texts: Replacing spout on irregular bathtub pipe

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I am trying to replace a bathtub diverter spout. When I took off the old spout, I discovered it was incorrectly installed. It didn't have the common plastic adapter, the shower spout was just slipped over the end of the protruding threadless pipe.

At some point, someone extended the pipe with a slip coupling, so the pipe isn't a standard 1/2" all the way down (see below). Because the coupling makes the pipe wider, I can't slide the 3.5" long plastic adapter over the pipe.

I assume the pipe will have to be modified to accept a spout correctly. What are my best options here?


texts: After installing a mobile AC, I do have hot air intake from the front door

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I have installed an appliance like the following one:

Its hose is connected to what acts as the 'chimney' of the building.

Now whenever I turn it on, I can feel that hot air is coming from the front door.

Question:

Is my setup wrong or is this to be expected with a mobile AC but can be mitigated somehow ?


texts: Power everywhere after turning off the main circuit breaker

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something weird happens in my house. I switched off the main circuit breaker for the house in order to change some light sockets and surprise - when i double checked with AC voltage tester I got positive on the light bulb socket. Not only that, I tried few more places - the tester detects power everywhere, but not only on the hot wires - the neutral ones started to trigger my tester too (before switching the breaker off, and after switching it on again i got power only from the hot wires only). I know the tester is good, as i have small diode indicator on the light switches and they are still working after turning off the main breaker. No lights or electric appliance worked tho, so i think it's some low voltage current flowing.
So it seems when my main breaker is off - not only the power is still on, but it's flowing in the neutral wires too.
What could be the problem?

Update:  Every reading was measured also with phase meter and multi-meter with the same results.

Thanks!

Update 2: Photo of the circuit board with the breakers (old school):


texts: 5 Outlets in bedroom on the same breaker. None of them are GFI outlets. Outlet 1 works, Outlet 2 is a switch controlled outlet. Switch works the bottom half of outlet and it works, top half is power and it doesn't work. Other 3 outlets are dead. Any suggestions?


texts: Connecting a water heater, what kind of fittings, valves, and adapters?

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I'm buying a new water heater, and quite frankly the series of connections and valves are mind boggling. What I'd like to do rather than soldier the pipes together is to go from compression to thread. I have 3/4 ID (inner diameter), 7/8 OD (outer diameter) feeding the water heater. From that point there are a series of elbows and a valve I don't trust taking the copper pipe to the water heater.

I'd like to cut them off, and put on a compression fitting and flex tube to the water heater. Is there anything wrong with this idea? Moreover, what kind of valves and adapters do I use?

Ideally, there would be a combo-valve that would go from 3/4 compression to thread, and then from a mail thread I could use a flex pipe to go right to the heater.. This valve doesn't exist, but such a setup would result in one compression rings per water line.

What does exist is compression-compression-valves, but in this configuration I'm adding two more compression rings per side of the water heater which is far from ideal. I assume this is a bad idea? I've ruled this out.

So, it seems I could go from 3/4 to NPT right away. Then I could use Female NPT-NPT valve. But, I can't find the 3/4-3/4 male NPT coupling fitting to tie the female flex pipe into the female valve.

3/4 pipe → 3/4 compression female to NPT male → NPT female to NPT female valve → NPT female valve to NPT male-male coupling → NPT male-male coupling to NPT female flex pipe.

And none of these parts are carried by anyone retail store... So what's the right and easy way to do this? I've had very good luck with compression fittings.


texts: Will my wiring setup work with the Nest Thermostat?

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I would like someone who is smarter then me to let me know if this current wiring setup would work with the Nest Thermostat?

Thank you for your help


texts: How much condensation is okay on storm windows?

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I have an old house that has both wooden and aluminum storm windows.  Many of the windows develop condensation and frost on the storm windows when it's cold outside.  I made sure weep holes were clear, and I've tried various approaches to sealing the interior windows to prevent condensation on the storms.  While sealing has reduced the condensation on the storms, it hasn't completely eliminated it, even when following typical winter humidity guidelines.

Is there a certain amount of unavoidable exterior storm window condensation?  Is some condensation okay?  Is there a point at which storm window condensation would become a problem?  Would it indicate that there would be condensation developing in other invisible places in the house, such as wall interiors or attic space?


texts: Installing American countertop oven in Europe - Converter Trouble

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I'm having some difficulty with a counter-top oven that I purchased in the US and shipped to the Netherlands. The oven itself is 120~V 60Hz and 1500W. I did some research and discovered that here the voltage level is 220V...

When I tried to determine if we needed a converter, the information I found led me to believe that I couldn't just get a normal converter because the wattage level needed for the oven is just too high. I was wondering if anyone knew a way to MacGyver it to work before I have to send it back?

I'm assuming I'll just have to get a European-based counter-top oven instead of going through the whole conversion process but if there's a way of figuring it out without sending a whole big appliance back, it would be great!


texts: Is it a hazard to use spray foam around baseboard heater pipe?

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I probably should have asked this before doing it, but I will now anyways.

I have noticed mice coming in and out of the (fairly large) hole where the baseboard heater pipes are. I removed the casing and added a bunch of steel wool to it + spray foam. I am now concerned if this is a fire hazard - having all of this dry foam near a heater?

I attached photos of what the area looked like before / after.

Thanks!


texts: How to mount lights, doorbell, etc. on Hardie Plank siding

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I'm replacing the hardboard (Masonite-type) lap siding on the front of my house with Hardie Plank siding.  Since the Hardie product doesn't take screws, what's the best way to install items that are typically screwed into the siding -- outdoor lights, shutters, and the doorbell?

The first thing that occurs to me is to use screws long enough to reach the studs.  This will work well, in the spots in front of the studs.

If I need to support something between the studs, since there's no wood behind the siding, maybe I should add some.  Maybe a 1/4 inch thick piece of wood nailed to the studs, behind the new siding?  (What kind of wood? Exterior-grade plywood? Should it be painted?)

Or do I need a different approach?


texts: How to determine if a Water Pressure Reducing Valve (PRV) is working properly

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I've been trying to track down water pressure/flow issues throughout the plumbing in my entire house, but haven't found anything which made any significant difference. For example, I discovered that the main valve and a few others were not fully open. I am able to access all other valves and they are fully open. All lines are copper. My house is a single level with a basement (where the main is located). My neighbors do not have any problems.

Here's my configuration:

City Water -> 3/4" lines -> main -> gauge (reading is maxed out over 100 psi) -> PRV -> gauge reading static 60 psi -> valve -> continue 3/4" lines feeding 1/2" lines for all fixtures.

I have a thermal expansion tank with the hot water heater which is also set to 60 psi.

As soon as any water fixture is turned on (sink, shower, toilet flush, washing machine, etc.), the pressure on gauge immediately following my PRV drops significantly (falls to 20psi or less). As a result, trying to use a second fixture is difficult and a third is near impossible. Additionally, I attempted to turn all water fixtures through the house on. During this test, the water fixtures on the main level did not put out any water.

I'm inclined to believe there is an issue with the PRV. Is that the right place to be looking? Should a PRV have such a large drop in pressure when one fixture is open?


texts:
I have a door that swings open, I’ve watched a few videos about removing the pin and bending it to stop the swing.

Unfortunately none of the videos I’ve watched have a hinge like mine, in the photo the left hand side of the hinge forms the top and bottom caps. They seem welded together so I’ve no idea how to get the pin out.

Can anybody help? I thought maybe it wa something to do with the two holes near the caps but I’ve proded it and nothing happens

All the videos I’ve watched either have one cap or they hit the bottom cap with a nail but that’s not going to work for my hinge


texts: What is causing this window to open, but not close?

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As you can see in this video, the window opens when I crank it, but won’t close when I go the opposite direction. It acts as though I’m taking out the crank itself. To close it, I have to remove the crank and manually pull the window shut. It seems as though the crank isn’t catching the gears when trying to close it.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0lYMr0wTUo7KLKfWCiDHtP9yA#Wakefield


texts: I have a novice question. What are the differences among bit holder v.s. hex bit socket v.s. nut driver? They all look similar. Can I use them interchangeably?


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I have a Smart Thermostat installed called Tado, with a pretty standard UK heating and hot water set up. In my airing cupboard there was a timer that controlled when the hot water and heating was to be on, and down stairs there was a old Honeywell thermostat.

I replaced the timer with a unit from Tado, and bypassed the Honeywell thermostat by crossing 2 of the wires in the actual thermostat so it was always on. That way the new Tado box could control when to turn the heating on or off based on its own wireless thermostat.

This all worked fine, until our decorator removed the Honeywell thermostat, capped of the cables and then boarded, plastered and painted the hole. Now the circuit is no longer complete the heating obviously doesn't work anymore.

Is there anyway for me to do something at the Tado box end in my airing cupboard to complete the circuit again, or am I going to have to tear open the hole in the wall and join the cables again? I have attached some pictures of the wiring below:

This is the thermostat.
To make the circuit always on I placed the wire from {3} in to {1}

This is the Tado Box in the airing cupboard, this is how it currently looks;

And finally this is the small diagram in the Tado box if it's helpful:

Is there any configuration of wires I can do at the Tado box end to get the heating back on. Or am I going to have to rip open my wall.


texts:
My bathtub faucet tends to leak more then normal when i pull the lever to turn on the shower head.
Please refer to photo for detail
As you can see it still leaks more then normal, after I had pulled up the lever for the shower head. It didn't normally do this, it just started to happen and I'm wondering if this is an easy fix or do I need to replace the spicket?


texts:
My house is 150' long.  The breaker box is at one end and the AC units are at the other end.
I have a well pump at the same end of the house as the AC units are.
I do not want to buy 8 ga uf-b underground to power the pump, when I already have 6 or 8 run and powering the AC.
I would like to tap into the AC 220 V power.
Is there a switch that would always power the AC unit when it wanted it?  The pump could  use the power ONLY if the AC wasn't busy cooling my house.
From a comment:
The pump is 3HP, 230V, max amp 17.0. Coming from the 40A breaker is a probable 6/2 cable. The AC nameplate data is 208-230V 1 ph, 60 hz, compressor 208/230V, 1ph, 60 hz, 11.1 RLA, 58.3 LRA, fan motor 208/230V, 1 ph, 60 hz, 1/12 hp, 0.60 FLA. Min Circuit amps 14.5, max fuse 20 amp, max ckt-brkr 20a.


texts: How to even floor varnish without sanding the whole floor

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We rent a flat with a rustic Victorian look. They've removed the carpets and varnished the wooden planks under them. Looks very rough but also nice. The problem was that they also varnished over some shoe marks. I wanted to remove those so I sanded parts of the floor and varnished again. Unfortunately, I did not measure the amount of varnish to apply. So now there are places on the floor where the varnish is quite thick and glossy.

