texts: I am creating a sub panel which will contain 20, 20 AMP circuits to provide power for 20, 1,000 watt, 120v stage lights. My calculations suggest that the light loads, which are constant, will require`20KW. 20KW at 120V means that I will be drawing 160 AMPS. My question is this: At the main panel, is it proper to feed the sub panel off of a double pole breaker that is rated for 80 AMPS? I came up with that by considering that 80 amps at 240v will be providing the equivalent wattage as 160amps 120v will need. Is this the correct way of looking at it?


texts: Consumer product equivalent to a power strip with a 5A circuit breaker?

texts:
I want to leave a portable induction burner on overnight, simmering soup stock at a very low power. Looking online, I've been somewhat alarmed by people's reports of electrical faults causing such induction burners to switch themselves to high power use---a fire hazard, since nobody is monitoring.

I was wondering if there exists an off the shelf product roughly equivalent to a power strip with a built-in re-settable 5A (or 1A? not sure yet) circuit breaker. The plan would be to always use the induction burner with the breaker when leaving it unattended. I know I could make this myself, but I really don't want to unless I can find some kind of incredibly convenient project box that has most of the work already done for me.

(Apologies if this belongs on a different stack exchange. I narrowed it down to diy and electrical engineering, and the whole point is that I don't want to do any engineering.)


texts: Found hardwood floors underneath carpet, but also maybe some MDF mixed in? Can I replace it? Picture inside

texts:
So I found out my entire upstairs has hardwood floors. I pulled up the vents in each room. One room has what appears to be MDF board that is level with a section of the hardwood floor. See

It's very possible as I pull up more of the carpet I will find other areas with sections of MDF. It's likely some of the boards were damaged and they pulled em out to level out the surface before installing carpet over it right? Is it reasonable to think I could cut this MDF out and install new hardwood over it? I will then sand and finish it. It's 100% ok if the new hardwood "patches" don't end up looking the same as the old ones when all said and done.

Edit: New picture attached to show board thickness

enter image description here


texts:
I have a outdoor switch that controls my spa pump. As you can see in the photo, one of the armored pump electric cables is not threaded to the box. It was like this when I bought the house. The box is too close to the wall to turn the armored cable nut, so I need to pull the box out from the wall a bit.
The next picture shows the back (I have already removed the ground clamp and strain relief). As far as I can tell, I need to put a pipe wrench on that metal conduit and turn it counterclockwise so I can get at the ring clamp holding the box to the wall. I gave it the full muscle try and could not get that conduit to turn. Am I doing the right thing? Do I just need more force on the wrench? Is there a recommended fluid like PB Blaster I can use in there around the wires? Or does this come apart in some other way? It cannot be turning the box on the outside, because the armored cable prevents that.


texts: How can I hang a plywood sign by the edge?

texts:
I am remaking my road sign using a 3/4 sheet of HDO. (Not MDO) It 5' wide by 3' tall, and double sided. The old one had brackets that bolted through the face but they will not fit with the vinyl sign that's going to be attached. They are also rusted and I can not find more.

Plan B is to pre-drill holes into the top edge and screw in course eye loops. Maybe with some epoxy to really secure them. Would this be able to handle the weight of the sign itself? The only extra weight is the vinyl and paint. and its only about 50% of the full sheet.

Plan C might be making a metal frame that screws into the side edges. I could spread the weight among 3 screws along each edge. I would only want to do this if there was no hope for Plan B.

Any insight into how well ether option might work is greatly appreciated.


texts: Is it safe to use old, rotted wood fixed to an attic joist?

texts:
I had a pack of old attic boards in my shed. They've been there for 10 years or so. I got them out today to lay them in the attic and found the packaging had broken and some damp had got in. One end was white and flaky enough to crumble with my fingers. It hasn't gone far down the board.

I have screwed this into the attic joist but after doing so I had some doubts. If the board has rot - which I presume it did - could that now get in to the joist?

The damage seems to have occurred in the wet and my loft is pretty dry. Plus the damage is old and the rot may well be long dead. Even if not the tiny patch of damage in 10 years suggests its super slow.

But am I running a terrible risk here of destroying all the timber in my roof by spreading For?


texts: Is there a type of interlock (transfer switch) that can be used for a generator OR solar panels?

texts:
For a new house, I've decided to install two breaker panels, one for critical loads like the well pump, lights, refrigerator and certain outlets, and a second for heavy and non-critical items like the oven, water heater, HVAC, etc.

I would like to put a transfer switch between them at the time of installation, so that in the future, I can easily hook the sub-panel up to a generator, OR hook the sub-panel up to solar power so only the main panel is on grid.

Is there any type of transfer switch that would allow me to do either solar OR a generator as a second input to the sub panel, without having to shut off and rework the mains and change panels? If so, what type?

To clarify, it does not need to be a three way transfer switch, I would wire it initially with the second side of the interlock going nowhere, and add either solar OR a generator to the other side later, but not both.

I think 60 Amps should be enough to feed the subpanel. Most of the transfer switches I've seen on solar systems are designed specifically for solar, and let you switch individual circuits, and also have battery gauges, and other thing. I'm just trying to figure out if the same type if interlock used for a generator would work for solar instead.


texts: Can i use a 6amp lutron caseta light switch with a 15amp breaker?

texts:
I am looking to install several lutron caseta light switches in my home. The problem is the lutron switches are all rated 6amp but the existing switches and breakers in my home are 15amp.

Will be able to use these lutron switches? If not, don't most people have 15amp rated breakers in their homes? How does anyone use lutron caseta in this case?

Thanks!


texts:
So I'm tired of carrying mineral water bottles and recycling the glass. I'd like to switch to filtered tap water, but I'd like to avoid the plastic jug and the plastic container in which the filtering material is sold (from that famous and well-established brand—left of the picture).

I'm considering the following idea. Carefully slice open the plastic filter container, take the beads, which are apparently a combination of a polymer and activater charcoal, to absorb this and that undesirable elements, and put them in a glass container (right of the picture). Glass is guaranteed not to transfer chemicals and can be dropped in the dishwasher for cleaning.

Have you tried something like this? Can you think of any reason why it may be imprudent to do it? The activated charcoal is available on the market by itself, but it's unclear where I'd buy the polymers that absorb the other half of the undesirable elements, and the strong brand name is reassuring regarding the composition of the filtering material (although I'd rather avoid drinking water that sat in a plastic container, regardless of the brand of the plastic).


texts: Do hardwood floors need to get glued to subfloor?

texts:
I've spoken with four different hardwood installers. Two promise to glue and nail the hardwood floor into the sub-floor. The other two promise to only nail the hardwood floor, and use nail and glue on the boundaries.

The guys who only use nails say that hardwood floors need to be able to shift during winter and that using glue would cause them to crack.

Who is right? Should hardwood floors be glued and nailed or only nailed?


texts: Leaking bathtub from seal underneath around drainspout

texts: Our tub is leaking from a curved line around one side of the drain underneath the tub.  We have a hole in the ceiling to see it and can see little droplets of water forming along that area.  The underside of the tub appears to be sealed with some sort of black sealant.  Can I just epoxy that area to stop the leak, does the tub underside need to be resurfaced, or does the tub need to be replaced?


texts: Repairing a GE stackable washer and dryer damaged by an unbalanced load

texts:
My GE stackable washer and dryer combo stopped working after I pressed the button because of a loud noise. The load was not balanced. Now the washing, spinning rinse and lid lights are flashing. The start button is stuck and fabric softener button is on too. The technician is not sure what the problem is but has asked us to order door latch lid lock. The dryer is still working.

The model number is: gtup27oem1ww.

I do not want to purchase this part if it not necessary. Can someone assist with diagnosing the problem?


texts: is it safe to run a 300 watt 220v motor (european) on a 20 amp breaker (american)?

texts: I bought a small 220v/300 watt tool from ebay that came from either china or Australia.  I am worried that the 20 amp breaker on my 220v line in my shop will fry the motor.  do I need a step down transformer to make it work or will it work as is?


texts: Removing burnt plastic residue from gas cooktop cap

texts:
Initially, a grimey cooktop:

After a round of heavy-duty oven cleaner it looks almost brand new:
https://www.woolworths.com.au/shop/productdetails/233881

However... The burnt stain was me getting a plastic bag too close to the burner and it caught fire. I quickly put it out, but some plastic residue remains on the cap.

How can I get it off?


texts:
I am wondering if those wiring would be useful in a home environment:

Low-voltage DC wiring (isolated from mains,) for example a DC 12V system, in addition to the mains power.
Optical fiber instead of Ethernet cables for networking.

Lots of modern electronics run on low-voltage DC power (so. Many. Wall. Warts) so why not set a LVDC power distribution system up common for the entire home? Mains to 12V DC isolated power supplies are fairly common now with higher than 95% efficiency, and switch-mode DC-DC converters stepping the voltage down to 5V (USB powered gear) are highly efficient too, reaching 98% in cases. Home area are small enough for the I2R loss to be negligible.

Fiber optics networking is interference-proof (not susceptible to any EMI) and future-proof (capable of up to 100Gbps Ethernet using the same fiber as used in older standards) while used server-grade optical fiber gear are fairly cheap. Optical fiber can run along mains in the same piping as there is no conductor in optical fibers. There are also wall panel style optical fiber to Ethernet cable bridges (most of which requires the aforementioned LVDC system or fiber-mains colocation to work)


texts: Air gap behind drywall on exterior brick veneer wall

texts:
I was preparing to hang some shelves in our garage the other day and after some inspection I discovered that the drywall is hung on staggered horizontal 1x’s attached to the studs (can be seen just inside drywall in picture).
Our home is a split-level built in 1963 and the wall in question is an exterior wall with brick veneer. There appears to be sheathing between the studs and brick.
I’m considering removing all of the drywall to make some repairs for old termite damage. When hanging the new drywall, is there any reason I can’t/shouldn’t attach it directly to the studs?  Or is the “air gap” created by the 1x’s somehow important to the function of the wall?
Really, I’m trying to understand why the drywall was originally hung this way rather than attaching directly to the studs.


texts: Can I "just" concrete over the existing gravel in this carport?

texts:
Based on this annotated image, can I reasonably pour concrete over the existing gravel in this carport area? If no, would it be enough to add another 1-2 inches of fresh gravel first?

