texts: How to prevent the washing machine outlet from backflowing to other devices

texts:
I have a washing machine that drains into a sink standpipe.

I also have a clothes dryer that drains to sewage or greywater plumbing.

When I connect the two via a T-piece with the dryer inlet at the side and the washer inlet at the top, even with a siphon internal to the T-piece, backpressure further down the drain leads to backflow from the washer to the dryer, which if operating, thinks that its drain outlet leads to the internal water tank, which has become full, and stops so the tank can be emptied, thus interrupting drying.

Right now, I've had to separate the two outlets, with the dryer outlet moved to the sink, but this is less than ideal, as we may want to store water in the sink without it overflowing, and I aam anticipating adding another appliance which I would not want to have drain to the sink at all.

The dryer barely has enough pump pressure to pump water into the sink, any back-pressure leads to the dryer assuming a full tasnk and shutting down, so common backflow preventers that need even a slight bit of pressure to allow forward flow won't work.

The appliance I am considering adding to this system is a Catgenie, a  black-water-outputting device, with a low flow and also a low output pressure, so I would certainly not want that draining direct to the sink.

How can I prevent the washing machine outlet from backflowing to the dryer and catgenie, prevent the catgenie from backflowing to the washer or dryer,  and prevent backflow from any of those 3 devices to the sink?

I am looking for a minimum time and cost solution, as I can't afford to go to a plumber unless I have no other choice, and would prefer a non-permanent solution that isn't 'plumbed in'.

EDIT

I am going to need some sort of backflow preventer.  When the washer drains to the standpipe, sometimes grey water flows into the sink basin, depending on if there is a partial blockage downstream.

With the catgenie connected and the washer running, the possibility of black water backflowing into the sink basin currently exists, which, while tolerable for grey water, is obviously unacceptable in this situation.

Any backflow preventer is going to have to work at very low pressure,  since everything is effectively gravity fed.

So... I need a backflow preventer for the sink basin, and also for the dryer and catgenie. They need to be near-zero forward pressure devices.  Mains pressure backflow preventers will not work. Something like a float or gravity valve, probably.


texts: installing a replacement fixture with three lamps in one on a two way switch

texts: I am replacing a single pendant-type ceiling light with a new pendant fixture that has three individual pendants that go into the single "hood" that attaches to the box in the ceiling. There are two wall switches that control the light on opposing walls. My question is, how are the wires from the three individual pendants wired to single set of wires (black, white, ground)from the box? I understand about ground wire, of course; just not sure about how to configure/join the wires from multiple pendants to the single set from the box. I will have an electrician check once I have done it, just  want to know how it is done. Thank youT


texts: How to restore power after tripping a surge protection device?

texts:
What happened

A new electric kettle apparently caused a loss of power in a circuit.  The circuit is one of two 120V/20A lines protected by an Intermatic PanelGuard model IG1240R surge protection device (SPD) at the panel. (This appears to be an older model.  A similar device is described at http://www.intermatic.com/Products/SurgeProtectiveDevices/IG_Series/IG1240RC3.aspx.)  The circuit breaker was not tripped, nor did either of the line monitor lights on the SPD go out (indicating it thinks it is working properly).

The problem

I have been unable to restore power to this circuit.  Of course the kettle was immediately unplugged (and seems to be working properly on a different circuit).  All I can see to do is make sure all connections at the panel are secure and to flip the circuit breaker switches off and back on. I cannot open up the SPD itself and it has no external controls--only its two monitoring lights.  Testing with an ohmmeter at the receptacle shows continuity.  The voltmeter verifies no current at the receptacle, but there is current between the circuit breaker and the SPD.  There is current throughout the other line protected by the SPD.

Additional information

This is the first such loss of power we have experienced in this circuit in the 10 years we have lived here, so presumably it is correctly wired.

There are no receptacle-GFCIs installed on this circuit: just plain 3-prong 2-outlet receptacles.  Each has a little label stating it is GFCI protected and refers to "instructions" at the panel--of which there are none.

The question

This all points to a defective SPD, but am I perhaps missing something?  What does it take to reset one of these things?


texts: How much weight can a 2x4 bear horizontally?

texts: I am building an indoor climbing wall that will have 4 or 5 different sections no longer than 44". I am planning on using 2x4 to make frames for each of the sections that will be 96" by up to 44". The studs will be 16" apart. I am wondering if 2x4s will be sufficient or if I need to be doing 2x6s.  The sections of the wall will all be overhung and not vertical.


texts: Does a French drain need to terminate above ground?

texts:
I'm in central Florida (lots of rain and sandy soil), and have had drainage issues around my house.  I'm putting in french drains to resolve this.  As shown in the image below, the drain (red) will be sloped down towards a lake.  There's a little berm just before the lake.  I'd rather not have the french drain exit out of the ground on the other side of the berm for aesthetic reasons.

Will it work to just terminate the french drain below ground?


texts: How can I deal with waste water from a washing machine in a non-plumbed room?

texts:
My wife wants to build a small add-on to the house in the current carport for the washer/dryer. It's not a huge project. The washing machine will be about 30ft from it's current location. I don't want to run plumbing outside the house to the drain; I'd rather do it through the attic, which extends over the carport. My question is: how do I handle the water discharge? Someone told me that the discharge head on a washing machine water pump is enough to handle the rise into the attic and the run to the drain, but I haven't really been able to find out if that is true. My original thought was to install a small holding tank with a float switch operating a small 110V Jabsco pump.

If I go the holding tank route, does it matter how the holding tank is installed in relation to the washing machine and what would be a "safe" minimum size for the holding tank? Surely 10 gallons would suffice?


texts: Do I have to install the grounding electrode all the way to the service section, or can I bond the gas pipe to building steel which is continuous through out bldg and then bond the steel to the service?


texts: Water pooling against the garage, limited drainage options

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I have a single family home in the city in MN. My detached garage abuts the alley, and I have a concrete slab next to it that spans the rest of my small property line (basically the back of my property is either covered by concrete or the garage.)

The issue I’m having is that the water draining away from my property to the alley is getting trapped along the garage. (The garage appears to be low on one corner because water will seep under the door a little ways). The fence posts around this spot have also started to be affected by frost-heaves. Either I have to raise the garage (really out of the question), lower the entire section of concrete next to the garage, or something else to get the water draining freely out to the alley, or at least not pooling against the garage.

There is no open ground to dig a French drain without tearing up concrete... I’m wondering if this group has any other ideas. Could it be something as easy as digging a low spot in my yard a few feet away from the garage, and planting a rain garden and have the water collect there in the spring instead of against my garage?


texts: Why are there sometimes holes in framers squares?

texts:
Sometimes I notice there's 0, 1, or 2 circular holes in framers square. I also hear "framers square" and "carpenters square" tossed around as if they're interchangeable terms - perhaps the hole has some sort of relationship or distinguishing aspect between these 2 tools (or maybe they're synonymous)?

What are the holes there for?


texts: Shower engages immediately instead of using the tub spout

texts: When I turn on my shower the water immediately goes to the shower head and not the tub spout. What's the issue? I put on a new tub spout a while back because the diverter was corroded. It seemed to work for a while and now it doesn't go to the tub. Any suggestions?


texts:
Short: My fridge was cold two days ago. Now it's not cold at all. Makes no sounds. Power is on and lights on.

Long:

Fridge was in storage for unknown years, and filthy.
Cleaned and plugged in. It got cold and ran well for maybe 1 day.
Water dispenser (maybe) leaked. It looked like it may have been coming from the ice maker inside and trickling down. I didn't get to diagnose.
Thermostat works. Says it's 70 deg.
There's no ice anywhere: inside, outside, etc.
There's no sounds. No fans, compressors, silent.
There's a condensation tray underneath that has a lot of water in it.

I'm not sure what of this leads to the right answer, but I figured this is specific enough to pinpoint. Thanks team.


texts: Do Old Houses Have a Pre-determined Lifespan?

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Taking into consideration the building supplies that were available in that time period for that particular geographic area (say, a major metropolitan city in the mid-western United States), do homes built in the late 1800s have definite points in time that they reach where they are essentially beyond repair without a complete teardown? I'm not really talking about things that can be replaced like legacy iron piping with contemporary copper...I'm talking about the lifespan of the actual bricks and wood that go into the foundation/frame of the house itself deteriorating to the point that the house becomes structurally unsafe?

Is this a real problem? Or were the supplies used even in the late 1800s treated well to such a degree that, given typical housing standards (at that time) if it were properly built, should last for hundreds of years?


texts: Can I fuse two Neutral lines of two different power lines?

texts: I am from India where we use 220V AC supply. There are two power supplies for my house. Can I use the Live wire of one power supply A and the neutral wire of power supply B to power my geyser? I want power supply A to be billed


texts: How to replace soldered valve with push in connect?

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Attached diagram is for my main water shut off valve in my 2nd floor condominium. Existing valve is gate valve which has stopped working. I am no longer able to shut off water supply.
Copper pipe is coming out of wall and going back inside, I want to replace valve with push in connect (shark bite) valve.
I will be shutting off water supply to my unit from valve pit (dedicated to my unit)outside the building before I replace it.
My plan is to cut out copper pipe near both end of valve to remove it. But I don't know how I can fit the push in connect between solid coper lines. For push in connect valve I have to push valve onto pipe and I have to do that on both ends. I have to cut both ends to leave enough room that I can fit new valve but same time, I have to push new valve onto both ends of pipe, I can't imagine if I will be able to push enough length of solid pipe ends inside the valve fitting.
Any thoughts ?


texts: Question..I have a 3/4" wafer board?..Particle board? sub floor..which is laying on laminated joists that are 24" apart..my thoughts were to lay a 1/2" sanded underlayment to that perpendicular to sub floor..staggering any joints,now this is a very small floor just around 106 in length by 53 in width and with the 17.5 tile that's only a 3 tile by 6 tile job and not a single tile cut has to be made ..not a single one..first question with the new 1/2" underlayment it should be glued? not glued? and not screwed to the joists through the sub floor? 3/4" + 1/2" + 1-1/4 inches which is sufficient thickness if the the joists are spaced 16"..but what about if they are like mine 24" apart..I also purchased a Hardie 1/4" backer board the would give me 1-1/2" thickness..is this two much? need to know about not nailing 1/2" underlay to joists...and do I really need the Hardie Backer Board for such a small project? basically it is a kitchenette with a large fridge and an commercial grade ice cream stand that will just sit there and probably never be moved again...please help me with this thank you...SM.


texts: How to fix a faucet that drips unless we turn it extremely tightly?

texts:
We started to notice that the hot water bathroom sink faucet still drips after we turn it with the normal amount of force, but if we twist it harder it would stop. This problem exacerbated and it became harder and harder to make the dripping stop. Now we can't actually stop it.

