texts: Can I move well pipe from under front steps and still satisfy Connecticut code?

texts:
I have a problem with my well pipe - it leaks in the spring (when snow melts). As you can see from image below - multiple hack repairs were attempted by previous owners.

I was going to excavate the outside and redo the pipe. However - it turned out that pipe enters the house under the concrete stairs. Here's a pic we did this summer (had to just backfill it back).

Here's the problem - If I relocate the pipe so it enters the house in other place bypassing concrete stairs - it would appear that entry point will be only 2.4 ft deep...

So my questions is - if I bust the concrete stairs to fix the pipe - am I then required by code to just leave it under stairs as that would be the only way to satisfy 4 ft requirement?


texts: How should I deal with a cable found underground on my property?

texts:
I was digging in my garden and I found a wire coming through my garden underground. It looks old and dead, and I would like to take it off the ground, but the problem is that both ends lead somewhere outside my garden, so I don't really know where it ends or starts.
I called the TV providers and no one seems to know anything about it. Ex owner of my property is dead. As I found out by asking neighbors, some time ago (~50 years ago) this property (now mine) was bigger and included a shack and a well on it. This cable was used to provide electricity to both. Now there's a new house in that place and I don't know what's happened to the cable part which is under this house's property. They said, the cable comes from our house, so I'll try to get to the basement and check if I see it there.
It looks dead to me because I used a cable locator to check if it sees anything - and it doesn't. I'm not sure if it's a valid test in this case, though
It's plain black, no writing at all. I's about 1 cm thick (0.4 in), I live in Europe, Czech Republic.
It seems that I actually cut it a bit accidentally while digging. I found the cuts and I see the copper wires inside, as can be seen on the last photo. It looks 100% like the electric cable.
I believe it's not very safe to just cut it at both ends? I called the local electric provider, but they told me they didn't have anything in there. Any ideas on how to handle it?


texts: im wanting to install a receptacle in my living room, im no expert but im always willing to learn. there are white, red and black wires. could you help me with this project. i would greatly appreciate it. also, should i install a regular receptacle or a GFIC one. thanks


texts:
The part in question is on the right side of the top picture next to the white wires.

I have a Harbor Breeze ceiling fan/light combination that has been installed and working properly for over 5 years. Recently the lights quit working and after smelling melting plastic I cut the power and took it apart. I found this part (pictured) that showed signs of melting of the outer casing. It is next to the pull chain switch and it has two blue wires connected to it. It is approx 2 inches x 1.5 inches. Can you tell me what part name it is and what would cause it to get hot enough to melt and whether there might be another issue leading up to the heat issue. And also, is there a replacement part for this without buying a whole new lighting kit? I feel fortunate that I was able to find the problem before it led to an electrical fire. Inquiring minds need to know......Thanks, Mike Orlandini


texts: Are there tools available to facilitate stripping of oak baseboards for refinishing?

texts:
We are in the process of repainting and changing the look of my house. Everything is oak. Base boards. Kitchen cupboards.  Stair railing. When the house was built the original owner went with a yellow stain. We personally are not the biggest fans of the yellow but we love the look of oak.

Our Plan

We want to strip down all the oak and restain it to a darker brown colour. We have done our upstairs bathroom so far. And to be honest it is alot if work. Lots of sanding and scraping. What we are looking to do is see if there is a easier way to restain.

Are there any tools that are designed to sand base boards? A special planer? Custom power sanders?  Something that will make the process much faster?

We have a shop filled with lots of wood working equipment and wouldn't be afraid to buy a special tool for making the job easier as we have a place to keep it and will more then likely make good use of it in the future.

All of your input is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.


texts:
The refill tube that goes from the valve into the overflow tube in my toilet tank sprays water with quite a bit of pressure and makes a lot of noise when the tank refills. It's attached with a clip and an angle adapter.

Is there any other adapter or maybe other type of (wider?) refill tube that I can use for this and reduce the noise?

This is one of those old style toilets with the tank hanging higher up close to the ceiling. The overflow tube is metallic which only contributes to the problem.


texts:
We recently did a comprehensive remodel of our very old condominium.  Its a four unit row house from the 1890's.  I noticed that there is a long crack going up the corner of a back room.  Is this a common thing when a new coat of compound and paint is applied?  Or is the building settling because of the cold weather, or is there a major structural issue?  I'm noticing a similar thing with the grout in the floor / wall corner of the bathroom. Kind of cracking an separating a bit.  Any ideas?

Thanks.


texts: What to do with smoke getting into ventilation?

texts:
I have a ventilation shaft going from around 1.5m up from the ground level outside, directly into my bedroom ceiling. The ventilator is on 24/7 and its my main source of fresh air since I'm underground.

Lately a neighbor has been getting freaky with his fire place a lot and every other day or so, I guess when the winds align just right, I get a good 5 mins of hardcore wood burning smell imported straight into my bedroom.

Is there anything I can do about that?


texts: Why is my refrigerator tripping breaker?

texts: I have been troubleshooting this problem and I have narrowed it down to the ground in the unit. When I disconnect the ground from the frame, it runs fine, and has no problems. When I reconnect the ground, it trips the breaker. We recently cleaned and defrosted the unit. and thats when the problem started. It ran fine before that. I ohm'ed out the ground to the temp control, and that is fine also. I ohm'ed out that same wire to the frame and that was all over the place. I can only assume that wire is causing the problem. Is it possible I got something wet and that is causing it?


texts: Changed light, when the new light is off the fuse go down

texts:
I have changed light, it was quite messy 4 cables of each color so when I have finally put everything in and turned the electricity on again all worked, but when I wanted turn it off the fuse went down. Any ideas? Thank you

Here is the new light:

Here is the old light:


texts:
I have what appears to be a manufactured fireplace with a metal flue (rather than masonry). It currently burns gas, and I assumed that's all I could burn, but I noticed on its product placard that it was suitable for solid wood fuel or gas.

Is it safe to have the gas pieces removed and burn wood in here? Are there any potential concerns with the flue/chimney?

The fireplace itself appears to be ceramic sheets embossed with a texture similar to brick. The gas/hvac guy I use said it would be safe, but I wanted a second opinion.

I have attached a photo of the placard inside the fireplace.


texts:
Moderator, please don’t simply close this question of the other question asked wasn’t the same, and the answers weren’t applicable.  That was sort of thoughtless.
Thank you in advance - anyone who can help. I’ve just moved to a new home. I have a Nest Heat Link E that I had installed in my previous house.
It was pretty straight forward there.
This new house has a single Bosch boiler with programmable controller (time settings for on/off) built in, just like my previous house. However this house also has a secondary programmable control unit (upstairs) where there is a hot water distribution unit. Here is what I’ve found... if I put the main programmable unit (at the boiler) “on” continuously, and set the upstairs one on Auto (programmed) the heating will only come on when the upstairs unit is “on” and the thermostat is calling for heat.
Here is the wiring diagram and pictures of the thermostat I’d like to remove; replacing it with the Heat Link E.


texts: Lawn Shed Over Asphalt, BUT Using 4x4 Foundational Posts Buried With Concrete To Secure To Ground

texts:
I have REALLY old asphalt along the side of the house, like 30+ years old. It doesn't appear to have any sinking or cracking and has held up better than 15+ year old asphalt my dad had poured elsewhere on the same property. I have read so many posts about NOT using asphalt as the "foundation" or floor of a shed. Part of the reasoning has to do with asphalt not offering a way to truly secure the frame to the ground. Hence my question:
I would like to build a 12'W x 8'D shed over the asphalt BUT cut out sections of asphalt:
A) at each corner, and
B) every 4' in between corner posts.
The 4x4 posts would act as perimeter foundational posts, concreted in (like you would fence posts).
OPTIONAL: In order to block a bunch of water from getting at the bottom plates of the framing [2x4 pressure treated, ground contact lumber] (thus limiting deterioration over time), I am considering pouring a concrete skirt along the perimeter. Basically using the posts as framing guides, nail up 2x4s on either side and pour concrete with reinforcing fiber. Then I can build the shed framing off the top of the concrete skirt (and the siding will lip over the edge of the concrete... and a little caulk for good measure). The only area the concrete perimeter skirt would not be is the 6' total width for the side-by-side doors (that will face the lowest side of the ground-grade (there is a slight grade on the asphalt of maybe 2 degrees or so).
Framing will be standard, 2x4's every 24", etc.
As most everyone else who has asked a similar question, I hate to waste, in my case, what appears to be a perfectly good, solid, non-settling asphalt pad that has thus far held up to all the elements in direct exposure.
This will solely be used for a riding mower, push mower, weed eater, and other lawn equipment.
This type of project is totally new to me. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Including:

CAN I build this on asphalt using the cemented-in structural posts to "secure" the building to the ground? And if so,

Is the concrete perimeter skirting a good idea?

How deep (and thus total length) those 4x4 posts should be for structural integrity if I want 8' above the ground for height inside the shed.


texts: What are our options for carpeting the basement of a split-level house?

texts:
The basement level of our house (1/2 below grade) is currently just vinyl tile on concrete slab.  It's cold during the winter, so we would like to carpet it.  We do not get water penetration through the floor, but during the humid days of summer, there is frequently condensation on the floor (especially under furniture) where the very humid air contacts the cool floor.

What are our options for carpeting?  Could we just lay down a carpet pad and carpet directly on the concrete / vinyl tile?  Is it necessary to put down a sub-floor?

We were originally going to just do the pad and carpet, but I'm concerned about moisture / mold issues.


texts: Upgrading 2 breakers to AFCI, always trips

texts:
I'm doing some electrical work in the upstairs bedrooms, and part of the permit is to add AFCI protection. The house was built in 1968, has a 100A service and a Square D breakers panel. Currently there are no AFCIs anywhere in the house, and the only GFCIs are in the kitchen and bathrooms. All electricity works fine with the regular breakers.

Upstairs has 4 bedroom and 2 bathrooms. All of these are supplied from two circuits - #4 and #6. The stairs light is supplied from circuit #2, with a 3-way switch at the top and bottom of the stairs.