Some details. I'm supposing a depth of 4 inches with wire reinforcement. Also, I would dig down about eight inches in an 18-24 inch wide "lip", with additional gravel and rebar reinforcement, where the concrete slopes down to the asphalt drive. The area to the right leading to the stairs would also be dug and graveled, just not as deep.

I've considered the drainage implications and I'm satisfied with the french drain on the right. However I'm thinking the channel drain is not necessary.. or if installed, should be pitched so the flow goes to the right and NOT the left as I have shown it. (oops)

Should I worry about catching and channeling water between the concrete and the brick surfaces where they meet...particularly on the left side where there is no eave to prevent precipitation from entering the carport?


texts: Will insulating pipes shorten the time it takes for hot water to reach the faucet?

texts:
Ok, so I took a few weekends and totally insulated all hot water pipes I could get access to from the water heater. Now, I still wait approx 90 seconds for hot water to reach the farthest faucet from the water heater.

So my question, does anyone find insulating pipes useful? I feel like I wasted time and money. The insulation I used was both fiber and foam.

I'm now looking at water circulation pumps but the wife is skeptical of my projects to have hot water fast at that farthest faucet.


texts: Suppose I need new circuit breakers and buy some at a local shop. How do I test them to be sure they haven't been damaged on their way from factory and will do their job when time comes?


texts: Replacing middle of circuit outlet with doorbell transformer

texts:
I am replacing an outlet in the middle of a run with doorbell transformer. The outlet is not required for code and the transformer is one that is rated to be installed in a 2 gang box. Yes, I will be using a divider to separate the line voltage and low voltage lines.
I will be replacing the current box with a 2 gang box, and finish fishing the low voltage wires to the new box.
My question is, how do I continue feeding the down feed outlets with power? The two wires in the photo not connected feed the next outlet.
Can I simply wire nut the two blacks from the wall and one of the blacks of the transformer together, then wire nut the two whites and the other black from the transformer together and finally wire nut the grounds together?
UPDATE
So future viewers don't get confused by one of the below posts, this is possible using the components I have bought, which are the following:
Edwards Signaling 593 Adapter
Edward Signaling 591 Transformer
The NuTone transformer unfortunately was not an option for me because it is made to mount behind a chime, which I do not have. There wasn't a clean way to run the low voltage wires to my location because they come out the front of the component.


texts: I want to remove a dimmer switch and cap off the wires. This switch will no longer be used - my question - I have two black hot wires and a red wire.  I believe the black wires will be capped together but what about the red wire? In this instance the white wires are capped off and in the background. This room has two switches thus the irregular configuration. To be more clear - I am putting a flat plate over the box because we are moving a large cabinet in that spot - so I just want to cap off the wires correctly.


texts: Ceiling fan/light in bathroom shortcuts when humid

texts:
I have a ceiling fan/light combo in my bathroom ceiling. It's hooked up with those white connectors you see on this picture:

When someone takes long showers, especially at night when the temperature in the house is lower, the fan/light shorts and the breaker is tripped. The bathroom goes dark. As soon as I disconnect the fan I can flip the breaker and everything in the bathroom comes on again. I can also see some black lint dirt down in the connectors that probably adds to the problem. I have cleaned out the connectors many times but after a while it happens again. I also replaced the fan/light combo but it keeps happening. An electrician told me to add some anti-ox stuff inside the connectors to keep moisture out but I have not tried that yet and wanted to ask if that's worth while trying or if I need more drastic measures. Ideas anyone?

The fan looks like this:


texts: Need For Redgard On Cement Board - Can I apply it before hanging?

texts:
Basically I'm getting a guy to do my tile around my tub/shower. He swears you don't need Redgard and we are on a tight timeline so applying it when hung would put us behind anyway (We really have 2 days to do everything). I have two questions.

1) Do I even need Redgaurd. The internet has mixed reviews.
2) Can I apply the Redgard BEFORE hanging the cement baord so we don't have to wait for them to dry once they are hung?


texts:
I wonder if this is the wrong way to address a toilet that leaks and refills every so often.
I have an American Std 4117A toilet that refills for 5 or so seconds. I think it is leaking around the flapper. It has a fluid-master 400 anti siphon float valve but a 540 flapper with a plastic cup under the flat part that actually sits in the drain hole. I have a broken hip so going out hurts for a replacement. So, I detached the cup (carefully as there are plastic extrusions to keep it where the engineers wanted it, I guess) and dropped a 3 oz fishing sinker in it and reattached it. I tried this in a different way once to rule out the flapper, at least, but it worked in that past instance. I'm just wondering if I am tempting the toilet gods.
Hank


texts:
I have an outside A/C compressor and indoor furnace fan combo in the attic.  The unit was off and the 3 amp fuse was blown.  I replaced the fuse and used the thermostat to turn the fan on followed by the heater then the A/C.  I let the unit run the A/C.  After a while the A/C turned off.  I checked and the furnace was off, fuse blown and thermostat was asking for cool.  I do not know if the fuse blew during operation, shutdown, or when the next request for cool happened.
I checked the wires leading to the outside unit.  They show open when disconnected and 20.8 ohms when connected to the contactor.  The wires leading from the thermostat to the furnace show open until fan, heat or A/C is selected and they show continuity as expected.
The volts across the red and green terminals shows 27 volts.  The transformer is showing 120 in and 27 out.  My first reaction is to replace the contactor on the outside unit, but that 27 volts is interesting to me because the schematic and Xformer say 24 volts.

Update

Performed the following tests.  Disconnected the wires to the outside unit and ran the fan for a few hours no issues.  There are 3 wires going from the furnace to the outside unit.  White wire goes to 1 terminal of the contactor relay.  Red and green wires were tied together and attached to the other terminal.  On the furnace outside white is tied to yellow, outside green is tied to blue.  Outside red was disconnected and loose on furnace.  I disconnected red from green outside and put a wire nut on it.  Measured the voltage on the relay of 27 volts.  The resistance without wires is 16 ohms.  Ran the A/C briefly without issue.  Running the A/C today without 240 to see in the contactor heats up.

The furnace is a Lennox gas heater model number G40UH-36A-070-15.  The outside A/C is a Lennox 13ACD-036-230-02.  I went ahead and ordered a new relay because it is pretty cheap.  It should arrive by this weekend.

What should I do next to troubleshoot this?


texts: What could be the reason of main burner going out intermittently. The pilot stays on. The voltage of the thermopile is 638mv when burner is off. The thermostat is a manual heat only. When I short out the thermostat at the valve the burner lights every time, then after time the burner goes out.(sometimes will go out in one minute or last over a hour) It happens if the blower is on or off. I have changed thermopile same thing, thermostat same thing. Check thermostat wiring ok. This stove was converted from LP to NG 2 years a go and a new valve was installed. Thanks for your help


texts: 2 identical ceiling fans stopped working after reinstalling them

texts:
I am a professional electrician. I took down 2 ceiling fans and after reinstalling them they were no functioning anymore. Can anyone explain me how is this possible please???

The electricity cables of the 2 ceiling fans were very visible. 1 cable was hanging loose from the ceiling and was only fixed with 2 hooks over a length of 6 meters. It was ugly.

After removing the fans completely, because they were not secured to the ceiling, I put them in the living room a few meters from where I removed them.
I was extremely careful when I handled them because my friend told me that the man who installed them told her that they are very delicate. I have no experience with fans but I know how they work.

After gluing the cable, to the wooden beams of the ceiling, I reinstalled the fans with great care. First I secured them to the wooden beam so that I could connect the wires when the fan was pending. It made connecting the wires really easy. But before I did that I tested the wiring with my multi-meter. All was well so I connected the cables to the fans.

The end? No! When I turned the switch nothing happened. Both fans did not work!!!

I googled and followed a trouble shooting guide. I had electricity so the wiring is ok. The capacitor was ok. But the there was no movement at all, both fans where broken. My friend asked a professional and he said that the motor is broken.

I am a Belgian living in Spain and I do not understand what the professional is saying. He is asking more than 200€ for the repair. My research said that an motor can cost 100€ or more.

I want to be able to explain this to my friend who is not talking to me because of this.

I also want to make sure that, when I replace the motors, I do not have the same problem again.

Thanks for reading this!


texts: What should I consider when boarding up windows for a storm?

texts: What should be considered when boarding up windows for a storm (or for that manner, during construction, etc.)?    What thickness plywood is required?   Should it be sized to the size of the sash and fastened inside the frame, or should the framing be covered as well?


texts: I am trying to replace a light fixture. It is a fluorescent lamp holder with one black, one white, and one ground wire. My ceiling has 5 wires coming out of it, and I assume it is because 2 different switches control this light. There is one master switch, and one that turns on or off as long as the master switch is on. Switch number 2 does nothing if master switch is turned off. Can anyone tell by looking at this picture, which is which and what wires need to be connected from my fixture?


texts: Can I put two 240V 10 Amp outlets on a 240V 20 Amp circuit?

texts:
I presently have a single outlet NEMA 6-20 outlet on a 20 Amp 240 V circuit.  Can I install two NEMA 6-15 outlets on the same circuit instead?

Duplex Nema 6-15 outlets are rare, but Leviton does make one.  On their site in the description is the word "Canadian".  Are these legal in the United States?


texts: I'm trying to figure out what the name is for the roof structure my home has - it's a single level late 70s ranch, side-gabled, but the roof is broken up into multiple segments. Is there a name for a roof or general home layout of this type? I hope there are some architecture/design buffs on the site who can help out...


texts: Vertical direction of PVC tee used for vent only

texts:
If a PVC tee is used to drain, where the flow of fluid is descending, it is obvious it should be positioned (T pedestal slightly pointing) upwards.
But if the piping segment is used only to vent, with air streaming upwards, should the tee be installed upside down so that the pedestal directions matches the ascending flow of air?


texts: Change to different condenser fan motor model?

texts:
I have an HVAC system that has a condenser fan motor that has gone bad. The motor is no longer available. What considerations do I need to make in order to replace the motor with a different motor?

For example, if the voltage is the same, can I replace the motor with one that has similar speed? Would it just require a matching capacitor?

Additionally, can it be switched over to brushless?


texts:
What is the minimum size rectangle steel tube needed to lift 500 lbs with the fulcrum in the middle of a seven foot tube?  Assume a minimum of 1.5 inches outside dimensions, long side vertical.    E.g:  2.5X 1.5.