I know there are several different things that could possibly be wrong with a leaky faucet. I just want to know if this information can illuminate the exact problem, so I don't end up doing something unnecessary and possibly making things worse.


texts: What are my options for tiling over an uneven concrete floor?

texts:
UPDATE:

After doing my research, it seems like I will need to level the floor before tiling. My carpenter doesn't know how to it so I will have to get a contractor to do this job. How much would it roughly cost to level a 550sf floor in Chicago area? I will get a quotes but it would be nice to know the ballpark figure beforehand.

Here are some photos how the floor look.

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipMOEk8rZGFprcejd63FeoRT2TUbdMbJWp6bJvgrhbEZAygfvkO4JLow_MCLlDNp3A?key=VUlFNmUyNXZnRVRGSFd5RmVyQ2s2WDg2Q0FnaGRR

My basement of about 600 square feet had vinyl tiles and carpet. I ripped everything out to install porcelain tiles. However, the concrete floor is uneven and wavy. The basement is a rental unit. Some of slopes are about 2,3 inches deep. It would cost me a lot for the self level compound like levelQuik ($36/ 40lbs bag that covers about 40 sq feet 1/8" deep)

My contractor has already installed the porcelain tiles in the kitchen. They show lippage but don't look too bad with wide spacer. I'm just concerned if they will break or come off later because of the uneven floor they are on.

If I don't level the floor and install the tiles anyway with either

vinyl planks like this
http://www.homedepot.com/p/TrafficMASTER-Allure-6-in-x-36-in-Canadian-Hewn-Oak-Luxury-Vinyl-Plank-Flooring-24-sq-ft-Case-81314/205893535

or

porcelain tiles like this
http://www.homedepot.com/p/MS-International-Classico-Blanco-12-in-x-24-in-Glazed-Porcelain-Floor-and-Wall-Tile-16-sq-ft-case-NHDCLASBLA1224/204800225

will they lose adhesive or break and come off later? What are my options here?


texts: Heat pump shut down after 15-20 secs in cool mode

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I have a York Stellar 2000 series Heat Pump model E1CS add-on system to a gas furnace.  The heat pump had been working fine for a great many years.  It now has problem in the cooling mode.  When the system has not been running for many hours (such as at the start of the day) and the whole system is cold (the compressor, all lines, etc are cold to the touch), it would run for a few minutes then the pump shutdown.  After that “initial run”, about half hour to hour, it would restart and run for a 15-20 seconds then shut down again.  Then another half hour to hour later, it again restart and run 15-20 secs then shut down. The cycle repeats.  The outside of the compressor is very hot to the touch.  I have verified the following:

About 24 volts  is present at the solenoid controlling the reversing valve during “cool mode”, and 0 volt at this solenoid during “heat mode”.  I hear the solenoid click and a swoosh sound when switching between heat-cool, cool-heat.  From this I assume the reversing valve works fine???

During heat mode (no problem running for 5+ minutes or longer), the system produces heat, and during cool mode (at least while it is running) the system generates cold air.  So I assume the compressor is o.k???

When the whole system is not running the low side pressure is about 125 psi (R22, 90F ambient).  This probably is the same on high side also since everything settles after the system is not running for hours.  In any case, at least the system has enough refrigerant to produce heat and cold air.

The outside and inside condensers and cooling fins are clean. The big cooling fan atop the heat pump works fine.

During the cool mode when it ran for a few minutes,  I could feel the low side pipe got very cold then gradually heated up until the heat pump shut down.   This does not seem right, beside shutting down after 15-20 seconds.

Thank you for any suggestion!


texts: How should I seal and insulate a crawlspace to mitigate radon and allow for storage in the space?

texts:
Background:

I recently bought a house built in 1996. It has a 1480sq ft (approx) living area, which is the same as the crawl space size. The location is in the Kansas City metro area. The yard is sloped up from the road, I would say about 10' higher. I have about 10-12" slope from the house walls to the yard to prevent water from building up beside the foundation. I regularly keep my gutters clean (PITA) and the roof has a good 10-14" overhang.

The height of the crawl space is probably 40-48" or so, enough for me to walk with knees bent and hunched over (I'm 6'2" tall). The crawl space has two sump pumps, geo thermal HVAC unit (two pipes run through the crawl space for it), and a main water feed line (at least I think it is). The floor has gravel, and digging through it with my hand, I noticed there already is a thin vapor barrier, however, it does not go up the walls. It seems to end right at the wall. My crawlspace stays cool and dry. I do not see any issues with my joists or floorboards (there's no insulation between the joists).

The entrance to the crawl space is from the garage. The garage has been cleaned and finished (epoxy flooring, painted walls, all walls insulated, etc). So the likelihood of debris entering will be minimal if at all.

Problem

When I bought the house I was tested at 4.6 for Radon. I received several quotes for radon mitigation and they all come in over $2300 for parts/labor which includes sealing the crawl space floor and running a vent from one of the sump pumps.

Action Items

If nothing else, I'd like to accomplish lowering my radon levels (vapor barrier attached to wall and fan/plumbing out through roof).
I would like to insulate the exterior walls to help keep my house energy efficient, and warmer floors in the winter time. I plan to replace the carpeting with laminate flooring.
Completely seal the crawl space, add an AC vent and return and make it a conditioned area.
Once sealed, use this area for storage and build a patch panel wall for Ethernet, phone, and coax cable connections. Possibly place a server and network switch as well.

Skill Level

I consider myself handy. I've done laminate flooring, replaced toilets, tiled bathrooms, worked with electrical and plumbing, etc. I would always hire someone when in doubt. I'm not afraid to get help when needed.

I only have time on weekends, so if not completing a task until the following weekend or spanning the entire project over multiple weekends is not acceptable, please bring this up for one of the tasks mentioned.

Questions

Solving the radon:

Would placing a vapor barrier over the existing vapor barrier and gravel be acceptable in terms of installation or would it be better to remove the existing barrier and gravel first?

Would doing this alone while keeping the crawl space vented reduce the radon without placing a fan and plumbing to exhaust the radon out past the roof?

Solving the energy efficiency:

After installing the vapor barrier and sealing it up 12" to the wall, what is the recommended method for installing foam boards to the exterior walls: do I have to keep it a certain distance from the floor; from the joist?

Can the foam boards lay over the vapor barrier on the wall?

Once the foam panels are installed with the vapor barrier, can I continue to leave the vents opened until the hvac system has a vent and return in place for the crawl space?

Maintenance:

Once sealed and conditioned, is there any maintenance to be done in the crawl space?

Anything to look out for on a monthly, quarterly, annually basis?

Should I be measuring temperature/humidity in the crawl space? Will temperature and humidity fluctuate a lot?

Storage and other:

Once sealed and conditioned, is there any items to avoid storing since it will be sealed (ie paint cans, oil, etc)?

For building a patch panel and network/electronics, will it be an issue in the crawl space now? I'd assume having it sealed will provide a much cleaner and "controlled" area going forward.


texts:
Ok, is please bear with a little explanation:

My girlfriend had the master bath in her condo remodeled, and asked her contractor to install a new (GFCI) outlet. He apparently pulled it from the switch for the vanity light fixture. At the same time, he installed a dimmer switch for that same vanity light. The good news is there is no buzzing from the light fixture at all. The bad news is that the new outlet is buzzing and crackling like mad. These people told her there was nothing that could be done, and that it wouldn't hurt anything, it was because the dimmer and the GFCI amounted to two transformers on one circuit. This is a crock, but I wasn't around when the work was done. At this point I am wondering if anything can be done without pulling out the new sheetrock. The GFCI outlet works fine, it tests and resets normally, and you can use it nomally as well. It just sounds like an angry beehive. I was considering a lamp debuzzing coil, but my only experience with one of those, it made as much noise at this outlet is. Any suggestions?


texts: I’m replacing a ceiling fan/light with an older light fixture. I have a couple questions-1. The light fixture has two black wires (one with tiny print) and the ceiling fan has three (one for motor, one light, and one neutral), which do I connect together? 2. I don’t have a wire cap for the third wire-is it safe to cut off exposed wire and just leave with sheathing over it?


texts: I am staining boards to build a shelving unit for my dad. Staining before building, which I know is backwards but there is a reason for doing this. My question is... Can I stack the stained boards if I let them dry 48 hours?


texts:
I have a 3000+ sq-feet two-story house and over the time the carpets upstairs and in the basement reach a point that cleaning is required. I looked around and eyed on these two products:

A pro-grade Bissell product
A cheaper Hoover Power Scrub Deluxe Carpet Washer

Given the price difference I can only presume the former is better, but the specs didn't tell too much why is that, except that it has longer power cord and much heavier.

I'd like to know if I indeed need a pro-grade cleaner? Does it do a better job, for example it's capable of cleaning really touch stains while the cheaper one can't?


texts: Why would you ever use oil paint on new work?

texts:
Background: a large steel door at our office was recently painted with an oil-based paint, and we spent the day suffering through the fumes that permeated practically every space in the building.

