texts:
I have a basement bathroom with a tub/shower that I plan on tiling. My questions are-
Is Duruck, Hardie board and wonderboard the same? The area behind the tub/shower will be unfinished/no drywall, etc. Do I need to have a water barrier either under of on top of the backer board?


texts:
Is this (the red and the round brown rusted looking thing) mold?

Thanks


texts: What do I need to know before selecting and installing a cat/pet door in a door?

texts:
We want to (finally) install a pet door for our cat. It will most likely be a model that will install in the laundry room door, the optimal location for it in our house. This brings me to my first issue: The laundry room door in the winter is on the side of the house that gets the most wind and rain. So we need a pet door that the cat can use and won't let in the cold wind and rain in the winter.

What kind of door is best in this situation? Should I go with an electronic model? Where is the optimal position to place the door? What else do I need to know that I didn't ask?


texts: How does one replace an adjustable back box lug?

texts:
Whilst redecorating, we knocked the faceplate of a light switch and realised it was only being held in place by one screw and years of accumulated caulk / paint / etc.

Upon further investigation, we realised that it's not just that one screw is missing, but that the lug for that side has actually snapped off at some point:

Notice that there is a black lug on the left-hand side, but that the corresponding lug on the right is missing. It is just possible in this picture to see the stubby remains of the right-hand lug.

Because the lug (and remains of a lug) has a bit of vertical movement and on some inexpert Googling, I think these are "adjustable lugs".

So, my question: Is there a way to replace adjustable lugs in a back box?

I've tried to find the answer online, but most discussions seem to centre around re-threading lugs, rather than replacing them entirely. I'm really hoping there's a way to do it that doesn't involve excavating the whole back box!


texts: My neighbours have a plant growing out the wall where it meets the roof (flat roof).  I mentioned it to them years ago and they must have pulled it out but it’s back and I’m worried it’s growing along inside of roof and could destroy my side of the semi detached building.  Any help on how to deal with it or report it.    Is it harmful. It looks like a creeping green leafy plant but I’ve not seen it growing that much to get Japanese knot wood (unless the growing is within the walls)


texts:
I have a switch that controls an outlet on the other side of the room. On the other wall there are two outlets that I have lamps plugged into. It would be really great if i could use that switch to turn those lamps on and off with out having to run a extension cord across the room.

I have a seen smart switches, smart wall outlets, smart electric cords, to smart light bulb intermediary sockets.

What is important to me is that I have price options when buying and installing the solution, and of course it all works together when installed.

P.S. an Developer API would be nice as well.

So what are my options?


texts: My apartment has a small gas stove, and I'd like to build a small table next to it to act as additional counter-space (as there's currently no counter-space immediately next to the stove) and also as storage.  As the stove is a gas stove, with actual flames (and it's completely non-electric, so the pilot lights are on at all times), I figure that I probably should use some sort of flame-safe material for the top of the table.  Ideally, it would also be a material that'd be easy to clean, as the area around the stove tends to get greasy from splatters and greasy air (there's no hood or vent).  Unfortunately, since it's a small table (the top will be ~18"x28"), I don't see a slab of stone being a very viable option.  What's the recommended material for this sort of application?


texts: Can I remove the drywall in the area below the door to my attached garage?

texts:
The door frame in the garage is kind of in need of replacement:

Can I simply remove this whole drywall board and replace it with another one?

I think those two screws (where the green arrows are) are holding that drywall board in place. Do you think it's a good idea to simply unscrew them, remove the board, and put another one in its place?


texts: How to get a wrench into this location to remove this nut

texts:
How do I remove the nut from this vertical motorised valve in the following picture:

The valve itself is a few mm next to the pipe and I have tried quite a few tools to remove this and nothing works. I also can't get any tools behind it either so I'm out of ideas.
They somehow built this thing so someone tightened those nuts so they must be able to loosen it's just I can't see how.
The valve here is making a screeching noise at times when opening so I want to replace it.


texts: Non-metallic cable in Knob and Tube Boxes

texts:
Does NEC specifically prohibit NM cable in an old K&T switch box?

I need to do the calculations, but I think I have room as I'm just terminating a 12/2 cable to a receptacle (K&T removed from box).

My question relates more to the clamps. The old clamps are designed for the circular profile of the K&T insulation. Not sure if this will cause cable damage or cause other problems with cable. Also, since it is K&T - no grounding screw present. My plan was to use a grounding screw on the existing unused threaded hole for a second set of internal clamps

Thanks in advance.


texts: Can I mix 12 gauge and 14 gauge wire in the same 15 amp circuit?

texts: I have 12/3 wire from a switch to 3 light fixtures; can I feed the switch with 14/2 wire from a 15 amp breaker?


texts: Is wiring a motion sensor switch with 18 AWG wire on a 20 amp circuit innapprorpiate?

texts:
I bought some motion sensor switch. They don't come with screw mounts, just 18 AWG wires that pop out. The load is 2 light fixtures maybe drawing 200 watts total.  It's on a 15 amp circuit though.

I also wired a timer switch with 14 AWG onto a 20 Amp circuit dedicated to X-Mas lights, the draw is about 300 watts when in use.

I've read there are some exceptions to wiring within the NEC regarding fixtures.

Am I rolling the dice? Or good to go?


texts:
See also this question:

I recently soaked my Moen shower head in vinegar for a day to fix a problem where the center jets which pulsate were not working. Inside is an impeller of some kind and I assumed it was not spinning properly because of hard water buildup or lime, etc. Soaking in vinegar did the trick, the center jets are working better than ever.

But... the shrieking began. I looked up the above question but since I just cleaned the shower head, the answer is not satisfying.

So, how do I stop the shrieking? Is it time to get a new shower head? Will a more expensive one avoid this problem better?


texts: Cutting ceiling joist for attic ladder install

texts:
Looking to take advantage of some open space in our attic and want to install an attic ladder. This would require cutting some of the ceiling joist. Before I do can anyone help me answer the following questions:

1) Can the joist be cut to make room for the attic ladder.

2) How much weight could the ceiling joist hold

Some details:

Single story house built in the 1940s
Ceiling joist are 2x4
Ceiling joist are support by a wall that runs roughly down the middle of the house

Hopefully the attached pictures provide additional info.


texts: What could be causing low hot water pressure to a sink?

texts:
I have low hot water pressure at the kitchen sink.  I installed a new two knob faucet and supply lines (aerator is clean), but no change. The shut off valve has a PEX fitting, so I don't know how to replace that. The hot water pressure to the sinks and showers in two bathroom is fine.

Suggestions?


texts:
There's a shed near the side of the house with a roof that's pitched to shoot water at the house's foundation.  That side of the house also has no gutters.  There's a very slight grade to send water towards the front of the house.  House is brick veneer, on-slab.

How can I build a drainage system to carry water away from the foundation?


texts: Can I use Wiha "Micro Bit" bits with regular 1/8'' hex screwdriver?

texts: Wiha says their micro bits are 4mm in diameter, and suggests to use special adapter for 1/4 screwdriver. Obviously these 4mm micro bits are smaller than 1/4 inch, but are they compatible with 1/8 hex driver?


texts: Emergency my waste is leaking over my back patio

texts:
The toilets make a gurgling sound and waste p
Spills out of an outside cleanout. Or at least thats what i think it is theres 2 beside each other. We have a septic tank and have well water system. Also rocks and sand in my cleanout


texts: Gas range burner won't ignite in the morning

texts: one of the burners on my gas range won't throw a spark when first used in the morning. If, however, I light it up with a match, it will start throwing a spark both while burning as well as if I turn the burner off and restart it the normal way (without a match). Would really appreciate any advice you can give. Thank you.


texts: Why does the Tesla PowerWall operate at 350v - 450v?

texts: According to the Tesla website the new Powerwall operates at 350 to 450 volts?  Why such a high voltage when most solar battery banks operate at 48V?


texts: Just got this place. This panel is in the garage. It is connected to the house main on a 50amp breaker. the panel in garage has 8 circuits going out to 20 outlets and one light fixture on ceiling. I know Zinsco is bad fire hazard and want to replace. Also curious if I would be able to only use half of the outlets and have a 220 line in garage. Is this possible?


texts: How can I reduce the depth of the cutout for my kitchen sink?

texts:
I have a composite "Silgranit" drop-in sink that has developed cracks, and I want to replace it with a stainless steel sink.
The original has an outer size of 20½x31 and I want to install the same dimension but in stainless.
The issue I have is that the hole in the laminate countertop opening was made for a composite (19½ x 30 red outline) but a stainless needs an extra 2 to 3 in the back for the faucet and taps to hold on to, an opening of about 17x30 (blue outline).
I don't want to start over with a new countertop.
Question: What is a reliable way to install a piece of material to allow the fixtures to be mounted?


texts: Needs to fix this bed, this lock is keep on turning, did not tighten up, can anybody guide me?

texts: I was trying to fix this lock but its not working, out of four one was intact and it locks right away, I am looking for new locks or to fix old locks.


texts: Can I install a sink sprayer with a bathroom faucet?

texts: I purchased a vessel type sink faucet made for bathrooms and installed it in my kitchen. How can I add a sink sprayer? If it has to be all cold water thats ok, but I think its possible to have a mixer added? Also I know it needs to have something on it so that there is not always water pressure on it or it will leak. I don't want to get a regular kitchen faucet as this one is quite unique (It's a dragon!!! ) but would love to add a working sprayer if possible. Thanks!


texts: How do you find underground pipe and wires to a private well and how deep would they be?

texts: I need to terrace some stairs into a steep hill, but my well is at the bottom of the hill and my house is at the top. Therefore there has to be pipe and wires going up the hill somewhere. I don't know where and before we drive rebar to anchor the containing wall/stair we need to know where the pipe is.


texts: How do I remove black mold from area of laundry machine where water won’t reach?

texts:
I noticed some black mold in my laundry machine. Unfortunately, this area seems to be in between the glass part and the plastic and I can’t fit even a fingernail in to remove it (even water can’t reach that spot when the machine is running as seen in the photo).

As seen, the soapy water on the right does not reach the mold.