Response to clarification:

The fulcrum will be a 1/2" diameter eye bolt.

I am assuming the tube to be mild steel.  E.g:  1010, 1020, etc.

Not for repetitive use.  Once a week at the most.


texts: what is good material for 100C to 130C for heat box

texts:
I am trying to design a small box (25" x 25" x 25") for an uniform heating oven. I am planning to heat around 100 C (212 F) to 130 C (266 F).

I was searching for several material such as green board(<52 C), plywood(<93 C), polycarbonate(<115 C), acry plastic(<71 C) etc. and I found that most of the wood is not recommended to use more than 100 C continuously.

Any recommendation for the material that is cheap and easy to fabricate and also able to use at temperature around 100 C-130 C?

Thank you


texts:
I know the basic idea to calculate the pressure in the tank (full of water). But I guess there lots of factors decide whether the tanks is safe or not. e.g. If the tank is rimless, it may not safe. If have brace on top, it has huge difference.

Do any formula calculate how thickness of the glass that I needs base on the glass tank dimension?

e.g

65cm x 65cm x 80cm (height), whether it's safe to use 12mm glass without brace.


texts: What kind of material can I use to cover a window to keep the cold out?

texts: I have a small window in my bathroom that is high up near the ceiling. It's pretty useless, but since the bathroom is always really cold I think it is letting cold air in. I'd like to prove this theory by covering it up with some sort of temperature proof material. What do you recommend? I rent, so it can't be anything too damaging. I'd also prefer something that is not really ugly like plywood. Any suggestions?


texts: Japan: Can I ground a dishwasher by connecting it to a sink?

texts:
This is a question about electrical safety in Japan.  I know this isn’t a Japanese forum, but my Japanese isn’t up to much, and everyone I can ask either knows nothing about electrical safety or nothing about Japan.

I come from the UK, where every plug is three-pronged and ordinary consumers like me don’t have to think about matters like grounding.

Here in Japan, most plugs are two-pronged. Risky devices like washing machines and dishwashers come with an extra green and yellow ground wire bolted onto the back. In my 80s apartment there are a couple of power sockets with a little metal plate where I can attach a ground wire; one is in the place where you’d expect a refrigerator to go, and the other is for the washing machine.  It seems that the builders didn’t anticipate other kinds of home appliance.

So now I have a dishwasher, and it’s nowhere near any of the grounding plates. But it is near the kitchen range, and the kitchen range has a couple of gas taps attached. I am vaguely aware that gas pipes should be grounded, so I considered connecting the ground wire to the sink, but on closer inspection, it appears that the gas taps and the sink do not make electrical contact -- a 1 inch ring of uPVC separates the two.

The pipe work is safely sealed away from incompetent amateurs like me, so I can’t start hunting for evidence of grounding work there.  However, the kitchen range does appear to have electrical contact (through metal pipes) to a gas water heater just above the kitchen range. The gas water heater is, in turn, connected to one of the gas taps via what appears to be a rubber hose. I don’t see any other signs of grounding, and the water heater was professionally installed so, at first glance, this suggests that the kitchen range is grounded.

So, what should I do? Shall I just connect the dishwasher to the sink, or am I going to have to bite the bullet and run a long wire to the refrigerator’s ground plate?

Many thanks for taking the time to read this.


texts: Can Schedule 40 PVC refer to non-Rigid and Rigid or uPVC pipe (for food safety)?

texts:
From what I read, "regular" PVC is not for food applications.  You have to get uPVC or Rigid PVC (same thing I believe.)  But I can't find it anywhere.  Is Schedule 40 the same across Rigid and on Rigid?  I'm asking can Schedule 40 sometimes be food grade NSF-51 or other non-toxic and other times refer to regular PVC with plasticizers?
Edit:  Sorry.  This is for Hydroponics and growing food.


texts: using a Whirlpool that perfoms the first cycle ok fill, agigation, empty, and spin but only fills for rinse and stops. model# is LA9200XWN1

texts: using a Whirlpool that perfoms the first cycle ok fill, agitation, empty, and spin but only fills for rinse and stops. model# is LA9200XWN1 Would like suggested causes


texts: On Sunday night my pipes froze.  When I woke up on Monday morning a pipe had burst in my well house area.  I had a pipe fitter come out and fix it. Ever since then, I have low water pressure in both of my bathroom sinks and bathroom bathtubs. Also my washer must have low pressure to because when I try to do laundry it starts the cycle then says LF and wont finish. The toilets won't fill or flush unless you fill it manually.


texts: How should I get my ejector pump out of the sump?

texts:
Forgive my story format: I have this 1/2 HP Sewage Package System and it is busted.

At first, it was tripping the circuit it was connected to. I enabled the circuit and when the float switch fired the pump, the water was successfully pumped up and out. I was proud of myself and thought I was done, but then it backed up again. Now, it is not tripping the circuit any more, and I can hear it 'humm' from time to time (no time pattern, really, which I think is strange), however it is not pumping the sewage up and out.

I tried taking the float switch out of the picture, but it still behaves the same.

This has been backed up before and hired professional to fix. It apparently had qtips and tampons 'clogging' it.

My hope is that I will be able to triage this myself and fix..or at least try before I hire again. My question is: How do I get this thing out of the sump? Will I first need to drain the sewage using a siphon (I'm next to a slop-sink, and the sewage at this time is diluted)? Or do I do a blind reach down and grab it (eww) and if so can you recommend a good LONG pair of gloves (its deep, probably past my elbow)?


texts: Troubleshooting dropped phase in 240 volt line

texts: A 60 amp breaker in our circuit breaker box serves a sub-panel in our barn.  That panel serves 5 120 volt lighting and convenience circuits.  The sub-panel has two bus bars, each attached to one phase of the buried 240 volt cable from the house, which consists of three separate conductors (two hot and one neutral)in a trench.  For the first two years or so of operation, both phases of the drop were energized.  Now, for some unknown reason, only the breakers connected to one bus bar are energized.  I can find no problems with any connections so must assume that one conductor of the buried cable is broken.  I have two questions.  First, is there some way to definitively confirm that a break is the problem?  Second, if it is, how can I determine where along the 80 feet or so of cable the break has occurred?


texts: Why do different meters show different voltages between hot and ground?

texts:
I am measuring voltage between hot and ground wires on a light box.

Why does one voltmeter show 4 volts. And another shows 0 volts?

How many volts should there be between these two wires?


texts:
I have a five-conductor 2 AWG cable (three phases, neutral, and ground) connected into a 22.5 kVA (i.e., very big and dangerous) power supply. This is being used for research relating to ground faults, so the points at which the system is grounded are carefully controlled, and the ground wire is not connected to the power supply, though it does need to be present (even if it didn't, it's a five-conductor cable and we can't exactly pull one of the conductors out without unreasonable force that would risk damaging the other conductors).

So the question is this: how can I safely terminate this single 2 AWG wire in a manner that keeps it well-insulated from the power supply chassis? I was thinking of using a wire nut to just cap off the single wire, but there don't seem to be any designed to take a 2 AWG wire. Is there a keyword I can use to search for these?

Edit: also of note is that this is a ground wire and will be at ground potential, it just can't be connected to ground here. The other cables at the power supply output are carrying no more than 600 V (actually, the power supply might only go up to 500 V) so there's no high voltage that risks multi-centimeter arcs or corona discharge or anything.


texts: How much water should I expect to be left in a dishwasher?

texts:
After every load there is always some water left in the bottom of the drain basket/filter.  It's not up into the dishwasher itself, but when I reach into the filter to clean it, there's always water in it.  I have a GE QuietPower 3.

Is this expected?  If not, what can I do about it?


texts: I have a two story deck. I noticed earlier this week the upper deck is sagging. It appears the support beams that were lagged into the 6x6 post have rotted. This is return has allowed the joists to sag.  I can put temporary bracing up and get a new support beam, but I’m afraid the current post also needs to be replaced which means a much larger effort since its holding the bottom deck. Thoughts on how I might provide the support needed to lift the support beams which will provide the joists the support they need?


texts: Would a ducted heat pump lose a lot of effeciency if the ducts are installed in an open crawlspace?

texts:
Currently I use a woodstove to heat my place (no ducts).  I am thinking about installing an air-to-air ducted heat pump to heat my place.  I am trying to figure out what are the important factors (in addition to the cost) I should investigate before approaching a pro.
The winter months here (comox valley, bc. canada) are normally between 0-9 C degrees, but there are days/nights when it dips bellow zero sometimes down to -7C.
Heat efficiency - open crawlspace
My crawlspace has vents (basically holes) to allow for air circulation (to avoid moisture build up) - so it is cold in winter.  If I do install a ducted heat pump, the ducts would be in the crawlspace.  I was reading that the air coming out of a heat pump is not that hot to start with (25-45 C degrees).  So, I was wondering, by the time the heat comes out of the ducts, it may not be warm enough to actually heat the house efficiently.  Is this something I should be worried about?  Do you have any experience with a similiar situation?


texts: 3-way switch with 2 lights, alternate off/on

texts: I have (2) 3-way switches on stairs & 2 lights, one @ the bottom & 2nd one @ the top. Each switch up turns on 1 light & off 2nd light, down turns on 2nd light & off 1st light


texts: How does a ball bearing door hinge work?

texts:
I've been unable to find a clear explanation of the design principle behind a ball bearing door hinge.

In the image below, the casing for a ball bearing assembly is highlighted.

One description states:

  Ball bearings are engineered to throw the knuckle weight against
  specially hardened steel raceways, which ride on the bearing surfaces.
  The one-piece cup protects the bearings from moisture and dust.

Can anyone clarify what this means, and the internal layout of the assembly?

I'm also wondering about their durability, given that the mechanism isn't solid metal, but has internal (presumably moving) components under the casing. How thick is the casing, and does it carry all of the vertical load, or is the load shared with the internal components?


texts: I just bought a new thermostat that is Wi-Fi enabled and it requires connection to a "C" wire.  The old thermostat does not have one running to it, but there are other unused wires.  The thermostat only controls a hot water baseboard heat system (no fan and no AC).  Can I use one of the unused wires for the "C" wire as long as it is connected at the source (boiler) properly?


texts:
I'm not sure if this is the place for this question but I couldn't find out any StackExchange website for this question so I'm posting it here.

