texts: What would be the potential pitfalls in pouring a concrete patio over deck footings and then securing the posts to the slab?

texts:
I am going to have a 4" concrete patio poured in my backyard, and over that I want to build a 2nd story deck. All of this essentially occupies the same space, meaning the posts either need to be on or through the patio slab.
In the interest of making things look at neat as possible, I wondered about setting sonotube footings to a height that would equal the expected level of the concrete base, so about 4-6" of anticipated gravel base depth.  That would have the footings and the base at the same level.  Then, simply pour a single monolithic slab of concrete over the whole thing.
That would just leave needing to re-locate the footing locations using the same triangulation used to site them in the first place.
I am assuming that frost heave of the footings themselves would not be an issue as they will be done deep enough.  Could the rest of it heave around them and cause a problem?  Could settling of the concrete slab/base material when the footings do not be an issue?
Anything else you can think of?


texts: Why would the electrician use 8 gauge wire on a 20A circuit?

texts: (Still learning) Just noticed that our electrician had used 8-gauge wire for a 240v 20amp circuit. Why would he do this? Couldn't he have just used 12 gauge? Is there a method to the madness?


texts: Non-traditional control for three hole bathroom faucet

texts:
I don't like having to control hot water and cold water flow separately.
I want to be able to change temperature (while maintaing flow) without having to coordinate two handles, or change flow (while maintaining temperature). A single handle bathroom faucet is sufficient for me. I don't know whether there exists designs where one handle controls hot/cold mix while the other handle controls water flow. If such a design exists, that would work for me as well. There could also be other designs that I would enjoy using.

However, I can't replace my current bathroom faucet with a single handle faucet because my counter top has 3 holes (8 inches apart from left handle to right handle).

What are my options for a replacement bathroom faucet?


texts: Is this an acceptable way to route wires around trusses?

texts:
I am building a detached garage with a double 2x4 top plate and engineered trusses, 24" OC. At some future date I will insulate and drywall the walls and ceiling, but for now I want to get it wired up in a way that will meet code (Wisconsin Electrical Code, which generally follows NEC 2017) prior to drywall.
I've seen suggestions for running cable along the face of the top plate, but that wouldn't allow me to install drywall later on. Since these are engineered trusses drilling them isn't really an option. Instead I attempted this:

I stapled the cable securely on either side of the truss. Any issues with this approach? I spent quite a while searching the net for pictures or advice, but most answers seemed to address routing around trusses in attics.


texts: Please help with 3 way dimmer hookup with existing 2 way switches

texts:
I am replacing an old dimmer and the wire colors are different that the new ones so very confused about which wire goes where.

In the diagram shown below all whites are together. I have 3 existing loose wires 1,2 and 6 on the diagram.
Where do I connect 4,5 and 6 from the dimmer.

Wire 6 puzzles me a bit since its hooked up with a red and a black on the switch already.
My new gradator has 2 red, 1 black and ground

Thanks in advanced to all electrical savvy people willing to help :)


texts: I have been researching this for some time now and feel that I am almost ready to begin. I have run into a slight problem though that I can't seem to find any answers for. The telephone cables in my house are all connected to one single cable and they branch off from each other at each telephone jack. If I make the ethernet connection at the central cable will this run ethernet to every telephone jack in my home? Assuming I retrofit the correct connections on the ends of course. Every video tutorial I've seen on this have several phone lines running from the box to their respected telephone jack, which would make this much easier.


texts: I have a 1983 Trane gas furnace, Model BLU108E936B1, the pilot light went out, I could get it to relight but wont stay on> Changed the thermocouple, same results, Pilot light doesn't look right as I recall before, the flame doesn't seem to come up as high as before to hit the thermocouple correctly. I tried different positions for the flame to hit thermocouple but still same results, Pilot wont stay lit.


texts: Is it possible to notch framing studs for installing conduit w/out structure collapsing?

texts:
I have a garage which is a simple structure - 4 walls, garage door, and a normal door. The structure is framed as one would expect, studs 16 inches apart. I want to put some extra wood paneling as an inside wall in order to make it look nicer, however I see that on one wall, I have a long electrical conduit (EMT) running half the length of the wall that I would have to move. The conduit is attached on the outside of the studs (interior to the garage space itself).

My question is, since these studs all together bear the weight of the roof, is it okay to cut a half inch notch to run conduit? I don't have much experience with this and I just want to make sure I won't weaken the structure so that it collapses. I live in Chicago so I have strong winds.


texts:
I have a bathroom exhaust fan that has a 3 inch duct outlet. However, I would like to use a 4 inch insulated flexible duct.

Is there an adapter I can use to accomplish this or do I have to first use a short run of 3 inch duct and then use a 3-inch to 4-inch increaser?


texts: How to make my cheap but well sanded wood look glossy

texts:
I built a few wooden thing with cheap pine and plywood. They are working very fine.

I like to make them look glossy. I expect there are thick varnish products that can do the job. So my cheap woods look shiny with proper stain and varnish.

However, I tried the following products and there is none or very little result.

This one, it is quite watery and didn't do anything:

This one is more expensive, but the result is not that glossy:

Am I looking at right products?

Is there any thick oil based varnish that can make my cheap wood shiny and glossy?


texts: Can you serve a multi-wire branch circuit off a pendant?

texts:
I've seen a slick trick done in some maker spaces.  They have a big room full of project desks.  Above each desk is an air hose on a retractable reel... And a NEMA L14-20 receptacle.

Dangling off the receptacle is a pendant: a hefty cord, properly strain relief'd, and it dangles about a foot above the desktop, with a 2-gang junction box with two of the usual NEMA 5-15 duplex receptacles. These exploit the MWBC in the usual way, sharing neutral and ground with each of the two hot's going to a different receptacle.

What's wrong with this? My intuition is that this wouldn't be legal either because of the MWBC or the pendant.

One of these maker spaces is on a site with highly professional property management, but on the other hand I've seen blatant codevio's there too.


texts: How do I best tear down a small building?

texts:
I've got a property where a house will built. Currently there's this little hut that needs to be completely removed to make room for building a real house. To keep costs down, I'll be doing most of the tear-down myself.

The hut is roughly 30 square meters and around 60 years old. It appears to be put together rather simply:

it has  single-pane windows, wooden-board walls, and wooden rafters hold up the roof.
There's a concrete foundation under the outside walls but apparently not underneath most of the inside area. The inside flooring is vinyl that is very soft in many places; presumably there's wood underneath that has become rotten. About a third of the inside area is tile (looks like a later addition) and I expect that there's a reasonably solid concrete foundation underneath that.
There's no heating at all, and no gas, but there is electrical cabling throughout, and a sink. I've already turned off the main water pipe where it enters the property. There's also a main fuse box at the property's edge where I can simply remove the fuses (old ceramic-body type) to make sure the power's off.

According to the previous owner and builder whom I can't ask anymore, the hut was originally a bear cage from a zoo that was being closed - this was pre-war times when people reused all sorts of things! If that's true then there might be a very sturdy steel frame in there somewhere. It's likely too, because the hut was hit by a large falling tree in a storm once, and it withstood it with barely a scratch. I think most normal garden huts would've been obliterated.

What's the best way to tear this down?  With "best" I mean simple, cheap, effective.

What tools will I need? Will regular "household" DIY tools suffice? My circular saw will probably be very useful, but I think I would need to rent a very powerful chisel to remove the foundation, at least.

I also plan to rent a big general-purpose dumpster to put the rubble in -- otherwise I'd have to spend weeks to cart everything to our local recycling center where they'd make me hand-sort the rubble into metals/glass/stone/wood/cardboard/etc.


texts: Adding reverse osmosis air gap faucet without drilling hole

texts:
I have a marble countertop with a single hole for a faucet. I'd like to install a reverse osmosis system. what options do I have to avoid having to drill a new hole in the marble for the RO air-gap faucet?
I've seen and have purchased products like these, dual faucets that would supportlow both regular and filtered water.
However, I haven't found one that includes an air-gap.
Is there any way to place an air gap somewhere not on the counter top, perhaps somehow under the sink?
Is there any alternative to drilling a hole in the counter top?


texts: Will an LED light bulb illuminate down on this uplight lamp?

texts:
I have this Ikea Floor Uplight lamp and I want to replace the current CFL light bulb with an LED light bulb. I'm thinking of using a Philips 433235 60 Watt Equivalent SlimStyle A19 LED Light Bulb (Daylight, Dimmable).

I use this lamp next to a desk which is about 3 ft to the left and 3 ft below the light bulb. Will the lamp still illuminate the desk as well as (or better than) the 60 Watt Equivalent CFL light bulb?

I've been reading that LED light bulbs light in one direction as opposed to CFLs which radiate light in all directions. However, the Phillips LED light bulb I'm considering claims that it radiates light in all directions. Has anyone had any experience with those types of LED light bulbs that claim omnidirectional lighting?

EDIT: Fixed typo "radiates life in all directions"


texts: What's a hinge called for a two-door corner cabinet?

texts:
I have kitchen cabinet in the corner where it has a revolving holder inside, which can spin so that it will use the space deep inside as well.  The door for it has 2 panels. There are 2 hinges connecting the 2 panels. One of the hinges seem to be broken, so I'm wondering what's the name for that connecting hinge, so that I could order the part.
Appreciate if anyone can give suggestion on the name I can use to search this part.
Here are the pictures for the cabinet and close-up look of the hinge.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EN-cwCVBGaAooCIw2TEwiJcKZVID4B30/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/15L2h-nTdpOtDBQn6CT05-T7qqjcCfWTF/view?usp=sharing


texts: How to recess a recessed socket even deeper into drywall?

texts:
I have a standard UK double socket recessed into 15mm drywall. Currently the frame protrudes by approximately 5mm from the wall, and the switches protrude from the frame by a further 5mm.
I wish for the socket to be completely flush with the wall, such that you could run your hand over it and barely know it's there.

