texts: Why does Residual Current Device (RCD) trip with an electric hot plate?

texts:
My German residence is supplied with 3 phase.  The "main" distribution panel, wherein the service feed is connected, supplies the "kitchen zone" hereafter zone A.  From the main panel, a 5 conductor 10 mm^2 (3 phase) is connected to a secondary distribution panel.  All 3 phases of this line are fused at 20 A in the main panel.  In the secondary panel, this line is immediately connected to a Hager CDA440D.  AFAIK, this is a Residual Current Device (RCD).  Next are 16 A fuses for multiple zones in the secondary panel.

I recently purchased a basic 1500 W electric hot plate.  Connecting it to any outlet supplied by the secondary panel trips the RCD*.  It does not matter if the hot plate is set to Min or Max, it always immediately trips the RCD.  Whereas zone A, which does not have a RCD, has no problem operating the hot plate under any setting.

Many high wattage devices have been operated from the secondary panel without this issue.  3000 W halogen work lights, 2000+ W drum sanders, etc.  Big home renovation.

*Maybe the fuse too, I can't remember that part.  Definitely the RCD tripping.

My questions:

1) Can this behavior be explained?

2) Are there any errors in this situation to be corrected?

Thank you for the advice :)

P.S. I want to learn how this works.  Please save yourself the time and effort of posting dogmatic replies, i.e. "call an electrician".  In Germany, it is legal for uncertified individuals to perform some electrical maintenance.


texts: What type of product can I use to hang wall art on bare wood that won't damage the wall?

texts:
I have an "outdoor office" with bare wood interior walls. I'd like to hang some wall art but I'm concerned about damaging the wood and/or leaving a lot of holes that I would have to patch later (and would look unappealing since I don't want to paint).

Is there a type of product I can use to hang stuff that does NOT require piercing the wood surface?


texts: How to improve sound isolation of an interior door?

texts:
Interior doors of the type frequently used in rented housing (I'm speaking in particular of apartments) seem to be hollow and do not do a very good job of sound insulation. If for example a laundry room was behind the doors a great deal of the sound from the laundry room would be transmitted to the rest of the apartment.

In which ways could one (price-efficiently) insulate these doors, such that sound transmissions would lessened?


texts: Does anyone know what this transformer block is for?

texts:
I have just moved into a new flat and mounted on the wall outside the bathroom is a white box. Inside the white box is a transformer and a circuit board. Can anyone help me identify what the purpose of this is?

Many thanks


texts: I found these bugs in my bathroom in New York City. I can't find them on pest control websites. They don't look like roaches. Any ideas of what they are and how to get rid of them?


texts: Is it possible to just replace the adjustable wood insert in door threshold?

texts:
Is it possible to just replace the adjustable wood insert in threshold?
***I want to just replace the adjustable wood filler insert in the sill if at all possible.
Threshold is 36 inches as normal on the french door that opens but as you can see the entire threshold is about 75 inches long.
Screws are 10 inch apart. 3 inch in from the ends.
To put a new one in I would prob have to cut 1/2 of the 75 inch metal threshold from the door that opens at 36 inch point and put in a new one.
BUT I RATHER:
Try to determine who makes it and then if I can remove ONLY the adjustable wood sill filler since it is frozen and the screws are stripped. I would buy a new threshold and my hopes are to take it apart and just replace the adjustable sill.
Do not know who makes this. Wrote a few people with no luck.
Pictures are at my website:
http://www.bebolderhireolder.com/BackDoorThresh/
Thoughts?
Thank you very much, Peter


texts:
Im installing glue-down shaw vinyl planks in my bathroom, and although they are themselves not porous, and should stand up to the traffic and water, i would like to seal them to enhance their durability. Mainly due to the seems..

I have looked around a bit, and everyone just says you shouldnt have to, and thats it. I may not HAVE to, but i would like to.

Any advice on brands or types of sealers? Any input is greatly appreciated.


texts:
I just attempted to replace an outdoor light fixture on my porch. When I unscrewed it, a couple of spiders and gnats ran/flew away from under the light fixture.

I'm very new to home repair, so I have no idea whether or not I should be concerned about the fact that bugs could get in there. Bugs are going to be outdoors, of course, but there are places you don't want them, and I feel like a hole in your porch that leads God-knows-where is one of those places. I don't plan on replacing these fixtures again for a long time, so I'd like to do it right the first time.

Is there something I can/should do to prevent bugs from getting up underneath the fixture? Should I caulk around the base of the fixture, maybe? Or is it just an unavoidable thing that shouldn't bother me?

EDIT:
As requested, here's a picture of the fixture in question.


texts: How to connect router to patch panel in new home

texts:
I recently moved into a new home (new build).

Comcast installed my internet, but was of no help getting my ethernet working.

My builder told me the modem needs to be connected in here and then the router needs to be connected to the patch panel for the room I want to have ethernet access for.

I have connected the cable modem and router. Wifi works fine. I connected the ethernet cables from the port on the back of the router to the patch panel, but I get no lights on the router as you can see and I get no ethernet access.
Not sure what I am doing wrong?

enter image description here

Adding new pictures.

enter image description here


texts:
I'm having a hard time finding the "working time" specifications for Quikrete 5000.

The Quikrete 5000 Data Sheet says "higher early strength", but I'm only assuming that means it will achieve a higher PSI sooner on the calendar, not that it will set up faster while working it?

I'll be manually mixing six 80-lb bags total, two bags at a time for a small concrete countertop project, using water at normal cold-water tap temperatures.  The work will be outside under a covered area during cool weather (40 - 50 degrees F) on a dry, sunny day.

Any rough idea how much working time I'll have under these conditions?  Similar working time as regular concrete?


texts: How much clearance does my furnace intake need?

texts:
The furnace in our teeny tiny new house  is in the most awkward corner. If there wasn't a furnace and air intake right there, we would absolutely put a coat closet in front of it. That is obviously a bad idea, but I'm trying to figure out if there is anything at all I can do in that space. Our laundry basket would fit nicely but it is canvas and I worry about interfering with the air intake (which is directly below the furnace). Can I put anything there? If I keep it a few inches from the wall is that enough?

The furnace is behind that door. Vent below is the air intake.


texts:
An electrician installed a Tesla wall charger with a 60A breaker. I've added a NEMA 14-50 receptacle to the circuit behind a toggle switch (either the wall charger is powered or the plug, not both). The question is: do I need a 50A breaker between the switch and the 14-50?
This thread seems to emphatically say "YES: You must use a 50A breaker", the logic being that

The outlet is rated for 50a. If something goes wrong in the WC and pulls > 50a the outlet is not safe. The breaker wouldn’t trip until 60a [with the implication that the plug could melt before the breaker tripped].

Essentially, this falls into a philosophy of "the breaker protects the wires and the receptacle."
However, as has been pointed out many times on DIY (e.g., here), it's standard practice to install multiple NEMA 5-15 outlets on a 20A breaker, with roughly the reasoning that "devcies with a 5-15 plug are designed not to pull more than 15A; anything else is a short which will quickly exceed 20A and will therefore trip the breaker". This philosophy is that the breaker protects the wires only, and the end device itself protects the receptacle [the device is designed to pull <15A, so a single device cannot be in the 15-20A gray area that could potentially melt the outlet without tripping the breaker].
Which philosophy is correct? Is there something more subtle going on here where 5-15s are a special case, or is it fine (according to NEC) to use a 14-50 on a 60A circuit?
(Throughout, I'm assuming wires are of an appropriate size: this question is about the receptacles.)


texts: Installed dimmer switch caused another switch to stop working

texts:
I installed a dimmer in my bedroom today and I just realised that the dimmer in my mom's room and in the corridor is not working anymore...

Followed standard procedure :
Breaker off, changed the old switch for the dimmer and then turned the breaker on again and the dimmer is working fine.

I can't find any help online...

If it can help, it's a dimmer with a 3-way compatibility, but I didn't connect the wire for it.

I'm a beginner, I wondered if any of you could help, thank you. (Did I mixed up the Ground wire with the black one?)


texts:
I'm trying to install a ceiling lamp in Canada and the lamp box has 3 insulated wires sticking out of it: black, red and white. I'm getting 120V between black and white and between red and white. I'm getting 0V between black and red. There's also an uninsulated wire inside the box and I'm assuming that's the ground.

There's a switch on the wall that's controlling the red/white combo. There's nothing controlling the black/white combo as far as I can tell. What's going on here?

The switch and box have never been used before since the house was built.


texts: How can I splice strings of patio lights together?

texts:
I have 6 strings of patio lights, each string with 10 bulbs.  They can be plugged  together like Christmas lights into a 60 bulb string. Each string is rated 9.6 watts (0.08 amps) and each string has a 3 amp fuse built into the plug.

To make the 60 bulb string more aesthetically pleasing, I would like to cut off the end plug/sockets and solder the strands together into one continuous line.  This would leave just one 3 amp fuse at the start of the string.

Is this safe/legal?  Is there a better/safer method of joining strands together?


texts:
We recently bought a 1950s 1700 square foot house with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, and a largely unfinished basement.  We want to renovate the basement into a modern main bedroom/bathroom suite.
We have 200 Amp service with a recently updated panel that has 20 slots.  We also want to use this opportunity to update the electrical wiring in other parts of the house, including the kitchen, which we want to renovate down the road. However, I'm having a hard time coming up with a plan that allows us to fit everything we want on the existing panel.
Are there circuits that we can combine in the following plan?  Or should we just bite the bullet and have a sub-panel installed?  Similarly, on the current plan, are there combined circuits that really should't be combined?  We have done quite a bit of research to ensure that this will meet current code.
Also, I welcome any other feedback.  Thanks very much for any assistance!


texts: i want to buy a table like this, but I don't know the name. Somebody help?


texts:
I've asked this question before:

What are the pros and cons of a vented vs unvented crawl space?

However, now that I'm going to get air conditioning the question comes back again and again people seem to have different opinions.

I'm the DC area where the summers are hot and humid.

I've got 2" rigid foam insulation on the perimeter walls of my crawl space and an interior perimeter drain system covered with gravel.  I'm going to cover the dirt with 2 layers of 6 mil plastic.