Is there a way I can remove the mold?

I’m doubtful conventional methods like bleach would work since there doesn’t seem to be any way for even water molecules to get through.


texts: Should there be continuity between brush contacts on an AC motor rotor?

texts:
I have a mitre saw that started shorting. I dismantled it to try to diagnose the problem. On inspection of the rotor, I found that the brush contacts on the rotor all have continuity to one another. Is this normal, or does it indicate a failure in the rotor windings?

This is from a 110v 13a AC Roybi mitre saw.


texts: How do I support a deck that spans a driveway?

texts: I am planning to reinforce my deck, as it is has a lot of sway, and was built with 12' 4x4s, and not 6x6s. The deck spans my driveway, which is the width of a two car garage, so a fairly decent span. Should I look at installing some type of braces for this span, or will posts on either side of the driveway be enough?


texts: Can I switch my washer between two power sources? Double throw switch?

texts: What switch can I use to connect my washer to my electricity and my tenants electricity so that we can switch between the two power sources without having to unplug and plug the machine multiple times?I installed a double throw switch for the dryer and it works perfectly. I can switch between my electricity and my tenants easily.


texts: I have read this thread. I myself have the same dilemma. I think the misunderstanding is the houses used to be grounded to the water pipes. I now have new Pex plastic pipes, so now my house is NOT grounded. My question, “How do I fix this problem”? And yes it was built and wired with 2 prong outlets everywhere.


texts: Do I need a regulator to connect a tankless water heater to a 20 lb. propane tank?

texts: I am going to hook a tankless water heater to a 20lb propane tank.  Do I need a regulator coming off of the propane tank?


texts: What does a single beep and one flash mean when using my Ames non contact tester

texts: I have an Ames non contact tester. When get a single beep/light next to a light switch not a constant beep or flash. What does this mean?


texts: What is the purpose of prohibiting union coupler in concealed area?

texts:
I was reading about natural gas union coupler and left-right coupling vis a vis concealed locations.   Setting aside the seemingly mixed regs around the country regarding usage/prohibition of them, in general, it seems that the preferred (regulation-wise) union in concealed locations is the LR coupler.

As I understand it, having worked with neither (yet), LR couplers are tricky to install/seal.  As such, I'm puzzled as to why they are preferred in conceal areas.

Is union couplers even more tricky, or is it just the shear largeness/complexity of union couplers that make them undesirable in concealed locations?


texts: Drain is starting to back up in basement

texts: I have an old house from the 60's. I have lived here for almost two years now. No flooding issues, previous owner had no flooding issues and my inspector said there were no signs of previous flooding. My condensate pump for my humidifier next to the drain starting running very loudly and I am going to replace it. I noticed on inspection that the drain nearby had visible water. I am surprised to see any water in the drain as my dehumidifier has not been running since October, maybe a couple times in November. The hose is connected to the dehumidifier. Should I consider this an emergency and call a plumber right away? I am honestly not sure how this drain works and there is no pump on it. I think it drains to somewhere outside the house, but it is a black box to me.


texts: Multiple outlets stopped working in the house

texts:
Suddenly multiple outlets stopped working in Kitchen and living room.

Just some more info - I was using my insta pot in the kitchen when this happened but it wasn't the first time I used it. I unplugged it immediately and tried following couple of things

No circuit breakers were tripped.
Tried resetting the GFI but that wouldn't do anything.

There are few outlets not working in living room also not sure if they stopped working at the same time or something else as I don't use  formal living that frequently

Please guide me how should I troubleshoot this further.

Thanks in advance!


texts: Needing help replacing a regular switch to a ceiling fan with a dimmer switch

texts: I'm trying to install a Leviton #6674 slide dimmer with switch replacing a standard switch. After I pulled the switch plate off I found that there is 1 black, 1 white and 1 red to the old switch as in the picture. And that is all that is in the wall box. Not what I was expecting, but the house was built in 1965. This is the only switch to the light as far as I know. On the new switch I have the green ground, red, and another red labeled as the 3 way switch wire and a black wire. Will installing this be possible without changing a lot of wiring? How would I go about wiring this? Thanks for any help on this!


texts:
I live in a an older building in a studio apartment. I bought five Sylvania Smart+ LED Lights, one for each fixture. There's a cheap lamp, an overhead fan/light combo, and a kitchen light fixture with space for 3 bulbs. I bought bulbs for the lamp and overhead fan over a year ago, and all have worked perfectly.

The kitchen fixture has killed four or five bulbs. The "smart" parts eventually just stop working and they revert back to normal bulbs most of the time. One bulb stopped displaying red before losing connectivity, and one or two bulbs died completely. I've lost count at this point. At first, I would keep the glass bulbs over the lights, but after 2 or 3 broke I took them off and left them off, thinking it might be a heat issue. The overhead fan has had a glass cover on for over a year with no issues.

One thing I noticed is that the bulbs get extremely hot when on in the kitchen fixture - my laser temperature reader pegged the base of the kitchen light figure bulbs at ~190F (Edit: this was probably not right, they don't seem to be hotter than my other, consistently working bulbs). Could this light fixture be killing the bulbs? There were standard incandescent bulbs in the fixture for over a year with no issues.

Note: Not a duplicate of this question, that question had bulbs that were recalled and which stopped outputting light.

official product page


texts: Water comes out of the shower head when faucet is in tub fill mode (I know why, but not how to fix)

texts:
Here is the deal - I got bathroom remodeled. Moen 82603 single handle valve. When the water is coming out the fastest (mixing hot/cold) water comes out of the shower head. The person (not me) I had helping installed the valve at about 48" from tub floor or about 30" above faucet. The directions clearly stated the valve can't be more than 11" above the faucet. So basically the new shower wall is toast since if I have to have this re-done, and the valve lowered, it's a complete re-do.

Question?  What are some better options? I can get into the plumbing by removing the drywall in the adjacent room.


texts: How to wire an outdoor GFCI with two pairs, both hot?

texts:
I have an outdoor duplex outlet which was not GFCI, nor was it protected by a GFCI outlet indoors. I tried to tone the outlet to find the specific circuit, but could not, so I shut off power at the main. After removing the existing duplex from the receptacle box, it had two pairs of wires. "No problem," I thought, "I'll see which pair is line and which is load."

I turned the power on at the circuit breaker, then tested with a multimeter. The problem is that both pairs are live. Since both are live, how do I properly wire this into a single GFCI?


texts: Can I fill this AC line inlet with expanding foam?

texts: I think the PVC inlet for my AC lines is a possible entryway for mice getting into my attic. Is there any reason I shouldn't fill it with expanding foam to seal it off? Or is there a better, less permanent solution that I'm overlooking?


texts: How should a buried water hose be winterized?

texts:
It's easy enough to winterize the green hose in the picture below. The watertap connects to a T-joint. The green hose stays in the backyard, and the white one scurries somewhere in hiding to reach the front yard. To winterize the green (backyard) 50ft hose, I just took the whole thing (water inside and all) to the garage but left this short connecting segment where it is (as pictured).

Removing the white hose appears to be a serious job. Is it necessary to winterize such a hose at all or is such a white hose meant to withstand frost? If it's necessary to winterize it by blowing the water out of it while it's still in place, what kind of pump should I be looking for? Would some "shop vac" type of tool have an option to blow rather than suck air, and would there be some connectors on the market to do the trick?


texts: Inverter switches off powering as soon its unplugged from mains

texts: I have a Su-Kam shiny 850 model inverter which powers my home appliances when there's a power outage or if I switch off the mains that supplies power to the inverter. However whenever I unplug the cord of the inverter from the mains, the inverter still shows are "Backup" mode while no appliance  work which basically means it stops working. Is it necessary to keep the plug attached to the mains even if there is no power through it?


texts: Can I flush 1 toilet while the other one is being fixed?

texts:
I had to remove the full toilet in our downstairs bathroom to replace the wax ring and flange. Unfortunately I had something come up and was unable to finish the job tonight.

I did put some shop towels in the hole so nothing fell down the pipe until I can finish the job after work tomorrow.

But in the mean time, are we able to use the upstairs bathroom and flush the toilet without it causing any issue with the downstairs one?

The house is almost 100 years old so plumbing might be wacky.


texts: Can I substitute a 100 amp circuit breaker in a 90 amp spot?

texts: My heat pump 90 amp circuit breaker keeps tripping. Heating guy said it is the circuit breaker and it need to be replaced. It is hot to the touch.  My local store only has the 100 amp circuit breaker. Can this be substituted? Or do I need to special order the 90 amp.


texts: What could be causing wall cracks through the middle of our house

texts: We have been fixing cracks in our interior, and exterior walls since we moved into our house 3 years ago, and it just keeps getting worse. Our house sits between a field that goes uphill at a 45 degree angle, and a downhill at 45 degrees on the other side of our house where the neighbors are located. We have about 2 feet clearance from the downhill and our foundation of our house. I'm wondering if these cracks are from the foundation losing its battle with the hill during the rain. The cracks are forming from our front door down the hall to our bedroom directly in the middle of the house. As previously stated we have been fixing them since we moved in, but lately they have been getting worse. The Cracks from our front door are corner cracks leading to the ceiling both outside in the stucco and inside drywall. We also have a crack leading from the hallway to the front door 5 feet long. We have another crack from our front window right next to the front door leading to the carpet. Is our foundation giving way?


texts: Why do my lights stay on after adding one to a three-way circuit?

texts:
I have a two-year-old home with an unfinished basement that I wanted to add a few recessed LED lights to an existing run of four traditional light bulb fixtures.
When I completed the wiring and flipped the breaker, the lights work fine, but now the switches don't turn the lights off.
The original run was 14-2 from power to light fixture, 14-3 from that light to another light fixture and split of 14-2 to lower switch and 14-2 to the next light with two additional lights before terminating at the top of stairs switch.   The lower switch has a 14-2 and a 14-3 running out of it.
In the new run, I removed the 14-3 between the two lights but did not change the original wiring from the box to the first fixture or the wiring from the switch to the middle of the run.  Basically, my four lights replaced the first two in the run. I'm not sure why there was 14-3 just between two lights at the start of the run.
Also, I did tie the 4th light into just one of the lights in the middle so not in series, but not sure if that is the issue or the 14-3.
I do have a book on wiring but didn't see my particular problem in the discussion on 3-way switches.  I truly appreciate any help.  Thanks.


texts: Is it common to not find water when digging a sump pit in a basement?

texts:
Quick background on my situation.  We bought our house 23 years ago and the basement was partially finished.  Over the years we've had issues with water in the basement during strong/prolonged rains.  The house was built in 1964 so no sump pump was required and none added, until now. The water enters on the finished side, where the walls are finished, so all we ever saw was water coming out from under the wall, right at the floor.

