texts:
Obligatory apology: I am only an ambitious DIY'er and feel I can learn to do almost anything on my own, but that only works if I ask the right questions. Apparently I missed one. So yes, I am a doof.

The mistake: While installing a new granite vanity top and backsplash, the directions said "do not use plumber's putty". It seems it should say "do not use oil-based adhesives" though I guess that is a moot point.

I had Liquid Nails LN-715 Tub Surround, which is vinyl acrylic base, and used a thin bead on the top of the cabinet, which did not bleed through. But I used more on the back of the back and side splash, and now a day later there are dark spots showing.

I have scanned internet discussions, and see many people giving advice and not many OPs coming back to report what worked or what didn't. A lot of the advice is conflicting.

The questions: Since this adhesive is not oil based, can I expect that these spots are capable of drying and disappearing on their own? If not, what can I do to remove or blend the stains? Condensation from my cup left a ring (which dried quickly), so I am sure it is unsealed.

I have granite cleaner and granite sealer, but am hesitant to apply anything until I know how to deal with the stains.

Options I am considering: I see someone online had success blending his spots using a "natural based stain" but he gave no details on what he actually used.

Another said to use a heater or blow dryer.

Another said to apply a poultice. (Acetone? I think that was for regular LN)

Another said I am screwed. (Probably also regular LN)

I expect the sealer would hinder any drying, and might equally darken the spots as much as the other parts leaving the spots still visible. Maybe not... looking for experienced advice on that.

Thankfully, it is just the splashes, so replacing them is an option, though I would like it to be a last resort because I really don't want to rip away the surface of the wall to remove them. That, and the delay in finishing the project.

Thanks for any pointers you can give.


texts: How can I provide an electrical outlet at my portable kitchen island?

texts: I want to use appliances on my kitchen island but don't want it to be built in.  If I hang a pendant light and install a lamp holder outlet adapter into a light bulb socket. Is this dangerous or a violation of code?  I would wire the lighting like I would for electrical outlets in the kitchen and provide a GFCI upstream.  I don't see anything in the code about hanging outlets in the kitchen.


texts:
My house is on pilings, with plywood subflooring nailed to engineered truss joists, and carpet or hardwood on top of that.
I've pulled up the carpet in preparation for installing vinyl plank floors.
I'm now considering putting an additional layer of plywood to help with noise below and to add rigidity and improve flatness that uneven joists have made difficult.
Is it problematic to add a second layer of plywood? Are there gotchas that I should know if I go this route?


texts: How can I prevent wasps from nesting in my eaves?

texts:
Every season paper and / or mud wasps like to build nests in my eaves. I have no compunction with spraying them with raid when I see them but I'd like to prevent the nesting from the start if I can.

I don't mind using chemicals.

I don't mind wasps on the property in general but I specifically don't want them under these particular eaves.


texts: Very low water pressure coming out of cooper tub spout pipe

texts:
My Co-op recently turned off my buildings hot & cold water supply to fix some pipes. Everything seemed OK for a few weeks, but now the water pressure coming out of the tubes cooper pipe (after the Delta cartridge) is very low pressure.  I tried removing the cartridge (RP46463) and installing a new one - doing this evidently caused some rust or sediment to dialoged and it cam pouring our.  After I installed the new cartridge the water pressure remained low coming out of the cooper tubing. I am thinking I need to have my co-ops plumbers come and use there equipment to blow out the water line for the tub/shower.  I do have another new RP46463, but I wont install it until after the lines get blown out. I'm not sure that is the problem, I have already used a vacume that has a blower on the tube and shower and that did force water through the lines but the pressure remains low.

If anyone one has any ideas or suggestion it would be greatly appreaciated


texts:
The plumber is a notorious no show for days if not weeks and I would like some water pressure. Not to mention being self-sufficient.

Here is a photo of the pressure pump.

http://imgur.com/R3xkR6A


texts:
I plan to put some cushion vinyl over my corridor carpet. I will be using proper cut sheets and not just off cuts as shown in the picture.  Later on I will pull the carpet out from underneath the vinyl and glue it down.

I know this is not the most professional way but I need to do it now as the carpet is making me sick and I don’t have time to place boards then glue vinyl on right now.  I know there will be bubbling in the meantime.

My questions are:

if I cut the vinyl to shape while it is on the carpet, when I remove the carpet can I expect the vinyl to fit nicely or might a gap develop in which case how much extra sheet should I keep on the edges?
In order to cut the vinyl to shape, if I place the carpet on top of the vinyl as a template then draw the shape and cut it out, can I get a good fit or will this not work, if so why?

Thanks


texts: Should light bulbs above showers be "steam proof"?

texts:
In replacing the lighting in my apartment with LED bulbs, I noticed that the recessed can lighting above the shower (to be fair, the light is centered on the shower curtain) does not appear to be steam proof.

I'm only assuming that the bulb/fixture should be rated for use above a shower, but I could be totally wrong about that.

In addition to / regardless of any NEC codes that may be at play here, what kind of symptoms might one experience with a non steam proof light vs a steam proof light (if such a thing exists)?

The only possibly related problem I've had with the light in the three years I've lived in the place is that it seems to be in need of replacement a bit quicker than the rest, but this could easily be attributed to the fact that the light is frequently left on since it's the only bathroom light.


texts: How to maintain a proper gap while installing vinyl plank flooring under the existing baseboards?

texts:
I'm going to be installing some vinyl plank flooring, and it happens to be exactly the same thickness as the wood planks I'll be removing.  It would really convenient if I could just slide it under the baseboards without removing the baseboards from the wall.

I found some instructions here that explain how to do exactly what I want.  The key is that, instead of a traditional pull bar, you use an adhesive tool that sticks to the top of the plank while you tap it into place.  That way you don't have to fit a pull bar under the baseboards.

It seems to me that the planks would end up being pushed against the wall on two sides of the room as new planks are tapped into place.  Do you have any suggestions for maintaining a gap on all sides of the floor?

Have any of you tried this technique?  How did it go?


texts: Product or technique to plug a pipe from the inside?

texts:
I'm in the process of moving our laundry area from inside the house to the garage. I'm not going to dismantle the old washer drain stack or plumbing, as future owners may want to relocate the laundry back--plus, well, that's just extra work I don't want to deal with.

The problem is the current washer drain stand pipe. If it's not in use, the p-trap will eventually evaporate, plus I have a hunch that it may not be properly vented in the first place (we sometimes get a strange odor from it).

What's the best way to plug this pipe non-permanently? The catch is that since it's part of a washer box (where the drain and faucets are integrated) there's no outside to the pipe for me to add a proper cap. Would a rubber cork suffice if I find one the right diameter? Or some other DIY technique? One thought I had was a water balloon...but that seems imperfect. :)


texts:
We're about to get a split AC for the living room and kitchen. The apartment looks as follows:

The issue is the placement of the units. There are two viable options:

Place it in the kitchen (as shown in yellow).
Place it in the living room (as shown in orange).

Aesthetically, it would be better to place it in the kitchen as the outer unit would sit in the distant corner of the balcony. However, that corner gets a direct sunshine in the afternoon, whereas the other side is already quite in a shadow in the afternoon. (Note that the outer unit should sit on the balcony floor and not be suspended as there's thick thermal insulation which should be touched as little as possible.)

My question is: how much does the direct sunshine decrease the AC efficiency?


texts:
I need to build a pad for a 22kW generator I am installing for my house. The image shows the situation. This generator is quite heavy.  I plan to pour a rebar reinforced 6" pad for it.
My question is--what to do to fill/retain the area in green? I am guessing this area will be ~18-24" deep at the large end. Because the generator is so heavy, I am tempted to just make the whole thing concrete---but I am afraid doing so will make it tend to slide off of the hill. What is the best approach to ensure that does not happen?  Drive rebar into the hill vertically 18" deep 1ft o.c.? or is there an easier/cheaper solution?


texts: Running electric to treehouse from outdoor load center

texts: I have this load center on the outside wall of my house. It was added for a hot tub that we no longer use. Can I run electricity from this box to a treehouse I just built?


texts: How do I diagnose a defective switch in a 4-way setup?

texts:
The split-level entryway in my house has a light that is controlled by three switches. Let's call them A, B, and C. A is a 3-way, B is a 4-way, and C is a 3-way turn-knob dimmer.

As long as switch A is in the "up" position, the other two function as expected. But when switch A is down, the light will not turn on at all from either of the other points. I have looked at the connections on all three switches and they all seem to be okay.

Am I right to assume that if one of the switches itself is malfunctioning, switch A is the culprit? I think it could be C as well, since they appear to be connected (there is a red wire in the boxes and A and C, but not at B) and one of the traveler wires on those could be bad.

EDIT: I am not sure the dimmer switch C is wired correctly at all, but there is no label or anything to go on. It has two black wires and one red. I tried switching what I think are the two travelers and it behaved exactly the same way, and I tried switching the two black wires, which resulted in even fewer combinations working correctly.


texts: Installed Honeywell R8285A 1048 control center combined with a Honeywell PRO 8000 thermostat

texts: to operate an inline duct fan on a long run to a new addition.  Thermostat in the new addition activates fan when the thermostat is set to cooling perfectly.  I can use it to manually turn on the fan.  But when I go to heat nothing happens and I get no voltage reading coming from the relay.  I first checked the white wire for potential breaks but there was no resistance.  I thought perhaps something was wrong with the control center so I swapped it out with another I had, both being new in the box.  So I swapped out the thermostat with another new one.  Same thing every time.  I'm baffled for something that should be fairly simple.  Any suggestions?


texts: Why does the circuit breaker for my bedroom continue to trip without any visible event after a power loss?

texts:
The 20A breaker for my bedroom will trip whenever we have a power outage at my house. If you reset it, it will trip again after an interval, say 5~10 seconds. The longer you wait to reset it, the longer it will go before it trips. It generally takes 5-6 hours of waiting before you can reset it and and not have it trip again. What might be causing this? Could it actually be a wiring or electrical problem in my house or is it likely that the breaker is failing?

