texts: Water hammer, dripping faucet in bathroom

texts:
So I have a mix of problems that I'm not sure how best to deal with since it could very well be multiple problems or just the one.

We had a plumber replace the tub/shower faucet and the corresponding "insides." Ever since then, when we turn the hot water on, only in that tub, we get water hammering. We called them back to fix it twice, but they didn't and so we gave up. it's just a standard shower/tub unit with the water mixer etc. in the insides of the handle, nothing fancy or complicated.

Lately, we are also getting water dripping from the faucet and shower-head when anyone flushes the toilet. A lot of water, about 1/4 cup. Once the draining stops in a few minutes, then there is no dripping until the next time the toilet is flushed.

The toilet flushing does not induce the water hammer, only turning on the water to hot. If you slowly turn the hot water on, you can avoid the hammering, but everyone gets impatient standing there, slowly turning on the hot water.

We do have very high water pressure in our community and do sometimes keep the wall valves only partially open to reduce the pressure coming to the fixture. So what is the answer? draining the lines? Installing a whole house pressure regulator? Finding a new plumber?


texts: Do I need an egress window in a basement room not used as a bedroom?

texts: Do I need an egress window in a basement family room when the basement has two viable exits?  There are garage doors on one end and an exterior person door leading to exterior stairs on the other.


texts: Conduit to run ethernet and coax from basement to attic

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My basement has a couple Ethernet and coax cables (thin black and white cables) running from the basement to the attic. The opening also has a gas line, white PVC drain line from the attic HVAC, HVAC power cable (thick black cable), and a power line (yellow cable).
I was thinking about buying this 2 inch PVC conduit to run the Ethernet and coax cables through this opening. I can't fit a 10 foot PVC pipe in my car, so I'm planning on cutting it down to about six feet in the store. The conduit wouldn't run all the way from the basement to the attic, but it would at least clear this opening and separate the Ethernet and coax cables from the other lines. The opening in the attic is at an angle from this opening in the basement (not a straight shot).
Is there a better way to do this? Should I get flexible conduit instead? Or should I just forget about the conduit since I can't run it all the way to the attic.
Problems I'm trying to solve

Separating the Ethernet cables from the power cables to avoid network interference
Make it easier to run new network and coax cable in the future
Prepare this opening for air sealing in the future

Thank you.


texts: Replacing valve stem for a faucet in roman tub

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I have a fully tiled-in roman tub. The hot and cold water faucets use  compression type valve stems. The washers get worn out every few months, leading to drips. I have done the following several times this past year:

shut off main water supply to the house
remove faucet handle/trim
unscrew valve stem
replace rubber washer (held in place with a brass screw)

Based on the "faucet repair kit" (from Home Depot), in which I found the compatible washer and brass screw, it seems these could be Price Pfister fittings - there are no visible names/markings anywhere.

Every time the washer wears out, we use more and more force to tighten the faucet until we are able to go through these repair steps listed above. This type of repair seems to be failing a bit more frequently now.

Is it possible to replace these failure-prone compression valve stems with a more drable kind (quarter turn etc.) without having access to the underside of the tub? Everything is unfortunately fully tiled in.


texts: How does water travel through a modern column radiator

texts: I.e is there a single route going up and down each column, or does it travel along the top/bottom left to right. My radiator has twenty set of three columns, would be good to see the inside of such a radiator.


texts: What is this architectural shingle condition called? Is it reparable?

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I have architectural shingles. I noticed on a few of them that the some of the lower portions of the top layer of the shingle are loose, as shown.

What is this condition called? If I search for delamination, I get results about the seal between two different shingles failing.

Should I just re-adhere with roofing tar/adhesive? You can see where the original adhesive was at the bottom and mid-points of the shingle. Any other thoughts?


texts:
As of last night, without any warning, our dishwasher (Bosch Ascenta) no longer operates correctly. The short version is that it will power on, but when a cycle is started, you hear something trying to spin up and get cut short two or three times. It then continues, water circulates and sloshes around and it sounds like it's working, but after five or ten minutes it shuts down. When opened, it says "Complete," but the dishes aren't washed and the detergent tray has not been opened.
I've Googled/YouTubed this extensively but haven't found any hints as to what the problem is, so I'm not even sure where I'd start with a repair. A repair guy I talked to who doesn't service our town listened to the symptoms and didn't have an obvious candidate.
I've pulled the filter, cleaned it, and felt around for any openings jammed up with anything but no joy.
I've done a soft reset with the keys and a hard reset with the breaker, still no joy.
Most Bosch dishwashers have a diagnostic cycle you can put them through to pinpoint problems. Near as I can determine, mine does not.
We can't get anyone out to repair it, so we looked into buying a new one but everyone is sold out into September thanks to the outbreak.
So while it's a long shot, I figured I'd drop a post in here in case anyone had any ideas because I'm fresh out and looking at two months with no washing machine.
Any thoughts appreciated.


texts: Will plywood between foam board insulation be prone to moisture condensation?

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I'm currently doing a full house renovation, taking off all the internal drywall and moving a few walls to reshape the layout with a new kitchen and bathroom. I'd also like to update the insulation while the framing is exposed.

Plan

My intention is to fit rigid foam board between the studs and seal the foam board to the studs (unsure exactly how yet, maybe insulation tape) to create an airtight seal, followed by a layer of plywood fixed to the studs to increase structural strength/ shear strength of the house (as we live in Japan - an earthquake zone), followed by another layer of foam board, followed by drywall.

Question

My concern is about condensation forming inside these layers (or anywhere, really). The climate is hot (often 30°C+/ 86°F+) and humid in the summer, while very cold (0°C ~ -10°C/ 32°F ~ 14°F) and snowy in the winter. Winter seems to last about 4 to 5 months, so I'm really want to get in as much insulation as possible.

Can anyone weigh in on the safety of this strategy??

Also, I intend to leave a small gap between drywall and foam board, but is this necessary?


texts: Ceiling occupancy sensor with wall switch override

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I am planning to finish my garage and currently planning the rough-in. I wanted to add a way for the lights to come on automatically if the garage door is being opened at night, or if I go out to bring out the trash and it's dark, then for the lights to go off automatically. I am thinking I need a ceiling-mounted occupancy sensor like the Leviton ODC0S-I1W with controls set to activate with darkness. I would also want these lights on a switch or two, so if I am working in the garage, I can flip either wall and keep the lights on without needing to walk past the ceiling sensor.

Is this configuration possible? If so, what would a compatible wall switch be and how should this be wired? Thank you.


texts: what kind of pump and attachment to tie my improvised shower to the sink drain?

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I have set up a low-budget shower in an office bathroom. The below pic shows the rig before hanging the shower curtain.

Right now, I have to pick up the big bucket and dump it into the toilet.

I would like to rig up a small self priming pump, to pump out at least most of the water, preferably tied right into the sink ring trap.

Suggestions?


texts: I am desperately trying to get all of this ugly dark blue latex paint off the walls of one of my bedrooms. Nothing works at getting it off. We've tried the wire brush. The scraper. Even spraying it down with mean geeen to try and loosen it. What can I use to get this off the wall so I can repaint?


texts:
I'm currently working on a little DIY project to repaint the metal outer case from an old IBM PC that unfortunately sat in an attic for 20 years and rust got the better of it.  The case is heavy-duty metal with a low-lustre (or maybe matte) painted finish and a texture.  It's not terribly unlike any other 1980's era PC cases, though these early IBMs tend to be of more industrial quality than many.
I removed the rust using a paint decontaminator product that did quite a good job of removing the rust.  I lightly wet-sanded it with a synthetic "steel wool" pad to remove any loose paint, but have been trying to do the minimal amount of sanding to preserve the original texture as much as possible.  I then sprayed a couple of coats of gray automotive primer and repeated the light sanding between coats, which has come out quite nice.  I ordered some custom spray paint that's supposed to match the original color, which I haven't yet applied.
What I'm not sure about next is whether or not to add a top/clear coat, which would be to add long-term protection against bumps and scratches. This case is meant for monitors and other things to sit on top and slide around, and might have questionable condition bottoms or feet. Of course it's size and weight means it's likely to get bumped around on walls and things while being moved.  Ideally a top/protective coat might add a tiny bit of shine, but otherwise not alter the texture and look of the paint.
A couple of thoughts:

Polyurethane - either wipe-on or spray. Is this compatible with paint? What would this do to the paint finish, worried it may dull the color?
Paste wax - apply several coats of high quality paste wax.  Nice look, but not durable or permanent.  Easy to remove if I don't like it though.
Paint-based clear (example COVERMAXX type of stuff) - concerned about quality/appearance of final look, plus don't want to risk bubbling the underlying paint.
An automotive "paint protectant" product - probably similar to wax in that it's not going to be too permanent.
Other automotive clearcoat products - probably good compatibility with the primer but intended for outdoor wear, might be overkill?  Also, might be mostly gloss finish.

Would really love some suggestions for the best way to go here.
Thanks!
Just to give some visual about what we're talking about here:
Before:

After primer:

Texture:

Note to mods: I posted here instead of Retro Computing because I don't think this is specific to painting just a computer. But happy to move it if this is off-topic.


texts: How do I attach a new pipe to this vertical ABS pipe?

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I have this vertical air exhaust pipe in my attic and I want to feed more things into it.  What is the best way to attach more pipes to it?  Can I cut a hole into the side with a hole saw, put in the same diameter pipe, and then seal around the edges?  How is this generally done and what can I search to get me started?

Thanks


texts:
I recently noticed some soft spots in my T1-11 siding around a window. In hopes that the problem was just in the siding I started the process of removing the rotten piece. Once I removed it I found the house had no wrap and the studs around the window had been exposed to water and now appear to have been affected by rot. I am a new homeowner and can't really classify how bad the rot is, but about 1/2in (in depth) of most of the king and jack/trimmer studs are able to chipped out fairly easily from the wall sill plate to just above the bottom of the window. The tongue and groove subfloor seems to be fine and has no softness or significant discoloration. This is on the gable end of a single story house built with a truss roof (wall runs parallel to the trusses).

