texts: Can I remove a demarcation point for a telco that no longer exists?

texts:
Awhile back we had a new electrical service put in, and they put in a whole new service mast and the works. But the old service mast is still sitting there because there are other services connected to it. One is the Spectrum cable internet and I've been fighting with their electrical service about it. But the other one is a telco demarcation point for an analog phone line. I know the demarcation points are the property of the company and so forth, but as far as I can tell the telco that installed this no longer exists and none of the telcos I've contacted have wanted to come out and move or remove it.
So in this specific situation, where there is no longer mains voltage going to the mast, and no telcos want to take responsibility for the box, can I remove it? If not, who else can I call?
EDIT: I realized that the cable from the demarcation point is still connected back to the pole. I thought I had previously seen that it was disconnected. I'll have to convince a telco to do something about it.


texts:
One of the p-traps under my sink was corroded and leaking. When I looked into replacing it, I saw that it was recommended to just have the garbage disposal and non disposal side of the sink come together into one trap. I was thinking I should instal new elbows on the disposal and non-disposal sides, and a t above the p-trap.

Am I better off just buying all new fittings or can I reuse the chrome p-trap? should I replace the chrome fittings with PVC? Is there perhaps a kit I can just buy that will have all these fittings?

Should I cap one half of the y coming out of the wall, or replace it entirely? Should I cap it with a cleaner cap? It seems to be glued into the waste stack and I don't want to do too much.


texts:
I have a hallway light that was originally wired to 2 switches, with 3 wires at each switch. But a previous owner replaced one of the switches with a 2-way dimmer switch and capped the third wire. Now the light will only turn on if both switches are in one particular configuration, which is annoying.
I have bought a new 3-way dimmer that I want to use to restore the 2-switch functionality (with dimming at one end), but I don't know how to match up the wires.
What I have is:

One one end, an original 3-way switch (2 black wires and 1 red wire)
On the other end, a 2-way switch wired to 2 black wires with red capped off
A new Lutron dimmer switch with black, red, red/white wires (instructions)

What I want to know is how to wire the new switch to the three existing wires. And if trial/error is involved, if there is any danger of damaging anything.
Original 3-way switch wires:


texts: Wondering if electrician is scamming me on panel replacement

texts:
Had an electrician over to do some work. No problem with that work.

While there he said my electrical panel was aluminum based and I may want to replace with copper. Later he said when he opened it up he saw signs it should be replaced and that copper would be advisable.

I realize every case is different and certainly if there are bad signs I should very it fixed.

But here are some of my concerns.

1) They said they could use the same city permit ($450 here) for both jobs. Sounds like such great news, but also seems it may be a way to convinced me to do the work NOW?

2) They said I have an aluminum panel that should be replaced and would be better to have copper. I don't know how to check for that and also I've tried researching this and have not found much online about "replacing aluminum panels". As far as I know my house wiring is copper. Also, I have had zero issues with breakers tripping in the house. As in never. Sure, that could be a bad sign if there were actual problems but I have no reason to think there are.

Oh, I'm not sure how old the panel is but it could be 20-25 years old. So I suppose that's relevant.

3) Price for replacement with copper panel,, $4,150 plus tax. $4500 if I want to include a surge protector. Seems a lot higher than I've read about online as general guideline though I realize prices can be regional and there's s lot of construction around here (Seattle) these days.

Will be hard to get other estimates before work is to be done so maybe I should delay the work until I can? That sounds reasonable but then I'll likely need a new permit? Perhaps worth it to be sure I'm not being scammed?


texts: Does a ground need to be install in a 2' x 4' outside junction box?

texts: i have a bunch of outdoors 2' x 4' open bottom concrete junction boxes. the question is, does each box need to have a ground rod installed and bonded to the ground wire? if so can someone please point me in the right direction in the NEC code book?


texts: Advice needed on running UF wire to lantern pole

texts:
I am electrifying a pole gas lantern and want to run outdoor wire to the pole.
I would appreciate some advice on how to accomplish this project.
The interior side of a brick wall close to the pole has an electrical receptacle outlet that I want to use to tap the UF wire into.
I intend to replace the old receptacle with a GFCI  and tap into it connecting the run of UF cable to an LB PVC box on the exterior brick wall and bury the cable 12” deep to the lantern pole which is 12’ away.

What would be the most efficient place to start the wire run?
Should I start from the top of the pole and pull the wire from there to the LB box on the brick wall or the other way around?
Any advice in accomplishing this project would be greatly appreciated.


texts: What to use to encapsulate asbestos tile in basement?

texts:
we have asbestos tile  (or lead?, the inspector told my girlfriend not to remove it).  We want to put vinyl plank right on top of the tile.  Does anyone know what we should use to try to encapsulate the tile better and provide ensured waterproofing?

More info:
The tiles are sitting right on top of the concrete.  The binder was some kind of black adhesive.  Some tiles are missing on two corners about 3'x3' areas each. A couple of chipped tiles in the center area.

There's never been standing water and I haven't seen any moisture other than some condensation on the water in pipe.  Relative humidity at most has been 60%  usually 10%-15% higher than the 1st floor. We live in New England and a good part of the basement is above ground as there are windows that are a good 2 feet in height starting at the ground level.

We're looking to just cover this area first as there are other areas (rooms) in the basement that is bare concrete the previous owners didn't bother to tile.  The room we want to cover is about 200 sqft.


texts: will any glue bond 2 long, bendable metal components

texts:
I am trying to create stiffness on an 8-foot length of 1/4" acrylic, with minimal visual footprint. I hit on an 8-foot aluminum U-shaped channel (slips right over top of the acrylic), but it wasn't quite stiff enough. [1]

When I combine it with a 1/8" x 3/8" aluminum bar (placed flat on top of the upside down U), the combination is acceptably stiff. But is there any glue that bonds well enough to hold these two 8-foot lengths together, when they may occasionally be flexed an inch or so sideways?

Final mounting would look like this:

========   > top bar
=======    > u-channel
| *** |
| *** |    >  flexing goes in <----> direction
| *** |
  ***
  ***      > acrylic panel (slots neatly into u-channel)
  ***

i looked at questions What is a strong glue for bonding metal? and How can I attach a 1/8" strip of steel to MDF so that it stays secure forever for eternity?, the first had some interesting glue suggestions. I wasn't sure if the flexing would make any glue pretty useless.

Thanks!

[1] Motivation: The goal is to keep our dog from jumping on and damaging the new window; but if the acrylic is too flexible and he jumps on that, the acrylic could still hit the window and damage it. But you didn't really need to know that to answer the question.


texts: How can I install a kitchen drawer with only one side and no front beam?

texts:
I've got a set of IKEA cabinets that have a place for a drawer that's currently just a cover:

I'd like to install a drawer here, but there's only a full cabinet wall on the right side. The left is open, and goes deep to the left:

The top surface there seems to be the underside of the granite countertops, so I don't think I can mount anything directly into there?

In addition, there's no support beam across the middle in the front where a bottom drawer support might go:

My question is, what are my reasonable options here for installing a drawer here? I imagine any of them would involve adding at least one piece of wood for support, but I'm not sure where would provide the best support for the weight of a drawer. I see a few options:

Install a piece of wood along the side, from front beam to back wall.
Install a piece of wood across the front middle, between the left beam and right wall. Then install wood from the front to back for support.

That said, I've never done something like this before, so there may be more options. In addition to where to add support, what would be the proper method to install these additional pieces of wood? Screws? Brackets?


texts: Are stainless steel garage cabinets suitable for unheated garage?

texts:
I am considering adding stainless steel garage cabinets to my garage such as this one. As you know they are not cheap. My concern is my garage is not heated and it gets wicket cold in north east (Boston area). Should I be worrying about rust issues with these, particular the NewAge cabinets?

Does anyone put their tools in unheated environment (in such cabinets)? Could rust be concern for them as well?

My house is just very short on storage/shelve place and I could use them for verity of reasons, even putting seasonal clothes in box in them.


texts: Power issue - Dead appliances, but no tripped breakers

texts:
I have been having some issues where appliances like washing machines (yes, multiple!!) and a dryer and a power switch* have just died on me. There was no break to the circuit - as in every other thing in the house was working, no breakers were tripped.

Does anyone have any ideas what might be causing all these electrical issues?

Edit:
*By power switch, I really mean it's more like a ACDC wall wart. It's wall mounted, and plugged into a socket.


texts: How should I clean my dishwasher filter?

texts:
My dishes, especially glasses, are often getting dried sediment left on them after a cycle in the dishwasher.  I run it with vinegar every couple months but that doesn't seem to be enough.  I want to clean the filter and surrounding assembly similar to what's done in the YouTube video "Repair Dishwasher For Cleaner Dishes - Maintenance Clean Fix Whirlpool Kenmore" but can't tell how to access mine.  The plastic bolt in the very middle will turn and turn but not come out.

I've looked through the manual and a RepairClinic “Troubleshooting” page that comes up when I google the model number, but they don't seem to be much help, unless I missed something from them.


texts: Removing a section of the stud 17" long on a load bearing wall

texts:
I am trying to install an in wall speaker. The problem I ran into was exactly where the cut out is going to be there is a pipe to the left "steam heating pipe". Then a beam to  right of it.

Option 1 - The only direction I can go is to cut the beam side. I need to cut about 1 1/2 inches into the beam which is basically the beam size. It's only one beam, I am pretty sure its a load bearing wall. Will cutting that beam by 2"section by 17" long be a bad idea? I am not looking to take down a whole wall, just one beam. Will I need to support that beam with cripple stud, header, and jack studs? Will I need to add king studs?

Option 2 - I move the speaker over another 20 inches "Kinda Far off" but again I am running into two beams and between the 20 inch mark, I would have to cut about 3/4 into both beams on each side and 17 inches the long way (top to bottom). Would cutting 3/4 of an inch off the beam be a bad idea or would I have to support it before I make the 3/4 inch cut, then support it afterwards with two 2x4's or a cripple stud horizontally then a king stud, header and jack stud?

Which option would be the easiest and safest way?


texts: How to detect whether there is a signal on TV cable

texts:
I'm not receiving TV in my room and the cable guy has determined that there is no signal on my coax outlet in the wall. There is a signal in other rooms, so there must be a broken or disconnected cable somewhere in the house.

