Dual propane tank equalization I recently had a second 80 gallon propane tank installed so that I would have extended run time for my 9Kw whole house generator.

The second tank is connected to the first tank and to my generator, and the first tank has a line that runs into my home for a gas fireplace.

The first tank's gauge currently reads 70 gallons, but the second tank is sitting at around 10 gallons. I realize that propane is a liquid in the tank, but as a load is placed on the tank, the liquid turns into a gas and it's this gas at the top of the tank that exits the tank and is used by whatever is generating the load.

So my questions are:

Should I ever expect the tanks to equalize on their gauges? I expect the answer is no, as only the gas will readily transfer between the tanks.
Can I infer the overall quantity of propane left in both tanks by reading the gauge on just one tank? I ask this, because the new tank has a gauge compatible with automatic tank level reading devices, and I'd love to add this to my setup.

Equalizing the tanks is not what you want to do. Instead you should allow one tank to be fully consumed before switching over to the second. This gives you the consumption time of the second tank to get a replacement or refill of the first tank. If you equalized and drew down both tanks to empty then you are out of available fuel until you get both tanks filled or replaced. Also if you were in the habit of keeping spare full tanks available on site the first approach only requires one spare tank while the latter requires two spare tanks.

The method used to switch between the two tanks is something you can choose based upon what tradeoff of price versus convenience works best for you. Obviously the simplest is probably a manual switch over valve.


Switched outlet to unswitched usb I am attempting to replace a switched standard electrical outlet with a usb one. The current outlet has one half controlled by a switch and I would like both halves to be always live with the new usb outlet. When I removed the plate and pulled out the outlet I discovered 3 black, 3 white, 1 red, and 1 ground wires. My new usb outlet can only accommodate 2 live, 2 neutral, and the ground.

How do I go about connecting this properly and converting to unswitched? Thanks in advance!

Edit: Adding pictures.

Picture 1: Current outlet with wires attached. Note that in one of the outlets I looked at, the red and black wires going into the back (not underneath the screws) were the opposite of this picture.

Picture 2: Current outlet without wires attached.

Picture 3: Back of the switch.

Picture 4: Back of one of the new USB outlets I have.

Picture 5: Back of the other new USB outlet.

Based on the photos, it looks like the red wire is the switched wire, and the black wires are hot.  If you no longer want to use the switch, cap the red wire and connect the black and white wires as instructed.  Also make sure that the wires are properly installed on the receptacle, from your picture, one of the black wires looks loose.

If the switch will no longer be used, you can also remove it, cap the red and black wires there, and use a blank faceplate to cover that up.  That way, there is no risk posed by having the red wire energized if the switch is turned to on.


How can I fasten a low-voltage plate to drywall? I do not have much experience with home improvement related things. I moved into my first apartment and I saw that the internet coaxial cable was pushed inside the outlet. I loosened the screws and using a knife I cut the thin paint layer around the cover and removed the cover

I pulled the coax cable out and fixed the position but when I try to screw the cover back it won't go in. What do I need to fix this outlet cover?

Low voltage plates without brackets make for a sad DIYer

It appears the last installer tried simply screwing the cover plate to the drywall directly without a bracket or box to back it up.  Unfortunately for them, screws don't hold well in drywall, as you found out the hard way.  While you could use drywall anchors, there isn't much left there for them to hold on to, thanks to the screw-job chewing up the drywall.

It'd be better if you got something called an "old work low voltage bracket", such as the one shown below, that installs behind the drywall with a set of built-in clamps that hold it to the wall.  You'd have to cut out the damaged drywall around the existing hole to the size of the bracket's cutout, insert the bracket, and then engage the clamps.  Then you can screw the faceplate to the bracket and have things stay together properly.  (Obviously, you need to undo the cable to do this.)


how do I attach 2 wires to one terminal screw on an outlet or light switch? I'm in the USA.  I often need to attach 2 wires to 1 screw terminal -- for instance on a switch... or on a single outlet... or a duplex outlet that I've split.

What are my options to do that?

Certain wires must be pigtailed, you can't rely on the device to make the connection.  That includes all grounds.  It also includes neutrals in multi-wire branch circuits.

If it has 2 screw terminals obviously ganged together, you can use those.  These are often connected by "tabs" which can be broken off to change the device's function -- watch out for those.

It is illegal to put 2 wires on one screw.

If it has the higher quality back connection which is clamped by the screw, those commonly provide for 2 wires per screw, so you're all set.

If it has 2 backstab holes obviously together, well... try to avoid using "backstabs" at all as they are not reliable.

It is illegal to use one screw and one backstab.  Use only one kind of fastening method.

If all else fails, obtain a "wire nut" - similar to the ones you may see on the neutral and ground wire.  Nut the 2 wires together with a third wire about 6" long.  This is called a "pigtail".


Difference between lacquered and polished chisels What's the difference between lacquered chisels and polished chisels? Are there any advantages of one over the other?