Things connected to the breaker:

Two desk lamps
One overhead lamp
One fan
Two desk clocks/alarm radios

Having the lights and fan off does not seem to impact this.

The last time this happened, we contacted our landlord to have an electrician come fix it when we could not get the breaker to stay on. An electrician came out the day after and found nothing wrong and it was working: very unhappy landlord.


texts: Gap in conduit running to electric meter

texts:
There's a gap in the conduit running from underground to my electric meter.  I'm sure that's a problem, since weather could get in.  It appears to be PVC.

The question is: Can I service this myself, or do I need to get an electrician?  I would rather not electrocute myself, especially when dealing with wires that might be carrying a lot of voltage.  It seems like such a simple fix -- but I don't want to take any chances.

Is it safe if I try to get the PVC to line up, and fasten it in place, without touching the wires inside?  Do I need to contact the utility and have the electricity turned off before attempting something like this?

Or is it worth the $ to get a professional to deal with this?


texts: Surveillance System and Home Automation in Europe

texts:
Hi recently bought an independent house, and I was thinking on installing a couple of indoor/outdoor cameras, and some movement sensors connected to an alarm. I also want to monitor my house from the internet. I was thinking on a X10 system, which I could later integrate with other home automation features. From the prices I've seen, I guess I can accomplish all that for less than $500 USD. But I can't find decent prices in europe (€).

What kind of equipment would you guys suggest for this purpose? Is there a good place to buy this kind of equipment in europe? Should I use other technologies rather than X10?

Addendum: Because a good answer may depend on more details, here's what I'm expecting the equipment to provide me:

Connecting wired indoor/outdoor cameras
Connecting movement sensors
Recording video
Stream video through the internet
Raise an alarm through the internet
Raise an audible alarm
Have a security keypad near the door

Additionally:

Control light fixtures (just on/off)
Control some electrical outlets
Allow system customization by using a PC to program it (hopefully, through an API and not a proprietary, closed software).


texts:
We have a 2 story house that currently has the following interconnected Firex smoke detectors:

Basement
First Floor
Second Floor
Unfinished Attic

We've been having issues with the one in the unfinished attic and it seems the more I read, you don't need a smoke detector in an attic. We are in NH so it gets well below 40F and well above 100F in the attic.

My question is:  can I just remove (unplug) the attic smoke detector and leave the quick connect plug in place in the ceiling without that affecting the other smoke detectors?  Or does that unused wiring need to be changed?


texts:
My home door is a Security Door using this type of mechanism . The lock itself is about 20 years old and i now have a key stuck in it.
The key is on the inside and will rotate almost 90° in both directions.
I tried spraying some lubricant (don't have graphite handy) in the lock but the key won't budge.

This is the first time it happened, i've already tried pushing another key or screwdriver on the other side but no luck

If any of you has any tips i'll greatly appreciate it as it's 9PM and i'll have to sleep with an unlocked door :)

The actual mechanism brand is Mottura but it looks really similar to the one in the picture.

Also, the key seems to be in the default position. Turning counterclockwise will move the opening shaft slightly, but turning clockwise has no effect.


texts: Diagnosing root cause of garage door stall

texts:
Sometimes the garage door will stop after moving two inches.  This event happens either when opening or closing.  The door is 13 years old.

When it stops the button is pushed to return it to the start position and one has to start again and hope it closes.  Usually it ends up opening on the second try.

What can be done to diagnose the root cause of the problem and hopefully apply corrective action to prevent the false start?  If you have observed and remedied this problem please state this in the response: thank you.


texts: How can I open an older type Gustavsberg cistern toilet?

texts:
Can anybody advise how to open this type cistern...?  I tried to loosen nut on top but did not want to force it.
Thanks


texts: Deck footing 2" above the ground -does that apply to a patio? What is the reason behind the 2" restriction?

texts:
I am doing the design of a deck footing and in many places where I read it says that the footing (sonotube) should be set with the top end terminated 2" above the ground level

In my case I am building on top of a patio and I need to understand why 2" and if those 2" must be above soil level (which is way below the three layers -gravel, crushed stone and bricks-that build my patio) or just above the patio level

Please have a look at the diagram below and tell me which case is recommended and why

Update:The recommendation regarding the 2" comes from this book   step 5 on that page


texts: How do I backtrace a landscape catch basin with only the exit point?

texts: I have a landscape drain that has been buried, lost over the years of neglect from previous owners. I have located what I can within somewhere around 3-5 ft of the end that would be somewhere close to the edge of the driveway to drain away rain etc into the lower end of the backyard. I cannot for the life of me dig up anything that appears to be the end or grate. Would there be any way to use the pipe I can find and drill into it and attach something to allow drainage? Drill holes and wrap with landscape fabric? I really need to stop the ponding and the muck from poorly draining clay that is all that is in that area. It seems to be probably 3-4" white PVC. I am about ready to drill a hole and shove a hose into it and just let the hose drain the water. But I don't know if that is a very good idea. A plumber told me he would clean it out --but I have to find the end first. I am afraid an idiot previous owner buried it under a huge rock... any ideas?


texts: I am replacing kitchen ceramic floor tile because the grout is coming out. The inspector says its because it's installed on 1/4 inch plywood instead of minimum 5/8 inch. I asked experienced tile guy who agreed. My problem is I am getting so many conflicting oppinions saying this is not true and just regrout the tile.


texts: What material should go between old and new concrete?

texts: I recently poured a slab for a hot tub and I want to pour additional concrete around it for a walkway.  I want to keep the new concrete separated from the hot tub slab in case they heave at different rates in the winter.  What kind of material would be good to separate them? I've done some looking around but I haven't really found anything. Something like low-density fiberboard?


texts: What might cause garage door opener sensors to work intermittently?

texts: I have a Marantec garage door opener.  I can provide the model number if necessary.  It seems like 50% of the time the sensors are not operational.  I can still close the door by holding down the button.  It's not related to the sun because it happens night and day and it also has a sun shield.  When the sensors aren't working, the lights on the eyes are completely out.  If I click the button, I just hear a click on the opener.


texts:
I'm trying to figure out the wiring in my finished garage. It has two ceiling junction boxes, with attached porcelain lights, and three wall outlets.

I'll say up front that all of this was done safely...

I opened up what I think is the "main" ceiling junction box and found four armored cables junctioned here. Okay, I think I guessed right. Three of the cables have just a white wire and a black wire, and one of the cables has a white, a black, and a red traveler.

I separated the four ganged black wires and figured out which is the "power in" with a non-contact voltage tester. We'll call this Hot #1.

I connect each of the other Hots, in turn, to Hot #1 and got these results:

Hot #1 to Hot #2 powers the other ceiling light fixture. Btw, this Cable #2 is the one with the red traveler.
Hot #1 to Hot #3 powers Outlet A and Outlet B.
Hot #1 to Hot #4 powers Outlet C, and surprisingly, also Outlet A.

Huh?! That last one doesn't make sense to me. Can anyone clue me in to what's going on?


texts: Can I use a PVC cleanout plug in a Cast Iron Cleanout?

texts: There's a cleanout plug on this pipe that I simply can't get loose. I've tried liquid wrench, PB blaster, heating up the area with a torch, everything I can think of. All that's really left is to go after the plug with a drill and a saw and just pull it apart. However, none of my local hardware stores HAVE any 4 inch cast iron, all they have is PVC. Can I put a PVC cleanout plug in a Cast Iron cleanout?


texts: How to get cable staples to stick in the wall

texts:
In my family room, I've used cable staples (like the ones pictured below) to fasten speaker wire along the wall at the top of the baseboards. There are hardwood floors in this room.

Not all of them fastened so securely, which wasn't a problem at first… and then we got a puppy, who bumps into them, and then tries to eat them once they fall out. How can I get them to stay in the wall better, without limiting myself to inserting them over studs (as I sometimes need them more closely spaced than that) or inserting them into the baseboards, which I'd rather not poke so many holes into.


texts: How can I get a wire that is outside a wall to be inside a wall

texts:
I recently removed an abominable drop ceiling from my dining room and found this close to the ceiling on the one side of the room.

There is definitely a stud between these two holes. On the other side of the wall, there is another wall perpendicular to this one, so I'm thinking there is several studs there and that's why someone did this.

My question is what would be the logical steps I should follow to get this into the wall?

EDIT: I figured out what is on these wires. This loop has four light fixtures and two outlets on it. In the room next to it is a drop ceiling (that I have not removed yet since the frame of it is supporting an air duct (thanks previous owner...) and there are two more wires just like this one, though much further from the receptacle--probably a good 10-15 ft in each direction. So to do the method described in the answers would work for the wire in the picture, but it sounds like a lot of work for a long run.


texts: installing sub panel in garage off of house main

texts: My garage is between 80 & 100 ft. from the main panel . In the garage will be 2-3 flourecent lights , a 17,000 btu 240 volt heater , eventually a welding machine (either 240 volt or  a 120 volt inverter , have not decided yet ) let`s go with 240 volt for this question , and 4 120 volt outlets . what size wire should I run to the garage and from what size breaker off the main ?


texts:
Just had a new sink installed in my bathroom and the drain hole on this new sink is centered compared to my old sink which was off center and further back. When I look underneath the sink the P trap is now sitting about 5" farther back and slightly to the left side from where the sink hole is now.

