texts: GFCI Outlet trips when white and copper wire touch

texts:
I wired a bath renovation with all power routed through a GFCI outlet. With power on, and all switches off, when I touch the white wire and the bare copper wire in a fixture box, the GFCI trips (did it accidentally at first).

Here is what I have:

Dedicated circuit from the breaker panel to the bath GFCI
Load out of GCFI to 3 gang switch box
In switch box, COPPER WIRE from the LINE in from GFCI and COPPER WIRES from 3 fixtures connected together with a pigtail out to ground the box
In the switch box, WHITE WIRE from the LINE in from GFCI and WHITE WIRES from 3 fixtures connected together
In switch box, BLACK WIRE from Line in from GFCI connected to 3 BLACK WIRES pigtails, one of each then connected to each switch
In switch box, BLACK WIRE from each fixture connected to one pole of each of the switches

All fixtures work fine without tripping the GFCI. If I hook up a non-GFCI outlet to a fixture box, and plug in a 3-prong appliance, it works fine. I checked to ensure the Line/Load and polarity on the GFCI is correct, no visible bare wires anywhere, all connections are tight. Tried a new GFCI and the same occurs.

So, with all that, with all switches off, why would the GFCI trip if I touch white to copper in one of the fixture boxes? Seems to me there shouldn’t be ANY current in the white wire, let alone bleeding in the ground. Why would the GFCI trip if I touch the wire ends, but not trip when I hook up an outlet and appliance?

Maybe it's a predictable anomaly. But I thought GFCI's worked on change in resistance in the ground, and would think a direct connection of the white and copper to have low resistance versus an appliance. Ideas or explanations?


texts: How do I install a high intensity infrared heater and thermostat

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I picked up an old Lambert L-40 high intensity infrared gas heater but it didn’t have a thermostat. I can’t find any info about this heater online and I am hoping someone on here can help.

I connected the heater to a natural gas line and power and can get the sparker to light the pilot but I can’t get the main burners to light. I assume that is because I do not have a thermostat calling for heat.

I have included pictures on this post so please let me know if anyone knows this heater or can tell me how to wire it and what kind of thermostat and transformer I need.

Thank you


texts: How to find the right thermostat for my gas fireplace?

texts:
I have a Superior SSDVR3530CNM gas fireplace, which I'm trying to find a proper thermostat for.

The manual recommends this one:

However, it doesn't seem like they are sold anymore. (Or I'm not searching the right way.) It also recommends a couple of remotes, but I don't like how they look and the ones that I found for sale were like $150, which I think it's a bit expensive compared for what you can get for that money from a 'regular' thermostat these days.

There's a wiring diagram and a snippet from a troubleshooting guide, which suggest that it's a 24V thermostat which can be installed instead of the 'optional switch' that I do have on the wall:

The problem is that I'm not sure whether it's any 24V thermostat (which most of them seem to be these days) or it has to be somehow 'gas-fireplace-aware' (e.g. not to switch on and off too often or something like that).

So, the question is -- do I just pick a random 24V thermostat from Amazon and it should work? Or is there any other considerations I need to take into account?


texts: What should I do with the ground wire from my light fixture when there's no ground in the box?

texts: The ceiling light/fan I want to install has a short GREEN wire. It looks ready to be twisted onto another wire. There is NO ground (bare copper or another green wire) coming out of the ceiling box. What do I attach the short green wire that came with the fan/light to?


texts: Can i use 3 wire for service installation

texts: I'm supplying 200amp service to a cabin.  There is a service disconnect at the meter.  Can i use 3 wire 4/0 al to the main panel and put a grounding rod at the main panel and not bond the neutral and ground bus or do i have to use 4 wire from the disconnect to the main panel supplying the ground wire through that?


texts: Air compressor air filter and oil change

texts:
My Makita MAC2400 has been serving great almost a decade now. Recently I started wondering about the volume of air it has intaken over the year and that it all went through the air filter, which I have never changed. So I opened the filter housing and it didn't look too terrible:

Is it necessary to replace this filter occasionally and does mine look overdue? Here is the compressor:

Also, how frequently should the oil be changed? Unlike most small compressors, this one is lubed for quieter operation.


texts:
I have a pipe of some kind buried about 6" below grade in my backyard. Photos are provided below. I have no idea what this line might be, and was hoping to solicit ideas. Whatever it is, it appears to be abandoned / unused, judging from the poor condition of the line. I have the local "Dig Safe" utility authorities coming next week to map out known services, but would like to know in case they do not have record of this.

It looks like the line would run between my house and my garage. But I have no plumbing in the garage (6" seems to shallow for water anyways). I have electricity but that cable is aerial, along with phone and cable lines from the back alley to the main house. The gas main is under the road at the front of my house, and so my gas meter / line are obviously there too. Similarly, the water main and water line are at the front of my house.

The garage was rebuilt about 5 years ago (before I owned the place), so I don't know if this pipe might have been used with the old garage and since abandoned.

I live in Toronto, Canada, if that factors in.


texts: Why is every second breaker out in my panel?

texts: I have notice that every other circuit breaker in the panel is not working.I also notice after pulling the breakers that they all tested good using a continuity tester!! however inspecting the red wire the bus behind looks burned.The 220 on that line that feeds the washer only has partial power what can be done to fix the problem???


texts: Minimal gap between basement ceiling and main floor floor

texts: I would like to raise my basement ceiling by a few inches. There is abour a 8-9 inch gap between them right now. Is that the minimum or can I go smaller?


texts:
I was installing some new dimmers and outlets when I found two breakers were running in to an electrical box using a 3-wire conductor (red, black, white). Red/black were switched by different breakers, so they seemed to be sharing a neutral.
I've seen other threads (main one linked below) here that seem to indicate that this is OK as long as:

The two circuits are on different "legs" of the 240v supply
The two breakers are tied together.

I wasn't sure how to tell if the two breakers are on separate "legs". How do I tell if this is the case? I found two boxes with this configuration. the breakers associated with o[![ne box were adjacent to each other. While the breakers on the other box are separated by 1 breaker. Does this seem right?
The other issue that the breaker pairs can be turned on/off independently. This doesn't seem safe and I was pretty confused with my NCV detecting voltage with only 1 breaker off. Is this anything to worry about? I imagine the rest of the circuits in my house follow a similar pattern - 3 conductors sharing 2 breakers.
The house was built in 1981 (WA state fwiw) and I don't know the history behind the electrical work here.
Other threads:

Shared neutral on the same leg
Can two circuits share a neutral?

Breakers

Panel Label


texts:
I have bought a house built at 1957, but the roof is replaced at 2010 so I guess status should be fine, but today my wife said the ceiling sounds like color not the same at the corner but I almost can not figure it out. few days ago here has some snow on my roof.

So I search the internet and found someone said maybe ice dam issue. But when I go to attic to check, it's not possible for me to reach the corner since my ceiling is low but not high (about 15 ~ 20 degree), so I can only see the corner far away.

How can I check if my ceiling has ice dam issue or not? Maybe need some robot machine?


texts: How do I move my shower isolation pull cord switch?

texts:
My parents have an electric shower with an isolation pull cord switch, both in the bathroom.  The switch has stuck, fortunately in the ON position.  He'd like to replace it with a simple switch, moved to the outside of the bathroom.  I've been up in the loft space and I think there's enough cable there to move it about 6 inches and drop it to just outside the bathroom.

Is that a simple job to undertake?  I'm ok at DIY, haven't done a lot of electrical work but can follow directions well.  Any diagrams you guys can point me to?


texts: Can you use a motion sensor switch to control an outlet

texts:
I am planning on installing some LED light strips in a closet full of shelves. I am using an A/C adapter (wall wart, brick, what have you) connected to the strip, which plugs into an outlet. I plan to have the outlet controlled by a light switch to provide on/off to the light strip.

Is it possible to use a motion sensor as the light switch?

Or, is there an easier way to get the LED lights to turn on automatically?


texts: Connect three kitchen appliances to same water line?

texts:
In the kitchen, I'm trying to connect the sink, dishwasher, and washing machine to the same hot water line.
Currently, my hot water has dishwasher and sink are hooked up: https://imgur.com/zgVDJG1
I use this water tee stop, can I connect two of them together to allow three connections? https://imgur.com/W8VDM74


texts: Washing machine stops in not-cold program

texts:
We have an old top loader washing machine (model: Privileg maker: Quelle). For a few months we sometimes encounter the problem that the machine stops during the program, exiting with the error code 0 cold with water still in the machine.
Sadly this error code is not documented, but we guess it has something to do with the heating mechanism since the program get canceled in every program except cold. Single instructions like spinning and pumping are working fine. Since a few days none of the programs works anymore.
What could be the problem? What can we do to fix it? How can we test if the temperature sensor works? I'd like to open the spinning chamber last to check the heating spirals.

Update: We measured the heat sensor and bought a new one. Still the same problem. We had a look on the heating spiral - which looked brand new. Now we are searching for errors on the circuit board, maybe a relais is broken. Since the machine does not provide a documented error and we are like the only people facing this concrete problem, we guess it has to be a problem with the circuits.

Update: So it seems the relais for water heating was the problem. We exchanged it and the machine runs as expected.


texts: Furnace pilot light goes out after burner shuts off

texts:
I have a problem with the pilot light on my furnace going out after the furnace has cycled and reached the temp set on thermostat.
The problem started a couple of years ago but would only go out maybe once a month. Now it consistently goes out every time the furnace shuts off. I've changed the thermocouple and made sure that the thermocouple was in the proper position.
Is it worth adjusting the gas flow to the pilot light?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Temperature outside,  in Arkansas,  is currently 14 degrees and space heaters aren't keeping up.


texts: Having difficulty fixing my sagging door by bending its hinge

texts:
I've watched a few YouTube videos that showed me how to fix a sagging door by bending the knuckles of the door hinge, such as this one and this one here.

However, I am perplexed as to how these instructors are able to do this by using a crescent wrench as the tool to do so. I just can't seem to get a firm grip on the knuckles to perform the bend. This isn't surprising considering that the shape of the knuckles is circular, thus causing the tool to slip/rotate.