I always wondered how companies build the plastic chassis/form-factor for their products. I mean there are some very sophisticated shapes like calculators, monitors, remote-control car toys .. etc all of these products have plastic chassis with colors. How the companies build these?

I mean I know there is 3D printing but as far as I know 3D printing is still at the early stages if I'm not mistaken.

p.s. if you can suggest a better website for this question please tell me.


texts: What tool should I use to unscrew a hard-to-access hexagonal screw?

texts:
I recently bought a place which came with the appliances, one of them being a dishwasher. I'd like to extract the dishwasher from its compartment.

From what it seems, the only thing preventing me to do that is a pair of screws legs that lift-up the dishwasher. Those screw legs have a hexagonal head but the area to access them is very narrow.

Here is a picture (of the side which has the more room. I couldn't even take a picture of the other side as there is no way to have direct visibility over the screw head):

The screw is really small. I'd say the head's diameter is about 4 mm. I suppose, I'd a need a tool with a head like that:

(source: alicdn.com)

But the only one I have is shaped like a screwdriver and is too tall to fit in the available space.

I tried to look online on various sites (Home Depot and alike) but I don't even know which tool I'm looking for, let alone the name for it.

What tool can I use for that job ?


texts: Four Romex cables, but two neutral wires cut?

texts:
Noticed some outlets weren't working. Opened up the first one and found four Romex cables with hot wires attached, but two of the neutral wires were cut and disconnected.
Pictured below is the very next outlet, which has three Romex cables with hot wires connected, but one neutral wire cut and disconnected.
Is there a standard reason for doing something like that?
Update: it looks like maybe the old outlets were half-switched? Found one, and hot tab was broken, but neutral was not


texts: What is the best way to fix these displaced tiles?

texts:
The tiles are complete and intact. Over time they have displaced from their locations. The grout around the tiles have chipped away.
What kind of adhesive is required to put these tiles back into place?
What's the best way to fix these displaced tiles?


texts: I'm trying to tighten a slip joint zinc nut where a leak appears to be coming from. I found this particular wrench which seems to fit the bill (shown below and here). How is this tool better-suited for the job than a standard adjustable spanner/wrench?


texts:
I'm renting a bedroom in a house with very thin walls, and when I wake up every morning, it's freezing, and I imagine that will only get worse. I was thinking it would be nice to come up with some way to add insulation to the cold exterior walls. My problem is: I'm not allowed to drill the walls, and I don't want it to look terrible.

My initial plan was to get some kind of insulation, set it into a lightweight wooden frame, and then stretch some fabric over it to make free-standing insulating panels that look nice and (hopefully) provide some insulation. I do have a few concerns, though, and not enough DIY expertise to know the answers, so I was hoping you folks might help me out.

Would this even help? If I'm not completely covering the walls, floor-to-ceiling, am I going to see any benefit?
What material should I use in the frame? I was thinking the appropriate material would be rigid foam, but now after reading up, I'm worried about offgassing, toxic flame retardants, HBCD, CFCs… and many other things I don't really understand. Is there a rigid insulation material that would be safe to use in an interior room as part of a free-standing panel? Polysio? XPS? Mineral wool?

Also, if this is too newbie a question, or if I'm reinventing the wheel, please feel free to close the question or redirect me to a more appropriate resource.


texts: City replaced water meter, then bathroom sink pressure dropped, rusty water

texts:
A few days ago, the city came out and replaced our water meter. When I came home and used the bathroom faucet, I noticed there was air in the system. No problem there, but later that night and the next day, I noticed that faucet - and only that faucet - had extremely low water pressure. Barely a dribble. Additionally, we were getting rusty(?) water on occasion.

I removed the faucet altogether and ran water directly out of the hot and cold hoses from the wall for a second to ensure water pressure there was okay. Everything was fine. I tried to backflush the faucet head just in case there was some debris in there. I put the assembly back, connected the hot water and ran some water through the faucet assembly for maybe two to three seconds. A ton of opaque orange water came out, then cleared up. Then I hooked up the cold water and tested that one, but only a very tiny amount of discoloration occurred. But when I started the cold water, the faucet was already hooked up, so no air in the system.

After putting the whole thing back together, my water pressure is back up, but maybe 80% of what it should be.

It seems I have two problems:

Why is the water pressure here - and only here - low?
Why is there occasionally rust(?) coming out?

My best guesses are:

Some debris in the faucet. I've tried to clean it out (not knowing what I'm doing), so is there a better way to do so, or should I replace it?
Air in the system lets water move more quickly when first starting and flushes out a ton of stuff in the pipes? (My house is ~50-60 years old.) Or possibly a hot water heater issue? But I don't have enough data to back up either one.


texts:
I’m trying to replace my bathroom faucet (I turned off the water supply lines) and cannot get the base of the handles off.

Here are photos of the top and bottom:

Anything I should try?


texts: Can I run a 12 2 wire off of a 20 amp breaker to a splitter box, then from the splitter box run one 12 2 wire to a light switch, then to 5 can lights? Then one more wire from the splitter box to another light switch connected to vent fan/light? Then run one more wire  from the splitter box to a GFI outlet, then wire two more outlets from the GFI? Do I have to use GFI outlet after the first GFI? All this is off of one 20 amp breaker and will only be feeding the master bathroom.


texts: Can I join different flooring to cover a height gap?

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3/4 of my kitchen has tiles in it the other 1/4 has no tiles, just the concrete underneath so there is a height difference.
You may wonder why I don't take the tiles out and level everything but its complicated and most importantly I hope to move out of here soon so don't need a great floor.
Anyway I have some spare vinyl lying around may use that for 1/4 of the room and will get new sheet for the other 3/4.
It maybe the case that the sheets need to be joined at an angle due to the height difference.  Can you use the standard way to seam to accomplish this or will it come off or just be an ok job?  As I say doesn't need to be perfect job just functional until I get out in some months.
Also if the flooring is going at angle does that mean it will rip over time, how can I prevent this(without leveling the subfloor as I don't want to if possible)?


texts:
I have a York TG9S080B12MP11A up-flow configured natural gas furnace. We have had the furnace since 2007. I am having an issue where the furnace is not starting correctly.

When I power up the blower motor starts up
If I activate the thermostat (I'm using Nest) the indicator light will blink 3 orange pulses.

Now if I turn off the thermostat, unplug one of the cross connectors between the two pressure switches, turn on the thermostat. The fan turns on, and if I reconnect the cross connector the furnace will sit for about 5 seconds with the blower and the fan running. Then the igniters will start to glow and then the gas will kick on.

The furnace will then run until it comes to temperature and then the furnace will shut down but the blower will stay on.

Last year I replaced the switches, the control board. Last week I replaced the condensate pan (original clear model had cracks in it), the blower motor, put in new switches.

Any ideas?


texts: 240V, 40A stove outlet was split into two 120V, 20A circuits, how do I properly isolate the neutral from ground?

texts: I recently been told that a subpanel box that was installed in my kitchen, which previously supported an electric stove, is wired incorrectly. The subpanel takes the 240 line and splits it into two 120 20 amp lines. The problem is that the neutral line in the subpanel is connected to ground.  How do I correct this? The main panel is on the other side of the house and this wire is fed through two attic spaces.  I currently use this to support a convection microwave and gas stove electrical panel.


texts: Hollow-core door shelves bracketed with 3 pieces of 1x1?

texts:
I want to build shelves for a linens closet. I plan to use hollow core door as the shelf material. The doors are 15" deep, and after cutting will be ~70" long. I need to come up with a way to brace the shelves to the wall.

I had two ideas:

Affix 1x1 lumber to the studs of three walls of the closet as depicted here:

My concerns with this design is: will this provide enough support for the shelves to hold towels and sheets? Or actually, what kind of weight could this design support?

Use shelving brackets like these.

My concerns with this are (This is similar to this question.):
I can only find 12"x14" brackets in an idea price range. Will these sized brackets work with 15" deep shelves ? And how many would I need for 70" of width, with 1x1 only on the short-end walls ?


texts: I'm trying to build a TV stand which will have a top on it about 80" x 20" x 3/4".  It can be thicker than 3/4" but I'd like it to be at least that.  Assuming I build a supportive frame, what's the cheapest way to get a piece that fits the bill?  I've looked at using plywood and edging as well as biscuit joining planks together, but would like to hear other ideas.


texts: How do I replace doors that are not standard sizes?

texts:
I have 12 doors in my apartment that need to be replaced. All of them are of non-standard sizes. My door frames are typically 6 cm too high for the standard doors available. The widths are all fine.
Can I stick a 6 cm height wooden plank at the bottom? I plan to paint the doors with primer and top coat. Should I be worried that the joint will show after the layers of paint? Are there any other fixes available? Alternatively, can I cut a larger door?


texts:
We recently had an energy audit done by WellHome, a new division of Masco, which is a manufacturer of many types of home/building fixtures and services.

They seemed to do a very thorough job, using high-tech equipment including thermal imaging which showed significant heat infiltration (I live in Austin, TX) in the places I'd expect.  Air leakage was 1900CFM50 which they said was somewhat high but not outrageous.  After reviewing the printed report I generally agreed with their findings.

The cost of the audit was reasonable ($49) and included no obligation to use them for remediation, although the report included a list of suggested remediation items and none of the prices looked out of line.  In fact the cost for replacing the windows with double-pane argon-filled vinly-frame units was quite a bit less than I expected.  This was the highest cost item ($9000) but was the lowest suggested priority because according to the report there's more effective "low-hanging fruit".  There was no sales pressure at all.

Based on our specific audit, they will "guarantee" a 23% energy savings. Based on a year's worth of utility bills we spend about $1600/year on heating/cooling (is that low?), due to having already picked the really low-hanging fruit (CFLs, conservative thermostat settings), Assuming that they can deliver the savings, it would only amount to about $370/year for a $20000 investment, which clearly makes no sense financially unless it contributes significantly to the equity.

The question: Is this worth considering at all for reasons other than pure enviromental altruism?

Note: I would have used better tags but with less than 150 rep I can't create the tag
"energy-audit".