We've finally decided to "gut" the finished side and start over, but the first thing I wanted to do was install a sump pump, so we wouldn't be refinishing the basement just to have the same issue.  So I broke out the floor and dug the hole for the basin, but never hit/found any water.

I've always heard stories about people trying to dig a hole for a sump pump and how it keeps filling up with water. Well, that wasn't an issue. Now I'm beginning to think we might have cracks in our foundation wall that is allowing the water to get in, and not a ground-water issue and that I wasted a good deal of effort and time unnecessarily.

So my question is, how common/uncommon is it to not hit water when setting a sump pump?

Thanks!!


texts: What could cause my Kitchen tile flooring to come loose and start lifting?

texts: My kitchen tile flooring was subject to water infusion when it was submerged in several inches of water for six hours, due to a leak in our plumbing. Now the 2' by 2' tile and mortared joints are cracking and lifting. It is possible that the water damaged the integrity and adhesive hold or shrunk the thin set under the tile? Is the only solution to replace the whole tile floor? the installation is a first floor concrete slab construction with concrete thin set used to set and level the two foot square tiles and concrete mortared joints on 1/4 inch spacing. I have never had this problem before and the areas of the water infusion are where the problems are. The insurance company says there is no way that the water is the cause of this problem.


texts:
I need to drill (44) holes in (22) 1/4"-thick stainless steel plates. These are for 3"x3/8" heavy Duty Screw Anchors that will go through the plate and into the concrete.

My question is: if possible, can I use one drill bit that will make the hole through the 1/4"-thick steel plate and the concrete where the screw will be inserted? This is hard reinforced concrete.

If not, what drill bits should I use? And can I use a regular drill?


texts:
Putting up new interior doors in a house.  I have a door that has probably a good 5/16" gap on the hinge side.  The gap is wider at the middle of the door and closer to 1/8" on door top/bottom.  Of course said door hits...

These are for new doors in old jams.  We did chisel these out and out of the 12 doors the only issue.  The hinges are lined up well and the hinge plates sit flat about 1/32" below door surface (and we made no modification to the framing).

This has us a bit stumped because when there is a hinge side gap that usually means our hinge is sticking out of the door and we just chisel off more... But not the case here.

Any pointers on this specific issue?  Also it would be great if someone could address the easiest adjustments to make depending on where the gap is at.  Basically looking for a cheatsheet I could give someone.


texts:
I'm in the UK, very old flat, I want to add an SFCU spur (to be on the safe side) for an electric oven. I have two practical questions regarding the double socket wiring in the picture.

How come there is one pair of black & red coming from one conduit and two pair of black & red from the other?

First off, I don't see any nearby spur so shouldn't there be just two blacks and two reds (and two bares)? So where is the earth? The green seems to be just a short wire to the case.

I hope my nightmare won't come true and you don't tell me I must not spur off this socket. Then given we work out the connections, how would I stuff a fourth cable under a single screw, i mean I can try but isn't that a really bad practice? Would buying a modern socket make it easier?


texts: How should I get this paint off my stucco?

texts:
I have an exterior stucco wall that appears to have been painted. I would like to somehow remove the paint to expose the rough surface of the top coat so I can limewash it.

I tried scraping at it with steel and brass wire brushes but they produced a result I was not expecting: the wirebrushed area became smooth and metallic.

Is this the right approach? What is the right way to remove paint from stucco?

Update: I contacted several sandblasters and they all say it's not worth the trouble, as the blasting would likely destroy the stucco, necessitating a whole house re-stucco, in which case it would make more sense to simply screw wire through the existing stucco and apply a new layer without the added expense of sandblasting.

Are there any chemicals I could use to strip this paint? Or am I really going to have to get the entire house re-wired and re-stuccoed? It seems like such a shame since the substrate beneath the paint is really just fine.


texts: What kind of timer socket is this and how can I get it working?

texts: This is on an outdoor power receptacle that looks like it should be some kind of timer for switching power on/off.  I'd love to use this for Christmas lights, but I can't seem to get it's little display to light up regardless of what I press.  Does anyone know what this is so I can find a manual online?


texts: I've readarguments against putting a new heat branch at the end of a duct because it essentially lets all the pressure out the end, but does the same theory apply to a cold air return?


texts: Can I connect a tankless water heater with 3/4" connections to my 1/2" plumbing?

texts:
I have 1/2" pipes from the water meter throughout the house with two full baths. Every fixture installed is fed by 1/2" line and doesn't have pressure problems.

Soon I will need to replace my hot water tank and would like to go tankless. Every tankless NG water heater I've researched above 4.5 gpm has 3/4" water line connects. My zone needs are a top rise of at least 70 degrees which puts me in around 9gpm.

Can I reduce those 3/4" line connects to 1/2" inlet and outlet and still run that tankless safely and with no loss of performance?


texts: What's the best way to remove Sharpie ink from a varnished bar top?

texts: I need to remove some Sharpie ink that has somehow got into a varnished bar top. I've tried scrubbing at it with various cleaning products but nothing seems to work. What should I try next?


texts: I checked with a tester. Shows an open neutral. Voltage tester across black and white, nothing. Voltage across black and ground shows voltage of 120. Lines at breaker box tight, breaker not tripped.  I disconnected wires from breaker panel and checked continuity using a long wire and tester. The outlet is only 20 feet from panel. White doesn't have continuity, rest do.


texts: I have blinds on my new windows and the blinds are too long for the window opening. My guess is this is done to make them universal. How do you remove the excess and reattach the bottom?


texts: Can I install a hardwood floor in the kitchen?

texts:
I don't know if I can install a hardwood floor in my kitchen.
What would you recommend ?

Thank you so much

Camille


texts:
I live in an apartment and there is a low frequency noise coming from the floor of my bedroom. It is coming from the ceiling fan in the apartment below. The sound is very low, but after listening for a while it becomes painful to my ears. Surprisingly the people living below don't hear anything (or perhaps it gets masked by the normal sound of the fan).

I also think its impact noise, like the sound travels from the fan into the ceiling and then my room, and is not coming through air.

My bedroom should be around 12x12 feet. I have observed that the noise is higher in one corner and also in the center of the room. From what i have read about this topic i think these are called standing waves (not sure).

I used a stethoscope to listen to the floor and the vibration is higher in the center and decreases as i move away. Its almost negligible towards the end of the room. There are no vibrations in the walls. And nothing outside the room (air or floor).

Is there any way to block or absorb this sound? Will placing some sound absorbing material on the floor help? Or any other ideas?

I will talk to my neighbors, but seeing that they aren't facing the problem it may take some time to get it fixed.


texts:
I did NOT change any outlets, just the single pole switch that controlled the top plug of the outlets, and a 3 way switch in the same box that had no control over the outlets.

I have a single pole light switch in my living room that controls the top outlet of three outlets in the room.  To my knowledge it controls nothing else.  The single pole switch shares a box with a three way switch that controls the dining room light.  The outlets have always worked without issue.  We painted and needed to go with all white switches, outlets and covers, so the issue began...

I shut off the power, then replaced the three way switch.  Turned the power on and the three way switch worked fine.  I again shut off the power and then I replaced the single pole switch.  Turned the power back on, and the top outlets are now always hot and the switch does nothing.  Bottom outlet is hot as well.  Shut off power, rewire single pole switch changing which wire went to which screw.  Turn power back on, and again top outlet always hot, along with bottom outlet.  Remove new switch, check wires coming into the switch and both are hot.  The top outlets remain hot when the single pole switch is removed as well.  Shut off power, put OLD switch back in, and problem of top outlet always being hot is still there.  I never changed any of the outlets, only the switch, and returned old switch but problem is still there.

It's like once I disconnected the old switch, no matter what I do, the top outlet stays hot.  I'm not super knowledgeable about this, but it makes no sense to me.  Gotta figure it out, because all my rooms up stairs are wired this way.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Outlet in question

New Single Pole Switch

Outlet in question

Inside of box with switches

New 3 way switch

Old 3 way switches...


texts: How to redirect water pooling behind skylights

texts:
I have a pair of skylights in my roof that leak every time it rains. I've tried silicone and a roofing sealant along the edges.. still leaks. During the last storm heavy rain I went up to check it out and I noticed that the water is pooling behind these.

Any ideas on how to redirect this water?


texts: Can stranded wire be used for pigtails in a junction box?

texts:
I replaced a fixture today that had a piece of 12Ga stranded (probably THHN) wire used as a pigtail.   The building has some wiring in conduit (other wires in this box were solid), so I'm guessing that's what the prior person had handy.

If this is a legitimate use, it seems that it may be worth keeping a bit of stranded wire handy, as the pigtails would be a little easier to work with in a tight box.

I'm in CT, USA.


texts: How do I replace a wooden fence post that was set in concrete?

texts:
I need to replace a wooden fence post that was set into concrete. The post has snapped through rot at the base and the rot has set in so far that the post snapped about 2 inches beneath the surface.

I had contemplated digging out the concrete to set in a new post (again with concrete) but have found the concrete is part set into submerged wall beneath the surface of the soil. The house is Victorian, I'm not quite sure what the purpose of the wall is.