What are the advantages of using oil-based paint over a zero-VOC latex enamel? Does it key better to steel (the door was primed; I'm not sure with what)? Is it more durable? What other advantages does it have over other options?


texts: What brand and model is this thermostat?

texts: Does anyone know what brand and series this thermostat is? I'm looking to find the user's manual. The cover that flips open fell off and it's lost. Thanks in advance!


texts: How to detect minor leaks in problem area below skylight?

texts:
I've had problems with my skylight leaking into the conditioned space (roughly 1 gallon per storm), but I think it've fixed it for the short term by replacing its screws and caulking it. I don't see any water in the conditioned space now. I suspect that the fix won't hold up for long, but I'm hoping to buy some time to flash it until I can get my whole roof replaced.
In the meantime, I'd like to avoid costly damage to the drywall and trim below it (as well as mold!). Part of me fears that the light is still leaking to the attic but not to the conditioned space, creating an invisible risk of rot.
Is there a good way to detect small leaks in that area so that I can intervene before it becomes a big issue again? I don't need an immediate alert. It would be sufficient for me to crawl into the space every few weeks to check some type of indicator.


texts: Our door won't close, is it a sagging door or a misplaced strike plate?

texts:
We moved into a house with a custom wooden door and surrounding frame, the door is very heavy and has four hinges.
The door won't close properly unless I lift it up and on hot days this doesn't work.
Observations:

The hinge side gap is symmetrical top to bottom
The top gap is ~3/16th lower on the lock side
The door does not rub on the floor or the frame
None of the hinges seem sunken or loose from the frame
Both strike plates are ~2/16-3/16th higher than the lock

Things I've tried:

Hand tightening all of the hinge screws
Replacing a screw with a 3" in the top hinge
Bending the leaves on the top two hinges

What should I try next?

Moving the strike plates down
Adding shims to the two bottom hinges

#1 seems easier but the door will still sag and it will leave a visible cut out in the frame
Any other ideas?


texts: Deeply notched deck post also supporting a roof

texts:
This seems like a lot of lost beam for a support that is also supporting a complete roof structure.  Am I being paranoid?  Please help ... before the builder gets farther into this deck construction.  IT'S NOTCHED THIS DEEP ON TWO SIDES.  Context - midwest with snow and thunderstorm loads.  My concern is twist and sway from wind and weight.

I'm sure another pair of beams is to be added across the outside once the opposite support beam is notched out.

The picture isn't 2 vertical beams that's 1 vertical beam that's had 3/4's of it's body cut out to support the deck beams.


texts:
I was putting up a hanging ceiling light. I connected all the wires, turned the light on and off, nothing happened. I got up to see what it's about. In the moment that I saw the brown wire somehow un-connected, a mini explosion happened with the wires. Do you know what it is about and did I do a lot of damage?
PS: Please don't jedne me, I'm just an overly enthusiastic college student


texts: Please help me understand how to wire a circuit for this welder

texts:
I have a dual voltage tig welder I want to wire a circuit for in my garage. The welder will be the only equipment plugged into this.
Attached is the spec sheet, requiring a 30a breaker (and will be using 10/2 NM) for 110v, and a 50a for 220v. This will be run on 110v only. The feed to this detached garage is 8 gauge, on a 40a breaker in the main panel. May upgrade this in the future, but not at the moment.
The welder has a 5-15P plug as shown for 110v operation. What receptacle am I supposed to use that will be safe on this 30a circuit? I am not entirely sure what is correct in this application. Can I use a 5-20r receptacle? I feel like no.


texts: Adding circuits to an outdoor surface mount electric panel for kitchen remodel

texts:
I am in the middle of a kitchen remodel. I originally thought there were (2) 120v circuits into the kitchen, so I thought I'd only have to add a couple more, but that is not the case. The two circuits ended up being multi wire branch circuits that connected to the living room and garage. Therefore I need to add a circuit (each) for lighting, 2 circuits for counter space outlets, fridge, dishwasher/disposal and microwave.
Anyway, the panel is an outdoor surface mount on the back of the house. The house is slab on grade with an attic. I am planning to run the "home run" through the attic and protecting the wires close to the attic access. My current problem resides around dropping the wires from the attic to the breaker box.
I originally just thought about dropping a conduit from the attic to the box just like the one coming out of the top left of the box (see picture: this contains the wires for a 50 amp and 20 amp 220v circuits) to the right side of the box. Then just dropping the NM romex through that. But...as I have read about this, I think the requirements are a little more nuanced than this.
So here are my questions:
1.Can I run the conduit to the right top of the panel and have the conduit just terminate in the box on one and and in the attic on the other end? To do this I will have to cut a hole in the top of the panel with a hole saw. It is 25.5 inches from the top of the top of the conduit body to the top of the breaker box.
2.There is a pop out toward of the bottom right side of the panel. Could I use that pop out and run the conduit a little further to avoid cutting and potentially dropping the waste metal on the live nut inside the panel?
I would use raintight conduit connectors for either of these options.

If either of these are not a problem, can I simply continue the NM romex into the conduit from the attic into the box, or do I need to transition to NM-b or UF romex before entering the conduit?

If I have to transition to UF, can it be in one junction box for the 5 romex cables or do they need to be separate?

Although I am not running a combination of 12 awg and 14 awg (separate circuits for each size of course) depending on the circuit, is a 1-1/4" conduit sufficient for (5) 12/2 romex NM or UF (whichever is required?

Is there anything else I am missing or that I should consider?

Thank you in advance for any advice you can give me.


texts: Making a ridge for a tile roof - Any cheap way?

texts:
I'm making a shed, with a roof made of cement tiles. I'm trying to be as cheap as possible, but still making it as nice as I can. Most materials are salvaged from here or there, or bought second-hand.

I managed to find exactly the tiles model I wanted, for cheap, but it is very difficult to find the corresponding ridge tiles this way. And those are very expensive if I buy them new (to get the 11 ridge tiles I need, I'll have to pay more than the price I paid for the ~140 standard tiles I got - call me stingy, but that annoys me).

So, I was wondering if there were any cheap way to solve this. Here are some options I was considering:

Making a dome all along the ridge, just with cement mortar. But I'm afraid it will crack. And it will probably be a bit difficult to have a nice-looking result.
Using different kind of tiles. I can easily find some standard curved-shape clay tiles (something like this) for cheap, and seal them with cement. To me, it looks similar to the ridge tiles, but I'm not sure it can be used as such.
Something else?

Here is the details of what I currently have:

And, for information, a link to the documentation of the tile model I used (sorry, it's in French).


texts: Should my fan have been installed off center?

texts:
We recently had a Duralum freestanding patio cover installed. There's electrical running through the structure, and a light/52 inch fan coming down from the ceiling.

The fan was installed 11 inches off center. It's noticeable to me, especially when sitting at the table, and it's frustrating to me. It took me a while to figure out why they installed it where they did, and then I figured it out. The Duralum product's ceiling is made up of 4 foot panels that are snapped together. The center of the structure would be about 6-8 inches off of the seam between two panels, so they installed the fan in the center of one of the panels instead.

If this product requires the fan to be installed in the center of a panel, then in my mind, they should have placed and centered the panel that would be holding the fan, and built out from there. Instead, they placed a panel at one end, then just snapped them together until they reached the other end. The last panel was cut down to size. If they were to fix this, they'd need to disassemble a good portion of the structure since everything is connected together.

I have a few questions:

Is it appropriate to install something like a ceiling fan off center without first speaking with the customer and getting their approval?
Does it seem like it would be required to install the fan in the middle of a panel? Does that give it any more structure/stability?


texts:
I just started to renovate my apartment in an old building. I removed the paint from the walls, but when i started to remove it from the ceiling I noticed it was fitted with polystyrene sheets.
I thought that it was glued, but to my unfortunate surprise adhesive, cement i think. It was used to bind it to a wall.
How do I remove it without damaging the ceiling? I read that chemicals are used on bricks but not sure about wall?
Also underneath cement is from what I can see paint on a plaster (i think its called that in English)
I would be really grateful for any help, or do i have to call somebody with more experience?


texts:
Here's a bit of an odd one for you. I have a length of rope I need to put one end into a hoop to support the weight of a boxing bag. The hoop cannot be "tied" though. I somehow need something like this:

but stronger I think. Any suggestions?

EDIT: Something like this: but smaller :)


texts: ceiling fan install red wire /white wire

texts:
My kitchen had a ceiling light with 2 switches. I removed the light fixture and I want to install a ceiling fan and light that has a remote control.

I connected the black wire from the fan to the black wire in the box and the white wire from the fan to the red wire in the box. The light and fan work from the remote but not from the wall switch. Is this correct?

Also, when I turn the fan and light off at night using the remote at around 10 pm, we find the fan OR the light will be on around 2-3am and this will happen even with the light switches in the OFF position and the battery REMOVED from the remote. Why would that happen?


texts: I'm using CLR with a hose and scrub brush but it's not taking much off. When it dries the stains come back much the same. How should I clean this?


texts: How do you connect a light switch with no wires available?

texts:
House built in the early 70's..  Wiring/Light issue.

In ceiling light junction of master bedroom is power source.  From there a wire leads to one wall outlet without further wires and a light switch on the wall.  From light switch there are two more wires.  One heads to another wall outlet.  The other sends power to the bathroom, other bedroom and a light at the landing.

Problem:  'maintenance guy' disconnected too many wires at the ceiling light in master and at the wall switch and can't wire it back together.  I need power to stay on for all the other rooms but the switch (single leg?) needs to turn only the light on and off without shutting power off to the other rooms...  There is no extra set of wires meant just for the light and switch.  They were part of everything and are not to be taken out of the loops so all other rooms and outlets work properly with constant power.  How do I achieve this without adding a wire?


texts: Range manual asks for 40A while label states 26.5A

texts:
Running a new 8/3 Wire (75') for my Samsung dual fuel Range. Was about to use a 40A circuit breaker, but the difference between the installation manual (40A) and the label on the appliance (26.5) makes me wonder.

Is it ok to have what's looks like an oversize breaker in the box?

Many thanks!


texts: Why would half my attic roof be drywalled

texts:
I live in a townhouse (about 40 years old) and my neighbors recently had a piece of drywall fall from their attic roof and create a hole in their upstairs bedroom ceiling.

I examined my attic which is really just a crawlspace and on both ends there is drywall shimmed against the attic ceiling, about 3 rafter sections on each end have this drywall. There is about 20' in the middle with no drywall. It is not nailed or held in place by anything except smaller pieces of drywall about 3" by 3" that are nailed to the rafters. The drywall against the ceiling rests on these smaller pieces. About 25% of the drywall has sagged and has fallen down onto insulation (luckily it hasn't punctured my upstairs roof).