Am I missing something?


texts: How can I seal an old wood finish on a 60-year-old wall that is off-gassing?

texts:
We just moved into a 60-year-old house and most of it was recently painted with low VOC paint, although one original wall is a medium-color wood finish which is putting out a strange smell.  One of us is feeling sick from the smell, although the other wants to keep the "wood" color instead of painting over it.

What could we do to easily coat over the old wood finish so that it will stop off-gassing?  This wall with old wood finish is NOT very shiny.  Is shellac the way to go?  Will we need to sand it?

If we paint over this old wood finish on the wall, what kind of low VOC paint would seal it the best, and would we need to sand it before painting it?


texts: What is this amber substance on the wood in my attic?

texts:
I was examining my attic with a head lamp and the light illuminated the wood just right and these amber drops started to glow.

They are on the surface of a lot of the wood in the attic.

What is it and what is causing this?


texts: is this Asbestos? or anything dangerous?

texts:
In my garage there are some water pipes I believe that have a wrap around them and in some places its expanded and opened. Now I am worried if its asbestos. Its yellow and looks puffy. I near a water pipe i use for gardening. What should I do?

Thank you.


texts:
I have a shellac'd** floor with a protective wax coat.  The lightest traffic leaves smudges and marks. I buff it, and it looks great, until the next traffic comes up.

I tried paint thinner to remove all the wax down to the shellac layer and then rewaxed lightly. No luck.

I buffed the excessive existing wax with an auto buffer. No luck (no surprise there).

Is there a "no sand" way to get the shellac'd floors back to original condition. End goal being a shellac'd floor with a non-scuffing wax protective coat.

I'm willing to go further if needed, stripping to almost bare wood, then shellac-ing, then waxing. But that seems like a nuclear option I'd like to ignore.

** A 1937 build house, so I don't suspect it is Tung Oil finished floor. I am nearly 100% certain it isn't poly.


texts: Line-to-Line Voltage Reads 0V (or low, 15V at most) on Primary of Main Breaker (L-N both read ~120V)

texts: My neighbor has a hot water tank that quit working earlier this week. I checked the breaker - looked good. I measured the voltage at the hot water tank; it read ~15Vac. I checked the double breaker for the hot water tank and it also measured ~15Vac. One step further, the line-to-line voltage coming into the main breaker read ~15Vac. Both 120Vac L-N branches give a voltage but one is at ~118Vac (good) and the other is around ~105Vac (hence my ~15Vac differential, it appears on the surface). When I open the main breaker, both L-N at the main breaker primary read ~120Vac. The hot water tank is the only 208/220 circuit in the house (and the only double breaker). Any idea what could be causing this suddenly? It looked to me like both branches were being fed, in phase, and that is why the difference between them is literally the difference between them. I had read that an open circuit on one of the main lines could cause this (the open line being backfed by the good line through the double breaker). But I'm not sure why the hot water tank would have worked up until this point.


texts: What is the best way to run underground electrical and low voltage in the same trench?

texts:
I'm putting in a couple of new electrical lines for my back yard. I have a trench dug from point A, to B, to C, etc.. I then had a bright idea. Why don't I put speaker wires and CAT6 under ground while I have the trench open already?

The dilemma:
The electrical wire is a 12/2 direct burial. It's just the wire with no conduit. My speaker wires will be in 12 Gauge, along with my CAT6, will be pulled through in a 3/4" S40 electrical conduit. This run will be about 100 ft.  The big question is... will my low voltage have any interference from my electrical? Although they are running in parallel, the low voltage is in a conduit. If that doesn't work, what will be the best solution?  I would hate to dig up more trench in the backyard.


texts:
My toilet has a slow but continual trickle of water running from the rim into the bowl. I presumed this was a misaligned float but when I pulled it up to its maximum height, the flow didn't even stop.

Looking it up it seems that the "flapper" is the most common cause of this problem. However I'm not a plumber and I can't map any of the diagrams of photos I've seen with my actually toilet fixture. Here it is

How do I make sense of this plumbing and find out what's causing the leak into the toilet?


texts: Is it necessary to remove stickers before gluing PVC?

texts:
Let's say you have a piece of PVC tubing that is going into a 90 or 45 and for some reason the piece of PVC has a sticker right where the glue connection is made... will this effect the seal? Similar question for inside toilet flanges where the sticker is always in the area where the glue will be. I couldn't find any info on whether the "sticker" is compatible with the glue so to speak.

Bonus points if anyone can point me to an article or product instruction where it says that this is ok.


texts: Why do they use a different tap for filtered water instead of the regular tap?

texts: I'm talking about the kitchen sink. Why not just connect the filters to the regular tap?


texts: fix for MAYTAG MDB8959AWW JETCLEAN PLUS SERIES FULLY INTEGRATED DISHWASHER

texts:
We bought this dishwasher machine in 2011. It worked fine for the last 6 years. Then, recently we noticed that several times it worked through the whole night, and then finished. I noticed yesterday that it takes a long time for it to start the cycle. I noticed that it stays quite for a long time with option "Steam Clean" flushing. I opened it, and tried to reprogram it to auto clean and normal, but buttons either did not lit up, or switched to "Steam Clean" flushing quickly after I close the machine. I even tried to switch off the breaker for a minute, but it did not help. Then I left it with blinking "Steam Clean" button. And apparently it started the cycle during the night, but it finished it only on the morning. We just had a technician, and he said it is probably the control panel, but needs to do some research.

Model of the dishwasher is as the following:

MAYTAG MDB8959AWW JETCLEAN PLUS SERIES FULLY INTEGRATED DISHWASHER WITH 6 WASH CYCLES, DURAGUARD NYLON RACKS, 6 HOUR DELAY START, SILVERWARE BLAST SPRAY JETS AND SILENCE RATING OF 56 DB: WHITE

I am wondering:

What can be the problem?
Can I fix it myself?
What should be a ballpark for a cost to fix it in LA? Or, is it better to buy a new machine at this point?

Thanks.


texts: I am having a major hard time trying to remove this metal P-trap. The nut in the back will not budge no matter how hard I try. I was able to remove the front one relatively easily using some pliers but not the back. Does anyone have any tips on how to remove these metals nuts from old plumbing? Also yes there is water dripping in the back, it's not a leak just a mistake I made haha. Also if I am able to remove this, can I just replace the whole trap with a PVC one? Thank you


texts: 240v baseboard heater on a 120v circuit using a step up transformer ?

texts: I have been wondering if this is possible or not? If you wanted to run a 240v ac baseboard heater on 120v ac couldn't you just just use a 120v ac to 240v ac step-up tranformer? I already know what happens if you would run a 240v baseboard on a 120v circuit, the baseboard heater would draw 1/4 the power.


texts:
I have standard speaker cables and a wall plate that supports 2 speakers (i.e. 4 wires):

The front is obvious but I'm confused about the back. Should I pass the wires through the little hole on each contact and leave them hanging? How do I "lock" the wires in place?


texts: AC Air Intake Compartment - Is Repairing This a Reality?

texts:
I moved into a 425 sq ft apartment about a month ago. The AC had a leak for awhile. When I found it, they replaced the AC. I have had the new AC for about 2 weeks.

I have a musky old wood odor in my apartment that is real strong. I believe it is because the air intake compartment is not sealed. For instance, today was a real windy and I could feel and smell super hot musky air gathering in the air conditioner closet.

Would it be unreasonable to ask the landlord to repair the air intake compartment so it is sealed and the interior wall air does not get sucked in? I'm not a carpenter, but it looks like it would be very difficult to get to the compartment to repair it.

In the photos, I sealed it up so I would not smell the old foul wood odor. I just live with the AC off and windows open all the time now.


texts:
I have a bathroom sink that has started to drain slowly.  There are 2 sinks in that bathroom, and the other sink drains just fine.  The pipes and joints are PVC and the construction is fairly new.  We are careful not to allow anything except soap and water to go down both drains (well, and whatever the soap is removing, of course, but there are no large particles or grease).

I get dirty a lot, so the slow-draining sink gets a lot of action from me washing my hands.  I'm thinking maybe it is soap buildup causing it to drain slowly.  Does that sound like a reasonable hypothesis?

I've tried a few soap buildup drain cleaner products, and they all help a little, but not too much.  After a month or so, I need to do it again.

How can I make the water drain quickly and prevent this issue from happening again?


texts: Is it possible to fix a leak in PP-R piping by injecting some type of substance?

texts:
I have a central heating system based on PP-R piping and radiators. The PP-R piping goes under the floor. The problem is that the pressure is droping 0.2 atm / week and I am sure there's a leak somewhere under the flooring.

I was wondering if anyone has heard of some sort of sealing substance that could be injected into the system? I've read about something similar for copper piping, but can't find anything related to PP-R, don't know if it would be even possible.

I really don't want to remove the flooring in order to fix this, due to costs, so I am considering this as the ultimate solution.


texts: Can a sink drain be on the low side of a p-trap

texts:
A question and a subquestion:

Is it acceptable to have the sewer line on the high side of a p-trap under a kitchen sink?
In fixing the situation, can I plumb the dishwasher drain line into the horizontal pipe between the two sinks?

I've looked at a number of similar questions on here and spent some time wandering the internet, but I can't seem to find anything that relates to my situation exactly.  I'm sure it's out there, but I just can't figure out how to find it.

We recently moved into a new home and today the kitchen sink drain came apart.  When I investigated, I found some stuff that just looks obviously wrong to me.  I've listed all of the things that I see that seem like issues, but I suspect that the mess originated with the addition of a dishwasher and the tailpiece that was added to the right side.  It clearly has leaked in the past and today the misaligned fitting marked A simply disconnected entirely.  I don't know if the connection at E is cemented or simply holding together with years of accumulated filth, but it doesn't even have a compression ring.  I'm less than impressed with the home inspector's quality of service on this one...

My primary question is, is it acceptable to have the sewer on the high side of the p-trap?  I could replace most of this with cemented fittings in more or less the same configuration it currently has without too much work, but the entire p-trap, horizontal drain from the left sink, and part of the tailpiece from the right will be filled at all times.  There won't be sewer gas issues, to be sure, but this doesn't seem right.

If that's not acceptable I've come up with a couple of options for replumbing the mess.  (Honestly, even if it is, I don't like the idea of storing a gallon of drain water in the pipes under the sink.)