My question is how do I reduce that thickness without sanding the whole floor again? Can I sand partially and apply something else? Or just sand with something less invasive?


texts: Can a GFI receptacle die coincidentally at the same time as wall drilling?

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A little background:

I just moved into a rental house and a week later the property owner had a new wall-mounted AC/heating unit that required a bit of drilling through the wall installed. I opened the door for them, went to work, and came back about 5 hours later to make sure things were locked up. The electricity in about half the (small) house was dead (for about a week), and the breaker switch would not stay on. After talking to the electricians the HVAC company hired, we assumed that the guys had drilled through something.

Fast forward, electricity restored and the cooling system was working, but I had a really bad experience with them, so I left a bad review online. Later that day, I was met by the owner of the company at my house who bullied me into removing the review, claiming none of the bad things were their fault and that the electrical problems were coincidental - in the 5 hours I was gone while they were working on installing the units, a GFCI receptacle had apparently died through no fault of their own, though they generously replaced it on their dime.

Obviously this is possible, but I find it very unlikely. How long do GFCI receptacles normally last, and what are the possible ways these guys could have caused or triggered the electrical problems I experienced? I'm looking for explanations to help me understand what happened, or if I should take their word for it.


texts: Need advice about rewiring detached garage

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I have an old house (1955) with two overhead wires going from the house to the detached garage (15') where they connect to an old fuse box (picture)

My first question: how does this work? Two wires at the top come from the house, hot and neutral, I presume. Two wires at the bottom power several lights and an outlet in the garage. No ground wire. Those are 30amp fuses. Why do the hot and neutral wires each appear to have a fuse? That's not how breakers work, is it?

My second question: how can I replace this with something safer with breakers rather than fuses? Thanks!


texts: Power supply and dimmer/pot specs needed for LED A19 bulb in DIY desk lamp

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I'm making a desk lamp using a single dimmable A19 7w LED. My questions:

What kind of dimmer/potentiometer can I use?
Can I simply run an extension-type cord from the A19 bulb socket/base into a 110V wall outlet, or is there something special (e.g., power supply) needed?
Is there a newb-friendly resource for learning how to do these relatively simple electronics projects?

Thanks in advance!


texts: Are cripple studs necessary for framing a door in a "decorative wall"

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With a rather large living room in my 1bd appartment, I'm building a semi-permanent partition to split off a second smaller bedroom. The partition will be a standard framed wall and put in place without modifying existing structures (just nailed to the floor, sides, and ceiling) in order to avoid losing my deposit. Basically a more solid version of a privacy curtain.

I understand that the small studs at the top of the door opening are to take over some of the loadbearing that is lost when you cut out a stud to make the opening. Is it acceptable to do away with this for the "decorative" structure I'm building? E.g. just a Master/jack stud with a head plate?


texts: Loose plug in outlet makes circuit work - Weird Issue

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One entire circuit in my house was not working. All the lights and outlets connected to that circuit were off.

Step 1: Check circuit breaker. Circuit breaker was not tripped. Voltage on breaker measured to steady 124v. I tried turning off and on the circuit breaker but the lights still didn't work.

Step 2: I started unplugging everything from the outlets in the room. When I was unplugging a power strip that was plugged in, when I had it half way out, all the lights came back on.

Oddly enough, when the plug is properly inserted, lights don't come on. When it's removed, lights don't come on. Only when it's oddly plugged in at a slant, the lights come on.

I am going to open up that outlet tomorrow. I am suspecting the neutral wire is loosened. Any other thoughts what it may be?


texts: How can I cut regularly spaced 45 degree grooves in a piece of wood?

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I'm making a coat rack to hang behind a door, but there isn't room room for a hanger between the door and the wall when the door is opened so it's parallel to the wall.  My solution to this is to have the hangers align on a 45 degree angle between the door and the wall.  So I need a way to make a bunch of regularly-spaced, parallel grooves in a bar of wood which will act as my hanger bar.  Here's a rough pic of what I want to make:

I'm hoping to avoid the "table saw a bunch of times where you want the groove and then chip/chisel the remaining wood out" technique because it doesn't seem like that will give me nice, neat grooves easily.  I'd love to find a way to use a router (I have a small portable router table if that will help) to do this, but I can't think of a way to produce a bunch of exactly parallel grooves.  Anyone have any ideas?


texts: How do I connect a ceiling fan without a light kit?

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I'm trying to install a new ceiling fan that is controlled by one wall switch.  The fan came with a pull-chain that controls the 3 speeds;  and also comes with an optional light kit.  But I am not using the light assembly  and have removed it from the fan.  However, I noted that there is still one wiring harness that must be connected within the fan assembly...presumably  in order for the pull-chain assembly to work.

The fan comes with a black, blue, white and green wire.  The wiring at the ceiling box consists of one red, one black, one white and a green wire.  I think I know what all these wires represent in terms of the current carried in each.  My question is:  given that the light is not going to be used, do I need to connect only the black to black, white to white, and green to green wires (and cap the red wire), or do I still need to utilize the red and/or blue wires--and if so, in what way?  Thanks for any insights.


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Just bought a log home built in 1980. Doing some remodeling /updating. Almost all the junction boxes have 3M Scotchlok in them. Sometimes they are referred to as "vampire connectors."

Are these connectors up to code? I'm thinking of taking them all out and using the standard twist wire connectors.

The connectors are sized properly. For example, the kitchen outlets are on a 20 amp circuit with 12 gauge wire. The Scotchlok connector model used is 562. Looking on the connector it says "10-12 GA". Looking online I found the product sheet and it is UL 486C compliant as well (not sure that meets the NEC code for wiring a home).

I'm used to seeing these used in car audio stuff... Not in the home. And they usually end up having problems... Like not making a good connection, or failing altogether.

Thoughts?


texts:
I have a 4 foot fluorescent light that I want to hang in my garage for better lighting. I have an outlet on the ceiling next to my garage opener that I know I can use the power from.
The question I have is, instead of opening up my drywall and fishing wires across the ceiling, would it be safe if I used the PVC wiring duct covers (reference the the photo attached)?

Also what would be the best kind of wiring for this project?


texts: Are brass picture hooks ok for a 30lb mirror on a plaster wall?

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I've got a 30 lb mirror with D-hooks on the back and cable that can take its weight appropriately. I've put this mirror up on plaster walls before but I just want to make sure because this time it's in a 120 year old building (very good condition mind you) but on a plaster wall that is above a non-working chimney, so that plaster probably has brick behind it.

I've got 50lb brass 45-degree picture hooks, I plan to use two. Is that ok or is there a better way to put this mirror up on this wall?


texts: How deep should I drill a pilot hole in concrete for a 2 inch screw?

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For fixing a 2 inch screw on concrete wall, how should I drill for good strength and no damage to the wall. I tried a 2 inch screw and drilled for 1 1/2 inch and later tried to screw it into the hole. But the problem I faced is that after the end of the screwing step, a circular portion came out of the wall wall and it became a very big hole.

Now how to fix this?


texts: Can I use a 18AWG wire to connect a low current (LED) light to the ceiling?

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I bought a LED ceiling light with the following specifications:

Wattage: 15W
Voltage: 100-240V AC
Current: 73mA

The product doesn't come with cables, and the instructions say "use a cable that meets safety regulation".

Question
Is it safe (according to regulation) to use a 18AWG stranded wire with the following specifications to connect the lamp to the ceiling?

18AWG wire (150 strands of 0.08mm tinned copper wire)
Nominal Voltage: 600V
Bear Current: 7.5A

Update
According to this table of AWG wire sizes, the ampacity of an 18AWG wire is 10A (60C), and the fusing current is 83A (10s).
And here's the answer from the manufacturer (LePro UK):


texts:
So I'm looking for some help in identifying where I can attach a C/Common Wire to my HVAC system, but unfortunately my system doesn't have a control board that I can easily attach a powerkit to. For reference I'm planning to install an Echobee3.

I've uploaded some photos here: http://imgur.com/gallery/LPzoq/

Any advice would be greatly appreciated, probably adding some circle/arrows so I know what you're talking about ;)

After looking at Tester101's answer, here's an annotated picture.
Notice how they're two free wires(red and black)


texts: Can central alarm smoke detectors be used instead of 120v smoke detectors in a new residence?

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Code requires that new residential construction have a smoke alarm in each bedroom and outside of each bedroom, and that the smoke alarms be interconnected. (They all go off at once).

If you plan to install a central alarm system, (the type that combines burglar and fire alarm with a central control panel that is remotely monitored), and you place a siren in each room, would this meet the code requirements?

Or do low voltage alarms always have to be installed in addition to (not instead of) the interconnected 120v alarms?

IRC 2012/NEC 2014


texts:
I live in Austin, TX, USA.

Just looked under a wooden table in my dining room (shares wall with outside of house) and saw this little tubes hanging underneath. A few still had live worm-like guys protruding.

I'm guessing some kind of larvae. There were little granules of something on the bottom of the table.

The majority of them are near the floor in the corner where the wood end table was. Though I do see four or five hanging from the ceiling in that area.

It's hard to tell from the pictures, but each of the tubes is maybe 1/4" long.

Any thoughts on what these might be, specifically if they look like anything that destroys wood?

Update:

Just had a pest control inspector come out. He says the tubes are moth larvae, as suggested below (good call).

The saw dust is likely from carpenter ants. He says they seem to be localized to the end table so I should probably get rid of it, which is what I'm going to do.