Since my confidence level with modifying the structure of what I assume is a load bearing wall, I tried getting a few bids. My problem comes from what they want to do. The first quote I got was to tear out the all of the studs (king, jack and cripple, maybe others) and put new ones in and this shows in the cost of the bid. A large part of this cost I think was due to the window having a Sheetrock return and needing to be redo the interior Sheetrock after removing the jack/trimmer stud. The other quote was to simply cut away the rot and splice in new studs pieces and was far less. So, my two questions are as follows:

Is this likely a load bearing wall? I'd assume all exterior walls are load bearing, but with a truss roof and the wall running parallel to it, I'm not sure.
If this is a load bearing wall, is it ever acceptable to splice/repair a jack/trimmer stud? I've include a picture of what I believe the "repair" quote was saying they would do with yellow being original wood, and red being new.

Hopefully this is an appropriate question for this StackExchange. I'm new to this home owning thing and a bit out of my depth right now! The first bid was very high while the other seemed like it might be cutting a few too many corners...

While not super critical to my questions, I've also attached a picture of the effected area in case that makes an difference to the situation: rot images (PS The gouges in the wood are from myself/contractors testing)


texts: Drywall or cement board in gap between bathtub and corner

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So, I’ve about installed all the cement board for my bathroom tile renovation around the 3 sides of the tub. There is approximately a 2” gap between the corner of the room and the bath tub. For the 2” gap that runs the depth of the tub, should I use cement board or dry wall? I’m not planning to tile this - it was previously, but going down the side of the tub I recognize it’s at risk of water damage.
The tile will start at the bathtub and go from the tub up to the ceiling.


texts: Tile basement bathroom over cracks without Ditra

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I am tiling a basement bathroom that is 5 feet by 6 feet.  It has a crack running the entire length of the bathroom as well as a small hairline crack near the toilet.  I've read that Ditra is the best for crack isolation and to keep the movement from transfering up through the tile.

I am using 1 foot by 2 foot tiles running lenthwise over the crack.  My problem is if I use Ditra with the thinset underneath it + the Ditra it self and the thinset on top I'm way too high to match up with my wood floor that is meeting up with it.

I've seen a few other online putting crack isolation membrane over the floor, but it sounds like that is more for prevention, not for cracks that are already in the floor.

Are there any other low profile options to prevent the crack from traveling up into the tile or grout?


texts: Can I use glue instead of nails to install shoe molding?

texts: I installed engineered bamboo flooring in my home office and have quarter round shoe molding to install to cover the expansion gap. Given how hard the trim is (I've bent nails installing the carpet reducer), can I use glue to fasten the molding to the baseboard? If so, what glue do you recommend?


texts: Rafter above location for light, exterior light box choice

texts: Retrofitting from knob and tube. One location has a rafter directly above where the light should go (and currently is). The ceiling is 3/4 in beadboard. Can I use a 4 inch pan box cut in to the beadboard, and then a junction box above and next to the rafter for the wiring? Should the bottom of the pan box be flush to the bottom of beadboard?


texts: How to mount a flat screen TV above a fireplace?

texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  How should I run wiring for my above-fireplace mounted TV?

I have a flat screen TV on a wall mount that I'd like to move to the brick above the fireplace (which is only lit maybe 4 times a year).

Two questions: Since the brick never gets warm at all, can heat exiting the fireplace itself & rising into the room damage the electronics even if there is a mantle below it deflecting the heat?

Also, how could I run all of the wiring & cables to be hidden similarly to how I have them run inside the wall now?


texts:
I want to attach a 2x12 ledger to my house, but looking at the rim joist of the house it seems to be a 2x10 sitting on two 2x sill plates.

Is it a problem attaching the 2x12 ledger to the 2x10 house rim joist?


texts: Mounting an electrical box to screws drilled into the ceiling

texts:
A plastic box junction box shall be mounted to a drywall industrial ceiling with two screws.  The box will be filled with many low voltage wires before it is brought to the worksite (making it very difficult, if not impossible, to screw down from the inside).

Is there a clever method to first screw-in the screws to the ceiling, then mount the box to screws, which are protruding from the ceiling?


texts: Can I use an old refrigerator to produce water from air

texts:
I want to take apart an old bar fridge and use the components to produce potable water through condensation.

My plan is to remove the condenser, evaporator and compressor from the fridge as intact as possible and then let it run as normal, just in the middle of the room, instead of inside an enclosed compartment, probably with some fans blowing air across the evaporator. My hope is that water condensate would drip off the evaporator and I could then catch it some how and store it in a bottle.

Is this possible? Is it practical? Is it dangerous?

If this is something I could do, are there ways in which I could improve the efficiency/safety of this system? FWIW, the area I stay in has an average humidity of about 70%.

Thank you!


texts: I saw a post about using diatomaceous earth on here from 2013.... Did it ever work?  Having issues that have me in tears here. Have tried bombs. .. sprays. .. feel like I am slowly killing us with poison.


texts: How can I close and seal an abandoned downspout opening?

texts:
I need to relocate the downspout indicated in the picture below. How do I seal the opening that will be left after I relocate it ? (I will post a separate question about how to redo the slope of the gutters)
The intent here is to discharge the water on my asphalt driveway (the city wants us to disconnect our downspouts from the main drain of the house-they have capacity issues)

Here is the link to the related post I need to change the slope of my gutters. What do I need to know for this?

Update: I ended up connecting the downspout next to the opposite corner on the side visible in the picture, so there will be just one 90 there no matter which way you come
The downspout is attached to the wall on the face that is opposite to the one where it was located. I went with this option because I could not bend the downspout near the corner (too rigid). The side that I used already had the slope required for this.


texts: Is this water stain from rust or (other) minerals

texts:
I have a 2nd floor hot-mopped deck with grouted slate tile placed on top of it. During rain, water comes out between the hot mop and tile layers and runs down the side of my home, leaving stains on the siding and windows.

One contractor who took a look at this thinks it's rust and indicative of something below the deck rusting out, ie: a much larger problem. Another contractor (the one who put in the hot mop) believes that the water deposits are from the slate tile and are more mineral deposits from the slate leeching out rather than rust.

Is there a way to determine if this is rust or mineral without finding the source of it?

Note if it helps that I've scraped off the deposits on the glass with a razor blade a few times, they used to be thicker. It's easy to scrape off and get a powder form.


texts: Gas hot water tank leaking - water turned off, what about gas? Repair or replace?

texts:
My water heating tank has sprung a leak - out of the top (fortunately?) Whoever installed this thing didn't do a proper job of preventing galvanic corrosion, so the tank input is corroded (irreparably, I believe) and leaking.

I turned off the cold water input but am anxious about the gas line. Is there harm in leaving the gas on? I guess I'm worried about having to turn it back on and deal with igniting the pilot light, though I don't think that's likely, the tank must be replaced ASAP and I won't be using it again in its current state.

There are a couple images attached - you can see where water has been running away from the corroded input. In one image, on the left you can see the gas line for the furnace - there's a similar line just above for the water heater. Presumably I can just turn the knob to turn off the gas - should I turn it off on the tank, too? The tank has a knob with positions marked "off", "pilot", "on". Turn off the mainline first and let the pilot burn the remaining gas in the line before turning off the gas on the tank itself?

Can this be repaired? The tank will be 12 years old around November and is still under warranty, but I don't think that will cover poor installation. I only moved in within the last year, wish I'd caught this during the walkthrough. The mortgage includes a home warranty, but it doesn't cover corrosion!


texts: Is it necessary to paint over window glazing?

texts: When replacing a window pane in an old wooden window sash, after the window has been glazed is it necessary to paint over the glaze, or is it OK to leave it unpainted?


texts: Is it worth spending extra to get a nicer circular saw?

texts:
I'm doing some small projects such as building a workbench, and I don't have a saw to cut plywood with. I've got a 12" compound miter saw, so I don't currently need a circular saw for anything other than cutting plywood.

I looked around and I think I found a good quality DeWalt saw as a candidate for ~$140. I also found some really cheap Harbor Freight saws for $25-$35. Is it worth paying 4x the price for a quality saw, if all I'll be using it for is the occasional plywood cut? (I'm also a little worried about safety issues with such a cheap saw. Do the blades have a higher chance of flying apart and sending shrapnel toward the user?)

Follow-Up:

I ended up going for a mid-range saw and buying a Ridgid. Several different factors weighed in on my decision:

I borrowed a friend's 25 year old Craftsman, and one of the features I wish it had the most was a front and rear kerf indicator for both sides of the blade. It got annoying fast not knowing exactly where the cut line would be. The Ridgid has this. The DeWalt mentioned above doesn't.
Tool weight and feel. I went to HD and held all the saws. I really liked how the Ridgid felt.
Degree and depth markings. I was looking for a saw that had a positive stop at 45° bevel. The depth indication also helps a ton.
Warranty: The Ridgid came with a 90 day money back guarantee, a 3 year warranty, and a limited lifetime service warranty.
Did I mention it's QUIET? I can barely tell a difference when it's cutting vs. no load.

The first cut I made with my new saw was at a 45° bevel through 1/2" plywood, and it didn't catch or bind at all. I'd recommend it - unless it ends up breaking in the near future, which I highly doubt.


texts:
I have a gap between outside wall and pavement.

Could this be the reason for damp smell in the cellar?
If I poured bitumin down said gap, would this help prevent the dampness?


texts: I am relocating a sink. Can I leave the original plumbing in place and cap it?

texts:
I am relocating a sink and I am rotating the tub (actually replacing the tub with a shower) in position and it will cover the area under which I have the drain for the current sink
Should I remove it prior to this or I can leave it where it is and cap it and hide it in the wall ?


texts: What kind of latch can I use to hang temporary wall panels on a 270 degree angle?

texts:
I am building a few temporary wall panels for a little nook in my basement. I would like to be able to put them up and take them down frequently. To do that, I would like to install latches that connect them to the beam running near the ceiling. The panels will be resting on the floor, so the latches don't have to support any weight (aside from preventing them from falling over).

Here is a diagram that shows the structure of the beams I would like to fasten them to.