Option B: This is the one I'd like to do.  It would open up space in the cabinet and doing it should be relatively straightforward.  I'm not sure if the dishwasher drain placement is acceptable though.  I'd bring the horizontal pipe up as high as possible below the sinks, then plumb the dishwasher line into the horizontal drain between the sinks.  I've never seen it that way before, but I can't see why it would be an issue (and of course the dishwasher line would come out of the top of the pipe and have a high loop.)

Option C: This is a possibility, though I'd really rather not.  I have access to the drain in the open basement ceiling.  I could remove the existing sewer line and run it up through the floor into the bottom of the cabinet.  The only issue with this is that it essentially creates an S-trap, which I don't think is accepted anymore.

Option D: Cutting into the wall in the back of the cabinet and dropping the sewer line 6 inches.  I know that this will do the trick, but yuck.

EDIT: For the curious, the fitting at E was just jammed together and sealed with sludge - neither the beveled sealing ring nor the threaded compression part of the joint was present.  The entire system was approximately 1/3 full of sludge.  It was truly revolting.  Whether the original met code or not (I can't believe it did), this was a horrible idea for a drain setup.


texts:
So my light switch is connected to my smoke alarm in such a way that the smoke alarm isn't on/charging unless the light in the room is also on.

I live in the United Kingdom. This is an upstairs bedroom light. Smoke alarm in adjacent hall.

Pretty sure that black is neutral, red is live and green/green+yellow is earth.

I've a feeling I should only need to move one wire to make it so the smoke alarm is always powered, and my light switched, but not 100% sure how to identify which wire?

Any help would be appreciated.

Here's the switch:

A wiring diagram:

The alarm wiring:

The lamp wiring:


texts: Strengthen a Stud Wall for more Roof Support

texts:
What is a good way to improve the strength of a stud wall so that it can better support the roof ?

On this 20'x20' garage, there is a wall with only 33" of non-opening.

Is there a super strong steel stud that can be used instead of 2x4s to make it stronger?


texts: Prevent water from overshooting gutter at corner roof valley?

texts:
I have a large, steep roof section (~400sqft) connected by a long ~20' valley.  During heavy rainstorms, the majority of the draining water completely overshoots the gutter, landing near the foundation.

How can I fix this?  I've heard of manufactured or home-brew L-shaped attachments, as alluded to in this similar post here, but they didn't go in to any detail about how they work or where to get them.  This answer attempts to describe them, but I don't really understand how to build one, and I read about potential problems with snow.

I'm open to just about anything, bigger gutters, some kind of ground drainage to deal with the overshot water, etc.


texts: Is it OK to use washed, smooth gravel under a pier block footing?

texts:
I am preparing footings for an outbuilding, using pier blocks. Our frost depth is only 12". There is a significant amount of clay in the soil, so I am putting gravel under the pier blocks.

The plan was: excavate holes to 12". Fill with 4" of 1 1/4" rock, compacted. Then 4" of 3/4" rock, compacted and leveled. This leaves the pier block 4" below grade. Fill around the block with soil, to resist sideways movement.

I have excavated to frost depth and bought a load of gravel. It's not exactly what I expected: it's smooth, round drain rock, and I was expecting coarse crushed rock. I assumed that coarse rock was important to make a stable base for the footings.

Is it OK to use round, smooth rock in this application, or would that doom my building project?


texts: How can I protect ultra thin paint on new kitchen cabinets?

texts:
I just got new kitchen cabinets, and the paint on the doors (which are hard wood) is ultra-ultra thin. It seems like it will scratch very easily. Is there a way to protect?

They are being installed now. Is it reasonable for me to ask for something with a thicker stain/paint/better level of protection (as opposed to this thin paint)? Or can I add a polyurethane to protect them? I think they look kind of cheap due to the ultra thin paint

...

Related question - the cabinets are plywood and also have this very thin protective coating (if you notice the edge between the front and the top, you will see just how thin the stain/paint is... I would like to beef them up somehow..


texts:
I need a mouse trap which sends a signal when it is activated, because in Finland, there is very strict animal legislation about catching mice. You cannot use glue traps. You can only use those mouse houses which the mouse can enter but not exit. However, the problem is that you have to look those traps regularly.
The regular checking of the trap makes the cost of getting rid of mice on roofs expensive in Finland.
The main problem is the cost of getting rid out of mice on the large surface of 400 m2.
Other alternatives in preventing mice in roofs by

Battery operated trail camera with bluetooth/cellular. Example: Primos, Browning, Bushnell, HC-300M, ... but should be with cellular or stable bluetooth where connection can be formed. Problem: current models are mostly with cellular and no bluetooth version.
Activity cameras like GoPro Hero 3 only choice? Xiaomi Yi rejected because no Pebble support, in contrast to GoPro Hero 3.
Eco Defense Ultrasonic Pest Repeller which may help in concentrating mice in one region. Link here. Too unstable and too inefficient if used alone.

Is there any mouse traps on the market which are battery operated and give signal when activated etc wifi, bluetooth?


texts: Upgrading from 100 to 200 amp load centre with 100 amp service shutoff

texts:
I want to upgrade my load centre panel that currently has a 100 amp main breaker w to 200 amp one along with the 100 amp service shutoff. The main is about 20' from the inside 100 amp fused shutoff connected with NMD-7 3/3. The meter base is outside on the opposing wall of the shutoff and is rated 200 amp.  The shutoff and meter base are connected via conduit so i can't easily see the wire gauge.
Do i need to replace the NMD-7 3/3 wire?
Can i replace the main panel with a 200 amp and change the 100 amp service shutoff at a later date?


texts: C Wire - Williamson Furnace/Honeywell Thermostat

texts:
I'm trying to install a new wifi thermostat, but am a little confused. I have 5 wires, but none are connected to the C in the thermostat, as seen below:

Additionally, when I trace the thermostat to inside of the Williamson furnace, it appears that the yellow/white wires are the ones connected to transformers, as seen below:

And here is the thermostat wire hooking into the "panel":

Is there a configuration of the existing wiring I can use to power the new thermostat? (I've also purchased a 24v transformer, but am unsure of how to complete the circuit if I add one of the wires to the C terminal.)
Wiring diagrams below:


texts: Installing wall shelves- Crumbling walls

texts:
My husband and I just moved into a new apartment and are trying to install our floating wall shelves. When we drill into the wall, the hole gets really big and the edges crumble. It takes a good bit of pressure to drill in.

The walls must be made of a plaster, as it is solid all the way through. Our last place was thick plaster, too, though, and we were able to drill smooth, clean holes that held the shelves no problem.

Is there any way we can install things onto our wall? We've already marred a few spots pretty good. Any advice is appreciated!


texts: What is the white crystals in my water softener? and how to clean properly

texts:
I bought a Hague WaterMax 63BAQ used water softener about two years ago. It didn't work until a few days ago when I had a specialist come fix it. (see this post Any idea what parts were replaced on my water softener?)

So being a new water softener user and excited about my 'new' water softener I have some questions..

1) My water softener was sitting there for about 2-3 years, and in the brine tank there are crystals all over (see the picture). How do I clean these and what are they called?

2) The lid was off - there are floaters (random trashy things) floating in there, I removed them, is that the proper procedure? I'm assuming because I have the lid back on it things won't get in there as much.

3) Are there any general maintenence / cleaning tasks I will need to perform?  Apparently the technician said that the only thing we'd need to do is add a resin cleaner from time to time. Is that correct? The manual says that

"Your appliance may be disinfected with 5.25% sodium hypochlorite, which is the active ingredient in household chlorine bleach. To disinfect your appliance, add 4.0 fluid ounces of chlorine bleach solution to the brine will of the brine tank. The brine tank should have water in it to carry the solution into the appliance. Start a manual regeneration."

4) After uploading the picture I also realized that i'm very low on salt. I know that it was potassium tablets put in there, I read in the manual you should not mix them. Should I remove them or wait for the potassium pellets to dissolve? I want to switch to the sodium / salt ones. What is the proper procedure?

Sorry for the many questions, thanks in advance...


texts:
I'm running an irrigation pump on 240V circuit I added to my breaker panel, and it's working fine with just a switch between them.  After my first attempt to add the timer between the switch and the panel failed (kept tripping the breaker when I turned the timer to "on"), I'm hoping to get some direction here.
  I have the wiring diagram attached.  It appears to indicate the 2 wires from the breaker go to screws 2 and 4, while there's a jumper between 3 and what I'll call 0, the un-numbered screw.  Then 0 and 1 run down the line to the 2-pole shut-off switch by the pond.  Am I understanding correctly?


texts: Will a To-5 kickstart cap for 1 to 3 ton units possibly be able to help a 4 ton unit compressor start at all? Ri

texts: Will a T0-5 kickstart capacitor be strong enough to help start a 4 ton unit?


texts: How does the wiring in this light hookup?

texts:
I'm trying to install this light in my house, but I don't know how the wiring works for it. The light has a switch on the front of it that controls both bulbs and the switch has two black wires coming out of it.
Two of the wires coming from the bulbs were tied together.
Here's a picture of the wiring on the back of the light. Any ideas?


texts: How should I pretreat painted plasterboard before gluing fiber cement sheet over it

texts:
I'm going to glue (and nail) cement tile underlay sheet to a painted plasterboard wall.

The paint seems to have decent adherence, should I do anything before gluing?


texts: Stucco alternative for a small section of a wall?

texts:
I'm trying to remove this exterior door, and replace it with a window:

The plan is to remove the door and frame, make top and bottom places from 2x3s, run 2x3s beams every 12" and make an opening for a window, adding extra 2x3s under the window to help with weight. The frame is about 30" by 72".

The only issue I'm concerned is stucco finishing at the outside. I read about it, and it seems to be quite time-consuming application requiring multiple steps, and three coats. Are there any alternatives to stucco masonry which would be suitable for the exterior and could provide necessary protection?

In particular, would something like that work?

Regular plywood attached to studs;
The moisture barrier (self-adhesive film or roofing felt) nailed;
Pressure-treated plywood on top of it;
Sprayed texture and exterior paint;

Would this be enough?


texts:
I've got a sink basin installed under granite that looks kindof like this:

All around the outside of the sink sandwiched between the basin and the granite is a rubber gasket that has started to fail (break apart and deteriorate) in some areas. I'm handy enough to remove the basin and put a new gasket around it (which I assume is custom and came with the sink but I could probably figure something out), however I am afraid of causing more problems - namely, that the granite might crack from the stress.