When installing AFCI breakers on these circuits, the following trips occur:

AFCI Breaker #6 trips when applying load to circuit #2 or #6
AFCI Breaker #4 trips when applying load to circuit #6
AFCI Breaker #2 trips when applying load to circuit #2

Testing with a double pole AFCI breaker behaves as follows:

Double pole AFCI on #2 and #6 - trips when applying load on #2 or #6 immediately, and trips after 5 seconds even without load
Double pole AFCI on #2 and #4 - trips when applying load on #2

In all cases the AFCI "diagnostic" trip immediately, which can mean arching to ground, grounded neutral, ground fault or shared neutral.

I know for sure there is a shared neutral between #2 and #6 - the 3-way switch for the stairs light (fed from circuit #2) runs 2 wires from the bottom switch to the top switch (using the white wire for the traveler) and the stairs light fixture uses the #6 circuit neutral. The #2 circuit neutral is floating in the bottom 3-way switch junction box.

There might be more sharing of neutrals, but I haven't found any yet.

What might lead to 3 breakers affecting each other with AFCI? How can I diagnose this further?

Edit:

Here is a picture of the panel as it is now. The three breakers marked with the red box are the breakers in question (#2, #4 and #6). The AFCI breaker at the bottom left is for the basement lights, which I have rewired from scratch. This AFCI works fine, so I assume that the panel is okay.

Edit 2:

I did some troubleshooting. Turns out circuits #4 and #6 seem to partially share a neutral in the same way as #2 and #6 - both cases are 3-way switches that use a 14/2 to connect the two switches, using the white as the traveler and taking a neutral where possible.

After disconnecting the two offending neutral crossovers (temporary solution before routing proper 14/3 between the 3-way switches), the AFCI situation improves:

AFCI breaker #2 doesn't trip anymore
AFCI Breaker #4 doesn't trip anymore
AFCI Breaker #6 trips when applying load to circuit #6. AFCI diagnostic trips after 5 seconds, meaning "no fault", "thermal overlaod" or "short circuit". Since a normal breaker doesn't trip (and it should trip on both short circuit and thermal overlaod), I'm left puzzled.

Here're some pictures of the offending junction boxes. Note the floating neutral in the switches:

And the cut off phase (circled black wire):

Edit 3:

Turns out the AFCI trip on #6 was due to a grounded neutral in one of the outlets I replaced. The AFCI "time saving" diagnostic should have exposed this via an instant trip in diagnostic mode, but that didn't happen. Now both #4 and #6 work correctly on AFCI breakers.

Trying some things with the 3-way circuits didn't seem to make any sense, with various combinations of neutral/live connections causing different breakers to trip (sometimes both #4 and #6, sometimes only #6). I will just redo the entire wiring in the 3-way circuits with proper 14/3.


texts: Replacing electrical panel halfway embedded in EIFS stucco

texts:
I need to replace a main load center from the side of my house (it's FPE, so it's gotta go).  Plus the utility is willing to increase my current 100A service to 200A, so I'll need a new meter base for that.
This house originally had wood siding, and about ten years ago it was covered with EIFS, aka synthetic stucco over styrofoam.  I'm not sure if the wood siding was removed first or not.  The good news is that it was fully permitted, and based on the install date, should be the modern kind of EIFS with a drainage channel behind the insulation.
I believe this panel was surface-mounted on the original wood siding, and then when EIFS is added, they just went around the panel, so it's now sitting halfway between surface mount and flush mount.  From the other side of the wall, I can see the metal of the box, so it looks like the drainage channel is not continuous behind the box, but rather they flashed to the sides of it.  I don't see any signs of water damage at present.
I'm trying to figure out my best option for replacing this box while still keeping my wall watertight.  So far I've thought of a few options:

Abandon the current panel in place, and (surface mount) install a new one right next to it.  Wire length is not an issue, since most of the circuits will be moved to a new subpanel in the garage (where all the wiring to the house crosses anyway), and the new service drop will give me the length on the service entrance cable.  In this case, I would need a new wall penetration for 2" minimum conduit for the feed to the subpanel.  Probably the worst option aesthetically, but by far the cheapest and easiest.

Demo some of the EIFS directly around the panel and masthead conduit, remove the current panel, and surface-mount a new one in its place.  This will require widening the current hole since modern panels are not available as narrow as the current one.  With this approach, I expect significant challenges getting it watertight, and I'm not sure I'm comfortable DIYing it.

Remove the current panel and install a new flush-mount panel.  This approach would probably look the cleanest, but I've mostly ruled it out because the stud spacing in that part of the wall isn't wide enough for modern panels, so the wall's framing would have to be significantly altered, in addition to the challenges waterproofing it.

So my questions are, what approach would you recommend taking, and how DIYable is it?  If I go with option 1, how difficult will it be to seal around a conduit penetration in EIFS-with-drainage over wood?

EDIT: Some more pictures showing the wall's construction: 1) looking up at the wall's layers from the foundation, 2) looking at the back of the box from inside the garage, and 3) a picture near a hose bib on the other side of the house that shows all the EIFS layers

As requested, measurements.  The brown box represents the closest spot on the building to the utility pole, which is directly on the opposite side of this driveway, 22 feet away.


texts: Can I install new flooring on top of the existing hardwood floors?

texts: I have some 30 y.o. hardwood floor (parquet type) that is overall in decent shape (firm, no squeaking, even, etc.). I'd like to install new hardwood floors, and my contractor says that new floor can be installed on top of the existing one. Is it a good idea? Also, if I want to choose between floating flooring and the one that should be nailed down, which one will be better in this situation?


texts:
I tried to remove the supporting wheel of my son's bike the other day, it's quite easy to remove one but the other gave me quite a bit trouble - the nut is rounded thus can't be secured by a wrench. The bike, the nut, and the tools I used to try are shown below. I looked up online and found some links which look promising but not sure if they are fisible in reality, like this one on youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5d0Bgvjmlk
Can anyone kindly help out? Also, on the left side of the bike, which direction is to loosen the nut? Counter-clockwise, right?


texts:
Laying vinyl plank flooring, and have ended up with the skinny strip problem at the end of the room. Don't want to tear the whole thing up and start again (economically impractical, apart from anything).

Before anyone gets on me, I WAS aware of this possible problem and I did measure before I began, but I am filling an awkward open plan area involving three spaces, and it was continuity that got me in the end. There was no straightforward way not to end up with a skinny strip somewhere. Anyway, I would like to know my options at this point. A super wide skirting shoe is surely going to look weird. Will such a thin strip lie properly if it is secured under quarter round? Will it also need to be glued down? (the rest of the floor is floating). Are there other options? Many thanks.


texts: Is there minimum clearance from gas stove to door?

texts:
I know there is a minimum clearance to hood and cabinets above, but I can't find a side-clearance to a doorway.

My concern is someone coming through the door and not seeing the hot stove around the corner.

Edit: it's an interior door. I'm not concerned with drafts, I'm concerned with safety.


texts: How to remove this latch handle (no screws, no slot)

texts:
I am having difficulty removing this latch handle. I've removed the face plate but I'm unsure of next steps.
For context, the handle isn't working.


texts:
I've got a tilt type garage door with gaps on the side. I've sealed the top and bottom, but I'm not sure what to do with the sides.

I've googled a bit and it turns out that it's recommended to just replace the entire door, but that's not an option right now.

I looked into brush seals, but I want something that seals not just against weather but also noise. Also the brush seals had mounting issues as there's no proper room for mounting them inside nor outside.

I've tried regular foam strips (barely seen in photos as black stripes) but they were brushed away and did not work. I have fairly huge large which varies in width 0.1-0.5cm.

So I was pondering maybe to use some kind of silicone or polyurethane to seal up the gaps. Of course that would stick to the door as well, and then I wouldn't be able to open it. I thought of some silly ideas to get around that but I want to avoid a mess. I'd first like to hear what the DIY community thinks I should do.


texts: Why doesn't one of my light fixtures work when I install LED bulbs?

texts: I have 2 light fixtures in the bathroom. Each fixture takes 2 light bulbs. I replaced the light bulbs with LED light bulbs, but only one of the fixtures' lights works. The other one the lights do not come on. When I put the original spiral bulbs back in, it works fine. What could be the reason those lights don't work in that particular fixture?


texts: When Laying Tongue and Groove plywood over 1x6 subfloor, do I lay it with the grain perpendicular to the floor joists or to the 1x6 boards underneath?

texts:
I am redoing a bedroom and I am in the process of installing a new sub floor. I currently have 1x6 running perpendicular to the floor joists. Some do have a bit of give to them.
I am laying over that 3/4" Tongue and Groove plywood.

I was wondering if I need to run the grain of the plywood perpendicular to the floor joists or do I run it perpendicular to the 1x6 boards I am laying on top of.

Also Do I need to screw down the 1x6's prior to laying the plywood, Or will the 3.5" deck screws do the trick when I am laying the plywood?

Thank you for the help.


texts: Luxury Vinyl Plank over Tile Transition to Carpet

texts:
I am looking at installing some luxury vinyl plank over very good condition tile in a bathroom. There is no transition at the current interface between the tile and carpet in the adjacent hallway, just the metal cap on the tile edge. Carpet is pulled tight to this edge and I am unable to pull it back at all. With the LVP on top of the tile the carpet and LVP are approximately the same height.
With this interface, I'm having trouble envisioning what kind of transition I can or should use. It seems like I'd have to rip back the carpet to put in a normal transition track and I'm far less confident about doing that properly than I am installing the LVP. Is it possible to simply use construction adhesive to glue down the transition piece (without track) to the metal cap on the tile edge? It's got a width of approximately 1/4 inch. What kind of trouble might this pose for me in the future if I decide I want to change the carpet or the LVP?


texts: Replacing a dimmer switch with normal light switch (picture)

texts:
Today, I wanted to replace a dimmer with a normal switch for my dining room lights.  When I pulled the dimmer out of the wall, all 3 wires just fell right off of their connections.  I'm surprised the house didn't burn down years ago...

Anyways, whoever installed this did a terrible job and I'm now left with 9 wires sticking out of the wall.

3 white wires bound together
3 ground/copper wires bound together and connected to the dimmer's green wire
with a metal "staple"
3 black wires in which I do not know where they
go.

I removed the wire nut off of the white wires so I was able to see which direction they are going.  2 white wires coming from the left, 1 white wire to the right, same with the black wires.

