texts:
I'm about to tear out a bathroom and want to install some shutoff valves in front of the supply for that room.

I have not used PEX before so before cutting the existing line I bought a small section of 3/4 tube some plugs and clamps to check out the functionality before getting myself in a jam.

The problem I have is that the old PEX is about .020 larger in diameter than the new pex.   I'm afraid I'll cut the old tube and not be able to slip the crimp clamp over the old tube.

Has anyone seen this kind of size related issue?   How have you handled it?


texts: How should I extend the wiring so I can move a 220v subpanel?

texts: I have a 22 subpanel for my hot tub. I have a 220 line that runs about 50 feet to the subpanel and then 5 feet to the hot tub. I need to move the subpanel another 6 feet to the fence. I do I add the length of the 220 line to make it to the fence? Can I just put a junction box in the ground and connect wires together to make it the length I need? Thanks in advance.


texts: Why does my fan switch sometimes turn the lights off?

texts:
I recently undertook a small project replacing a single toggle light switch with a Z-wave enabled dimmer switch, which is also wired to a fan toggle (a knob with 3 speed settings) in a 2-gang case. The original switch and the fan toggle share a hot wire, which I had to cut and splice due to the way the builder had installed it originally (it was just a loop of exposed wire which wrapped around one of the switch's poles). Everything went pretty well (aside from the dimmable CFLs not being as awesome as I would like, but that's tangental), but sometimes when I turn the fan to a different speed, the lights will turn off, but the switch still has power as evidenced by the blue LED at the bottom.

Now, I've done a small bit of experimentation, and this seems to only happen if you turn change the switch rapidly from one speed to another. If you wait about 20-30 seconds between switches, it doesn't do it.

What could be wrong here?

Edit: More Relevant information. The Z-Wave dimmer is rather sensitive, so if it were to lose power for any period of time it would reset to off, which is probably what is happening here.

Diagrams

Pardon my poor diagramming skills, I was never any good at cad.

Before

As you can see, the bottom wire was just wrapped around the bottom pole of the toggle switch, then ran into a wire cap, where it was connected with the fan toggle.

After

So, I cut the loop, and then twisted it together to splice the two wires together, so that I could also splice in the wire coming from the Z-Wave switch.

Edit

Annotated Picture

So here's what's going on in there.

Also, I took some voltage readings. When the Light is off, it is measuring 83v (which I think is normal for a Z-Wave switch, to power its wifi).
When the light is all the way on, it reads 13v.

When the fan is off, it is at 122v. On speed setting 1, it is 115v. On 2, 100v. On 3, I can't get a reading at all.


texts: How can I add breakers for a new HVAC system to a full panel?

texts:
I am installing a 240v ductless mini split. My breaker box is full, and I have a separate (hot water) breaker in its own box on its own meter. The main is a 100 amp Westinghouse, the house is 2000 sq ft. 4 beds 2 baths. The house is currently run on an oil furnace.
I see two ways I can approach the situation:

Add a subpanel on a breaker in the main box. Not preferred because I fear blowing the main breaker.

Upgrade the breaker in the hot water box to supply a new subpanel. Preferred because I won't have to be concerned with blowing the main breaker, BUT there is no shutoff between this breaker and the meter, so the meter has to be pulled.

Are there other plausible options that I am missing?
Any other reasons why option 1 may be better than option 2?


texts: How do I deal with Particle Board Subfloors and Hardwood Flooring?

texts:
The house I recently purchased, built in 1973, has particle board subfloors.  To clarify, this is not OSB and this is not just a particle board overlay over plywood -- the entire subfloor is 3/4" particle board (looks like oatmeal).

There are several issues with this subfloor: the floors are creaky and warped in places and I've been strongly advised not to install hardwood floors over particle board, as they cannot hold nails and will deteriorate if water is spilled.  I purchased hardwood floors (pre-finished 3/4").  Now I need to either 1.  remove the particle board or 2. nail plywood over the particle board.  I'm opting to remove it because with option "2" I'll end up with undesirable height differences in places.

The problem with removing it is the existing subfloor runs under the interior walls, so once I cut it out and add new, there won't be any support where it overlaps the joists.  Additionally, if the interior wall is not sitting on a joist, it could drop.  This problem also occurs for doors and closets.  To solve this I could install blocking, but then this could get very labor intensive.  Another option is to cut along the joist and leave a margin of particle board along the walls.  I could leave particle board in the closets since there is no load there.

Another component to this problem is in the kitchen.  The previous seller put in new cabinetry and granite counter tops.  I don't really want to tear out the cabinets due to the expense.  I could cut the subfloor out around the cabinet but then have the problem of what is supporting the cabinets (parallel with joists).

I'd appreciate to hear from anyone that has ideas on the best way to proceed.


texts: How can I repair the agitator on my hotpoint washer?

texts: Could anyone please advise me how to remove the agitator on a hotpoint washer model HTWP1200DOWW? The agitator is not spinning.


texts:
We have an attic I'd like to use as an extra room. The frame of the house is solid 2x8" beams and i'm told that the weight is not a problem there.  The attic framing is just a typical framing though.
Can I reinforce it with joists and have it hold up a typical load of furniture and people?  I'm not going to put the family safe up there, but i would like to make the attic useful without tearing the roof off.


texts: Help with strange wiring in light switch box

texts:
Recently purchased a new home and went to swap out a broken single pole light switch with smart switch that requires neutral. A quick clance into the switch box and I thought it had what I needed. Upon opening it up I am just stumped.

As you can see in the picture and first thing to throw me off is the white and black wires from the same cable tied together. Only ground is tied into other cable. Upon testing, not only is this cable on a completely different circuit than the switch but the hot wire is the white wire. Also nothing in the house changed (that I noticed) when I temporarily untied to test.

When I tested the wires from the cable tied to the light switch, the white wire here is also the hot wire.

I've only changed a few other lights in the house but they were all wired as expected. Any ideas or help with what is going on here? Am I out of luck as far as a needed neutral wire goes? Thanks.


texts: How to cut round hole in aluminum soffit after installation

texts:
Related question

After having our roof re-configured and larger overhangs added, I noticed that the contractor placed the bathroom exhaust vent that used to go out the side wall just under the eaves just inside the overhang of the roof. I think they meant for it to vent out through the vent holes in the aluminum soffit material, but I am concerned that instead, moisture will accumulate on the underside of the roof sheathing.

I know I should have the contractor come and fix it, but they have been slow to respond and I would just like to take care of this.

I would like to address this, and I am aware the most proper way would be to go out the roof. But I am not comfortable cutting the hole there and trying to manipulate the shingles to fit a new vent pass-through piece, so instead I would like to set it up like shown in the related question. The vent pipe already terminates underneath the soffit I believe, so I would just need to make a round hole in the soffit material, pull the flexible ducting through, attach the vent piece, and mount it with screws.

I am just not sure what the best way to cut a round hole into the soffit material that is already installed, without taking it down. I am thinking I would mark a template, then drill a small-ish hole in the middle and use tin snips to try to make a round cutout. Alternatively, maybe I could use a Dremel with a cutting wheel. Is there a better way? I am not opposed to buying tools if that's necessary.


texts: I have an intake on the floor, it's 6x30 and I can't seem to find a vent filter for it.  I know there's a filter down inside the heater but I am trying to prevent pet hair from entering the duct and I can't seem to find one.  Is there filters for floor mounted intakes that I can put into the vent grille?


texts: Can French doors (with center mullion) swing in opposite directions?

texts:
This might be a very elementary question, but I haven't been able to find any information about it. We are planning to replace a sliding glass door between our dining room and deck with French doors. In order to have a door that we can use in the winter without sacrificing a huge amount of floor space in the dining room, I would like one side to swing in while the other side swings out.

I know this arrangement (double-egress doors) is used in commercial/institutional settings, to promote one-way traffic flow on either side (in the US, typically whichever door is on your right swings away from you). However, all of the examples I've seen of this arrangement are heavy, commercial/industrial-type, not French doors.

To be clear, I'm not assuming that I could have the doors open fully; I'm guessing that they would need a center mullion to close against, rather than closing against one another in the traditional French-door manner. Ideally, they'd be designed so both doors were in the same plane—something like this (obviously not to scale):

(Of course, if the center mullion were removable for the times when I need to fit an elephant through the doors, that would be great, but not required.)

Is there a reason why such an arrangement wouldn't work? If it would work, is it something that could be done by modifying stock doors and framing, or would everything need to be custom-designed/built?


texts: I need help identifying this shower valve

texts: Could anyone help me identify this valve so i can get replacement parts.


texts: Where new roof shingles meet old, how to fix poor seal?

texts:
So about 6 years ago we had all the shingles in our house replaced. Last year we added on a room to the house, and luckily they were able to find and use the same shingles on the addition. However, I found a where the new shingles meet the old; some of the old shingles are not tightly laying on the new ones – not forming a tight seal. How do you recommend I make these new shingles flush with the old one? If using cement or such where on the old shingle would I place it? E.g. very bottom or 3 inches from the bottom etc.?

I also want to point out that the new shingles look perfectly placed and proper with the old ones as far as placement goes, the seal just seems off.


texts: when I turn up the flame on my propane bbq, I start to get a hissing sound, like the pressure is too high. This started happening after cleaning around the burner. It happens on both sides so it’s not the knobs. Is it possible the regulator is busted?  I’ve taken it off the tank and put back on but same result. Here is a video of the problem: https://share.icloud.com/photos/0RYk9cj1pOW11b082YBLHTqPg


texts: Why would these wires be stored this way?

texts:
My house was built in the 1920’s. My living room only has two wall sconces until I found two additional hookups within the plaster walls. I have tested them with an old light fixture and they turn on with the same living room switch. Why would they store them in the wall like this?

It looks like they used cloth tape and then hooked them together with lower gauge wire below.


texts: Does a fluorescent lamp that does not light up still draw power?

texts:
First of all, I am not a native English speaker, please forgive me.

I recently rented the room I am currently living in. On the ceiling there are fluorescent fixtures like the picture below (I found this image on the Internet, but looks very similar to mine).