Why would a builder do this?


texts: How can I pressurize water to make my own pressure washer?

texts:
COVID19 unemployed my family, and I don't want spend at least $100 on Electric Light Duty pressure washer. What can I try first?
How can I modify my high pressure plastic spray bottle, if it doesn't pressurize water enough? Home Depot has manual pump sprayer, but I don't know if it pressurizes water more than my spray bottle.


texts: What is the best way to anchor a swing set for high usage by rambunctious children?

texts:
At an organization where people take their children, I recently noticed that the swing-set was in poor condition, and being used hard by the children there.  The entire apparatus would shake and sway and also was leaning in a direction as though it would fall over.   I alerted the authorities of said organization, and they have removed the swings and locked the necessary doors to prevent access to it.

The organization wishes to repair or rebuild the swing set, but on the whole and given the rambunctiousness of the children I for one am uncertain how to proceed, though they await my suggestion and or action to correct the problem.

Metal and concrete sound the best, but there is still the issue of anchoring the swing set in place, and as I recall this is not a small matter as I had a swing set when I was a kid and due to lack of sufficient anchoring, my father took it down, never having found a solution to the anchoring issue.


texts: How can I remove a key that is stuck in a lock?

texts: I used the wrong key, checking a lock. Can I get it out or do I have to get a whole new doorknob. Oh and this is just a regular front door lock.


texts: Can I make my own foil faced insulation?

texts:
I come across this video where they talk about the product called SilverGlo.

I'd like to add this insulation into my attic on my own but I am unable to find a seller. I found a similar product in home depot but it's only 1 inch thick or it is a bare styrofoam without the both sided aluminum foil barrier. I need at least 3 inches and both sided radiant barrier. All I can find are the contractors who can do it for me. I'd like to save money and do it myself since it doesn't seem to be a rocket science.

Is it possible to use bare styrofoam and wrap it into radiant barrier foil somehow to make it both sided rigid foam?


texts: Replacing tongue and groove floorboards: but can't find a match

texts:
A room in an old farmhouse, formerly a porch, now enclosed, has floors made of tongue and groove lumber.  I need to repair those floors by replacing at least some sections of floorboards - somewhere between 10-30 linear feet.

Each original floorboard has a 3 1/4 inch face, and is 3/4 inch thick.  I'd guess it was milled from 1x4s, removing 1/4 inch sections to make the tongue and groove.  Tongue and groove each have 1/4 inch measurements.

All the off-the-shelf replacements I've found have a 3 1/8 inch face, and are something less than 3/4 inch thick.  Close but no cigar.

If I use the off-the-shelf replacements, that's going to leave a big gap, and I'd rather not.  Since I can't find off-the-shelf materials that match the original measurements, maybe I should try to fabricate replacements myself?

I have a table saw without dado, and I have a never-used router and small router table.  I think I could take 1x4s and slice out the material on either side of the tongue on the table saw and make the groove with two passes; or I could try to use the router, which I have no experience with.  Whatever I did would at best result in square sections, not the rounded sections in the original material.  (See photo below.)

So, three questions:

Are off-the-shelf replacements for these available and I just don't know where to look?  Ideas?
Will square sections instead of rounded ones be adequate?
Table saw or router?


texts: my GFCI has started tripping.  nothing is plugged in.  What could be the problem?


texts: Run conduit perpendicular to ceiling joists in garage

texts:
I have a sub panel on a finished wall in my garage. I want to add two 20 amp circuits and run them go outlets on two unfinished walls on the sides of the garage.

Is it okay to run metal conduit across the joists above? Does it have to be run along a board or attached to a joist every so far?

Where the conduit reached the inside of the wall, can I run without conduit inside the walls? I plan to finish the garage walls after.


texts: Can I apply joint compound over drywall primed with PVA?

texts:
I hung drywall ceiling in my basement. I got impatient/lazy and decided to "finish" the project already by painting it with Kilz PVA Drywall Primer, even if the mudding & taping is not perfect yet.

I would say some taped joints need one more layer of mud & light sanding to be completely hidden (especially the outside corners with the CGC Perfect 90 tape (If I used normal folded paper tape, It would've shown less).

I haven't painted it with Latex. The primer is white and flat, which I think looks OK for now.

Should I decide to "fix" it, can I mud over the PVA primer?


texts: Can I buy a 24v transformer with a dedicated common c-wire feed?

texts:
I have an oil furnace that feeds hot water to baseboard in four zones in my house and also to a hot water tank for tap water.
There is a 24vac transformer with two output wires that feed power to the electric zone valves.
I want to change one thermostat in a bedroom to a Wifi unit that needs a c-wire.  I have read that I can connect the c-wire to the transformer (power stealing), but that is not recommended. I have 5 wires running to the old thermostat, but only Rh and W are connected.
I think a good option would be to just replace the old transformer with a modern one. Why is it that I cannot find an HVAC transformer that has a dedicated common terminal? To me this makes more sense then adding a second transformer.
Any recommendations?


texts: Watt's the best way to run a new ground to my garage?

texts:
To keep this concise, here are the facts:

This is an old house, with a lot of 2-prong outlets. The garage is fed off a 20A breaker (which is not grounded).
I'm finishing the garage. I don't plan on this being a living space, but want to have outlets for lite project work, etc. This circuit really needs to be grounded, especially with the cement floor, etc.
So far, I've replaced the socket that this circuit feeds off with a GFCI (with no ground). I've fed six 3-prong outlets off of this on the walls of the garage, but I still need an actual ground.
The garage is on an exterior wall, which contains a metal natural gas inlet line.

I'm considering installing a new ground electrode outside of the exterior wall, running a conductor through the hole and attaching this to the ground wire in the circuit. Is this a viable strategy that will fix my grounding problems on this circuit?


texts: Turning on any high-power device trips my RCD

texts:
Today I turned on my water boiler, and all the lights in my apartment turned off. I opened the electricity box and saw the RCD was tripped. I turned it back on, but then it would trip again whenever the water boiler was running.

I cursed my luck because I figured I have to fix my water boiler.

I then turned on the drier, and after a few seconds the RCD tripped again. I turned the RCD back on, and later turned on the AC. After a few seconds, the RCD trips again.

Right now as I'm typing this, the RCD isn't tripping and the electricity is on, but no high-wattage device like the above three is running. Can I conclude that high wattage is what's causing the problem? Maybe the RCD is faulty and I need to replace a fuse or the entire thing? Or maybe the problem is entirely different? I'll be happy to hear your thoughts.


texts: Is copper clad aluminum wiring safe to use?

texts:
During remodeling I have found some copper clad aluminum wire. If I recall correctly is all 12 gauge used for outlets. It is clearly labelled as CU clad aluminum on the jacket of the insulation.

I think this wire dates from the 70s or maybe 1980s. As far as I know there are no problems with these existing circuits.

Is this type of wire considered safe to use? And/or are there any code compliance issues?

I understand that pure aluminum wire had many issues but have the impression that the copper cladding was meant to improve on that or avoid the problems. But it also seems like CU-clad AL is no longer sold / in use (true?) which seems like a concern.

The CU-clad AL wire I have handled is noticeably softer than normal copper wire, and I think the issues with pure AL were due to mechanical connections failing. So this is another concern.

While I have the opportunity to potentially replace this wire I'd like to do so if it is prudent (or necessary).


texts: Need help identifying baseboard cap profile

texts:
I know it's a long shot, but I'm hoping someone knows/can identify (or at least can point me in the right direction in terms of search terms) the style of this cap. I'm hoping to find a router bit/bits that I can use to duplicate it. I'm not sure if it's original, but it's from a house built in 1890.

I've done a bunch of searches, but I feel I lack the terminology to look for the right thing. Is there a term for the three "stairs" at the bottom? Any insight anyone could provide would be greatly appreciated!

Actual Pictures:

My poor attempt to draw profile:


texts: Can I hang a 60 lbs TV on 1 inch drywall?

texts:
Can I use drywall screws with plastic contraption 3/8" diameter to put a TV on the drywall?

What is the load limit for 1 inch drywall and how many screws and how close apart they can be put to carry 60..65 lbs TV ?


texts: What should be the better layout of hardwood floor on my hallway?

texts:
See the above picture, it looks to me to decide layout of bedroom A,B,C and play room is pretty straight forward.
But I do not have any idea what is the better layout on the hallway should be?
I am also thinking if I should change direction in Bedroom A to avoid too much expansion at vertical direction.
Any advice is appreciated!


texts: Why is there a jumper wire between the hot screws on my outlet?

texts: If my picture messed up during resizing - it looks like a jumper wire between the two screws on the hot side of this outlet.


texts: How to wire subpanel back to back for portable generator

texts:
I bought a 12Kw Pulsar G12KBN portable generator with a 50Amp outlet to power my house and my 4ton AC during Louisiana storm seasons (last year we had 6 storms) and I'm looking for best recommendation on how to go about hooking it up to my house. All YouTube videos out there are pretty easy to follow but they have regular panels with Main breaker shutoff in them. (Not my case) which is why I'm struggling to find an answer.
My house has a 200A Main Panel outside with the meter combo on it and including the 100Amp breaker to the garage sub-panel which feeds my whole house, 40Amp oven breaker and 40AMp AC breaker however I have no Main disconnect, but I have 3 service disconnects.
Please advise how should I go about installing a transfer switch or do I need an interlock switch? or what do I need in my case? If you can draw a diagram that would be nice. Attached are pictures of my panels.

My idea is to add a subpanel with a main disconnect right next to it and move just the garage subpanel and the AC into this one and disconnect it from the grid with an interlock kit. So I'd be moving the 100Amp and 40Amp breakers only and adding a 50Amp breaker from the generator receptacle. Now what rating Panel would I need? Can I get away with 100Amp panel or 150A or do I need a 200A panel connected to same rating breaker in the meter combo panel? See the drawing.
How do I wire neutrals and ground in all the panels, and what gauge wires between them?

