texts: Is there a practical, inexpensive way to track power usage by source?

texts:
My electric bills have been extremely high for the past year or so.  We recently finished an entire basement, put in a heated pool, installed a year-round heated spa, bought (and sold) an electric car, and switched from a gas water tank to an electric on-demand water heater.  There are many possibilities as to what's causing the increase, but far too much noise from everything happening at once to logic it out.  There is also a possibility that I'm wasting power somewhere unnecessary, since by all my calculations we still shouldn't be using this much.

I have seen "home energy monitor" devices that hook up to the fuse panel.  However, these are very expensive ($300-$500), and even more so once you factor in the cost of an electrician for installation ($100+).  I've also seen varying reports of success with them.

Is there a way using more common or inexpensive tools to accomplish something similar?  Some way to track usage by device or room at the fuse panel?  Tracking individual outlets is not a solution as I expect the largest energy consumers are not plugged into standard outlets.


texts: GFCI plug tripping from a refrigerator that is plugged in last on the line

texts: I finished my basement that was roughed in 10 years ago and found out that my refrigerator plug is on the end of the GFCi line of plugs. There is only one GFCi plug nearest to the box that feeds the line of plugs to the refrigerator. When I plugged in my older refrigerator it tripped the GFCi plug. How do I make the plug that the refrigerator plugs into at the end of the line a non-GFCi?  If I put that one gfci plug on the line only,  would I then install a GFCI plug all the way down to the fridge and they will still be GFCI covered?


texts: How does an illuminated switch light up without a neutral

texts:
There are some illuminated switches that operate without a neutral. For a lamp that is lit when the switch is ON, I can envision a circuit diagram that has the switch lamp in series with the switched circuit. But this would create significant additional resistance in the current flowing through the line to the main load. If the switch is parallel to the line, virtually no current should flow since the resistance to the lamp is so much higher than the completed switch circuit.

For switch lamps lit in the OFF position, a switch lamp in series would allow a trickle of current through the actual load, causing a dim glow in a fixture or some current in a motor.  This seems wrong.

How do no-neutral illuminated switches work?


texts: AC issues / Insulation of vaulted ceiling

texts:
Issue: If it's hot outside, ~90F, house temperature can't get below 79F.

Background: 6 year old house, vaulted ceiling with 1 ceiling fan in family room where thermostat is (also 3 large windows, with wood blinds). I finished the basement this winter and added return & a couple of registers (new pipe ran off of unit). I've since covered these & removed the added pipe with cardboard and metal tape (seems to have sealed pretty good).  The heat wasn't an issue a few years ago but has steadily gotten worse.

Had AC guy out, he refilled the Freon (a little low) and took temperature of attic (no vaulted ceilings) and said it looked right. Said to not run the fan and issue was vaulted ceilings might not have enough insulation.  Not running the fan does seem to help but still can't get temperature down (when temps ~85, weren't able to get below 77, now able to) .

What kinda options do I have?  Can I insulate the windows with something? Is there a way to get more insulation into the vaulted ceilings. Is it time to get a bigger compressor?


texts: Why does a USA/Canada surge-protected extension lead (110V) trip my circuit breakers in the UK (220V)?

texts:
I moved from Canada to the UK and for convenience I would like to use some of my Canadian aquired extension leads (for light power items such as ethernet switches).

Problem is that the surge-protected extension leads seem to always trip my circuit breaker, so this pretty much means I cannot use them.

However I am not satisfied to just accept this fact without knowing why.

So I'd appreciate if some knowledgeable electrician would be able to explain to me why a surge-protected extension lead designed for the USA/Canada (110V) trips my UK circuit breakers on 220V.


texts: Do NEC receptacle spacing rules apply to solid (half-wall) banisters

texts: I have a solid banister over my stairs. If it counts as a wall per NEC, then it needs an outlet. I can't find the reference in NEC defining a wall. Anybody know if this counts?


texts: Advantages of spray vs roller system for painting a flat

texts:
I'm getting ready to start renovating an old flat, which for some time had subtenants, then some friends living in it for some time, then subtenants again and so on... It is not in a bad condition, just requires some freshing up - walls painting, some floor renovations (ok, this will probably wait), replacement of electrical sockets, that kind of thing...

My question is with regards to wall painting. So far I've always painted walls with rollers. Nowadays I see on the web, that spray systems also exist that seem to result in a nicer job.

I'm interested, what would be the advantages of such systems over roller application of paint, and is it worth it? I'm interested in painting the walls in a nice white, but would like to get a relatively "smooth" (fine) finish, not something rough.


texts:
I live in a residential unit in Oakland, CA and I am curious what the rules are about grounded outlets.

Is grounded power required?
My outlets are 3-prong and an outlet tester reads that there is an open ground.  This must be a violation of code (and dangerous), but my question would be whether the required solution is for the landlord to simply put 2-prong fittings on the outlets?  If so this would not allow for me to have grounded power, right?


texts: Three fluorescent lights in my garage just stopped working. So here's the set-up: 2 switches, 3 fluorescent lights. Switch 1 has hot wire, travelers go to switch 2, switch 2 feeds all three lights. I am getting current to switch 1. I have changed out both switches, double and triple checked the way they are wired. I even put in a single pole at switch 1, and nutted the wires at switch 2 (tried each traveler pair) still no light. Checked all three lights to make sure connections in fixtures had not worked loose. Everything okay. What am I missing?


texts: What type of floor drain is this and can I connect pipes to it?

texts:
Everything is fine with the drain, however there was some gunk left on this picture because no one used it for years and I was cleaning it up when I took the picture, here is my floor drain which was closed off with a cap:

I can't see what exactly happens, but first off this black plastic is not removable - it might be stuck with concrete in the floor. Anyways, the whole idea with this drain is that it's not going straight down to the sewer. First there is water that is always stuck in the larger basin, which drains into the smaller hole which ends up to a flat surface with a small circular 360* open, which then it might (I suppose) continue to the normal pipe, I draw a section view what I think happens here:

So what type of drain floor is this and can I connect bathtub drain pipes to it (although it is already narrow, short and I cannot use reducer).


texts:
I just moved to a house which was built in 1958 (almost 60 years ago).

One GFCI outlet has the indicator light on but no power when plug in appliance.
So I opened it and measured the voltage with a multimeter. It is very strange. See below diagram:

I guess A and B is input line whilst C and D is output line to other outlets.
When I measure it, I have removed the GFCI receptacle. Why A and D still has 5.5v?

And I didn't find ground line from the outlet.

If I connect A,B to LOAD and C,D to LINE of the GFCI receptacle my receptacle indicator light is on but recepacle itself is always off. When I press the reset/test button there is no effect.

I still cannot figure out what's wrong.


texts: How best to repair a cavity in the base of a retaining wall

texts:
I'm looking for some pointers on how best to go about repairing a hole and cavity in slate wall. The wall is the retaining wall at the rear of a house. Above and behind the wall there is a garden. The wall itself is about 10 feet high and is made of slate. There is quite a quantity of ground water that flows through the base of this wall. The previous owners had built a very poorly constructed extension and in the process they created quite a few holes in the walls.

The hole itself is about 2 feet in length and slopes backwards about 1 to 1.5 feet and reaches up behind the remaining stones. I have begun by built a reinforced concrete base to level the base of the cavity. I have embedded short sections of narrow pipe into this to provide drainage points. But I stuck as to how best to fill the cavity and build support back into the base of the wall.

Any help or pointers would be gratefully received.


texts: How can I cut a metal pipe while preserving the wires inside?

texts: I need to install a dishwasher with a solid bottom into this space, where this solid pipe (green rectangle above) is in the way. How would I remove the pipe, or at least make it level with the floor, while not damaging the wires inside the pipe?


texts: Why does a laundry drain need to be installed at a minimum height of 30"?

texts:
My laundry machine doesn't work properly in my new flat (the wash cycle never ends), and the instructions specify that the common cause of my problem is that the drain is too low (my drain is indeed at 15" above the machine bottom, whereas the instructions recommend 30").

I'm quite curious as to why this is the case; common sense dictates that too low a drain shouldn't be an issue, doesn't it?

Does somebody have an explanation for this requirement?


texts: Which type of paint would allow the easiest touch ups?

texts:
We rent out a flat and wish to be able to touch up the walls between tenants.    I have used paint from the same tin to do the touch-ups but it is lighter then the paint that has been on the walls for 3 years.   (The paint in the tin still looked OK after that time and had  not gone off.)

So what paint system can I use the next time I decorate so the paint will be easy to touch up without showing?

(We are in the UK if it makes a difference)


texts:
I've GE window AC 0.75 ton it has stopped cooling
I cleaned the nylon net properly with old tooth brush,it was totally blocked
Then I combed the metallic horizontal fin like structures which were behind the nylon net covering the twisted copper tube with same brush they were partially blocked
Further I combed and cleaned the same fin like structure which was out side
After some time I switched the AC On
I worked well
First it started blowing normal air
Then it clicked the compressor also but within 25/30 seconds compressor switched Off and again and AC started blowing only normal air
I then switched Off my AC and allowed to cool the machine
after 1 hour I repeted the same and the compressor switched Off again
Then I noticed that water has stopped dripping from outside also the water tray had very little water in it
I called the local machanic
He examined my AC and told that Gas is leaking from the thin tube comming out of compressor,it may have caused due to rubbing if that metal tube on body of compressor due to vibration
Further he pushed back the tube little bit to avoid contact with compressor body
He told me that he will try to weild that thin tube... but it may block the tube he will try it..if it ever get blocked we have to replace
(I felt his story professionally good but smelt some thing fishy in it..)
Many a time while browsing on NET I came across this sight..
So I am making it try today to ask my problem...
I hope I'll be satisfied
Thank you...


texts: How to lay laminate flooring against an exterior threshold

texts: I’m installing laminate flooring in my house and just got to my front door and realized the threshold won’t have molding on it. How is this normally handled? The transition pieces are only for interior doorways.


texts: Possible to install utility sink in this location?

texts:
We recently moved into a new (to us) house with an unfinished basement where I would like to install a utility sink.
Background:

All plumbing runs through the basement, adjacent to the area where I would like to install the sink
On site septic (fwiw)
Located in PA USA

As stated, all plumbing is near the proposed location (easy access to fresh water lines), but I'm not sure if it is feasible to tap into the drain line shown in the picture.
Note that the top of the drain where the straight edge is in the picture is about 23" above floor. Obviously to the right of the straight edge is a clean out (not in frame further right is another clean out & from there the drain turns and exits through the foundation).