Now, I've been trying to read up on which wires go where, but I'm stumped at this point.  I know I will have to wire nut all of the white wires together, and of course run the green to the switch ground.

Where do the wires go?  Do I need to use a 3 way switch even though I only have a single switch to control a single light at this point?

Thanks!


texts: How can I fix this broken cluster mailbox unit (CBU)?

texts:
Someone hit our community's mailbox and trying to get it fixed has become a major nightmare.  Basically, when it was hit, the aluminum pedestal was snapped off right at the base.  I have an idea on how to fix it, but it involves building a wood pedestal with a 4x4, mounting it to a 4x4 bracket, and then mounting that bracket into the concrete.  I've tried removing this base, but these nuts are in really good.

Being that I am the HOA president, it's my duty to find a fix for this ASAP, so I am hoping some of you can assist me here.

Edit:  BTW, I called the original manufacturer and they do not make replacement parts for this discontinued 1997 model.


texts:
I have a small bathroom (6' x 7') that I want to lay tiles in. I'm on the ground floor of a 40 year old condo, so the floor is concrete. There's about 1/4" difference in height between the low and high points. I would like to use Quickcrete PSI 6000 (mixed to the thinnest consistency recommended) to level the floor. Will that work? I would go buy proper SLC, but I don't have a vehicle so getting home with 50lbs of mix will be difficult.
There's still some glue and other residue from the old linoleum floor left in the low spots. Will that affect the finish?


texts: What's the minimum recommended compressor HP/PSI to spray paint?

texts: I have a little compressor that I use for a small brad nailer and blowing up tires. Is there a minimum PSI or horsepower that I need to be able to get to in order to spray paint with it?


texts: Can I hook up a subpanel to an existing 220 line that isn't in use?

texts: When our house was built, they put a 220 line in for future pool equipment. The pool equipment ended up going on the other side of the house, so this line just terminates in a box unused. I want to hook up a sub panel off this line to run a few circuits for a couple things in the backyard - outdoor lighting, sprinklers, and lights/fans/receptacles for our outdoor kitchen. The 220 line is 8/3 with ground, coming off 2 bridged 50 amp breakers in the main. I'm looking at a 125amp panel with 6 spaces (I know more spaces is always better, but I currently plan on using only 2 or 3 spaces,  so I'll have a few open spots if I come up with any future needs for a circuit). Can I simply hook up this 220 line to a sub panel?


texts:
not a duplicate of What are these marks on the Romex wire in the wall?, but very similar.
I noticed some black marks on both some romex, as well as the underside of the fiberglass insulation that was on top of it.  (this was a piece in a series of quite poorly done splices by the previous owner, feeding a garage workshop.)
After looking at the linked post above, I both cleaned the romex with paint thinner, and also pulled the conductors out.  The inside of the yellow sheath has also been discolored and the coating is thinner and more brittle than the other parts of the cable.  though the conductors themselves don't look to have any damage.  This is on a 15 amp circuit (at least that is the current rating of the breaker.)
I don't see any tar in the area, and this was a recently added extension of an existing circuit by the previous owner. (again poorly done with probably 5+ (exposed) splices.
EDIT:  Ok TIL that the tar is on the backside of the insulation (that glues it to the paper)... But still odd to see such a long streak, could the cable have just become warm (still safe) and that just softened the tar enough to leak out?  The rest of the cables are above the insulation except in this one spot.


texts: What is the practical difference between cement board and greenboard?

texts:
When installing tubs I've mostly used cementboard.  I find it a bear to work with though.

A guy I know uses the water resistant greenboard; he claims that for home applications it is entirely adequate.  I've asked at the home center about the difference in reliability, etc. and just gotten shrugs.

Has anyone encountered tub or shower damage where greenboard was used?  Can I switch completely from cementboard to greenboard or are there some applications where I should hesitate?


texts:
My kids bed broke. Apparently jumping on it caused the thin material on the connected surface to split. The special furniture side nut things just tore right through.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/oc8fEiHFfExwxHX86

Any suggestions on how to fix this?

UPDATE I decided Jasen's answer was best but it was still too complicated for me.

Here is what I did

Maybe good enough?


texts: How do I fill holes around a newly fitted ceiling light socket?

texts:
I'm replacing a ceiling light that when fitted will leave gaps / holes in the ceiling where the existing socket hole is.  The previous light was bigger and had a sensible amount of room for the wiring to be comfortably housed.
The new fitting is effectively the shape of a polo mint about 200cm diameter and about 30cm thick.  In other words very awkward to mount and doesn't cover the previous hole.
I have two problems.  The hole in the ceiling and the recess in the light fitting means it's the wiring is going to be pretty cramped by the time its fitted but the biggest issue is how do I fill the hole so I can make a decent finish.
Hope someone can help??


texts: Coleman 6230-901 outdoor unit fan running slow (and continuously)

texts:
I have an old rental mobile and the heat pump is operating normally, except the outdoor unit fan is running all the time (unless the breaker is off), and it runs very slowly.  The run capacitor measures 28uf versus parts websites showing 35uf.

I might believe that might cause the slow problem, but not the "all the time" problem.  The schematic shows a one speed fan, so I don't think it's confused about what it should do.  Also, the schematic shows the "run" capacitor wired as a start capacitor for the compressor.  The "start" capacitor shows being the start cap for the fan.

It heats fine, although it ices up quickly due to the lack of air flow.  I didn't have a meter when I removed the capacitors, so I can probe a little more tomorrow.

I did replace the wiring harnesses in the indoor unit a few weeks ago as they had developed an intermittant and melted everything.  It's a 3500A912 unit with a 5871 adapter.  If I need a new heat pump, I'll scrap the mobile.  Unfortunately, I just spent a couple $K doing ceilings and carpet.


texts: Why does my Ring doorbell keep repeating the chime?

texts:
I installed one of those fancy new Ring doorbells (the video / WiFi connected doodads) and it keeps repeating my doorbell chime. When you press the button to "Ring" me, the doorbell chime rings and the the app initiates a video call to my phone. Until I accept, reject, or let the video call timeout... my doorbell chime keeps repeating (dingDong, [pause], dingDong, [pause], dingDong, [pause], dingDong, [pause]. ... ). This is a huge annoyance if I'm at home and just walk to the door. Until the call times out I have to shout overtop of the "dingDong dingDong dingDong...".

I confirmed it works as you would expect it to with an old fashioned button + diode. (e.g. 1 press = 1 dingDong... hold the button down = repeating dingDong). In a nutshell, the Ring is acting like I'm holding the button down.

I drew a diagram of the circuit, and as far as I can tell everything is correct.

Circuit is: Transformer > Ring > Diode > Ring > Chime > Transformer
Transformer is a 16v transformer, chime is for 16v transformers
Transformer reads 19.4v without load... but I understand that to be expected after some research on the net

I've tried a new transformer, a new chime, and a new diode... all do the same thing. I have the diode wired up so the stripe faces the chime... which the Ring instructions say to do.

Any thoughts? I can't be the only idiot in the world who can't figure this out.


texts: Can light fixture be installed in attic hatch?

texts: This is a rather unusual scenario but is it compliant with the NEC to have a light fixture installed in a door that moves, e.g. an attic hatch? I have a hatch to my attic in the middle of a closet ceiling. Was curious if I can have Romex run to an electrical box on the attic side of that hatch, which would then move when the hatch is opened.


texts: Why is the water pressure suddenly high in my toilet after hot water heater replacement?

texts: I got my hot water heater replaced this morning. Immediately after the water pressure in my toilet became very high. When flushed it’s so forceful I jump. I noticed a noise when the guys were still here and they said it was the toilet refilling after they turned the water off. But it hasn’t gotten better through the day. Did I just not realize my pressure was sluggish before? The other tank was about 7/8 yrs old and had a a tiny leak and some rusting.


texts:
We have a stone surround to our fireplace. I have noticed stone/cement dust often around it. about a week ago this stone came loose when my son hit it with a toy car. I have now noticed at least one more loose stone. This surround goes up to the ceiling and I want to fix this and strengthen stone that has not yet loosened. I am not sure what to use and should I first remove all old cement?
Thank you


texts: Converting wood burning fireplace to gas

texts:
I have a brick fireplace in the basement of our house and I want to convert it over to gas.  The fireplace is very close to the furnace room (aprox. 5 feet).  I will need to drill through about 2 foot of brick which part of that space is an old flue from back in the day when they probably burnt their garbage in the house/basement.  Since I want to convert it to gas I will have to drill a hole big enough for the gas ling to pass through.  I am thinking about making it a 1/2 inch hole.  Is that going to be a problem?  Also, where can I get a bit extender that will allow me to drill through the 2 food of brick?
My house was built in the 1960's and the bricks in the fireplace are all in good shape.
Thanks for any help you can offer.


texts:
Can I use 90 amp breaker and #4 wire to connect to two 14-50 50 amp outlets?  Or I need two 60 amp separate breakers for those two outlets?
Those two 14-50 outlets are for EV car charging.  My concern of using one 90 amp breaker is the 50 amp rated outlet could be overrun.  I'm planning to use both outlets together.  The total amps should be under 90 amp.  Could the outlet be overloaded?


texts: Retroffiting buried pipes that carry hot water?

texts:
I am considering to improve the efficiency of an existing installation where heat pipes between house and hot water deposit have been insulated with a thin (10mm) neoprene sleeve and directly buried?

I measured the temperature drop between the water tank output and house's heated floor distribution point. With a water flow of nearly 1L per minute,  it reads 50C in and 45C out, and I calculated it to be roughly 350 Watts loss per hour.

What would be good and cost saving approaches?

Do a completely new installation enclosed in PVC pipes?

Clean this mess up, cut the pipes, wrap it in new neoprene sleeves?


texts: How do sound-dampening drywall clips affect the ability to hang objects on the wall?

texts:
I'm evaluating options for sound-proofing drywall, and am considering sound-dampening clips such as Genie Clips.

In this approach the drywall isn't directly mounted to the wall studs.  How would I hang objects that would normally be mounted through the drywall directly to the stud; such as a wall-mounted TV,or shelving?


texts: New thermostat for hydronic heating, no wiring labels, 3 wires

texts:
This hydronic system was not working when we bought our home. The fan would kick on with a manual switch but when you changed the temperature settings to go above the room temp nothing would happen. So, no guarantee that this would work anyway. I took a picture of the original thermostat configuration but it's been so long that I cannot find it, so I consider it lost.