Now the owner and I are going to go around the house and try to find it, but how can we measure whether there is a signal / potential on a cable without connecting a TV to it?

I've read that you need a spectrum analyzer to measure signal strength, but I don't need that, I just need to know if there's any signal at all.
I've also read that you can check cables with a multimeter, but you need both ends for that, and they are impossible to bring close together in our case (the cables are in walls etc.)

(This is in the Netherlands, in case they have different standards there than e.g. the US)


texts: How can I reduce the bounciness of a floor?

texts:
My apartment is on the second floor of a low-rise building. There are no units directly under it; the apartment sits above the open-air garage.

I feel basically everything that my next door neighbors (on the same floor) do in this building, which shakes my entire 1BR apartment floor and makes any chair, bed or couch you are sitting on wobble, as if somebody's constantly shaking it. The intensity of the impact sometimes makes other stuff in the apartment shake and rattle, but most of the time it's just a low frequency shaking that's too annoying to ignore. Neighbors are both wild kids running around, and big people that make big noises and stomp everywhere. Opening doors, footsteps, all of it, sends endless tremors that shake wherever you go. It's getting to be incredibly annoying and increasingly unlivable.

From the ground floor (garage) looking up, you can see large beams covered in stucco.

My question is not specifics, but a general question. Is there a way of strapping these joists to help utterly stiffen my floor and absorb all neighbor's impacts, so I don't feel like I'm on a boat or in a perpetual earthquake? It would have to absorb the impact of my (big) stomping neighbors.


texts: What to look for when choosing a new bathtub?

texts:
I am in the middle of a total bathroom renovation.  Now I need to choose a new tub but there are so many choices and price points I don't know what to look for.

My situation is that I have room for a standard tub (32" x 60") I could go longer but I really don't want to go any wider.  This is going in a single full bathroom of the house so it is shared with everyone in the house and is also a shower.  I was planning tiling the surround.  This is a second floor bathroom so I don't really want to try and take a 500 lbs. cast iron tub up there.

Basically there are so many options for standard plastic tubs that range from $200 - $1000.  What should I be looking for?  How is a $600 acrylic tub any better than a $300 acrylic tub?


texts:
I'd like to install a Transfer Switch (10 circuits) from the Generator to the two panels I have. Each panel is rated at 200 amps. If I turn off the main breaker in one of them, the other panel still works and vice versa. But I did find that the ground and neutral in both panels are all connected to each other.
So if I mount a transfer switch near them, would there be any issue if 6 circuits go to one panel and 4 circuits go to the second panel. Since the transfer switch only has one ground wire I believe and because the neutral and ground are connected in both panels, it wouldn't matter whichever panel I connect it to.
Any thoughts if this will be an issue?
Update
I can certainly try to go over the breakers that are critical and have an electrician move them over to one panel and then use a generator interlock switch on the top 2 right breakers, so either those 2 breakers can be on (powered by the generator) or the main breaker can be turned on. There are no spots for new breakers left, but the panel on left is smaller, so I can look into getting a bigger panel that'll allow more circuits
These transfer switches are definitely very expensive for only few circuits. But from theoretical standpoint, can you tell me why the transfer switch's 10 circuits can't be connected to two different panels, when the neutral/ground in both panels are connected to each other. (So the one neutral wire from the transfer switch can be connected to any panel)


texts: Is it safe to use a damaged heating element for my Kenmore dryer?

texts: I cracked the ceramic piece that connects the wires to the heating coil while replacing my heating element in my dryer.  It is working, but I am wondering if it is safe? Any comment?


texts: What size GFCI and receptacles on 20A circuit?

texts:
I am adding a string (5-6) of receptacles to an existing 20A circuit in my basement that currently has just one 15A duplex receptacle on it (with 12/2 Romex).  I am planning to replace the existing receptacle with a GFCI and install other receptacles downstream (with 12/2 Romex) from the Load side of the GFCI.

Should I use a 20A GFCI?
Is there any reason not to use 20A receptacles (apart from the cost vs. 15A)?  Any reason not to install a single 20A receptacle (for a future air compressor or something), and the rest 15A?

The other circuits running outlets in my house are 20A and use 15A receptacles.


texts: Stackable washer/dryer covering crawlspace access point

texts:
Background

1940s home has a stackable washer/dryer combo unit installed over the crawl space access door. I want to replace the unit with a new combo such that:

The crawl space door is readily accessible.
The washer can be rolled out of the closet.
The hardwood floors won't be damaged, dented, or dinged.
The washer can be locked in place.
When on, neither the washer nor dryer will walk or make additional vibrations.

Problem

The clearance is small, with two shut-off valves limiting the amount of working space. (The valves can be replaced with smaller ones, saving an inch or two of space.) Here's the current setup:

The new washer and dryer will fit, snugly.

Here's the proposed setup, where the circles to the left of the dryer represent the shut-off valves:

The washer would sit on a dolly with rubber casters sufficiently strong to support the load.

Questions

I am wondering:

Would this setup work to meet the stated goals, if not how can it be revised to do so?
How would you lock the washer unit in place so that it doesn't walk or vibrate when on?

I'm assuming that the platform can be securely bolted to multiple studs in the closet at multiple points on the two available walls. (Adding a metal shelf on the left-hand wall that extend to the platform to provide additional steadiness is possible, too.)


texts: Using screws to install a set of french doors?

texts: I am installing a set of french doors. I have installed many doors before, but I was curious as to whether or not anyone has tried using countersunk screws to install the door? If I needed to adjust the frame, I could just back out our put in each individual screw until it is perfect.


texts: Flooring Options for Basement with Uneven Concrete Slab

texts:
Working on a basement remodel and getting to the point of needing to figure out flooring. Unfortunately, the concrete slab is generally uneven. I had a company come in and grind the floors a few months ago. While they did a great job of making the floors WAAYYYY better than they were, the floor is still not flat enough for any type of floating floor installation like LVP. I bought a box of LVP from a local Floor and Decor to test out install on the uneven floor. The LVP does a decent job of conforming to the unevenness, but there are still some areas where you can notice the dips in the floor and the LVP will bow in these dips. This is less than ideal, so looking for some options or insight into what can be done for flooring. I put a bunch of ideas that I've had below, but wondering if the DIY forum has any additional brainstorm ideas.
LVP or any vinyl generally seems to be the preferred material due to its water resistance for a below grade application. Open to suggestion on this as well.
Options to Work Around Uneven Concrete Subfloor

Glue Down Vinyl - Find some glue down vinyl planks from companies like Flooret. Pros: Planks will conform to slab the best, most solid install method. Cons: Finish options are more limited.
LVP [Option 1] - Use regular LVP and glue this down to subfloor. Companies like Titebond make an moisture barrier adhesive for flooring, so seems like it could work. Pros: Lots of flooring choices. Cons: Will it actually work?

LVP [Option 2] - Use regular LVP and shim low spots as needed using floor patcher, shingles, etc. Pros: Lots of flooring choices. Cons: Giant PITA to shim everything. Cost for floor patcher, shims, etc.

Concrete Screeding - Use concrete to screed out the current slab and get rid of the remaining height variations. Pros: Get a nice flat subfloor. Cons: Very expensive $$$$, better for professionals.

Plywood Subfloor - Put down vapor barrier on slab, and place 3/4" plywood over . Seen a few other suggestions of using 2 - 1/2" plywood sheets and orient them 45 degrees off each other for stiffness, then screw together. Would probably still have some unevenness, but the plywood would ride over some of the imperfections better. Could secure the plywood to slab with Ramsets/Tapcons. Pros: Flatter subfloor than current, though not perfect. Cons: Some additional cost but DIY-able. Takes away from ceiling height, but 3/4" loss seems like a fair tradeoff.

Sleepers/Plywood Subfloor - Scribe some sleepers on the floor. Pros: Can get flat subfloor. Cons: Cost (plywood + PT lumber), time, takes away from ceiling height

Concrete Stain - Embrace the floor that's there and stain it. Use area rugs to cover up main areas. Problem is the current concrete isn't visually great. Would still require some patching (there is an old 1 inch wide trench from BX cable that used to run to an oil tank)

Epoxy Coat - Embrace the floor that's there and epoxy coat. Would require some concrete work to patch some holes/cracks. Pros: Embrace the floor that's there. Cons: Cold floor, epoxy isn't my favorite look, requires some additional work but not super hard/expensive. If you want a better looking floor, may need pro install.

Additional notes:

There is a general slope to the floor where it drops about 3 inches
over a length of 30ft. (house is 100+ years old). I could use
self-leveling compounds to make this up and get the floor level &
flat, but that would just be a huge cost to do this.
Ceiling height is limited. Current ceiling height is 7ft, just
meeting code reqs. Any solutions that add height to floor I am less
inclined to look at.
Basement is very dry. Its mainly above grade except for the back wall
(house is built into hillside). Also had a french drain installed so
any water that happens to get through is drained out through front of
house.


texts: What is the best short-term solution for fused neutrals?

texts:
I have inherited a house that has been in my wife's family since 1860.  I do not know when it was electrified, but it seems to have skipped knob and tube.  There is a lot of fabric-covered wire, and also some more modern romex wire.  On examining the fusebox (yes, fuses, no breakers) I see that both the hot leg and the neutral leg have fuses in them.

My long-term strategy is to replace the fusebox with a modern panel with breakers.  In the short term, I have purchased 30 Amp fuses which I intend to install in the neutral fuse positions.  (The hot-leg fuses are 15 or 20 Amp.)  My thinking is, since the hot-leg fuse is of a lower rating, it will blow instead of the neutral leg fuse.

Is this an acceptable solution?  Is there a better way to ensure a continuous neutral leg connection?


texts: electrical range - oven temperature not set

texts:
I have a pretty old electrical range GeneralElectric RCBS536DN2WW. The problem is that I can't use the oven: whenever I set the temperature with a temperature knob, it raises up rapidly and everything inside the oven burns. Also oven light indicator on the control panel always stays on, even with all knobs set off.

I googled and it looks like a problem with a thermostat, which has to be replaced. However, I also read it could be an issue with temperature sensor. I'd appreciate if someone could share his/her similar experience with ranges/ovens.

