Open Neutral Circuit yet all circuits outlets and wiring appear connected I am stumped...I have not had an electrical problem in my family room and have lived in this home for 11 years...until a few days ago. A few days ago I plugged a laptop charge cord (new and in normal condition) into an outlet in this circuit and it didn't work. I checked the breaker and it wasn't tripped so i flipped it OFF then back ON 2-3 times without remedy. Next, a single gang floor receptacle in that same circuit of 6 outlets, showed reverse polarity with my outlet tester. I checked it because for a long time the lamp that was plugged into this outlet has had a make/break intermittent connection at the plug/receptacle prong location with no concern for the outlet itself or it's wires being loose. I replaced the floor outlet (white to silver screw and black to copper with ground to green screw) thinking this could be shorting-out the circuit and the tester then showed all outlets in this circuit as OPEN NEUTRAL. I had not seen that previously and never had an issue with any outlets in this circuit...not even the outlet that first caught my attention with the laptop charge cord not powering on. I plugged the lamp in to this same floor outlet and it illuminated for 2 seconds then turned off. The entire circuit has not worked since the laptop charge cord failure.

Since then, I have checked ALL SIX circuit outlets, replaced all six receptacles using screw connections and not using stab connections, visibly checked all box wire connections (and all look very good). I then checked all other outlets in my home and all test 'Normal'. I even looked in my attics and crawl space. I looked for GFCI's that might have been tripped but all are normal (even turned them OFF then back ON). I turned my breaker for this circuit OFF then ON many times. I removed my panel door and made sure that this circuits black hot wire was screwed tightly to the breaker then followed this black wire to the romex panel entry location, located it's paired white neutral wire, followed that white wire to the panel bar it is screwed into and made sure it's connection is tight (both were affixed appropriately). I even checked and tightened ALL other wire screws on both panel bars. I was stumped...I even reversed the black and white wires in the floor outlet i installed just in case the manufacturer, Hubbell, made an error in assembly with the copper and silver screw locations. Of course, that showed reverse polarity so i returned that single gang receptacle to it's original and intended configuration (white on silver and black on copper).

End result, my family room circuit tests OPEN NEUTRAL despite my doing everything I know to do. This is a first floor room with a vaulted ceiling and no electrical outlets in this circuit outside of this one room (I tested). My crawl space, below, is clean and dry with no visible signs of wire damage. My panel screws are tight. My outlets have been replaced with new ones and screw connections were made tightly.

I also tried two different three prong testers with the same results. After reading some comments, i checked my attic where there is an attic vent fan that i know has been in disrepair for years...but it is on a different circuit and unrelated (when i turned off the family room circuit in question then tested the attic fan romex for current it is still hot)...so i assume this wouldn't relate to the open neutral family room circuit issue.

I am at a complete loss and would really appreciate any help.

I have two questions.. Is there a box with neutrals wire nutted together? Second, Is there a fixture on the circuit? Ceiling fan..light...
I have actually seen certain smoke detectors cause a loss of power.
It seems like you covered most areas as I would have.. The only other things I could recommend would be ohm out the outlet after removing it from circuit. Test actual wires for power after removing outlet. If no power to wires then its usually left or right of bad outlet. Also if there's critters around they could have bit threw a wire. Furry tail tree rats love eating wires in the attic


Can I use rivets to attach electrical boxes to Purlins? I'm attaching about 2 dozen electrical "handy" outlet boxes to a new workshop.  They will attach to the metal wall purlins, with the wires fed from the top through EMT conduit.  Instead of using self tappers to attach them I want to use stainless rivets.
I'm assuming this if fine (I can't find anything in code); but don't want to attract extra scrutiny from my inspector.
Here is the final result:

And on the "hoop" section walls of the Quonset:

More photos.  Where the boxes went to the "gap" side of the purlins, we attached a piece of c-channel to give us a mounting flat as on the switch box and lower dual duplex receptacles

The code requires that the box be "rigidly and securely fastened" to the purlin.  Rivets seem OK to me, and I think would seem OK to most inspectors.  Having some specs on the mechanical strength of the rivets might help you if there's a question.
Rivets are specifically mentioned as an acceptable way to fasten a box to the frame of a ceiling grid.  To me that helps you argue that they are OK to attach to your purlin.  On the other hand, the inspector could argue that the ceiling gives the box some protection and something more rigid and secure is needed exposed on a purlin.


Why is the water supply for my refrigerator not turning on? I need to turn on the water supply for a new fridge that makes ice and water. I turned the valve behind the fridge to the on position but water is not coming out. I can not locate any other valve that will turn it on. I would hate to spend a lot of money on a plumber if it is something simple. I paid enough for the fridge already!

When you first turned the valve on, did you hear any movement of water at all? If so, the problem lies in the fridge (to get any further help here, give us the model #). If not, there is an upstream valve somewhere, or the plumbing is disconnected. If you're unsure, you could always disconnect the fridge, and open the valve a tiny bit to ensure water does come out of the line (obviously be careful not to spray water everywhere).

If the lines goes down through the floor, and you can see underneath the kitchen floor, you should be able to trace the line back and find any valves. If it is going through the cupboards, then it probably connects under the kitchen sink.

If it's going into a finished space, then you'll have to do some guessing. Hopefully no one was dumb enough to hide a valve behind drywall, and certainly not in the 'off' position, but it's always a possibility.

See if you can find the same size tubing anywhere, probably wherever the closest plumbing to the fridge is. Not much else uses the 1/4" or 3/8" flexible tubing typically used. From an unfinished area, you also might be able to see between the joists into the space above the finished area, and this might help you locate pipes as well. If you can't fit your head in, a camera (possibly with a flashlight instead of the built-in flash) can be very handy for getting a peek.

Fridge supply lines often connect with saddle valves. These are terrible little valves that usually fail after being used a few times, but at usually fail in the 'on' position (or in otherwords, leak).

Since you already have a valve behind the fridge, it's probably not a big deal (eg, the saddle valve can be kept in the 'on' position), but if you do end up having to ever deal with it (or you have a plumber in anyway) you might want to replace it with a T and proper compression valve.

  Aside, I didn't notice till after I posted it, but in that random picture of a saddle valve I found, it looks like there is another saddle valves above, probably failed, with a crimped copper tube coming out of it (maybe in a sad attempt to seal it?). Perfect illustration of why not to use saddle valves. Pretty sure the one in the middle is just a ground wire connection.

Keep an eye out for any other (closed) valves as well, as it's possible there's a bigger line running to the fridge before it changes to the smaller tubing. Likewise, keep an eye out for disconnected tubing, as it's possible someone ran this line but never actually connected it.

If you still can't find it, the next thing is to call in someone experienced (eg, a plumber), and if you REALLY can't find it, cut open the ceiling below the fridge and start tracing that way. Depending on your skill levels and how destructive you're willing to be (aka, how much you're willing/able to repair) you will have to decide how far to go before calling a pro.

Good luck!


What is the proper way to install windows on the house that is not level My house is sloped at least 1/8" per 1' along the front side. It also has long horizontal siding. So if windows are installed level it may be pretty noticeable. Leveling the house is not an option. So I wonder how can I minimize visual effect of the difference in levels between house and windows.

Should windows be installed parallel to the siding (and be out of level like old ones) or should they be exactly level (and what do I do to minimize visual effect)? Or should they be installed lets say with 1/16 angle - is it still ok?

Installing opening windows out of plumb (out of level), will make them hard to open and close, and may affect their ability to seal well. If the windows are fixed, this is less of a problem.

If you install them level, the most noticeable issue will be the top and bottom, probably not the sides. You can address this by being creative with casings, the molding around the windows. If you put a shallow triangular pediment across the top, it will mask the angle difference between the window and siding.

An alternative is a curved facia board at the top, or any other combination that breaks up the horizontal line.

The bottom could be handled similarly, but there is less tradition of decorative moldings or pediments at the bottom of things. A straight, stepped molding might also break it up.

SUPPLEMENT: Based on the additional information, 1/8" in one foot is not a lot of lean. I would still hang them plumb and mask it with the moldings. You could rip cut the molding on a slight angle to split the difference. Also, having the moldings NOT end at the edge of a siding board makes variances harder to notice.


Is a PVC union air tight? I have 1/2" PVC ran from my compressor to a hose real hanging on my ceiling.  It works well, but I would like to add a PVC union around the last bend just before the reel.

Would the union be tight enough to not leak air out?

PVC is not rated for and not safe for compressed air service, with the limited exceptions of "if buried in the ground or completely screened in wire mesh to catch the shards."

It makes lovely shrapnel - it has injured people. Nice and cheap until it costs you something more dear than money.

Here's a 480 PSI (water, not air - no PVC is made or rated for air service) that worked for 15 years and expired at 175 PSI (air) or less.

Link for the above picture. The writer of the link may have "learned" the wrong lesson - even at lower pressures, the pipe degrades and fatigues in air service, and fails in a fashion that is dangerous.

An OSHA link from 1988.

A pipe manufacturer page

Some more reading/experiences/etc...


Looking to see if I'm wiring a multiwire branch circuit correctly Currently working on running power from my house out to my shed.  Planning on running four THWN conductors (B,W,G,R) for two 20A circuits with no subpanel, which is my understanding of the maximum of what is allowed without doing a panel (and will be plenty for me).
The electrician I was using to help me kept telling me things that didn't match the code so I've been trying to do the necessary research to complete the project by myself.  I have very little electrical experience prior to this.
Here's an expertly drawn diagram of what I think I need to do:

Just in case my stellar art skills aren't enough, I'll try to explain my plan/questions:
I do know I need a disconnect in the shed. I plan to use a double pole switch right after the junction box but didn't draw it to make things a little less confusing.
Power coming into the shed via THWN conductors will transition to 12/3 cable running to a three-way switch, as well as 12/2 cable running to a single pole switch, both in the same location.  Again I didn't draw the separate ground/neutrals from the JB to reduce clutter.
I understand that anything in this circuit needs to be GFCI protected so I plan on making (at least) the first receptacle in each leg GFCI.  The shed is split into two parts, so essentially each side will have a total of 4 outlets, each with a 20A feed. I plan to run everything I need, including lights out of these outlets.  Each separate circuit has the first GFCI feeding a regular receptacle off of its "LOAD" terminals.
My questions are:
Since there is only one neutral wire coming in, is it essentially connected together throughout the whole circuit?  Will running it in different directions from where everything is connected at the two switches cause any faults with the GFCI receptacles?
Also I know that on shared ground systems that the neutrals have to be pigtailed to receptacles down the line.  If that is the case and the neutral is considered shared, do I instead need to use all GFCI outlets and pigtail the connections to the "LINE" side of each pair?