Is it ok for me to caulk with clear silicon around the basin? Or should the sink really be removed?


texts: sliding window with electric roller shutter doesn't fully close

texts:
I have this window which doesn't fully close. It stucks at some point while closing. I can hear its electric motor still working but something prevents it from fully closing. So half of the holes are visible:

I've cleaned the window very well and even applied WD-40 on its rails but nothing changed.

Any idea on where should I look at next?


texts: Preparing Broken Concrete Hearth Extension for Tile

texts:
I am planning to retile my fireplace hearth extension. As I was removing the old tile, the front edge of the concrete bed crumbled away. I presume this was because it was much thinner than the remaining concrete (~1"), and because there was no mesh lathe holding it together. The remaining concrete appears to be ~3 inches thick, based on what I can see from the basement. The remaining concrete is recessed from the wood floor by 3/4", and the tile I plan to use is 3/8" thick.
How should I patch this missing section of concrete so that it is a strong bed for the tile to sit? I need to add about 3/4" to bring it to the same height as the rest of the concrete.
My initial thought was to either use cement board, or float a bed of mortar up to the same level as the existing concrete, and then secure a 1/4" cement board with tapcon concrete screws and thinset to make a uniform surface. This will leave 1/2" left for the thinset and tile. Research has shown that that might not be adequate and that it isn't recommended to use concrete screws on cement board, but I can't tell if that is just because it is tedious to drill all the pilot holes (it's a small area, so I'm not concerned with that) or if there is another reason not to do that.
Any suggestions is greatly appreciated.


texts: Why does the breaker trip occasionally after I installed a new light fixture?

texts:
We bought a house a couple of years ago with a covered light fixture box in the ceiling (a blank cover over a wired box and a blank cover over the switch box).  I recently modified a plug-in pendant lamp (no ground) to a hard-wired pendant lamp by doing the following:

Cut the plug off the lamp cord.
Connect it to the wires in the ceiling box (white to white, black to black).
Install a new single-pole switch in the switch box.

The new fixture has no ground, so I'm not sure what to do with the ground wire from the power cable.  The fixture is a simple lamp-style socket on the end of a long cord.  I have a 12-watt (60-watt equivalent) CFL installed.

The circuit itself, as best as I can tell, controls the overhead lights in the kitchen and the adjacent room.  This includes a small (20-watt?) round fluorescent fixture, a ceiling fan that we never use (with a 25-watt incandescent bulb installed), and a track light with three 26-watt (100-watt equivalent) CFLs installed.

The first time I flipped the light on, it immediately tripped the breaker.  I reset the breaker and tried again with no problem.  Tonight during dinner (I did the mod on Tuesday or Wednesday), the breaker tripped after the lights had been on and stable for quite some time.

I didn't flip the switch off, but I reset the breaker.  It immediately tripped, so I reset it again, and it seemed fine.  It hasn't tripped since.  In the 2.5 years we've lived here, I don't remember that breaker ever tripping before, which is what has me concerned.

I'll be in the attic tomorrow to replace a cable splitter, so I'll try to find the cable and visually inspect it for any damage or kinks.

Is there anything else I should be looking for?  Any obvious problems or solutions that I don't know of?


texts: This is an odd one! I have a bathroom sink where the hot tap has a compression valve. I can easily loosen the valve but I cannot then remove it from the tap! It seems that the far end of the compression valve is wider/as wide as the thread of the valve. Is this a recognised issue? Is there any way of removing this valve, or do I need to replace the whole tap? I can provide an image if required!


texts: My garage lift only works if the light switch is on!

texts: I just moved into a house where I couldn't get the garage door to open until I figured out that the switch on the wall turned the lift AND the light on. And the light has to be on in order for the lift to work. I would like to make that a double switch, or even better set it where the garage lift is always powered. Is this do-able? Simply?


texts: How do I build a deck that is easy to take apart?

texts:
I spent the day taking apart the platform for a yurt. It was a real pain, and I want to make it easier to take apart next time.

Old deck construction details:

Decking was 1 1/8" tongue-and-groove plywood, fastened with 3" Robertson (square-drive) screws. The deck was painted after installation, so some paint was in the screw heads. A regular cordless drill wasn't strong enough to turn these screws, but an combination drill / impact-driver was able to do it. However, maybe 1 in 10 screws had their drive heads stripped instead. Too much friction / too much torque. We used a Sawzall to cut those screws out. Went through 4 Sawzall blades.

Framing was 4" x 6" joists on 4" x 4" posts on concrete piers. Most lumber was pressure-treated, but about 1/3 of the joists were not. Beam-to-post caps were nailed in to the joists and posts, 3 nails on each side. We spent a lot of time hammering a Cat's Paw under the nail heads, and then prying them out.

Insulation was 4' x 8' sheets of 2"-thick foil-faced foam board, between the joists, secured with 1/2" x 1" lath strips, which were fastened with 2" screws. To be able to get the Sawzall in to place, we crawled around in the dirt under the yurt to remove the foam. These screws were also hard to remove, and sometimes we had to break the lath instead.

We're going to put the yurt up at a new location. I'm guessing it'll be there about 5 years, and then it'll be time to move it again. So I want to think about how to build it in a way to make it easier to disassemble when the time comes.

Some ideas

Fasten the floor with 2"-long scews, for easier turning.
Prime & paint the floor panels before installation. Maybe 1 more coat after installation.
Pilot the floor screw holes.
Duplex (double-headed) nails for the beam-to-post caps. Maybe screws instead?
Tiny finish nails for the lath that holds up the inuslation. Easy to rip out. 2" screws was overkill.


texts:
Where I live, the water pressure from the water utility is very low (About 8 PSI average). I am considering getting a jet pump with a 33 gallon pressure tank and a 400 gallon water tank for when there is no water at all. Electricity is a major concern because it is very expensive in my area, about $0.25 a KW. I use on average about 100 gallons of water a day.

Which type of jet pump or full setup in terms of HP and Watts would you guys recommend for my setup that would save me on electricity?

Most people around here just use a 1/2 HP well jet pump with the pressure tank and water storage tank. I've been reading much on Cycle Stop Valves which use a small pressure tank and Variable Frequency Drives, but that seems a little overkill.


texts:
Moved in my newly built Wisconsin house in the first week of November. It's a raised ranch with unfinished full walkout basement. Insulation is fiberglass batting with 4mil poly over external wood walls, and fiberglass, no poly over foundation walls. 2X6 studs.

Decided to pull fiberglass out of one stud cavity cuz poly was cut for furnace wires and wanted to see what's what. They hadn't caulked the hole in sheathing and green spots, which appear to be mold, filled the cavity. So, just on a hunch decided to pull others around basement. Stud cavities were damp, fiberglass backs damp, and sill boxes damp with either mildew or light mold in the boxes. Pretty sure the little hole isn't to blame for the others being damp, etc.

Builder says this is natural. "Had wet fall, building is wet work, etc." Said not to worry about it and just run dehumidifier for year or two straight and all will normalize. So got two going now.

Thinking of closed cell spray foam as one mitigating tool.

Thoughts?


texts: Can I wire a one-way parallel light switch?

texts:
I have some switched lights in my attic, which is accessible via scuttle in a pantry, which also has lights. Sometimes the attic light gets left on and forgot about.
The attic and pantry lights are on the same breaker, served from the same junction box.

The attic switch is not visible when the scuttle door is closed.

I'd like the switch in the attic to turn on both the attic lights and the pantry lights in parallel (not three way) such that if the attic lights are on the pantry lights are also on. The pantry lights should always be on if the attic is on, regardless of the switch position in the pantry.

However, I do not want the opposite to be true. If the attic lights are off, then the pantry switch should work correctly for the pantry lights but the pantry switch should not turn on the attic.

Can I do this without "smart switches?"

My intent is to make it more obvious that the attic lights are on.


texts: Must a flush-mount panel actually be flush?

texts:
I'm in California.

I have a flush mount electrical panel. I'm looking to install a second layer of drywall over the existing for acoustic reasons.

This will result in the panel being inset by 5/8-inch. The cover will still for securely.

Is this acceptable?
I know for boxes I use an extension ring but what about the panel?


texts: what do i use to attach an ikea table top to storage facilities. links attached

texts:
I want to attach these -

Ikea Algot

to this -

Bekant table top

what would be the best way?


texts:
What causes the sprinkler heads to not pop up?  We have tested the pressure it's at 58.
When adding one sprinkler head to the line (the other 4 are capped) the gauge goes does to 20.


texts:
I have an open attic with 2x8 ceiling joists, 16" on center. I would like to convert this space to low-traffic living space, eventually to house a model railroad layout. No bedroom, no bathroom, no real seating, just one large open area with the layout against the walls. Since my roof is stick-built (just the ridgepole and stringers, no trusses), I don't have to worry about roof support, do I? Are the single 8x2 joists sufficient subfloor to support the occasional weight, or should I sister them with another 2x8 each? I'm planning on putting in 2x6's for the wall joists prior to insulating it and then drywalling it.

I'm also planning a renovation of the house with an addition, which will expand the attic space and may change the requirements for attic flooring. For thoroughness, here is a floorplan of the space below the attic area I want to finish prior to the renovations:

The span between the outer wall (left-most wall) and the rightmost kitchen wall is ~24 feet. The converted space would stop there, and would only be as wide as the garage for the area above the garage. Ceiling joists are currently strung left to right in these floorplans.

Post-renovation, here is the floorplan:

The master bathroom is conditioned space, the workshop will most likely be slab, unconditioned space. The space above the new master bathroom would not be converted to living space, the space above the workshop would.


texts: I just bought my first home, on one wall I can see that under the insulation we have some concrete spalling and Efflorescence. How serious is this? My plan is to open up the insulation there and take a peeksy.


texts: Hvac Fan only blows in 'fan on' mode while heating

texts:
Our HVAC Fan only blows in 'fan on' mode while heating. In other words the fan will not blow in heat mode if switched to "fan auto". Both fan on and fan auto modes work when cooling. See image below, any ideas?