I'll monitor the area for more signs up damage from the ants, but so far it looks okay.


texts: Why did the builder install an OSB Wall behind Drywall?

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In my garage, the builder looks to have installed an OSB wall adjacent to the Living Room. The other walls are just drywall and studs whereas this one has OSB and then drywall on top of it. Is there any reason why they would have installed this wall?
I'm looking to cut a utility access panel into this wall so checking if there's any negatives to cutting through this wall.


texts: Tiny screws/bolts/other fastener - what is it and how do I get it out?

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dont know what these fasteners are or how to remove them. Some kind of bolt i think.

Bolt head is totally smooth and round. Screws into a circular receptical with a tiny circular divit. Can't figure out what tool could get any traction on either the head or the receptical.


texts: Water pressure from slope causing crack and lean in foundation. Is a French drain the answer?

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We have a concrete basement foundation.  It's the type with a retaining wall that can only be seen from inside the basement and a second outer wall on top of which the structure is built.  The retaining wall has a crack and is leaning.  We got a few quotes and the fix is.... not affordable at the moment.

One guy said that the best thing I can do immediately is dig a french drain on the outside of the house because the damage is caused by water pressure from the land sloping gradually in the direction of the house.

I thought that would be a simple google search and then I could get digging, but it turns out there are different views of what a french drain is and how it should be dug.  I'm very confused.

I have a lot of questions, but first and foremost:  Am I digging a trench that has no outlet, but is deeper than the foundation and catches the water from upslope and drains it beneath the foundation?  Or am I digging a trench from the back yard to the front yard that drains the water into a drywell or something in the front yard?

I have to find a way to drain the gutter also since it currently drains into the front lawn from an above ground corrugated pipe.  Can/should these problems be resolved together?

Photo 1: I pointed out the crack location and compromised wall in red.  I pointed out the downspout with corrugated pipe in blue.  There is a small slab foundation addition that I pointed it out in blue so as not to confuse anyone.  I also pointed out in red the cracked wall for the stairwell which is due to the weight of the slab foundation (separate issue, but thought it might be relevant).

Photo 2: A close-up from a different angle.

Photo 3: showing the downspout and alleyway to the front yard.

I am appreciative of any advice at all.  I don't have any experience with this kind of work and this house has too many problems for us to get professional help with all of them.

Couple of progress picks here.  Not yet sure how I'll manage getting around the sewer pipe which is about a foot down.  Also, found an old foundation wall, I'm going to have to pick up a sledge hammer to bash it to bits.


texts: Running conduit between basement and 1st floor

texts:
My basement is currently unfinished but within the next few months we plan on finishing half of it as living space.  Before the framing and drywall goes up I want to run a conduit between the unfinished side of the basement ceiling and the 1st floor outside wall.  It would not carry 120VAC, strictly low-voltage wiring like network and audio cables.  My plan was to use 1" Carlon Schedule 40 PVC (1" EMT conduit if I have to) have it travel from the unfinished side of the basement, across the ceiling of the finished side of the basement (above the ceiling obviously), pass through the 1st floor bottom sole plate and extend about 8 inches or so up into the 1st floor wall.

I would run all of my data and audio cables through this conduit along with a pull string for future cable runs. I would seal around the outside of the conduit with 3M fire barrier caulk where it passes through the bottom sole plate to fill the gaps.  The end of the conduit that is inside the 1st floor wall would be unsealed since I won't be able to get to it and future cable runs would need to exit out of it.  If necessary to pass code I can seal the opposite end of the conduit (the end on the unfinished side of the basement) with the 3M fire barrier caulk, sealing around the cabling as well.

Is this setup permissible from a code standpoint?

Would I be violating the requirement of sealing air gaps between floors even though one end of the conduit is sealed and one isn't?

As far as I know this isn't a "fire barrier" situation like going through my garage walls would be.


texts: How to choose correct drill bit size for screw and wallplug?

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I need to drill a hole into masonry wall.
I've never drilled a hole with a drill bit before and am confused about what size drill bit to use.
I have a screw, and I have a wall plug that will go into the hole.
So do I drill the size for the wall plug or the screw?
Even so, how do I measure to make sure I have the correct size?

Sounds novice I know, but I just don't want to make a mistake in the masonry.


texts: How can I extend a shower curtain to close a gap at the floor?

texts:
My shower curtains fall a little bit too short (like 4cm / couple of inches) and in consequence there is a lot of splash on the floor on the other side of the curtains. Sometimes, it's really wet.

I have to mention that I'm talking about a Finnish shower —I'm living in Finland — so there is not shower tray. It's just the bathroom floor leaning a little bit so the water goes to the sink on the floor.

The curtains are held in place with a rod and of course the obvious solution would be lower the rod. However, we are renting and we've talked with the company owning the building and told us that there is no posible. I guess they don't want to make more holes in the wall.

On the below image you can see the kind of hooks the curtains have.

Wondering if anyone around here has a great solution for this problem or there is nothing I can do.

Thanks!

PS/ The ideal situation is to have the curtains at 1cm or 0.5cm so they are close enough, but they don't touch the floor. If the curtain is touching the floor, mold in the curtains it's going to develop sooner or later.


texts: Adding a GFCI to an existing circuit. 2 black, 2 white wire problem

texts:
I'm trying to add a GFCI outlet to an existing circuit and have run into an unexpected obstacle. All of the wiring literature and videos I've come across allude to either 12/2 or 14/2 cable with 1 black, 1 white, and 1 bare ground wire.

The existing receptacle (non-GFCI) that I plan to tap into surprised me when I pulled it out of the box in that it has 2 black and 2 white wires along with the single ground.

Should I splice the existing blacks together along with another piece to make a pigtail and then connect it to one brass screw, do the same with the whites and a silver screw, then connect the new Romex (12/2) going to the GFCI to the OTHER brass & silver screws? If so does it matter which pair of screws?

Additionally, am I right to assume the connections to the GFCI are made on the LINE rather the LOAD side since there will be no other outlets connected to it?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.


texts:
I want to acquire a piece of black leather with "rings" in it - holes that have been reinforced with a steel ring like you might find on a tarp.

####################################
#O################################O#
####################################
#O################################O#
####################################

It would look like that. Like everything else in life, I'm sure I could find it online if I knew what it was called. When I search for 'leather piece with ring' I mostly just get keychains. Thanks!


texts: Need to drain boiler expansion tank but no drain valve

texts: Been having intermittent banging during heating season. It happens around once a month and the whole house shakes. The gas company believes that it's a bad expansion tank. The old-style expansion tank is probably a 20-25 gallon one. that needs to be drained but there's no drain valve, only unions. Do I need to break the unions in order to drain it or can I just empty it by draining the boiler down?


texts: frigidaire gallery electric range cfef388jeb1

texts:
I had a power outage and now my Frigidaire electric range is making a screeching sound no lights on the knows or oven temperature  model   CFEF388JEB1

Can anyone help


texts: How do you push a cable through a standard conduit inside the wall?

texts: I want to expand my network and transmit it wired through my home and office (in another floor). I know the IT part kind of well, but don't know how to push the network cable through a conduit (already know where's the entry and exit). Do you need a special tool for this?


texts: Finding a switch for dining room ceiling wires

texts: I bought a house and there is a spot in the dining room for a ceiling light (it was capped off) and I installed a chandelier after determining the wires were not live and there is no switch that I can find that would control the light. The wires are not live. I checked the circuit breaker and there is none turned off or marked for the dining room. How can I locate the switch?


texts: Cost of XPS panels vs. sprayed closed cell foam

texts:
I'm starting the process of finishing my nearly full height (7'2") basement and am costing out the insulation. Based on my research of what's best below grade, I'm debating between XPS foam panels (DIY) vs. sprayed closed cell (definitely not DIY).

Based on the cost of the panels at HD ($31) vs. professionally sprayed foam ($1/board ft. quoted) it looks like the cost differential for my square footage (~140 lineal ft.) at 2" depth is about $600. There is a $400 utility company rebate that I would qualify for if I got it sprayed. This is close enough for me (~$200 after rebate) that I'm thinking that I shouldn't bother with DIY and just have it sprayed by a pro.

Is there something that I'm missing in my math below?

137.6 lineal ft.
7.2   height ft.

986.0   sq. ft.
2       in. depth
1972.0  board ft.
$1.00   closed cell spray foam per board ft.
$1,972  closed cell spray cost (contractor -$400 utility rebate)

38      XPS (4x8) sheets
$31.22  Home Depot per sheet price
$1,186  XPS sheets cost
4       Foamular JointSealR tape rolls (90 ft. per roll)
$36.00  Foamular JointSealR tape cost/roll
$144.00 XPS tape cost
12      GreatStuff cans
$4.00   GreatStuff can cost
$1,378  XPS insulation cost (DIY)


texts: Can cmx and non cmx ethernet cable be coupled

texts:
Is it acceptable to use cmx rated cable outside and then switch over to non cmx inside with one of these?
It's residential for poe security cameras and less than 300 feet total in run lengths.


texts:
My electric oven stopped heating. The range works fine. The digital controls work fine. The oven light works fine. But neither the element at the bottom of the oven nor the one at the top heat up at all.
I've run my fingers over both elements, and there don't seem to be any burnt or rough spots.

At this point, I have no idea what to do. And I don't even know whom to call.  An electrician?  A handyman?  Or would it be cheaper just to buy a new oven?

The oven was here when I bought the house several years ago, so I don't have the manual or know where they got it.

If anyone has any advice, I'd appreciate it.


texts:
I know a lizard was hiding in a certain place and unable to get rid of it.

I kept garlic, onion and naphthalene balls as some suggested but no use.

Either i would need to know a use and throw way to catch the lizard or need to place something to avoid it.

Pls help me with suggestion.

