - <S> if you did something like opening the door, the display did not go down, it only went up, so if the temp dropped, it lied and said it was as high as it had ever gotten. <S> Once "at the set temp" it would lie and display the set temp regardless of actual temperature. <S> Presumably this "display logic" was to prevent complaints about the oven not being exactly the temperature set, at least as shown by the oven itself. <S> That one could be faked out by altering to a higher temperature than set, where it would reveal the actual temperature it was starting from until it got to the new setting and lied again. <S> I have yet to meet any digital temp set/display oven ( <S> the norm now) that offers any greater accuracy than the old mechanical dial did (and many are worse, even if you did get to know that grandma's oven was 25 degrees low and uncle's <S> was 50 degrees high <S> , at least they were usually consistently that way.) <S> There was and is some hysteresis or deadband in the thermostats - 25 degrees is not unusual. <S> 50 <S> either way is a but much. <S> 5 degrees or less is easily achieved, but it's not actually done, due to penny pinching and lack of competition (not seen as a sales point, presumably) among appliance makers.
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The other problem is the temperature probe for your oven.
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Should I use glue or powder-actuated nails when framing over gypcrete? I have a current gypcrete-over-radiant-over-foamboard-over-slab floor in my unfinished basement. I'm about to frame it out to finish it. I've already located all the tubing, and I do have spots where I can nail or screw most of the walls down. Three questions for the experts: If I want to use powder-actuated-nails into the gypcrete, I can't buy nails long enough to go through the gyp and insulation all the way into the concrete slab. Since these are non-load-bearing walls, seems ok if I just get the nail into 1.5" of gypcrete to hold them in place? Would you apply an anti-fracture membrane (redguard or similar) under the sill plates in order to minimize spalling where the nail goes through? On the couple walls I need to glue down, I've read that an anti-fracture-membrane first and then construction adhesive will work. Does anyone have products they recommend that work together? (the AFM with the adhesive, like would loctite PL stick to redguard?) My other option is 5" or maybe even 6" screws which I think will get all the way to the concrete slab, but that seems like a lot of effort for 1300 sqft of walls. If I have to use screws, what screws do you recommend? I did send email and a phone call to Maxxon, and they never replied, and my heating contractor doesn't have any info either. Thanks,--Carey <Q> I will agree with isherwood regarding the nails to jiggle loose rather fast, as the gypcrete doesn't have the compressive strength to hold them. <S> The power-actuated is a no-no, as the holding capacity of those nails relies on 2 main factors: sintering between the steel in the nail, and the concrete, achieved thanks to the high temperature during the split second when you drive the nail in (it's a sort of "welding" between the steel and the concrete) friction between the concrete and the nail, as the concrete is trying to "pour" back where it used to be before it was displaced by the nail. <S> As gypcrete is more brittle and has lower compressive strength, it won't hold the nail at all. <S> Furthermore, powder-actuated nails are design to be driven anywhere between ⅝ and 1" into solid concrete <S> (⅝ into higher PSI concrete, up to 7/8 or a full 1" into softer C15 concrete). <S> In the lower possible setting (using a green cartridge with a tool that allows you to adjust power, such as the Hilti DX351), you would still punch through the track and sink into the soft gypcrete. <S> Probably even Grainger's regular concrete screws would do just fine, as you just need them to hold against shear loads. <S> Source: was a technical Product Manager at Hilti for 10 years. <A> Both. <S> A few nails to secure the location of the walls while the construction adhesive cures. <S> Nails alone are likely to jiggle loose over time due to the soft nature of gypcrete. <S> Penetration doesn't need to be more than an inch or so. <S> Use more nails near door openings. <S> I'm not sure about adding a membrane. <S> I'd try a few nails and see what happens. <S> My hunch is that gypcrete is soft enough that it won't be an issue. <A> Both your answers are right <S> but I think they are missing context. <S> #1 yes screws are more optimal... <S> But you will damaging the gypcrete as much with screws. <S> So you are basically doing more work for slightly slightly more hold. <S> #2 "Gluing" isn't a long-term thing for a basement. <S> You should not be relying on glue for keeping walls steady. <S> As the poor substrate and moisture will certainly cause failures. <S> I would just get some longer nails and pop them 3 to a board as I have done in 50+ basements. <S> The key to keeping basement framing true and to keep it from moving is to make it tight. <S> Nailing to the floor or to the joists should only be a "precaution". <S> The floor should have a few "spikes" in it and if my wall is even a smidge loose I will shim it on the top. <S> Spending time on securing your basement framing footers is fine with infinite time but is probably the least useful.