UPDATE

I also forgot that I had the blower replaced 1 year back and am now wondering if the wiring of that could be the culprit. See this link for information on the original and new blowers.


texts: Can't find the circuit board of my HVAC system

texts:
I'm trying to install a wireless thermostat for my church building's HVAC system. Currently there is no C wire, so I tried to see where the circuit board was so I could install one. I couldn't find anything that looked like a C wire though

If this isn't possible, I'm guessing a second solution would be to power it with an external transformer, but I'm trying to avoid that route if I can.


texts: Safe to test circuit breaker is working by overloading it?

texts: Is it safe to test a 20-amp circuit breaker is working by overloading it? The reason I ask is because I purchased a 11-amp window air conditioner. If someone plugs a vacuum into a outlet on the same circuit I want to ensure it trips.


texts: Rust repair and coverage on High temperature fixture

texts: I'm looking for recommendations for going about making my bathroom electric baseboard heater more presentable (and, of course, maintaining its safety). I'm including pictures of the fixture, showing the rust spots. As you know the bathroom location leaves it susceptible to a lot of moisture. In fact, I installed the current heater years ago as a replacement of the former baseboard heater which had also rusted. I want to pretty this one up and need instructions for dealing with the rust first and then the right kind of paint to use in this high temperature location that will also better protect the surfaces from further rusting.


texts:
I see that an installer used stainless steel jacketed filler hoses with my new washer. (See picture below.) I was wondering if these are any better than rubber hoses?

I've heard a few stories about people going on vacation and finding their washing machine hoses burst while they were away. I try to remember to shut off the valves when I'm away, but I I'd like to know if these SS hoses help at all. (After all, they don't have to burst only while I'm out of town.)

I see in the details from my hardware store that stainless steel hoses are rated for 1500 to 2500 PSI. The rubber ones are rated at 150 PSI. That's a big difference, but does it address the underlying problem, which I assume is that the hose ages and eventually fails?


texts: Which way should my joists run for a tray ceiling?

texts:
I'm getting ready to frame in a tray ceiling in my closet. The dimensions are 70" x 30".

I was thinking about just using one 2x6 joist that spans the entire length (70") of the trey ceiling right down the middle and then adding two 2x4 nailers along the sides.

Is this the right way to go or would it be better for me to have multiple 2x6 joists that span the shorter width of 30".

There won't be anything too heavy being supported, just 2 light fixtures.

Here's a photo of how I was thinking about doing it:


texts: Is is safe to plug a surge protector into a 2-prong outlet using a 3-to-2-prong adapter?

texts:
I live in an apartment that has essentially no 3-prong electrical outlets. I need to plug in a modest amount of computer equipment (which has a mix of 2- and 3-prong plugs), and I want to plug this equipment into surge protectors. Physically, I can accomplish this using cheap 3- to 2-prong adapters, but is that safe?

In part, my question is, what happens when a surge protector does its thing? One plausible scenario is that it dumps the excess energy into the ground conductor, which seems like it could pose a much worse problem than damaged equipment if that ground is poor or nonexistent.

This is in Colorado if that matters.

These questions seem related but don't directly answer the surge protector safety question:

What to do with an apartment with only 2-pronged outlets
How do I use three-prong appliances when my outlets are mostly two-prong?
Is it unsafe if some three prong outlets don't properly test as grounded?


texts:
I have a older home (build in the 50's) with 1/2" dry wall and then plaster on top.

I would like to run Cat6 cable through most of the house (living room, kitchen, entertainment room,etc).

So, I'm looking for pointers on how to do this.

At first glance, I could make a fairly long 'horizontal trench' in the wall, through the plaster and dry wall and then run the cable through the studs (they are wood and I would have to drill a hole).

But I'm really hoping their is a better way.

edit

I also have a finished basement (except for the furnace area).


texts: Is it ok that a hot wire connects to two separate switches?

texts:
I recently tried to replace my light switch with some smart switches but when I open it, the wiring was a bit odd to me.

The top of wire of the first switch was piggy tailed/connected to the bottom of the second light switch. Is that correct?

I have included pictures and a bad hand drawn picture.


texts:
I'm an amateur at woodworking/masonry/anything home-improvement related.

I'm building a bench, and the following (parts 7c and 7d) forms part of the bench's building procedure. I can't visualize nor understand those parts. Could someone exlplain why they're needed and maybe reference a visual?

http://www.amalgamatedstuff.com/bsatroop475/Docs/Troop475-bench-plans.pdf

Match each post with a specific seat 2 x 6 support brace
a. Due to shrinkage, not all pieces will be the same size
b. Use the specific seat brace to measure and cut the
notch in the 6 x 6 so that it fits the seat brace
c. Use a circular saw set to the proper depth to create
the cut for the shoulder that the brace will rest upon
d. Use a plunge router to remove the remaining notch
material. Make 2 passes.

IN any other context, steps c and d would make sense. I'm unsure why they're needed for building the particular bench (


texts: Turn 120 volts two plug outside into AC connection

texts:
i have a question reguarding an AC hookup for my workshop. the workshop is on the other side of the house connected by the garage, and it gets to 95 deggrees. oof!  I am currently looking into purchasing a DIY MINI SPLIT 12000 BTU 120v (Link to product here) and i need to figure out how to properly wire the thing.
I'm pretty sure this outlet is on a circuit with other outlets in the workshop, so if that's a problem I need to know. My breaker appears to be full up so routing another wire may not be an option.
so my question is, is it possible to turn this outside outlet into the necessary wiring connections to hook up the aforementioned AC unit?


texts: How can I turn on a vent fan over a gas range when gas flow is detected?

texts:
We recently installed a kitchen island and for various reasons there are no acceptable places to put a vent switch close at hand.

I would like to make the whole system more automatic and link the vent to gas flow.  (with an additional manual switch in a less convenient location)

I'm having trouble finding an appropriate device that could switch on my vent fan when the smallest single burner on the stove is running.

So far I'm looking at something like this:
https://www.alliedelec.com/product/dwyer-instruments/v6epb-b-s-1-b/70408848/

But I'm not sure if it's appropriate.   It seems to be intended for things like detecting if a boiler is running, and this use should be very similar, but my minimum flow may be smaller.

Has anyone ever heard of such a construct?   Is there a purpose built product I'm missing?


texts: Covering intake register for a whole house fan in winter

texts:
The register for the whole house fan blows cold air in winter from the attic.

I would like to cover it up to avoid this. I have seen HomeDepot/Lowes sell magnetic covers. However reviews indicate that they do not hold too well in that they peel off on their own.

Anyone have suggestions on solutions that you have used?

Many thanks!


texts: What’s the purpose of a black rubber ring near the bottom of a drain body?

texts:
I’ve purchased a new bathroom sink faucet on Amazon, and I’ve installed the set. But I’m puzzled by a rubber ring near the bottom of the drain body that came with the set. I couldn’t figure out what it’s made for. The second picture shows that I’ve removed it (did not install). Does anybody know what it does?

In the picture above, I was pointing at the o-ring near the bottom of the drain tube (not ring A nor B) it’s the same o-ring I’m holding in picture 2


texts: How should I connect conduit in the wall to conduit on the ceiling?

texts: In running conduit for a subpanel, I'm not sure how to make the transition from conduit running vertically in the wall cavity to running out from the wall along the ceiling. I could notch the top plate, but I'm not sure that's a good idea. If I just put in a 90° elbow out of the wall the conduit won't be up against the joists. How should I go about this?


texts:
just bought a new refrigerator.
it will be used in our SUMMER cottage.   We always winterized our old refrig, by emptying it, cleaning it, unplugging it and propping the door open.   We were told we should consider a garage kit.  I question why, if we unplug it.   Are we potetentially damaging the compressor?  the lines?   Refrigerator ideally will not run at all in the winter, in our unheated cottage, yet the walls are all insulated.
Jim


texts: Will I trap moisture in the concrete of basement walls and floors if I seal them with epoxy?

texts: I'm thinking about painting my basement's walls with some concrete sealer (before finishing the basement) and floor with epoxy paint. Many people are doing that, but I'm concerned about moisture in the concrete. The outside of the walls are covered with some black stuff which is a moisture barrier. If I paint the inside of the walls, I will lock moisture inside the concrete for ever - will it affect concrete in any way? What about mold in the concrete? I heard something about concrete breathing - does it apply here?


texts: Existing 3 way switch light - add a light

texts:
Can I tap a wire to the switch 1 to add a light? the power source is to the light first. I can't run the wire from the ceiling light.

This diagram belongs to do-it-yourself-help.com. The original image can be found here: https://www.do-it-yourself-help.com/3-way-switch-wiring-diagrams.html


texts: Can I use a dimmer on a fan IF I only use at 100%?

texts:
I have an IRIS home automation system. I want to put my fan on an IRIS switch however the on/off switches require a neutral - the dimmers do not. The neutral in the box is nearly impossible to get to... so my thoughts were to just use a dimmer but only run it at 100%. I understand its not a good idea to change the speed of a fan using  a dimmer. Considering I have no desire to change the speed with the dimmer and plan on running it at 100%... is this safe?
This is the dimmer
The specs
Dimmer or Fan Control           Dimmer
Dimmer and Fan Control Type     Other
Remote Control Included         No
Amps (Amps)                     15.0
Voltage (Volts)                 120.0
Wall Plate Included             No
Color                           White
Color/Finish Family             White
RFI Filter                      Yes
Fan Speed                       N/A
Controller/Dimmer Wattage       600
Phase Type                      Single phase (120/240)
UL Safety Listing               Yes
CSA Safety Listing              No
ETL Safety Listing              No
Collection Name                 Iris
Iris Technology                 Yes


texts: Why the price differential between a cheap hammer and an expensive one?

texts:
Went to my local DIY store last week to get a hammer (somehow managed to lose my tried and tested hammer over the winter).

I had a rough idea a new hammer was going to cost me £10 to £15. When I saw their range I saw prices of £35 to £55.

Just before fainting on the spot, I saw their cheaper items on a lower shelf and picked up a hammer for £9.

My nine quid hammer is nice and solid and heavy and isn't going to wear out or fall apart. But now I'm curious. How does an item as basic, durable and uncomplicated as a hammer vary so much in price? And what are the pros getting for their fifty odd quid?

All the hammers on show had the same shape, size and similar kinds of handles.


texts: How do I fill in the holes in wooden window frames?

texts:
I drilled a few holes to window frames in my rented house hoping to setup a steel mosquito mesh with screws rather than small nails to be removed easily in the future.

