texts:
Let me preface this by saying i did my research, i got an electric car and the charger is limited to 12A draw internally, but it is designed to handle both nema 6-15 and nema 5-15 specs. If you run it at 110 12A it will charge in 9 hours, if you run it at 220 12a it will charge in 4.5.

The adapter already came with a nema 5-15 which i cannot change as it has a temperature sensor in it which i would like to keep, but if i send hot hot neutral through its nema 5-15 connector it would treat it as 6-15 and operate correctly.

I already have a 2phase panel outdoor for my hot tub rated for 50A where the hot tub has a 30A breaker. I will be adding a 2nd 20 amp breaker for this.

The question is as follows, should i run it into a nema 6-15 plug, then build a converter from 6-15 to 5-15, or simply use a 5-15 and wire it hot hot ground. I would be violating code, but adding in an adapter is pointless, the wiring is meant to handle 12 amps regardless of voltage, so i assume a 5-15 should handle 220v 12a without issues.

What are your thoughts?


texts: West facing master bedroom getting hot from afternoon sun

texts:
I am renting a townhouse where the master bedroom is always getting way hotter than the rest of the house. It's the only room on the top floor on the west side of the house and only has one window on the west facing wall. The downstairs is fine as the trees outside shade that part of the house, however they have been pruned a while ago and they have never grown tall enough again to shade the second floor of the townhouse.

I was hoping someone here would be able to help me reduce the heat that this room gets without having to do anything to drastic as we are only renting.

Thanks


texts: Need 12' ladder on second floor but staircase is too tight

texts:
I have a fan on a high ceiling (maybe 16 feet high) that I want to replace. I need at least 12 foot type A ladder but it needs to fold because I have to take it up some tight stairs and corners to get it to the master bedroom.

I tried rending a fixed step ladder from home depot - it weighted a ton and it was so long I couldn't get in in the room.

The telescoping ladders all seem to be 9' tall and I don't want to pay $$$ for a ladder I'll only use once.

Any ideas how to get to that fan?


texts: Can an incandescent light dimmer be used to dim LED lights?

texts:
I have two dimmers which control 500 incandescent lights.  Now I need to replace the lights with LEDs.

Can I use the same dimmers?


texts: How do I keep a triple sat dish stable after directing towards the satellites?

texts:
I have a triple sat dish to receive tv channels broadcasted through three satellites. .

It is a very convenient dish, it is small making it easier to install out of sight and allows us to watch a interesting wide variety of channels. Ranging from Thailand to Latin America.
The disadvantage of such a dish is that directing it towards the satellites requires quite some precision. When the ideal direction is found it always is a tedious task to tie the bolts in such a way that the dish doesn't move. 1 mm off and you don't have reception.
A tuning process that also needs to be repeated after storms or a change of season.

I am just wondering if there is tightening mechanism that would allow precise directing while not needing tightening the bolts afterwards. Something like a winch that remains stable on every given position.


texts: Do I need a vapor control membrane inside the roof if I have a breathable underlay outside?

texts:
I am a DIY'er working on a cottage in a remote part of the UK.
I don't really have access to a professional roofer so I've just been having a go at it myself with some labourers.
So we have constructed a pitched roof and it is stopping any bad weather getting in.
The construction of the roof is:

Concrete roof tiles
Klober Permo Forte underlay
Sarking timber

Picture for reference:

Now I am about to do the insulation and framing inside the roof, do I need to put a vapor control layer inside the rafters?
If I need a vapor control layer, does it get stapled to the sarking or does it sit under the gyproc (dry sheet)?
The trusses are 250mm depth (2'x10') and I will be putting a gyproc sheet with 150mm PIR boards, making it a cold roof.
Picture for reference
(note the roof rests on 800mm thick stone walls)


texts:
I want to attach a 2x12 beam to a treehouse attachment bolt bracket, and I want to double up the beam, as shown (the view is from underneath). The bracket is 2" wide, and apparently designed to accommodate a doubled beam – the bolt holes are offset toward one side, to go into one board only.

I'm also considering adding 1/4" plywood spacers between the boards for drainage (as shown), which would push the outside board even further from the bracket support –  essentially cantilevering most of the outside board out from the bracket.

I'd been assuming I'd attach the beams through the plywood with bolts plus construction adhesive, but I'm open to other suggestions given the rest of the situation. Assuming the two halves of the beam are securely attached, will load from the outside board still transfer properly through the attachments if only 1/4" is supported? If not, what's the best way to make sure it does?

More information: I don't have a final plan for the treehouse, but the beam will cover a 12' span, and will be one of two identical beams on either sides of a tree, supporting joists in a 10'x10' treehouse platform between three trees. Knee braces will be involved. The treehouse will probably be single-story, made of wood, shaped approximately like a cube, and won't be bigger than the platform. I assume it will weigh about as much as a wooden shed, so somewhere between half a ton and a ton and a half. It will occasionally have live loads of as many as four kid-sized humans, with varying weights and wind profiles.

More Information II: the number and sizes of the children will vary. I'm assuming standard gaussian distribution of child weights and heights, per CDC Growth Charts for the United States, Methods and Development Series Report 11, Number 246. 201 pp. (PHS) 2001-1696[1], with a target rating of .04 children per square foot, per designation RA4V (100 sqft Conference Room) of the State of New Mexico Space Standards section 2.5[2]. Surface areas and wind profiles of children assume a cylindrical child.

Edit: I've also contacted the bracket manufacturer, who assures me that the diagram below will be fine. I'd like a second opinion.

Final Edit: It was difficult to choose which answer to select as they were all so similar, but I'm convinced that such a small bearing surface isn't ideal, so I selected the first one to say "don't do it." Ultimately I decided on a different configuration which will allow centering the beam on the bracket.


texts: Replacing mounting brackets on dishwasher

texts:
After moving in to an older house, the dishwasher started coming undone from the mounting brackets and tipping forward. I opened it up and saw that the mounting brackets had completely cleaved apart. I believe that the brackets are brazed(?) to the frame of the dishwasher itself (picture below), is it possible to replace such brackets?

The dishwasher is a Frigidaire that is 20+ years old, model number FDB989GFC2

Thanks for any help.


texts: Just put a new sink in and was not lucky enough to have the plumbing line up. I have it roughed in and wanted some insight/opinions on whether this will work, or what I need to do to fix it. I have a slope leading from the disposal to the trap, but with the new larger sink, my p-trap is about 2" lower than it previously was. I used a J-bend to meet the drain tail piece to the drain tube. It seems like I am fighting gravity a bit too much now as the distance between the p-trap and the drain tube is quite large. Will this setup work or do I need to approach it a different way?


texts:
My townhome is using a heat pump and it's currently connected to a honeywell 3000 thermostat. I bought a gen 3 nest and from what I can tell, it's compatible. However, I'm a bit confused about my white, blue and brown wire. The G, Y and R wires make sense, but the others I'm not too sure about. I even have a black wire not hooked up to anything, but I think I'll leave that disconnected. Can anyone tell me how I should connect the W, B and Brown wire in the nest?
Picture included for detail. Every site I've read seems to suggest the Blue wire should be connected to the C port, but on my thermostat, the C is connected with the brown wire. Help!
Thank you,
Pete
EDIT: added what seem to be schematic diagrams.


texts:
I just bought a new home and it had been professionally pre-wired for a security system. There are cables for sensors on all entry doors. There are some cables for motion detectors as well on the main floor. There is also a cable for the control panel near the main entrance. All the cables go to the basement and are not connected to anything at the moment.

I checked one of the cables and it looks like there are four wires - red, black, yellow, and blue - inside.

Is this something I can make one of my DIY projects? If so, any recommendations on wired security systems compatible with this setup?


texts: Do asphalt contractors throw away unused sealant at end of season?

texts:
Background

I just had a guy knock on my door to pitch me a quote to reseal my driveway. I need to get it resealed, so I listed to his pitch. He said he wouldn't charge me for materials because he is just going to throw away the sealant at the end of November.

That line smells a bit suspicious, but there is some legitimacy. From what I read 1 2, it is possible for the sealant to go bad in storage. So maybe he's telling the truth, that he just doesn't want to bother with storage. Although, I would expect disposal to be a pain for the contractor as well (assuming he disposes of it correctly)

This isn't the first time I've had a contractor tell me they'd give me a discount because they want to get rid of materials for the end of the season. I heard it once before from a gutter salesman, and an AC salesman too.

Question

Is the "I'm going to throw the materials away" claim legitimate in the driveway sealing business?


texts: Framing a small open-walled outdoor structure

texts:
I'm going to be building a structure out of PT 4x4s (2x4s for the roof) to provide a base and a roof for an outdoor clay oven. I have some questions about how to fasten some of the joints, and how to determine if it'll be strong enough for the weight.
The oven will be roughly hemispherical, 200-300 lb., about 38" diameter (I don't know how to make a hemisphere in SketchUp). The "box" below it will be filled with rubble or insulation of some kind. There'll be some kind of ceramic insulation board under the oven.
The vertical 4x4s will be solid all the way up. The wood isn't meant to overlap, that's just my lazy/clueless SketchUp technique again.
So I'm wondering if the following ideas are reasonable:

I'm planning to use 3/8" lag bolts for the joints marked in green.

For the joints marked in red, I'm thinking of using tie plates on the outside and some kind of right angle plate on the inside.

The top plates are wrong in the illustration. What else is wrong?

Timber frame style mortise and tenon joints would be ideal but I've never done that kind of thing and time is limited.

Update
2x10 joists (hangers not shown):


texts:
After my first encounter with sleeve anchor, I think I need a good tool to tighten the nut.

May I know what is best tool?

I bought a standalone M10 ratchet wrench but is there a tool that add more power? :D

Is there a torque wrench for small scale usage? Do I really need a torque wrench?


texts: Repairing damaged marble veneer in kitchen

texts:
My kitchen counter has developed a 2cm wide bubble of the top layer of veneer. I've not really seen anything like this before and don't really know how to go about performing a fix; picture is attached.

I got a quote from a company and they were asking for over £300 which seems ludicrous, so I'd like to explore other options. Obviously it's not going to be possible to 100% match the repair to the original markings, but I'd like something that looks okay.


texts: Half of electrical circuits remain out after exterior neutral failure

texts:
Half electric works in house.  Had broken neutral wire outside on house.  Had electrician change all wiring from power company to meter then from meter to breaker box and put a new breaker box in and still have same problem.