Thanks.


texts: Why would only the top outlets work in my two kitchen receptacles?

texts:
I have two outlets in our kitchen, one on either side of the sink, where only the top plugs work. I've tried to do some trouble shooting and here is what I know:

There is a red, white, black, and ground wire on both.
The tabs are broken on the hot side (the side with the black and ride wire)
They are run off two breakers on the breaker panel that are tied together
I checked the panel with my multimeter and both wires at the breaker (red and black) give a reading of ~120v

I'm not sure how to troubleshoot further to figure out what's failing. It's an old house so I'm chalking it up to age.


texts: Is it normal for my boiler transformer to show intermittent drops in voltage?

texts:
Since I installed a Nest-E I've seen my Weil-McLain boiler cut power to the R-wire and C-wire intermittently.

Voltage drops to nearly 0 and the Nest-E errors with E-195 no power. Other times thermostat works fine to control heat.

I'm trying to figure out if the transformer is bad or if the Nest is just not a good fit for this system.

How do I know if the transformer is going kaput?


texts: Should I bother with this 10-20 plug or replace it?

texts:
I have a water pump, it works fine. Motor is rated for 115/230 and draws 9.6 or 4.8 full-load amps depending on voltage. Its cord has a plug that appears to be vintage NEMA 10-20, but I'm not certain as I've never seen one before. The receptacle is on its own 30-amp dual-pole breaker, and I verified that the wiring is two hots and a ground.
I want to run this pump from my generator, which is an older 5000 watt Troy-Bilt with standard 240v L14-30 and 120v 5-15/20 receptacles.
The problem: I can't find any adapters for 10-20 plugs anywhere. Is this just because they're obsolete? Or because they're ungrounded and super-dangerous?
Main question: Should I bother making a custom adapter cord for this setup or just upgrade the plug and receptacle to something newer? Is one option obviously better/safer/easier?
Pump motor is a 1986 Dayton 5K658B 3/4HP 115/230 3450 rpm. I found this tech sheet but I'm not 100% sure it's the same model.

Conclusion:
Based on the discussion in the comments, this whole situation is more complex and sketchy than I had anticipated. I have other electrical work I need done so I'm going to add this plug/receptacle to the list and seek professional help.


texts: Where do I cut glued piping to reconnect a new p drain for new sink?

texts: I am installing a new sink/vanity and the drain needs to be relocated (closer to wall). The piping is all glued vs a simple "unscrew this nut" operation.  Where do I cut and how do I reconnect? Pic of current piping included.


texts:
My basement floods when it rains, because the weeping tile can't drain. I'm trying to figure out how to fix it without tearing up my finished basement.

The 1968 home has recently installed (2000?) weeping tile running around three sides of the house to form a large C. This is all the 4" corrugated plastic stuff. The installers connected it to the original drain, the old-school red tile pipe, which meets the new weeping tile at about the mid-point of the C. They didn't use a Y-connection, the drain just butts right into the weeping tile at 90 degrees.

The weeping tile was formerly connected to the downspouts, but the city made them remove that some time ago. That leaves nice access points outside. I've had a camera down them and we can see the connection point, but can't get inside it with either the camera or auger - they both just go right past it. But we could see the rest of the tile is clear of any obstructions, the problem is in that drain.

The drain pipe leads under my basement floor to a combination P-trap/floor drain. This is running freely and I can dump a big bucket of water down it and it clears immediately. The rest of the house's plumbing connects downstream of this point, and it's all working fine too. The "good news" is that when the basement does flood, it runs right back out the drain.

So there's a blockage somewhere in the 15 feet of drain pipe between the P-trap and the weeping tile outside the house.

The drain pipe connects to the P-trap from the side, about 6 inches below the level of the floor. I have a 15 foot sink snake, the one with the thin lead that's maybe 1/4 inch, that I was able to feed into it, and I can get it about 8 feet in before it hits something. But it's not clear if it's hitting a blockage, or just the joint between pipes. Turning it does nothing useful.

Now I'm stymied, no one rents inspection cameras around here and a full-scale power-router with the 1/2 inch lead is too inflexible to get into the hole. I don't think a full-scale inspection camera will make it either. I might be able to get one of those drill-attached ones into it, but I'm not sure that's more useful than my snake.

Does anyone have any suggestions?


texts: Can you wrap HVAC Ductwork with heat shrink film to seal leaks?

texts:
Can HVAC ductwork be shrink wrapped? Like with flame retardant construction film? Maybe something like this.

I have substantial leaks coming from where the ductwork connects to the air handler. A technician tried to tape it up and then tried to slather a thick layer of duct butter... and then tried even more duct butter. There continue to be lots of little holds leaking out. Condensation seems to be melting the butter away. Because of the location, removing/replacing would require moving the entire furnace/air handler. I would like to find another way to seal it up. It seems the easiest way would be to shrink wrap it to seal it all up.


texts:
My laziness has come home to roost.

I did some work over the summer that required me to rip out some old beadboard planking, which unfortunately destroyed most of the beadboard. After looking at the alternatives, I've purchased and cut some nice looking patterned PVC boards as replacement.

Only problem: you can't nail it, you need to glue it. And since I've managed to put off doing this work until December, it's 20-30 degrees here in sunny Albany, NY. I just looked at my tube of liquid nails, and it recommends not using it at temperatures less than 60 degrees F.

Could anyone suggest an alternative? I really don't want to leave this porch exposed for the season.


texts: How do I deal with a leaking toilet cistern inlet pipe?

texts:
Recently there's been an odd, damp smell coming from one of our bathrooms. On further inspection, there seems to be a leak on this pipe where it connects to the bowl (where the little red arrow is). However, it seems that the seal is made further into the bowl than I can get to or see, so it will be necessary to move the bowl.

What is the name of this pipe? I don't think it's the cistern inlet pipe, but it's definitely not the soil pipe.
The pipe looks fine, it doesn't look cracked and there doesn't seem to be a great deal of water coming from it during a flush which makes me think it's just a seal. I guess to get in at it I'd have to disconnect the pipe from the cistern and the soil pipe from the toilet, then unscrew it from the floor and move it out?

I'm always keen to give these things a go but is this one step too far? My father said he never messed with water, electric or gas but one has to live a little, no?

If you do recommend this, what should I expect to find? Any tips?


texts: Pocket door latch side is higher than the other

texts: My pocket door has become uneven.  The latch side is higher than the other side and the roller cannot be seen. What is the easiest way for me to readjust the door?  It rolls a little hard, but does close, just lopsided.


texts:
Long time reader and first time poster here and want to make sure I'm running power to my detached garage properly.
I built a detached garage next to my house and just got done running the wires from the main meter panel to the subpanel inside the garage and the setup is a follows:
Main panel is approximately 125 feet from the subpanel. I have a total of 4 wires coming from the main: 2x 2awg aluminum wires connected to a double pole 125 amp breaker for hot, 1x 2awg aluminum wire connected to ground bar for neutral, 1x 4awg aluminum wire connected to ground bar for ground.
I have also installed 2 8' ground rods, hammered in 12 feet apart to provide a local ground for the garage with a solid 6awg copper wire in addition to the 4awg wire from the main panel.
I'm not going to bond the neutral bar to the subpanel chassis. And there will be another 125 amp breaker in the subpanel as the mail breaker for quick, local disconnect of all power.
This is my first time doing any wiring at this scope and level and want to make sure I'm not missing anything.
Thanks in advance,
Kash


texts: The instructions that came with my laminate flooring call for a 3/8" expansion gap for floors up to 33' x 26'.  My floor is only 20' x 12'.  Can I get away with a 1/4" gap?  My baseboards are 1/2" thick, and it seems like leaving only 1/8" overlap might lead to a visible gap if things move someday.


texts: How to build up height of concrete wall to use as beam support for deck

texts:
I have two concrete walls on either side of a proposed deck area.  In the middle of the span I have some concrete columns that will support a beam for a deck.  My proposed deck design has 2x12s sitting on the concrete walls and attached with 2x12 joists to the center beam that rests on the columns.  The height of the walls is ~6" lower than the columns.
How should I build up the concrete wall to support the 2x12s at the same height as the center columns?
If it was 1.5" lower than the columns then I would put down a sill gasket, epoxy in some anchor bolts and put a plate down and have 2x12s sit on it.  With it 6" lower I have to build up 5.5 inches.
Ideas?
Maybe I put down a plate, anchor bolt it, add two 2x members cut to 4" high, top it with another plate to make a box for the 2x12s to sit on and have the anchor bolt high enough that I bolt the top of the box to the concrete.
Concrete walls are level and flat.  I'll plan for a 2% slope from the top of the plan view to the bottom - away from the house.  This deck is self supported and does not tie into the house.
Attached a sketch of the plan view of the structure.  Ignore the first level deck

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________
                               |  |  |
      6" gap                   |  |  |
      ______                   |  |  |                       ______
     |      | <-- concrete     |  |  |<-- 2x12 beam         |      |
     |      |     wall         |  |  |                      |      |
     |      |                  |__|__|                      |      |


texts: Mysterious sound coming from basement, related to water pipes

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At times I hear these banging sounds (not very loud) when in my living room. I go to the basement (below the room) and it sounds like it's in the ceiling (finished basement). I put my ear to the wall and try different locations to hone in on the location.

At first I thought there was a mouse in there, but it's not consistent with animal sounds. I checked the hot water heater (next room over) but don't hear anything. Now, recently I discovered that when I turn off the main water valve, the sound goes away.

Keep in mind that no water is running in the house at this time. Also, there are no leaks to be found anywhere. When I do put my ear on the hot water heater I hear noises but I'm not convinced it's occurring there.

My latest theory is the sound is being amplified somehow between the floors, perhaps the pipe is moving slightly. But as for what may be causing the pipe to make noise I have no idea.

I do have very high water pressure in my area. The house has a pressure reducer but I've busted a few garden hoses which are not on the reducer.

