texts: What size black iron pipe should I use for a 45,000 BTU attached garage heater?

texts:
I'm running a new gas line for my garage heater. I have all black iron in my house, so that's what I'll continue with. I'm more comfortable having that exposed as it crosses part of a wall in the garage than copper. My understanding from charts and various discussions is that 1/2" line pipe should do, but with not a lot of overhead.
The situation:

Existing 3/4" tee port off a 1" line
~30 feet of new run - half in my basement and half in the garage
5 elbows to the ceiling stub, and presumably one more for the entrance to the unit
~10 feet of rise (in case that's important)
Loads on the system upstream from the proposed branch: kitchen range
Downstream loads: furnace, clothes dryer, water heater

The layout:
1" Meter trunk
    @5': 3/4" Kitchen range branch
        @13': 1/2" Kitchen range extension (2')
    @6': 3/4" Tee stub (to be use for garage heater @30')
    @15': 1/2" Furnace branch (15')
    @15': 3/4" Trunk extension
        @1': 1/2" Water heater branch (8')
        @1': 1/2" Clothes dryer branch (15')

Is 1/2" pipe adequate? If not, would a partial run of 3/4" help substantially, say in the basement portion? If not again, is the tee for the drip stub the right place to reduce to 1/2" for entrance into the unit?
Feel free to skip the discussion of homeowner installation legality. I'll look into that and it's off-topic here. Thanks much.


texts: Can I dry out insulation behind drywall?

texts:
Thanks to a leak in my roof I believe I have quite a bit of wet fiberglass insulation behind one of my walls.  I discovered a fair amount of water on my kitchen floor which I believe came in through the roof then down through the wall and out the bottom.

Is there an effective way to dry out the insulation behind the drywall without having to open up the wall?  The surface of the drywall appears to be fine still and I'd prefer to not have to remove and replace it.

I've already patched up the roof and do not believe it to be leaking anymore.  My concern now is just the possibility of mold or damage in the wall due to the wet insulation.


texts: What is the proper order of layers for bathroom walls?

texts:
Region: Santa Cruz, California, USA.

I'm gutting a bathroom down to the studs and would like a reminder on the proper order of layers for them to ensure that it's moisture-resistant.  As far as I know, it's usually:

1) Insulation.
2) Some sort of moisture barrier (a thick plastic)
3) Water-resistant drywall.

Is there anything else that's needed? Do I need to add a specific type of plastic? Do I need "backer board"?


texts:
In my new apartment I have a lot of space and therefore I want to use a projector to watch TV and movies. Unfortunately, professional screen canvas are very expensive. So I plan to build one by myself.

The silver screen should have 3.20 meter width and 1.80 height. How can I do that? What material should I use to build the screen? How expensive will it be?


texts: Two light switches and three black wires

texts:
I've never seen this setup before and was wondering if others had. One of the switches powers a ceiling light in the foyer and the other powers two outside lights on the front porch. Right now neither work and I thought maybe replacing the switches would work but I'm perplexed on how to wire this up properly.

Basically I have three black wires coming from the wall. All of the white wires are twisted together. The switch on the left has two black wires and the switch on the right has one wire running to both posts...

Any help would be much appreciated!


texts: What are the grooves on the shank of my 16" masonry drill bits for?

texts: I had to purchase a new 16" masonry drill bit for a project I am working on and it has the below grooves on the shank. I am curious why, but also want to know if there is a special drill that it is supposed to be used with, as I believe the grooves are causing the chuck in both a wired and battery drill I have not to center the bit in the chuck, which makes it very hard to put it in a position to not wobble all over the place!


texts:
I'd like to leave a vacant house in Northern Minnesota for the winter with no utilities at all (so it will get to -20F at times).  I shut off the curb stop valve and confirmed that water is completely stopped.  I used a compressor to blow all piping (and everything connected to the piping, like the water heater) empty.  There probably are "specks" of water left but that should not cause a problem.

But, I could not blow the piping between the curb stop and the first Y-branch inside the house, so I imagine that there is retained water there.  Is there a way to blow this section empty?

I also flushed all toilets.  Am I taking any structural risk if I don't fill the toilets with antifreeze?  Please assume that I don't care about sewage odor (I will just air the house out afterwards).  I wonder if people are adding antifreeze because water condenses on the toilet bowl over time and refills the p-trap.

Finally, if I blow that section to the curb stop and use antifreeze in the toilets, am I taking a big risk?  The biggest risk I see is that the curb stop valve could freeze and damage, but it seems I can just tell the water company of my plans and they would take responsibility to keep an eye on the curb stop.  Am I missing some other big risk?


texts: How can I fill in the gap between my chain-link fence and its gate

texts: We have a couple of gates in our chain-link fence and bunnies and large rodents like to squeeze through them.  I would like to fill the gap somehow so the gates are still usable and look halfway decent. Here are a couple of pics of the gate. The gaps are about 5 inches wide.


texts: Where do I put my c wire the un used or c wire for me is blue but where do I connect it to?

texts: I’m not really sure where to tie this blue wire into for my thermostat (https://i.stack.imgur.com/IJoRS.jpg)


texts: connecting a light to a half switched receptacle

texts: Is it permissible according to the National Electrical Code to install a light and connect it to an existing half switched receptacle?


texts:
I have one of those indexing valves for my sprinkler system as is common in Florida. The system is pump-fed. Recently, all the zones come on at the same time and as a result the pressure is greatly reduced.

I disassembled it and re-seated the cam and it worked for a bit.

According to the troubleshooting guide of my valve (https://www.krain.com/6000-series-indexing-valves) it could be that there are too many heads on a zone (we recently added some heads to a zone).

The manual says a solution is to:

  N: Reduce the number of heads on the zone to obtain the proper
  sprinkler operating pressure.

How can one determine the proper number of heads for a given zone?


texts: I would like to know if I hard-wire an outlet from another with wire running across floor to non-mounted outlet is this considered an extension cord.


texts:
We recently had a sewer fly infestation caused by having a cracked mortar collar on the rest bend of the soil stack which runs through the upstairs and downstairs bathrooms. I removed a good portion of the boxing-in in order to see what was going on and the rest bend was fixed and the drain relined by Dynorod. So, that seemed to make the sewerflies disappear. However, the boxing is still not replaced.
Around June time some different flies started appearing in the downstairs loo (same room). The numbers are still much lower than the sewer flies, which were in the 100s per day. These new flies are around 10 per day. However I cannot identify these flies. They are larger, longer bodied and darker than the sewer flies. Images attached.
Can anyone identify these? What is their life-cycle/food source? Are they just 'naturally' occurring flies that would be present in the underfloor space which have drifted in due to the boxing-in not being replaced?
Thanks!

That's the tip of my index finger for scale. The flies are probably 4-6mm in length.


texts:
So I bought this home a few months ago and I removed all the outlets and switches to replace room by room. In the breakfast room just inside from the garage, there was a switch plate with a small indicator bulb that would stay lit whenever the garage light was on. The garage light is controlled on a 3-way switch, a light switch on each side of the garage.

I bought a new LED light to replace the old incandescent bulb but now can't seem to get it wired correctly. I've got a hot, neutral and switch (black, white and red) to work with. I thought the original light was wired with the switch (red) on one side and the hot (black) on the other, neutral left alone but as these things go, the removal went quick and the replacements have come slowly and now I don't remember.

I've tried hot on one terminal and switched on the other and no dice. Throw the garage switch (tried both) and oddly I get a faint flicker of the LED during the throw but thats it. What's odd to me too is that all 3 wires (black, white and red) are live when the garage light is thrown (from either switch) and all cold when the light is off. The screw terminal passages are a little small so it can't fit a standard screwdriver and so I can't get great torque on the terminal but it's making good contact.

Here is the new LED indicator I'm using that is rated 120v so should be fine - Ledandon 120V panel mount indicator

Any ideas? I feel like I've tried damn near every combination but can't get anything going. Thanks in advance!

EDIT 11/26/17

In an effort to clean this up and make clearer -

Here is the box where I am trying to put the indicator LED:

Here is the switch in the garage closest to the interior of the home and subsequently the indictor box above:

Here is the switch on far side of garage and subsequently closer to the breaker box:

So interestingly enough Ken, I had already made a pigtail and tried to use those neutrals tucked back in the indicator box already.  But when you suggested this again, I tried again, to no avail, but noticed something interesting.  When I hook up the black from the 3-wire and the neutrals from the back of the box and flick the switch on....none of the 3-wire wires are hot.  With just the black hooked up to the LED, all 3 wires remain hot when the light is on.  But when I connect up that neutral from the back of the box to the LED, with the black from the 3-wire the all of a sudden go limp.

And FWIW, the set of black wires in that same box that are wirenutted are always hot no matter what.

I've been doing all these with just your basic non-contact voltage tester so I need to go grab a multimeter to do the other items you mentioned.


texts: How do I disinfect a shopvac after possible contamination with hantavirus and other rodent diseases?

texts: A family member accidentaly vacuumed up some mouse droppings, and I was wondering what I should do with the vacuum to prevent the spreading of Hanta virus and similar nasties. It's a shop vacuum with a HEPA filter, and I have already changed the dust bag and the normal air filter. Should I also change the HEPA filter, or is that more than what's needed?


texts: Best way to reattach this molding to the drywall?

texts: We bought an old house earlier this year and the molding it loose in a lot of places. It looks like they used very long, thin nails to attach it originally. They don't seem very effective. How should we reattach the molding?


texts:
I've hung a reasonably sized whiteboard (72" wide by 60" tall) to the wall, but it only has two mounts at the top. One screw I've put in a stud and the other with a heavy duty drywall anchor. There are no holes, mounts or other hooks at the bottom.

My issue is that I'm nervous about kids leaning against it and pulling it down and/or the bottom is totally unsecured. Is there a bracket that I could to go into the wall at the bottom to both secure it to the wall and provide some additional support? I'm looking for something no wider than 2", that I could put into the wall below the board and kind of make an s-shape up over the bottom edge.

Any idea for something that might help here?