Please ask if anything needs clarifying. Thank you!


texts: How would I ground an internal ethernet surge protector?

texts:
I have a Cat-6 cable running to an external PoE security camera that I'd like to have surge protected, but I'm unsure how to ground the protector. It has a prong coming off that I assume is the ground wire, but I don't know where to connect this. Is there an adapter to connect it to a close-by outlet and use that as ground? I feel that the location of the surge protector (indoors, about 8 feet high) is too far to try to attach it to an outdoor "to earth" pole.

Here is a link to the surge protector I'll be using.


texts: How to connect two different height water tank on pump?

texts:
I have a two.different size water tanks, 1500 liter and 500 liter. Both water tank height and width is different.

1500 liter tank width-    49.5” height- 56”
500 liter tank width-  36.5”  height- 36”

I want to connect both water tank with one water pump. Water tank will be installed in roof in my house, one the other hand pump will be installed in ground floor.

Can anyone give me the full installing process?


texts: How to protect wood when applying concrete patch

texts:
I uncovered a situation where a couple header boards were embedded into the basement foundation. You can see in the photo they punched a hole in the foundation and ran the boards through it.

I can't move the boards, so would like to protect the end grains before putting on a concrete patch.

Is there a good way to seal the wood from the concrete?


texts: Drain gurgling due to blocked sewer pipe?

texts:
Sanity check here. According to multiple plumbers over the years, I have a sag in the sewer line between my house and the main street line. Water stands there, and eventually enough stuff collects there that we notice slow draining, and have to get it cleaned out with a long snake. We have done this cleanout multiple times over the last decade, with good success.

More recently, we've had gurgling sounds coming from the sink drains in our upstairs master bathroom (but not the other upstairs bathroom), either when they drain, or sometimes when the bathtub drains. There are no signs of restricted drainage elsewhere in the house, including the kitchen and other bath downstairs. Our current plumber (who we like) has repeated the statement that we need to replace that sewer line. If that has to happen now, I'll bite that bullet, but it nags at me that the only symptoms are in the single bathroom upstairs (which, BTW, is directly above where that sewer line leaves the house).

Thoughts? Just don't want to do an expensive sewer line replacement unnecessarily.


texts:
My sink seal came loose and so I replaced it last night. Before taking it apart to replace, it was draining fine. After putting it back together, it doesn't drain at all, one side of the sink slightly does. With some heavy plunging, some of the water will go down.

What could I have done wrong in assembling it that would make it not drain?


texts: How to repair a basement ceiling's old school interlocking tiles?

texts: I'd like to repair this hole, but I am running into trouble as I've tried rotating the fallen tiles every which way, but nothing seems to work. Don't know if I have to start from or work back to the edge of the ceiling, and/or if I need new tiles (I only show one, but given the fact that they were loose and fell on their own, I don't want to rule that out) to replace the fallen ones.


texts: Wet blocks AFTER French drain and weep holes

texts: I had water leaking in my cellar from bottom of floor. Water was NOT on blocks at all. Now after French drains and weeping holes put in, the cinder blocks along the bottom of floor are wet. Will this damage my foundation, over time?


texts: Help with light fixture replacement; no ground wire (image)

texts:
Replacing and old light fixture in the laundry room, and this what I see when I remove the cover. Old light fixture is still attached in the photo. I don't see a ground wire in the electrical box, but there are four wire nuts, two of which I don't know what they're connecting.

The new light fixture (flush), like almost all new light fixtures nowadays, have a ground wire along with the hot and neutral. The old light fixture doesn't have a ground wire.
I don't really know how to proceed since I don't see a ground wire in the electrical box.


texts: How come the temperature is sometimes not maintained?

texts:
First let me come right out and say that I am a software guy and this seems like a hardware problem, so I already feel out of my league. That said, here's the deal:

Background:
I have two-zone "hot air" heating in my home driven by air handlers in my garage which generate heat from propane stored in an underground tank near my driveway. There are two thermostats, both of the new touch-screen type. (I'm pretty sure the thermostats are installed correctly. One was installed professionally, and both respond properly to the fan controls.)

The Problem:
Sometimes, like about 40% to 50% of the time, the temperature in one or both of the zones drops way below the target temperature. This is worse overnight, since I'm not awake to notice it and make a temporary fix. The temporary fix? Simply switching the thermostat off and then on again. When I do that I can hear a "click" and soon after that warm air is blowing from my floor and wall vents.

I guess there is an intermittent failure to communicate between my thermostats and the air handlers. What I don't understand is why, when the temperature is below the target temperature, the thermostats don't resend the "call for heat" signal. The thermostat clearly knows the ambient temperature, as it displays it. Why does it take a "reboot" to resend the signal?  And the larger question, of course: how do I fix it?


texts: How do I repair damaged enamel inside my toilet bowl?

texts:
There is an area of enamel missing on the bowl of my toilet - just beneath the natural water line.

Is it possible to repair it with radiator enamel, or by some other method?


texts: Are new "low noise" whole house fans actually quieter?

texts:
I've dealt with a number of older whole house fans (10 years and older) and the one thing they all had in common was a ton of noise.

Are the new "low noise" fans actually that much quieter than the old fans, and should one expect a premium price for a quiet whole house fan?

Are there installation tricks/techniques that will help reduce noise even further?


texts: How do I wire a receptacle and a light switch?

texts: I saw one of your posts with diagrams and I figured that is exactly what I need.   I have a GFCI outlet and light switch in the same box.   There are 2 sets of wires coming from the wall(Blk, wht, grnd).  The first set is live and feeds the outlet (LINE)   The 2nd set comes from the lamp on the wall and into the box where the light switch will go.  How do I do the wiring so the light switch will have power??


texts: How do I remove the handle of this utility sink faucet?

texts:
I removed the screw but the handle will not come off.

I squirted some liquid wrench in it and let it soak.

I've tapped gently with a screwdriver and hammer around the perimeter but it will not come off.


texts: How to increase part of existing internal concrete slab by 300mm

texts:
I have a property with a 150mm (6") thick concrete slab throughout. The slab has a step down of approx 300mm / 1 ft, running the width of the house. This means the front rooms are at a higher elevation than those at the rear.

I want to connect a 3m^2 room adjacent to a front room, without a step between them. This requires raising the level of the connected room by 300mm.

The finished buildup over both slabs will be: 150mm PIR rigid insulation, 50-60mm screed (with wet underfloor heating) then tiles.

An added complication is there is a timber stud wall parallel to the step, with the base plate on the lower part, thermally decoupled from the slab it sits on using thermoblock. It is decoupled from the higher slab by 50mm PIR sandwiched between the stud wall and the higher slab to a height level with the upper slab.

What is a recommended way to raise the lower rooms floor level?

A couple of options I have thought of:

On top of the PIR, add 300mm of concrete. This would mean the upper layer of concrete was inside the thermal envelope of the building. Seems like a lot of concrete? And will cause lagging effects on the heating / cooling of the space - this might be a benefit though?
bound the borders/flanks of the connected room by 50mm PIR to a height of 300mm, then fill with compacted aggregates / hard core / rubble, possibly cap off with some concrete blinding and then have the 150mm PIR over that, level with the rest of the PIR in the front room.


texts: How to diagnose a problem in a Jet AFS-1000B Air Filtration system

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I've had a Jet Air Filtration unit (AFS 1000B) system for years and it's worked perfectly.  Recently I took out the filters for cleaning.  When I put them back the unit would not start.  All of the lights came on (ALL of them, including lights that should not be on at the same time) but the unit does not start.

Does anyone have any idea where to start in diagnosing the problem?


texts: Suitability of flexible metallic conduit serving as ground

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EDIT:  The attached photo is the most easily accessible example of the conduit used in the entire house.  This shows the conduit attached to the garbage disposal with the previously mentioned 3/4 set screw connector.  Not shown is the wire contained inside.  However, the wire is just loose insulated conductors that have a fairly large amount of play and in some cases, slack where you can pull additional wire out of the conduit up to a point. It doesn't look to me like that would be possible with the conductors in an armored cable.

All of the outlets in our house test as being properly wired (i.e. include the presence of ground).  The house is wired with 12ga THHN pulled through flexible metal conduit.  However, ground conductors are not present anywhere. Thus, each jbox is grounded only by its connection to ground through the conduit.

My concern is, although there may be electrical continuity to ground via the flexible conduit, the electrical connection at each jbox must be rather poor since the conduit is physically connected only by a set screw.  Said another way, I really have to question the ability of the conduit to carry any significant fault currents.

I suppose if all the circuits in the house were on GFCI breakers, a crappy ground wouldn't be much of a safety issue since the ground could certainly carry enough current for the breaker to detect the current mismatch and trip.  Since that isn't the case, it seem to me that any path to ground needs to carry enough current to be able to trip a regular 20 amp breaker in a timely manner.

Are there any significant safety concerns with this method of grounding, and/or should I consider having ground conductors pulled or, I suppose, having the house rewired with new 12/2 (or 12/3 for the multi-wire branches)?


texts: Is this an acceptable way to add a light to a 3-way circuit?

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I have three way switches at the top and bottom of my stairs. There is a light at the top of the stairs controlled by the switches and I wish to add a light at the bottom.

A 14/2 runs first to the light at the top (hot and neutral from the breaker), then a 14/2 runs to the switch at the top (hot supply and switched hot back to the light), and a 14/3 runs between the switches (travelers and switched return).

It would be very difficult to run a new 14/2 (switched hot and neutral) from the light upstairs to the light downstairs, but it is easy to run a 14/2 from the downstairs light to the switch box downstairs.

I want to know if it is acceptable to connect the hot switched from the downstairs 3 way to the light and run a separate neutral to the breaker box, or another nearby circuit's neutral.

skill level: electrical engineer / homeowner, but not an electrician. (know how to not burn the house down, but don't know the electrical code)


texts: Reinstall kitchen faucet supply valve with line to faucet facing downwards?

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I Recently installed a new kitchen faucet with a weight on the hose to the retracting nozzle of the faucet ( black cylinder in picture ).

Unfortunately, this new weight lays on top of the hot water supply valve ( hose with red sticker in picture ) and pinches it.

