texts: Adding a GFCI to my bathroom light switch

texts: I have 2 bathrooms that have no receptacle's at all in them. I'm having to use extension cords that are ran from the bedroom to the bathroom to use any type of power instruments such as a hair dryer, etc. How can I replace the light switch with a GFCI receptacle and light switch, all in one box, to each bathroom?


texts: How to control system with 2 condersors+evaporators and 1 blower

texts:
I have problem with the control the HAVC system using 2 condensors + 2 evaporatora with one blower.
I used 2 thermostats (4 wires/thermostat) to control. But the problem is when i turn on (cool position) each of thermostat, both condensors work.
Pls kindly advice me how to control each of them.
Thanks


texts: How to prevent rain grate on the garden from shifting or collecting debris?

texts:
My downspouts go along the wall down to the garden level. I will install rain grates below it to collect the water and direct it to the street.

I will make something like that.

I think being buried will prevent it from shifting from people walking over it, right?

Do I need to make it above grade to prevent debris from falling into it? I really have no idea about it, as I always seem those grates on floored areas, never on garden.


texts: Does a GFCI receptacle provide overcurrent protection?

texts:
Does a GFCI receptacle provide over-current protection? (note that I'm not referring to GFCI circuit breakers as may be found in a service panel, nor to specialty devices such as an inline plug-in GFCI that may offer over-current protection)

I've checked some GFCI datasheets (note, this link opens a PDF) but haven't found any that mention overcurrent protection, or provide trip curves as would be expected in a circuit breaker datasheet.

So, does a GFCI receptacle provide any inherent over-current protection or must it always be used with a circuit breaker for over-current protection?

This question was prompted by this answer where the answer suggests using a GFCI outlet as a circuit breaker. This seems like very big misconception of the protection offered by a GFCI, and is potentially dangerous if it leads someone to think that GFCI outlets are the same as circuit breakers.


texts: Does UF wire allow direct burial or require conduit?

texts:
I'm working with 6-3 UF-B wire in a wet location (under a deck). Does this wire need to be in conduit or buried? In other words, can the wire be exposed to the elements as is under the deck?

If there is no requirement for running in conduit, what are the advantages of doing so?

Edit #1 - The underside of the deck cannot be accessed without unscrewing deck boards.

Thanks.


texts: My toilet bowl will not hold water. If I fill the bowl manually I can flush it but the water goes completely down and won't refill on its own. The tank refills fine,I can see water going into the bowl but it drains out as fast as it goes in. There is also a gurgling sound as it drains out. Any help?


texts: 48AMP kiln on 60 AMP breaker *must be* direct wired in Canada?

texts: I am trying to find out what part of the Canadian electrical code requires that the 48AMP kiln, on a 60AMP breaker requires that it must be direct wired, instead of using the NEMA 6-50 receptacle permitted in USA. I would like my kiln to be mobile, and wonder if there is a work around of some kind.


texts: In the UK, what type of flexible conduit should I use for electrics in shed that run underground and emerge through the concrete base? I see various standards quoted such as IP66. Would this be suitable- http://www.screwfix.com/p/adaptaflex-standard-weight-nylon-conduit-28mm-x-10m-black/89238


texts: Regrading under deck to protect footings from water

texts:
I had an above ground pool installed and a deck built around it early last fall. The way the builder built the deck footings was to pour 4' of concrete 12" in diameter, then attach metal post brackets to the concrete where the 4x4s sit. This would be fine if the concrete came up to grade (grass level) but the builder poured the concrete so it comes up to about 6" below grade. So, when it rains,  the footings fill up with rain. Right now, about half my footings are filled with ice from pooled water that never drained (so the bottom 6" of the 4x4 is in ice).  There is also a drainage problem in the area. Anytime we have a torrential rainfall,  the ground does not drain fast enough,  and I have a pool of water surrounding all my deck footings.

I need to do something in the spring when the ground thaws,  but I'm not sure what. I think i need to regrade the whole area under the deck (about 350 sq ft) with a small shovel since the deck is only 4' tall, and bring "grade" level down to the height of the concrete. That way water won't pool in the area around the wood 4x4s. But, that is a huge amount of dirt to move by hand... maybe i could dig trenches under the deck to guide water away from the footings to another area?

I've attached some photos for reference. This winter I've just been shoveling snow away from the deck, and using a submersible pump to evacuate water on warm days when the ice melts a bit. It's a mess.

Any advice would be great!


texts: UK Nest Installation - Underfloor heating including floor temperature sensor/cutoff

texts:
I would like to use Google Nest with my underfloor heating system which is under a wooden floor.  Other thermostats allow the user of a floor sensor which monitors the surface temperature of the floor - a probe sitting between pipes at floor level. If the sensor records a floor surface temperature of 27 C it will shut off the system to avoid damage to the floor, even if the room is not yet up.to desired temperature.

My question is - can I achieve this with Google's Nest and Heat Link products here in the UK?

Google's support wouldn't help me, instead referring me to Nest Pros, who understandably didn't want to spend time giving me free advice.  I've been searching for days online and cannot find anything that gives me a definitive answer.

Many, many thanks if you can help me solve this! The Nest Pro I did manage to engage in a conversation said it could be done, but wouldn't tell me how. I knew I couldn't be the only person in the world with this setup!

Thanks,
Tom


texts: Can I use #10 wire instead of #12 when wiring a new house?

texts: I am wiring a new house. I bought a boat load of new Romex wire size 10, 12, and 14. I've used all my 12 and 14; is it alright to use the number 10 in place of number 12?


texts:
I have an Orbit Home B-Hyve wifi sprinker system, which has worked great for like 18 months.

However, three days ago it just stopped working completely. When I manually engage a zone from my phone, the controller says that it is running, yet no water is going to the valves. Every zone fails and has the same behavior.

I did check the voltage at each zone when it was turned off, and there was a voltage of around 16.8 VAC at each zone when touching the zone and common wire.

Here is where it gets odd, maybe.

I engaged zone 1, and check the terminal for 1 to COM, and get around 28 VAC.

With zone 1 still engaged, each of the other zones, 2 through 6 report a voltage of around 28 VAC also. Is this normal?

I also get an infinity reading of resistance when checking the zones to the COM.

What could be the problem? I am completely stumped!


texts: Can I use a 120V power cord on a 208V 3-phase circuit?

texts:
This might be a really dumb question, but I know very little about electricity so please forgive me.  I have a 3-phase 208V outlet the requires a C14 to C13 power cord.  I have  C14 to C13 power cord but the power cord says 10A/120V~ on it.  The equipment I have only draws 6 amps on this outlet, but I'm wondering if it's safe to use this power cord since it says only 120V on it?  Does this mean 120V for each phase so it's okay to use it, or can I only use a 208V power cord for this?

Thanks.


texts: Hello I have a well system and cannot run my 2 hose bibs at the same time.  Also my sprinkler system only runs for about 2 mins before my pump runs to 0 pressure in the system.  I installed a new bladder tank last year and I just installed a new 40-60 pressure switch


texts: Are there any downsides to floating click lock floors versus traditional nail down floors when both are full wood?

texts:
I'm researching flooring and have decided against laminate and engineered in favor of full wood flooring.

I have a choice between a solid bamboo floating click lock floor and a solid bamboo traditional nail down floor.  (Neither are engineered).  They will be laid on 3/4 inch OSB ( Oriented Strand Board ) sub flooring.

Everything negative I'm reading about click lock flooring has to do with the fact that usually they're engineered (and impossible to finish more than once at best).

So my question is are there any negatives to the floating click lock architecture itself?  In other words, why would I opt for a more difficult nail down flooring in this scenario?


texts: Getting 200 amp from 2 different 100 amp service

texts:
This is for my shop - i have 2 units with separate meters - each unit getting 100 amp service. Each unit has its own electric panel. Now what i want to do is to pull two 100 amp circuit from each panel - and joining them parallel to a 200 Amp Disconnect. From the Disconnect it goes to my equipment which needs 175 Amp power. Here is a drawing.

Does this make sense? Is this doable. Basically connecting 2 power source in parallel. We learn back in engineering - voltage remains same but current doubles.  Any thoughts or comment.


texts: Automated Winterization of Interior Pipes

texts:
Thinking of trying to automate the winterization of a vacation home - anything to reduce the friction of getting in an out in the winter.

Current process involves a bunch of work in the basement (opening/closing main/drain valves), all relatively easily automatable with some dc-motor controlled ball valves.

However, one piece which is escaping me is how to handle the pressure-relief in the faucets and fixtures throughout the house. Normally, with the water turned off, and the main drains open, we wander the house and open faucets in order to let the water run backwards down to the basement, where it drains out of the house.

A neighbor with a new construction project is building this into the showers at a few strategic points; same concept - DC servo controlled valve, open it for 10 seconds while the drains are open, with the other end of the valve exposed in the shower to give a nice air-gapped drain location.

Without the walls open, this becomes a bit more cumbersome - electrical plugs aren't currently exposed under the cabinets, though we may be able to make modifications.

I had stumbled upon vacuum relief valves (https://www.amazon.com/WATTS-TUBULAR-LFN36-M1-Relief-2-Inch/dp/B00AUACX5K) and was curious if these could be used to perform the task at hand?

Alternatively, any other suggestions?


texts: Can I reuse lightly used oil when I change an oil filter?

texts:
I recently replaced the oil on my 4 stroke lawnmower engine, but - stupidly - I did not think to change the oil filter.    I've used the engine for maybe 2-4 hours subsequently.
I have now drained the oil out the engine (again), and it is a shiny brown color (I think darker then new, but it not dull and certainly not blackish.     Is it OK to reuse the oil I've drained, or is it really prudent to replace the oil with fresh oil again?


texts: Can you lay ceramic/porcelain tile over existing mastic without grinding the floor?

texts:
We had a basement flood, and consequently had to rip out the vinyl floor tiles in our basement. The tiles were not asbestos (we had them tested).

But after the tiles came up we discovered that they had been secured with black mastic. The adhesive did test positive for asbestos, 4-5%. So now we need to figure out the safest way to proceed with getting new tiles in, in light of that potentially dangerous material.

Contractors we have spoken to think the best approach is to put down new ceramic or porcelain tiles right over the existing adhesive. They said "capping" the mastic in a seal coat or thin layer of concrete wouldn't be a good idea- they'd need to pour rather a lot of concrete for that.