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Technically, construction adhesive isn't to be used as a structural fastener, but it'll do fine if augmenting occasional nails. I recommend that you bite the bullet, and drive long screws, such as Tapcon concrete screws, or Hilti's Kwik-Con.
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How to avoid drywall bulge over nail plates Will applying drywall directly over nail plates create a noticeable bulge? I am not applying any texture to the wall. If so, what is the best way to avoid any bulge? How far should drywall screws be from the nail plates to prevent cracking the drywall? <Q> Do you need those ? <S> 1-1/4 from the face they are not required. <S> I usually will use a chisel and take the thickness of the plate off the 2x. <S> But it is not often they are required. <S> definitely Not need on this side for the one on the left. <A> It looks like you've got <S> way more than 1-1/4" space between the face of the stud and the wires, so <S> your plates may not be necessary by code. <S> Having said that, 6" up and down for screws will work, and you probably won't see a bulge. <S> (Unless you run around with a straightedge, drywall is surprisingly forgiving. <S> Out of plane studs are usually more of a problem than plates.) <S> You can whack the plates a little with a hammer to force them a little more flush. <A> Will applying drywall directly over nail plates create a noticeable bulge? <S> It depends on the circumstances . <S> If the wall has a lot of oblique natural light and/or will have a gloss finish, yes the bulge will likely show. <S> Depending on how critical the need for a perfect wall is, should determine your efforts to eliminate the bulge. <S> what is the best way to avoid any bulge? <S> There are several tricks, with preference likely being opinion based. <S> Since your plates are already nailed in, you will need to pop them off to do it, but it is much easier that trying to hog out the back of the plasterboard.
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As the plate will make a slight bulge some don’t do anything. I have found that the easiest/quickest way is to mark plate locations with a pencil and use my electric planer to shave the stud back at plate locations so the plates sit flush or less than flush.
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Will this pulley arrangement keep this kayak level when hoisting? I am building a kayak hoisting system for my garage, and was originally going to use a standard two-rope system to keep the kayak level when hoisting, but I came across this single rope schematic, and was curious if it would actually lift the kayak level or not. My spidey sense says "no", but wanted to confirm: <Q> No, it will not, at least if the load is balanced as shown. <S> The leftmost part of the kayak / canoe, having a snatch block on it, will experience twice the lifting force as the front of the kayak. <S> If the kayak was moved towards the left, it could potentially balance out, but you will likely need to do some manual adjustment as the kayak is lifted. <A> Wont work, the left side of the canoe will rise in preference to the right side. <S> Even if the right side is heavier, mismatches will tend to arise. <S> Solution: <S> Keep both the ceiling pulleys, and add an extra pulley to the ceiling pulley on the left. <S> Use two ropes (one short, one long) that go from the canoe. <S> When the canoe is in the lowered position, connect the two ropes at the left of the "double pulley" so the short rope ends there. <S> If done thoughtfully this will stop the canoe lowering further so it can be unloaded one end at a time. <S> The remaining long rope goes to the wall attachment - one rope solution. <S> Perhaps someone could provide a diagram? <A> You could make the one rope arrangement symmetrical by fastening the far end of the rope (right in the diagram) to the ceiling and from there going down to and around a pulley at the canoe. <S> Then both ends of the canoe would be supported by two sections of rope. <S> But this would be unstable since the relative heights of the two ends of the canoe would not be controlled. <A> As mentioned by other answers, the original arrangement has two problems: <S> The double rope on left side lifts with twice as much force as the one on the right. <S> There is no force to keep the sides balanced, so any slight imbalance would grow without limit. <S> Here is a single rope arrangement that solves those problems: <S> Doubling the rope along the right side pulley makes the force equal. <S> Spreading out the ceiling attachment points provides negative feedback: if one side is higher, the angle of the ropes on that side is shallower and the lifting force is smaller. <S> Thus the high side will rise more slowly, regaining horizontal orientation. <S> It is important that the spacing of ceiling attachment points is equal on both sides. <S> The spacing is a trade-off: wider spacing gives more stability, but it also increases the force required to pull the