They aren't two separate circuits.  They are one multi-(hot)-wire branch circuit.
You will need to feed it from either 2 breakers handle-tied, or a 2-pole breaker.  This can be a GFCI breaker.  Unfortunately because it is 2-pole, using a GFCI breaker does not qualify you for 12” cover of burial depth so you must still be at the usual 18” for PVC conduit or 24” direct burial.
You could throw another gray wire into the pipe and make them 2 plain circuits, but that would mean 2 circuits to an outbuilding, and that is not allowed.
Unless the second circuit has a different voltage or form of control, for instance if it was switched from the house because you keep forgetting to turn off the shed lights.
A 3-way switch as a disconnect doesn't work, since there is no definitive "off" position which firemen can rely on to de-energize the structure, and further, 3-ways don't de-energize the structure at all. They simply exchange which of the 2 travelers is hot.
Other than that, your wiring is correct; you are using LINE and LOAD correctly.  The rule of thumb with GFCIs is that for any given cable, if any wire comes off the LOAD terminals, all wires must do so. Except for safety ground, obviously.
Your approach of splitting an MWBC into two simple sub-circuits is a common approach, and makes GFCI a lot easier to deal with.  When you make this split, after the split, GFCIs will work as in a simple circuit, and there is no further need to pigtail neutrals.   You must pigtail them in the switch box but not receptacle boxes.


Electrical: Wall Outlet Requirements I am looking at the electrical code and see a couple things that read a bit... vague, or perhaps not quite easily interpreted.

  Any wall greater than 2' wide must have an outlet

Does this mean even if the wall is within the 12' of an outlet that it still needs its own outlet?  Picture a kid's bedroom with a 4' bifold closet door and 3' entry door on the same wall and the bedroom is 12' wide with both doors there. This leaves ~ 5' of wall space divided into three chunks. If two of those wall slices are 2' 1" and one wall is only 10" then does that mean the two wall slices that are > 2' need outlets? Does this rule trump the 12' distance between two outlets?

So if you have a door, 2' 1" of wall space to the right of it, corner, then another wall tying into that one with an outlet 6' down the wall?

  Receptacle outlets must be no more than 6' away from any point of habitable wall space but can be 12' apart if the wall has no breaks in it

Does this just mean as long as there's not a knee wall bumping out our a bump in/out of the in the exterior wall that 12' of wall space is okay between outlets, counting wrapping around the corner so an outlet would be 9' from the corner and the next outlet needs to be 3' away from that same corner?

Think of the rule a different way.

Assume appliances have 6 foot long cords.  It must be possible to place an appliance anywhere along the wall, cord hugging the wall, without needing an extension cord.  You can't drape extension cords across thresholds or doorways. Wall sections narrower than 2' are exempt.


Why don't electrical receptacles have more than one ground? All modern receptacles have places for additional hot/neutral wires so you can add more outlets in series, but they all have a single screw or hole for the ground wire.

Why don't they have two ground holes?!? I see many receptacles wired where the installer simply twisted the wires by hand, or only used electrical tape, or used a wire nut but did not use the proper size, or did not know how to properly use a wirenut (only doing a single twist)! Sometimes the connection is good when they install it, but since there is so little space behind a GFCI for example, they had to manhandle the wires back into the box, and this caused their halfass attempt at a connection to come loose the second I pull it out of the box.

I am so tired of replacing receptacles only to find that the previous installer didn't know how to continue the ground line properly.

It would seem that adding a second hole would be preferable to the dangerous situation that arises when someone does not have/know how to use a wirenut correctly.

Is there any good reason they make them this way?

This is because removing a device isn't allowed to interrupt grounding connections

Removing a wiring device from the circuit cannot break grounding connections, or else you are violating NEC 250.148(B):

  (B) Grounding Continuity. The arrangement of grounding
  connections shall be such that the disconnection or the
  removal of a receptacle, luminaire, or other device fed from
  the box does not interfere with or interrupt the grounding
  continuity.

As a result, manufacturers only put one ground screw or terminal on wiring devices, so that you're required to do the right thing and pigtail grounds using a splicing connector of some sort or another (whether it be a wirenut, a crimp, or a push-in type splicing connector).


How to wire GFCI combination switch/receptacle I’ve looked all over and I can’t seem to find any diagrams for this specific application.

I have a combo switch/outlet GFCI receptacle that is midstream on the circuit and I want to wire it so that the switch controls the outlet that is part of the receptacle, and so that the downstream outlets receive power and are also GFCI protected.

I’ve only been able to find diagrams where the combo switch/outlet is at the end of the run, or where the combo receptacle has constant power to the outlet and the switch toggles a nearby overhead light.

Thanks in advance.

I got it figured out with the help of my electrician friend...

Pigtail hot inbound and outbound wires with one of the hot wires protruding from back of the combo switch. Send the 2nd hot wire protruding from from of the combo switch to LINE brass/hot side.

Take neutral inbound and outbound wires and pigtail to LINE silver/neutral side.

Obviously connect the grounds together.

I now have the combo switch operating it’s own outlet and have allowed for power to continue on to the next outlet downstream, though of course passing the burden of GFI protection to the next outlet.


Plumber's snake buckles when trying to unclog sink I'm tackling a stubborn clog in a kitchen sink. I first took out the P-trap, but it was pretty clear. I then tried a 15' plumber's snake, put it in past where the p trap connects, and got the whole length into the pipe without unclogging it. I picked up a 25' snake, and it keeps buckling in the pipes, so I don't think I'm getting it in much further than the  15' snake.

Is there any trick to keeping a snake from buckling in the pipes, which prevents it from going in further? If a 15' snake didn't do the trick, is it time to call a professional?

Well, you found where the clog isn't, at least. However, if you can't go to a lower part of the plumbing or further from the street through another sink, toilet or basement clean-out. Then, make sure you're using the Snake properly by tightening the locking screw once you get to the bind and spinning while pushing. You can also pull the Snake tip out to almost straight for better steering.

If still no success, then it's time to get a Plumber with a Camera Snake and not just a bigger or powered Snake. You may very well be bottoming-out at a non-directional T-fitting or 90-degree elbow. Neither of those "should" ever be present in a plumbing's drain system, but commonly are nowadays. This may therefore require Snaking backward from the street if a lower clean-out access point can't be installed to bypass the bind.


Furnace keeps trying to ignite but never does -- no codes Our furnace is a Carrier Cobra GB1AAV042901ACJA made in the 39th week of 1994.  About a week ago, it died without producing any diagnostic codes.  The tech diagnosed the problem as the old control board and replaced it with an ICM282A he had on hand -- and it fired back up again.  It turns out the control board was bad, in that a contact terminal on the blower relay had blown out completely and was no longer making a connection.  We celebrate the return of heat and move on...

Only, to find two days later, that the furnace has stopped heating again.  Now, it simply does not produce a flame, going through an infinite loop of "run inducer motor, turn igniter (hot surface) on, turn on gas valve for a moment, turn off gas valve, turn off HSI, turn off inducer, start all over again".  The control board does not blink any codes while this is happening, and does not lock out.  I have run the self-test on the board and the blower motor, inducer, and HSI all pass with flying colors.  Our tech has conjectured it is a stuck gas valve, or a problem with the new control board.  My only theory left is to close the gas shutoff, then apply 24VAC to the gas valve via an ammeter to see if it's actually pulling current/operating normally or not operable/cutting out.  Is there anything else we can do to diagnose this?

Update: further diagnosis has yielded that the gas valve is audible and a faint smell of gas is present when the furnace is trying to cycle.  Applying 24VAC to the gas valve M terminal with the wire to the control board disconnected and the gas shutoff off yields 310mA or so, so clearly the gas valve is fine electrically (i.e. not open circuited).  Only thing left is a control board that's either incompatible or DOA, or a gas valve that opens slightly but doesn't open fully...

Update 2: yet more diagnosis (with another ICM282A installed, as well as a replacement White-Rodgers 36J24 gas valve), and we get 500mA going to the gas valve when jumping 24V to the gas valve manually (as well as ignition, as we did this with both the gas shutoff and igniter on).  However, putting the ammeter in line between the gas valve and the control wire from the board yields a mere 200-250mA.  WTF?  Could we have a board that's driving the gas valve too weakly?  (The install manual for the valve says it only draws 280mA though...)

Thermostats sometimes do fail...

You know how we keep saying that HVAC problems usually aren't the thermostat's fault? Well, it turns out, whatever hit the original control over the head took out the 'stat (a Honeywell CT3500A4453 from 2007) as well, but in a subtle way.  It appeared to work -- it responded normally to button pushing, and was trying to command heat.  However, the W wire output from the 'stat was sagging (down to 21V from the normal 24-28V), and this was the cause of the sagging voltage going out to the gas valve, as jumpering R to W via my ammeter at the 'stat end of it all caused the furnace to fire up without a problem.  Replaced the thermostat with a cheap non-programmable one, and problem solved!

Further analysis of the situation showed that the control board, instead of generating its own 24VAC signal to the gas valve, was switching the 24VAC W signal from the thermostat, which explains why the thermostat's sagging W output was causing the gas valve to malfunction.  Furthermore, while I could not prove it, the only likely candidate for why the thermostat was misbehaving would be a damaged relay contact on the thermostat's control relay.


How should I widen a picture frame? This is my first real woodworking project, so bear with me.  I decided to create a picture frame (18x24) for a print I bought for my wife for Christmas.  It's made out of 2" wide mitered pieces of oak.  I used a dado blade to cut the lip for the contents of the frame.  However, in my stupidity, I didn't test fit the glass after it was clamped (I did before it was clamped, but yeah, stupid me).