Thanks.


texts: We have a j bolt protruding through the wall of our concrete foundation after only 1 year. What is code for fixing this. According to our builder the steel isn’t needed and they can just patch the concrete.


texts: Repair or replace a water pressure regulating valve?

texts:
The water pressure inside a property is low.  The property obtains water from a municipal water supplier.  Staff from the supplier measured the incoming water pressure and reported it was within normal range (at the high end of the range, actually).
The staff reported that the pressure regulating valve going into the property likely is not functioning properly, but also reported that they know little about such valves.
Does that sound like a correct assessment of the problem, and if so, is it best to replace the filter and cartridge in the current regulating valve, or replace the entire valve?
Note that the pipes run vertically and there is no wiggle room for a different size valve if it needs to be replaced.


texts: Do I need soffit vents when I have 2 gable vents and 5 normal peak vents?

texts:
We are in southeast Idaho, have a plain simple gable roof on a 1,050 square foot floor house; the roof's pitch is not great, probably 3 or 4/12 but normal for our area.

We have 1 vent at each gable end (so 2 total), rectangular and about 12" by 24" in area. We have five vents spaced evenly along the roof, about a foot down from the actual peak.  Inside the attic I see the vent holes are about 12" in diameter.

I keep reading that my square inches are probably good for air flow, but I'm wondering if I still need to put in some soffit vents and baffles for good circulation. The people before me vented the bathroom fan right into the attic so I want to avoid installing a new roof again (it was replaced last year-shingles and all plywood panels).

Given this, yay or nay on needing soffit vents and baffles?


texts:
I'am running 2" EMT from an outside enclosure through the exterior wall into a switch room that is being attached with beam clamps, The EMT is carrying a Fiber optic cable feed to the switch room that converts to PVC upon entering the room, can I ground the EMT outside using a ground bushing with a ground rod or does it have to be grounded to the building ground?
The EMT is dedicated to the fiber only.


texts: Finish vinyl plank flooring (subfloor step)

texts: Just wondering the proper way to finish this project:


texts: What dehumidification options don't require a lot of electricity?

texts:
I have permanently humid walls (due to a construction error, not uncommon around here) that I need to dry out occasionally.

I live off the grid, with all power coming from solar panels. That works great, but run-off-the-mill dehumidificators   would drain the system too much.

Do powerful dehumidification options exist that don't require a lot of electricity?

All I can see in shops is those small packages with some sort of salt that you can put in your closet. I need something more serious than that.


texts: Blower motor runs won't shut off no heat

texts:
My furnace is set at 72, my house is 64. I have no heat, and when I turn the thermostat off, it continually runs.
When I'm running the air conditioner, it blows heat.
What is a possible cause?


texts: What are the options for putting cabinets in front of receptacles?

texts:
I'll be putting some base cabinets in my townhouse (northern Virginia), on an existing wall with several electrical receptacles. The receptacles are near the floor, as this is not a kitchen, and would be covered by the cabinets.
What are my options for dealing with those receptacles in a safe and code-compliant way? I'm not averse to moving them up if need be, so they'll sit above the new cabinets / countertop.


texts: Both 3-Way Switches Upstream of Multiple Split Receptacles

texts:
My living room has a series of two outlets that I would like to convert to split receptacles, with the top half always live and the bottom half controlled by a pair of 3-way switches.  Both switches will be new additions.
I would like to run this branch in the direction the power currently flows: Breaker > New Switch Location 1 (SW-1) > New Switch Location 2 (SW-2) > Outlet 1 > Outlet 2.  This is what is depicted in the first image below.

It would also be fairly easy to go: Breaker > New Switch Location 2 > Outlet 1 > Outlet 2 .... with a separate switch leg doubling back from SW-2 to SW-1.  While this can work, it is not my preference.
Below are the two wiring mock ups I've put together.  Note that there will a separate power source (from the same circuit) entering both of the new switch boxes (for unrelated reasons), which is why that appears in the second option.

Thoughts?  Are both correctly wired?  If not, what did I get wrong?  Am I missing another, simpler option?
Thank you in advance!


texts: Should I replace a 50A oven breaker with a 40A breaker if that's adequate?

texts:
I am replacing electric range in an older house with a legacy 3-wire supply. Based on reading posts in this forum, I realize that I can enhance safety by upgrading to a 4-wire supply.
One things I'm trying to sort out is: right now, the range is wired to a 50A breaker. However, the new range is rated for 40A.
Should I replace that 50A breaker with a 40A? I see at least one advantage: I can use slightly lower gauge wire, which would be a little easier to work with. But is there any other advantage or reason to change? The panel is about 7 years old, so it's not an especially old breaker.
Thanks!


texts: Why is it difficult to find pvc pipes in europe?

texts:
I was planning on building some kind of piston toy gun like this one. However, I have trouble finding the pvc pipes in europe (France and Switzerland at least). I looked at the webpage of Hornbach, Leroy Merlin, Brico Dépôt and others, but with no luck. I find bigger pipes, mostly for water sewage or collection from roofs.

However, in the US it seems to be very easy to find. For instance at Home Depot.

Do you have an idea why it is so?

Bonus point: Do you have any idea for an alternative with european available materials?


texts:
Shower diverter:

Need help identifying shower diverter cartridge for replacement


texts: Installing water pipe to outbuilding - how to handle insulation/cold so it won't burst/will be usable in winter?

texts:
I'm in southeast England, so in winter temperatures can drop below zero C. I want to run a permanently installed water pipe to a shed workshop (10 m from house). I can always install an electric water heater in the shed so a cold water supply would be enough. But I'm not sure what to do so that the supply pipe to the shed (and the pipes in the shed itself?) won't freeze and will run in winter, even if not used often.

I've seen that 22/25 mm mains water pipes are made of polypropylene and laid a bit below ground, maybe that's all that is needed (or some specific kind of pipe that is suitable?) but mains water pipes are generally assumed to be in constant use and this one probably won't be. The shed probably won't be heated either. I can give the shed its own stopcock if it needs one,but that doesn't solve the problem.

I can insulate or bury the supply pipe itself, or use some specific type of pipe or approach suitable for cold weather, but I'm trying to find out how it could be done properly (both supply pipe and pipes in the shed) and not sure where to start?

Update

I have some extra flexibility/info about how the shed's water supply pipe runs.

At the shed end, the shed rests on about 300mm of flooring + insulation, which rests on 250mm    suspended concrete slab, with 150mm void below it and then soil. How deep should I run the supply or hydrant junction in this setup? Is it still about 1m below ground, or 1m below the bottom of the void... or something else?
At the other end ("supply" end), I don't necessarily have to start the shed water pipe outdoors as an underground branch of the main house pipe. An alternative could be to run the pipe from a valve/stopcock/tap of some kind within the house, and then instead of running it underground, run the pipe above ground level (attached to the fence our something), and sloping slightly down for the 10 m between house and shed, to the hydrant junction, so that the whole length of the pipe automatically drains through the open freeze-proof hydrant valve and is therefore empty, when not in use? Perhaps with an air valve at the house end? Easy to maintain, but would something like this be viable?


texts: How do I patch up this cracked corner (plaster walls)?

texts:
I have this cracked corner.  To the left is door molding.  To the right is a built-in closet.  I believe the wall is plaster.

How do I fix this corner?


texts: How can I connect a sink, dishwasher, and laundry pump all to one drain?

texts: My drain pipe in my unfinished basement is close to the ceiling which makes it hard to change things. I know that the drain in my basement is wrong right now and I am trying to fix it. I only have one attachment of ABS (1 1/2") to the main cast iron drain pipe and adding another one isn't really an option. I have a kitchen sink with a dishwasher attached to it and a basement laundry tub pump that all needs to be attached to the same drain. The laundry tub pump says that it does not need to be vented or have a trap. I have posted pictures of two options that I am thinking of. What is the best way to do this?


texts: What are these pliers called and what are they used for?


texts: Make new walls match thickness of old walls

texts: I'm working in a 1952 house and the studs used then are apparently 3 5/8" thick instead of the studs today at 3 1/2". I know it's really close so I'm wondering if I fill in door ways along a wall to make it into a longer hallway, will the difference be obvious when you cover the old and new studs with drywall? If so, what options other than tearing down and rebuilding the whole wall might there be?


texts: How do I stop a leak in a refrigerator water line connection?

texts:
I have a copper water line going into my refrigerator.  It's leaking at the connector line in the attached picture.  It looks like the leak is not from the fridge, but from the connection line, right where the copper attaches to the threaded connector.

What do I need to do to fix the problem?


texts: What could I use as a metal body for my DIY wind turbine?

texts:
I'm building a Ametek wind turbine, similar to the one in this YouTube video.

I'm having trouble figuring out what I could use for the metal body, preferably something I could buy from Home Depot or Lowe's. I tried using a sliding closet door bracket, but the base is too small. I need it to be at least 4 inches wide.

Here's what I'm trying to replicate:

Any ideas for what I could use?


texts: Could water temperature fluctuations be caused by new plumbing?

texts:
I'm having a new bathroom installed. I hired a plumber to do all the water works. He ran all the lines; he is now waiting on sink and toilet to arrive to finish installation. Since he ran new line, we have noticed that the temperature of the water in our current shower fluctuates randomly. We've noticed the same with the water in the kitchen sink.

Is this a symptom of the new plumbing? Can we expect it to clear up after the new plumbing is completed?


texts:
The needle on my water pressure has moved beyond the maximum measure, and I haven't checked it in several weeks. Does this mean it is broken, or do I need to let some pressure escape?

The inbound mains supply is not of a particularly high pressure given that I live in a remote area.


texts: Will a 1" thick granite countertop span 22 inches?

texts: I want a makeup vanity but have only enough space for one 18" base. I have granite and a base of drawers 22" deep by 18" wide. If I affix the granite atop the base and extend it to reach the wall, leaving about 22" empty space for a chair, will it be stable (assuming the granite is secured to the wall)?


texts:
How long before a new whirlpool reverse osmosis fills the tank and stops draining? I installed the brand new system this afternoon and after 4 hours it is still draining. Does that mean the tank is still filling or is there a problem?
Model is WHAROS5


texts: Can houseplants actually improve air quality?

texts:
I just moved to a new apartment. If I close the windows, the air gets heavy and stale very quickly and I get a headache.

The place has laminate flooring (which looks pretty realistic, I thought it was hardwood for a few days) and popcorn ceilings. Not sure if this is a problem, just thought I'd mention it.