canoe up. <S> It may still be simpler to just use two ropes. <A> The pulleys grant too much freedom of motion <S> You can tell the original arrangement is dopey because it absolutely fails to control pitch. <S> If you were to lift halfway and tie off the rope, you could just grab the forward end of the kayak and raise and lower it (and the opposite end would move the other direction. <S> jpa's solution has the same problem. <S> Little pitch control <S> , at least not compared to the other forces it creates. <S> Polypipe's solution is correct, essentially the "two rope" solution but ganged to one final lifting rope. <S> Reducing lifting force <S> what OP and jpa are both trying to do is reduce lifting force by using pulleys as a force multiplier. <S> In both applications it happens at the cost of pitch control. <S> The better way to do this, if it's even desired/needed , is to put the pulley advantage on Polypipe's "one rope". <S> That's going to be at least one more pulley obviously.
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You must use two ropes pulled together.
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Cleaning a long dryer vent that is completely behind drywall I have a very long dryer vent run that is about 18' or so, and is completely behind a wall. Included below is a rough sketch of what I think the vent looks like, but I have no way to confirm that without removing a lot of dry wall and flooring. I bought one of those dryer vent cleaning kits that has a brush on one end, and has a bunch of attachable rods that end up attaching to a drill. Unfortunately if I come at it from inside the house (basement), I think it's getting caught up on the second 90 degree turn right before the 11' stretch. I tried coming at it from the outside, and I think it's getting caught up again on the 90 degree turn right before the 11' stretch. I took a rigid shop vac that converts into a blower and blew at the vent from inside the house, but that basically did nothing (in fact, the vent flaps on the outside vent cover didn't even move / open). What do you guys recommend that I do? Should I just leave it? The dryer runs fine, I just wanted to clean the vent as that's a potential fire hazard. <Q> Perhaps a leafblower (or two?) might clean it out a bit? <S> Also maybe get advice on how to make the outside vent area fire resistant if the tube does catch fire. <A> I have had success with an electrician's "fish tape". <S> You snake it through one end until it pokes out the other, and attach an old t-shirt to it. <S> Patience is key here, but it can be done, even with 90-deg bends. <A> Those do-it-yourself kits seem to be geared around houses that (for example) have the dryer in a garage and the vent line goes straight out the back and through the wall. <S> They don't handle a lot of turns very well, and they certainly aren't long enough to clean a stretch of ductwork that spans multiple rooms. <S> I got frustrated trying to clean my vent line out, gave up, and called a chimney sweep. <S> They don't sound like the sort of thing that should still exist in the 21st century <S> but they do, and they excel at cleaning out those long duct runs with a large number of turns. <S> It was only about a half hour's worth of work <S> so the price was very reasonable (less than $100 IIRC). <S> Like you, I would have said that my dryer dried clothes fine before it got cleaned out. <S> The buildup in your vents decreases your drying efficiency so slowly that it's hard to notice the change. <A> Cheaper than a leafblower… <S> Ignore the drill attachment, use manual push/pull instead. <S> Alternatively, how about affixing a tennis ball or cheap plastic ball to the end, making the corners less prone to catching? <S> Third alternative - use a fish tape to pull the brush through initially. <A> all of the above, plus... remove the exterior vent cap/flap. <S> Often the problem is it is siezed shut due to mechanical failure of the flap "bearing"; or birds/rodents have built nests in there with sticks etc clogging it up (and then filled in with lint fiber). <S> Poke around with your arm and a coathangar wire as far as you can <S> (tethered <S> so you don't accidentally drop it in there, being careful it doesn't get hung up on anything). <S> Do this on both ends. <S> you might also consider a plumbing snake (cheap hand-operated type), which use more flexible "shaft" material that might negotiate those 90 degree bends more easily than the fiberglass/plastic rod material used in dryer vent cleaning devices. <S> While they don't have the brush, they have a little corkscrew that should "catch" on any lintball clogs. <S> Go slow and repeatly remove and inspect <A> Going forward, I'd allow easier cleaning by either Put an inspection hatch and elbow at the basement/dryer room joint - the inspection hatch will be accessed from the drying room Moving the rising pipe into the drying room, and again put an inspection joint here <S> You might also want to replace the other elbows with hatches and inspection elbows.