I think I have a number of options (I have also attached some pictures below)

Dig out the concrete and re-do. It looks like it will be a difficult job but maybe the only solution.
Use a repair kit (something like Metpost Repair). The problem with this is that I don't think there is enough post in concrete for the repair kit to attach to. Even the post that is left is very rotten and I don't think it would work very well.
Place the post in another position. The problem with this being the wall running along the line of the fence beneath the surface is in the way of this.


texts: Help installing a dimmer switch in a 3-way

texts: I'm trying to install a dimmer switch on a 3-way switch (there's another switch that also controls this light). The old switch has a black and white wire each connected to a brass screw, another black wire going into a hole labeled common, and a third black wire attached to the black screw next to the common hole. The bare ground wire is coiled up in the back of the box. The directions only mention connecting 4 wires, including the ground. We initially got the light to work and dim when connecting the third black wire to the ground on the new switch. However, another light and ceiling fan didn't work. I suspect one of the black wires goes on to power the other light switch and fan downstream. Where do I attach this wire to the dimmer?


texts: Whereto find replacement for this faucet cartridge

texts:
Looking for replacement of this faucet cartridge.
Any suggestions as to what the name of this part is or where to look?
I'd gladly replace the whole faucet, but unfortunately faucet body is inside the wall behind the tile.
found something similar on amazon but stem seems too short.


texts: Is it OK to use motor oil instead of household oil for hardware lubrication?

texts:
I was about to buy a bottle of 3-in-1 for random stuff around the house, but I realized I have motor oil in the garage already.

Is there any harm in using, say, 5W30, for door hinges or whatever?


texts: How do you fix a flush handle that will not push down?  It will not move.  The toilet will flush if I remove the lid and pull up on the chain.


texts: Is a sub panel necessary to wire this 10.5kw 43.75amp sauna heater?

texts:
We're planning on installing this Harvia Cilindro 10.5kW Electric Sauna Heater (Model HPC11-U1H) when it gets here.

The manual wants us to put a 50amp breaker in the main panel, and then run that to a sub panel with 2 40amp breakers, before finally connecting them to the power unit box for the heater/controls.

My question is, could I skip that 50amp breaker part and just install the 2 40amp breakers directly onto my main panel? My main panel is 200amps and has plenty of room for more breakers, and both the main panel and the sauna are in the garage so there's no benefit to me installing a sub panel there as well (unless this is a dumb idea and I'll burn my house down unless I do it).

Pictures for reference. Thanks!


texts: Should 24" deck joist spacing be reduced to 16"?

texts: I just tore off the old decking from my cabin's deck.  The joists are set 24" on center as opposed to the 16" on center that were in the specs.  Should I take all the joists out and replace all of them, or add a new joist between each existing joist?  The deck is about 12 years old and some of the joists have to be replaced due to rot.


texts: What kind of connection is used to attach the legs to this table?

texts:
I (a beginner) would like to build a table of this form.

Does anyone know what kind of corners are used to connect the legs, or any other construction tips.


texts: How to stop air leak in exterior door aluminum sill?

texts:
I found that one of my exterior doors are leaking cold air from beneath the door sill.

The product installed is Endura Z-Articulating Cap Sill™ and Sealing System

How can I seal it?
Can I use silicone around the aluminum sill?
Should I only seal from outside?


texts: Should I use an additive to my septic system?

texts:
I recently bought a house with a septic system. In researching maintenance for a septic system I am getting mixed messages about if I should be putting an additive (Rid-X or bakers yeast) down the toilet every few months. Some places have even recommended putting some raw hamburger down the toilet instead every few months.

Some people appear to swear by it, others say they do more harm than good. I believe I use normal amounts of chemicals in my house. I run the dishwasher at least once a day, the washer a couple times a week, and then other household cleaners a few times a week.

Based on that usage, what is the best way to ensure that I minimize problems with the system?


texts: Is it possible - setting thermostat based on a separate thermometer

texts:
I'm looking into building a solar water heater, but I'm wondering, is it possible (and what products should I be looking for) to turn on a pump when the water in the solar heating device is hotter than the water in the water tank.

I would assume it would take a thermostat that is set by a thermometer in the solar device.  So the thermostat would know the temp in the water tank, and kick on whenever the thermometer in the solar device is higher than it is.  But I have no idea if it's possible to set a thermostat based on a thermometer (or if this is an overly complex solution and there's a really simple one instead :)).


texts: Extension Cords - Electrical Hazards & Safety

texts:
We are looking at purchasing a Residence that has a Home Office Area attached to it. It is Commercially zoned in a Canadian Province.

Upon doing a walk through, we noticed an extension cord layout like the attached photo which is used to power a computer. While I am not an Expert, I would venture to say that this is both an electrical and safety hazard and should be remedied.

Is the best solution to have a hard-wired electrical outlet installed so that the computer plugs directly into this source and not through a "daisy chaining" extension cord arrangement like this in order to comply with any District Electrical or Building Codes?


texts: How can I trace and troubleshoot phone lines?

texts:
I have a non-working phone jack that I'm trying to troubleshoot. My house has a lot of strange wiring, and many of the phone lines come together in a messy junction box with random color coding. I suspect one of the wires isn't hooked up correctly, but I'm having trouble tracing the wires. I've tried using the LAN Tracker GET-4220T, but I find the results to be very erratic (sometimes all the wires seem to be energized, moving the probe slightly can lose all signal). Even when I am able to get tone from the tracker at the jack, I still can't get dial tone. I've tried swapping out the phone jack itself, as well as the phone.

Is there a good process for tracing phone lines and verifying that they are wired correctly? Is there a better tool than the LAN Tracker that wouldn't break the bank?


texts: When designing plumbing, what is the most efficient way to pump water to a roof?

texts:
I am planning to pump water to the roof of my house in order to cool a solar panel array during warm days.  I'm trying to determine the best way to route the water as the water source is on one side of the house and the array on the other.

Is it more efficient to minimize the height that the water will move, but introduce some 90° bends in the plumbing, or minimize the bends in the plumbing at the cost of an increase in height?  What is the general trade-off in pressure for these scenarios?

To illustrate, I can pump the water straight up, over the apex of my roof and down the other side.  Assuming the pump can handle the extra elevation of about 3-4m, gravity will assist in moving the water back down the opposite slope of the roof.

Alternatively, I can bury a length of pipe going from one side of the house to the other, introducing some 90° elbows, then pump straight up to the desired elevation.

EDIT:

A rough estimate shows that I would need to raise water at-most 10m/33'.  I don't need a high flow rate since I plan to use micro-irrigation drip sprayers; these things will require at most 1 gallon per hour in flow, but typically much less.


texts:
I completely redid my shower with quartzite slabs. The ground was done in glass chiclets and bright white sanded grout. About two weeks later we noticed this stain bleeding in from the bottom edge of the slab as you can see in this image.

Any idea what this could be?

I'm worried it might be from a leak in the wall. However, there doesn't seem to be an obvious source. The valve and shower head are installed in the center and framed by the studs whereas this is in the corner. The drain goes straight down as this bathroom is on the second floor. Anyway, this is above the drain. The final far fetched idea is when it rained few weeks ago water leaked down and is bleeding through. However, it would have to have leaked between the hotmop and the slab.

To explain, the old shower was torn apart. The contractors built the new shell with concrete. Then it was hot mopped (tar). Then thinset applied and the slabs of quartzite put up. During this time, the pipes were exposed and not leaking even though water was on. Anyway, if it was the pipes I'd think I'd see water stains on the drywall below.

The one oddity was the old shower pan concrete was damp when it was removed. Because the pipes were not leaking I thought it was due to cracked tiles from the old shower. Kicking myself for not investigating further.


texts: Nail instead of drilling pilot hole in wood

texts: Can I use a nail to make pilot hole in wood? Two 3/4 inch boards together then drywall. Thank you


texts:
Recently we enclosed our garage and finished it off into a bedroom, but it is not cooling well. Since window a/c units are not allowed to be exposed on the exterior of my home, I am considering installing a window a/c unit that I already have to a wall that has an attached storage closet with concrete floors. Therefore, the backside of the window unit would be in this closet. I could put a bucket underneath to catch the condensation and empty regularly.

I'm not sure if this should be a concern, but there is an electric water heater in this same closet that would be about 14' away. Does anyone know if this is a safety concern or am I ok to move forward with this project?

Thank you for your consideration.


texts:
We want to hang a 65" 70-lb TV on a SIP wall with an articulated mount.  The SIP wall is a sandwich of two 18mm/0.75" OSB outer panels filled with 8" of a "solid" insulating foam (and covered with drywall).  There are no studs anywhere near the mount area, and we can't use toggle bolts as they won't expand due to the inner foam (a professional already tried).
The Sony (SU-WL855) swivel mount can swing out the entire TV about 6" from the wall.
I believe the best solution is to mount a hardwood board on the SIP wall and then fasten the mount to the board, but have questions.

Is there a better solution?  (Or is this even safe to do?)
If this is best, what panel would be best - I am thinking either 1/4" or 3/8" hardwood, about 2'x3'.  Recommended dimensions and thickness/material?
To mount the wood to the SIP wall, I would think screws would be best, but some people say nails are better with OSB.  Screws or nails?  And what is the recommended size (obviously about 1.25" long thru mount board, drywall, and OSB, but what screw size or nail size)?
What have I missed?


texts:
I will try to give as much information as I can. I have no experience with wiring so I imagine some of the things I did were incorrect and probably stupid.

I purchased a Hampton Bay ceiling fan, and after numerous attempts at installation, the fan itself spins, however the lights do not light up.

From my ceiling we only have 2 cloth-wrapped wires, a black and a white one (no ground). I connected the blue and black wires from the fan to the black wire from the ceiling, and the white wire from the fan to the white wire from the ceiling. The green wire from the fan was simply capped off.

I also tested the light kit alone, attaching the ceiling wires directly to the light kit, and the lights came on, and the pull cord could be used to switch them on and off.

The only wires for the light kit installation protruding from the bottom of the ceiling fan are a white and a blue one, so I connected the wires to their corresponding colors (white to white, blue to blue). When I do this, the lights do not come on, the ceiling fan still works.

I grabbed a multimeter, and "tested"... something, however I think that my tests were done completely incorrectly so disregard this information if it is not useful.