If it matters, what I'm thinking of adding is something like these clips from an installation manual (EG: Mustee Utilatwin 22c):

Aside from not knowing where an acceptable place would be to tap into the drain, I also don't see anything in the install manual (for this particular sink) that indicates a drain height.

So, any particular guidelines on where in a drain setup like this it would be acceptable to add another drain connection?
Any experience indicating how high from the floor I should expect to make the drain connection at the sink (assuming there is anything approaching typical height for utility sinks, anything I can use to inform a purchase...)?


texts: Can you safely install high-pressure sodium wall packs indoors?

texts:
I really like the appearance of old street lights (the high-pressure sodium kind). To get the same effect indoors, I was thinking of getting an ordinary high-pressure sodium wall pack (like this one, but ideally at a lower wattage), wiring it appropriately, and mounting it to an interior wall of my apartment.
Is there any non-obvious reason why this is a bad idea? Is it a safety risk or a fire hazard to install HPS wall packs like this one indoors? Is whether I use a junction box relevant, and is a GFCI necessary?


texts:
A few days back, after I had finished work at my day job, I decided to pour a slab of concrete for my home's walkway, but did so hurriedly.

I had originally planned to do it later during the weekend, but I was anxious to beat the incoming rain, and head off any complaints from my partner about bags of concrete sitting around.

My first few pours, before my eyes had adjusted to the dark, were way too dry, but I brushed it off as better too little than too much water! I'm sure a few of my subsequent pours will have some extra water to donate.

Today, I stripped off the molds and my worries of too little water were validated. The top of the slab looks smooth, but the bottom layer looks a bit cratery.

Is there anything I can do to save the slab? Am I worried over nothing?


texts: Is it okay to install a 15A outlet on a 20A dedicated circuit for a dishwasher?

texts:
I am putting in a dishwasher and I have a dedicated 20A circuit (12/2, 20A breaker).
I have 15A outlet handy.
Is it okay to install it in this application?


texts: What should I do about walls that are shiny and dull at same time?

texts:
Can anyone give me some reliable, good advise on fixing my bedroom walls. There were a lot of flaws when we bought house. Previously was painted over paper backing, mudding without sanding, and  gouges in walls. So we washed walls down first then sanded rough areas and dusted off. Then we applied drywall mud to correct areas, getting a much smoother texture. We then damp mopped it and made sure clean and dry. We then primed it and painted 2 coats of paint. After finished we could see large areas where it looked like paint soaked in and had different look, so we mudded over it again in those areas and went through process again. While priming I had a bubble, even though we have let everything dry thoroughly. So I put slit in bubble, because it would push down. And when doing this everything was moving, so I figured I would pull out that spot and patch. When pulling the small section, the whole wall peeled off like vinyl wallpaper. Except some areas that looked as though it was glued on.

So we had to take it all off, and some went past drywall into paper. So again, we mudded walls. It seems that when we sand, we keep getting smooth shiny areas, and then rougher dull areas. So the texture is not consistent. Before I prime and paint again and go through this again, I want to make sure I'm not missing something. Can someone give me some advice on what to do? Since we have been working on these 2 walls since January, and it is now July.


texts:
I'm starting on a project that will involve digging a long (roughly 150-200 meter) trench from my house down to the road. The trench itself will be a considerable expense and so while the ground is open, I plan on laying additional conduit(s) containing any telecom links we may ever want, both for connecting to services currently available and ensuring we can use any services that might become available later. Currently only phone and cable are available at the road, but fiber-to-the-home has become available in other areas around us recently and I would hate to lose out by not being ready for it should it become available here.

Based on the distance, multimode fiber seems the best general option (vs CAT5/6 or singlemode fiber). POTS/DSL and cable are also available at the road currently.

To the specific questions:

Is MMF really the correct choice, vs SM fiber or CAT6? Should I run both MM and SM?
How many fiber lines is it reasonable to run for redundancy/backup? Should I include 2 or 3 lines from the outset?
Is it safe/reasonable to run fiber, coaxial cable and POTS all in the same conduit over this distance?
In principle, laying a second, empty, conduit with a strong comealong wire seems reasonable, but actually using it would certainly require a winch of some kind to pull it through over this distance, and I don't know if it is even practical. Any thoughts on this welcome.
What additional cabling besides fiber, POTS and coax should I consider for future proofing this run?

I've done in-premises CAT5 installs before and played with fiber a bit at work but am not a network engineer so I suspect there are some unknown unknowns and would appreciate any comments or insight you may have. Thanks.


texts: How to connect wifi thermostat with a boiler after cable upgrade?

texts:
I have an old battery operated thermostat right now with two wires (18/2) attached to it running to a boiler. No AC, fan, etc.-- just a boiler. I can easily replace the wire with 18/5 one, however I'm unsure how to later attach the wires inside the boiler and to then Honeywell wifi thermostat.

Wires inside the boiler:

The thermosat is a Honeywell RTH8580WF.


texts: How can I reinforce a piece of furniture to put an aquarium on it?

texts:
I'm planning to build an aquarium - 50 gallons. I estimate that it'll weight 550 pounds. It would be in the top of a cabinet... but the top of that cabinet is a suspended glass. It's similiar to this one but without the drawers.

How can i reinforce it using just glass, so it won't break when my aquarium gets filled with water, fishes, rocks and so on ?


texts: How can I add a single pole switch next to a 3-way switch?

texts: I currently have a 3-way circuit in the family room. I would like to install a 2 gang box @ one of the switch locations and add a single pole switch to control an exterior light. Can I wire the single pole off the 3-way switch, or do I need a separate power source?


texts:
I intend to use four eye screws, pictured, to hang a wood-framed mirror. The mirror is about 44"x32".

But installing four eye screws (two on the bottom, one on each side, with a cable running through them, finished with a pair of L-shaped 2" screws in a wall stud) makes me unsure the 4 eye screws would be reliable for the 20lb weight.

And so I'd like to use some kind of "platform", sort-of like the one pictured below, that attaches with four screws and that has built-in some kind of loop, similar to the eye screws. I'm guessing that 16 screws would be enough for twice the weight of the mirror—a good safety margin.

A cable wire would then wrap around the four connection points and provide good support. I'd turn the cable into a loop with the contraption pictured below.

What kind of "platform" do I need, and what kind of screws would work?

The solid-wood frame is just shy of 3/4" (17mm) thick, and the frame is of an unknown grain, as pictured below. The only constraint being, to state the obvious, the screws cannot protrude from the face of the frame.


texts: I would like to run an underground wire from my driveshed to my garage to run a 4800 watt construction heater. I think they draw 20-25 amps.  I don't have 220 in the garage. The distance is 200 ft. Is 10/2 UF wire heavy enough for that distance?


texts: Can I use a terminal wire kit meant for a dryer on an electric range stove?

texts:
So one of the terminal wires on my families range melted off (one of the
 black wires) which was probably caused by a loose connection and they ordered a terminal kit but apparently it's meant for dryers. https://www.whirlpoolparts.com/PartDetail/Terminal-Kit/279318/469513
It seems to be the same type of wire but it has screws where the rings/lugs are suppose to go. This is probably a stupid question but if I unscrew those and just leave the hole and inserted into the block, would that work? Would it be able to handle the load and create a tight connection? If not, could I remove those and put a lug on the ends instead? The electric range model is a whirlpool WFE505W0HZ1


texts: Why does my toilet not leave enough water in the bowl after flushing?

texts:
A little while ago I started having trouble with my toilet when flushing. It's flushing too much water, leaving little left in the bowl. It also makes loud noises at the end of the flush.

There's still some water left in the tank, so when I flush it very carefully a second time I can get it to fill up just enough.

I'm in an apartment on the first floor (second if you're from the US), in case that matters.

What could be causing this?

Here's a picture of the tank:


texts: Old furnace with extra wire, but no c terminal Janitrol, 19 year old furnace

texts: I've searched multiple threads regarding this, but I didn't manage to find any that seemed to match my use case.  My board doesnt have a C terminal, and it doesn't have the other terminals connect to the transformer like a lot of diagrams show.  Where can I place the spare wire that I'll be using as C?  Thanks in advance.


texts: Removable windows for the porch or sunroom

texts:
I have a potential project where there is a metal roof/awning/overhang supported by posts on the south side of the house. It is sort of like a car port, except there is no vehicular access to it (aside from pushing motorcycles or bicycles in there), and is hardly useful except for minimal storage, and protection of part of the southern wall from the summer sun.

The idea is to turn it into a more useful space, like a porch, greenhouse, sunroom, or combination thereof for some mixed use. For that it needs to be enclosed with ample window area (preferably, top to bottom coverage). Ideally, it would be completely enclosed and insulated for the winter, but, given budgetary constraints, minimally it could at least provide dead air space that is protected from the wind that can extend growing season a bit, and be a sort of thermal mass that can provide some accumulation of energy (however small) during sunnier winter days.

At the same time in the summer time it would be nice to welcome breeze to have an opposite effect to the greenhouse one (it would eventually be somewhat shaded with deciduous trees from the high noon sun). What my parents did in a similar situation on their porch is enclosed it and had basic glass panes installed, which are removed for the summer and the openings are protected by the bug netting to prevent insects entering the porch, and, subsequently the house (which is not necessarily important here, as there is no direct access to the building, and, in fact, could be detrimental to pollination if it is to be used as a greenhouse). That is one solution, but that also means to have to store the glass somewhere, and protect it from damage, which is not ideal, and my not be viable for the full height windows.