Now, I've got a few bids for AC and the AC guys have different opinions on the question of conditioning the crawl space.  The guy that I may end up going with thinks that I should vent the crawl space in the summer and isolate it from the basement (my space underneath is divided: 1/2 crawlspace 1/2 basement).

However, there's this article:

http://www.buildingscience.com/documents/reports/rr-0401-conditioned-crawl-space-construction-performance-and-codes/?topic=/doctypes/researchreport

that talks against the idea.  My bidders think it's OK to condition it (small register + return at the opposite end).

FWIW, I may also add a radon exhaust fan hooked into my french drain.

Given all the above info and your experience, what decision would you make if you were in my shoes?


texts: Do I need to seal / moisture-proof an outdoor plug?

texts:
I have an outdoor plug socket (UK) in my garden that is ip66 sealed (basically the plug is inside a box that you can open and close).

I intend to use this plug for a hot tub in our garden, but there is one hitch. The hot tub pump/heater has been supplied with a moulded european plug.

I will need to cut this off and replace it with a UK plug.

Should I be concerned that I will be replacing a moulded plug with a standard plug? The plug will of course be inside the ip66 sealed socket, so should be free from moisture - but I cannot shake the feeling that I'm downgrading my safety here.


texts: How do I eject a bit from a Wiha 38600 screwdriver?

texts:
I just bought this overpriced Wiha 386 screwdriver. It takes a 1/4 bit. It also has a "retaining ring." I put a bit in it, and everything went great. But.. how do I get the bit out of it?

I know it sounds stupid, but I can't figure out how to get the bit ouf of this screwdriver. What's the trick. This has to be a German joke of some sort. The screwdriver is titled, "Wiha 38600 Bit Holder 1/4" with Retaining Ring, Flexible Shaft."


texts: How do I keep my outdoor trash cans from blowing away in the wind?

texts: I have two trash cans that sit on the side of my house. What can I do to keep them from blowing away due to the wind, when they are empty? I've tried bungee cording them together but they then just blow away as a couple. I have concrete block so I thought I could maybe attach hooks and use bungee cords to secure them to the house.


texts: How many concrete piers do I need to support a 10 x 10 wooden floor supporting a 1600 lb shed?

texts:
Aptos, CA, United States.

As you've probably noticed from my prior post, I'm in the process of building a foundation for a garden shed.  My specific county/region does not have strict restrictions/requirements on shed foundations or concrete use.  Good news: I'm on my own.  Bad news: I'm on my own.  At this point, I'm pretty sure I want to go with a concrete pier foundation.

The floor measurements are as follows:

I was originally planning to set three rows of 8 inch piers (three piers per row) with a pressure-treated 4x4 lining each row... but now I'm wondering if that's not enough or too many...

My questions are:

How many concrete piers would you suggest I use in order to support a floor of this size and an empty distributed building weight of 1600 lbs (without people standing on it).
Do piers always need to be at the very end? Or can there be a small overhang of wood? Ideally I'd like to have the piers away from the edges of the perimeter so they're not as visible.


texts: controlling a light fixture with a wireless switch

texts: I would like to add a light fixture in my basement workshop controlled by a switch in my first floor kitchen but without running new wiring.  Is there a wireless solution available?


texts: What should I do about baseboard anchors in plaster-over-brick walls?

texts:
I am restoring some plaster walls in my very old house. Most of the areas that need restoration are around the bottom of the walls since I ripped out old ugly baseboards and that also crumbled the old plaster. Since the walls are plaster-over-brick, there are 2x8 wood inserts into the brick that were used as anchors to nail the baseboard to.

Now, what confuses me is this: The inserts are flush with the brick -- how plaster should be bordered around those inserts so as to not smear it over the insert but be butted all the way (or close) to it in its regular thickness? What I did was make small 2x8x3/8 plywood cover shims and screw the (1, 2 or 3, depending on the offset as it varies since the wall is old) into the insert to be flush or close to flush with the projected finished plaster (approx. 3/4"). In fact, since I am now ready for the final coat of plaster, I think I may add another shim on every insert so that it goes above the surface of plaster and then, when the plaster dries, take the top one off.

I hope you understand what I am saying. I did not want to plaster over the inserts because the baseboard nails wouldn't make it through the plaster. Ideally, the inserts would be coming out of the brick for the thickness of the plaster and not be flush to make this easy but they don't.

My questions are:

Am I overengineering this?
Is there a better way to do it?
Do baseboards even need to be nailed? Can I just liquid nail them to the plaster without using actual nails? I was thinking to do both -- nail into the inserts and do liquid nails between inserts.

See the pics. One shows bare brick wall with the original inserts, the other shows shims on top of inserts with the base coat of plaster around them.


texts: I'm rewiring a display case at my store. The existing wiring has 4 wires including a yellow one attached to the red wire. Theres a Green, White, Red & the yellow wire coming from the fixture itself. I'd like to replace that with a 3 wire 14ga cord. Whats the yellow wire & which of the 3 wires do I attach it?


texts: Is it safe to have a propane line (within a PVC conduit) cross a septic pipe (house to septic tank) underground?


texts: How to open old under cabinet halogen light?

texts: How do I open this to change the bulb?  It is an under cabinet 12v halogen fixture installed in 2001.


texts: The overflow hole on my bathroom sink is rusting and will tend to "leak" brown rust particles into the basin when water is splashed up into the hole. Is there an easy fix here?


texts: Is this joint between the foundation and first row of mortar typical

texts: Just wondering if this is a normal appearance for the area where the foundation and first row of mortar/brick meet. There are no signs of any structural cracks or anything like that in the area. Is this just cosmetic or should there be some sort of sealing done?


texts: Can one-way window film actually be a detriment to my windows?

texts: I'm considering getting one-way mirror film for my home windows and sliding patio door.  The salesperson I spoke to advised that these films could actually contribute to the breakdown of the window's seals by causing light to reflect off the film and then back through the space between the panes which generates excessive heat build-up within the argon gas insulation.  There always seems to be a caveat to everything, but I am hoping this one is actually minimal and that I can proceed with the film installation with little worries.


texts: How do I terminate coaxial cable in a crimp on F type connector?

texts: I've got some coaxial cable, and I'd like to put F type connectors on the end so I can use the cable to connect my TV to the Cable box.  How do I put ends on the cable?


texts: Dishwasher - valve on water pipe designed as not to be opened

texts:
I'm connecting dishwasher in my new place and I'm baffled by the valve on the pipe. I swear it looks like it was designed so that it won't be opened. Unless it doesn't turn... but this is ball type.

In case it helps: I'm in the UK. Not being British I can't think of any way to open it...
Help?

There is small protrusion from the side of the white pipe which prevents me from turning. Weird, to say the least.


texts:
I have a portion of my deck that's a 4' square connecting stairs that go up and down from it.  One of the corner posts (green post in the pic) has sunk between 1/2 and 1 inch and I'd like to raise it and pour a new deck piling to stabilize it. I don't think it's still sinking and has been stable in its current position for at least a few years. The wood seems all in good shape.
I'm a total newbie at this and am evaluating whether to even try this myself.  I thought about using a jack to raise the corner, but I don't know where I can place the jack such that it won't interfere with my ability to dig the hole for the new concrete.  When I tried to place it anywhere a foot or more from the post, it basically tries to lift the entire platform rather than the corner I'm concerned about.  How could I effectively and safely raise the deck here while still leaving enough space to dig a hole around the offending post? Or is there another technique that might be better?
Approximate design below.  Posts are 4x4 and platform is 4' x 4'.
To respond to @Ecnerwal's question about the screws versus nails attaching the framing to the post: lots and lots of nails, sunk deep into the wood.


texts:
What would a Performance Lighting system for a stage include?
Please be as details as possible and if you can include the elements into basic lighting and modern stage lighting.


texts: What is this soft, sticky wood finish and how do I remove it?

texts:
We have a second-hand table with a mysterious finish.

The wood underneath is pale, possibly pine. With the finish, it's a slightly darker and "warmer" colour. The table is not antique; I'd guess only about 20 years old.

The finish is soft, so you can easily score lines in it with a fingernail. It feels slightly sticky if you just press it with a finger. It becomes VERY sticky if it gets wet, and will permanently stick to any paper left on it, so the paper can only be removed by painstakingly scrubbing it into shreds. It also turns white after getting wet, for an hour or so, then fades back to brown.

Because of the stickiness it attracts dirt horribly, and is covered in dark grime which is very hard to remove. The grime can be removed by lengthy scrubbing with a rough sponge and Flash kitchen spray, but then the finish partly comes off too.

We tried Nitromors paint and varnish remover, followed by white spirit. It made some progress at removing the finish, but left it patchy and smeary and not completely removed; I think we've had better results with Flash kitchen spray.

Can you help me identify the finish, and recommend a way to remove it properly?


texts: Ceiling light still dimly lit with switch off

texts: My ceiling light remains dimly lit after the switch is turned off. When the switch is on, the light is bright like normal, but when the switch is turned off, the light is still on slightly. I replaced the switch in case the switch was bad, but no change in the light. Took a voltage reading with the switch on (123V AC); with the switch off (103V AC). This suggests there is some voltage bleeding over or induced from another circuit into this one. Am in the process of preparing a wiring diagram so I can identify which outlets & lights are on which circuit breakers which should help narrow down which circuits are close by. What else can I do or check to see where this voltage is bleeding into this ceiling light? Thank you . . . Ray


texts: Ceiling fixture crossbar with 45° rotation

texts:
I'm trying to mount a Hampton Bay track light power feed to a standard 4" round ceiling box.  The power feed seems to be designed for a ceiling box where the mounting screws make a line at 45° to the walls of the room, but the ceiling box I'm working with has the mounting screws such that the line drawn through the two screws is parallel to one wall.  Mounting the power feed using the existing screw holes would result in the track running diagonally in relation to the room walls.

Here is a photo of the guts of the power feed

And here a drawing of the ceiling box with its relationship to the walls

And a tracing of the power feed baseplate in the same orientation as the ceiling box.

And finally, what I imagine a 45° offset crossbar bracket would look like if it existed.

I've tried Home Depot (of course), online searches, and several lighting stores but nobody has anything like this.  I found a Westinghouse "universal crossbar" but it provides only about 25° of possible rotation, not nearly enough.