I set the multimeter to the 200VAC setting, placed the black lead in the "COM" port and the red in the red port. Then I took the leads, and with the power on at the wall switch, I placed the red lead onto the (blue and then after that white) wires, and the black lead onto a piece of metal (specifically the grooves where you screw in the light bulb, as per youtube instructions). Both wire tests returned non zero results (around 2.2).

I then plugged in the wires into the light kit, and tested, once again with the power on, the brass contacts for the light bulbs (with the red lead, and the black lead touching a piece of metal). This returned a zero result.

Once again, I don't know if the multimeter results are in any way significant as I had no idea what I was actually measuring :).

Right now I am stuck with a spinning ceiling fan and no lights. Any help or insight into how I should actually test with the multimeter would be GREATLY appreciated. Thank you!


texts: Can a clear tube added on the outside of a water tank be used to read the water level?

texts:
I have a water tank that I want to read the level on. I would like whatever device I use to be passive. I have seen the 'cat and mouse'-type weight and pulley device, which doesn't suit my purposes (I would like something self-contained).

The question is: can I take clear tubing, connect it to the outside of the tank at the bottom and run it up the side of the tank to just over the full line? Will I need a vented cap? What about the head pressure on the tube? Is this not advisable for any conceivable reason (assuming the tube is secured properly)?


texts: Sanity check mini split layout for old brick house

texts:
I have a three story brick duplex built in 1925. There is currently no ductwork (steam heat) and I doubt that it's feasible to install. Windows are wooden double hung with storm glass, they are in fantastic shape and I'm not particularly interested in replacing them.

Unfinished basement, 1st and 2nd floors are all 1380 sq ft, but I'm not concerned about conditioning the basement. 1st and 2nd floors have 3 bedrooms, living room open to dining room standard doorway to kitchen. 3rd floor is 690 sq ft split into 2 rooms.

Given the steam heat, I only need splits that provide A/C, I assume these are cheaper? If not, can you totally shut down the systems through the winter when not calling for heat? I've seen there there's some standby power draw, but can that be avoided?

I need at least two different systems since the 1st floor is an independent rental unit.

Special considerations:

We're in a zone 6 climate (used to be 5, but "they" recently changed it)
The south west room on each floor is particularly susceptible to
solar gain due to a lack of shade.
My wife likes to bake, so the oven
is frequently in use.
For my family the all the bedroom doors are
usually closed because the children like their privacy and the 3 year
old gets into things.

Given all the non-optimal factors does it make sense to put a heat exchanger in each bedroom? Assuming the kitchen should be cooled that would mean a 5 head system on the 1st and 2nd floors, and a 3rd 2 head on third floor. That seems like overkill, but I'm not sure how I'd cool all the rooms with the doors shut.

9,000 Btu/h is the smallest head available on the system I'm primarily looking at. So it seems like I'd be looking at 9-9-9-12-12 = 51,000 Btu in potential total draw, but in reality the max load is more like 39,000. The condenser with this system is actually 42,000 btu so you can't run every head full out, but I'm not planning to.

tl;dr - Here's the actual questions:

If I don't need the heat is it worth looking for a mini split without the heat feature? These seem harder to find
If not using the head feature can you avoid standby power consumption?
Is it totally crazy to have 5 heads and 51,000 btu of cooling (backed by a single 42,000 btu condenser) in six rooms totaling 1,380 sq ft.
Is there some better solution I've somehow overlooked? The house came with an assortment of window units, but there don't seem to be appropriate (grounded) outlets near the windows they would make sense in.


texts: I came across a home in Westchester County, NY that was built in 1908. The entry, living room and dining room had an unusual flooring that I have never seen before. It is multicolored, rectangular squares that appear as if they are cork but much harder. It doesn't seem likely that the floor is original and may be over hardwood underneath. Anyone ever seen this before, know what it is?


texts: How to encapsulate asbestos around water heater exhaust pipe and cinderblock wall?

texts:
It was brought to my attn that there's asbestos insulation around the exhaust pipe of my water heater. I planned to have an energy audit on the house which involves creating negative room pressure throughout the house - something the auditors will only do if asbestos is removed or encapsulated, to avoid drawing asbestos fibers into the air.

Here are pics of the area in question.

This patch of asbestos looking material is small and isolated so I'm thinking it's a DIY job and others have agreed. Looks like it's still holding together pretty well but has rough edges and areas that will be hard to cleanly fill in without some kind of spray-on applicator. The main pipe going into it is warm (maybe sometimes hot?) exhaust from the nearby water heater, and the block wall is under the house's chimney so it may get warm/hot as well (the chimney's old ash catcher is under this area).

A home inspector I know advised me to cover it in metallic duct tape used on high-temp duct work, simply overlapping tape in straight lines until it is all covered up. I found some of that but have a hard time imagining this being a 'clean fix' and cringe at the idea of trying to peel duct tape off of asbestos. Plus I'm not sure the metallic tape will secure well onto the block wall.

Another inspector suggested applying heat resistant caulk where the pipe meets the asbestos, then spray paint the rest with a spray-on enamel. The latter advice sounds like the 'right' way to do it to me, but as I went to look for heat resistant caulk and enamel I realized I'm lost about which of the many types of caulk and enamel paint to get.

So, what's the safe and sufficient way to encapsulate this patch? If a specific product is needed (duct tape, caulk, safety gear) please be specific or link to examples so I can make sure I'm getting the right stuff for this job.

Context: 100+yr/old home in northeast USA. Area in question is on an exterior foundation wall, in a utility room with a forced-air furnace+A/C, water heater, laundry appliances, some storage. Not a particularly well ventilated room.


texts: Dishwasher Not draining at the end of the cycle

texts:
My Samsung dishwasher (DMT400RHS/XAA) stopped draining water about three weeks ago.  The “delicate” status light was blinking.  Apparently, a blinking “delicate” light indicates a clogged drain or a drain motor failure.

I opened up the dishwasher, removed the drain pump and checked the drain pump area and found a hard plastic dishwasher piece sitting in the drain pump impeller.  I checked the motor (externally) and found it to be running.  I also checked the resistance across the motor terminals and found it to be about 20 ohms.  Since there was no debris in the drain pump impeller and since there seemed to be no leak in/around the drain pipe or safety basin, I presumed that it was the motor.  I ordered a new (identical) motor and found out that it, too, had a resistance of about 20 ohms (same as the old motor). BTW, the specification on the motor says 120V, 0.8 amps.  So if this is the case, shouldn’t the motor have a resistance of 150 ohms (120/0.8)?

Questions:

1)  What should be the resistance of my drain-pump motor – 20 ohms as measured or 150 ohms as labeled/calculated?
2)  If the motor is not the problem, what else could be the reason for the drain problem (blinking “delicate” status light)?
3)  Should I try the new motor even though it has the same resistance as the old one?
4)  What should be the resistance of a drain motor for Samsung dishwasher (DMT400RHS/XAA)?

I would appreciate any help related to this issue.

Thanks.
[![enter image description here][1]][1]


texts: Expanding bedroom on to Patio. Foundation Questions

texts:
I am considering extending the first floor bedroom on the corner of the house out on to the uncovered portion of the patio.  The Patio does not have a footing and is 3-4 inches below the house slab.
The questions I have are related to the foundation.

Should I consider cutting the perimeter concrete on the patio where the exterior framing will be and have just the perimeter re-poured with a footing to support the walls?  I realize I would have a slight step down in the extended area of the room.

If I wanted to add a door from the new extension to the existing patio they would be on the same grade level.  I believe this would be a potential issue regarding water entering the house.

Should I have the entire section cutout and re-poured and have it match the height of the current slab?  My biggest concern here is that I just can't imagine anyone getting it perfect and ending up with a noticeable height difference between the current floor and the new extension.


texts: How should I attach a wooden frame to legs?

texts:
Amazingly simple question that I can't seem to use google to find me the correct answer.

I need to build a rectangular frame built from fence posts that is also supported by 3x3 6ft fence posts. I know how to build the rectangle, but, what do I need to securely attach the frame to the posts?

==Edit==

The frame takes a little imagination.
I need to create a roll off roof section on a shed, so I want to frame the inside of the shed then extend back away from it 6ft.

Top down it would look like a digital figure of 8 with half of the 8 within the shed.

On top of the figure of 8 will be the roof on rails and wheels, so it needs to be a bit stronger than nails (I think)

In the picture you can see the near side frame structure, the cross beam will go inside the shed at the same height as the top of the wall and there will be another 6 ft beam attached there and running out to the upright nearest to me. But there will obviously be beams running at 90 degrees to this also and the same on the far side. I appreciate there will need to be some support battons running at 45 degrees from the uprights to the cross beams.


texts: Can smoke from small fire cause wiring problems?

texts:
I had a pretty confined fire in my
Small enclosed laundry room.  there was a lot of smoke, however. In the low ceiling is a light and i think it now sometimes flickers.  Electrician just looked at the outside of the fixture and said he can tell it's fine because it works.  Im still worried that something is wrong.  Advice? Pretty sure no flzme hit it but it got to 140 degrees and very black smoky.


texts: Why did my electric bill climb suddenly?

texts:
So we had a little mishap a couple of months ago involving some flooding.  We had some folks come in and "dehydrate" our house.  It involved lots of fans running for a couple of weeks.  We expected the electric bill to be very high that month.  But it has continued to be high ever since (at least double) and I don't know why.

An electrician installed an outlet of sorts that hangs out of our fuse box during that whole process that was meant to add another needed outlet to plug in the basement fans to do some drying.  I don't know if that has anything to do with it.