So I am looking for pointers or example solutions where such space could be created. Whether it could be glass, or acrylic panes; some sort of quality plastic film or panels that can be rolled up etc. I don’t want to violate SE policies for the question’s scope, just need a starting point from which to proceed, knowing what pitfalls, trade-offs and so forth to consider. But the more examples, the better.


texts: Correct air vent for a gap found in wall

texts:
I am renovating a room in my house and I have come across the hole pictured. It used to be covered by a light wooden box that allowed the air to flow upwards. I was not to keen on it and have taken it down. I would like a nice modern looking air vent in its place. You can see there is a large space to fill, there was loads of rock wool in there when the panel came off. Can I just stick any old vent cover on there? Are there other considerations i need to make? Do I need to re-pack it with rock wool?

Thanks!


texts: Basement Steel Stud Framing with 1.5" Float

texts:
How does one frame a basement with steel studs where 1.5" of float is required? I reached out to the inspector and he said "...use a bottom slip track deep enough to accommodate 1 ½” of float."
How does one secure the steel studs to the deep leg track and allow it to float at the same time? Do they dangle there?


texts: New doorbell stopped working, now not working properly

texts: I have a doorbell question. Here is my setup. Years ago I added a wireless electronic doorchime "extender" to our existing wired doorbell so that we could hear the doorbell in our basement. All worked well. Recently, I replaced our doorbell with a brand new Honeywell wired doorbell, including the button. We have no back door doorbell. The only thing I didn't change was the transformer because it is wired directly to our electrical panel, and I'd prefer not to mess with that. The old transformer is a 10V 6VA transformer, while the transformer for the new bell (uninstalled) is a 16V 10VA transformer. The doorbell has been working fine for over a month, even with the old transformer. However, we woke up one morning to the chime in the basement ringing non-stop and the new doorbell quietly buzzing non-stop. The light on the doorbell button is not working, so I replaced the button. The new button is lit, but now the doorbell "dings" once, but no "dong". What can the problem be? The transformer? If so, why did it work well for all this time? I'd appreciate some help.  Thank-you.


texts: How to wire light switch separate line/load Wires to single wire

texts:
My existing Light switch died and I’m looking to replace with a different brand.   My wall has separate line and separate load wires. And the switch I purchased has a single wire labeled load/line How do I connect?
Here's a link to the new switch
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07ZSQ8R85/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
See picture of old switch attached


texts: Does code prohibit using salvaged materials in new electrical work?  Can wire, receptacles, switches, wirenuts, boxes, connectors, etc... be reused?


texts: Should I Install a sub-panel, IN PLACE OF of an unused hot tub disconnect, for a basement project, and will I need to change the main breaker?

texts: I have removed the hot tub disconnect and pulled the 4 wire (6G)  back into the basement.  This line comes from the main breaker panel on a 2-pole 50A breaker. My plan is to instal a basement sub-panel and feed it using the this former hot tub line.  The sub-panel is to have 2x 120V, 15A circuits, to be used for a basement brewery  project.  From what I read in this forum, it appears a sub-panel is appropriate.  I only need two 120V Circuits, and think that each would get their own hot wire from the old line, and share N and G.  Planning for the  sub-panel breakers to be 15A single pole, with 14Gauge wiring to the respective outlets.   Since the sub panel has 15A breakers protecting their lines, and since the wire between the main and the sub-panel are 6 Gauge, is there any need to replace the 2-pole 30A breaker in the main ?  And, is the plan okay as stated?


texts: What wood to use for external steps on a metal box-section frame?

texts:
We've got some rotting wooden outside steps that I want to replace. They're just seven 1 metre-long planks screwed to a metal framework from the underside.
I'd planned to use scaffold boards as once cut to length the size is good, and I figured they'd take a lot of abuse. Also there quite rough so no need to add chicken wire or gripper pads for traction in the wet, maybe.
Lining up in the shop to buy them though I realise that they're not treated, like a lot of external wood tends to be.
How long would they last if I used them in their natural untreated state?  I live in the UK so we have plenty of rain!
Alternatively I could treat/paint them with something?  What products would be recommended?  I'd like them to have a dark stain, rather than paint, if possible.
Or should I be looking at different wood completely?
Part of the appeal of scaffold boards is that they're relatively cheap, of course.


texts: Bathroom vent pipe going down instead of up? Is it OK?

texts:
I'm considering connecting the vents of two bathrooms to the same inline fan.

See my previous question on inline bathroom fans.

Does the fan and the exterior vent grille really need to be above the level of the bathrooms or can they be lower?  I have a bath in the basement and one on the main level.  I can't go with the fan above the first level for various reasons and it's hard to do it on the first level as well.  Would it be a good idea for that inline fan and the exterior grill to be at the level of the basement (between the floors essentially)?  This means that the upper bathroom vent pipe will have to go down to that level.  Is it a bad idea?


texts: Is there a type of cement that can be used to glue tiles to a wall?

texts:
My father told me there is a kind of cement which also acts as glue. This would be very useful for me to put back the tiles above my washbasin.

Is there really a cement that can glue tiles to the wall?


texts: "Top layer" plywood subfloor fastened to decking

texts:
I just tore out a ton of particle board subfloor that was previously used for carpeting.  The entire house has decking (2x6 planks) running on a 45 degree angle over joists with 3/8" plywood over the decking, with the exception of a few rooms where I tore out the particle board so just decking there.  I'm trying to figure out how to attach more 3/8" plywood to the decking where I tore out the particle board.  We are installing t n g hardwood eventually.

Should I try to drive decking screws through plywood into the joists, or can I just glue and screw into the decking?
Does the plywood need to be oriented perpendicular to the joists, even with the decking under already?  Or should I orient the plywood so that it will run perpendicular to the hardwood we will install (so, parallel to the joists..)
Should I take the time to level the plywood subfloor over the decking, or should I just wait until installing the actual hardwood tongue and groove to worry about leveling (or "flattening, as I suppose it will be)?


texts:
Hi I am looking to clear span 16' interior load on single floor home with light storage in attic.
The opening now is 12' supported by 2 2 x 10 hemlock with 3/4"cdx glued in as core. Dose this need more support for the extra 4'?
Thanks Ed


texts:
I have a flood light that's not properly mounted and I'd like to run conduit to raise it about two feet higher on a stucco and brick wall.

The wires exit the house via a small, approx. half inch hole ( see photo ). I was planning on using a service entrance LB like this one or a regular conduit body but I just want to make sure this is the most appropriate way to handle wires exiting a house without conduit?

Is using a weatherproof box better than a conduit body in this case?  I think the box would be unnecessarily bulky compared to the conduit body/service entrance LB but what would be the best option to seal it from the weather?


texts: Why do small vents at top of garbage disposal blow out water when sink drains?

texts:
I just finished replacing the mounting gasket of my In-Sink-Erator Badger 5 as I thought that was the cause of occasional water on the floor of the kitchen cabinet. Admittedly I never diagnosed the problem, I just figured it for an old, nasty and dried out gasket and maybe dried out plumbers putty.

Well while testing my installation I noticed water dripping off the unit. This happened after I plugged the drain and filled to about 2" (approximately 1 gal. of water) and then pulled the drain. Further investigation revealed this happens everytime I filled the sink and pulled the drain. It would drain for 2-3 seconds and then start spitting water out of 3 ports arrayed around the top rim, below the gasket bottom edge. It sounds like air vents out first, then as the drain line backs up a bit the water begins to blow out said vent holes.

Here is a photo of one of the holes

I can't find anything about these holes online, I don't understand what they are for? It's weird because it seems like it IS part of the design to vent here, but then the water flows down the case and follows the through bolts which directs the water to the interior of the motor case - dangerous and destructive!

I'd like to know:

Why this is happening?
What the holes are for?
If there is a common solution, what is it?


texts: What kind of sensor will detect a car outside the end of my driveway?

texts:
Seeing a car loitering off the end of our driveway, on a shared gravel driveway.  I want to put in a security light to discourage this.

PIR sensors will not work well because they use heat, and a car body may be pretty much at ambient temperature.  I have often driven up to our garage, which has one, and it doesn't trigger until I get out of the car (showing my warm face and body).

I want all of the equipment to be on our property.


texts:
I have recently stripped the wallpaper off the hall internal walls. The house is old (Edwardian) so has lime plaster underneath which is in good condition. I would like to paint directly on to the walls - do I need to do any wall preparation and what paint should I use?

Many thanks


texts: We had an asphalt driveway put down around 5-6 months ago. The second half of the driveway the mix went dry and left a bad finish. We pointed out the worst parts, the contractors came back and put two big patches over the top!! They literally stick out like you know what... We did not ask the contractors to come back but now we are wondering how to fix it. Can asphalt patches be cut out and repaired to a smooth finish that will blend back with the original asphalt? Remember this a driveway not a road!!


texts: Are WAGO lever splice connectors approved for use with solid aluminum #12 or #10 with WAGO joint compound

texts: Are WAGO lever connectors approved for use in the US with #12 and #10 solid aluminum wire with the WAGO joint compound. The use would be for copper pigtailing of aluminum wiring.


texts: Simplify the shop, reduce storage space... use hand powered tools

texts:
Sometime ago, I read something online, magazine, somewhere.

It was the story of somebody who ran a chair making shop at Williamsburg (or similar venue).  The shop owner went to use a hand held frame saw to cut out the shape of the chair bottom.  A visitor to the shop suggested that the owner purchase a band saw, that would be easier. The shop owner replied that, as that cut was done so infrequently, and his shop was so small, he was way better off without a motorized band saw taking up space in the shop. The hand saw took virtually no storage space. It was well worth the extra few minutes it took to cut out the chair bottom by hand.

That story is in the top of my head as I try to consolidate my small workshop.  Less is more. Sometimes using the basics can have awesome results in a complex world.

I'm working on a business presentation to a public audience, celebrating the benefits of back to the basics and simplicity.  I'd like to reference this story, but I can't for the life of me find the original.  Anybody know a source for this? Woodworking magazine article somewhere?  Online forum?  Anybody remember this?