Does anyone know of an alternative faceplate for a UK style double socket which is completely flush with the wall (a bit like the TruFig US one below)?
Alternatively, a good way of recessing my current socket 10mm into 15mm drywall?
This socket will be behind a very, very thin and closely mounted wall mount TV so I don't mind how it looks, although ideally I don't want to completely remove the socket.


texts: How can I prevent spillage from my bathtub?

texts:
Let's set the scene:

The horizontal surfaces of the bathtub in my apartment are flat. We have a double shower curtain (with the waterproof bit that hangs on the inside of the tub and the fabric bit that hangs on the outside of the tub) and are careful not to splash too much, but the flat top bits of the tub still get water on them when you reach for stuff. The floor in the bathroom is very slightly slanted, so the open side of the bathtub is slightly lower than the wall side of the bathtub. This means that any water that gets dripped onto the short end of the tub (the side with the showerhead) drips down to the floor, and then slowly flows across the bathroom floor to the opposite wall.

Not ideal.

We rent this apartment, so replacing or making major upgrades to the tub is not really an option. (We will have trouble convincing the management company that a few drops of water on the floor merit remodeling the bathroom, since there's no actual leak involved here.)

I need a way to catch the water that wants to drip off the edge of the bathtub and redirect it back down into the tub. (My current plan is to use some foam tubing and rubber sheeting to create a sort of ramp... thing... around the corner of the tub, but I bet this community can generate some ideas that will both look and work much better.)

Additional info: Turns out I'm sort of a natural at drawing bathtubs. A diagram, in case you're confused by my description:


texts: How should I prepare a solid wood subfloor for hardwood and ceramic tile flooring?

texts: I have a post and beam flooring structure in my 45-year-old home. The subfloor is 2 x 8  tongue and groove installed green. In my remodel, I plan to install 3/4" hardwood flooring over part of my single story home and porcelain tile in the bathroom and laundry room. What type of structure over the 2 x 8's (plywood or OSB)should be installed under each type of new flooring? Additionally, what should the nailing or screwing pattern for that installation?  Tom


texts:
I would like to replace a regular plug with a GFCI plug. The current plug has:

Ground (green in picture)
White
Black
Red (connected on the same side than the Black with broken tap)

The breaker is "double" (see picture)
To the best of my knowledge, there is no switch linked to half of the outlet.
Thank you!


texts:
To seal the seam between a doubled joist or beam, what type of caulking is best? The Home Depot Decks 123 book recommends Alex Plus (acrylic latex plus silicone) while a guy at Home Depot suggested Mono Ultra Exterior (latex). How about Blueskin?

I initially used Alex Plus, it rained before the caulk cured, the caulk became a shriveled and cracked mess, I scraped it and replaced it with Mono Ultra Exterior.


texts:
I'm in the US, and have a run of UF cable serving floodlights along my driveway.   It leaves the garage in a conduit, and reappears at each of 3 locations where a junction box about 12" above ground level connects the incoming line, one running up the tree to a light fixture, and the outgoing line.  (I believe it's just directly buried once it leaves the vicinity of the garage).

At the second location, both the incoming and outgoing wires were damaged right at ground level; I'd like to be able to reconnect them (I've disconnected the run at the first location temporarily).

Is there a safe (and ideally, code compliant) way to splice UF at or below ground level?   I have enough slack to connect them, but not much to spare.

Replacing the run is not feasible, as it crosses under a driveway.


texts: Painting a unfinished solid wood exterior door

texts: What is the recommended (assuming there is one) way to paint a new unfinished solid wood front door and jamb - What type of paint should I use, what type of brush, how should I prep, and how many coats should I do. There are some holes in the jamb so I assume I should use a wood filler and sand prior to painting. Any advice is recommended.


texts: I just got a 12 x 18 foot utility shed, 120' from main 200 amp panel. What size subpanel should I use?

texts:
I want to wire a 12'x18' utility shed 120' underground in PVC from a 200 amp main panel. The shed will power a refrigerator, freezer, small 115 volt 8000btu window AC unit, LED shop lights (3), and wall outlets(6 to 10).

I may also use some small electric tools on occasion. I'm running 12/2 & 12/3 in shed.

What size wire (alum. or Copper) and what size sub panel should I use?


texts:
I have a 55-gallon plastic container that I'll be filling with water.

What's the best way to preserve this water? We won't be consuming the water stored in this container.

Thanks.


texts: Just checking that I got this correct. I’m in Australia.


texts: How can I route data cables through the ceiling?

texts:
I'm wiring my new home, and I have a camera system (BNC but looks like a stero cable in diameter) and ethernet cables that I've run to the attic space.  Everything was going great until summer hit, and the temps in the attic started to become too hot for the routers.  I want to move them into a closet, so my plan is to just drill a hole in the ceiling and drop the wires down.  There are quite a few, 27 cables that I need to route.

My question is, when I make a 4" hole in the ceiling that goes directly to my attic, will that cause issues with my heating and cooling? Is there a way to prevent that?


texts: Can my municipal water line siphon from my house water lines?

texts:
Our local water tower is empty during this winter storm.
I heard my water heater "running" even though there were no faucets on in the house -  I immediately thought I had a burst pipe.
After finding no leaks, I turned on a faucet, and there was actually suction through the spout.
Because my home is on a hill, my theory is that other citizens running their water actually drained my house lines. Is this possible? Shouldn't there be backflow valves or something to prevent this?
In addition, should I be worried about my pipes freezing now that they appear to be empty?
Do standard "winter prep" rules apply to mostly drained plumbing?
I have 40 gallon tank electric heater. I have unplugged it since discovering there was no water.


texts: I recently installed some feit retro fit can lights in an older home. Had a regular single pole switch and lights stayed on very dim when switch was off. Replaced switch with a dimmer, same issue. Noticed that when lights are out of metal housing they go off. Any suggestions?


texts: I am installing a new service in an outbuilding,  It is not at my residence so I can't test it readily.  On the neutral/grounding bars in the panel, it appears as if the neutral and ground are all connected.  In fact, on both bars, there are 2 screws for ground/neutral.  To clear this up, on older panels the screws are right underneath each other.  On this panel, there are 2 screws, space, 2 screws.  this is what makes me think the ground and neutral can be on the same bar.  The panel box is from Lowe' and I think it might be called Homelite.


texts: Main Breaker Gets tripped every 1-2 hours but last longer in the night

texts:
Our home is located in India. We have an individual circuit breakers for all the 7 rooms in our home. And wrapping them whole is the main breaker. Earlier there used to be short circuit in certain rooms due to water leakage. When short-circuit occurred, everything thing else worked if turned of the individual breaker corresponding to that branch where short-circuit originated. But now we have a different problem.

Even after switching off all the individual circuit breakers corresponding to each branch, the main breaker is getting tripped. Electrician told us that it was due to ground-fault. He opened up a few switch boxes and found out that termite had eaten some portions of the wire, which resulted in neutral wire coming in contact with the ground wire. They identified 3-4 switch boxes and we completely rewired it. Even ceiling fans were given extra rubber bushes at the support. But after a week since they left, the issue is persisting. Earlier, where the ground-fault problem was identified, the main breaker used to never turn on even when the individual circuit breakers were turned off. Now, the same issue persists but now we get 1-2 hours of electricity before the main breaker trips.

One another observation I have made in the current scenario is that, if I try to switch on the main breaker right after it got turned off with all the circuit breaks in off mode, it will get tripped right away. But if I do it after 10-15 minutes, it stay on for another 1-2 hours. And in the night, if we are lucky, we get 5-6 hours gap before it gets tripped!

I would be glad if somebody can help to put possible reasons why this is occurring. We had already brought in electrician 3 times already!

Edit:
I turned all the knobs to phase 2 and it is working okay for the past one week. What could be the possible reason that it doesn't work in Phase 1 and 3?

Here is quick picture of our electricity distribution panel with the individual circuit breaker and main breaker:


texts: Can I spray foam up to roof sheathing when air sealing skylight tunnel?

texts: I've been doing some air sealing in the attic with canned spray foam and I'm about to tackle my skylight tunnels. They are framed and covered with drywall. I have easy access to them in the attic and was wondering if it's okay to spray foam in the gap between the rafters/cross piece and roof sheathing?


texts: Filling first concrete floor with Autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) brick to 3 feet height is good?

texts:
First concrete floor is with 500 sq.ft. area. Out of this, 200 sq.ft. is in projected form for about 3 feet height. So, we are planning to fill in with AAC blocks up to 3 feet height for the rest of the space of 300 sq.ft. area to make up even level of the floor.
This is good idea to do so? will the building suffer with load even though we fill it with light weight AAC bircks and cause any problem in future?
Any quick suggestion is highly appreciated as we are under construction, we may manage to alter in case of any corrections needed.
Thanks in advance.


texts: Are the wires for my generator transfer switch undersized?

texts:
I purchased a Reliance Q510-C transfer switch to use with a 50 amp generator at my house. The transfer switch is rated at 50 amps. I have wired it into my main electrical box.

I also wired a 50-amp power inlet box into the transfer switch so I can plug the generator into that (rather than run the cord into the house). I used 6 gauge wire to connect the inlet box to the transfer switch.

The transfer switch and the inlet box are both rated at 50 amps. Everything is installed and works fine.

There's just one thing that bothers me. The transfer switch has a terminal block to connect the inlet wires. So the four wires coming into it (from the inlet box) are 6 awg wire. Two hot wires, one neutral and one ground. The four wires coming out of the terminal block are 10 awg wire. So it goes from 6 awg to 10 awg at the terminal block. Red 6 goes to red 10, black 6 goes to black 10, etc.

Here is my question...

Why would the manufacture use 10 awg at the terminal block? I expected the wires to be 6 awg (the same size coming from the generator power inlet). The 10 awg wires are only about 8 inches long and they run into the main bar where all the breakers connect. I assume the manufacture knows what they are doing and that 10 awg will carry the load, but I have never seen 10 awg used in 50 amp applications.

Is this OK, should I call and ask the manufacture if they made a mistake (they sell 30 amp boxes exactly like this... maybe this is a 30 amp box mislabeled as a 50 amp box) or should I not worry about it and just use the box as is?

The neutral wire they use at the terminal block is 8 awg. The others are 10 awg. I'm really only concerned about the two hot wires (red and black) that go from 6 awg to 10 awg at the terminal bolck.


texts: How do I remove baseboard that has been tiled over?

texts:
The previous owner installed tile without re-installing the original baseboard.  We are trying to remove the baseboard in preparation for installing laminate flooring.  Afterwards our plan is to install new baseboard above the laminate flooring.