I cannot believe this problem has not come up countless times, both in this context and in many others besides track lighting, and a solution must already exist, but I have not been able to find one.


texts: Bosch Dishwasher check water light flashing

texts:
I live in the UK and have a 3 year old built-in Bosch dishwasher, model number smv50c00gb/14. It finished a cycle ok but then started beeping and flashing the "check water" red light. The only way to stop this is to power off at the mains. When I turn the power back on, after a few seconds the light starts flashing. The beeping also resumes and the dishwasher makes a rumbling sound.

I've tried tipping the dishwasher but that didn't help. I've also tried cleaning the filter om the input pipe.


texts: Could shingles that are not flat be caused by stapling the sheathing rather than nailing?

texts:
We recently asked someone to add a covered porch to a new construction. He reported back that the existing roof (which was built by a different contractor about 6 months ago) has some issues. He said it could be because the plywood was stapled rather than nailed, but he is not sure. I wonder if any of you could tell by looking at a picture. I already reached out to the company that built the roof and I am waiting to hear back. Since I know nothing about roofs I would like be somewhat more knowledgeable.
Thanks


texts: Is there any level of radon in the home that is *immediately* dangerous?

texts: I ask because when I purchased my home the level was 19 pCi/L, and on a recent retest it is 27.8 pCi/L.  I plan on for sure getting this fixed within a month, but I'm wondering if there's any reason to make it priority to get it done sooner.  Most of the statistics, etc. on the danger talk about the effects over a lifetime, how much radon would it take for there to be an immediate danger to be living in the house?


texts: What is an "indoor phone system" called?

texts: I want to install a phone system that I can "call" within my house. What I mean is that I want to call my wife from my home office to my kitchen using a phone system; then my wife can use the phone system in the kitchen to answer me. It is better if it is wireless. What should I call that? Do all indoor phones have this function?


texts: Mounting heavy mirror that has a angled beveled frame

texts:
I would like to hang a large heavy mirror (5' x 3) that has a bevelled frame as shown in the picture below.
The back of the mirror is made of 1/8" wood which I don't will be able to hold the weight well. The frame however is solid wood 1/2" thick which should nicely hold the weight of the mirror.
The frame edge is angled at about 35deg from the plane of the mirror.
How do I mount the such that the back is tight to the wall?
Any insight would be appreciated.

UPDATE:
As requested here is the picture of the side of the mirror and how it looks.
Is it feasible to put French cleats on this?


texts: What inspector can help us evaluate popping noises in ceiling and walls?

texts:
We live in a small (1,500 square foot), one-floor, old (most of it 65 years old, some of it 30) house just south of San Francisco. We've lived here about 25 years and the last few years we have heard a lot of popping noises in the ceiling and walls.

It's been getting worse and worse. Some we hear in the early morning. Some we hear when we walk on the floor near structural walls. We can see some unevenness in a wooden floor and a few hairline cracks in the wall and ceiling too.

My initial thought is that we are having problems with a sinking foundation. Maybe too much water near the foundation in the rainy season. But I don't really know.

What kind of inspector or contractor should I contact to evaluate this? How best could I find someone?

UPDATE: I might add that we sometimes get noises also from a hot water pipe under the house. And that we have a crawl space that is hard to access. I have not been under there for 18 months, but last time I was there I didn't see anything unusual.


texts: What could cause a melting/overheating light switch?

texts:
One of my light switches has started over heating/melting all of a sudden. This is definitely a new development because this has not happened in the year that we have lived here. I have 9 6W LED bulbs connected to a Lutron Caseta light switch that's rated for 500W. I replaced the melted switch with a new one this morning and replaced all the bulbs with brand new ones too, but it seems to be getting quite hot again. More so than getting hot, it smells like burning plastic.

It seems isolated to one light switch. It seems to be overheating after being on for several hours. Should I get a switch that's rated for a higher wattage? Why would that be an issue all of a sudden? Could there be a voltage change? Could some wires behind the walls have gotten loose?

There are 2 other switches in the junction box that seem fine.

Edit: added photo


texts: Are ultrasonic ant repellents effective?

texts:
I'm considering an ultrasonic ant repellent for the kitchen (where I'd rather not use a chemical pesticide).

Do these things work?


texts: Solvented or Solvent-Free Grab Adhesives?

texts:
Most makes of grab adhesive have both a Solvented or Solvent-Free version?

When and why should I used each of them……


texts: Can I safely nail a wall's top plate to a laminated beam?

texts:
I'm finishing my basement in Minnesota, and am in the process of framing it out.

An engineered wood beam (2 parallel pieces of what looks to be 13 or 14ply laminate) holds up the main floor. My design calls for a wall that spans about 75% of this beam's length. To attempt to use as much of available floor area as possible, I would like to attach the wall to this beam.

Can I nail in my wall's top plate directly to the bottom of this beam with no ill-effects? Or should I leave the beam alone and build out two walls, one on either side?


texts: why does my house have a 4 inch vent stack going out the front?

texts: I have a vent pipe that goes out the front of the house(just above the foundation)it goes down into the drain under the flooring in the basement.I have my plumbing vented already. I do have one toilet in the basement.When you sit on that toilet it (the pipe) is right in your face. I want to remove it, can I? it is made of cast iron and starts on the the floor of the basement goes up and out of the front of the house just above foundation.


texts: We recently found and pinpointed a leak in my copper refrigerant line (the non-insulated line) and was wondering if there was anyway to repair and replace that one spot on the line (like if there were a water leak)? The spot is outside and accessible.  Do they sell repair kits for something like this? I just want to know before I spend almost 1500 to get the entire lines replaced all together.


texts:
I bought a new single-bulb light fixture. It's going in a small animal cage, so the wall plug comes in through the ceiling of the cage. I connected white to white, black to black, and green to a green grounding screw in the fixture.
When I plugged it in and switched it on, the light worked but withing a half-second there was a pop and the ground wire blew off. The light stayed on and works.
My questions:

1) What did I do wrong? I'm admittedly a real newbie on this.

2) Is it at all unsafe to keep running it now?

3) My first guess is that maybe some of the live wire (black or white) touched the ground? I have them all wound up in plastic wire connectors, but they are admittedly pretty close together where they come out of the plug. Is that a possible cause, and if so, would it be safe to strip some more of the green wire coming from the wall plug, connect that to the ground screw, and try again?

4) Am I about to electrocute myself and/or start a fire and therefore should cease and desist?


texts: I have two wires from ceiling red and black please how do I connect it to a switch fan remote then the remote to a fan so as to control the fan speed

texts: How can I connect a fan to a fan switch controller which is connected to the ceiling that has only red and black wire


texts: 13ft wide desk/workbench with only one leg

texts:
This question is much like: how to "float" a large desk (3000mm x 720mm x 40mm) between walls but somewhat different (mainly, significantly wider).
I want to build a desk that is 13ft wide, supported by cleats (lagged to wall studs) at the back edge and at the ends.  I don't want to try to make the top stiff enough that NO support is needed along the front edge (the "torsion box" described in other questions).  I simply want to reinforce the front edge with a piece of steel angle (already in hand), and perhaps some additional wood, and support that in the middle with a single strong leg (in order to have as much clearance as possible under the desk).
The top will be made from two pieces of 3/4" furniture-grade (hardwood) plywood.  I'll cut some curves into the front edge, to make two somewhat separated work spaces.  (Cutting those curves smoothly enough to allow applying edge-banding is probably beyond my skill level, but I have a carpenter friend who can easily do it in his workshop).  It'll look something like this:

My question is about how to support the front edge.   Is simply bolting my piece of steel angle (2 x 2 x 1/4" by 7ft long) to the underside of the top, near the front edge, and supporting the center of that angle with one leg, sufficient ?  If I think of the two ends of the angle (from either side of the leg) as cantilevered beams of 42" length, a 100lb point load at the end gives about 1/4" maximum deflection; that's a bit more load that leaning hard on the edge of the desk with both elbows, and it doesn't include the rigidity of the plywood itself, so I think I can live with that.  (I realize the entire 84" of steel can rotate slightly off the top of the leg, so modeling it as two separate 42" cantilevers isn't that accurate, but hopefully in the ballpark).
Then there's the deflection of the unsupported section of plywood between the end of the steel angle and the end wall, about 35".  I'd like to compute the deflection of a point load (let's say 100lb again) at the center of that 35" span of plywood, but I'm not sure how to compute that (nor the shear on the plywood).  So perhaps some extra wood support along the front edge would be in order.   This shows a 2x8 board near the front edge.  It would be laid flat (even a 2x4, in the normal joist configuration, would provide too much obstruction under the desktop).

With a 100lb load at the center of a 35" span of laid-flat 2x8, I compute a max deflection of about 0.04" (seems counterintuitively low, but it's what I get using the formula FL^3/48EI, with   E = 1.15*10^6 lb/in^2 for #2 SPF lumber, and I = 2.04 in^4 for a flat 2x8).
Another idea was to make the desktop two layers thick, with the base layer made from 3 pieces ripped from a sheet of BC plywood.  It has the added advantage of supporting the top layer between the back wall and the front edge, although I doubt that is needed.  It would look something like this:

So, which of these three ideas for supporting the front edge of the desk is best ?

The piece of steel angle alone ?
The steel angle plus a laid-flat 2x8 ?
The steel angle plus a base layer of 3 chunks of BC plywood ?
(Each with a single leg in the center of the front edge).

Also, for appearance sake, the front (curved) edge of the furniture-grade top will hang off  whatever support is underneath it (option 1, 2, or 3 above) perhaps 2" where the desktop is only 28" deep and 10" where it is 36" deep.   I wonder if that it too much cantilever of the desktop ?  Do I need to bring the support 28" out from the wall (won't look so good) and/or reduce the depth of the curvature of the front edge to 6" instead of 8" ?


texts: Dryer Takes Too Long, Cleaned out Vent. What next?

texts:
We just cleaned out the dryer vent with a leaf blower like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dO9Y5j1uhqk

Unfortunately it still takes over 2 runs to dry a load.  Before we did this, however, we disconnected the tube from the wall and let the tube exhaust into the laundry room (it gets very hot and humid!), and the load was perfectly dry after about 45 min.  So, it seems the problem is indeed in the tubing in the walls.