Many thanks!


texts: Ideas to save hardwood floor from botched tung oil job?

texts:
We bough a 200+ (but not much more!) old farm house last year, and we're renovating slowly, but surely. Earlier in last year, we we discovered old hardwood floors under layers of linoleum on the second floor and, after sanding, we settled on tung oil to finish them.

Now, it would seems like we didn't properly remove all the excess oil while finishing and now there is a layer of white, sticky residue on the floor.

We do have one solution to clean that mess up at the moment: mineral spirit and really fine mineral wool. It works, but the problem is: it takes forever, a lot of spirit and a lot of mineral wool.

Mind you, I don't care spending the time necessary to save that floor, but I would still be really happy if anyone had a better solution, one that's more time and material effective, so we can concentrate on other parts of the house now ;-)


texts:
I have an existing floor-to-ceiling narrow deep closet (11" wide opening, straight in).  I want to cover the bottom 5" with drywall, so it'll eventually look like this:

(source: hyarros.com)
Where the lavender piece indicates what I want to add.  The salmon portions are existing wall.
I'm not sure how I should go about this.  Both of the corners have a metal corner bead, which seems difficult to cut.  I was thinking of screwing an 11" 2x4 cross beam behind the patch, and then screwing the drywall to that piece.  That would have a second advantage in that I was going to add a melamine shelf on top, so the 2x4 would provide the requisite support for this shelf.
Is that the best approach?  If so, how should I screw the 2x4 into either side?  I tried driving a 2.5" screw at a 30 degree-ish angle, but it doesn't appear that strong.


texts: Can I use both a grounded 120V circuit and 2 wire + ground 240V circuit for 3 wire + ground wall oven?

texts:
I have an opening in my cabinetry for a wall oven that has both a 120V grounded circuit outlet and a 2-wire + ground 240V circuit. My oven has a 3-wire + ground connection. Previously, the oven was connected to the 240V circuit only via a black-black, red-black, and white+ground-ground configuration. While this (obviously?) worked, it's probably not the safest configuration, nor does it sound like it's legal these days.
Assuming I could figure out which of the 240V hot wires is out of phase with the 120V circuit, could I connect the oven's 3-wire + ground to both the 120V and 240V circuits? As an example, have the oven's red, white, and ground go to the 120V outlet and the oven's black go to the 240V circuit?
Alternatively, could I leave the oven's red, black, and ground going to the 240V circuit and have the oven's white go to the 120V outlet?
EDIT: the wall oven unit is a KitchenAid oven + microwave combo unit (I don’t know the model number). The 240V circuit uses 8 gauge wire for the two hots. The oven wiring uses 10 gauge for the two hots and 12 gauge for the neutral.


texts: where can I send a backyard soil sample for lead testing?

texts: Does anyone have links for a lead soil testing lab?  I live in Oakland California in an old house that certainly had/has lead paint. I'm concerned about possible lead levels in the backyard soil.  Would like to determine if some areas are safe for garden, kids to play, etc.  I'm assuming there must be some fairly inexpensive mail-in soil tests, but a quick web search didn't find anything.  Mostly saw big commercial labs that didn't seem oriented towards residential services, and some info on a now-defunct programs in Alameda County.


texts: How could other breakers have been switched off when one was tripped by a short?

texts:
is it possible if one breaker trips, the rest (or some) of the other breakers in the panel will also trip at the same time?

we had put in a separate breaker for the bedrooms, once we connected this to the panel and switch it on, the breaker for this tripped.  We figured out and fixed what the issue was.  When we went back to the panel to reconnect, we noticed that the rest of breakers were off.

I'm trying to figure out how the rest of the breakers on the panel were turned off it was never touched.  is it possible that when that one breaker trip, this also made the rest of the breakers trip?

this maybe an obvious answer to some - sorry, i need some advice as the electrician that was helping me said it is not possible. He said that when one breaker trip, this does not affect the rest of the breakers to turn off as well.  But to me, it is the only rational explanation.


texts: How do I remove polyethylene that's melted to a nylon carpet?

texts:
The situation: some workmen put down a polyethylene drop cloth, and then set a halogen light on top of it. So now I have spots approximately 2" in diameter, where the former melted into the latter.

After reading Wikipedia, it appears that polyethylene has a melting point of approximately 250F, while nylon carpet material is 450+, so my current plan is to use paper towels and an iron. However, that's risky.

Are there any better solutions?


texts: How deep should I bury a 4x4 steel post?

texts: I live in West Texas. I need to put up a 4x4 steel post to mount a camera. How deep do I need to bury it? There will be 15 feet above ground.


texts: Power company's neutral cause surges and brownouts?

texts:
My electric company recently made a repair that involved digging up underground wires near my house that I'm trying to understand.

The symptoms that caused them to initiate the repair were very frequent surges and brownouts inside my house, sometimes caused by an appliance motor turning on, but sometimes with no directly apparent large load to cause it.

While this was happening, I could measure wildly varying voltages (hot to neutral) on each of the two legs of the 220V circuit.

I'm trying to imagine what the cause could have been for this. How does the electric company balance the two legs around ground before sending the power into my house? I assume there's some center-tapped transformer involved somewhere? Would it have been some kind of fault in the transformer? In the quality of the ground reference connected to the center-tap? Something else entirely?


texts: 22 years ago I built a Weyerhaeuser outdoor wafer board topped deck. Frame is fir 4x10 outside frame with stringers 2x10 anchored to 10" lag screwed ledger boards on the house. Top coating is two coatings of liquid rubber Coat a Deck followed by four layers of latex paint. Carefully pressure washed 2 x annually most years. Eventually pin holes developed to rot out small sections. I want to rip off the lid, replace a few cupped stringers and install a new water proof walkable deck to ensure the large space under the deck remains dry for interminable rains in Eugene, Oregon. I see new coatings and new membrane products as well as new tiles and waterproof PVC products like Gorilla PVC that claim water proof decking. Any practicle experience alternatives that might last longer than 22 years?


texts: Can I convert a European washing machine to work with a North American outlet?

texts:
I'm looking to hook up a European washing machine I got my hands on to either a standard North American outlet (unlikely) or a 220 V appliance outlet.

Here's the info I have right now:

230V
50Hz
2300W

It has an s22 socket.


texts: Why does a driver bit shank have an indentation?

texts:
The part that interests me is marked in the picture. I have no tool that utilizes that part of a bit and I cannot find any clues on the net... In fact, all of my bit holders have better grip on bits without that indentation.
So what's that indentation for?


texts: Garage Door Opener Doesn't Work with Remote When Light Is On

texts:
I have a Lift-Master 1000SD garage door opener that has worked well for 20 years. Just recently we have been unable to close the door with any of the remotes after leaving in the morning. Even holding the remote right next to the antenna had no effect.

After doing some troubleshooting, I discovered the issue has to do with power being sent to the light sockets. It is independent of the light bulbs themselves. I unscrewed the light bulbs and the issue persisted. As soon as I turn off the light from the wall controller, the remotes work flawlessly 100% of the time.  Any ideas what the issue could be or the fix?


texts: Is it possible to convert a two light circuit into a four light circuit (one switch)?

texts: I have two long multi-light fixtures controlled by one switch in my bathroom.  Is it safe/possible to replace/wire for four or five two light bulb fixtures? Is there a limit of wattage or any other consideration?  There are no other lights or switches on the circuit.


texts: The German manual of my washer-dryer says it needs a water connection with measurements specified as 26,4 mm = 3/4". Assuming those quotation marks were meant to be prime marks, i.e. stand for inches, I ordered a 3/4 inch manometer. Turns out the 3/4 inches of the manometer were "actual" inches (i.e. 19.1 mm), whereas the 26.4 mm of my washer-dryer were 1,04 "actual" inches, not 0.75. If not "actual" inches, what does 3/4" refer to? I did some research on local home improvement store websites, where I found pipes labelled as both R 3/4 and 3/4".


texts: Dual hose portable AC unit creating negative air pressure

texts: I bought a dual hose unit because it's supposed to not create negative air pressure in the room, but I can definitely feel the air resistance when I go to close the door to the room it is in. When the AC unit is off there's no resistance closing the door. Any idea why it would be creating negative air pressure?


texts: How far can a 2x4 or maybe 2x6 support over a 10' span?

texts:
I am creating a shelf in my garage to go over the front of the car.

The rules of the town home community is that we can't have anything that puts weight on the structure of the garage, so have created two by side supports designed to have something go horizontally go from one to the other ( it's 42" deep ).

I was thinking of 2 or 3 2x4's to go span the 10', and then using 1 x 4 slats over that for the shelf.

How much weight would this hold ?

Should I use 2x6's ? Should I use 2 or 3? Or ?

Not planning to put a lot of weight up there, maybe cumulative around 150 - 250 pounds.

Any thoughts on what I should use to span the 10' wide, 42" deep shelf space ?


texts: Why is my cement cracking near the wall?

texts:
I have an old barn/garage that has mason block walls. The entire foundation is a concrete slab with footings for the exterior walls. For some reason, about 6 inches from the exterior walls, the concrete is cracked, and is sticking upwards.
Why is this happening and is it something I need to worry about?
I plan to frame a wall across this, however, the crack makes the flooring uneven, so how do I even out the floor?


texts: Is a weather resistant gfci required outside in a metal box with in use cover?

texts: I have a pool that is just off my deck. The gfci I have went bad so I need a new one. It was a 15 amp gfci in a metal box attached to 1/2 in emt conduit with a metal box and a non in-use cover. This is just under the lip of the deck, so it is slightly protected from weather but not completely. I plan on replacing the box and also getting a in-use cover mainly because the screw holes are stripped out. My question is: Do I need a Weather Resistant GFCI vs a Non Weather resistant GFCI? The current one was not weather resistant and went bad, it tripped and won't reset. Also if someone can explain what the difference is between a standard gfci and weather resistant? Is the weather resistant more sealed to handle more dampness from being outside? Thanks in advance.


texts: Options for mitigating a sloping floor due to settlement

texts:
I recently bought a house made in 1926. It's built into a hill where the basement is exposed in the back of the house. The basement is poured concrete. Over the years the foundation has settled about 2 to 3 inches from one end of the house to the other, so the floors slope. This has also caused a pair of small matching cracks on either side of the house in the basement walls.