We started in a closet but we are finding it hard to remove the baseboard since some of the nails holding the baseboard are right at the level of the tile. So far I have a chisel to break the grout right by the baseboard, a utility knife to cut the paint at top of the baseboard and a small pry bar to pull at the baseboard.

Ripping up the tile is of course one way to make the baseboard removal easier; we're just nervous about getting in over our heads.

What method, technique, and/or tools should we be putting to use here?


texts: Options for replacing damaged aluminum siding

texts:
I removed an old pressure treated deck that was attached to my house this weekend. The ledger board for the deck was installed outboard of the aluminum siding. I had planned to replace the deck with a landing and grade-level patio. The problem is the siding now has holes where the lag screws were and the new landing will not be as large as the old deck. I'm having trouble locating siding companies who still do aluminum siding and pieces of aluminum siding aren't something that would seem to be readily available at a big box store.

What are some options for replacing the damaged siding that are less noticeable since the problem will be at eye level when the new patio is installed.

Notes:

I don't really have the option to grab siding from another location on the house.
New deck / landing will be as wide as patio door. I'm concerned with the siding to the left and right of the door.
Holes were temporarily filled with can spray foam to keep water / bugs out.


texts:
I have a blue wire being unused on both the furnace and thermostat. If I connect that blue wire on both ends will I have power?

Page one of the wiring diagram:

Page two of the wiring diagram:

What it looks like at the thermostat:

How it looks at the furnace:


texts: Can poly plastic water storage tank be used to store hot water?

texts:
Another set of questions in context of my home-brew solar water heater:

Can poly-plastic water storage tanks, be used to store hot water (140deg F / 60deg C) ?
How can I thermally insulate a 50 gallon / ~190 litre, vertical poly plastic water tank (like the ones shown here), to minimize heat-loss overnight ?


texts: How do you install a solar light tube through an outside wall into the basement?

texts: In renovating a basement, is it possible to install a solar-light-tube through the wall to the outside and still gather light?


texts: How can I prevent a wooden bed frame from creaking?

texts:
Our wooden bed frame is three years old. At first it was perfectly solid and silent. But lately it's started creaking whenever we get in or out of it, and it's become unbearably loud.

The noise comes from the the corner, where the horizontal piece of wood at the side of the bed joins the vertical corner piece. They're bolted together and I assume the bolt had worked loose.

I've investigated tightening the bolt, which only helped a little bit temporarily. Also the bolt has started to wear down from repeated tightening, and I don't have the right tools anyway. I don't know if just making it really, really tight would actually solve the problem as I've been told it shouldn't need to be tightened very much.

My question is: How can I prevent the actual noise of the wood slipping against itself and creaking? I've read about using oil or talc... Or should I take it apart and fit something in between the two pieces of wood?


texts: How can I convert a shadow box fence to a solid fence?

texts:
I currently have a shadow box style fence around the backyard of the new house I purchased. As there is a pool in the backyard, I prefer more privacy than the shadow box fence provides.  In addition, the shadow box appears to not have been maintained well as several surfaces aren't easily accessible.

That being said, is it possible to convert it to a solid fence using the existing boards?  Any information on how to do it or tips/tricks are greatly appreciated.

fence types. My fence is similar to the picture labeled as Shadow Box.


texts:
We recently moved into a place with a lot of hardwood floors and so we needed to put down about 5 area rugs. A lot them arrived rolled up and we unrolled them there was lingering curl that we needed to more or less press out.

It's been a couple months now and two carpets still have curl remaining in one corner that doesn't seem to want to settle. At this point, I've tried placing books on the curl for a couple days, folding the curl under itself to try and force it out, and of course just giving it time to work out but it doesn't seem to want to go away.

If it matters, the others which did settle out seem to vary a lot. One has a heavy pile, the other two have a very thin pile.

Is there anything else I should be thinking about or trying to get the curl to work out?


texts:
My daughter was sick on the stone (I assume it's marble - that's what it looks like) floor. It was cleaned up right away, but now there is a visible (from the right angle) dull spot on the floor exactly where it splashed. I believe this is etching from the acid. I don't believe it to be an actual stain.

What would be the best steps to take to remove this? Some kind of polish?


texts: This is in a house my daughter bought and no one knows what it is for. It is a 1930's house. Has a switch on it that when you flip it a red light flickers on for a second and nothing else seems to happen. Any ideas?


texts: Join multiple independent electrical heaters under one thermostat or one control hub

texts:
I live in an older house where each room has an electrical baseboard heater connected to its own thermostat. Is there hardware/software to control all them from one place? For example a hub with an app. Ideally I'd like a control mechanism whereby I can set the temperature to drop while no is home and rise back up 30 min before we get back.
I assume the old fashioned alternative is for me to rewire all the heaters but even then I'm not sure the circuit could handle the power draw. What's usually done in such cases?


texts: Why is hot-ground reading a different voltage from neutral-ground?

texts:
I recently replaced a 20a simplex receptacle with a new 20a simplex Decora receptacle.  I checked everything at the new 20a receptacle with a multimeter and here are the results:

Power on

Hot to neutral = 126.8
Hot to ground = 128.9
Ground to neutral = 4.764

Power off

Hot to neutral = 12.28
Hot to ground = 11.08
Ground to neutral = 5.535

Is this a phantom voltage or is this indicative as a loose neutral?

Other things:

receptacle is self grounding (brass clip on the "tongue," so I removed the insulators from the screws
receptacle is in a wiremold surface mount box
there is 14awg THNN running behind the 20a receptacle in raceway to an ungrounded receptacle
the ungrounded receptacle is on a circuit with four other receptacles and two ceiling fixtures (one pendant, one DC ceiling fan)
the aforementioned circuit (before the raceway connection) lacks a ground wire but I assume is grounded through conduit because I have verified conduit running behind the plaster with my own eyes (also every other outlet I've checked has an equal reading hot-ground and hot-neutral)

With both of the circuits off, the 20a receptacle reads:

Hot to neutral = 4.623
Hot to ground = 4.536
Ground to neutral = 0.107

The ungrounded outlet reads: 0.034


texts: Drain pipe at wrong angle. What are the consequences?

texts:
A friend of mine is asking me about severity of the problem she has with the drain pipe under her kitchen faucet. The pipe was installed horizontally, but now for some reason (I suspect the main drain pipe behind the wall was moved) it is at wrong angle, down from the horizontal by several centimeters.

What are the consequences of keeping it this way for a prolonged period of time?

P.S. Sorry about my English, please tell me in comments if there are any unclear/wrong wording. Thanks.


texts: Can I use a normal 240v weatherproof on/off switch for an electric fence cut out?

texts: A normal mains switch can be much cheaper and you could have a light to show when its on


texts: When should HVAC returns be opened and closed?

texts:
My Pennsylvania house was built in the early 90s, has central heat (natural gas) and central A/C, and most rooms have pairs of closable air returns on the wall near the floor and ceiling.

I've been searching for guidance on whether and when any of the returns should be closed, but I've found lots of conflicting and unsourced answers. Some say that the upper returns should be closed when the heat is running (to circulate out the cold air), and the lower returns should be closed when the A/C is running (to circulate out the warm air). Others say that they should always be open (so the HVAC unit doesn't have trouble pulling in air).

If and when should any of the returns be closed? Some explanations as to "why" and/or links to reliable sources would be appreciated.


texts: Will my wood platform support my generator?

texts:
I built a wood platform out of pressure treated lumber 6ft X 4ft 2x6 with beams every 16 inches and 2x6 deck.  It is bolted into the house 2x10 on the 6 ft rear wall and carriage bolted to an existing deck on one 4ft side.  It is carriage bolted to 4 4x4's that extend to a concrete driveway.

The generator weighs a total of 500 lb.  I need to compute the weight per square inch that the platform will support.


texts: Should I rekey new locks before or after installing?

texts:
I'm buying several Schlage smart locks for my house. I'm gonna buy one to make sure it fits on all my doors and then buy the rest.

Is it better or cheaper to these rekeyed before installing them?


texts: Vinyl flooring poor air quality and toxicity

texts:
We're looking to install luxury vinyl flooring in our home and recently came across some claims that vinyl flooring significantly reduces air quality in the home and can release carcinogens in to the air as it is often manufactured with PVC along with other unsafe materials.

We still like the look and durability of luxury vinyl floors but have safety concerns for obvious reasons. Is there a way to filter out the non-eco-friendly / unsafe vinyl from the safe by looking at product specifications or choosing a specific brand? Have the safety of vinyl floors improved with time to the point these concerns are no longer warranted?

Or is all vinyl flooring unsafe by its very nature and should we stick to laminate if we're concerned about air quality and our safety?

Thanks in advance


texts: How can I wire this replacement ceiling fan?

texts:
I'm trying to install a new ceiling fan with a remote. The old ceiling fan had this for wiring:

black to green,
red to white
white to black & blue.

The new fan has black, white and green. The combinations I've tried have not produced any function at all. How should I connect the wires?


texts:
We acquired two of these cabinets from a friend a few years ago, and one of them has developed a large crack which we noticed while moving a few months ago, and it's grown to the point where most of the side is covered.

I was going to grab a ratchet strap to keep it together in the short term, then look at getting further help on the repair (it's a nice piece of furniture, and we don't really want to get rid of it). Is this likely to cause more damage? would you guys recommend filling the crack, or bracing it somehow (would that cause more damage and weakness)?

It's not really my strong suit, so any help would be appreciated.

EDIT: Added picture.


texts:
My potable water pipe is half in throughout. The booster pump I would like to install is 1 inch. Can I add two reducers to accommodate this pump and would this cause any problems as such?

Firstly my issue is very low water pressure to my residence.The municipality delivers the potable water via half inch copper and the rest of the pipe throughout the house Is also half inch.I am contemplating installing a BOOSTER PUMP (not as yet purchased) which has 1 inch inlet and outlet openings.The question is can install a reducer on both the inlet and outlet of the pump to connect the existing half inch which I currently have in the home to the 1 inch NTP threaded inlet and outlets on the pump?Do you see any issues arising from this connection I.E use of the reducers?


texts: Is it a bad idea to temporarily caulk a toilet base leak?

texts:
We've discovered that our toilet is leaking at the base (related question: How can I repair a toilet that is leaking at the base?) and needs repair. However, whoever installed the toilet originally decided to concrete it down to the floor, so a DIY repair isn't that simple.