Any thoughts on what to do next?


texts:
I am looking to add power to my detached metal (enclosed carport) garage. With that said I am trying to figure out the most economical solution to wiring the garage. I would like to run the wire like normal unfinished detached garages with the wire running behind the metal studs and between the outside wall with 12/2 Romex.  This would then run each span (leg) of the garage inside the rib of the metal to give me power plugs for various things like power tools.  My questions are...

Can this be done and be NES compliant?
Would I have to cover the wall surface to be compliant? (plywood or similar)
Should I run it in PVC conduit (1/2 or 3/4)?
3.a. Can I use Romex 12/2 in conduit or do I have to get THHN?
At the subpanel do I need to connect a copper grounding rod for the sub?
What is the better method GFI breaker or GFI plug at the start of each electrical run for safety?

Assuming when a house is put up for sale during an inspection a detached garage is not inspected does it really matter (within limits of safety) if I leave it exposed?
If you guys have any other advice on this please let me know.


texts:
I won't bore you with project details, but I need to replace a very tiny screw and I'm having a lot of trouble both determining the size and finding a supplier for screws this small. So far I have tried two different sizes(one U.S., one metric) and both were too small.
what I think I know at this point:

flat counter-sunk head(100 degree angle)
Imprecise self-measurement of 1/4" length, 1/16" diameter, 32 threads/in
larger diameter than m1.6x.35x6 machine screw
larger diameter than 1/4" Length, #0-80

edit:
Yes, it does screw into plastic, but I'm primarily concerned with figuring out the diameter, thread pitch, etc.


texts: Maximum height of hand-shaped concrete curb?

texts:
I need to guide water flow at the end of my driveway (see this question). My plan is to put in a concrete curb or hump to guide the water. I've gone all over the map in thinking of how to build it, but right now my plan is as follows:

Set short (8"?) rebar pieces vertically into the ground, with the top ends bent at 90° about 2" above the ground
Have one long rebar piece wired to the vertical pieces
Hand-shape concrete (probably good ol' Quikrete) into a 4" tall by 6" wide curb, centered on the long rebar piece

This is an approximate cross-section of the curb, where the sloped side will be guiding the water:

I'm not heavily invested in this shape; I wouldn't mind if it ended up just a rounded hump. I just want it to be durable, to guide the water, and to not look too awful from a distance.

I've been going back and forth on whether I'll need to build a form to hold this shape while the concrete sets. Right now my plan is to have a single board define the vertical rear edge of the curb. and then use hands and trowels to mold the concrete against the board and around the rebar.

So, the question: will I be able to mold this, or will the concrete slump? (Any other tips would be welcome.)


texts:
Stainless steel nails for roofing is ~$1K premium.  Assume that the commercial roof (self-storage building, with sloping roof) is on a Florida island, but not on the beach.  What questions do I need to ask to determine whether it is worth the premium?

What can I expect as the incremental benefit of stainless nails?


texts: Should my receptacle tester be able to trip a GFCI breaker in the panel box?

texts: I have a receptacle tester with a button to test GFCI. It works properly in tripping the GFCI if the outlet itself is a GFCI outlet. However when I test it on circuits which have a GFCI breaker nothing happens. is my tester broken is my breaker functioning improperly what's the issue here?


texts: How can I fix this handheld vacuum cleaner?

texts:
This is a handheld vacuum cleaner with a simple circuit inside. I’ve charged it fully for a good while and also tried decharge-recharging it but no joy. All it can manage to do is ticking the engine which is not powerful enough to get it on full rounds and working. I have contacted the producer and they said they don’t have batteries available for this item. Is there a way I could find out if it’s the battery or something else? I find it a waste to put this in the bin and buy a new one.

P. S. I have a video but it doesn’t seem like I can upload videos here.

Update:

Here’s how I’m testing it with the 9V battery:

Update #2:
 I’m not sure if the contact is made but here’s how I’m testing and still no joy. I have a feeling that I’m making a mistake somewhere.


texts: What is the Philips screw naming convention (Mn)? What is 2 in M2?

texts:
I want to order screws like the one I have. The diameter of the threaded portion is 2mm. The length of the threaded portion is 8mm.

The screws are listed as Mn (where n is 1.6,2,2.5...) on various sites. The length parameter is also specified.

I have a feeling that the n represent the diameter of the threaded portion
however even after having searched a lot I found no document that explicitly states this.
Some documents state diameter=M2. So M2 relates to the diameter. But 2 could be in mm, 1/10 of an inch or it could be like shoe size where the number is not a dimension in itself but simply represents one of the many standard sizes.

Side note: I wonder why something as basic as this is not documented clearly. Specs generally go into excruciating detail which includes the naming convention. Where should I have looked for the meaning of this convention? I have gone through ISO-7045 but even it does not state what the n in Mn means.


texts: Can I attach drywall directly to a wood beam?

texts:
I'm finishing my basement and need to build a soffit around the HVAC trunks, pipes, and a wood beam.  I'm planning to build a ladder on one side of the ducts and another between the ducts and the beam.

I'm hoping that I can just screw the drywall into the beam to make one large soffit.


texts:
My aunt found a bucket of these things while cleaning out the house.  Neither she, my father nor I have any idea what they would be used for.  The best way I can describe them is that they look like a cross between a zip tie and a nail.

They are semi-round, with one side being flat but having ridges like a zip tie. The head is slightly rounded and the point is more like a flat-head screw driver tip.  The nail is 3 inches in length total.  It looks a bit shorter in the image due to camera angle.

The only idea we had for their use would be like some kind of interlocking fastener. One from each side with the ridged edges lining up could create a fairly strong connection.


texts: Why does my water heater stop after a few minutes?

texts:
I have a Junkers (European water heater) that works for a few minutes and then stops. Anyone have experience with this/know how I can troubleshoot?

Or, would a regular plumber be able to fix it?


texts: Why are my circuit breakers not tripping?

texts:
I live on Vancouver Island. My house is less than 10 years old. It is equipped with Siemens QT circuit breakers.
I could not find a specific breaker so I intentionally shorted the circuit at the outlet but no breakers tripped. I did the same with another circuit and again no breakers tripped. I did a third circuit with the same results.
I used an old extension cord and cut off one end and bared the wires. Plugged it into the socket and got the expected result, a large flash. I touched the wires again with the same result.
Surely at this point the breakers should trip. I think this is weired.

Any help would be appreciated.

I now feel that my house is not properly protected


texts: Laying bricks/blocks into a concrete slab during the pour

texts: It is common practice to put a brick ribbon around a newly poured concrete walkway. Is it possible to put decorative designs, using bricks, in the middle of a concrete slab as it's poured? How do I put elements like paver bricks, or regular bricks, or blocks in the middle of concrete? Is this advisable, or does it cause cracks to develop?


texts:
Does the circuit providing a light at the electrical panel have to be ONLY for that light?

I'm fairly sure there specifically has to be a light at the panel, as well as a circuit with an accessible outlet. My electrician at the panel install felt these needed to be separate, which I, with experience stumbling through the dark to a fusebox (20 years before that house got circuit breakers) certainly agree with. But... This means I'm spending an entire 15 amp breaker to run a 60W lightbulb (or its 8 W replacement.) Do I need to? Is that circuit required to be JUST for the panel area, or is that not actually the case? In particular, if I'm running other lighting loads off it, is it still acceptable so long as it does, indeed, light the panel area?

USA location, 2011 NEC is the code currently adopted.


texts: How do I remove water trapped within wrought iron railing?

texts:
In the process of repainting my wrought iron fence, I had discovered that in a few of the rails, water started to leak out at the weld joints attached to the bottom rail while removing paint & rust with a steel brush!  Apparently, water had entered through gaps in the weld joints of the rails directly under the top rail during the rainy season and has been trapped over the dry months until just recently when I had removed enough paint around the weld joint allowing water to seep out! (Wondering if there are additional rails that have water trapped but hadn't leaked out due to good weld joints at bottom rail!)

My question is how best can I drain the water from the rails that have water trapped within prior to my resealing the weld joints with new primer and paint? Would it be practical to try to blow the water out with an air compressor or is my best bet to simply drill a hole near the bottom of each rail?  I suppose I could simply reseal the water within with new paint, however, I would imagine that the water would rust the interior of the rail tubes! Also, might be good idea to caulk all of the weld joints under top rails to prevent additional water penetration in the future!


texts: How do I replace a dimmer switch with a single switch?

texts: I'm trying to replace a dimmer switch with a regular light switch. The same box also has another dimmer and fan control switch next to the one I want to replace. The dimmer has 2 wires, a pink and black. I want to know which wires to use for this light switch. Everywhere I look dimmers have 3 wires. Should I unwrap one of the bare wires and use it with the new switch? The switch controls a light with 3 bulbs and this is the only switch.


texts: Toilet leaking, possibly related to loose screws?

texts:
Pools of water have started to appear next to the base of my toilet. There are two screws near the base of the toilet. One of them is totally loose (see photo) - it just spins and I can waggle it around and it doesn't seem like there's anything vaguely near for it to screw into. I'm not sure what it is meant to screw into. Other information:

It might not be the loose screws that cause the water to pool - the cistern gets a lot of condensation  - perhaps the water is then dripping off there to the floor. I've tried to confirm isn't not this by using a towel to 'catch' the condensation and water still appeared on the floor, but it's not a perfect test.
When I flush the toilet, water doesn't come out of the screw holes or anywhere else.
The toilet does not rock when pushed.
I can't figure out what the toilet brand is so can't look up a manual etc. On the inside of the cistern lid it says "L34" but have not been able to use that to find the brand.


texts: install a pole to hold telephone line 3ft in air of the house?

texts: I would like to install a pole/mast/pipe on side of house going above roof 3ft. It needs to hold phone line from street and maybe cable line also. Not sure what size galvenized pipe to use or an antenna mast or something. Thanks for any ideas.


texts: trying to add honeywell wifi thermostat to old furnace

texts: I see there are lots of post asking about the "C" wire and wifi thermostats so I apologize in advance for another one. I'm trying to install a new Honeywell T5 thermostat for my not so mobile father in law. His furnace is quite old and doesn't have a control board just transformers, coils and a limit switch. I have 5 wires to the stat which currently are all being used. Red-Rh, Blue-Rc, Yellow -Y, Green-G and White-W. The attached crude schematic show were they all go. There is also a picture of the overall components. Everything is wire nutted together.I guess my question is do I need to add a "C" wire and where would I land it since there are two transformers?