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After you clean the vent out, though, you'll swear it's a new dryer. If the brush end of the kit will take a permanent bend, then bend the end over 30° or so - less than the width of the pipe so it doesn't catch on the straights - then pay attention to which way it's facing at each turn. If you're going to spend money renting/buying equipment to do it yourself, I highly recommend getting a quick quote from a pro first. Then, you pull it through slowly, working it around the bends and where it want to catch up. You could then use the drill on the retract.
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What is the best way to bridge a huge gap between hardwood and tile? I removed a load bearing wall between a small kitchen and tiny dining room. My problem is that I have a giant gap to fill in where the old wall was. The house was built in 1950 and sits above a crawl space. As depicted there is no underlayment where the original oak flooring is installed. The original framing was all "true 2x4" so new lumber doesn't quite do the trick. The tiled area is about 3/8 higher than the wood and after filling the gap it will need a reducing transition installed. I do have 6" accent tile to cover the gap once the 1"deep x 4.5 wide gap has been filled in. The wood floor was resurfaced 4 years ago and the ends are all different lengths adjoining the gap. I do have a table saw buried in the garage behind everything and no I couldn't cut a straight line with a circular saw if my life depended on it. At the moment the ends are not finished but merely four 2x4s stacked upright screwed together supporting the beam. I have a preexisting passageway 30" wide at one end that I intend to cover over with the trim tile so it is consistent over the length of the opening. Additional photos would have simplified my explanation but I was only able to upload 1 photo. For a temporary measure I used a 1x4 to prevent turned ankles but now that the kitchen portion is tiled I need to come up with a permanent fix to level it out with the kitchen. I've got 21 linear feet to cover. I've considered plywood + hardy backer + mortar / Masonite and fill to tile level with Quickcrete using foam rope against the hardwood side. <Q> Updated based on revisions to the question. <S> The way I see it <S> you have two options, neither of which is nearly as complicated as your proposed solution. <S> This could be from leftover original tile or something else. <S> Grout to the existing tile. <S> ____ <S> ___________________||_______________\ ____________________||________________| <S> __________________ <S> ^ <S> ^ <S> ^existing <S> new backer existing wood tile & tile floor Install a hardwood strip with a beveled edge, stained to match the existing floor. <S> This could be ripped from a 1x6, then set in construction adhesive and attached with a few finish nails. <S> Optionally rabbet a small distance to overlay the existing wood floor, creating a clean transition line and covering any rough edges. <S> Keep this minimal to keep it robust. <S> I picture it like so: <S> ____ ______________________|| __ <S> \____________________||________________| <S> __________________ <S> ^ <S> ^ <S> ^existing transition existing wood <S> tile strip <S> floor <A> I think the solution can be even easier. <S> Most hardware stores will carry uneven transition pieces . <S> They're almost always wood and often are available in a variety of colored stains to match the wood floor. <S> They are beveled in the front, so you don't have any tripping hazard, and they can be easily negotiated by wheeled devices (walkers, etc) <S> You'll probably want to put some wood between this and the tile <S> (it won't bridge a 4" gap) but if you construction adhesive the wood and the transition down in the gap it should work just fine <S> (make sure your adhesive works with metal if you choose not to screw/nail it down). <A> I wanted to mention one thorny detail in addition to the other answer . <S> The edge of the hardwood, presumably where it was under the baseboard molding and or drywall, looks quite different from the rest of the wood. <S> This might be because the floor was once refinished by sanding and this section was left out. <S> Also, good chance that the board ends don't line up perfectly. <S> (Which might be one reason to go with a tile transition instead of wood which would need to fit very tightly). <S> I see two reasonable ways to deal with this: <S> Sand it down smooth with the