We've decided to use it as an excuse to get the whole bathroom refitted. But obviously this'll take time (several months). We need to use the toilet in the mean time, so how bad an idea is it to caulk around the base to stop the dirty water dribbling out onto the floor until we can get the whole thing replaced?

It's on the ground floor, if that makes any difference.


texts: How to cut tall baseboard on a miter saw on the flat with an angle greater than 45 degrees?

texts:
I have some 11" tall baseboard that I've salvaged from my house. I need to cut a number of outside corner miters where the angle of the miter cut is greater than 45 degrees. The corner is approximately 88 degrees. So the miter cut needs to be at 46 degrees.

Since the baseboard is taller than the miter fence, I cannot make the cut with the baseboard vertical.  So the cut needs to be made with baseboard on the flat (on the bed of the miter saw).

Unfortunately, the miter saw can only bevel up to 45 degrees.  How can I make these cuts?

Also, cutting on a table saw is not an option due to the length of the baseboard


texts: I am finishing up a 6 zone mini split DIY installation and before closing up some of the walls I would like to do some leak checks.  My set up is that from the condenser it splits into 2 branch boxes and from there on to 3 evaporators each. I would like to check before I call out the HVAC to charge with the few ounces of r410a I need.  I don’t want to hold them up with doing the triple check and was hoping to test it myself. I am willing buy the parts but finding hydrogen in a small amount.  Any idea to help me get the pressure leak test done.


texts: How can I tidy up a hole in drywall that has pipes coming through it?

texts:
We recently bought our first house and have discovered that the previous owners replaced a radiator with a heated towel rail that's plumbed into the house's central heating system. The issue is that a gaping hole in the drywall that was previously hidden behind a radiator is now clearly visible. The pipes are also quite snug, so there's not a massive amount of play in them:

Is there a way of making this look less ugly?


texts: Using a solar system with a condensing boiler for the central heating instead of tap-water?

texts:
According to the manual of my AWB ThermoMaster 2HR 28.02WT Condensing boiler, it is compatible with a pre-heating solar system for tap-water only. It even has extra facilities to ensure that the coolest water goes through the condenser part (HR part) of the kettle before being preheated by the solar system to get a higher efficiency.

So this is the supported scenario:

They claim that it is not possible to use the solar system for pre-heating the central heating circuit. What is the reason for this? It should be a lot easier since I'd only have to insert the solar system in the circuit on the cold side just before it goes back into the CV?

In my situation it makes a lot more sense to use it for central heating instead of tap-water. The heating is on all day (my wife and children are at home most of the day). The kitchen has its own boiler, so the hot tap-water would only be useful for the shower (normally only used after the sun has set).

The plan:

My reasoning was first that the CV system might be checking the temperature of the returning water to determine how much extra power it should add for heating, however the system looks simple and my guess is that it only takes the room-thermometer as input for determining the needed heating power.

Could anyone explain why it is not supported and what other systems do differently to support it? There seem to be many systems on the market that do support it, but what is the big difference between what I already have and those?


texts: Bosch fridge/freezer (B22CS / Linea 300 series) began chiming and temperature flashing on the freezer side

texts:
My Bosch fridge/freezer began ringing at a rapid pace randomly.
There's a display in the front, which shows a temperature to the left (freezer) and the right (fridge) directly above the built-in water dispenser on the outside of the fridge door.
The freezer temperature is flashing 0˚F and seems to not respond otherwise to temperature settings. It feels a little warm inside the fridge.
I tried resetting it by opening the right (fridge) door and pushing the power button at the top-right of the fridge door frame (power cycled over a few minutes), but the issue still persists.
I don't have the original manual and I believe this Bosch is out of warranty.
Ideas?


texts: When heat comes on, furnace runs for about 8 mins then cycles off. When the heat clicks off I get a switch open code from the board. While the furnace is running I get a normal operation code. As soon as it clicks off the gas, the switch open code re-appears.     8 mins on and 2-4 off no matter where I have the therm. set.    Thanks for your help, Paul


texts: How do you make stair treads with an open riser stop squeaking?  The treads are connected to the stringer with brackets.


texts: I have a 2 stage Goodman GMH80803BN Can someone tell me the correct dip switch settings for 2 stage? I have an ECOBEE Thermostate


texts: Should Ceramic Columns be Covered for Winter in New York?

texts:
I live in a house that has decorative outdoor columns on our patio. Every year, for winter, I help my dad tie up the columns in a protective plastic wrapping. It usually takes all day Saturday, and after taking a year of Physics courses, I seriously started to doubt the reasons for why we were doing this operation every year in the fall.

The stated claim is that the columns should be covered to prevent water expansion which may lead to cracking them during winter. I can see a number of problems with this line of thinking. First, no one I can see has done this type of protection scheme with their columns, and I usually see them uncovered during winter. This, of course, isn't a sound logical reason to say therefore something is false, however I would hope that other owners of columns are knowledgeable in how to protect their infrastructure. The second is the physical and chemical mechanisms for how this is supposed to happen. Assuming no rain (For this example), microscopic sheets of water on columns freezing shouldn't be able to crack the column. (Or at least I would think so, the molecular situation often differs from what I would expect, especially when talking about lattices, where chemical and quantum interactions rule). Assuming rain, I would think that large drops of water would slide down the column instead of freezing, or, if they did freeze, they would do so on the surface, not harming the chemical lattice of the column.

Additionally, the columns' plastic wrapping is tight around the column, but it isn't airtight. I would think that airborne humidity will get into the space between the column and the plastic and somewhat defeat the purpose of the covering. (Diffusion down humidity concentration gradient)

Is such a practice normal? Is doing this helpful for the health of the columns? If so, are there better ways of going about doing this? (Annual coatings of some chemical to prevent water freezing/accumulating in certain places. Does the situation change if there are already existing small cracks in some of the columns?

Note: I'm uncertain of the chemical makeup of the columns.


texts: How long before I can move a concrete lid?

texts: I cast a concrete lid to replace the broken one on my well pit. My lid is 30"x 36", and 2-1/2" thick and reinforced with rebar. I am keeping it covered with a tarp and misting it every few hours. How long before I can safely move the lid to my well pit?


texts: How to fix a self-turning handle on a Price-Pfister single handled faucet

texts:
I have a  Price-Pfister 533 Genesis single handled kitchen faucet that turns itself off.  It is impossible to run water at a low volume because the moment your hand is off the handle it shuts off.

How can I fix this?


texts: How to know whether fuse is sufficient for electrical device?

texts:
How can I find out from the information about an electrical device whether fuse and wiring is sufficient for that particular device?

For example, we are considering buying a septic pump; from the information on the producer website about various types they make, I see pumps with power 1.5 kW and with power 0.8 kW (both for 230 V). Is it ok to plug such device into normal AC power plug. Or would it be better to buy a device with smaller power output, just to be on the safe side?

P.S. Sorry for my English. I hope the post is understandable. (I did not talk in English  about things like this before. I'll be grateful for terminology corrections.)


texts: Can I use a single air gap for a reverse osmosis system and a dishwasher?

texts: Is it possible to do this? Currently we have a line from the dishwasher to the air gap and from the air gap to the garbage disposal. I want to install a reverse osmosis system but we only have the one air gap hole and I want to use that for the reverse osmosis faucet (which also has an air gap). Would it be safe to combine the reverse osmosis AND the dishwasher waste line to the air gap faucet and have it run down to the garbage disposal? I notice that the waste line to and from the reverse osmosis is pretty small while the one to and from the dishwasher is pretty wide.


texts: How can I repair rotten siding around my hose spigot?

texts:
I was getting ready to repaint a siding board with peeling paint, when I realized there was quite a bit of rotten wood around the hose spigot that goes through the plank.  Below are some pictures from after I cleared away most of the soft wood.
Can I repair this without replacing the board, or do I need to hire someone to replace the board? I've repaired some small areas of rot in other areas with wood hardener and epoxy putty, but those repairs didn't go through the board and I'm not sure if it would work to screw the spigot into the epoxy. Replacement won't be so simple since it's a frost-free spigot and someone would need to cut an access panel in our finished basement to remove it.

It's not possible to see in the picture below, but the rot extends upwards behind the board for about a half-inch.


texts: Have no voltage to 2 downstairs GFCI receptacles and 3 upstairs. Breakers all show voltage leaving and none tripped

texts: First let me say I am a commercial HVACR tech and not an electrician. I pulled all the non working receptacles and checked for 120v at the wire not the receptacle lugs. None have any power. I then went to the panel and checked all the breakers (even the double poll) for power and they all had voltage leaving. Somewhere in between I'm loosing voltage and want to know the easiest way to trace the wire to form a schematic of these circuits. I just bought the house and have no idea what feeding what or what circuit these are on. I'm sure this problem is an easy fix if I can just find what's feeding these circuits. I'm familiar with a multi meter and continuity checks so I anyone could just point me in the right direction. Thanks!


texts: How can I separate a drain pipe from a sleeve protruding from the floor?

texts: I am assuming that this late 1940s, early 1950s, drain pipe, which goes into a pipe protruding up through the floor, is simply sealed there with putty. Is that correct?  Should it be dislodged and removed by twisting the drain pipe a few inches above the connection using a pair of channel-lock pliers?  The threads for the trap are completely corroded and it needs to be replaced.


texts: What's the best way to shave off 1/8 of an inch from hardie board?

texts:
When laying hardie backer I was told to make my joints as tight as possible, so I imagine I'll run into this often.
Currently I have a standard 6' board that just barely doesn't fit inside the lip of the tub (I'm leaving a 1/4" gap below per hardie board's instructions).
What is the best way to shave off a piece of hardy board so I can make a tight fit?


texts: How can I determine the source of a basement flood?

texts:
My basement flooded recently and I'm trying to determine why.

The basement has poured foundation walls and a slab. The slab is non-structural, and was poured after the foundation walls.  There is a tile drainage and sump pump system. It's a new build.