I'm pretty sure this drawing is right, I'm not an electrician or engineer. The red, blue, and yellow leads all run to the thermostat.  I'm really unsure about the black and white 120 VAC leads that come off of the transformer so I didn't add them to the drawing.  However, the fan and pump do run if you jumper the leads all together, so... there's that.  I assume they just need to be wired to the thermostat correctly.  The pump is a Taco 006-B4 Bronze Circulator Pump.

In any case it seems to me that the 24v secondary off the transformer has two leads: the red, which goes straight to the the thermostat, and the brown, which feeds both relays and has third that I suppose could be used as a C-Wire?

It seems to me the 120 VAC black lead feeds the relays in series to the heat pump and the 120 VAC white lead goes directly to the hydronic impeller and fan.

My assumption is the blue lead (E130 relay, left) control the fan, and the yellow lead (E1305 relay, right) controls the hydronic impeller... but I may have it backwards.  I drew the diagram from pictures that are not as detailed as I would like and these wire are a significant pain to get to so I would prefer to solve this with what I have.

So my question: how would you label the yellow, red, and blue leads?

Edit

Relay 1 is a Products Unlimited/Tyco 9400-13Q101 relay:

Relay 2 is a Products Unlimited/Tyco 9400-11Q101 relay:


texts: When the fan motor shuts off at the end of the cycle, in about 30 seconds the fan motor turns back on for 30 seconds and it does this 3 times before shutting off completely.  Went thru troubleshooting manual & Replaced the fan control switch but still doing that.  Any suggestions


texts:
this is my first time here and I hope you will appreciated that I am no expert in this.
I live in Australia by the way.

In my shed I have one fluorescent light with one switch.
I have added an extra fluorescent light over the bench in parallel and I am using the same switch. That is all OK.
Now I have picked the power from the existing light junction box and extended the wiring to feed another fluorescent light at the back of the shed.
In between those two lights (Fluo) I have put a switch to activate only the last light in the back of the shed.
I am not sure how should I connect the wires in the junction box to activate the light at the back of the shed.
I was thinking of connecting the (Red, A, or L) Active coming from the previous junction box to the Active going to the switch box
Then The Black from the switch box to go to the last light  (A, L) (back of shed)
The Neutral (Black, Blue, N) are connected together in the junction box and directly to the light at the back of the shed.

Could somebody kindly advise me if I am about to stuff it up or is it the right way.

Thank you


texts:
There's an uneven gap from the door knob side towards the door jam. The gap increases towards the section where the door knob/lock is but on top and bottom the reveal is wider.

It's almost like it was sanded in the middle or a bad piece of wood was used. Is there any way to add material to the jamb without replacing it? Like a cover or plate to fill in the gap and make it more uniform?


texts: Connecting modern dimmer to two-wire junction box

texts:
I just bought two "smart" dimmers to replace some older ones. We have two different ceiling fixtures. The old switches only had two terminals, and both switches were tied together on one of the terminals.
The new dimmers have "hot", "load", "neutral", and "ground". I'm pretty sure we don't have grounded anything in this house (it's old) so I can just ignore that, but I can't figure out what to do with the others. It also doesn't help that all the wires in the junction box are red.
There are a total of 3 wires in the box, two on the top (presumably one each to each ceiling fixture) and one from the bottom.
How do I connect two dimmers with a total count of 8 terminals to 3 wires, as shown below?


texts: Can't isolate my water heater with shutoff valve

texts:
My water heater has a shutoff valve at the cold inlet.  The shutoff valve was closed and cold water line was disconnected from the water heater.  I wanted to restore water to the house while I work on the water heater.  When I opened the main water shutoff valve, cold water entered the water heater through the hot outlet and overflowed out of the cold inlet.
Is this normal?  How did cold water enter the hot line?  Also what is the device with the knob at the top in the pic below?

Thanks for help.


texts: Should my subpanel have a neutral conductor feeding it?

texts: I have a subpanel to an outdoor patio 75 yards from the house main breaker box and don't think it is wired properly.  There are two large hot lines from the main controlled by a 50 amp breaker that go to the subpanel.  There is a large ground connected directly from a grounding rod next to the subpanel. Only limited power comes out of individual 15 amp breakers at the subpanel.  Is there supposed to be a neutral coming from the main breaker box to the subpanel?  If so, what is the minimum size I need due to the distance?


texts: Does there exist a battery-powered, programmable, millivolt thermostat?

texts:
I'd like to replace a mechanical millivolt (2-wire) thermostat for my propane space heater stove with a programmable one.  I'd like to do this to ensure that the space heater doesn't heat overnight, which amounts to nontrivial propane and hence $$$ savings during winter time.
However, I can't seem to find thermostats that are at the same time battery powered, programmable and suitable for 2-wire millivolt setups.  You semingly have either nonprogrammable 2-wires, or powered programmable ones, or smart ones that don't do millivolt.
Are there such thermostats for sale at all?
Here's why I need this:

Battery powered: since I don't want to contort to give it a 24V supply.
Programmable: so I don't need to remember to set the temperature manually. Doesn't need to be smart, doesn't need to connect to anything.  I just need the ability to set a schedule.
Millivolt: because the stove uses the millivolt thermostat circuit.


texts:
I have a 20g Pressure Holding tank.

When I turn on the outside faucet, I notice low pressure after a while.

When I go to the control unit connected to the pressure tank, I see the pressure drop from 55psi to 30 psi in about 10 seconds, and then it takes 21 seconds for it to get back to 55psi where it then drops quickly to 30 psi - and repeats over and over....

Could this be a problem with not enough air in the pressure tank or is this an issue with not enough water flow at the well itself?


texts: My Air conditioner suddenly became defective after a power outage

texts:
So, these are the symptoms:

1] The big fan outside is taking a lot longer to start.
2] Within 2 minutes of start-up and cooling, it makes a growling/ rattling sound and
3] The power switch to start the AC trips automatically and the whole unit shuts down.

The problem started this morning, after a power outage, when we heard that electricians were repairing connections somewhere in the city.
Until then the AC was running fine. What could be the problem.


texts: Conflicting contractor opinions on rebuilding steps using original construction method

texts:
Is it appropriate to rebuild brick steps with sandstone slab steps and landing depicted with dimensions in the picture "Final Constructed Steps" below using the original construction method depicted in "Brickwork Construction Details"? I am getting conflicting advice from contractors I am looking to hire (two say it's good, a third says it's bad and destined to fail) and I cannot find good resources on whether this method will hold up in the long term.

Final Constructed Steps:

Note: Hand railings not depicted in this image, but will be present as required by code.
Also, the 16" width is the size of the stone slab, the exposed tread is roughly 12" because half bricks (8" length) are covering the rear of each 16" slab to provide support to the next slab.

Brickwork Construction Details:

Each sandstone slab supplies the base to support the front of the next stone slab. The middle and rear of each sandstone slab are left unsupported.

More details on why I ask:
My steps have deteriorated over the years using the depicted construction method. It has lead to bowing in the sandstone (Possible to salvage bowed sandstone slabs for porch steps?) over the 60 years of my home's existence. However, the front foundation wall for the first step was being pushed out by the earth and allowed the bottom step a lot of movement until I recently repaired it, so it may not have been entirely the fault of the original construction method.
That said, since sandstone is prone to bowing if left unsupported (as confirmed by discussion with several contractors), it seems like the original construction method may be weak in several areas. However, I have had two quotes from masons suggesting the same original method with new sandstone slabs and one quote from a more generalized builder who said I should have support the whole way across (build up the foundation and support each slab the whole way across with brick or equal sized material). I asked each about adding lintels to support the rear of each slab step and none of them thought that was a good idea (the masons thought it overkill and the generalized builder thought it insufficient). The method suggested by the generalized builder seems extremely sound, however it also is quite a bit more expensive. If the original construction method is truly adequate (provided no more foundation issues), then I would prefer to save some money to use on other projects and not needlessly overbuild my porch steps


texts: Leaking outdoor faucet - stop gap solution?

texts:
My outdoor faucet is leaking in a constant dribble, regardless of how tight I turn the handle.  The faucet looks very similar to this one.  I'm going to replace the whole faucet in the next month or so.

In the meanwhile, it is leaking against the house, wasting water, and I'm worried about the constant water puddle finding its way through the foundation into the basement.  I know I could go to the basement and turn off the valve to this faucet.  However, I use this faucet pretty often, and I'd hate to have to go into the basement and re-open the valve every time I want to use it.

Is there any other stop gap solution that I could use to stop the dribble of water from this faucet?  Maybe some sort of screw on cap that I could purchase?


texts: How can I locate the drain plumbing in my old house?

texts:
I don't have plans for the house. I have had a plumber here but he's dug and he didn't find the pipes. We have had every kind leak imaginable for months. Now it's coming in under the concrete and water is getting worse.

Could someone please help me to know how to find the sewer pipes?


texts:
I am building a small outbuilding (wood-fired sauna) that is 8 feet by 16 feet.  The design is based off a friend who made a similar structure, just four feet shorter.
For the roof trusses, he used 2x6s for the top chords cut at 45 degrees (12:12 slope) and then a 2x4 braced to one side.  This 2x4 sits on top of the walls' top plates.  The nine total trusses will be at 24 inches OC.  We live in southern Wisconsin in the US, so we see a fair share of snow but nothing like what they see even an hour north.

This avoids the birds mouth cuts, which is great, but I haven't seen anything like this in the internet research I've done -- most of what I've found uses birds mouths or something similar to the below picture (minus the king post), and always 2x4s for the top chords.  Is my friend's design good enough to roll with or should I reconsider?


texts: Should I let pressure treated lumber dry before building with it?

texts:
I bought some treated 2x4's from Lowes, and it was fairly wet and heavy.  I went ahead and built a firewood rack, but screwing into it releases a lot of water.  It got me thinking, is it better to let the wood dry out a while before building with it?