I tried recording the sound but it's so subtle that my phone playback does not indicate it. It is noticeable enough upstairs that my wife and I stare at each other in horror when it happens

Any ideas? Thanks


texts: How can I clean out my gutters while still on the ground?

texts: My roof is taller than I'm comfortable getting on a ladder. I've got a couple weeds/trees starting to grow in them. Is there a tool that would somehow let me scrape or use water-pressure to clean the gutters?


texts: Changing old light switch 2 black wires and 1 red

texts: I am changing out light switches in a house that I have just bought and don't know how to approach this one. There are 2 black wires running into the bottom and one red one at the top. There are also 2 white wires in the box that are attached. What type of switch do I need to buy to replace this one? This switch is only connected to the outlet in the room. There are no overhead lights either.


texts: How can I prevent my washing machine's drain hose from detaching from the pipe?

texts:
We just moved into a new rental house, and have had some immediate problems with the washer.

Yesterday, during the 2nd load we'd run, the drain hose detached from the standpipe and unloaded the whole load's worth of water onto the floor. Here is a picture of what it was hooked into (not very pretty):

That's a bunch of duct tape attached to a PVC pipe.

I'm wondering how should I proceed in diagnosing and fixing what the problem is here.

Aren't you supposed to leave an air gap in this connection? It seems like the previous fixer tried to make it air-tight. Could that be the problem?

Or could it be blockage in the drain pipe that could cause some buildup of pressure? Or maybe the hose just...fell out? (Seems unlikely with all the duct tape)

Any ideas on how to diagnose what's happening and proceed would be greatly appreciated! It would be awesome to get back to washing our clothes.

Thanks!


texts:
My bathroom bulb died and I am trying to replace it, but before I can figure out what sort of bulb to buy I want to remove it so I can take it with me to the store and get an exact one. However I've tried to pull it hard and it won't come out, I'm afraid I might break the connector if I pull any harder so before I mess it up I thought I would ask.
Here is a picture of the little guy (click for full size image):


texts: Help identifying shower valve and cartridge

texts: I can not find a manufacturer name anywhere.  Here's a picture of the valve and the exploded ceramic cartridge and other pieces.   Thank you very much in advance.


texts: Changing sconce from flourescent to halogen

texts: The new sconce has two black wires and  ground. Can it be used in existing location which has one black and one white wire?


texts: The main water shut-off valve coming into my home leaks when it is closed (water turned off to the house).  Is there a way to repair this kind of valve without replacing it?


texts: Smoke and Sparks From Circuit Going to 6 Wire Outlet?

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I'm trying to deliver power to a simple circuit, and need help identifying the source of smoke and sparks from an outlet outside our house when I try to connect wires going outdoors.

The wires outdoors go to a 2 outlet receptacle in a shed and a switch & light located in a cave. I suspect there's a short in the circuit, because when I turn on 1 outlet of the 2 outlet receptacle, it's fine, but both can't be on or else smoke comes from the outlet from the house and the 20Amp circuit breaker turns off.

I included a diagram of my wiring job. I disconnected the light and attempted to wire in series. The only configuration I could think of making both outlets work was disconnecting the light bulb. When I flip the switch off, it will cut power to one of the outlets. So far so good. However, just recently the power supply outside the house started buzzing loudly and smoke/sparks come from the plug connecting the outdoors circuit when the switch was ON. I'm at a loss at where I went wrong wiring the circuit, and what's causing the apparent short circuit. Please ask if further clarification is needed.

EDIT: Green wire shouldn't come from the power supply as the drawing shows.

Here's a picture of the box inside the shed. one black wire carries power from supply. the other black goes to the cave. 2 white neutrals (one from cave and one from shed, also the mystery red wire)

light fixture in cave (not sure why wires coming from cave end up at the outlet at the shed. Also, how do i get power to the light with one black wire carrying power?)

power supply (red-green,white-white,black-black)


texts:
We're thinking about installing an infrared patio heater – according to a local dealer a CD-6024 (2 - 3000 W / 240 V elements for a total of 6000 watts) would do the job. For the controls they recommend the 14-4320 dual-stack switch.
The heater can draw a total of 25A (or 12.5A per element), since the heater could be left on for more than 3 hours, it's a continuous load and the conductors need to be sized at 125% of the load (31.25 A total / ~16 A per element). The indoor portion of the circuit will be NM-B cable, the outside portion will be THWN in PVC conduit.
I have some questions about the wiring design:

The control appears to use a Leviton 5627 (20 A duplex) switch. The switch terminals will accommodate 12 AWG wire. The wiring diagram Infratech provides shows one side of the 240 V circuit going to the switch and the other side going to the heating element. So, question #1 if a common feed is brought to the switch, it would need to be sized for 30+ A, so 8 AWG for the NM-B portion of the circuit. The switch terminals won't accommodate 8 AWG wire, is it safe / to code to feed the switch and the rest of the run to the heater using 12 AWG THWN?

I'm currently planning to use a single two-pole 40 A breaker and 8 AWG NM-B cable for the run to a junction box on the outside of the house, and then from there run underground in PVC conduit with 8 AWG THWN to the controls. Would it be acceptable to treat each element as a separate device, using two two-pole 20 A breakers and feeding each circuit with 12 AWG NM-B?

When transitioning from the NM-B to the THWN how do the temperature ratings work? The individual conductors in the NM-B cable are rated at 90° C, but the cable assembly is rated at 60° C. The run in conduit is THHN/THWN which is rated at 75° C for wet locations. Could I use a 35 A breaker and size the THWN at 10 AWG (35 A @ 75° C) with 75° wire nuts? Or does the whole run have to assume 60°?


texts:
So, It's getting quite cold now and my central heating is just going on and off randomly. There is what seems to be an unbranded heating timer below the combi-boiler (Baxi). However I have no idea how to program it. I'm looking for a manual or some sort of instructions for programming it.

Here is a picture of the timer and of the boiler:

Click on photo for full size


texts: Should I use a separate system, or extend the existing system to heat a detached garage?

texts:
We're building an detached post & beam garage, 24 X 24. We have natural gas on the property, and our house is heated by a Dunkirk boiler and hot-water baseboard system that we've been told has the capacity to "heat the whole valley".

We need to run heat to the garage. We will be insulating and sheetrocking the inside of the structure. It will need to be kept at a reasonable temp all the time, perhaps 60 degrees or so. Radiant in-floor heating is out of the question because of up-front costs. We're considering either, 1) running the natural gas line from the far end of the house through the basement and out the other end to the garage, which is about 10 feet from the house, then installing some kind of gas powered heater or furnace; or
2) extending the hot water line from the house to the garage and putting the garage on its own zone.

Any suggestions? The guy who's building the shell of the garage for us said the hot water line would be very expensive because it has to have special insulation. But wouldn't running the gas line be expensive, too? Just looking for ideas on degree of difficulty vs. up-front cost of each option.


texts: How do I repair or replace this fridge water line connector?

texts:
I had to take the doors off my refrigerator to move it through a doorway. I put everything back together, but the part (picture below) that connects the freezer door's water dispenser to the fridge's water supply now leaks when I try to dispense water.

What is this part called?

Is there a trick to reattaching this piece that would prevent the leak?

If I've damaged the piece, where should I find a replacement?


texts: salvaging DC motors from home appliances

texts: In what home appliances I can find a 40V (or so) DC motor?


texts: What should i put between concrete and tiles?

texts:
I am redoing my bathroom and figuring out how to do the floor.

Previously it had lino on top of 26mm of tongue and groove foam-backed chipboard, which also locked into the hall floor. This chipboard was rotten and had to be removed. It sat directly on solid concrete, which is the structural floor of my flat.

I now want to put down ceramic tiles, but am unsure what to put between the tiles and the concrete (tiling directly onto the concrete is not an option)

Many places I have looked suggest plywood but they assume you already have wood underneath to affix it to, and I think that without that it may expand too much in the humidity.

Another option in concrete backer boards, but would I still need wood underneath them to hold them together?

I would also like to include a new foam layer for insulation/sound proofing.

Can anyone recommend a solution that will ensure my tiles will stay fixed down and not crack?

Thanks for reading


texts: Secure subfloor underwall between joists

texts:
I jumped to quickly into cutting out subfloor in my bathroom and I am now trying to figure out how resolve the issue and get the new plywood in place and secured properly.

I cut the sub floor to as close as I could to the wall but that leave me with a gap just over 4" from the joist. I have completed access from below but I don't want to have to rip up anything on the opposite side of the wall.

My thoughts are to just pick up a 2x6 and lay it even with the floor to have somewhere to anchor the board. I am just not sure if that is the best way.

I will attempt to post a picture from below.

https://goo.gl/photos/hTJBbEiASHbKxr28A


texts: How to wire a sub panel from a 15 amp circuit existing run

texts:
I'm adding power for an outdoor pond, I will need four outlets in the end.  I have an existing 15 amp circuit out of my main house service panel that connects to an outside wall.  I want to tie into that with 12-2 and run it about 80 feet away (buried in rigid conduit) and it was suggested that I put a small sub panel on the remote end to help isolate that run later (Question 1. Is the sub panel unnecessary in the first place?).  In the end I need four GFI outlets near the pond.

Concept: I was going to take a typical AC disconnect box and swap in a new 15 amp breaker.  The question is about the wiring.  The AC disconnect box has two main lugs and what I guess is the neutral bar at the bottom.  I'm guessing I need to add a ground bar and then my incoming 12-2 will connect this way:  Hot (black) to one of those lugs, Neutral (white) goes to the neutral bar, Ground (bare copper) goes to new ground bar.  I assume the ground bar and neutral bar are not bonded in this scenario?  Should I also bury a ground rod and tie that panel's new ground bar to the ground rod?  From this new breaker I'll run the two new outlets in a separate weather proof box.  I will use one GFI and then connect the second standard outlet on the load side so they're both protected.  Have I described it proper or did I miss something major?
Thanks!

UPDATE: Answering questions
Load to consider on the pond end:

Pump: 12 Volt, 28 Watts, 60Hz,
UV: 120 Volt, 60Hz, 9 Watt UV Lamp
LED: 0.76 Watts

There is a single outlet on the existing circuit.


texts:
There is the circular hole in the floor in my living room near radiator which leads to a relatively big space underground! If I want to judge using my eyes,I think the size is around 50cm/1.5feet depth and 30cm/1 foot width and 30cm/1 foot length. I think a mouse entered my house through this hole which is man made. I don't know why there is such a hole near radiator.