Everything was fine until wire outside came loose.  What could the problem be?  Any help much appreciated.  Checked outlets and switches and lights and ceiling fans. See no problem there. Thank you.


texts: Protection of sensor and electrical wire conduits/trays from water

texts: I have an application where I have to use a couple of temperature sensors and some electrical wires running around a container (l x b x h = 2.3 x 12 x 2.6 m) that is situated outdoors. The electrical wires basically are coming from and going to a PLC and cable conduits or cable trays will be used for cable passage. which is the best one (cost-effective) to use, cable conduits or cable trays when concerned with protection from water? How can I safeguard my sensors and the electrical cable conduits /trays from rainwater/snow? What can be the protection possibilities?


texts:
I'm a new homeowner, and I purchased in a low-price area in East Mesa, Arizona. It is a great house and I got a great deal, but I discovered some scorpions outside the house (see photo) while I was washing the siding. This is to be expected, after all we are in the desert, and they were here before me and will be here long after I'm gone. We can't do anything to eliminate them completely, and I accept that. I want to reduce the possibility of getting stung though, and mostly that means keeping them out of the house. I have addressed the issue with standard pest control and I'll be working on sealing the house over time.

However, a popular way to deal with the issue out here, is to simply go out at night with a black light, hunting the scorpions down and killing them, in person, if you will. I would like to make this fun, and I'm a little nervous about the common method of just stepping on them. So, I want to purchase or design some kind of weapon that will kill them from a short distance away. I'm a gun enthusiast so I would love said weapon to resemble a rifle, in usage anyway - I don't care what it looks like.

The popular product "Bug-A-Salt" does not work on scorpions, they are too mean and nasty. Nuclear weapons don't work on them. So, I need something with more power, like an air-soft shotgun or something like that. It needs to be relatively quiet so I can use it at night in my neighborhood, and needs to be safe to shoot at a downward angle into the ground.

Any ideas for some kind of "gun" to kill these suckers?


texts: How do I buy raw filters that are the same kind as used in dryers?

texts:
Do you know the kind of filter net in your dryer filters?

The filter material is dense enough to block any lint from passing through, but airy enough to not block any of the air pressure.

I'd like to buy a raw sheet of this kind of filter to build something. I have no idea how to even search for that. Does anyone have any idea?


texts: Calculating daily energy production of PV panels

texts:
From https://www.solarpowerrocks.com/solar-basics/how-much-electricity-does-a-solar-panel-produce/ it says:

"Using the example above of a 250-watt STC rated panel, if you multiply the 250 watts the panel produces by the number of hours of full sun you get in a day, you’ll get the amount of kwh that panel produces per day. Multiply by 30 days and you’ll get mothly kWh output for the panel.

The average roof in the United States gets about 4 hours of usable sun per day. We know the sun shines more than 4 hours, but “full sun” is a measurement that combines all the parts of the day when the sun is lower in the sky into one number.

Using 4 hours of full sun, gives you this equation: 250 watts x 4 hours. That’s 1 kWh (1,000 watts) in a day per 250-watt panel.

If you multiply 1kWh per panel by 30 days in a month, you’ll find that each 250 watt rated panel will produce about 30 kWh in an average month."

This makes sense to me, but when I take our soon to be installed 57 305 Watt panels (17.385kW according to my calculations), it doesn't.

With the array size being 17.385kW (69.54kWh generated in an average day, according to the above, if I am not mistaken) to only meet our daily usage of 41.73kwH (1,252kWh is our average monthly usage) out of the array per our solar company, it is only on ever up to 60% efficient.

Does this sound right to others also?


texts: Which sanitary tee for kitchen sink plumbing?

texts:
I am planning to lower the height of my kitchen drain outlet from the wall in order to accommodate a garbage disposal but I am unsure of which sanitary tee to use. My current plan is to use a 2 x 2 x 1.5 sanitary tee that stubs up to a 1.5" trap adapter. However, I see that there is also a 2 x 2 x 2 sanitary tee available. Which sanitary tee is considered standard for a kitchen sink? Also, if the 2 x 2 x 2 sanitary tee is preferred, what fittings would I need to reduce to the 1.5" pipe from the kitchen drain?
Updated with picture. The drain is currently cast iron. I intend to replace this portion with ABS and lower the outlet.


texts: How risky is it to drain window wells into an interior drain tile system?

texts:
During some recent heavy rains one of my window wells filled with water, which started coming into the basement through the deteriorating window.  I have a drain tile system around the interior of the basement walls but no drain around the exterior. (The house was built in the 40s, and the interior drain tile is a recent enhancement.)

In the two summers since it was installed, the sump pump has run very little.  I've never actually noticed it running apart from when I test it, but the seepage I used to get on a regular basis from the bottom of the basement walls has stopped.

I'm considering installing drains in the window wells to connect to the interior drain tile.  I have misgivings about intentionally channeling all that water through the inside of my house to the sump pump, though.  While adding the window well drains seems like the obvious solution to keep the window wells dry, how much worse would it make a sump pump failure?  Would it make a failure more likely because of the increased activity?


texts: New bathroom mirror covers a junction box

texts:
I’m attempting to replace the vanity mirror in my daughter’s bathroom. The old mirror is wired for electric lighting, but the new mirror is just a mirror with no attached lighting fixture.

My question is, when I remove the old mirror, do I simply cap off the existing wiring and the hang the new mirror in place of the old, or do I need to remove the wires completely? It would be nice to keep the existing wiring in case we’d like to add lighting in the future, but my first priority is safety. Any advice would be most welcome.


texts: Where to connect C wire on older furnace

texts:
Upgrading to a wifi thermostat and already have extra unused wire from furnace to wall, just not sure where to connect it at the furnace.

I do have central air installed, and assume the blue wire just needs to be added to any existing junction, just not sure which one.


texts: How do I disconnect (and reconnect) the tubing from this fitting?

texts:
The plastic tubing supplying filtered water to our refrigerator currently runs below a suspended ceiling. I want to reroute it above. How do I disconnect it without damage from either the union or tee, so I can reconnect once moved? The tee is labeled NSF-51 Parker Parflex size 4. The union has no discernible markings. I believe I would rather disconnect the union rather than the tee. I didn't want to just start tugging. I have found similar fittings for sale online, but no instructions for use.

Here is the union:

And here is the tee:


texts: Does this 3-Way Wiring Violate 300.3(b)?

texts:
I see NEC 300.3(b) coming up quite a lot in discussions about neutral wires and smart switches. I'm looking at a 3-way configuration I have now with analog switches and how I can properly modify it to support smart switches, but I'm not sure the current configuration even complies with 300.3b to begin with. Note none of the other 3-way switches in my house are like this:

P = power source.
Question 1
Doesn't the fact that the C-D conduit carries lamp 5's power source (plus travelers) but not its neutral violate 300.3b? Or if I'm wrong, how am I misunderstanding that section?
Question 2
If I were to change the configuration to the following, would that cure the code issue, assuming there is one? Or is this improperly "stealing" a neutral from the "other devices" to power my smart switches? Does the fact that Lamp 5's return doesn't go through any conduit carrying its switched power source just screw me?

(FYI these are GE Embrighten switches - S5 would be the main switch, S5AO would be the add on). Everything is on the same circuit.


texts:
I made a mistake and ended up with a very light coat of cured silicone spread in the ceiling. So looking at an angle, this ceiling area is shining.

I can't just scrap it off because it very thin and feels like stuck in the porous painted ceiling.

What would be the best way to fix this:

painting over it is an option? maybe not, the new paint might not adhere to silicone.
using a sandpaper to try to scrap?
using vinegar (I heard it helps loose the cured silicone).
using alcohol?

It's a small area so ideally I don't want to buy a whole bottle of solvent. However if it's the only solution I'd do it, I just don't know which solvent to use. Will it be necessary to repaint later?

Thanks!


texts: difference between load bearing walls and beams

texts:
I am faced with removing two load bearing walls, even though they have the same span, they bear different loads:

1st wall supports 2 struts
2nd wall supports 2 struts + 2 hanging beams.

The size of the beam required for such a span is outlined in the building code, for 3.1m span I would need 240x90mm LVL beam.
So I was thinking, does this mean that the beam is over the top strong for supporting 2 struts, and enough strong for the 2 struts + 2 hanging beams, or is it other way around, strong enough to support 2 struts, and weak for 2 struts + 2 hanging beams?
Or perhaps loads were an architect problem in the past and the building code calculated the strength of studs in a length of a wall and suggests a beam with the same strength; the load is not considered at this stage, but the length is?
Just wondering how the beam recommendation works in building codes.


texts: How should nail holes be repaired in a gypsum firewall?

texts: I've got a couple nail holes from pictures being hung in the garage that I'd like to patch. The drywall is 5/8" fire-rated. With that in mind, are there any special considerations when patching this wall? Should I be using fire caulk/foam or just use all purpose spackle on it as if it was any other drywall?


texts: 40 bulb chandelier wiring project - Does dimmer affect amps?

texts:
I am a DIYer and have made pendant/ chandeliers before with great success but I may be over my head with this one...

The question is boiled down to this: is the current wiring I have adequate for the job and do dimmers have an effect on the wire load?

Here is why I ask this question: I have started a chandelier project that has 41 vintage  40 watt  incandescent bulbs. (40 watt bulbs were the lowest I could find for the style i wanted.) This will be on a dimmer to reduce the light output of 1640 watts of course! i have figured the amps are 14.9 at full power but can't find any answers about the affect dimmers have on amps if any.

This circuit includes five high hats with bulbs that I'm guessing are about 100 watts but we are prepared to change to LEDs so the added amps will be marginal.

My research suggests that amps in this set up are just about where they should be for a circuit with a 20 amp breaker.  What I can't figure is if the wire is adequate.  As far as I can tell the wire from the dimmer switch to the fixture is 16 gauge solid copper probably rated for 110 degrees(?)  It is a 15- 20 foot run from the dimmer.  Right next door (before the dimmer) is the switch for the five high hats. before that i assume the line runs direct from the breaker box for say 40-50 feet and I'm guessing it's probably the same gauge wire there.