So now it's glued and I need to take about 1/8" off of the inside of the frame.  It seems to be due to the fact that it's not perfectly square since it's  only on the one side of the frame.  I started sanding with 100-grit sandpaper as that's the roughest I had around.  I'm sure you can guess that I'm not making much progress with it.

Should I invest in a set of chisels and work it down that way?  I thought of using a rougher grit paper, but not sure if it's going to work for the amount of material that needs to come off. Any other suggestions on what to do?  Thanks!

A block plane will work up to a point. Use it parallel with the grain, and in the direction that the wood grain is rising (since no grain is perfectly parallel) to avoid tear-out. They make some wood planes without sides, which can be useful for corners, but may risk tear out for your purposes.

Instead, the design with a blade near the very front may be the best for this task:

With each of these, you'll eventually need to carefully chisel out the corner.


Do lapped joists need to extend over the beam the same distance from each side? I know you should lap joists at least 12", and the longer the lap the better. However, in order to  use 8' joists, can I lap the joists like the image attached?
The beam in red is a drop beam.  The total lap would be 3'-1" long, but the 8' joist would only overhand the beam by 7'-1/4", so the lap would not be "center" on the supporting beam below.  Is this ok?
Edit: I should clarify, yes the joists would be connected together (sistered) thoroughly, likely using  a dense nail pattern, multiple 1/4" through bolts, but most likely Simpson Strong-tie’s Framing Screws.

As long as both joist go over the beam your are fine. Remember if it bothers you you could always cut one of the joist so it was equidistant over the joist but its total unnecessary.


LED lights strip quickly flashes and goes off I've just recently constructed some cut to size RGB LED strips to fit around some shelves using T & L connectors.

When I finished and connected the 12v adapter to turn them on, all the LEDs quickly flash once and then they all go out again and don't come back on.  It's seems that all the strips are connected correctly so can't be a connection issue as all the light flash.

Just out of curiosity I removed that last strip that connected directly to the the power supply and turned on the power to see if that worked on it own. The same issue happened.

When I first received this 5m roll of LEDs I checked them with the power supply supplied and it all worked fine.

Any idea what might be stalling the lights staying on?

2 amps isn’t gonna do it.
Had same trouble.
With arrows aligned, got a one time flash, then nothing.

They were cheap so could be anything.
Bad battery in remote, crap connectors, broken led wires, thermo failsafe in module( kinda right)....etc.
Most would chocked it up to “you get what you pay for” and tossed them in trash and moved on with a healthy productive life.

But by then it was personal.
Was lucky enough to have bought 2 of them(10m
rbg), so was able to switch out parts and after lot of google and YouTube, learned that you need about 5-8 amps to make this work.

It was shutting down because of a power problem, but it wasn’t because it was over powered, it was cause I wasn’t giving min required workings amps.

Went from 12v2a to 12/5a and “let there be light”, all parts working.

Ps
Long span wattage drop is a thing. Don’t try to amp your way through it. Fire is not good indoor mood lighting.
Take time to research the safe way and don’t die


Converting Main Panel to Subpanel Okay, I have a main panel that is a 1978 2-wire system with combined neutral/ground bar and a 100amp main disconnect breaker. I'm Replacing it with new 200-amp service and all load wiring has been updated and includes ground wiring. The easiest transformation is to add a room and convert the exterior wall where the old panel is to an interior wall and simply put the new panel facing the new room to meet code and avoid a j-box. The old panel is also in a kitchen cabinet. The meter box is on the exterior opposite the original panel box but is being relocated to a new ext. location.

I installed a temporary power pole main disconnect with 2-2-2-4 SER to run 25' in schedule 40 from the disconnect to the old panel until the room is built. To convert it to a subpanel, do I remove one of the existing ground/neutral bars and replace it with an insulated neutral bar and put all load neutrals on the insulated bar plus the #2 neutral wire from the disconnect and all grounds to the ground bar? I'm assuming the 2-2-2-4 SER Al is rated to enter the house to the panel.

Other than the #4 ground wire from the new disconnect to the old panel, does the subpanel also need a #6 bare copper ground from the ground bar to a copper ground rod? I already have 2 ground rods at the main disconnect on the temp pole.

Lastly, there is already a 4-wire subpanel that I had previously wired from the original panel to a workshop and put a ground to a copper rod at that subpanel. If I have my wiring description above correct, is any of this going to affect the wiring arrangement at the existing subpanel of the workshop?

Thanks for any advice/recommendations.

Your plan sounds right. Separating the grounds.  And 4-wire from main to any subpanel.  Using aluminum wire for service and feeder is also wise.

You actually need two ground rods at each building. Unless the one passes the magic test for 25 ohms. But you can't test it, and the cost of hiring it done is more than a second rod.  End of the day ground rods are for protecting you and yours, so they're cheap insurance.

You still need the ground wire; that's for returning human-generated current, which is much lower voltage than lightning and ESD, but far too high current for dirt to carry.


How can I mount outlets securely where drywall was cut from around outlet ears? My contractor's worker (son) cutout the drywall from around the outlet ears on my receptacles in each room. Apparently, he didn't know what he was doing... Now my outlets are loose in the wall.  If I tighten them up they fall far behind the plates on the wall and are not flush. Its unsightly not to mention an big gap between the plate and the outlet...

Are there any brackets I can use to flush the outlets?

The cut outs should have been filled with mud. large spaces around the box would not meet building code requirements. The contractor should be repairing the problem.


Pinched a wire, is this an electical danger? I was swapping out the gears in my garage door opener and when I plugged it back in I heard a pop and some smoke, unplugged it immediately and realized that I had pinched a wire with a screw that I had totally not noticed.  I can see on the circuit board that something blew out on it and it looks like the wire leads to the light that is supposed to come on when the garage door opens/closes.  The light doesn't work but I am honestly not sure if it worked before as the others don't but the garage door itself works fine.

I wrapped the wire that I messed up with electrical tape to prevent any raw wire from being exposed but my lack of electrical knowledge has me worried that this is a dangerous situation.  Should I be concerned to leave the garage door opener powered?

If you damaged the wire then it is possible it is no longer capable of safely operating under the load that is called for.  This is a potential fire hazard since it may result in the wire overheating.

You should replace the damaged part of the wire.  Depending on circumstances of the wire (which you haven't fully detailed) you may be able to cut out the damaged section and splice the resulting free ends together (or splice a replacement section in to the gap).  You should use proper splice hardware for the task, which could well be a simple wire nut (though this depends on the type and gauge of the wire as well as the service conditions - eg, wet or dry, exposed to oil, gas, etc).

If you are certain that the insulation and only the insulation was damaged (ie, the damage is no worse than would have been incurred had you been stripping the insulation from the wire with the appropriate tool), electrical tape may be a sufficient repair - again, considering service conditions.

It's hard to say whether the damage to the circuit board will result in dangerous conditions or not.  Chances are, everything on the board is sufficiently low power that there is no danger - but with the information available here, we can't say for sure.


Does a single-gang double timer switch exist? I have a single gang outlet that current has a double/split switch installed controlling an inside light and an outside light.  Ideally I'd like to have the outside light on a timer.

Does a single gang double switch exist that will let me control the inside light and provide and on/off schedule/timer for the outside light?

I cannot replace the single gang with a double gang.

If you are looking for a schedule timer; not a countdown timer, it's not likely you'll find it with a separate switch on the same yoke.  Even though electronics continue to get smaller and smaller, I don't think you'll find a combination 24 hour timer... Yet. It may be better to simply expand the single gang outlet into a double gang outlet.

If there is enough space on the wall for a double gang outlet, the biggest problem you'll likely face is removing the old box.  If the switches were installed when the house was being built, it's very likely the junction box is nailed/screwed to a stud.  In this case, you'll probably be looking at some drywall patching. I've found that it's often easier to make a bigger hole than you need, since you'll probably be taping and mudding either way. Drywall is cheap.

Once you've removed the old box, you can either use a traditional box that attaches to a stud (new work), or an "old work" box that anchors to the drywall by way of a couple extendable tabs.

With more space available, you can control the inside light with a standard snap switch, and the outside light with a 24 hour LCD programmable switch. The only problem you might run into using a switch like this, is that the switch will likely require a grounded (neutral) conductor. Which may, or may not be present in the box.

NOTE 1: 24 hour timer switches are available from many manufacturers, the aforementioned product is for example purposes only. I in no way endorse or recommend this or any other product mentioned.
NOTE 2: If you intend to control an inductive load, make sure the switch you choose is rated for such loads.*


What am I missing/How do I rehang my closet's bi-fold doors? The last owner did a lot of home projects, and I've determined that they did a terrible job on just about everything.  So keep that in mind here, and I won't be surprised if the answer is "redo everything yourself".  But anyway:

I have standard bi-fold closet doors.  One side was not hung properly - when the door closed all the way it would hang "low" and the top would easily slip off the track.  Eventually the door just fell off the track.  I finally got around to re-hanging it and was completely unable.  When I put the door back in the bracket on the bottom, the top peg is only high enough to just graze the top bracket.  It is simply too short to put the door back up.

I initially assumed that something might have gone wrong with the bottom bracket (a shim moved out of place?) causing the whole thing to lose some height.  However, after close inspection, this doesn't seem to be the case or even possible.  I looked at the other door (which hangs fine) and noticed that while the fallen door only has a peg on the bottom, the other door appears to have something more like a screw.  As a result, perhaps a piece fell off the fallen door when it fell?  Its been a few weeks, so if a piece came loose it's probably gone (this is a toddler's room).

Did I lose a piece, resulting in the door no longer fitting in the track?  Or is something else wrong with this door?  Either way, what is the best way to get this thing hung up again?

Here is the bottom bracket:

And the top bracket.  It is definitely a bit loose and has a poorly-executed shim:

Here is the bottom of the bi-fold door, which is just a fixed peg:

And for reference, here's the bottom of the other door, which works fine (and looks like a screw, not a peg).

You need to prop the door into the upper track and then unscrew the bottom pin to tighten up the door. you might want to tighten up the upper track and fix that shim job.


Connect 1/2" supply line to 3/8" outer diameter faucet line I bought from Home Depot a Glacier faucet that comes with 3/8 inch O.D. supply tubes. The supply lines from the wall have an outer diameter of 1/2 inches though. How do I connect the two?