Originally the contractor wanted to grind the floor (which I've read is exactly the wrong thing to do if mastic has asbestos!) When I balked at the grinding, he said he'd instead use a "fortified mortar" to lay the new tile down. I believe he also referred to this as "high polymer" mortar.

My question: can you lay down ceramic/porcelain tile over existing mastic without grinding the floor?  Will it adhere suffiiently? Is there a better/safer approach?


texts:
I am looking to build a framed/stud wall that's roughly 3500mm wide and 100mm deep but I also need to add a bulkhead to a section of it, see the image below:

Do I:

A: Build the full width of the framed wall 100mm deep (adding extra
    studs for attaching the bulkhead) and then build/attach the bulkhead
    separately?

B: Incorporate the bulkhead into the framed wall design,
    building them as corners in the appropriate places?

The bulkheads run from floor to ceiling and serve no purpose other than aesthetic appearance and housing a few spotlights, they will have no load applied to them (other than tiles), will they need to be attached to the ceiling/floor too?


texts: How can I waterproof a hole in my vinyl deck to fit a downspout?

texts:
I am wondering if anyone might have some suggestions on solving this drainage issue with our vinyl deck.
We used to have 2 separate decks but upon rebuild we have them joined with a narrow walkway. There was previously a downspout where the new walkway currently is. Initially, we were going to redirect this downspout to the other side of our roof gutter as our deck builder didn't think having the hole through the deck would look good. But after having a roofer and a gutter company here, we were told that due to the current slope of our roof, redirecting the downspout to the other side would not work without the risk of having our gutters overflow. We have temporarily attached a piece of downspout across our deck that then drains down into river rock for the time being, but of course, it cannot remain this way.
As a result, I now have to cut a hole in our deck for the downspout to fit through so that it can reach the storm drain below.  The deck surface is the Deksmart vinyl product. I want to make sure that I do this as least invasively as possible while also being accurate. The last thing I want is for water to seep under the vinyl and potentially cause bubbling or rotting, so I want to shield the exposed edges in the subfloor once I cut out the hole. Almost all water will be inside of the downspout, but I want to protect the subfloor in case some water on the deck itself runs into the cut-out. I have attached some photos for reference.
Gutter Fix 1 - This is the current layout, as well as the proposed plan outlined in red.
Gutter Fix 2 - An alternative view from under the deck.
Gutter Fix 3 - This is a mock-up of how I was hoping to potentially protect the subfloor edges (the green tape represents vinyl decking that I would heat weld to the existing vinyl.

I have also been searching online for options, but I'm not sure that I have found a viable solution. Our gutters are 2x3" rectangles and the only PVC coated drain openings I could find online are 1.5" or 2" circles.
Could anyone suggest a product or PVC insert that will work with a 2x3" downspout? Or a better way to heat weld the vinyl to protect the cut-out opening? Or any other suggestions or ideas on how to accomplish this?
Any help would be greatly appreciated!


texts: How do I tell if a light switch is live?

texts: I have a light switch that I want to get rid of. I don't know if it is active or not.  I want to wallpaper the wall.  How do I tell if the circuit is "live" and if so how to turn it off so it is safe to wallpaper over.


texts: I recently had the fan motor on my condenser blade replaced.  The hvac tech left the splice outside the shroud.  He used a waterproof end to secure the splice and wrapped with electrical tape.  It is exposed though where someone could come up and touch it.  Is this to code (California)?  Does this look professional??


texts: How should I tile under kitchen cabinets?

texts: I currently have tile on the floor of the kitchen that just butts up to my cabinets.  I plan to change the floors and also change the cabinets.  Is is best to rip out all the cabinets and tile, and then tile the entire floor? Afterwards, install the cabinets on top of the tile.  Or should retile just butting up to cabinets again?


texts: Best way to hold interior wall insulation in place prior to drywalling

texts: I'm insulating the interior walls in my house with rock wool insulation for sound proofing.  I'm having drywallers come in to drywall everything in one fell swoop and the insulation needs to be in place before they do anything.  I'm wondering the best way to hold the insulation in place prior to drywalling.  My initial thought is tape, but wonder if anyone has a better suggestion.


texts: I used some latex paint that had bee frozen. it had a granulated texture but that was no matter for the project I had. I have heard this will crack and peel faster. what if I paint over it with good paint will it cause problems with that too or will a coat of new paint prevent the premature peeling? basically do I have to remove the layer of bad paint or can i just paint over it?


texts: Mount a fully articulated tv mount with only one stud

texts: Here is my issue. In my house I have a recessed area that perfectly fits my 60" LED TV, the issue is that the stud I would use to mount is directly center of the recess and radiates 16" On either side so a typical mount won't reach the other studs. I want to use a fully articulating wall mount so that the tv is mounted to the wall but also can be pulled out so not hidden inside the wall recess. Can I use a toggle anchor to bolt the ends of a mount into the drywall and then bolt the middle of the mount to the center stud? Thoughts, tips, suggestions?


texts: What's the Actual Code for Receptacles Below Counters in Peninsulas

texts:
I'm installing a kitchen that'll have a peninsula and I'm wondering about section 210.52(c)(5) where it says that "...receptacles mounted below a countertop must not be located where the countertop extends more than six inches (150 mm) beyond its support base".

If I've got this kind of situation (the counter is 12" deep):

can I install a receptacle a few inches in on the half-height wall (so that it's still under the counter, but not a full 12" in)?


texts: Can I cut a piece of newel post base sticking out of slanted ceiling?

texts:
We have recently bought our new house. It has two floors, and in the living room there is a small section of slanted ceiling below the staircase. In that section, there is a square piece that sticks out, which seems to be the base of the newel post (I think this is the right name?) in the second floor (made of wood). See the picture:

My question is, can I just cut that piece? I suppose I would put plaster and paint over after. As far as I can tell, that cannot possibly be holding anything, so I don't see why I shouldn't. However, maybe there are good reasons not to, like maybe all the wood would start to fall apart if I try or something. I don't know if this is something that happens in other houses and there is a logic to it or if the builders were just "too lazy" to give it a good finish. In case it matters, it's a British house built about 1990. Here is also a picture of the post in the second floor:


texts: Does anyone know if concrete blocks with half-moon tops are made?

texts: I'm planning to finish a concrete block fence and would like to cap it with a rounded half-moon style block for aesthetics (the whole thing will be covered with surface-bonding cement for an adobe-ish look). Trouble is, I'm having difficulty finding any and am not altogether convinced that such blocks exist. So do they?


texts: Is this open supply duct in my vented crawl space necessary?

texts:
New (first-time) home owner here (4 months in). I recently discovered what at first seemed like an un/disconnected supply-side duct in our vented (open) crawl space. Photo attached. After several hours on the internet educating myself, it appears this might've been put there intentionally to keep the plumbing in the crawl space from freezing (although I did notice tape residue near the perimeter of the opening, which might suggest someone tried to close this off at one point).
We live in eastern WA (Spokane-CDA), which is Zone 1 for radon and sees several days of 32F (or below) weather, but nothing close to, say, the mid-Atlantic. I have a thermo/hygrometer down in the crawl space that was putting out 59F when this "vent" was open, and ~ 57F with this temporarily shut off with the foundation vents open (it's about 32F outside right now - humidity in the crawl space has stayed below 50% RH). The fact that the crawl space is 10F below the house setpoint is probably an indication of a larger leaky ductwork and subfloor air leak issue, however I was curious what everyone thought about leaving this particular port closed off? Note there is no mesh or damper on this right now.
I'm generally curious to know what is considered the "minimum" ambient temperature inside a vented crawlspace at which the likelihood of pipes freezing becomes likely/imminent? Am I ok to have the ambient temperature pretty much drop down to 32-35F before freezing becomes likely? There is a delta T of about 25F between the inside of the crawlspace and the outside right now (foundation vents open), so I imagine this would be the scenario where the outside temperature drops to ... 10F? Unlikely where I am, but I'd like to know where my goal posts are.
Thanks for reading, and I'd appreciate any thoughts/comments on this.


texts: Electrical plug at bathroom sink, can it be located in a cabinet next to bathroom sink?

texts: To fulfill code requirements - can an electrical plug at bathroom sink be located in a cabinet next to sink


texts: Why would a switch be wired with its neutral connected to ground?

texts:
I'm rewiring a few bedrooms in my house and came across some interesting wiring on both of them:

The wire at the bottom is the power source and the wire at the top goes up to the light/fan.

Why would they pigtail the hot off the connected hot/neutral, and connect the neutral from the light/fan to the grounds?
Should I just cap the incoming wire how it is and run a new wire for the switch and not even mess with it?


texts:
I have a couple exterior concrete slabs (walkways and pool deck) and although the slabs are slopped, in some area water is pooling. Looks like there are some low spots, creating 1/16" deep puddles.
Can self leveling cement help fill in the low spots? Would I be able to maintain the overall slope of the slab? Aesthetic consideration aside, would that make the problem worst?


texts:
According to Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning
Contractors’ National Association (SMACNA) - leakage test  manual, It is not recommended that duct system constructed to 3" (750Pa) wg class or lower be tested. What is "3" (750Pa) wg class"?


texts: When choosing lighting fixtures for new construction, should I go integrated or non-integrated CFL?

texts:
I do facilities maintenance for a company in Boston, and one of our newer buildings (built in 2006) has non-integrated CFL fixtures. I was really surprised when I went to HomeDepot to buy some new bulbs and they were $6 to $10 each.

I buy integrated CFL bulbs for our older buildings and usually get them for 50¢ each.

What's up with that?

A bulb that does not include the ballast with it is 12x more expensive than one that does.

I've also had to replace several of the ballasts in the non-integrated fixtures which were not cheap and a real pain in the neck.

I haven't looked into it much, but I would assume that the non-integrated CFL fixtures are more expensive than traditional, so why would anyone want to use them?


texts: Smoke detectors are on dedicated circuit, how can I add a light to that circuit?

texts:
The smoke detectors are currently wired to each other (2 wire) on a dedicated circuit. We want to add something that gets used often, so that we'll notice if the circuit has tripped.