When I first came, two lamps would light up when I turned the light switch on. (I just found that it had 3 lamps moments ago. So, there had been one lamp that did not light up all along.) But, two were too bright for me. I had been thinking about opening the cover and taking one out (leaving only one) but I was just too lazy.

Yesterday, suddenly one of them would no longer light. So currently only one lamp (out of three) is on. The brightness of one lamp is fine for me, but I wonder if the two non-functioning lamps are still drawing power? Is it OK to leave the non-functioning lamps there?

As I said earlier, I rented this room and I will leave here in 9 months. So if there are no downsides other than they do not light up, I do not want to take the hard work of removing/attaching the cover and taking them off.


texts: Can I add a 30 amp breaker to a sub panel being fed from a 50 amp breaker

texts: I have 100 amp service panel that feeds a sub panel with a 50 amp breaker. In the sub panel, there are currently five 15 amp breakers that feed three rooms worth of lights and two outdoor outlets used to run 2 Christmas light controllers. All lights are LED and there is a celling fan on one of the breakers. I need to add a 30 amp breaker for an electric in-wall oven. Can I put this breaker in my sub panel, or should/must I make room in the main panel for this breaker?


texts: Is it expected for an empty house to use 14 kWh per day?

texts:
We have bought a new house but we haven't moved in yet. I've received our electric bill several days ago and it shows our electric bill on average is about 14 kWh per day but it seems the only working appliance in our house is the refrigerator.

Can someone suggest whether this is expected or not?


texts: How do I prepare concrete walls before applying water-dispersion paint?

texts:
I had a concrete wall painted with white water-dispersion paint. Every here and there the old paint was chipped and dark gray bare concrete could be seen.

I got a can of white water-dispersion paint and coloured it into light-green tone. The instructions on the paint say "prime the surface, then apply two layers of paint". That's what I did exactly. The wall looks great now except that the dark gray concrete can be seen through the paint layer (yes, not only the surface is not flat, but also dark gray concrete can be identified through two layers of paint) - looks like the paint doesn't block light that much. The parts of the wall where the old paint wasn't chipped look just great.

How should I have prepared the wall so that those dark gray regions of concrete were not visible through new paint?


texts:
We've had this since we bought the house. Underneath in the attic it looks as if part of that roof collapsed (probably a foot went throught). Then someone patched it up in a crappy way.

I have no leaks but I wonder how urgent is the repair of this and how much will it cost? I could also attempt to DIY but not sure how many shingles will have to be removed to fix this.


texts: How to select weight (amount of fire retardant) in Fire-Extinguisher

texts:
Reference: https://www.qrfs.com/blog/66-ultimate-guide-to-fire-extinguisher-types-servicing-and-uses/
I have an multi-use office and residential building.  I am interested in not only meeting code, but genuinely protecting the my family's property from fire.  What is the line of thought to decide the right weight?  Choice include 2.5,5,10,& 20 lbs.  Customers might not be able to lift the heaviest unit.


texts: Adding the Sense electricity monitor to my breaker box

texts:
I want to install the Sense electricity monitor to my breaker box to monitor my home's power usage. The instructions call for installation on a 240v breaker inside my electrical panel. Here is a link to the installation video as well as a direct link to the section regarding connecting to the breakers.

My breaker box:

Looks like I have a few options:

 I have one spot left for a breaker. I'm seeing results online about a 240v tandem breaker that would fit into a single 120V spot in my box. Does anyone have any suggestion as to what kind of breaker I need? Search results for tandem breaker run from $10 to $200 but that could be I'm looking at breakers for industrial uses. Looks like this doesn't work? Sense requires being on two different phases. Here is a video linked directly to the email that someone received from Sense.
Add the legs for the Sense unit to the existing 240V breaker for the dryer. According to Sense, this is fine to do since the device uses less than 5 watts of power.

I've done a bit of wiring around the house but this is my first time working in the breaker box. I want to make sure I'm doing the best thing here.


texts:
We painted a closet recently with a latex/acrylic based paint and no plastic hair caps.  This lead to the issue with some unsightly paint splotches on our hair.  After several washes the paint still hasn't faded and is very noticeable.

Please let me know what methods are available for removing the paint from the hair on our heads while leaving the hair intact after the process.

UPDATE:
We tried several of the solutions here but nothing worked.  We had to wait until the hair grew out and it was cut off.  Hair dye would not even cover the paint. I think a couple of the reasons we were unsuccessful was the amount of time that went by before we noticed the issue and the fact the hair seemed more porous due to the condition it was in to begin with.  We think it was porous due to the frequency of the hair dyes and the very dry nature of Colorado's weather.


texts: How can I remove this single hole American Standard bathroom faucet?

texts: I see no screw and it doesn't seem to be attached at the bottom. How do I remove this leaky faucet to get to the washers?


texts: Can bathroom lights be on same circuit as bedroom lights?

texts: I know bathroom outlets must be on their own circuit.  Can the bathroom lights be on the same circuit as say the bedroom and hall lights?


texts: Furnace fan turns off when compressor turns on; unit freeze up

texts:
I have a goodman HVAC (model: GMS950904CXA). The unit froze up the other day. When I turn the thermostat to cool, the compressor turns on, the furnace blower fan turns on for a few seconds and then shuts down. When I turn compressor off and leave the fan on, the blower fan works fine and will keep running. I have replaced the run capacitor and also the control board. It did not solve the problem. I have turned the motor by hand and it seems to rotate freely. My unit does not have an overflow switch. Is the motor dying? Is freon low? What could be the problem?

I think I figured out at least part of the problem. My blower motor has 4 speeds. There are 4 wires from highest speed to lowest speed (black, blue, orange, red). I measured the resistance of the motor at each wire and they all looked good. The cool terminal on the board is connected to the black wire (highest speed). The heat terminal on the board is connected to the blue wire (2nd highest speed). I measured the voltage at the control board as well. When I turn on the fan only, only the heat terminal (not the cool) shows 120V. When I turn the thermostat to cool, then only the cool terminal (not heat) shows 120V. Because the fan runs ok when only fan is called by the thermostat, but it shuts down when cooling is called, it tells me that the connection of the black wire can be loose. It explains the symptoms I described in my question. Once the fan turns on during cooling, it becomes loose and shuts itself down. I confirmed this by switching the black wire to the heat terminal on the control board. After the switch, when only fan is called, the fan starts fine but shuts down after a few seconds. So I think I have nailed it down to the black wire. The resistance for the black wire is ok (~ 2 ohms) and the connection at the control board is tight and ok. My question is: can this be caused by a loose connection of the black wire at the motor end? I have not taken the motor out yet. I just want to hear you guys' options before I do that.


texts: Solve washer/dryer closet outlet issue. Lacks 110v outlet, need to know my options

texts:
I have a washer/dryer closet with a SINGLE 220V outlet serving a SINGLE laundry-center type machine. I need to make another 110V outlet available in this closet space so I can upgrade to a SEPARATE washer and dryer unit, where my dryer will connect to the existing 220V outlet, while the washer will need to connect to the new 110v outlet. I do not have any other open outlets. The only other electrical outlet I notice is a closed plate in the roof of the closet, which seems to carry a 220V line (measured using a non contact voltage tester) and is likely serving the existing 220V outlet in the closet. Is this solvable? The circuit breakers are in a different room and there is no other outlets near this closet. I reached out to electricians near my home - some say it is possible to do it, splice a 110 off the 220 and it should be good. While others say it is not possible to do it and advise against any splicing. Help?

[edit]This is in California, USA. existing receptacle supports a 4 prong 30A cord.

[edit] - bringing in a new 20 A 120 V circuit for the washer has different challenges in my scenario and I would like to solve this without going that way.

[edit] - I came across this, NEMA 14-30P 4-Prong Dryer Plug to (4) Household Outlets with 20 Amp Breaker, and I wonder if I can use this in some way to solve my problem. Either by creating another 220v outlet from the wiring I mentioned in the roof, or by using a "Parkworld 886603 NEMA 14-30 Splitter, Dryer 14-30P Male Plug to (2) 14-30R Female Receptacle, Dryer 4-Prong 30 AMP 14-30 Y Adapter Cord (3 feet)" in the existing outlet.


texts: Converting from 2 dimmer switches to 2 regular switches...need help

texts:
Just bought a house. The house has aluminum wiring....there was 2 dimmer switches in the basement....only one of them worked...

I removed the 2 switches and removed the  copper pigtailing that was connected. I purchased 2 sets of both CO/ALR rated single pole and also 3 way switch as I was not sure which one I would use.

After removing the switches and the pigtails, I am left with these 6 wires.

The two green all the way on the right are for grounding.

The 3rd wire from the right, is the only one that reads hot when I turn on power and use the voltage tester

The 3rd from the right and the 4th from the right both go towards the back of the box, while the 2 furthest to the left head up towards the ceiling. Also, the wire furthest left is copper, and all the other are aluminum.

Can anyone give me some advice on the correct way to wire up 2 regular switches?


texts:
So we bought a new house and one of the fans had 1. ugly blades and 2. one blade was broken.

Naturally I took one good blade of and went to Lowes to find a replacement. It turns out though that this is some custom style of fan blade. I looked EVERYWHERE on this freaking fan and I can't find a brand name so I have no idea who to contact to get a new blade.

I'm curious if anyone can point me toward a source to find a new blade like the one in the picture


texts: New washing machine. Why we have to perform a cleaning cycle?

texts:
I have few questions regarding as to why we have to do few things on new washing machines.

I ran the first wash on quick wash to check if nothing is leaking, but after checking the manual, I see that it is suggested:

Manually pour 2 liters of water into detergent compartment and add detergent.
And run the program with 90°C.
Run it empty.

Why do we have to pour water manually into the machine?
Why we have to run it with 90°C(basically a cleaning program)  on the first use?

As a side note, should I do this after the fact that I already did 40°C quick wash with a towel in it.


texts: My apartment has several of these plastic disks on the walls, all close to the ceiling. What is their purpose? I believe they have something to do with electricity. Thank you!


texts: Should central heating pipes through internal brickwork have insulation?

texts:
My house has old (large diameter) steel central heating pipes. These travel through the basement before passing up through the house.  My concern is that when they pass through internal walls they are cemented directly into the wall (i.e. they are in tight contact with the brickwork).