Is this an easy fix that I can do myself with just new parts or is it more complicated that will require a professional? Do I need some sort of extension or new P trap? Can I turn the pipe counterclockwise to try to get it closer to the sink drain and then add attachment?


texts:
I added onto my home and had to wire it myself (except the breaker box) to save money.  I have a number of connections inside plastic boxes in the attic where I used wire nuts to connect 3 to 5 14 gauge wires together.  Wire nuts keep slipping out by themselves and a light or outlet will stop working.  Then I have to climb into attic, track down the box and redo it.  It there a better way than wire nuts to keep these wires safely and securely together...something more like the Sharkbite plumbing connectors or maybe a little device on which the incoming power wire  could come in one end and be crimped and the other 2 or 3 or 4 wires get crimped into the other end?

Thank you in advance for any help you can provide!

Carlin


texts: Is the trim and wall using same latex paint?

texts:
The color seems exactly same. The paint on trim and door looks smoother. But I am guessing they are using same latex paint. Is it possible that trim is not latex paint?

I am asking the question basically because I am planing to repaint the home....


texts: What kind of repairs are prudent for a ridge board damaged by a falling tree?

texts:
The limbs of the tree punctured the roof in at least two spots, so we're already looking at repairs. Upon closer inspection within the attic, I noticed that the ridge beam is just slightly splintered near one of the puncture spots close to the apex.

Click on photo for full size

I'm working on documenting everything to present to the insurance claims adjuster. I've dealt with tree on roof damage before; my previous experience was not great so I'd just like to get all my ducks in a row regarding what must be repaired.

How important is it that this fractured ridge beam gets repaired? Does the whole beam need to be replaced, or can it be "patched"?


texts: Water gets really hot after 2 minutes in the shower for 5 minutes then goes normal

texts:
So I live in a big apartment building and this just started happening the past few weeks.  I'm not really sure what would cause it since I didn't touch anything plumbing and its not an old building.

Basically if I shower the temperature works normally and after 2 minutes the water just gets really hot.  Even if I move the setting to the coldest.  Then after 3-4 minutes it goes back to normal.  Any ideas what would cause this?


texts: Is a sealant needed in addition to caulking?

texts:
I've read on some forums (not here) that on top of the caulking areas exposed to water (in this case, my kitchen sink), a sealant should be applied.

Is this standard procedure? If so, are there different types that I need to consider? Any particular suggestions (to a specific product) would be helpful too.


texts: Can I replace a ceiling light fixture with a higher wattage one?

texts: I am planning to order replacement ceiling fixtures for my 2 foyer lights. i want to make sure they will work first.  measurement wise, the dimensions seem to fit the space well.  the ones in there now are standard, came  with the new house.  in the current "mushroom" light fixture, there are two 60 Watt light bulbs.  My new fixture says it will take 100W light bulbs, 3 of them.  Does this matter that after I change out the fixture, i will utilize essentially 300W where there now are 120Watt total?


texts: How do I connect a Juno LED light to a switch when the light receives power first?

texts: I'm trying to connect a new LED light to a new single pole switch. I have a 14/2 main power feed coming in to the LED light first then a 14/3 wire going from LED light to switch. I feel like I have it wired correctly but the light does not turn on. Is it not possible to wire LED lights this way?


texts:
So decided to redecorate a bedroom ourselves.
We removed wallpaper, scrubbed, sanded, cleaned, primed (Zinsser B-I-N White Multi-surface Matt Primer), skimmed (Make Good Plasterboard Jointing, filling & finishing compound) and one coat of primer/undercoat (Dulux Universal White Multi-surface Primer & undercoat). My issue is I have a few areas where I can see 'steps' from where I've skimmed, my fault for not sanding well enough in these areas.
Can I use joint compound again and skim on top of the primer/undercoat OR should I be doing something else? Please help. Go easy on me, I'm a rookie :) learning as I go. Thanks.


texts: Adding outlet to kitchen cabinet with a gap

texts:
I've finally gotten around to installing an outlet into my kitchen cabinets that were put in by the previous owners. Below is a picture of what I am working with.

As you can see the wire is already there but there seems to be no cutout or anything, along with a gap between the cabinet and wall. I have an Old Work box from a previous project but will that work? Or is there a box or method specifically for this kind of job? Thank you!

********************************* Completed ***********************************

Here is the finished product for anyone who is interested:


texts: Best way to mount a wooden tabletop to a flat surface

texts: I am in the process of building a new desk for myself. I have already built two drawers that will function as the legs of the desk, and I have the tabletop itself. Now, what would be the best way to attatch the flat tabletop to the flat top of the two drawers,without visible screws?


texts: Electrical outlets go dark and then come back on their own

texts:
I have two outlets on a circuit and a sprinkler controller that went dark a couple days ago unexpectedly.  Nothing I know of changed in the house that should have affected the circuit.
I checked the breakers and none were blown and I reset them anyway just to be sure.  I used a contactless tester to check each outlet, even taking off the plate and checking against the black/hot wire directly.
The outlets are about 20 feet apart.  One is outside and therefore on a GFCI.  The sprinkler is direct wired behind the GFCI (so not in series) so I know the GFCI was not the cause.
I do not know what else is on this breaker. We had solar installed 5 years ago and they did a shit job relabeling the new breaker box they put in. I know now I need to remap it.  My point being is that it’s possible more outlets are on the circuit that were not affected, though I don’t know at the moment.
Anyway, today I went back to the outside outlet as I was going to take it apart and see if I could find anything—literally anything, and noticed before I got a screwdriver on it that all the power was back on.  I did nothing.
Does anyone have any idea what could cause this?


texts: Double sink with disposal - water shoots up when disposal runs

texts:
I have a double sink with a disposal on the right side.  The disposal joins the left sink drain via a slip joint baffle tee below the left sink then the drain goes to the P-trap and out.  It was installed by a licensed plumber.

Every time the disposal is turned on water shoots up into the left sink which is where we like to keep a dish drainer.  What can be done to stop the water from shooting up?


texts: Is there an official height that toilet seats are supposed to be at according to the ADA?


texts: One faucet doesn't work when it's really cold

texts:
In our upstairs bathroom, the toilet and cold faucet in the sink stop working every winter when it is cold.

The shower works and the hot water at the sink faucet work.

We have tried heating up the room to 85. Looking for the source line and trying to heat it but can't. Our master bath is on the other side of the shower and we do not have any problems. Our daughter's closet is on the back side of the toilet and sink and her room is usually warm.

We tried turning on the hot water and holding it with rag and forcing water back up the faucet for an airlock and it didn't help either.

There is only one wall to the outside and it has a window.

We don't think there are outside lines but we think the cold line goes up into the attic. We hired someone to look and they said it was insulated where they could see but it might not be when it goes into the wall.

Nothing ever leaks so pipes never break. When the weather warms up, it works again.


texts: Will my pocket door affect my installation of a tub surround?

texts:
My wife and I have decided to install a tub surround around our tub (best place to put it!). We are planning on removing the tile and the drywall behind the tub and installing one of the surrounds that affixes directly to the studs (rather than a cheap glue-on surround). When we first bought our home, we considered having a complete one-piece insert installed, but the lady that came and took the measurements said we wouldn't be able to, due to the pocket door - I believe it was because the insert had a lip on the edge that would block the door.

My concern is the amount of space we have. We have a somewhat unique arrangement - as you can see in the pictures below, the end wall of the tub shares a wall with a pocket door. The pocket door slides into the wall behind the end of the tub. From the edge of the tile to the corner of the tile is 30 inches.

We also have a hall closet that shares the spout-side of the tub, so our tub is completely inset into an alcove area.

Click to embiggen

I was looking at a surround like the one below, from Lowe's (I can't find the actual surround we were looking at in the store, but this is close):

They all say that that they fit areas 29-32 inches deep, so I think we should be able to remove the tile and drywall and install the surround. I am not entirely sure how deep the area is going to be once we remove everything down to the studs.

My two questions are - do you think we have enough space to install the surround (i.e., will the fact that the tub is in an alcove matter), and will I be able to install a surround with the pocket door "pocketing" right behind the end wall?

Edit: If it matters, I was planning on following the instructions I found here, sans the new tub installation.


texts: How do I connect both my dishwasher and washing machine waste pipe to the same sink?

texts:
My current sink plumbing looks like this with a single waste inlet.

When I remove the current single waste inlet, the connector looks like this:

I bought one of these (the connector is 40mm):

Is it wierd this has a hole in it?

But my problem is both the dual waste inlet and the sink trap have a female connector so I can't connect them.

What part should I buy?

Thank you

Trap from different angle.


texts: What are recommended ways to connect fridge ice maker?

texts:
My new fridge has an ice maker, and I want to connect it to the cold water under the kitchen sink. This is how that pipe looks. Should I

Use a saddle tapping valve to punch a hole in the bottom pipe?
Insert some sort of splitter between the bottom pipe and the shut-off valve that's attached to the mesh hose?
Something else?


texts: Wiring timer switch into 2-gang switch setup with common load (red) with downstream load

texts:
I want to install a timer switch (it has five wires, red (load), black (hot), white (common), green (ground) and yellow (three-way switching but not needed for my application) to replace one switch in a 2-gang switch box having six incoming romex connections (see first photo). One switch turns on outside lights, and it is this switch I want to replace with the timer.  The other switch turns on inside lights and I want it to remain in the circuit.  Both loads are on the same circuit - all grounds coming into the box are twisted together and all whites terminate in the same wire nut. There are additional downstream loads (interior lights and fans in a different room) which rely on the junction box connections but have their own downstream switches (this is the source of my confusion).

In the 2-gang junction box, the red (load) wire was shared between both switches (see second photo) - it was a single wire stripped in the middle and wrapped around the screw of the second switch then went on to a wire nut with two black wires I found go out to the respective switched loads - you can see this in photo 2.  I hooked up the timer as set out in the instructions, but the downstream lights did not work at all and the timer switch did not switch the intended load (outside lights) which just stayed off.

Any help would be appreciated.


texts: Where to place shower curtain rod in relation to the tub?

texts:
I am not asking how high to mount the shower curtain rod (that is easy to determine from an existing shower curtain).  I am trying to figure out how far "into" the tub it should be mounted.  I want the curtain to not be in the way when showering but still have the bottom edge inside the tub.