Rough idea how this might work - from the front:

From the side:


texts: How can I prevent wall patches from affecting paint sheen?

texts:
I am trying to paint a wall. I have applied wall putty to cracks in the wall, applied one coat of wall primer (solvent based) then applied one coat of oil based paint.

Where there was no wall putty applied the sheen of the paint is fabulous. On the other hand over the wall putty there are spotty patches of flat paint (with no sheen) even after two coats of paints.

How to avoid this?


texts: How can I prevent my furnace exhaust pipe from freezing?

texts: My furnace keeps on turning off because my air intake freezes. The reason it freezes up is because my neighbors exhaust vent blows directly on it. What can I do to prevent this?


texts: Can you run a 240v US split phase welder on 230v UK single phase

texts:
I am moving from the US to the UK and would like to know if my welder will work on UK power. The welder is 240V 50/60 hz so that should be fine as I understand it... except, the welder is wired for US split phase so it has 4 wires (L1,L2,N,G) whereas UK power is 230V with only 3 wires (L,N,G) true single phase. Assuming I am correct so far, is there a reasonable way to run a 4 wire 240V split phase appliance on 3 wire, single phase 230V power?

EDIT: Thanks @Three for spurring me to actually open up the welder as it has completely changed my question. I had just (stupidly) assumed the 240V was 4 wire. The welder is wired (as is the receptacle) for 3 wire 240V. So the new (hopefully more accurate) question is-

My welder is wired for L1,L2,G 240V whereas the UK supply is L,N,G 230V. Is there a reasonable way to run or rewire to run a L1,L2,G 240V appliance on L,N,G 230V power?


texts: Replace the glass plate of a ceramic stove with heating coils: can I use any heat-resistent glass?

texts:
The glass plate of my ceramic stove cracked (Indesit K6C51), and I'm looking to replace the ceramic glass.

(I know about What are some alternatives for a glass stove top replacement?, but somehow the answers were not quite satisfactory.)

The coils you see get very hot, and it seems like the only thing that the glass does is transfer the heat from the coils to the pan.

I have found an original part of around ~$300, which I think is pretty expensive. I'm not very sentimental about the looks of the stove, as long as I can cook on it. So I'm thinking of putting in a (clear) ceramic glass sheet that I know people use for wood stoves such as Robax or Neoceram, which costs me around ~$150.

My question: will this actually work?

My reasoning is that I could put in any heat resistent glass with low heat conduction coefficient (so not the entire plate heats up), but I would like to be sure before I spend money on it.

I have looked into both borosilicate glass, and glass-ceramics. Both are very heat resistent, but only the latter seems to be used for cooktops. Is that because borosilicate breaks easier?


texts: Dish installer damaged the electric panel box

texts:
A few years ago (like 8 or 9 years) we had a television dish installer come to our house and install the dish. After using it for a couple of years we got rid of it but obviously left the dish attached to the house to avoid filing any holes in the siding.
Some time back I noticed that one of the bolts that he used to install the dish frame from outside had pierced through my main electric panel box inside the garage. Thankfully it did not damage any wiring or circuit breakers.
What can I do now? Do I need to replace the entire box? Is this a code issue. I want to do the solution and rectification right!!
Please advise.
Regards
Sid


texts: If I have a Zoned HVAC system, should there be more than one filter to change?

texts:
In a house now for 6 months, just learned today I should have changed my filter twice already, whoops.
I have a zoned system - two furnaces, one in the finished attic on its side, one in the basement. As far as I can tell, there is only one filter - in the attic stairway, there's a big grille on the wall, and behind that is a filter which is connected to a duct leading to the furnace. Easy. There is nothing like this at all in the basement - the ducts don't lead to any sort of grille. Is this normal?
Including a couple of photos of the furnace in the basement, from the two sides I can access. The ducts are covered in some kind of insulation, then lead out into the home.


texts:
My question is about insulating the ground floor. I have a crawlspace under the floor which is vented and therefore quite cold (average temp in the winter is 4 °C and in the summer 13 °C plus there are loads of cold winds).

I think I would like to do it without stripping all the flooring - I would like to use the crawlspace to insulate it from below.

I have spoken to some 'well versed colleagues' and there is no consensus - options that have been suggested so far are

Squeeze blocks of styrofoam between the joists from below
'Hug' entire floor with insulation foil from below
Take glass wool and 'hang it' between the joists with some foil or panels

Now I am not sure which method is best (or none of the above?).

Can you please suggest best course of action?


texts: Why does the shower get cold when I flush, and how can I prevent it?

texts:
When the shower is running and someone flushes a toilet, why does the shower get cold (or sometimes hot) in some houses, but not others?

More importantly, would fixing that require replacing the water heater, or re-doing the piping in the entire house?  Or is there some cheap/easy way to fix it?


texts: What technique(s) is recommended for waterproofing exterior foundation walls?

texts:
I have a late 70's split-entry, so my basement foundation wall is roughly 4 feet under the ground. The basement is finished with wood framing, spray foam insulation, and sheetock. Recent heavy rains have caused me to get water in one room at the end of the house - this is the gable end, so gutters are not the answer. I had a foundation repair "expert" take a look, and all he could say is that water must be sitting against the foundation, and finding a way in somehow, but with the interior walls finished, it's impossible to say exactly where the water is coming in. It seems to be traveling along the bottom plate and leaking through where one 2x4 meets another. He suggested digging to the footings, cleaning the block wall, priming it, then attaching a rubber membrane, then platen on top of that. Is this the best option for exterior waterproofing?

The water issue has only happened twice, each time when we had considerable rain, so I don't need to fix it tomorrow, but I definitely want to fix it within the next few months. I am looking for a permanent (and preferably diy) solution. It seems that every article I read about similar water problems, the author has a different opinion about cause and solution.

I also considered an exterior drain tile, I think this may also be called a French drain. My lot does not have the necessary slope to easily get rid of any water an exterior drain system might collect, but there could be other options. I don't know anything about these kinds of drain systems, so I'm open to suggestions and recommendations.

More details following the answer by DA01 - Thanks

I have gutter extensions that are about 4' long, which I believe are sufficient. As for the grade, this is something that can be improved. I would estimate the current grade to be about 2-3 inches of slope over a 4' span (this slopes away from the house), but I'm hoping to bring in dirt and increase the slope a few more inches.

It would be great if all I had to do to eliminate the water problem is improve the slope of the grade. But on the other hand, while I'm going through the trouble of hauling in dirt and re-seeding, does it make sense to just do it right and waterproof the foundation at the same time? This obviously adds a great deal of expense, however. Also, would waterproofing the foundation alone be enough? Or do I also have to add a drainage system at the same time?

Thank you in advance.


texts: How can I add a chain link fence on top of a cinder block wall?

texts: I have a cinder block fence in my front yard that has two courses of cinder block and a row of cap blocks.  It is about 24" high.  It is set on a very nice, solid cement footer.  I want to add a 48" chain link on top of it.  If I drill holes to accommodate my corner and line posts, and break out the mortar that has probably filled the interior sections of the cinder blocks all the way to the footer and set them in cement, would the harder cement support for the posts take enough of the stress off the bricks to keep it from cracking the rest of the cinder block fence?


texts: I have two switches on my wall by my bedroom door. Both of them control the fan they both turn on the light and fan. I know in houses black is hot, white is neutral or common and green is ground. I haven't looked inside the wall at the switches. It's been a good little while since I have done any electrical work, so I'm just confirming. Usually if there is a red wire and a blue wire red, is light, blue is fan. I'm thinking that they pig tailed the light and fan to the second plug so if I disconnect the blue or red wire from one switch if they are hooked up to both it should work properly with one switch for the fan and the other for the light. I'm a female, but I know about electricity - my dad taught me. I know I'm right, i just want it confirmed.


texts: Will grid-lines in textured ceilings show through paint?

texts: We just finished texturing our ceilings with a knock-down texture, however the following day we noticed wide grid-lines in the ceiling everywhere we taped and mudded. We did not prime/seal the sheetrock before texturing (wish we had), but plan to do it now.  Will primer and paint cover these grids?


texts: drilling hole in external wall & mounting lights on a modern timber frame house

texts:
I have a modern timber frame house. Its timber frame with brick facade on one side and monocouche on the back of the house.
I want to:

Drill a hole from inside to outside to bring a cable out.
Mount some lights and cameras on the wall externally.

I've only lived in concrete homes up to now, where such tasks were relatively simple.
With timber, I'm aware there is a membrane that needs to be protected.
With pulling a cable through, does the membrane need resealing?
with mounting external items like lights, is it likely ill pierce the membrane?
thank you for any advice.


texts: Can i use larger/smaller circular saw blades on my circular / plunge / table / miter saw?

texts: I own a plunge saw and a miter saw. Can I use blades from one saw on the other saw?


texts:
We have a gas-fired steam boiler (Williamson Thermoflo GSA-150) that heats our house. We're finishing the basement and would like to close off the boiler and water heater (also gas) in a small room. This unit vents through the chimney but does not (as far as I can tell) draw in outside air.
The install instructions state:

18" clearance from the front for service
3" clearance from combustible materials
But it also says alcove install only, no closet installations ("front side must be unobstructed")

Obviously this means you can't close it off too tight for airflow/safety but there must be some size/configuration where it's safe.
I had been thinking of having walls around the sides and back with large, louvered doors on the front all the way across the boiler and water heater. They would be placed more than the 3" combustible clearance away from the front of the furnace.
Would this be ok? Any other configuration, other than a giant room for everything, that would work?
(Located in New Jersey, USA if that helps too!)


texts: Tips for drilling two directly opposite holes in a square steel tube with a step bit and no drill press?

texts:
First off, I apologize if this has been asked before, I searched for similar questions before posting but couldn't find one.
I want to drill a 10 mm hole straight through a square steel pipe (20 mm sides, ~1.5-2 mm thickness). The limiting factor is that I'm using a step bit, so I can't just drill through both sides at once (because then I'll end up with a much larger hole on one side), and that I don't have access to a drill press, especially with the Corona situation.
Other than trying to do a really good job when measuring where to put the holes (with a combination square or something), are there any tips for aligning the holes as close to perfect as possible? I'm trying to DIY a derailleur hanger alignment tool  for my home bicycle workshop, and the error margin at the end with the holes gets multiplied many times over at the end of the tool, where the measurement is made.


texts: Wiring 2-way connected switch in 2-gang configuration

texts:
I've done this a few times now, but I've come across an odd wiring setup that I need a bit of guidance with. The current setup isn't using a netural, which I need for the connected switch, but instead has a single black wire that's stripped in one place to connect the two switches. (Bottom pole, leftmost switch.)