Irrelevant in use, IMHO - Lacquer is essentially providing some rust protection in the warehouse before you buy the chisel. It will be removed from the working surfaces of the chisel, preferably by you doing a proper sharpening before use and as it is used, and if not, by wear in use.

Polished would simply be polished, and have no lacquer to be removed. Again, the working surfaces will be sharpened (hopefully) and the polish won't matter.


How can I restore ridged decking? My in-laws have a deck out the back of the house. They're old and the deck hasn't been maintained in 10 years or more.

Many of the boards have blackened and are lethally slippery if the weather is even mildly damp. Also, several of the boards feel "spongy" when stepped on.

Is there anything I can do to restore this, firstly so that it's safe to walk on, and secondly so that it's good to look at.

Also, if "sanding" is part of the solution, the boards are ridged, do you need a special sander for ridged boards? (The boards are ridged like these . . .)

Will the spongy boards need to be replaced, or can they be treated somehow?

P.S. Forgive me but I know next to nothing about wood/gardening/DIY etc, but these jobs are falling to me now.

UPDATE To answer some queries . . .
The picture is from a catalog, to show the boards are ridged.
I don't know for sure, but would bet the farm that the decking is wood.
It'll be the weekend before I'm out there again, I'll determine the material and take pictures of the deck.
I'll also try to get in under it and see where the sponginess is coming from .

. . . and guys thanks for the responses so far, this really is all rocket science to me.

I'd start by LIGHTLY power washing with a detergent, or if you don't want to rent a power washer and need a workout, use a stiff bristled scrub brush to scrub down the deck with detergent. That'll remove the black/slimy stuff, and will probably resolve most of the problems with the deck itself. Don't really grind into it with the power washer.

The main thing you're going to need to figure out before you can replace portions of it is precisely what the material is. Did your parents have the deck built, or was it there? If you can find old receipts or quotes, that might tell you what the material is. It also might be under warranty -- most of the early composites had a warranty for 15 or 30 years, and if it's only ten years old, then the spongy boards might be replaced by the manufacturer if they're still around. Hard to tell without actually having a product and manufacturer name.

The difficulty with replacing boards in a deck like this without exposed nails is that you have to take off most of the boards to get to the one you need to replace. You start at the edge and remove the facing board, and then you have to remove the hardware holding each board down in turn to be able to safely remove and slot in a replacement. The replacement also won't match, and unlike wood, the composites don't weather to the same color quickly. If the money's there, you might just consider having the entire deck resurfaced, especially if your parents are elderly and the house is going to be sold as they move on in life.


How to keep house from getting so dusty with no HVAC system? I've had a central HVAC system and always used high quality furance filters all my life until my current apartment, which has basically no air filtration/circulation system. (Radiator heat, and window ac units) It seems to get dusty extremely quickly, much quicker than any other place I've lived with a central system. Having a dog doesn't help things either. I purchased an expensive standalone air purifier, but that really doesn't seem to be cutting down on the dust much either. Any suggestions?

I'd start by trying to figure out where the dust is coming from.  Do you now have carpets where you used to have hardwood or other non-fiber flooring surfaces?  Especially old or broken-down carpets can be a big source of dust.  Also you could have a different environment outside that has more dust in it compared to your previous location(s) that's working its way into your apartment?  Possibly a different cooking environment (or no vent hood to evacuate cooking odors).  If you do have a vent hood, beware that with many of the vent hoods they don't actually remove the air, they just run it through a charcoal grease filter and send it right back out into the air.

It's also possible that your old places with the high-quality HVAC filters would be similarly dusty if you hadn't had those filters in place.

Probably need to figure out where the dust is coming from, and try to mitigate that as much as possible.  If that's not possible, then probably the only other solution is to buy multiple air purifier units and distribute them throughout the rooms of your apartment.  If the noise is objectionable while you're in your apartment, you could put them on timers to run only when you're not there.


What are the proper steps for staining a deck? My deck just past its 10-year mark and is starting to look quite tired. It's time to restain it. What steps do I need to take to make sure I do everything right, from start to finish?

The key to any finishing or refinishing job is proper preparation.

1) Clean the deck, railings etc well, removing as much dirt, grime etc with a power washer on medium setting

2) Wet the area with a mixture of 2/3 gal water, 1/3 gal bleach, and 1/2 cup TSP.

3) Let the mixture set for 5 minutes, then scrub it in with a stiff bristle push broom wetted in the same cleaning solution.

4) BEFORE the cleaning solution dries, rinse it off with a hose or your power washer.

5) Repeat this in any areas that still look bad or stained with BBQ leftovers etc. This should brighten the wood considerably.

6) Repair any loose boards, nails, screws etc.

7) Let the wood dry completely, usually a couple of days under good conditions before staining.

8) I like to apply stain with a roller on a pole or 1 gal pump sprayer, then immediately over brush with a good china bristle brush to even it out.  Don't be surprised if it takes two coats to look good again.