I see a few possibilities, what the pros and cons of the following options:

Line it up with the inside of the tub but that seems like it will be prone to "billowing in" when showering.
I could line it up over the outside edge of tub.
Center it over the tub curb.
Put it "outside" of the tub completely


texts: How to disconnect shower tray from drainage pipe?

texts:
I'm trying to disconnect the shower tray from the drainage pipe but the white plastic bit that looks like it could be screwed off seems stuck tight:

I'm not sure I can apply the torque needed to unscrew it both because of how stuck it seems and also because there isn't a lot of room to work with:

Out of interest here is what the drainage hole looks like on the shower tray:

And here is the whole shower tray:

Overall my goal is to lift out the shower tray and this is the only thing stopping me from doing that.  I will be putting the shower tray back in and will need to reconnect it again afterwards.

Should I cut through the brown pipe at the point where the white screw on bit currently sits and then get a new connector?  What tool should I use for this?  What part would I need to reconnect it?

Or is there a tool that someone would recommend to apply the torque needed in such a tiny space?

All advice welcome.


texts: Old wiring trying to change a switch outlet to half hot outlet

texts:
In setting up my work from home office in my 1950's triplex I am trying to change an outlet from a switch to half hot.

I snapped the tab on the side but when I was working with the wires realized I need more guidance. I have two white wires attached on the silver side, and a black wire on the brass side, plus three black wires not attached and just bunched together in the box behind the outlet with some electrical tape on the end. Also no ground wire.

With the tab snapped I can get the bottom one to work with the switch, the top is now dead.

Please help!

2:


texts:
I have a threaded cast iron flange that I'm going to use a brass nipple join a copper connector. I'll be using Teflon tape for the NPT connections, and my instinct is to solder the threaded copper adapter to the copper pipe before I "snug and grunt" the copper connection in. However it may not always be possible to solder connections before hand.
Is it safe to solder near a Teflon'ed joint?


texts: Tub Faucet Sticks Out From Wall. How do I fix it?

texts:
My bathtub faucet sticks out from the wall so far that you can see the hole in the tile where the pipe comes out.

I am a bit perplexed on how to fix this issue.  I have an access hole on the other side and I see that the half clamp that was holding the faucet's pipe is broken.  Unfortunately, I don't have enough room to install another half clamp, which is required to be hammered in.  I've tried ones that screw into the top of the 2x4 that the pipe was attached to, but the clamp's holes wouldn't line up with the 2x4.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.


texts:
Our property includes a dam with a storm overflow. I've discovered that the drainage channel, 50 years old, has started to slide apart, leaving a 2-3 inch gap in two places. When water drains, it falls down the gap and runs underneath the channel, presumably carving out an underground cavern.
What's the best way to seal these cracks? It obviously doesn't have to 100% water-tight, so I'm thinking of dumping as much gravel as the cavern will take, topped with concrete? Is there a Sikaflex type product that will bind and allow for a little movement over time? Everything I've found is for smaller cracks.
Thanks!


texts: How can house hot water pressure be kept stable if more than one hot tap is open?

texts: We have a Vaillant Ecotec combi boiler in the loft. When showering, hot water pressure is fine. But if someone opens any other hot tap in the house, it massively reduces the hot water coming into the shower (obviously because now two taps are sharing the same hot water). Is there a cost effective way to allow both taps to run at the same time but the pressure to remain constant so it doesn't interrupt someone's shower? It's very annoying if someone else in the house decides to use the hot kitchen tap while someone is showering.


texts: Feasible to dig out a cellar extension without disturbing the surface/upper ground?

texts:
I am wondering how feasible it might be to dig out a cellar that would extend an existing basement. The celler would go lower than the current basement and be about 3 feet below ground level, so there would be stairs in the basement leading down into the new cellar. How feasible would it be to dig this out from the basement without doing an excavation from the ground?

(The reason for doing the excavation this way is that the property is in an HOA that might oppose anything visible above ground, even if the ground would be restored to normal after construction.)


texts:
In recent flooding I started excavating our (cracked, failing) concrete basement floor. (it's just a thin layer over a dirt floor--old house)

I stopped when I found a 1/4" copper line buried in the concrete. It's heading toward the heating system. But that was upgraded to gas some time ago, and I can clearly find the gas lines (they're overhead). Doesn't seem like electrical conduit. Doesn't seem like water pipe, but...who knows.

Any idea what this might be? Why would a tiny water line be heading to the heater? For now I've marked it so I don't disturb it.


texts: How do I seal around an outdoor rated wall mounted luminary?

texts:
What's the proper way to seal a exterior wall mounted luminary from water entry?  I was unable to find one for purchase with any sort of gasket, and it appears that any water sheeting down the wall will simply pass through the fixture:

The pictured fixture reads "suitable for wet locations" on UL sticker, and is from a respected brand.  There's a weep hole at the marked bottom.  I checked every wall mount fixture at several home and building supply stores and they all had the same basic design.

Caulk is an option of course, but caulk must be maintained over time.  A retrofit 'mounting block' might help, but those need caulk also.  Are there better options for keeping the inside of the light reasonably dry?


texts: I installed a Woods 59104R pro timer on my pool pump. It works partially and can shut down the pool pump at the specified time, but it also shuts itself down at that time. The clock stops rotating and of course, doesn't start back up by itself. I thought I followed the wiring instruction correctly, but I guess I missed something or as one user on amazon mentioned, his electrician had to adjust the contacts manually, whatever that means. I have attached a picture of my wiring, along with the wiring diagram that I used. The red wire is a jumper wire between the neutral port and the 3rd port. Any idea what could be wrong?


texts:
I am trying to wire a plug into a 6" inline fan for our bathroom but I do not recognise the colours used for the wiring. I am based in the UK.

I've attached an image. Which one is neutral? And I am assuming I can leave off the earth as there's no conductive parts exposed.

Also, why is red and brown connected off like that? The connector is only 1 way.


texts:
What Cause Hum from Electric Oven after Replacing Wire and Ring Connector to Broil Element?

After the wire melted at the connector to the broil element, I replaced the 16 gauge wire and 22-18 high-temperature ring connector with 14 gauge wire and a 16-14 high-temperature ring connector.  Now there is a low-volume hum from the oven when the broiler is on, no hum in bake mode.  The broiler works and the wire and connectors appear OK.

What causes the hum?  How do I fix it?  Is it safe to use the broiler while it hums?

The oven is the one in:

Wire Melts at Connector to Broil Element on Electric Oven

Electric oven: Bake and Broil not Working

electric oven bake element gets warm but does not get hot


texts: What type of brush to use with polyurethane?

texts: I used this brush and got good results but I was wondering if there is even better. Are there brushes that are made specifically for polyurethane?


texts: How can I protect an exposed refrigerant pipe outdoors?

texts: I have approx.12 ft. of copper pipe carrying freon laying on top of the ground. Best way to protect it without cutting in two & loosing all freon? (Not enough slack to bury.)


texts: Can I use a rotary tool to sharpen knives and other blades?

texts:
Anybody used Dremel effectively to sharpen knives and things like chisels and scrapers? What kind of bits are good for that application?

Also, what do you call an electromotor that is clamped to a table (like a vise) and has a grinding/sharpening wheel?  I was thinking of getting one of those if Dremel (with an adequate bit) won't do.


texts:
Our fridge has two white plastic shelves on the door.  Both are cracked in the bottom - one just around the center, and one where almost the entire bottom has cracked along the front.  I'm not entirely sure what kind of plastic they are made of - I'm guessing polystyrene because they have PS stamped on the bottom, but that's just a guess.  They are off white plastic.

I've looked up replacements for them, but they are more than I'm willing to pay.

What's the best way to repair them?  I've seen plenty of questionable methods searching for solutions, but no good ones.  I'm not sure what kind of (easily available, something I can pick up at a big box store) adhesive I can use to glue them back together, that will hold under the weight of things we put in the shelves.

I'm guessing superglue and hot glue won't work at all.  I considered wrapping the whole thing in white duck tape...but the wife acceptance factor on that solution is quite low :)  Perhaps JBweld epoxy?


texts: The box used to have just a switch controlling an overhead light. It has 1 white and 1 black (Canadian wiring btw). I got a plug and switch combo and want the plug to always be on, with the switch only controlling the overhead light. How should the wiring look?


texts: How should I install the post for a mailbox?

texts:
The other day somebody wiped out my mailbox. It's a typical plastic mailbox, that mounts onto a 4x4 post.

The old post snapped off right at ground level. Instead of trying to dig it out, I've dug a new hole nearby. After talking with a neighbor, it turns out this type of thing happens a lot (lots of crazy/drunk drivers in the area, I guess).  My original plan was to simply stick the post in the ground, and back fill with dirt.

Post in dirt

I also considered using concrete.

Post in concrete

According to the Federal Highway Administration

  Do not embed the post in
  concrete unless the mailbox support design is shown to be NCHRP 350 compliant when so installed.

So putting the post in concrete is out.

After the neighbors comment, I'm trying to think of ways to make the inevitable next repair easier.  My first though was to fill the hole entirely with concrete, embed threaded rod in the top, and then use a bracket to attach the 4x4 post to the concrete.

Post on concrete

I'd likely use a bracket similar to this one from Lowes.

I'm worried that if another car comes along, the impact could actually bend or break the threaded rod, making it difficult to install a new post.  So instead of saving myself time, I'd find myself digging another hole anyway.

Is it worth the extra time and money to install the mailbox using the post bracket, or should I just stick the post in the ground? Are there other common solutions that I haven't thought of?

After reading the USPS mailbox guidelines, I'm now thinking maybe I should build this a bit lighter duty. I'm now considering installing a post in the hole flush with the ground, then using a bracket to attach the above ground portion of the post.