We got some heavy rain that resulted in the basement flooding. Some neighbors who also had flooding, suspect a sewer backup.

The sump pump continued to work during the flooding, but perhaps was overwhelmed.  I still see water seeping between the foundation wall and slab, and the slab is discolored where water appears to be seeping up.  The water was clear and didn't smell.  If the water came from the sewer, I would imagine it would have had to have come from the HVAC condensation drainage.

How can I tell whether the flooding was from a sewer backup or from a failure in the tile drainage/sump system?  If there's no way to determine why it flooded before, is there anything I can do to find out if/when it happens next time?


texts: How do I choose which breaker breaks first?

texts:
Let say I wanted some power out in my shed. I ran just 14 gauge wire thinking I won't blow the 15A breaker with just lights and the occasional smaller power tools. For the most case this is true... but lets say occasionally I use a heater or an air compressor and then not thinking I run another power tool and blow it. The breaker is not in that easily accessible location.

I had a bright idea to install another breaker box in the shed with a 15A breaker as well so I can just switch it back on in the shed. Sometimes it breaks the one in the shed but other times it still breaks the one in the house.

Anyway that I can make it always break the one in the shed first? I want to buy like 15.1A breaker for the house, but it looks like they don't make those... Do GFCI Breakers or another type break quicker than another?

Thanks!


texts: Dual GFCI/AFCI breaker to support regular TRR USB outlets on kitchen counter: to code?

texts: I would like to replace some outlets that run along my kitchen countertop because the TRR plugs are hard to plug in, and I would like to put ones that have USB jacks.  I know that GFCIs are required in this area, but if I install dual GFCI/AFCIs breaker to support this circuit and replace it with the non-CI USB outlets, would this be to code?  Is there any easy way I could have found out if this was to code myself (I assume reading NEC 20, is the start?), or is this a bad idea for a DIYer? Thanks!


texts: I want to use a thermostat to control a 40 watt. I am using the bulb to heat the inside of a small green house. The temperature must stay in the range of 75 TO 79 degrees.  I want to use 120 v and not a low voltage thermostat. What do you recommend?


texts: So My W̶i̶f̶e̶ Goddess has not liked the fireplace mantel shelf for a long time so she started to do a little demo and what she found did not make her happy. The mantel it-self is only attached to the wall with one nail(on the left side) and the back and one side of mantel had 1/2" molding going around it to keep it from falling. Thank God I never leaned on it nor did she place anything on it that was to heavy. We looked at getting a already made one but because the fireplace is an odd shape, nothing was long enough or wide enough. The measurements on the pic are just the piece of wood and there is a 1/4" gap to the wall. After we come up with the design that we like and start to build, is there anything that we need to be aware of to make it safe.


texts: Replacing wall switch with wireless relay receiver

texts:
A number of years ago I made the effort to get some training on basic home electrical so that I could install lights, dimmers, etc. by myself and use Professional Electricians for the complex stuff.

I have a 1957 home with original wiring - new circuits have been added as well as a new main box. I converted a small main floor bedroom to a Laundry Utility and had a professional electrician do the wiring.  But not I want to relocate a wall switch to a more convenient location. In the past, I've used wireless relay/switches to relocate wall switches.  Typically its quick and easy. But with this house I've encountered something I'm not familiar with.  The original wall switch has the std two wire black (load) and red (on/off) and functions just fine.  The junction box with the switch also has yellow wires that are attached to each other.  I'm thinking the yellow wires control the wall outlets.  (didn't check wall outlets to determine how they were switched top/bottom/both.) The wireless relay switch I'm trying to install has 3 wires- red/black/white.

My question involves the neutral white wire and how to wire it to the current switch wires.  I know the black and red corresponding wires need to be connected, but do I include the white wire w/the two black wires?  Or, do I wire the white wire to the two yellow wires tucked in the junction box?

I'd appreciate any help folks may have.  Thanks.


texts: Took apart a ceiling fan. Want to take apart the motor, but this thing looks like it was assembled tight, like a freaking bearing. I want to get to the goodies inside. I've taken out every screw there was and pried and pried but the two halves of the casing won't come apart. Tips??


texts: Several LEDs and LED bulbs in my house are failing at the same time and way before their estimated lifespan

texts:
I've never had this happen to me and, now, in a span of 1 month, it's already happened 4 times... The following 3 LED bulbs and 1 LED strip have become unusable:

An Ikea Ledare 600lm spot LED buld (supposed to last 25000h; failing after less than 2 years)
An Ikea Ledare 1000lm LED bulb (supposed to last 25000h; failing after a bit more than 1 year)
A Lomatee 310lm candle bulb from Amazon (supposed to last 30000h; failing after less than 2 years)
A LED 12VDC strip bought from Aliexpress (having been in use the longer, for about 3)

All them are over 1 year old but but no more than 3. They're not from the same batch, obviously, nor even bought in the same country. But they're all used in the same apartment, only in different rooms. However, in the lapse of 1 month they're all flickering and ceasing to work. It's important to note that they're not actually burning out, that is to say, the diodes aren't burning out and not working any more; they're only flickering or, at least, they're still flickering before dying completely, if that is the case.

The big Ledare is in my bedroom, and it simply flickers off more than it's on. It may turn on for a couple of seconds or even a couple of minutes, but then it turns back off for 15 minutes, 30 mins, etc.

The Ledare spot is one of 3 in a hallway and it simply flashes on and off all the time, rhythmically, even as if it had a microchip set to make it act like the flickering light of TV static.

In the case of these 2 I don't think it's the actual diodes but rather something to do with the transformer from AC to DC.

In the case of the candle-like bulb, which is in my living room, I can see one of its strips of LEDs is the one that's flickering on and off when I turn on the bulb; after a couple of minutes, it just remains off.

And in the case of the LED strip, which are also in my living room, it's one or 2 LEDs on at the beginning of the series that's flickering, almost constantly.

As you can see, whereas the first two bulbs completely turn on and off, the candle-like bulb and the LED strips are only partly affected, the rest of them work fine.

All the bulbs are connected directly to the AC mains, of course. The LED strip is connected to a 12VDC transformer.

The only thing I can think of is that it may have something to do with surges... Last year my Mac's transformer blew up all of a sudden and I had to get a new one. The iStore's damage assessment was a probable surge. So I bought a surge-protected extension for it and I noticed some months back that the green light which says it's protected has gone out, so I'm assuming that the surge-protection was burnt.

Nonetheless, I find it really weird that these LEDs are dying at the same time, instead of having been dying one by one all these 2 years I've lived in this apartment if, in fact, it's due to surges. Moreover, none other of my appliances (nor our computers' transformes) have burnt out around this time.

I really don't trust that this apartment has a good ground connection (or any ground connection, for that matter)... I'm assuming it probably has something to do with this. It does have thermal switches; and once they were tripped when we were using the oven, the washing machine and the vacuum at the same time, so they're not decorative... But that's about as much as I know, except that the electrical wiring is probably rather old, as it is an old building.

So what could be going on? And, more importantly, how can I solve it? Some of these LED bulbs are pretty costly, and one invests in them because they're supposed to last a long time but, in this case, they're lasting about as much as a normal incandescent bulb! At first I thought it might be faulty bulbs, so I called up Ikea, but then, some days lates, another, and another started failing... so to me it clearly has something to do with the house's electrics, right?

Thanks in advance for your input!


texts: Is one type of paint better than another to paint over dark asbestos siding?


texts: Locating a Weatherstrip for door that is NOT foam and vinyl

texts:
I have a standard Kerf weatherstrip for my door. Because it is made of vinyl and foam, my cat can shred it to pieces.
Is there another type of weatherstrip (rubber, silicone, etc.) that will be more resistant to the cats clawing? I need a thicker size. I've checked out the bulb kerf weatherstrips but they only seem to get up to 1/2". I need about a 1" bulb. I've been looking online for hours now, and I'm hoping someone has a lead for me. Thanks!


texts: How to remove stuck locknut from porcelain toilet?

texts: I'm working to remove the fill valve from my (quite old) Kohler toilet. Drained the tank, unhooked the water supply, now trying to remove the locknut. Trouble is (and forgive me, I'm not sure if this is common) the locknut is plastic and two pieces that seem to lock together. So when I attempted to unscrew it, the lower half of the locknut came off (as it kind of unhinged from the top part), but the upper half of the plastic locknut which is up against the porcelain just won't budge. What's the trick to getting that last piece off? I've tried using a wrench but I'm afraid of damaging the plastic or the porcelain. Thanks!


texts: 1lb of cure is worth 10 tons of mold: DIY repair of a poorly sealed window? lots of photos herein

texts:
Preface

I live in China. Construction is largely handled by unskilled migrants, and one cannot just call up a specialist contractor to fix a major issue.

Problem

I've got a window that was not properly sealed when the apartment was built, and which has become a major vector for mold and moisture. So much so that ice builds along the edges in the winter and water occasionally pools in the summer.

Task

Fix it myself, from the inside only, with tools and materials readily available at Home Depot-type stores. (i.e. - nothing too exotic)

Photos and Descriptions

The problem window (north facing, to make things even more "fun"

Window blueprint, somewhat to scale.

Mold and plaster damage around the left concrete column. Interior is to the left, exterior to the right. The plaster is about 2MM thick and applied directly to the concrete, with a latex interior paint double coat. I don't know what exact material was used to seal the window in place.

The plaster is steadily falling off the wall due to the damp.

More falling plaster...

Close-up of some of the damage.

Best course of action?

I figure there's no getting around stripping all the plaster off the wall around the window, and that's fine. The questions I have in mind are:

does the concrete need a sealant before fresh plaster & paint are applied?
can the window frame be effectively resealed from the inside only?
is there hope for success? or will this always be a bastard unless we can find a competent renovator who can fly? (we're on the 4th floor)

EDIT - photo captions don't work? I've added them manually as paragraphs...


texts: Is this bulge in my ceiling due to a roof leak?

texts:
If the roof had a unknown leak would I notice it, and how? Would it cause damage to the ceiling, and would I easily see water dripping?
My concern is this bulge in my ceiling:


texts:
I'd like to install a water softener in my house. I have a good idea of what's required, but I'd like to know if I'm overlooking anything.