I hurriedly used a 3 mm drill bit. The holes are easily visible and I want to fill them now. They are just 6 holes not deeper than 1 centimeter.

More details:

Number of windows: 2
Number of holes: 6 per window frame
Diameter of the holes: 3mm
Depth: 1cm to 2 cm

Could anybody tell me the best way to fill them? I am thinking of applying putty and paint with the same colors but I don't know if that covers the holes completely.


texts: Installing a Meter Socket and Safety Switch

texts:
I’m in installing a meter socket and 30 amp fused safety switch where I’m only using one leg of service. I got 3- wire 120/240 service entrance which connect to my meter socket black and red to there designated spot, the meter says to land the neural ground to a 2 hole grounded lug in the meter panel. My safety switch is connected with, chase nipple under my meter. I ran a 8’ ground rod below my Safety switch, (this is all on a pole).

Can I run my 6awg solid ground from ground rod through bottom of Safety switch to a chair lug then run a insulated 6awg to the meter lug where the service entrance grounded neural is?

My equipment is coming into Safety switch 120v black to its spot. Now the Safety switch has a neutral bus with green screw; do I need to ground that bus?

My white to that neutral bus and green ground wire also with green screw inserted or a separate ground bus is needed, and is there a neutral that comes down from meter to Safety switch or not?


texts: How can I change this light fixture in my closet?

texts:
I wanted to change the light fixture in my front closet.  Simple enough task.  I've done this sort of thing hundreds of times.

I turned off the circuit breaker.  I took the old fixture off.  However, I found that the wires were whole with only a small piece of the plastic/rubber covering peeled off from the center from each color.  One wire was white and the other yellow. There are no ends to you would typically find.  I thought it was odd but just went with it.  I wrapped the white wire from the new fixture to the white wire in the ceiling and the black wire from the fixture to the yellow in the ceiling.  Long story - short...When I turned on the electricity the circuit blew. Needless to say what i thought would work, didn't.

I hope all that makes sense. I have not idea how to resolve this, considering it should have been easy.


texts: How do we remove tile spacers that are stuck in the mortar between the tiles?

texts: When tiling the shower, we inadvertently left several tile spacers in too long and we subsequently could not remove the spacers entirely and some fragments remain stuck in the mortar and are visible.  How can we remove those fragments without damaging the surrounding tiles before we can move onto the next step to begin grouting?


texts: Why do high efficiency water heaters require outside air vents and drains?

texts: All high efficiency water heaters seem to require PVC air intake and vent; the existing water heater I have doesn't have a drain connection or intake vent; only a traditional chimney. What are these used for in high efficiency designs?


texts: Should my stairs have less than 10 inch run?

texts: My home is antique and has 9" x 9" stairs (extremely steep). I'm having them rebuilt adding only one stair since I am limited by floor space and headroom. They will then have an 8.1" rise and I would like them to have a 10" run because it feels roomy but the formula (2X rise) + run is supposed to be within an inch of 25. The only way to get it below 26 would be to reduce my run which I really didn't want to do.. What should I do?


texts: Run HVAC fan throughout the day for comfort

texts:
At my old house, we replaced the HVAC with a high efficiency unit that came with a thermostat that would blow, say, 50% to 70% of the time for air movement to increase comfort level. I'm not sure but I think I recall that it was a variable speed fan that did that for a milder air flow.

My son just bought his first house and installed a programmable thermostat that allows him to do the same thing so I suggested he let the main blower run 50% of the time to see if it increases comfort of the house.

My question is whether there are any issues with letting the main blower do that as far as wear and tear on it. He seems to think the house feels more comfortable and that the AC hasn't needed to kick on. My only other issue with the idea is the main blower is noisier than the one in my high efficiency unit.

Is there any cause for concern with this?


texts: I'm putting in a french drain to control runoff and get it out of the yard. The drain is going in an area of the yard that is covered with 1.5" river rock, no dirt will cover the trench at all. I want to wrap the pipe properly but I'm not sure the best way or that I even need to in this scenario. I lined the trench with fabric and put a layer of rock down. I then layed the french drain pipe, holes down, along the trench. Do I now back fill the pipe with more rock and then wrap the fabric that is sticking out of the trench over the top of the rock or do I just go over the top of the trench with the fabric as I lay the 1.5" river rock(a I would if the trench wasn't even there).


texts: Can I run a T5HO ballast with significantly lower wattage T5NO bulbs?

texts:
I gather this is generally possible, as long as bulbs draw less power than the ballast can provide, but are there limits on how low you can go?

I currently have an electronic ballast for 1 or 2 54W T5 F54T5HO bulbs and two F13T5 bulbs. The specifications on the ballast don't list anything close to that wattage.

What are the consequences of running 1 13W bulb on a ballast that can support 2 54W (besides wasting the hardware)?


texts: do squirrels chew lead-coated copper flashing boots on rooftop plumbing vent pipes

texts: I've seen pictures of damaged lead pipe boots where squirrels had chewed on them. Does the same damage risk exist with lead-coated copper?


texts: Why circulator on heatpump Armstrong S-25 BF Cast Iron In-Line Pump, 1/12 hp breaks every year?

texts:
I have a 4 zone water based heating system. One S-25 BF Cast Iron In-Line Pump, 1/12 hp heat pump for all 4 zones. The spring circulator breaks every year. It just broken again eventhough the assembly does not require any lubrication on S-25 BF. Before this model I had S-25 which required lubrication and I could see that on those old pumps lubricant oil was causing issue so I bought this one. Now it broke again.

Why is spring ciculator breaking every year?

Is there heatpump w/o circualtor that I can use in place of S-25 BF. Do I need a more powerful pump?


texts: Thermal expansion: installing a hardwood floor and subfloor

texts:
I plan to add a subfloor in the unfinished attic, and lay down hardwood on top of it. The attic has large temperature swings, from about 50 to almost 100F (something will have to be done about that later), which makes me concerned about how to properly install the subfloor and then the hardwood planking on top to accommodate thermal expansion.
I will install at the highest temperatures in the range, so contraction is probably what I should properly worry about.
What is done to allow for expansion/contraction? Is there a preferred alignment of subfloor panels to the underlying joists? and is there a preferred alignment for the hardwood slats? I would like to make the hardwood direction match the rest of the house...


texts: I toured a home with an inspector and found out that, while the two prong outlets have been "updated" with three prong outlets, very few in the home are grounded. I am attaching a picture of the electric panel to find out if there is grounding at the panel. I've done quite a bit of reading to find out that you can ground the outlets if the panel is grounded.


texts: Want to connect and old standard ceiling fan to wall light switch

texts:
These are oldish standard chain-pull operated ceiling fans in  our bedrooms

The light is operated by a wall switch or the one of the chains in  the fan, The fan, it is only operated by pulling the chain. I would like to connect them to wall  switches... one of those light-fan combo switches similar to this one

But I don't know if that is possible at all? and if so; what is involved or complex would it be? Does it need to have new wires sneak through the ceiling and walls?  Would it require to hire an electrician or could I - handy with doing things myself but don't know much about electric stuff-- could do?


texts: What is this green paste on cold water outlet

texts:
Does anyone know what this green stuff is

It has a paste like consistency.

Pretty sure that is isn’t oxidised copper as there it is too thick/ there is too much and none is on the copper pipework.

If anymore information is required let me know.


texts: Is replacing the nails with gasketed screws likely to remedy leaks in a metal shed roof?

texts:
I own a 40 year old shed with a steel roof that was fastened using gasketed nails. Over time the nails have worked loose and the gaskets disintegrated and many of the holes leak.

Will pulling them and replacing them in the same holes with screws designed for the job resolve the leaks, or at least most of them?


texts: Two black, two white, two ground, one red wire in bathroom receptacle: huh?

texts:
I'm going through my house (built 1940s) and replacing a bunch of receptacles with GFCIs.

Most of the receptacles that I've opened up have one black and one white: I hook them up to the hot and neutral sides, pack it back in to the box, mark it ungrounded, done.

We have a square metal junction box in the bathroom next to the sink (mounted on the wall, no less) that I want to throw a GFCI in, but I can't figure it out. Flipping each breaker on the main panel and a subpanel, I couldn't even stop power to it (?): I had to flip the main breaker to do so.  When I open it up, it has:

two whites pigtailed to one white, connected to the upper terminal on the receptacle (neutral)
one red connected to the upper terminal (hot)
two blacks pigtailed to a stranded white, connected to the lower terminal
two grounds pigtailed to two more grounds, one connected to the box, one just hanging free
the receptacle says 15A on it, but the wires are all solid 12 gauge (except for that stranded white one going from the two blacks to the lower hot terminal)
the tab between the upper and lower hot terminals is intact, so both plugs are always hot (neither seem to be controlled by a switch)

I tried hooking up a 20A GFCI in the same configuration, but with the loose ground attached, but no dice. Any ideas what's going on here and how I can safely attach the GFCI? (Bonus points for actually being grounded!)

My next steps are going to be to crawl under the house to see if I can figure out where the wires are coming from/going to, I guess. Any input is much appreciated


texts: How can I effectively remove paint from receptacle covers and screws?

texts: We moved into an older house, and one of the projects is going to be replacing the 2-prong receptacles and changing them into 3-prong.  However, there's many layers of paint around/over the plates, and the screws as well.  In the past I would just pry it off with a screwdriver, but I know that's not the best method.  What other methods are appropriate?


texts: Subpanel breaker sizing in detached shed with electrical feed from breaker in main house panel

texts:
I want to feed 240V 30A from a new 30A breaker in my home main electric panel to a new subpanel in a adetached shed.  The electric feed I want to use for the new subpanel is (4) 10awg THWN wires (R/B/W/G) to be fed from a new 240V 30A circuit breaker in my home main load center, and then through 60' of conduit across my basement and underground to the new shed subpanel.   The subpanel would have (2) 120V 20A breakers for light and outlet circuits - as well the capacity for a 240V  20A  future breaker for a compressor outlet.   I will separate neutrals and grounds in the subpanel, and will ground the shed subpanel and shed circuitry devices with a new ground rod at the shed.
I have (4) questions :

Will a new 8-slot, 125A Square D 125A subpanel with a 125A main breaker that I want
to use for a subpanel and disconnect in the shed satisfy NEC code requirements   ?
(I want 2nd opinion on early advice saying SuI'll have to swap out 125A main for 30A main)
And if so, can you please point me to the applicable NEC code section(s) ?