texts: wiring a bathroom exhaust fan to a continuous circuit

texts:
We are adding a bathroom fan to our bathroom that never had one.
We found power from the attic that we may be able to use.
This power joins the hallway ceiling light to the hallway switch.
We would be using a 2 pole switch (top switch for vanity light and bottom switch for exhaust fan).
Is it possible to take power from that attic power? If so how and would we need 12/3 wire.


texts: Is this scenario a bootleg ground? Is it safe? options?

texts: I have a shop that has been fed a 3-wire (L1 - L2 - N)service years ago. The ground wires to the outlets are bonded to the neutral wires in the shop's subpanel. There is NO earth ground / ground rod at the shop. The outlets DO NOT have the ground wire hooked up at all, and no "typical" bootleg with a jumper or something. Should I hook up the ground wires in the outlets? I know the real solution is to run a separate ground wire from the source of the shop's service and turn the shop feed into a 4-wire with the separate bus for ground and neutral etc... But is it considered "bootleg" if I hook up the ground wires at the outlets like I said?


texts:
I am wiring a small workshop, using conduit.   I was shocked to see how expensive THHN/THHW cable is, with respect to NM-B: at local big-box store, 100ft of 14/2 NM was $33,  whereas 100ft of THHN was about $20 (so $60, almost double the price of NM, for 2 conductors plus EGC).

I am wondering about the pros and cons of using NM instead of THHN.  Issues I see, for various options, are as follows:

Just run exposed NM ?   Probably against code, but it's just a detached shop and won't be inspected.   I'm using conduit for outlets, but this is for lighting wiring in the ceiling, so out of reach; OTOH, it might be tempting to hang things on it.   Probably a terrible idea.
Run NM inside conduit ?   Might be tough, due to its stiffness.   OTOH, I'm using pretty big conduit (3/4" for just 2 14ga conductors plus EGC) and only two bends max.
Pull the conductors out of the NM jacket and use these in the conduit ?  How difficult would this be ?   Don't want to have to rip the jacket the whole way, but once one conductor is pulled out (probably the EGC) the others should be easy.   I've heard varying opinions on whether the wire inside the jacket of NM is actually THHN.  I've read it doesn't have as "slippery" insulation, so doesn't pull as easily as real THHN.  I've also read it's un-marked, so technically against code, but I probably don't care.
Bite the bullet and pay much more for real THHN.
Use armored cable such as MC or BX.


texts: My living room needs more ambient light and I'm reluctant to drill holes in my ceiling. What are my options?

texts:
Problem:

My living room needs more ambient light.

Constraint:

My living room does not have an overhead light fixture and I'm reluctant to drill holes in my ceiling.

Questions:

What are my options?
When choosing a light fixture, how do I ensure that it will adequately light the room?
If I don't want to thread electrical wires through the ceiling and walls, how do I connect my light fixture to the light switch?

EDIT:

I'm not 100% against drilling holes in my ceiling.

I said that I am "reluctant" to drill holes in my ceiling because I perceived the wiring to be difficult.

Thanks to those who have said "Wiring a ceiling light-fixture is not so hard."


texts: How do I get utility lines marked on my property?

texts: In Michigan, there is a service called Miss Dig for identifying buried utility lines. We've just moved from Michigan to New Hampshire, and we would like to know where our utility lines are buried. What service should I call?


texts: Should I use platicizer as an additive to mortar

texts: I keep having problems with the joints in my patio flags, after each winter the joints often break up and it is a major job to keep the patio in good condition. I usually use a mix or Portland cement and Sharp sand in 4:1 ratio but it is clearly not doing the job correctly, Ideally I want strong mortar joints that are hard and preferably able to withstand jet spraying when the patio is cleaned. Should I be using an additive such as a platicizer to strengthen the mortar mix? If so any particular brand?


texts: What could be causing low water pressure in cold line in only part of the house?

texts: I have great water pressure (both hot and cold) in the front of my house (1st floor and 2nd floor bathrooms). In the back of my house (1st floor kitchen and 2nd floor laundry room) the hot water pressure is great but the cold water pressure is very low. I just replaced an old valve on the cold water line to see if that was the problem but the pressure is still low . This is a new problem (about a year) as I've had no pressure problems in the past. Any ideas?


texts: How to support a hollow tabletop in the center?

texts:
I am new here, so I apologize in advance if my description is unclear or details insufficient.

I recently bought an IKEA LINNMON tabletop and two FINNVARD trestles to go with it (on each side). But the dimensions didn't match and the tabletop is not wide/deep enough to reach the two silicon rings that would otherwise hold the tabletop in place. (A bigger tabletop is not a solution in my small living space)

I improvised and decided to use just one of the trestles as the main support in the middle of the table. How do I make sure my table is stable and will not topple when weights (many heavy books) are placed unevenly on top?

The tabletop is hollow and the inside is a honeycomb paper structure, so would using alum angles be a good idea?

I would be happy to include more details or pictures if needed.

Thank you!


texts: Why would a dryer take 4 hours to dry after we cleaned out the vent?

texts: Our place is 17 years old and apparently no one had cleaned out the dryer vent before now.  It was extremely clogged up.  While the vent was clogged, the dyer worked great - dried an average load in 45-60 min.  Ever since we cleaned out the vent it takes 4 hours to dry a load.  Coincidence? What could cause this?  Any tips of suggestions greatly appreciated.  Thank you


texts:
I am trying to take the cartridge out of the faucet of my kitchen sink. I removed the handle and that little cap. I cannot 'isolate' the cartridge. Here are two pictures. I tried to use a pipe wrench but always got the jaws slipped off the threads.

https://imgur.com/a/i6E0L3L


texts:
I have recently added 6 new windows to my house (new holes in the walls). I have also purchased 13 additional new construction windows to replace the old wooden ones. I know the process of replacing them; however, up to this point I have always had an extra set of hands with me. I will have a large chunk of time this weekend to install at least a few windows, but the guys are all unavailable (coincidence?). I would like to at least take a shot at doing the smaller ground level windows.

Question: Are there any techniques or processes that could help me in my endeavor to install these new construction windows by myself? My main thoughts are around centering and maintaining appropriate gaps (specifically top and bottom) without having someone on the inside.

I know, silly question, but hoping someone has a tip or two.


texts: Outdoor patio heater stops working after use

texts:
I bought one of those 8 foot patio heaters that use a 20 gallon propane tank to replace my old one.

It will run fine for a couple of hours on a full tank and then behave like it is running out of gas. Until eventually not being able to heat at all. If I leave it off for an hour and start it back up then it runs better and can heat. If I leave it until the next night then it runs 100% until degrading slowly again.

This sounds like it is directly related to the components heating up.

My old one that I used for many years never exhibited this problem so I think I can rule out my tanks and environment.

My guess is that some metal parts in the new heater are not made of the same metal parts as in the old heater. That the metal is inferior for the task and is expanding more under heat and restricting gas flow. But that is just my wild uninformed guess.

It was suggested that I return it but how am I going to prove it's not behaving properly and if its a problem with the design getting a replacement won't help.

I am thinking of changing the regulator with the one from my old unit next.


texts: When does sanding(smoothing out wood surface) sensibly apply

texts:
I know I can smooth surface right after stripping is done. And I read somewhere that I can choose to perform smoothing step after pre-conditioning step instead. What I would like to know is if I can skip sanding, to smooth out the surface, until after applying :

a) stain to surface?

b) protective coat(in my case polyurethane satin finish)?


texts: How do I start a Troy Bilt Tiller without a key?

texts: My friend has a Troy Bilt Econo-Horse tiller sitting in his garage from the previous homeowner. He’s never used it. It looks like it has a spot for a battery, but there is no battery and no key. Can it be easily converted to a pull start?


texts: Is it allowed to run NM wire in PVC pipe under an outdoor porch?

texts: I would like to know if it's allowed to run 10/3 Romex in 3/4 inch PVC pipe for 15 ft. outside under the floor of an open porch to be wired to a 30A power outlet for a portable 6500 watt generator.


texts: New float valve in header tank with very slow leak

texts:
This problem is driving me nuts!
The top tank for the hot water overflows at night time but is OK during the day. My conclusion is that there is a very slow leak when it should have shut off. I have bought 3 new valves. Took the first one back as defective, next one has same problem. Bought from another source - same problem. Our water pressure is very high . Could that be it? Any ideas? Would be most grateful. Fed up with wasting water and the drip drip drip from the overflow - torture!
Thanks


texts: How can I remove 6-8 inches of concrete from a wooden floor?

texts: I have inherited a 143 year old building.  Somewhere in the past someone poured 6 to 8 inches of concrete over top the wood bathroom floor.  I really want the weight out of the building.  Any ideas on a way to remove it? I expect to replace the original floor when I get down to it.  Floor joists are still good and solid, would like to keep them that way.


texts: 200 Amp exterior meter and disconnect with interior main panel

texts:
Can I have an exterior 200A meter and disconnect with the 200A main panel in the interior some 20-30 ft. away? It has to meet California residential code.

I'm trying to avoid the cost of an exterior main panel in addition to a 200A interior sub-panel.

If so, what products should I look for for the exterior? I was thinking "meter socket with disconnect" but I can only find exterior panels.

Here is an elevation plan:

I currently have a 100A exterior panel at the meter which I need to upgrade to 200A but my contractor recommends having a panel in the interior hallway for convenience.

I can't add the panel close to the meter in the interior because of house configuration. It will have to be 20-30ft away.

Thanks.


texts: Switching from multiple thermostats to a single one

texts:
I have a heating system that has a separate "smart" heater in each room, each controlled with a separate thermostat (a simple one, like Honeywell T410A1013). What I would like to do is to convert to a single point of control - a single thermostat controlling all heaters.

Short of completely re-wiring the heaters, are there any reasonably affordable options to replace the existing thermostats with some kind of wireless "receivers" that would be controlled from a single device (fancy stuff like controlling via the Internet is not required)?