There are no other problems that I know of other than that the floor slopes.

The fix to this, as I understand it, is to level the foundation by jacking it with piers. That is the root cause. However, that's expensive, and I wanted to monitor the settling before committing to the jacking (since I'm new to the house). While I wait and monitor, I was looking for suggestions or ideas on how to mitigate the sloping floors.

It's in an expensive area, so the cost of repairs tends to be small compared to the cost of the location, land, and house itself. I'm a first time home buyer, so no experience, but I naturally enjoy the DIY lifestyle when possible. :)

Looking for DIY options, guidance, or ideas for fixing these framing issues.


texts: Shower water going under the shower curtain

texts:
I have a shower over my bath, but due to the shape of the bath the shower curtain does not cover the entire length of the bath, so sometimes water is getting under the curtain and on to the carpet.

Can anyone suggest anything i can do to stop the water getting onto the floor, I've attached a photo to give you an idea of what it looks like


texts: How can I safely replace a light fixture above a stairwell?

texts:
In my 1911 home, there is a stairwell that has a 180 degree turn with a landing, and there is a light fixture directly overhead (centered over the railing) that I would like to replace with a pendant light. When I'm standing directly below it (halfway up the second flight of steps) the ceiling is about 3 feet out of my reach. I imagine there is some standard approach to doing this type of work (someone installed that light in the 1950's).

How can I get a stable ladder or platform in place to safely work on that fixture?

The second story ceiling is 8 feet 6 inches above the floor, as shown in this photo:

On the other side of the railing, the distance from the fixture to the closest step on the first flight is about 15 feet:

This is what I intend to replace the fixture with:


texts: Multiple motion sensors for multiple led strips wiring

texts:
im trying to prepare a wiring schema for my home lighting:

Lobby sensor should control only lobby led strip.
Stairs upper sensor should control lobby and stairs led strips.
Stairs lower sensor should control only stairs led strip.

Can I achieve that only with wiring or I need extra relays and when yes then which ones?


texts: How can I remove smeared latex paint from a wood floor?

texts:
I recently had some painting done, and the people who were responsible did not use anything to protect the floor from paint dripping. It also looks like they walked all over the paint, smearing it on my wood floors. See the following photo:

Now, if the paint were in little droplets I'd be able to scrape it off with a little effort. With this I'm just not sure. How can I remove all this paint from my wood floor?


texts: What is this plastic edging around my window called?

texts:
I have a timber  frame house  that has done a bit of settling and im fairly confident its now done after 3 years, so time to fix the various cracks.
Around one of the windows there is this plastic beading that has popped out. I need to fix it.
Can anyone advise what this is called?


texts:
I've lived in this house for a couple of years now and I'm in the process of mounting a pair of Sonos One speakers in the corners of my kitchen.

I was working on the premise that I would need to run some cables down the wall to a wall socket, but when I got up to look on top of the cupboard there were two power cables coming from the wall (each cable with L/N/E) going into a inline connector box (similar to https://www.screwfix.com/p/debox-in-line-connector-box/8692h) - Result I thought ...

I bought a new dual socket outlet, and prepared to wire it up. After doing so and plugging in the Sonos ... no dice.

Hooking up a multimeter to the cables I'm getting 180V Live to Neutral, and 180V Live to Earth. I believe I should be getting 240V from a UK mains connection unless I'm mistaken?

I did some more testing, and removed the cables from the socket to rule that out, and it looks like only one of the cables is actually live - the other 'live' cable doesn't give me any voltage at all.

Do I need both to get to 240V or is there something else at play here?


texts: Cleaning/scrubbing asbestos from the air and heating ducts?

texts:
I'm concerned that there may be airborne asbestos fibers.
We just discovered that there is an asbestos flue pipe that was compromised in the attic when the previous owner of the house converted to forced air heating.

There's new ducting that runs to each room of the house. I'm concerned that during the conversion asbestos was released into the attic while they were running the flexible ducts.

I'm concerned that there is asbestos in the air in the attic. I'm also concerned that there is asbestos in the forced air ducts (they got in there bc asbestos was in the air when they were running the ducts to each room)

We have not moved into the house yet.

What can we do to scrub the air and the forced air system?

Can I rent air scrubbers and run them while I run the forced air system?


texts: How should I convert a double sink to a single sink?

texts:
We are going to remodel our bathroom which currently has two sinks (and not that much cabinet/drawer storage) to a single sink with larger (and more) drawers for storage.

Under the current double sink, the setup is two large cabinets with a 9 inch bank of drawers between totaling about 60 inches wide. Each sink has its own water supply and drainage.

My questions are around changing this to a single sink setup.
Do I simply cap one set of supply and drainage? Can I do that inside the wall, so it is not under my new cabinets at all? Do I need to tee the two supplies and drains into one? I'd like to do this myself and it doesn't seem to hard, but should I just hire a plumber?

I had to take two photos and splice together. There is a bank of drawers (not shown) between each sink cabinet. As you can see the supply and drainage are into the wall.


texts: How do I insulate a living area below a former porch

texts:
My brother has an old house probably built in the 30s or 40s  in renovated in the 50s. The very front of the house looks like it may have been a converted porch. There was recently a leak which prompted me to pull down some of the sheet rock on the ceiling. I was a little surprised to see that there is no insulation at all above that area ( which explains the heating bills ).
I’m wondering what the best way to insulate the area is. The roof is at about a 20 degree angle, do I insulate the area about the Sheetrock, or the angles of the eves? How do I make sure everything is vented correctly ?


texts:
My bathroom sink kind of sprays out like this:

Taking the aerator off reveals a nice stream and clean receptacle for the aerator.

I disassembled the aerator and cleaned a number of chunks off of its screens, but this didn't improve things. The parts of the aerator are shown below. I'm nearly positive that I didn't lose any parts: I have two faucets in the bathroom with this same problem, so I'd have had to have lost the same part twice.

Shown below is an aerator diagram from this DIY question.

My aerator, clearly, doesn't have all of these parts.

My question then is this: am I definitely missing parts (maybe a prior owner disassembled the aerator and lost/tossed them) or is there some trick to reassembling my aerator that I got wrong?

A secondary question is: can I buy these parts separate from the rest of the aerator?


texts: 2a modified crushed stone vs minus gravel

texts: What is the difference between 2a modified crushed stone and minus gravel? I understand that both  are crushed stones and both have finer particles. Do they come from different species of stones? What are the differences in properties and applications? My research seems to indicate that the two terms are used interchangeably, but I suspect that there is a difference.


texts: Black paper layer in attic...what is its function and how do I patch it?

texts:
I just went up into my attic (house was built in 1939) and found that there is black paper on the 'walls'.
Part of the reason for going up is to find out the back of holes that my electrician made while mounting something to the outside of my house.

What is the function of this black paper?  What if there's a hole in this black paper? Basically I can see to the outside of the house.  The hole is about 1.5" in diameter. How do I patch it?

Here are two pictures.  One is with the black paper flap down, the other is with it up.  I feel like there is black paper, then some sort of plaster (with metal wires) and then stucco on the outside?  I don't see insulation.  All around there is black paper...except for the roof.  I see some sort of foil type of material.


texts: How many holes will hanging a heavy panel on my wall require?

texts:
I would like to build panels to put up on my apartment wall, with a backing (probably wooden) strong enough to attach faux bricks onto my 8' high walls. The panel-making process is as follows:

Lay out 1/8"-1/4" foam tape in a brick edge pattern on panel
Mix all purpose joint compound and cement colorant mixture
Fill inside of pattern with compound and texture with rough brush
Allow to firm and remove foam tape
Allow to dry and texture with sanding block
Fill gaps between bricks with accent joint compound and cement colorant mixture

One source lists 1/8 in. plywood as 0.56 lbs/sqft and Sheetrock brand of compound by itself is about 0.6 lbs/sqft. If these are reasonable one of my walls, 17 ft long, would have to support 157.8 lbs. It would ideally cover the entire wall. How many screws into studs will this require per square foot?


texts: Toilet water drains out slowly after flush

texts: My toilet flushes normally, but after the flush, the water drains out again slowly until the siphon suction breaks (this happens about 10-15 seconds after the flush).  This doesn't always happen -- I'd say 40% of the time.


texts: Q couple questions on the CA Plumbing, Electrical Code RE: keep-out distances between gas, electric

texts:
General:

Southern California area
Residential
Experience with HV and high pressure N2/CDA systems from my work, but not flammable high pressure gasses.

Question 1:

Is there a minimum distance between black-pipe gas line and PVC electrical conduit when buried?

Both the gas line (CA Plumbing Code 1210.1.1, CA CoR Title 8, §536.a.2) and the PVC electrical conduit (CA Electrical Code, §300.5) need to be at least 18" deep, so I'd like to put them in the same 5" wide trench.

Some people seem to think that there is no horizontal minimum distance.

Question 2:

What is the minimum distance between an electrical outlet and ...

a) a gas pipe?

There is no expectation of gas release, but the outlet is considered an ignition source.

b) a gas value?

I'm assuming this case is different than (a) because there is potential for gas to be released.

The only info I've found is specific to gas meters, and that says 3 feet from meter to electrical box front.


texts: AFCI breaker tripping when any load attached

texts:
advanced home DIY-er here.
I put in a new Murray (Siemens) AFCI breaker and new 14-2 wire from the breaker box up straight to a light in a bathroom I'm remodeling (single wire for the complete run).