My question is - is this normal, or should they be insulated as they pass through the internal brickwork?  (I've no idea whether the heat loss in this case is significant or not).


texts: How should I use my humidifier's bypass option?

texts: I have a Skuttle model 2000 flow-through bypass humidifier unit. How do I use the bypass lever in the winter months? Do I leave the bypass open during operation and closed in the summer months??


texts: What lubricant, if any, should be used for clothes dryer rollers?

texts:
It seems I may have used the wrong lubricant for my LG clothes dryer rollers because the rollers kept seizing up. Since these rollers are simple and there are no bearings I did not put much thought into what lubricant to use:

While I am not 100% sure I believe I either used Super Lube 51004 Synthetic Oil with PTFE or WD-40 Specialist Heavy Duty Multi-Purpose Grease

My question are:

What lubricant, if any, should be used there?
What could be that black film on axle? I believe it is culprit here.
In particular, would grease be a better option here than oil because it would not mix with small lint particles (I suspect this is what may have happened here unless that is lube thickener or something like that)?


texts: In a multi-gang box, are neutral wires paired with specific hot wires?

texts:
I have a four-gang box that I'm installing new dimmers in.  Currently all of the neutral (white) wires coming into the box are connected together (and not to the dimmers).  The new dimmers require connections to the neutrals.

There are three bundles of wires coming into the box, two of them having their own triads of hot, neutral, and ground.  The third bundle has two triads of hot, neutral, and ground wires.

In this third bundle, it's unclear which neutral is paired with which hot.  Does this matter when connecting my new dimmer or can the dimmer be connected to any random pair of neutral and hot wires?


texts: Why are these cracks around all of our sash windows?

texts: We've been renovating a Victoria house (~1875) in Hackney (London) and had new sash windows installed about a year ago. Across most of them, we've had these cracks/separations start to appear (see photos below). One builder has said this was because the wrong kind of silicone was used. Any thoughts?


texts: After moving into our house (built in mid-80s), we noticed a blank wall plate right about where you would expect a wall phone jack to be in the kitchen. I opened it up and found a loop of 3 pair telephone wire. I cut into it and hooked up the green and red wires from both sides to keep the loop intact, but had no dial tone. Opening up our other phone jacks, I discovered that the jacks seem to be wired in series, with the incoming pair and outgoing pair altering between red/green and blue/white (see image below). After using the blue/white pair instead of the red/green pair, the jack worked. Is there any reason why this would have been done originally? In particular, is there a reason for me to go back and restore the pattern by switching out the appropriate wires?


texts: Some odd wiring in my breaker box. Is this up to code?

texts:
I'm poking around in my breaker box and I notice a white wire screwed into the ground bus. Tracing it back, both bare and white are on the ground bus and the black is screwed into a breaker. Is this up to code?

This circuit is connected to an RV plug.

Secondly, I also notice a bare wire screwed into the neutral bus. As far as I can tell this is 14-3 Romex with bare & white to the neutral bus and black & red to different breakers. Is this up to code?

Both of these circuits are additions by the previous owner.


texts: Can I run data (e.g., for computer internet access) through my rg6 coaxial cable?

texts: I want to be able to hook up computers in different rooms of my house directly to a connection in the wall rather than using wireless.  I have rg6 cable runs (multiple runs) in every room.  I'd rather not break open the walls to run cat6.  I also have fiber running through the walls.  Thoughts, helpful hints, and suggestions are welcome.


texts: DeWalt nail gun leaks air when trigger is pulled

texts: DeWalt D51257 has been lightly used for home projects but it stopped working. When trigger is pulled, only air is coming out (through the trigger area) but no nail is fired. Should I replace the trigger valve? Cylinder and o-rings looks ok. Thanks for any advice.


texts: Replacing part of ciruit with 3-wire cable to add a second switch

texts:
In a bathroom where a switch powers a circuit running to a light, then to a fan, is it allowed to replace the switch←→fan circuit with a 3-wire cable, so that I can add a switch dedicated to the fan?

In this location, the back of the wall on which the light and the switch are mounted is easily accessible (front is ceramic), so I thought the switch could be replaced with a dual gang box and the 2-wire cable with a 3-wire cable, the third wire only powering the circuit going to the fan.

It seems to me like it should be allowed, as the circuit is only powered from one branch; there is no risk of overloading the neutral (or any of the live); at any time in any branch, the return current is equal to the source current.


texts: How much cooling is my mist maker humidifier causing?

texts:
Closely related to Does a humidifier cool the air? but with a different kind of humidifier, and I'd like to know exact numbers.

First question: for the same production volume of vapor, does an ultrasonic mist maker cause the same amount of cooling as an evaporative humidifier?

Second, more practical question: My apartment already struggles sometimes with keeping the unit warm, but it's also far too dry, so I need to humidify. I bought a mist maker with stated vaporizing capacity of 1600ml/h.

It seems since I've had it running, the heater struggles even more than before. How do I convert from ml/h to BTUs I am losing to humidification? Do I need to provide other parameters (like a starting relative humidity and temperature)? I looked at Philip's chart at: http://www.truetex.com/psychrometric_chart.gif but I'm not really sure how to read it.


texts: Broken Hot Water Circulating Pump - Shouldn't I still have hot water in showers eventually?

texts:
I have a Grundfos hot water circulator. After turning off the main to the house and the hot water circulator the other day to change out a valve for our dishwasher, the hot water circulator hasn't been working properly (making horrible noises, not sending out water properly).

From what I've read it seems that the hot water circulator has seized. We've unplugged and replugged, and tried to turn the bolt on it, but it won't move. Again, from what I've read, this indicates we probably need to replace with a new unit.

My belief was that we would still have hot water (as we would if we didn't have a circulator), however we are not getting sustained hot water in our showers both upstairs and downstairs (after about 5 minutes the water is warm, but then turns cold). What would cause that? I am hoping to figure out how to have hot water access until we can get the unit replaced.


texts: Is my dishwasher air gap manufactured incorrectly?

texts:
I bought new Kohler dishwasher air gap. An air gap is required in California. It is used in conjunction with brand new dishwasher and garbage disposal. The problem is water keeps on spewing out of the air gap and never drains to the garbage disposal. I disassembled the air gap to inspect the innards. Something strange is the 5/8" small tube coming from the dishwasher shoots all the way up to the top of the air gap. It's ending right where the water was spewing out. I see no way for the water to discharge into the larger  7/8" side, which goes to the garbage disposal. Basically, there's no route from the 5/8" side to the 7/8" side. Is this air gap defective? Was the 5/8" tube pushed way to far up?

(click to enlarge images)


texts:
I'm installing a dishwasher from scratch. The only place to put it is in the breakfast nook off the kitchen. I've already successfully installed the electric. Next, I need to install the drain and water feed line.

I would like to pass the plumbing where the red x is. The plumbing will be a braided stainless steel water line and a flexible drain line. I would also like for the lines to be serviceable after the fact.

My best idea is to embed a 1.5in or 2in pvc pipe in the wall. Glue the pipe to the lath in the wall and then fill the gaps with joint compound.

Is this a good idea or is there a better way?


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I'm going to wire a sub-panel 140 ft from the main service.  I would like 70 amps to be available; the actual load won`t exceed 50 amps for now, but I may need more later.

The problem is the wire must travel the entire run in buried 1.5" PVC conduit. I can`t go more than #4 Cu; #2 Al is too big for the conduit. I'm getting dizzy trying to find an answer.


texts: Every once in a while this horrible smell cones out of the bathroom.  Smells like urine.  It will be there for a few days to a week then goes away but it is overwhelming when it's there . The bathroom is clean. And it comes and goes. What could it be?


texts: Chinese Breaker Box (240v split-phase?) Lacks Neutral Wires and Grounding Bus

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I recently spent Chinese New Year at my girlfriend's apartment (in China) and woke up one morning to find we'd lost power. I opened the breaker box in the apartment to find the main breaker (2P 40A) had tripped and the top screws looked blackened. I couldn't get the breaker to switch back on even with all the other breakers off, so I reasoned it was shot and needed to go to the local hardware store to get a replacement.

As I studied the wiring layout before heading over a couple of things caught my attention. As an American, I'm accustomed to a breaker bus that the breakers snap into to receive power from the main breaker. No such thing here. Obviously I'm also accustomed to 120v but not unfamiliar with 240v circuits both in the US and from time living in the UK.

I understand that in the UK, 240v to individual homes is carried on a single phase with hot, neutral and ground. My expectation is that China would follow Europe's lead as it's also 50hz and because it does so in most other areas. However the supply coming into this apartment has two hot legs, no neutral, and no grounding bus †. That makes it seem to me like it's split-phase center tap with the 240v being line to line.

If that's the case, I'm guessing the lack of neutral is not as concerning as I initially thought? However I also notice the two hot legs are not balanced: one feeds two 16A breakers while the other feeds three 16A breakers. Don't the two hot legs need to be balanced if it's line to line to compensate for the fact that there's no neutral?

The main 40A breaker also seems too small to supply three 16A subbreakers at 80% of their load, so I bump up to a 63A breaker. However, the house's breaker box is actually a subpanel, with the main panel being downstairs in the apartment block's stairwell with the meters. Everything is fed by the same kind of 2P 40A breaker that served as the main breaker in the house panel, rendering the 63A breaker redundant! I have no access to the interior of that panel as it's locked by the utility company.

I'm also concerned that the wire gauges aren't correct for the amount of amperage being carried both to the breakers and from the breakers to the individual circuits.

The blackening of the top screws of the old breaker is also concerning. Is too much resistance on the wire or screws/breaker a possible cause?

Being a little out of my depth here, my first inclination would be to call a licensed electrician were this the United States. I don't really trust the knowledge, workmanship, safety practices or ethics of Chinese tradesmen though (the first electrician to come out from the power company bypassed the breaker on one leg as a fix, you can see in the photos below!), so any advice would be appreciated. I've also reached out to electrical contractor friends in the US.

† There are however two ground wires from opposing directions spliced together, maybe one is tied into all the outlet boxes and the other goes to true ground, or a ground bus in the main panel? I didn't open the outlets to check because everything is concrete and there's no obvious way to get the faceplates off without breaking them.