The flooring looks new, but I know it hadn't been installed just before I moved in. I've lived here for about five weeks, and the air quality isn't improving, so it's not something that's going to outgas quickly.

I read that certain plants can improve air quality, e.g. by absorbing formaldehyde. Of course, I don't know if I need to worry about formaldehyde specifically. There is no "chemical" smell (and I have a fairly sharp sense of smell), it just feels heavy and maybe a little dusty.

How realistic is it to expect to solve this with houseplants (which I want to get, anyway)? I just read things like "plant X is very efficient at absorbing chemical Y", but there was no quantitative information, and I wouldn't be able to use it, anyway, since I don't know what the pollutants are and their concentrations. Would I need a small forest to make a noticeable difference? Has anyone here tried this approach? Would an air filter be a better thing to try first? Any recommendations?

The apartment is approximately 670 square feet.


texts:
I need to lock my bedroom closet doors.  There are two doors that can slide - one door in front, and one door behind. (Bypass doors)
There is an overlap in the center of the two of about 2.5 inches  when the doors are closed.  The track is on the top and they are hollow core.
I need to have the hardware for the locks screwed on the inside or back of the doors so that someone can't just take a screwdriver and unscrew the hardware and get into my closet.
I have researched and searched the market several times and haven't found anything to accomplish this. Can this be a project that has to be made at home rather than purchased?  HELP!!


texts: How do I get a finish on wood that's as bright as when the polyurethane is fresh?

texts:
When I put the poly on, the wood (stained cherry) looks amazingly bright, with depth of color.  After it dries, it looks dull.  Is there a top coat I can put on to make it bright like when it is wet?
Note, I am using satin poly since I don't want a glossy finish, but I do want a bright, deep, color.


texts:
I have old wood paneling that was painted with semi-gloss paint not too long ago.

We want to fill the grooves and make it look like drywall and smooth.
I found this article.

It seems simple based on what they said: just basically fill with drywall compound. However, I have some doubts on cracking as someone mentioned in the Comment section.

My questions:

If I nail the panel carefully everywhere to prevent movement, would drywall compound crack?
If I use the best non-crack compound, would it work?

I try to avoid using the caulking method as it's a large basement and there are many grooves to fill, plus it will stick out and then I have to use extra mud to fill them. I was thinking about tapes but it's kinda the same thing.

Any thought?


texts:
The legs of a pressed wood cabinet have swollen in size and are shredding.
Are there successful methods and/or products for reinforcing them?


texts:
I was working on a house with a sub panel for a shed/workshop. The sub panel was fed off the house main panel via 2pole 50A breaker. The sub was a load center type with no main breaker. The neutral bus bar of this sub had both the neutral and the ground from the house tied into it. Likewise the circuits coming into the sub had the grounds tied to this neutral bar. My understanding was that the ground was only to tie to neutral at the main panel where the main panel ground came in. I understood this was to avoid a lower potential ground path through something or someone shorting the circuit and getting fried.

Am I mistaken?

Should I put another bar in the panel to separate the ground wires from the neutrals?


texts: Is it possible to "push" a leaning concrete wall upright?

texts:
We have a driveway with a poured concrete retaining wall that is backfilled up to about 5 feet high. The apex of the wall sisters up to the house foundation. There is a gutter that spans right over this backfilled area but is probably malfunctioning. The cumulative effect is that the wall has started separate from the foundation and bows and buckles, it's displaced about 1 or 2 inches.

If I dig out the soil behind the wall, will it be possible to push the wall back into place with a proper method?

My thought was to built a sort of brace by setting up two-bys on the opposing wall, then placing a piece of lumber between them cut to the ideal length, and slowly, progressively, if needed, hammering it down to apply continuous pressure, adding more as needed, until the wall arights itself. Unlike foundations, it's not supporting any weight above, and without the soil behind it, it seems like it could be "pushed into place.

The plan then would be to chisel out the crack, fill with S type mortar, and revise the gutter with a flexible pipe to drain all the way out to the sidewalk.


texts: My gas heater relief valve keeps blowing, is the circulator installed backwards?

texts:
So I had a contractor put in a new circulator last season.  Its a honeywell PC3F.  I tried turning my heater on for the first time this season and the relief valve blew.  I tried replacing that and the new one blew.  This has never happened before. so I wonder if it has something to do with what the contractor did.  He also added a small expansion tank to the unit and routed water away from the old expansion tank which rotted out.  The hot water does not reach the radiators.

This is a long shot but could the contractor have installed the circulator backwards?  I noticed the writing on the front of the device is upside down and I don't think it was meant to be.


texts: I have a 70 amp breaker for a hot tub i'm getting rid of the new one is only 50amp can I use the same breaker?

texts: I have a 70 amp breaker for a hot tub i'm getting rid of the new one is only 50amp can I use the same breaker ?


texts: Is it normal for drill bits to slip in a keyless chuck when binding in metal?

texts:
I'm trying to drill some 5-10mm holes in 1-1.5mm thick steel. I'm using a DeWalt DCD777 18V cordless drill with Bosch HSS bits (which claim they're made for drilling into metal). Both the drill and the bits are brand new.
No matter what I do, the bit almost always binds into the metal just as it's about to exit the piece I'm drilling, starts twisting inside the chuck, and gets damaged.
Here's a photo of the damaged bits. You can see, especially on the bottom of the bigger one, how the inside of the chuck rips into the bits.
Now, my question is not about how to stop the bits from binding, I've found plenty of advice about that. My question is, is it normal for the bits to slip like this once they do bind? I've been told that a keyless chuck is not as secure as a keyed chuck, which of course makes sense, but how can I tell if it's normal behavior or a faulty chuck? As I said, the drill is brand new, I can still return it and get a refund (or another drill), but I'd prefer to do this only if the machine is actually faulty.
I am pretty sure I tightened the chuck as much as it's possible to do by hand. I'm a pretty strong guy, and the method I use is: one hand on tool, the other on the chuck sleeve; tighten as hard as I can, until I can no longer get it to ratchet. I've also seen videos like this, which advise to back up the chuck a bit after tightening it, to engage the spindle lock, and I tried that too.
The bits do not slip at all when drilling into wood, even on holes as deep as the bit is long. Even when drilling steel, they only slip when the bit actually binds.
So, any tips on how to tell if a chuck is weak?


texts: Replacing 5 gang light switches that have 3 of them daisy chained together

texts:
I am trying to figure out how to wire these with a new style light switches (the basic 1 and 2-way switches from Home Depot).

I've installed light switches before but this is confusing to me because these old switches really don't show what is what.

These are all independent of each other so they don't work off the same light.

The far left one is by itself which I can install myself with no issues.

Not sure what other information I can provide to help solve my issue.


texts: I am desperate to caulk over bad grout, for a short fix

texts:
I keep reading "do not just caulk over bad grout", "do it the right way", "take out the grout is the only way to do it"... do it "right", yes. But I need to caulk it.

We havent used the shower in years, after learning it had not been properly renovated, with the intention of tearing the entire thing out ... but what if I am 35 weeks pregnant, on bed rest and am sick of my husband not getting on top of this one thing I wanted done before baby (to take a shower in my master bathroom). Why? Because my MIL will be staying with us and using the only other bathroom in the house and I dont want to share a bathroom with my MIL right after delivery.

Can I just caulk this kind of problem for a short while, somehow? A month maybe? The owners before us did a bad job on it and it is falling apart at the edges and corners. So we have not used it in years. Once I can get around after delivery - this reno project is getting DONE! In the meantime I want to be able to take a shower in my own room. Its a bathroom on 1st floor, with a cement floor. I dislike the entire thing. We want to just put in a fiberglass tub/shower but my husband has not given a lick about doing it before baby. And I am on bedrest. So, its been a sore situation as normally I am the one to initiate these projects. The whole house has been a project so it has just been frustrating.


texts:
We have an old and rusty range hood in our kitchen that needs to be replaced. It is 42" wide (over a 31" cooktop).

The problem is that the vent opening is not at the center of the hood (see picture). All we could find are standard hoods where the duct opening must be at the center (here for example).

Does anyone know a hood model that looks like this? or that can be easily modified to look like this? Or is a non-ducted hood our only chance?

Thanks


texts: Replacing receptacle wallplate with nightlight, but terminals are not exposed

texts: I went to change the existing wall plate with a wall plate that has a built-in night light when I went to do this I noticed the wiring on the outlet itself is covered by what looks to be a plastic box that covers the wiring on the sides they aren't exposed and they need to be for the night light to work what kind of Outlet is this and what is the plastic box surrounding it how can I get my night light to work?¹ thank you!


texts: Is it better to do convert builder provided carpet stairs to hardwood yourself, or have the builder do it from the start (e.g. for townhome)?

texts:
Title should summarize the question. I have heard that in general it is good to have certain troublesome things done by your builder from the start, depending on factors like

lest you have to damage your own foundation
go to large amounts of trouble to tear things down to do them. (I'm not sure nor do I remember what kinds of changes these are).
complexity
cost

I am curious what the opinions are about carpet vs hardwood stairs.
Unrelatedly I don't have the reputation to create a townhome tag if it would be relevant/good to do so.


texts: Need Help I'm moving a light switch from one wall to the other, but I ran into a problem

texts:
I recently moved into a house and I'm converting the attached Garage into a workshop. The thing is the light switch was on the other side of the Garage by the Garage door, I decided to move the switch closer to the door going into the house. I got the Box moved to were I want it and started the wiring process. The problem I have ran into is it seems to be a three way light switch. (only one switch turns on the lights no other switch to the indoor light) so I have 2 black 2 white 1 red and 1 ground wire. the light fixture does have an outlet on it and its a pull chain light fixture (planning on replacing the light fixture with an outlet and hanging up shop lights) when I was wiring it up I read on a different form to connect the 2 white wires, the two black wires with a third wire to connect to the switch and then put the red wire on the switch as well, (the light switch has no ground I'm going to get a new switch that has a ground on it.) I hooked everything up and flipped the breaker back on and tried the switch, I got nothing. I'm not an electrician nor do I have the money to hire a electrician. I'm stumped and annoyed at this. I know one wire has to be connect to power, then the other connected to the light fixture and outlet combo, or could I have it wrong and the fixture has the power going to it and the switch just completes the current, there is four wires the run to the light fixture, 2 black and the two from the switch box.