We would like this something to be a light that is one a three-way switch. I am guessing this is not possible if the light is closest to the source, because when the light's off the smokes won't get power. But what if the light is at the very end of the circuit? Would this work ok?

If a light on a three-way switch is not possible, can we do a light on a one-way switch, and just ignore the red wire when we go to wire that bit, ie run the red through but don't connect it to anything.
Thx


texts: What would trip a Eaton 20a gfci breaker

texts:
Fairly new less than one month old Eaton 20a gfci breaker to trip with nothing but the white common coil attached. Meaning the breaker is in the main box with no load circuit connected. Meaning I pulled the wires off and pushed to the side.

Back story called out on a service call pool motor down. The original breaker would not reset with or without the load remove hots pushed aside it wouldn’t reset so installed new Eaton breaker checked for motor operation, dead short bad motor. Installed new motor powered up fired up all is well.

Two weeks later return call motor down. I go out try the tripped breaker immediately trips check wiring at motor all is well no shorts, remove hots from new breaker try to reset  breaker no load nothing but coiled common attached no go..... it immediately trips.

I’m stumped defective breaker?


texts: How do I get a yellow stain out of a marble sink?

texts:
I saw a similar question but it didn't give me an answer that helped. I recently began to replace the faucets and spout in one of out bathroom sinks. The marble that was covered by the previous chrome faucets is discolored and my new faucets don't have a large enough diameter to cover the stain. Here is a photo of what it looks like:

I've tried marble polish, bartender's friend, and a stripper for marble to no avail. What can I do to get rid of this stain?


texts: How to fix gap between carpet and wall to prevent rodent?

texts:
Our condo is located in a forest/mountain area and we have suffered some rodent issues lately. We have two stories, and bedrooms are located downstairs. As I sleep at night, I often hear sound of rodents running around and scratching wood floor upstairs. The other day I think I found the gap where rodents can get into our condo. As shown in the picture, there are gaps between carpet and dry wall along the stairs, and gaps look pretty big for rodents to get in (but I am still not sure if this is the case).

If this seems like where the rodent can get into our condo, what would be a fix here? How can I block or seal this gap completely?

Thanks!


texts: How to fix a door that closes, but is still too close to the frame, causing the hinge to pull out

texts:
I installed a new door that closes, but the door is too close to the frame on the bottom hinge side. This causes the bottom hinge to close completely before the door is closed, which leads to the hinge pulling out of the frame when the door is closed.  How can I fix this hinge?

Additional background: I bought a solid core door.  Trimmed .25" off one side. When I originally hung it, it fit perfectly.  I took it down to paint, and now it's slightly warped on the bottom hinge side (less than .25").  Any ideas how to prevent warping?  What paint and primer should I use?


texts: I have installed a lighted single pole switch. The light on the paddle does not come on and the hot lead and the switch leg both show hot when the switch is in the on or off position. When I remove the switch the wires test normal.  What is going on?


texts: Is insulating suspended floor void with spray foam effective in reducing noise?

texts:
I am having my cinder block party wall insulated with stick-on panels. The property is a two story terraced house, and it has been recommended to insulate the void from floorboard to ceiling between joists to a depth of 1m from the wall. An overviewshows the layout of the entire project if you wish to see the context.

The relevant part for this question is the following diagram showing the joists, and in order, images of the joist hanger and baton between joists obtained via an endoscope.

Notes:

The floorboards extend continuously under the internal wall separating Study and Bedroom. It is preferable to insulate without lifting the boards.
The top end of the hanger protrudes above the joist and appears to curl over towards the brick face. This suggests it is embedded in the mortar between rows. The image also shows the bottom edge of the skirting board which seemed to have the same metallic colour as the hanger, so at first it looked like a metal rail.
There is a lot of rubble on the ceiling, making it not clearly visible.  The ceiling appears to be nailed to a baton spanning two joists. A probe with the endoscope did not reveal any other batons in the void between two joists.

The internal wall separating study and bedroom has been built on top of the floorboards making them difficult to lift. The floorboards are sanded, varnished pine, and so I am exploring the idea of filling the void with spray foam.

The recommended density for a mineral wool insulation is 45 - 60 kg/m3. I have found one spray foam product (Icynene) with a density of 35 - 40 kg/m3.

Would this density be effective in reducing noise transmission from wall to joists and ceiling?


texts: hook up light, but end tied into attic wiring

texts: Easy to install to black and white wires hanging out of ceiling, BUT other end of wires hooked into existing wires in attic.  Not place for switch . Have pic


texts: Cable TV, Antenna, Coaxial - what is this thing?

texts:
I'm looking to add an OTA antenna to my home. Over the years, many different cable and dish installers have left thier mark on the home, prior to my ownership. In fact, a dish and all its cables are still on the house. I'm thinking of replacing the dish with an antenna in the same location and using the existing coax, since I like the way it was run.

My question is, what is this thing. (There's cables and splitters all over the side of the house that I plan to clean up.) No cables are currently connected to it that arent cut somewhere else. Do I need it? Can I use it for anything? It is properly grounded, so that's something.

Final note, I'm in a major metro area, only about 10 miles from broadcasting centers, so I don't have to be precise with my antenna placement.


texts: how to fix swamp cooler whose fan won't turn on

texts: How do I debug/diagnose/fix my swamp cooler fan, that won't turn on seemingly?  The pump runs OK but the motor, nothing.


texts: How to get rid of pigeons under an air conditioner outdoor unit, on the high floor of an apartment?

texts:
My family lives on the high floor of an apartment. Pigeons live under our air conditioner outdoor unit too. They cry every morning so it bothers my brother. But there is nothing much we can do. The floor is so high and no space to stand, so we can't get out from the window to get rid of them. We are thinking about calling an exterminator.

How to get rid of pigeons under an outdoor unit? And how to prevent them afterward?


texts: Why does my illuminated light switch glow more dimly with an LED bulb installed in the fixture?

texts: Electrician just installed an illuminated light switch for a single bulb wall fixture.  It barely illuminates. All other illuminated switches in house glow brightly.  There is a single LED bulb in the light fixture.  What could be causing this?  Do I need a special illuminated switch because its an LED?


texts: Is slightly high voltage bad for a refrigerator?

texts:
I had a mini freezer fail. I bought a new one which worked for a day or two, but I came home today and it was not running and the compressor was hot and everything in it melted.

I measured the voltage and it read 124V AC. The listed voltage for the freezer is 110V. Could the slighter higher voltage be damaging the compressor?

The freezer has plenty of ventilation.


texts: Multi gang switch boxes - Is it okay to keep the same branch neutrals separated for the different lighting/switching circuits?

texts:
I recently learned from this community about the importance of keeping currents balanced in each cable. In other words, current in one direction should be canceled by the same amount of current flowing in the opposite direction in the same cable in order to reduce inductive heating and (possibly to cut down on unwanted rf interference). I think it is a useful rule for thinking through switching-circuits, but I just wanted to run my scenario by all of you to see if you agree with my conclusions. My question is, should the neutral conductors from the same branch circuit always be tied together in each box, or is it better to do it the way I show in the following situations?

I have three boxes: two of them in the garage, one in the laundry room. My homerun comes into the box on the right [C], where the Hot (H) pigtails to feed a single pole switch for the walk-in door light, a three-way switch for the garage lighting, and also ties into the black wire of a 2-wire cable running to the laundry room switch box [A].

The traveler terminal screws of the three-way switch at [C] are connected to the black and red wires of a 3-wire cable running to a four-way switch box [B]. The white neutral wires (N) all tie together in this box because they’ll each have to have the return path back through the Homerun neutral here. So the 3-wire cable carries two travelers and a neutral (TTN).

In box B, the black and red tie to the bottom two screws of a four-way switch. The white (N) ties together with the white from a second 3-wire cable leaving the box and running to box A. The black and red in that second cable tie to the upper two terminals of the four-way. So the second 3-wire cable also carries two travelers and a neutral (TTN) to box A.

In box A the HN 2-wire supplies a single pole switch to control the laundry room light. The black wire hits one terminal of the switch, while the other terminal is connected to the black wire of a second 2-wire (SN) running to the light. These two white (N) wires tie together in this box, but in keeping with the balanced current rule, I’ve kept them separate from others.

Also in box A the TTN 3-wire cable enters from box B, with the black and red wires tied to the traveler terminals of a three-way switch. The black common screw of the three way is connected to the black wire (S) of a third 2-wire cable running to the garage lighting. The white wire to the light ties together with the white in the TTN 3-wire cable.

Questions I have about this arrangement are:

Is this the standard way of wiring multi-gang switch boxes?
How important is it to make these distinctions since the neutrals are
all on the same branch circuit?
Have you noticed any reduction in radio interference from fluorescent
lighting by carefully balancing currents this way?


texts: Amana washer floods my floor on warm/cold cycle

texts: My Amana washer model#NTW4650YQ0 works fine on cold/cold but spills onto the floor when on warm/cold cycle. How can I fix this?


texts: Short doors / method for low ceiling and ducting for finishing basement

texts:
Background

We are in the process of planning to finish our basement. For most of the basement the ceiling to floor height is 83 inches making it pretty doable for most items.  The problem I am coming across is what to do for our planned bedroom closet.

Layout

The orange hash in the middle represents where the I-Beam and ducting runs. At this region the height is only 74 inches minimum.  Most doors are 80 inches so I could trim it down to fit but are there other better methods to make it not look so odd?

In the layout, the orange is what exists currently, red is the plan so far, so any red can be modified.

My thoughts so far

My original thought was to put two sliding closet doors just in front of the low spot so that I can put the slider mechanism, and trim boards above the I beam. I could adjust the front closet wall to position the I beam / ducting to be inside the closet but don't want to loose too much room space.

Layout per feedback


texts: Replacing a top plate underneath a fireplace, with an attached exterior deck

texts:
Amateur here.

I have a house where the chimney run framing extends to the basement (rather than simply sitting on a platform attached to the main floor). The only fireplace present is on the main floor.  In the basement it's just an empty alcove.

There had been poor sealing at the trim boards and a gap in the gutter line where it met the chimney run that allowed water into the walls during heavy rain. This had lead to termite damage (no termites around at the moment, due to ground treatment outside no doubt) at the corner of the alcove.  It looks like I'll have to replace the top plate (both boards) in the corner for both walls.