Post in dirt with breakaway

I'd likely use a bracket similar to this one from Lowes

This way if somebody hits the mailbox again, hopefully the in ground portion will be undamaged.


texts: Drywall mudding plywood to emulate drywall

texts:
I have a need (long story) to use a long strip of 3/8" plywood under a door casing vertical piece and I plan for it to be slightly wider than the casing. It is joining old lathe and plaster and, for a long and irrelevant set of reasons (I must mention this because I know how some of you like to challenge principal designs), I cannot use drywall.

So if I have about an inch of plywood sticking under door casing, will it be possible (meaning adhere and look like) drywall? I know that it's possible to mud over plaster to iron out uneven spots but not sure if it works when applied over plywood.


texts: 5W COB led recessed light on a parallel circuit having different Brightness

texts:
Here is my setup

1 Circuit containing 7 X 5W COB (chip-on-board) Recessed light

Power supply -24V @6A rating

I removed the individual power supply that comes with led light. I measured the output of the transformer it was 23.6VDC....

Now the problem is I have all the lights on but they all are different brightness. The wiring is done in parallel. I am using 12GA AWG

1st- Extremely dim
2nd- Brighter
3rd- Brightest
4th- Dim
5th- Dim
6th- Dim
7th- Bright

Any ideas why this would happen?

Circuit starts from left in following photo:


texts: Help me fix a gap between tile and baseboard!

texts: I just removed the paneling in my den. When I started with the base boards and noticed that when when my tile was installed they were installed with the base boards in place. Before I could remove the base boards I had to actually break the grout around them so I could get the boards out. Now that that is done I now have a 3/4 inch gap between the wall and the tile and that is only one side of the room. The other side will have about an inch and a half gap. How should I address this. I was thinking of getting some grout to match and filling this gap in. Not sure if that is the best solution.


texts:
I am unsure if this is the proper place to ask this, or if the Biology StackExchange would be better, but I thought to start here first!

My situation is that I have been suffering from skin problems since moving into an apartment 3 years ago. Last year I asked the owner to install a new shower head, because pressure was low and I kept seeing red slime ooze out of it, even after cleaning it. She had a plumber look at it and he said to use Tilex to clean it, and soak it in vinegar. I started doing those things. No visible red slime anymore, things appeared to be okay.

Fast forward a year later, and I had to go to the doctor to get diagnosed with impetigo/staph. I believe it has been occurring over the course of 3 years and I have written it off as other skin problems, until it became an overwhelming problem. The doctor gave me medicine and it seemed to be cured.

But now a month has passed since I was cured and the symptoms started to re-appear.

I went ahead and soaked the shower head in vinegar for 8 hours. In doing so, I noticed all this black slime oozed out of the faucet below it, in the tub. Along with the black oozey slime, there was also signs of cleaner I had once used (dish soap with vinegar) and that was many months ago. This was very troubling when I saw it, so I cleaned it all up with Tilex. Everything seemed to be fine.

But then I noticed a massive amount of black mold come out of the shower head, so I wiped that off, and it was a lot!! Then I put Tilex on the shower head again, and even more mold came out. Rinse. Repeat. Gross.

I suspect this has been the culprit of all my skin woes. So I immediately replaced the shower head, against the owner's wishes. I can honestly say, the shower experience is much better. The pressure is much better. The water seems cleaner/less white. I even went as far as to buy pipe cleaning brush and clean out the shower head valve, inside and out, with Tilex and Clorox foam. From what I can tell this thing is clean now.

But how can I get the pipe tested for MSRA? How can I test the water for MSRA? Is that even a thing? It seems that they only test people for MSRA? I suspect it's the walls behind the shower are full of mold? Help!


texts: Can I add a sub-panel near the main disconnect outside my house?

texts:
I have an outside main disconnect of 125 amp and a inside main panel. The disconnect panel outside has an extra space that will accept a dual pole breaker. What I would like to do is add a sub-panel outside to run more circuits to my garage where I have to move a washer and dryer. There is no room in the attic where the old main panel is to run new wire, so it would be easier to run from the outside up into the attic into my garage which is attached to the house.

Can this be done and if so what size breaker and sub panel should I go with?


texts: Can a sink drain into a shower venting pipe?

texts:
I'm trying to add a sink next to an existing bathroom. Sink will be probably 3 feet from shower vent pipe. Floor is a concrete slab so all existing drains are underneath. I'd like to minimize busting thru concrete. The picture below is a pretty good representation of the existing piping, except for the pipe below grade that are probably running horizontally.

Can a sink drain/vent into a nearby shower vent pipe (e.g. connection in red on the picture)?

If this is not allowed, what's the best solution here?


texts:
I am working on a bathroom project, which is a brand new room. I've gone out to purchase 2x3" lumber for this project (I don't prefer metal studs). It seems like everywhere I go to buy lumber, almost all of it is bowed, bent, or twisted. Even worse, especially at my local Home Depot, the lumber is wet and even moldy sometimes.
As I've gutted some of the parts of my house, I've found nothing but really nice, straight, clean 2x3"s. Luckily I kept them and was able to reuse them in various places. Here is a picture of a small piece:

As you can see, the edges are nice and crisp, and I can assure you that the longer stud that this piece came from is straight. It seems like maybe these were milled better than nowadays. My house was built in 1954.
So my question is, do they still produce 2x3" studs that are straight? I don't mind paying more for a good product. And I guess if I have to I'll drive further too. FWIW I'm in Maryland.


texts: How many circuits can I put on a 70A breaker?

texts:
If I pull off of my 200 amp main panel a 4/3 wire for a 70 amp breaker to my sub panel, how many circuits can I run without the breaker tripping?
I need:

4-20 amp breakers for a microwave, frig, 120v stove and small air/heater combo unit
1-30 amp breaker for a a pool pump
2- 15 amp breakers for lighting

Is there any problem in doing this?


texts: Previous tenant did some shoddy DIY, should we be concerned?

texts:
Not a typical DIY question, but I was hoping some people here could help us out.

The previous tenant did some construction work that seems sketchy at best. (Pics below)
http://imgur.com/a/8tIRg

He actually moved the hot water heater across the apartment and ran the hot and cold water pipes underneath and in the top of the radiator. There are also holes in walls and exposed wires and pipes coming from them.

Should we be concerned about the work he did, and if so, what steps could be taken to try and fix what he did? We feel it's currently unsafe and really need some advice!!


texts:
Can I replace a 3A plug on a light fixture (that comes with 3A cable) with a 5A plug?

The 1st problem I encountered is that the cable has 2 power lines rather than 3 which connect to the 5A plug.

Can someone help please?


texts:
I want to move as many tools and equipment from inside house to a recently repaired shed.

I was wondering, whether I should be worried about how equipment -- particularly electrical -- would be affected by being stored in a non-heated location, subject to frequent changes in temperature?

My home is in a temperate maritime zone, in winter it can get colder than -20C/-4F, but generally it has recently been nearer -5C..+5C/23-41F, and 20-30C/86-86F in summer, and a typical difference between day and night can be up to ~10 degrees all year long.

Obviously a lawnmower (I have a cordless one) would still stay in the shed, but I have a number of electrical tools -- both corded and cordless, such as a drill, a couple reciprocating saws, a cordless screwdriver and impact driver, etc, so I was wondering if it was reasonable to store them in shed all year round. What about Li-ion batteries for the tools?

Humidity is usually quite high at all times except winter, but that would be only somewhat different indoors, as we don't generally do HVAC in residential areas, and I don't have an AC unit either.

The shed is without flooring [the ground is rather humid in the area], and is very well ventilated due to multiple cracks in walls; there are gaps between roof and wall as well. It has partially translucent roof, but in general, only wind can get in, and air humidity -- I am not worried about rain or snow.


texts:
Bought a house and moved in, I decided to turn one of the basement rooms into a home cinema. Turns out the room has a lot of echo, way too much to enjoy a movie.

The walls are stone (plastered bricks), the floor is tiles, so all surfaces are hard. As it's a basement room, it only has two very small windows and one door. The room is fairly long (about 4m by 11m). So that is a lot of hard surface to echo from. And I don't have unlimited money left over.

What's a pragmatic way of reducing the echo in this room? Since it's a dedicated cinema room, I'm happy with putting panels on the walls and ceiling, or do whatever else wouldn't work for a living room - as long as it is reasonably cheap even given the size. That excludes most of the special noise-reduction panels that I've found online.

I've already hanged about 2m of curtains on the side walls near the screen, put some empty boxes around the room and some leftover carpet on the floor - to little effect. It probably covers too little of the total surface area.

Would putting styrofoam plates have an appreciable effect? Do I have to cover the ceiling? Is there something I can do with the placement of the speakers (5.1 system) ?


texts: Wire nut tie together for a #4 braided aluminum wire?

texts:
I have an electrician running a 220 line out to my shed, using 4-4-6 braided aluminum run underground.  The wire is about 3 feet too short (after running about 150 feet).  He wants to just use 3 wire nuts for #4 gauge wire and tie the 3 right above the circuit panel and then make the connection to the breaker.

Is that legit?  I'm okay with it if it isn't going to cause a problem, but I just wanted to make sure.


texts: Switch in 3 Gang Hall Bath Does Nothing, Want to rewire to 2 gang with blank

texts:
Have three gang hall bath switch panel in which the first two control the fan and light; third does nothing.  Have tested all outlets and other lights; third switch seemingly inert yet wired to other two, with lone red wire.  Current tester across switch yields no current regardless of switch position.