This seems like a common enough question, but searching for "connector" I could only find this connector on Home Depot's site, which is from 3/8" to "M22". I'm not sure why "M22" is called that way, but its diameter is apparently 14mm, which isn't exactly 1/2".

Brass nipples on Home Depot's site seem to come only in the same diameter on both ends, e.g. 1/2".

(As you might suspect, I'm originally from Europe and have quite a bit of disdain for the imperial system and the US hanging on to it when the entire rest of the world uses metric.)

You need a brass connector. "1/2" female iron pipe" (1/2" FIP) is the size of the female connector on the end of the hose coming out of the sink plate in your picture; "3/8" female compression" is the size of the connector on the end of the hose coming out of the faucet in your picture. You need a 1/2" MIP (male iron pipe) X 3/8" male compression adapter. Super common at any hardware store, er... should I say "ironmonger shop"?


Bevel or Bullnose a Slate Tile I know that most people bullnose a slate tile using an angle grinder, but can I cut a 4" square slate tile at a 45 degree bevel?  The application is a kitchen backsplash, specifically the spot where the tile transitions to the wall, and the end of the counter.

Your question is more about your personal grinding skill. A grinder is pretty rough and you could expect it to break the slate and look pretty ragged, unless you are just awesome. Perhaps a dremel tool would be ok... which will probably take much longer than you want.

A better idea would be to use a diamond bladed (a concrete blade) circular saw, because it will probably not completely shatter the slate.

If I was beveling a 4" piece, I would maybe sandwich it between to other pieces of slate with water based glue to help hold it and prevent the edges from breaking. Then soak it in water to remove the glue.


How can I repair the start button on my LG washing machine that is hard to press? The start button on my LG washine machine WD14700RD is very hard to press, and getting worse.

I need to lean on it with my whole body weight in order for the program to start.

All the other buttons work fine, so I am guessing it's a problem with the contact point behind the start button.

Can I try to repair this myself? Should I just remove the top of the washing machine, then try to remove the control panel, and see if I can get behind the plastic start button?

Ok well I managed to take off the control panel. There is a little plastic arm behind the start button that had been worn down on the end and wasn't making contact with the electronic button underneath.

A little bit of tape on the end of the plastic arm did the trick.

To access the control panel on the WD14700RD:

Disconnect the unit from power and water
Remove the top: take off two screws at the back, push it backwards one inch and lift it off
Take out the soap tray and remove two screws on the soap tray compartment.
Remove the control panel: push down on the two arms on top of it so that it can pop out, and pull it out at the top and then lift it off the bottom hooks. Pull it out a little from the machine, about an inch.
Remove the front plate from the control panel:  there are 7 screws behind it.  Rotate the control panel up or down in order to access the screws behind
Now that the front plate of the control panel is loose, identify the arm of the button that has stopped working. Wrap a small amount (2-3 times around) of electrical or plumbers tape on the very end of the plastic arm.  Or if there is a nib instead of an arm, a small dab of epoxy resin allowed to harden does the trick.
Refit the control panel and test the button now works.
Reassemble the control panel, top, and turn on water and power.
Test once again.

And that's it! All you need is a screwdriver and some tape. Too easy :)


Furnace not heating after changing thermostat I have an ancient furnace/AC combo that came with my apartment that originally came with a very simple battery powered thermostat, which I replaced with a modern Honeywell programmable wifi thermostat.

As the original thermostat did not have a c wire connection, which the new one needed, I needed to figure out where on the unlabeled low voltage panel to connect the c wire to (there was an unused wire in the existing cabling that was disconnected on both ends)

My best guess for the c connection was the common wire for the connection to the outdoor unit, which was wired thus:

R wire -> thermostat -> Y wire -> outdoor unit -> common terminal.

On powering back on the furnace, the thermostat powers on, the fan can be turned on, but the heating system seems to only turn in the fan, with no heat coming. Being winter, I didn't fully test the cooling system.

Did I break it? Or just wire it wrong?

I haven't had a chance yet to test again with the original thermostat, due to giving back the small screwdriver I borrowed before testing it.

If your furnace and a/c are very old they may have separate power supplies. Old school heat/cool stats worked like this Rh(24v power) closes to W(heat signal) on a call for heat, that's the heating circuit.
Rc(24v power) closes to G(fan) and Y(air conditioning) on a call for cooling,thats the cooling circuit. You can also close the fan switch Rc-G to operate the fan independently of the air conditioner. Newer systems just use R for both heat and cooling as all the controls are incorporated into one control board. The C(common) is just used to complete a circuit. This picture shows what happens at the furnace old systems used 2 different power sources.
You need to confirm that the new stat will accommodate Rh and Rc systems.  (https://i.stack.imgur.com/vhq0k.jpg)


How can I get stains out of a pine table? I have a light pine dining table. After we got married, we left an orchid from the wedding on the table while we went on honeymoon, giving it a bit of water before we went. Didn't realise the pot wasn't water-tight! The water leaked out onto the table and has created quite widespread water damage which obviously wasn't dealt with early.... Can anyone suggest how to get it back to a lovely even finish? Haven't tried any stains yet as wanted to get advice before I tried anything.

Some background, there are two types of wood water stains. White rings and black marks. White rings form when the water has only made it into the finish, this is the "best" kind of stain to have. Black marks occur when the water has penetrated into the wood itself. This is slightly harder to fix and will ultimately require either sanding or covering it with a richer, darker stain, although sanding is the only sure-fire method.
There are some options that involve staining or not, I'll start with the least invasive.

White ring removal

Place a dry, clean white lint free shirt or bed sheet over the water stain and rub with an iron at medium setting for a few seconds, then lift the cloth and repeat until the stain is gone. You want to be rather brief in the application of the iron as not to further damage the table. You can use a hair drier too. This works very well on antiques with delicate finishes that you can't replace.
Apply lemon oil to fine steel wool, make sure it's fine, and gently buff the rings out.

Black mark removal

Stain the wood with a suitable, darker stain. This is a judgement call, if the black mark is very pronounced or covers a large area you are better off sanding. You can test this out because if this doesn't work, you are sanding anyway.
Sand the table down to the wood and begin bleaching. Use a brush and apply bleach to the black marks as best you can, let it sit for a few hours and reapply until the stain is gone. If normal bleach doesn't work get some commercial wood bleach. Follow the instructions but you should have two bottles as part of a kit. After application it should start bubbling. Before finishing and project and restaining, you MUST apply a mixture of 2 parts water and 1 part vinegar to the area you bleached to neutralize the bleach, then rinse with normal H20. This is to ensure a good surface to re-stain.


What to do about clogged downspouts? A picture is better than words...

That's water shooting up from the connecting point during a heavy shower earlier due to the pressure.

Disconnect the down spout.
This may require you to remove screws and/or rivets. Screws are easy, just use the appropriate driver and back the screw out. Rivets, however, will have to be drilled out. Select a drill bit just larger than the hole in the head of the rivet, place the tip of the bit in the hole and drill. You're not looking to drill straight through, you'll drill just enough so the head of the rivet comes off.

Inspect the drain
Now that you have access to the drain itself; using a flash light, inspect the opening looking for blockages.

Clear the drain
You might get lucky here and be able to clear the drain by hand, or blow the clog out using a garden hose. If not, you'll want to snake the drain out using either a handheld or drill powered drain auger.

Reassemble
Once the drain is running freely, reattach the downspout using your preferred fastening method.

Warning:
DO NOT use chemical drain cleaners. Some areas tie gutters into the storm sewer system, which may drain directly into nearby rivers and streams.


How do I mount 20 lb speakers to drywall between studs? I have a pair of 20 lbs speakers that I want to mount to the drywall which is between two studs.  How do people recommend these speakers be mounted?  I would like to swivel and tilt the speakers.  The speaker dimensions are W x H x D = 8 x 12 x 10 inches.  I was thinking of using B-Tech BT77 mounts but not sure how much (if any) bracing is needed behind the drywall.

product manual

They make many different types of wall anchors.  I have used different forms of E-Z Anchors for years and am happy with them.  They hold up to 100 pounds in sheetrock with their toggle lock anchors.  1 of the normal screw anchors can hold 25 pounds in half inch rock.

I am sure those brackets have more than one mounting hole?  Place on the wall where you want, mark the holes with a pencil, "screw" in the anchors in the pencil marks and attach with screws and you should be good to go.  Now, this is assuming there isn't 1/4 inch rock on the walls :-)


Can you insulate a brick veneer house by adding exterior layers of insulation? In my neighborhood a guy is renovating his house and adding a floor to his bungalow. To my surprise this week all his walls are covered in some white sheets of something that seems to be insulation

Is this possible ? To add layers of insulation on top of something like brick?  (these are old houses, built into the 60s with a layer of brick outside, an air gap inside and then plywood and drywall (at least this I can remember, also there is probably some sheet that would prevent vapor or humidity circulation)

Problem #1: When installing insulation, you should think “envelop”. That is to say, just applying slabs of insulation to exterior walls does not “help” the energy conservation of the building, if there are gaps between the slabs, around the edges, etc. there will be NO insulation qualities.

Problem #2: Moisture Barrier. I’m sure there is an existing moisture barrier. (Note: moisture barrier is different than vapor barrier. Let’s discuss moisture barrier first.) Moisture barriers are installed to keep OUTSIDE moisture from penetrating the exterior walls and causing dryrot, mold, etc. When you add another exterior layer, like insulation, it requires another moisture barrier. If moisture gets past this new moisture barrier it can get trapped and create dryrot, mold, etc.

Problem #3: Vapor barrier and Dew Point. Vapor barriers keep vapor from exiting the living spaces and getting into the insulation. Once in the insulation it can change into moisture through a process called “Reaching it’s Dew Point.” The placement of vapor barriers is important because vapor can change into moisture at the Dew Point and create dryrot, mold, etc. in the walls and ceilings. When there are two moisture barriers, this will often occur between them, depending on the amount of existing insulation in the wall.

Dryvit is a manufacturing company that has a system of installing insulation on the exterior of walls and then troweling on a coat of waterproof plaster. If you google it, you’ll see about a hundred lawsuits for these identical problems.