This project is done, but if I was going to use treated wood in the future, should I buy some ahead of time and let is sit outside for a few weeks?


texts: Goodman furnace ignites but fan won't run

texts:
My Goodman furnace burners ignite fine but fan never starts. Have I got a bad fan motor? LED blinks 4 times for High Limit Switch. I've removed the switch and shaking it softly you can hear the internal part moving freely – but perhaps it's still faulty and should be replaced (only $9 on amazon). After the burners run for a period of a minute or so they kick off – which I believe should happen because the fan isn't running – just my thoughts. Any help would really be appreciated.

Goodman gmv950704cxa - installed in 2007


texts:
I plan to be adding 2 bathrooms side by side. Is it possible to do 1 wetwall with all the plubming in it? I attached an overly simplified image as an example.

A few questions.

Is this possible?
This may not be answerable but would this be problematic in terms of being up to code?
Are there any issues that with doing it this way?
I know it may be very hard to access plumbing at a later date if something went wrong since there would be no access panel (or access wall). Is access really need in the future?
What size should the wetwall be in this case?
If this is bad, are there any alternatives or would it just be best to use different walls for each?


texts:
What is it about dirt getting into a saw blade (as opposed to, say, sawdust, rock chips, etc (presuming the right blade is being used, of course)) that will kill a saw blade?

I've seen it happen to sawzall-type blades and chainsaws - but don't see what is so "special" about dirt that would cause those issues: especially when the self-same blade can be worked through PVC, pitch-encrusted trees, etc with little-to-no (or "normal") wear/damage.


texts: Should I put in a sub-panel to add breakers to an older home?

texts:
I’m renovating my kitchen in a century home. It has already been updated with newer wire, but many shortcuts had been taken by the previous owner. I plan to replace the old wire throughout and add the many missing outlets required by code (that were not added by prior owner). The main breaker panel is pretty much full and in a difficult place from which to run new circuits.

I’m thinking of running a feeder circuit to a new panel that would be closer to the kitchen. I have full access to the kitchen from the basement below it.

What are your thoughts on this? Are there any hidden considerations when doing this?

Thanks for your input.

Sorry about that.  Additional information:

The main panel is 220, so relatively new.
The kitchen is 20’x15’. It only has 6 outlets, one light and one oven outlet. I plan on putting in an island with multiple outlets, pot lights and the number of required outlets to meet code. I will also be relocating the location of the oven, so that will need rerouting.
I have two slots open and would expect to have at least another when the existing one for the kitchen would be replaced with the new panel.


texts: Wall stud in the way of vent hood exhaust

texts:
So I am in the midst of hanging a new vent hood in my kitchen and as luck would have it there is a stud nearly centered on where the vent hood exhaust needs to be.

Looking for advice on the best way to proceed.

up is not an option as the house is 2 stories
at best there is 3.5" on either side of the stud
the manual warns against using anything smaller than 6.2" Duct (not sure if that suggestion can be ignored)

My best idea at this point is to cut the stud...but I am not really sure how I would get it cut.


texts: Where do I find a good light fire extinguisher?

texts:
Just wondering if anyone has any advice/tips on a good small fire extinguisher to have at home? I'm not looking for something that's going to put out a blaze if half my house is on fire. Rather something that will safely put out something small and prevent half my house from going on fire.

The only thing (i think) i know about them is i can get a CO2 extinguisher or a chemical one. Not sure which one is good for what.

Suggestions?


texts: I recently had electrical work done by an electrician, he ran power from my current ceiling fan to some bookshelves where I will be adding sconces I was looking at the wiring and there is one solo black wire that is capped and not connected to the others, when I go to hook up the sconces should I add this solo wire to the other black or leave it capped? It was not stripped like the others so I assumed that it was not to be added- just want to double check.


texts: What screws should I use to screw Wedi boards into wood studs using Wedi washers?

texts:
I'm building a waterproof bath area with shower head.
I have 12.5mm Wedi tile backer board and Wedi washers, for fixing the board onto wood studs.
I was hoping to buy "Wedi screws" but the Wedi system seems to assume that the buyer will supply their own.
What sort of screws should I buy, and why?


texts: My dryer quit and I am getting a strange power reading at the outlet

texts: I have a 3 prong plug for my dryer. When I take a voltage reading between X and Y I am getting 320VAC. Between X and W or between y and W I am getting 160VAC, and my dryer has quit running. Can you give me an Idea what would cause the odd voltage?


texts:
A bit of a two-part question. I had a new driveway put in this week. The sides of the driveway are exposed still after the forms were removed and I wonder whether I need to rush to fill that in so rainwater doesn't seep  under the driveway. It also makes me question why the contractor didn't fill that in himself.

There is only about eight inches of slope from the garage door to the street. There is an attached concrete porch so they put a slight swale at the top by the garage to help direct some of the water to one side of the driveway and I'm wondering if it might be wise to make a french drain or some such so it doesn't create a hole in the dirt on one side from water runoff. But then we're back to the original question about whether that water would work its way under the driveway. I'm really not sure this is an issue to be concerned about.


texts: What size wire do I need for a 100 amp service from meter base?

texts: My run is 80 feet underground in 2 inch conduit from 200 amp breaker to a 100 amp service panel in a detached garage. What size wire should be used?


texts: Can a quartz vanity countertop be recut for a larger sink?

texts: I currently have a 55x19 quartz countertop that has a small undermount sink. If I decide to reuse the countertop for a larger drop in sink could it be recut by a pro shop? What is the probability that this might crack (due to narrow margins left when the new cut is created)


texts:
How do I remove floorboard nails from joists?

The nails are ~3-4mm diameter with no heads.

I've tried claw-hammer and wrecking bar with no success because without nail-heads, I cannot get purchase.

I guess I could attack them with a hacksaw and leave the lower part embedded, but I don't like that notion very much because around some of the nails, rust-stains are spreading which I guess is a vector for damp (??).


texts: My recessed lighting is set up for PAR 20 incandescent bulbs. I would like to switch to LEDs, but the ones I am finding are 1/2" longer than my PAR 20 bulbs. These protrude from the recessed light and will not allow my trim ring to seat. What's up with that?


texts: I have a constant drip coming from the air vent in my downstairs bathroom. After one week it has filled a bucket full of water. There has been no snow or rain in my area. The air conditioning hasn't been on nor has the heater. Any ideas where it is coming from?


texts: Coiled copper wire around 15a power cable for AC

texts:
Earlier today I noticed my infant son was trying to chew on the power cable for my window unit AC.

I wrapped the lower portion in paracord to try to prevent him from injuring himself.  When I was about halfway through I remembered that one of the strands was made of copper instead of nylon.

This might be a stupid question, but is there any risk of damage or fire?  It's essential a thick gauge power cable tightly coiled with a thin strand of copper:


texts: Modifying a water irrigation timer to count in seconds instead of minutes

texts:
I have a washing machine that requires manual filling from the sink through an inlet hose. If you forget about filling it, the machine will overflow.

I would like to add a timer valve like the ones used in home irrigation, similar to this: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Melnor-Mechanical-Water-Timer-480-616/100659515

Unfortunately, these timers are in the order of minutes or hours rather than seconds. Is it possible to modify the timer to count down in seconds?


texts: Can I use this aggregate for bedding for my patio?

texts:
The aggregate shown below was salvaged from a shed that I removed from my backyard
I am planning to use it to correct the pitching of my patio (see my other questions in this forum for details)

Can I use this aggregate? It is pretty similar with what was used before when the patio was installed

bigger pictures here:
http://i.imgur.com/hdVejP2.jpg
http://i.stack.imgur.com/XwbwG.jpg

Note: first picture shows a coarser aggregate
Second picture shows some traces of gravel. I can remove those, that is not a problem


texts:
Beginning Disclaimer - I am not a Serious DIYer.  (I'm more of a Seriously Try to Avoid Paying Someone Else to Do Iter).

So anyways, I've been having trouble with lights flickering or not working in a room.  I checked the voltage, and found that 3 out of the 4 outlets had quite low voltage (around 40 instead of the rest of the house outlets at 120).

After some investigation, I took out several outlets and found that the first problematic one appeared to have a wire that was corroded or burned.  Didn't look really bad, but didn't look right.

I detached the outlet, cleaned up the wire with some steel wool, and installed a new outlet in there.  Surprisingly that worked.  This outlet and the 2 others in the room now have normal voltage and work fine.

So my question is - what would cause the wire to become corroded or burned like this?  Is there anything I need to look out for?

Thanks.


texts: How do I smoothly transition vinyl plank to tile?

texts: I’ve read you can use schlutter or flexible caulk which is better


texts: How does a temperature regulator with a single wire work?

texts: In my office building we have a heating dial that has a single wire coming out of it. The wire is connected to some simple mechanical gadget that is in turn connected to the radiator. When the dial is turned, the gadget presses a knob on the radiator. The single metal (aluminium?) wire very thin (1mm), I don't think there is air or another wire inside it. I believe there have to be 2 wires to pass electrical current. How does it transfer turn from dial into the gadget?


texts:
I am planning to flip a door round so it opens with the hinges on the other side. Before I even start I want to know if the 'lock' mechanism exists in a mirrored format so the door can still open into the room.

I have an photograph of the mechanism that I would like to identify. If I can find out what the name is then I can at least start to search to see if that component exists in a mirrored format!


texts: How do I connect a polyethylene water supply line to my refrigerator?

texts:
I have a Kenmore refrigerator (model 53552200), and want to connect a 1/4" polyethylene line for the incoming water.  I'm guessing the connection is something similar to right portion of the following image, but want to make sure before I go to hardware store:
(i.e. brass compression nut, brass tube insert and with a plastic "sleeve"; although 1/4" in my case). Does this sound right?

When tightening it, what is a good rule of thumb to avoid over- and under-tightening the connection?

Update / secondary question: I bought this Watts Ander-Lign Compression Nut from the store, which says it is compatible with plastic tubing. Does a nut like this need a plastic sleeve? If not, would a different compression nut---that is compatible with a plastic sleeve---be preferred?  NOTE: the picture above is NOT the Watts Ander-Lign compression nut I have---I just needed a picture of a plastic sleeve to aid my question

update  2: I haven't found a definitive answer on this yet, so any help you can provide is greatly appreciated :-)


texts: Best joint for pine storm windows? Mostly why not miters?

texts:
I'm going to make storm windows. 1x3 select pine. Every online discussion I've seen refers to mortise and tenons, lap joint, or a doweled butt joint. I haven't seen any do a 45 joint like a picture frame.