I cannot completely fill the hole because it opens to a larger space. I want to lay a plastic sheet over the hole and then push the sheet into the hole. Now I have a cup-like plastic sheet inside the hole which I can fill with cement or mortar.

I am wondering which is better, mortar or cement? I think cement must be better because mortar is made of cement itself and sand and lime. Thus I think the cement must form a stronger piece of solid.

I would be happy to know about other possible solutions too.

Here is a photo:


texts:
In an effort to convert a fridge freezer into something to age cheese (Electronic temp and humidity control) I'm trying to understand the following circuit diagram

I'm trying to work out what the "Compartment Heater" and "Compensating Thermo" are.  Following the colors, the compensating thermo is inside a terminal box which is subjected to external room temperature.
The back cover is not removable from the fridge without damaging the rear cover so I'm uable to find out where the Orange and Gray wires go.

It's definitely not part of the cyclic defrost system (which I plan on keeping).  My intention is to cut a vent between fridge and freezer compartments and fan force the air (so the entire unit is at one temperature) and use a digital temp controller, am I right in assuming I should isolate/disconnect this heater regardless of where it is and what it does?

Edit: The cooling coil is in the freezer (fan forced) and the thermostat is in the fridge.  The "Compensating Thermo" says "JP3 17" on it.


texts: Is there a temporary solution to alleviate wet carpet stench in the basement?

texts:
Yesterday I discovered that part of the carpet in the basement is soggy and there's a sewage-like stench. I've contacted both the water damage restoration company and the insurance company to evaluate the situation. The restoration company said it's likely a backed up drain underneath the carpet and that they will come Monday to remove, dry, and replace the carpet; They did suggest I contact a plumber first to check on the clog.

I'm not asking about what needs to be done to deal with the wet carpet/smell, since that will be handled by the restoration company. I'm asking if there's something I can do before Monday as a temporary measure before the smell and bacteria/mold gets worse?

Edit: I'm considering of throwing some drying agent like kitty litter or something and then run vacuum and carpet cleaner over the area as a stop-gap measure. Would this be advisable?

For the curious, it doesn't appear to be a foundation leak or sump pump overflow because all areas around the wall and sump pump are dry. The wet spots appear towards the middle of the basement away from the walls.


texts: Best way to parge exterior stone foundation wall

texts:
I have a 1894 house with a stone/rock wall (limestone I think). The foundation is in decent shape for the most part but I would like to parge the exterior visible portion to give it a more modern look and to also make it easier to maintain. Currently each fall I go around and try to seal up any little cracks that developed through the year.

Anyway my plan is to dig down about 6 inches around the exterior. Then attach some diamond mesh to the rock wall. Use the first coat to fill to the level of the mesh, then skim coat that layer to give it a smooth look.

Questions:

1.) What kind of cement/mortor to use for parging?

2.) Can anyone offer a better suggestion on how to go about this?

I should mention too that part of the reason for doing this is that with a couple layers of siding (the most recent is LP smart siding) it sticks out a 1-2 inches over the foundation. I  know I can't parge nearly that thick, but having a good 1/2" of parging would help narrow that gap.

Any input is appreciated.


texts: Why would the lights on a ceiling fan not work after a power outage even though the fan does?

texts: Why does the ceiling fan work but the lights on it will not turn on after a power outage?


texts: Water flow reduced after a few seconds in 2nd floor bathroom sink, cold side

texts:
If you turn the cold water on full blast, it flows for 2-3 seconds at full, then drops off to a trickle thereafter. The hot side does not have the same issue. This began happening a few months ago, with no other issues, or changes to the plumbing.

What could be the issue?

Thanks!


texts: What is the minimum safe gap berween leads on a 240 volt oven bake element?

texts:
I am replacing the bake element in my oven.

The old element has a  minimum gap of about 1 3/8 inches between the leads. The gap between the leads in the replacement element is about 9/16 inch.
Is this sufficient space between the leads?


texts: Outlet installation in metal electrical box

texts:
I am replacing some receptacles that are contained within metal electrical boxes in my shop.

Is it proper technique to wrap the outlet with electrical tape to prevent shorts with the grounded box (See New receptacle tripped/sparked for example)?

If wrapping the outlet is correct, does it need to be de-rated due to the potential higher temperature caused by the insulation effect of the tape?


texts: Air con. When zone 1 is selected different zones blow also

texts: I have 6 zones on My aircon. When I select zone 1. Air blows through several zones. When I select zone 3 that zone doesn't blow any air, but other zones start blowing out air. Currently only half of the rooms work. Any ideas. I've turned the aircon unit off at the fuse board and by the power switch by the aircon unit. No luck


texts: How can I remove dried paint from carpet and leather?

texts: I placed a full tin of valspar v700 Int wall/ ceiling matt paint on the back seat of my car, the lid hadn't been put back on correctly by B & Q and it fell over all over the black leather seat and all over the carpet in the back foot weel, Does anyone know how to get this off, it happened 2 days ago,


texts: Dimmer rotation span wider than the light intensity span

texts:
I had a guy install a dimmer for my kitchen's spotlight. It works as supposed to except for one small detail. The spots are totally off not at the end of the rotation of the controller but at about 40%.

If the full turn is 360 degrees giving max light, they become uneluminated at about 140 degrees. In reality, I'd like them to be slightly on even at 0 degrees. Turning off is done by pushing the button.

I could try to fix it myself or together with the electrician. However, I need advise on what to tell him. I know jack about electricity so I'm not even sure if anything could be done about it to begin with. I just find it counter-intuitive to have rotation span left to go at the end of the illumination decrement.


texts: Hanging temporary doors and then replacing

texts:
We are in the approaching the end of finishing our basement with a GC. The wife has decided that she must have some fancy interior doors with windows that of course are a custom order and will take over a month to get. Everything is a standard size and it is really just the arrangement of the panels and glass that make them fancy.

Is it a mistake to buy and hang cheap slabs as a temporary measure and then install the fancy doors (they are slabs also) when they come in? For new construction how hard/long is it to replace a door slab?

The plan is to move into the basement while we work on the upstairs, so we need the temporary doors.


texts: So, I'm planning the installation of both a 50A RV outlet and an adjacent 20A GFCI 110v outlet on the back wall of my residence.  I have separate 50A and 20A breakers and will use 6/3 and 12/2 romex respectively.  Running the wire completely indoors to the intended location appears to be next to impossible so I want to poke the wires out of the dwelling and run the last 10' or so outside.  I have obtained 3/4" non-metallic flexible conduit for the purpose and have the appropriate weather resistant 1 & 2 gang boxes and in-use covers for outlet installation.  My question is this: can I run the two conductors together in the conduit to their respective receptacles as-is or must I strip their outer insulation for the balance of the run that is within the conduit?


texts:
I have recently purchased a staple gun (this model, in case that matters, but I guess all of them work more or less the same way?)

I don't understand how to lock it.
The instructions say this:

push the handle down
pull it outwards

First of all, I don't understand one thing: am I supposed to remove the staples before locking the staple gun (or always shoot one staple)? Or is there a point where I can push down just enough for not yet firing, but still be able to lock?

Also, I tried to push down and pull the handle, as described (without staples), but somehow it always "jumps back" and unlocks itself. I cannot find the point where it would stay fixed.

So is there a trick to this, that I'm missing?


texts: I am putting up 6" bullnose tile baseboards, and am wondering how best to handle where they'll meet the vanity toe-kick, which is about 4". Without having a bullnose blade, is there a more elegant way than butting up against the vanity stopmolding, and making an "L" underneath?


texts: Proper way to test AC voltage for dishwasher hookup

texts:
I am trying to connect my new dishwasher to the electrical cable coming up into my kitchen from down in the basement. This (white) cable actually houses 3 smaller wires inside of it:

A white wire (hot?)
A black wire (neutral?)
A bare copper wire (ground?)

It looks nearly identical to the top cable in this diagram labeled "NM flat".

It appears that I need to connect the white wire from this power cable to the white wire on my dishwasher, the black wire from this power cable to the black wires on my dishwasher, and the bare/GND wire from this power cable to a grounding plate+screw on my dishwasher.

My circuit breaker is in my basement. I have turned off what I believe is the circuit for my dishwasher, and I have confirmed that I can't turn it on by pushing its various buttons. Also it usually has green lights lit up indicating power, and those lights are now off. I'm 99.99% sure the power is off, but...

Just to be 100% sure I'd like to test the power cable with a multimeter. The one I have has a setting for AC voltage. I don't think this should matter but my exact model is an Innova 3320.

I'm looking for the exact procedure for testing. I assume I want to:

Turn the multimeter on and set it to ACV (AC volts). I expect to have it show me a very small amount of voltage since (IIRC) there's always a little bit of "electricity in the air"
Touch the black lead to the black wire (inside the power cable)
Touch the red lead to the white wire (inside the power cable)
Confirm that I get 0.0V

Am I missing anything here? Any critical steps or other tests I should be performing?


texts: How to repair small depression in a wall?

texts:
I would appreciate any help and guidance on repairing a small portion of a wall, which gave in a bit due to a telescopic pull-up bar.
Not sure how to explain what type of wall it is and the fact that the damage is minimal.
]1


texts: Outlets still have power but fuse is unscrewed?

texts:
I have an old house with a fuse box on the second floor of the home, and 200A service with breaker box in the basement. The fuse box is fed by a 30A line. The fuse box has 24 fuses and seems to integrate with much of the house.

Today I traced my living room electric with a circuit breaker finder to the fuse box. I unscrewed the fuse and the expected outlets lost power. However, when I passed these outlets and their plugged in items with a noncontact voltage tester, I got the same positive readings one does when the fuse is plugged in. Any ideas on what could cause this?


texts: Does the arrangement of breakers within a panel matter or follow any rules?

texts:
When somebody is installing breakers initially or doing a major remodel, are there rules or restrictions that must be followed in regard to which breaker goes where in the panel spaces?
Obviously dual-pole breakers need to be installed into a spot where they can reach both phases, and any other instructions on the panel labeling must be adhered to. But beyond that, I'm curious if any of these considerations matter or are stipulated in code:

Locate largest rated breakers closest to the main, and 15A circuits farthest away.
Balance (within some threshold) the total breaker ratings on one phase with the other one.
Balance the expected real-life load on each phase. (Is there even a way to calculate that?)
In specific locations (e.g. the two separate kitchen countertop receptacle circuits) put these two circuits on different phases -- if the circuits are not wired as an MWBC.
Group standard, AFCI, and DFCI breakers together.
Group breakers by the rooms they serve, or by circuit type, or by 120/240V, or...