Is it advisable  to loosen the nut on the copper water supply and rotate the whole valve 180 degrees?

Having the hot water supply line below the weight would, theoretically, give the weight the landing clearance it needs.


texts: Convert Pier and Beam to Slab Foundation

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Due to undersized foundation (5" wide x 12" deep concrete wall with no extra footing), low exterior grade to siding clearance, and little to no crawlspace access, and a bad floor that needs replacing anyway, a contractor friend suggested that we temporarily support/level the sills/walls (2.5" square tubing with 4"x4" bearing plates between existing sill and existing stem wall 23" oc on exterior bearing walls, and 3/4" all thread to concrete block on interior partition walls, remove the floor joists, and float in a 5.5 inch slab.  It is about a 20' by 25' single story wood frame area, 4 layers of exterior wood siding so LOTs of temporary shear in place, with some extra bracing to prevent kick in/out. Concrete slab to be floated into place in Mono pour connected to and capping existing footing. See the picture for details.  The reason for leaving the existing to make it easier to temp support the structure. We think we have enough steel in the design to support the cap part of the slab? Northern Cal, so we are not in a zone where freeze/thaw is an issue, and in 60-years the existing undersized has settled only 1/2" in one corner due to poor downspout management which is being fixed.

Does this approach (working around and over the existing footing in this manner), seem adequate, or should I be focusing on an approach that totally removes the existing footing?


texts: Repair/re-fill gap above basement security sliding door with concrete/mortar

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My home will be getting painted in a week or two so I want to better repair a section of missing concrete/mortar above a basement sliding door so it can be painted and sealed. It appears that some chunk was broken out at some point, where a lot of (now quite old) foam was added. This is an area at the top of the sliding door along a metal plate that supports the framing above that houses the door.
Inside you do not see the foam, so it encounters some amount of concrete/rock before it reaches the interior.
My question is, after I get that foam out of there, what should I fill it with? Quick set concrete? Mortar? It really just needs to be whatever is best shaped and then can be ready for paint, that foam has obviously not been supporting anything for a long time, and that area appears to be just fine.
The foundation around it is generally old limestone and mortar, but this area also has some block and had some kind of parge applied over it, as I expect it was added later (I have no knowledge of how this basement area was built out or added). I do not intend to try to match the parge for this small of an area, and it appears to have some sort of hair or fibers in it anyway so it wouldn't be worth the effort to try.
So long as this region is paintable and reasonably flush, they should be able to scrape then caulk all around the cracked out parging and paint the slightly surface rusted metal framing and parge/cement. You can see how the parging appears intact along the vertical side.
So, mortar or quick set cement? Does it even matter?
Also, while I'd prefer they can deal with the cracked parge with paint (I still need to spend some time caulking around the bottom of this door and patching cement on the ground in this recessed entryway) would it be better to chip that out and slap some parge (type S?) alone that ridge. What is best to parge that tiny area of rock that has had a bit of parge come off in that top corner so the inside "frame" of the door can all be painted?


texts: What is the process to remove an in-ground pool?

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What are the steps involved for removing an in-ground plaster pool and is this something that can be done with a few buddies?

(Backyard single family home type pool; see Massive Pool Leak for details and pictures).


texts: Spray foam insulation against metal roofing

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The context of this question is new construction for a small (28' x 32') outbuilding that will be used for commercial purposes. All work will be permitted and inspected (governed by these codes). I am using a general contractor that will complete the work up to the point of an enclosed shell; I will be managing the completion of the interior of the building (e.g., wiring, plumbing, insulation, drywall, etc.); there are good reasons for this that are not relevant to this question (he is a neighbor that is doing me a favor).

Aside from some aesthetic choices (that I am not allowed to question), we are trying to keep the budget as small as possible.

The plan for finishing the interior of the building includes leaving the trusses exposed (no drywall on the ceiling), for aesthetic reasons that I am not allowed to question. The bottom chords of the trusses and everything above will be spray painted black.

It is my understanding that this plan pretty much requires spray foam between the top chords of the trusses (on the bottom of the roof surface). The building is located in New Hampshire and is subject to lots of winter.

The roofing plan is low-end rib steel panels (ordered to length) in one of the basic colors (that I am not allowed to question).

The contractor tells me that his plan is to place 2x4 strapping 2'OC directly to the trusses, with the metal attached directly to the strapping. No sheathing.

The insulation plan would be to spray the several inches of foam on the bottom of the metal and strapping. There would be no venting. Foam will be continuous from top plate to top plate.

Questions:

Is this a reasonable/acceptable plan? Meets code? Energy efficient? Other?
Does this mean the insulation needs to be replaced if we ever need to re-roof? In other words, if we ever remove the metal, does the insulation come with it? Is it possible to re-roof over the metal without removing it?
Do we need to worry about issues with moisture/rot (e.g., is the strapping going to rot if moisture gets around a screw after the metal has expanded/contracted thousands of times)? The screws have a gasket on them, but I have seen big oval screw holes on old roofing that I acquired for a chicken coop.
Are there reasonable alternatives that we should consider?

One final concern relates to the actual installation of the foam insulation (which will be done by a insulation contractor, not DIY). The building will not be ready for insulation until the middle of December, which means that exterior temperatures will be solidly below freezing. It is my understanding that spray foam must be applied in warmer temperatures. I expect that as soon as a heater is turned on inside the building, we will see significant condensation on the bottom of the metal roofing and I doubt the roofing itself will get very warm, unless the sun is shining on it (the peak of the roof runs basically east/west).

Can foam be applied to cold metal? Or will the metal warm up enough that only the moisture is a concern? Is moisture a problem for the foam during application? Do the insulation guys have magic ways to mitigate any/all of these issues?


texts: Bathroom Flooring Expanding and Contracting in the Wrong Seasons

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I understand that the flooring will expand in the summer and contract in the winter.  This is because the flooring will pick up humid air in the summer and release humid air in the winter.   Right?

Then why did the floor contract in the Summer?

Is this theory true about hardwood flooring as well as vinyl engineered?

Thanks in advance.


texts: Does my house just not have a plumbing cleanout?

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So I've just bought my first house and before we fully move in, we've been doing some work (floors, painting, etc.). I noticed at some point that if someone is using the shower or flushing a toilet, it seems you can hear gurgling in all the other pipes. I knew this wasn't good and then it happened - the toilet on the ground floor overflowed with sewage while someone was taking a shower upstairs. Super.

So in the house closing, they included a home warranty. Yesterday (I wasn't there for this; this is what I was told) the plumber finally came and was very confused because he couldn't find the plumbing cleanout. My husband didn't know where it was either since we've just moved in. We looked at the home inspection report and it's not mentioned in the plumbing section. The plumber had to leave and says he'll send someone else with a smaller tool or something (I thought usually they just take the toilet off but whatever).

Anyway. The house was built in 1994. Is it common that even fairly modern houses just don't have plumbing cleanouts? This seems very strange to me. I've seen things online saying sometimes they've been cut off and buried for aesthetic/mowing purposes or drywalled behind walls or something but we're only the third owners of this house so I don't know if that would be the case.

I guess I'm asking two things: 1. obviously I suppose it's possible that it doesn't exist but is it probable considering the plumber couldn't find it after searching or is he maybe a moron? I didn't spend any time looking last night because I got home fairly late (I have a lot more plumbing knowledge than my husband although still meager and up 'til now have never lived in a house younger than the 1920s); and, 2. I realize it will probably be expensive to have one installed in the event that it doesn't exist; should I put it on my saving-up-for list? The house is in a cul-de-sac kind of at the bottom of a hill so I'm worried about this.

Appreciate any help/insight. Thank you.

Edit: Sorry, not enough info. The house is on a slab; no basement or crawlspace. It is hooked up to a municipal line (city sewer/water).


texts: Powering 2 switches from 1 switch, legal? (not 3-way)

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Ok, so I have a dimmer that controls a light in an alcove. I'm adding built in cabinets and adding LED strip lighting on the back side of the trim. The LEDs will be powered by a UL rated dimmable power supply. This will be mounted in the cavity between the ceiling and the false ceiling of the built in cabinet as will the driver for the Halo remodel canless recessed light. The cavity is about 6" tall. I'd like to be able to switch the LEDs and the recessed light separately. However, the current switch panel is a 3-gang and no room for a 4-gang to run an additional wire and switch.
What I'd like to do is use the existing switch for the recessed light to power 2 separate single pole switches in a 2 gang box in the ceiling of the cavity, accessible by pulling the canless light out. The power from these would then go to each respective driver. I'd use wifi switches so using them day-to-day would be no hassle. I know its a little weird, but is this ok to do?


texts: Water heater on concrete--should I build a platform? How much heat loss in winter?

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I don't know if that title is the best way to phrase the question.

It is winter(ish) now, and I swear the hot water just doesn't last as long as it does in, say, September. The water heater tank is insulated with the standard factory insulation. The house is heated, of course. But I know the concrete slab is colder now than it was a couple of months ago.

I'm wondering about building a short wood platform (pressure treated 2x4's, 3/4" plywood) to put the water heater on. But I'm not crazy about taking the time to drain the tank and move it, and cut and resolder the pipes. I mean, I certainly can, I just don't know if it will end up being worth the effort.

Any thoughts? Does anybody think the water heater is losing substantial heat through the bottom into that big concrete heatsink it's sitting on?


texts: Network Garage Door opener/ how does the switch work

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I'm trying to connect a relay/switch to a Garage door(Lift Master).  I know that there are two wires to trigger the garage door.  I'm not sure how it works exactly. I'm trying to control the garage door remotely (greater than 1 mile).

How do you trigger the door to open with the wires only?

How do you trigger the door to close with the wires only?