Why is this?

I like the 45s because I can run the rabbets for the glass along the full length of each board before cutting. If strength is an issue I can use biscuits or pocket screws. So - any downside to the 45s?


texts: 2 outlets not working, breaker is not bad

texts: We have 2 outlets (one on each side of the wall) that stopped working suddenly. All other outlets and switches on the same breaker (before and after these 2 in the chain) are working fine. We have replaced the outlets and tested the breakers. Still nothing to these 2 outlets. When we tested the voltage, it was reading with power still. Does anyone know what could be causing this? My husband has worked in the electrical industry for many years and has never seen anything like this. Thank you in advance!


texts: Sink top: spray gun lacquer or metal enamel?

texts:
I am thinking in mounting a washbasin into a 3mm steel plate. The plate will be painted in a Klein Blue.

Considering that it will get wet and that there won't be too much ventilation in the room... Which method do you think it would be best for painting it?

I am considering to do it myself.


texts: How do I connect up a ceiling rose in a 2-way switch circuit?

texts:
I removed a ceiling rose and forgot to at least take an image or draw the wiring before replacing it.

It is part of a 2 way switch (the other switch is upstairs).  However, the wiring colours are confusing me as I'm not sure what the yellow is for.  If it's earth, why is there already a copper wire in the cable to the left?


texts: Service Wire Type coming out of weatherhead

texts:
Is this the correct wire type to use for my 24" pig tails coming out of the weatherhead to connect to the service drop coming from the power pole?
I'm worried that this wire is not suppose to be outside in the environment, even thought it's just 24" in length and in the air, coming out of the weatherhead.
The electrical store gave me this type of aluminum wire for my pig tails coming out of my weatherhead.  I'm using 125 amps.  I'm worried it could be the wrong ones.  The power company is coming out in a few days to connect and I don't want to run into issues.  See pictures below, but it says:
Alumaflex (R) AA8176 Type THWN-2 or THHN or Gasoline and oil resistant II for CT use sunlight resistant
Southwire S/N..?.. (TM) E23919 (UL) 600 volts (AWG 1/0) 53,508 mm2..?..
I guess I need a service entrance wire, type SE?
Or is this the correct wire?:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Southwire-1000-ft-1-0-1-0-2-Black-Stranded-AL-Triplex-URD-Brenau-Cable-55415201/204788216?keyword=1000048075


texts:
I have this part of caulk missing near the corner of my bathroom floor. Should I just patch this section with new caulk or would I need to scrape the old caulk and reapply caulk along the entire edge?
And by the way, what is the proper lingo for this "edge." Is it called a "joint"? Thanks!


texts:
When changing a washer on the kitchen tap we turned off the mains water supply from under the sink. However, when turning it back on we no longer have hot water in any taps and also no cold water in the shower or bath. Cold water in all sinks works fine.

Our system is gravity fed and it seems the tank in the loft is filling very slowely (only a drip).

Does anyone have any advice on what could be causing it and how to solve this?


texts: Is it damaging to turn off a small fridge for two days every week?

texts:
I am a student who studies in a different city than my home so I go home almost every weekend or second weekend. I recently brought a room sized fridge and to save electricity costs, whenever I go home, I turn off the fridge which is usually for two-three days and in case of extra vacations, more. Recently somebody told me that that isn't healthy for the fridge and the compressor will get inefficient if you keep doing this so you should just keep it on. Now my question is, if I turn it off for 2-4 days, will the compressor or fridge in any capacity be messed up? Or work less efficient? Or will there be any issue?

Thanks in advance.


texts: Voltage tester indicates the wall has an electical charge

texts:
My Dad installed a bar on the wall, and put his voltage tester to the bar, and it lit up red.

Then he tested the wall ( with the voltage tester ), and a couple of adjacent walls - 2 red, one not.

He removed the bar ( and the screws ) opened the wall where he had installed the screws, and didn't find a wire ... chances are it was a previous short ?

Any suggestions, short of removing the sheetrock around the room and to find the problem?


texts: I installed water proof LED 5630 strip lighting under my kitchen cabinets.  I used a kit of sorts with a small transformer and a remote dimmer switch.  Initially, it worked, but flickered at the end of the run.  An electrician suggested I remove the remote dimmer, so I installed an in line on/off switch.  That didn't help, so I purchased a different transformer at 12V/5A capacity. The lights are now real dim with the end of the run not lighting. The "run" is: 40" of single strand double wire from transformer to 41" light strip...170" of multi strand speaker wire going up in attic, over sink, then down and to a 20" light strip...then jumpered to 22" light strip...jumpered to another 22" light strip...jumpered to 57" light strip. I checked the transformer on a 5 meter length of strip lights and it worked fine. I'm not sure what my next step should be, and any help is appreciated.


texts: How much can you do as a homeowner in Texas without requiring a permit/inspections?

texts:
Backstory: we recently added some furniture to a previously-unused room to make it a quickie guest bedroom for some upcoming family visits. On a whim, I got my electrical tester and plugged it in to a bedside outlet to make sure it worked properly. "Open Ground". Goodie. Since I had to open the boxes up anyway, I decided to bite the bullet and replace the outlets in the room with TR.

The first outlet (the one with the ground issue) had very little slack, but other than that the wires (including the ground) were all present and seemed to be in good condition. Then I opened up the second box (which got the line from the service panel and daisy-chained a runner out to the one with the ground issue), and found, to my horror, that whomever had last wired this outlet had not only disconnected the ground on the runner to the other outlet, but had cut it off at the jacket. HUUUUUGE no-no. Luckily, they'd made another more minor boo-boo, and there was roughly two inches of outer insulation on the wire in the box (from what I remember of HoH, electricians are supposed to leave a max of only 1/4" of outer insulation in a wallbox), so I was able to cut the jacket back and expose enough bare wire to get a couple good twists around the ground on the service side, making the electrical in the room safe to use.

I figure this hack job can't have been done by the original homebuilders; a lot of things in this house have been worked on by the son of the original homeowners, and virtually all of them have had pretty obvious defects in the workmanship. The wiring problems, at least, I can clean up as I find them, but this guy has renovated bathrooms, framed out a loft space into an enclosed room, installed a spa, and has probably touched more of this house than I know. My questions to the board are:

Would this guy, not being the homeowner himself, be required to be licensed in Texas and to pull permits for this kind of electrical work (running subpanels, fishing new wire, installing wallboxes)? I know in the legal world, you can represent yourself, but if you don't then the person who represents you must be a member of the bar. I wonder if the same applies to home construction.
In a similar vein, would the guy have been required to get the work inspected?
If something defective in the house causes a real problem before I catch it, do I have any recourse against him, or against the original homeowners who let this hack work on their house?


texts:
Is there a specific name for the part of a bathroom nozzle the holds the washer?
I have a two handles brass BR faucet with a flat wide spout that I believe need a washer which I ordered. The problem is it seems like I'm going to need a part yo hold it. When I feel the inside of the water outlet, it feels like it's missing something.
I can use all of the help I can get in more ways than one! Thanks in advance!!


texts: What is the best way to handle house wiring cables with short sheathing?

texts:
I'm replacing a couple switches in a bathroom with smart switches and ran into a problem. The previous owner redid the bathroom and the switch box in question had 5 Romex cables (four 12/2, one 12/3) going into it. Only one of them had any sheath past the integral clamps (my understanding is there should be a minimum of 0.25 inches). When removing the switch box to see why I couldn't get any slack, I found that the rest of them had between 2 and 5 inches unsheathed before the box.

Am I supposed to add a junction box above it in the wall to splice all of the cables to add new cable that is long enough, raise the switch box 6 inches, or something else?

Edit: pictures added for
1.
2.
3.


texts: do triple track windows have safety stops

texts: Is there any rubber stop that can be inserted into the triple track latch punch outs below the upper sash to provide a safety stop in case a spring bolt latch breaks off?


texts: Roof beam to ledger attachment at end of ledger?

texts:
I am building a deck with a hip roof attached to the house. There is a roof ledger board that supports three beams perpendicular to the back face of the house. The center beam rests on top of the ledger, but the two outer beams butt up to the ledger at the very edge. The ledger is a single 1.75" LVL, and the outer beams are two 1.75" LVL.
My original plan was to use a concealed-flange hanger (HUCQ410-SDS), but that would require driving a lot of screws into the ledger board at the very end, and I am concerned about splitting. Is there a better (and inspector-proof) way to make this connection? I can't extend the ledger because it is already up to the edge of the house. Snow load at this connection is ~1200 lbs. The member sizes have been approved by a licensed structural engineer.
Or, is there a better way to attach these beams to the house? The roof ledger is aligned with the band joist between the first and second floors. As stated above, it only supports three beams.


texts:
I am pretty bad doing handy work. Anyways, I decided to add a water drainage to my concrete flat roof. I had mocked up all the pipes and finally waited for a sunny day to remove it all and glue all the elbows, Ts and connectors with clear PVC cement. Today after I got home from work it had rained recently and noticed that it was leaking. I can't isolate from which connection exactly it is leaking from, yet.

Aside from having to cut everything and doing it over and or hiring somebody, what can you guys recommend? Bear in mind that this is on an area exposed to the elements.

If it rains and there is still daylight left, I'll try to post a video.


texts: What can I do to further reduce solar heat gain with existing Venetian blinds?

texts: Have a large bedroom window that get's very hot late afternoon sun in the peak of summer. It has basic white aluminium venetian blinds on it that from what I am aware don't offer much in the way of heat insulation or reflective properties. The portable AC has to work very hard at this time. Is there anything I could use/hang in front of the blinds to reduce heat gain other than replacing the blinds completely?


texts: How can I add a grounding conductor to my early 20th century electrical system?

texts:
I live in a old house (built in 1918), and because their was no electricity back then, all electricity was added after, and weird enough, nothing has a ground.

So, I'm having problem with my washing machine, and suspect that having a ground would improve the handling and the problem it is having could be gone (some kind of short-circuit that after 5 seconds of being ON, it fires the electric board in the house).

My idea, as the machine is in a small house outside was to create the ground only for that part of the circuit, but what do I need for this?