Put another way, if somebody were to pop all of the breakers out of their panel (without unscrewing any of the wire terminals!) and shuffle them all randomly, would they need to apply any sort of code interpretation or common sense to reinstall them correctly?


texts: Installing HVAC return in mold-infested room

texts:
We're in the process of reducting our house for a central HVAC system.

We have an insulated "cold room" in the basement that had an outbreak of green mold in the past, probably from an old fridge but we're not sure. The room still smells funny after cleaning and humidity always peaks above 60% relative humidity each summer. There are no visible spores but we're pretty sure the problem is still there.

We want to leverage the HVAC system to permanently solve this mold problem by trying to lower the humidity in the room but we're afraid that installing a return duct in the room will spread mold spores into the insulated HVAC ducts (which are impossible to clean) and infect the rest of the house.

Any suggestions?


texts: I have presented fire extinguishers to be tagged to a Florida Fire company.  They indicated that the devices are old and need a 6 year maintenance inspection.  What exactly is tested?


texts: Connecting circuit with two hots to breaker(s)

texts:
I was swapping a breaker inside my panel and noticed something that struck me as odd--the garbage disposal and dishwasher are both being served by a single cable that contains a pair of red/black hots (marked "14-3 w/ ground"). Whoever hooked it up in the first place had connected the two hots to two separate 20 amp breakers that were positioned opposite each other. Now, the wires are only 14 gauge, so 20 amps is too much to begin with. But even if the breakers were 15, would there be a risk of allowing more current than that since two breakers are involved, or would both trip together the moment 15 amps was exceeded? The breaker type (square D QO) can accept two wires; would it be better to connect both hots to a single (15 amp) breaker?

Edit: The cable terminates in an outlet where the dishwasher is connected with a NEMA L5-20 plug (I'm finding 14-gauge wire mixed with 20 amp stuff all over the place here. Sigh). A short length of 14-2 w/ ground runs from the outlet box to the switch that controls the disposal, and another 14-2 w/ ground runs from the switch to the disposal itself. The cord between the plug and the dishwasher is also 14-2 w/ ground.


texts: Wooden piece without a screw hole - is this correct?

texts:
This is my first DIY, so please forgive me if my question sounds very naive. I have a whole set of furniture's coming in, so I need to get this bed-side table right!

I am trying to set this up and I have almost everything sorted out, except for one component, you might get an idea from the picture(s) below.

Below is the S0 wooden piece:

Basically I need to fix the S0 piece - but then I do not find any holes on them - unlike all other pieces which had them. Do I need to drill one? If so, what could be the reason that only this piece is left without a hole? How do I go about this?


texts: Monitor blacks out when fridge turns on - bad power supply? Surge protection?

texts:
My PC monitor often turns off/blacks out for a second when the fridge starts up. It is on the same circuit as the fridge, so I assume this is due to the sudden draw from the fridge causing noise or a drop in the AC circuit.

No other appliances are noticeably affected, and I have no reason to suspect bad wiring in the apartment.

I'm wondering if the power supply board in the monitor is wearing out, and it can't deal with the (normal?) noise in the AC caused by the fridge start up.

I disassembled the monitor to inspect the power board but found no signs of damage or failure - capacitors are fine, no damaged traces etc.

Is this a problem with the monitor? Is it worth replacing the power board anyway? Would using a surge protector help at all?

Thanks!

Replies (as I can't comment):

@DarthCaniac: it's a standard single-door fridge-freezer, plugged into a dedicated socket on a normal UK ring main. UK ring mains are typically rated for 30A total, with normal household sockets rated for 13A each. There are no other high-power appliances running on the sockets ring main. I can't move the fridge or monitor to a different circuit, because there is only one ring main for the sockets (lights, cooker, boiler etc. are of course on their own circuits, though).

@longneck: Flat panel LED monitor. The fridge and wiring are no older than about 6 years - the apartment is a new build, and I have no reason to suspect bad wiring.


texts:
My fiancé and I are trying to tent our bedroom ceiling. We bought enough fabric from the fashion district downtown and got set up and ready to do it... and nothing was working or looking right.

As of now we have fabric lining the outside of our ceiling hanging down that is long enough to reach the center of the room.

The look is kind of a fancy Moroccan look we are going for. Not TOO drapey but not so tight that there are no creases.

Looking for a mixture of these two looks:


texts: Phantom Voltage on Hot Wire from Another Circuit

texts:
While replacing a light switch, I shut off the circuit breaker for it and checked the voltage to be sure it was not hot. I noticed that the hot wire read 10VAC, which was odd. It was pretty consistent. Just on a hunch, I went and shut off the circuit breaker for another circuit nearby (the GFCI circuit for the bathroom outlets) and the 10 VAC went away.

I checked the neutral wire resistance to ground, and it was very low, which is correct.

Any ideas on what to look at for this?


texts: Tracing individual conductors most effectively

texts:
I recently moved in to a 20 year old house, and have started to unravel some of the unfortunate short cuts the previous owner left, with regards to the electrical work. One trouble in particular I'm having is tracing my hots: there's cases where he had them tied into white wires, and split out onto three way circuits where I believe the hot and travelers area actually tied together somewhere. Constantly de-energizing the circuit and pulling out all the boxes and disconnecting the receptacles is super tedious, and even when I do make progress, where I find hot wires coming back at the switch boxes makes no sense.

I've seen the tone generators and breaker/circuit tracers, but is there a good tool to use that will allow me to map an individual conductor to approximate the path of the hot I'm seeing currently without the risk of using 120v and a non-contact tester all over the place? Basically, can I clip something on to my hot (de-energized) line and get kinda close with the tone generator function, and then find exactly which conductor(s) are then connected to it? Thank you for any thoughts!

Two additional notes:
1. this house is a prefab - built in two parts and shipped in, then placed on a poured foundation. It was partially pre-wired, and the two halves of the house were connected later. While likely to 90s code, some of the methods seem unconventional (I'm not saying wrong), but the bigger concern is that originally Rv-style self-contained outlets and switches were used, and they're past their lifetime. Most have been straight swaps. The previous owner though took some additional liberties and took what might have been mildly confusion and made it concerning, potentially dangerous. (see note below).

My end goal is to also write in a number of home automation switches that requires neutrals, so ensuring that this are accurately identified, traced and labeled is important, hence my question.

Edit - @Harper - while I'm no Master Electrician, and still learning more of the advanced circuit possibilities, I'm judging based on a number of observations. For instance, the three way switches for the ceiling fan wouldn't work correctly (would switch one leg, but the other switch would shut off the whole circuit), and after pulling out the switch box from the wall, I found two previously unknown switches electrical taped "on", stuffed down into the wall cavity. Tracking then where the wires connected to those switches went has led to more fun findings, like wires just twisted and taped loose in multiple boxes. So yes, I definitely have more to learn, but I believe these are items that definitely qualify at a minimum as mistakes.


texts: Halogen transformer replacement: safe to use 60w max to replace a 75w max?

texts:
I have a 120V to 12V 75W max transformer powering an Ikea Halogen light fixture. It seems to have burnt out.

All I can find in stores are 120V to 12V 60W max halogen transformers. The 75W max model I have found online shows a picture of 60W max model.

Is it safe to use these 60W max models to replace the 75W max model, or do I absolutely need a 75W max model?

Thanks!


texts: Why is my HI HEAT terminal causing blower to run non-stop?

texts:
I am trying to troubleshoot what is causing my blower to run non stop (the condenser (outside unit) comes on only when cool is required). There is no issue with cooling the house. I read through all the posts related to similar issue from this forum, but my issue looks peculiar. I checked the thermostat, the fan is set to auto and the wirings look good. Upon testing the control board with a multimeter, the HI HEAT terminal is showing 120 volts even when the thermostats are off or removed. I checked the limit switches and they are showing 0 volts, so they are not tripped either.

For now, I have detached the wire from the HI-HEAT terminal
(that goes from the terminal to blower) and the unit is tuning on and off along with the condenser unit (only when the cool is required). However, summer getting over, I want to get this fixed before the winter cold starts.

I think it is time to check with our experts on what is causing the HI HEAT terminal to request 120 volts which in turn is making the blower to run non stop.

The unit is a Goodman GME80805DXAA attached is the wiring diagram.


texts: Door to AC unit causing pressure change?

texts: Found water in the bottom of my AC unit inside. When I remove the bottom door the water will run back to the drain. But when I put the door back on, the water is being sucked down by the motor.  There is water on top of the motor and all around it. Can't leave the door off because the unit freezes. I have vaccumed to check for blockages and cleaned the coils


texts: Dishwasher was tripping the fuse box, but now appears to be working?

texts:
We noticed that our kitchen appliances weren't working because a switch at the fuse box was off. It would not turn on at all, the switch would just trip back off every time we tried.

We turned off and unplugged all kitchen appliances and wall fuses which allowed the switch at the fuse box to turn back on. We then worked out that it was the dishwasher causing the problem.

Every time you would plug it in and turn it on the "kitchen appliances" switch at the fuse box would trip again. We also tried it with an extension cable from the living room and the whole house electricity went.

Therefore, we concluded it must be the dishwasher. However, the electrician is coming tomorrow so we thought we should test it again to be certain. Weirdly the dishwasher has now turned on and is currently running a cycle with nothing in it.

Questions:

Why could the dishwasher now be working?
Is it safe to use, or should we just leave it off?
Could there be a bigger problem or fault with our fuse box?
Any other ideas as to what is causing this?
Should we just call an electrician?


texts: Where in the Canadian building or plumbing code is the 15" toilet clearance rule?

texts:
I've heard numerous stories occurring throughout British Columbia where, apparently, inspectors enforced a rule that requires 15" of clearance from the centerline of a toilet to an adjacent finished wall or cabinet.  I have yet to find the actual wording of this rule in any building code enacted in any part of Canada, however.

