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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 da... | 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 i... | 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... |
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 bu... | 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 b... | 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... | 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 ... | 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 ... | 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 abou... | 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 t... | 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 th... | 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 pr... | 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 ha... | 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... | 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 buri... | 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 ... | 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 th... |
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 pres... | 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 t... | 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... |
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 corro... | 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 st... | 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 b... |
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... | 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... | 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 ac... |
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 ad... | 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... | 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 pl... | 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... | 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 alon... | 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 tho... | 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... |
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... | 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 disconnec... |
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 an... | 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 fro... | 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 s... | 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, ... | 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 us... | 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 ... | 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. ... | 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 inspe... | 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 m... |
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, w... | 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 ... | 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 cons... |
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 p... | 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 o... |
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 ou... | 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 t... | 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 ... | 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 separate... | 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... | 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 dra... |
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 shootin... | 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 ... | 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... |
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 remnan... | 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 es... |
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 ... | 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... | 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 k... | 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... | 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 t... |
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 lev... | 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 ... | 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... |
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? ... | 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 o... | 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... | 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 "lamin... | 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... | 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'l... | 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 toge... | 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 t... | 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 w... | 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 dispo... | 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 wor... | 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 wir... |
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 reall... | 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... | 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, an... | 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 ... | 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. Functiona... | 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 f... |
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 howeve... | 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 th... | , 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 ... | 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 t... | 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 bes... | 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. <... | 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 ha... | 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... | 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 ... | 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. ... | 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 ... | 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... | 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... |
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 tri... | 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 s... | 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... ... | 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... | 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... | 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... | 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 lin... | 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 r... |
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 flashin... | 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 switch is off or because we voiced them off. I'm thinking a good solution would be to install a tiny L... | 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 ... | 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 sh... | 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. Thre... | 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 ?... | 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... | 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... | 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 ... |
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 t... | 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 ... |
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,... | 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 b... | 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 mo... |
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