My main question is this:

1) The lower plate is easy enough to remove, but the upper plate is attached to the adjacent walls.  Should both be removed in their entirety and replaced or is there a banding method I could used to replace just a foot or so of damaged board (in both walls).

bonus question: given the deck is attached to the outside of the house (along a 20 ft span, meaning load is distrbuted to other sections of wall) and it sits on the brick exterior, would this make you sweat more or less about support while replacing.  note that what is in the pics below is basically how I found this, minus the very rotted corner studs that I removed...with a vacuum cleaner.

Note: it does look nasty up there from the pics. In the recent past, I replaced the trim and siding on the back of the chimney behind the fireplace and I got a good look on the inside of the chimney itself.  I cleaned out a lot of sawdust, some roach droppings, and dead wasps, but there was no damage that I could determine. The damage seems to stop at the plate.

Note the runoff marks.  I've patched the moisture issue by fixing the flashing around the gutter, and sealing and adding flashing around the brick (not visible here)  Will probably just put a roof over the thing once I shore up the walls.

outside of chimney from top deck added per request.  The damage is underneath this corner but lower down behind the brick.  Note that the siding isnt damaged at the bottom, it's just a streak of dirt from the wife's planting


texts:
I went to replace all of the pipe for a pellet stove insert and discovered that the installer did a poor job of following any of the manufacturer’s guidelines for rise on the pipe or the appropriate thimble usage. I now have a 14” x 14” hole that accommodated a gas stove thimble and is lower than necessary.
I need to raise the opening ~4” and reduce the size to a 7x7 roughed in opening for the appropriate thimble.
I was going to pull some siding from above to place on the lower portion of the wall and raise the rest of the siding up incrementally, and retain the outside appearance of the same size opening (yet framed in smaller behind with a sheet of aluminum with a cutout for the thimble, but the sheets don’t line up to accommodate that.
The roughed in framing and moving the opening up isn’t an issue for me. Trying to determine how to finish the outside without looking dumb and provide a water/airtight finish.
No availability for the type of siding that was used (no extra and no longer made).
Any ideas?


texts: How can I stop water from coming up through the floor?

texts:
I have a house that is on a high water table, and water is coming up through the floor. The property was excavated around the perimeter a couple of years ago and installed a new Big "O". Drycore was then installed. The walls are fine now but the floor issue has not been solved.

Do you know of a product or process that would resolve this issue?


texts:
I'm currently installing a double check backflow preventer and code says that it needs to be able to be "spun/turned out" for maintenance if required - this is the valve in question.

Now the pipe that is going into either end of the valve is 1/2" pex and I'm using this 1/2" Brass PEX Barb x Male Pipe Thread Adapter to make the join.

Given that the pipes wont spin, I'm wondering how I make it easy to "spun/turned out" without cutting the pex?

If I spin the value it will alway get tighter at one end... is the idea that I only half screw it in at end to allow it to spin up that thread whilst coming off the other end or should i be using female adapter on the end of the pex and a male/male adapter which can be spun? Or do I just remove the pex clamp at one end hence disconnecting it from the pipe?

I've seen PVC unions which would make this easy but I haven't seen the equivalent for pex.


texts: Stove element gets hot, but not red hot. Why?

texts:
I have a GE slide-in electric range. The front right (large) burner stopped working completely. I replaced the infinite switch and the burner works but the element doesn't get red hot like the others. It can barely boil water.

I noticed the insulation on the top blue wire was slightly darkened and stiff ( so I cut the wire back and soldered the spade onto freshly exposed wire (I couldn't bend the spade clamps back and I didn't have an extra spade). Could this solder job be why the burner is not getting as hot? I've switched the element with the other and they both will get red hot on the functioning left-side pod.

Any ideas? Many thanks!


texts: I've found a number of resources about short cycling, but none of them mention how to interpret the pressure meter.  In this case, it's a small tank that feeds a bathroom.  It used to work fine, now when you flush the toilet, the pump kicks on about once per second.  (It stays off when water isn't flowing, so there's no leak.)  At rest, the meter is around 60 (may not be exactly 60, but at an expected pressure), but when the water flows it dips down to 10.  The pump kicks in, the needle goes back to 60, pump kicks off, drops to 10 ... repeat.  What would cause those wild pressure swings?


texts: Can I convert ceiling mounted octagon box to electrical receptacle?

texts:
I've installed a number of strip lights in my garage to replace the single incandescent fixture on the ceiling.  They all use a 3-prong plug, not hardwired.  I want to replace the incandescent fixture with a junction box containing an duplex receptacle, then branch out to other receptacle boxes to serve each light.

The strip lights, receptacles, and wiring are all done, but I ran into a mounting issue with the main junction box.  Is it possible (or correct) to overlay an extension to the octagon box?  The octagon box is recessed deep, about 1" below the drywall.  I need the box to protrude to allow the side knockouts to supply wire to the neighboring receptacles.  Home stores don't seem to have any adapter between the two types.  An octagon extension with a cover would fit, but I'd need to stack two of them to get the knockouts to clear the drywall and that doesn't seem correct.

Or, should I rip out the octagon box and install an "old work" junction box?


texts:
I opened up a hole in my concrete wall to pass a threaded PVC 2 inch male adapter. On the other side there is an aluminum metal sheet. The problem is that I hit rebar and can not change the position of the hole. I just need about a quarter or a bit less of an inch on each side of the remaining rebar to fit the adapter.

I tried drilling into the rebar with increasing bits but started going nowhere. A grinding wheel does not fit in the hole, since all I have is a 4 and a half inch disc. I don't want to cut the aluminum sheet on the other side anymore than I have already. I even tried using a hacksaw blade and tried cutting, but it's very uncomfortable and didn't do much. Even tried filling, but it's too thick.

The adapter fits in the hole, but the wider side catches on the rebar, so it over extends on the wall. I'm tempted to just grind the excess PVC.

Hole

Hole with threaded 2 inch PVC male adapter in place

Other side with lock nut

Any recommendations that don't involve a heat torch to cut a piece.

Edit:
Bought a Dremel 3000 and was able to cut the rebar. Took a while but worked out great. The Dremel cost me about $61 on sale at Wal-Mart and bought some discs that were also on sale. Always wanted to get a Dremel. No time like the present I guess.
Here are some pics.

Thanks to all!


texts: How do I remove this plastic shower drain cover?

texts:
My shower has recently been having trouble draining and, with a flashlight, I've noticed that there's a great deal of hair and other material stuck in the pipe, clogging it. It seems simple enough to remove the clog, if only I were able to first remove the drain cover.

It appears that the cover is cemented in place and I can't find any hints on how to properly remove it. I tried using pliers to grab it and either twist it out or pull it, but it's definitely not coming out.

Is there something I'm missing? Is there a way to remove it easily? Or should I just force it out, possibly breaking it in the process (it's already cracked, as you can see in the picture)? What sort of replacement should I look for, and how do I install it?


texts:
I've just received my annual gas usage statement. It came as a surprise to me that I'm using almost the average gas consumption in the UK. The average is 16,500kWh and I used 15,000kWh over the year.

The reason this comes as a surprise is because I rarely use the gas central heating. The reason for this is simply because it's expensive (we have a process: clothing, more clothing, thicker clothing, blanket(s), THEN heating). I find it hard to believe that I'm using nearly average when all I'm using my gas boiler for is hot water. There are two of us (my wife and I). We both wash on a morning and evening. We wash the pots regularly. We shower more often than bath so we don't use an unusual amount of hot water.

Being concerned about the cost of gas given my apparent usage, I started to wonder if I'd sprang a leak. I believe disproved this by taking notes of my meter reading before going to bed one evening and after getting up the next morning. During this period of time, we did not use the boiler. The result was good, no gas usage.

I did another exercise to see how much gas my boiler is actually using so I ran the heating for 2 hours and it came out at 3m3. Using a rough calculation of multiplied by 11 and a rough cost of 5p per kWh, it cost me approximately £1.65 to run the heating for two hours.

Although there was no need for blankets that night, I can't help but think this is high consumptions. My boiler is quite old and I expect it has a poor energy rating (probably an E but I don't really know what that means).

So my questions are:

How much gas (m3) would an A rated boiler typically use in a two hour period to run the heating?
How much does an A rated boiler cost (fitted), and would I likely see a saving in the short to medium term?

Average figures are fine as I appreciate there are probably a lot of variables here (e.g. temperature, pressure, number of radiators, etc).


texts: How to keep a window from opening too widely?

texts:
I am moving into an apartment, and I have a cat. I need to alter the windows in a way so that it can’t be opened beyond a couple of inches - little enough that there’s no chance of that cat slipping out. Here are the catches:

We can’t alter/damage the window frame in any way; we have to be able to leave it just as we found it. No screwing into the frame.
We’d rather not install screens, as we really love the view.
We’re hoping for something that can be done with easily accessible hardware, since we’ll be stuck with the windows closed until we figure this out.

I imagine two strategies: a cord/chain of some sort that limits how far open the window can go, or something to jam into the hinge so that it stops earlier than at it’s built-in bump. But I am open to other options!

This is my first time trying to do something like this, and I’m not sure who I could ask about this other than the internet. Thanks in advance.

Any thoughts or ideas could help!


texts: How do I remove teak oil from a granite kitchen counter top?

texts: I mistakenly rubbed teak oil on my granite counter top. How do I remove it without damaging it? Thanks!


texts: Is it OK for air conditioning condensation to drip right next to the house?

texts:
Our house has a 3/4" PVC pipe coming out the side which drains condensation from the central air conditioning. It drips at what seems like a normal rate. Taking a wild guess, I'd say a gallon per day. The water lands maybe two inches from the exterior wall.

At my dad's suggestion, I just added flexible pipes to divert the water from our gutters away from the house. He also suggested I divert this drip. His concern in both cases is potential moisture problems in the basement.

Is this amount of water worth diverting?
If so, I'd want a flexible hose and a clamp to attach it. So far my searches only turn up hoses for interior use. Any clues what this would be called?