So, in the interest of not burning my house down, can anyone tell me if the wiring is adequate and if dimmers reduce amps too?

Many thanks in advance!

PS. I don't think this is relevant to my problem but I figure i will mention it.  I plan to use or fashion a power distribution set up where all hot wires go to one bank and all neutral go to another.


texts: What type of fill to use to raise grade in back yard

texts:
There is a small section of my back yard that is adjacent to my house and slopes towards it. The yard itself is predominately graded away from the house, so I just need to raise the grade in this section to ensure that water does not run towards my house when it rains.

I plan to cover the area with peastone as finish(currently just dirt), but what type of fill should I use under the peastone to actually raise the grade. Should I use clay, or something else that doesn't drain, or is topsoil sufficient?


texts: How do I fix a plastic gate that will not close when hot?

texts:
We recently bought a house with a gate between the driveway and back yard.  In the mornings and evenings, the gate opens and closes with minimal rubbing between the latch on the post and the latch plate on the gate.  After the sun  shines on the gate for several hours, the latch plate on the gate collides with the latch on the post, and will not close.

Here is a picture of the gate:

Total height of the posts is roughly 6 ft.  The ground height is different on each side of the gate, so precise length of the posts is different.  Width of the gate is 48 1/2".

I am guessing heat makes the gate expand.

The latch post is screwed to the detached garage.  The gate post is mounted firmly in the ground.  There is a cable with a turnbuckle going diagonally across the door.  If I tighten the turnbuckle the door gets more clearance, but then the latch is too high to close.  The hinges have an adjustment to bring the door closer to the gate post, but at the top the hinge is already colliding with the hinge screws.

The bottom hinge screws have 1/8" to 1/4" inch clearance.

The previous owner apparently tried to fix it by jamming a log between the gate post and the walkway:

The log is wedged in pretty tight, and no play.  I can get the gate to close by pushing it away from the latch, but all the movement is flex in the post, rather than movement in the ground.

What is the best way to fix this?

Things that have occurred to me are:

Swap out the hinge screws for flat head screws and hope that the extra 1/8" is enough.
Try to brace the posts at the top.  Not sure how to do that in an attractive way.
Dig out the gate post and re-set it to get better clearance (a lot of work)
Disassemble the gate and trim 1/4" to 1/8", then reassemble (Not sure how much work is involved.  I have not worked with vinyl fencing before).
Try hammering the log in farther (inelegant, might break the post, but simple if it works)


texts: Running Electrical cable through Loft/Attic

texts: So we have had a car charger installed outside the garage, which is currently powered by standard twin and earth. is it ok to run an armoured cable from the meter, through the loft, (going up the toilet vent stack, and back down the other on the other side of the house, where there is another.), then underground into the garage and install a sub panel? (would save me taking up the patio...)


texts: What do you do/ask when hiring a contractor

texts: In a world where every guy with a truck full of tools is a "contractor", how do you weed out the good from the bad?


texts: Can someone help with a MW heating problem?

texts: I have a Ge Advantium model ZSC2001 FSS01 Speedcook oven. When using the microwave function, it works fine for 1st item heated but at the end of the heating time, the oven doesn't "beep" but just stops. Then, if i try to heat a second item within about 10 minutes of the 1st item, it doesn't warm the food. Also, often the clock reverts to some odd time. I was told the interlock switches need to be replaced. That doesn't seem right to me and I'd like to hear if anyone has experience on this problem.


texts: How do I wire a GFCI combination light switch when power enters at the light?

texts:
I have a Leviton 7299-NW GFCI/switch combo

The diagrams in a response to the question "How do I wire a GFCI/switch combo?" is helpful. But I want to see a diagram for a situation where the power enters at the light and the device is wired so that the light is ground fault protected. Provided the cable between the light and the device is a 14/3 (with red wire), I would also need to be able to do the following:

The white wire in the cable from the breaker box which runs to the light box would have to be pigtailed together in the light box with the light's white wire and the returning white wire that runs in the cable between the light and the device. At the device end, the white line wire would have to be pigtailed in with the LINE white-silver neutral screw and the LOAD white-silver neutral screw. So that one white neutral wire is shared by the line and load of the GFCI/switch. Is this permissible?

Simply put: How can I wire the device, GFCI/switch, to ground fault protect light if the power enters at the light?


texts: Recommendation for mounting transfer switch to vinyl sided exterior wall

texts:
I need to mount a Generac automatic transfer switch to my house beneath the meter base. The construction of the wall I need to mount to is (from outside inwards):

30 yr old vinyl siding (for which I cannot buy new siding to match)
R7 foam-board, 3/4(?) thick (a regrettable decision in retrospect--wish I had used 5/8 plywood for all walls)
2x4s 16" o.c.
1/2" drywall

I think I have basically two options:

cut and remove all material that'd be behind the automatic transfer switch, mount 1 or 2 layers of 3/4" plywood to studs on either side

or

mount the plywood directly over the vinyl siding--making sure it is large enough to fasten to two (or more) studs. I would use long lag bolts and washers to ensure that they didn't pull thru the plywood. I estimate lags will be 3/8x3". The thing I dislike about this option is maintaining/painting the plywood and preventing the need to ever have to replace it.

Option 2  would be easiest and I am not convinced that Option 1  is sufficiently more structurally sound than option 2.
Is it worth the risk of damaging the irreplaceable siding?
Are there better options I have not considered?
and are there any electrical related concerns (with either approach)?
The wall is east-facing and sees little direct precipitation although lots of direct sun.


texts:
I'm wanting to remodel our attic to add a few bedrooms.  We currently have 2x6 floor joist that span 16' on one side and 18' on another.  All meeting up on the load wall.  We were going to sister 2x8 to the existing 2x6 but are worried about the extra weight and the huge amount of pain it will be.

All our current 2x6 joist are spaced 16" on center.

I'm being told that we could just put in braces in every 16" to form a 16" x 16" cube structure. Is this true?


texts: How can I fix a hairline crack in a thin wood panel of an exterior door?

texts:
My 100-year-old house has a wooden front door made of thick wood ribs interspersed with 8 wood panels, each about 10" high, 8" wide, but only 1/8" or 3/16" thick.  Perhaps the door originally had glass instead, then someone replaced glass with cheap, thin wood panels?

Anyway, there's a thin (1/16" wide) but ugly crack running top-to-bottom (10" high) in one panel. From the inside I even can see a little bit of daylight on the other side on bright days, although on rainy days the crack closes up as the wood swells.

I've sanded, patched, and repainted the inside of the crack once before, using lightweight spackling compound on the inside only, but I was lazy and didn't do anything to the outside of the crack that's exposed to the elements. So after a few months of rain and hot sun, the the crack reappeared.

Both inside and outside are painted (Inside: latex, outside: not sure.) The crack on the outside is barely noticeable because the exterior side door is black, but the inside is white and the crack is very noticeable. So mostly I care about fixing the inside and want to do as little as possible outside, as long as the crack doesn't get more visible outside.

Any advice for how to patch this to withstand the elements on the outside and look good on the inside?  I'm looking for advice about patching material (or materials if I have to use something different outside vs. inside) and technique (e.g. outside first? inside first? anything special to worry about given that inside and outside are only an eigth of an inch apart?)


texts: Is lateral offset in 3.25x10 inch duct allowed?

texts:
I'm installing a microwave/range hood.  To preserve usable depth in the cabinet above, I'd like to use 3.25 x 10 duct through the cabinet, and transition to round duct in the attic.  However, a ceiling joist is blocking me from running the duct straight up.  Is it allowed by code (and not problematic any other way) to build an offset which would move the duct 3 inches to the side, within the cabinet?
If it's allowed, can it be done with simple parallel bending as shown in the sketch, or would it require actual curves?

Thanks!


texts:
The frame of my front door looks, for lack of a better word, hideous:

The holes in the frame itself aren't what concerns me--there was a security screen door there before, and I will probably just fill the holes and sand them down until flush with the rest of the frame, problem solved.

But what is going on between the frame and the stucco? It looks like the doorframe was maybe set in the wall with... some foam/caulking? and then left like that?

I have been thinking that maybe I need to buy some wider molding and cover up the foam/caulking, but I'm not sure whether that's what's normally done--most of the doors I've seen don't have wide molding on the frame. Is the solution here to retexture the wall instead? Any suggestions?


texts: Any electrician's out there? I have taken down an old fluorescent and the light fixture and this is what I have found. Only thing wired was the white wire. There is a pink one in there that was just untapped and no wire not. The blacks were all nutted together and they have multiple grounds taped together. I have put screw nuts on all of them following my buddy Bubba Osborn to always be safe. Unsure what to do here. Usually can simply take a fixture undo white, black and ground. Chris Ewell calling out to you as well.


texts: How can I visually conceal a crack in my concrete driveway?

texts:
There is a crack on the sidewalk and front of my garage. I want to repair or cover the crack so that everything looks even and uniform.
Any ideas on how to approach this problem? Thanks in advance.


texts: Does my furnace and water heater need a shut off switch

texts: I notice my furnace and electric water heater have switches. Why do they have a switch, is it for convenience or are they required by code. Each of these are on a dedicated breaker and the breaker panel is only 15 feet away. The switch just seems like another thing that can fail.


texts: How does 4-quadrant metering of 3-phase electricity work?

texts:
I have a 3-phase 4-quadrant electricity meter installed because I have a photovoltaic plant on the roof of house. A 4-quadrant electricity meter means it can measure both consumption and generation of energy (forward and reverse direction).

Let's assume I have an home appliance consuming 1 kW of energy and I'm generating 1 kW of energy from a PV plant at the same time. The appliance is connected to phase A and the generator is connected to phase B.

After one hour what will be the change in readings? Will it be 0 kWh consumed & 0 kWh generated or 1 kWh consumed & 1 kWh generated and why?

My location is Slovakia, EU, the meter is Itron ACE6000.

Update
In Slovakia (as of 2013) it's better to consume the generated energy myself than to feed it back to the network, which should be (and is for me) the most important reason to build a PV plant.


texts: Is it safe to use a 50 metre (164 foot) mains extension cable?

texts:
Amazon UK sell 50 metre extension cables that use standard UK plugs:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-200084-Metre-Cable-Reel/dp/B000LFZ49Q/ref=sr_1_1

Is it safe to use an extension lead this long? If not, why not?


texts:
I have an ugly black concrete floor in the laundry and I would like to paint it white over the top.