Just want to lose third useless switch and replace with blank.  Anyone got easy solution?


texts: is it safe to use a microwave with the outside glass missing?

texts:
The outer glass on our microwave shattered recently. The part can no longer be purchased. Two related questions:

Is it still safe to operate?
Can the shattered glass be replaced with plexiglass? It won't look as good, but it'll be an improvement.


texts: Can anybody tell me what is the dome shaped object in this picture?

texts: I seen a red beam coming from it and the. It went away


texts: We're looking at buying some land soon so we can build our little get away. I will have a perk test done at some point but was wondering what it involves? Is this something I could do on my own? I know it wouldn't be official but it would give me some indication as to whether or not it would pass. We are allowed to have a lagoon on the property so either way we will be purchasing before any test is done.


texts: Fluorescent lights that turn on very slowly

texts: So I've got an older house, built in the late 1950's.  All the lights in the bathroom fixtures and the garage are fluorescent.  Sometimes, but not always, they take several minutes to actually turn on when you flip the light switch.  I can see that there's a glow at the ends of the tube when they do this.  I've tried switching out older light tubes for newer ones, but it doesn't seem to matter.  What's going on with this?  Why do these lights do that?  Any way to fix it?


texts: Will this frame support hanging planters?

texts:
I'm in the process of putting together a frame to hold a series of hanging gardens (assorted vegetables and fruits and need to come up with something that will handle the weight load without too much difficulty. We currently have these hanging from an eave of a utility shed, but are not getting good sunlight in that area and I don't think the wood used for the shed is enough to hold the total number of plants anyway.

I've come up with a simple plan that I think will be sufficient for our needs and will be located in an open area of our backyard on cement slab.  I'll be building it out of pressure treated 2x4s and decking screws and the unit measures 96 inches high (4 vertical 2x4s) and roughly 48inches square.

Each of the planters weighs between 20-30 lbs depending on dirt load and plant, and hangs from a heavy-duty eye-hook screwed into the frame.

I'm concerned it may be top-heavy, but am assuming that the 2x4s are sufficient to hold the load.

My biggest question is should I be looking at something more like an A-Frame approach or is this 'box' frame sufficient?

Do I need to worry about mounting this in some fashion to the ground?

Here's a mockup:


texts: Where is the Neutral Bus in this picture of my breaker box?

texts: Hi. I have a rather small breaker box and I'm trying to wire up a new wire with a neutral. I've marked the candidates A, B, C:


texts: Does anyone know how to eject these types of screws from ikea sofas? I can loosen the screw, but not the hook.


texts: Rheem furnace ,RGGE Contour ,communicating ,modulating , 2 stage

texts: installed a Rheem RGGE 07EMCKS  Furnace (communicating ) Im getting a d1 code , installed a 2 stage thermostat according to instructions , any ideas what this is ?


texts: Air deflectors on floor registers and cooling efficiency

texts:
I was once told by an HVAC technician to avoid using air deflectors on floor registers during the summer.  The reason was that the last thing you want to do is to direct the heavier, colder air towards the floor.  Doing so prevents the fresh cold air from mixing with the stale warmer air before it inevitably sinks.

Makes sense, but i have since seen (and heard) a couple of counter arguments to this:

Most homes tend to leak air around the exterior walls and windows, which is where many floor registers are located.
Blowing cold air up a warm exterior wall is not desirable and tends to create hot/cold pockets, especially in large rooms.  Doing so could also cause undesirable condensation/moisture problems on the the exterior walls/windows.
Part of the cooling effect is our perception of it, and air deflectors help us feel cooler by making the air flow more directional towards the main living space.
Heavy curtains and other window treatments often impede or trap the cool air that blows straight up from a floor register.

For the experienced HVAC pro's and hobbyists here - what is the verdict on air deflectors?  Do they help or do they make your cooling less efficient?


texts: I used the grill last year, and am planning to replace the propane tank. However, I found that I could not turn the knob. I marked the knob with red color in the following figure. I guess it maybe because it is stuck since I have not used it for so long. May I know are there any tools to turn this knob? Any suggestions are highly appreciated.


texts: Can I use 18/2 and 20/2 in the same lamp?

texts:
I am re-wiring a very old lamp.  The lamp has two curved arms that come out of a center cluster.  The area they all come together is very small, with sharp turns.  I can get 18/2 wire through one arm, but there is not enough room for the wire from the other arm.
Can I use 20/2 wire in each arm, and then attach them to 18/2 in the center?  I have to use a pre-wired switch at the bottom of the lamp.  I assume the switch uses 18/2 wire.
Each arm wnds in a small chandelier socket that will have a 25 watt chandelier bulb.
Is it safe to use 20/2 wire in the entire lamp?


texts: What AWG should I use between a 200A main panel, a generator switch and a 100A sub panel

texts: The 200A main panel, generator switch and a 100A sub panel are all located two feet from each other so I'm thinking a 4-4-4-5 cable should do the trick but I'm not sure.


texts: Lost pressure after "clunk" sound in pipe

texts:
Kitchen sink faucet seems to drop to near trickle when the water is turned on full (Cold side ... Hot side has always run very slowly). This is not a new installation and there has not been any other plumbing work done in a long time.
If I turn on water about half force it will stay on okay but any harder and the clunk sound happens and the pressure goes to nearly nothing.
Just seemed to start out of the blue a few days ago and only out of the kitchen faucet.
To me seems like an air lock someplace but how to get rid of it and how did it happen to start with?
Thanks much for any reply.
DaveB


texts: What are the effects of using all of the 80% of the power supported by 15A circuit breaker (220 volts, #14AWG wire)?

texts:
What if I have this case:

15A circuit breaker
220V supply from the power company
#14 AWG wire THHN - 6 or 7 strands
Running 52 50-Watt light bulbs 20 hours per day

Max power supported in this case is 15x220=3,300 Watts
80% of the max power is 2,640 Watts

I am not planning to use 52 light bulbs in my house, I just want to understand the risk of using 52 50-Watt light bulbs in #14 AWG wire in a 15A circuit. If I will do that, even if the 52 50-Watt light bulbs will only use 2,600 Watts,

Will there be any risks such as the wires melting or overheating?
What are the possible hazards?
Will it cause a fire if I keep the 52 light bulbs on for 20 hours per day?


texts: How can I mount a side-mount light onto a top-mount area?

texts:
I have an existing light on top of a retaining wall:

I found some light fixtures that I will be using everywhere else around the house, but they are side/wall mount:

Is there some way for me to mount my side-mount lights onto the top-mount place? I tried to find a small lamp post that'll accommodate this, but no luck. Any help would be greatly appreciated!


texts:
I want to only have two 6" recessed lights for the general lighting for my kitchen. Ceiling is 100" high.

I will have five 4" recessed tasks light: above the sink, and above countertops in appropriate places.

Do you think the 6" lights as general lighting is enough?
How much wattage should I get for the 6" and the 4" cans?  (I plan to have all of them on dimmers but I want to know what the general wattage should be)


texts: Domed concrete floor (garage) needs leveling

texts:
I am about to replace a 14ft wide garage door. The concrete floor is domed in the centre of the doors width. The mid section of floor is roughly level for about 6 feet wide but falls away each side ending up about 20mm - 25mm lower. I want to level the two dropped areas up to the height of the top of the domed bit. Each dropped area will, when filled in, form a feathered edge on about half of the perimeter. I am about to start looking at the self leveling products now but I would appreciate advice regarding suitable type.

I plan to face the leading edge of the entire width with a piece of planed timber batten so that the timber is level with the uppermost area of domed floor. I then intend dropping some of the leveling product in each side and smooth them off level to the top of the timber batten and then feather the edges as best I can to get the entire width level.

Anyone have any tips, lifehacks or brilliant ideas that would improve on this approach. Also, what product type would you suggest as the leveling material?

A small (25-30cm) section of the leading edge of the garage floor in the mid section is also damaged. A small area about 50mm into the garage and to a depth of about 30mm has broken off. Would the leveling product be man enough (person enough?!) to act as a repair to the concrete?

Thanks in advance for your time and help

Best    Peter


texts: How to identify a whole house water filter type?

texts: I am trying to identify the type of filter used here, so that it can be replaced. I don't think it has been...ever.


texts: How does a garage door wall button differentiate between a door open button, and a light button?

texts: How does the wall button know, if there’s only two wires (+ and -), what’s a door open button press, and a light on press? Is it a voltage transmission difference?


texts: Why does my food truck trip GFCI outlets only when a grounded cord is used?

texts: I have a food truck with a 60 amp service installed. When I plug into a GFCI with an ungrounded cord it works fine. But when I plug into GFCI with grounded plug it trips immediately. Please help.


texts: How do I replace ceiling drywall over cabinets?

texts: I recently had some water damage to my ceiling after a storm. For the most part, it's a simple cut out and replace procedure, but I'm stuck wondering what to do in the kitchen. There's about 1'x2' area that's above the cabinets that I won't be able to get to when I'm installing the new drywall. Do I need to remove the cabinets to fasten the drywall to the joists? Or can I just put an extra few screws in around the edges and add some 2x4 crosspieces between joists for extra support at the edge of the cabinets? From the attic I can see that the walls were originally drywalled after the ceiling, which will give some support on the edge. Can I leave it floating like this, or will it cause problems later?


texts: Can I use an air to air heat exchanger to fix a radon problem?

texts:
I tested my basement for radon, and found that it was twice the allowable level (8 pCi/L).  Can I use an air-to-air heat exchanger to reduce the radon level, and to pump fresh clean air into my basement and the rest of the house?  How effective are these compared to conventional radon reduction systems?

My house was built in 1915, and the basement floor was repoured and the walls resurfaced a few years ago - I don't think that I can reduce the radon by sealing cracks.