Edit

I think the amount dripping is actually more like 5 gallons a day (another wild guess, but it is actually a thin little stream rather than a drip).


texts: How can I use bulk electrical wire to make a subfloor heating system?

texts: Electrical floor heating kits run US$10 to $15 per square foot, but bulk wire only costs $2.50. With the controller, you're still running under $4 a square foot. I have a construction background, but not electrical. Are there any good books out there that takes a novice through the steps of buying just the parts and making one's own?


texts: Pass CATV and ethernet over single ethernet wire

texts:
I have a fiber-optic router which also outputs a CATV signal. CATV was unused previously (the service provider includes CATV in the pack but I've never used it before) so it was not taken into account when deciding a place for the router and the fiber-optic ingress to the house.
The room the router is at (and where the fiber-optic enters the house) doesn't have any coax cabling (no TV was put there, it's a "computer room").
Now I'm moving an old TV to a wall where I have a coax cable (TV/SAT) outlet and a ethernet outlet set up, and I want to set up DVB-C on that TV, coming from the router, and also ethernet LAN (for SmartTV related services)
The ethernet outlet on the "TV" has direct connection to a wall outlet near the router (so ethernet wouldn't be a problem), but the current TV/SAT coax outlet doesn't (and there's no easy way to cable it as it is now, those hoses go to a completely different direction and don't come near the "computer room").
So I'm wondering... is there any device I can use to pass the coax cable signal over ethernet? kind of like a MoCA system but the opposite (pass coax over ethernet, not ethernet over coax). Also, I'd need to keep the existing ethernet connection for IP. Not sure if such a thing exists, but that'd basically allow me to do what I need without having to run cables.
My option if that doesn't exist is to -try- and run (I'm not sure how polluted the conduit where the ethernet cable goes might be at some point, I didn't do the installation) a coax cable on the same conduit as the ethernet is in (have both cables in) and split it at the "router room" outlet: would that significantly affect ethernet data (using UTP cat-6 cable, not shielded) by running both on the same conduit? I don't really need that ethernet to be extremely fast (it's just for a FHD Smart TV) so some packet loss should be more thank ok.
There's a third option which would be adding a compatible wifi dongle to the TV and just replace the ethernet cable and wall outlet altogether for coax ones, but if I could avoid that, that'd be great.
I also don't have good experiences with wireless video transmitters (which would be another option), plus that'd also mean buying another STB for cable, which I want to avoid if possible (the TV already has a DVB-C tuner, which I suppose is what the router outputs through the CATV output)
I'm open to alternatives also which could be more work/cost effective than those presented. I'm extremely far from being an expert on these matters and there's surely something I haven't thought of


texts: Why won't my new powerstroke 5kW generator start?

texts: I purchased a power stroke 5,000 watt generator about a year ago. Only recently there have been some power issues in my area, which made me decide to take it out and get it ready. I purchased new gas & oil, but it would not start. I tried spraying gas in the carb, and still nothing. Any suggestions?


texts: I had someone replace my bathroom ceiling, and I was just sanding and painting.  I found that the corner of the drywall is broken off & there is also another gap that seems a bit big for caulking.  I think I can maybe just add a little compound on gap, but I'm not sure how to fix the corner given I can't put anything on the shower tile.  Any suggestions (other than having to schedule a guy to come back)?


texts: Need to find out if this is a load bearing wall on my second floor

texts:
I have a desire to open up my second floor to make one big room (it's my bedroom and want a king size bed and closet). The room is currently split about 65/35 by a wall that does not appear to be load bearing but I want to be sure. It's a house built in 1892 so plans are not easy to come by. The County clerk, city clerk doesn't have any records.

I've already ripped down to the 2x4's all the plaster and slats.

Here's the wall in all its glory. The 2x4's are rotated so the wall was only 3 inches thick instead of 5 inches thick.

The wall joists run from floor slightly up into the ceiling. Here is the top of the joists:

This is definitely attached at the top to that ceiling joist but the ceiling is not directly resting on the wall. The roof trusses run parallel to the wall.

There is nothing on the first floor underneath this wall or in the room underneath period. It's one big open room like I want to make this room. The floor joists for the second story I believe are running parallel to the wall (and therefore the same direction as the roof joists), as the hardwood floor boards are running perpendicular to the wall. If it matters, the first floor joists are running parallel to the wall on the second floor as well.

Thank you for any assistance you can provide. I'd rather not take this wall down only to find myself sleeping in my attic during the next big storm.


texts: Is there any code regarding in-wall convection ovens?

texts: Are there any code restrictions involving in-wall convection ovens?


texts:
We are now in the 2nd year of our new home (new construction) and are looking to finish the basement.  We plan on laying wood laminate floors down but want to make sure we do it right.  When the floor was poured, they put a heavy mil plastic sheet down and poured on top of it (excuse my ignorance but I'm guessing that was a vapor barrier of sorts?).  Basement was poured in the cold weather and the windows were all covered while we ran salamander heaters to keep the temperature toasty warm so the floors could dry.  We do have concrete dust issues upstairs that we think will be alleviated after we lay the flooring.

My question is-do we need to do anything additional (waterproofing, sealing, painting) to the floor before laying the laminate floor?  I want to make sure we not only have it properly prepped but also protected against any more concrete dust.


texts: Trying to add a light at the end of a 3-way switch

texts:
Let me caveat by saying that I am a new homeowner with relatively little electrical experience, so please bear with me...

Our house has a standard 3-way switch with the light between the two switches. Originally I wanted to convert the 3-way to function as two single pole switches. I would have to add more wire directly between the switches to make that work, so I'm trying for a simpler option. Essentially, I want to splice an additional light onto the second switch, to work in tandem with the light in the middle. (see diagram)

The 3-way switch is working fine, but the new additional light turns on for a second and then off. First, does this setup work? If it does, does anyone have any ideas why the light is turning on then off immediately?


texts: What is the most efficient process for replacing water heater T&P relief valve and flushing water heater?

texts:
A home built in 2007 will come under new ownership. It is unknown whether previous owners maintained the water heater properly. Home inspector said that the water heater temperature and pressure (T&P) relief valve should be replaced. New owner would like to replace that, and in addition, he would like to flush the water heater.

What is the most efficient process for both replacing the T&P relief valve and flushing the water heater (i.e., at once, rather than on two separate occasions)?


texts: What's the best option to repair a long asphalt driveway with heavily cracked portions?

texts:
I have a long-ish driveway (about 50 - 80 feet and 10 feet wide?)...it's about 10 years old, have heavy cracks in the beginning, middle, and end, but otherwise still serviceable. What are my options to repair the cracks and the durability/cost of the options (and which would you recommend)? Not an expert in this area, but my thoughts are:

Seal the cracks with stuff like GemSeal
Pave over the entire driveway with a new layer of asphalt
Dig up the cracked areas and put in new portions (is that even possible?)
Replace entire driveway


texts:
After looking here
A/C not keeping up
and also here
Air Conditioner Can't Keep up .

I have decided to ask a question that perhaps someone can provide me with more insight.

My AC unit was doing just fine keeping up, until one after noon I had turned the unit to off unintentionally and then back on (kind of quickly - because as I said it was unintentional that I turned it off). Since that time the unit has had a hard time keeping up. I mean I noticed it from the time I turned the thing back on it did not shut off but kept running and the temp in the house was not dropping.

I have a 3 ton R-22 unit (36,000 BTU), the normal pressure readings on the nameplate are 74 for the low side and 244 for the high side. The house is 1300 SQ FT with normal 8' ceilings.

The reading on the low side was 74 PSI and the reading on the high side was 205 at an ambient temperate of about 90 degrees.
I am not sure what this is telling me - my indoor temp was at 75 degrees - I have not taken a thermometer to the duct work above the evaporator coil or the vents.
Coils are not perfectly clean as in like-new; but they are clean (and I would not suspect everything fine and then because I switched off and then on - suddenly they are an issue.) My filter is clean, I changed the old one out at the time this started because I had new ones and said what the heck it will not hurt it.

Both the evaporator and the condenser fans are running fine.

So, I am wondering "what has changed to cause this issue?"


texts: Eaton Cutler-Hammer Plug-On Neutral (differences)

texts:
1. Introduction

I have an Eaton CH Plug-On-Neutral Panel (CH42BPN200K).

I need a 20 AFCI/GFCI Breaker.

I found two or more part numbers that are for an Eaton CH 20 AFCI/GFCI breaker.

CHFAFGF120PN (Eaton Catalog - City Electric Supply)
CHFPAFGF120CS / CHFP120DF (Home Depot / Lowes)

There may be more part numbers that I just have not found yet.

(Note: I wish I could figure out how to make the following images smaller).

2. Questions

Are the following two parts the same or different even though they look almost identical?

Is one part better than the other?

3. CHFAFGF120PN - Eaton Catalog / City Electrical Supply

Eaton Brochure and catalogs show the part number as CHFAFGF120PN (Single-pole 10kAIC 20 Amps - AF/GF plug-on neutral). I went by the the local Electrical Supply House and purchase this:

4. CHFPAFGF120CS - Home Depot / Lowes - $56.95

The Home Depot (and Lowes) appears to carry a CH Plug-On-Neutral breaker, but the part number is CHFPAFGF120CS (All-In-One Breaker). The part number on the device (CHFP120DF) is different than the part number on the box (CHFPAFGF120CS).

5. Eaton Brochure

6. Eaton Catalog

7. Reference and Sources

Eaton - Plug-on neutral loadcenter
http://www.eaton.com/ecm/groups/public/@pub/@electrical/documents/content/br00301006e.pdf

Eaton - Loadcenters and Circuit Breakers
https://www.eaton.com/ecm/groups/public/@pub/@electrical/documents/content/vol01_tab01.pdf


texts: How do I repair damage to this ‘paneling’?

texts:
just hoping for some advice on how to repair this?

Not sure what the material even is but is paneling of some sort on the stairs. Was drunk and stumbled down my elbow few out and went through rather easily.

I have no DIY knowledge or experience so fingers crossed for some hep!! Thanks.


texts: Removing a wall underneath joists that are already attached to beam in attic

texts:
I want to remove a wall in a finished part of my house that used to be a garage. I went into the attic to see if the wall is load bearing and I discovered that the joists above the wall in question are already attached to a beam that runs end to end to two other walls. In other words I believe the wall I want to remove is not load bearing due to the fact that this beam exists and appears to be part of the original construction. The joists are 2x6 and the beam is 2x8s doubled up the joists are not hung by joist hangers just simply nailed into the beam.