My question is: based on this setup, what do I do with the single black wire, and what do I do with the maretted neturals? I'm guessing I have to split that wire into two segments, but I've never seen this sort of arrangement, so I'm a bit confused. Any info is very much appreciated.


texts: Framing a window directly through a post in post-and-beam construction?

texts:
I have a single story home built on a concrete slab using post and beam construction. I have 4x4 posts spaced 5 feet apart along the exterior wall with 4x8 beams holding up a 4" tongue and groove roof with composite shingles.

I am considering the removal of the post and replacing it with a sufficient header and jack studs so that the window isn't bisected by the post.

I know having a professional engineer come and evaluate is my best option, but I am also considering over-speccing it if I can arrive at some kind of rough estimate for an appropriate header and supporting jack studs. Any advice is greatly appreciated!


texts: Is it going to be worth replacing bat insulation with rigid foam between bedroom and garage?

texts:
I have the classic problem of two bedrooms above a garage that are too hot in the summer. In the winter it can be cooler upstairs than the rest of the house but not as much as a temperature difference as in the summer. There is an attic above the entire second floor that I'm not sure whether or not could be a factor too. The attic has blown insulation that is deep enough to cover the ceiling joist plus a couple inches but has settled/shifted some over the years. If it helps, this house was built in 1998.

Since I'm in the process of replacing the carpets, that gave me the opportunity to see what is between the subfloor and garage ceiling. After cutting a small hole, what I found is a void of about 9" filled with fiberglass batt insulation. The insulation looks to be kind of bunched up so it fills the void vertically for the most part.  I can't see the rim joists.

Would pulling up the subfloor, removing the fiberglass, and replacing it with rigid foam be effective at blocking the heat from the garage? Or am I looking in the wrong direction and should be looking at the attic instead? Or is it time to call in someone who knows what they're doing?


texts:
Im in the process of rennovating my house, and Im at the point of re-doing lighting on the ground floor.

Im looking at putting downlights in, removing the existing clusters of bulbs.

The thing that I am not sure about is what kind of density or spacing I should have for downlights.

There are two spaces I would light to light independently, both part of an open floor plan. The first is the "living area" and has rough dimensions of 4.5m by 4m, and a dining area which is roughly 2.7m by 1.8m, laid out something like this:

   +--------+
   |  |||||||
+--+        |
|           +--------+
|                    |
|                    |
+--------------------+

I have seen suggestions (primarily from one website, as there seems to be little information coming up readily) that the downlights should be spaced roughly equivalent to half the height of the wall, and that you can determine how many you need by multiplying the square footage by 1.5 and dividing by the number of watts of your intended bulbs.

An electrician that I have been using for various jobs has given me a "per fixture" price, so I can basically figure out how many I want and budget the installation myself. But can anyone shed any more light on how to figure this out (excuse the pun)?

Thanks


texts: How can I find a replacement screw/bolt?

texts: I have a cast iron Christmas tree stand and I need to replace the screws/bolts. Where can I get them and/or how can I determine the thread so that I can check at a hardware store?


texts: How can I protect a house foundation from weather conditions?

texts:
I started building a house and had to divert my money into another situation which was urgent. It might take some time to retrieve the money so the building is on hold.

Only the house foundation is built. It a reinforce concrete slab.I'm in a temperate to continental weather zone, Central and Southeastern Europe. This means 4 seasons, hot in summer (mostly > 35 degrees Celsius), cold in winter (mostly < 10 degrees Celsius), spring and autumn with moderate amount of precipitation. Don't know how long it's possible to suspend the project, 1 maybe 2 years tops.

How can I best protect it from rain, frost, heat etc. until I can return to it?


texts: Installing smart switch that needs a neutral wire without a neutral wire

texts:
I live in the Philippines and we don't have neutral wires. I got a Wink Relay 2 years ago but it is a 110v system, something I couldn't use here. But recently I found a way to convert it to 230v.

When I tried to replace a 2 gang switch with my Wink Relay. I saw that there are only 3 wires. Unfortunately the Wink Relay requires a neutral wire to power itself.

What are my options in this? Can I use the line/live as the neutral?

———

I don’t think there are more wires at the back because the wires are coming from above, see photo:

The wire with a masking tape is the live. The other 2 are the loads.

And this was how the wiring of the original switch was done. 4 wires in total, but the 4th one is really short and just connecting the switches.


texts: Concrete basement: Do I need a sealer or wax only?

texts: I'm going to acid stain my concrete basement floor.  Do I NEED a sealer, or can I simply apply wax directly to the concrete (which intuitively would act as the sealer itself)?


texts: How do I add an external power socket to a lighting circuit?

texts:
I'm installing some ELV garden lights and would be grateful for some advice on connecting up.
I'd like to control them from a spare light switch (the 2nd switch controls the exterior wall lights) just inside the back door as I have a cable already in place from an extension previously. The switch is currently wired brown (live) in/out of switch 1, the neutral is isolated in a block and the earth is connected to the backbox terminal. Considering I am trying to run low voltage lighting (6 x 3v) how should I wire switch 2, should I connect live/neutral and earth and similar to the outside socket? For info there is a plugged adaptor with the garden lights and outdoor socket will be IP66 rated.
Thanks in advance for your advice.
Bren


texts: Accidentally Used Latex Paint instead of Oil Primer

texts: I grabbed the wrong bucket and painted the exterior window sashes with the latex paint thinking it was the oil primer. Should I paint it with another coat of latex and then wait and see or is there a sealer primer I can put over it before I have problems?


texts: Adding more insulation to an exterior wall

texts: I am renovating my kitchen and after I removed the drywall, I have about 3" or so of open wall before I get to the R-15 faced insulation. If I wanted to add more insulation, would I leave the R-15 batt there and add unfaced insulation over that? Or should I leave it all alone and just accept some uninsulated gap. The reason for the extra padding/added framing is to accomodate some drain pipes and give the cabinets something to mount to.


texts: What is this strange, linear light bulb?

texts:
Thanks to previous occupants of my house, one of the bathrooms is lit with a pair of lights that are unlike anything I've seen. The bulb is a narrow cylinder, about 3 inches long and maybe 1/4 inch in diameter, with contacts on either end. The middle is filled with some dark material, and there is a tiny, clear protuberance in the center. It is marked "PHILIPS CHINA," and "130V 2E 150." Below are pictures of it in place and out.

What is this fixture/bulb called?

Why would anyone install one instead of a normal fixture?


texts:
We have one switch for the bathroom fan and light. I am not sure how to connect the new fan to my existing wiring.  I have included pictures and would appreciate any help.

enter image description here


texts:
I have a 25 foot drywall wall left that I am doing some wainscoting... I ripped up the old baseboards, and am bumping them out 3/4" basically following this guide a bit: http://www.familyhandyman.com/walls/how-to-build-a-wainscoted-wall/view-all

So the problem is that that particular wall is a bit wavy - It was real noticeable before I ripped out the baseboards, and so I was thinking that maybe I can make the 3/4" poplar smooth it out a bit.  Lining it up, I see that it can a bit, but even if it hugs the wall a little, they will be wavy to.

Wondering what the best thing to do is... sand the new boards where it's uneven, or something else?


texts: Can different gauges of wire be used on the same circuit?

texts:
My father-in-law is a builder. He has put in 20 amp and 15 amp breakers, and ran 12-2 as the home runs to the switch's and the first plug to make them hot. He then ran 14-2 to feed the rest of the plugs, lights, and ceiling fans.

Is it okay that he used different gauge wires on the same circuit?


texts:
UK based.
Worcester-Bosch combi-boiler (Greenstar 25si combi Mk IV).
Pin timer.

Our problem is we can only get the central heating to turn on by setting the timer wheel (and obviously the thermostat).

The boiler has an off/timer/on switch and it doesn't matter if the switch is on timer or constantly on. We still can only get the heating to come on by setting the pin wheel to "on" at the time we want the heating on.

Hot water (on demand) works perfectly.

Thermostat seems OK, too - if not a little stiff to change temperature. The heating seems to regulate when on.

Any ideas what might have broken?

Thank you!


texts: How do I estimate how much drywall I'll need?

texts:
Is there a formula for estimating how much drywall is required for a job?

perimeter = 140'
area = 490sqft

I'm guessing around 45 12x4 sheets, but I would like to confirm my guess before ordering.


texts: Ceiling access panel or pvc pipe options

texts:
I'm finishing a small basement office and I'm almost ready to put up drywall. I've been dragging my feet on fixing one issue. There are pipes running along the floor joists to the kitchen sink. The pipe branches off and under the joist and then feeds an outside spigot. Is my best bet to frame something to drop the ceiling down a bit and then put in an access panel? I don't want to lose too much space there because that's where the window is. Or should I move the split back out of the office so that it doesn't dip under the joist in the office space?

Are there any other solutions that would be easy? Any drawbacks of moving that split further back so it's out of the office space?


texts:
I’ve been replacing light switches in my house to Lutron switches, because I think they look pretty.
I’ve noticed that Lutron sometimes specifies a switch as having max load of 600 watts, and sometimes as 5A. Why this variance? Since our electricity in the US is 120V, aren’t these two the same? Thanks!


texts: How to run wire through steel garage floor system

texts:
We are building a carriage house, with a 4 car garage and a basement underneath.  The basement has steel I-beams and the metal b-decking that the garage floor is poured on top of as a ceiling.  What is the recommended ways of running the electrical along/through/in this type of ceiling?   The basement will be used a workshop so I want to be able to put plenty of lights up.