Morning guys, wow i'm suprised how many people are willing to help, thank you so much.
@ThreePhaseEel - i did the measurements for you and my multimeter showed that there is continuity between the neutral and ground on generator's receptacle, it was beeping showing 0.2 on the screen.
@Harper - from a little googling for outdoor panels this one came up to fit my needs and the price is good, its a a big panel even bigger than the meter combo, but i couldnt find something smaller IN STOCK :) and the reason i bought the stuff is the shortage, and i'll better buy it then take it back if not needed than wait for it for months. This was the last panel in stock at Lowes :). I dont really care about the feed through lugs. It came with it so it is what it is.
From a little research i want to mention that i will be hooking up a soft start switch to my AC and that should be sufficient to run the AC on my generator.
i'll be attaching some pics with my intended location for panel and softstart switch that i bought.


texts: What's the quickest way to get rid of larvaes and [clothing] moths at home?

texts:
We've moved to this apartment two months ago. The apartment was apparently repainted, while the building is no older than 10 years, but every single part of seems intact for all these years. I've been trying to clean eveywhere, but not fully done, yet.

Since day 1 I've been noticing small "fluff"s on walls and ceilings, the back side of wooden drawers (where they have this thin raw-wood-looking layer), and corners of the carpet in the bedroom [that is the only room with a fitted carpet and have been very curious about them, until I've just recently learnt that they're larvae, the baby(?) of the random flying moth we happen to see here and there, and that it's too late when one actually happens to see the flying moths, since it's the larvae that eats stuff, before turning into a moth.

Growing with Persian carpets, we've always had special powder killers to protect the expensive hand-woven carpets, that are informally called "carpet powder/poison", and never even had so many moths in real life! However I don't have access to that specific powder at the moment, and I don't know what actual chemicals it's got in it.

What I've done so far is:

regularly vacuuming the house, trying to get rid of those fluffs as much as possible (before knowing how damaging they can be).
spraying the two cans of "ant killer" and "fly & mosquito killer"s after cleaning every single corner (just after moving), and on a [somewhat] regular basis, but mainly to get rid of spiders that seem to an undetachable part of daily life here, and I haven't found them so strong.
hanging wardrobe dehumidifiers in each wardrobe that consist of a pack of silicon balls that absorb humidity and melt in the container, each of which last for a month.
running the electric dehumidifier that can suck something like 2, 3 liters of water in every several hours of running (not running it too frequently since it's slightly noisy and not welcomed during hours after work!)
reading a lot of articles online about this creature and ways of fighting against them. Additionally I've checked several products on Amazon, etc. and obviously all of them claim they have the best solution to this issue.

What I would like to learn:

is the quickest (and possibly the cheapest) way of getting a rescue from these little annoying creatures despite the articles that mention once the larvae is there, it's too difficult to immune the whole area and kill them all.

Note: We have a small "room" that contains the hot press, and the rest of unwanted/unused crap that has a room with gaps around, and I haven't scrubbed it so far, but I've sprayed the killers in there a few times, as well, but I'm still paranoid that it's the lovely home for all the unwanted insects and spiders and crawlies we may have.

The floorings are wooden (mainly) with some nylon carpets that aren't fancy enough for the larvae to eat, tiles in the bathroom, and carpet in one of the bedrooms that was shampooed and vacuumed and lots of its fluff came off during shampooing, which is another clue! and we're located having a nice view of the river/sea from our windows (which means a lot to these creatures!)

TL;DR: I need a recommendation on the quickest solution to kill all the larvae and moths that have lived in a house for quite a while without being cleaned. (Some product that can kill spiders is a pro!)

Any brands or specific product names are welcome (if that doesn't break S.E.'s rules).


texts: Should furnace blower run when the heat is off?

texts: Our furnace blower is set to auto....it runs when the furnace is and is not calling for heat but the humidifier is on. This is a problem because the forced hot air system is blowing cold air which creates a constant draft in the house.


texts: Should I install hardwood flooring under my kitchen cabinets?

texts: I'm doing a total kitchen renovation with solid hardwood flooring. Do I go hardwood all the way under the cabinets to the wall or stop just past the toe kick and finish the rest with ply of the same thickness?


texts: Should backer board be installed all the way to the ceiling around a shower?

texts: I had a shower head that sprayed water for awhile and it deteriorated the drywall. I'm cutting out drywall and replacing with hardiboard. Should I take the hardiboard to the ceiling or could I stop it two inches below? I'm planning on tiling with porcelain masoiac 11.8 x 11.8 and going to ceiling. I'm trying to not damage my textured ceiling and wondered if it's necessary to run the hardibacker to ceiling to get good tile bond or will the two inches of drywall with thin set have a lasting bond?


texts:
Having a problem with hot and cold water seemingly mixing in my house where some locations can't get cold water and others get a mix of warm/cold from hot settings.
The scenario
Moved into a new house. Has a brand new water heater and probably not new water circulation system. It appears the water heater (and probably the circulation system?) were re-plumbed for code reasons relocated from the corner of the garage next to the house along that same wall to a more central location along the wall.
Here is what I have observed
If the water circulation system is off then there is no hot water what so ever in the house.
If the water circulation unit is on then a whole range of bizarre things happen.
The kitchen sink closest to the water heater will have cold water mixed with hot (which equals pretty damn hot) coming from the cold and scolding hot coming from the hot water.
Showers (other side of the house) have alternating warm / cold water. Occasionally they can get fairly hot but only for brief (20-30 seconds) at a time. A luke warm shower (alternating with cold) with the boiler set to maximum is the best possible scenario at the moment with the current configuration.
A deep sink faucet in the garage that is directly tapping the hot/cold lines next to the water heater gets hot and cold water as expected.
Some sinks in the middle of the house get a perfect mix of hot/warm water from the hot and cold from the cold.
External water faucets/hoses on the far side and close side of the house (from the water circulation unit/water heater) pump out water that is very warm or sometimes hot.
What are some of the possible problems it could be?


texts: ECM motor in air handler not reaching full speed

texts:
I replaced the motor back in this thread at the height of the summer heat: old question

The old motor was fine as I opened it up and a bug got fried inside and caused a short. I ended up with a backup motor.

The new motor just started to spin at a lower speed, thus causing heat exchange issues with the heat pump. The board looks physically fine. The other motor spins in a cycle when hooked up, but not installed into the squirrel cage. I believe it is doing the torque check upon getting the startup signal but never goes full speed in one direction.  I think I remember it spinning at full speed when I tested it during the previous repair, outside the cage.

Do I need to install the motor into the squirrel cage to confirm it is the control board or can I assume the control board is the culprit?


texts: Can I use a 16/3 extension cord for a refrigerator?

texts: I have an outlet that is dead by the refrigerator.  Can I use an extension cord temporarily and what would be the minimum?   It is a small apartment sized refrigerator.


texts:
I am building a reusable domino rally.  Each domino will be attached to a large board with a small hinge.  Tilting the board to the side will then reset all the dominoes at once.

The hinges need to have low friction so that each domino can fall without resistance.  Since there will about 1000 dominoes, it would be nice if the hinges were cheap as well.  Does anyone know where to buy these hinges in bulk?


texts:
I am looking to fill this hole and was hoping someone can guide me as to where to begin!  these are our underfloor heating pipes and I've bought denzo tape to cover them.  do i need to cover the pipes in anything else?  can i concrete straight on top of it all?
Any advice would be greatly welcomed!


texts: Are these holes in my garage's wall indicative of flushing out carpenter ants?

texts:
I just bought a home and discovered a substantial amount of wood rot in the garage. I had to tear away a lot of drywall to see it, and when I did, I found obvious evidence of carpenter ants. However, there are no ants left, no corpses, the entire colony seems empty.
Now, our contract with the sellers clearly states that there have been no pests or wood destroying organisms in the time that they've owned the home, but I don't believe that at all. They've been there for 33 years and have made modifications to the garage, including adding insulation and drywall (dated 88 and 2001 respectively) and building a second garage that adjoins to the first in 1994. I find it extraordinarily difficult to believe that the rot I'm seeing has been present for over 33 years, it seems to me that it should be far worse by now if that was the case.
This picture shows the rot in the corner of the garage, which is adjoined to the addition garage from 1994. If the owners were being truthful, I'm to believe that they built this addition with pest-induced rot so bad that you could see daylight through the siding? Sounds absurd to me. They even reinforced (poorly) the structural members. That concrete is also only in the corner, the rest of that wall has wood right on top of the dirt.

Clearly there have been repairs done. It's a question of whether or not there was an infestation during their period of ownership, which brings us to these holes in the drywall (this is the same wall as the previous photo):

You can see another one to the left where I removed the drywall, but it's the same kind of hole. This to me looks suspiciously like some kind of hole for gassing or otherwise injecting something to kill the ants. (the fan in the middle is some exhaust to outside and I figure is unrelated)
This is an up close shot of the white junk that was injected into the hole.

Obviously I'm consulting professional carpenters and exterminators, but does anyone have any experience with this kind of thing? If this really is obviously a treated infestation then I'm planning on getting some kind of statement from an exterminator and/or carpenter and pursuing legal action. I'm not sure if the sellers lied or just messed up their contract and didn't understand what they signed, but they're still on the hook in Washington state if they improperly disclose defects.
Some other shots showing clear evidence of a carpenter ant colony:

Thanks!


texts:
I have old-school delta 3 phase (no neutral 240v) service to my shop that has 60 amp fuses on the main. I'd like to hard wire a new machine (max 30amp) about 40 feet away by running #6 wire in conduit to a non-fused 60 amp safety switch that would sit next to the machine. Would this be a proper approach or Should I consider a 60 amp safety switch installed with 30 amp fuses? Should I do something else entirely? Is #6 AWG the correct size wire for this run? I need a little bit of voltage drop because this is a 220v machine with a top end limit of 242v and im measuring 243v at the panel. I'd rather not have to add a buck boost transformer for barely being over voltage limits on the machine.
Thanks,
Max

Edit:
It's high leg delta with no neutral (this property is a 100 year old egg ranch). Machine is 220V / 60 Hz 3 Phase / 15 KVA (7.5hp). A disconnect would be nice because I'd like to leave it disconnected when not in use to protect the electronics. I'd also like it in case something happens with the machine and I can't stop the machine at the control panel


texts: Rewire a string of lights using 14/3 or can I add a red wire?

texts:
I have a situation where I have a switch at the bottom of the stairs that turns on a set of canned lights on the same circuit. The current wire used is 14/2.
I am in the process of finishing the basement and my wife wants me to add a switch at the far end of the hall to shut off or turn off the same lights on the string.
My question is will I have to purchase 14/3 wire and rewire everything or can I just add the traveler separately.
I didn't by the 3 way switches yet so if there is a tip on how I should tackle this please let me know.