Be careful adding new “systems “ over existing systems.


How can I tell if my vinyl floor is inlaid or contains asbestos? I'm removing the flooring sheets from an apartment, and I'd like to figure out whether it's linoleum (as we've been calling it this whole time) or vinyl sheets or what else.

Here a picture (more can be found here):

I'm wondering:

Would you know whether it's Linoleum or Vinyl or what else? According to what I read on the internet I believe it's most likely Vinyl flooring (no uniform color, the sheet itself is just a couple of millimeters thin, it was installed around the '70s etc).
How do I get rid of it? They say Vinyl flooring is made of PVC and is quite toxic. A dumpster is the way, isn't it?
Most likely there's no asbestos, right? I'm just being paranoid here, since on the internet they seem to link vinyl flooring to asbestos a lot.

The apartment is located in a 14 store mid-to-low-end apartment building built in 1969 in West Berlin (West Germany), if this can help.

Thanks!

In the US at least, asbestos was used during and after the 70's. I can't speak for Germany.

To really know if it contains asbestos or not you'll need to test it. In the US at least you can get a kit for about $10 to collect a sample. Then it's another $40 or $50 for a lab to test your sample.

I'd say it's linoleum based on the fiber backing. See if you can melt it with a burning match - vinyl will melt easily but linoleum won't. Do this with a small sample (don't try to light your floor on fire...) and have a way to put it out.

To find out what to do with it, call whoever takes your trash away. The law regarding trash disposal will vary a huge amount by jurisdiction so it's tough to answer exactly.


Why do double hung windows have sash stops Double hung windows have a sash stop to keep then from opening all the way by a few inches. The only reason I can figure they are used is to make the window operation foolproof. Without it, when Clement Clarke Moore throws open the sash on Christmas Eve, the window could get stuck open.  Is there some other practical purpose? Google isn't helpful at all.

Generally, double-hung window sashes are removed by opening them to the limit of their travel, then pulling the sash away from the frame (after removing sash stop and molding). This movement to the limit also usually reveals parts of whatever balance and attachment mechanism(s) the window is equipped with. "They" don't want the end user to extend the window that far; except deliberately, to effect repairs.


conduit to connect panels outside I am connecting a 200 amp meter/distribution panel to a 100 amp RV panel (both mounted on the same post outside). Can I connect the two with metal, pvc, or the flexible non metal or metal conduit to run my wires? They will only be about 6 inches apart, back to back. So, it would work best to come out side knockouts, because the RV panel is only 9inches wide and i would not be able to access the back knockout. Please advise.
Thanks
Dean

Honestly, I would affix a chunk of marine plywood to the pole, prime it, paint it with exterior paint, and attach the RV panel to that.  That will give you more freedom to position it for a "back to back", "out the bottom of the RV panel and then in the back of the main" with a single bevel 90, or down, over and up with two 90s.
Given the very short distance, the cost of wire is negligible, so I would use #3 copper.  I'm not a huge fan of copper for feeder, but it's the most compact, so it'll fit in the smallest conduit.

Here's the thing about those "50/30/20" RV stands.  Generally, you're expected to install one of those per RV site.  And then, the RV is expected to use the one socket that is compatible with its power.
You keep talking like using all three of them at the same time, you're not required to provision for that.  You only need to provision for the largest socket available to any given site, and you ignore all the smaller sockets.
If you follow the "One 50/30/20 panel per site", then it's pretty simple.  You calculate based on 50A/12,000 watts per panel/site, and then apply the favorable derate that Ed Beal mentioned from 551.73.

90% if 2 sites (so 90A for two 50/30/20 RV stands)
80% if 3 sites (so 120A for three 50/30/20 RV stands)
75% for 4 sites
65% for 5 sites
60% for 6 sites
55% for 7-9 sites (thus you can support seven 50A sites from 200A service)

So again, you don't have to provision more sockets than you have RV sites.  You just count your RV sites and provision that many sockets, largest first.
And follow what Ed Beal says about how 50A RVs take a lot more power than 30A RVs.  That is  because 50A RVs take 240V power, not 120V.  They take over triple the power of a 30A.

50A/240V sockets are 12,000 watts
30A/120V sockets are 3,600 watts
20A/120V sockets are 2,400 watts
By the way, tent sites follow a special rule and you must only figure them for 600 watts.

And then apply the derate as Ed says.
Like I say, given your 100A provisioning, I would just go ahead and install two 50/30/20 RV subpanels at wherever you expect will be most useful.   Because the subpanels are good for 100A busing, you don't actually need to give them separate breakers - you can simply daisy chain from one subpanel to the next.  But the wire needs to be 100A.
Does it matter how many sites you support with two 50/30/20 RV stands?  Actually it doesn't -- no combination will exceed 100A.

2 sites: 12,000 x 2 = 24,000 W x 90% derate = 90A
3 sites: 12,000 x 2 + 3600 = 27,600 W x 80% derate = 92A
4 sites: 12,000 x 2 + 3600 x 2 = 31,200 W x 75% derate = 97.5A
5 sites: 12,000 x 2 + 3600 x 2 + 2400 = 33,600W x 65% derate = 91A
6 sites: 12,000 x 2 + 3600 x 2 + 2400 x 2 = 36,000 W x 60% derate = 90A


Outlets worked intermittently with voltage fluctuations and are now dead entirely Just bought a home built in the 1920's, the knob-and-tube was updated a couple times at different eras but there is still fabric wrapped ungrounded wiring (FWUW) in many rooms.  The living room (and crawlspace/storage beneath it) is all FWUW on one circuit, two outlets on the circuit work six outlets (and two lights) don't.  They didn't stop working all of a sudden, it was a gradual decline which I hope can help lead to the solution:

2 weeks ago the 6 outlets and 2 lights just stopped working one night, the next day I tried the lights again and they came on for about 1 minute and then died again
The next day I measured the voltage on several of the outlets and they read ~1v across hot-neutral
The next day, investigating further, I measured them again and now they read ~60v across hot-neutral
A couple days later I plugged in a light into one of the outlets (forgetting they were dead) and the light worked for about 5 minutes and then died.
Now all dead outlets read ~1v.
The two working outlets read ~125v and have continuity across hot-neutral, the dead outlets read ~1v and have no continuity across hot-neutral.

Its an old house with lathe and plaster so its difficult to trace wires but I can't find an obvious junction box to investigate for bad connections, there are no GFCIs on the circuit and none of the outlets I found have pigtails w/bad connections.

Is there a particular issue I should be looking for and what technique(s) can I use to track it down?  Looking around here and elsewhere it could be a loose wire (haven't found one yet), a GFCI (none on the circuit) or a faulty 'shared neutral'?

Having no voltage indicated on your meter would indicate a bad connection on the hot wire for most meters (an open neutral would show some voltage with high impeadance meters that are normally used). I would start checking at the last working outlet then the first dead one. When the new outlets or wiring was installed did they use the back stabs on the outlets? Back stabs or push in connections are notorious for failing. Most of the knob and tube replacements I have done the boxes were in the attic, it is very rare for the boxes to be in the crawl space but I did find several on 1 job.
Use caution in the attic because sometimes the in wall knob & tube was left in place but the feeder wires to that junction box was updated (still allowed by code).
So start at the 2 outlets since they would be the easy ones to get to then start checking the attic junction boxes.


Stain Grade Door - piece of veneer missing - how best to repair? I have a brand new door stain grade vertical grain fir or hemlock.  Any thoughts on how best to handle this damage?  I am not sure if the door came like this or if it was damaged by the door installer.  A replacement door is probably close to $800 after delivery.  It is the bottom of the door on the room side face of the door so I am not sure anyone but me would notice.

For minor repairs I have used lacquer sticks with much success. There are videos of people who really know how to use the sticks to make repairs like you need. You could try it yourself with practice. The sticks are not a big investment.

Paint could be used too, as in faux finish, but that is definitely an acquired touch.


How can I find an appropriate replacement air filter for my furnace? Background: I got a Bryant 915SA furnace with my new house and it's time to replace the air filter.

Problems:

The filter is not branded so I don't know what company made it.
The filter is not a standard size; it's approx. 24.5" x 15.5" x 3.75"
I haven't found a data source indicating who made it.
I suspect the furnace installer (who's happy to sell them) is overcharging for replacements.
The furnace manual lacks details on recommended air filter suppliers.

Suspicions: I suspect the air filter is by GlasFloss based on comparing the Amazon picture to my actual filter (image attached)

Question:
How can I determine which brands and models are appropriate replacements for this air filter?

It's a standard 25" x 16" x 4" filter (41625 is the size as well as the part number for that filter).

You can pick them up at any DIY store in the US for about $40.


How do I get my bench clamp swivel to hold? I have a bench vise that can rotate something like 270°. The problem is that the clamp that's supposed to stop it from rotating seems to only work in one direction. I can crank as hard as I can on the handle - really reefing on it. Yet, the vise will still rotate.

Here's a picture of the vise with the handle in question:

On the bottom there's a square head on the bolt that looks to have an ACME thread. My thought was that I could just grind down a bit off the end of the bolt and that should let me tighten it a lot better against the base of the vise. Does that seem like a bad idea? Are there better ways to keep my vise from rotating?

Edit

Here's the bolt and the underside of my vise:

Your idea of grinding a few threads from the bolt seems to be on the right track. In that photo, I wondered if the bolt was bottoming in the handle nut. Of course, if you grind too much off, it's not an easy task to replace the lost threads.

As an alternative, consider a shim of sufficient diameter to engage the entire bottom plate of the vise with sufficient thickness to take up the needed gap in the clinch bolt assembly.

If you're handy with a welder, build up a bead of weld on the edges of the bolt that engage the slot and gain the take-up in that manner as another option.


What's better for outside trim- treated pine 1x4 or painted/primed yellow pine in Houston? Which is best choice? Contractor says pressure treated pine does not hold paint because it might still be wet.  He prefers primed and painted yellow pine.  This is for a rental.  On my home I live in, I have seen the untreated Yellow Pine (fascia) fail in <8 years even though it was primed both sides with Kilz. 19 years ago I had treated pine 1x4 trim installed and painted and still is good.  Oil base primer will be used regardless.  Is there a pressure treated 1x4 spec. or brand that is more dry & paint friendly?  This is Houston so high heat & humidity and lots of rain.