If I disconnect the load and neutral from the fixture (so they're hanging down, exposed), and turn on the breaker, all is fine. It stays powered up.
If put an LED bulb in a $2 plastic basement-style "outlet box lamp holder" and connect the load and neutral to it and throw on the breaker on again, it immediately trips the breaker.
Neither the arc-fault or ground-fault LED indicators light up on the breaker. I believe this indicates an over-load protection, which seems odd for a 10w bulb.

so no load = no trip
10w bulb directly connected = trip

thoughts?

note: I pulled 3 other lines up with this one and they all work fine on the traditional breakers they're connected to.
We did have blown-in insulation installed that meant guys drilling a million holes in the side of the house, potentially where that wire is. The likelyhood of partially damaging one wire (and not reporting it) but not severing it, or damaging any of the other circuits doesn't seem very high to me.


texts: Is whitewood timber suitable for loft boarding?

texts:
I'm planning to part board my loft (an area about 2.5m by 2.5m) for storage and it seems like the norm is to use tongue and groove chipboard like this. However I have some concerns about it;

The packs come in lengths of 122cm and the rows must be offset, which means a lot of sawing, which means buying a small circular saw.
The offsets mean some half boards will only span 2 joists, spreading the weight less.
I've seen references that the recommended max loading in lofts is 25kg/SqM. The chipboard is very heavy (13kg/SqM) which means I can store less stuff.

I'd much rather use some whitewood timber like this. It comes in lengths of 240cm so each plank is the ideal size to span 5 * 60cm joists, which is the area I want to board. I realise its more expensive but due to the relatively small area the extra cost is acceptable. My question is whether this timber is suitable for flooring? Also, it is not tongue & groove, is this relevant?

House is 1980s built in the UK.


texts: Persistent sewage smell coming from basement drain

texts:
I've recently purchased a house and am now learning all the ins and outs of home maintenance.  This summer, I've noticed that I have a very smelly basement drain.  Particularly, it smells like sewage.

I figured that this wasn't a problem, in that the majority of things I've read state that it simply needs to have water poured in (with or without Mr. Clean) to replace the dried out water in the trap.

This worked fine last year, however this year the smell is back, and far worse.  Now, I am essentially pouring water down the pipe every other day to flush the smell.  The problem, however, is that it is also ridiculously hot where I am, so we have to run the A/C quite often.  As the drain stinks up the basement, that lovely smell gets pulled into the A/C ducts in the basement and then vented throughout the house.

My question is....is this common for this sort of drain?  I can't really get my hand into the pipe itself (probably about 3in in diameter), so I can't really see if there is a plug that needs to be checked.  I hesitate to call a plumber if it is trivial, but the persistent poo smell is starting to drive us nuts.

Edit

My wife and I went through the house, flushing toilets and watching the water in the drains.  Not a ripple for any flushes.

Second edit

Flushed down some Mr. Clean / water mixture and, while it kept the smell at bay for a few days, it is starting to come back.  I believe that a plumber is definitely in our future, as I've exhausted the helpful advice provided.


texts: How do I Safely Cut Though Main Attic into Addition Attic?

texts:
I bought a house where the main attic is accessible, but a later addition to the house has an attic that isn't access from the main attic. I believe the two connect over the garage, but I'm not sure if it's safe to cut through the covered roof into the addition, or if that will affect the integrity of the roof.
How would I safely connect the two attics so that I don't have to use the addition's attic access? We think it's located outside, in the eaves of the house, with light fixtures which would need disconnected. Obviously, we can't really use it going into winter.
I'm tempted to just cut through with my reciprocating saw, but I'm worried that I might mess something up if I do that without getting advice.

Interior of Addition

Main Attic, where I want to cut through

Outside picture of roof pitch

Addition's Attic Access (we think)


texts: how to wire a light with only 2 wires available?

texts: I have some outdoor lights that are broken and need replacing. I have bought some new ones which I thought were suitable. However the problem I have is only 2 wires appear from wall recess (active and neutral). The light fitting I bought has a 3 point connector (a point for active, neutral and earth). Can this light fitting be wired into the 2 existing wires, or does it need an earth wire?


texts:
My garage door opener is a Linear. It opens fine with either the hard wired button or remote. It will not close at all with remote. It will not close with the hard wired button unless you hold your finger on the down button until all the way down. If you only click the down button it starts down and immediately goes back up like something is in the line of sight of the safety switches.

The tow lights on the safety beam sensors are both green all the time. No red and nothing else lights up. I've checked all wiring, pulled the hard wired button apart and cleaned it. Tried to align the safety sensors and nothing will fix the problem.

Is it likely that my safety switches have gone bad? the door is only 6 years old and does not get used every day.


texts: This is from a tankless water heater with about 1/4" copper tube. Is the adaptor standard (encircled in blue)? What type is it?


texts: Freezer part of KitchenAid fridge not freezing

texts:
Freezer in Kitchenaid side by side fridge stopped making ice,, but will dispense water. Freezer has been emptied and cleaned. When open, I can hear and feel a fan blowing cool air. Have reset circuit breaker and vacuumed lower front coils. Temperature settings for both sections are at max.
Still not cold, and don't seem to hear compressor running, only the soft sound of a fan running. Yesterday fridge part was cool, but now this section is also not cold. What is likely the problem?


texts: Electric Radiant heating Vs Hydronic - What can I get?

texts:
I have a carport that was closed in to become a 3rd bedroom in our house.  It has a low ceiling of approx 8 or 9ft.  I gutted the whole room so it's down to the slab right now.

I'm in the process of getting an on demand water heater (Navien CH240) for my house for my radiant floor and domestic water.  I already have radiant floor heating in the original part of the house but want to add it in the carport area.

My question, would I be better off getting an electrical 120sqft heating pad from build direct (everwarm) for $1200 and hook that up, or should I tie into the new navien combi unit and add another zone of hydronic heating for my 11x17 room in the carport.  That would make my radiant floor heating area 1400 sq ft, and with 2 adults in the house we're not as worried about pressure so really a question of ease of installation and cost.

And also, since the ceiling is so low, if i were to choose a system, which one would require less floor room (ie. subfloor, ect.)

Thanks.


texts: Projects to Pursue while Studs are Bare?

texts:
I'm stripping my small 950 sq. ft. 1950's-era home to the studs -- walls and ceiling -- so that I can install a vapor barrier and insulation in the walls and ceiling. While I have the studs available (exterior and interior walls and ceiling), what other projects are worth pursuing? I've thought of the following:

Add outlets -- the home is old and doesn't have the number of outlets
needed by today's standards.
Install wired security alarm system
Install speaker wires for TV
Block and wire for a wall-mounted TV

What other projects are worth doing as long as you have access to the studs?


texts: What kind of damage is in this attic wall?

texts:
We were looking at a house to buy and one of the walls in the attic was damaged as shown in the picture below.

The house was the middle of three terraced houses so this particular wall was shared with the house next to it.

We ended up passing on the house because of an overeager other buyer.

I am curious as to what kind of damage this looks like and if it would have been expensive to fix.


texts: Is it possible to separate air return vents when you have 2 different furnaces?

texts:
I have 2 separate furnaces, one for basement suite and another one for upstairs. The tenant in basement suite smokes and I smell the cigarette smoke upstairs through the vents... how is that possible if we are supposed to have to different air systems? I asked the technician, he said we are sharing the return air vent, what the heck!!
My question: is it possible to have 2 different air return vents? how the tenant in the basement suite can have his/her own air system without sharing?

Thank you.


texts: Why does hot air from my fan heater stop after 4 to 7 seconds?

texts:
Product: Challenge fan heater: model E9907R-N -- 230-240V -- 50 Hz -- 2750-3000W.

While off, something fell through the grid.
I opened the fan heater to remove it.
It now doesn't blow hot air (setting 1 or 2) for more then 4/7 seconds.
Cold air is fine.

It seems to me that the thermostat function is playing up but I'm not an electrician, the warranty is gone, I cannot afford a new one and according to GOT: "Winter is coming"

I've attached 1 photo as I'm not allowed to post more than 2 links.

I've circled what seems to be the thermostat (1) and where the trigger to stop the fan is (2). If the trigger is opened the fan doesn't work but when closed it does. Nothing is/has burned.

Here is #1 that I thought would be a kind of thermostat or resistance.

If something had burned I would have understood.
I've 'only' moved an object out of the way. It still works for cold air and also starts blowing hot air for 4 to 7 seconds until the trigger 'click' (sound) open. Then I have to wait (2 min approx) for the thermostat (non-damaged) to cool down (I guess), the click sound happens again and the trigger is closed and it's ready to go again for a few seconds. Turning the thermostat button does not change anything.


texts: How do I render over a DPC (damp proof course)?

texts:
We own a 1930 house we cavity brick walls and have a few damp problems..,

Our render goes over the top of our DPC (damp proof course).   The DPC is only about 1cm above the level of the paving.  So I need to lower the paving (or put in a dry zone ditch between the paving and the wall) and remove the render.

However the render is very hard, so the brick gets damaged when I try to remove a test section.

Hence it is likely the brick work will need to be re-rendered  over the DPC – how can this be done without bridging the DPC?


texts: How can I fix a door that is leaning into my bathroom?

texts: My bathroom door is leaning into the bathroom. The bottom of the door will touch the frame before the top does. Not sure what is causing it.  It looks like a 2-3 degree tilt into the bathroom from the bottom to the top of the door.


texts: What type of wiring should bedroom overhead lighting have?

texts:
On the phone with a friend in Cali this morning.  He said that some municipalities are requiring /4 (12-3 or 14-3 romex) wiring for all new construction or rewiring for overhead lighting components.  Maybe they love the use of fans or know that in the future that the extra wire could help with energy savings when using a central lighting system.

I have personally always used /4 for this because I am always afraid that someone will change their mind and want a fan (I install a fan brace too).  I am wondering if there is any code to back up the wiring requirements in different parts of the US or world and what you would offer advice as best practice?


texts:
I was told that red and deep blue paints required gray (high hiding) primer. I used it before I painted my living room red. But how do I know which other paint colors do vs. just regular white primer?