Is there any risks to shorting the two wires together?


texts:
I have recently "cut-the-cord" and have dropped my TV service through my provider, so the only need for a RG6 cable is my cable internet service.  My set-up is that the "orange" cable that leads from the pole to my house connects to a 6-way splitter like this:

Cables run all through the home, but the only one that matters is the ONE cable that connects to the modem.  My question is, will I see a difference if I continue to use the 6-way splitter, or if I change to what I'll call a "coupler" like the image below:

Will I see any increase in modem signal/internet performance etc etc if I switch to the "coupler"?


texts: We have been trying to figure out why electric bill so high. We have two well pumps, one is 400' deep.  Neither one has good output, between 3/4 and 1.3 gallons per minute respectively.  Does having a low output well create a situation where it runs constantly?  I have several holding tanks (5500 gallons total).  If that is the problem, can I do something with the holding tanks to reduce the amount of time or how often the well pumps turn on?  The deep one is 1 hp at 400' depth and puts out 1.3 gpm approx and the water has to travel several hundred feet uphill.  The other one is 3/4 hp and 100' deep and puts out 3/4 gpm and has short distance to travel.  Any ideas or suggestions?   We have solar but bills still very high.  Was thinking of a solar well pump but may be too expensive?


texts:
I really appreciate all the great feedback from the forum members on various questions.

We are working on lots of renovations to our home that is located in Toronto, Canada. It was built in the early 70s and the external walls are built 2x4 studs with Gyproc sheathing, 1/2" air gap and 4" brick veneer. On the inside there is 1/2" drywall, no vapour barrier and R7 fiberglass insulation with kraft paper facing. Pictures included below.

We needed to open many of the exterior walls for the renos but not all. However it appears that R7 is no longer adequate in terms of insulation so we bit the bullet and asked the contractor to open up all exterior walls to replace insulation everywhere.

What insulation should we be replacing with? Some of the insulation that was removed from walls has black markings. Is this of concern or point to a possible issue?

Any pointers from the experts would be very helpful.
Thanks


texts: Toilet Sounds like it is flushing but it is not

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2 or 3 times a day, my toilet sounds like it is filling up - you hear what sounds like water running into the bowl and then a shut off noise but it is not flushing. I've taken the lid off and checked. I don't see any change in my water bill so I don't think there is a leak. Sometimes there is a gurgling sound for several minutes but also stops.

I've lived in the house 5 years but it is the original toilet from 9/1999. It looks to me like the insides are not the original.

Any ideas what this might be and how to stop the problem? It's actually woken me up in the middle of the night.


texts: what are the safety requirements for scraping old drylock?

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One basement wall is in pretty good shape, just going to wet and lightly scrape before painting with new Drylok.  Other walls are pretty bad, flaking and such.
I have 3M 8210 n95 masks, is that sufficient for scraping old Drylock ?  Going to find a way to ventilate the basement too.
Thanks.


texts: What should I do about paint flaking away from an area with moisture in the wall?

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We have a very old cottage (built in 1650) that we have just completely refurbished from top to bottom. Because it is stone & brick and had a major problem with damp when we first purchased it, we stripped all of the walls back to brick and redone with a lime cement plaster to let the walls breathe.

As such, we didn't seal the plaster (as this would have negated the breathability) and painted with a microporous paint (Laura Ashley Pale Duck Egg). This has been fine absolutely everywhere, except one corner of the kitchen that backs onto an outside store. In this corner, the paint very quickly started to peel and flake away only a couple of months after applying it.

There is a lot more wall that backs onto the outside store, but it's only this small corner that has a problem; however we also appear to be developing a similar issue in a small spot on the opposite wall, which backs straight onto the outside at the front of the house.

Obviously I want to repaint it, but without it happening again and again. Does anyone have any ideas?

For reference, here's an ASCII drawing of the corner:

        ___          |  ____________
        | |          | |
 Side   | | Outside  | |
 Of     | | Store    | |
 House  | |          / |
        | |________/  /
        | __________/
        | |
        | | \
        | |  The problem area
        | |  (Inside kitchen)
        | |___
        |  ___|
        | |
        | |

Any help or suggestions would be very much appreciated.


texts: Will this sink piping configuration result in standing water in the pipe?

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I recently had a contractor put in a new sink and disposal along with the piping. The disposal tailpipe is just barely above the drain pipe, however the p trap doesn't go straight out.

Is there a minimum height requirement that the disposal tailpipe must be above the drain?
Does the p trap need to be straight out to the drain or can there be an additional elbow like in the picture?
Does the dishwasher drain (smaller plastic tube) need to be above the disposal, or does that get pumped in without the need for gravity?

Thank you for the help!


texts: How do I put up a travertine tile backsplash?

texts: I'm trying to put up a tile backsplash in the kitchen (approx 25 sq ft) and I'm having trouble deciding between mastic and thinset for putting it on the drywall.  For that matter, is it OK to put the adhesive directly on the drywall?


texts: Should I grade my property or put dirt against chain link fence?

texts: I recently installed a chain link fence. It's a long story why, but our neighbor's property is about 6" lower in elevation in some spots where the chain link fence is. We installed the chain link fence on the lower elevation because the existing wood fence we were installing was at that elevation. Now we want to know if we should just fill in the gap between the fence and our property (high side), or should we grade our side of the property so that it meets the bottom of the chain link fence? We would rather just fill in the gaps, but I want to know if this could cause any problems.


texts: How an I retrofit smart bulbs in a LED fixture?

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I have a lot of these lights in my house (kitchen, bathrooms, bedrooms)
They look like LEDs but it also looks like the only way to change them is by soldering.  is this true?
I really want to upgrade them to smart lights (Zigbee or Alexa integrated).  But I haven't found any options (maybe just using bad keywords for search).  Does anyone know of a smart light option that supports this [pictured] configuration?


texts: Is it OK to have a redundant path to earth?

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I have a home with separate flat on the grounds.  Our system, in South Africa, has 230V live and neutral, supplied by the national grid operator through a distribution board, via isolator. It then goes via the earth leakage detection isolator to various circuits.  We have a 4 ft earth spike outside the main building, driven into the ground, to which all the earth connections of the building are connected.

I extended and added a flat, supplying it using an 80A capable armour cable from the main house board. The shielding and earth wire for the armour cable is connected to earth at the main house distribution board bar and the flat distribution board bar to supply earth to the flat.

I want to add an earth spike at the flat and connect it to the earth bar in the flat's distribution board for redundancy.  Is this a good or a bad idea?  I asked on another forum and someone suggested it was bad... going into an explanation about ground loops and huge current... I gathered he is not an electrical engineer so I thought I'd ask here before I make any decisions.

Thanks in advance!


texts: How can I remove paint splatters from sealed decorative concrete deck?

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I have a custom concrete pation & pool deck that is textured / painted to look like wood. It is also sealed. Recently I had the coping on my pool fixed and the guy did a great job but left quite a bit of paint stains & splatter around the pool.

What would be the best way to remove these? I am going to try to pressure wash this weekend but should I be using paint thinner? Can that be used on a sealed concrete deck without damaging it?


texts: This window lock is broken and I don't know what tool to use to replace the lock. It's just round hole, not a screw.  I can't even identify the window manufacturer.  Any help?


texts: We currently decided we are going to be remodeling our kitchen. With that being said I plan to rip up the old hardwood floors all the way down to the sub floor. After cleaning, securing any squeaky or flexing spots in the subfloor I planned on using self leveling compound to flatten everything out. My main question is, Do I lay a new 1/4 in. plywood sub floor ontop of the leveling compound and secure it or would I just start my new flooring project from there? The new flooring will be a floating (hardwood, laminate, or vinyl) floor with a pad underneath. From my understanding I believe I would just start flooring over the leveling compound as screwing down a new 1/4 in. underlayment would crack and crumble the sub floor, but thought I would check with all of you amazing people. Thank you.


texts: Can I connect a black wire to one breaker and a red to another from the same circuit?

texts:
One of my breakers tripped last week and wouldn't reset so it needs to be replaced. This is a double breaker with a black and red wire.
The switch with the black wire is the one that won't reset.

I have an unused single breaker with one black wire.

My plan is to simply swap the black wires until I can replace the breaker.

Will this work or burn down my house? I think this counts as two circuits sharing a neutral? It's a temporary solution either way.

Yes this is a zinco and will probably kill me. We're working on replacing the whole thing.

I'm not a professional but I've pretty much rewired half of this house.

I have a good understanding of how not to kill myself messing with my breaker.

EDIT: So I ended up trying to pigtail with the one above it, and it tripped. Seems I still have a short. I'm reading up on ways to troubleshoot and will take another shot at the pigtail until I can buy a new breaker, panel, house, etc. THANK YOU!


texts:
Do you use tempered glass for kitchen cabinet doors?
This is for uppers.
I'm wondering if it's recommended, mandatory (I'm in CA, USA), or overkill.


texts: How do I repair this soffit flashing thing?

texts:
So I just bought a house. Woo. But I know nothing about handy man stuff. Boo.

Below the roof soffit is a metal strip that had fallen or been wild-animal-peeled off which I knew from the inspection. Haven't rushed on it because frankly I don't know what to do and figured a few weeks won't hurt.

So, my question; it doesn't look like flashing to me because my understanding is flashing has a lip underneath something and a lip outside, this I believe just was placed in the corner of the soffit running along the wall/soffit crease to seal that crease from intrusion.

How do I place this back on; is it by nailing into studs? Screwing into studs? Taccing onto the siding? Caulking into place?

If it's not flashing, what is this strip called? Am I rambling nonsense to which that strip might be several different things and it's not clear from my description what it is?


texts: Is there a functional electrical difference in a wire splice vs a second line

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The three wire connections as shown.

A splice

O-rings bolted

Double slide-on

I can understand why there may be connection type diferences for ease of construction.

Are there any electrical differences in how they would transmit power if all wire were the same gauge?


texts:
I am thinking in building a circular washbasin mounted into a 3mm steel plate. To do it, I need to cut a circle on the plate. I don't have much, just a cheap 1250w grinder and the discs that came with it.

I would like to ask you:

Do you think my grinder will be enough for this? Should I buy new specific discs?
Do you think my circle will have many imperfections? how could I refine it?

Thank you so much!


texts:
Recently, the GFCI outlet that "powers" our back patio has started tripping. Initially, I thought the outlet was old since this only started recently (and we use our patio regularly), so I replaced it with a new one, but it still trips -- sometimes within seconds, sometimes after 10 minutes or so.