I have attached an image in what I believed was the correct approach. However, the power source is going to the fixture first whereas the power source is going to the switch first.
Can I achieve what this picture is showing by adding a 14/3 wire from the one switch to the other? In the picture it shows one light but I have 6.

14/3 Wire Example


texts: Install Common Wire (unable to find terminal or 24 VAC)

texts:
I bought a Nest 3rd Generation Thermostat. Live in a 2 family home, where my floor/basement has the boiler room/furnace. I have a Laars Mini Therm Furnace Model JVT. There's a thermostat upstairs as well, where both control / call for heat when needed. For some reason, my Nest is never receiving Rh power (I checked with voltage meter and shows 24 VAC). I've read countless articles on this site and elsewhere and it seems a Common Wire would help alleviate this however I can't find where to run the Common Wire myself. Not a pro, but I've messed with this furnace for hours this whole week and practically know it but no cigar yet. Can anybody help?

I've attached pictures. I think it goes on the A? terminal however there's no voltage detected there (I once saw 12 VAC btu not sure if it was a fluke)

Thanks everyone [![Terminal Board[][1\


texts: My deep well pump (100 feet) does not activate automatically. Instead, I have to pour 2-3 gallons of water to activate it. The pressure is about 30. After a while, it will stop altogether and I have to call the plumber who says the foot valve and/or the rubber gasket is/are broken. He and his crew would pull out the length of the pipes replace the broken parts and the pump will do well. After a while, it will lose pressure and I have to go back to pouring water until it stops working. This cycle has happened 3x in the past 4 years and I am tired of paying the plumber and buying parts for replacement. Right now I am again pouring water to activate it. Sooner or later it will stop.  What do you suggest??


texts: Is it safe to replace a 15 amp GFCI outlet with a 20 amp GFCI outlet?

texts:
I have a 15 amp GFCI outlet on a circuit that has a 20 amp breaker in the fuse panel.
Is it safe to replace the 15 amp GFCI outlet with a 20 amp GFCI outlet?


texts: Hot water periodically coming from undercounter water filter, but cold water still coming from faucet

texts:
Periodically, usually in the winter months, hot water will come from my under counter water filter. When this happens I still get cold water from the sink faucet. It only happens occasionally, and running the water through the filter for does not seem to help, I just have to wait it out. It appears that the filter is supplied through the same line that supplies the cold water to the faucet.

EDIT: Actually the water filter is connected to the line that supplies water to the fridge, which is separate from the cold water line that supplies water to the sink.


texts:
Rectory we removed an old fan that had 4 a19 bulbs in it and replaced it with a new harbor breeze that had 4 cadleabra bulbs, we didn't like the light output or hue so I swapped the cadleabra bases with a19 and place utiltech daylight led bulbs in the fan, which is what we were using before.

Since we're using led, I am not worried about the wattage being prop low.

The problem is when I go to use the dimmer (a lutron led/cfl dimmer), the 4 lights barley dim now. However, if I replace 1 led with a standard incandescent, the dimmer has full range of dimming each bulb from a spotlight too where the bulb is barley glowing (like the rest of the the house).

I tested what would happen with an array of bulb combinations, and if I use 4 incandescent, the bulbs are ver ddim as if the don't have enough power. Additionally, I have adjusted the dimmer dial behind wall, and it has no effect. We also have replaced it with a new switch and that had no effect.


texts: Just moved in to an apartment with a gas stove which was not in use for three months. The previous owner said that the stove worked just fine, however when I tried to use the stove, all four knobs were stuck. Using WD40 i was able to release three knobs, but the fourth remains stuck. The gas company refuses to connect me unless all four knobs are working properly due to safety regulations, so I really need to release that stuck knob.


texts: I recently got all my hvac replaced, and in the returns were these black foam filters. Unfortunately, the drywallers sprayed texture all over them.  I didn't have these in my old returns, but it still seems prudent to replace them. My question is two-fold -- How important are they, and where can I find replacements?  Googling for them turns up nothing and I wasn't able to find anything like them (size-wise, at least) at Home Depot.


texts: Garage door won't open or close when the opener light is on

texts:
Garage Door Opener Model: Lift-master 1245R (by Chamberlain)

Ok, so this has been quite the puzzle. Roughly a couple of months ago, one of my parents' garage door openers started having problems. The problem was that the garage door seemed to open, but not close when using the remote(it worked fine with the wall button). I decided to do some testing to try to narrow down what the problem was. Rather than describe in too much detail the testing I did, I think I'll just list some of the things I found that led me to my conclusion.

The garage door remote is a two-button remote. The button for the other door works just fine.
The other garage door opener(that is the exact same model) works just fine.
I tried resetting the remote and reprogramming the buttons so that each button now worked for the other garage door(i.e. B1:GD1, B2:GD2 >>> B1:GD2, B2:GD1). No change.
I tried reprogramming a different single-button remote to work with the door opener, that I know worked with the other door opener. Still no change.
I thought that it might be some kind of signal interference, and did some research online. Considering that the other door opener doesn't have any problems(and is closer to the rest of the house), I narrowed my search to nearby sources of interference. I checked to see if the florescent lights interfered by disconnecting them. No change.
Finally, I noticed that strangely the remote would work to both open and close the garage door as long as the garage door openers light was off. I tried removing the light bulb(an incandescent) just to see if it itself was interfering. No change.

So the problem seems to have something to do with the electronics within the door opener and how they may or may not relate to the opener's light being on. My current thinking is that it might have something to do with the control board, but I don't know for sure. Before trying to open it up and completely replace the control board(which would likely be expensive to order), I thought I would see if anybody here has any ideas about what exactly is wrong and what could be done to fix it.

BTW before it gets suggested, after opening or closing the door the light stays on for around 4.5 minutes, which is a bit too long to just wait around for it to go back off every time you need to go somewhere.


texts: What would be the time the 5hp well pump motor should run with a 530 gallon bladder pressure tank with a 40-60 on/off pressure switch. Air pressure in tank is at 35 psi. Currently runs for 3min 5 sec. Is this good or should it be shorter. Depending on demand, will cycle about between 12-25 min.


texts:
I Have an outside deck, it currently has a layer of varnish on it, I Think the wood type is Meranti.

The deck is exposed to lots of rain and also harsh sun, and the varnish has started to peel.

I Would like to re-seal or repair the finish

What would be the best type of product to use, (varnish, solvent based sealer, oil based sealer, water based sealer) etc...  And if so, how would that affect the current flaky varnish?

I would essentially like a semi-maintenance free application where the wood luster is maintained.


texts: How can I install an exterior electrical box flush in stucco?

texts: I want to install an exterior light. I have stucco. I read the article How to Install an Exterior Outlet Box in Stucco, but I am concerned with water getting inside ... Is caulking enough?


texts: How to mount something with screwholes such that it is removable

texts: I have some hardware that has screwholes but I want to mount it to the wall such that it can be easily removed. Is there some kind of adapter I can purchase such that it can be unclipped easily in the same manner as hardware that has 'keyhole' slots?


texts: Can I use 14/3 wire and a 20 amp double pole breaker for a 240 volt baseboard heater?

texts: Can I use 14/3 wire 20 amp double pole breaker for a 240 volt baseboard heater of any watts? What's the electrical code?


texts:
I am looking to convert an old garage into a workspace. The total concrete area is about 20ftx22ft, and has one seam down the center. The pad on the north side of the seam is level. The pad on the south side has a grade from settling after 60+ years. It averages a downward grade at about 1.25 inches over 9 ft. I am going to be putting LVP down eventually, so I need it moderately level, and have been trying to think of a cost effective way to fix the slab.
The first option I thought of was self leveling concrete, but the amount of material that I would need would come out to $1,600+. Which is a lot of money that I don't really want to spend.
The second option I thought of was to put down OSB on one side, and then build tapered joists for the grade side, but I probably would want to put some type of dimpled plastic membrane down? I am not too concerned about water leakage, but it is probably something that most people would recommend.
Another option is to use Dri-Core, but can I shim that much of a grade to level?
Are there other options I could do? What is the best way to level such a large area with that deep of a grade?


texts:
I was commissioned to create a butcher block table and cutting board from poplar, walnut, cherry and ash.  Despite best efforts, both pieces have some voids which the Titebond III didn't fill. I am thinking of filling the smaller cracks with hide glue and the larger voids with a mix of hide glue and wood dust.  Ideas or suggestions?
Thanks.
I used 1.5" roughsawn for the ash, cherry and walnut, and planed random pieces, glued up strips... all to recreate an end grain butcher block table which I didn't really expect to be used as a butcher block.  I don't know that the glue-up at this point would be deemed unsafe for food contact, but the voids certainly have to be filled.  Had I known it would be used as a cutting block, I would probably have insisted on hard maple.


texts: 3 Cables in Switch Box and Can't Figure it out

texts: I had a ceiling fan with light in a cabin that I bought.  It did not work when we bought it.  I've replaced the fan, but the light doesn't work.  The wall switch has 3 cables inside.  Attached is an actual picture and also a diagram of what's inside the box (the diagram does not include the copper grounds which are twisted all together). I think that one of these cables goes to a nearby wall outlet, one goes to the fan, and one is to the circuit box.  But I'm not sure how to determine which goes where.  I have wired this thing up a couple times and can get the fan to spin but never can get the light to come on. (yes I've made sure the pull switches were tested too).  The wall Switch is one of those Lutron Fan and Light switches.  Can someone please help guide me on this?


texts: Installing a exterior light in existing vinyl siding

texts:
My house is a 50's cape which originally had clapboard siding.  The previous owner put a layer of rigid foam over the clapboard, then vinyl siding.  As far as I can tell, from looking at the wall stack-up from the bottom I see:

1) 3/4 tongue and groove sheathing
2) An unidentified, ~3/4 wood material
3) Clapboard
4) Rigid foam
5) Tripple 3" Vinyl

Besides the foam I couldn't really tell you where, if anywhere, there is some sort of moister barrier.