I have a few questions.

What different steps do you take when you are painting over a color rather than painting over unfinished concrete. And is white over black more difficult.

Is this considered a difficult job, should I hire someone? (I am a novice)


texts: What is the correct wiring (including Ground) for two main load centers plus transfer switch?

texts:
I will be building a new house and plan to have 400A electric utility service split into two 200A main load centers.  One of those load centers will be tied to a whole house generator via an automatic transfer switch.  (I will be feeding essential circuits into load center B which is backed up by generator, and then non-essential circuits into load center A which is not backed up.)  I have three questions on wiring:

I know that for a sub-panel, you do not bond the ground to the neutral, but you do for a main service panel.  Since I will have two main service panels, do I bond them both with the same wire to the same external ground (e.g. metal water pipe)?
Is this the correct wiring for a “whole house” automatic transfer switch?  I assume you run the utility (meter) to the transfer switch, and then from the switch to the load center.
It looks like the Generac generators are usually installed with floating neutral.  Is this the correct wiring?  Does Neutral and Ground get bonded in the transfer switch, or only in the main panel?

ORIGINAL VERSION

REVISED VERSION (per ThreePhaseEel's comments)


texts:
My Newworld dishwasher error E1 display. On any program it will drain and fill with cold water but now it no longer sprays hot water after several minutes it drains again and fills with cold water.
Any advice would be much appreciated


texts: Need help to understand my electric panels and subpanels

texts:
I moved into this home few months ago in California (U.S.), and want to understand how much electric load I can use in each room. The house doesn't have HVAC and I am using floor heaters. I would not like to overburden the electric system beyond its capacity.

House Covered area: 1460 sq feet
Meter photo:

Here is the excerpt from inspection report:

  Some more context, the house is 70+ years old, and was built in two steps. Original part was built in 1940s, later another portion was added in 1970s.

Volts: 120/240
Service Entrance: Overhead mast
Service Capacity: Undetermined
Main Panel Protection: Breakers.
Subpanel Protection: Circuit breakers and fuses
Subpanel Location: hallway, garage.

  The electrical main service panel is older and utilizes outdated technology. However, it was opened and the inspected circuitry was
  found to be properly installed and correctly fused, with exceptions noted elsewhere in this report. Upgrading should be performed in the course of on going improvements.

  Note: The main electrical panel was manufactured by Federal Pacific Electric.

  The electrical service capacity is minimal by all current standards (100 amps) and may prove inadequate for today's lifestyles. We recommend further review by a licensed electrician, and the electric service upgraded as recommended.

  There was an older glass fuse subpanel. This electrical panel uses outdated technology and is intended to meet minimal loads. With any remodeling or expansion the panel would need to be updated. Additionally the panel does not include modern safety standards

Initially, I was naively adding up all Amperes to total it to 100, which they don't. After reading up similar questions on this site, I have figured out that it is not even expected; so I am asking for specific help for my situation.

Note: I am using a gas dryer.

Main panel: The marking in Red deciphered as 'Kitchen'

Subpanel1: (in the hallway, this is the one which is very high as mentioned in the notes)

Subpanel2: (This is physically located in the garage, ironically the other subpanel has a marking "Garage")


texts: Fishing extra wire through old Elec box, that has wires already

texts: I'm fishing 14/2 wires through some electrical boxes (outlets, and switch boxes), that all ready has wires in it. I'm not hooking it up to the electric, I am just fishing the wire, and waiting on the electrician to hook up elec.I never fished before. I did check housing codes, and what wire to use. They told me to keep old wires, and fish the new. Do I punch another hole in the old box to add more wires in it? Any other tips?


texts:
There is 1 and only 1 leak (thank God) that is driving me crazy. When the wind blows from the south and hits the house from that side, there is a drip that develops and comes from above the top of the window (the little 3 " overhang inside the window). The water is not coming from the window, this I know. I believe that the water is being forced into the soffit and somehow drips down along the cinder block wall where it comes out over the window. I hope that makes sense.

There is NO water on the ceiling or along the inside wall above the window.
There is absolutely no access into the attic as the roof slopes to almost meet the inside ceiling, so I can't even get to that side of the house.
When it rains, even pours straight down there is absolutely no leaking.

Can rain be forced into the soffits by the wind, or should I be looking for the leak elsewhere?


texts: What could cause a thermostat to distribute electricity to only one heater out of two?

texts:
I have two electric heaters on the same circuit. They are connected in parallel, or at least the wires all come in the same box where the thermostat is installed.
Previous setup: 1 heater had a built-in thermostat, it was wired to skip the thermostat (directly connected to the load wire), other heater was going through thermostat. Worked fine.
New setup: Got rid of the heater with a built-in thermostat. Both old heater (2000W) and new heater (1000W, without built-in thermostat) go through the same wall-mounted thermostat now (basically I switched the one black / load wire to go before the thermostat). The 2000W element heats up fine for like 15 mins, then stops. The command at the wall-mounted thermostat still shows it is heating (it didn't reach the target temperature). The 1000W element is still going strong, but the 2000W becomes cold to the touch. A few hours can pass and the 2000W one remains cold. If I fiddle with the thermostat (decrease and increase temp target again), the 2000W starts heating again and stops after 15 min.
Test setup: I disconnect the 1000W element, and leave only the 2000W plugged in the circuit. The 2000W element heats up just fine, and can keep heating for multiple hours without having this weird behavior I get when both of them are hooked.
The thermostat is graded for 4000W.
Any ideas what I could try next? Should I replace the thermostat?
EDIT:
Some pictures.
Wiring
2000W heater I don't have exact model name


texts:
I have a sheet of glass over the kitchen door (for natural light to hit the entry hallway) VICIOUSLY GLUED to the fame. I'm removing the entire frame to replace the old wood door with a glass door and also want to get rid of the glass above.

I was pondering on how to break it and I didn't want it to shatter all over the place.

I decided to cover it in duct-tape so it holds together even when broken (makes sense in my head, we'll see how it turns out).
I put a piece of cardboard on each side and nailed it to the frame so it won't have anywhere to go after it breaks.
On the side I'll break it from, I left some holes in the cardboard to hit the glass and not the cardboard covering it.
I'll also put a pillow on it when I break it to muffle it even more.

But I hit it twice for testing and it's very strong... and loud! So to avoid panicking my neighbors (I'm very considerate :))... what's the easiest and less noisy way to make a sheet of glass crack and remove it?

Size is 75cm by 45cm. Thickness is about 5mm. And covered in duct-tape.

This is what I'm thinking of?

Small impact area, large impact area?
Hit at center or sides?
Hammer a sharp object into it or just hammer directly?
Drill some holes into it first to weaken it?
Should I saw the entire part out with the glass in it (as I don't care about the frame anyways, I'll obliterate it) --- but this is not so easily achievable?

Thanks.

PS: I write code. DIY wannabe. And have no idea how to tag this...


texts: Can a UL 1953 listed power distribution block be deployed in a panelboard cabinet?

texts:
So, one of the things I want to do if I ever get a chance to have a house wired to my specifications is have each room have its own lighting homerun to the panel, but multiplex these homeruns onto a smaller set of lighting circuits at the panel in a star bus topology instead of the "daisy chain" of lighting circuits run all over current houses.  This makes the wiring of the house itself clearer and easier to follow logically speaking, while allowing multiplexing schemes that keep large, contiguous areas in the house from being darkened by a single breaker trip.

While 312.8 permits splices in the panel by ordinary (wire-nut or push-in connector) means provided the panel gutters do not exceed 40% wire fill and 75% overall fill, the use of twist-on or push-in connectors free-floating in the panel seems to be a somewhat...sloppy way to do this.  A perhaps more neat and workmanlike approach to the problem is offered by the use of UL 1953 listed power distribution blocks, which are commonly used to provide enclosure-mounted splicing and distribution points in industrial control panels.

While the products in question, when appropriately specified for wire size, are clearly suitable for the application at hand (a block rated for 175A continuous is not going to pose a problem on a 20A residential circuit), I know of no case where they've been deployed into a panelboard cabinet to provide cabinet-mounted splice or distribution points in a neat fashion.  Is this a Code-legal thing to do, provided gutter fill does not exceed 312.8 requirements?  Is 312.8 even applicable to splicing points that are affixed to the cabinet (vs. floating in gutter space)?  Would modifying a stock panelboard cabinet assembly in this way void the UL listing or violate some other portion of the NEC?


texts: Wall guide for sit-stand desk to improve stability

texts:
I have a sit-stand desk which moves 50cm vertically. It can be quite wobbly due to the weight of the desk top, and is easy to oscillate side-side or front-back. With static furniture, my response would be to secure it to the wall but that would prevent up-down movement.

Is there a solution that would allow me to attach the desk to the wall while still permitting vertical movement?

Specifics:

Desk top is solid wood, 40mm thick. I am able to drill into it and attach brackets.
It's not possible to attach any part of the base to the wall as the table top overhangs on all sides.
The desk top is adjacent to walls on the rear and right-hand sides.
The desk top is 15mm from the walls and can be moved further away but not closer due to skirting boards obstructing the base.
There is space on the walls to mount 50cm guides


texts: Preparing plank subfloor for new flooring

texts:
I recently bought a house that was built in 1890. Due to the age of the house and some previous issues and general lack of upkeep, the original floors need to be replaced. I plan on laying plywood over the old floor, but I have run into a couple of issues that I'm trying to find the right solution to. The first issue that I'm encountering is that my floors all slope towards one side of the house. The structure of the house was repair but not leveled by the previous owner and I have no desire to jack the house back up to level. Which brings me to my next issue. The old floors are planks laid directly across the joists with no subfloor.
With these issues noted, what would be the best method to make sure the plywood I'm laying down is level? I would rather not rip up the old plank flooring and shim the joists if I don't have to, so I'm open to any wild ideas anyone might have.


texts: How do I reduce how much the sun heats up a front room of my house?

texts:
My office room is in the front of the house and facing south. It gets hot very fast during hot days (even in spring). It is a fairly small room and I have computers there attributing to heat. There's a small double pane window with cloth blinds. There's a central AC but running it full time just cool a small room does not seem very efficient.