I think is just a iron poll with the wire solder to it, but what length? diameter? and it's only attaching a new yellow/green wire to it and drive it through the circuit?


texts: How can I repair a float valve that is blocked open?

texts:
The toilet float valve I use is of the brand Geberit.
It keeps leeking water because it does not close anymore.

I guess the metal pin at the front needs to move when the green elements move up.
Does anyone have some ideas what I can do to make it work?
I tried pushing and pulling it gently, but it looks very fragile so I don't think it's a good idea.
I've also put it in vinegar for a night, without any success.


texts: How / Should I insulate my Basement Walls

texts:
I’m finishing my basement and thought about insulating the walls. Picture of my basement attached. The house is about 22 years old. Poured in place concrete walls, no history of water. I started framing the walls and have them all up.
What should I do here? Thanks I’m advance for your help.


texts: How do I cut drywall on the ceiling accurately?

texts:
I want to cut the drywall on the ceiling accurately. The thing is that the drywall is thick and it is on the top. I have to stand on the ladder; one hand use utility knife and the other hand hold the drywall.

The expected shape is supposed to be rectangle. Cut drywall on the ground is easy, but it is on the garage ceiling(below unfinished attic).
It is tough, any tips?


texts: Voltage tester detecting voltage in non-hot wires when the light switch is off

texts:
I just switched the wiring of a single-pole light switch from back wiring to side wiring and noticed that my voltage tester (non-contact pen-style one, Klein Tools NCVT-3) detects voltage in both the other black wire going into light fixsture and the ground wire when the switch is off. The tester beeped with one or two yellow lights on, so the voltage seems lower side.

I did continuity testing with my multimeter and the reading looked fine (overload when the switch was off and 0 and beeping when the switch was on).

From my completely novice point of view, the switch should cut off any current when it is off and voltage should be detected in the hot wire only but not in others. Is it not true? Does what I see indicate something's wrong or is it actually normal (like picking up voltage from the nearby hot wire)?


texts:
Recently moved into this house, built in 1994:

Computer monitor resets: This happens periodically (possibly when large electrical appliances kick on like the fridge), but it also happens almost every time when a fairly proximate ~15w LED light is switched on. I have it on a MinuteMan UPS now, but it doesn't help. It is not on a circuit with any large appliances.
TV resets: This also happens seemingly randomly, though again, it could be correlated with e.g. the fridge compressor. Again, no large appliances are on this circuit, nor is it on the same circuit as the monitor above. The TV peripheral devices (AmazonFire stick, Chromecast, etc.) are also affected (e.g. a movie will stop and need to be re-initialized, though that could be the result of the TV restarting).
Bang/clicking noise: Sometimes at night I'll hear a single bang/click noise seemingly from the wall, though there are no nearby appliances of which I am aware--I think this noise may be correlated with e.g. the TV resetting (maybe I'm hearing the furnace jolt through the duct?).

Not sure if all of these are related, or if I should focus on resolving them individually. Given that the house is new to me and the electronics are not (and were working fine in a previous residence), I'm assuming it's the house's (or the community's) electrical problems.

Update: I've removed all of the lights from the hallway light that was giving the monitor problems. The lightswitch still affects the monitor, albeit seemingly less often.


texts:
I'm in the process of remodeling a bathroom and recently removed some dryrot plywood around the toilet.  I was originally expecting the toilet flange to be attached to the subfloor but it looks like it's somehow attached directly to the drain itself.

This looks eerily similar to the cast iron flange mentioned here: How do I replace this cast iron toilet flange?

Before I rent a pipe cutter and/or hire a plumber though, can I please get a second pair of eyes?  Is this indeed a permanently welded flange?  Or am I just missing something painfully obvious for how to remove it?


texts: Can you re-wire an EU house with UK sockets?

texts: We've recently bought a house in Bulgaria needing renovating, can we rewire the house with UK sockets or even as spurs off the ring main as we intend on taking all our possessions with us, and furthermore feel that this may be a selling point in the future . Thanks Iain


texts: How can I wire a GFCI combo switch so that the switch controls the receptacle?

texts:
I want to install a Cooper Combination Switch/Receptacle GFCI device. Everything I've seen shows the switch controlling a light or garbage disposal and the outlet always hot. I want the switch to control only the outlet, nothing else. There will be a single 12/2 w/ground wire feeding the box. The purpose is to have a protected outlet to control anything plugged into it and operated by the switch. The plan is to have it placed under the eave on the deck and be able to switch on or off something like Christmas lights or a rope light over the deck. The attached picture is as close as I've seen but I need the light to go away and keep the outlet controlled by the switch.

Diagrams belong to do-it-yourself-help.com originals found here: http://www.do-it-yourself-help.com/gfci-outlet-switch-wiring.html


texts:
so, i have an ideal logic combi boiler which although working seemingly well , the pressure drops to almost 0 when not use, mainly overnight. I do not need to re-pressurise the system as when i turn on the heating it raises to around 1.3 on its own and around 1 or just below if calling for hot water.

All radiators are full and all but one are fine apart from a cooler spot to the bottom of a bedroom one, no visible leaks.

we have two small boxes in a upstairs cupboard,with little levers on that slide from one side to the other joined to a pipe that disappears behind the void.

The box/pipe that we believe to operate the upstairs heating makes a disturbing rattling sound for upto a minute when coming on,  it scared me a bit so had a BG call out under our plan and he was very dismissive saying dont worry about anything in there its just airlock, fiddled with the nearest (bathroom) radiator and left.

this has been the case for upto 6 months now, the rattling does eventually stop on its own accord or if i set the thermostat to 2/3 degrees lower upstairs the rattle doesnt occur.

Apologise if i seem to have gone way off track here, but is it worth me getting them back for a second opinion, could my boiler be an accident/expense waiting to happen or is it a case of all heating and water is working fine so dont worry about it?

thank you in advance


texts: Want to install an outdoor ceiling fan directly to exposed 2x4 on a covered porch

texts: The above picture is not my roof but nearly identical. Except my roof also has horizontal 2x4 supports. The previous owner has a shop light running horizontally screwed directly into the 2x4. I want to install a ceiling fan but am not sure how. I know I can install a box that directly mounts to the 2x4 that is fan rated but I thought the canopy of the fan would have a greater circumference than the box and there would be an exposed gap. Any suggestions? I would want a look like this


texts: I live in an older home (built c. 1920) and I am positive that it's full of lead-based paint. When we bought the house, there was NO wood exposed anywhere in the house. The previous owners covered every inch of any natural wood with layers and layers of paint. Well, my do-it-yourself type husband removed much of the paint in an effort to expose, sand and refinish some of the wood baseboards, door trim and trim around the room transitions. Unfortunately, he's notorious for leaving projects half-finished so there are a couple places where there is not a clean transition between painted and unpainted wall/wood. Long question short... What's the best way to seal off these transitions to limit the exposure of the lead-based paint hiding underneath? We have a very mobile 10mo daughter and it's imperative that any lead-based paint be sealed away from her. Any ideas?


texts:
I am finishing my basement and have metal studs on the perimeter (just in case of any moisture penetration.  Planning on hanging an 85", 140 lb flat panel on the wall.

The drywall is not up yet, so I can do basically anything.  Can anyone advise on the best thing to do?  I have read a lot of differing opinions, like inserting 2x4s into the studs and screwing them together and then proceeding the same as with wood studs.  Or else taking plywood and filling the spaces between the studs and then mounting with lag bolts into the plywood.  Is there some overall best practice?

Let me add that it will be on a slim mount right up against the wall, not on an articulated arm or anything.


texts: Can replacing LED light bulbs cause electric faults somewhere else in the house?

texts:
Yesterday I replaced a few old halogen bulbs in the kitchen and the hallway with LED bulbs - B22 and MR16. I was reading that the MR16s could be tricky has they might need an LED driver, I ordered some LED bulbs which had the same voltage as the old bulbs and they worked fine. The B22 worked fine as well apart from some buzzing coming from the dimmer which is probably because of the fact that they were non-dimmable bulbs. Anyway, no apparent issues with both and I have used the lights fine all evening without problems.

This morning I went to the bathroom which is located one floor above and the light switch didn't work. Not sure if the problem is with the switch or somewhere else but electricity in the bathroom seems to be gone - none of the three lights in there nor the extraction fan turns on. It worked fine the day before, even after the bulbs had been changed.

Now I am wondering if I messed this up when replacing the lights the night before. I live in a rental property and have just moved in so I have no knowledge of the electric plan of the house. As I said earlier, the bathroom lights / electricity worked fine the day before after the bulbs had been changed, since I used it before going to bed. This morning the lights in the hallway and kitched still worked fine too.

Or is it just a coincidence and the switch / circuit reached the end of its days?


texts: What preparation is needed to apply knockdown ceiling

texts: A 25 year old ceiling had popcorn and was scraped 5 years ago.  It is an eyesore, so the decision has been made to apply knockdown.  What (if any) preparation is required to apply knowckdown?  Any lessons learned area appreciated.  Thank you


texts:
My grandson has autism and has chewed up the cord to the computer. The wires are not cut but the insulation is gone.

Can I use duck tape till I get a new cord?


texts: How to fix leaking bathroom sink drain where PVC meets ABS connection?

texts:
My bathroom sink drain began leaking recently. The PVC connection that meets the ABS connection is the culprit. See picture with red arrow below.

After taking everything apart and cleaning the parts, I discovered the ABS threads look to be dented (see picture). I suspect the leak occurs because the tapered gasket cannot form a water tight seal where it meets this dent.

How do I fix this?

Can a material of some kind be added to fix the dent, but still allow the threads to work?
Do I have to replace the ABS thread connection entirely? I'm not sure how to do this exactly since I believe ABS connections are cemented. Guidance is appreciated if this is my only option.
Other?

It looks like there may be a glue type residue on the ABS threads. I wonder if there was once glue of some kind that broke down over time and caused the leak now. I can't imagine why this connection would have sealed without some kind of other stop gap measure in place to account for the dent.


texts:
I read some related questions, but can't find an answer given my wiring. I'm trying to wire a combination switch/GFCI outlet Pass & Seymour 1595SWTTRWCC4. I also checked the wiring diagrams, and none of them match my wiring (two red line wires)...