The house was built in 1961 and I believe this was the common method used to attach joists. I am unsure of the species or grade of lumber used for the joists or beam and I understand this affects span distance. The beam isn’t quite centered in the house and it doesn’t run full length of the house. Looking directly at the beam the joists hung to the right span 11’6” from exterior wall to beam with no wall supporting them. The joists to the left span 13’1” from exterior wall to the beam, with the wall in question located directly under joists about 4’ to the left of the beam.

I know I can attach a beam to replace wall but my question is, is this needed since there is already a beam in the attic? Hopefully this makes sense I have pictures of everything and can provide other measurements and information if needed. I have not been into the crawl space to see if there are supports under the wall I want to remove. Also I noticed that were the joists meet the beam there is some seperation at the top of the joists from the beam, however they seem to be flush at the bottom of the joist. I understand this could be from settling or?

It’s worth mentioning this house was moved from its original loacation about 40 min away to a new location in one piece and set on a new foundation in 2005. I would like some advice and possibly a discussion about my plans for this project and ways to reinforce the joists themselves as there are no joist hangers or collar ties.

Thanks for anything you can contribute.


texts: How can I join two pieces of wood at 90 degrees?

texts:
I'm trying to make myself a wooden CNC machine. I haven't started on the woodworking yet, as I'm still planning on the easiest way I can construct the machine (newbie here).

I'm planning to use 1' x 4' wood as the frame for the X-axis, since that's the only material I can get my hands on. How do I connect them together at 90 degrees while maintaining a solid connection? I don't have any fancy tools; at best I can get a hand drill, a jigsaw and some vices.

This is just the simplified view of the X-axis frame. It's just a normal rectangular frame..


texts: Could old gate valves be causing low pressure at the faucet?

texts:
We installed a new sink/faucet last year and the first faucet we had installed had super lower water pressure which we assumed was the faucet. We replaced the faucet and the pressure improved slightly but not even close to what it is in the bathroom sink right next door. Since this was my second install in a couple of weeks we left it but we just opened the place up for the summer and the pressure is horrible so we need a fix.
There are two original (1978) gate valves that are used yearly(since we winterize) and as part of the renovation in the kitchen, I added two additional ball valves under the sink for quicker access. Now as we get ready to replace the faucet again I'm wondering if the old gate valves in the basement could be contributing to the issue or we just got really unlucky and have had two bad faucets?
If it's a hint sometimes it comes out better or starts higher but then quickly drops to a very low rate.
TLDR;

Pressure was okay before the reno(that we can remember, not 100% on this)
Pressure in the bathroom right next door is perfect, same water line.
We're on well if that matters
We're on our second brand new faucet and the pressure is slightly above a dribble.
Both hot and cold lines are the same low pressure
The new valves under the sink are Brass 1/2-in Push-to-Connect x 3/8-in OD Compression Quarter Turn Straight Valve
Old valves are 1/2" brass valves

How should I debug this before replacing another faucet? Should I just remove them and keep the new under the sink vales since I doubt I need two?


texts: I need to twist nicely a 6-foot pair of insulated solid electrical wire. It can be 14 gauge or slightly thinner. The insulation can be nylon or PVC. Two wires must be at 90 degrees to each other while being twisted. I’ve tried this by hand, but the result is inconsistent. Is there a tool or technique I could use?


texts: Are tamper resistant outlets required in a cabinet with child proof latches?

texts:
Like many people, I have a dishwasher and a disposer, which are plugged into an outlet in the cabinet under the kitchen sink. Also like many, this is where I keep a whole host of cleaning products and other things that children should be kept away from. So, as part of general childproofing of my home, I am going to install a child-safe latch on the cabinet door.

The question is, does the outlet under the sink still need to be tamper-resistant by code if the cabinet itself is made inaccessible by some other means? Also, since it's a "wet" area, does it additionally need to be weather-resistant?


texts: How can I add lights and a switch downstream of a pull-chain fixture?

texts:
I have a challenging wiring question.

I have power coming in to a pull chain light fixture(beginning-of-run). it needs to stay in its current position. I need to borrow power from it and add two downstream STANDARD light fixtures, with a power switch at end-of-run.

The goal is to have the pull-chain light fixture, function independently (regardless of downstream switch position). The two downstream lights need to be controlled by the light switch at end-of-run.

Thanks.


texts: Why is it so difficult to cut through cast iron?

texts:
Recently, I was observing someone cut through a cast iron pipe and a cast iron radiator and even using a very powerful reciprocating saw, the cut was very slow. I have also previously had discussions with contractors who have also said that cutting through cast iron is about 5 times slower than cutting through steel.

Does anyone know why this is the case and exactly how much more difficult it is to cut through cast iron than steel? I had assumed that the lubricating effect of the carbon in the iron might be the cause but it would be really useful to know the actual reason.


texts: How to make an uneven, damaged 'rustic' tile floor even for tile & parquet laying

texts:
I want to lay a tile border & parquet centre in my kitchen. That requires an even floor, ideally level too.

The existing floor is an uneven mix of badly damaged tiles, with some parts plain concrete (former chimney breast location).

From what I've researched, there are three options:

Remove the tiles, and make it even with self leveling compound.
Don't bother removing the tiles, make it even with self leveling compound on top of them.
Apply a tile membrane to adhere it to the tile, and then tile/parquet on top of that.

Any other options I've missed?
Any no-no's?
What sort of adhesive to use?


texts: Grounding with conduit and cast aluminum weatherproof box

texts:
I'm currently rewiring my 100-year-old garage, in the USA. The existing wiring is very old and not up to any code.

My plan is to remove everything up to where the circuit enters the building. It's one circuit, 12 AWG, 3 wire + ground, buried UF cable from the house. That part seems fine.

I'm using 1/2 EMT conduit, 12 AWG solid wire, and all weatherproof, threaded connectors and diecast aluminum weatherproof boxes, with weatherproof covers and weather resistant GFCI outlets. I know this is probably overkill, but I wanted everything safe in case of any kind of leak, and also extra protection from "garage problems" like dust from my power tools.

So here is my question: generally, with all conduit and metal boxes, I believe you don't need to run a ground wire. The metal acts as the ground. I'd just need to attach the incoming ground from the UF to the first box. Does this hold true for the diecast weatherproof boxes too? Will the ground still be continuous with steel EMT connected to aluminum boxes? Or, do I need to run a ground wire through my entire circuit, attaching it to each switch and outlet?

EDIT Since the fittings seem to be a concern, I've added pictures of the hardware. Even reviewing the manufacturer's documentation, it seems ambiguous as to whether they are designed to work together. What I can say, is that the connector threads into the box very smoothly, by hand. If the threads didn't match, I would not expect that to happen.

One thing I did notice is that the box, and the threads in the box, are painted. I don't know if that would make a difference for grounding, but seems like it could impede conductivity.

Connector:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/RACO-EMT-1-2-in-Uninsulated-Raintight-Compression-Connector-50-Pack-2902RT/203637931

Box:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/BELL-1-Gang-5-Outlets-1-2-in-Threaded-Weatherproof-Box-Gray-5323-0B/204208013

For what it's worth,  it also seems like Raco and Bell may be under the same parent company.

EDIT 2 I contacted Hubbell (manufacturer of both box and connector) regarding compatibility. They gave an impressively fast and knowledgeable response. Their product technician confirmed the box will work with both straight and tapered threads, and the two components can be used together. Furthermore, he stated that they would create a grounding path and have passed UL testing for such, but would (personally) run a ground wire anyway as it is more reliable. That's what I'll do.

I guess I should have just asked the manufacturer to start; I wasn't expecting such helpful customer support!


texts: A/C unit cycles on and off during cooling phase

texts:
My outside compressor / condenser is cycling on and off, even though the thermostat is calling for A/C.

The blower in the house still runs, and the thermostat is working properly.
(I opened up the unit to see if the thermostat solenoid is working and it checks out okay)

The filters have recently been replaced and I cleaned the condenser coils in early spring.

It appears to be overheating causing it to cycle off, then when it cools down it goes back on.

Could it be the run capacitor?


texts: Ground wires crimped in copper sleeves in switch box?

texts:
I had to move a two-gang switch box to a new location on my wall. This meant disassembling everything, moving the box, and reassembling it as I found it.

The only thing that seems a bit sketchy is how the ground wires are connected together.

The three ground wires coming into the box are crimped together with a copper sleeve. One wire continues through and is connected to the ground screw of one of the two switches. This wire is folded midway between the crimp and the ground screw. The fold is twisted with a pigtail that connects to the ground screw of the second switch, and the twist is capped with a wire nut.


texts: Why did my GFCI by my kitchen sink burn up?

texts:
My wife and I were sitting at the kitchen table and heard about 10 seconds of buzzing, then smoke came out of the GFCI next to the kitchen sink.  Nothing was plugged into the outlet, and the only thing on was the dishwasher, which after inspection was sharing a neutral with this outlet, but the dishwashers hot was on another circuit.  The breaker did not trip either.  The receptacle is about 2 feet to the left of the sink and about 8 inches up from the counter.  Here a picture of the damage:

I called an electrician neighbor and he spent a long time with me trying to figure out what happened.  We took out all the receptacles in the kitchen and tried to make a circuit diagram.  I drew it out after he left and I apologize for anything that is not correct, but here's what I got:

So the receptacle in question is a split, where the neutral is shared with a circuit on the other leg in the house.  Since neither breaker tripped, they were both replaced as a precaution and tied together. I also replaced the GFCI outlet on the other side of the sink that is sharing the neutral wire.
I couldn't even find anything else on the same circuit as the one that burned, just the one receptacle.  I replaced it with a non GFCI outlet, as I didn't have another one on hand.  I guess I'll need to pick up another one and swap it out.  I did add a pigtail to both the neutral and the hot lines for that outlet, but everything else I left the same.
The insulation on the wire seemed good (after the burned part), so I trimmed the wire back and used it. The electrician said that the outlet must have just gone bad.
Everything is hooked up and working right now, but I'd love some insight.  It's hard when you don't have confidence your house won't start on fire while your sleeping.


texts: Is there a way to fix a polyurethane mistake?

texts: I had a unfinished pine table custom built.  I loved the natural color so much that I didn't want it to change, but knew I had to protect it.  I got the clear satin finish Miniwax polyurethane.  I did one coat and loved it...but the guy at the store said I'd need to do 2 coats to be on the safe side.  Now my table looks yellow.  How do I fix this?  Will I have to sand the whole thing and start over?  Is there any way I could do a tinted stain on top of it now?  Or again, will I have to sand the whole thing?  I'm trying to figure out the easiest way out and still achieve the natural color I had to begin with.


texts: Valve left shut by accident in forced hot water system

texts:
Due to a cold house I went down to investigate my forced hot water / oil burner system. I discovered that apparently when my indirect water heater was being replaced three months ago the plumber left shut a valve. This is the valve right after the house circulator. So, the furnace must have been coming on, heating up, then stopping because no water was circulating.