Now I'd like to install a new exterior light.  Which means that I need a box, and some sort of mounting block.  I know that normally I would begin be installing the box recessed into the sheathing, then installing a two piece vinyl mounting block.  Something like this image from hammerzone.com (minus the electrical box):

However it seems like this method isn't going to work in my case.  Additionally it is my understanding that you cannot assume there is no moister behind your vinyl, that's why there is normally a moisture barrier.  So in that case I really don't understand how this method would prevent moisture, which may have already gotten behind the vinyl, from getting into the electrical box.  I realize that I could cut the box in, then use a mounting block designed for retrofitting, like this one:

But in that case I am really not sure how moisture would be prevented from entering the electrical box.  So my question is: how do I do this right?


texts: How do I prepare this cracked deck wood surface for staining? (Picture)

texts: My deck is about 15 years old. I believe the previous owner stained it only once, when it was built. I've pressure washed it, and now am getting it ready for re-staining. However, a lot of planks have cracked surface, pictured below. What should/can I do to prepare areas like this for re-staining?


texts: Is it OK to re-paint a gas-range grill with paint?

texts:
I have a gas range (gas stove - indoor) for cooking, and the metal grate that goes over the top has some areas of rust.

If I was to sand down the rusty areas, would it be advisable to paint it with a high-temperature rated paint, such as Rutland 1200 Degree Brush-on Stove Paint or Black Porcelain Repair Enamel?

The main concern I have is not about the effectiveness of the paint product at adhering, but the safety considerations of having a paint in contact with a flame when preparing food in a pot on-top.


texts: What guidelines exist for the number of screws needed to attach two pieces of wood?

texts:
Are there any guidelines or rules of thumb for how many screws I should use when screwing two pieces of wood together?

For example if I have a 2cm x 10cm plank I want to screw onto a 10cm x 10cm post. Then how many screws should I use and is there an optimal pattern the screws should be placed in?


texts:
One of the pipe under my bathroom sink has small hole and it sprays water as soon as i start/open faucet. Red circle in above photo shows where the hole is. Which pipe is that? Where can i find that pipe and how easy is to replace it? Is there any quick fix to repair it instead of replace it?

There is shelter-in-place in city in which I live. I don't want to hire plumber to fix this if this is easy to fix. Any help would be appreciated.


texts: Measuring Electric Motor Shank Dimensions?

texts: I have an electric motor that has threads on the end of it. I'm interested in making a wood pulley to put on the end of it for use in a lathe. The only thing is that I'm not sure if I have the right tap or not. I measured, across the threads using a caliper, and got 9mm and using a TPI reader I got 1mm thread pitch. Does this mean that I need a M9 x 1mm tap to etch threads in the pulley so I can put it on the motor shank?


texts:
I have an LED driver:

But I cannot understand the 12-40V @ 350mA and what I should be looking for to replace it with. The light gives no indication of voltage or draw so I'm trying to match this power supply and have no clue where to find one or do the math to figure out what a compatible driver would be.

Any help would be appreciated I'm in the US at 120V household.


texts: Do subfloors in bathrooms require any special sealant or moisture barrier prior to adding standard floor covering (like tile)?

texts:
Region: Santa Cruz, California, USA

Do subfloors in bathrooms require any special sealant or moisture barrier prior to adding standard floor coverings (like tile)?

I know walls need a covering and special drywall but I wasn't sure about sub-floors (since there's already going to be something over it.


texts:
I need to run some standard AC wiring for wall lights etc. in the living room and some telephone/broadband wiring too. The problem is I can't do it in-wall for various reasons. The only option I am aware of is run a casing+capping made of PVC which does the job but looks hideous is a no-no.

So what I am looking for, is some known solution which is on-the-wall and still looks nice or can be made to. Or maybe some start-up/innovation which has come recently which I may not be aware of.


texts: What do I need to switch power automatically from utility to solar offgrid inverter with no downtime at all during the transfer?

texts: I want to switch power somewhere where power outage happens frequently from utility to inverter and back and forth kind of like a UPS without giving up on my inverter and what I already have.


texts: What to use as void filler behind between shower's studs & cement underlayment board?

texts:
I am in the middle of remodeling my bathtub/shower surround.  For my tile underlayment I chose hardibacker, and the appropriate hardi screws.  A youtube video series that I am using as my tutorial is not using hardibacker, but rather denshield.  In his tutorial, he uses liquid nails as a void-filler behind the denshield.  He stresses this is not a good idea for hardibacker or durock.

So, while at my big-box home improvement store, I went looking for a construction adhesive that claimed to be compatible with hardibacker, and could not find one.  In fact, I found several that explicitly said not to use with cement backerboards.

And yet, the idea of a void-filler seems very important; my home builder did not see fit to use meticulously dimensioned lumber for my studs, so there are certain to be voids.

Is there some formulation or brand of construction adhesive that is known to bond well between hardibacker and pine?  If not, what should I use?

EDIT #1: I'd like to add that Hardie's own tutorial video does not use a void filler, but also demonstrates on a wall that uses comically perfect studs.

EDIT #2: I think people may be confused by my question here, so I'm adding a picture to demonstrate.  The lumber shown behind the backerboard is sistered to the stud in the corner.  The sister was added by the original contractor to support the wallboard at this corner.  My spirit level shows the sister to be plumb, above the top of this backerboard.

And yet, you can see light from my flashlight shining between my straight-edge and the backerboard, over that sister.  This is because, at this particular location, the sister stands shy of the studs to the right of it.  Farther down the backer board, the sister lines up very well with the next stud, so no light shines through.  Since the sister seems to be plumb overall, I believe at this location it is slightly non-straight.  And that is why I am asking this question about void fillers.  Without a filler, when I run a screw in this corner, the backerboard will bend and I will no longer have a flat surface to set my tiles to.

(The size of the gap shown is about 1/16".  As a consequence, my straight-edge will rock at that location.)

"You are being too much of a perfectionist" could be acceptable to me as an answer, so long as it is correct.  However, the advice I've heard is that flatness of the backer substrate is one of the most important details to ending up with good results for tile work.


texts: Can stranded wire in a crimp (bootlace) ferrule be used in lieu of a pigtail to terminate to devices that require solid wire?

texts:
As we all know, some device termination types do not accept stranded wire (14-10AWG), which is quite a shame on a conduit job or when using stranded THHN for pigtailing.  However, in some applications, such as when terminating under a terminal block, a bootlace ferrule (such as the ones shown below) can be crimped on the end of a stranded wire to effectively "make it solid" for termination purposes.

Can such a crimp/bootlace ferrule be used to "adapt" stranded wire to device terminations (such as pressure plates, as not all are rated for stranded wire) that take solid wire only? (Obviously, I doubt you'd want to try to bend them around a side-screw terminal.)


texts: What can I do to seal up these openings between our cabinets?

texts:
We recently purchased a home that was built around 2006. We then decided to add a couple of cats and one of them is a kitten.

Apparently there appears to be some unfinished work around our kitchen cabinets, mainly in between the sections, and our kitten was able to climb in.

NOTE: I can reach my hand back in there and it's a completely open space in between the cabinets from what I can tell.

My questions

Are openings as shown below normal with kitchen cabinets?
If not, how should these openings been finished?
What can I do to properly finish these openings?

Images of openings


texts: How to wire a light to existing junction box that has red, black, white, ground wire coming in

texts:
I have a little bit of a conundrum. I've inherited a cabin that was 90% complete, but there a few little jobs left, one being a light junction box in my pantry that I need to hook a light up to. It's already drywalled so I can't see where wires are going, and there is no obvious light switch. I have 3 sets of wires coming into the junction that are capped together, plus the ground wire. It looks like this:

I'm assuming white is neutral, black is hot, and red is usually another hot? I've used a multimeter and when checking the black and white wires I get a voltage reading, when I check the white and red together I get no reading.

There's a working/functional 3-way light switch on the outside of the pantry for lights located on a staircase nearby but I don't think that would be the switch for this as it would just be an odd set up.

I'm guessing it could just be wired to have a light with a pull chord or turn switch on the light to turn things on and off. Is that possible? Meaning the power is always on to this junction and the light fixture will have to control the on/off?

Anyway, looking for some advice, I can check things with a multimeter etc. to help diagnose what is wired up here, but all I really want to do is hook up a light here without frying myself or burning the cabin down.

Thanks for any advice, appreciate it!


texts: Hot surface ignitor does not glow occasionally

texts:
Can one of you experts please help with this unusual issue?
The hot surface ignitor does not go on occasionally. So far, I had this issue 3 time in the past week.

My furnace:
York gas furnace with model number P3ucd12n07601a, 100K BTU, 80 %

What is the issue:
-   Thermostat calls for heat.
-   Inducer motor runs
-   After about 30 seconds, ignitor hot surface glows
-   Gas valve makes a klick
-   The burner does not ignite
-   The ignitor hot surface goes off
-   The inducer motor keeps going
-   The ignitor hot surface does not glow any more, even not after 30 minutes
-   I can measure no electricity on the ignitor. However, the L1 going to the control board is hot (126V).
-   I can measure 26 V on the pressure switch.
-   I turn off the furnace, shutdown the electricity, open the leads, and wait for 10-15 minutes.
-   Then, I turn on the furnace, and everything goes well. The issue is resolved for a hours or days but it comes back again.

What I have done so far:
-   I called a technician, he came in and checked the furnace but he could not find out what the issue is because the issue did not accrue when he was there. He said it could be the control board.
-   Then, we replaced the ignitor hot surface and the control board but it did not help. The issue is still there.

Answer converted to an edit:

The issue happened last night and I was confused when I tested the pressure switch.
I attached an image of my pressure switch.
3 wires go into the switch, brown (goes to limit switch), yellow (comes from transformer), and red (goes to a relay).

When the furnace is off – when the thermostat is not calling for heat – I can measure 0 V on brown, yellow, and red. The wires yellow and red are connected via the pressure switch, brown is not connected to red or yellow.

When, the thermostat calls for heat, I can measure 25 V on yellow, coming from the transformer and going to the switch.

When the inducer motor is running for about 10 seconds, the wires yellow and red become disconnected (the switch is open), the wires brown and red get connected.

That is what I don’t understand: When yellow and red are disconnected, I think I should measure 0 V on red because yellow bring the volte and the switch is now open. However, I could can 25 V on red. The 25 V is not coming from the yellow wire (because the switch is open), it is coming from the relay. I tested it by disconnecting the red from the pressure switch and measuring the volt.