So I'm looking for some ideas on what I can do to try to track down the problem or, better yet, ideas of what the problem could be based on what little information I've given you (I know it's a long shot).  I can update this question with any additional information you might need.


texts: What are the brown stains showing through my white paint?

texts: Should we be worried about these? We have some brown spots like these in the top floor, in the wall and some spots in the ceiling. Mostly around the ceiling nails like in the first picture. They are pretty small, but still. I tried to clean these kind of spots and they don't disappear, however they get lighter. We live in Northern Europe so we get some pretty harsh temperatures and climates, and it's a very old house.


texts: Can I replace this switch with a 3-way switch?

texts: I want to replace the on/off switch for our attic fan, and this is the only switch in the house that I’m aware of that operates it. The wires are red, white, and black. Will a traditional 3-way switch work for this?


texts: looking for a timer to open and close a circuit

texts: I am looking to open and close a Feed on a low voltage zone valve on a heating system. Its 16 volt, and I want to put a timer in the line so I can break the current and control the valve with the pre set times of the timer. Most timers I have found are 120 V plug in which is good but only accept 120 V out. I just need a timer that will act like a switch and open and close the 16 V circuit.


texts: What is the best position for a gate hinge?

texts:
Below you have the size of the gate three possible positions for the hinge
Considering the size of the gate what is the best position for hinges? I want the gate to swing in the direction indicated by the arrows (toward my driveway)

Edit: I believe that there are major differences between the three positions. The gate will open the same way in the end, pivoting around the vertical axis of the hinge.
However a) and b) will transmit the torque created by the weight of the gate to the 4x4
For c)...not so much. It will be mostly supported by the screws that will attach the hinge to the gate and to the post

And here is the design that I have in mind, but it will be longer. I might use

or use this


texts: Can you increase the speed of an ECM AC blower?

texts:
I have a Trane XV95_060 for furnace and Trane XR15-018 for AC
I would like to know if the speed of the blower can be adjusted (increased)

Before I had a 1ton AC and that was all right for the house
That was replaced with the above 1.5 ton and apparently it can not cool the house as needed. I am not sure what is wrong but I am trying to understand why it is not working better than before

Edit: OK After reading more I realized that my problem might be the opposite and that is that the air goes too fast through the coil and it does not cool enough. I have 15C at the register level. There is not much condense and I do not see any change in the RH when I run the AC for longer periods of time

Here is what I had before

and here is what was configured on my current unit


texts: Can I run an air cleaner and air conditioner at the same time without a significant counter effect?

texts:
Can this be counter effective, or the opposite?

I assume this also comes down to what I am using the air cleaner for, it is for dust allergies, but also vs air pollution.

I also guess that I need to let the air cleaner work on a higher airflow (higher setting) than the air conditioner for this to make more sense, but not sure how efficient will that be in terms of bringing air quality to a decent level and as far as air conditioning filters go, I have a Samsung AC with a cleanable mesh filters, but nothing more.


texts: Why do I have to tell my Nest thermostat to either cool or heat my house?

texts:
I just moved into a house with a Nest thermostat and this is the first time I've ever had a thermostat of any kind (just had window units and radiators for the past 20 years).

I don't understand why I have to choose between heating and cooling modes.  Isn't the point of a thermostat that I tell it what temperature I want the house to be, and it makes it happen (e.g. if I want it to be 70 and it's currently 75 then it cools, but if it's 65, then it heats)?

So, say it's a hot (85) and a cool (50) night - at 1pm I come home, and the house is 75 degrees so I set it to cool with a temperature of 70.  I go to sleep, the temperature drops, and once it drops below 70 it can never go back up because it's set to "cool."  So when I wake up, the house temperature is 60.
 Note - this hasn't happened (yet, because the temperature swings aren't that extreme), but could it?


texts: What is this pipe coming up out of our driveway?

texts:
Bought a house last week, which -- Canadian winter -- had been mightily surrounded by snow, including in the driveway. Today, with the snow melting, I saw this in front of the garage door. It extends about 2" up past the driveway surface.

The cap on the pipe is black and has some sort of little handle on it.

It comes off very easily, and underneath there's about 8' to 10' of pipe (I think? I'm lousy at eyeballing things), rimed with frost, leading to what looks like standing water.

The fact that there's a big ol' PVC (or something) pipe jutting several inches out of the driveway in front of the garage is kind of annoying, but not having any idea what's going on here (sewer vent? In my driveway?) is more annoying. What's this pipe doing here? What's it for? Can I chop it down, fill it in, seal it shut?


texts:
How do you clean up silicone caulk?

The product label doesn't have clean up instructions. It is impervious to soap and water (even that orange pumice soap). I didn't have much luck with mineral spirits or xylol either.

Is there any way to clean it off of surfaces besides waiting for it to cure then scraping it off?


texts: When to turn on backup water powered sump pump

texts:
I just moved to a house that supposedly has a backup sump pump that is backed by tap water. We’re currently in a power outage. I’ve never had a sump pump before.

How do I know it’s time to turn on the backup?


texts:
I'm painting my kitchen.

Some areas of the walls had to be repaired with spackle.

Do I need to do a prime coat before I paint? I'm painting the same color. Although I'm changing the finish from eggshell to semi-gloss. Paint is Benjamin Moore Atrium White-- if that means anything.

I'm thinking maybe because it's a kitchen and the repaired area is near sink-- that it might make sense to prime.


texts: Creating my own coffered ceilings, whats the best material to use for the frame?

texts:
SO I am creating my own coffered ceilings by creating a grid which I will attach to the ceiling.  Then I will nail/glue crown moldings onto this grid to create my coffered ceilings.  Now I've made a mockup of my grid for testing purposes using MDF and it all seems nice and stable.

Ive never done anything like this before so Im wondering if Im making a horrible mistake and these ceilings will begin to breakdown having used MDF, or if I should use something else?

I chose MDF because it seems relativly light in weight which seemed like a good idea since I am nailing these up to the ceiling

Thank you!


texts: Do I need to remove mould from plywood before treating?

texts:
I have a shed base on piers topped with plywood that was finished last Winter and covered up to help protect from the elements.

However some water made it through (or general dampness of being covered) through the tarp material and has made the plywood grow a little black mould. The timber joists are fine though, I guess ply is a bit more porous.

I'm going to coat the joists and ply with crecote preservative to help prevent this happening again. Do I need to remove the mould before and if so how. Anything else I can do to prevent further mould - it won't be covered again so I think it was just due to lack of airflow.

Thanks in advance


texts: What causes "toothpick streaks" when spray painting already-painted metal?

texts:
I already found several articles explaining how to properly spray paint a metal surface, so that's not my question.

My botched attempt to spray paint a metal surface that had already been painted resulted in these strange streaks that looks like someone came in with a toothpick and ran it along the surface when the paint was wet (but of course they didn't).

It was so unexpected, it got me curious. What's the cause of this? I don't mean "because I didn't sand it first". I mean, what's the physics or chemistry at work to cause this particular phenomena?

I was unable to find anything about it on the internet.


texts: Convert switched out to always hot what to do with ground and neutral wires

texts:
Simple question:

I have a switch that controls an outlet across the room, i want to make it always hot and just have a dummy cover plate it its place.

I have read that all i gotta do is join / screw cap off both the black wire, but

1) What do i do with the neutral wire, if there is one? Should i also join it with the other neutrals and cap it off?

2) What do i do with the bare copper ground? Do i just leave it hanging or should i twist it with the other grounds ( The wall has 2 other 3-way switches that controls lights)

Thanks!


texts: How can I fix this broken connector piece on my Symmons shower Knob?

texts:
I was trying to get the knob off so I could potentially increase the amount of hot water getting mixed and it seemed to be coming off nicely but then snapped. By nicely, I mean it was a steady process; the thing was rusted/stuck on so bad I'm not sure it would have been possible to get off without breaking it.

I can turn the water on and off with pliers but that's not ideal obviously. Primarily I need some instruction on how to get this existing set up replaced with something new that has good hot water management. I see some screws but am not sure if I should do anything else without some guidance as to what it does (the ominous left only screw).


texts:
I have a Stihl FS 36 which I was given. I was using it today and tried to bump the knob to let out some string but none came out. I tried to disassemble the spool to remove what I presume is a tangled mess.

I have one slight problem, the bump knob is not budging. I tried for a while by hand and then I brought out a vice grip and I still couldn't get it to budge.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to screw off the bump knob?

Here is a forum post that has the same spool set up as mine in case anyone wonders exactly what it looks like.


texts: Loud circuit breaker pop with burned neutral wires. Need advice on next steps. Photos in description

texts:
At the bottom are some photos to help aid in my description.

I have 3 circuits leaving my main panel, traveling ~5 feet behind drywall in NB-B cable to a surface mounted junction box where the NM-B splices to THHN wires.  The THHN runs through EMT.

The first circuit (110V 20A) ends at a receptacle
The raceway continues with the other two circuits where the second circuit (220V 15A) ends at a receptacle
The raceway continues until the third circuit ends at a third receptacle.

I just finished wiring all of this and things were working well.  I flipped the breakers to kill power so I could safely put the cover plates on.  I switched on the two 220 circuits and all was well, but when I on the 110 there was a loud pop on its breaker.
I opened the first junction box (where the NM-B splices to THHN) to find the hot wire had rubbed against the screw tab on the box, cutting the insulation and exposing a small bit of copper causing a ground fault (pictured).  The neutral wire is burned (pictured)... At the receptacle end, all appears normal.

The other two circuits seem unaffected - other than one wire nut appears burned (pictured), but I think this was just because it was touching the burned neutral wire.

The junction box was pretty full, but was within box fill calculations. My ground was connected properly.

I am curious where to go from here?  It seems like I should at least fully replace the THHN of the 110 circuit? Or can I just cut out the burned area? I likely should replace the NM-B in the wall? Do I need to replace any portion of the other circuits? Why was there such a loud pop and burned neutral - I would have guessed the short would have traveled down on my ground and tripped the breaker pretty uneventfully?


texts:
Have a weird issue.  I have a circuit breaker that would trip knocking out three lights and four plug ins.  Now, what is weird is this just started happening about a month ago, it would trip, you would reset it and it would last a day or so and trip again.  Then it got to the point where it would trip after a few hours of resetting, now it happens instantaneously, you cannot turn it it on at all without it tripping instantly.  What I find weird is none of these outlets are being used, one light is used occasionally, and the other two are used more often but still maybe once or twice a day.

Two of the plugins were did not have covers and were square plugs so I took those out and even left the wires disconnected figuring I was eliminating the chain of wires to see if the power would work with these disconnected.  With these disconnected and all the lights off, the circuit breaker instantly trips and will not let you turn on the power.  I hoped maybe it was a bad breaker so I replaced it with a brand new one, still trips instantly.