There is a gap where the b-decking is laid on the I-beams that I was thinking of running PVC conduit in for the wiring and breaking out into light/pull boxes every 10 ft of run (between each I-beam) or so.  Is there a better/preferred method that anyone else has used?


texts:
I am trying to install a motion sensor switch on a 3-way switch in my laundry room. both 3-way switches function normally if I use them now. One 3 way switch, we will call it #1, is by itself. It has 4 wires, the live black wire, red traveler, white traveler and ground. No other cable coming in or out. The switch has the black on the common (darker) screw, with red above it and the white by itself on the other side. There is always power despite switch position at the red and black wire.

The other 3-way switch, we will call it #2, also has a fan switch located with it in that box. Multiple cables coming in and out. The 3-way switch has same configuration with a black wire in the common (darker) screw and white and red in same locations. With a working 3-way switch on there, power switches between the red and white depending on both switch positions. It seems like the power TO THE LIGHT is the black screw on the common (darker) screw because light will not turn on unless power is running through that wire on switch #2.

I put the motion sensor in the switch #1 position, with black as the load wire, red and white as travelers and ground. When the motion sensor is installed, it is a 3 pole motion sensor switch, it will not work consistently. The motion sensor switch will click on and off, but it will only work depending on the position of switch #2.
It seems all messed up...


texts:
I bought a house built in '69 in northern VA a few months ago. Having mapped out the upstairs circuits, I've discovered that the whole place is a wiring mess. I am remodeling each room and bathroom due to really bad drywall patchwork and insulation suspicions (confirmed now that I've torn down some walls), so I'm figuring this is the best possible time to fix the spaghetti wiring/circuitry.

To give a layout of sorts: Split level home. Upstairs where I am currently remodeling, I am working with 3 bedrooms connected via a hallway and 2 full bathrooms. One bathroom attached to the hallway, the other master bath is attached to the master bedroom. I've found a good spot to run wire from the basement up to the attic, then to each room. I would like to get each room and each bathroom on its own circuit (tell me if this is a dumb idea or not please).

For the bedrooms, I plan on using 15-A breakers with 14/2 romex (14/3 from light switch to fan to operate the overhead light and fan separately). Each smaller bedroom will have at most 6 outlets and one light switch. The master will have at most 8 outlets and one light switch. The number of outlets here is ball-parked based on putting a receptacle every 6' or so.

For the bathrooms, I plan on using 20-A breakers with 12/2 romex since larger wattage items will be used there. The bathrooms are fairly small, so they will have at most 2 outlets (one being GFCI) and an overhead light/fan combo (currently absent from the master bath).

For the hallway, I've read up on the 3-way lighting that I need to meet code, but as that is already in place, I'm not going to do much modification there.

Mainly I am looking for a sanity check that it is OK to wire up that many outlets in a room on 15-A with 14 gauge romex. I see there is quite the debate in wiring with 12 vs 14 and 15- vs 20-A. I am going to be working with an electrician as well in order to make sure I'm meeting local code and to handle anything I'm uncomfortable with.

I'm coming over from stack overflow posting mostly coding questions, so I apologize if I'm posting like a total DIY noob. Thanks in advance.


texts: I have replaced the drive gear on this door opener and tested it 15 to 20 times afterwards. For the next 3 days I used the door opener several times and it worked perfect. Then one morning I opened the door and the motor continued to run. By the time I was able to pull the electrical plug, the new drive gear was ruined. I can replace the drive gear but I need to understand why this happened or this will happen again. Any ideas?


texts:
My bathroom floor grout has several cracks - and appears to be rusting. See the image for an exemplary area.

These cracks appear - in differing severeness - around the bathtub and along the wall, where toilet and sink are situated. The rest of the bathroom is free of these cracks.

The areas in question are not regularly flooded (at least haven't been so by me, what previous tennants did I do not know), so what comes to my mind is a busted/cracked fresh water pipe, which slowly leaks water into the floor.

Has anyone seen similar cracks/colouring before? If so, what caused them?


texts: What kind of cable should I buy to connect to these connectors coming out of the wall?

texts:
Someone stole the fluorescent tube light in my apartment that was rented out. What is left is these 2 cables poking out the side. I am trying to find some sort of extension cord to connect to the black and red cables and I will wire it into the fluorescent tube light. Any idea what kind of extension cord/ connector will fit?
Thanks for your help.


texts: what to cover blocked sticky paint on my deck

texts: I have sanded my deck down to the primer but the sticky paint is still evident in the cracks and crevasses.  What can I paint over it with so that I can re-paint it?


texts: How can I pour a concrete patio under my existing deck without surrounding the deck posts in concrete?

texts: I would like to pour a concrete patio under my deck.  The concrete company said they would just pour the concrete around the posts with a expansion joint around the posts.  I thought that would cause water build up around the posts since the concrete would be on top of the existing footing and not allowing the water to escape.  Also, the existing footings are uneven, with greatest difference being close to 4", so I can't just pour the concrete to the top of the footings.  See the attached picture.  Any suggestions?


texts: How do I know if a ceiling fan with light and the switch are wired correctly?

texts:
There was a old ceiling fan with light and remote in a bedroom of my house that didn't work.  It also had a switch with 2 knobs that pushed in and turned labeled motor control and 300 w perm instld incand it had 3 wires coming out of it red, black, and yellow, but the yellow wasn't connected.

Coming from the box was red and black which are both hot and were connected to the switch, and white.

So in the ceiling I have 3 cables, 2 of them black and white, and the 3rd is red, white and black.

So I bought a Hampton Bay 52" Ceiling fan with light and remote.  I connected all the wires like the manual said . Nothing would work. So I connected it without the remote receiver and when I turn back on the power it comes on. But with no remote I cant control it.

I purchased a Lutron fan control & Dimmer Skylark s2-lfsqh-wh. And I cannot get it to connect to the fixture.


texts: Bowed 2x4s in attic: are these really doing what I think they are?

texts:
I am in a rental house.  I just looked at the attic for the first time today, and saw this line of 2x4s apparently supporting the roof, and apparently severely bowing under the strain.

I only saw this once before in a house I bought from an architect who did a lot of poorly thought out modifications to “open up the floor plan” and I ended up needing to put back a lot of structure in the attic and living space that he had taken out.

I don’t think the floor plan of the house I’m in now has been modified, though there is a lot of HVAC equipment in the attic, and it is possible that framing was modified to accommodate it years ago.  There has to have been some “renovation” work done on the house sometime in the past, because the wiring is a mess (most outlets don’t work, the light bulbs burn out in days, some of the lights don’t have junction boxes, etc).

My question is, what do you think is going on with this framing?  The house dates from the 1970s in Raleigh, NC.


texts:
The last few days the toilets in the house (2 toilets) are making a gurgling noise. When I go and look, I can see the water is standing very low. When I then flush the toilet, the water either keeps rising (not going down the pipes) or flushes normally. And then there's about a 50/50 chance of it to start gurgle again.

We've tried unclogging it with a plunger, but it does not help. So I'm suspecting it has something to do with the septic tank.

What should I try to fix this?

EDIT: I should also note that one toilet is on a floor higher then the other.


texts: What materials should be used to seal a square sump pit

texts:
I have a sump pit in my basement that I want to seal to reduce the radon levels which are around 6

The problem is that all of the sump pit covers I have found are round.  It seems like they won't work for this square type pit.

If I were to make a DIY cover, what materials should be used?

I plan on replacing my pump, but would like to avoid having a pro come in to install a modern sump pit with cover.


texts: Hormann garage door opener automation with Loxone

texts:
I own a Hörmann Supramatic 3 garage door opener and in my house I've also set up Loxone home automation system, so I decided to connect the opener to the automation system, so I can control the garage door remotely.

For that to work I needed to buy a UAP (universal adapter, meant for uses like these) and connect it to my Loxone miniserver.

I found this guide, which made the setup easier and I've setup everything accordingly.

The status (fully closed, fully open, mid drive) works perfectly fine, however I am having issues with the motion commands (move up, move down, stop), as they only work sometimes and in some directions - which is most likely due to me wiring it up incorrectly (however the guide linked above is not very specific about the wiring etc).

Currently I use the Loxone Relay Extension (basically classic relays) through which I wired a cable on which I run 24V DC if the relay is on.

On the UAP it connects to input 10, 17, 15 and 23 where 10 + 17 is wired to one relay and 15 + 23 to another. I am an electronics amateur and can't figure out based on the schematic below if that is correct?

Currently I send a 0.5 impulse through when you press open/close in the home automation system - as that's similar to how the garage door remote control works, but not sure this is correct.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.


texts:
Long time reader, first time poster. Working on updates for our new house and I bought a few lutron caseta switches the other day to wire up in our front entryway. I went with the PD-6ans which requires a neutral wire. I pulled the plate off and looked around and saw a neutral bunch so I thought I was good to go.

Well, like any project I get myself into, things didn't go as planned. The two switches on the left come from one circuit with the neutral bundle, the switch on the right is on a different circuit and there's no neutral.

Can I use the neutral bundle from the other circuit in the box or is that a big no-no? If not, is there any other way to get around it?

I'm thinking I may just need to buy a different switch that doesn't require a neutral (Lutron Caseta PD-5WS).

Here are a few pictures of the three gang box. It's a three way switch on the far right and left, single pole in the middle. For what it's worth, at the other location (in the garage) for the three way on the right there does appear to be a neutral bundle.

Also, there's a ground wire that doesn't go anywhere from that far right switch. Should I pigtail it into the ground wire bundle in the box that is in the other circuit?

Thanks for any help you can provide!


texts: Is it possible for a microwave to damage outlets and after a while cause a breaker to pop under load?

texts:
I tried searching for an answer but couldn't come up with what I was looking for, so sorry if this has been asked before!

My wife and I recently moved into a new place which had been recently flipped.  We are in a mother-in-law suite so it has definitely had some wiring added and that could be the issue if my question is not possible.

Everything worked great when we first moved in, we were there for about 4 months when we woke up one morning and the fridge was off.  Reset the breaker and was off by the time we finished errands.  Tried a different plug right next to it and that kept the fridge on.

The microwave is plugged into the same plug so we switched where it was plugged into (now where the fridge is) and it eventually starts popping the breaker.  Whenever we needed to use the microwave I just ran an extension cord to the bathroom and left the fridge unplugged since we have an outside fridge (wanted to try and determine what the cause was, guessed the fridge was going bad at first).