EDIT: One commenter suggested this question looks like a sales-pitch.  On re-reading, I can see that my tone is quite positive, which I guess reflects my feeling about the process. However, I will categorically state that I have no connection to Masco or WellHome (no idea how I can prove it, however :-)


texts: What could be causing a high pitched squeak when the water is turned on?

texts: When the water is turned on for toilet flush or sinks-hot or cold and when the clothes washer is filling (newer type washer that adds more water), many times for the first 4 minutes (starting the water and when the water add is stopped) there is a squeak in the plumbing. It seems to come from the utility room where the water enters the house (and where the house shut-off/pressure reducing valve is located). Again, even though the taps are turned on away from the utility room, the squeaky noise (high pitched) comes from the utility room.


texts: When I turn on these cams to dismantle this Ikea case, the wood splits and there's no turning happening. What to do please?


texts: TV mount to 5" door frame instead of stud?

texts:
I have a 1906 Edwardian with solid 5" x 5" door frames. I just noticed that (because of stud positions) using the door frame instead of a stud would allow me to install the TV in a better position. Looking inside the wall, the door frames seem to be made of the same material as the studs.

The frame doesn't go to the ceiling but it's huge compared to the studs. Would you use it as a stud for TV mounting purposes?

Thank you!


texts:
A well drilling company drilled a well for me and ran lines from the well to my RV pad (AS as in Airstream in the attached image) and in the opposite direction to a shed which will house the pressure tank. I went to hook it all up, but most of the internet and the instructions indicate I would do this with the pressure tank between the well and RV pad.

Can I just cap the other side of the T on the pressure tank, or does it need to be between the well and RV pad?


texts: What are expansion joint requirements for magnesium oxide wallboards?

texts:
I was asked to get some information concerning installing magnesium oxide wallboards. It's a material I just got to know and never worked with, so I want to learn what are requirements for installing these, specifically:

Do I need to make special expansion joints, and - if so - what material is best for to fill the gap?
If expansion joints are not needed - if I fix several of these with some kind of glue (or other compund) so they will form a larger surface - do I need to make some expansion joints then?

My question is about indoor-related works as these wallboards are seens as a substitute to drywall. Any related info (e.g. install manuals) greatly appreciated.

I need answers from hands-on experienced DIY-ers best. These wallboards aren't popular where I live, so I try my luck here, in DIY SE :)


texts: Black and Decker drill bit set with Kobalt drill?

texts: How universal are drills and bit sets? Can I mix and match bit brands with drill brands? For example, would a Black and Decker bit set work with a Kobalt drill? Sorry if it's a stupid question, I'm quite new to all of this. Thanks!


texts: Garage door opens only partially in hot weather

texts:
My Craftsman garage door opened works fine in cool weather  or early in the morning. When the weather is hot, it opens partially, from 1/8 of the way to 7/8 of the way. Pressing the remote closes it, and pressing again it opens it, but less than the first time. Doing that again it opens even less.

Any suggestions?


texts: Gosund Smart Dimmer Switch Not Turning on Light

texts:
Just tried installing a Gosund Smart Dimmer Switch model number DS1.  This is a single pole installation.
First issue was that upon removing the old switch I had 4 wires, but 2 were twisted together and connected to the ground screw.

I'm assuming the ground and neutral had been put together?  I separated them and connected one to the ground wire and one to the neutral wire of the Gosund, flipped the breaker, and got nothing. So then I swapped the ground and neutral connection, turned the breaker on, and the Gosund switch's lights illuminated.

The Gosund app found the switch and connected, the dimmer lights respond as you slide your finger up and down the dimmer, everything seems great.
Except the light never actually comes on.  Manual operation or via the app, the light never comes on.
I have no idea how to proceed.


texts: In kitchen reno, can I make the kitchen ceiling same height as rest of dining room?

texts:
Check out the picture below -- that bar / pony wall area and the rest of the wall where the thermostat is are being knocked down to open up the kitchen.

Question is, can I make the kitchen ceiling flush with the remainder of the dining room?

What is the purpose of originally making the kitchen ceiling lower? Were builders/designers in the mid-80s (when my unit was built) just dealing with different expectations?


texts: I am installing a new 240V circuit for an EV charger. I would like to put the outlet for this in a 2-gang box that would also have a 120V outlet. I'm in California. Is this OK?


texts: Why would the neutral wire in my bathroom's outlet box have voltage?

texts:
So, my wife was using the hair dryer in the bathroom, connected to the GFCI plug when the power to the bathroom plug goes out. I toggled the circuit breaker on/off, still not power. Suspecting the GFCI outlet is bad, I replaced it with a new one, and still no power to the plug and all the other outlets that it feeds.
Did some basic troubleshooting using a light tester and a volt meter and noticed that there is no volatge detected between the Hot (black) and Neutral (white) wire. however, there is voltage between the Hot and ground, and surprisingly voltage between Neutral and ground.

So jut to make sure I have my facts straight. In a good circuit, if I place a light bulb between Hot and Neutral, the light should come on. The light bulb should also come on if I place it between the HOT and ground. The light should NOT come on if I place it between Neutral white wire and the ground.

Do I have my fact straight? if the Neutral and ground turns my test light on, does this mean I have a short somewhere? If there is a short, wouldn't the circuit breaker go off?

Is there some kind of device that can help in troubleshooting where the short is?

Thanks.


texts: How can I add wall panels to file cabinet drawers?

texts:
So we bought an Erik filing cabinet from Ikea which was pretty easy to assemble for the most part. However, it was only after everything was said and done that we realized the drawers had no 'walls' on the sides and the back. Well technically they're filing cabinets so they don't really need those walls but it's something we'd like to have as we plan on using one of the drawers to store non-file stuff like little boxes etc which will fall out the back or the side in its current state.

Can anyone recommend an easy diy to accomplish this?
This is what the drawers of the Erik file cabinet look like...

And this is what we'd like it to be...

We live in an apartment so we can't really use a saw or anything to cut up wood


texts: How to clean wood dust without permanently clogging a wet/dry vacuum's paper filter?

texts:
Can you ever use a wet/dry vacuum cleaner (shop.vac, Kubota, Stanley, etc) to clean wood sanding dust?

My one experiment so far resulted in complete clogging of the paper filter after cleaning the dust from hardwood floor sanding. Replacing the dry filter (corrugated paper cylinder on a metallic mesh backbone, ~$20) after each such use is a bit of a stretch, and yet I'm not sure how else I can thoroughly clean the dust left behind.


texts: Wiring 4-wire Electric Range - Can I use these connectors?

texts:
Our electric range is hardwired to a 40 Amp circuit with 4 copper wires (ground, black, red, and white neutral). I don't think it was ever installed correctly since each of the bare wires was just screwed into the terminal block without any terminals.

I want to do this right for our new range, so I bought some terminal lugs but I'm not sure if they are safe to use because of the current requirements.

Oven Terminal Block:

Terminal Lugs:

Some lugs had a max temperature warning of 90 degrees Celsius but these had no warning. Am I safe to use these?  Will they be able to handle the load?  Will there be any copper vs. aluminum mismatch between this and the terminal block?

I believe the main 3 wires coming out of the wall are all 8 AWG 7 strand.

Here is a link to the terminal lugs for reference:
https://www.alliedelec.com/thomas-betts-btc0208/70092679/


texts: Load bearing wall and basement beam don’t line up. Want to add a header and larger opening. Problem?

texts:
Additional info:
-Ceiling joists have studs running down directly above floor joists
-Floor joists are 2x10 spanning ~14’ 16OC
  -One of the floor joists that will carry the load is doubled and right on the stairs wall
-Wall in question is 20” offset from the basement beam below
-load is just the ceiling joists/drywall
-plan is to burry the header in the attic

City wants an engineer plan that will prove the floor can carry the load or how I can make it carry the load.
-can adding a sister joist to the floor where it isn’t doubled work? Does that sister need to carry the full 14’ span?

I’ve learned that most of the time a load bearing wall in the center of a home (60s ranch in this case) is typically directly over the basement support beam thus transferring the energy of the roof straight down the wall/floor and into the columns/foundation. A wall I want to open up into a kitchen is load bearing (ceiling joists overlap across it) but the basement beam is 1.5-2’ off of being directly below. Does anybody see a problem transferring the load from a 30” opening to a 7’ opening with a new header etc? Wisconsin snow covered 5/12 pitch for reference.


texts:
Just curious, was looking at the current state of our shower drain pipe and noticed it looks terrible (corroded).

Is this any need of concern? We were thinking about renovating in a few years or so.

If it should be replaced, would this be a large job?

Thanks!


texts: Can you disconnect and reconnect a gas flex pipe?

texts:
I installed a new dryer last week and, in doing so, purchases a new flex pipe as they say you should never re-use the old one.

I now need to make some adjustments to the flooring so need to pull the dryer out fully and to do that, I need to disconnect the flex pipe.

Can I disconnect then reconnect when done?

I assume I can, but you are nearly always told to always use a new flex pipe every time you're doing a new install. I assume that's to just not use a decade-old pipe rather than the fact that they can't be reused at all.

(These seems like a dumb question now that I read it outloud...)


texts: I over-fertilized my lawn. Now what do I do?

texts: So, I screwed up, and put too much turf fertilizer on my lawn. It's not completely brown/dead, but there are some pretty significant patches. Is there any way to recover from this? Or is my only option to till the soil and put down new seed?


texts: How can I safely put a plug on an old furnace motor that has just two wires

texts: My Old furnace motor has just 2 wires, Black and white. How can I safely put a plug on it to use it? I want it to power a chicken plucker.


texts: No hot water in faucet where return line for recirculating pump is installed

texts: Just had a recirculating pump installed. I have only a trickle of hot water at the single handle control faucet where the return line is attached when I turn off the cold water supply. What could be the cause? Is the faucet bad or do we need some kind of valve? Cold water mixes at the faucet and sends cold down the return line no matter if pump is on or not.


texts: Two mysterious white thermostat wires in an unfinished wall outlet near the floor -- what?

texts:
About 10 years ago, our house's builder added a small room above the garage. Since they left in a rush, they left an unfinished wall outlet located 1' above the floor.

For 10 years, we ignored it. Today, I got curious and realized they're not power wires, but two identical white wires labelled as:

CAROL 20 AWG TYPE CL2 E60233-LN

From Google, these are thermostat wires! But, our other thermostats (one on each floor, including this one) use 4-6 wires, of all different colors, not two identical white wires. And, this thermostat would be 1' above the floor: not too ideal.