There have been no changes in the house, no constructions or nothing going on that would sever a wire in the wall, not event the hanging of a picture.  I would think if there was a bad light, if they were in the off position they would not trip the breaker until turned on.  I find it weird that a wire just went bad behind the wall somewhere.

Any ideas are appreciated.  Not sure how you track down a bad wire behind a wall, or if that is the issue.  Going to remove the other plugs to check them as well... could a bad switch be the culprit? How do you check?

Update 1/9:  I found two broken wires on two light switches that were side-by-side.  Fixed the wires but the breaker still trips when I turn it on. I disconnected all outlets and switches leaving all the wires bare and the circuit breaker still trips.  I feel like the problem is in the box itself but do not see anything wrong. Beyond tearing wires out I have pretty much given up and contacted a retired electrician who works pretty cheap,  he is supposed to be here tomorrow morning .

There is no test button and this is a 20 amp Square D circuit breaker .


texts: Difference between Rockwool and Acoustic Foam

texts:
As far as I understand, mineral-fiber ("rockwool") and acoustic form perform similar roles: sound absorption, or reducing echo.

The fact that both exist and are for sale imply there's a trade-off going on between these two technologies.

What are the differences?


texts: Should both ground and neutral in an electrical subpanel be bonded to the service ground?

texts: I put in a 100 AMP sub panel from a 200 AMP service. The neutral and ground are separated in the sub panel. Would this bond the sub panel to the ground and neutral coming from service ground wire? I used 2-2-2-4 wire.


texts: Can this ceiling box support a 12 lbs ceiling fan?

texts: I live in a house that was built in 1999, this outlet currently mounts a light fixture. I want to replace the lights with a ceiling fan but I am not sure if the current outlet box will support the fan.


texts: Why does my furnace have different startup sounds after maintenance?

texts:
Our house has a 15 year old gas furnace. When it fires up, you can hear this series of events:

A fan blowing
A few clicks
Steady blue flames
A big whoosh (like the sound of something going up in flames)
Then it blows hot air, cycling off and on every 5-10 minutes, unable to heat above 67 degrees.

I went in to do a little winter maintenance--changing the filter, removing debris, and so on. Now, when firing up, the first three steps are the same (blowing air, a few clicks, then blue flames). But, now there's no big whoosh and the hot air blows steadily until the house reaches the desired temperature.

In short, we're happier with it now. But, I wanted to make sure that we didn't disable something important by eliminating the big whoosh noise and the cycling off and on.

If you've got a hunch, please weigh in.

Thanks!


texts: How can I restore balance to my pool if I added too much algaecide?

texts: We recently opened our above ground salt water pool.  It is 27' diameter with 52" walls.  Approx. 17,300 gals. We had a green pool on opening so after adjusting pH, shocking and adding salt(we had to add quite a bit of water to get to skimmer-level) we added algaecide.  We live 50 miles from the pool supply store, so we resorted to Wal-Mart brand. My husband dumped in an almost full 48 oz bottle.  Now, we have FOAM!!  And no matter what we do, our free chlorine levels do not register. Also my copper ion level is high.  Is there any way to fix this other than draining and re-filling?


texts: Water leak between sill and concrete pad

texts:
I'm repairing a three season room.  I took it down to the studs, put in new sill plates and sliding glass doors.

For the sill I put down Protecto wrap, latex caulk, a pressure treated 2x4 and secured to the pad with tap con concrete screws.  I used a latex caulk on the outside of the 2x4 after it was secured.

Water is getting through during heavy rain in two places.  It appears to come from under the sill, at the center post and the door on the right.

The latex caulk appears to be cracked.

There's no gutter so all the rain water ends up at the edge of the pad.  But it is on a hill so the water should be draining away fairly quickly.

I still have to put the bottom trim on, under the door frame, in front of the sill.

Should I make sure there are no leaks before putting the trim on?  Or, will the trim make it water tight?

With the latex caulk cracked, can I go over it with a silicone all weather caulk?


texts:
I am running 4 new circuits. 6/3 (50A 240V) Romex, 8/3 (40A 240V) Romex, as well as a couple of 12/2s.
Cables start at the far end of the boiler room from a panel, through 1.5" holes of several exposed joists, followed by finished basement (quite wide 3-4 ft) soffit that currently houses lots of other cables and wires, followed by stud space to the upper-level kitchen.
Is this to the code? Is it okay to run 6/3, 8/3, and two 12/2s in a single joist hole bunched together? Is it then okay to just have those wires laying in the soffit, since they are fished through? Just before they leave the basement for the stud space above, they are in close proximity with PEX tubing so want to double-check that as well. And once inside the stud space (they will branch out through holes to the other studs to the final outlet locations), do I need to put some kind of protective plating or conduits or would stapling them to the middle of 2x4 studs suffice?


texts: Plastic sheeting in a french drain system

texts: I am installing a french drain along the foundation of a residence. I have always place thick plastic sheeting (6mil) up against the trench on the foundation side and on the bottom of the trench. Afterwards I lay 2" of gravel,fabric,pipe,etc. Is it over kill to do this? My reasoning is that it helps force the water away from the house and into the pipe.


texts: How do I replace a 3 wire switch with a 4 wire motion detection switch?

texts:
I added two images showing knob and tube wired light fixture and two wire light switch. Romex out of fixture goes to switch.

Original message: I have one hot (black), one neutral (white) and a copper ground wire attached to a light switch that I am replacing. My new motion detection switch has 4 wires, a ground, a neutral, a hot and a load wire.  How do I connect the new switch?


texts:
I just installed some recessed lighting in my basement and I can’t get the circuit to work properly.

The installation was: feed to multiple lights to dimmer switch. I used 14/2 for everything except from the last light to the dimmer switch, which I used 14/3. Only the last light dims and the other lights only stay on

Is my issue that I should’ve used 14/3 for everything or something wrong with the wiring?


texts: It seems hard to enter service mode. what I do is just press "Signal" then "Delay start" then "Signal" then "Delay start", but it doesn't work. what's the exact steps?


texts: What could be causing my A/C not to come on?

texts: I had a thermostat get hot and smell, replaced thermostat.  Still not working found fuse on control board blown replaced fuse.  Lights on control board indicate no problems.  Replaced 18/5 cable from control board to thermostat.  Still not working.  Replaced cable from control board to condenser.  Was able to manually start compressor and fan on condensing unit.  But still not turning on.  Did jumper tests from R thermostat lead and fan and R to A/C wire on control board, both caused 3amp fuse to blow on control board.  Replaced 24v transformer was getting high voltage.  Still not working.  I don't know what to try next, I would think a control board but the heat works and the lights say it is operating fine.  This is a Lenox brand system.


texts: Last night while my washing machine and sink in the master bath was running, my master toilet started having air bubbles come up.  Then this morning while I was showering I heard bubbles again, and the shower was draining very slowly.  After the bubbles occurred my toilet in the master bath and powder room completely drained of water in the bowl and tank.  What is happening?


texts: Is it about time to replace the water heater?

texts:
My wife and I just recently closed on our first home. The home was built in 1930 and aged excellently. The couple who we bought the home from had purchased it as a foreclosure in 2006 and made it their retirement project to completely restore the place; they did a wonderful job and covered almost everything.

Before getting to the question; there are no visible signs that the water heater is going bad. It's a 240V electric water heater with two 4500 watt elements. It's still capable of pumping out crazy hot water (I need to turn the temperature down I believe). Without looking closer at it and it's tags, I never would have guessed, but it was installed in March of 1984 - it's almost a 32yo heater. Everything I've seen and heard says that most heaters only last half of that time. The other thing that might affect it, is that it was winterized in October of 2004. Our guess is that it was cleaned out then and that extended it's life, but I'm unsure.

They all eventually wear out, I'd just like to know what the thought is on this and if we should bite the bullet and be looking for a new one before it goes.

Oh and my other thought is what this could be doing to our electric bill. I'd take the guess of course that the newer ones are all more energy efficient and we'd be saving some money there to make up for it. We also have natural gas to the house; I believe we'll go with a gas heater next time around from what I've heard, but I'm not really sure if it saves much money there either?

Thanks

Didn't read the tag correct before now.. it's it least $800 a year or about $65 each monthly power bill.

I think it'd definitely pay for itself to replace it. From what I've seen, the models today are more like $500 a year. That's $25 saved per month.


texts:
The blue leds on my led light strip started acting weird just recently.  For some reason, the blue leds are always on.  When changing colors, the blue led is on, when powering off the strip with the remote, the blue leds stay on.  There's no way to turn them off.

Here's how it's connected, I'm not much of an expert when it comes to things like this.

I've heard that there was a solution where you could press the Fade 7 button on the ir remote when the strip is turned off.  You're supposed to get a flash of white.  But I never received any results from doing that.

Is this a hardware problem or is this a problem with the programming of the strip's controller.


texts: What to do, half the house has no power after I used the GFCI tester

texts:
So I tried a gfci tester device on a non-gfci outlet without thinking too much over it.  Why, you ask?  Well, I guess because I am an idiot. As I pressed the test button, half the house lost power.  The breaker tripped, but when I put the breaker back to the "on" position, there is still no power.  What did I do?
My understanding was that pressing the gfci test button when the device is plugged into a non-gfci would be a non-event, since very little current would actually flow.  And yet, here we are.


texts: Ok this panel is on the outside of a small cottage. The electric for the house turns off when you turn off the 100 amp double breaker on the right.  My question is should this control another panel or breaker box inside the house.  DO not understand why they would have a 100amp double breaker for the house only... Help????


texts: Installing a water softener - Brine tank overflow w/o drain nearby

texts:
My old water softener isn't working anymore and so I wanted to replace it myself. The kind I have currently is one where the salt tank and the other tank are separate and the kind I am looking to get is an all in one unit (http://www.homedepot.com/p/GE-40-000-Grain-Water-Softener-GXSH40V/203219780)

Overall the install seems pretty easy since the plumbing is already there but there is a difference in my current setup and the new one, specifically the new one has a brine tank overflow that you are supposed to run a hose to a drain and it cannot go uphill. This is separate from the Valve Drain hose which also needs to be run to a drain and my current system has one of these.  The value drain can run uphill and whoever installed my current system has it running into my attic where it drains. The unit is in my garage and so there is no drain in the floor and it would be quite costly to install one.