Will I need two ground rods at the shed ?        or just one ?
And if so can you point me to the applicable NEC section(s) ?

Wiring in the shed will be with (3) 12awg THHN wires (B/W/G)  in 1/2" EMT.  IF I run
the three wires for power from a 20A breaker in the subpanel to a light switch near
a cornner shed door, can I run the switched wires part way back to the light in the
same EMT conduit ?
And if so, the applicable code section(s) ?

Any other advice anyone can offer on this plan to provide electricity in my shed ?

Thanks for any help.


texts: We are planning a rehab of our first floor (2-story home). The furnace and air handlers are in the basement for the whole house. The supply and return for the 2nd floor run STRAIGHT up to the second floor into the attic from the air handler.  We would like to re-route the lines that go to the 2nd floor about 8' from where they are presently. Can this be done without moving the air handlers (which are huge)? I guess my concern is the loss of efficiency when adding 90-degree angles to the path. I am obviously just a homeowner and do not plan to make these changes on my own, but would like some information to help us in the planning process. The inability to move those lines would obviously affect the plans. Thanks.


texts: Why is my Delta kitchen faucet dripping? How can I fix it?

texts:
I installed a Delta Ashton single pull faucet in my kitchen about a year ago. Recently, it has started leaking both at the pivot and at the spray selector on the wand (red areas circled in the image below). If it matters, the faucet seems to only leak after the water has been running for a few minutes and we have moderately hard water.

Does anyone know what the source of the dripping is? How can I fix it? Some of the other "facuet leak" questions mention a cartridge. I don't even know if this faucet has one.


texts: Is it advisable to connect a sump pump to pop-up sprinkler heads?

texts:
My home doesn't offer a great place to eject sump water due to a very level landscape. I'm thinking of adding 3-5 standard pop-up sprinkler heads to the output line. This would allow better distribution of the ejected water than though a single output point.

However, since the system would need to be under pressure, I'd have to disconnect it seasonally and blow out the lines to prevent freeze damage.

Are there any other obvious downsides to this plan?


texts: min temperature to store an unused refrigerator

texts: I have a brand new fridge that I am currently storing in my garage as we are going to sell our house/move. Is there any danger for the fridge to be stored in an environment where temperature can go below freezing?


texts:
At the moment under the oven switch the cable is plastered over (without capping) till it reaches under the counter; there it pops out of the raw plaster and is draped across the back of the units to the double-oven housing where its just wired into the back of the oven.

My sparky suggested channeling out the wall (light blue line) down and across, then capping it. But I was wondering if it was better, or if theres any reason not to channel straight down to the floor boards, then tac the cable to the joist across the width of  the kitchen before coming up (channeling again) to the cooker connection point (as in the purple line).

The blue line would be 70cm high; total length of cable travel 150cm
And this is in the UK.


texts: can a ceiling fan be wired via a 3-pin plug and switched using the standard power socket switch?

texts: I've got a perfectly good ceiling fan without controller that I want to rig up in my shed for cooling purposes and wondered if there are any problems attaching a 3 pin plug to feed the power directly to it? Expecting to be able to control (turn it on/off) using the standard wall socket switch with the option of removing the plug from the wall socket whenever I wish to completely isolate it.


texts: Would this entire wall need re-skimming or just where the wardrobe has been removed?

texts:
I have removed a fitted wardrobe and damaged the plasterboard underneath slightly. The wall next to where the wardrobe was is already skimmed and painted. I'm not going to attempt to skim where the wardrobe was myself, but would like to reduce the cost of a plasterer where possible. Therefore I would like to know the following:

As part of the wall has already been skimmed, would it all need taking down and re-plasterboarding / skimming, or can you skim up to the edge of the existing skim on the wall and get a nice smooth finish? (see image 1)
IF you can, would it save me money to fill in the holes with drywall patches / polyfiller (prob cost about £35) or would a plasterer charge a similar amount to fix the holes? (see image 2)


texts: Why does Lutron motion sensor light switch have low amp?

texts:
I am replacing the old switches with occupancy/vacancy sensor light switches. However Lutron only has 2amp and 5amp while the ones I have are the standard 15 amp.

I don't know about the significant of amp value of a light switch. Could someone explain?

Will it be OK if I use 2amp switches here? Why doesn't Lutron have 15 amp motion sensor switches if it is the standard?


texts: How do I install a Leviton light switch timer?

texts:
I bought a Leviton light switch timer. It has 5 wires coming out of it - Black, White, Yellow, Red, and Green.

The switch I'm trying to replace is in a box with 2 other light switches. The switch I want to replace only has 3 black wires running to it. How do I connect connect this?


texts: How to flash a roof valley on parallel roofs

texts:
I'm redoing my entire roof (roof deck included).  The previous owner built a carport parallel to the house.  The carport is a permanent structure with a normal roof - trusses and whatnot of equal quality to the house itself.

The two roofs are parallel.  They come together at a valley roughly 12 feet long with almost zero slope in the valley itself.  I'm worried that water will run down either roof and just stay in the valley.  How can I flash this properly so it will not leak?

Responding to Ecnerwal:

Are you talking about something like this?


texts: House wide 24v dc on single extra conductor?

texts:
Is it feasible to provide a house wide 24v DC supply that uses mains neutral or ground for the -ve side?
Edit: I removed reference to "NEUTRAL OR ground" because risks, and RCDs, per answers.
Where I am AC is 230v, and and 3-core TPS is normal.  If I could get a single 24v  at each power outlet, then I can put fairly cheap USB-C Power Delivery points for 5v to 20v DC at each outlet.
But can i use 4-core single phase for this, or do I need to use a separate DC pair?  Are there risks beyond the obvious ones (like accidentally bridging the 24v +DC and AC live!)?


texts: What is this white sheet behind the insulation?

texts: Was in a house this weekend with a little bit of insulation. Behind it was a white sheet that i haven’t seen before. Is it a vapor barrier?


texts: Is it okay to build a fire pit with concrete?

texts:
I want to put a small fire pit (3ft x 3ft) into backyard. I checked the stone options at home depot & lowes and just the material will cost around $250.

I was thinking about building a mold and pouring concrete into it instead of using stone. Cost would be less than $50 in this case.

Is it ok to use concrete instead stone in terms of high heat and fire? Should I put some sort of heat shield inside of the fire pit to protect the concrete?

Update-1

After the suggestions made by @BobOClockand, and @Ecnerwal I decided to go with blocks (got from Lowe's and they are fire resistant) to the bottom I put lava rocks. I checked the outside surface of the blocks for temperature after a while and they were relatively cold, so I will cover the outside with natural stone for better looking.

Update-2

I put lots of wood into fire pit for one last final test kept it burning for 4-5 hours. The heat was very intense and when I checked the next day, almost all the blocks were cracked.

Conclusion: Even fire resistant blocks need fire insulation with firebrick. I will replace the blocks and add firebricks inside.


texts: Replace stair treads on a prefabricated staircase

texts:
I have a staircase that was carpeted.  Decided to remove the carpet and sand/stain the hardwood treads below, but the top 4 treads are particle board.  When trying to remove the particle board treads for replacement, noticed that they were glued.  Tried to pry up the board (little success) but couldn't feel any stringers underneath.

I suspect I have a prefab staircase, and am wondering if these can even be replaced, or if I need to look into stair cap options?

UPDATE:

Ok, so a few more photos below. I took a look underneath with a boroscope, and it looks like both the tread and a 2x2 are inset into the wall-stringer, which also has a trim-cap on top (apologize for the lack of correct technical terms).

Am thinking that I could cut the tread and 2x2 flush with the wall, nail/screw a 2x4 to the runner board, and use that as a means to attach the tread.  Would this make sense from a structural perspective?

The plywood piece is the bottom of the stair tread, and the square board appears to be a ledger in-set into the stringer. The white portion is the underside of the white "stringer cap" you see in the second image. The stuff in the bottom portion is a sheetrock undercarriage over the top of a closet.


texts:
Here is the house siding that I did not notice for many years

Does it look like the whole siding is rotting here?
Should I replace the entire siding?
Or is it OK to replace just the bad parts?

By the way, this is the house I am selling and one potential buyer already pointed me out. I am wondering if it is a quick fix or heavy fix.


texts: What type of wood are most pallets made from? Are they worth the trouble - removing boards, removing nails, etc?


texts: How do you properly connect 3 x solid 2.5mm wires to a 4mm stranded wire?

texts: I have a single 4mm stranded wire I want to connect to 3 x 2.5mm solid wires. At the moment I've simply wound them around each other temporarily and sealed with electrical tape - but how is it done securely?


texts: scratch resistant matt black paint spray for chrome taps

texts: I would like to spray paint some chrome taps and other bathroom fittings matt black. I have seen matt black stove and bbq spray that I have heard is pretty tough and has the matt black effect I want. stoves online mentions this spray may need to be heat cured. Are there any other tips, or any other products or approaches that would be better?


texts: is this guy talking about the performance of green glue for soundproofing?

texts:
It sounds like the tutorial is saying

  But this green stuff gives you another sound rating, believe it or not, above five, Five, just for the caulking ...

What does five here mean? some kind of measurement for soundproofing?


texts: Hello All, I’m trying to take down the 3 walls - load bearing or not?

texts: This is the attic - and I will post the 3 walls as well- this is 1 story.


texts:
I am redoing my basement and I am putting in a new subpanel to handle a few extra circuits since my current panel is undersized (I wanted to replace it, but according to the electrician who I’ve been using as a sounding board, that would open a gigantic can of worms).

Is it horrible to mount the subpanel directly up against the below-grade stem wall? (This is a daylight basement in a tri-level house.) I’d like to keep both panels close and we’re replacing the window to the left with a (if circumstances allow) bigger window.  If it’s not kosher, then I either have to nix the window all together or make it much less wide and put the subpanel in where the #2 is.  The new studs to build out the wall are 2x4s so I can’t mount any plywood behind it.