Ever since I started using the bathroom plug for the microwave, my wife's hair dryer and sometimes straightener will pop the plug..

The breakers are all brand new Arc-Fault breakers, tried replacing it and that did not resolve anything.

The kitchen plugs all run on one 20 amp breaker, two plugs and one with GFCI.  Nothing else runs on those plugs

The bathroom is a single plug with GFCI and is also on a 20 amp arc fault breaker, the bathroom lights also run on that breaker.

I am guessing the microwave is toasting the outlets which is causing possible arc faults?  When the breaker is reset it shows the indicator for an arc fault.  Currently I am trying out running the fridge on the third plug in the kitchen to see if it will stay on since the microwave has never been plugged into that.  I did have the fridge plugged in to another plug in the house for an extended period and never had an issue which is why I am assuming microwave.

Is that even a possible situation?

Thanks in advanced!

EDIT#1:

Well, my experiment failed and the breaker popped..  Only after the fridge had gotten down to temp and was maintaining.  The compressor went to kick on again and pop!  Will be calling an electrician but advice would be helpful!


texts: Redid kitchen; deeper sink now. Only about 1 1/2 " to 2" between sink basket and P-trap. I need tail pipe with flange for dishwasher hook up? Is there any other place I can attach dishwasher drain? I need help


texts: Does anyone recognize what this kind of hinge is for?

texts:
I have a set of these hinges (at least, they seem to be hinges) but I'm not sure what they're for.

They measure about 1.5" (3cm) in the longest direction.

Here are some odd features:

No obvious way to attach the parts on the left with the one on the right!
Setscrew in U-shaped piece (second photo)

I assume these would be surface-mounted, they seem too thick to mortise into anything.


texts: Does a small hole in a wallpaper require a complete wall redo?

texts:
A small part of the wall came off when it got stuck to the back of a table (I don't know how, honestly).
My landlord claims she needs to redo the entire wall of 11square metres and has some quotes for about 150€.
Is this reasonable? I expect so, as I can't find anything online that could fix this.


texts: How do I connect PVC to this non-threaded metal sewer pipe?

texts:
I need to connect PVC to this old sewer pipe:

This is the pipe that came off:

I temporarily capped it with a 3 inch fernco and a rubber mallet. Can I permanently use a 3 inch to 2 inch fernco?


texts: What should I use to raise the height of floor tiles in a shower?

texts:
Initially, the wall tiles were installed too high off the shower floor so if floor tiles were installed, there would be a gap at the bottom of the wall tiles to top of the floor tiles.

I hired a company that installed a second mud pan on top of the existing mud pan in order to thin set the floor tiles to cover the gap below the wall tiles. They had scored the mud pan with a grinder to install the second mud pan on top of the first. Then the porcelain tiles were laid on top of the second mud pan with thin set.

Years later the grout washed out from the shower tiles at one end of the shower,  lifting several tiles up from the shower floor. I elevated the raised shower floor tiles from that section of the shower floor and was able to remove them. Then I scooped up and scraped up the second mud pan off the first mud pan. The first mud pan was completely hard and not disturbed.

Now I need to fix the shower floor so we can use the shower again. I am wondering what product to use to reinstall those shower floor tiles. I need to establish a bed of about 1 to 2 inches to get them at the proper elevation, so they will be level at the height of the 2/3 remaining shower floor.

Thin set could be used as a second step to adhere the tiles, but I can't build up to that thickness using just thin set. What should I be using to raise the mud pan about 1-2 inches?

How can I achieve a strong bond to the first mud pan besides relying on just the scoring that was done with a grinder, which I have now cleaned out?


texts: Hydro isolation for foundation cut out (edge, not face)?

texts:
I live in Europe with a house constructed out of perforated bricks. I have sub grade basement windows. Our home inspector pointed out that the foundation edges exposed by the window channel need hydro isolation. We already have a major problem with mice falling in there, then tunneling through the foam insulation/sheathing all around the house.
What is the correct way to seal these edges? Each layer is very uneven, so I see potential problems with asphalt based paints or membranes, but would appreciate all advice.
Hard to see in the picture, but there is a drain at the base of each window cavity for water egress.


texts: Is It Possible To Install Another Switch To Control Fan?

texts:
Is it possible for me to install another switch to control the fan? This switch controls the light/fan. However, if the switch is off neither the light or fan can operate. I would like to separate these controls if possible. I don't know what the white wire is that comes in, goes into the wire nut, and then goes out as two wires.

I believe there's really only 3 wires to use here. The ground on the left of the switch, the power coming in on the bottom right of the switch (wire cut so looks like 2 wires), and the power going to the fan on the top right of the switch. Unless I can use the white wire somehow?


texts: How should I restore the level of sinking paver bricks in my driveway?

texts:
My driveway is over thirty years old but hasn't had any maintenance work, so while it is mostly fine there are some issues. The one that concerns me most is the sinking of some of the bricks around the manhole at the end of the drive.

I haven't yet pulled them up in case things break, but am I right in thinking it should be a sand bed under the bricks and it has perhaps just washed away down past the metal walls of the manhole?

If that is the case, is the fix to pull the bricks up, lay sand to level and tamp bricks back down?


texts:
I removed 4x4” porcelain tiles which were glued to the firewall as a shower surround.
     After I replace the 5/8” firewall With new firewall, can I set the new 6x6” porcelain tiles directly on the face of the firewall with a thinset mortar like TEC 391/398


texts: Why does new Ikea furniture (Kallax) make a liquid sound when moving?

texts:
Does anyone know the cause of Kallax furniture (and perhaps more Ikea pieces) making a liquid "wooshing" sound when you move/turn over the furniture?

I purchased two Kallax bookshelves from Ikea (Nov 2015). When I flipped the bookshelves over while moving each of them, they each made a "wooshing" sound as though there was liquid inside of the furniture. Could be unrelated, but I also noticed that the furniture had holes on the top, as though to let the furniture "ventilate" (the holes served no functional or design purpose). I could replicate the sound each time I flipped the bookcase over.

Note, I drove the piece from Ikea to back home and put it together as soon as I got home.


texts: What size junction box do I need for a wall mount with a 3.5 inch base?

texts: I have some wall sconces that have a 3.5 inch round base; will a 3.5 inch round junction box work or do I need one that is smaller, like 3-inches? Do they even make those?


texts: Which cable/conduit should I use to run a new 240 volt line for an oven?

texts:
I'm in the middle of a kitchen remodel and have hit a slight snag and need some advice on how to proceed. I'm moving the oven into an island, which requires moving the 240 line used for the oven.
The original plan was to relocate the current 240 line into the utility room and then run a new line from there to the oven, and splice these connections in a junction box. However this plan is not panning out as the old 240 line is aluminum, not copper, and is only 2 hots and shared ground/neutral rather then the R/B/W/G 4-wire copper that is commonly used today. Mixing aluminum and copper is not a good idea, so rather than proceed with this plan I'd like to look at alternatives.
Option 1
Run a new 240 line from the breaker box to the location needed for the island. This is what I'd like to do, but I'm unsure of the type of wire and conduit to use. Here is a picture of the back of the house, with breaker box, with the red line being an idea of where to run conduit for this wire:

My questions are, which conduit do I use; EMT or PVC (such. 80 of course)? And which wire do I use? This wire will run right in-between the floor joists when it enters the house, so individual wires probably won't work, so what insulated wire should I use? UF is the only option, right? This will be a 40 amp circuit, so I was thinking 6 gauge, just for overkill.
Option 2
Since I've already got the new copper wire ran from the basement utility room to the island location, I could just run individual THWN through conduit from the breaker box straight down and in to the utility room and then splice this in a junction box to the wire I already ran. At least in this case I'm splicing copper to copper which makes me less nervous. But the individual wires need to be in conduit inside the house as well, correct? How do I handle the area from where the wires enter the house until they hit the junction box (about 4-5 feet maybe)?
Also, here is a shot of the area where the line would come in to the utility room. You can see the new NM 6-3 wire right next to the old aluminum wire there on the right, with the outside of the house being on the left. The original plan was to just splice those two together...

So that's where I'm at. Any and all help/advice is greatly appreciated.


texts: Is it ok to use a gas stove with gas pressure lower than what's specified?

texts: I got a new gas stove. I will use an LPG tank as the source for gas. The stove's user manual specifies to use gas at a pressure of 37mbar, and that "the company isn't responsible for any difference in performance or any risk if it is used at a different value". It also warns not to use it at a pressure greater than 45mbar in any circumstance and that a pressure regulator should be used in that case. I can't find any gas regulators that output a 37mbar pressure. Is it ok if I use it with 28mbar, 29mbar or 30mbar for example? These are the only ones I could find in my country. Are there any risks to do so?


texts: I have an outdoor receptacle that isn't working. I've checked for a tripped breaker, I've tried replacing the receptacle, and  I've confirmed that the breaker is getting power. Using a multimeter I've confirmed that the receptacle is not getting power. Any ideas what could be wrong?


texts: Can I hook up two baseboard heaters on a 30 amp double pole breaker with #12 wire?

texts: I want to run 2 baseboard heaters on a double pole 30 amp breaker with 12/2 wire. Is that ok?


texts: How to make wood slats of slightly different lengths, all of the same length?

texts:
I am making a DIY dinner table, in the farmhouse table style as in this picture -

So I got the wood slats that form the table top, cut out of a single long wood board, from the Home Depot. I asked them to to make all the slats of 30".

Not when I got them home and put next to each other, they are not exactly of same length. They differ by about quarter inches in length from each other.

Now, I don't know how can I make all the slats to be of same length.