Since I cannot run the brine hose uphill and there is not a drain in my floor are there any good options other than get a different unit that isn't an all in one?


texts: Use Sonoff thermostat TH10 in one room to control a Sonoff Basic in another room

texts:
For those who are experienced with the Sonoff devices, I need to check the temperature in my living room using a Sonoff thermostat TH10, and when the temperature is above a chosen threshold, I would like to stop the water pumps which are in a different room, using a "slave" Sonoff basic device, remotely controlled by the TH10.

Is such a configuration possible?


texts:
I have a problem. My door, when it closes doesn't completely close. The lower part of the door manages to rest next to the door frame. But the upper part of the door leaves a lot of space between the door frame and the door. In other words, it isn't properly closed.

This is the door to my room and it has a latch bolt and strike plate on the outside. I would like to fix this but I don't want to damage the door. I'm sure there's something that could be done, but I ask for your help.


texts: What is the thing after the outflow of the washing drum called?

texts:
Below is a nice view of the inside of the pipe between the washing drum and the drain pump (looking in the direction of the washing drum). I just found a popsicle stick and a few socks in there.
I was wondering what the black rubber balloon thing right below the outflow of the washing drum is called, what it's used for and how it works? It's soft (has air inside), has a hole at the bottom and is somehow attached right below the outflow of the washing drum so it can move up and down.

(Washing machine is a Siemens IQ500)


texts: Can I use flux core wire with MIG shield gas (argon/CO2)?

texts: I recently purchased a cylinder of MIG shield gas (argon/CO2). Can I use my existing flux core wire and the MIG gas together or do I need to buy solid wire?


texts:
I recently purchased a MBAND18BX2203, Laguna Tools 18|Bx 3HP 220V 18" Bandsaw and need to wire a 220 Volt outlet.
I think I know what I need to do, but I have one question: I was confused by the breaker since the saw was described as one phase (specifically, the spec sheet says: "3HP, 220V, 1 Ph. 12 Amp."), but the breaker I selected will connect to both leads, each at 180 degree offset in phase. I am guessing that this ensures that one of the 110/120 volt connections is active at any one time, but wouldn't this make the wiring 2-phase?
Just to verify, the rest of the setup below:
Wiring diagram:

The 18BX2203 has a 3 HP 220 volt 1 phase Leeson motor. I have residential 2 phase wiring and was confused if I needed to some each 120 from the same phase or from different phases.
The manual recommended that I connect the bandsaw to a 15 amp breaker but I wanted to provide myself some additional margin for a future tool but was also aware that tools use more power on startup. I initially was going to use 12/2 wire, but I decided on schedule 40 conduit with Thermoplastic High Heat-resistant Nylon-coated THHN wire.
Another question I had was the number of wires connecting to the outlet. I initially thought I would need to have 4 wires (a 12/3 wire), both a neutral and a ground in addition to two hot wires. After thinking about it a little bit, it made sense two use three wires total, since I was setting up a dedicated circuit and the ground and the neutral would be the same wire
Receptacle
The bandsaw came pre-wired with a 220V 3-pin plug. I used this page to make sure I used the correct outlet. One of the decisions I had to make was if I wanted to use a twist lock plug, but I didn't consider the benefit worth the extra work to re-wire the saw.
I decided on 20 Amp Commercial Grade Double-Pole Single Outlet, White which has two connections for hot and one ground wire.
Breaker
I think the 20 Amp Double-Pole Type QP Circuit Breaker will work if I connect the red and black to each of the 20 amps (but does this make it 40 amps)?

Wire
In setting up a 20-amp circuit, I had to make sure this worked with my setup. Per the table in the manual, I need at least 14 guage wire, so I went with 12 guage which I needed for the 20-amp breaker anyway.


texts: What length bracket is required to hold 1.25" thick wood shelving with 11" depth?

texts:
I have heavy wood shelves about 1.25" thick and extend 11" from the wall, with differing lengths ranging from 34" to 100". I've noticed that even shelf brackets that are even 5-6"L have a high weight capacity but are much cheaper than 10-11"L brackets. These are for the kitchen so will be holding dishes.
Are there any fast rules for how close in size the bracket and shelf should be?
If not, what is the shortest bracket length that is acceptable or should I not worry about length and just look at weight capacity?


texts: I have very little room to work with and have decided some things I am going to end up sticking where there is room, but would it be any less safe, if suppose I wanted it on a stand alone platform that I've cemented the mount to a reasonable depth, instead of an actual "bench"? I don't see why it would matter but again I don't see a lot things that are common sense to others. Thanks in advance.


texts: how to protect first stair riser from water?

texts:
The stair in my garage is very ugly and it's off-gassing bad particle board smell. Especially the first riser is rotted.

So I am going to make a new stair by replacing current treads and risers with plywood or oak hardwood. But I have no idea how to protect the first riser. When it's raining or snowing, there will be quite a bit of water from the car.


texts: Is RC2040M150CH MSP upgradable to 200amps main circuit breaker

texts:
I have Square-D Main Service Panel RC2040M150CH.
Notice the checkbox on the left for this particular model.

The preinstalled circuit breaker is QOM2150VH for 150 amps; 200amps equivalent is QOM2200VH.
https://stevenengineering.com/Tech_Support/PDFs/45CBMCC.pdf

The Main Service Panel itself is rated as 200amps (see three highlighted places on the photo below). The 150amps preinstalled circuit breaker is what made this MSP RC2040M150CH and not RC2040M200CH.

I think just upgrading main service breaker from QOM2150VH to QOM2200VH will make this MSP completely rated at 200amps, and good to pass inspections?

Thanks.


texts: I am replacing my electric slide in range with a stand alone model.  The original was hard wired and the new is with a cord.  There are 3 wires and a bare copper wire coming from the wall.  What should I do with the copper wire.


texts: Why is there insulation in the common wall between housing units?

texts:
I need to run electrical and network cables (cat6) from the third floor of my house down to the basement where there are different breakers and different computers.
So I did a relative measurement in both places that I hope lines up so I can drop the cables down.
From the basement there is a hole that looks like this going up inside the wall in the house:

Upstairs I tried drilling a hole in the wall (and it's an inner wall between my and the neighbors side of the house) but oddly I found a sheet of insulation blocking my way (see below):

Since the insulation is in an interior wall (see below),

I don't know why it is there.  What I do know is that when my neighbor hangs things on the wall on the interior wall the screws come through the other side, so I was very careful not to drill through her side of the wall, which is how I found the insulation.
I don't know why it's there, but it's preventing me from getting my cables run.
Does anyone know why it's there or what I can do about it?


texts: Almost perfectly flat Chair Lug Terminal

texts:
I noticed my chair lug terminal doesn't have perfectly flat bottom surface. This can prevent full electrical contact between it and the terminal.

What brand has almost perfectly flatness at bottom (Milspec)?


texts: Home water pressure consistently exceeds 150 PSI

texts:
Background:

When I bought my home it had a 50 gallon gas water heater in the garage without an expansion tank. On the hot water line there is a Watts adjustable pressure relief valve (this NOT the PRV on the tank - it's an additional valve). The water pressure as measured on the hose bibs was frequently around 150 PSI and the Watts PRV or the PRV on the tank would frequently release water. There is a pressure regulator valve on the cold water supply line to the house and the pressure when measured without the water heater heating is 55-60 PSI.

Problem:

The water heater survived 20 years under those conditions but it finally started leaking. I replaced the water heater with another 50 gallon unit and added a 2 gallon expansion tank vertically on the cold water line feeding the tank. I expected this to solve the high pressure problem but it hasn't. Even with the water heater turned down to around 115F, when it heats, it brings the pressure over 150 PSI and the PRV on the tank opens and stays open until I run the water somewhere to release the pressure. ~30 minutes later, the pressure is back up and the cycle continues.

I'm baffled on what the problem is. The expansion tank is the recommend size for the size of my water heater and line pressure. The only thoughts I have are to get a bigger expansion tank or potentially replace the pressure regulator valve on the cold water supply line. The latter is a bit of a hail mary IMO and will be a major project due to the location.

Anyone have thoughts on what else could be the problem or potential remedies?


texts: Why would turning on one breaker trip another?

texts:
Before rearranging the main living room, I replaced two 15A outlets that were previously hidden. (The new outlets are the kind that are hard for kids to jam things into.) After doing this I discovered, or rediscovered after forgetting, that the circuit appears to be redundant. I can’t get both 15A circuits to stay up. Turning on one while the other is on makes the other pop.

Now, as I said, I can’t recall if I discovered this before and forgot. The house could stand to be rewired with a new box, but that’s a crazy pipe dream that won’t add value to the home. Absent that, should I be concerned here? Should I replace the two circuits? Am I misreading how these circuits work? Does this pair allow 30A? Surely not. I double checked my work with the outlets.


texts: Light fixture goes out just before flush to ceiling

texts:
BV022061
10:07AM | 04/05/20

I changed out an old light fixture. It had 3 blacks, 3 whites and 1 red. Hooked up the lines but the light switch would not work. Found out red wire is the switch so connected black to red. Switch and light working now. Problem is when I mount the fixture to the bracket the tighter I make screws just before it is flush with the ceiling the light goes out and circuit trips. There is foil on the backside of the light. Could that be shorting it out when it meets the bracket?

thanks,
Robert Vega


texts: How should my smart dimmer be connected?

texts: I have replaced normal outlets and wall switches before. I'm comfortable enough to know I have to turn off the breaker before doing it. I purchased my very own DH6HD-1BZ with the intentions of wiring it myself, however, there are only 2 wires that I can see in the wall and this looks to me like it could take up to 4. The blue wire out of the wall is one wire (although it looks like 2, I couldn't tell that until I disassembled it)