Post Replacement: https://drive.google.com/file/d/19-SPGJ7ZlcAUCoJdVkEVi5PGr-vDTqgIAA/view?usp=drivesdk

Pre Replacement:https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0Zh1WuyMr0gMEhNd21DWkNucW8/view?usp=drivesdk


texts:
New cooktop has aluminum wires. Is it ok to connect those wires to the present outlet which had copper wires connecting the old cooktop?
Thank you for your help


texts: What's the best way to get grade below foundation wall?

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We just discovered that the cause of some water staining on the internal sill-plates on top of the basement foundation wall are due to the outside grade sitting ~2 inches above the foundation wall!! See picture below (our house on right).

A waterproofing guy (who does internal drain systems) suggested we build a rock/brick retaining wall, dig down about 1 foot below the foundation wall, put in retaining wall, and fill with rock up to a few inches from the top of the retaining wall.

Sound reasonable? Given the proximity of the neighbors home in the picture (slab on grade), is there any risk of destabilizing their foundation by putting in a small retaining wall (~18 inches high) about 2 feet away from the cement sidewalk in the picture?


texts: Raised horizontal lines along walls throughout house

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Just bought a home built in the 1980s back in October when temperatures were relatively warm. Much colder now and I'm noticing that in al the rooms/hallways, under lighting conditions you can see where the drywall (which is hung horizontally) seams are. They are generally about halfway up the wall and are nothing more than a visible line due to shadowing; there are no cracks and the walls are painted eggshell so there is a very slight sheen.
Is this pretty typical to see? Just a part of the age of the home?


texts: Is a metal post base needed on a concrete pier?

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I'm building a backyard storage shed that will be supported by two 4x6x16' pressure treated rails laying on concrete piers.  The 6" side will be flat against the pier.

At the building supply store I have seen metal 6x6 post bases that seem to be used for attaching a post to concrete:

Since I'm using pressure treated lumber, and the piers stick above the ground a bit, do I really need these?  Can the rails sit directly on the concrete?  I can bolt the rails directly to the piers with wedge anchors.


texts: Mount glass shower wall with adhesive to avoid drilling holes in the bathroom tiles

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I would like to mount a glass shower wall in the bathroom but avoid having to drill holes.
The model in question is the following: http://www.bathdeluxe.com/products/130/130-328-toscana-wall-manual.pdf
As you can see it requires 4 screws to affix it but I would prefer to use an adhesive if there is anything that can be used in this situation.

I've been looking on different other somewhat similar questions and some of the suggestions were: Kerdi-Fix / Plumbers Goop. Since I have never used any of these I would like to ask if either of these are good for this purpose or if there is any other known method to achieve what I desire.

LE: I have stumbled upon an adhesive that seems to be very powerful but I would love to get a second opinion on it so I am linking to the product sheet: http://www.bostik.se/downloads/datasheet.ashx?p=P0703&l=EN

Regards,
Ovi

Since the answer was requested in other comments to be added to the initial post, the solution that was sent by the manufacturer and actually fits my requirement is a special "Glue kit" they sell for exactly this type of requests. The product was linked in another comment in case anyone is looking for something like this (there is no term I could use that people could just search for and find the right thing)


texts: I was walking through a house during the middle of construction and came across what appears to be a recpticle attached to a pvc pipe that seems to pass a low voltage wire. Also connected to the receptacle was a 14 gauge wire.


texts:
We painted our first floor and the outlets are all brown so I wanted to replace them and the switches with white ones. In doing so I was taking a ground wire off the old outlet and it snapped off of the main ground wire. It looks like the main ground wire is coiled up and a small piece of ground was used to connect to the outlet.
What are my options here?
Should I try to uncoil the ground?
I thought there was some kind of electrical nut that I could use to attach more ground as well?

The copper cable here is the ground which had a thin wire coming off of it that snapped off to attach to the outlet.
Thanks in advance!


texts: Existing 3 wire service feed to sub panel: bonding grounded neutral and ground bars?

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I know variations of this question have been asked (the closest I could find is here), but I'm still confused.
@Tester101 explained if the existing feed to the subpanel is 3 wire with a grounded neutral and two hots and is not electrically connected to your main panel, your sub should have a bonded ground/neutral.
Is this an acceptable way to ground the sub panel? My sub panel is not at all connected to the main except by the 3 service conductors and has the neutral and ground bus separate. The ground bus is grounded to the earth (2 rods), gas, and water. Now I've read that this is very dangerous as the earth is not a low enough resistance for grounding (makes sense).
I read the code that Tester101 linked to in the post above but didn't see where it said to bond the ground to neutral in the sub
I guess what I'm most interested in is a good explanation about why it would be okay to bond the neutral and ground within the sub panel in this type of situation when every other time it's a big no no.
I live in Oregon for the record.


texts: How can I rig a battery backed-up sump pump for an exterior pit?

texts:
I have an exterior sump pit which gets all the water from my downspouts and french drains and pumps it out to a rain tank and overflow into a leeching field.

Because of where the pit is, if the pump were to fail or the power went out during a big storm, the water would overflow into my downstairs.

I've seen plenty of battery back-up sump solutions online, but it's not clear to me if any of them can work in an exterior application. If I get a marine battery and put it inside the provided plastic enclosure, am I good? Is there special equipment for an exterior application?

Thanks!


texts: How to install sink drain pipe correctly

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I'm trying to connect this drain assembly on my bathroom sink.

But when I connect to the sink it drips.
I tighten the top nut(arrow) with a channel lock, but it still drips.
Steps I took:

I put plumber's putty on the top
squeeze the top into drain hole.
attach the drain pipe to the top
turn the top nut tigh.
attach p-trap to drain pipe.

Am i doing something wrong, sometimes I hear a snapping sound and it seems that the drain pipe has loosen. Should I use Teflon tape?


texts: How to tighten/fix ice-maker's drainage tube connector?

texts:
On the back of our fridge is a drainage tube (I assume it's for the ice maker; correct me if i'm wrong). Whenever water drains out of it, it leaks. I've identified that the source of the problem is a sort of coupler in the middle of the tube. (I'm not sure what it's called)

I've fiddled with it a little bit but I can't seem to get it to stop leaking. Is there a trick to tighten it? Or should I buy a new one? (If so, anyone know where I can get one?)


texts: How can I keep an entry gate operating during a power outage?

texts:
I have an electric sliding gate, with a motor powered by 220V.

The problem with this kind of solution is that, when we have a power supply failure, we must remove a  screw and open it manually. It is annoying and problematic when my mother (65 years old) must open it alone.

I would like to connect the main power to batteries (using a convertor AC/DC) and the motor to batteries. The problem is that i know that these motors require a high spike of energy to start it up and i would need a kind of capacitors, but i'm not quite sure, if there is already something in the market or if anybody did it already and has some directions for me.


texts: european outlets in an american building

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I have seen european outlets in industrial equipment made in europe but installed in the united states (often with a 480/240v step down transformer), and I have come across a couple people who want specific european appliances (hair drier, pasta press) and I was wondering what problems would arise if I were to try to install an european wall outlet. I intend to ignore the frequency issue for this question (and availability is a real challenge).

I figured I would need a matching box as the box size would be different. I have a slug buster, would it be needed? I don't expect wire size to be an issue. How much of an issue of it not being UL listed (as europe has different standards) as long as it met european safety standards. Are there other issues I would need to be aware of?


texts: Can LED strips serve as the main light of a room?

texts: I would like to know if led strips can serve as the main light of a living room (4.5mx3.5m) and if so, what kind of strips and where to put it in the room (along the walls, along the edges of the ceiling,etc).


texts: I have a door handle where the upper screws are constantly working themselves loose. Should I get longer screws, use polyfilla in the screw holes, or something else? The doors are quite thin, made of board I think (not solid wood).


texts:
If I am planning on buying a product such as the one shown here and to support it using a solution such as the braces shown here - How often would you place a brace - Is every stud (~16") overkill, can I get away with every other stud (~32"), further? - I don't want the desk to flex under any foreseeable circumstance. (dumb teenager deciding to sit/stand on it for instance).
I can't find any recommendations for a support schedule.


texts: How to safely remove exterior metal panel?

texts: Under our breakfast nook there is a metal panel like a soffitt or similar. I'd like to remove it so that I can check for insulation inside. However I don't see how to remove this panel without damaging it. I don't see any visible screws or nails on the panel. The panels are a bit flexible. What is the proper way to take this off?


texts: Sizing I-beams for two Floors to replace LVLs

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I had an engineer size some LVLs to help support an existing(sagging) floor.
See image for majority of info needed.
The Blue beam is (3) 14" LVLs laminated [192" (16' 0") Long] and the Red beam is (4) 14" LVLs laminated [234" (19' 6") Long]. The Blue beam is supporting the uniform load of 15,200 lbs. The Red beam is supporting half of that as a center point load. (7600 lbs)
I am searching for what size I-Beam (W-beam) would be required to substitute for the LVLs.
The beams are supported where the Green squares are.
Looking for at least L/360 deflection or better if possible. Headspace is the issue so would prefer beam height to be smaller.


texts: how do you install laminate flooring with multiple rooms at one time with click flooring (since you can only put it in one way)

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how do you install click laminate flooring when it can only click in one way?
in the picture every room is getting done that doesn't have an x. the red lines are which way the boards are going. only that room is done. the hallway and 2 other small rooms would be going the right way, but how can you do the big awkward sized room with all of it going together right, because going backwards they wouldn't click in?


texts: How strong are copper refrigerator ice maker water lines?

texts: How strong are the standard copper refrigerator water lines?  I have a decent size coil of copper line behind my refrigerator and I am afraid to re-position/re-coil it because I have no idea of it's durability.  Is this typically something I can handle and rearrange or should I be leaving it alone?


texts: Which pipe do I need to link under sink trap and drain?