Are these actually thermostat wires?
Any reason why thermostat wires would be low to the ground?
Any way to determine what exactly this thermostat would control? This floor already has its own thermostat.

We had noticed this room has poor temperature control (always 20F higher or 20F lower than all other rooms); we just assumed it was poor insulation. Could these weird thermostat wires be the missing link?


texts: 3-wire dryer plug with mismatched voltages

texts:
Just moved into a house built in the 1950s and, I discovered that one of the hot prongs for my dryer plug is giving me 120VAC (A in picture) and one is giving me 60VAC (B in picture).

In addition, prong A (I believe this is the red wire) is just a single, solid copper wire while prong b (black wire) and the neutral (white wire) are both copper strands. I realize this setup is not correct, but I'm wondering what specifically needs to be fixed. Is this something I need an electrician for?


texts: How do I properly wire this outdoor junction box?

texts:
I have an outdoor junction box mounted on a 4x4 wood post containing the wiring for an underwater light in a pond, an underwater light in a spa, and two GFCI outlets.  Unfortunately, the box was installed 12" from the ground but due to the fact that the post is "downhill" from the pond, it is not high enough from the water level so water in the pond light conduit (which I gather is normal) will reach the box when the pond floods.  This has only happened once but it shorted everything out and needs to be repaired if North TX gets another season of pouring rain.  There is room to move the box high enough on the post to meet code.  However, an electrician came out to repair the outlets, saw water in the light conduits and drilled holes at ground level to let the water out.  Now, the Koi pond drains into the yard.  He also moved wires around so the two underwater lights no longer work.  I think I can carefully cut the pvc conduit below the electrician's drainage holes and install a new junction box and conduit at a more appropriate height without too many issues.  However, the wiring has me confused.

There are three runs of conduit entering the box.  Two hold only the wire (black, white, green) from an underwater light.  The third conduit has a black and white wire feeding the GFCI plugs (they are wired together and work properly) and a green grounding wire.  There is a red wire attached to a black wire on the spa light and a red wire attached to a black wire on the pond light.  The two white neutrals from each light are attached to each other.  There is a white wire capped on it's own and a yellow wire with another cap on it's own.  Then, there is a third red wire taped to a white wire just tucked in there…no cap.

I think the issue might be that the neutral wires from the lights are only attached to each other.  Shouldn't they also be attached to a neutral going back to the circuit breaker box?  (The box shuts off with a double breaker switch - two switches with a bar attached so they act as one).  Does it make sense that the lone white capped wire is the neutral that I need?  Any idea what the yellow wire is for?

]1


texts:
I'm putting together a greenhouse that will have 2 X 1000L water tanks (IBC tanks). I've painted them black to absorb heat from the sun during the day. The goal is a 4-season greenhouse that won't freeze in winter.
However, in the winter, I am concerned that the tanks might freeze over. The greenhouse area is 10' X 13' and its height is 8'. The walls are polycarbonate (6mm thick), and assume that it is completely sealed without air-gaps.
The goal is to minimize electricity usage. Aquarium heaters unfortunately heat to 20C at minimum so this would be inefficient. I only need to prevent freezing (but can't add salt as the water will be used for plant irrigation).
Given my latitude of 43°N (Niagara region), will I need active heating, and what do you recommend (type and wattage)?
What I've looked at :

aquarium heaters (submersible type)
this type of heater : https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B000HHSI1E

Also, the 2 tanks are connected to each other on the bottom via hoses -- will the hoses need to be insulated?
+++ Addendum : the tanks are INSIDE the greenhouse.
Appreciate any advice! Hopefully not an overly-expensive solution.
Thanks,
Gene


texts: Is flexible gas pipe safe to use for main or long runs?

texts:
The house we purchased is a "tear-down". A builder bought the older structure, partially tore it down and built a bigger house on the old footprint.  A lot of the original gas piping is still in the basement.  However, for all of the new runs, they used that yellow flexible gas piping.  This includes the main run up to the furnace in the attic, as the house is 2-zone heat & ac.

Articles like this one get me a bit concerned.  In your experience, how safe & resilient is flexible gas tubing?  What if anything do I need to be concerned about?  How do I protect myself and family if the integrity of any of this gas tubing were to be compromised?


texts: Is it a good idea to wrap a water heater in insulation?  Does it lower the heating cost?  Does it shorten the life of the water heater?


texts: Filling the seams at butt joins for a perfect paint finish (how do i?)

texts:
Hello I make a lot of boxes and do not have the facilities for mitered edges,

I always have a visible seam when I make a butt join.
I fill it with fine crack filler and it seems to shrink into the seam as it dries, and when I sand it back it is always apparent after painting plus it roughs up the particle boards finish around it.
This is "no shrink filler".

I have been looking for some kind of high build primer or something more thin to fill the scratches and seams, any hints for me?


texts: How can I tell if there is brick behind plaster on a fireplace?

texts: We have a 1952 home with a fireplace in it (original to home).  There is brick around the opening of the fireplace, then a wooden frame and then plaster about 8" past the wood frame and back about 8" to the wall.  It goes up about 8" to the small wooden mantel and then appears to have plaster up to the ceiling from the mantel but that is only about 2.5" thick.   Is there a way to tell if there is brick behind the plaster?


texts: Only 64 volts across the bathroom heater? What gives?

texts:
In the bathroom, the vent-fan ceiling heater and light are all on the same hot wire. However, there are only 64 volts across the brian heater--which does not work. However the light and fan works fine.

How do I troubleshoot this problem?


texts: How do I attach plywood over 2" x 6" deck boards in preparation for a waterproof cover?

texts:
My two decks (12'x26' and 12'x14') are in good shape. Minor rot has been repaired.

I am applying 5/8" Tongue & Groove plywood over the 2x6 deck board as a base for 68 mil vinyl covering.
I know I need to align the plywood end butts solidly on the 2x6, but I am not sure of the size of the end gap, 1/8"?

I am also unsure of the spacing of the deck screws that I will be using to secure the plywood to the 2x6. I believe 12" spacing may be adequate on both the edge and the field of the plywood?

Deck specs:

Joists are 2x8 on 16" centers and running perpendicular to the house, the gaps
between the 2x6s range from 1/8 to 1/4".
The long side of the deck is fastened securely to the house with a ledger board and hangers.
The outboard deck supports are 3-2x10s fastened together, with those being supported by
6x6 posts on concrete pillars.
There is appropriate grade away from the house.

I was finally able to get in touch with the manufacturer.
mfarver, they echoed your comments and also told me to leave 1/16 between the butt ends of the plywood.


texts: This is the wiring of my Honeywell T8411R. I noticed my room was not warming up. I moved the switch to Em.Heat and still no warm air blowing in ducts. I would like to test if my thermostat is sending signals. How do I do that with the given wiring configuration? My fan is working. How do I first test with Emergency Heat? I have split system.


texts:
I just moved into a new (to me) home. There are these two devices, one on the wall about a foot off the floor and another on the ceiling in the kitchen eating area. A small red light comes on behind the plate when there is a noise. What are they?
Thanks. enter image description here


texts: OLD Am Standard tank valve repair/replacement?

texts:
I have an old American Standard toilet and there is a slow leak between the tank and the bowl.  I replaced the N-3055 feather valve and the slow leak remains. The metal seat feels smooth but looks like it might have tiny nicks or corrosion.  Since it was not leaking before I changed the feather valve, I am thinking that the replacement feather valve was old and warped.  (I bought the replacement from a plumbing store on ebay.)

Should I buy another feather valve from another plumbing supply store?

Should I replace the metal seat (which would be a bit of a pain, and I do not know how to replace it).

Is there a replacement kit that would take care of my problem with minimal effort?

Thanks.


texts: How do I size a wall sleeve for a through-the-wall air conditioner?

texts:
We are shopping for a through-the-wall air conditioner.  We do not currently have a hole in the wall with a sleeve in it.  We are trying to figure out what sleeve to buy.

The air conditioner we like is this Keystone KSTAT12-1A sold at Walmart.  It's 20.25" deep but according to the manual 1.75" of that is the "front" part which is meant to stick out into the room.  Does that mean that I need a sleeve that is at least 18.5" deep or can I use a less-deep sleeve and have more of the unit stick out into the room?

I clipped this information from the manual.

It lists many sleeves that are less deep than 18.5".  So either it's OK to install this unit in a less-deep sleeve, or this is one of those pages which goes in every manual and you're supposed to make assumptions based on which model you bought.  Having never done this before and trying to read a very poorly-written manual I am not able to decide which of these reasons is the right one.

The real reason I'm asking is that the price difference is pretty big.  The Fedders sleeve that is 19 3/4" deep is commonly called the "Fedders B" sleeve and runs about $150.  The Sears/Kenmore/Carrier sleeve that is 18 5/8" deep is often called the "Carrier 51S" model and seems to be discontinued.  The next largest is a Fridgidaire EA108T which is 18" that sells on Amazon for $76.  So assuming it's OK for the sleeve to be less deep than the AC we can save 50% on the Fridgidare compared to the Fedders.

After making these purchases I am going to hand off the job to a handyman friend of the family, so I'm not seeking advice about the install.  I just want to make sure he has compatible AC and sleeve!


texts: Replacing light bulb in an external light

texts:
I recently moved into a new rental house, and we have a porch light by the front door. It hasn't worked since we moved in, so I'd like to replace the light bulb which is completely enclosed by a glass cover, as shown below.

I'm assuming that the cover should unscrew, but try as I might (even wearing rubberised gloves for extra grip) I've not been able to remove it. I don't want to use excessive force, for fear of breaking the light fitting.

Can anyone suggest how I might remove the cover?


texts: Need help finding washing machine terminal

texts:
I have a Whirlpool washing machine, model WTW5700SW0.  The lid switch (part WP8318084) is partially burnt and melted, so I'm going to replace it.  I also need to replace the wiring harness connector that attaches to the lid switch because it started to melt and one of the terminals is burnt.  After a lot of searching, I found part WP2172937, which is the plastic connector, but it doesn't come with the terminals that fit inside it.  Those terminals are apparently part number WP352088, but that part has been discontinued and I can't find it in stock anywhere.