I think there is some confusion going on, pressure treated lumber for ground contact and yard / deck use is a completely different animal than the pressure treated radiata pine product that is used for trim, fascia, and barge rafters. This material is kiln dried and as a contractor since 1989 and a carpenter since 1978 the pressure treated resawn pine is used 80% of the time and is sold in all lumber yards including home depot and lowes. It is expensive but comes with a heavy prime that seems to be infused into the wood, no knots, and is rot and mildew resistant, very straight and does not shrink, split or warp. All the large lumber companies have their own brand name for this product. Its probably not used on some lower end tract homes because of its cost, but in the long run it is more stable than the clear resawn cedar and redwood we used to be able to use.(even in the 70's almost clear redwood 2x8's were extremely expensive, and they were usually somewhat wet so they would change a bit over time).


Garage roller door motor not stopping when closed I just replaced two broken straps on my roller garage door. They look like below (when not broken).

Everything went well (tested with manual crank up and down etc..) but then I closed the door fully via the motor. It did not detect that it had reached the bottom and the motor carried on going. I wasn't quick enough in stopping it and the straps were smashed to pieces. Lo and behold - exactly as per the original damage. So now I know why they were broken!
As the straps only cost me £20, I'm inclined to have another go at this, as long as I'm better prepared for the closing problem.
So here's the question: Why did the motor not stop? Do I need to do something to reset the system to the fully closed position? Does it sound like an electrical fault, or did I just miss a step?

The door is pretty old. Installed by previous home owner about 10 years ago. I don't know the manufacturer or model. The sticker on the unit is for a distributer/fitter. I rang them and they were not helpful. All I know is it's a pretty basic insulated roller door with 55mm slats. It has a simple remote control and obstruction detection for the motor.

I bought a new pair of straps and had another go...
Although I couldn't find any manufacturer's instructions for the door or motor, I did find some instructions for the remote control unit which mentions doors having screw limit switch adjusters. On my roller they look like the photo below.
With the door half open I decreased the travel for both up and down directions and slowly incremented them until the door stopped exactly at the top and exactly at the bottom.
I'm still scared to open and close my door without my finger hovering over the stop button, but so far it works and has saved me quite a bit of money.


Same paint touch up noticeable I've recently re decorated my spare room but there were some wet spots on one of the walls. I primed it as to prevent it from bleeding through and then painted over it.

You can see the different shade though and I tried painting over the entire wall and it's still slightly noticeable?

Any ideas?

I'm using a roller and I used a roller to begin with and
It's the exact same paint (Matte)

When touching up a wall, were the paint has fully cured. It's best to prime and paint (or just paint, were priming is not required) the entire wall, rather than touching up small spots.

You probably won't notice the small color difference between two adjoining walls. You will, however, notice a small blotch in the middle of a wall.


How to encapsulate asbestos around water heater exhaust pipe and cinderblock wall? It was brought to my attn that there's asbestos insulation around the exhaust pipe of my water heater. I planned to have an energy audit on the house which involves creating negative room pressure throughout the house - something the auditors will only do if asbestos is removed or encapsulated, to avoid drawing asbestos fibers into the air.

Here are pics of the area in question.

This patch of asbestos looking material is small and isolated so I'm thinking it's a DIY job and others have agreed. Looks like it's still holding together pretty well but has rough edges and areas that will be hard to cleanly fill in without some kind of spray-on applicator. The main pipe going into it is warm (maybe sometimes hot?) exhaust from the nearby water heater, and the block wall is under the house's chimney so it may get warm/hot as well (the chimney's old ash catcher is under this area).

A home inspector I know advised me to cover it in metallic duct tape used on high-temp duct work, simply overlapping tape in straight lines until it is all covered up. I found some of that but have a hard time imagining this being a 'clean fix' and cringe at the idea of trying to peel duct tape off of asbestos. Plus I'm not sure the metallic tape will secure well onto the block wall.

Another inspector suggested applying heat resistant caulk where the pipe meets the asbestos, then spray paint the rest with a spray-on enamel. The latter advice sounds like the 'right' way to do it to me, but as I went to look for heat resistant caulk and enamel I realized I'm lost about which of the many types of caulk and enamel paint to get.

So, what's the safe and sufficient way to encapsulate this patch? If a specific product is needed (duct tape, caulk, safety gear) please be specific or link to examples so I can make sure I'm getting the right stuff for this job.

Context: 100+yr/old home in northeast USA. Area in question is on an exterior foundation wall, in a utility room with a forced-air furnace+A/C, water heater, laundry appliances, some storage. Not a particularly well ventilated room.

The only way to tell if it is asbestos is to have it tested. Asbestos is added to all sorts of products to make them more heat resistant. If it is really old it probably isn’t asbestos though. To encapsulate it just paint it. Either house paint or some sort of runny caulking. That will encapsulate the fibers so you will really need to pick at it to have any fibers fly around. If it is a high traffic area you could then cover it with sheet metal.


How do I attach twist straps to rafters along the top plate? I live in a 1950's cape house with a finished attic.  The rafters are nominally 2x6.  I want to refinish the attic with better insulation and called in a structural engineer to make sure the roof is up to holding the additional weight of insulation and snow load.  The verdict was it should be good with some reinforcement.  The engineer advised me to a) reinforce each collar tie to rafter connection with a 5/8 in bolt and b) nail 2x's across the rafters along the top plates in the attic and attach the bottoms of the rafters to the 2x's with twist straps.  The idea being to have the straps tie the rafters to the joists and do more to keep them from sliding out and my roof pancaking.

I toyed around with a 12 in simpson strong-tie twist strap to see how it fits and I should be able to make it work if I run 2x6's along the top plate.  What's giving me pause is that the rafters are toe-nailed to the top plate and the nail heads are are right where the strap would go.

Is it safe to grind the nail heads flush with the surface?  Is it safe to drive more nails that close to the end of a 70 year old what I think is douglas fir rafter?  I would pre-drill and only nail through the top 4 holes on the strap but I'm cautious because I've worked with similar lumber elsewhere in the house and it's petrified.  Am I misunderstanding what the structural engineer suggested and have this backwards somehow?

Just tap the toenails in deeper. Use a finer tipped chisel if you need to. Then attach it as the engineer has specified.

Even if the wood is rather old, the direction of the force that the nails and bolts are acting in shouldn't rip it apart. It'd be noticable if it was dangerous from your photo and that's not the case.


Confused by the circuitry in the switch box for my basement lights (installing 1st smart switch) I've spent the last couple hours trying to install a smart switch in my new-construction home (finished last month in Chicago) and I'm a bit confused. Pictures here, going to focus on the top picture.

The yellows/purple are loads and travelers. The dark grey seems to be line and carries current, though for some reason it both enters and leaves the box and, if cut, all switches fail to work. It's the unconnected reds and whites that really confuse me. When I turn off the circuit breaker for "basement lights", the grey line loses power but the red remains hot.

I tried hooking up the smart switch grabbing a random white for neutral from that twistie, but the switch doesn't work. I'm kinda thinking that those twisted whites either are not neutral or that they're not all the same and one of the other white ones is the actual neutral.

Hopefully someone recognizes this setup and knows how I should be wiring the smart switch (use red instead of grey for line? use a different white as neutral?

Thanks for any help!

Optional additional info (may confuse more than help):
The reason I'm thinking maybe the whites aren't all the same is that is that there's a similar switch box on the other side of the basement which has a combo switch and outlet and the outlet uses the red/white while the switch uses dark grey and yellow. Again, the switch doesn't work there and I'm not sure if it's because I'm using the wrong white line (some are labeled south-wire, some north-wire) as neutral. Also on that side the whites seem to spark when I mess with them though my indicator says there's no current. And when I mess with them I can hear a small beep from elsewhere in the basement, maybe near the circuit breaker... there's a couple things plugged in under the circuit breaker that run straight into the wall. When my wife asked the builder what those do, he said "don't worry about it, it won't come up".

I tried hooking up the smart switch grabbing a random white for neutral from that twistie, but the switch doesn't work. I'm kinda thinking that those twisted whites either are not neutral or that they're not all the same and one of the other white ones is the actual neutral.

That is exactly your problem.  Collectively the bundle is neutral.  You can't however "grab a random white for neutral" out of the bundle and just hook it up one on one.

The reason is that one of those white wires is the neutral that goes back to the panel, the rest of the bundle is going to the lights plugs etc that these switches are controlling.

To hook up your new switch you need to get all the whites together and capped with the same wire nut.


Water pressure calculation from overhead tank My overhead tank is at 12m height. From there a 50mm diameter pipe is running down and up to 50m horizontally and then raising from there to 6m to 3 bathrooms (no shower) and 3 wash basins. Is this height sufficient to supply water and how would I calculate the water pressure?

There are many online calculators for this, such as:

http://m.convert-me.com/en/convert/pressure/mwater.html

A meter of water is about 1.5 PSI so 12 meters is only 18 PSI and would be pretty disappointing for water pressure. You will have to run around in the shower to get wet.

When no water is flowing, the size of the pipe and the horizontal run are immaterial to this law of physics. It is the height of the water column that creates static pressure. When water is flowing, the pipe size and length may reduce the pressure, but in this case (assuming 50mm is an inside diameter) you shouldn't see any reduction in pressure.

Good luck!


Are there any disadvantages to switching from a punch-down distribution box to an RJ-45 one? My house is wired for Ethernet, and it uses RJ45 jacks wired with Cat5 cables for POTS.  I have no use for POTS, and I'd prefer to repurpose those jacks as additional Ethernet jacks.  The Ethernet and telephone cables all end up in a central wiring closet, and the telephone cables are wired to a Channel Vision C-0438 distribution box:

To make it easier to repurpose cables (by disconnecting them from the distribution box and connecting them to an Ethernet switch, or vice versa), I am considering replacing this distribution box with a Channel Vision C-0436, which uses RJ-45 jacks.  Would there be any disadvantages to this?

(As far as I can tell, each telephone jack in the house corresponds to a cable connected to the distribution box, so I don't think any of the cables are spliced.)