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I removed the trap to clean it out. There were actually two pieces: the trap, and a piece of pipe connecting the trap to the drain pipe When putting it back, I realized the threads and top of the connecting pipe were broken a bit and wouldn’t fit back into the pipe as is. I must have removed something that wasn’t supposed to be. Anyways, now I need a replacement pipe to go from the drain pipe to my trap. The top I think needs to be female but I don’t have much room to wrap around the drain pipe- maybe only a half inch- before it would hit the stopper device.
Which pipes do I need?


texts: Pipe Maze: Installing Natural Gas Line to Weber Natural Gas Grill

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Trying to Install my weber natural gas grill to the natural gas line that is already set up. The gas line has a 3/8 male flare connection.... and the weber grill needs a 3/8 male non-flare connection. I can't figure out what hardware I need to make this work, and I already broke one hose trying to jam it in.
A double flare female connector and then a male with one side flare one-side straight pipe? Can't seem to find that at your home depot/ace hardwares, any help?


texts: I currently have a 12A EVSE that takes either 120V or 240V and uses a normal three-prong (NEMA 5-15) plug. I am looking to install a 240V outlet on a 50A circuit breaker to use with this EVSE, but I'm wondering which receptacle to use with this new outlet. I've ruled out a NEMA 5-15/5-20 receptacle, so I will need an adapter to use my current EVSE for any outlet I install. Would it make more sense to install a 14-50R receptacle, a 6-50 receptacle, or some other type?


texts: Mounting a Fireplace Mantel - Steel Studs

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My wife and I are in the process of revamping our basement and are hoping to install a new floating mantel over our gas fireplace in the basement. I'm hoping to get a piece of 2" thick, live-edge cedar for the mantel. My question is how best to mount it to the drywall above the fireplace. My concern is that our basement is framed in with steel studs and I'm concerned about the weight distribution of the wood slab. The mantel would be approximately 70" wide, however, I have access to a crawl space behind the fireplace and found that in addition to the drywall, a sheet of 19/32 plywood has been installed behind the drywall for presumably, extra support.

With that, what would be the best way to mount this? I've done a bit of searching online and haven't landed on anything. I've read anything from toggle bolts to lag bolts to carriage bolts with nuts and washers. Should I aim to go into the studs or just utilize the plywood backer or something completely different? Any thoughts or tips would be very appreciated!


texts:
Our bedroom is pretty bright from the streetlights at night and the sun in the morning. This affects our sleep quality, so I am thinking of buying blackout curtains. I never bought curtains before and don't know at all which type to buy for the curtain pole in the bedroom. I read something about eyelit, pencil pleat, etc. but struggle to see which one is right. The curtain pole and the hooks on there look quite weird to me - I have attached two photos. We cannot take the pole out, so I assume we need to use these small hooks or get some larger hooks to be put around the pole. Since we rent this flat, I would like to use this pole and not replace it with something else. Could anyone tell me what type of curtain we need and what type of hooks we need to buy to fix it to this pole?

Many thanks!


texts: How do I remove these bathroom faucet handles?

texts:
I'm trying to replace the cartridge in a dripping sink, and I'm having trouble at the second step.

I have spent 20 minutes struggling with these handles, and I can't figure it out.

There is no screw that I can find.

I have put all my weight into lifting them off vertically.

I have pried and pried at the bottom cone-part to twist it off.

Nothing seems to work.


texts: What is this moth-like insect that come through my window screen?

texts: Here is a picture. I see a lot of insects like these near my window. Anyone has ideas about what species are they and how to avoid attracting them? Thanks!


texts: LED Light in Ceiling Fan only works with a non-LED next to it

texts: I have a Harbor Breeze ceiling fan with two light ports and a remote control.  The lights are e12 (candelabra) base, but I need some brightness.  I just bought some 12W LED bulbs (100w equivalent) and discovered something weird that I can work with, but I would like to know why it's happening.  If I only have 1 bulb in, or if I have 2 LED, they don't work....but if I have 1 LED and one incandescent one, the LED works.  I noticed that with just 1 LED, it seems to dimly pulse about every 2 seconds, but never comes on.  I specifically bought dimmable bulbs....I'm curious why it works with an incandescent in there, but not otherwise


texts: How do I wire a switch between two 24V heating only thermostats to switch between thermostats?

texts: I have a gas-fired forced air furnace which I need to control two separate heating zones from.  One zone is to heat a crawl space only to 45 degrees and the other is the space temp of the cabin.  I want to wire a switch between the (2) separate thermostats in order to switch which zone I want to heat.  The system is 24 Volts and has three wires from the thermostat, W, R, and G.


texts: Sprinkler valve not turning on by automatic timer

texts:
I just programmed my sprinkler settings for Spring. I have back and front zones. 1-5 in the back, 6-8 in the front.
I noticed that station 6 is not turning on by the timer. It reads Err.
Here's what I've tried:

Station 6 turns on manually at the valve without the timer
At the timer, I took the 6 wire and doubled up on the 1 station. Timer read Err.
At the valves, I connected the 6 wire to the 7 wire/valve. I ran 7, and timer read Err.

Seems like any time station 6 is involved, the timer will read Err.
What kind of problem does this point to?


texts:
My garage door has randomly decided to not close. The door will close a few inches to a few feet before reversing. It may take 2 attempts of 10 until it will fully close. I have checked:

Sensors are properly aligned and cleaned.
Sensor wires are not cut or damaged from what I can see.
This happens with both the remote and wall mounted opener.
The light on the back of the motor blinks 4 times, which according to the manual is a sensor issue.
I have tried to adjust the down force with no luck.
If I manually close the garage, the garage door chain will run with no issue.

Does all of this mean that there is an issue with the actual door?


texts:
I did my own drain plumbing.
It works great and doesn't leak.

However, is this what a real plumber would do?

Is the 17" run (in yellow) between the elbow and the wall too long?
Is the jog (in blue) OK?

[The vertical drain and the elbow were off by 1" so I used 2, 22.5 degree bends to make up the inch]


texts: I might have accidentally vacuumed asbestos. Is the vacuum ruined now?

texts:
If an ordinary shop vacuum has sucked up asbestos, should it be considered unsafe after that and thrown away?

I don't know if this is the right kind of question for this site but I thought I would try.

The story:
I was vacuuming some debris from a gap between the ceiling and the wall (brick) to do some insulating. I noticed a spot on the 2x4 at the top of this gap, where a pipe is passing through it vertically, that was splintered and soft. So, I stopped vacuuming and started breaking away the splinters and eventually went all the way through until some loose stuff and a few pieces of what I think are asbestos fell out. Then I realized there could have been asbestos dust there before I vacuumed, from previous work. The building does have asbestos.


texts: Okay to route central vacuum pipe on home exterior?

texts:
I'm going to install a central vacuum system and it would be easiest and most convenient to run the pipe out the side of the garage, run along the exterior side of the house, and then directly through the side of the house to service two bedrooms on the lowest floor.

That side of the house is a 6 foot alley between 2 houses, and the alley is completely sealed off and unused by people in either residence.  So, there would be no aesthetic impact to the neighbor whatsoever.  Indeed, both houses already have a lot of electrical conduit, network and coax cables mounted externally on the sides of the house in that alley.

This house is in Southern California, so condensation should not be an issue and in any event, the pipe could be wrapped if necessary.

More generally, what building codes govern?  This is LA County, California.


texts: How close to plumb to deck posts need to be?

texts:
I'm building a deck as the floor of a 30' yurt. Construction is 4" x 6" joists on 4" x 4" posts, on pre-cast concrete pier blocks, on tamped gravel footings. Posts are 20" - 30" long. Lumber is pressure treated.

As I build the framing, I have many variables to measure: the plumb of the posts, the rotation of the posts, the level of the joists, the height of the joists relative to each other. Adjusting each one affects all the others, so it is an iterative process. I want to know when it's good enough, so I can stop iterating. I'm asking here about the plumb


texts: Looking to improve acoustic and thermal performance before relaying wooden floor

texts:
We are about to lay new wood floor in the entire upstairs of an old Victorian house.
This seems like the perfect opportunity to acoustically (and thermally) insulate the floor to separate it from downstairs.

I was initially thinking about putting 25mm acoustic roll in-between the joists (1st floor) but I can't find any information about if 25mm will be sufficient e.g
http://www.roofingsuperstore.co.uk/product/25mm-knauf-earthwool-acoustic-roll-4-x-600mm-x-200m-2400m2-pack.html

Then I thought about the idea of using 100mm loft insulation roll as its cheap but can't find out its accoustic properties.
e.g http://www.wickes.co.uk/invt/109449

Should I use acoustic roll or loft roll?

What thickness should I use?

What is the cheapest option for me?

Thanks for your time!


texts:
Massive struggle with wiring, just purchased ceiling fan and don't understand the two yellow wires and 3 red wires. Any recommendations?

(https://i.stack.imgur.com/0ibZN.jpg)


texts: 2 layers of plastic film window insulation?

texts:
I am insulating a single-pane window with plastic film (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002GKC2GW?keywords=plastic film insulation&qid=1453679450).

This window can't be opened, so I will keep the plastic even in summertime. This also implies that there are no drafts through this window.

Is it worth to add more layers, separated by ~1 inch? Is it worth the money? Is it worth the effort?

My guess is yes (slightly). This may create a barrier of still air that will get a bit warmer by the sunlight (although it is not facing south). More convincing arguments?


texts: What kind of plumbing should I use to replace PB tubing?

texts:
I am looking for insight. I am the 3rd owner of a single-story home built in the late 80s. It has 3/4" polybutylene (PB) plumbing running through the attic with 1/2" PB branching off. We have 2 full baths, and of course the kitchen, and 2 spigots outside. The  laundry and water heater are located in the garage, near where the main water line enters.  In all, I have 12 cold and 7 hot water fittings.

Since 2014, I have had 5 pinhole leaks in various locations in the walls, at least 1 has caused flooring damage. I've had plumbers saying the house needs to be replumbed. Had 2 estimates done; one quote was for $26k (copper), the other for $10k (copper). Neither recommended PEX. Both discouraged it but their reasoning has to do with PB and not PEX.

That being said, as an avid DIYer, I'm looking at doing my own replumbing. I know I want to do a home run system but don't know if I want to do crimp, cinch, or expansion. Any opinion or suggestions?


texts:
I have a general question concerning air condition systems. Basically to me the air coming out of the AC unit doesn't feel natural.