surrounding wood, and then stain to match as best as possible. <S> But I think there is a risk that sanding will tend to feather out into the surrounding flooring and make it into a bigger project. <S> Also matching stain can be hard within the same board and variation would be noticeable; whereas variation across the seam to the new board would probably look ok. <S> Cut off another 1/2 to 1" of the old flooring. <S> If this cut is done very straight and cleanly I think it could look excellent, especially if tight to a new wood transition strip. <S> Also, the photo doesn't show the ends of the area, but likely you will have additional molding which would mean you have some flexibility where the exact line of this cut needs to be. <S> To make the cut, you could use a circular saw plunge cut with a straightedge or track for most of it, and then chisels or an oscillating multi tool for the rest. <S> (You could even use the oscillating tool for the whole thing, it's just slow). <S> That's how I've done this in the past. <S> Based on the info in the question, #2 would be my choice.
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Finally you would also need to apply clear finish to the sanded area, another difficult thing to look right. If you use a wood strip to fill the gap then this might be a good choice, since you'll have to stain that as well. 1/2" cement board on the subfloor boards will be enough of a filler to bring the new tile level with the existing. Install a tile accent row with a beveled or bullnose edge or reducing edger (metal trim). If you have more specific questions about either approach, go ahead and ask.
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Should rain gutters be installed behind metal drip edge? I am adding aluminum gutters to my new detached garage. I hadn't originally included them in the design, but want to add them to protect the doors and siding from splashing water, and to prevent soil runoff/erosion. I've been observing gutters, watching YouTube, etc, but haven't found a satisfying answer to a few questions... Should the gutter slide up under the drip edge? If gutter is under drip edge, will it be low enough to prevent possible ice damage? Should the gutter hangers penetrate the drip edge? Do the penetrations for gutter hangers need to be sealed in any way? If the gutter is not installed under the drip edge, do I need some other sort of flashing? Should a spacer be installed behind the drip edge to allow air movement between gutter and fascia? (I know this is recommended for wood fascia, but is it necessary with aluminum?) Here is the structure I have: Roof pitch is 6/12 Aluminum drip edge overlaps fascia about 1.5" Adhesive ice/water barrier installed over drip edge Asphalt shingles overlap drip edge by 1/2", giving total of 1" overlap from fascia 2x6 subfascia board with aluminum fascia cover Total gutter run will be 22' Structure is in Wisconsin, USA (cold, snowy winters), and will be insulated and (moderately) heated. <Q> If your drip edge (and the shingle protrusion) are working properly, water will fall from that outermost point. <S> Obviously this means that the gutter shouldn't need to slip behind the drip edge flange. <S> In fact, in cases where the run is long and the slope requires enough drop, this isn't possible anyway without additional flashing. <S> That's not usually necessary, especially with newer construction and a 6:12 pitch. <S> Start at the high end of each run with the gutter just below the drip edge flange. <S> Slope down from there. <A> You want the gutters about right where the ruler is, maybe a smidge higher. <S> When you install your gutters you can caulk the back. <S> However I have never done this as it is an exercise in futility. <S> If you can caulk the back the water will go to the failure point and honestly who wants to check and caulk their gutters continuously - this may be a yearly exercise. <S> Doable? <S> Yes. <S> Works? <S> Yes. <S> Time spent well? <S> No. <S> What you want to do is <S> after you install your gutters is pull the drip edges out. <S> They should not be flat against the fascia like your picture. <S> Yes you have a good install right now <S> but when gutters are put up you need to pull them out a bit. <S> This is especially true in colder climates that have drips and ice. <S> With your drip edge flat you will surely get ice dams behind the gutter - yes I know very slim ones but still. <S> Yes I know most fascia boards are made out of wood anymore. <S> If yours