I need help finding a suitable terminal to use instead of WP352088.  What should I look for?  I know I can buy a whole new wiring harness, but I really don't want to spend $150 when I just need to replace one connector.


texts:
Planning on laying tile in our house. We're putting down cement backer board, and then ceramic tile. The tiles are 7in x 20in.

My question is, should the tiles be placed so they are perpendicular with the floor joists, or can they be laid parallel to the joists?


texts: How close can a deck post footing be to a retaining wall?

texts: How deep does a deck post footing need to be if it’s directly behind a retaining wall?


texts:
I suspect it refers to the fabric type, but what do shops mean when they refer to "sheer" blinds as opposed to "daylight" ones?  Here's an example of two similar blinds with these fabrics:

Sheer | Daylight

The "daylight" one looks whiter, but they are not described as "beige" and "white"; is there some other difference in the two fabrics?


texts: R-value for insulating a vaulted ceiling?

texts: We're building a finished shed in Austin, TX with drywall and HVAC. It will also have several huge double-paned windows. I think we'll be going with R-13 for the walls. It's generally suggested to use R-30 here for attics, but our shed has a vaulted ceiling, so no attic. Should I still use R-30 because of sun exposure? Do the windows make the rest of it kinda moot?


texts: How to make a PVC pipe coming out of drywall pretty?

texts:
Is there a standard methodology for things like this? 1 1/2" PVC pipe for a sink drain.

I came across ABS Plastic Round Escutcheon Plate but it seems like home improvement stores don't carry these? Is there a more typical method? Do people just usually mud them in or use gap filler? (image at the bottom)

Same question for the flexible metal hose inlets. Yes, all of this is visible from the living area. Also anyone know if it's safe to scrape/sand off the purple stuff where it's exposed? I assume it's PVC glue/sealer?

Thank you!

.


texts:
Im finalizing my plumbing for my workshop, I've got a 3" main drain and planned 3" wet vent for the plumbing.  The sketch is my current plan.  The lowest two "entrances" on the stack had to be reducing combo sweeps in order to clear the purlins and stay low to the slab; though I suspect santitary-tees would be called out if it was a continuous 2" pipe meeting a 2" pipe.
So my question is:  have I selected the two red long sweep wyes correctly?  Side to side this whole contraption is about 12', so it is very tight. Blue represents 3" ABS, Black 2" and green is 1.5" primarily for vents.  The Dual-sanitary Tee in the middle can have a vent line tied back to the main stack if that is required,  but it is not shown and otherwise it will be caped.  It sits about 1 foot from the stack.
(Image updated to draw P-Traps correctly and NOT S Traps)


texts: Can a slab under load be concrete jacked or otherwise supported without taking down the wall?

texts:
I have an issue with soil erosion below the front corner of my garage floor which has caused a crack to form and a piece of the slab (~4sq.ft) to sink.
This in turn is affecting the portion of the outside wall which is supported by the area to sink/lean.

The garage was built by previous owners and is a simple concrete-block wall with a brick veneer on the outside.  The part of the front wall that is currently sitting on the cracked piece is only about 3' but I imagine it's likely that the void underneath is larger.

I'm currently reading up on concrete jacking, but am worried about the additional load of the wall on the slab. I know that it's typically recommended to wait 24h before driving on a jacked slab, so would the  concrete jacking process have enough pressure to fix my situation?

If there's another approach that I might be missing, I'm also open to suggestions.


texts: What size ratchets do I need to assemble some new equipment?

texts:
I recently purchased a power rack and various other bits and pieces for the home gym. In the instruction manual the nuts and bolts on the hardware list state the following sizes:

1/2" × 3 - 1/2"
1/2" × 16t

I'm about to go and purchase a ratchet set toolbox, but don't want to spend a ridiculous amount; on top of that I need to make sure I buy the correct sized ratchet set.

What should I be looking for? I was in Screwfix earlier and the lady didn't know what I was on about; then I took a trip to Halfords and didn't know what to buy. I have a bag full of tools but can't access it at the moment.

I was thinking of getting some pieces to add onto the drill and use the drill to tighten the bolts, but I don't want to round them off.


texts: I'm under mounting a sink to a slab of granite and there many different brands of epoxy. Is one better for this type of job?


texts: Should a light tunnel be positioned facing east or west?

texts: I want to install a light tunnel to increase the light in my kitchen. Above this room there is a roof with one side facing east and the other side facing west. Would I get more light from a light tunnel fitted to an east or west facing roof?


texts: how to find out if wall is plaster, wood or drywall?

texts:
I want to install blinds in my kitchen.

However, I can't figure out if the wall is wood or plaster.

I need to know this before starting to drill because the holding mechanism for the blinds, it can't take screws with the plastic caps. The screw holes are too narrow to fit the screws inside the plastic.

So how do I find out if the wall is wood or plaster or dry wall or something.


texts: Can <1% asbestos vermiculite be removed yourself?

texts:
As the title says, I'm looking to remove vermiculite from an attic that's been tested as having less than 1% asbestos.

The rest of the house has been tested and contains no asbestos.  It's just in the attic.  I understand that in most places, <1% would mean it's technically not an Asbestos Containing Material (ACM) and could be removed by a layperson. However, here in BC, vermiculite specifically is considered an ACM no matter what.

It being considered an ACM in BC but nowhere else isn't relevant per se, since it's legal for a layperson to remove most ACM in BC.  However, I want to remove it so I'm not affecting resale value.

Can this be done yourself with adequate PPE and a 0.3 micron vacuum, since the concentration is so low?  Or should I fork out for professional removal. Since I'll be saving ~$18,000 by doing it myself, I want to be damn sure there's a legitimate risk and not just a knee-jerk reaction to the word asbestos.

Thanks!


texts:
I've made an outdoor cabinet out of cedar. I like the natural look, but I used various other wood species like white oak as "moulding" and am thinking I would like a uniform look.

I would like the cedar to last as it will be outside all the time (in Florida).

I take it the order of operations is to stain then seal. I've never stained anything before, is there anything I should look out for? Anything I should take in to account to minimize the maintenance (re-sealing) of the cedar. Product recommendations are welcome if you have any.


texts: What is the name of insect in linked photo and how we can kill it in easy way


texts: Can I build a wooden floor over an occasionally moist garage slab with a drain?

texts:
I would like to install a subfloor in my garage and turn it into an office.
The floor is slanted all towards the middle where there is a drain.
There has never been any water (that I've seen in the last 5 years anyway) come out of it. However, sometimes, when it rains VERY HARD there is a little bit of water infiltration beneath my garage door.

My question is
- Can I build a sub floor over top of that? Do i need to leave access to the drain? should i be worried about the minimal water infiltration (we're talking about 2-3 cups of water)


texts: Should I install a floating engineered wood floor over my particle underlayment floor

texts: I currently going to install a floating engineered wood flooring. The existing flooring consists of 3/4" plywood and a 1/2" particle board on top of the plywood. There's currently carpet on top of the particle board. My question is should I install the floating engineered wood of top of the particle board (as the particle board is in great shape) or should I remove the particle board? It looks like the particle board is glued to the plywood and might be a big mess to get out.


texts: Is it safe to cut and put a compression end on a live cable TV wire?

texts:
Just moving into a new US location. The location has both Verizon and Comcast available. I am trying to use Comcast. The Verizon installer appears to have cut the Comcast cable that went to an interior wall cable plate, and then ran the other end into the FIOS ONT box's coaxial connection.  The Comcast "Live" end is still hanging in the closet. Ideally I would like to put an male compression coaxial end onto that live cable and then use a cable extension adapter to join the cable back into one cable. This move allowing the flexibility to choose between FIOS or Xfinity as desired.

Is it safe to cut and crimp and put a compression end onto the cable that is going to Comcast's network or would re-cutting the presumably live cable, cause issues with Comcast's network equipment. This seems like an easy job, just not sure about the wiring, most of the cables I have crimped were not actually connected to anything while being made. Is this a case where I should just contact Comcast so they can disconnect and re-wire as needed?


texts: What does "Range" Mean in Electrical Circuits?

texts:
The switching have been tripping a lot at my apartment, sometimes an entire wall is completely powerless, but the rest of the rooms are just fine.

Usually, I just need to turn the switch off and on to regain electricity in that area of the house.

There are a few things, though, that I don't understand about the circuit shown below:

For example, I don't know what "Range" means, I know that "GFI" means Ground Fault Interrupter, but I don't know if it helps at all to turn the switch on/off

Any clarification will be greatly appreciated!


texts: How can I turn off the power so I can safely replace a fixture?

texts:
I have old outdoor spotlight near door that needs fixture replaced.  How do I shut electricity off to the fixture?  My fear is, I will be electrocuted.  :)

Any help appreciated.


texts: How can I wire 3 Lutron Caseta dimmer switches in bathroom?

texts:
I went to install 3 caseta luton dimmer switches in my bathroom, and found that I don’t understand the existing wiring which has a bank of 4 switches.

There are two dimmers and two on/off switches.

dimmer - controls a bank of overhead LED lights
dimmer - controls a second bank of overhead LED lights
on/off switch controls pendant lights over bathtub
on/off switch controls a fan over shower (that I don't want to touch)

I want to install the dimmers in #1-3, and leave the on/off for the fan alone. The issue is that their doesn’t seem to be any ground wires attached to the existing switches. The lutron dimmers are very simple, one green wire for ground and two black wires that usually connect to either existing wire, but the existing set up is confusing.