I have city water coming into my basement through the floor of a small closet:

Near the city water input there is also a drainage stack for a 1st floor bathroom. It has a cleanout about 12" from the floor.

I'd like to build a platform such that the water softener could be drained into the existing stack:

Am I overlooking anything?


texts: Self leveling underlayment - should I tile first?

texts:
I need to level the base of a shower and the plan is to pour self leveling underlayment.

The initial plan to shim the shower explains why I removed some tiles. I've moved on to plan B, which is the self leveling underlayment.

Essentially, should I tile before pouring the underlayment in hollow where the base is, or it doesn't matter? My guess is I should probably tile first as it would help to contain the underlayment (slopes away from wall opposite faucet, edge of cabinet shows it being off by 1/4"). However, this isn't my field of expertise.

Side note, plan A was to simply shim it, but then the base edge wasn't level and sloped inwards. I figured this wasn't optimal for when I would have to put the doors back on.


texts:
I just removed a deck in my backyard.

Under it was some of the electrical wire that runs from my home to my garage (pictures are below).

Can someone recommend the best steps to burying this underground?

What you see in the photos is the only portion that is exposed.

Thank you!


texts: Why do the oven and burners work but the pilot light won't ignite?

texts:
Texas Gas Service turned off our gas for the weekend. We just got it turned back on, and the stove and oven will both light -- but the pilot lights won't.

They worked fine before Friday. Obviously this has something to do with the fact that they turned off our gas temporarily. How do I repair the pilot lights?


texts: Is it bad to turn off the water while on vacation?

texts:
I'm a little OCD when it comes to traveling. I have learned from experience that when I am away, I constantly have visions that a pipe in the wall had burst and that the water is slowly filling the house. Having been through this enough times, I am tempted to put my worries to rest by simply turning off the main water line (in the garage) before we leave. My new fear with doing this, of course, is that I will cause something else bad to happen.

So I am curious, is it bad to turn off the water and drain the pipes prior to leaving for a week? In addition, what other precautions should I take aside from turning down the water heater? A few details - our house is two story, copper pipes, and we would be traveling in the spring time so temperatures in the house would stay at around 70 F.


texts:
I have a one-floor (plus basement) house with a large skylight in the living room.  It has an openable vent.  When is it proper to open the vent?

Should I open it in midsummer with the AC on, on the theory that the high hot air will leave?  What about spring/fall when no AC or heat is on, but it's hot-ish (or cold-ish) out?


texts: How should the gutters be installed on a huge gable dormer?

texts:
I have a situation similar to this photo (except my "dormer" is 24 feet long), focusing on the upper gutter:  I think it makes the most sense to catch rain/debris from a roof valley in the main gable dormer gutter.

To do this it looks like the end of the gutter needs to be fabricated to have a smaller angle than the (non-dormer) roof angle.

But my seamless gutter guy is saying this isn't commonly done and the lower gutter is usually the one that catches the valley rain/debris.

Do I need a new seamless guy or is he right?


texts: Vinyl Fence on Deck - How to stabilize or strength the Post Support

texts:
I have a 14' long fence on top of my composite deck. In the wind, it sways quite a bit and is very noisy. The fencing seems to catch the wind like a parachute. The furthest post doesn't move much as that is attached to the deck railing, however the 1st post (closest to house) and center post do not seem to be as stable thus causing the swaying.

I'm trying to come up with ideas to somehow anchor these 2 posts better or somehow maybe add some weight to the posts so they are more stable in the wind. Right now the posts have 4x4's in them that are secured to the deck using Titan post anchors. https://www.thedeckstoreonline.com/tisan-post-anchors.html

Does anyone have any ideas on how to prevent this?


texts: GU10 LED lights strongly strobing (no dimmer) UK

texts:
I realise there is a lot of information out there on LED lights flickering, however I'm struggling to find anything relating to this situation, i.e. GU10 fittings and a regular switch (i.e. not a dimmer). Any help would be greatly appreciated!

We've just moved into a new place and the hall lights fixture takes 3 GU10's and currently only had 1 working halogen in. We've got people coming round tomorrow and wanted a brighter hall so dashed out to get some LED replacements, we did but rather cheap which might be there issue? When all 3 are fitted the light flickers/strobes very strongly the entire time it's on. Replacing one bulb with a halogen mainly fixes this problem so I was thinking this could be due to the LEDs drawing so little current? But I didn't think this should be an issue with GU10s as they work at mains voltage so there shouldn't be any transformer or led driver behind the fitting, and there is no dimmer switch to be causing issues.

Does anybody know why this might be occurring? And would replacing the LEDs with more expensive branded versions help? Or would this just be throwing good money after bad?

Sorry for the long message. Any help greatly appreciated! Thanks.

Edit: Mystery solved, we found a second switch on the circuit we had previously overlooked which was a dimmer, oops. Thank you all for your time and help, and sorry for missing the obvious!


texts: Do power strip switches provide the same protection as circuit breakers?

texts:
Do power strip switches serve the same kind of protection a breaker do? How are they different?
I'm designing a small switchboard for my desk / workbench, in order to have better cable management and convenient outlet access. I estimate all of the equipment used together wont exceed 5 A. For that usage I want to add a current limiting switch and I think I can get a 5A (maybe less?) breaker switch from the hardware store.
My question is, does a power strip switch would add some meaningful protection if installed downstream the breaker? (I do not think that switch would trip on 5A, as most strips are rated 12A or so) Would it make sense to hack such a switch to add it to my switchboard?
I have never had a power strip tripping although I'm a regular user. I have read that they have a limited amount of events they can handle after which you basically end up with a overly complicated extension cord. Most p.s. packaging states they protect against "spikes", but I'm not sure what that refers to.
Some project details:
I never use all the equipment at the same time but I want to safely tuck most of the cables safely and not need to unplug them every time. I'm thinking of about 10 receptacles, most of them with a dedicated switch and possibly a pilot light (an indicator of whether the outlet is powered). The panel would be accessible near my desktop / workbench, bolted to a cabinet. (Main usage: Programming work on weekdays, small electronics hobbyist projects and toy repairing on weekends and free time.) Some outlets would be covered and a couple of them accessible for quickly (un)plugging tools.
My concern is someone else may turn all the switches on or plug in some other equipment in there (For example a hairdryer rated 1350 watts, or a clothes iron rated 1200 watt. A person not knowing the purpose of a conveniently placed outlet.)
I'm planing on using 3 conductor wire, about 2 meters long due to cable routing, to bolt the switchboard to a cabinet near the wall outlet. I do not want to use as thick wire as most power strips have because such cable is difficult to bend and manage neatly. I will use the proper cable gauge depending on the confirmed load rating of my device collection. The main cable would be routed around the back of a cabinet.
This won't be used near water.
The equipment I plan on using here:

2 Laptop switching power adaptors.
2 Cell/tablet chargers rated 0.35A
1 Radio Cassette Recorder (Boombox)
3 Other low power music devices (speakers and such)
1 Hot glue gun (temporary)
1 Soldering iron (40Watt, temporary)

I'm not in the USA but rather in Central America. Here we use 120 V (I have measured it to range 110-127 in normal circumstances). Here most homes and buildings use only plain breakers and switches/outlets, i.e. no GFCI or similar, so they are not easily available from hardware stores. Buying electrical equipment from internet is frowned upon and being here delivery cost would not be worthy.
I live in a 3 year old apartment building and have never had an electrical mishap within the building complex but we have very frequent power outages.


texts: What length and gauge screw to attach a 2x4 fence rail to a 4x4 post (face screwed)?

texts: I'm constructing a picket fence and need to attach the 2x4 rails to the 4x4 posts. I've seen some conflicting information of what length and gauge. I'm leaning towards 3" #9 screws. This will allow 1.5" inches in to the 4x4. Is this enough? Should I use 3 1/2 instead? How important is the gauge?


texts: Connecting 30 Water Heater with 15 Gallon Under the Counter

texts: Could someone point me in the right direction how to install a 30 gal water heater with an existing 15 gallon under the counter water heater? It would be installed in the carport storage room beside 200 amp electrical panel. It would be about 40-50 ft away from under the counter heater. Would I tie into the existing heater somehow?


texts: How many horsepower does a 159cc engine have?

texts:
This device has a "159cc Cub Cadet OHV Engine."

Approximately how many horsepower would that have?  I'm comparison-shopping and I'd like to know if this is more or less powerful than a Lawn Machines unit that has a 4.5 HP engine.  Thanks


texts: Managing water entry at garage door during high winds on rainy days

texts:
I have a garage floor that's level, and the driveway slopes very slightly away from the garage door.  On rainy days, I don't have any issues with water entry, but on high-wind days, the rain hits the garage door, then runs down and pools at the corners.  Eventually over time, the pool of water increases in size and makes its way into my garage.  It only happens once in a while, but when it does, it can be annoying if I happen to leave stuff by the door.

Is there a way to manage or make improvements to this with a minimal amount of work?  I don't want to have to tear out the garage floor.

Since the finished floor extends past the garage door by about 4 inches, perhaps this small section can be graded so the floor is sloped all of the way up to the door.  This would prevent pooling at the corners.  Then I could have a contractor remove the pavers in the driveway along the doors and install a trough / drain and maybe some kind of grate.

Does this sound like the most reasonable way to deal with it?  It's pouring right now, but if it helps, I can take pictures and post them here.


texts: Can I use a simple wood spacer for double glazed glass inserts in interior french door?

texts:
I am building a home office and and want to modestly sound insulate the office from the living room. I want to make a custom pair of french doors with two sets of double glazed glass (1/2" spaced double glazed glass, 1.5" air gap, then a second 1/2" spaced double glazed glass).

This is an interior application, so humidity and moisture control are not going to be an issue.

Do I still need to use double sealed aluminum spacers, or can some simple wood spacers with a bit of window glazing suffice?


texts:
Not sure if this is the right place for this question but....

I have a rug that is about 15x20 feet.  My problem is that every three weeks or so I need to take everything that is on top of it (coffee table, couch legs, entertainment center etc) off and straighten it out because it either gets tilted in such a way that it doesn't line up with the walls any longer or bunches up in the middle at certain spots.