Also, it feels like it would be weird to put the subpanel that low, it just feels convenient.


texts: Is sanding the best option to remove peeling wall paint?

texts:
I have purchased a house and it seems that the previous occupiers used incredibly cheap paint which is just peeling off and bitty, almost the texture of dry PVA glue.

It has been suggested that I sand the walls, but I'm not sure if that is the best option.

What I want to know is the suggested method to be able to paint over it, and if it is sanding then how can I do large areas quickly?


texts: How to lightly dull the sheen of latex acrylic paint touchups

texts: Suggestions? Just a couple of small places that were touched-up slightly with the same paint have a bit more of a sheen. Any suggestions to dull it a bit? The touchup was just done today - should I wait a while? Thank you!


texts:
(tl;dr - check the bolded questions and look at the pictures)

Earlier this week I had a frozen (and burst) pipe. It's on the way to the outside spigots and not particularly important in the winter, so I turned off the valve feeding it (that should have been off already, yes) and put the repair on my todo list.

However, I noticed today that it hadn't dried completely in the basement space below this leak. It looks like the shutoff valve didn't work completely - there's still some flow out this ruptured pipe.

The problem now is that I can't figure out how to operate the only other valve upstream of this leak. I tried once in the past and couldn't make it budge.

No markings other than Meuller. I gripped the handle on the left with a large pair of adjustable pliers and applied as much force as I could in both directions, no luck.

Here's the layout, in case it's in any way helpful -

Water enters the T at the bottom center. To the left through the blue handled valve and defunct water meter is the rest of the house - no issues there. To the right and up are the pipes feeding a pair of outdoor spigots. At the top, the red handled valve is the leaking valve leading out to the ruptured pipe. As far as I can spot, this Mueller valve is the only other way to cut off that side, short of the buried valve at the curb - and I don't have a t-handle to reach in there.

I've plugged up the leak as best I can at the pipe, and fiddled with the cheap plastic valve some more, and stopped things for now. The question I have for you guys -- How do I operate the Mueller valve? Is turning the key on the left correct? Does it turn clockwise? Do I need to do anything with the coverlike part on the left side of the valve body?

Thanks.


texts: How much tolerance is there for a frameless glass shower door?

texts: I did a shower remodel that involved moving a wall and re-tiling my shower. The new width for the door opening is 33.5 inches. I see pre-made frameless glass shower doors that are listed as being acceptable for 33" openings. Do frameless glass shower doors have enough tolerance to make this work?


texts:
There is an air valve in my pre-war apartment that from time to time will blow air out really loudly. Sometimes the air is hot, sometimes it is cool, but it gets really loud, and has been interrupting my sleep constantly for the past week. I'm not 100% sure on what exactly it is, but I'm fairly certain its just an air valve that's somehow connected to the heating of the building.

I am trying to figure out a DIY solution to this, and was considering just duct taping over the valve openings, but because the air sometimes gets hot, was worried about the potential case of fire. What other solutions could I explore?

Video to short clip showing the valve and noise


texts:
How do I safely undo and re-attach this connector? it connects an armoured cable to the power outlet in the shed. I'll turn off the mains obviously. And then do I just undo it with a spanner and pull it out?
I need to re-route the cable and need to disconnect it to do that.


texts: Can I connect a combination heater/fan unit to the existing bathroom wiring?

texts:
I have a dedicated 15A circuit for a top-floor bathroom fan with heat lamps which draws much less than capacity. There is nothing else on this circuit.

I know that code for a 15A 14ga circuit at 80% load should be 12A max.

This is the quandry. I'm looking at a Panasonic Heater Fan (FV-11VH2) that draws, only when both the heater and exhaust fan is running, 12.12A (1454.5W). 95% of the time, only the vent fan will be running (<1A). When it's running the heat it'll be on a wall timer.

In a perfect world, I'd run a new 12ga 20A circuit, but I'm not too keen on ripping out 3 floors of drywall to run a new wire.

So run it anyways on the 14ga/15A breaker or abandon it? Hard to believe an extra 120mA run occasionally is a big deal ...


texts: air filter location for Nordyne Furnace Model KG7SL 090D-35C

texts: I'm trying to change and replace the air filter for my furnace. It's Nordyne Furnace Model KG7SL 090D-35C. Picture attached. However I can't figure out where the air filter is located. Can someone point it out for me? Thanks!


texts: How can I stop an air leak behind a cabinet?

texts:
A few days after buying our house, we noticed this lovely mess inside one of the kitchen cabinets. This is the cabinet next to the dishwasher, so I'm guessing there was a water leak at some point.

The floor of this small cabinet is partially rotted away, as is the back bottom of the cabinet. You can also see a pipe in the wall -- so it must have gotten into the drywall too.

There's a big draft when you open this cabinet, probably because they removed wet insulation. Should I try to squeeze a batt of insulation back there to address the air leak?


texts: How many subpanel breakers can a single piece of main breaker/bus support?

texts:
This is my main panel cabinet.

My original plan was to put the subpanel in front of main panel inside the cabinet by just letting it stand naturally (because it would be distracting or not good to the look to connect it to the wall outside the cabinet). For those who have tried this. What problems have you encountered? This is why I need to limit the Siemens sub load center to 12 space 18" height so I can still access the main panel.

Rest is original message:

This is my main panel with 16 2-pole breakers US style. All use GE (General Electric) plug-in breakers.

The breaker on top is a 125A 2-pole. Are all 125A breakers really that big?

I'm replacing six of the original GE 2-pole breakers with six Siemens GFCI 2-pole breakers. Since I can't directly plug the 6 pcs due to bus nub mismatch. I need to use a subpanel. Now my question:

My 6 pcs of Siemens 2-pole GFCI breakers are rated at 60A 2 pcs, 30A, 4 pcs.

Can I connect them or the 6 branch subpanel to just one of the main breaker output say rated at 70A or even 100A? In a panel, How many ampere can a breaker bus support provided the whole panel is rated at 100A.. is a single breaker bus also 100A? If not, what is the rule of the connections generally?

I can't replace the entire panel because it's difficult to get it out of the concrete wall and put another one fit right for it.

What's the usual way to add subpanel? What did you do?


texts: How can I re-stain a table without streaking?

texts:
I purchased a new telephone table/bench that has a slick red mahogany-color (I do not know what type wood this actually is) table top, which unfortunately my cat immediately scratched before I could put a protective cover over it.
I sanded it all the way down to bare wood, ending with 220 grit and going with the grain, and endeavored to stain it with an oil-based semi-transparent stain, but the stain would not absorb, making little circles and ringlets.
I have encountered this before and thought there might be something that had penetrated the wood, so I again sanded, ending with 220 grit and, of course, going with the grain.  This time I tried a solid stain that matched the rest of the table/bench, but it was streaked-looking (not to the touch but to the eye).
I tried rag staining, and this seems to work fairly well but it was extremely dull and flat, so I tried various finishes over the top of the stain.
Everything I put on this is streaked-looking, no matter what type of brush I use.  I tried using Varathane over this in an area, but it left brush marks no matter what brush I used.  I tried using Shellac; again brush marks.  I tried using lacquer; brush marks, no matter the brush used!  When I say brush marks, I mean that you can see the marks but not feel them.
It will not even out and looks smooth.  Everything looks streaked.  I have stained and painted a lot for many years; I have done more work with semi-transparent stain than anything else, but this is the first time I have not been able to come up with a solution.
I had a similar problem with the pocking and circling of stain when someone had used Pledge on a piece of furniture, and I finally, through trial and error, worked that out, but it was an endeavor.  Since I do not know the manner in which this piece of furniture was finished out, I am just guessing what to do.
What could cause brush marks to be seen (not felt) no matter what brush is used or how careful the application?  I am so frustrated.  I need to find something that is close to Red Mahogany and has a shine to it that will stay on the wood and not cause little circles, but the only thing that did not circle was the flat solid stain and when I try to add some gloss to it (Varathane, shellac, lacquer, etc.), it shows brush marks no matter what brush I use.
Any suggestions?  I really would appreciate some advice, as I am at my wit's end.


texts: Repairing water damage to plaster over concrete block

texts:
We had a leak in our attic and have water damage on our ceiling (plaster on lathe) and exterior wall (plaster on concrete block). Because of our stupidity, we know that the leak consisted of exactly 1/2 a gallon. The water damage happened a month ago, but I have been ignoring it.

My plan today was to scrape off any damp or damage plaster in preparation of fully drying the block wall and repairing the plaster. I don't have a moisture meter (yet), but was hoping that I would be able to find the dry edges. The damage seems to keep going with the paint and plaster coming off in fairly large sheets.

The central part of the wall is damp to the touch, while it is hard to tell about the edges. Is the right way to go about this to keep gently scraping anything that comes off? How do I know when to stop scraping?


texts: Is a horizontal hang track necessary for wire shelving installation?

texts: Can I install 2/4 shelves on three of four vertical standards without using a horizontal hanger?  Verticals will be going into studs.


texts: I would like to make a door system that consists of 2 sliding barn style doors that overlap when open but become flush(as one) when closed.I tought about a normal straight track on one of the doors and a offset (minibus side door) track for the overlapping one.The question is how do I calculate the offset bend angles,lenght and position relative to the closed door so the doors won't grind when opening the offset one.Door dimensions are 2000mmx2200mm(h) in a 4000mm opening.Thanks in advance.


texts: What steps should I take when cabling a drain?

texts:
We have a drain that backs up when a few gallons of water are put down it over time. The back pressure forces the water out through the toilet drain seal, leaving the water pouring into our basement. We have a plumber coming to fix this under our home warranty but I was wondering what it would take for me to fix this myself in case it should happen again.

What equipment would I need and what steps would I need to take?

There is an access point to the drain somewhere around where I think the blockage might be.


texts:
I just bought a shower head from Amazon (Chinese seller I think). As soon as I received it I removed the old one and tried fitting it in. But it cannot be screwed in. The diameter seem identical to the old one with my bare eyes. But the old one screws in easily and this one stops after one turn. I tried cleaning the threads with a toothpick, adding some WD40 and it does not get any easier. Do I need a connector? How universal are the connector widths?

I have added pictures.

ps: It is not easy to force as the disk part can spin 360 degrees around the connector, hence I have preferred not to force for now.

Link to the item I purchased if it helps: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07SSZ9RH7/