UPDATE: Just to be clear, I still want to have the part with the thermometer in every room, just like it is now. What I would like to change is the need to set the target temperature in each room separately. I did not mean that I would want to have a single thermometer sensor for the entire house.


texts: How do you add a separate ground back to panel on 2 wire ungrounded outlet?

texts:
This post mentions that it is now legal to add a separate wire to ground an outlet. What is the proper way to do this? Does the wire need to follow the same path as the ungrounded 2 wire path? How would the ground enter the junction box? How is it secured?

Is it legal to install 3 prong outlet without ground in the State of Georgia?


texts: How should I go about removing these two walls?

texts:
We just bought our first house, so go easy on me as I’m not an experienced DIY’er. I have read the documentation available on planningportal.gov.uk, but am still very confused.

We’re hoping to remove 2 walls to open up the space downstairs and maybe in a year or so put in a bigger kitchen. The problem is that I have no idea as to what process I should follow to achieve this. The first wall we’re hoping to remove is part of the old external wall (now an internal wall due to the extension), which has the first floor and the roof on top of it. The other wall is an internal wall, with only a flat roof above.

I guess I need a structural engineer to do some calculations and I guess I might have to apply for something with the council as well? Apart from that, I guess I need someone experienced to do the work.

Could anyone provide me with a preferably hierarchical list of tasks I should be doing/considering to get this done? Any tips to save money (without compromising on safety) are welcomed as well. I’m happy to do some of the work myself.

Not sure if it is relevant, but we live in a small end of terrace house in the South of England, near Portsmouth. We're not planning on touching the party wall.

Added a mock-up, hoping it will help.


texts: Multi-Wire Branch Circuit on wrong breakers

texts:
My electrical panel has a double-pole breaker that looks like it's for a MWBC, but actually the attached wires are from different cables.
In the below picture the black wire with the yellow rubber bands goes out the side of the panel (to a sump pump).  The red and black wires with blue rubber bands are from the same cable going out the top and to the kitchen.  (The dishwasher is on the red wire; as far as I can tell nothing is on the black wire and it's probably a provision for a garbage disposal, but I haven't moved the dishwasher to get to the outlet and verify it's a split.)
How bad is this?  I understand that one would have to be extra careful about turning off breakers to the kitchen to not leave half the circuit live, and I can't turn off just the dishwasher or just the sump pump, but is there any other danger here?  I guess if the dishwasher trips the breaker it will take out the sump pump, but I feel like I'd notice that before my basement would flood.
My current thought is "some day I'll have an electrician out for something else and I'll ask him to look at this too."  Should it be a higher priority?


texts: Bathroom Toilet + Shower Venting Fitting Question

texts: Is this acceptable layout and appropriate fittings to use for the bathroom toilet on the left and shower on the right? Or would you replace any fitting and rearrange layout?


texts: I cut out a hole for an egress window but my foundation was hollow block. How would someone fill all this in and make a smooth surface for the window lumber? Can I build a form and kinda dump concrete in there? Thanks!


texts:
In one of my greatest moments I decided to move the attic switch from in the attic to downstairs as I'm always forgetting to turn it off and have to go back (yes, I'm a bit lazy).

In any case, I then was like... well what if I go in the attic and forget to turn it on (equally as bad of a scenario).

Attached is a diagram of my current setup. I haven't installed everything yet but the wires and the necessary electrical work downstairs has already been completed. Is there a way to add a 2nd light switch in the attic without modifying the "SW Downstairs" to a 14/3? The LINE is already in the attic. I'm 90% sure the answer is: "No"; but after being in a 90deg attic for a majority of the afternoon my brain isn't functioning at full capacity.

Please note: everything is in the attic except "SW Downstairs"

Legend:
SW = Switch; LTS = Lights; G = Ground; B = Hot; W = Neutral


texts: Am I required to retrofit an egress window in a 1950s home to meet code?

texts: Our master bedroom in our house is located in the basement. The one window it was does not have an egress window and was like this since the 50's. Am i grandfathered in or do I have to replace the old window with a new egress window to be up to code. This will require substantial foundation work to make the opening to the correct size.


texts: How do I replace this odd outdoor outlet and light setup?

texts:
UPDATE:

First, thank you all for the responses, I really appreciate it.  I first tried to drill through the screws but I couldn't make it work; they were encased in thick metal, almost as if thick metal anchors were used.  And those weren't budging, at least not with the drill bits I used.

With that option off the table I began to cut the box out of the caulk, and boy was that a task. It was floating entirely in caulk, which in turn was attached to the siding frame. (it didn't actually seem like caulk, much more tough and rubbery, but I don't know what it was).  Behind it was just a hole through the wall/insulation with a single romex coming through (yes I cut the breaker).  Of course the attached conduit also wouldn't budge so I had to twist it off at the switch box.

So I'm left with the big hole, without siding to use as a flat surface, and without a stud or wall to attach a box.  I've taped an improvised cover on it for now and will turn back to it soon.  Wish I hadn't opened that box!

-
Original:

TL/DR; I need to replace an exterior electrical outlet box that is also supplying power to an exterior floodlight through surface mounted conduit. The box is partially counter sunk into the siding and seems to be caulked in place. What do I do?  (this is a bit long but the pics should help)

I started to unscrew the outlet from its box outside and it popped off along with the tops of the corroded screws, leaving the rest of the screws in place and preventing the use of replacement screws to get the outlet back on the box.

Replacing the box looks more complicated than I expected.  Power runs to the outlet and then up through a conduit up against the outside of the wall.  It stops to connect to a switch in the adjacent room and continues on to the light fixture.

Here's where it gets a bit weird. First, there is a hole in the wall for the box (framed by siding) but it is bigger than the standard single gang at 5.5 high and 3.5 wide. Second, because the conduit needs to run outside the wall through a punch hole in the box, the box is partially in (3.75 inches) and partially out (1 inch).

That leaves an awkwardly floating box surrounded by sloppy siding-colored caulk (or something).  I could just replace the box, but I'd have to cut it out of that caulk and I don't have or know that color.  I can't replace it with a flush outlet regardless of the caulk because there needs to be an entry point for the cable going to the light.  Adding a big cover that reaches to the siding frame has the same problem.

On that wire to the light, I don't know that I can fish it inside and back out to the light. I could probably live without the light, or maybe get a light that is solar or has a plug that I can run down and into a cover. That still leaves me with the weird box setup.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.


texts: Multiwire branch circuit means of disconnect

texts: I am planning on running a multiwire branch circuit to my detached garage as described here. I have one question though on the means of disconnect for a multiwire branch circuit. Do I need a special type of disconnect because it is a multiwire branch circuit? Would something like this Eaton 60A Outdoor Air Conditioner Disconnect be adequate?


texts: Is it okay to cut a notch into cross brace?

texts:
I've only lived in Canada for 4 years and am not sure what their codes are.

I live in a duplex in Montreal-North and was surprised to see the cross brace.

I cut the hole to install an outlet behind my wall mounted TV.


texts: How can you cheaply add an overflow line to protect against blockage in a main line?

texts:
I have 3/8" ID vinyl tubing water loop running through a unit that may create a blockage at some point.  Blockages can be self clearing or may require manual clearing.  In the case of a blockage within the unit, I would like to maintain water pressure by diverting the water around the unit.  However, I do not want to run any water through this 'overflow' line if the unit is functioning properly.

How is this best accomplished?  Is there a mechanical splitter that opens one branch only under a certain pressure?  Or would I need a flow sensor in the main line connected to a valve that can be automatically opened when flow rate drops?  The latter case adds more complexity and cost than the budget really allows for.


texts: How much of this load bearing wall can I remove?

texts:
How far can I spawn a gap between posts on a load bearing wall?

I have an entry way from the living room to the dining room / kitchen area that I would like to expand. How far can I span across and meet up with double or triple studs on the other side? Also, there is a diagonal board going across the studs (1x6), which I don't understand and would also remove.

  Picture from attic, the angled boards shown converge on the wall in question (it is perpendicular to the joints), but they only do that 5 times across the whole length of the house.

  Here is a picture of the wall from the kitchen / dining area. Obviously they felt it could span the entry way (which I want to expand). Also that wall is not continuous, when it gets to the stairway it goes 80 inches without any support before another wall shows up.

  There is also a diagonal board going across the studs (it is a 1x6). I am not sure what its purpose is, and whether I can remove it.


texts: What should I consider when cutting/making window in concrete foundation?

texts:
I am thinking about putting in another window for my basement apartment.

I would like to know what do I need to consider before trying to find a contractor to do this.

I have uploaded a picture of the front and the side of my house.

Side View - Side window

Front View - Where I would like to add another window

It seems like in a lot of these windows that were cut in concrete the top left and the top right corner edges start to develop cracks. I have noticed that one of the windows on the side (See side view) has a crack going from top right corner edge to the top of cement  foundation (crack length is about 4-5 inches). I already bought the house with the crack there so I did not see it develop, but could it be created when they were cutting the window out?
Anyway, if anyone else went through something similar I would love to hear from you.

Update:

Here is the side window crack:


texts: Underground Power Cable Cut By Bucket Of An Small Excavator

texts: Can someone please explain to me how an underground power cable cut by a bucket of a small excavator causes a power surge into my house destroying appliances? Is it with the neutral and earth wires come into contact?


texts: Can the fan be rewired so the fan works off the pull chain and the lights work off the switch?

texts: I have an existing ceiling fan in a hallway on a 3 way switch. When I turn on the switch both the fan and the lights will come on. Can the fan be rewired so the fan works off the pull chain and the lights work off the switch without having to run a new "hot" wire?


texts:
2 years ago I had my roof re shingled and chimney re grouted.  This year I noticed a black liquid leaking into my basement where my water heater is located. The water heater I know is vented out the chimney.
There was alot of rain and snow this year.
Is it normal for water to get into chimney?
I want to know because my chimney is still under warranty, do I need to contact the contractor to fix it?


texts: What are the differences between SDS, SDS Plus, and SDS Max drills?

texts: Basically I had to use a breaker last weekend, it was clear I did not need the “heavy duty” as I did not have 6” of solid concrete, but the descriptions of the other options  confused me.


texts: I corrected the Load and Line wires and now the green light is off but when i try to reset it just keeps popping out, i dont have anything plugged in for it to surge from, what do i do now?


texts: Joining a branch drain line at a 30 degree angle?

texts:
In order to bring a sink drain line over to the main drain line, I really need to join it in at a 30 degree angle. 45 degrees puts the wye outside the building. Searching on google for a 30 degree wye produced no results, so I'm guessing this either doesn't exist? What do plumbers normally do in cases there they need a 30 degree wye in the waste line?