I've experienced different types of AC units, from small to quite large, with compressor/gas or simply water cooling. And on all of them, it feels to me that the air has changed in some way and is no longer fresh and natural.

As far as I've researched online, any AC unit is supposed to only change temperature without changing anything else with the air that is fed into the desired location... so why do I have this feeling then?

I've asked a number of friends and pals, and one person shares my observation. The others haven't experienced the same.

So... is there something wrong with me and my perception? Or do AC units really make the processed air more... "artificial"? And if yes, can anything be done about it?


texts: When do I need a neutral on a 240V branch circuit?

texts:
I'm installing a 240V outlet in my shop to run a welder and I'm trying to understand when a neutral is needed and when it's not.  The welder has a NEMA 6-50P plug, so I don't need to run a neutral line, right?  That said, there are plenty of 240V receptacles/plugs that have 4 holes/prongs.  I presume these are for L1-L2-N-Gnd.  Is this because whatever is being plugged in here has some 120V components?
Here is part of my confusion: my dryer can be wired in either a 3-wire and 4-wire configuration.  If the dryer has 120V components (I suspect all of the control hardware runs on 120V and the only things powered by 240V is the heating elements) then what is the return path since there is no neutral?  Does current return through the ground in this configuration (seems bad)?
Regardless of whether a neutral is needed or not, I plan on running the neutral to my new outlet just in case I ever need it (bad idea?).  FWIW I'm in the US.


texts: How can I override a motion detector light?

texts:
I am going to be installing one or two motion detector lights to cover my backyard. I would like the ability to "override" the motion detector. What I mean by this is that I would like to be able to flip a switch that turns and keeps the lights turned on regardless of if there is motion or not. When the light switch gets turned off I would like the operation of the motion detector to return to normal.

I first thought about just "jumping" the motion detector with the switch, but I am concerned if the motion detector would be able to handle live power on both sides of its relay when the relay is turned off.

So my questions are, is it safe to do this "jumping" method? If not are there any methods to do this or any common practices for this type of feature?


texts: Should a switch near a sink be on the load side of a GFCI outlet?

texts:
If a switched GFCI protected outlet is required, and the switch will be near a sink (above a counter-top), should the switching be done the load side of the GFCI outlet? (e.g. for a garbage disposal) Seems there are two ways to do it:

Switch hot from panel to line of GFCI outlet, use that as the switched outlet. Detailed here: https://diy.stackexchange.com/a/16849/11812
Wire direct from panel to line side of GFCI, then switch the hot on the load side of the GFCI to a 2nd receptacle (and neutral back to load on GFCI). Detailed here: https://diy.stackexchange.com/a/28625/11812

The 2nd option protects the switch, and is more work. My questions are:

Is that a good idea?

Is it required by code? (California)


texts: Can we safely hang a ceiling fan from our vaulted livingroom ceiling?

texts:
We have a tiny 1920's bungalow that's changed shape over the years, and we'd like to add a high efficiency ceiling fan to our living room in to replace an existing (lightweight) chandelier. The ceiling in this room was vaulted by a previous owner, who apparently built a soffit directly on top of the sloped drywall presumably for the sole purpose of wiring and hanging said chandelier. The small metal electrical box is definitely not the fan-supporting variety, and I'd ultimately like to know if we can safely add one without major structural and drywall work.

The entire ceiling was vaulted to match the roof line, with the drywall presumably fastened directly to roof joists. (We can't confirm this without taking off the roof, but it seems like a sound assumption.) I liberated the little electrical box and stuck a cheap USB snake camera into the soffit, which is how I learned that it was built on top of (lowered from) the larger drywall section. More critically, it seems that the soffit is built off of 2x4's that were affixed (screwed/nailed?) to the ceiling as a base for hanging the drywall with a patchwork of small plywood pieces, screws+nails, and miscellaneous small trim pieces. If there's a code for this, it's unlikely that it was followed.

I wasn't able to confirm how and exactly where the long 2x4's are affixed to the drywall, but I assume it's nailed and screwed into joists at reasonable intervals given that the soffit continues to stay in place and doesn't show any signs of stress or cracking in the four years we would have noticed.

The entire house is filled with inaccessible mysteries like this, and we're wondering in this case what we'd need to safely hang a 15lb (with mount) ceiling fan that draws 1.95-21.14 watts depending on its speed. Fan boxes can apparently be retrofitted to studs, but I'm not sure that non-structural 2x4's attached to drywall qualify as studs.

Can we get away with opening the bottom-most (flat, horizontal) drywall around the electrical box and reinforcing the area with more 2x4 framing, only having to re-drywall one surface? Do we have to rip off and rebuild the entire soffit to do this properly?


texts: I'm framing my basement using steel studs. I have this sliding window on the window well (see picture) that already has a finished framing all around and is flush with the concrete wall. How do I frame around this window to be able to attach drywall to the window frame - does the drywall screw into the white portion on the window side? I don't want to remove or redo the window.


texts: What cement product should I use to fix a hole in my slab?

texts:
I was removing old thinset and self-leveling cement in an area in preparation to tile it when the 6" chisel and demo hammer I was using sunk in to a specific spot. I found that this specific spot had been filled with debris and had about 1" of cement poured on top of it. Quite obviously, this wasn't sufficient, and the end result was a series of cracks in this area and a hollow sound here. I removed the debris and was left with about a 2' by 3' hole. It's obvious that someone made a (bad) patch here in the past. There was even a discarded bandaid wrapper and fibers from orange shag carpeting in the hole.

There's no plumbing that I can find below and the plastic 6mil vapor barrier is in good condition with a few minor tears that could be repaired with tuck tape. There are two roots running below; they are rotting and probably belong to something long dead. There is a crack running from the door to the right of the picture to the hole. I plan to repair this crack at the same time by broadening and deepening the crack slightly and using a cement patching compound.

What product should I use to fill the larger hole? Plain ol' Quickrete, or some other form of cement? Aggregate or not? Any specific PSI ratings I should look for, or other prep work that I should do besides washing the areas that I hope the new concrete will bond to and making sure that there's enough clearance under the wire for the cement to engage it?


texts: How to decrease tension on Everbilt Spring Tee Hinge?

texts:
I accidentally tightened the hinge (maybe 3-4 times) before installing the darn thing on the gate.

Now i have a self-closing hinge that is way too tight!

The instructions mention how to decrease the tension, but i cant figure it out!

Instructions:
 "To decrease tension, close gate and depress wrench to disengage ratchet. Rotate wrench counter-clockwise."

Now, i know how to follow directions, i think. Do i need to install the hinge to the gate first? i tried manually extending the hinge so that it is straight (as if the gate was completely closed). But this is not helping. The wrench doesnt turn counter-clockwise at all.

Please help!

* Resolved *

I finally got it working. I had to depress (push) firmly with quite a bit of force. I used the 2nd hinge to test out the loosening. I jut had to apply alot of force (use the floor to push in the wrench).


texts: How can I understand paint colorant systems?

texts:
I want to better understand how paints are tinted so I can define custom colors. So for example, Benjamin Moore has colors like 2123-50, 2123-60, 2123-70 etc, each a lighter shade than the other. The formula itself looks something like:

W1 x3 22
G1 x1  1
R1 x1  2

How can I decode these formulas so I can make my own?


texts: I need "silver" colored wire to run through chain for hanging lamp to connect to ground where it mounts to ceiling

texts:
I bought a "Brushed Nickel" ceiling fixture to hang over my dining table, but it did not come with a long enough chain or wire.
I found the chain & two strand "lamp" wire in "brushed nickel" at Lowes, but they only had copper coloured ground wire, which will look odd where it weaves through the chain to attach to the plate on the ceiling.
Can I use one of the following:

picture hanging wire (twisted)
galvanized steel wire (appears to be single filament)
smaller (finer) guage speaker wire, split to only use the "silver" coloured wire

Or any ideas where I might find something appropriate to use as a ground in "silver" colour?
Thanks very much!


texts: Wire a new light where there was previously a ceiling fan with a light wired into a 3 gang switch box

texts: The first switch is a 2 way for the hallway.  The 2nd switch is for the eating area of the kitchen, the 3rd switch is the issue.  It is in the working area of the kitchen and had a light with a fan.  We want to replace it with just a new light fixture.  There are 3 black wires and 3 white wires that were connected to the old fixture.  There is a red wire that is not used here.  One of the black wires remains hot when this light switch is turned off and if not used none of the lights work.  How do I connect the new light so it will work with the switch and shut off?  The hall light and eating area switches are in the on position in the photo so I could take the photos.


texts: Am I using the correct ABS fittings in my final design?

texts:
This is the last installment of a long design and learning process. Thanks to all of you who helped me on my way to this point. Below is the final solution and I would like to check with you if I selected the right fittings
The overall diagram is in the second picture attached to this question.
I am building the green pipes now and the orange ones in the second step (when I renovate the main floor bathroom). This green segment is mostly dry vent. There is a drain portion from the new sink to the shower drain. Also there is a wet vent portion for the shower
The orange pipes are to be build in the second stage in order to connect the green vent to the upper part of the soil stack that works as vent for its upper segment
The yellow pipes are "good to have" but I think this should work without it. They might possible be required for the bottom level toilet which used to have a vertical dry vent where the grey pipe left over is (that segment will be capped and under the slab). That vertical segment was cut.
In the first picture I have numbered the fittings and below is their description.
❶,❷,❼ -sanitary tee
❸,❹,❻,❽ short 90 elbow
❺ 45 wye that connects the shower
❾ 90 elbow if they yellow segment is not built, sanitary tee if it is built
❿ 90 elbow if built
I have doubts regarding ❸ and ❹ as these points are prone to clogging These should be long elbows. While ❸ will be ok if it is like that ❹ will push the pipe to low and since I will be connecting to an existing pipe I will need to open the floor for a segment longer than I might want.
Do you see any errors with the above ?


texts: How do I reduce the moisture under an exterior wood deck?

texts:
Existing conditions:

2000 sq.ft of deck, 3/4" x 4" cumaru planks with 3/8" spacing, over 2x8 pt joist and double 2x12 pt beams, over helical piles.
depth of deck to bot of dirt is approximately 18"-20".
there is very little ventilation on all sides.


texts:
My sill plate is getting wet. I have a 6 foot overhang so rain is not getting to it. Im trying to figure out how to deal with it. The sill is not pressure treated unfortunately. The foundation is cement blocks and the sill plate doesnt cover the opening of the blocks which i asume is a good thing allowing the space to vent. The problem is only in the corners.