What are the ways to reduce amount of heat from the direct sun hitting the wall? Special paint? Drapes? Tent? Fan?


texts: How do you shim the frame of a sliding patio door from one side only (from outside)

texts:
The previous owner remodeled the kitchen and he put drywall from inside over the sides of the door and then he painted. I just replaced the door and now I have to align it, level it plumb it and square it

In order to do that I have to use shims but I can only insert them from outside while most of the references I checked show the shimming done from both sides

Is there a way to do proper shimming from one side only? (One way to do it is to use shims from outside to measure what you need (thickness) and them remove them and use a table saw to cut strips as per your needs

Any other ideas?


texts: How do I make these Gama Sonic lanterns theft-proof?

texts:
Does anybody have a good idea on how to secure these solar lights?  I've mounted these to some brick posts in front of my house and a few have been stolen.
The first time the thieves were able to unscrew the lantern from the base that are secured with a threaded rod.  I used a longer threaded rod when I replaced the stolen ones, using Loctite and a double nut for even greater security.  The second time, they rocked the lantern from the base, breaking the lantern off the base.
The thieves haven't bothered with the bases; those are perfectly secure to the brick and each time they've stolen the lanterns, the bases have remained with the threaded rod exposed.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
P.S. they essentially look like this installed, though these are a different model with a stouter base:


texts: how to t-type splice power wires to add a new outlets?

texts:
I need to install a new old work outlet box on my drywall.
I know the existing wires goes behind the drywall where I intend to install the socket box, however, there is no existing outlet, connection box, or lighting fixture I can use as the source in the reachable range.
I could cut the existing wires, and insert the socket box, which will add additional knots to the circuit. The only option seems to make t-type connections from the existing wires.
what is the best way to do it, or any suggestions?
thanks,
Heinz


texts: How can I extend an in-wall electrical cable?

texts:
I have a cable which is attached to a three way socket.
The socket is oddly placed halfway up the wall and I’d like to extend the cable by 30cm or so.

What’s the best way to do this? Is a screw down block acceptable for mains?

In addition, can I chain a second socket set onto the existing one? Eg 6 instead of 3

I’m in Sweden, so EU rules apply.


texts: How do I convert a light circuit with a single pole switch to use two 3-way switches?

texts:
I have a box in the hall which includes a 3-way switch (with another switch at the other end of the hall), a single pole switch to the garage lights and a single pole switch to the exterior lights on the garage.  The single pole switch to the garage is wired with a 3 wire plus ground. The white and black wires feed the garage lights from the switch and the red wire feeds the garage ceiling outlets and is hot all the time.

In the garage I would like to add a 3-way switch for the garage lights and another 3-way switch for the exterior garage lights.  In other words I would like to be able to turn on both of those light locations from both the inside hall and the garage as well. I know that I will of course have to replace the existing single pole switches in the hall with 3-way switches and add a junction box in the garage with 2 3-way switches in it.  The thing that I don't know is what wiring connections I need to make.

Can you help?


texts: When I use a power tool plugged into one of the 20 amp circuits, it affects two other circuits (the lights in my house in different locations on these two circuits flicker as I use the tool). The lights flicker as I increase and decrease the rpms on my power tool. Why is this happening? Please advise. Thank you. Ty


texts:
I like in Northeastern PA and just bought a new home.  It has about a half acre to it.  Last year they dug a new well and the ruts the truck left planted new grass.  It looks horrible.  The new grass is much fuller and much more lush than the surrounding grass.

Is there a good way to level all of the grass out together?

Secondly, there are a lot of tall trees shading the back portion of the yard.  Currently there is some grass but it's very 'thin' and I mostly don't even bother mowing it because of the lack of visible growth.  I would really like to plan some grass that will grow and be thick, but I have no idea where to start with type etc.   Which grass would grow best in this type of situation?


texts: Can filling up a 75 gallon water heater tank without opening a faucet cause damage?

texts:
Had a bit of a snafu at home today that resulted in an empty 75 gallon tank getting refilled without opening a faucet. Faucet was opened only after the tank was full, which resulted in a long burst of pressurized air coming out. I'm worried this pressurized air may have caused damage to the pipes, fittings or fixtures. Could this be the case? These are copper pipes, some 3/4'', some 1/2'', in a 4,500 sq ft home.

UPDATE: For what it's worth, few weeks have passed and no leaks to be seen.


texts: Max gap size for effective drywall joint compound

texts:
I am getting ready to mesh tape and apply joint compound to my drywall patch but I am wondering if my replacement piece is not snug enough. After doing a bunch of adjustments and trying to cut for my replacement piece, I wound up taking just a bit too much....
I've read up to a gap inch is fine and at its widest point, my install is just over 1/2" but I would just like to make sure.

WARNING: NOVICE GORE


texts: Greenhouse wood foundation and frost heave

texts:
I'm a novice constructing a 8x12' saltbox style green house made from recycled single pane windows in climate 5 & 4 Marine. It does get freezing here in winter with maybe an inch to three of snow a year.

I plan to half lap treated 6x6's with 2x6 sills leveled on gravel with rebar anchors. Since this is a permit less structure (< 200sqft in my county) I'm concerned about possible frost heave and want to know if this foundation is sufficient for such a structure. Would I need to find my frost depth and put in say, 4 or 6 sonotubes/pads to anchor my 6x6's?


texts: Sewer Line Clog suggests pipeline replacement

texts: Our 1963 in-city home has occasional sewer line blockages. Renting a power snake for $30/half day has gotten old. The city has scoped the line and suggest the constriction in diameter occurs 40 feet outside the house under a line of scrub trees holding a dramatic drop-off embankment in place to the city sidewalk, street & main sanitary sewerline. Because an iron pipe gas line runs adjacent to our sewer line, it appears it must be hand dug. I am hopeful that a 5 ft section of black ABS 4" pipe will replace the problem. Must I wait until Spring to dig? (It's Groundhog Day now.) How do I insert a five foot section into (between) rigid piping on either end? Will it require one or two rubber connection boots? How important is bedding that 5 ft on sand or pea gravel? How about fill above? I estimate the line to be about 2 feet below ground level. No room to get a backhoe nor "ditchwitch" to the site. Any tips welcome!


texts: Installation of a recess can over the shower does it need to be GFCI protected?

texts: When installing a recess can over the shower does it need to be placed on a (gfci) ground fault circuit interrupter  circuit?


texts: Why does wand shower head drain at unusual times?

texts:
We recently moved from using a stationary shower head to a new version that has a wand. While I love the new one we have noticed that the wand shower head will release water at random times.

For example, in the middle of the night up to 15 hours after being used maybe 1-2 cups of water will drain from the shower head.  It's not the most fun to hear when sleeping.  It will also sometimes drain after a toilet flush.

Once the water is released it will not happen until after the shower is used again. I would expect the draining immediately after a shower but the odd hours/times are the frustrating part.

Additional details:

this is a standup shower
there is no lower tub faucet
The house is on city water
We never had this issue until we switched to the shower head with the wand.

Are there any steps that I can take to resolve this?


texts: How to stop cold air entering through the breaker box

texts:
The breaker box is located in the laundry room of the house, which itself is an air conditioned space. I bought the house in the summer and this winter the room has been extremely cold even when the rest of the rooms in the house are warm.  Upon investigating I noticed that cold air was flowing into the laundry room from around the breaker box, so I took the front panel off the breaker box to reveal the following:

Air primarily seems to be entering from the bottom right hand corner where the main electric cable from outside enters the breaker box.  However, when the panel cover was on, I could feel cold air coming through the holes in the boards both to the left of the breaker box (all the way up and down the length of the box even though they are on the other side of the stud cavity that the breaker box is located in), and below the breaker box (where the insulation is).

Here is a closeup of what I believe are the problem areas (based on where I could feel cold air coming in):

pulling away the insulation reveals that the air enters the area below the cavity because there are holes to let wires through, and air then enters the stud cavity to the left because there are holes in the stud to let wires through.

In addition, there is an opening to the outside where other cables enter the house which can be more clearly in the picture below.

My questions are:

What is the best and safest (because I am working around electricity) way to plug up the main hole (the one in the bottom right of the breaker box where the main electric cable enters the box?
What is the best and safest way to plug the other holes (at the bottom of the breaker box, in the left stud, and in the foam board)?


texts: Replacing conventional: electric hot water heater with tankless

texts:
I have a 30 gallon electric conventional hot water heater that started leaking.  It is in a cabinet above the washing machine; a tight fit:

Since it is such a cramped space, I'm considering a tankless unit, to make it a little easier (for the plumber) to replace, and much easier next time when the new tankless goes out.
Questions:

Will it be more economical in terms of electricity usage?  Wild estimate guess is fine. 20%?  50%? (Current WH uses 4,721 kwh/ year per Energy Guide sticker.)  Looking at maybe a 27 kw tankless.
Electrical supply:  Current breakers appear to be a 2-gang 30 amp; new 27 kw tankless requires "3 x 40 AMP double pole breakers" -- would I be able to have an electrician replace the current breaker with a 3 x 40 amp breaker?  Here is a picture of my 200 amp service panel:
[edit] I've read that electric conventional WH have a useful life of 15-25 years; this has been our experience.  Do tankless WH have a longer lifespan?

Current situation:
1200 square foot house, North Texas, USA; 2 adults.  From looking at the specs of a potential replacement tankless, looks like a 27 kw tankless unit will fit our capacity needs.
Electrical Service Panel images, labeling is mine through trial and error; The "Main" is wrong as pointed out below.:


texts: How to tell if clothes dryer temperature control is working?

texts:
I dry all clothes on the lowest temperature setting in the natural gas dryer.  This is because they dry fast and come out piping hot.

But now I need to dry some clothes at a lower temperature, but I'm concerned I will ruin the clothes, as there is no setting lower than what I normally use.

Is there an easy way to tell if the clothes dryer temperature control is working?  I'm thinking perhaps it is always going at full temperature.