I am wondering why the relay is sending 25 V to the pressure switch and whether it is supposed to work that way? Any idea?


texts:
I'm swapping the old garbage disposal at my wife and I's first home.  I disconnected the electrical components, but I'm stuck on how to remove this power cord.  I doubt it any of these parts came with the old disposal. It's on there ridiculously tight and the only grip I can get on it is the bottom part, but I feel like the top part needs to be removed as well.  Any thoughts?  I don't have much slack, so this is the best vantage point I have.  I have some gut feelings, but I don't want to damage anything.  I feel like I'm stuck in a holding pattern at this point.

UPDATE: the internet is amazing! Thank you both, that was exactly the confirmation I needed!


texts: Probably a fairly silly question, but for peace of mind, when running/fishing wire behind drywall during a kitchen remodel, I obviously cannot staple the wire to studs unless I remove the drywall and/or cut out holes so I can reach in with pliers/hammer to get a staple in. Is it ok if the romex is floating/loose back there, and not stapled? This is for hardwired under cabinet lighting.


texts: Converting Nema 10-50 receptacle for car charging

texts:
I might be buying an electric car soon and i was wondering if I could use my current nema 10-50 dryer plug for my 240v evse? The plug is not used since I have a gas dryer.

The receptacle was installed by the previous owners, it was run through 1/2 inch emt conduit from the main panel to the dryer (roughly 25 feet total run).
I read nema 10-50 is supposed to have hot-hot-neutral, but it looks like this has hot-hot-ground since there is a red, black, and green wire (also verified at the main panel).

Can i safely convert this to a nema 6-50 receptacle since i've read nema 6-50 should be hot-hot-neutral anyways?
The current circuit has a 30amp breaker with 10 awg cable for the two conductor wires and 12 awg for the neutral (green) wire.
Is this wire gauge safe/code for 30 amps? Should the ground cable also have been 10 awg vs 12 awg?
The evse is only 16 amps but i'd want to know the plug is safe for 30amps. Sorry for the long post and thanks in advance!


texts: How can I boost water pressure from the city main up a long hill?

texts: The city has pulled a water line down the road so I can now stop getting water delivered if I can figure out how. The problem is that my house is about 700ft up a 200ft hill. The city pressure goes from 70psi to 0psi about 1/2- 2/3 of the way up the hill. So I need a pressure boost to get to hilltop. Assume I can get power, any booster suggestions?


texts: How can I remove excess commercial flooring tile adhesive?

texts:
I just covered the floor of my small indoor storage room with Armstrong commercial flooring tiles.  I used the proper adhesive for the application that I got in the same department at the big box store as the tiles.  Unfortunately, I messed up a little and some adhesive got squeezed up through the joints when I was setting the tiles, which I tried to wipe with a wet paper towel but did not succeed entirely.

So now, when I walk, my shoes stick to the tiles.  I wonder if there is some cleaning solution that I can use to remove the tacky goo, but that won't leak through the joints and weaken the tiles grip on the floor.


texts: Cooktop replacement… induction or ceramic?

texts:
I currently have a St George CC355 cooktop (2 burner) paired with an electric grill. The cooktop is hardwired in and the grill plugs in to a powerpoint under the bench.
The ceramic cooktop shattered the other day and now I am trying to get my head around a replacement. I like the sound of induction, but have read so many things that are turning me off the idea, not least of all is the fact that I might have to get an electrician to rewire things (eek), as I have read that you need 3 phase power. Is this true?
I am a bit stuck for options as the current appliances are a non-standard size, meaning I have to find a 70cm replacement to fit the hole (or I could go bigger to say 80cm). I really don't need anymore burners than that — 90cm with 5 burns would be complete overkill.
I have found a Bosch 70cm ceramic cooktop, which will do the job, but, sadly, there is no 70cm induction version, so I would be pushed to an 80cm if I was to choose that alternative. I am wondering if I will need an electrician for both, as the ceramic says it is 6.6kW and the induction is 7.4kW, but my current cooktop is only 3.4kW.
I would be very appreciative of some advice before I go down the wrong path for the wrong reasons. Thanks.


texts:
Long story short I was running my DeWalt fixed base router (8000-24000 RPM) on a piece of work when it started making a funny noise.

I lifted the router up to see why it was making the noise, and FWOOOM the router bit launched itself into the air!

I found it on the lawn on the other side of the house, with the stalk all twisted to one side. It landed in soft grass so that damage must have occurred while it was in (or exiting from) the router.

No injuries occurred thankfully, but obviously someone easily could have been hurt. So, what happened? Was it just loose? Is my router card revoked and I should just go back to belt-sanding roundovers? What safety steps could I have missed? Thanks!


texts: My 15 amp hair dryer has a 20 amp plug. Can I put a 15 amp plug on it?

texts:
I have a 14.85 amp portable air dryer with a 20 amp plug - vertical/horizontal prong. Can i replace this plug to standard 15 amp both vertical prongs, and use safely on a 15 amp circuit? Assuming it will be used continuously for no more than 10 minutes?

I know about the 80% rule over 3 hours. But don't want to throw it out if it's reasonably safe.

Thanks for all the help. Not going to change it. I should have clarified that this is a animal blow dryer (dog). 10 kg. quite expensive.


texts: How can I locate the 2x8 boards beneath subfloor, backer board, mortar, and ceramic tile?

texts: My floor is getting a little creaky in my bathroom.  Unfortunately, it has ceramic tile over it (along with mortar and backer board).  What I need to do is drill a clearance hole through the grout and then put a screw through the subfloor and into the 2x8 boards beneath it, but I need to locate them first.  What are my options in locating these 2x8s?


texts: Is the recommendation for Gauge 14 cables with 13A devices overly conservative?

texts:
I don't get it. Whenever I look at a corded tool at amazon, I see that people are buying the tool with a cable with an incorrect gauge. Here is an example:

In this example a 13A mower is "frequently bought" with a Gauge 16 cable. Gauge 16 cables are very clearly labeled as maxing out at 10A. Especially for a 100-ft long extension cord, at least a Gauge 14 cord is needed.

Are so many buyers clueless, or are the guidelines to use a Gauge 14 cable with 13A device (for a 100-ft extension) overly conservative and one can get away with a Gauge 16 cable?


texts: Why is my toilet tank filling too slowly?

texts:
The inside of my toilet tank was just replaced. For some reason after I flush, the tank refills much slower than before. It looks like the person who installed it put the overfill pipe in a different direction than the picture shows.

Can this make a difference? Should the refill hose be inside the refill pipe?


texts: How many vents are required for drains under a slab and what locations?

texts:
I'm working on a layout for plumbing under slab. Currently I'm only planning on venting the system using a single vent stack which will also house a clean-out. Will this pass inspection, or do I need to vent directly from each trap?

Update:

Part of the issue is I'm running into is that my plumbing is in the footing of my monolithic slab. Is there any issue with running some of the plumbing for the toilet in the slab to get it to the single vent?


texts: How can I figure out where this water is coming from?

texts:
I have the situation where my shower piping is leaking underneath a tiled floor. This only occurs when the shower is running, suggesting a drainage issue.

The pipe passes from the shower faucet vertically through a wooden panel, and then under the tiles.

The room is on the first floor centrally at the front of the house above the stairway, therefore the water is dripping onto the bottom step.

I do intend on getting a professional in to fix this if the job requires removing the flooring, however, I would like to asses the issue first and find the cause and location of the leak.

What could be causing this leak?
What is the best way to diagnose it?

Our house is a 6 year old brick built house.

I think it is the piping but it could be the tray (although there are no visible signs it is the tray).

How could I locate the problem without removing the flooring or ceiling underneath.

Also as a final question, how do these systems normally work, what am I likely to see if the flooring is removed, and how does the shower piping link to the house's main drainage?


texts: Is it safe to combine Christmas miniature light sets of different amperage?

texts:
I have two sets of 8mm mini lights that specify 120V 5A on the plug and one set of 5mm mini lights that say 120V 2A.

Is it safe to use them together without blowing/frying the 2A set?


texts: What type of valve optimizes water pressure in new low-flow showerheads?

texts:
We are installing a shower with a handheld and a fixed showerhead fed by 1/2 inch pipe.  Available valve systems are either:

A single function thermostatic valve, rated at 10.0 gpm,  with separate volume controls for the showerhead and handheld. (This valve is a 3/4 inch so would have to use an adaptor from our 1/2 inch pipe.)
A multifunction valve (1/2 inch), rated at 8.6 gpm, with one setting for showerhead, one for the handheld, and a shared function.

I don't know enough hydraulics or enough about shower valves to be confident of choosing the best system/optimal configuration.

Assuming the user will run both the showerhead and the handheld simultaneously, will the separate volume valves in system 1 provide better water pressure than the shared setting on the multifunction valve (system 2)?

Would the different pipe sizes matter, given that the house piping is 1/2 inch?
Does the type of valve matter (integrated valve versus single-function
thermostatic with volume controlled separately)?
Does the difference in gpm between the two valves matter?


texts: why is my generator running but you cant plug in anything

texts: we have a new smart tool 4750 gas generator and it was working fine when we plugged it into our rv then all of sudden it stopped putting out charge but it still turns over and sounds like its working but if you plug in anything it doesn't work


texts: Wiring a 220 outlet- can I use a 15 amp outlet with my 20 amp breaker? Or should I get a replacement 15 amp breaker?

texts:
I'm trying to wire an outlet for my lathe.  The manufacturer recommends a 15 amp breaker. I am planning to run 10 gauge wire approximately 25' to the outlet where I can plug in my lathe. The motor is rated at 8 amps.  I currently have an empty 20 amp breaker for 220 in my box. Here are a few pics of what I'm thinking of using.

The first is the plug for the lathe:

The second is the motor specs of the lathe:

Would the following 20 amp outlet work for this?

I've wired 110 but never 220. Also BTW it has a phase converter allowing it to run off 1 phase.


texts:
I am looking for something like chrome vinyl tape - adhesive, and with a silver, reflective surface:

No matter how hard I look for this in the UK, only US suppliers are available. Could this tape be called something else in the UK? It doesn't have to be vinyl - but being adhesive and harder to tear than metal foil is required.

The plan is to make a reflector for a CFL bulb out of it.