I’m hoping that someone might be able to clear this up for me. I’ve added two photos with description.

is a Leviton P2W for first bank of overhead LED lights. Red wire (a) goes into the box, 2nd red wire (b) is dead (tag says use for 3-way switches), green wire (c) for ground? is cut off, black wire (d) is connected to black wire in #2 and #3 with orange connector (e)
is a Leviton P2W for 2nd bank of overhead LED lights. Red wire (f1) connects to black wire (f3) with orange connector (f2), then goes into box. 2nd red (below picture) is dead like #1. black wire (g)  is joined with orange connector (e) to black wire from #1, and black wire from #3.
is a leviton on/off switch for pendant lights over bath tub. the black wire (h) goes to box, black wire on lower screw (i) goes to orange connector with #1 & #3, and 3rd black wire (j) comes from middle of switch, and goes to the middle of #4 switch.
(see second photo) is a leviton on/off switch for the fan over the shower. black wire on top (k) screw goes to box, two black wires (L) on bottom screw, both go into box, 4th black wire (m) goes from middle of switch and connects to middle of switch on #3.


texts: I recently applied a varathane bar and table finish to a desk of mine. It said it would be ready to touch after eight hours and fully cured after seventy two hours. its been three days and its still sticky. How do I change that, or make it not sticky?


texts: Leakage in my pipes, how to densify/seal?

texts:
I've never built with pipes before so maybe I'd need some general advice regarding leakage. On a specific note, I've built a system (see picture) where it leaks practically everywhere. I've sealed it with NASTRO P.T.F.E tape on some places where it seems to work. I've screwed the pipe parts very hard so it shouldn't leak but it does.. a lot. It seems unreasonable that I need to use NASTRO tape everywhere. How do professionals do it? My bathrooom pipes doesn't have any tape, what are they doing differently?

Edit (25th of march):


texts: Shower floods behind the wall. on pre-formed shower/bath and ONLY when the shower is turned on

texts:
No previous leaks were found, but one morning the kitchen floor (on the other side of the bathroom wall) flooded when the shower was turned on. It's a high-usage shower, used for a minimum of 2-3 showers a day. Suddenly it just started flooding, but the bath is not showing any signs of a leak.

What is the most likely issue? Could it be the pipe above the faucet?


texts:
Chainsaw manufacturers recommend "draining the carburetor" before putting the chainsaw into storage for a period of disuse. This would seem to be a good idea as otherwise the fuel could damage the seals in the carburetor.

How do you drain a carburetor?


texts: Removing some rotted wood above a window bay caused more destruction than would have been desired, and am hoping for some advice on how best to repair the holes in the plaster.


texts: How Can I Attach a Box to an inside wall that will the hide internet router without damaging the wall?

texts:
I have a series of cables and an internet router on the floor of my apartment, like this:

I would like to attach a box to the wall that will hide all of this, and tuck the wireless router inside it. I'm not allowed to drill into the wall because this is a rented apartment.The box will have to have a small rectangular cut-out to accommodate the incoming cable from above.  Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you,

April


texts: Use existing cat6 wiring in apartment for data

texts:
We just moved into an apartment that has cat6 wiring, with 2 available jacks in 3 separate locations.  There is a service box where cable comes in (I have cable internet) and a board that distributes cat6 cabling to all 3 locations.  The board is a Suttle SAM-V8.
My current setup is cable modem and a ubiquiti edge router.  Currently I have internet plugging in directly to the edge router - no issues there.
My question is how can I tie into the wiring that is distributed to the jacks in the apartment.
I know how to create my own patch cables based on the T568A and T568B standard and it doesn't look like these cat6 cables are wired according to these standards.

Does this current setup support data?
There is a line in on the Suttle board, can I put an rj45 jack on the end and plug that into my router?
Do I have to rewire each of the 6 lines to an ethernet standard on the board?
Can I use this board or do I need to disconnect the lines and put an rj45 jack on the end and into my router?

I found this but I don't think it answers my questions.

How can I use the existing structured wiring panel to get internet throughout my house?

I've attached some pictures with annotations that I hope are helpful.  Thanks in advance for the feedback.


texts: How do I install a 1st floor bathroom fan?

texts:
My bathroom is on the first floor with a finished bedroom directly above and an unfinished basement directly below. It would appear to be easier to install a wall or floor fan and direct exhaust down and then out through basement wall (just above ground). I have read that moist air naturally rises so it is easier to vent up. However, are their any products to vent down?

The bathroom does have 2 external walls so it might also be possible to vent directly out through the wall. What are the drawbacks to that? How is that insulated?


texts: Is it possible to get gas to an island range?

texts:
First, all gas/electric will be done by a professional.

I have potentially the option to put a range in an island. I'm on a concrete slab. Can I build a raised floor and have the professional run the gas and electrical under it or is it much smarter to run the lines through the attic and down a decorative pillar?

I'd like to avoid channeling the concrete if possible.


texts:
I bought a portable ac for my garage. It comes with a 6 inch hose.
I want to bore a hole thru the conderblock wall. But a 6in hole just seems too massive. I don’t want to destroy my house.  I would rather do a 4 inch hole just for the 12 inches to go thru the wall.
The ac will be about 10 inches from the wall with a 6inch pipe, then go to a reducer to make it a 4 inch pipe for another 12 inches thru the wall and out of the house.
Would I have problems here.
The original poster here talked about going 6 to 3.  6 to 4 is a 33% reduction in the cross sectional area of the hose. But it will go thru a smooth metal pipe as opposed to the extendable plastic hose that has the ridges in it and I’m sure disrupts the smooth flow of air.


texts: What is the proper way to protect electrical wires in an iron pipe lamp?

texts:
I'm building 10 foot tall steampunk chandelier. It will look similar to the this

The electrical wire is going to be fed down through the top of the chandelier and to each light bulb. All the terminations and wire splicing will be done in the junction box on the top of the chandelier.

Question

What is the code compliant way to protect the electrical wire withing the iron pipe?
Would running the electrical wire in a Braided Cable Sleeve, like the following properly protect the wire and be code compliant?


texts: Recommened nailing schedue for cripple studs between header and top plate

texts: I have a 2x6 header for a window in a remodel with approx 5" long cripples between the header and top plate.  What is the preferred nailing schedule for the attaching the cripple studs to the top plate and header per the IRC?  Its obviously a little tight and I'd prefer just to toenail 2 8D common nails if possible (one into the header and the other into the top plate)


texts:
I'm installing a new bath fan and the old fan had dual wall switches with wiring  like so: (One switch turned on/off the light and the other switch turned on/off the fan)

The new fan has a single switch (with buttons) that looks like so:

I cannot, for the life of me, figure out how to wire up the new switch. Help? Please?

The bath fan model is Home Netwerks Model # 7130-02-BT BUT the official instructions/installation video uses a different model with a rheostat and yellow wires. The instructions that came with imply that I should already have 2 blacks, a white and a green


texts: How do I get a lawnmower in and out of an old barn?

texts:
I have a barn/large coup built in the 1890s in my back yard.  It's foundation is just a 3 foot deep concrete pour around the perimeter.  Later they filled half of it with concrete on half the floor.

The problem I am having is that poured floor is about 10-12 inches below the perimeter lip.  The perimeter lip however is just a couple inches higher than the grass around it.

So I could get my riding lawnmower in the barn, but it will be a pain in the ass getting it out.  What are some options that I have to deal with this?

Update: To some questions -

Ramp?  Well yea but that section of barn is only like 10 feet deep and with a deep ramp will barely have enough room to park mower.
I will get a pic.  Laid up with foot injury.
There are two small doors on opposite sides of the barn.  They are about 30" wide.  The concrete foundation is only flat with the inside floor for these two doors and then curves up.  My riding lawnmower will need about 60" to get in.
barn has never had a drop of water in it.
I also haven't figured out the door.  It will either be two swinging doors latched or a couple of doors sliding together.  Security isn't a big concern.  We live in a nice area and taking anything from this barn would mean moving it 200 yards and going past my house and a neighbor's.  Really waiting on how I am getting the lawnmower out before I do this.
I have thought about providing an outside addition or roof but would like to keep elements out of mower.


texts: Is one failed test enough evidence to replace an RCBO?

texts:
The consumer unit in my shed (in the UK) has an RCBO.

I pushed the test button and the breaker did not trip.

I then reset and rearmed the breaker using the lever. It now trips every time I push the test button.

Is that one failed test enough evidence that I need to have the RCBO replaced if I want reliable RCD protection?

(Put another way, how likely are residual current devices to develop intermittent faults, where they trip sometimes but not always?)


texts: Is there anything I can use to remove gorilla glue from hardwood?

texts: I have a very thin layer and some thicker blotchy spots on some steps and was curious how or what I could use to remove it?


texts:
I have a Husqvarna gas-powered weed whacker.  Starting late last season, it tends to die when given full throttle.  Now, it will start when on full choke or half choke, but once I put it in normal operating mode (after warmup) it dies.

It's using gasoline that has the oil mixed in, but the gasoline is rather old.  Could that be a factor?

Is there something I can do to fix this myself?


texts: How to wire/replace this bathroom light switch?

texts:
I have a motion sensor switch controlling bathroom light and a single pole switch controlling exhaust fan in the same box. I want to replace the motion sensor switch with a single pole switch.
Below is a link to the picture that shows how the wiring looks like in the box:

Basically, I have total 3 entry/exit points.
White wires on all 3 are connected together.
Ground wires on all 3 are connected together.
Black wire from entry point 1 goes to a splitter input.At the output of splitter 1 black wire goes to a wire connector where the black wire from motion switch is connected. 2nd output of splitter is a black wire that goes to the bottom screw on single pole switch.
There is a red wire that goes to a wire connector where the black wire from entry/exit point 2 is connected.
The top screw on single pole switch is connected to a black wire that goes to the exit point 3.

So, now I want to replace the motion switch with single pole switch. How do I alter this wiring to put single pole switch?


texts: Seized in and sheered off with limited options

texts:
Group,
  To put my situation into perspective:
I'm working on an electric motor. This motor contains a few semisensitive (temperature wise) sensors near the  power box. I have an approximately 4-5 inch long, approximately 3/8s bolt that is seized in pretty well. It's sat in pb blaster for probably a week or two prior to attempted extraction and with just a little oomph sent the head snapping off. Welding a nut onto it is not an option, same with cutting it, due to the fact the shaft is about 1/8th an inch inside of the threaded hole.  Due to the nature of the environment (gasses, oils, etc) as well as the tolerance of the sensor and components torching it is limited to almost entirely out. Moving it out of its location, because it's a pump motor, is also out of the question. The bolt in question is an original one, not quite so rusty (visibly) and feels like rather soft. Or at least, the exposed part was.

I've heard and had the horror stories with ez puts and with left handed drill bits so I'm quite apprehensive (read: terrified) to try to go through that(a second time). I have begin the slow and tedious process of drilling the hole out and was putting a thought together:

Do you think I would have any luck drilling it out, putting threads in the inside of it, and then using a slightly smaller bolt with jb weld on the threads and then trying to impact drill it off once cured and re-doused with pb?