is, these dams will speed up the rotting especially after a few seasons of the paint breaking down. <S> Even with a pvc board these ice dams do damage too because the pull the screws out of the gutter. <S> Just pulled out a bit your gutter weight (when snow or rain hits) will cause it to droop over time. <S> Generally I like to see the drip edge about a 1/2" out at the bottom. <S> You do not need spacers for these as they would have to be fastened <S> and I don't like that idea. <S> For the screws, you can caulk them but this generally is a low risk area of the gutter. <S> If your screws are tight (and given they are towards the top of gutter), there is very little risk that water pools behind them compared to the water dripping down behind the gutter from the fascia. <A> You should not install gutters at all unless you absolutely must. <S> The only place they are truly needed is over a doorway where the roof would sheet water onto people entering or leaving. <S> The erosion from the drip edges should be dealt with by thick turfgrass or gravel. <S> The gutters going to downspouts concentrate the roof runoff water and cause erosion where they are ejected. <S> Many people in my locale connect the downspouts into underground drains which go directly into the street, either from emitters near the street or alley in back or even by penetrating the curb. <S> This runoff then goes rapidly into the storm sewers and so into creeks which rise astoundingly in heavy rain. <S> The creek near us rises 6 ft but the current is 12 mph. <S> It feeds a larger creek which rises 20 ft to 30 ft. <S> This causes severe erosion in the alluvial banks of these creeks. <S> The city discourages curb penetrations but they are common.
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Nothing should penetrate or result in modification of the drip edge.
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Do the electrical codes have a solution to extend a cable that is short? There is an existing wire that was feeding a vanity light on a wall close to the light switch. I want to re-purpose it to feed a string of three LED lights and obviously the wire is to short to reach to the nearest LED pot light. It is going to be a pain to pull this cable out and replace it with a longer oneWhat can be done to extend it using a safe and compliant with the electrical code solution? This is a NMD 14/2 electrical cable, 15 AMP circuit, feeds light bulbs (LED) Specs here of the wire I'm using: https://www.rona.ca/en/wire-nmd90-14-2-47174851-1798029 <Q> I still do remodels. <S> These bad boys are worth their weight in gold. <S> 300 V Nonmetallic Splice <S> My grainger carries these <S> but I still make sure I have at least two in stock at my house. <S> The last thing I want is two of my guys spending 4 hours trying to figure out how to run a cable without opening 5 things... and honestly causing more issues. <S> https://www.grainger.com/product/TE-CONNECTIVITY-300-V-Nonmetallic-Splice-6HKE8 <S> These are perfectly by code in updated NEC. <S> (and I am sure Harper or one of the other guys can give you the code allowance. <S> I just fix crap, not a master electrician.) <A> The usual solution is to use a junction box, with or without anything else in the box. <S> For example, if your cable goes to a light fixture and you want to replace it with another light fixture a few feet away, connect the old & new cables with wire nuts inside the existing box, cover it with a blank plate, and run the new cable to a new box where you want it. <S> The cover plate has to be accessible, but it can be painted or wallpapered to match your wall or ceiling, or hidden behind a picture. <S> It just needs to be accessible without any special tools (except a screwdriver to remove the usual two screws holding it onto the box). <A> In wall splice kits do exists, but they are pretty bulky. <S> Search for Tyco Electronics Romex Splice kit for one example. <S> I've heard from electricians they can be hard to wire
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so I've always used an accessible junction box or just dug the cable out and replaced it repairing the drywall after. There are some splicing methods permitted inside walls, but ordinary wire nuts are not. Also if you compare these to the smaller tyco splice kits - this is something that you trust more in a wall and most of all your inspector will appreciate this compared to the cheaper (still legal) splice kits.
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