Downstream from the GFCI are two outdoor ceiling fans and three standard outlets. I've unplugged everything from the outlets and switched the fans and lights on the ceiling fans off. However, the GFCI still trips.

All three outlets + GFCI outlet have bubble covers on them.

Wiring runs like this:

Breaker --> light switch (inside) --> GFCI outlet (outside) --> 3 outlets / 2 fans

(All outdoor wires are run through PVC or metal conduit.)

At this point, my guess is that I have a short somewhere. Question is: is there a best way to troubleshoot this? I'd rather not have to take down the fans to determine if they're the cause, but if that's what I have to do, so be it. Also, is there an obvious reason why the trip sometimes happens immediately but sometimes after a few minutes?

My plan is to disconnect the load lines from the GFCI and see if it still trips. My assumption, however, is that it won't and I'll have to work down the line to see where the fault is.


texts: How do I replace this bathtub handle that has a plastic piece?

texts:
I have followed a number of videos, but they all seem to have a copper (?) stem. At this point I'm up to some plastic piece that has no notches (namely around the metal piece) to use a wrench on.

Where do I go from here? I'm thinking that I would pull it out, but don't want to risk it without being sure.

It is leaking, so I'm probably looking to replace more than just the knob.

[EDIT] I went to Lowe's and they cannot help me without knowing the brand. What would be a way to determine the brand? I do not see any labels, here are more pictures:

http://imgur.com/a/DpMZk


texts: Are there ways to catch and detect leaks from a clothes washer? Some kind of tray?

texts:
If a clothes washing machine begins leaking, are there ways to catch and detect the leak as there are with hot water heaters?

If so, by what terms can I search to find such parts?


texts: Is it ok to use three sequential 30 amp breakers for my new well pump install?

texts:
Just wired in new 230 volt (1-1/2 hp) water well pump. Do I have too many breakers for this pump?

The first breaker is a 30 amp double-pole inside the 200 amp main panel house box. The second breaker is a 30 amp double pole in the Reliance transfer switch box for my generator. The third is a 30 amp breaker that's 100 feet out to well house, connecting to the relay control box & then running down well to pump.


texts:
I'm living in a building of 6 floors, I'm at the 5th floor.
I made a full renovation to my apartment about 8 years.
Recently I began smelling a bad sewage smell from the bathroom (from drainage hole).

The thing I can't understand is how it's possible if I have a siphon that always keeps a high level of water such that it blocks the passageway of air...

It's driving me crazy and I don't know how to solve this issue.

Would appreciate a lot your advices,


texts: Roofing nails protruding in attic dripping with condensation

texts: After a re-roofing job there are hundreds of nail points sticking out in the attic. I use some of the attic space for storage so when standing up in there I get poked in the head, but also in freezing weather, these nails drip from condensation and get all my stuff wet. Can I cut off the nails and then put a dollop of silicone sealant on the little bit still sticking inside to insulate the nail from the warmer moister air in the attic so it won't drip? Or would that cause the moisture to soak up into the sheathing and lead to rot?


texts: Connecting an exterior outlet to an interior outlet

texts:
I'm trying to install an exterior outlet to an interior outlet for power. I took the interior outlet out of its box and noticed 4 wires (excluding the ground) attached to the outlet. 2 of the white wires attached to the neutral side and 2 attached to the hot side. All wires were attached into push holes and not the sides screws.

The top 2 wires I assume are the line wires and the bottom 2 the load wires. My question is once I run the exterior outlet wires to the interior outlet, where do the wires attach and how, by pigtailing? And, where do I pigtail to? The side screws to the interior outlet are still free from any wiring.


texts:
My apartment is extremely drafty during the winter months, with a window in my bedroom, as well as in my bathroom, my room suffers as soon as the temperature drops. I gave a call to my landlord and they claimed to have come out and fix it, but I felt no difference.

What would a simple DIY solution be that won't cost my roommates and I an arm and a leg, and will seal up our windows from some of the draft?


texts:
We've recently renovated this bathroom, and since our Spa Bath hasn't been used in quite some time we decided to give it a clean out. We used this liquid cleaner and followed the instructions precisely.

Our bath doesn't allow us to shut the air off completely however we do turn it to minimum, along with the pump intensity.

So I turned the bath on, went downstairs to make some food. I was gone for ~2-5 minutes however that was time enough, I came back up and before I entered the room I saw my room had been taken over by bubbles.  They were cascading over the edge of the bath and were now stacking up on the floor! In this time they had already become knee deep, coming up to the same height of the toilet. They were not easy to neutralize, in the end we had to pick them up and move them away.

I read that this cleaner can cause some foaming, however i do honestly believe this is excessive. (Attached is an image of the second run which I left on for 10 seconds after cleaning the mess up)

How can I prevent this massive amount of froth from occurring and is there any good method for neutralizing it fast when it does?


texts: Possible to refinish pressed-wood cabinets?

texts: I've got some kitchen cabinets. The wood is very lightweight and the cross-section is pressed wood with what looks like a durable paper-like surface layer. I'm not sure what they're called. They were new and installed recently (in the past year), I'm just not quite satisfied with the color. Is it possible to use something like the new Rustoleum product to change the finish? And what is the Rustoleum stuff? Is it like paint? is it a stain?


texts:
We have deep dents (5mm at deepest) in our hardwood floor caused by strong blows with a baseball bat (crackhead subtenant, psychotic episode). Those dents are bigger than the dents that I've seen fixed by the water + iron method, and there is some breakage in the wood fibres. It seems the floor has a lacquer or shellack finish, not oiled.

What options are there for us to fix the floor, save completely replacing it? Not sure if sanding down everything is a viable option in this case.
Cost-efficient repair methods would be preferred, since we're not the home owners and have already pumped thousands into fixing the other damages, with no chance of reclaiming the damages.


texts: Patching around a pipe exit in stucco wall

texts: We just purchased a home and the seller hired a handyperson to run a pipe for the hot water heater pressure release. They ran a copper pipe down...at the bottom there's an elbow that's connected to another pipe that exits through a hole they drilled to the outside.  The outside of our house has stucco. What do I do to seal the gap around the copper pipe?  Do I just use some caulk?  I basically want to prevent rain water from leaking into the gap.


texts: Can you use/store your air compressor (horizontal cylinder type) in vertical position?

texts: I have this Air Compressor. Can I remove the handle and store it and use it in vertical position (compressor facing me for easy access)


texts: How can I prevent my computer from interfering with the TV signal?

texts:
I have an antenna tv and every time I turn on my computer, it knocks out the signal to my tv. I have tried plugging the computer in to different areas in my house and buying a booster for the antenna signal.

I have 20 amp fuses in my house for the electricity and the wiring was just updated 5 years ago. What can I do to fix it? Could it be my fuses?


texts: Under Deck Ceiling Using Barn Steel Roofing Panels

texts:
I priced underdeck ceilings at $12/sq ft installed.  That is just way more than I am willing to pay, and I am just not that fussy, so I am going to do my own under deck ceiling using barn steel roofing panels.

I found several people doing this on youtube.  Here is a sample of one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9WUiPOl9co

The existing deck is 12'x36' and I will be sloping the short side.

Right now, my intention is to:

buy 3'x12' 26 gauge roofing panels from a big box store,
Screw progressively thicker strips of wood to the joists (to provide slope),
Screw the roofing panels to the strips of wood,
Use a gutter to catch the water at the lower end.

My questions are:

What is the ideal minimum slope?  I am asking because I don't just want the minimum slope.  I have plenty of headroom, so I can afford a couple of extra inches, but I don't want to slope more then what has a real advantage.
How far apart should the strips of wood be such that the roofing panels will not sag over time?
Do you have any other tips?


texts: What is the proper placement for bathroom pendant sconces?

texts:
Lighting experts recommend placing bathroom sconces ( sconces used on either side of a mirror above a vanity ) at eye level of the end user. Doing so reduces shadows. What about bathroom pendant lights? Should they by at eye level as well, or would that be a bad location as they might hit the end user in the face?

Questions

How low should bathroom pendant lights hang?
How far off the wall should bathroom pendant lights sit?


texts: What could cause a furnace to short cycle?

texts:
My Ducane MPGA100B4B furnace is shortcycling (2 minutes from fan on to fan off)
The thermostat's Heat Anticipator setting doesn't seem to matter for the on-time, maybe the offtime changes
The thermostat is of the round mechanical variety, not digital
The furnace's control board seems to be blinking healthy codes - steady blink when off, faster steady blink when on.
The air filter on the bottom left side of the unit doesn't seem too dirty.
If I turn the thermostat to below-temp for a few seconds and then back above temp, the furnace will turn on again immediately for its 2 minutes.
It's cold in here!

What might it be?  What can I check?


texts: Best Conditions for Sealing Asphalt Driveway

texts: What are the best conditions for sealing an asphalt driveway? What time of year, and under what kind of weather would be best?


texts: Why can I not turn off my ceiling lights?

texts: Three ceiling lights which worked for years, cannot be turned off.  There are three switches, each of which controls all three lights (they are all on or all off).  Is there a simple fix or must I call an electrician? I didn't change anything.


texts: Is it safe to use a polyurethane faux beam to hide an asbestos insulated (and wet-wrapped encapsulated) heating pipe?

texts:
I am planning on finishing my basement and there is an asbestos insulated and wet wrapped encapsulated steam heat pipe that runs the length of my basement.  I found a 3 sided faux wood beam that would be cheap and easy to install that work great to hide it.  Is it safe or recommended to do so?

Thanks for any input


texts: Can anyone identify what brand this faucet is?

texts: I wanted to replace this faucet and had a hard time figuring out what brand it is.does anyone know what company this is ?


texts: Outlets in living room suddenly died but there is not tripped circuit breaker

texts:
I have a couple of weird things going on.  So all of a sudden three outlets went dead.  I checked the circuit breaker and nothing was tripped.  To make sure, I turned the breaker that controls the 3 outlets on and then off again.  Still nothing.