What would be the best tool for this job ? Can I rent a sander and sand the slats to same length ?


texts: Did my home sustain lightning damage due to inadequate grounding rod installation?

texts: I have a home that has been a victim of lightning strikes to electrical sources with in our home. The most recent chain of events is my furnace & Electric hot water heater both malfunctioning on the same day a day after a group of storms came thru the area. Our house was built with I. Very close proximity to underground ledge. Is it possible the grounding rod is not doing proper grounding because of the  closeness to the ledge where the ledge may be absorbing the hit & transferring to the electrical grid of the house.


texts: Is it normal to find cracks in new concrete?

texts:
I'm having a house built and they just completed pouring the slab for the foundation a few days ago.  When I inspected it today I noticed several narrow (but sometimes long; one or two do them appear to run nearly across the entire slab) cracks in the concrete.  Here are some pictures:

Can anyone tell me if this is something I should be concerned about, or is it standard to find these kinds of small cracks in freshly laid concrete?

Secondary question; I also noticed a few other things that seemed like defects.  Are any of these cause for concern:

Missing chunks of concrete:

Fastener not secured to anything:

Footprints in shower recess concrete:

Edit - Here's a shot of what was in place immediately before the slab went down:


texts: Replace permatreated 4x4 Hand rail post on step where concrete holding it has cracked?

texts: I bought a home 8 months ago where the deck handrail was planted at the edge of a concrete step as a 4x4 on the bottom step. The concrete at the edge of the step has cracked, the hand rail is wobbly, and has been fixed again (with some concrete repair mix) and has failed again. The concrete has cracked and been replaced. What would you recommend to fix it?


texts: Valve to select higher pressure water source

texts:
I'm trying to build an irrigation system which runs off city water supply and pumped water from a rainwater storage tank.

To keep it simple, the idea is to have the sprinkler timer open a valve from the city water, as well as turn on the tank pump. Each path has a backflow preventor, and they meet in the middle at a T before going to the sprinkler.

Using a pressure reducer, I keep the city water lower than the pumped water, so if the pump is on (tank not empty), its water is what goes to the sprinkler. However I'm not sure that will work on its own. If one is 30PSI and the other 20PSI, will the 30 win out entirely, or will the city water contribute too?

I'm thinking what might be necessary is a valve which selects the higher pressure water source, turning off the lower pressure one. A diagram might be something like this:

Where the central piece can slide left/right to block off the lower pressure, allowing the higher pressure to exit.

Does such a thing exist? Is there a better option?


texts: Home electronics break daily and wiring is OK. Any ideas?

texts:
We have a very old house, circa 1850-1900. It seems that as often as every week we have had to replace an electronic device. In the past six months, we have had to in total, replace:

1 washing machine
1 refrigerator
1 PC motherboard (of my custom PC)
1 laptop
3 laptop chargers
4 hard drives
1 tv
1 monitor
1 Nvidia shield remote
1 PLC controller board
4 modems and routers
1 plug in smoke alarm

I tested all outlets in the house for voltage, they all test 108-120 volts, AC. Within reason, correct? Under full load, every circuit stays above 108 volts. Polarity is correct on all plugs but one, which is never used. All electronics (that can be) are protected by at least a 2000 joule surge protector, a piece.

No one in my family knows what is going on. Most of the insulation is tar, and hemp, however, there seems to be nothing wrong with the circuit, as I said. I have taken every measure (that I know of) myself to diagnose my problem, but came back empty handed. Any suggestions?

The only other thing I could say is that my area seems to be really weird with electromagnetic radiation. Half of the time, we can't get a local radio station broadcasted no more than 20 miles away. We can't get any AM half the time either. Could there be something there? Or would it just be something to have FirstEnergy look at?


texts: I have a 4 poster bed that I want to shorten the two foot posts. It's hard to tell if it is iron or steel or what because it has a faux painted finish.  The other snag is I need to keep it in place because the only way to get it out of my house is to hoist it over the deck rails. There are ball caps that look like brass on each post that I would want to replace onto the shorter posts.  Any ideas?


texts: Light switch to quickly toggle power on and off for LED control

texts:
I installed an led chandelier that is controlled by a remote, which can change the color temperature and dim it. The light came with a 120VAC/24VDC driver.
The device came with little instruction, but the manufacturers (who aren't communicative) told me you can change the color temperature from the wall switch by quickly toggling it on and off. Other folks on Amazon say they have used dimmer switches to control the device, but without a better understanding of the driver, I'm afraid to connect it to a dimmer. I'd like to control it from the wall switch most of the time.
Is there a particular type of wall switch that can quickly toggle itself on and off to change color temperature? Is there a particular type of dimmer that works with a driver like this?


texts: Dishwasher Drain Into Sink instead of Under?

texts:
Is it ok to have the drain hose of the dishwasher just set into the kitchen sink and set in place, or do I have to merge it with the drain under the sink?

I am leaving this apartment soon (with my dishwasher), have a huge sink, and don't care aesthetically if there's a hose.

Thanks!


texts: How do I string a low voltage wire between two buildings?

texts:
I need to get Cat6A to an outbuilding for network communication; underground is not an option.

I think I have an idea on the method: grounded pillars with a guyline and the outdoor cable.

What NEC section(s) governs this? Are there any pitfalls I should be aware of?


texts: Ok to add cellulose over blown fiberglass insulation?

texts:
I have an attic with blown in fiberglass insulation, probably original and 27 years old. The attic appears to have had some moisture issues in the past (bathroom vents being vented out of the soffit vents, which have been corrected) and the insulation is a little clumpy and a little dirty, but not terrible.

I want to add more insulation, but I'm not sure whether or not to use more blown in fiberglass or cellulose on top of it.  I've read cellulose is the superior product.  But I've read and saw videos of cellulose just being blown in on top of the fiberglass.  I've read conflicting articles that says it's fine to do that and others say the cellulose will compact the fiberglass which isn't good for the existing fiberglass.

What should I do?  Thanks!

Here is a pic of my current attic insulation:


texts: Is this wiring suitable suitable for 3-way Z-Wave switches?

texts:
I'd like to install a Jasco Z-Wave switch (45709) and its add-on switch (45710) in this newish (2004) house, but the wiring instructions do not correspond to what I have behind the current (mechanical) switches. It currently appears to be wired the same as this diagram:

The colors match, and I've confirmed the black wire on the left hand switch is hot regardless of switch position.

Some of the connections are obvious:

the traveler wire just goes from switch to switch
the black on the left switch is line (but not needed; see below)
on the right switch line can be tapped from the wire nut
the black going to common on the right switch is the load

But that still leaves the question of where the neutral connection comes from in each switch. To be clear, the 45709 expects line, neutral, load and traveler, and the 45710 expects neutral and traveler. (Wait, what? It doesn't need line. I guess the traveler wire carries DC power as well as signalling.)


texts: Can anyone identify this outdoor faucet manufacturer from the mid 70's?

texts: I have two of these outside of my house and would like to replace the stem?  Any idea who the manufacturer is?


texts: how to patch minor leaks at cast iron sewer pipe's joint

texts:
please see attached image, I am not sure whether it's a leak where the metal is split, or whether its corrosion where the liquid seeps through the metal.  I am looking to patch this, somehow, can someone suggest how I should go about doing that?  I would like to keep the current pipe.

At the risk of stating the obvious, the leak/wetness is found at the dark area surrounded by white coloration near the joint.

pic1
pic2

Thanks in advance!


texts:
Recently, our patio screen door has begun to show damage and the screen itself has started to peel off of the damaged frame.  We are now looking to replace it.
We measured the door as 36 1/2 inches wide and 79 5/8 inches high. Our problem is that we do not remember what type of screen door this is.
Does anyone know the screen door type and where to find it?


texts: How can I safely install an outlet in my fireplace?

texts: I want to install an LED lighting display in my otherwise unused wood-burning fireplace but do not want to run an extension cord through the doors and into the firebox. Is there such a thing as a 120VAC outlet made from refractory materials that can installed somewhere within a firebox?


texts: Ceramic tiles on drywall on steel studs, any problems?

texts:
I was told that there was no problem installing tiles on drywall hung on steel studs. I had never worked with drywall before and accepted that. Now after the wall is done, if I hit it, I noticed that it vibrates significantly.

Does that affect tiles installed on it? Like cracks in grout, etc?

PS: I'm in Brazil, drywall is kinda new here, and it is only done with steel studs, no wood.


texts:
Next to my house is part of a metal post.  It looks like it has been cut off at the top.  I would like to remove it, but am not sure what it is.  I know it's not a grounding rod, but there is some graffiti or writing on the foundation next to it; I am not sure if it is related.  This is in the American north east.

This is very close to where our water line comes in.

Can anyone identify this and if it is safe to remove?


texts: What to do after wood paneling is removed?

texts:
So I have recently moved into a (new to us) home built in 1948. There was a master bedroom addition that is on the backside of the living room wall which was once exterior and the kitchen wall also once exterior wall. There is paneling over both of the walls.

When we moved into the house we knew we would want to remove the paneling. This week we started to remove the paneling in the living room and were surprised to find the original wall there. Windows and all. So there are old non functioning windows in the living room interior wall.

I'm not sure what we should do. We had planned to hang drywall and have debated on just covering it all and putting the drywall over top. I'm just don't know what to do and would love some feed back.


texts: Insulation in the attic : choice between fire retardant and allergenic

texts:
This is for a house in Portugal, where most houses have no insulation. I want to insulate the house (it is quite cold in the winter).
The plan is to lay down some isolation material on the floor of the attic. The attic is completely isolated from the rest of the house. The only way to get to it is from the roof. The floor is very thick concrete (80 cm of concrete).
The range of insulation product is fairly limited, because very few people isolate their house in Portugal. I basically have the following choices:

glass wool
rock wool
synthetic material consisting of several layers of aluminium, polyester and polyethylene

Glass wool is out because rock wool appears superior in all respects.
Rock wool is great because it is fire retardant, but I worry that it might cause allergies to people living in the house (I am not worried about the allergy during installation, only for the people using the house).
The synthetic material seems great, but it is very flammable. Insulation quality is not a criterion because it is comparable.
So I basically have to decide on allergy versus fire retardant properties.
Given the very thick slab of concrete, is it reasonable to not worry about the flammable properties of the synthetic product? Maybe I can consider that the concrete will be protection enough? (it is a country where fires are common, due to high temperatures).
For allergies with rock wool, can anyone speak to that risk? Does the fact that the attic is completely closed from the rest of the house, with no window prevent the risk of allergy?


texts:
I'm in progress of changing Horstmann C27 with Nest Learning Thermostat Gen3. I'll share the images below, I'm looking for a way of mapping the cables to the Nest.
C27 supports both Hot Water and Central Heating through existing 3 cables (N, L, 3). In Nest, the Hot Water and Heating configurations are separate - so I can't wrap my mind around it. Also - I want to use Nest for both Central heating and Water.
Here's what I have done so far.