Yes, you can pull out your existing telco punchdown block and replace it with a suitable block for Ethernet networking.
What you're really looking for is a Cat 5e (or better), T-568A or T-568B compatible punchdown block with RJ45 jacks. That's TIA/EIA-568 revision B, which is essentially identical to the older AT&T 258A (Systimax) standard, which was originally designed for telephone service. T-568A and T-568B are electrically compatible as long as the same standard is used on both ends of each segment. T-568A is still the official data networking standard, but a lot of vendors use T-568B. Whichever; just make sure the same standard is used on both ends of each individual length of cable.
So a typical structured cabling solution works for phones and data networking, although a residential solution may bridge tap all of the phone lines so all the extensions ring together, and that's completely incompatible with Ethernet networking. It's also easy to bridge tap multiple RJ45 ports together in the future if that becomes desirable.
Your new punchdown block
First confirm that those cables in the wall are Cat5e. If they're only Cat5, then you'll only be able to reliably use Fast Ethernet (100Mb/s), not Gigabit Ethernet (1000Mb/s).
You'll fasten your new punchdown block to the back of your media cabinet, then punch your incoming cables down to the new block. There's an example below (picture), but you can literally just walk into a big box store and grab one for $20 or so. Then you'll run short Ethernet patch cables between this punchdown block and your switch or router. T-568B is also compatible with telephones, so this upgrade won't prevent you or the next owner from using those existing wall jacks for telephone extensions later if you want to.

You'll want to confirm that your RJ45 wall jacks are wired up to the T-568B standard.

You'll fasten your switch(es) and/or router(s) to the back of your structured media enclosure as well, then you'll use short Ethernet patch cables to make connections from the switch/router ports to your wall jacks.
Someday you might want phones again
If you want to bridge some ports to turn on some telephone extensions in the future, you could easily do it with a little creative crimping of RJ-45 and/or RJ-11 plugs to connect all the right wires, which you would then plug into the RJ-45 jacks you want to connect phones to.
Or you could just buy a telephone interface hub similar to the one pictured below, which lets you adjust which jacks are bridged together using bridge clips. So you would snap on whatever bridge clips suit your purpose, then use regular telephone patch cables (2 or 4 wire) to connect the wall jacks to the telephone interface.
I guess I should clarify that you can plug RJ-11 (phone) plugs into RJ-45 jacks.


Correct method for Patio deck attachment to roof Just moved into a house, the patio deck roof looks unstable. It's connected to the rafters by what looks like deck nails with no ledger board. Looking for opinions in this condition if I should tear the whole thing down and restart, or if it's a fixable solution. What materials do I require to repair and make the roof safe ? Is this acceptable with CA building standards ? Thank you in advance.

The normal fascia board has been removed and a 2X put on the end of the rafters to support the roof. Depending on the length I have seen this done and last for many years.
I would think if it was not up to code the home inspection would have identified that since it  looks new. It looks like they nailed through the boards. You could add hanger's if you are concerned like this. I would not tear it off unless a real problem is raised other than "looks unstable" or has leakage problems.


Switched outlet still has some power when off We have an outlet that is controlled by a switch, but we haven't had anything plugged into it since we moved in. This year we thought it would be a great idea to plug in the Christmas tree LED lights to the outlet so we can just turn them off and on easily. The problem is that when the switch is off, the LED lights still have a very dim light coming from them. Does anyone know why the outlet is still getting some power when the switch is off? Is this dangerous?

IMHO, it could be one of three things:

1) A feature of the lights. Some lights might have a "nightlight" feature.

2) Electromagnetic interference (EMI). Depending on how much electricity the lights require, and how dim they are, this might be possible. Especially if it's a half switched receptacle that was wired with a single 14-3 wire and the constant hot is powering the other half of the plug and something is plugged into it and drawing power while the switch is off... but I guess it could feasibly happen if the wires were just run next to other wires that are constantly powering something else. If this is the case, there's nothing wrong - it's just annoying

3) There's a small arc fault. I don't know how to verify this for sure because it might look just like EMI. These can go undetected for years and have the potential to start a fire. I've opened up walls before and found that half the 2x4 was burned away. I suggest doing whatever is cheapest and easiest first just in case the fault is in something easily replaceable (like replacing the switch and/or receptacle, or checking the receptacle with a volt meter). Or you could start with this just to make sure it's wired correctly (although I don't see how that could be the problem). But if you can't find it easily right away with those things, I'd install an AFCI on that circuit... and if that continues to trip, you know you have a serious problem, and it's time to call a professional electrician with equipment that can trace the wire and/or find the location of the fault.


Power a ceiling fan motor and light from the supply side of a three way switch I currently have a standard three way switch: 14/2 source -> three way switch -> 14/3 wire -> three way switch -> lights.  I would like to add a ceiling fan. I have room and access in the box with the 14/2 source. I can easily wire the fan to a simple switch and then control lights and motor with the ceiling fan chains.
  I would like to have the motor on the single switch and the lighting from my three way circuit. I can run 14/3 to my fan, but I don't see any possible way to provide power for the lights from the 14/2 supply box. Is there a way?
  My other option is power to the motor from the 14/2 supply box using a simple switch then run a second line from an existing light to the fan. The idea of running two 14/2 romex lines to single fan seems wrong to me though.

You could replace the 14/3wG between the two three-way switches with a 14/4wG cable, and use the fourth conductor to carry the switched-hot back to the 14/2 supply box, where you would connect it to the fan light wire.

This is more labor than your other plan, to connect the fan light directly to the existing light, but it will be a lot less confusing to any future electrician or handyman who has to deal with the circuit.


Lateral bracing for steel beam I’m installing a W16x26 steel beam, 20’ clear span underneath floor I-joists, 12” deep and 16”OC.  The beam is plenty stout in terms of sheer and deflection but needs lateral bracing to account for bending.
Usually folks have joists butting into these beams so they don’t need to worry about it.
My question is, how is this generally done?  Based on my calcs, I need to make the bracing 48” OC along the beam.
How is this generally done in a situation like this?  My plan was to bolt or weld brackets into the bottom 1/3 of the beam every 48”, and have a 2x4 or steel going at 45 degrees up and securing to the floor joists above, maybe 2 or 3’ from the beam.
Would this be acceptable?  Respectfully, I Don’t need advice to hire an engineer, the beam is almost in place, just looking for your thoughts on the bracing.
Thanks!

Are you sure your steel beam is a W16X26?
I doubt that beam needs lateral bracing, because that size beam will support about 31,000 lbs. per foot for a 20’ span. (That size beam can support my entire house and 3 of my neighbor’s houses.)
Lateral bracing is required when a beam is fully stressed (or overly stressed) and you need to keep the beam from buckling and “laying over”. This beam is not overstressed.
If you start drilling holes in the flanges, you’ll weaken the beam...don’t. If you need to attach something, drill holes in the vertical web.


How to install an extraction fan in a ceiling which has an existing hole larger than required I have an existing issue with my bathroom ceiling fan, as detailed in this post: How to fix an ineffective Extraction Fan setup in bathroom

I now wish to change it to a Fan that:

a)  Has a new motor, so it works
b)  Has an outlet vent that points upwards not sideways so the air can easily go to the roof vent

The IXL original (https://www.bunnings.com.au/ixl-tastic-original-3-in-1-bathroom-heat-fan-light_p4442438)  seems to fit this requirement.  However the cutout required is 262mm by 262mm as detailed on the third page here (https://2ecffd01e1ab3e9383f0-07db7b9624bbdf022e3b5395236d5cf8.ssl.cf4.rackcdn.com/Product/009c39d0-4f3b-4fd5-aacf-f58341f2d9d1.pdf)

My current ceiling aperture is 300mm by 300mm, which fits the Heller Silver Mason model (https://www.bunnings.com.au/heller-4-x-275w-led-silver-mason-3in1-bathroom-heater_p4441815)

I can either replace with exactly the same model, but I thought since I'm changing it over I may as well get one that has an outlet vent pointing upwards rather than sideways to suit the roof vent existing.  Unless there is another reason they did not use one of these initially that I am missing (maybe debris that fall through the roof vent would get into the Fan?)

Any advice on how to fill the gaps that would be caused by using a smaller unit is appreciated.

Thanks

I would make a wood backing plate to sit behind the hole, with another plate that fits into the existing 300mm aperture which has a 262mm aperture in it. The support comes from the backing plate.

Then final filling, smoothing and finishing as required.


Will 4x4 posts carry a patio cover with a 12 foot span? I have a 10 ft tall 12 ft wide and 46 ft long patio cover that I'm adding to the back side of my house. I have it all supported by 4x4s. They are spaced at about 7 feet apart down the entire 46 ft length but the 12 ft wide from the edge of my house to the edge of the porch has nothing.
I'm going to be putting a metal roof on top of it. Are my 4x4s enough to safely hold this weight? I live in South Alabama so snow is not usually a problem and wind where I'm at  is normally not a big problem either.
Also: I used 2x6's for the entire rafter system as well as my main beams holding the weight. I feel like I screwed up on that one. I'm thinking about coming back in underneath the two by sixes and adding another one directly below the ones I already have, just for extra support, or take A 2x4 and lay it flat on my 4x4 and attaching that down the whole length of the 4x4 just so my 2x6's  have something to sit on top of in order to stop the shear weight from possibly snapping my screws.
Any info will be greatly appreciated thank you.

So 4x4 posts every 7 feet, single 2x6 beams, and 2x6 rafters spanning about 12 feet. Right?
That's all fine except for the beams. They're barely adequate and will probably sag. You don't have to worry about snow loads, but you'll have a wavy roof after a few years.
I'd double them and fasten them together with two screws every 16 inches or so. Don't use a flat 2x4. That does nothing as a board like that is a trampoline.


Non-contact tester shows voltage in house circuit while three-lamp tester shows none None of the outlets or lights in my bedroom work. My non-contact tester shows the outlets are hot. My three lamp tester shows no juice reaching the outlets ( no lights light up when it's plugged in). Nothing will turn on when I plug it in either. What could cause this? I've tested both testers on known power sources and they appear to be fine.