Does anyone know of a way to keep it from moving around?  Is there something I could use to attach it to the carpet below (without damaging the carpet)?


texts: Connecting RING Video Doorbell to Friedland 454 chime unit

texts:
I have a Friedland 454 unit, with a front and rear bell push, mains wired in (no batteries).
It is correctly wired as per Haggis post with a front and back bellpush.

The terminals are numbered, clockwise from top left: 3, 0, 2, 1, 4.
Front-door bell-push connected to 0 and 1.
Back-door bell-push connected to 0 and 2 (which I've disconnected and you can see taped up on top left).
Mercury tilt switch connected across 1 and 2.
Transformer jumper wire connects 2 and 4

If I wanted to connect a Ring Video Doorbell WIRED to the front bellpush (I don't care about rear bellpush) what do I need to do?  There is a jumper cable in the box but not sure which terminals to connect together to override everything and push power to the front bellpush wires (in order to power the Ring unit).

PS. I don't mind if the chime no longer works when doing this, I just need the power running to the door button.


texts: Why is my wall buckling and the plaster coming away In one area and how do I repair it?

texts:
Hope someone can help. I moved into a property A couple of years ago with an extension that was built in 2013 so not old.

In the corner of the wall there was a bulge and when I dug down I realised it was like a grey plaster that was cracked.

So I patched it up with plastering tape and a ready mixed filler. Now a year later I’m decorating and I found it’s buckling out and cracked on the surface in about the same area and when I opened up the crack it took off a layer of plaster exposing wood underneath which I assume is the plaster it’s frame?

I’m not sure what caused the bulge in the first place but should I be concerned and what would be the best way to repair it?

See pictures attached. Many thanks for any help. (Apologies I couldn’t rotate the last picture So it’s on it’s side.)

[2


texts: How do I wire a 3 gang switch in my new bath?

texts:
I am putting a basement bath in and I need help. I will be adding a new 20 amp circuit for the single pole outlet. Also, a 20 amp line for a 3 switch box. Switch #1 is for the vanity light, #2 is for the exhaust fan light and #3 is for the exhaust fan.

I would appreciate a drawing showing from the 3 gang box the wiring of the circuit.


texts:
I bought a candelbra bulb that fits correctly in every way except the length of the base:

As you can see the bulb's base on the right is longer than the one on the left. Is it safe to use the bulb on the right?

When it put it into the lamp, the base sticks out maybe 1mm from the screw-slot (the hole in the lamp where the bulb screws in).

It is okay to use it this way?

Also, the bulb hums sometimes. The lamp is dimmable (the bulb too supposedly) but if I set the brightness to anything other than the minimum or maximum I hear a humming.

So does it all sound about right or I can't use the bulb on the right to replace the bulb on the left?

Thanks.


texts:
The following image shows an exterior faucet that currently does not have an accessible shutoff.  This home is in the southeast region of Michigan, so the faucet is exposed to freezing temperatures.  I'm concerned about the possibility of the pipe freezing and cracking -- and, if it does, it will go directly into a finished basement.  So, two questions:

Is there a legitimate concern of freezing and cracking?  It hasn't done so yet, but it seems like an imminent risk. Thoughts?
Assuming there is a legitimate concern, is there an easy solution to get through the winter?  For example, could the pipe be wrapped with heat tape and then covered from the snow?

Any other suggestions that could safely get this homeowner through an unpredictable Michigan winter?


texts: How would you add baseboard trim to an angled wall?

texts:
We have a set of stairs that lead to our basement.  I've made the space underneath in to a small closet. It's been enclosed with drywall.   The floor is a continuation of tile from the laundry room.  I am in the process of adding baseboard trim but the back wall is angled.

Here's a side view:

I'm not sure what to do about the area circled in red, because it it angled right down to the floor. How would that area be trimmed out?

One possibility I am considering is running the trim board vertical like this:

But I am unsure if this would work.

Update

Both answers below are good.  I am going to use a combination of both and build a small backstop (create some dead space) and then run the trim vertically.


texts: Can two neutrals on different legs of the same circuit be connected together to shared neutral of ceiling fan?

texts:
Situation: half way through construction, a change in plans on ceiling fan operation occurred. Wires were originally ran to 3way switches and on to ceiling fan. Then came the decision to separate the fan to be operated by its pull switch (keeping the light kit wall switched). A new 12/2 supply wire was able to be ran on unfinished side of room to get power to box, but I am questioning the neutrals. Maybe I’m overthinking this, but is it ok to have the two separate legs supplying fan and lights (legs are on same circuit) and have the neutrals from both lines wire nutted together with the single/shared neutral line of the ceiling fan?

I wouldn’t normally wire something like this and if it weren’t for code now requiring neutral up to switch box, I would kill that supply line side and just use the other side as supply.
Thanks in advance for any wisdom out there!


texts: Cleaning up very old oak and other hardwood roof beams

texts:
I am building a stone barn and have just acquired an assortment of very old oak and other hardwood beams (with nails, dirt, the lot) to be used to construct the barn roof. A lot of this wood is filthy with lots of rot and dead wood. I need an incredible rough type of tool/angle grinder to rip out this old materiel. I will then use a belt sander to finish them off. I just need to know how to clean up the really rough bits.

I have seen a kind of "cheese grater" finish disc which might work well but can't find out where to buy them.

Anyone with experience/ideas?


texts: Which painting tool is better? sponge paint roller roller, woven roller or spray paint?. Do you have a preference?

texts:
I have a large surface to paint, a house actually. I've used all tools before and I wanted your advice on which tool do you prefer for larger surfaces. I have to prime, and put 2 finish layers.
EDIT:
So to be precise:
10 feet walls, about 8 rooms, 1800 sq ft house. Brand new gyproc just installed. So I'll first do a coat of primer of course. I was wondering if I could dare spray paint to go faster then roller, I've only sprayed outside before. It will take me forever with a roller to put 3 layers. For now it's all white with 1 accent wall per room and texture doesn't really matter that much to me, it's mostly speed and make a good enough job.


texts: How to deal with Mice coming into the Baby's Room

texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  How can I get rid of a mouse in my house?

Our first child is due any day now, and we've got a mouse infestation. We noticed it for the first time at my girlfriend's baby shower (lots of cakes and crumbs out), and since then we've started seeing it more frequently. I say "it", but we suspect more than one of them, based on other people's comments.

This was upgraded from "something to deal with" to "major problem" when my girlfriend found mouse droppings in the baby's room. We've put down poison traps in the kitchen, where the thing's been seen most often, but we're wondering what else we can do.

Our principal concern is to keep the mice away from the baby's room (other end of the flat to the kitchen, but it doesn't seem to help). Obviously we'd like them gone completely, but it's terraced accomodation (shared walls), and we can't control our neighbours behaviour.

We're also concerned about leaving poison or traps in the baby room.


texts: Switching old light switches with new ones

texts: I am trying to replace my old side by side light switches with new rocker switches. The old switches were single pole, had 2 black wires coming in from the wall and one going in between the switches. The first wire was going to the bottom gold screw on the switches and the second was attached to the top push in contact on the back of the switches. I tried changing them out but now they do not work at all. Not sure what I'm missing here. Help!


texts: One of the tubs in our new home has a few spots where the enamel is chipped away and the metal underneath has started rusting. I don't want to replace the tub yet, so how can I clean and patch the tub? Not so much concerned with aesthetics as with prolonging the life of the tub.


texts: How much Load Capacity does a 12' 2x12 board have?

texts:
How much weight can a 2x12x12' untreated pine board safely support?

... I have two boards sandwiched (no OSB between - no glue) and the two sandwiched boards are only supported by square columns at each end. The columns support at least 8000 pounds each.


texts:
These stair risers had an unattractive tile on them  so I removed it.
I have three issues I need to address:

I need to get the tile residue off. I'm thinking paint stripper will do the job here
I need to replace the straight risers. I don't know if I can just paint the wood that's there or if I should cut 1/4" plywood
I need to replace/cover the curved riser (last step curves to the wall, out of picture). I'm hearing I should put a veneer on with contact adhesive, but there are so many options on Google so I can't figure out what to buy. Is there a specific veneer good for curved risers?


texts: How to remove gloss paint incorrectly applied to wainscoting over gloss paint

texts:
A contractor installing and painting baseboards said he could paint the wainscoting in our half bath. It is gloss latex paint over the old gloss latex paint, but I don't think the walls were cleaned or prepared at all, and am sure they were not primed before the new coat, and over two weeks later I can use my fingernail to pierce the new paint and peel a 4 foot section down the wall. The wall here is covered in a plywood wainscoting with a small beaded double groove every 2 inches.

Since it is wainscoting, how can I remove this new coat, including in the wainscoting grooves so I can re-paint it properly? A paint scraper won't get in the grooves, at least not without damaging the bead.


texts: How to replace a standard 2-gang light switch with an electric dimmer switch

texts:
I'm looking for a some assistance in fitting a new electric dimmer light switch. I'm in the UK if that makes a difference.

I am trying to replace my existing two-gang light switch with a LightWaveRF two gang dimmer but am not sure where to start as the instructions are telling me to look out for colored cables that aren't present in the existing switch.

Here's my original light switch setup:

Here's the new LightWaveRF switch:

What steps to I need to follow to install this switch?

Here's what's in the wall (just in case we need to use these!)


texts: Building an inverted climbing wall onto a tree?

texts: We have a cottonwood tree in our back yard with a treehouse in it, I have one vertical climbing wall on one side, but we're thinking of putting an inverted wall on the other. The tree is one large tree that branches into 8 trunks about 3ft off the ground. One of the trunks is at about a 50-60° angle to the ground and about 13-15" in diameter, the guy I'm planning this with thinks that we could just build right off of the trunk, but I'm concerned about how the trunk will support the weight. It probably could support the wall, but I'm not sure. I'm wondering if it would be better to build the wall around the tree or if I'd be ok attaching it to the tree. Or if anyone else has any great suggestions?


texts:
Does anyone know of a light timer that will work behind a dimmer?

It is for a reptile cage, my basking light has to be on a dimming thermostat, and I need that thermostat to turn off for 30 mins 3 times a day. The thermostat doesn't have this function, and the thermostat serves other devices that need to be used during this time, so I cannot turn off the entire thermostat.