I could go 90 degree from the fixture, 45 degree bend, then 45 degree wye, but I'd rather keep the line as direct as possible without the extra direction change in there if possible.


texts: I keep on hearing a rattling sound like metal banging from 1 section of pipe in my hydronic heating system, I tried bleeding but no improvement.  Thanks


texts: Hanging an antique clock on drywall (no studs available) using rope

texts:
I have an antique clock weighing 10.2 kg (22.5 lb) all told.  The only available space on which to hang it is drywall, and I can't find any studs whatsoever.  Also, the clock is made out of fragile old wood and only has one large mounting hole, originally intended to take some kind of hook.  I don't want to put anything metal in there because it'll chew up the wood.  I came up with a plan involving a pair of rope loops:

The rope loops will be attached to the wall with molly bolts, each rated to hold significantly more than the total weight of the clock.  I'll then run some kind of rope harness through the loops and the mounting hole in the clock.  I have ten feet of nylon paracord (rated load 200 lb) to work with.

The question is, first, is this a sane plan, and second, what is the appropriate harness?  Which knots, where?  In what pattern should the lines run?

Note that the backplate of the clock is quite thick, 1.25", and should be as flush against the wall as possible.


texts: Move toilet rough-in two inches? Floor still open

texts:
I have just gutted my bathroom and had the plumber move the toilet to a new location.
I just noticed that it is located only 15 inches to center of drain to where the shower glass will be installed. I know that is to code but feel it is too tight and would like to move it to be at least 17 inches away.
How difficult of a job would it be if the floor is still open?
(It would still be in the same bay and would not hit the next floor joist).
Photo shows the toilet rough and the pvc pipe to the right is for the sinks.


texts: My whirlpool Cabreo dryer isn’t drying put in heating element still not drying what can it be

texts: My whirlpool cabreo dryer isn’t heating up changed the heating element but still no heat what can it be


texts:
got a new 3 liter instant water heater installed. When the heater is off, water flow is normal. When it is on, about one liter or so hot water flows and then there is no water.

What might be the reason here?


texts: Is it normal for a sprinkler system to increase water pressure to a house?

texts: I'm having a sprinkler system installed and the PSI meter in my garage went from 85 psi to about 105 psi. Is it expected that a sprinkler system increases water pressure to my house? If not, is adjusting the pressure release value a reasonable approach to fix it?


texts: How to leave low voltage wiring behind wall?

texts:
I am having a new home built and I am putting in my own low voltage wiring.

In addition to standard network wiring, I am hoping to install CAT6 wiring for a few potential future tasks: surveillance cameras, security systems, etc.

However, I don't intend to actually wire these devices for quite some time -- I just want to put the wiring in the walls before the drywall is put up. When I put the equipment in later, I'll retrieve the wires behind the drywall.

My question is: What is the best way to do this? If I don't have a low voltage box that I'm running the wiring to, how do I keep a few feet of cable coiled up behind the wall that is:

a) easy to access later,

b) up to code, and

c) makes sense to other people working on the house why it's there.


texts:
I've got a Kenmore electric oven, model no. 911.94391790. The other day, the oven was on bake mode @ 350° I heard it make some funny beeping noises and the clock/display area started to flash random digits and lines, then the unit shut off.

After a few minutes, I turned it back on and about 5 minutes later, the same thing happened  as described above.

Now, the clock/display area doesn't work at all. The oven doesn't work in bake, broil or clean mode. However, the burners still work properly.

I'm unsure what to test to determine the problem. If I had to guess I would think it would be the main board, since the display doesn't work, but again I'm unsure.

Is there anything I can test or rule out? If I have to replace the mainboard, what steps need to be taken?


texts:
I have two ovens.  One is 20 amp at 240 V and Second is 30 amp at 240V.  And I have one 240 V 50 amp outlet hook up to one circuit.  Would this be sufficient enough to run two ovens without overheating the wire and overload the circuit breaker?

I been told the 1 circuit could handle two appliances.  I been told electricity 20+30 amp is not equal to 50 amp.  They use the average amperage withdrawal calculation to calculate the circuit could handle it.

My question would 50 amp 240 V  circuit could handle these two ovens without heating the wire or blowing the circuit?

These ovens will be turn on at the same time.


texts: Do all conductors on a 20-amp circuit need to be 12 AWG?

texts: I'm rewiring a bathroom, and will install a GFCI receptacle on a 20 amp circuit breaker (dedicated to the bathroom only).  I am also going to have a fan and vanity light on the same circuit, downstream of the GFCI outlet (the fan is above the tub, thus requiring GFCI protection).  Question: downstream of the GFCI outlet, am I required to continue to use 12 AWG cable for the rest of the circuit, or can I switch to 14 AWG?  A code citation would be most helpful along with any rationale for why this allowed/not allowed, whether this is a good idea/ terrible idea, etc.


texts: What is the power consumption of my LG refrigerator?

texts:
Can you help me find out what is my lg fridge wattage from the attached pictures? These are pictures for all the stickers on my fridge. Unfortunately I cannot find the manual.

The reason i am asking is that I want to connect it to my voltage transformer, because the house I live in now has only 220 volts, while the fridge and the microwave oven are 110. I have a transformer that powers up to 1500 VA. Please advise.


texts:
What are some causes/solutions for poor drainage?

It seems that our house tends to drain water very slowly. The bathroom sink could probably overflow if the water was left on, the bathtub also seems to take a while. Even the kitchen sink seems to drain slowly (though turning on the garbage disposal seems to help).

I've already poured Sulphuric acid down the bathtub, but that hasn't made much of a difference that I could tell.

edit:

We have public sewer


texts: whirlpool top load washer stops at rinse cycle, can open and then shut lid and then starts

texts: not always but most of the time my washer is stopping after the rinse cycle.  I can open the lid a little and then shut it and then it will start.  sometimes takes just one open and shut, other  times may take two or three times.  What is the problem?


texts: What gauge extension cord should I use for dehumidifier in basement?

texts:
I run a Frigidaire 50-pint dehumidifier in my basement, which I am currently emptying the bucket once/twice every day since the power outlet is far away from the drain hole in the basement, and the drain hose that came with the dehumidifier is pretty short. But I am planning on getting an extension cord to use so I can move the device closer to the drain hole and use the drain hose so I can have it running without having to empty the bucket on a daily basis.

At the time of purchase (of the dehumidifier), I remember the guy at the counter (can't remember if this was from Lowes' or Home Depot) recommending a 6-gauge extension cord (my memory is a bit shaky on the gauge), but I wasn't sure if I needed a cord back then, so I didn't get any. Now that I started researching, a 10-gauge cord seems to be considered heavy-duty, and I couldn't find anything longer than 6-foot with 6-gauge that's under 100 USD - so I wonder what gauge I heard him say.

What gauge extension cord is generally recommended for this set up - considering the manufacturer seems to recommend not to use one at all? The dehumidifier is the only device that the extension cord will be used for, and I think I will need at least 15-foot cord. My power outlet is a US-standard 3-pins socket.


texts: We can hear water running through the pipes in our kitchen and think we have a leak underground. If we turn the water supply off and then back on again can it cause a surge which may make the leak worse? We don't know whether to turn the water off when we are not here to save water leakage. It may take a while to get it fixed.


texts: How can I remove the caulk from this window?

texts:
The caulk is cracked around the exterior window (see picture).  It leads to some funky leaks...

I bought new caulk and know how to apply it but what I don't know is how to remove it.  It doesn't feel scrapable like a bathtub caulk.

How to remove it?


texts: Top plastic pivot is broken in bi fold door how can I get it out? I can't use pliers not enough to get a grip


texts: Why can I no longer turn the knob of my self-locking door from the inside?

texts:
I live in an old apartment and the door knob on my front door has been having problems for a while. In theory, the door locks from the outside automatically, but can always be opened from the inside. But recently the knobs came loose, so that the door was almost impossible to open from the inside - you had to pull the knob all the way towards you before turning it, and even that only worked sometimes.

This morning, the knobs were so loose that I gave up on opening the door and just went out the back. When I got home I tightened the set screws on both the inside and outside knobs so that both knobs were flush with the door, but then the door couldn't be opened from either the inside or outside.

So I took everything apart to try to figure out how it worked, but no matter how I put it back together I just couldn't fix it.

As shown below, the shaft is squared and has a slight twist in the center, presumably so that the knob can be turned from the inside but not the outside. The second image shows the place where the shaft is inserted. Though there's one hole, there are actually two separate metal plates with square holes in them, one (the outside) which is stationary, and the other (the inside) which can be turned in order to open the door. I can unlock the door by inserting the shaft (or any small rigid object, like a screwdriver) partway, so that it only contacts the inside hole, but if it's properly inserted I can't turn it at all in any direction.

I just don't fully understand the mechanism - if one of the plates is stationary, how can the knob ever be turned at all? More importantly, if it was working before, and all the parts are still there, why has it stopped working? Please help - I really miss being able to use my front door!


texts: How do GFCI breakers behave on two wire circuits?

texts: Will a GFCI breaker nuisance-trip if a three prong outlet has a jumper between ground and neutral on an old two wire system?


texts: Bonding new ground wire from ground rod to exsiting house grounding block

texts:
I am installing a new external TV antenna on the back of my house.  The house grounding block is about 100 ft away from the new antenna, around the other side of the house.  There is an existing exposed 6AWG ground wire that runs through my basement (serves, I think the gas meter on the other aside of the house).

Trying to tun 100' of 6 AWG ground wire from the antenna to the existing house grounding block, making a number of 90 degree bends in doing so, does't excite me (and I'm not sure that all those 90 degree bends are good for it).