E.g., I'm getting ready to paint some millwork coffee brown-ish. Should I use gray or is white fine?


texts:
I'm trying to remove 1 decking plank to access a blocked drain underneath. The decking was installed about 6 months ago (not by myself). The screws appear to have been countersunk far below the surface and the holes look something like:

I'm using a 9V cordless drill with variable torque settings to try and get these up. I'm using a PZ2 bit with a drill bit extender. I've managed to get some of these up but most of them just aren't moving and I'm very concerned about stripping the screw heads. I've also tried using a manual screwdriver with little luck

The screws when removed look like:

Which shows even for the easy ones I'm starting to strip them. My question is, how on earth do I go about removing the other screws? Also, how have the screws been sunk so far?


texts:
I recently moved into a house which has a screw type termination block:

I am trying to get DSL service and self-install is not working so they are sending a technician out.  I will get charged $100 if its a wiring problem inside the house.  To ensure that problem isn't on my side, plan on running a new line to my wiring closet (which as CAT6 Punchdown panel) and disconnect all existing lines.

Is there a better way to terminate the phone line from the phone company then the screw type termination block?  (I fear my stranded 24awg CAT6 wire is not making a good connection, and possible noise/signal quality)

I am looking at something like this from Amazon:

But my concerns are:

The Current setup as a grounding wire... I don't see one in the Open House block
The wire from TelCo is very thick; I tried connecting it to a CAT3 Keystone Jack just to test the connection and wire would not stick in place.

Any other general advice on integrating Telco lines with CAT6 wiring is appreciated.


texts: How to properly wire GFCI Subpanel and Hot Tub

texts:
As a disclaimer, I'm aware that this is technically supposed to be done by a licensed electrician. If it's possible to do this project myself, I'm willing to accept the risks in order to save money.

I have a newly constructed house, located in California, with a back yard with no landscaping yet. I'm planning to put a hot tub in the middle of the back yard and then dig a pond around it and put a bridge leading to the hot tub. Here's a picture of what I have in mind:

This is a 220 volt installation. What is the best conduit and copper wire to run from the main panel to the 50A GFCI sub panel?

It seems that the cable from the GFCI panel to the hot tub would need to run underground until i reached the bridge, then underneath the bridge, then underground until it is near the hole in the hot tub where the wiring connects, then over ground into that hole to power the tub. Since it's going both over and underground several times, it seems that liquid-tight flexible metallic conduit could work for me.

I've taken a look at the electrical codes related to this and I've read that the copper inside of the flexible conduit that will be partially buried going to the tub should be 6 gauge and individually insulated (not sheathed), and there should be 4 color-coded wires total: (1) red & (1) black hot, (1) white neutral, and (1) green (insulated) ground wire.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.


texts: How do I find studs when stud finders won't work?

texts:
I was trying to hang my TV at my new place, on an interior wall (between living room and a bathroom). Using the stud finder on other walls worked fine, but on this wall I got some very strange readings. An area of about 5 feet by 4 feet was setting off the AC warning, and studs seemed to be upto a foot wide and at irregular spacings.

I ended up drilling "exploratory holes" looking for the stud, because it didn't make sense that there would be tens of power cables in the walls, equally spread between the studs (in the air space between, and the ones attached to the studs shouldn't be within a 1/2" of the drywall. The studs turned out to be simply 2x4s with 16" centers.

Is there a trick I could have used rather than just drilling into the wall in exasperation?


texts: Is this ladder bookcase design strong enough to hold printers?

texts:
I have been looking for a shelf system to store my printers and other misc. items next to my desk. After looking around at various hardware stores, office supply stores, Ikea, Amazon, and even second hand furniture stores, I haven't had any luck finding a piece of furniture to fit my space and requirements.

I need a piece of furniture that fits in a space of approximately 2 feet wide by (at most) 3 feet in depth. It must include vertical shelves as I have multiple printers and other things that cannot be stacked on to each other. The largest of the items are approximately 20" by 20" (rough measurement, includes wiggle room). Most shelves are no more than 16" in depth.

I decided to build my own. Based on aesthetics, ease to build, and the ability to store large and small items "neatly", I've chosen to build what is typically called a "ladder bookcase".

I plan on building those using commonly available 2x4s and cutting joints (as opposed to brackets) to construct the frame. Here is a rough first draft. Please excuse my poor drawing skills. It is not drawn to any specific ratio, nor even properly isometric (it's all free hand)

I will cut "slits" in the three support boards to "slide" shelves of some sort in, such that they are supported on three sides.

I understand that triangles are one of the strongest shapes. However, I'm not sure that this qualifies as a triangle ... Nor a strong frame, in general.

Assuming the use of standard 2x4s for this general frame design, some cleaning up to properly rotate the boards I've drawn in my draft, and a strong material for the shelves, Would this design be considered strong and durable enough for my needs?

If not, are there any recommended changes I can make to this design or another design I should pursue? Also, explanations as to why this is a bad design would be very educational.

Thanks in advanced!

Update

I started "drafting" the design using a 4x4 back column (so it doesn't have to depend on the wall for support) and widening the base in the back. Again, excuse my shoddy drawing skills. Anyways, I think I've reached the conclusion that this design will not work. It's supposed to be 2' wide by 32" deep and 6' tall. The 2x4s look like they will not be strong enough at this angle and using 4x4s everywhere will be too heavy and use too much space.

Now the question remains the same -- is this design strong enough (my gut says no) and if not, what changes or other designs should I pursue?

Thanks again!


texts: 3-way switch loop wired with two 14-2 and one 14-3

texts: I'm replacing a single 2-way ceiling light with recessed lighting, and discovered what I think is a switch loop when I pulled the ceiling light out. The confusing part (to me) is that the ceiling light had two 14-2 romex going to it, and one 14-3. All the diagrams I've looked up online show that there should be two 14-3s. What's going on?


texts: Is there any reference (or probably web/online calculator) to figure the size for downspout pipe for a known flow rate

texts:
The total flow rate of water collected by the gutter of my roof is known (50 L/minute). I need to figure the safe size for my downspout pipe for this roof.

What's the minimum diameter for the downspout pipe?
Is there any guidance or reference (or probably web/online calculator) to figure the size?


texts: How can I build a shelving unit like this?

texts:
I'm guessing this DIY wall shelve uses Ikea products but can't find anything matching. Nor can I find any description as to how to build this other than just pictures.

Guessing by the books kept there, I'm thinking this is about 31" wide and 6" deep. That puts it close to Ekby or lack shelves. But those shelves have a 10" depth and this one is 6" at best (notice the CDs?).

Has anyone built this or know how to build this (using Ikea products or otherwise)? Step-by-step if possible would be great!


texts: Had Air Scrubber put in HVAC... fan is on 24/7... but it no longer can maintain the temperature?

texts:
I had an Air Scrubber installed in the HVAC.  Due to that, the HVAC fan is to be on 24/7.  However, the system can no longer maintain the temperature it is set to.  The HVAC is set at 73(HEAT) but I woke up this morning to 67(HEAT).  ??
Maybe the duct runs are not insulated enough?  Leak?  The system was sized to the house.  With normal processing (fan only comes on to heat or cool) the system maintains temperature.


texts: How to cut the correct angle on transition strips

texts:
I just relaid my kitchen flooring using floating laminate. I am trying to figure out the best way to get these angles correct for a flush cut on the transition.

If all else fails I'll cut to make it a 90 degree angle but figured I'd ask if anyone had a suggestion to make it 2 clean corner cuts.


texts: Can I run two 15amp breakers (in a 70amp panel in my shed) off of a 20amp breaker from the main 100amp panel?

texts: I took a no longer used 12/2 wire from our backyard and extended it to my new shed so I can wire lights and outlets.  The wire is on a 20amp breaker in the main panel, which has 100amp service.  My original thought was to install a small two breaker panel (70amp is the smallest I could find), and run lights off one breaker and outlets on the other.  After researching online and watching some videos, I am questioning whether this is even possible.  It would be nice to have them separate, but am I better off (or have to) running everything on one circuit?


texts:
How to remove an old KitchenAid dishwasher?

The unit is exactly like the one in the picture in the hyperlink above and below. The screws in the left
side have been removed and the unit will still not budge. Any suggestions? It’s as if the unit is secured by screws that are not accessible or visible.

How to remove an old KitchenAid dishwasher?


texts: How can I uninstall this bathroom light fixture?

texts:
Remodeling an older house and am trying to remove this bathroom light fixture without damaging the wallboard. Rectangular, horizontal fixture, 3 sockets across. seems to be an open-sided metal box with wood trim around the front. Top and bottom slide into the wall cavity between 2- 2x4's. I can only get it to pull out about 1 1/2 inches. No spring tabs that I can feel and no lip on top or bottom. Tried using a putty knife along the edge but no luck. Sockets don't unscrew to allow it to come out and there are no screws around the edges. Anybody have any suggestions?
Thanks

no brand name. probably from the 80's


texts:
I noticed that there's moisture creeping along a drywall seam in the ceiling in my living room.  The spot is cold and feels damp.   Our laundry room is in a bathroom right above, but the washer is in a drain pan that seems to be dry.

Should I cut away a piece of the drywall to inspect the source of the leak, or is there something else I can do to find out more information?

Similar questions mostly relate to roof leaking or water in the attic, which is not the same in this case, so I've posted a separate question.


texts: Troubleshooting of lamp which refuses to work after bulb change

texts:
The lamp on the ceiling of my living room consists of two bulbs. One of them recently got broke, so I removed it, checked it, and bought a similar one (60 W all of them). I fixed the new one, and now both of them refuse to work, even the existing one. Also removing the new one again doesn't help.

The fuse is fine. How can I troubleshoot this problem?

Edit: I found it's actually a circuit breaker, not a fuse. Just in case this makes a difference.


texts:
I'm installing a floor in my attic.  To open up the space and simplify the flooring I'm removing temporary construction bracing.  Most of the bracing is easy to identify, since it clearly does not support anything:  It doesn't touch the ridge or rafter, has no real structure on the lower end, and is some cases is actually being held up by the roof.

One 2x4 post gives me pause, though.  Rather than just being toe-nailed into the ridge it is supported (poorly) by a sistered 2x4.  It is sitting on the top plate of a wall with some continuity down through the house.  It's actually twisted as if it might be buckling from load.  And the gable ridge does not run into a header.  The valley rafters are massive, though, so perhaps it is supposed to be cantilevered.