In addition to reducing radon, the air-to-air heat exchanger would also reduced other pollutants that are generated inside the house - I don't understand why it isn't used more instead of conventional radon removal techniques.


texts: Can I mount an LED light bar to a truss web?

texts:
I have 4 foot long LED light bars that i would like to  mount in my crawl space. I’ve removed the sagging underfloor insulation and am doing wall insulation instead, so the truss bays are empty. Trusses are 14” deep.
Can I mount these lights to the web portion of the truss? Essentially, somewhere between the top and bottom chords. Lights would run parallel on the truss, and not span multiple trusses.


texts: What would be the minimum solid-wood beam dimension to support a 10' span supporting 10' floor joists only for a non-bearing wall area. (ie: we are removing interior wall between a kitchen and dining room...a bedroom floor only is located above kitchen and dining room). There is no weight bearing wall located above the span, only a bedroom floor built upon (approx.) 12' floor joists.


texts: How do you remove the wall spacer from Ikea Besta 141413

texts: For the Besta IKEA cabinet I put the spacer 141413 in the wrong holes and now it won't come out.  The cabinets are pressboard and I am afraid if I try wd40 or oil it will make the sawdust puff up. Picture below.  When I try to pull the prongs out there is just no movement.  I already broke one off, by pulling too hard. The reason I need them out is because apparently the guide for the rack that the cabinets hang are supposed to go in those holes.


texts: How to install a replacement lock in a mailbox?

texts:
How do I install this lock in my mail box?

Where do I twist/turn/rotate/pull to separate the thick front part from the end part?


texts: lawn sprinkler system pressure reducer settings?

texts:
my street water pressure is around 100 psi, my house pressure has a regulator on 70 psi.  my yard sprinkler system is directly on my street water line before the house.  I want to place pressure reducers at each of four zone valve locations as I cannot access the main line to the water yard sprinkler system.  What in line pressure regulator setting should I use?  same for yard lawn pop ups? how about a small zone with only droppers?

thanks


texts: Better life span for halogen bulbs in ceiling lighting?

texts:
The halogen bulbs for our recessed ceiling spotlights  have to be replaced quite often.

Could we be using the wrong transformer/bulb combinations? How would I find out? Does the number of bulbs attached to any one transformer influence the life-span of the bulbs or the transformer? Are these bulbs drop-in replaceable by LED bulbs?

Transformer output: 11.5V, 35-105W

Bulb specs: 12V, 30W

The situation: Due to their location in the room we have 2 bulbs connected to a transformer. We have a total of 6 transformers and 12 bulbs.

Please leave a comment if more specs are needed to answer this question, then I will try to look them up. NB: The grid voltage is extremely stable in our neighbourhood.


texts: Converting to a 3-way switch with a 2 wire cable

texts:
I've got a light downstairs with the switch upstairs. I want to add a switch downstairs. I have access to the light's wiring and can add the switch easily there. I don't want to rip up the drywall though to put a 3-wire cable in.

Is there any way to use a single pole/2 wire switch in a 3-way setup?

This is a box I currently have access to and could wire the near-by light switch (I've got an unused one very close). I've verified that one cable goes to the light and the other to the switch.


texts: What should I do about mold until the leak feeding it gets fixed?

texts:
About three weeks ago I noticed a leak on the ceiling of my studio apartment. When it began it was just a leak, a few days later it began to get dark-stained all around it and now it's covered in a black thing that I suppose is some kind of mould. I reported this to my landlord as soon as it began bit I still have one more week to wait until someone comes to fix it.

It looks so disgusting, it's on the kitchen area and I would like to know what to do until it gets fixed, is there anything I can do?

Today I took this cardboard box and put it over the leak to cover it. I fixed it to the ceiling around the stain of mould with a bit of sellotape. Now at least I don't see it but I don't know if maybe this is going to make things worse.


texts: Affixing a sail shade to balcony railing with a pole

texts:
I need suggestion on how to put up a triangular sun shade sail over my balcony. There are already two pre-drilled holes on the wall where I can hook up the two corners.
Now is the third corner of the canopy. My old plan was to attach it to a pole and affixate the pole somewhere on the balcony railing. The pole has to be tilted slightly outward, I used a bamboo pole and placed it behind the planter, but it was never sturdy when the wind was strong, and it has already snapped.
This is an illustration from the side of my balcony (forgive my drawing)

This is the railing. The parasol holder is where I want the pole to stand but can't think of a way to hold a pole with it at tilted angle sticking outward.

And the two other corners of the sail see below. Ideally I'd like to tuck them away like this behind the pigeon spikes when I'm not using the balcony. The sail is 3m x 3m x 3m, but the balcony is not that wide, hence the third corner will be a little bit out.

Would it be possible to utilise the parasol holder to hold a pole at a tilted angle. Perhaps with the help of small gadget such as fishing rod holder? I don't know much about the maths of how much wind the sail can take if the pole is put up like that... I want to use a pole because my balcony is really tiny, and I want to avoid things like sand/water base...
Thanks for reading this, any suggestions welcome :)


texts: Why is there an exposed wire coming out of my wall near my fluorescent light fixture?

texts:
We are in the process of replacing the ballast in our fluorescent light fixture (after replacing the bulbs, the lighting was still dim, so we figured it was a fault of the ballast). After we disconnected the hot and neutral (black and white) wires from the ballast, we noticed a third, unused wire coming out of the wall. Here is a picture:

Our ballast does not appear to need this wire. What we want to know is:

What is it?
Is it dangerous to leave it exposed like this? It is basically just 'hanging out' behind the fixture; we didn't realize this until just now.
If it IS dangerous, what can we do to make it safe?


texts:
I have a Honeywell model number NHGK076AF01 propane furnace. It is about 15 years old. The problem started when I noticed the breaker had tripped and I had no heat. After resetting breaker, I tried again. Everything goes as it should except when time for blower fan to come on. It doesn’t come on if in "auto" mode but if I put it in the "on" mode, the blower comes on and I have heat.

I replaced the limit switch L170-40 and still have the same problem. There is another limit switch in the blower area L1-40. I checked this one with ohm tester and it seemed OK - it was closed tester beeped. I am scared to let it run too long - two minutes maybe - and when the blower doesn't come on, I set to "on". Another thing is I'm not sure if it would trip the breaker again if I didn’t turn the blower on instead of limit switch turning everything off. I'm not sure what else to try. Funny the blower works in "on" position and not "auto". It also works fine when using ac. Thank you for taking the time to read.


texts: Can an ABS drain be fitted to a PVC waste pipe riser?

texts:
The only shower drain available at my local hardware store is The Wondercap, which looks fine.

However, the (white) plastic is formed with "ABS", and the drain pipe itself is white plastic, which I assume to be PVC.

(Isn't ABS supposed to be colored black?)

Is there a safe way to bond these two pieces together? Or should I go find a real plumbing shop and buy a different drain, made out of PVC?

Note the missing drain at the top of the riser:

And, the rough hole from above:


texts:
Trying to replace the tub and shower fixtures when I encountered this light brown, cement like hard but gummy advesive liberally applied all over the joint.

How do I remove this?


texts: Why does my outlet have two white wires on the neutral side and one "neutral" wire is hot?

texts: The breaker for my microwave tripped and when I turned the breaker back on it tripped again after using the microwave again. I tested the microwave in another outlet and it works fine. I went to replace the outlet and I found a black wire, two white on the same side, and ground. I turned off the breaker and tested the wires only to find that one white wire still has 120v where all other wires are dead. Why is that wire supplying voltage on the neutral side?


texts: Where do I connect C-wire to Burnham boiler?

texts: I'm adding a smart thermostat to one zone of a two wire, oil fired boiler system. I've roughed in a new wire and could use some help determining where to terminate it at the boiler. The wiring is far too neat and I can't figure it out. The wires terminated on "Main End Switch" go back to the relay on the boiler and connect to terminals labeled TT. Pics below. Thanks in advance.


texts: How to remove shiny black coating from a textured window?

texts:
The previous owner of my 1920s bungalow drywalled over a bunch of the original windows (!) and I'm trying to uncover and restore them to let some more light into the cavelike parts of the house. There's an exterior window installed over one of the windows; it's a bubbly-textured glass with some sort of shiny black coating painted onto it. I've tried every chemical paint remover that I have - hot vinegar, acetone, oven cleaner - and the coating won't budge. The coating is on the bubbly textured side of the glass so I've had no success scraping or sanding it off. I'm pretty sure it's a coating since I can see unevenness and stroke texture in it from the inside when the sunlight shines through.

Anyone have any idea what this might be and what would take it off? I'd rather not rip the window out entirely if I don't have to.


texts: Tried repairing a broken lamp and it's weirdly dim - high resistance in wire?

texts:
Neighbours threw out a gorgeous lamp, which had broken by the socket becoming disconnected from the wires. My housemate brought it home, and I tried rewiring it. Following an internet tutorial, I figured out which wire was hot and which was ground (necessary since I want to put LED bulbs in) and then wired the socket back in. Voila, it works... sort of!
The lights are really dim - subjectively like at most 10% as bright as they are in a different lamp. Tried both LED and CFL.
So I figured maybe I can finally put my engineering degree to use and bought a multimeter. Sure enough, resistance through the bulbs seems to be about 2 milliohms, but from the plug to the socket, about 300-500 milliohms. That would explain why the circuit is mostly not lighting up the bulb!
(Come to think of it, this would also explain why, when I tried testing which wire was hot and which was ground using a coin cell battery and a tiny standalone 5V LED, it worked with just battery & LED, but not when I tried to run the circuit through the lamp wire.)
...but what do I do about it? What's a likely source of the issue? I suppose maybe we could keep the lamp fixture and completely replace the wire & footswitch...


texts:
One concern for any new construction is shifting, which happens most immediately after a building is erected, but all buildings will shift and lean gradually over the years. Even if a building's foundations are set on bedrock, the natural movement of the earth will cause that rock to shift and cant over time.

Is there any method for preparing a foundation so that it will be easier to adjust in later years. One approach I can think of is to put the foundation on piles. The advantage of this is that to later re-balance the building only the piles need to be adjusted, rather than a whole basement floor. Is there any wisdom on this subject?


texts: Changing pressure of well only by pressure switch?

texts:
We have 2 20 gal pressure tanks and a 40 / 60 Square D pressure switch. I was talking to my well installer and he said they typically set the tanks to 20psi and regulate the pressure only by the switch. The pressure seems to hold stead at 43 psi and cuts off at 60 psi. In the house, the pressure is "ok". It's not great.