N - In previous configuration - this was coming from somewhere in the wall. Mapped to N in Nest. Removed the external cable which used to be wired to a broken Netatmo power unit (seen in the image)
L - In previous configuration - this was coming from somewhere in the wall. Mapped to L in Nest. Removed the external cable which used to be wired to a Netatmo power unit (seen in the image)
1 - In previous configuration, nothing is wired here.
2 - In previous configuration, nothing is wired here.
3 - In previous configuration, this is coming from somewhere in the wall. This is wired to 3 in Nest. (I assume this is incorrect, since heating isn't working now.)
4 - Removed the external cable which used to be wired to a broken Netatmo power unit (seen in the image)

Following some posts from diynot.com - I have 2, 5 and L (from the wall) combined into a choc-block going into L in the Nest; and the heating isn't working.
How do I wire this? Can't figure out why the Heating doesn't work.
Old Configuration - picture includes the dead power line for Netatmo
Keep in mind - only N, L and 3 had wires coming from somewhere.

New Configuration - help needed, heating doesn't work.


texts: do water heaters shut of when they fail?

texts: An example - Does an electric water heater shut its power off when (Feed) water source is shut off? I have a WAGS valve that will shut the water off when it fails, not sure about the power (Electric)


texts: How can I reinforce a wall mounted ikea shelf?

texts:
I'm wanting to mount the long Hemnes shelf on an interior wall.I'm picking up 3-4 studs in the area that it would be, but they are really oddly spaced.

Would it be preferable to buy separate mounting hardware? The specs for the shelf list 99lb capacity, but I'm not sure if that's referring to the structural ability of the shelf or their recommended max weight on a wall? If I'm distributing the weight across 3 studs, I would imagine that they would support a lot more than that. That being said, I am concerned about the construction of the wall - is there any way to check the quality of studs?

If the limit is referring to the shelf itself, are there any suggestions for reinforcing upon assembly?


texts: What's the best way to seal unused flue?

texts: Our chimney has two flues, one we use the other must have been for a woodstove in the basement but has since been covered up with a finished basement. When we burn in the fireplace we can smell the smoke downstairs and from what I've been told it's because air has to come into the house to replace the air going out the chimney and the path of least resistance is down the other flue so smoke comes back down and into the house. I think the easiest solution is just to seal off the flue from the top, is that right? If so how should I go about doing this?


texts: My Maytag Atlantis washer spins but doesn't agitate

texts:
I have a Maytag Atlantis washer and I replaced the water pump because it was seized up and the belt couldn't turn it. Before I turned it on to test it, the center pulley spins easily in one direction and gave me resistance in the other direction but after testing it, it spins easily in both directions and now I hear a loud banging noise when it seems to try to agitate. Do I need to replace the center pulley or is it something else?

UPDATE: The model number is MAV6451AWW


texts: How do you block cold air flow from an AC vent without blocking the vent?

texts:
From what I've read it seems that it's a bad idea to cover central air conditioning vents. So what can I do to control the cold air coming through one vent without lowering the AC for the rest of the house? It needs to be easy to put on and take off as needed.

Is there any type of insulation or absorbing material that would absorb the cold part of the air and not block the airflow?

(Additional non essential info: We have one small room in the house that has a central AC vent, and because it's a small room it gets cold very fast. No window in the room.)


texts: Can I step down a NEMA L15-30R 90A 250v outlet to 110v?

texts:
I just moved into a high-rise condo and on my patio I have an outlet labeled NEMA L15-30-R 90A 250V 30 and I'm trying to figure out what I can do with it.

I think the intended to be used for the window washers who come twice a year.

On my patio, I want to put a lot of electronics (kegerator, fridge, lights, electric heater, electric grill, etc), so is there a way I can get a 110v receptacle out of it?

I am not allowed to remove/replace the outlet, only plug into it.

Also, if you have any other important thoughts, please do tell.

It looks like this:


texts: I don't need or find it aesthetically pleasing to have little green micro-energy leeches illuminating every outlet and switch in my home. are there any GFCI's/outlets/switches that are LED FREE for sale anymore?


texts: Plumbing: water expansion tank, hot water heater & circulator replaces within a week of each other

texts:
Hoping you all could lend your expertise....

We recently replaced the water expansion tank after the plumber said we needed a new one. A week later the water heater burst and were told we needed a new hot water heater. After spending 2500$ on a “high efficiency” system and install, a couple days later it had a small leake. The plumber said it was no big deal and fixed it in two minutes. Three hours after he left the heat in zone 1 shut off and the circulator is making a loud noise and is extremely hot to touch. We replaced the circulator a year ago with a new one by Taco. We’re now being told the circulator pump is bad and needs to be replaced.

Could any of these issues be related to each other? The timing of everything breaking within days of each other are puzzling. Thoughts or suggestions?

Thanks in advance for your feedback!


texts:
I have 2 main panels, each 150 amp, each connected to meter.
I'm installing a Reliance transfer switch (model 3006HDK). All instructions show how to wire circuits from a single main panel.

Can I wire 3 circuits to the reliance transfer switch from panel 1, the other 3 circuits from panel 2?

thanks.


texts:
For a vacation home application, I am looking for a wifi controlled/linked switch for the 220v, 30 amp hot water tank circuit.  I see that Rheem makes wifi controllers compatible with some of their tanks which allow you monitor, change temps, etc.

On/off is the only function needed and I would like to be able to use a similar  device to switch a 220v, 20 amp baseboard heat circuit.  Again, on/off is the only function needed.

Thanks for any ideas.

DKC


texts: Can tankless & conventional water heaters join forces?

texts:
Although I have properly maintained my nearly 20-year-old 40-gallon (150-L) Kenmore natural gas-fired water heater, I have been considering replacing it with a natural gas-fired tankless water heater unit, a Rinnai 180,000BTU (190 MJ), which I bought a few months ago at a terrific price.

However, due to sudden changes in the household size (basically, grown kids are moving back for an extended stay), I am considering adding the tankless unit such that the Kenmore’s 40-gallon (150-L) water capacity will act as a preheated water supply source for the Rinnai tankless unit, with the assumption that, if I set the Kenmore’s temperature to a low setting, it will not cause the tankless Rinnai to function improperly.

So please check my plan and advise;

Location-Los Angeles, California, very mild weather.
House’s fixtures; 2.5 bathroom, 2 showers / 3 sinks, kitchen, dishwasher, Laundry.
I plan to provide a dedicated gas supply line to the tankless Rinnai unit as follows: 1 inch (2.5 cm) gas line, reduced to ¾ inch (1.9 cm), in the last 12-14-foot (3.7-4.3-m) run to the Rinnai, whereas the installation instructions indicate a gas supply line to be sized at ¾ inches (1.9 cm) for the last 20 ft (6 m) run.
Heated water supply exiting from the Kenmore water heater to act as a supply water line, via ¾ inch (1.9 cm) pipe supplying preheated water to the tankless Rinnai, then heated water from the Rinnai for distribution to the house’s fixtures.
While the existing Kenmore water heater is garage based, the tankless unit will be installed at the exterior wall, opposite the Kenmore, to minimise the work needed to connect the two and any loss of efficiency.

Your thoughts are appreciated.


texts: Is an interior disconnect required for an AC unit?

texts:
I'm trying to understand why my outside AC unit has 2 shutoff breakers (not including the main panel). There is a breaker installed on the INSIDE basement wall of the house. Outside there is another shutoff breaker right at the AC unit.
I know current codes state that a shutoff breaker must basically be 'within sight' of the unit. I'm thinking the inside breaker was there originally and later someone added the outside breaker to bring it up to code but was lazy and didn't touch the inside breaker.
Main question: I want to remove the inside redundant breaker and just run the cable directly to the outside breaker. The two breakers are only about 30 inches away from each other and I know I have enough slack to make the connection on the existing cable. I can't see any flaw in this logic. Anyone else?


texts: What do you call a false ceiling dropped below a main ceiling used for indirect lighting?

texts:
I'm wanting to provide some character and define our lounge room space with a large flat ceiling that is hung below the main ceiling.  The edge of which I can install lighting and create a nice effect like below:

But I'm having trouble with the terminology.  What do you call this? If I google drop ceiling or suspended ceiling what I come up with is pictures of the traditional suspended ceiling you find in office spaces that hide pipework and air conditioning ducts etc.

In addition, in finding out what this is called how would I go about constructing it?  I don't want something too heavy or expensive to construct.


texts: Turn off water heater as well during winter?

texts:
If I am going on vacation for an extended period during winter (it occasionally gets below freezing here), should I turn off water valve AND the gas water heater or just turn off the main water valve?
I am seeing a lot of people advising to close the main water valve but leaving the gas water heater on "pilot" or "low". I am worried because what if a water line bursts and drains the water out of the water heater? Wouldn't it damage the water heater?
Please advise.
Thank you,
RK.


texts: How often should clients look at the job site and talk to the contractor?

texts: During a major kitchen remodel that includes removing structural walls and pouring new foundation piers and extending the house, along with the typical re-plumbing and electrical work, how often should the client (me) be walking through the job site and talking to the general contractor? Should I ever be talking to the subcontractors, apart from being nice, or does everything go through the general contractor? What do contractors, and subcontractors, want from the client?


texts: A home is going up right next door, and I noticed that the foundation walls have 2x4’s embedded in them. Won’t that cause the concrete to crack when the wood gets wet?


texts: Proper MERV filter for Lennox ML193UH090XE48C-51

texts:
We moved into a house with no filters on the furnace.  so I put 1" MERV11 in intake grates, and last night the furnace stopped and the tech said I can not use these filters but to use the cheapest filter I can find.
I think this is a cop-out answer but I cannot find anywhere in Lennox literature the max MERV for this unit.
Can anyone help me with that


texts: How much wooded land should be cleared around a new home site?

texts:
I'm planning to build in a wooded lot, and want to leave as much woods as possible. What is the minimum buffer that is required or recommended to allow around the home's footprint, taking into account tree fall risk, fire risk, needs for construction equipment and workmen around the house, etc?