So is there any light timer, that I can use behind a dimmer, that will accept and be okay with being dimmed?


texts:
When I had my roof redone, we discovered that the nails they were using to put up the plywood base for the new roofing went through the sides of my dormers. Apparently those surfaces are a single board thick.

That's not a lot of area, but it's still almost completely uninsulated surface. And I can't afford to steal too much space back.

Best thought I've had would be to put up foam insulation with wood trim around the edges that face into the room, use that to secure plasterboard over the face of the foam (for fire safety as well as for appearance), then mud/paint to merge it into the existing surfaces. That'd steal an inch or two from the width of the dormer space, but would help that surface.

Reasonable? Better answers?

(The end and ceiling/roof of the dormer seem to be normal framing. I'll deal with that if/when I'm ready to attack the place with blown-in.)


texts: How to wire a GFCI with 4 white and 4 black wires - see pictures

texts: I live in an old house and I am looking to replace a two prong outlet in the kitchen with a GFCI outlet . I already did this for two outlets in my garage. When I removed the outlet, I found 2 wires on each of the four poles for a total of 8 wires. I know that GFCI outlets will not work with shared neutrals. Is installing a GFCI outlet possible? I have pigtailed wires before but I'm not sure how to proceed. Thanks.


texts: Why is a spot on my ceiling bleeding through even after using a priming sealer?

texts: I had water spots and used Kilz and now the Kilz is bleeding through my ceiling paint.


texts: My outside outlet is tied to a GFCI receptacle. When I plug in my smoker, the GFCI TRIPS.  What con I do to avoid this besides running an extension cord to another receptacle (inside the apartment)?


texts: Remote Triggered Switch for a Water Heater socket

texts:
I have a  Water Heater ( 3 kW; 220 V; single phase) situated in one bathroom that has plumbing to service two bathrooms.

Currently it is connected to a local wall outlet (15 Amp) in Bathroom-1 with a local switch.

Is there an easy way to provide another remote switch in Bathroom-2 which can also control the Wall Outlet in Bathroom-1? I'm not sure of the operating logic yet; but perhaps a toggle with the last command operational, on or off, irrespective of whether issued locally or remotely. The idea being allowing the heater to be turned on ( or off) from Bathroom-2 as well.

Something like a relay? If the switch in Bathroom-2 can communicate wireless-ly to the Switch in Bathroom-1 that's even nicer. It eliminates the need to add wiring.


texts:
I want to hang a 250 kg (550 lbs) water heater on the exterior wall (this mass includes the water). The system to attach it is included (two metal bars, attached with 2 screws each).
The concrete wall (poured concrete) looks thick and sturdy, but it makes me a little uncomfortable anyway. Could hanging such a heavy object damage the wall, or make it more likely that cracks will appear in a few years?
If so I have the option to set the water heater on a pedestal first, before screwing it to the wall. But that would need the water heater is at the same level of the pipe outputs, which would make it hard to install. Opinions appreciated.
EDIT : Adding more context, as suggested in the comment

My question is really about whether I can hang 250 kg using 4 screws (and metal bars), or whether that's too much for the wall. My question is NOT about the fastener, or the mounting hardware (this is provided with the water heater, so I trust it is solid enough).
I do not intend to use the other side of the wall.
I don't have access to other elements. As far as I know, there is no joist at all. This is just concrete.
It is for a simple 200L electrical, tanked water heater. 1.20 m high, and 56 cm of width and breadth.


texts: wish to tear the wall between kitchen and dinning (orange arrow). Not sure if it is load bearing.


texts:
I have this old wall - over 200 years old. I began to remove old paint. There were about 4 to 5 layers of paint there. The problem is, I can't get the last layer of. It seems to be oil based and the wall surface is rough. This means - sanding wont help, simply scraping doesn't cut it and using a heatgun has almost no effect at all. Here's a picture of the wall.

This green bit is what I'm talking about. My question is - can I simply replaster it. Will it stay solid? Since the surface is rough, it should stick...right?


texts: Can’t seem to find the C wire on the furnace in my new home

texts: My wife and I just purchased a Mobile home and there is no C wire on the furnace to hook up the common wire. We came from a rented home where we already had a Nest and wanted to hook it up in our new home. Can someone help me figure out what wire is the common wire that I need to hook up the blue wire running to my thermostat?


texts: How can I get a standby generator with GFI to work with a 2-pole transfer switch?

texts:
I have a home standby generator that is equipped with a GFI, and my original electrician (who has long since flaked out on me leaving me in a lurch with this) installed a standard 2-pole transfer switch rather than the required (according to the generator manual) 3- or 4-pole neutral switching switch. So I am now left with a working generator and completely wired transfer switch, but they won't work together as the GFI on the generator trips immediately upon starting when it's connected to the house (though it works fine with an extension cord).

Besides spending a ton of money all over again to get a 3- or 4-pole switch installed is there anything I can do to get this to work?

I've read about possibly not grounding the generator a second time here, but I'm not exactly sure what that means or if it is safe. I've talked to 2 other electricians about this and so far no one seems to have a clue.


texts: Input voltage drop to 190v after switching over load

texts:
We have an Online-UPS connected as per the diagram. The output is given to a change-over switch.

So If we want to feed the computers direct AC we switch it to Source O (Top) for bypass and if we want to give it UPS-Output we switch to Source 1 (bottom on change-over).

If the Change-Over is set to Top (Bypass) the reading at the UPS Input Terminals are as follows

Across Point A and Point B : 230v
Across A and Ground : 230v
Across B and Ground : 0v

Now if the change-over is set to bottom (UPS Output), the voltages are as follows, Note the UPS output is still not switched on.

Across Point A and Point B : 190v
Across A and Ground : 230v
Across B and Ground : 40v

If I turn the UPS output ON, the UPS starts beeping saying Battery Voltage Very Low please turn off UPS.

Is the connection done wrongly?

Edit: Verified ground between terminals and building ground. All seems to be fine. The UPS is getting Ground from the building's ground.


texts: Does lamp maximum wattage matter for CF bulbs?

texts:
Say I have a table lamp that states (via a slightly scary sticker) that it takes a 60W max bulb.  Of course, that was based around incandescent wattages.

Is there any risk with putting in a CF bulb with a higher brightness but lower wattage?  e.g. if I put a 23W CF (which is a 100W incandescent substitute) into this lamp?

Does anything matter besides wattage here?


texts: I want to verify if electricity outlet is grounded. For this I did a test using a bulb connecting it to Phase and Neutral and it lit (to verify if bulb works). Then connected with Phase and Ground and the bulb lit up again. As I still doubted it, I found out where the grounding rod is installed and removed the cable connecting it to the mains (at the grounding rod). Then did the same test and found out that the bulb still lights up. My understanding on this is ... either there is another grounding point or the Neutral is connected to the Ground plug point. Am I correct? How can I verify if the Ground cable is connected to Neutral cable? Thanks


texts:
I'd like to know if this can be done safely. If I have a 12/3 extension cord plugged into a covered outdoor outlet, can I wire the other end into a (new) switched outlet? (the length would be about six feet) I know stranded wire is not the preferred type, but I have a tight area in which to work. Proposed outlet is a GE 20A backyard version.
(please, no gasping, I haven't done anything yet)

20 Amp Backyard Outlet with Switch and GFI Receptacle


texts:
I'm redoing a kitchen but I've hired a contractor to do a portion of the work. One of the jobs he was hired to do was to move and reframe two windows. He finished that job today and I'm really concerned that it wasn't done correctly.

I called him on it and his argument was that in old construction with native lumber the headers are so strong that you don't need the typical double header, jack stud, king stud. He basically claims there's no load here.

What do you all think?

Click for larger view


texts: Can I use another grout sealer after using Grout Boost?

texts: I put Grout Boost in when I did the grout on my kitchen counter-top. Is it OK to put another sealer on top even though I used the Grout Boost in the grout?


texts: Risk of Using 3 amp fuse for 2.5 amp plug

texts:
I have a small portable fan that, for reasons beyond my understanding, has a fuse inside of the plug. The fan stopped working because the fuse broke. At the store, I couldn’t find a fuse nearly as tiny as the one in the plug, but a colleague suggested I look in my Christmas lights because they often have the same size fuse in those plugs. Surely enough, I found the size fuse as a spare in a box of unused Christmas lights. The only difference is the fuse is labeled as 3 amps, and the plug of the fan has this text on it:

So, I’m just curious what danger lies in using a 3 amp fuse here. Could the fan be damaged? Could the house burn down? Something else?


texts: There are six wires. Four are held into four corners in the cutout with screws, while two wires are loose.


texts: How do I know if this switch box has a neutral wire?

texts:
This outlet is two rocker switches. Left controls my bathroom light (4), right controls my bathroom fan (3). I am trying to install a timer switch so the fan is only on for ~30 min at a time.

The instructions insist a neutral wire is connected to the switch.

My house was built in the late 60s. Many of the wires have paint on them which makes things difficult.

The wire nut under (1) contains wires which come from the wall and don't connect to the existing switches. They are an egg-cream color which I believe is white + age. All the other white looking wires are black wires that have paint on them. I think what's going on with the wire nut in 2 is that the hot line from the wall is joined with two other small wires, one for each switch.

My thought is that (1) is the neutral wire, and I should undo the existing wire nut, add an additional wire which will goto my new switch as a neutral, then wire nut them all together.

Is that correct? Is there anything else I can do to verify this? What's the risk if I'm wrong?

(note 3 is the actual timer switch, once I realized I didn't know what the neutral was I took the pictures and then put it back how it started)

(edit: additional note, this bathroom has a small room for shower/toilet, where this picture is, connected to the area with two sinks... basically the other side of the wall in the same position is a gfci outlet by the sink)


texts: How to deal with a dishwasher height issue without tearing out cabinetry when installing flooring?

texts: The house I purchased has nice new cabinetry and counter tops but cheap flooring.  We plan to install 3/4" wood flooring (already purchased) but learned that installing the flooring would make it so we can't get our dishwasher out, if it were to leak or fail (the legs of the dishwasher are almost all the way up).  It seems that we would need to remove the cabinetry and raise it to solve this problem.  But how well will the cabinetry go back together and can the counter tops (granite) be salvaged? I imagine it won't go back together just as it was.  Are there better ways to solve this problem?