I'm sorry for the long paragraph I'm just trying to give as much detail as I can any help or tips would be greatly appreciated

EDIT: I went today and got a three way switch wired up everything and still nothing, i pulled the light fixture and seen about four or five black wired bundled and going on to the connection. a bundle of white wires and a red wire connected to the other terminal. i have two hot wires the red and one black going to the switch.


texts: Replacing 3 bulb fixture with LED fixture

texts: I have a kitchen light fixture with 3 bulbs.  Each bulb has a black and white wire attached.  This fixture is on a 3 way switch.  I am replacing the current 3 bulb light fixture with an led fixture that only has a black, a white and a ground wire. What do i do with the extra wires coming to the light fixture?


texts:
I am having a problem with my home concealed wiring . In two rooms i am having delay of 3-4 seconds to get power once the switch is on ( whether it is light, fan or power plug ) . Both these rooms are charged from a line that starts from main switch board  ( where distribution happens ) and comes to a junction board from where it is split to two rooms . I got my computer's motherboard (connected to power plug in one of the rooms )  faulty and the repairmen told it was due to power problem .

Is this problem due to breakage of connection wire ? If it is what is the best way to detect the breakage .


texts: Improve the look and durability of wood siding

texts:
How can i improve the look of the above piece of wood near the door step? I am new to wood work so would appreciate the steps to be carried out and materials to be used for the job.

Below is another piece thats inside the house and needs work.


texts: RCCB trips and causes sockets to lose power, but lights, etc. don't lose power

texts: Several times in the last month, we have experienced small power surges that cause the circuit breakers to trip. Most of the time this has been the "sockets" circuit breaker, however 15 minutes ago the RCCB "protected circuits" tripped, while the other circuit breakers remained on. During this the "sockets" lost power, but lights,  and the rest of the electrical system did not go off. Is this unusual behaviour? From what I've read, if the RCCB trips, the entire electrical system is supposed to stop working.


texts: Can I create an outlet from patio light but always powered on

texts: I am trying to provide an main source for security system. I don't have any socket outside but I do have lights. Could it be possible to construct an outlet or drive a main from this lights so that I can power security system. I am thinking of enclosing this outlet/main wires in some kind of casing to prevent it from rain. Thanks.


texts: Is it ok to simply cap off an unused 240v line in a junction box?

texts:
I have a hard-wired 240v appliance in the garage. A junction box contains the connection between the 8/2 feed from the panel and the 8/2 appliance leads. I am removing the appliance. Is it legal to simply cap off the supply wires and screw the junction box closed? My preference would be to install a 6-50R, but the breaker is only 40a, so that's not an option. Does the breaker in the panel need to be removed/disabled so that the wire isn't live?

California.


texts:
I have an old gas furnace/boiler for hot water baseboard heat and I'm trying to switch from a 2 wire mercury bulb thermostat to a Nest Thermostat "E" (the new white faced one).

There are 5 wires in the wire bundle between the furnace and the thermostat with only the red and white being used in the original setup. I believe I've added a common wire correctly by connecting one of the extra wires to the "C" terminal on the transformer (see pictures below) and the other end to the "C" plug in the Nest.

The Nest powers up fine and seems to detect the wires without any errors. But it's not able to switch on the heat. If I turn the heat up all the way and wait the screen turns orange (to indicate that it's heating) but the furnace never switches on.

some things I've checked

If I unplug the R and W wires from the Nest base plate and touch them together the heat immediately switches on. So I don't think I've broken anything.
I have a cheap voltage measurement tool that reads 24v touching one end to R and the other end to W at the thermostat base plate. It also reads 24v touching one end to R and the other to C. Is this correct?

Anything else I can try? I'm not sure if this is an issue with the nest or with my wiring. I gave up on Nest tech support after being on hold for 30mins. and I figured I'd check the internet before Nest tells me to call a pro.

PICTURES

Let me know if you need more info or pictures

Original setup behind the thermostat:

Original setup at the furnace/transformer:

This is how the boiler is set up

close up of original connections on transformer

There are 5 connection points on the card, I'm assuming the R (bottom left) and C (top left) are the only ones actually attached to the transformer. The middle one (white circle) I think is labeled "G".

transformer connections with blue common wire connected under the screw

So my common wire is going directly from the "C" terminal on the transformer to the thermostat. Everything else is unchanged.

Nest wiring screen


texts: Could a faulty stove burner trip the circuit breaker?

texts:
I have a four-burner stove and recently every time I switch on one of the burners it's tripping my main circuit breaker. It began with only one burner but lately it does it with two of the burners. I did check if there were any wires that was burned but couldn't find anything.

Then what it did next was to try and swap the faulty burners with one of the burners that was working without overloading and tripping my breaker, and when I switched the plate on it didn't trip my breaker. Is it possible that the fault can be on the burner itself or is it somewhere else that i need to look into?


texts: My dog chewed the surface of my doors, how should I go about fixing this?

texts:
My dog was kept in the bathroom and ended up chewing the surfaces of my 2 doors. What's a good way to go about fixing this to make it look at least decent again?

This is the damage:


texts: Is there a way I can make an interior door a better sound insulator?

texts: I have an interior hollow bedroom door. The door seems to offer very little sound insulation, and I would like to add a bit more. I'm not expecting to get perfect silence or anything, but I would like to deaden down the sound some, so that way way I can listen to something in my bedroom at a reasonable level without my kids hearing it to the point that they can't sleep. I have in my mind that there might be something like an AB Foam type product that I could pour in to my door and make it a bit more sound resistant. Is there any such product? Any other suggestions to improving sound resistance in a room?


texts: Thickness of Acrylic for shelves with 39" span

texts: I'm planning to mount acrylic shelves in front of a window. The shelves will be 10" deep and 39" long. I will be using brackets on both ends that run the full depth of the shelves. There will be no center support. I'd like to put about 20-30 lbs of plants on the shelves. What thickness does the acrylic need to be to avoid sagging and other structural problems? Would .5" thick acrylic work? .75" thick. The cost gets prohibitive quickly. Also happy to take suggestions of there is a stronger/cheaper plastic material (besides acrylic) that would also work. Thanks in advance.


texts: How to repair this scratch in laminated countertop?

texts:
I made a silly mistake and scratched the countertop of my kitchen.
Is there any way to fix this?


texts: What's this piece called (Need to know what to stick into Google)?

texts:
I've got a drawer that is held in place with these clip type things but one of them is missing.
I want to try and find a replacement but I need to know what it's called so that I know what to search for on Google.

Where the one that's missing would be, there's a screw that it would have mounted on to.


texts: Use a 50 amp / 240 volt outlet for car charger and snow melting system?

texts:
We have a 50 amp / 240 volt outlet in our garage for an electric car charger.  We would like to use this power for snow melting our driveway in Massachusetts so as to avoid needing more power to be added to the house.  We would never charge the car and snow melt at the same moment of time.
   I would have thought there would be some sort of manual switch that would allow me to select between "charge car" and "snow melt," but one electrician said that if we attach the snow melter, we could never charge the car.  Each one is required to have its own dedicated circuit, and we would have to add power to the house.
   If this is the code?  Why?  Why can't I just be allowed to choose ?

To be clear, my existing setup is two  50amp breakers in a 100 amp subpanel dedicated for two electric cars.

I gather I could theoretically have four 50 amp breakers where I now have two: two for the electric cars, and two for the snow melters. It would all be legal, if I got two generator interlock kits and each one pairs two of the 50 amp circuits, insuring that I could never use more than 100 amps at a time.  Is that the idea?

Any reason why these interlocks couldn't be placed by the existing 100amp subpanel (shown here in the photo)?


texts:
I'm building a dog house for our new puppy and got stuck on something.

The plan...
I want to build a frame and put external and internal walls so I can fill with insulation as Winter where we live gets a bit cold. (around 0-2 during the night).

I had some framing timber hang around in the garage so I'm using that for the frame. Some 45x45 posts and treated ply for the walls and floor.

The problem I found is...
I need to put a couple of screws through the posts into the beans but because the posts are corners posts, I will have 4 screws coming in. Kind of like this (below).

The problem i find here is that screws will clash to each other. So I was thinking I could divide the bean in for parts (let's say 1,2,3,4) and in one side I would screw the 1 and 3 and the other side I would screw 2 and 4.

Is there the way to do it or there is a better way?

Thanks in advance


texts: Ground neutral bond screw on a PON main panel

texts:
I'm installing a Plug-On-Neutral (PON) main panel. There is a screw with a label indicating that if I need to bond the ground to neutral, tighten to 40lbs.
Now I know main panels generally have the ground and neutral bonded, and it appears that they all are, but I am assuming something is not.  Is it the PON neutral bars specifically that are not currently bonded?  Is there any reason, for a main panel install, that I would not want to tighten this screw?
As a side note to someone with a higher reputation.  It seems like a "Plug-On-Neutral" tag is warranted.


texts: Solution for A/C Condensate Drain Line that doesn't require emptying a bucket of water every day?

texts:
I have a split A/C system in a room that runs on low 24 hours a day during Summer that unfortunately cannot be connected to any drain or pipe and which therefore requires a bucket outside to be used to collect the condensate from the condensate drain line in the exterior unit that sits on my balcony in my apartment building.

This is quite frustrating as the bucket has to be emptied every single day (once a day), so I'm looking for a better solution.

The bucket is already quite large and gets quite heavy at the end of the day when it's full, so maybe something that makes the water evaporate faster than normal so that I don't have to empty the water so often?

Does such a solution exist or am I condemned to a lifetime of emptying the bucket every night during Summer?

** 14 May 2015 EDIT **

I have not yet been able to solve this issue.

Without going into details, connecting the condensation drain line to any drain of any kind, drain line, drainage hole, ground, pumps, pipes, etc. is NOT an option, so I need an outside-the-box solution.

The A/C Condensate Drain Line seems to empty about 3 Gallons / 12 L per 24 hour period.