This good answer cites International Plumbing Code (IPC) section 405.3 as the basis for the 15" clearance rule.  No part of Canada, however, seems to enact building bylaws based on the IPC.  (In other words, if you're building in Canada you don't have to follow the IPC.)  Rather, Canadian jurisdictions seem to adopt from the National Plumbing Code of Canada (NPCC).

According to that answer, IPC section 405.3.1 reads as follows:

  405.3.1 Water closets, urinals, lavatories and bidets. A water closet, urinal, lavatory or bidet shall not be set closer than 15 inches from its center to any side wall, partition, vanity or other obstruction, or closer than 30 inches center-to-center between adjacent fixtures. There shall be at least a 21-inch clearance in front of the water closet, urinal, lavatory or bidet to any wall, fixture or door. Water closet compartments shall not be less than 30 inches wide and 60 inches deep.

I have searched through the BC Building and Plumbing Codes (which are based on the NBCC and NPCC) as well as the City of Vancouver's Vancouver-specific requirements and revisions of the BC codes.  I have not yet found any generally-applicable rule similar to IPC section 405.3.1.  Section 3.7.2.10 of the BC Building code contemplates distance from toilets for accessible washrooms, but that section only applies to accessible washrooms.  Section 3.7.2.10 also requires grab bars on one side and 34" clearance on the other side of a toilet.  Section 3.7.2.10 doesn't seem to apply to an ordinary residential toilet.

I'm specifically looking for the wording of this rule for the City of Vancouver.  But I'm interested in any wording from any Canadian jurisdiction.


texts: Replacing a ceiling rose with a led light without using wire connectors

texts:
I have two ceiling rose lights in my corridor, I have managed to replace one without the need of any wiring connector. I achieved this because it had one Live, one neutral and one earth connector.
So all I did was connect L and N to the new LED light and cover the earth wire with some tape.
The new LED doesn't require earth

However, I have now realised the other ceiling rose has several wires(a search suggested that this is due that being the main one)

I did some search and found that when it comes to converting these type of wires, you need connectors (wago connectors)
I don't understand the purpose of these, are these connectors really necessary? Can't the wires that can't be used, just be taped?

I'm based in the UK

The first ceiling rose that I converted by taping the earth wire(this picture show the setup was)

The following is the picture of the other ceiling rose, which I found to have too many wires on

UPDATE

This is the photo of all the wires after being removed from the ceiling rose setup.

Marked in Yellow: 4 earth wires, connected in pairs - I'm thinking of putting this in a wire connectors of five

Marked in blue/purple: 5 wires connected to a 3 slot section(Neutral). these were connected in pairs of two black together, two(one blue and black together) and one blue that goes to the actual light - I'm thinking of connecting them to a wire connector of 5

Marked in green: connected to a 3 slots sections(Loop), all three were red wires were connected separately - I'm thinking of connecting them to a wire connector of three

Marked in red: three wires connected to a section of two(Live), one pair(consisting of a red wire and green/yellowish) and one red wire coming from the light - I'm thinking of connecting these to a three slots wire connector.

Do you think the setup I'm going for is correct?


texts: If it is not going to actively heated or cooled, is there any value in insulating a garage?

texts:
In Southern California, during new construction with a finished garage, the cost of adding insulation at this point should be low.

But if the space will not have any active cooling or heating elements (outside of a tankless water heater and, perhaps, a cat), is there any value in insulating it?

Everyone loves going from a cool house in to a hot garage or vice a versa. Would insulating it make any difference? Would it not get as hot in the summer or as cold in the winter?

Seems to me that it would retain whatever temperature it have longer (whether hot or cold) with the insulation than without, and one could "reset" the temperature of the garage by opening the door for a few minutes to the outside (for example, open it in the cool morning in the summer hoping to better maintain that during the day). Just not sure if it would be enough to notice or bother with.

Historically the garage has mostly been closed vs opened several times a day for cars. Whether that will be the case at the new house is up for debate.


texts:
Here is what I want to accomplish. Install a light outside our backdoor, run electric to porch to recessed lights and ceiling fans. We would like to have the light outside the door on a switch, the recessed lights on a switch and the fans on a single switch. We currently have a switch box that currently has power coming into it (14-2). I was planning on running 14-2 from the switch box to the light outside the back door. I was thinking I would run 14-3 from the switch box to the junction box of the first fan. One of the conductors of the 14-3 will operate the two fans and the other would be used for the recessed lights. What does the inside of the switch box look like?

Does this sound right:

Power Feed coming into box (14-2)

Black - 3 pigtails that will go to the 3 switches
White - capped together with 14-2 white and the 14-3 white

14-2 wire coming in from light outside back door

Black - Going to switch
White - capped together with (Power Feed) 14-2 white and the 14-3 white

14-3 wire that will operate the fans and recessed lights

Black - Going to switch that will control recessed lights
White - capped together with (Power Feed) 14-2 white and the (Door Light) 14-2 white
Red - Going to switch that will control fans


texts: Is it necessary to shut off the water in order to tighten a handle on a Moen faucet?

texts:
I have a Moen faucet. The handle unscrews.

Do I need to shut off the water to remove the barrel shape under the handle in order to tighten the handle?


texts: Could I use a UPS to power my humidifier on an underrated breaker with a little trickery

texts:
I recently bought a house with really nice hardwood floors, but the builder didn't put any thought into installing a humidifier system.  I'm now looking into my options and steam humidifiers seem to be the highest output solution, albeit overkill.  Unfortunately, the only power source I have available in the furnace room is on a 15A breaker shared with two bathrooms, but my tinkering instincts won't accept defeat so quickly.

I'm thinking that I could use a UPS with sufficient output power to support the 7A steam humidifier.  The trick is that I would use a current switch to sense when the humidifier is on and subsequently turn off the power source to the UPS (with a relay) and when the humidifier is off the UPS will reconnect and start charging.  My theory is that the no load charging current of a UPS is always lower than the maximum load current.  Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

The question is:
How do I determine a UPS's charging current spec?  If this is low enough to put on the 15A circuit then I'm good to go.  If it's still too high then I have to accept defeat... unless someone has another clever solution.  Given the construction of the building I cannot run a new 20A drop to this room.

Assumptions:
Yes, I know, this isn't what a UPS is meant for.. but that isn't a part of the question.
Also, I'll probably go through a set of batteries in a year and I'm OK with that.


texts:
We got a house where it has a one foot strip of concrete that is 20 feet long besides a patio that is in good condition.

On this 1'x20' strip there are two spots where the concrete has risen about an inch.  This has produced two humps and a lip next to the patio near these parts.  (sorry no picture but won't be over to the house for another month again)

I dug around these areas and both were caused by roots from a tree 15 feet away.  I have broken these roots out and have a good 3 foot hole along the ridge.  Is there anything I can do to sink these two "high" areas to "flat"?  Really willing to try anything, as if we can't I will just make my ridge hole bigger and dump concrete in.


texts: Should my dormer flashing look like this?

texts:
I was up on my roof investigating how bats are getting in, when I observed the following:

There are no leaks... yet. Due to presence of yellowjackets, I didn't take a long look, but it appears that when the roof was replaced 17 years ago, they put the shingles under this flashing. I couldn't see if they added new flashing under the new shingles. Then they loaded it down with caulk, and nailed it.
The caulk is failing, and many of the nails have popped up.
Is this something I should be concerned about? How do I address something like this?

Bonus question -- what would cause this, and should I be worried about it?


texts: What's the "correct" way to install LED drivers for accent lighting?

texts:
I want to install LED strip lighting behind crown molding in my office.  In my particular install, I'm using 3 strips of SMD 5050 RGBW LEDs, which draw about 72 W per strip.  From what I can gather, people are using one of three kinds of power supplies:

plug-in type wall warts
panel-mount LED drivers like the Meanwell LPV series.
Enclosed power supplies like the Meanwell NES series.

I don't believe there exists a magnetic transformer that can drive and control RGB or RGBW LEDs, but perhaps I'm missing a fourth option?

If I hire a professional to do this work (I'm not; I'm doing it myself, but I want a "professional" job that will pass inspection), what method would they use to drive my LEDs?  The first two require multiple drivers since none are rated more than 100W or so.  The latter method uses a power supply that's meant to be enclosed in a larger assembly; it's not meant to just hang out on top of a cabinet with exposed 120V input terminals.

So what are professionals doing when they install these systems?  Do they install multiple 120V outlets spaced out behind the crown (or other feature they're accenting), and use multiple plug-in type drivers?  Do they use an enclosed power supply which they then place within an enclosure of some sort?  Do they fudge it, and just tuck the enclosed driver somewhere out of sight or where they think someone won't be likely to touch a live terminal?

I'm obviously not the first person to install LED accent lighting, but there's a dearth of info on the web as to how to install it, and actually respect Code at the same time.


texts: How to install 4-prong dryer in 3-prong receptacle with 4-wire cut ground?

texts: I bought a new dryer while living in a new construction apartment. I then moved to an older home (pre-1996 construction) with a 3-prong receptacle. I was about to buy a 3-prong plug but decided to open the receptacle and take a look. In the box I was surprised to find 4 wires with the ground wire cut very short and not used. So, can I use the 4-wire, wire nut a longer ground, and wire this to a new 4-prong receptacle that I'll buy?


texts: What size conductor do I need to bond water and gas piping?

texts: What is minimum size ground do I need for a 200 amp panel? I need to bond the hot and cold in the water heater and already have a ground rod in the ground. I also need to bond the water and gas.


texts:
We have a house that we are trying to setup for a shelter.  We are trying to get hardware ethernet into every room, without pulling wire to each room.

Three downstairs rooms, including an office have CAT5 wire, so we are set there.  Also we have a donated Netgear FSM7352S switch.  There are 14 rooms that we want to put ethernet into, which do not have CAT5, however all but one has 22/4 CL2 wire going to boxes for telephone outlets.

I would like to put the switch where the telephone wires terminate, and use the 4 conductor wire, even if it only supports 10 mbps, or some lower speed. It will save pulling lots of wire, and if it works at all, will be very helpful.