The brand of the clothes dryer is General Electric, and the model is DSXH43GA6WW.


texts: How can I attach Velcro to a fly screen?

texts:
I bought some screens and some velcro strips (which came already with adhesive) and set up some fly screens. But after some time the screens started to unglue from the velcro, the adhesive was not strong enough or there was not enough surface to it to hold,

I want any suggestion to fix the screen to the velcro, some kind of glue/adhesive. I tried super glue and hot glue but neither worked. I'm almost considering sewing it or putting it in a frame (which was not the original idea)

Here's the screen I have:


texts: I have a concrete floor, which needs work to make it really level (i just poured it). Once I have it level enough I would like to install vinyl sheets for the finished flooring. Is it reasonably easy to make the concrete level enough, and can anyone advise me about what products to use to do this? And then, should I seal the concrete? What is the best sealer to use? I have been told that the glue used for the vinyl will not stick if the concrete is too moist, which is why I assume I need to seal it.  Thanks!


texts: What could cause this rhythmic clicking/drumming sound in my bathroom sink pipe?

texts: Why is my bathroom sink making a rhythmic drumming/clicking sound after I used a small plunger to help make water flow more quickly down the drain?


texts: What are the code requirements for crossing a buried LPG line with an electric line?

texts:
Trenching for 1" Non-Metallic Liquidtight Conduit Type LFNC-B with 18" cover (10-3 W/G UF wire installed, 240V with 30A breaker) to serve a well.  Just bumped into LPG line crossing conduit's path at same 18" depth.  What is code requirement here?  Can I still bury conduit here and if so, how far away from the LPG line must it be?

Could concrete be used to safely separate the lines-if so, how?

Do not have an alternate route for the electric line that would not cross LPG line.


texts: How to replace or cover a hole left by kitchen fan that vented to nowhere?

texts:
I removed my old exhaust fan, and in my naivety I disposed of it prematurely, thinking that I would be able to find a drop in replacement. Either my Google-fu is failing me, they don't make the size fan anymore, or it was a hack to begin with.

A couple of notes about this opening:

The size of the opening is roughly 9"x 9"
It looks like there is some sort of cover or door at the very top, and it appears that the cover is designed to open, but I don't know how to confirm this.

My questions are:

Can anyone provide any information on this type of opening?

Is there a fan that I can install in this opening? If so, what type? All of the kitchen/bath exhaust fans I've seen are made to install into a round duct coming in from the side. If so, what type of fan should I be looking for?

If not, What are the alternatives beyond a custom grille to cover it up?


texts: Strapping to level ceiling before putting up rock——code?

texts:
I’m considering putting up 1x3 strapping (rather than steel beams)to level the ceiling in my kitchen (century home) before putting up rock. It is out of level between the joists anywhere from 0 to 1/8” to 1/4”. The joists run between 14”, 16” and 18” OC. The ceiling area is about 390 sf.
So my main question, that I can’t find in the building code, does this meet code in a kitchen.  I guess one of the main concerns is around fire code.

Also, I’d like to use 1/2” fire rated rock rather than 5/8

This is in Ontario, Canada.

(Those scabs you can see was the original builder attempt to level them)

An added question, how out of level is acceptable to not be visible?


texts: How to connect a faucet to a buried water line?

texts:
I want to install a sink. There is a buried water line (1" poly) to the site of the sink, with a nice long tail on it if needed. The faucet from an old-fashioned separate faucet system, with one input only, at 1/2" thread.

Note that this is cold water only, just for an easy place to wash hands.

Later I may want to add other fixtures. No specific plans, but it might be nice to be able to do so without digging up the water line again. I guess this means I shouldn't reduce to a minimum size with an underground fitting.

It's about 5' from the faucet to the buried pipe.

One option is to bend the 1" poly line and bring it right up to the faucets. I guess I'd need a barbed insert to 3/4" threaded fitting + a 3/4" to 1/2" reducer. Underground I used brass fittings, so I don't have to worry about steel rusting or whatever, but for this situation, should I save the money and get steel? Or PVC? Or nylon?

One option is to put a 90 degree brass elbow in the ground to a riser of some other material (PEX? PVC? Copper?) that comes up below the sink. There are multiple options for how that riser connects to the sink.

I'm used to sinks having a flexible braided hose between the shutoff and the faucet; is that important, or could a rigid riser connect straight to the faucet?

A shutoff valve below the sink might be a good idea, so I don't have to turn off the upstream valve to work on it.

EDIT: I bought a PVC 1" barbed to 1/2" threaded fitting and a kit with a 2' braided hose and a shutoff valve. So I'll try bringing the 1" poly up to under the sink, and then use these bits. We'll see...


texts: Can I use spackling paste to "rebuild" part of the wall?

texts:
I'm on a DIY half bathroom renovation. At first I was thinking about putting tiles on the wall. It's a drywall, which I'm not familiar with, it's painted and I would need to do some preparations to install the tiles.

I decided to sand it, but turns out it seems to have to many patches / joints because I could reach the fiberglass tape in different areas of the wall. So instead of tiles we decided to just repair the wall and paint it.

(Please, advice me if there is any chance that we can install wall to it)

My question at this point is:

Can I use spackling paste to repair part of the wall where it's uneven?
It would be on this area where there are some holes as well.

Thanks!


texts: Reverse Osmosis Tank Not Filling After Filter Change

texts:
I just replaced my RO filters and now my tank is empty and not filling. I detached the supply line to the tank and NO water came out aside from an initial spray so I'm not sure what the issue is. The pressure in the tank is around 7psi. I'm not sure what the canister on the right is, I'm guessing it's for extra water storage.
First pic is before I did anything and the others are after I changed the filters.


texts: Is there a good way to lay out a right angle?

texts:
Today we set up batter boards and put out marking strings to prepare for constructing a round deck.

We wanted 2 strings that marked the center lines, crossing each other at 90 degrees. We set up batter boards and ran strings between them. Then we measured out a 3/4/5 triangle from the crossing. We looked at the error, adjusted the strings, and repeated until we thought it was good enough.

The strings were not at the same height, so measuring the crossing was tricky. Measuring against the middle of the string is hard, because the string moves so easily.

Each time we adjusted the strings, the crossing point moved, so we had to measure all 3 legs of the triangle each time. If you get measure the hypotenuse and find it's off by some distance d, you have to move the ends of the string by some value that's larger than d, but you don't know how far. You just have to adjust, measure, and repeat.

In this case, the deck is 30' diameter. We started with legs of 6'/8'/10', then realized we had enough room for 12'/16'/20'.

If I was in my workshop building with wood, I would use a carpenter's square or factory corner of a piece of plywood, but at this scale that doesn't work.

I get that 3/4/5 is a good way of checking a right angle, but it's a painful way to create one. Is there a good way to create a right angle with strings, getting it right the first time?


texts: What is the best way to soundproof a small workshop

texts:
I have a dedicated room that can be turned into a small wood-workshop, but noise is a big concern.
The expected noise level is around 110 decibels and I would like to achieve around 50-60-decibel reduction (more the better). The maximum thickness I can add to the walls is 20 cm.
What would be the best insulator and technique to use, is it even a realistic plan?


texts: what circuit breakers are compatible with eaton gfci , 50 amp, 2 pole breaker?

texts:
To be precise I have all eaton breakers in my subpanel, and I'd like to replace
this exact breaker: https://www.amazon.com/GFTCB250-Ground-Circuit-Breaker-2-Pole/dp/B01AGLRT9M/
with a gfci breaker built by another manufacturer.
The panel itself seems to give no guidance.
Why am I doing this?  My new electric oven trips this breaker, but a standard breaker works fine.  Massachusetts, however, requires a gfci breaker thanks to NFPA 70, 2020. The manufacturer suggests a different breaker might work fine due to subtle variations in the circuit logic, but has not provided any guidance as to which breakers might be ok, only just try a few.


texts: Why is my primer peeling off like plastic, and what can I do to fix it?

texts:
I stripped the peeling paint off my wall. Its like grey concrete? plaster below. So I used universal primer on it.  But as I was leaning against the wall today, the paint wrinkled beneath my hand and I could just peel it off like plastic.

What can I do, why is this happening? There is no obvious sign of damp


texts: How do I determine if the energy savings are worth replacing windows for?

texts:
I have a house with an east-facing wall which is mostly windows. In the winter, during the day I almost never have to run the furnace because of how much the sunlight warms my house. During the summer it's hard to keep cool for the same reason. I'm thinking of replacing most or all of the windows with highly energy efficient windows which I understand work by blocking the heat coming from the sunlight.

I'm wondering how much that will make my winter heating bills go up and if that will be offset by the savings on my electric bill for running my air conditioner in the summer.

Edit: I'm in Ohio.


texts: Grundfos Alpha pump shows 0 GPM but consumes power and heating works?

texts:
I have some heating zones which run off a Grundfos Alpha pump which is set to the "auto" mode.
Heating seems to work fine - rooms heat up normally and this doesn't seem to take an unusually long time.
However I noticed that when the pump is on and shows power usage, it also shows 0 flow. That doesn't seem to make sense.
The various runs to the heaters are between approx. 20-40' one-way distances through 1/2" EVOH PEX. There is a zone valve for each loop and the shared pump is triggered on/off by a controller (Taco).

There is no appreciable noise when it is running.
I switched it out of "auto" mode as a test, and then it does show 1 GPM of flow:

which still seems really small?
I know the alpha is supposed to be efficient, but how to reconcile almost-no-flow with heating working OK?
I don't have any other direct way of measuring flow rate.
Pump curve:
 (source)
(So it does go to 0 in the 'alpha' range, but that doesn't tell me much... AFAIK any centrifugal pump could spin, consume power, and move no water; but that doesn't seem to be the case here.)


texts: Grounded light switch box with no ground screw/wire

texts:
I'm installing a smart light switch into a box with no ground wire, screw, or threaded hole for a screw. The switch box itself it metal and grounded (live wire to box was 120V on my multimeter).
What's the proper way to attach the ground wire from the switch to the box when the box doesn't have a wire or screw?
Edit:
Switch is a Wemo Dimmer.
Added picture of box (with old switch):


texts: Green residue on the joints of copper water pipes

texts:
I was renovating my house and have to open up the ceiling. Once the ceiling was opened up I see that our copper water piping has some green residue only on the joints. I was doing some research online and seem that the conclusion is mixed, some say not to concern while other think that it needs to be fixed.
There is one or two drops of water on the joint where there is green. Do I need to worry and replace the pipe with PEX and copper fittings? If I were to do something now is the time as the ceiling is open up. I have attached a picture for reference.


texts: Is this circuit correct for controlling old 750mv HVAC with NEST

texts:
I am just starting out with wiring and some other home improvements. Decided to install a Nest 3rd generation thermostat.
I had a TH5110D Honeywell thermostat, so I pulled it out and found 5 wires running into the wall. The R, Y, G, W were connected to Thermostat, and C was not connected. This is fine for Honeywell since it was running on 3v AAA batteries.
However, I did not check the voltage on the R line.