Potential solutions:

Humidifier

Are there outdoor-friendly humidifiers that could get rid of 3 Gallons/ 12 L per day?  The tank would not have to hold that much as the drain line would just drip the water constantly into the tank.
CONSIDERATIONS: Would I need to use more than 1 humidifier and serialize them?  Can a humidifier handle being on for 24 hours a day for 4 months straight?  Can a humidifier handle the elements (e.g. could rain affect the circuitry or create any electrical issues)?

Plant/Grass garden

My balcony has 37sqft / 3.4 m2 of area to play with but only 1 hour of direct sunlight (although plenty of indirect sunlight) per day, could I create a garden of plants/grass to absorb the water?
CONSIDERATIONS:  How much garden would I need?  Which plants could meet this criteria?  Could the balcony handle the weight of soil + plants + water?

NEW: Drip Tray + Humidifier Wick

What about something like this plus several of these, could that evaporate 3 Gallons / 12L per day?
CONSIDERATION: Would they get clogged from dirty city air? How many wicks would I need to evaporate all that water?

Any other outside-the-box solutions?

Would any of the solutions listed above work?  If so, what specific details would I need to make it work?  Are there any other solutions?

CLIMATE:

On the hottest Summer months, the average relative humidity is about 72%, with about 9 mean daily sunshine hours, 1-2 inches of monthly rain, and daily mean temperatures of about 76 F / 24 C (with average highs of 84 F / 29 C). Remember, however, that the balcony only receives about 1 hour of direct sunlight, although plenty of hours of indirect sunlight.

As you can see, it gets VERY dirty due to this being in the inner city next to a large avenue where a lot of cars run through creating a lot of direct air pollution, so any solutions that may clog need to take this into account. This is another reason I want to avoid having to open the balcony doors to empty it every night. In case it helps, the model of the outdoor unit is Mitsubishi MXZ-18TV.


texts: Sonoff Mini with Home Accessory Architect firmware

texts:
I am using a Sonoff Mini in DIY mode with HAA firmware and connected to a wall switch on S1 and S2 connectors. I have wired it like this:

I am also using the default configuration JSON for Mini offered on the templates webpage:
{"c":{"l":13,"b":[{"g":0,"t":5}]},"a":[{"0":{"r":[{"g":12}]},"1":{"r":[{"g":12,"v":1}]},"b":[{"g":0},{"g":4},{"g":4,"t":0}]}]}

The problem is that actuation using HomeKit doesn’t work at all. I can hear the relay clicking when I try switching on and off, but that does not have any effect on the state of the lamp. The wall switch works, but that does not change the lamp status in Home app. Plus, the LED light connected to Mini flickers.
I wonder if this is a configuration issue or a hardware one.


texts:
We recently bought a house in the UK built on 1936. The house has been refurbished and extended a few times over the years.
With the cold and moist weather outside, the first thing we noticed was a draft coming from the kitchen, causing the temperature in the kitchen and the hallway leading to the front door to be lower than the rest of the house. And because the thermostat is in that hallway, you get a super hot first floor and an ok-ish ground floor.
Tracking where the air comes from, we spotted some vent bricks lower the the floor level and higher than the ground outside.
After some research online, these were apparently used to ventilate suspension wooden floors on the ground floor from moisture and mould. However, as far as I can check and to the best of my knowledge the floor is from cement now on the entire ground floor. I guess when it was originally built it was wooden so this made sense.
Am I safe to block all these foundation vents around the house? Or even just that one would make things better I guess. What else would you advise to deal with this?
Thank you!


texts: Over the range microwave oven fan speed is the same in all settings

texts: New microwave swap out  with new one but fan is loud, &  speed is the same in all3 settings panasonic  nn se284b over the range microwave oven


texts: Can I use an insulated ground wire in a sub-panel?

texts:
I'm running a new sub-panel to my basement (the main panel is in the garage). I bought a 500' spool of 6 AWG THHN. The distance to the sub-panel is about 110' so I cut the spool into 4 x 125' lengths. I was planning on using one of the THHN cables as the ground. I just wanted to confirm that it would not be an issue running an insulated wire as the ground. I don't see why it would be a problem but just wanted to double check.

And as a follow-up, I saw one place that if you are using 6 AWG or larger you must use different colored cables. The spool I purchased is all black and I color coded each cable every couple of feet with colored tape. Is that going to be a problem or is that more of a inspector-by-inspector issue?


texts: Should I buy or hack a 240v remote controlled thermostat?

texts:
I'd like to buy/easily create a thermostat that remotely controls a 240v / 10A switch.  At a minimum the switch should be on when it's hot, and the threshold should be configurable. Digital temperature settings and inverted on/off a bonus!

The usage is to control a an electric heater that normally plugs into the wall and has a built-in thermostat. By plugging into the remote controlled switch and setting the built in thermostat to max, the heater will respond to the ambient temperature at the remote thermostat which I'm hoping will be more stable than the local temperature in the heater casing.


texts: I would like to make my vent hood vent to the outside instead of into the kitchen.  Would also like to wire in an auxilary fan (inline within the 6" piping) to help pull out the heat.  Both the vent hood and the 6" auxilary fan simply plug into wall outlets.  How can I wire them together so the aux fan comes on when the ventood is in use?


texts: Reinforcing a shelf supported only by pins

texts:
Our liquor cabinet has the usual row of holes drilled on either side for height-adjustable shelves, with typical shelf pins:

I think the wood is MDF + veneer. It might be plywood. It's not holding the pins very well.

The end result was sudden catastrophic failure followed by two hours of mopping up glass shards while trying to convince the world-famous Siberian husky who lives with us to stay in the other room.

Yes, that is a marble tabletop that actually got shattered into pieces by a bottle of Maker's Mark (recommended).

What would you use to reinforce these shelves instead of the dinky little pins?


texts: Caulk/Drywall crack between Shower/Tub and Wall?

texts:
So I have what looks to be a small crack next to my shower/tub (One of the fiberglass inserts) and the wall next to it.

Im assuming this is just where the silicone/caulk has dried and cracked? Is there an easy fix to this outside of just tearing out all the silicone? The house is around 6 years old. it's such a small crack im wondering if I can sort of press in the silicone in the crack to give it some "pliability" since were literally selling this house in a month and i'd rather not have to tear out ALL the caulk around the shower. (BTW how big should the gap be? the gap between what seems to be the drywall and the shower insert seems to be...widish?

Photo: http://imgur.com/a/41JYb


texts: Is it NEC-compliant to place a GFCI or AFCI receptacle or deadfront device in a location not readily reachable?

texts:
NEC 240.24 requires overcurrent devices (fuses/breakers, incl. AFCI/GFCI/DFCI breakers) to be placed so that their operating means is no more than 6'7" off the ground under most circumstances, and also imposes a few other requirements on their placement (not near easily ignitable materials, not in a dwelling unit bathroom, not over a staircase).  However, it seems there is nothing in the NEC that governs the placement of receptacle-type or deadfront circuit interrupter devices, or whether their operating means must be accessible whatsoever -- apparently, even boneheadedness like wanting to put a GFCI in one's ceiling is Code-compliant.

Am I correct that there are no placement requirements for deadfront or receptacle type circuit interrupter devices? (i.e. GFCI receptacles can be placed over stairs, in a ceiling, 20' up on the wall, in a clothes closet, or in a dwelling unit bathroom, the last one being quite common practice in residential wiring.)  Or am I missing some part of the Code that prohibits such boneheadedness as a GFCI receptacle that's too high up for anyone to reach, or a deadfront AFCI in the back of one's clothes closet?

If this is allowed by code, what risk would an interrupter device in a bathroom or closet or over a staircase pose, compared to that posed by a singular overcurrent device in that location?


texts: Fixing gap under one side of a steel garage door

texts:
One corner of my new slab-on-grade garage foundation is 1.375" lower than it should be. My garage door is level, but as a result of the low corner, there's a gap on one side:

The concrete guy has agreed to pay for whatever reasonable solution is necessary to address this. Here are the things I've ruled out:

Mudjacking the whole foundation. I don't want to tweak what is otherwise a level, square, plumb structure.
Adding more concrete to this corner. Getting enough in without messing up the drainage may not be possible.
Removing some concrete from the other side. This creates other drainage problems (after running downhill about 12", the driveway slopes up and away from the garage).

The door vendor has recommended getting a thicker rubber seal on the bottom of the door. I'm worried that this will be ugly, could skew the door over time (since one side will be compressed more than the other) and may not make up the gap.

What other/better solutions are there?


texts: Where can I get a 4-way shower faucet cartridge? I need one that's 42mm, and Amazon only has 40 or 45mm.


texts: How to fix a boiler that is not blowing enough air?

texts:
I have a new York 4 ton 15 SEER heat pump with 5 ton York air handler with expansion valve; it also has a coil behind the air handler going into supply line from an outside wood boiler.

I think the fan motor is 1 hp variable speed motor, 1050 rpm. I don't think it blows enough air out the vents.

With the boiler water temp outside at 160 degrees, it took from 9:30 to 12:00 (2.5 hours) to bring the inside temp from 57 to 62 degrees.

Notes:

Outside temp was 46 degrees.
It is a 2400 sq.ft. heated space.
Walls are foamed 1/2", with 6" insulation.
Ceiling has 12" insulation.

Can I get a higher rpm motor to turn the fan faster to ultimately solve this problem, or is the boiler coil reducing the air flow too much?

If not, what do you think the problem is? I asked the HVAC contractor who installed it but they are not helping.

If you need more information please ask.


texts: Do I have to install a vent to add a bar sink in my basement?

texts: I want to add a small bar sink in my basement.   I have 1 1/2" line transitioning into a 2" before it goes into the floor coming from the kitchen sink above, it is 48" from the location I want put the sink.   Do I need to run a vent up or am I close enough not to add a vent


texts: Following this simple diagram what wire goes where?

texts:
These are the available wires:

This is the diagram on how to connect them to 110v

And that's the plug I want to use with that fan.

Now the diagram seems clear:

Brown takes 1 line
black, white, yellow on line 2
red, orange, blue on insulate.