The question is: Will it work?
What is the expected performance, with less than 100 feet?


texts: Installing a fiberglass shower in basement

texts:
I have an acrylic preformed shower to install in my basement. There is a rough in drain in a 10x10 cutout. I have two questions.

The shower hole for the drain is in the center of the shower so it will be about 10 inches from the rough in pipe.

The shower has a skirt that is almost 4 inches high.
I found a shower drain that has a side outlet that will fit between the concrete floor and the shower pan.
Basically it would cause the drain to have a quick 90 degree turn and then I can add another 90 down the stub a few inches away. (All 2 inch PVC).
Does that seem reasonable as opposed to tearing up concrete?
I worry because I only found a couple brands of side outlet drains. It seems that there would be a lot more out there if this was an acceptable solution to an offset drain.

The shower needs concrete underneath.

Do I also fill in the 10x10 cut-out with concrete?
It seems obvious that I would, but I just want to make sure.


texts:
I have 5 lights all have their own switch. 2 upstairs 3 downstairs all run off the same circuit. I replaced the downstairs light first. Checked to see if it worked and it did. So I moved upstairs replaced the light up stairs and it also worked. Went downstairs and have no power to 3 of the lights and the outlets don't work either.

I put in the old fixture and now that doesn't work either. I am not a expert by any means.

Here is a photo of the downstairs light.

Edit
After checking the bundles again i get 120v when touching the black bundle to ground. Also getting 120v when checking the white bundle to ground. I must not have been touching the white proper when checking the 1st time. There is no power to the fixture or to the switch that controlled the light either.

After messing with the two fixtures and ensuring I didn't have a loose wire. (It kept showing open neutral). Turns out it was a plug outlet that was the problem. When I had first checked the plug with the tester it told me it was correct. When I pulled the outlet out the burnt wire pulled out of the backstabbed outlet. Thanks everyone for their help.


texts: Functions of 3 position toggle switch on central vac with power head

texts: I am trying to find out what should happen when each of the three positions of the rocker toggle switch are selected on my central so called "gas pump" handle of my central vacuum unit equipped with a power head. When the left toggle is in the down position ONLY the power head works, in the center position nothing works, with the right toggle down ONLY the central vacuum works (draws).  Surely the power head and vacuum should come on together. I expect to hear the toggle switch is defective.  The toggle switch looks identical to the one in this previous question.


texts:
Newly remodeled bathroom. I had the plumber install a Delta R10000-UNWS (with stops) valve for the tub/shower. When tiled, he installed a Delta Monitor 17 series trim (spout, handle, shower head). According to the specs from Delta, I should be getting 6gpm at 60psi from the tub spout (PRV is set to 60psi). I measured the flow from the tub spout twice (with no other water on in the house) and I’m only getting 2gpm.
The plumber says it’s a valve or cartridge limitation but per Delta that’s false.
What could be wrong?


texts: Questions regarding my plan for new 50A circuit (with pictures)

texts:
Overview

Pictures/diagrams at the end. I will pull permits and would like to do this correctly. I will be disconnecting an unused 40A circuit and replacing it with a new 50A circuit to my garage for a NEMA 14-50 electric vehicle (Tesla) charger. The wiring specifications from Tesla say to use a neutral wire for the NEMA 14-50. This circuit will be submetered for time of day rates specific to the electric vehicle only.

Plan

I will remove the 40A double pole breaker, cap that circuit's wires, and install new 50A double pole breakers
I will use 6-gauge THWN wire, attaching ground to ground bar, neutral to neutral bar, one hot to each side of the 50A double pole breaker
The circuit runs to the exterior with LBs at each egress/ingress, passing through PVC conduit and a submeter on its way to the garage
It runs through studs in the garage wall, exiting at the plastic box for a NEMA 14-50 receptacle

Questions:

Do I run individual insulated wires or should all four insulated wires also be sheathed? Relates to my next question regarding the neutral wire. Again this will pass through an exterior raceway so therefore a "wet location." I assume all four are sheathed together.
The wiring diagram for the submeter only has lines drawn for the two hots. I've drawn in how I believe it should be wired. The neutral bypasses everything in the meter, going straight from the neutral bar at the main panel to the NEMA 14-50 receptacle. Is this correct for the neutral?
The ground wires are stripped 3/4", attached from ground bar at main panel to the ground lug (?) in the meter, then again from ground lug in meter to the receptacle. No ground attached to the plastic outlet box. Is this correct for the ground?
I plan to exit the house at LB which goes down into submeter, putting the new submeter next to the existing meter (pictured), then continuing down through the conduit to the garage. If I drill holes through studs inside to do this, do I need bushings?
The exterior PVC conduit will rest on the masonry foundation. Do I need to secure the conduit to the masonry?
Should I use 1" PVC conduit, given 4 6-gauge wires?
What else that I didn't mention will make this easier/safer?


texts: How to change water filter if the only valve is before the boiler?

texts:
How can I change the water filter if the only valve to close the water supply is before the boiler? If I just close the valve and unscrew the filter the hot water from the boiler will flow back? Is this the standart procedure or is there some way that I can prevent the water from coming out of the boiler?

And also how to properly place the filter back? Im worried about air getting into the boiler.


texts: Trying to relocate a drain- I need to deviate like 27 degrees from the original direction of the drain. What are my options?

texts:
I have had a busy time at work and I am now getting back to my bathroom renovation project
The picture below shows what I am trying to do
I would like to avoid digging out the pipe and cutting out the concrete to the right of the picture
Ideally I would like to join the existing and the new drain pipe near the right edge of the opening you see in the picture. What options do I have ? I do not like the flex connectors I do not think it is a good idea to leave then under ground. Just to be clear  am installing a shower base there and relocating the sink drain

Here is the overall plan for the plumbing for this section of my project, The angles we are talking about are not exactly rendered in the diagram below


texts: We have a leaking shower. We have replaced the seat and stem on the  water but it still leaks. Also the diverter does not shut off all the water.


texts: Replacing 3-way switch in 4-way circuit with an occupancy switch - not working correctly

texts:
I'm trying to replace one of the 3-way switches in a 4-way switch circuit with a 3-way occupancy sensor.

Here's my current wiring for the occupancy sensor:

And here's the current wiring for the other 3-way switch

I haven't touched the 4-way switch.

Before I changed any wiring, the black screw on both 3-way switches was connected to the black wire.

Here is the current behavior of the circuit:

When occupancy sensor is OFF:

4-way switch does not function
If the 4-way switch is in the OFF position:

3-way switch does nothing

If the 4-way switch is in the ON position:

3-way switch works, but only if I switch it slowly. If I switch rapidly, it only works every other time the switch changes.

When occupancy sensor is ON:

3-way switch works properly
When the 4-way switch is switched, the lights flicker off while the switch is in between positions.

Any thoughts on what I've screwed up with my wiring?


texts: In shower, hot water doesn't work (no water at all comes out when handle turned to hot side) yet cold water works well - this is in guest bath.  Hot and cold works at sink in same bath.  Master bath - both works well.  IN kitchen both work, but have started noticing leaks around faucet and sprayer base.  Dishwasher in kitchen has stopped working - sounds like no water coming in dishwasher.  What would cause these issues?  Are they related?


texts:
My house has two switches in a 3-way circuit that controls two light fixtures.  The lights are physically located in between the two switches.

Diagram

Here's a diagram of all the wires I see inside the two switch boxes and the two light fixture boxes:

This layout mirrors the physical layout of the four boxes.

Wavy symbol: a "bundle" of wires coming into the box
Small tan circle: plastic connector joining wires together
Rectangle: light switch
Bright yellow circle: light fixture

Switch 1:

A single bundle of wire containing black, white, red, and ground.  The ground is tied to the switch next to it (which is on a different breaker).

Light 1

There are 3 bundles of wire coming into here:

A: Black, white, ground
B: Black, white, red, ground
C: Black, white, ground

Things that are tied together:

All of the ground wires
All of the white wires
Two black wires
A red wire and the other black wire

Light 2

A single bundle with black, white, and ground

Switch 2

Two bundles of wire come into the box:

Black (not connected to anything), white (connected to switch via red wire), and ground
Black, white, and ground

The grounds are tied together.

More info

Unlike everything else in my house, these don't have the twisted-together neutral wires inside the box (sort of like this picture: https://i.stack.imgur.com/k5RZu.jpg)

Additionally, although this circuit is on the bottom floor, the same breaker also cuts power to lights on the second and third floors (towards the rear of the house, which is also where Switch 1 is located).  Not sure if that is relevant.

The black wires inside the switch boxes are definitely hot on both ends (when disconnected from the switches).

The red wire is not hot at switch 2.  My non-contact voltage detector could not give me a consistent reading on the red wire at switch 1.

My Question

Any thoughts on how this might be wired?  I ultimately need to know which wires at the switch boxes are:

Line (connected to breaker box)
Load (connected to fixture)
Neutral (if they exist)
Traveler(s)

Any other details or hints about this wiring would also be appreciated.


texts: Why can't I get water out of my washing machine taps?

texts:
I just moved in and ordered a new washer/dryer that were installed on Monday. There doesn't seem to be any water running to the washing machine. I unattached the hoses from the taps, tried turning the taps to different positions, and can't get water out of them. All nearby valves are on, and I can get water out of a pipe on the same line as the cold water after the black valve but before the taps.

I have photos of the lines here:

Any idea on what to check?


texts: What should I do if a new cabinet is smaller than the old one?

texts: I want to change my bathroom cabinets, but need ideas for floor. If I leave the same tile and the new cabinet footprint doesn't match the old, then there will be a portion of the floor exposed with no tile.  What can I do to fill the gap?


texts: When I removed my old belt, I noticed the plastic cover on the clutch was worn through.  I believe it needs to be replaced because it will damage the new belt due to the rough surface.  Wondering if its possible to do it myself or whether I have to take it to a repair shop.  Thoughts?


texts:
I'm not sure if this exists or not.

A flat square piece of plastic or metal which has two or more permanently affixed dowel-type protuberances that allow various boards to be joined simultaneously.
If it exists, would love to know the name so I can shop for them.