I can run the antenna grounds (mast and coax) to a new ground rod.  It would not be difficult for me to run a ground wire from that rod to the existing 6 AWG ground wire running through the basement.  Can I (should I) do this - clip the new ground wire from the rod to the existing 6AWG wire in my basement, thus bonding the house ground to my new rod.  It's sure much easier than trying to run that wire outside the house with all its 90 degree turns.


texts: Dual pole light switch w/ 2 live, 1 neutral-can I remove the tab?

texts:
I have a set of two dual pole light switches that only one switch works on each(the bottom of each set)-the switch that works out of each set will turn on a all lights at once (i.e. porch and kitchen or all of the living room), but I would like to use both sets of switches (all 4 switches) to turn on these lights independently.

Right now each switch has two black (I'm assuming live) wires.  There is a single black wire connecting the two sets of dual pole switches.  One switch has a ground wire (switch on right) and the other switch has a black wire that connects the two sets of switches and what looks like a 3rd live black wire from the box (switch on left).

Any clue on how to tackle this?

There is a bundle of white wires that are capped in the receptacle (4 total), and there were two ground wires but they were crimped together and then pigtailed into one.

Why are the two sets of switches wired together?  Is there a way to get the top switches to work (as only the bottom switches turn on lights)?

This is a 1971 manufactured home and so far I have come across a lot of weird wiring and plumbing, but this is the first one that has me completely stumped.

Box from a distance: https://sta.sh/0ecrvle8hse

Grounded dual pole switch on left: https://sta.sh/0x13ic5a70k

Non-grounded dual pole w/ extra black wire on right: https://sta.sh/02dt1xc2fzqd


texts: Should I leave the fan switch on my thermostat set to fan rather than auto?

texts: I purchased a new Amanda Furnace in Oct'2013. I am told in order to maximize a warm, consistent room temperature I should set the thermostat to the Fan position rather than the Auto position.  Does this make a difference in maintaining room temperature and is it more costly?


texts: Are there any special considerations when cutting powder-coated metal?

texts:
I have a thin powder-coated steel sheet which I'd like to cut into panels.

I've never cut powder-coated metal before.

Are there any considerations I need to make when doing so?


texts: In an old NYC apartment building built in the 50s. Would wires catch on fire if using a high powered AC?

texts:
I live in an old NYC apartment built in the 50s. I currently use a 1500-2000 watt portable AC unit and I feel the power cables are very hot during use. I'm afraid of the wires catching on fire in between the walls due to the old wiring.

I know the new cabling these days have the metal casing around the wires when you run it through the walls, but did they have this type of protection back then in the 50s also?
What is the rated max wattage for 110v wall outlet?


texts: How do I stain/paint Ikea birch Wardrobe pieces ebony?

texts: I don't like the Birch color much but I got a couple of those to use but would rather have the darker color. How do I go about making this change without ruining the wardrobe or the pieces please?


texts: Malfunctioning LED bulb flickers when switch turned off

texts:
I have a bathroom light fixture that has three LED bulbs in it. One of the bulbs died the other day, and I haven't gotten around to replacing it yet. When the light switch is on, two of the bulbs light up and the third does not, exactly as I would expect from a fixture with one malfunctioning bulb.
I just noticed an odd thing, however, that when I turn light switch off, the two good bulbs turn off as normal, but the dead bulb (sometimes) flickers and lights up momentarily about a second after the switch is turned to the off position. I was surprised this was even possible, as I expected the light switch should immediately prevent any current from going through the bulb. What's happening here - how can the bulb light up when the switch is off? Is this indicative of any kind of wiring problem, or just that the LED bulb needs replacement?


texts:
Our basement has been roughed in for a bathroom. My layout has a three floor PVC pipes coming out of the ground. The left most pipe has a tipped over bucket cemented onto the floor. There is a middle pipe at 2.5 inches and a 1.5 inch all the way to the right.

I'm GUESSING the toilet is the left most, not sure what is under the bucket, but maybe preventing the smell? There is a a plastic capped PVC pip coming down from the ceiling labeled 'BATH VENT' between the middle and right most PVC pipe.

If I would like a shower/toilet/sink in this space, does only the sink need to be attached to that overhead vent, or do all 3?


texts:
To spare you all the long version of my two week nightmare: bought a house built in 1976. Hooked up dryer, switched to 3 prong plug. Dryer ran fine, started to smell like burning plastic until it stopped running altogether. Dryer is fine, power cable apparently gave out. New power cable, dryer comes on, but no heat. It turns out the problem is really somewhere in the electrical.

I have a cheap voltmeter that only gives four readings 120, 240, 277, and over 400.

This morning I measured each leg at the receptacle for 120v to ground. Together, both hots only measured 120v, which makes no sense to anybody I've asked. At the dryer, each hot to neutral read the same 120v, but together give no reading.

Looking at the breaker each hot to neutral is 120v, and together the voltmeter says 277v. I noticed the breaker was a 40 amp which probably contributed to this mess. I replaced it with a 30 amp and the readings stayed the same. All of my double pole breakers give the reading of 277v. I also replaced the tired-looking receptacle that was probably original to the house on the hopes that maybe it was the cause to the problem. All readings were the same.

Now that I'm home from work, I have different readings at the dryer and the outlet. One hot says 120v to ground and the other gives no readings at all. Both hots together are also 0. Nothing has changed between this and my earlier reading. I was very careful switching the breaker out because I don't want to die and don't want to cause another problem somewhere else.

What's going on? Who am I? What dark force is keeping me from doing laundry?

I'm willing to guess that my five dollar probe isn't known for its accuracy. On the off chance my house is getting 277v, what would that mean for my appliances and whether or not my house is going to burn down?

I tested everything again this morning, and both legs read 120 to ground, and I know that one leg wasn't doing that eight hours before. Clearly the line from box to receptacle is doing something it shouldn't. Luckily both dryer and breaker box are in my garage and I can follow the cable up from the box, across the unfinished joists, and into the drywall behind the dryer. I don't have to cave in several walls around the house to get to anything. Is this something an amateur can fix with the right materials and the help of other amateurs that know what 240v feels like?


texts: Can a roof A/C be installed on a concrete slab on the floor without being on a mounting?

texts:
An A/C company came out and replaced my A/C with a new unit a few years ago. I've had A LOT of problems with it freezing since then. I noticed a lot of mold on the bottom of the unit itself and it seems as if it is not draining properly, there is constantly a huge puddle of water- so much so that it has actually made a hole in the driveway. (The ducks come and hang out by it because of the water!)

I called the company and they're telling me it's all fine, that the mold is because the duct work is leaking cold air- but the duct work is behind the are where the mold is. Some pictures:


texts: Is it worth of replacing central AC coil?

texts:
my central AC is a 16-year old Trane. According to inspector, the compressor is still good and all the conditions seem to be good, except the coil is leaking. It is an old model so it uses R22. As it is so expensive to replace a new AC unit, especially it will use a crane in my case, I am thinking about having someone to replace the coil, evacuate all the freon and then re-fill it. Hope that will keep this unit work for another 5-7 years before a replacement. Is that a good idea? Is it a difficult job to replace the coil? Do HVAC contractors normally provide that type of services? Any suggestions or advice are very much appreciated! Thank you!
Carrie


texts:
So my husband decided to paint our smurf blue tub and shower with an epoxy white paint. He used two cans that came with the kit and it didn't cover. When the nearest Lowes was without another spray kit, he began to use an epoxy paint on it the following day. The packaging said you could combine their spray and paint kits.

However, we have had to spend the last two nights in a relative's home in order to prevent my young toddler from breathing in these fumes. We have left all windows open and fans going all day and the house still smells. It is just a tiny bathroom in the master bedroom. But I can smell the epoxy in the basement and garage below.

How do we get rid of the smell? I am almost afraid to let my son sleep in his bedroom across the hall. He has a heart condition so I am extremely careful about exposing him to anything.


texts:
My bathroom sink drain was slow in clearing so I used this chemical drain opener that has worked for me past on other sinks and tubs. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Instant-Power-128-oz-Hair-and-Grease-Drain-Opener-1972/302373121

However, this time I ended up with damage. I thought my sink was of metal but now I am not sure. The paint is damaged and it reveals a discoloration with maybe wood beneath or some alloy.

Can I fix this by simply painting this over? If yes what kind of paint.


texts: Sink pivot rod is stuck, appears to be attached to sink stopper

texts: I removed the pivot rod nut but the pivot will not come out like is shown on many videos.  The pivot rod appears to be attached to the sink stopper, I can feel tension on the sink stopper when trying to remove the rod, any ideas?.


texts:
I'm replacing a feed-through switch on an IKEA (Canada) floor lamp. Its using an SPT 2 cable (photo attached). Both wires have the same insulation color and both are copper. Neither is ribbed (as far as I can tell to the best of my ability). However, one side has inscription embossed while the other is completely smooth.

In this case, how can I identify Live and does it matter in a 2 wire setup? I am using a Leviton 5410.

Edit: I stand corrected. I have found the ribbed side, it is the wire without the inscription. Therefore is this the neutral?


texts: What is this stuff at the bottom of my brine tank?

texts: There is this brown silt/sediment on the salt pellets at the bottom of my brine tank.  What is that?


texts: How to resolve vertical gap with newly installed double-hung windows

texts:
We recently had new double-hung windows installed in our row house built in 1900. (The previous windows appear to have been done some time in the 1980's, so nowhere near original.)

We relied upon a well-reviewed-on-Angie's-List company to do the install. When the top sash is pushed all the way up and the bottom sash all the way down, there's a roughly 1/4" mismatch in the vertical alignment of the sashes (seemingly consistent across the width of the window). It's possible to align the sash and latch them, of course, but then there's a 1/4" gap at the top or bottom or distributed across the two, depending upon whether you push the pair up or down.

The company's proposed solution is to tack a 1/4" strip of wood to the sill under the lower sash. I think this looks preposterous. They're the ones that measured the opening, and it seems they made a mistake.

I could believe that there's a small fudge factor maintained for thermal expansion, but this is the middle of summer. Any gap we see now would only get bigger as it cools.

So, I'd love to know if this (tacking a strip to the sill) is common practice or if I should argue that the company should provide correctly sized windows. I could also imagine that difference could be made up by adding a strip at the top of the frame instead of the bottom where it wouldn't be visible from the outside due to the lip up there.