After much reading and asking this question, I thought the tanks should be set 2 under the cut-in pressure. Am I losing pressure because my tanks are only set at 20 psi?


texts: What's the minimum safe distance from the back of a dryer to a wall?

texts: Let's say I have a side-venting dryer. If I don't need to run ductwork behind the dryer, how close can I safely place the dryer to the wall?


texts: Can I combine red & black wire from ceiling to black wire on remote reciever

texts:
enter image description here

I have 2 switches on wall, 4 wires from ceiling. The ceiling fan I purchased only has 2 wires to be hooked up. Can I combine the red & black wires from ceiling to black wire to remote receiver?


texts: How do I remove stick on tile residue from a plywood subfloor?

texts: I pulled up old stick on tile from a plywood subfloor which is now so sticky it pulls my shoes off.  I need to get this surface ready to install vinyl planking which needs to be able to "float" on the surface. This is a small poorly-ventilated room, so chemicals are out.  I see some have tried corn starch or baking soda.....any helpful input for me?


texts: bathroom switches into a pir/motion sensor

texts:
I have a two switch box in my bathroom that controls a ceiling fan and light. I bought a TDHOS5, Dual Technology Humidity/PIR Motion sensor with the goal of replacing both switches.
I can’t seem to figure out how to make it work based on the wires in the box
Best I’ve got is making the fan work by itself and then connecting the oldlight switch to the black and sharing the white neutral, but when I do that the fan only works when the light is turned off. Help me reduce the right two switches down to one please


texts:
Recently a tree fell on my roof and some water got into the attic and dripped through cracks between the boards that make up my living room ceiling.

I've pulled and trashed the damp installation, but I am not sure whether or not to remove the boards. They appear to be coated with some kind of black plastic, and don't feel like drywall or other gypsum board, but I am no expert.

Any guesses about what they are made of and advice on the necessity of replacement?


texts: How is standard washing machine "water usage" calculated?

texts:
I'm trying to calculate exactly how much water is spent per washing machine use (medium water-level with a soak-wash-rinse-spin cycle).

On the last page of the manual of my washing machine (Samsung - WA6550B9), it states that the "water usage" is 164 litres. However, a tub of water at its "high water level" is only 56 litres:

Why is the "water usage" stated to be 164 litres?

Even if it's a soak-wash-rinse-spin cycle, wouldn't it use approximately two tubs of water? Yet 56 litres × 2 is far from 164 litres.

How do the numbers add up? What exactly is the 164 litres of water usage referring to?


texts: Should I still use joist hangers when building a deck with all joists on blocks?

texts:
I changed the layout of the decking on a free-standing front porch I am building.
Original design: Deck blocks with 4x4 posts under double 2x8 beams. joists to the beams using hangers.
New (lower) design: joists set directly in castle-type deck blocks: no beams, no posts. 18" off the ground.
I could return the hangers and toenail the rim joists directly to the ends of the span joists and cover with skirting.
But I am left wondering if there is still some benefit to using the joist hangers even if the joists aren't actually "hanging" at all but are supported by the blocks. Such as keeping the joists completely vertical, etc...
Some questioned why set joists on castles - deck is replacing a large cement step set on an even larger cement pad. I demolished the step but cannot demo the pad. Then I realized it is level and sloped already so I can use it as the base. Doing so means I only have 17" total height to work with to keep under the door sill, which meant no room for conventional beam.
Also, this is floating, free-standing construction that is exempt from all permitting where I live - I already checked into that with my zb.


texts: New dimmer switch is not operating new led panels

texts: I bought 4 new led panel lights for my drop ceiling and installed Saturday. I also purchased a 0-10 voltage dimmer switch. Yes the lights are dimmable and the switch is for low voltage. I can turn the lights on and off, but they will not dim. Is this possible a bad driver in the led fixture? I know this considered “dead travel”.


texts: Fixing ceramic tile that have a large ceramic chip off

texts:
How do I fix ceramic tile that have a large ceramic chipped off. (the size is around 5 cm width and 3 cm height).

Overall, the whole tile is still intact except that part of the top layer, which is the ceramic material, was chipped off.

Please enlighten me.

Thank you.


texts:
I have an underground sprinkler system. A few days ago a valve got stuck "on" with a loudly buzzing solenoid. I replaced the entire valve with a new one and wired it in, tested, and all was well:

Today the zone whose valve I replaced randomly turned on even though the program is not set for this time. Turning the system from AUTO (schedule) to OFF successfully closed the valve (and stopped the sprinklers), then setting it back to AUTO kept the valve off... for now.

Typically when a valve is stuck on there's either debris in the line or the solenoid went bad. I ensured both are solved with my replacement valve. So, given that the new valve is still exhibiting quirky behaviour, what could possibly be going on? It must be receiving power to be on at this point so could the controller be going bad? I've had the controller since we moved in 3+ years ago and it has worked perfectly.


texts:
In my bathroom, I had an old wall lamp hanging above the mirror, that was connected to a junction box. I dismounted the old lamp and didn't pay attention to which wires it was connected. Now I need to connect a new lamp and I don't know which wires from the junction box should be used.

The photo of the junction box is below. There is one strand of wires (black, white, ground) coming from the top, and two strands of wires coming from the bottom. All black wires are connected together, and all ground wires are connected together. Now, white wires -- it looks like only two of them were connected, though I'm not sure about that -- maybe one disconnected from other two when I dismounted the old lamp. So the question is: which wires should I use to connect my lamp?

Additional detail: there is a two-way switch on the wall that controls the lamp. The new lamp has standard white, black and ground wires.


texts: Cause of only hot or cold water from bathtub faucet?

texts: I'm only getting extremely hot water or extremely cold water out of the bathtub faucet. the sink in the bathroom is fine. What causes this?


texts: Existing power from light to other sources

texts: We're added an addition on to the house my uncle wants to run the existing power from light to light so that his power is coming off the lights to multiple lights and switches so how does he need to wire it to jump from one light to another?


texts:
So I decided to replace the ailing motion sensor light on the garage eave of my nearly 50 year old split-level.

I have replaced motion sensor lights several times in my small barn, but all the wiring there is exposed, the wire colors are all to code (I did the original wiring) and apart from the usual hassles of filth, old stiff insulation and hard rafters, life is good.)

My 1st and fundamental mistake --- I didn't take a picture of the old wiring when I removed the eave light.  I'll never do that again.

After taking off the old light, I discovered two 3-lead cables coming into the box.
Cable #1 had a hot (black) lead with 120v tested against its own ground (bare) and neutral (white).  (Using a voltmeter)

Cable #2 was also black/white/bare ground.  THAT black lead was carrying no voltage when black was tested against its own white and ground.  HOWEVER, if I tested the two blacks, I got 120v.

I was confused.

The line cable was pretty obvious and I figured (oh, silly me) that black/black and white/white made sense.  I know - in retrospect, really stupid.  I connected black/black and white/white and threw the breaker on.  The breaker did NOT activate and the light seemed to work.

However, my wife noticed that the porch light (to the left about 15 feet) went on although the single pole switch controlling it was off.  Whaaa? My wife tried turning the switch to the on position and the breaker blew.  I reset the breaker and then the light stayed on regardless of the switch position without throwing the circuit breaker.

At this point, I disconnected everything at the eave.  Then the porch light and switch worked just fine.

I decided the better part of valor was to cap the 2nd black line and simply connect all the grounds, use the hot black lead from cable #1 to power the eave light and connect all the whites.

Now everything works normally.  I have absolutely no idea where cable #2 goes, but it obviously interacts with the porch light circuit.

Nothing in the house seems to be affected by leaving black on cable #2 capped and unused.

Several questions:
     I tentatively am scheduled to have an electrician come out and look at this mess in 2 days.  Good idea, yes?
     OR given the lack of voltage between the whites, I could simply call it good.
     OR I could disconnect the white lines, cap white #2 and just consider the entire cable to be an orphan.
     Finally, any idea as to how this happens?

Sorry this is wordy, but I figure with spaghetti wiring the more precise the description the better.


texts: Preventing electrical back flow on AC circuit breakers

texts:
Here’s my situation. I am trying to add an electric tankless hot water to a 4 unit building. 4 separate circuit breaker box present.
The water heater requires 4 sets of 40 Amp breakers at 220-240 volts.
I will need to add a separate breaker box which I want to use the 4 existing boxes to supply electricity to. I will take it between the meter and breaker box, thereby eliminating the need to go through the existing circuits but still have it registered on the electric meter. And hence, let the hot water usage be shared among the 4 existing boxes.

My issue is, once I connect all 4 existing box to the new one to supply electricity to the water heater box, I will effectively combine all 4 existing meter as one. I NEED to prevent that.
So I’m thinking that just before the existing boxes connects to the new one, I can add something to prevent box A from from drawing from box B, C &D. This will allow flow of electricity only in the direction from boxes ABCD to the new box for the water heater.
I am not an electrician but I am handy, so any detailed answer will be appreciated. This way I can have help to evaluate whether it’s possible or not and whether I’ll need a skilled electrician to undertake.


texts: Is it safe to add a floor to my garage attic?

texts: It looks like the roof is made with trusses. Is there any way to add some flooring to store some boxes?


texts: Are black deposits on the interior of copper water pipes a health concern?

texts: I tried to install a new water heater at home. When I removed the old pipes, I found there's a black deposit in the interior of my copper pipes (both cold water pipe to water heater and hot water pipe from water heater). I tried to rinse it out and used bleach, but the black layer on the interior of the pipe did not come off. Do I need to replace all the pipes in my home, are there health issues that associates with this?