My questions are:

Line 1/2 which one is black or white in my plug?
Do I use all 3 wires (black, white, yellow) together or just pick 1?
Does insulate mean the green wire in the plug?


texts: Should a GFCI interrupt the entire circuit?

texts:
I moved into a new house and never heard of this before, so I thought it was strange.

On 2 circuits I've had a GFCI trip, and when they do, they trip the entire circuit.  I thought they were just for the specific GFCI outlet, not the entire circuit.

Do I need to rewire these, as they are nuisance tripping.


texts: I replaced my bathroom exhaust fan switch with a countdown switch

texts:
I replaced the switch of the AirKing bathroom exhaust fan with a countdown timer.
However, even the timer is working as expected, I noticed a drop in the fan power, it does not blow as much air as it used to blow. So, I think the issue may be related with the output of the countdown timer. The manual (see below) mentions an output of 500W. But, I am not sure what is the wattage of the fan. Would you agree that this is the reason for the drop of power? Can you recommend me what should I look for when buying the right countdown timer for a exhaust fan?


texts:
I have a patio roof that is sagging in one corner due to a poorly constructed slab. I am going to install 4 concrete columns 2 ft in the ground and 2 ft above with a post support mounted in the form. I am going to replace the existing beam and relocate about 10 inches further away from the house. By moving the beam further it will be lower to the ground due to the pitch of the roof. I don't want anyone to hit their head so I need to think of away minimize or eliminate a beam over the walkway to the backyard.

Is it possible to have 2 seperate beams instead of one continuous beam? I want there to be enough clearance through the walkway.

The joists are 11' 9" with 22" spacing. The beam is 28' and is 4x6.

I would like to remove the middle section over the walkway which is 8' or use sandwiched 2x4 for a 4x4 beam. I am going to use 4x4 posts.


texts: What are the plugged pipes on the outside of my roof staircase wall?

texts:
There are also these pipes sticking out from the wall of my rental home. I guess they are either gas, water, or disconnected. Are they a common thing? Like for a sink?

The owner is coming later this week to check for a water leak. I need to know if he is going to scour the room near where these pipes are because it’s at least a day of cleaning if true.


texts: Dealing with scratches in baseboards and concrete from flooring installation

texts:
This is not the same question at all.  One asks about how to improve my cutting technique and nothing more.  This asks about how to deal with the aftermath specifically focusing on sealing in/cleaning toxins. Might have been good to link questions but they are not the same.

While installing some vinyl I accidentally cut into wood, skirting board and cement wall. Just a few questions regarding the clean up.

What should I fill the newly exposed wood up with? Shortly after cutting I noticed insects gather around the wood.  Does the smell of fresh wood attract insects?
I can smell a sligh smell from the skirting board.  Would this be freshly exposed paint or would that be wood though I cannot see any fresh wood exposed in the picture.
Does cutting into cement lead to the creation of any off gassing or does fine dust get created from slicing into it?

Thanks


texts: My lawn sprinkler system has 4 zones and I noticed that one zone is staying on all the time. Even if I set the timer controller to off position, that valve stays on. If I unplug the controller, the valve shuts off. I tried doing a reset on the controller and it made no difference. Do I need to replace the controller?


texts: I have a 20 amp type QO GFCI circuit breaker (12 GU wire) that is tripping under load. My home is about 5 years old and the breaker provides power to half of the kitchen outlets and part of the dining room. The breaker just started tripping few weeks ago. We use a air fryer on this circuit and it trips about a minute after it has been on. I tested the amps while on and it reads 12.5 max. I’ve tested a different appliance on the circuit with the same results. Additionally, I tested the air fryer on a different 15 amp circuit, no issues. Do I have a bad breaker? If not, what else could be the issue? Thank you!


texts: Static electricity from all of my devices

texts:
I am not sure that my question is suitable for here but I can't find an answer anywhere.

I live in Europe and I just moved to a new apartment. In my bedroom I have 1 electrical socket. I connected an extension cord to this socket so I will be able to connect my PC to it, screens, phone charge and a laptop charger.

Now, when I accidentally touch the USB connector of my charger or a usb port on my PC or any metal thing that is connected to the socket i get a static electrical shock.

I think that this is because of the grounding but I really dont know.
Is changing the extension cable could help?


texts: Why would the input gas pressure fall when the central heating boiler calls for heat?

texts:
Since the annual service of my traditional gas boiler the house takes considerably longer to heat up.  The boiler flame no longer seems as "fierce" as previously.  I'm told the burner pressure and temperature flow rates on the boiler are correct and that the input gas pressure is just about within the expected range.  However it was observed (in passing) that the input gas pressure does fall "significantly" when the boiler calls for heat compared with the gas pressure being delivered to the boiler when it's off.

Could this be causing the problem?  Is this something that can be fixed?  Does it mean an adjustment, a new part or a complete new boiler?


texts:
I have a dead kitchen outlet. Switching the circuit breaker won't bring it back. I looked at the GFCI and it looks like the RESET button might be stuck. This seems like my issue. Is there any way to repair this myself?

Thanks


texts: Is there a name for a duplex outlet that takes eight wires, plus ground?

texts:
In my home (built around 1970), I found a bizarre outlet when replacing the dated old ones. The front is your standard duplex, but on the back there are holes for 8 wires (4 hot, 4 neutral) plus the ground. Into the box, there are 4 pairs. Is there a name for this type of outlet, so I can try to find a replacement? I don't want to try to jam them all together in a standard outlet and create a hazard!

The original outlet says max 15 amps, 125v. Please see pictures below.

EDIT: Replaced front pic with sharper image, added pics of hot and neutral sides.


texts: If I measure a closet door opening, to be 35.5" x 80" and the door opening does not have any trim,  what size bi-fold closet door would I need to purchase.


texts: Furnace fan starts slow and is getting slower

texts:
here is a sound clip, start at about :55 or listen to whole thing!

https://clyp.it/3h54oe2q

model is tg9s060b12mp11 luxaire, which comes up as York most places.

Anyhow, what's the best way to diagnose if this is a motor problem or a capacitor or whatnot.

Here is how much I know about furnaces - I found out how to take the panels off. And there is a kill switch on the wall.


texts: Is it possible to install an occupancy sensor switch to control 3 light fixtures?

texts: Renovating my bathroom, I wanted to have 3 wet proof light fixtures in the shower/tub area. The source is at the light and the instructions are vague. The sensor is a Lutron MS-OPS6M2-DVR-WH.


texts:
I want to build a simple drywall dropped "ceiling" in one of our rooms. The idea is simple, it'd go all around the room for a led strip lighting, and in the middle there would be an "island" with led strip around the edges (hidden of course) and spots in the middle. I however have a pretty hard time understanding how to frame with the profiles we have around here.
We have 2 types:

UD
CD

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Profile-Drywall-Plasterboard-Ceiling-Extension/dp/B07DLVM766
So from this two I'm trying to come up with a plan for the part that goes around the room walls.
However, I don't know how I should be doing it to be honest. I can see a whole bunch of youtube videos but most of the time I see those fancy exotic profiles which we don't have, or simply shows the design, empty room, done. Couple russian videos show the process but can't see how they fix the profiles together.
So my question, which should I use, though both has questionable parts.

I fix one UD profile to the wall, and another to the ceiling.
I take the CD profiles and stack them into the UD on the wall and screw them together from the bottom.
I take another UD and attach it to the other end of the CD profiles and again screw them from the bottom.
Now, I could screw the drywall sheet to the bottom, but it'd just bend the profiles, so I need a whole bunch more CD profile from the ceiling and screw them from the outside (not the wall side).
Since the UD profile opens towards the wall, I can't screw the CDs to the UD, other than fixing them with a vertical drywall that I screw into the upper UD, the vertical CDs and the lower UD.

I kinda feel like that's just a recipe for a drywall falling down on my head during a TV session when the screws tear out of the drywall due to the weight of the horizontal portion. On the other hand it's a lot cleaner than the other that solves this problem to introduce another...

UD to wall and ceiling
CDs from the wall but to the whole length of the drywall panel.
instead of using CD-s from the ceiling, I'd use 2 vertical UD profiles for each horizontal CD profile, and basically sandwich the CDs in between the UDs so I can screw those together.

The downside, I cannot attach the LED strip and I need an extra sheet of drywall for mounting it and I loose around 3centimeters due to the height of the profiles. Any tips?
@Update:
Seems like the 2nd option will do the trick. At least in paper it looks promising:

I really hope 50mm of opening for the LED strip lighting will be sufficient; not like it should illuminate the room but still.


texts: How do I repair a glass cooker hob (glass top stove)?

texts:
We have a glass cooker hob (glass top stove) where the black glass has chipped at one edge. Is there a repair system that will hide the damage?

I am looking for something that is gloss block that will stick on the glass, so as to hide the chips.

This is what I mean by a "cooker hob"


texts:
I had to take down a ceiling light to remove an old wire while renovating.

I eventually managed to wire everything up correctly, but I'm still puzzled by how I miswired it the first few times.  I know I got the pairs of wires mixed up, but I still can't picture any circuit that would do what is described below.

3 pairs of wire come into the box - one set of black and white is the power coming in, one pair goes to the switch for the light, the other continues to the outlet on the wall.  The light had a CFL bulb in it, and the outlet had an LED night light plugged in.

Once I restored power:

With the switch up (can't say for certain if this was on or off), the ceiling light was on, but the night light didn't.
With the switch down, the ceiling light was off, and the night light was on dimly
When flicking the switch, the nightlight would get brighter or dimmer for a second
With the bulb in the ceiling removed, the nightlight wouldn't work at all.

At no point did the circuit breaker trip.  Also, the entire circuit has no ground connection.

What kind of messed up wiring would make it do that?  I've since figured out the correct wiring, but it still bugs me.

Edit:  The closest I can come up with is that maybe I wired the light and outlet in series (incoming black to outlet black, outlet white to light black, light black to incoming white) with the switch between the black and white of the outlet.  I think that might do it...


texts: How can I raise the level of an existing paved patio?

texts:
We recently had our back garden paved but the level is lower than I would like it to have been, leaving a big step from the kitchen door to the patio.

Is it feasible to pave over the slabs, or even to reuse them over a raised floor?