Could this have damaged the circulator?


texts: Yellow stains on the ceiling, how to diagnose

texts:
Today I just noticed two new yellow stains on the ceiling of my bedroom. They are both size of an apple. I am pretty sure they are not there before.

We have had a lot rain for last a few weeks. I guess I may have water leakage on my roof. Just wondering what I should do now?


texts: Is a 240vac (2 pole) outlet a "single phase receptacle"?

texts:
I just read about NEC 2017, section 625.54:
"Ground-fault circuit-interrupter protection for personnel.
All single-phase receptacle installed for the connection of electric vehicle charging that are rated 150 volts to ground or less shall have ground-fault circuit-interrupter protection for personnel."

This seem redundant since all EVSE (Electric vehicle supply equipment) have GFCI built into the unit. I was wondering if this refers to the 120v (hot-neutral) type outlet only. I got a regular 40A breaker (2 pole) for my outlet but, if I read this right, I need to upgrade to a 40A GFCI breaker? $100, ouch!

Are 120v (hot-neutral) and 240v (hot-hot) single phase receptacle?

Thanks


texts: How does high static ductwork ( Mobile home) affect AC Seer rating?

texts:
I was told that mobile home ductwork affects the seer rating of central air units. So if a 13/14 seer or higher  is installed what is the usual seer rating if installed in a mobile home?
I was also told if you want to use higher seer equipment to get the rated seer rating you must have ductwork added to the current high static ductwork , to lower the static pressure closer to normal levels like in a regular house.


texts:
What product or methods can I use to create a perimeter/barrier/dam on thinset for self leveling compound in a doorway?  I'm pouring 300sf in sections as the SLC has limited working time.
Thermostrips won't work as the surface is not flat.  I could create a temporary barrier using spray foam or caulk, but it might be a pain to remove.  Is there a temporary product that would be easy to remove from thinset and SLC?


texts: how to install drawer slides but are scraping against drawer?

texts:
I just built and installed four drawers into a bed frame I recently built.  I was careful to keep everything square and parallel and the finished sides of the drawers as well as the cabinet where they go are parallel to better than 1/32 inch (0.8 mm).

To avoid headaches, I made the cabinet openings about 1/8 inch (3.2 mm) wider than the drawers plus the one inch required by the slides (1/2 inch each side; total cabinet opening is 1 + 1/8 inch wider than the drawer).

However, not one of the drawers slides easily.  They feel like they are binding and scraping wood against wood.  I have looked carefully and am certain the drawer bottoms, tops, sides, and edges are not touching the cabinet at any point along the way.

I used these soft closing ball bearing slides:

I think it is the rails themselves that are scraping the drawer and cabinet.  Looking down them, along the sides of the drawers it looks pretty tight:

That is the left drawer edge (with dovetails) at the left and another drawer at the right.  The parallel plywood is the center support and "cabinet edges" for both drawers.  The extra 1/8 inch width is made up by using the slide's "shim tabs" (for lack of a known name) which is being used on the left slide in the photo.  The right drawer's right slide (not in photo) is doing the same thing for the right drawer.

I see there is an answer for how to install slides so they line up and work properly, but after reviewing it, I think I covered it as best I can.  That answer's links talk about leveling, for which I installed the slides by measuring the same distance from the top of the sides which are level which support the plywood under the mattress.  I had squareness in mind at all aspects of building.  I couldn't make much sense of this one and this is all about the special jigs sold.

Naturally the instructions that come with the rails are useless:  Install the rails as required (or something to that effect).

So, what am I overlooking?  How should the slides be installed to work smoothly and without scraping?


texts:
Today my 7 years old GE Front Load washer (MODE WCVH6800J1WW) doesn't work.

It can fill water successfully, then didn't spin to wash but start to pump water out, then unlock door but time still stay at 50mins.
If I switch to "Drain & Spin" mode, the spin works fine and water pump out just like works great for this mode.
Even if I use the BlasketClean mode, it will fill water then pump out but not spin at all.

I guess some sensor maybe doesn't work which will cause it think no water or something like that! Write mail to manufacture but no response till now!


texts: Loud thumping sounds coming from radon pipe

texts: Our house had an existing radon pipe (passive) and high radon levels. We had a radon mitigation company assess the system. He installed a fan to the existing pipe. The fan is in the attic. Since the fan was installed, there is a loud thumping noise coming from the walls 24/7. It’s coming from the radon pipe - you can hear it inside the house AND outside the house coming from the radon pipe. The pipe exits the roof above our master bedroom. The fan is installed in the attic. When you place ear to wall you can hear water in the pipe. It’s so loud that it keeps you awake at night. I want a radon system that works. Should we start over or is there a way to fix this problem? Is the water being pulled into the pipe from under the basement floor? We have a finished walkout basement.


texts: What tool should I use to cut through a wall to get to my attic?

texts:
I have a very small attic space above my bathroom, and there is no access to this space.

The tube that goes from the exhaust fan to the roof is not attached, and I would like to attach it to get proper venting.

There is a room next to the bathroom with a higher ceiling, and I could cut through the wall to get to this attic space to reattach the tube.

Can you please advise me on what tool I should use to cut through the drywall to get into this space?

If possible, it would be nice to do this neatly so that I can patch it back together without too much effort afterwards.

EDIT: I've since found this, which looks like pretty good advice


texts: It has been announced that we will be getting smart meters installed in our city by our electrical utility (in the US) later this year (2018). A bank of 23 analog electrical meters now sits about halfway down the hallway (inside our building)from my ground story apartment. I have been hearing for years how RF radiation from smart meters is dangerous to our health. Are they really as dangerous as they are made out to be? And if so, what can I do about it?


texts: How do I remove a small amount of water based concrete sealer from a painted floor?

texts:
I was using a water based concrete sealer on my painted concrete floors. I did something wrong, and one tiny section didn't dry clear.

My question is, what can I use to remove a small portion without removing the underlying latex paint, so I can give it another shot? I'm assuming since it's water based it wouldn't be too challenging to use some kind of solvent, but I don't want to make things worse.


texts: Two switches what is it for and what does it mean?

texts:
I am not expertise as an Electrician here but I wanted to ask anyone here why do I have two switches here and what does that mean ?

Can anyone point me a good website that can I read about it ? I recently put up ceiling fan and had have no clue why I have two and we have them in several rooms.


texts: Remove paint and grime from aluminum windows?

texts:
We have old all-aluminum windows, and they've worked well after decades. But they're just a tad bit dirty.

Are there any cleaners that will help me clean these windows?

Thanks.


texts: Why does sink gurgle after installing AAVs in attic?

texts:
I recently installed Studor Mini-Vent air admittance valves (AAVs) in my attic on the two secondary (2 inch) plumbing vents (serving laundry room and kitchen) so that the vents no longer penetrate the roof. After doing this, my kitchen sink gurgles whenever the clothes washer drains into the laundry standpipe. If I remove the AAV on the laundry vent, the gurgling no longer happens, so it doesn't seem like there is a blocked vent.

I tested the AAV with my mouth and it seems to be working properly.

My only guess is that the AAVs require more pressure to open than the pressure required to gurgle the sink. Should I look for "weaker" AAVs? Would installing an AAV by the kitchen sink help eliminate the gurgling?


texts: Can I direct wire an under the counter light into the LOAD terminals of a kitchen GFCI outlet?

texts: I have two kitchen outlets on a 20 amp breaker.  I got some IKEA under cabinet lights and I am wondering if I can use the other LOAD slots for the light.


texts: How to wire light with a switch in the middle of a circuit

texts:
I am attempting to reinstall a switch in a room in my house. Within the box there are two cables. The cable on the left has a black and white wire. The cable on the right has three wires a black, a white, and a red wire. The way it is currently hooked up is that the red wire is pigtailed off, the white wires are pigtailed together and the black wires are connected to either ends of a single pole switch.

The problem is that this configuration results in the switch controlling both the lights and the outlets in the room. So when the switch is turned off it would remove power to the outlets as well as the overhead light.

After doing a bit or research I think I have a light switch in the middle of a circuit. I think it is probably like the wiring diagram in the following link "Power at switch diagram".

http://www.easy-do-it-yourself-home-improvements.com/light-switch-wiring-diagram.html#switch1

What would be the correct way of installing this switch? Are there any suggestions for how I can figure out how the circuit is connected in my house?


texts: How do I install a distance power switch?

texts:
I have a pair of Rokit 5 G3 powered monitor speakers. I want to mount a power switch to a control panel on my desk so I can power them on easily. There's ~12 ft of distance between the speakers and the panel on which I'd like the rocker.
My first thought was to use a power strip. However, all the power strips I find have their reset breaker in an awkward position. I want to mount the switch which turns the speakers on so that the switch is facing outward from the panel on my desk. However, power strips tend to have their reset breakers co-planar with the plugs on them, so I can't hide the power cables behind the panel.
This seems like something I could build myself with the right materials. I have some electronics / soldering experience (Arduino projects), but I'm wary to build something that connects directly to main power myself, since I'm not an electrician.
Is there an off-the-shelf product that lets me do this? Barring that, what should I be careful for if I wanted to try building it myself. For reference, there are 2 speaker monitors, and each has a max power draw of 100W @ 120VAC.

(not to scale)


texts: What do I use to cap a kitchen sink sprayer hose?

texts:
My kitchen sink has a sprayer. I want to remove it. I believe I would need a cap to seal off the connection after I take the sprayer hose off. I saw a few articles saying you need to get a "3/8-inch threaded brass flair cap". Is that correct? Picture below, was the best I could snap under there:

I want to go to a home supply store to get whatever cap I would need, but not sure what to ask them for.