To research, I removed the plates on all three outlets to expose the wiring.  All three have 2 black and 2 white wires and a ground.  This makes me think they're connected in a series somehow.  Two of the outlets are on the same wall within 10 feet. The other outlet is on an opposite wall across the living room.

Things I've tried to diagnose:
With circuit breaker and and off I've check for voltage on all three outlets and all the wires and the two that are on the same wall have absolutely nothing whether the breaker is on or off. The outlet that is on the opposite wall however, has a low voltage reading whether the breaker is on or off.  The weird thing that I can't understand is that when I check for voltage on the outlet that is on the opposite wall while my sandals are on, I get the low voltage beep on my voltage pen.  However, when my sandals are off and I'm barefoot, I don't get and voltage beep.  Why is this?!!

Second question, how can I troubleshoot and try to fix this? Is it a problem at the circuit breaker?  I checked every other outlet to make sure nothing is tripped and all the other outlets on the floor are working fine.


texts: Why is there a metal piece in the wall itself?

texts:
I’m drilling a hole into my outer wall and there is a random metal bit inside the wall. There are no studs or wires... what is it?
In the picture it is just the most bottom part of the hole ( it’s very hard to see srry )


texts: Is my electrical wiring for the refrigerator correct?

texts:
I bought a new fridge. Since the power cord of the new fridge is at the bottom and short, it did not reach the original receptacle high on the wall. I had to put a new receptacle lower on the wall.

I drew the wiring diagram for the original receptacles, based on what was there (Figure 1). The old fridge was connected to receptacle-1, and we used the receptacle-2 to connect toaster, etc. in the kitchen. Then, I put a 20 Amp receptacle (receptacle-3 in the figure-2). A day after the installation, I have realized that my wiring is different than original wiring. Since the re-wiring I have not used the receptacle 2 yet. I have the following questions:

Was the original wiring in Figure-1 correct and safe?
Is the new wiring done by me in Figure-2 correct and safe? Now, I think not.
Is the wiring in Figure-1 a parallel receptacle wiring? Is the wiring in Figure-2 a serial receptacle wiring?
Is there any other questions I should be asking? Or call an electrician?

Thank you!


texts:
The AC produces cool air for a short period and then ceases to produces cold air after 10-20 minutes.   It will repeat this cycle if turned off for ~1.5 hours

What can be concluded from the observations above (freon quantity, compressor status)

This AC is an older Fedders A1A10W7: these were designed to be serviced vs today's disposable ACs.   Before dropping $1K on a new AC.  I would think it make sense to determine if there is a simple check or repair will extend the service life.   If it makes any difference, the 3rd story AC faces a busy avenue in urban city

Is there a simple diagnostic or corrective (maintenance?) action I can perform before replacing the unit?

Suggestions with links to procedures / videos are always appreciated.  Thank you


texts: Join kitchen worktops, one side has a 2~3mm gap because I cut the wrong side of the line

texts:
I am installing my first kitchen and have had to make two cuts.  One of the cuts I've done on the wrong side of the line resulting in a 2~3mm gap.  I was given Colorfill to use to join the worktops.  I've attached images to show the gap.
Can I get away with filling with Colorfill for this size gap or do I need to buy another worktop? Or is there another adhesive I can use?
Thanks.


texts:
Im putting outlets into my new Shop, planning for a 1" EMT conduit containing three circuits running  from the panel box:  A 20A 120V, B 30A 240V and C  50A 120/240, so 7 conductors plus the conduit ground.
The outlets will be attached to the conduit and mounted similar to the installation in this photo.

One difference is my shop has the continuous hoop connections up at the 3 foot level allowing more bolt holes (like the lowest part of this picture).   The Conduit will be hung on P Clamps every 2' attached to the existing metal bolts holding the building "hoops" together.
I Plan on putting 4"x4" boxes every 4' with either a 120V dual outlet or an appropriate 240V single outlet (either NEMA 6-30 or 14-50 for the two circuit types).  Since each circuit carries different size conductors it should be easy to keep them straight (12AWG, 10AWG and 6 AWG).  Two different sets of circuits will run  one clockwise and one counterclockwise out from the panel for 6 circuits total.  Additional individual special circuits will be run for lighting (120V), a 240V compressor, and a 240V cooler. Total of ~15 spaces in my 30 space panel.
I'm in Tucson AZ under the 2017 NEC for this.  Is there anything I'm doing here which seems concerning to the experts online or any additional advice I should consider?

After-report: Some more detail on How I ended up running along the Quonset hut interior.  (The small handy box is just for splicing to make the pull easier)  And yes there is a ground wire even though its not supposed to be required using EMT; however My inspector wanted it in  [see this question: https://diy.stackexchange.com/questions/207090/conduit-for-ground-in-metal-shop ]


texts:
I am attempting to take care of air leaks in the attic before new insulation is put in and I have a few questions.

Along areas of the roof line there is light that comes through. I don't have soffit vents. I assume I should seal these? What is the best method?
I have two ceiling fans that have pretty large gaps between the box and drywall. This seems too large for foam without getting foam into the box. I was thinking of just using recessed light cover. Is there a better idea?

Here is a pic from the outside of the same area where the light was coming through. The gap scene there is just the space between the gutter and soffit and not the actual gap scene from inside the attic. The roof was replaced 3yrs ago and proper roof vents were installed too.


texts: What is the antenna connection on a European TV called?

texts:
I am looking for the name of the cable that goes from a 4-way TV splitter (the Power pass out input) to the back of my TV, as mine has broken and needs replacing.

This is to get my antenna and satellite connected.

Here's an image for reference. The cable from the splitter to TV 1 is the one I need the name of :)

I have bought a coaxial cable female to male but this does not fit.

Any help would be really really appreciated!


texts: Thermostatic shower valve with tankless gas heaters

texts:
Are there any benefits to using thermostatic shower valves when my tankless gas heathers already limits its maximum temperature at 48°C (it can only reacho more up to 65° by disabling the safety feature).

This heater modulates the flame so that the output temperature is near constant. I understand that if something sudenly draws cold water the temperature might rise, but I doubt it would me much of a concern.

Thermostatic valves are more expensive, bigger (two dials vs a single monocomand mixer) and its replacement cartdrige is much more expensive than a regular one.


texts: Is it possible to install a whole house humidifier away from the furnace?

texts:
My building is essentially a single extremely large room.  It's a 25'W x 45'L x 20' H concrete box, with an open mezzanine over the back 1/3 of the box.  The HVAC system is gas-fired forced air, installed outside on the roof, and due to the foolishness of the builder, the heating registers are all at the ceiling level, except for one under the mezzanine.  The air return is in the middle of the ceiling.  The only water is also under the mezzanine.

EDIT:  There are basically just two runs of ductwork.  One comes from the roof-mounted HVAC unit, and runs down one side of the ceiling.  I'd guesstimate it at 8" x 12" ish, and it has four registers along it.  There's a single branch off the ceiling duct that comes down and runs along the underside of the mezzanine - flexible and maybe 8" diameter.

I've been looking to get a humidifier, and all the stand-alone units of a size that make sense for a space this size get pretty mixed reviews (and also require filling multiple times a day).  Installing a whole-house humidifier at the furnace is not an option, due to its location.

My question is:  can a whole house humidifier be installed somewhere other than at the furnace?  My options:  (expensive) run water up to the 20' ceiling and install on a duct up there.  (easier) install on the one duct that's near water, under the mezzanine - but that's only about 25% of the incoming air.


texts: Are there such things that allow quick changing which circuit powers outlets/lights

texts:
Is there some kind of electrical switch that will take 2 different electrical circuits in and the load can alternate between circuits based on the position of the switch?

I was thinking about doing some extended electrical work, but I would like to maintain power to the downstream lights and outlets of that circuit. Yes, I could get an electrician to split the circuit, but a simple switch would be easier to DIY (and seems like a practical device).


texts: How do I connect a timer to circuit box which controls our outside lights?

texts: Currently our outdoor lights are being controlled by the circuit breaker in the box. We want to connect a timer to the circuit-breaker. There is a junction box with Black, White and a bare ground coming out of the Circuit box, which controls the outside lights. We have tried to install a programmable timer to this junction box, but not sure what to do with the blue wire, which would normally run to the fixture. In this case, the fixture and circuit box are the same thing...


texts: 2 HOT wires together from the same breaker source

texts:
I was replacing all fluorescent light fixtures with pot lights and when i removed a fixture, there were 2 14/2 cables connecting with the light.
I thought one was the power coming in, and the other was the power going out to another fixture.
Turns out that when I separate them, cap them off, and turned on the breaker, both had power after I tested with a NCVT (both are from the same breaker source).
Now I am confused as it means that both 14/2 are for power coming in? For the time being (I'll put in a junction box), I finished the job by keeping the two cables connected as it was initially, but i am not sure I understand why they were both hot when i separated them.


texts: How can I fit a pipe inside another pipe?

texts:
Does anyone here with experience in plumbing or piping know if a 3/4" pipe can fit inside a 1" pipe to the point where you can slide it in and out like a telescope to make an adjustable stand post?

According to this link and if my math is correct, the inner diameter of a 1" SCH 40 pipe is 1.049" and the outer diameter of a 3/4" SCH 40 pipe from the chart is 1.05" which is .001" too big. If I were to go to Home Depot would this difference matter?

Also I have a random question, are "all-purpose" drill bits able to drill through galvanized steel piping and is there a good method for drilling on round surfaces?

The reason I'm doing this is because I'm trying to build a DIY bike repair stand with an adjustable height. It's loosely based off this, but with a "Quik Klamp 3-Way Open Corner 1" (sorry I couldn't post another link) acting as the base-support piece mainly because the whole thing could be disassembled and I'm hoping a bit more solid.


texts: GFCI Circuit Breaker 'Test' works, but doesn't trip with plug tester

texts:
I have a sub panel in my basement that has multiple GFCI circuit breakers.  All the 'TEST' buttons work.  However, when using a plug tester, they don't cause the breaker to 'Trip'.
The tester was tried in another plug that is hooked up 'downstream' from a GFCI plug and it successfully caused the GFCI plug to trip.