I was thinking of installing foam around the outside of the sill plate overlaping the foundation. The thought is that it would create a moisture barrier and insulate it at the same time. I have access the the sill plate outdide the house if i pull off some wood trim relatively easily.

Does that make sense?

Im worried about installing foam inside since it would trap the moisture against the wood and make it worse?


texts: What prevents cold air from coming in through evaporative cooler

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I have an evaporative cooler mounted to my roof. The air comes straight down through a large vent in my living room. During winter, I wondered if cold air could come down through that large vent, but I could not feel any coming in (just put my hand next to the vent). I did not do anything to cover/seal the vent for the winter. Now that I am using the evaporative cooler again for the hot temps, I was reminded of this question.

Do evaporative coolers or the air ducts they use have a common mechanism for preventing air from flowing when they are off?


texts: can I install a new thermostat by just turning off the power instead of turining off the circuit breaker?

texts: Can I install a new thermostat by just turning the power off at the servicemen's switch, instead of at the breaker?


texts: Should I install vapor barrier in a seasonal cottage?

texts: I am installing drywall in the bedrooms of a seasonal cottage in northern Ontario.  It is unheated in the winter.  The cottage is insulated with R14 insulation.  Will the installation of a vapour barrier behind the drywall cause mold issues?


texts: Running Ethernet between floor and finished celing

texts: I'm trying to run an Ethernet cable through my house, The router is in the living room, which is above the only finished room in the basement (go figure), so I'm trying to figure out how to get the cable from the living room, into the laundry room so I can run it into a different room on the main floor. My question is, how do I run the cable between the living room floor and the ceiling in the basement. There is a coax cable that goes to the living room, and I was hoping to somehow use it as a guide WITHOUT removing it, I don't want to screw that cable up. The coax cable comes out in the laundry room, through a tight gap between the wall and the furnace, so sticking something through that gap to grab the cable isn't really possible. Thank you for any suggestions.


texts: Switches in other bedrooms turning on different lights after I put new light up

texts: I recently put up a light in my bedroom but the switches in other rooms now turn on different lights, there are 9 wires altogether coming through the ceiling, 3 earth which are connected together, 3 red (live) which are together, 2 neutral which are together connected to the neutral on the light and a switch live which is connected with the live on to my new light. I have searched and Googled everything and nothing has worked. Please help.


texts: Help identify chandelier/needs a new glass globe

texts: I recently broke one of the glass globes, and can't find a maker label anywhere. If it's hard to know the maker, is there a place to buy single domes?


texts: Running circuit and service panel ground wire adjacent to one-another

texts:
My electrical service entrance is on the opposite side of the house from the municipal water supply's copper pipe, so the panel ground wire runs about 30-40 feet through the house before it's bonded to the city copper.

Is there any problem running a 12-2 wire (120V + neutral, panel is 240V split) along the same path as the panel ground (same stud/joist holes, staples, etc.)?  Would inductance from the circuit cause any problems with GFCI receptacles in the house?


texts: Polycrylic getting sticky and peeling/wearing off

texts:
I coated a bare wood acacia table for a computer desk with Minwax polycrylic about 4 months ago and made sure it was dried the recommended 24 hours before regular use. 4 months later, I noticed the edge where I rest my arms was getting sticky and peeling off. I thought it was just grime from my hands or something, then I realized it was a rubbery substance. I scraped it a bit and I could see the bare wood beneath. It was all sticky and rubbing off, and becoming a lint trap. Is this normal that Minwax polycrylic does not tolerate regular human body contact? I would not expect regular body temperature to be "high heat". Or did I do something wrong? Is the deterioration caused by heat or oil? Also, would the stickyness disappear and the finish solidify again if I stop using it?
I am intending to sand off the rubbery section and re-finishing the area. Is it okay to put the new layers of finish over some thin layer of residue? Will it bind? Also buying a desk mat to protect the surface.


texts: Bathroom addition with separate vent stack and new line

texts:
I am relocating washer and dryer in a garage that was remodeled by the original owners to have two bedrooms and a craft room. This remodel is very dated and disjointed and we are wanting to add a bathroom in this very large craft room, but it is on the other side of the house from the main bathrooms and the rest of the home was JUST refloored. Very near the remodeled area though is the outdoor clean out that then connects to the main house. It is close enough the cleanout couldn’t be more than a foot top to bottom below the surface. As I am unsure where the waste lines are located I feel it would be more reasonable to tie in between the clean out and the rest of the plumbing (just outside of the house) and have a separate vent stack for the bathroom addition and washer.

We currently have a concrete slab throughout and an ugly linoleum in the area for the bathroom addition. The closest drain I could tie into otherwise is a kitchen sink which would likely be undersized for my overall purposes.

Any reason why I shouldn’t proceed with the addition this way?

I’ve attached an image of the layout with approximations if he plumbing. I would rather not destroy expensive brand new floor if I could instead go through the linoleum located in the garage area and two adjoining bedrooms.


texts: How much weight can a floating floor tolerate?

texts:
I'm considering laminate floor for my kitchen and dining room.  I ran into a site that says "don't put the laminate under counters, as it will pinch and keep the laminate from expansion and contraction.
How much weight will it float with?
We have LOTS of bookcases in our house.  Nearly every wall has at least one, and often two.  My office has 3 book cases and 2 filing cabinets.
Room 1: Kitchen
Kitchen:  South wall has two 4 foot wide counter sections, stove and fridge.
4 foot aisle
9 foot long island containing two drawer units, a door unit, sink, and dishwasher.
6 foot aisle
Wall with bookcase, pot shelves, and a 5 foot low cabinet with a counter top slab on top with microwave and small industrial mixer.
Room 2: Living room
Two 8 foot high book cases full loaded (hardbound books) separated by 18 feet length wise planks between.
Room 3. Dining room
Hutch (base and shelves) and two 4 foot book cases on one wall, two 3 foot book cases on the other side, and a 400 pound 3" thick wood slab dining table.  laminate parallels the sides.
It occurs to me that for borderline conditions:

A: do not use an attached underlayment. Friction between the smooth laminate bottom and the underlayment is likely to be lower than the friction between underlayment and sub floor.

Use of a dry lubricant, such as talcum powder or graphite between the underlayment and the laminate.

Use an underlayment that has a sealed surface (but breathable) that is smooth.
Or do I need to reconsider and not use any form of floating floor?


texts:
I plan on having a subpanel ran from the main 200A box to a garage. In order to future-proof electrical needs, do I need to ensure that the breaker serving the subpanel matches the amperage of the mains breaker of the subpanel?

For example, a 100A subpanel needs a 100A mains inside of it (Hence, the 100A rating). It also needs a 100amp serving it from the main box.

Is there harm in over-doing the amperage (assuming the existing circuitry can handle what's available) like that, but never pulling close to the 100A rating?


texts: I'm mounting different toilet tank on an old bowl. What is the mounting bolt spacing of a typical toilet tank? By this I mean the 2 bolts that attach the tank to the bowl.


texts: Wiring a Heater, Vent Fan, Light for bathroom

texts: So I am trying to get my new bathroom vent/light/heater installed. I have been up and down in my attic so many times and have had one of the functions working each time, but never all three. I got the heater to turn on and off. I got the light to turn on and off. I got the vent to run, but it would run no matter like there was no switch. I am thoroughly confused at this point.


texts: So I just finished my first tile job and grouted it. I got most of the grout off with the float then smoothed the joints with a sponge while getting some grout off. What I can't seem to find a clear answer on is when to wash off this grout Haze. I've read as little as 3 hours to as long as 3 days. Most of the how to is pretty similar, thinking I'm going to try vinegar and warm water sponge with 2 buckets, but how much longer do I wait? It's been 24 hours right now.


texts:
I bought a Leviton Decora Present Electronic Timer Switch...the kind with several button each set to different minutes for a bath fan.

The fan is just a cheapo whatever-the-builder-got-in-bulk fan.

This is all a 15amp circuit.

The issue: after installing the Leviton, the fan runs quieter. It sounds like it's underpowered compared to the old plain switch.

The the Leviton switch installed, I can short the circuit and the fan goes back to full power, but through the Leviton, it's quieter.

Question: Is this normal? If so, is the drop in power negligible in terms of properly exhausting a fan? Or should I find a switch that offers full power? If the latter, how do I know if a timer switch will drop power or not?

In looking at the package, I do now notice that it says "Incandescent 500W" and there's a bit of a blurb that says "Ideal for Heat Lamps, Indoor and Outdoor Lighting". Did I buy a switch only good for lights?


texts: Moulding descriptions have a 2-3 letter acronym in their description (eg. LWM, WM, WG) - what do they stand for?

texts:
If you look at many varieties of moulding available at Home Depot, you get descriptions like:

WM 376 -11/16 in. x 2-1/4 in. Primed Finger-Jointed Door and Window Casing Moulding

Any idea what these WM letters mean (eg. LWM, WM, WG)? I have a few bad guesses:

I thought the WM might be "Window Moulding" - but WM can be used in crown moulding and other non window related uses.

I thought the WM stood for Woodgrain Millwork, but Alexandria moulding also has the WM.

I thought the M in LWM and WM was for the MDF, but sometimes the MDF pieces don't have either of the 3 common acronyms.

I thought the WG might stand for Wood Grain but many WG boards can be made from MDF.


texts: How do I remove this broken CFL bulb from tiny recessed light fixture?

texts:
New here, so apologies in advance if my site etiquette isn't up to scratch.
I've searched the site and found similar answers but the solutions don't work for me.
I'm trying to remove a CFL bulb from a recessed ceiling fitting. The fitting is small and fiddly, and in my attempt to pull out the bulb, the glass part is now loose in the base. If I pull any harder, the glass will detach from the plastic base of the bulb. Should I try that and just bag it quickly or is there a safer/easier way to remove this?
As per images, I can't get to the base of the connector as there's no space, and it seems the can can't be removed any further from the ceiling without causing damage (can't see any springs, clips or levers that can be adjusted).
Advice on how to proceed?