Here's the wiring of the gang receptacle:

Here's how the combination switch/GFCI outlet looks:

Here's how another switch is wired without two red line wires:

Here's where I'm stuck. Where do the two red line wires go? My guess is in the Hot Line?


texts:
There are 3 incandescent recessed light fixtures in my kitchen. I purchased the Home Depot ecosmart LED bulbs 65W. One of the recessed fixtures will only work with the incandescent lightbulb.  I have tried the new LED bulbs in other light fixtures, therefore the bulbs are tested good.  Looking for options to why the fixture will not support the LED bulb? the three fixtures work off the same 3-way switch (2 actual switches}.
Thanks in advance.


texts: Using a bathroom fan with a smaller duct - is there a minimum size?

texts:
I am looking for information on how to properly replace a bathroom fan which is not working well enough (probably insufficient CFM).
The bathroom fan I need to replace is a 90mm fan rated for 65m3/h (about 38CFM) and is connected to a long PVC duct to the outside.
This answer nicely explains how to take into account the bathroom size and the duct length to estimate the needed CFM.
I have not taken measures yet, but I think I will need a 110CFM fan (e.g. 560 cu.ft bathroom with 50feet equivalent duct length).
However, the long duct is also smaller than the fan: the fan is 90mm, while the duct I think it's 80mm (slightly more than 3 inches). The duct is connected to the fan with a duct increaser.
My question is: how to account for the smaller duct?
In this other question there is a table (IRC table M1506.2 Duct Length) that says 3 inches duct cannot be used for fans with 80 CFM or more. However, no answers were provided.
Here instead, the answers say that it's ok to use a bigger duct for a smaller fan, however I am in the opposite situation (fan larger than the duct).
The new fan that I would like to purchase and install is even bigger (100mm, about 105CFM) but I do not want to waste money if the smaller duct will make the new fan useless.
Note: I cannot increase the duct size since it would require masonry work that I cannot do.


texts:
When tiling the bathroom, I cut the door frame higher up than I needed to and now have a large gap. Please advise the best method of filling this gaps so that it looks professional. Some choices -
1. Caulk - easiest, but wont be flush and I believe will look tacky
2. Cutting the frame higher up and adding a new piece of frame. This will look better, but will take time/effort.
Is there a filler that can be moulded/sanded and then painted and that is waterproof?


texts: Flex connecting two black pipes mid line

texts:
The gas line coming into my newly redesigned kitchen and supplying a range has to be routed under the sink because there was no room behind the rear left corner to go behind the studs in the wall. The valve on the left, terminating a 1/2" black pipe, is where it enters and the nipple in the back wall is where it exits the sink to travel another approximately 10' to the range, again via 1/2" black pipe.

Of course, because the area under the sink is messy, busy, and complicated, as can be seen in the picture, with other pipe, cable, garbage disposal etc, running black pipe there, with a minimum of two elbows in a tight space would be inconvenient, obstructing and difficult to turn the wrench so I want to use the yellow flex connector. However, I know that flex is usually used between a black pipe terminal and an appliance and what we have here is mid-line.
So I have several questions:

Is this generally permissible by the US codes (specifically mid Atlantic, relatively strict)?
Considering that the two ends of black pipe it connects are 1/2", can I use 1/2" flex (which I think is smaller inside diameter than 1/2" black pipe), which I obviously prefer for spacing reasons, or should I go with 3/4", which I think corresponds more in inside diameter with 1/2" black? The final flex connector at the end that connects the range is 1/2". The picture shows a 3/4" that is 36" long, which is too long and I plan to replace it with 24" so I don't need to wrap around the PVC pipe like it shows here, which comes in both 1/2 and 3/4". Does it actually matter and can using a slightly fatter pipe between two smaller cause any adverse effects?
Someone (whose advice I am not taking unverified) told me that this connector might need to be electrically grounded. I do have an adjacent junction box in a laundry bay to the left of the sink. Should I ground it using a pipe grounding clamp?


texts: Ikea chest of drawers/drawers table deformed

texts:
I was recently given this chest of drawers/drawers table by a friend of mine.

But the problem is that because of the weight of the clothes (I pressume), the drawers have been deformed a litte bit.

Is there any way to fix this? It's this one, if you want to have a look at it.
Thank you so much in advance.


texts:
I am finishing my basement.  Walls and ceiling will be covered entirely.  I need to install junction boxes behind the ceiling (up in the joists) or inside of the wall itself.  From what I understand, the main consideration for this is that the junction boxes need to be accessible after the area is finished.  For this I plan on using a wall panel to open/close access to this area.

What I have not been able to find information on, however, is how many you can put in proximity to each other.  I have provided a picture here of a tentative install (they are nailed in place, but easily removable) of six junction boxes in an area between two wall studs.  I will not be insulating this stud bay.  I will fireblock the above area and ensure to my best ability that it is air tight with expanding foam and fireblock.

Is there any problem with this installation and does it satisfy NEC?  (the yellow Romex here is NOT live by the way)


texts: Electrician strangely cut and capped hot wire of receptacle

texts:
Background: I recently moved into an apartment building in Canada (built in 1969). I don't know much about the electrical code, how grand-fathering works within it, etc., but I have an intermediate knowledge of household wiring.

Out of curiosity, I used a typical 3 light receptacle tester to double check the outlets. To my surprise, 7 of them had hot-neutral reversed. This didn't worry me much, because all of the devices I had plugged into them are small electronics with non-polarized 2 prong plugs (which trivially let you reverse hot and neutral). No big deal, I submitted a maintenance request, and had them fixed.

After the electrician came, 5 out of the 7 outlets were fixed, and two were completely non-functional (which were previously functioning but just reversed). I turned the power off and investigated for myself. I found the source of the issue: the hot wire for one of the outlets was cut and capped. The second non-functional outlet was downstream from this one, so that's why it wasn't working either.

Is that a dangling ground wire? Yep, sure is. But that's another question.

Shockingly (heh), the wall side of the wire is a short stub (which barely reached into the junction box) and isn't capped.

My question: what's going on here? Why would anybody ever do this? Is this just some total shitshow, or is there some intention I don't know about?


texts: Would increasing the size of the A/C duct for my kitchen improve cooling?

texts:
As part of an ongoing kitchen project, I'd like to relocate the existing a/c register in the ceiling (which is located next to an interior wall) to the center of the room and upsize the duct (and register) to get a better cooling in that area. The kitchen faces east and has two (2) large glass french doors and one very large picture window, so there is a lot of heat transmittance in the mornings during the summer which tends to make it a bit uncomfortable unless the a/c is on full blast. I think if I could get some more air in there and also "wash" the doors/windows better, it would be an improvement especially if cooking and/or entertaining guests.

So the existing duct that supplies the area (11' x 12' kitchen, BTW) is an 8" round galv. rigid duct, that is connected to an 6" x 10" register. The 8" round duct is being fed by a larger branch duct (off the main trunk) that is also supplying another 8" round rigid duct routed to a room on the other side of the wall (dining room).  I haven't been able to measure the branch duct yet, but just running some quick calculations I'm assuming it's at least a 12" round duct or maybe larger (???). I'll try to confirm tonight, but maybe some of the experts on here can make a guess...

In any regard, let's assume it's a 12" round branch duct for arguments sake. My question is: Would it be too much volume/flow if I detached the 2nd 8" round duct from the branch duct, and routed the 12" branch duct directly to a 12" x 12" register in the center of the kitchen? Or would it have to be a larger register? If so, how big? I would obviously make a new connection off the main trunk for the 8" dining room duct, but my main concern is if the branch duct is too large to supply a register or does it just depend on the register and/or register box size? Will it whistle or make lots of noise? Or should I just upsize the 8" duct to a 10" duct and leave everything else the same (i.e. keep the connection to the other 8" duct off the branch duct)?

Unfortunately I don't have the time or budget to hire an HVAC engineer to do an appropriate design, but it doesn't have to come out perfect so just some general advice to get me in the right direction would be greatly appreciated. I'm pretty sure the ducting system in the house is already undersized anyway, cause all the ducts have a little whistling/noise as is; But I just don't want something overly obnoxious in the kitchen area if I can avoid it...


texts: Reinstalling a belt on an electric snow thrower

texts:
I have this snow thrower which was doing pretty good for me until this weekend when it suddenly stopped turning the augers. I could hear the electric motor turning, but the augers where not turning. So I opened it up and found (along with a lot of ice build up) that the belt had come off. Trouble is, I'm not sure how to get the belt back on.

Here's a picture:

Now the belt obviously has to connect part A to part C, but I'm not sure how part B plays into this? It's spring loaded and can be pushed up, so I'm guessing it's supposed to tension the belt? And the belt should pass under it? Any tips on how to get the belt back on because I'm have trouble stretching it from A to C. I briefly had it on, but it just flew straight back off again when I tried to run it.


texts: Self propelled mower loses power then slowly dies when self propel is engaged

texts:
Mower is a Craftsman Platinum EZ walk push mower with electric push button start(as well as pull start). Briggs&Stratton engine/7.25/190cc/model 917.370930. It was purchased in 2012 brand new, used about 3 times then given to me in 2015. I did not even attempt to use it until 2016 summer. Used one time that summer. Has been stored inside until I took it out last week.

Charged battery for push button start, changed oil, spark plug, air filter etc...I couldn't get it to push button start, but pull starts fine. Started mowing, using self propel. Did great, then started noticing after mowing for about 25 or 35mins, when I would engage self propel, it would lose power. Would still run, but obviously not at full strength. So I kept mowing without self propel... did fine. Then about 25 more mins into it, I tried self propel again and it ran with very little power then sort of faded out. No sputtering or theatrics... just literally, slowly died. Why is it doing that? As long as I don't use self propel 30mins into my mowing, it runs like a gem till it's outta gas.


texts: Where is the Main Shutoff my Cutler-Hammer Breaker Box?

texts: Kind of confused where my main shutoff is. When I read and looked at breaker boxes for examples, most had a big shutoff right at the top. Where is the switch on mine? I'd like to remove a breaker, but I'd like to turn the whole box off. Any ideas?


texts: I have a corner joint I need hidden, for which I'd normally use a quarter round molding, but because this is part of a cathedral ceiling, the angle is much narrower than 90 degrees, it's 60 degrees. So, I'd need a "sixth round molding". Is that usually sold in large hardware stores or is this some custom thing?