Are there any official recommendations or best practices for this?


texts: I just bought a house in the mountains and have 3 parking spots "off road" style. There are many pine trees so lots of loose dirt , rocks and dry pine needles. I'm afraid that when it snows and rains, it'll turn into a mud pit. How can I harden my dirt? Or recommendations on what to do that's not too expensive and still attractive but simple. Lol. This is my first house, so learning a lot of DIY techniques. Thanks for your time and help in advance.


texts: How can I remove stinky radiator water from a rug?

texts:
While I was away I had a radiator leak in my apartment, to the point water was leaking into the apartment downstairs.

My rug absorbed most of it, and absolutely stinks. What would be the best way to clean out the rug, or is it beyond saving?

I live in NYC, so I don't have the option of a backyard or balcony to dry it out...


texts: This old Lennox furnace has no c terminal. I can run a wire directly from the furnace to the thermostat. Question is, which terminal do I hook it to?


texts: Is it possible to make a heliostat with no moving parts?

texts:
I want to place a couple of mirrors outside the house to direct some sunlight to the windows, which will make it easier to cope with the soul-crushing overcast winters here in Melbourne, Australia.

In order to remain focused on a window, the position of the mirror would have to change to compensate for the change in the sun's position in the sky. One of the options is building a heliostat - a tracking system that employs a 2-axis control mechanism to rotate/shift the mirror. There are in fact commercial systems available to do exactly what I need - for example Sunflower Heliostat, that is $299.

I would like, however, to produce a more economic solution with no moving parts. One of the options is to build a long, concave mirror with a profile that takes into account the sun's position. Something like this:

On the surface it looks like a doable task, although I just wanted to check if I am missing something very obvious and my plan is doomed.


texts:
I'm building a "smart garden" - which is really nothing more than moisture and temperature sensors on each of my garden beds / planters hooked up to Raspberry Pis. Each Pi will be connected to a switch and powered by that switch (using PoE), so I need to connect the switch to the Pi with ethernet cable carrying between 48 and 57 VDC.
To try to shorten the story, I need to run conduit between the central switch location and the garden beds / planters. It will mostly be alongside the house; I intend to bury it instead of having the conduit run along the outside. Can I use EMT conduit for this? Can I use PVC? If both, which one would be the better solution?


texts: Do cracks in a brick wall signify a serious problem?

texts:
Just the general Home question related the foundation. I am hoping to see your opinions and comments.
Location : North Texas
House year : 2018
Background : Bidding for this house. Only three years old, and already shows the crack on the bricks only on one side. Seeing the patio area puling away from the house.
Question: Will it be okay 5 - 10 years down the road?


texts: How to handle a break in a circuit due to removal of a fixture?

texts:
(For purposes of this question, ignore the second circuit with the three way switch and 2 14/3 nm cables on the right hand side of the open area.)
I have to relocate the ceiling fixture switch in a bedroom.  The fixture was getting power from the middle of a run of nm cable.  As as temporary solution I've simply tied together the two cables with nuts in the j box, but I'd like to remove this box before drywalling the area.  I realize that it is not going to be up to code to simply hide the connection within a wall, but I'm not sure what other options are out there.  Of course my preference is not to have a box and blank plate visible in the bedroom, and I'd prefer to rip out less drywall over more.


texts: Ideas on how to fix a void at the bottom edge of my concrete steps?

texts: I was recently pulling weeds and I noticed that there is a hole at the bottom of my  concrete stoop.  I'm not quite sure on how to address it.  I'm pretty handy so I'm sure that this can be tackled without professional help (and prices).  Can anyone point me in the correct direction?


texts: Why won't the bulbs light even when the fixture is has power?

texts: We thought the bulb went out only to find that a new one did not work either.  When i got out my tester, the fixture seemed to worked fine in relation to the switch...on/hot, off/not.  But no matter what bulb i put in it wont light. I've lifted the tab to get better contact but nothing. When the bulbs are in they show how as well when the switch is on.


texts: Should bypass valve on water softener be turn off every time you shut the water to the house?

texts:
I am a plumber and need to change the water heater. I always turn off the bypass valve of the water softener before I shut off the water to the house. I just need to know if this step is necessary or could it harm the water softener in any way. Should the bypass valve on the water softener be turn off every time I shut off the water to the house?

Thank you.


texts: GE timer switch (no neutral) to connect to a bathroom fan/light

texts:
I previously had this working, but it stopped working so I replaced the fan unit (it was old and starting to make noise) with a new one. I'm trying to retrace the wiring to make sure I have it all correctly wired, which is a bit trickier given that several pieces of my older house's wiring aren't using the standard color schemes. I am in the USA
Essentially I have a GE countdown timer switch that requires no neutral (this one https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007BJULYS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
that has the wiring diagram shown as below in (1).
Coming from there into the fan receptacle unit via the attic, I have 3 cables - a black, a white and a green/ground wire.
Then have this fan/light, has two outlets that the components (fan, light) plug into. Both have a white wire, one has a blue, one has a black - so a total of those 4 wires for the light/fan combo.
I've included a picture of my wall receptacle w/ the switch, as well as the fan. I thought this may have been correct and the same as how I had it connected originally (sans the temporary snap connectors), but while the switch lights up to show it has power and I can hear it "click" to activate when pushed, I don't seem to get power on the other side. Non-contact tool senses current after clicking on both the black and red coming out of switch, but nothing on the other end. I have the fan and light component plugged in, with a bulb in the light.
Thoughts? Anything I should try differently? More info I can provide to help? Thanks!

Links to additional photos - more photos here of wiring!


texts: What is the difference between a Combination AFCI Breaker and a AFCI Breaker

texts:
After reading many articles and comments concerning AFCI and GFCI breakers I set out to my local Lowes. In the old days buying a fuse or a circuit breaker was pretty straight forward. Not anymore!
Based on the updated building code for new homes I am required to use AFCI circuit breakers so I bought one. Well, I attempted to buy one.
As you can see from the picture its a "Combination AFCI circuit breaker."

I tried to find out the difference and I really could not find a straight answer, which led me back to here. If anyone can answer it's the experts here!

Will this work or do I need to return it and buy a standard AFCI breaker?


texts: New water heater making popping noises on startup

texts: What is causing my water heater to make popping noises every time it ignites? I know this usually means sediment build up, but this water heater is brand new. It was installed last week. What's going on?


texts: Is it ok to use a plunger on a basement toilet connected to a pump?

texts:
Our basement is below grade of the sewer line, so we have a pump to send waste to the sewer. The pump has a closed well in the floor of the mechanical room.

The toilet in the basement is flushing slowly. I would like to use a plunger to try to clear any presumed clog. I think any force from the plunger would be absorbed by the well, but I want to avoid damaging the pump or the well itself.

Is there any reason to be concerned about using a plunger in this scenario?


texts: What does a surge protector do that a breaker doesn't?

texts:
The circuit breakers in my home are 120VAC, 15A or 20A breakers.

What would a surge protector (e.g. this or a power strip with surge protection) do that a breaker wouldn't do already?


texts:
Environmental issues aside, I'd like to know whether solar panels are worth it from a monetary standpoint?

How long before payoff occurs?
Pros & Cons?
Is technology moving too fast, e.g. should I wait a year or two?


texts: There are a lot of stones on my property of the kind shown in the picture. They are hard and heavy, but extremely brittle. The pictures shows half of a stone that I dropped from about 2' high on another stone and it broke cleanly in half. What species of stone is it and could it be used in a 3'-high retaining wall?


texts: Can I use a 15A breaker for a 10A baseboard heater?

texts:
First off, I wear many Hats (jack of many, master of...some) I refer to the 2017 NEC often and able to answer my questions most of the time. This one bounces my brain too much. Providing this answer takes a deep knowledge of the NEC gained by years in the trade (or a book geek) therefore  I humbly and respectfully thank you for sharing your knowledge.

I'm in Colorado, USA. ( Machavity) (my fluke* says 122v... so 244 volts (Harper)?:)

The heater is a CADET (cadetheat.com Vancouver, Washington) Its tested to UL standards. They cover their a** on installation by saying

*1. All electrical work and materials must comply with the National Electric Code (NEC), the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA), and all state and local codes, without giving specifics other than...
The maximum amperage load you can put on one circuit breaker is limited to either 80% of the circuit breaker capacity, or the maximum amperage rating of the thermostat, whichever is lower. & some other reference regarding breaker being ...20% larger than load(or something to that effect, not quoted)

I'm installing 4 baseboard heaters of different sizes, each in a separate room, each on a separate breaker, with the smallest being a 240/208 Volt, 500/375 watts,  2.1/1.8 amp, with a wall mount thermostat (mechanical double pole 120/208/240 volts, 22 amps).

My Question is, If I run 12-2 wire with a 15 amp breaker that has only the one above mentioned heater, am I within NEC?  My concern is if the breaker is too large to protect the appliance.

Take this one step farther...240-V baseboard heater, 2.1 amp draw, 10-2 wire with a 30 A breaker total run length 40 ft. Can you "overprotect" or defeat the breakers ability to trip/disconnect by having too small of a load?


texts: What protects an installer from drilling a hole in joist and not hit anything?

texts: I've found the 'where' to drill a hole in the joist span to run wire across ceiling cavity (multi-story on first floor so no attic access). What I can't find is how does someone drilling from an access hole in the ceiling into a floor joist know that there isn't anything on the other side of the joist (e.g. stapled ROMEX on joist, etc.)? Example, if I have an access hole in my kitchen ceiling between joists 2 and 3 and want to drill through joist 2 to get to joist cavity 1 and 2, and I don't know if there's a previous remodel or wire-run stapled onto the non-viewable side of joist 2, how can I be sure nothing is there (is there a code or standard?...of course, you never really know without laying eyes on it and opening up the joist 1 & 2 cavity) but obviously would like to avoid additional work of opening a new cavity just to inspect).