The corrosion under there looks pretty gross.

Thanks


texts: Why is there condensation on a pipe near my furnace?

texts:
My AC says it is trying to cool to 73 but is reading 75.  I changed the filter, which didn't help.  I looked in the closet, and apparently the installers were supposed to install an "auxiliary shut off switch to a/c condensation line to prevent water damage in case of main drain failure."  I have water condensation dripping down a long white PVC pipe and water collecting on top of the unit.  What is going on with my AC?
Picture 1 shows condensation and the top is just spewing cool air.

Picture 2 is the whole unit.

Picture 3 is condensation.

Picture 4 is condensation running down the PVC pipe to the floor of the closet.

Picture 5 is water pooling on top of the unit where there is green.


texts: How can I pump water from our 2nd floor down to 1st floor drainage?

texts:
Update: I've done it!... and it works.

How can I pump this unclean water from our 2nd floor to 1st floor down to our drainage?

I keep accumulating a lot of water (enough to fill a water basin) every 2 days from washing stuff.

I'm thinking of using some kind of Hose to transfer it.
I've heard of 'Siphon' method, but to do that, I have to go to 1st floor and suck the hose a bit, which I don't want to. The water is unclean.

I don't even know if 'siphon' will work in a 15 foot hose.

Or maybe use water pump. But I'm not sure what pump will I need. Are there any cheap water pumps out there that cost only around $10? water pumps that I see are a bit expensive.


texts:
I recently purchased the ecobee3 lite and am now stuck trying to install them. I have 3 Honeywell thermostats I am looking to replace and my heating system is oil/hot water. My home was built in 1970 and I believe the wiring involved here is pretty old. I am not an electrician but I believe I should be able to handle this project given some help.

For starters, each of my thermostats is hooked up with a red and a white wire, with one additional (blue) wire coming out of the jacket in the wall, but not hooked up to the thermostat:

As far as I can tell, there's no voltage coming from that wire. I checked with a multimeter and it came up 0 every which way I checked it. So then I made my way to the furnace. Here's what I see:

So this box is a Honeywell Aquastat Relay L8148A whose schematic can be found here.

Here are two angled views of the controller that give a better picture of the few different connection points:

Here is the inside of the cover plate for the controller that details the wiring a bit:

As you can see, the main controller has 1 pair of red/white wires labeled Thermostat in the top-left corner. Then there are two transformers affixed to the furnace that also have red/white wires. I'm at a loss because most "add a c-wire" videos show a controller that has 5 different connection points, one of which is clearly labeled C, and they run a wire from there and everything works. I can't find a spot that I'm confident would be a "C" wire spot. The ecobee3 lite offers a PEK but that looks like it also requires more than just two wires to be run into it to operate properly. Many of these smart thermostats assume you are also controlling a cooling system which I am not; I only have a furnace.

So my question is: Can I install an ecobee3 lite myself in this system without a ton of work, or should I just buy something like the Nest E that can power-steal from my furnace?


texts: What size wire and breaker do I need for my shed/workshop?

texts:
I am looking to run electricity to my shed and I am unsure of what size wire and breaker I need.
My main panel will be about 100ft away from my shed. My shed is 12X20 and I want to install 6-8 4ft 4 bulb fluorescent/LED lights, LED flood lights and about 8-10 receptacles. Two of the 4ft lights will be outside under the lean-to of my shed along with 2 of the receptacles.
I will be using table, miter, scroll and circular saws, a router, an air compressor, a shop vac, a grinder, an AC window unit, a shop fan/blower and plan on adding a CNC router, a dust collection system, a 60-80 gallon air compressor and possibly a welding machine on the exterior.
Of course I will not be using all these at the same time but I would rather do it right the first time.


texts: How can I replace a ceiling light and repair the surrounding plaster?

texts:
The house was probably built in about 1900 (so Edwardian) and I would guess much of the plaster work is still original.  We refurbished the house 3 years ago and suffered from lots of plaster falling off when we took the wall paper off, including an entire ceiling dropping out in one room.  I am therefore concerned about hacking too much away, as the result could be disastrous as we also still have some original plaster features nearby.
I am looking to replace the ceiling lights in the hall with two chandeliers:  the heavier one weighs about 3 kg, so nothing too grand.
So have taken the old light rose down and of course lost a circular chunk of ceiling that has exposed no joists, but lath. I have no idea how far the joists are, and no way to get at them from above as we have a floating floor sitting on top of the floor.
So two questions:
Will the ceiling be able to support the worst case scenario of 3 kg?
Assuming that I have repaired the plaster work and screw into the lath?
How the hell do I repair the ceiling?
I have already removed the loose material and cleaned it up, but traditional Polyfilla (all purpose) is going to take an age. Assuming that I can actually get it to stick to the ceiling, as at the moment, it is just dropping off onto the floor.


texts: Wiring a subpanel next to main in finished wall

texts:
I'm putting in a 100A subpanel next to the 200A main to add some more outlets for the garage. The walls are finished and the main is flush mounted in the wall so I plan to do the same with the subpanel.

Since it's for 100A and my breaker says it's for 75C wire I'm planning to use 3AWG CU for the hots and neutral. I couldn't find the NEC code for it, but I keep reading I can use 8AWG for the ground (would love some confirmation of that).

The wire distance will be about 32" plus excess for routing because there will just be one 16" OC stud bay in between the two panels. I think I can get away with 5 feet of wire, but plan to measure it out and may need 6.

My question is, if I want to run the wire in the wall, are my only options to get something like SER 3-3-3-5 cable and route that through the studs, or get separate THHN wires and ground and somehow put conduit in the studs (notching them and adding a nail plate)? Home Depot has both, but THHN is cheaper (assuming I have enough conduit already). Also, if I use THHN, it's okay if all 3 wires are black right (nothing in code says the neutral needs to be white)? That's all Home Depot carries for 3AWG copper.


texts: How can I paint over a glossy surface that might contain lead paint?

texts:
I am repainting a bathroom that includes trim with a high gloss.  The house is old (1924) and the existing paint may have lead in it.  There was a remodel in the '80s, but I can't guarantee the current paint was applied then.

My local paint store advised against sanding to take off the gloss, because of the lead risk.  They recommended a "liquid sandpaper" product which I applied.  However, the first coat of the new paint did not stick (I've been stripping it back off for the last couple of weekends).  The paint store also advised I did not need a primer, which I now believe was a mistake.

How can I get the new paint to stick to the old?


texts: How to install deck railing top board slanted

texts: I'm building the railings for my new deck and plan to use a 2x6 as the top board. 4x4 posts, 2x4 rails. How can I make it a bit slanted to help shed rain water with minimal tools? (No table saw, no router...).


texts: Is there a "bending rigidity index" of some sort for semi-rigid aluminum ducts?

texts:
Some semi-rigid aluminum ducts bend easily and others do not.  I want to purchase semi-rigid aluminum ducts online of a specific bending rigidity/stiffness that minimizes sagging but can be easily bent for corners.  For different applications, I may want more rigid ducts or less rigid ducts.

If there is not a "rigidity index" of some sort, then is there a way to estimate rigidity using other specifications such as metal thickness, etc.

Thank you,


texts: How do you wire a 3 switch box in a bathroom?

texts:
I'm replacing an old outdated 3 switch unit with a newer one to match the rest of the bathroom. One switch controls a light, one controls the exhaust fan, and the third controls a heating element.  Here's what I know: There are 6 wires coming from the wall. 1 white which is hot, and 2 greys which are hot (but they are spliced together in the box, so really its 1 grey.) Then there are 3 black wires coming from the box as well that are not hot.  To make this even better, the switch is on 2 seperate breakers.  At this point I feel light I have myself a bit backward so any advice is welcome.

On the picture the common wires are wired into the left (1 white, 2 grey), and the 3 black wires are wired into the right.  On the new switch it only has 1 common hook up, then 3 other connectors on the otherside.


texts: Is okay to use commercial appliance inside average US home? For electricity spec: 115/60Hz/1 Ph (NEMA 5-15)

texts:
I want to buy a commercial Countertop Merchandiser/Freezer for home use.

Model at this link. Maxx-cold.com

Does my home in the US meet the Volt/Watts requirement to use it?

The electricity requirement is 115/60Hz/1 Ph (NEMA 5-15).

Why 115 volts, because 120 volts is standard in the US.


texts: What can/should I do to tidy up after removing a section of baseboard?

texts:
I'm installing a murphy bed. To get it flush with the wall, I've removed a section of baseboard. The gap where the baseboard has been removed looks pretty messy now.

I'm not too worried about it because, of course, the bed is going in this space and I don't expect it will be very visible most of the time. When the bed is up, it'll be completely covered; when the bed is down, I assume the mattress and bed frame and everything will obscure things. Still...

I'm just wondering what others would do in my shoes. I don't really need this to look immaculate, but is there some way to tidy things a bit, e.g. fill in the gap or cover it with something?


texts: Can I ground my new exhaust fan to the metal box where there is no grounded conductor?

texts: Can I add a green ground screen to my exhaust fan's housing (metal) and connect the green ground wire to it?  There is no ground wire in the old supply wiring.


texts: What is the proper way to run Category 6 underground?

texts:
I'd like to run some Category 6 cabling underground, for a distance of about 120 ft, between a main home and a 2nd unit, for ethernet connectivity between the two homes. I've run Category 5 indoors before, but running Category 6 and underground is a new ballgame for me.

Is there a specific kind of Category 6 cabling I should use? I see a variety of specifications available here, but to be honest I'm not sure what specifications matter.
Can I simply run the cable through PVC pipe for most of the way?
I read that Category 6 needs special grounding?
Is there any major benefit to running more than one cable through the same ditch or pipe?
Are there any pitfalls I may not be aware of?


texts:
I am installing Trex Enhance decking and would like to know how to cover the scalloped profile ends.  I could picture frame the deck to cover the ends.  How much overhang should the board have before attaching the facia board underneath it?

An alternative to picture framing is to cover the scalloped profile ends with facia board.  I won’t overhang the board ends with this option.  I don’t see as many people doing this and am wondering if there is a reason other than aesthetics.