Thanks


texts: Do Victor Poison-Free Insect Magnet Traps actually work on spiders?

texts:
Victor Poison-Free Insect Traps

I trapped a few in an old apartment. But I've had spiders running free in my own room - despite the presence of THREE traps.


texts: How much extra carpet do installers need?

texts:
Replacing the carpet in our hallway.

I measured the majority of the hallway to be 162 sq. ft. And the remaining small patches of carpet to be 10 sq. ft. and 8 sq. ft.

180 Sq ft.  = 20 Sq. Yards.

Yet the estimate we got was for 30 Sq. Yards???

Can anyone explain why so much extra sq yardage is needed?

Am I missing something or am I getting hosed?


texts: How do I remove an IKEA shelf which is stuck on top of another?

texts:
I have bought and installed several IKEA shelves (Besta line), and I installed the following (w x d x h: 60 cm x 40 cm x 123 cm):

on top of another (60 cm x 40 cm x 38 cm; instructions):

In order to attach the top one on the bottom one (besides of mounting them to the wall) they give you two systems:

clamps:

stickers (double sided foam tape):

Now I want to remove them from each other; removing the clamp is easy, but removing 'stickers' is not. There are four stickers between the shelves.

How can I (easily) remove the shelves from each other without damaging them?


texts: Durable top coat for MDF worktop / workbench

texts: I need to build a desk / worktop / workbench for my retro computer projects. It will be used daily, so I want to have extreme durability to protect against wears, scuffs and scratches as much as possible. I have MDF cut to size, sealed and primed. What product type to consider for a top coat and why? Should I go with polyurethane, epoxy, latex, oil? Opaque black or white would be nice, but the priority is the durability. I'm UK based, I have experience with trade products of the brand with the big white dog.


texts: How to prevent static electricity build up?

texts:
I have an office desk with a computer on it. After sitting in front of my computer for some period, if I get up and touch metal, I always get a spark.

In order to avoid surprises, I habitually touch metal whenever I get up now.

How can I prevent this build up of static electricity?


texts: How to prevent router from grabbing board when doing face moulding?

texts:
I'm creating a picture frame out of a piece of 1"x6" Oak. I have a router table, with my face moulding bit inserted. I am guiding the wood in from the right side toward the left side (the direction of feed indicated on the router table).

Unfortunately, the router bit keeps grabbing the wood, and force-pulling it through the bit, causing all kinds of problems (not the least of which is risk of injury, but it's also screwing up the cut). I'm somewhat inexperienced in routing, so I believe this to be a problem with the way I am doing things.

How can I prevent this from happening, so that I can get a clean face cut without endangering myself?


texts: Can I pull CAT6 cable via old RJ11 panels?

texts: I have spotted multiple RJ11 ports in the home I am moving into soon. They are spread across the first and second floors of the house. Is it possible to use that existing wiring to pull through CAT6 cable to use for an RJ45 port and a patch panel where the phone line originally terminated? If so, are there any dangers? Is there something I should be actively looking for? This is an older home (early 1900's).


texts: What is the missing part that would fix this outdoor spigot?

texts: I will probably use the wrong vocabulary. The handle or knob came off the spigot. What is the name of the part I need to buy to fix it? I don’t have the missing part(s). I thought maybe just replace that whole fixture but it’s welded. I tried just getting a new knob but that wasn’t enough stuff to do anything useful.


texts: What is the name for this round metal drain cover?

texts: Rainwater drains from an acre uphill from us into an underground system that has been in place for 50 years.  It works fine, except that the 16-inch round metal cover for the drain has rusted through.  What is the name of this round piece, almost like a city sewer cover, but smaller and thinner?  Without the right name, it's hard to find a replacement.  Any suggestions on what it might be called?


texts: What would cause blue stains and a blue tint to our bathroom tub and sink have water purification system in use for aprox. 7 yrs. Does this need any maintence


texts:
I recently moved to a new home which had a lot of felled trees which needed to be bucked up into logs.  I bought a 14" Husqvarna 967158004 to accomplish this.

The shop I bought it from gave me a lot of maintenance information which was greatly appreciated because I don't have extensive experience with chainsaws.  I have checked chain tension before and after every use and kept the chain oil reservoir full.

My concern is that after what couldn't be more than 8 or 9 hours of use, the chain already seems to have trouble cutting ( Engine is good, this is a cutting issue ).

Is this typical wear I should expect?

Do I need to replace the chain or should I sharpen it?

I know it can be resharpened, but is it worth doing so?


texts: Fridge making loud clunk when compressor shuts off

texts:
Each time the compressor of my fridge shuts off there is a very loud clunk/bang (similar to the slamming of a door). I've made a video recording the sound:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/r0ww40so9z9dchy/2016-11-10%2022.41.46.mp4?dl=0

I've unplugged the fridge and poked around and the compressor seems well attached, there are no lose parts. Also the video doesn't show any vibration when the compressor stops.

How can I fix this?


texts: How do I ensure my rafters are safe from condensation behind the insulation?

texts:
I am undertaking a loft conversion currently and am soon wanting to put insulation at rafter level.  I have chosen 'Superquilt' (a aluminium, fibre composite layer) and PIR backed plasterboard (23mm PIR with 9mm plasterboard).  I am afraid though that behind all this condensation will be building up and seeping into my roof rafters and rotting them.
I have bituminous roof felt and tiles with 300mm centres.

Should I be worried and is there anything I can do (without taking the whole roof off!)?


texts:
I understand the difference in regards to price (most homeowners are cheap), body size (a full port might not be viable in tight spaces), and physical design (inlet/outlet size difference) between a standard and full port ball valve but why do both exist?
If I am running a 3/4 inch plumbing trunk and put a standard ball valve on it then am I actually reducing the water pressure/volume/flow rate?
When is the right time to use one over the other?
Do the same considerations exist for both water and gas applications?


texts:
I've been trying to install a four way switch setup for a ceiling fan using a Leviton z-wave control switch and two matching remotes.

I've attached a copy of the wiring as it is currently set up. I'm replacing old switch so have had to do a bit of guesswork as to what line is what.

The thing that has been throwing me off is this extra switch, that I initially thought had nothing to do with the light at all. When I pulled everything out of the gang box though it was spliced in with the switch neutral wire.

It seems like this is an extra switch before the load, and then the other three are after the load. I don't know why it's there though, since two of the switches are in the same gang box.

Any guidance on how to wire this correctly is very welcome!


texts: Problem encountered with installing an exterior light

texts:
This will likely be an easy question for an electrician if one is reading because I cannot believe that I invented this issue but it requires a bit of set-up.

I want to attach an exterior light to the gable of my detached, one-car garage. Here is the outside view of the gable where the light would go.

The kind of light probably does not matter but, for the record, it is a gooseneck style “barn light.” As a matter of fact, it is this one:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077YPC57H/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I bought the light based on style, appearance and good user ratings without too much thought about installation. I like it. It is clearly not cheaply made as so many light fixtures seem to be.

The mounting plate (I think the correct term might be “canopy”) of this light is not the dome shape you so often see in light fixtures. Instead, it is relatively flat. Not completely flat. It has a recess on the back (the gable side) of about 3/16” as you can see in this picture.

Now, you might think this would be simple. Just cut a hole in the gable siding where I want the fixture to go and mount an electrical box directly opposite inside the garage.

But, it turns out that inside the garage there is a 2x4 support installed at the exact midpoint of the gable, as you can see in this picture.

Naturally, I want to install the light at the exact midpoint of the gable, so I have a problem. Because, as I understand it, the NEC requires the wiring to terminate inside a box, which I cannot install directly behind the light mounting plate (canopy) because the 2x4 will be in the way.

As I see it, there are two possible solutions:

One is to use a hole saw to cut the appropriate size of hole in the siding ONLY (not cutting into the 2x4 support behind), then mount a half-inch pan (or is it pancake?) box to the 2x4 on the outside (gable side), then run the cable through a knock-out that’s off-centered to avoid the 2x4. The hope here is that the half-inch pan box plus the 3/16” recess on the mounting plate (canopy) will be enough to allow the mounting plate (canopy) to sit flush against the siding. Remains to be seen.

Or ...

A second option would be to drill a hole in the siding on the outside (gable side) directly to the left (as seen from inside the garage) of where the 2x4 lies sufficient to run the light fixture wiring through (not the NM-B cable) and then mount an electrical box inside the garage along the left side of the 2x4 at that same point to join up the light wiring and NM-B. This seems to me to be the preferable option.

A possible issue with both solutions is that I might have a problem snaking the light fixture wiring (not the 12-2 or 14-2 NM-B electrical cable -- I mean the wires included with the light) around the 2x4 (at almost a 90-degree angle) to get them to the electrical box. Because, remember, the mounting plate (canopy) will be directly centered over that 2x4, which actually is 2x4 (1942 construction). But those wires are a lot skinnier and more flexible than the NM-B so I think I can do it.

My questions: How would you do it? Do you see any problems or code violations here? Is there a reason to prefer one solution over another? And if I do have difficulty getting the light fixture wires past that 2x4 to get them to the electrical box would it be OK to notch a little bit of wood out of the 2x4 to scoot past it to reach the electrical box?

Sorry to be so long winded but wanted to touch all relevant bases. Of course, I could just hire an electrician but I feel like I ought to be able to do this. If you have read to this point, you have my thanks, and if you have any thoughts to share I would be grateful.

Pete


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I have a GE Potscrubber 850 dishwasher that is not washing dishes (no water comes out during cycle). Here is what I have tried:

I cleaned out the float valve, and it appears to be functioning.

I took off the sump grate and noticed no excessive amount of sludge/goo/crap in it.

I pried off the washing arms and looked to clean them, but nothing was clogging them.

When I fake latch the door and start the cycle (exhilerating and risky, I know) what I see is a sudden burst of full strength water coming out where the washing arms were attached, then a very small flow afterwards (that only dribbled up, with no height being gained). The first spray lasts half a second and almost hits the roof of the dishwasher (proper pressure).

What else could I check on my own before calling a plumber/repairperson?

Thanks for any insights!


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