Questions:

Can I remove it?
If not, should I replace it?  With something heavier?
Does this application have a particular name?  (I thought perhaps "king post" but this doesn't have struts)

Front view:

Reverse view including the opposing valley jack:

Artsy shot showing the twist in the board:


texts: Can a round-over router bit do 50% of the thickness while resting on the cut profile?

texts:
I think I now understand just enough of how router bits work, but I'd like to confirm I got it right.

I will use a router to round the edges of shelves. The thickness of the plywood is 3/4". Initially I was hoping to get a perfect half-circle and use 3/8" round-over carbide bits. But now I gathered that when doing the first side I'll be able to rest the router bit on the edge just fine, but after turning each piece over to work on the other side, there will no longer be anything to rest on. I'd then need something a lot more elaborate for my spartan beginner set, to be able to finish the second side, and so the top part of the illustration is not doable.

Instead, I'm gathering I can only aim for the less attractive 1/4" round-over on each side. as illustrated in the bottom part of the illustration.

Did I get it right? Does it sound to you like I understand what I'll be doing?

The profile I'll be working on looks partly as shown below.


texts:
So I am working on a project to which I need a heater. Currently I am using a cheapo heat gun that I purchased at Harbor Freight which works decently but I would like my heat to be more evenly distributed in my test environment and also a higher heat output as well.  I am looking for around 1500-2000 watts of heat as my current heat gun is rated for about 1500 watts.

From what I have seen, nickel chromium seems to be the choice many people are using but have a few questions in using that.. Can you get the 1500 watts of heat I am looking for with this? It seems all the projects I found that use this method seem to be requiring much less heat.  If someone here has a better material choice please let me know.

So once I have my material, lower gauge (larger diameter wire) = higher heat output and higher power requirement right?

It also seems that the projects that I have found connect DC power to the coils.. can this not be done with AC? My heat gun uses AC and has no transformer so I would think AC would work as well?  Also stoves seem to have heat coils that plug in with two terminals.. I assume these just hook up to AC power through a switch on the stove which simple turns the power on and off?

Also what are standard techniques to "hold onto" the heater coil to mount it for a project? Is this typically just done with steel / aluminum mounts?

I know many questions but basically if someone can outline how to create such a heat coil, it would be incredibly helpful as I am sure someone is much more knowledgeable than me on this subject and probably has done it before.


texts: How should I wire up a 3 prong dryer outlet to 120V?

texts:
I recently received a 220V Level 2 Electric Vehicle car charger as a gift, and it comes with an old 3 prong 220V dryer outlet (NEMA 10-30). I'm currently renting, so I cannot run 220V lines where I'd like to, however the car charger unit says that it can run off of 120-220V.

So, I'd like to wire up a NEMA 10-30R such that I can plug it into a regular house outlet at 120V which would allow me to plug in the car charger. Yes, I realize it will charge slower on 120V than 220V, but I'd like to use it now since I'll be renting for 2 more years or so.

My first thought was to simply connect 120V hot to one of the hot prongs on the NEMA 10-30R, then connect neutral to the other NEMA 10-30R hot, and finally bridge that neutral connection to the normal 10-30R neutral connector.

Am I even remotely onto something here? Someone on Amazon.com's reviews for the car charger said that they did it, however no detail was provided, and Amazon doesn't carry this charger anymore, so I can't go back and ask.

Thanks!


texts: is there a trick to installing "lock and fold" flooring?

texts:
I am doing a small installation of lock and fold flooring and find that the pieces don't want to sit flat, they curve up from the floor somewhat. I am tempted to push harder on them, but don't want to break the tongue off. Should I be using a rubber mallet to set the pieces together or is that too heavy handed for this stuff, it isn't very thick and it was expensive so I really want to be careful.

Does anyone have any tips for installing this type of flooring? It is turning out to be a little more hassle than they advertised on the display in the store.


texts: Installing a cleanout for 4" corrugated black pipe foundation drainage

texts: 10 years after installation of 4" corrugated black pipe (perforated) foundation drainage, I am experiencing clogging problems.  I would like to install cleanouts to improve sewer auger access.  What type of connections are available?  I would prefer to insert a PVC tee in the corrugate pipe, and rise above the surface with PVC pipe for the cleanout access.  Where, or how, can I get proper fittings to connect the 4" corrugated foundation pipe with 4" PVC for the cleanout?  I haven't seen such fittings in Home Depot or Lowes.  Thanks.


texts: Requesting Evaluation of Power Plan at Rural Cabin

texts:
What I am looking for is guidance and honest evaluation. I'm not afraid of being wrong. I want to save some bucks and learn some things, without blowing myself up. So please tell me if I'm doing something dangerous, and preferably please tell the section of the code I'm violating.

OK, so I have a cabin in the boonies. Right now there is a pole with a transformer on it that is connected to a meter. Below that is an old box that is going to come out. I met with the rep from the POCO, and here is the culmination of what I remember discussing with him, and my own independent research.

Here is my attempt at explaining my cheesy diagram.

A) So the POCO comes in with 14.4 kV. The transformer steps this down to split phase 240V, delivering two 120V hots and a neutral to the meter base. The transformer neutral is bonded to a ground wire running to the base of the pole. Out of that meter base we come into my wiring. I provide a 100A main lug panel.

B) On that main lug panel are two breakers, a 100A and a 20A. The 100A goes to the house. The 20A goes to a rarely used outdoor GFCI receptacle. The main lug panel has the neutral bonded to the POCO's ground wire. This is the ONLY place in MY wiring where the neutral is bonded to ground. After this point the ground never touches the neutral.

C) Out of the main lug panel we go through underground triplex 1/0 cable to my house panel. I've calculated the voltage drop to about 4.91V at full 100A (which I'll never use), and the POCO rep told me this was perfectly acceptable, and that this was the right cable to use.

D) In the house we come into a 100A main breaker panel, with various breakers etc. The neutral is NOT bonded to ground here, and the ground goes to two ground rods 6 ft apart.

E) From here we run 10/3+ground out to the shed which we treat simply as a multiwire branch circuit, since there's no panel out there. Note that one neutral is run, and both breakers are mechanically connected to disengage if either one disengages

NOTES:

Inside the house I run EMT conduit, and at every opportunity I attach
the green wire to the conduit or metal box.
In all circuits I plan to use AFCI breakers.
I figure that two 100A breakers in series is fine (there's still no way that I can exceed 100A. Am I wrong?
I worried that I screwed up at the pole. Do I need to lose that 20A breaker & receptacle? Or use a 70 and a 20?
Is my grounding correct at the house? Why or why not?

Thank you very kindly for any help and guidance.

EDIT I've added some corrections:

number 6 bare copper ground wire added to underground run from pole and terminated in ground bar of house and ground bar of pole (which is bonded to
neutral at pole)
changed shed circuit to 10/2 plus ground, and run the neutral through
the GFCI

ALSO: I can lose the 20A GFCI at the pole. If I need power up there I can just haul the generator up there.


texts:
I just bought a cheap Bosch mitre saw from eBay in pretty good working condition.

Only thing is that its covered in what I have been told is floorboard adhesive. Kind of light brown glue.

Its over all the metal and plastic.

Is there a solvent that won't harm the metal or plastic and tools I can use to remove it?

http://m.ebay.com.au/itm/Bosch-GCM-10S-Sliding-Mitre-Saw-Item-supplied-/222234264739?txnId=0


texts: What is the most cost-efficient design of a 16' temporary wooden ramp?

texts:
I need to build a 2'x16' ramp to load a shipping container on a semi trailer. What is the cheapest design of 2x boards and plywood to do this with?

EDIT:
I have now built this ramp and used it twice (to load a shipping container on a trailer and then unload it). Your needs may be different from mine, and I can't give a good prescription, because I started with something obviously too weak and then built it up until adequate--an inefficient way to go about it. But if I were to do it again, I would try 1/2" ply, two full-length (16') high-quality 2x4s, and a vertical brace built from a single 8' 2x6. It should have some way to physically connect it to the upper loading surface (container floor etc.).

This would result in a very light-duty ramp without much extra capacity built in, so it's important to build it thoughtfully. I used heavy-duty, long deck screws (torx and square heads; don't bother with phillips or pozidriv).

The vertical brace at the middle of the ramp is critical--it creates two 8' spans instead of a single 16' span. The brace needs to be constructed to handle some side loads (cross bracing) for stability.

I also used commercially bought ramp ends from Amazon, designed for loading an ATV into a pickup bed on two 2x8s. I hoped to screw these into the wooden floor of the container, but the trailer chassis interfered. So for loading the ramp, I used climbing-spec nylon cord and rigged it (trucker's hitch and carabiners) to give me 3:1 mechanical advantage in tying the vertical brace to the truck chassis (the wider the angle the more stable). For unloading, U.S. Customs had cleverly buried the cord & 'biners under all my junk when they reloaded the container post-inspection, so I just used the ramp more gingerly, without tying it off.

Having said all that, 95% of my stuff didn't really require a ramp--it could be lifted by hand onto the container floor while standing on the ground. The ramp only marginally sped things up. And if you REALLY needed the ramp--for very heavy items, loaded by a pair of very heavy moving guys--you WOULD need a beefier ramp than described here.


texts: How do I lay hardwood over a transition in a room that is not level?

texts:
We are going to be laying hardwood in our entire upper floor. The subfloor between two of the rooms is on a bit of a slope.  What's the best way to lay the hardwood over this transition. We are going to be laying it longways through the transition since that is the direction perpendicular to the floor joists. Would it be best to run the hardwood up to the transition and put a board going across at the turning point and make a transition?  Fixing the subfloor isn't really an option at this point.

Rough Description: The transition is a doorway that is 36" wide in a hallway. The subfloor on both sides of it is pretty flat. So it'll be fine on both sides of the threshold, but the exact line where they meet will be the issue. In the picture you can see the different subfloor transition between the two rooms. It's made of mortar. There used to be a wall there when the addition was put on the house (in the 70s). It's about 8" wide and the level difference is about 7/16" over that 8"