After checking that the wire config was ok with Nest, I set out to installing it. After wiring up, the Nest was not turning on. So charged it with microUSB for some time, and then tried to install it but it said the Rh had too low or no voltage.

When I checked the voltage between R and W (after turning on the breaker for my HVAC) I realized it only had 750mv. I read online that 750mv is being used in old thermopile configs. I have a 2010 American Standard AUE1B080A9361A, with gas heater, external cooling AC and a combined fan on furnace. I am surprised this system is not using 24v. Or maybe it is using it internally, just to thermostat it was sending 750mv.

In any case, I did not want to change anything on HVAC, so I want to keep two system (NEST and HVAC) connected through set of relays. This is what I am thinking of wiring up,

I will use a 24volt AC external adapter and connect it to Nest, as well as the terminals on the relays for W, Y and G.
The old wires from furnace controller board will go into relays and will never receive 24v, only was the original R wire was sending, i.e. 750mv.

Can anyone review and see if I am doing anything wrong?

Thank you.


texts: How to install hinges after cutting custom door past wooden edges and composite exposed?

texts:
I had to cut a standard door (30x80) down to a custom size to fit into a custom opening for a renovation project.  On the hinge side, I had to remove enough material that I am now past the solid plywood (?) on that side and the particle board (?) interior is exposed.

Is it OK to simple notch out for my hinges directly into the particle board?  Should I be trying to replace the wood somehow?

I'm concerned because the door is not hollow and is very heavy, so I will be installing 3 hinges for sure and want the install to be solid.


texts:
Im finishing my basement and I don't trust little drywall screws to hold a big and heavy sheet of drywall on the ceiling. Even when professionally installed and it's said to be conpletey safe statistically. So that said, since I dont want a suspended ceiling tile system I was wondering if I could simply cut my drywalls into small and light tiles and put them up.

It will require a lot more work to fill the gaps etc but can this work?
Don't try to convince me a bigger sheet professionally installed is safe - this is just for my own sanity :)

My thinking is: if one of those sheets come down it wont pull the rest of it down with it


texts:
The plastic drain in a utility/laundry sink did not survive the attempt to remove or repair it.  The hole in the sink bottom is 2" in diameter.  There is a 3" diameter inset at the hole that limits the size of the drain's top flange. I have searched the web extensively and not found anything of appropriate size.  The closest I can get in appearance is an Oatey 42099; it unfortunately has a strainer that's over 3".

I hope I don't have to replace the sink!


texts: Sagging Floor Joist in House Built in 1925

texts: My daughter is in the process of buying her first home and she paid for an inspection. The inspector found that the joists under one of the bedrooms in the center of the house that sits on a basement foundation is sagging. We both have been told this is very easily fixed however I feel like she is getting ready to buy a problem. There are one inch holes drilled along the walls of the entire basement foundation and the ENTIRE underside of the floor system was “conveniently” covered in black plastic to where the inspector could not observe the flooring of the entire house. I have been researching and feel like it’s possible that the seller is trying to cover up at least termite damage if not something worse. Does anyone have any advice regarding this type of issue or had experience in the repair of?


texts: convert a hardwired lamp to on off switch

texts:
My 3 wall lights are hard wired and have on-off switches on the units. There is no wall switch for any of them. The trouble is they are all different fixtures and all pretty ugly. I'm looking to replace them without spending a fortune (ideally something with a Mission feel for under $100 apiece), but finding a good replacement is hard, with the limitation of an on-off switch on the fixture. Is it possible somehow to convert a non-switched receptacle to a switched one, or is there some kind of piece that you can screw in before you screw in the light bulb that is a switch, or some kind of solution to this problem?

Can I take a plug-in lamp with an on-off switch (obviously not inline with the cord, but on the fixture itself), and install that in the wall? I feel like it would be hard to attach such a fixture to the wall, though.

In addition to ideas for converting the fixtures, I welcome suggestions for places that sell nice-ish switched lights. I have already combed through regular search-engine results without much luck.


texts: Oil clogged up my Honeywell Water Heater Gas Valve WV8840A1051

texts:
The gas company cleared oil from my natural gas lines to my house about 1.5 - 2 yrs ago.  The gas meter was completely full of oil and was replaced.  The water heater was also replaced.  Things were all working good until about 2 mos ago when i was getting a weak pilot signal from the gas valve.  The pilot tube was gunked up with oil.  I'm assuming there was a small amount of residual oil left behind.  I've called the gas co twice to come out to relight the pilot, but it would only stay lit for just long enough.  At any rate, I was able to clear the oil from the pilot tube with a guitar string and get the pilot to work.  the fix would last a day or two.  Yesterday i removed the entire valve and blew air thru the pilot hole and thru the main supply hole with my air compressor to clear the oil.  After cleaning and putting everything back together, I was able to light the pilot and get the main gas line to fire up.  YAY.
However, now i'm smelling gas around the valve and am hearing it hiss a bit.
I'm afraid i've broken the valve somehow with the compressed air trying to clear the oil from the inside chamber.  The pilot tube and main gas tube feel tightly connected.
I've turned off the main gas valve to the water heater in the meantime.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Brian


texts: Water infiltration between basement "bulkhead door" enclosure and concrete foundation?

texts:
I've got a fairly common below-grade basement door setup; a doorway thru the poured basement wall into a space enclosed with cemented cinder blocks and a roughly poured floor, containing wooden stairs and covered by overlapping metal doors.

The obvious problem with this setup is that water can find its way through the loose (uncemented) joint between stair enclosure and foundation wall. Especially after a few decades of subsidance have let things shift a bit.

As a stopgap (literally) I've injected urethane foam into the space between blocks and foundation on both sides ... but I'm still sometimes getting a seeping of water thru this space.

If I want to eliminate that, first step is probably to improve exterior grading so there's less water near the foundation. After that, choices seem to be either let it be leaky but put in a french drain, or to dig up and redo the enclosure with a better bond to the foundation, or to dig things out and try for a better injected gasket ...

Any advice for this kind of joint?


texts: Latex Matches Perfectly Twice...Then Suddenly Darker?

texts:
This may be an amateur question, but I am racking my brain to figure out what is happening. Appreciate any advice.
I am doing touchups to basic drywall with a flat latex, very light gray. I have the original paint that was used just a couple months ago, and so it has matched perfectly. One section I painted had some raised spackle though, so I sanded the paint itself and the spackle back down and painted it again. The paint matched perfectly again, but I hadn't painted as far to the edges as I should have, so a couple days later I went over it real quick with another coat.
This time, after matching perfectly twice, the same paint was a whole shade darker. It stood out like a sore thumb. The exact same paint, on the same spot, with the same roller, just two days after it had matched just fine. No dramatic temperature or humidity changes.
I've sanded the last paint coat off again, and the layer underneath is much closer to the right color, but now I don't know what to do. I've dabbed a few spots, and it seems like the paint is still drying too dark.
Is there some property of drywall that dictates that you can only ever paint it twice before paint starts drying darker? Or does one have to wait for longer than two days just to do another matching coat of a flat latex? This stuff dries in like 5 minutes so that doesn't seem right. I just can't figure out the physics of it, and I really want to be able to make it look right again.
I wish I had pictures of the whole process but I only have them as it exists now - I have sanded back down, you can still see the color and texture difference. It seems clear that just painting it again will still yield the darker color. I did a little test with primer too, but that didn't seem to change much. How can this suddenly change from matching perfectly to not matching at all?
Thanks!

UPDATE: After sanding nearly to dry wall, I tried a dab just to the right of the hole, you can see it fairly clearly. I think it matches the surrounding paint pretty darn close. Thoughts?


texts:
There is a switch box. The box has three incoming 14/2 cables. One for the ceiling fixture, one for an unswitched outlet and one bringing the power. The one with power has an energized white wire. I'm assuming this box was wired as a switch loop. How do I connect the wires in this box? Virginia, USA
Thank you!


texts: Main service electric panel has no neutral wire - both neutral and ground wires on same bar - sub panel question

texts:
My main service panel is 200 amps and has only 2 black wires coming in, there is no neutral wire like I was told is commonly how it should be. All neutral and ground wires for the individual circuits are connected to the same bar.

My question is in regards to a sub panel that is detached from the main house, the sub panel was already installed when I bought the house. The sub panel has 2 hot wires coming in the top and a ground. All breakers in the sub panel connect their neutral wire and their ground wire to the same bar. My understanding is that if your main panel has the neutral and ground wires bounded then the sub panel must not be. In my case both the main panel has the neutral and ground wire on the same bar, AND the sub panel has neutral and ground on the same bar. Is this a problem? If I have a fault in my neutral will the ground wire be electrified?


texts: Fixing sloping hardwood floor in rental apartment

texts:
I just moved into a rental apartment in the top floor of a 1900 building with a very old hardwood floor.  The floor looks attractive, except the whole room is on a slant.  I estimate that one side of the floor is at least 1-2 inches below the opposite side.  Plus, it's not a clear downward slope -- it seems to go inward toward the center of one of the walls from all other sides of the room.

I can put levelers under my bed frame and some other furniture, but it's really uncomfortable to sit at my office desk/chair to do work from home.  And since I need the office chair to roll in/out, I can't just put levelers under it.

The problem is that this is a rental apartment and I doubt the landlord will allow me to re-do the old flooring.  Is there any way to fix this just for the 1-2 years that I live there?  Even if I only fixed this for a 4 ft. by 4 ft. section of the floor so that I could put my office/desk over level ground, I'd be happy.