Non contact testers work by identifying an electrical field. The wiring normally is run in close proximity and the live wires induce a voltage that can be detected by the non contact tester but there is no potential or current available so the lighted tester will not light. This is normal and quite common I have more expensive Fluke testers and very cheap ones and they all work the same. You can duplicate this with 2 extension cords plug 1 in and put another one not plugged in next to the first. The larger the load on the plugged in cord the larger the field will be on the cord that is not plugged in but many times no load is needed to induce the field in just a few feet. (this is how transformers work but they have many wraps of wire to develop the potential).
Have you checked your circuit breakers? if the handle is partially tripped it needs to be moved to the off position then back to the on position to reset it. it is also possible that the circuit is protected by A GFCI device that has tripped other than a failed electrical connection.


How much can I hang from a blinds bracket? Naughty question--I'm renting right now in a gorgeous, modern apartment and obviously can't hang anything on the walls. Buuuut.. I have this 65cm diameter mirror, approximately 4-5kg (something like that), which I would love to hang. I found a potential place and method to hang it, but I wanted to ask the experts here about it first.

I have two windows, about 150cm apart, both with blinds, and I figured that maybe if I thread some fishing line on the inside brackets for the blinds to connect to the upper corners of the mirror, I could potentially support it between the two blinds. From what I see from the brackets, they are screwed into the window frame using regular metal screws. I pulled on the brackets pretty hard to test how strong they are and they seem fairly steadfast, with no wriggling or looseness, though I wouldn't want to swing on them with my whole body weight or anything.

So, is this an idea that might work, or is it utterly dreadful and will end in catastrophe?

Wow, I would be very hesitant to employ that idea. That sounds like a catastrophe waiting to happen. And if your landlord has to come into your apartment and sees what you did s/he might not be happy with your idea at all.

Is it stipulated in your lease that you can't hang anything on the walls? I've lived in many areas and in several states. And from my experience, as long as I fill in any holes and leave the apartment the way it was when I first moved I have never had any problems.

Mirrors are heavy glass. I would want to support eleven pounds on the wall with something that goes into a stud. But if the drywall is in excellent shape this should suffice:

Picture hanger

That has a 75lb weight load capacity. It's just one small nail head that could be filled with toothpaste once you remove it and move away.

I would be surprised if you can't hang anything on your walls. I don't think I would rent an apartment that prohibited me from hanging a small mirror on the wall. Perhaps call your landlord and ask. Maybe s/he will feel better doing her/himself. Good luck!


Should the bottom of a shower enclosure be watertight? I have a newly-installed shower that leaks like crazy. As soon as the water level exceeds the depth of the low-profile tray, I end up with water all over my bathroom floor.

Is this gap in the enclosure the culprit?:

... and if so, do I just need a generous squirt of sealant or is there a component which our builder forgot?

(I'm also looking at why our trap is draining so slowly but that's another topic).

Yes, a shower base should be sufficiently water tight to contain an inch or so of water above the drain.  I know that mine does.  Yours doesn't appear to have a lip to contain the water, so that door needs a gasket to both contain the water and prevent damage to the door mechanism.

It sure looks like your builder forgot a seal or chunk of rubber gasket.  If it's recent work, I'd definitely ask about it.

And sure, you want to have your drain running right, but all drains eventually clog.  A working drain doesn't mitigate an unsealed shower base.  You'll need it one day regardless.


Would there be a problem installing 20A outlets/receptacles on a 15A circuit? I am upgrading some 15A outlets on a 15A circuit. Can I install 20A outlets instead of 15A outlets? If not, why not?
Will a 20A outlet on a 15A circuit pass a home inspection? Or, is it not allowed?

I'm going to be plugging in a 14000 BTU portable air conditioner and it just seems like a good idea to have a 20A outlet to reduce heating in the outlet, even if the circuit is rated only for 15A.
NOT a duplicate of Would there be a problem installing 20A switches on a 15A circuit?, because I'm asking about outlets, NOT switches.
I don't want to violate any laws either or have problems when I go to sell the house. I am located in California, in the United States. The house is an HOA-controlled condo, but I own the condo. The outlets I'm adding will be in the garage, likely on a NON-GFCI line--I'll be tapping a new outlet off of the house's interior hallway, through the wall, into the garage for a single new receptacle in the garage. The circuit is rated at 15A. I was thinking of putting a 20A outlet. I'm not sure, but maybe this is supposed to be a GFCI-outlet too, since it's in the garage--not sure.
Update:
This Amazon product review seems relevant: it indicates putting a 20A outlet on a 15A circuit is a code violation (emphasis added):

This was titled and advertised as a 15 amp device, but is actually a 20 amp device. As such, it's against safety code to use if you are on a 15A circuit. I had to return this item and purchase a 15 amp version, as installation of this would have caused me to fail inspection.

19 May 2021: I just saw this related question too:

Is it OK to have a 20 Amp receptacle on a circuit with 12 AWG wiring and a 15 Amp breaker?

I'm going to be plugging in a 14000 BTU portable air conditioner and it just seems like a good idea to have a 20A outlet to reduce heating in the outlet, even if the circuit is rated only for 15A.

That won't have any effect.  The internals of both 15A and 20A outlets are made of exactly the same stuff.
That's due to a UL requirement that 15A receps must be able to carry 20A internally, so they can be used in 20A circuits per 210.21.

If anything, 20A outlets are a bit worse, because the neutral wiper cannot be ful-width, since it must have a notch in it for the 20A sideways neutral.  Of course many 15A receptacles use the same stampings.
Putting a 20A recep on a 15A breaker would defeat the entire purpose of 20A plugs being a different shape. So obviously that has to be a code violation.  You don't want to plug a 20A-requiring appliance into a 15A circuit, because it would definitely overload, and ALL safety margin would rest on the breaker tripping.
If you wonder why a "single point of failure" is a bad safety strategy, watch aviation accident investigation videos.


Add drain line to existing Island fixture vent? In CA, would code allow for a drain line to be tied into the vent line shown at the location of the red arrow below?

Single family home.

Happy to draw a picture of where that vent lines goes, if that makes a difference.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Island_fixture_vent

No, you can't add a new drain to the vent stack. That would compromise the function of the vent.

To add another drain in to your plumbing system, you have to make sure that the waste line and vent are large enough for the fixture.


Bootleg Grounds and a Light Switch ISSUE
Recently started replacing the outlets in my home - found out that the outlets in my basement were bootleg grounded (neutral jumpered to the ground of the outlet). The circuit is run is in the following order from the source - Light Fixture, Outlet, Outlet, Switch/Outlet Combo. I'm assuming the reason as to why the outlets are bootleg grounded is that the source first goes to the light fixture and the bootleg grounds allowed for neutral to the fixture to be broken by the switch without killing power to the outlets.
SOLUTION
It seems to me that the only safe way to fix this issue would be to run a new feed from the switch to the fixture to provide switchable power for the fixture. New wiring order would look like this - Outlet, Outlet, Switch/Outlet Combo, Fixture. Any thoughts on my solution or alternative methods to correct this? I'd rather not run a new wire since there is no easy access to the ceiling or floor (bi-level house).

Several ways to fix it.
Install a new cable run from switch to light.
This is pretty much what you propose.
Replace the existing cable chain with /3 cable w/grnd.
Now, you assign colors as follows:

White = neutral
Black = always-hot
Red = switched-hot

Replace the last receptacle with a smart switch "master".
It then controls the light.  This switch is in an ungainly location, so you also install a smart switch "remote" in the desired switch location.  The remote talks to the master via either wireless, or powerline signaling.  I'm thinking of the Insteon family of products here.
Now the wire assignments are black=always-hot and white=neutral.
Ditto, but keep the last recep also.
This would be done 2 ways.  One is by blowing out the receptacle box to a 2-gang box, so both recep and smart switch can lay alongside.
The other is by leaving it a receptacle, and using a smart-switch "faceless module" up in the lamp ceiling rose.  (or for that matter wiring the smart-switch "master" to be right next to the lamp) by adding an appropriate box there).


What size wire for 20 amp 220V 80' I am running an electrical line for an a/c unit 220 it calls for 20 amp breaker  about 15' underground and the rest overhead in conduit 80' total. My question is what size wire should I use? Thankyou in advance

Why we cannot accurately answer this question

In order for someone to give you an accurate answer to a question such as yours, we need to know at least three things and maybe a forth.

Length or the run - you have

Run load amperage - you don't have

Type of conductor (copper or aluminum) - we are assuming copper

Ambient temperature - we can get back to this one.

Just because the AC you are installing calls for a 20A breaker doesn't mean it needs the entire 20A. 20A breaker is the overcurrent protection device that trips if the circuit is in danger of damage by a short, compressor lock, or some else that goes wrong. It does not indicate the operating amperage of the unit.

Somewhere on the unit there is a nameplate and it should have the RLA (run load amperage) FLA (full load amperage) or just an amperage or maybe even a HP rating.

So what if I can't find the nameplate rating?

Then rather than just taking a WAG (wild ass guess). We take a SWAG (scientific wild ass guess) and run a calc based on the breaker size, but all guarantees go out the window.

This chart is part of a cookbook I gave to the field so they could do a quick reference in the field without have to run a calc.

So you can see that if we have AC running at a 20A breaker and at a 3% voltage drop we can run a feeder 166' with a number #10 copper conductor. Remember the fourth thing you needed? This chart was developed using 75 degrees C. Since you are running conduit in an exposed environment we would need to know the climate you live in, your compass exposure and how you intend to mount your conduit (distance from wall).

So can we run #12? - Don't know not enough information.

Can we run #10? - Probably safe and since it's only 1/2 the allowable distance, SWAG best option.

Can we run #8? - Super safe depending on how much you are willing to spend.

Would you like to get a tighter answer? We will need to get more information.

Good luck


3 wire cooktop (réduit black & grounds) to a 4 wire ourlet (red black wite & ground) How can Connect a 3 wire cooktop (red black & ground) to a 4 wire ourlet (red black wite & ground)

Connect red, black and green/bare (ground.) Put a wire nut on the unused white in the wall box, in case a different appliance is used later that needs it.
Or: If using a plug into a 4-wire receptacle, just don't connect to the neutral (white) blade of the plug.