UPDATE:
In response to questions below:

I can 100% confirm the outlet is connected to the breaker
All grounds are wired correctly both at the panel and the plugs.
I will get a picture here shortly.
The tester used belonged to the inspector.  I'm on my way shortly to get my own to confirm.

Just a note here, the breakers in question are ALL GFCI/AFCI combination breakers.  Could this be why they don't trip with the tester?

UPDATE:
I was able to fix one of the breakers.  It turns out the White / Blank wires were reversed (According to the tester I got).  Once I fixed this and then ran the GFCI tester, it worked great.
I still have one more that I'm looking at will consider the 'Ground' solution proposed.


texts: What size breaker and wire do I need for a subpanel in my shed?

texts: I am wanting to run power to my shed/workshop.  I will have 8 outlets running table saw and such not everything at same time also will have shop lights and a separate 20 amp circuit for pool pump.  What size breaker in main house panel should I use to connect to subpanel in shed that is approx. 90 feet from the main panel?


texts: How to properly use a transformer which bundles its high & low voltage wires together?

texts:
Here's an example of an HVAC transformer that will go from 120 or 240 to 24 VAC.
Obviously, all wires exit the device through the same pipe nipple; the device is intended to be installed by screwing it onto a junction box using that nipple:

Since installing like that pretty much requires that the high & low voltage wires & respective splices are made together, how can this be used in a code-compliant (not to mention generally safe) way?
It seems clear from other questions here (and other reading) that high & low voltage wires are meant to be kept apart for good reason. (ex1, ex2)
I've seen other types which segregate the high & low voltage wires, but if this transformer was what you had available, what are the options?


texts:
The other day I covered up a mark on a painted wall using the same paint used before with a roller. The paint is Dulux emulsion paint and was stirred before use. It has been almost 24 hours since I applied the paint, but area I have painted over is now darker than the rest of the wall.

What can I do to fix this? What I don't want to do is repaint the entire wall or room.


texts: How to apply silicone to an edge (tidily)

texts:
How can I coat an edge with silicone?
There are caulking tools for all kinds of joints such as these, but there seems to be no such tools for edges.
I tried using my fingers, but this is far from tidy.
I'd need a caulking tool in such a shape:

Can such a thing be bought? Where? I tried making it myself by cutting a caulking tool like in the link above, but I cannot get close to the form needed with a knife.
Or can I do it in another way?
What tool or technique do I need  for applying caulk to an edge?
(What do I need that for?
I have a counter top made of chipboard, laminated with melamine resin. There is a little gap between the coating of the top and the coating of the side, so at the edge the chipboard is visible. This is where moisture can get in. By putting silicone on it, I could seal it against moisture.)


texts: Determining load bearing wall in attached blueprints

texts:
attached are two images from blueprints of the first floor of my three story home. I am looking into some renovations and hoping the hive mind could provide some insight. As I'm in the general initial planning/brainstorming phase, it would be super helpful to nail this down before proceeding.

My general goal is to open up the rooms labeled "LavII" and "Exercise Room" into a single larger space. The sauna is obviously not moveable. I initially hoped I would be able to remove the wall labeled with the blue arrow to expand the exercise room beyond the sauna, as I don't need all the extra storage space in the adjacent "storage room," but correct me if I'm wrong in assuming that is a load-bearing wall for sure given its perpendicular orientation as well as the dashed lines indicating concrete foundation/slab below?

That plan being an assumed bust, I am left with the wall labeled with the two red arrows. I am hoping to take that down (just the portion on left side of the sauna), remove the toilet on the LavII side of that wall, and open up the space that way.

Any insights you could provide would be helpful. I've attached the first floor plan as well as the first floor "framing plan" for reference. Thanks!

-Callie


texts: Should I worry about plaster walls in bathroom?

texts: I just moved in to a new house, which has plaster walls. I was told that the owners never took a shower, due to worry over the walls. There is tile all over the walls, but I still wonder if I should worry about using the shower?


texts:
Can I use a 20 amp breaker in the situation of having 15 amp wire connected to a 20 amp main wire?

If I can't would using a 15 amp breaker be ok?


texts:
I would like to install the smart radiator thermostat from my previous apartment:

However, in the new apartment there are different kind of valves, with clamps, as seen here:

Does anyone know what's the name of this type of valve? Most likely I can buy converters, provided I know what to look for.

UPDATE

Took off the thermostat, and it is not threaded, so I need an adapter indeed.


texts: Is it necessary to put a special egress window in a basement bedroom if there's already a window above ground

texts: I'm putting a bedroom in a basement. There's already a window above ground level. Do I need to dig down and install a special egress window or can I just put in a bigger window that meets requirements and codes?


texts: Is adhering EPDM foil directly onto a slightly porous layer of bitumen to fix a leaking flat roof a good idea?

texts:
I have to fix a flat roof of about 60 sqm. Right now it has an ancient layer of bitumen (at least 35 years old, maybe even over 50, I'm not sure). The bitumen is slightly porous and not really smooth (but not terribly bumpy either, I hope).

As far as I understand, the way to go is to cover it with a layer of EPDM rubber. There is a lot of information available online about how to use the EPDM, even a lot of videos that explain very thoroughly how to install the EPDM layer.

But most videos I found show people putting the EPDM layer onto a wood layer. I found one video that showed adhering the EPDM on bitumen, so I guess that generally it should be okay to put the EPDM on bitumen, right?

But what about a bitumen layer that is not smooth? Is it still okay to put the EPDM directly onto that, or would I have to put another layer onto the bitumen first, to make it smooth?

And also, what kind of glue should I use? To my understanding, there is glue with or without dissolvent, but I couldn't find any information about what's the practical difference between the two. Which one would be advisable to use in my situation?


texts: Need help on error code for a solar power inverter

texts:
I have a solar array with 2 Sunpower/Sunnyboy inverters model SPR-6000m.  One of the inverters has an error that from the manual (see pic) is "Inverter Interference".  The indicator lights that blink match  the pattern in the attached pic.  The display also says "Disturbance OFFSET".  I contacted the installer and they can't come out right now because "grid tied solar systems aren't considered an 'essential service'"!   I contacted the manufacturer and after about a 45 minute call, which basically ended just being "turn it off and on again"!  (ARRG!) ended up with the same problem.

I tested the voltage on the breaker attached to the inverter and it was right at about 120-121 volts to neutral and about 240-242 across the hots.  I also pulled the cover on the inverter and double checked the voltage there and it matched.   The input voltage from the array was about 410vDC.  The other inverter is doing fine, no issues.

Our governor just extended the stay at home order until May 4, meaning I'll lose out on an entire months solar production.

Is there anything I can do to fix this? Parts needed?  I'm a pretty decent electrician ( but not licensed), still I'd like to at least try to diagnose this (and hopefully fix it) without losing a month of production.


texts: How should I distribute the weight on a marble island?

texts:
I am building a rather large cart for use in my kitchen. Due to the dimensions of the room the top (marble) is about 5' 7" long, 14" wide and is quite heavy (estimated 150 pounds).

My largest concern is how narrow this top is making the center of gravity close enough to the edge that this could be toppled sideways by my three year old. My thinking is that if I place the wheels offset a bit - say 18 to 24 inches wide - this should counteract this risk. Anyone have a chart, etc to describe how wide I need to make this to be safe?

EDIT - I'm thinking that the top for this cart would be 36 inches tall.

EDIT - Based on the discussion here I went with locking casters on one end and fixed casters on the other along with a 24 inch wide base. We also tried pulling the completed unit over. It felt like it took about 100-120 pounds to get any motion on the lateral face. If necessary I also left space on the bottom for a counterweight.


texts:
I bought one of these: http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/50279373/

I would like to plug this in to the wall rather than hard wiring it in to the ceiling. Am I right in thinking I can connect this to a 3 pin UK plug (with a 3 amp fuse in it)? The cable only doesn't have earth but I'm not sure if this is a problem in this scenario?

Thanks!


texts: Difficulty taking off tap body to attempt to change washer

texts:
Hi all to cut a long story short, had a dripping cold water tap, took the head off and am left with what you can see in the image, I have used some serious strength but am unable to turn the mechanism anti clockwise to take off so I can change the washer. Is there something I’m missing? Tried wd40 but no luck.

Thanks


texts: Replacing 3-way dimmer switch with 3-way switch

texts:
I've recently installed smart (ZigBee) LED bulbs in my kitchen. These lights are on a dimmer switch, and even when I have the dimmer all the way up, the bulbs flicker when their internal dimming is set to anything other than 100% brightness. I was told I need to replace the dimmer switch with a standard one. If this is already bad information, please stop me. If not...

I have a non-dimming 3-way switch in another room. I was just going to swap these switches since I'm not using LED bulbs in the other room, so the dimmer won't be a problem there. The wiring of these switches doesn't look similar to me, though, so I'm unsure how to wire it up. I have pictures of both switches which I hope someone can help me decipher.

3-way dimmer switch

3-way switch

What is confusing me is that one switch has a white wire, and the other doesn't. Also, the second black wire on the dimmer switch is looping around the screw rather than terminating at it. If swapping these switches is a bad idea, I can just go buy a second non-dimming 3-way and leave the other one alone. I was just trying to make use of what I already have, and being able to dim in the bedroom would be kinda nice. Thanks for any assistance.


texts:
I am looking into which cement to use to repoint our old house (built ~1900) stone basement. I found conflicting advice, some suggesting type N or type S is fine, but some sources suggest that Portland cement is not compatible with hydraulic lime cement that was likely used in the original construction.

I am fairly certain the original is lime cement as it is currently crumbling on the inside in the manner typically described of this type of material. It seems that hydraulic lime cement is typically used to restore old masonry, but has multiple downsides, as it is more expensive and complicated to mix, has lower water and stress resistance, and is likely to need repair sooner.

At the same time if I resort to using one of the Portland cement mixes I am afraid it will impact the existing cement left deeper in the stone foundation, causing cracks and instability. The basement has some water leakage so I am looking to waterproof it as best as possible, but without affecting structural integrity of the foundation.

Any advice on whether type S would work ok with existing cement or whether Hydraulic Lime cement is the way to go?