I was thinking about applying some kind of lightweight concrete leveler to a mold made out of large plank of plastic/wood/something else and somehow keeping it from spilling out onto my actual floor.  I would put a carpet over the slab of concrete and put my chair/desk over it. I'd want the slab of self-leveled cement to be removable, such that I could get rid of it without damaging the hardwood floor when I move out.

Is there any way to make this work?  Or does anyone have a better idea that is more feasible?


texts: How to remove smell from new wooden cupboard?

texts: There is a distinct "woody" sort of smell from newly purchased wooden cupboards. Is there a way to remove it such that when I open the cupboards, I will not smell this distinct sort of "woody" smell?


texts: Bosch dishwasher has water at bottom after using liquid soap

texts:
I foolishly used liquid soap and baking soda when I ran out of dishwasher tablets for my Bosch (model SHX68T55UC).  It worked and I bought more dishwasher tablets after about 3 days and started using them.  Within another day I got the code E: 15 which means that there is water in the unit that has floated the leak detection sensor at the bottom of the unit (below the main bin).  There is a good YouTube video (see https://youtu.be/8kW4jkHln3k) that explains how to fix this.  It's basically just a float that rises in the water and trips a sensor.  I cleaned it all out and put it back together and the code was gone....

However, it came back, and there is water in the far back of the under part of the unit (where all the electronics are, NOT the main tub).  For the life of me, I can't find the slow leak.  All the tubes and connections seem fine. The insulation at the back of the unit is soaked.  I believe it's leaking somewhere at the back, and this water slowly seeps towards the flood sensor and trips it.  Of note, I can do a load (or two?) before enough water accumulates to trip the sensor.

I'll add a picture soon to make it clear I'm looking at the under part of the dishwasher, not the main tub where you put dishes.  It did occur to me that the main tub could be leaking, but the unit is only 3 1/2 years old (but out of warranty unfortunately) and it sure seems like a coincidence that I recently used liquid dish soap.  I'm thinking I still have a problem from the liquid soap OR when cleaning out the area around the flood sensor I did something stupid.
Thanks,
Dave

Update AND Pictures!
Worth mentioning that it only seems to accumulate water when I'm running the unit.  I left it off and watched for several hours and could not perceive any more water. So I think that rules out the inlet water?
The back right corner is what seems to be getting wet, which is weird because I don't see any tubes/connections there.  I believe the water then flows downhill to the left back corner and to the float sensor.

Update #2.  I inadvertently did a test that I think provides a ton of clues.  I clean everything up in the lower compartment (the area with the electronics including the float sensor).  I ran it on rinse cycle hoping to see where the water was coming from.  Very hard to see as the back insulation seems to slowly get wet but again, no tubes around there.  The inadvertent test was this:  I had to leave for work so I turned the unit off. I verified there was no appreciable water in the lower compartment.  Since I turned it off prematurely I had water at the bottom of the main tub (where you put dishes).  When I came home several hours later, the lower section was filled with water and the float switch was up (which gives E15 code). So I think there must be a leak somewhere between the upper main compartment where one puts the dishes and the lower section where the electronics is. This means that my previous assertation that there is no problem unless the unit is running is wrong!  If there is water in the dish area, there is a problem!  I'm guessing that while running, most of the water in the dish area is pumped away to the sink drain.  The problem is actually worse if you leave standing water in the dishwasher as I inadvertently did.  I'm not opposed to replacing gaskets etc., but does anyone have advice on what to check out first?  I would think this latest test rules out pumps, propellers, washers etc.


texts:
I apologize if I'm abusing terminology, I'm not completely sure the correct names for window anatomy.

I'm trying to remove a plastic brace that's adjacent to a window and I can't figure out why it won't budge.

There's a silicone seal between the brace and the window casing, which I've broken to the best of my knowledge. It is L-shaped to wrap around the drywall. Still when I try to pull the brace out it refuses to move.

Any thoughts on how I can figure out the issue or remove the brace are appreciated!


texts:
A couple days ago, our water pump conked out.  My brother had to change the fuse to get it running again.  He said there was soot (or something like it) around the fuse when he swapped it out.  It was the same as a conking out a couple months ago.

Where is this ash coming from?  Is the fuse box about to catastrophically fail?  It's the same box from when the house was built around 1956.  Just over a decade ago, the power company messed up fixing a line and a quarter of our stuff got burnt out from the surge and they suggested replacing the whole system coming into our house (i.e. the junction box), which we still haven't done.  (Since that equipment is on our property, they weren't going to pay for it, although it's their fault.)


texts: 20 amp circuit breaker trips after using 15 amp miter saw

texts:
Over the past few days I've been doing some cutting with a miter saw rated at 15 amps. And afterwards, when I would be cleaning up with my shop vac (11 amp) the circuit breaker would trip. Both times I just reset the breaker and continued vacuuming with no issues. The circuit is labeled 20 amp GFI on the panel and as far as I see it controls 3 outlets in my garage. The receiver from my cable company is plugged into one, garage door opener in another. And the third outlet is the one I use for the saw and the vacuum cleaner.

At first I thought it was the shop vac and the filter did look dirty and clogged, however I would think that it would trip the breaker every time I'd use it, which isn't the case at all. Plus it doesn't sound like it's overheating or struggling to pull in the dust and it would be the only thing working at that time. I'm not sure how it can be the saw either, since it doesn't trip WHILE I use it. I actually remembered another time the same circuit breaker tripped, which was again a few minutes after I made a cut with the saw and nothing else was on. I again just reset the breaker and didn't think much of it.

The outlets don't feel warm to the touch, no buzzing noises or smells, and I used an outlet tester to confirm that all are properly wired. It would make sense to me if the breaker tripped while I was making a cut with the saw, vacuuming and opening the garage door all at the same time, but this just seems very strange that it would happen a few minute afterwards. Does the circuit stay "warm" for some time after the load is removed? The circuit also never trips unless I'm doing something in the garage, so it again tells me it can't be anything other than the saw or the shop vac, however I just can't see how either one of them could be doing it by themselves. I'm going to call an electrician to have a look at the outlets as I'm not comfortable doing any sort of electrical troubleshooting myself, but does anyone have an explanation of what might be happening here? Thank you.


texts: Dishwasher not actually washing dishes, soap left behind

texts:
I can't remember the model of my dishwasher off the top of my head (will check tonight), but it's fairly new (~3 years old).

A few weeks ago, it started leaving a decent amount of detergent behind and not actually washing the dishes. I tried soaking the spray arms in vinegar. I tried pulling apart all the filters/etc at the bottom of the dishwasher and cleaning those. I washed out the dishwasher itself to clear out any residue/gunk.

These days, if I add vinegar, baking soda, and a little dish soap (like Dawn) to the dishwasher detergent, maybe 50% of the time the dishes will be washed and all of the soap (and vinegar, etc) will be washed away. The other 50% of the time, the soap (and all) just oozes down the dishwasher door (on the inside) and the dishes stay cruddy.

I've been using a Cascade liquid detergent but I'm happy to switch to anything that's better.

I've read that I may need to look at the water intake valve, but I'm not 100% sure how to do that.

Any advice/recommendations would be awesome.

UPDATE

I had an appliance repairman come out and confirm the pump was shot. He replaced it and all's well, so thank you for all of your advice and input! :D


texts:
I am moving laundry about 40' from current location.
I want to tie in to the existing dryer wiring which is 10 gauge.
Can I use 10 gauge wire to run 40' or should I use 8 gauge.


texts: GFCI outlets fail repeatedly in new home

texts: I purchased new home which has never been lived in and I have had to replace three different ground fault outlets. They just quit working. Now I have one in bathroom, which had been previously replaced, that quit working again. The only thing that was plugged into outlet was a night light. Yes a night light caused the previous to quit working. Is it possible that the ground faults are cheap outlets? Menards salesman stated he never heard of brand installed in house. When I replace them, they seem to work fine for few weeks before malfunctioning again.


texts: Water Heater Not Working After Replacing Both Thermostats and Testing Elements

texts:
I replaced both the upper and lower thermostats with new ones. I tested the elements with a multi-meter and the top one was 15 ohms and the bottom one was about 12 ohms so they seem to be fine. I even tested the elements to see if there was any voltage and there was. I'm about to replace both elements to see if that does anything. Any ideas?

Also something to note when I put the test leads on both of the element terminal screws I don't get a reading. I'm not sure if that has any significance.

[![enter image description here][1]][1]

Update so I was going to replace the upper thermostat and I couldn't get it out. I looked inside and this is what I saw

I'm guessing that green thing is the dip tube and its melted on to the element. I don't see how this is causing the element to not heat up though.


texts: Could an unlevel furnace be causing noise from the blower fan?

texts:
The blower fan on my gas furnace sounds like it is hitting other metal when it turns on or off. I had it serviced and he replaced the blower run cap but it has started again after about a week.

Could it be the furnace is not level? The service man said no that wouldn't do it but that's what it sounds like.


texts: Are four gang plastic boxes stackable in a wall?

texts:
I would even be willing to go side by side but I would like to stay with the four gang sizes.

I am hoping this would pass code and would prefer to stack so if there is someone that knows if it is okay or if it is okay with workarounds - I would love the input.

My family and I are putting in electric boxes in SIP walls and that is no fun to begin with much less start down the wrong path, scoop out and have to put foam back in.


texts: How can I rebuild/repair/replace this garden faucet

texts:
I recently bought a house that was built in 1978, and it has a couple of garden faucets. These are not frost-free faucets, and that's not a huge concern for me because the house is located just south of Houston, TX.

What does concern me is that the one faucet needs some attention. The problems are:

The valve seat is leaking, causing the faucet to drip
The packing nut is leaking, causing the valve shaft to drip when the water is on

I've considered just replacing the faucet, which would be relatively easy, but after cutting a rag loose that was tied on with a shoelace, I found that the galvanized pipe feeding the faucet is pretty rusty.

I'm concerned that if I were to try to remove the faucet, the pipe would break or it may not come loose at all. I'm not too excited about attempting to replace the pipe, because it's also mortared into the brick, and I don't know how difficult it will be to get to the 90° elbow inside the wall either.

Should I decide to replace it, and assuming I'd need to replace the mortared pipe, how should I go about it?

Alternatively, should I decide to repair it, where can I get the parts I need to rebuild this faucet? The local Home Depot was of no use, and my Google searches don't seem to be specific enough.