9) Don't wait 10 years again to freshen up your deck!!!!!   Good Luck


How can I attach a kick down door stop to a hollow metal door? I have a hollow-core metal door out to my car port, and it gets a lot of traffic.  I'd like to add a kick-down door stop to the door.  I think one option is to drill pilot holes and use self-tapping screws to secure the stop to the front part of the door.  But I'm worried that this will bend the door's sheet metal.  Should I instead drill all the way through the door and bolt the door stop to a plate on the other side?  If so, is there any way to make that look nice?

If you make the plate with spacers combined with internal threads you should be able to arrange that the screws cause a clamping on one surface and just a bit of compression on the whole thickness.


Ecobee restarts when calling AC - old analog thermostat worked I just installed an ecobee 4 and I have a C-wire so it seemed straightforward. The ecobee shows that it detected all the expected wires. However when it tries to call the AC it instantly restarts every time. The heat and the blower work, and the AC worked with the old Honeywell analog thermostat.

I read somewhere that newer equipment can be sensitive to shorts even when older equipment works fine. Could this be the case? How would I diagnose? I just moved into a condo and don't know how to access the control board yet.

I talked to my landlord to inquire about access to the actual equipment and it turns out its on the roof and not happening. However, he said he had the same problem with his unit and his Nest and to solve it he just removed the C wire. A big difference between the Ecobee and the Nest is that Nest has a battery and therefore does not require a C wire. I got one, wired it up with the same config as posted, minus C wire, and it was able to call the AC right away. Some commenters mentioned that my C wire might not actually do what it is labeled as, but it did power on the Ecobee. So either I had a bad Ecobee or it isn't able to handle certain funky situations that the Nest can. Maybe the lack of C wire affects the current draw, but hard to say since I never accessed the equipment.


How do I replace a single pole light switch with a programmable timer switch? We have a light switch box containing three single pole switches (no ground terminal) in the foyer near the front door.  I would like to replace the light switch controlling the porch lights with the Honeywell Programmable Timer Switch RPLS740B.  Given the following conditions, I could not determine any wiring combination such that all related electrical components worked.

Here is a picture of the actual timer followed by its simple wiring diagram:

The light switch box consists of a switch that controls nothing, a switch that controls the chandelier in the foyer, and a switch that controls the front porch lights (in that order). Note that the first switch affects no known electrical appliance without a doubt.  Whether this is due to improper or faulty wiring I'm not sure.  Also, this is all the original wiring (as built).

The light switch box also consists of 1 "three-wire" cable (red, black, white, copper) and 5 "two-wire" (black, white, copper) cables. Note that these are also termed "four-wire" and "three-wire" respectively.

The original wiring setup seems rather simple in that all ground wires are tied together, all black wires are tied together, and all white wires are tied together.  Each of the switches is connected to the single black wire belonging to the "two-wire" cable at the bottom of the box, which I assume to be the "line".  However, since all the black wires are tied together, this appears to be inconsequential.

Simply replacing the porch light switch with the timer as expected does not work at all. Freeing particular white "neutral" wires does cause the timer to function but would also cause various fans/lights in the adjacent study to stop functioning.  Is it common for a light switch box to have so many incoming cables? Why does the first switch even need a red wire if its a single pole switch?

[Resolution Edit]

I mistakenly assumed that the line was located at the bottom of the switch box when in fact it was the first cable at the top.  With this knowledge I was able to determine the unknown loads as seen below (for future reference).

et voilà

Based on what you've shown, you should be able to wire it up like this...

However, those red Wing-Nut® twist-on wire connectors are only rated for a maximum of 6 #14 conductors. So you'll have to split up the neutrals in to two groups, and connect the groups with a pigtail between them.


What's the best way to lay tile in a straight line I'm about to lay porcelain tile over backerboard in my kitchen. There are several entrances in the kitchen, and several points of visual reference that will cause even a slightly skewed line to be very, very evident.

What's the best way ensure that my first few rows form a straight line as I lay them? I don't want to lay an entire row, step back, and realize it started skewing halfway up the row.

I've tried laying out dry tiles until satisfied and snapping a chalk line along the edges in the past...but this gets covered up by the thinset very easily if I'm not painstakingly careful.

Are there any strategies or methods to make sure you're keeping a straight line as you lay a row of tile?

Use a laser level to project a level line across the wall. Something like this is self leveling.

This won't work if you need to line them up to a non-level reference. In that case you can use a simple laser line (which is much cheaper than the self leveling models).


Why does my ceiling fan pop and sizzle at one speed setting but works fine at another? My ceiling fan that has been installed for 11 years will pop 1 time when I turn it on. Yesterday it popped when I turned it on then a few minutes later it started to make a sizzling noise followed by a burnt smell. It stopped turning but came back on a few minutes later when I pulled the chain to a slower speed.

Is the fan safe to operate? What should I check for?

Is the fan safe to operate?

A burning smell from an electrical appliance (other than a toaster) is a sign that it is time to replace the item.

Sizzling sounds combined with burning smells are sometimes a precursor to burning the house down.

Melted electrical insulation reduces the electrical safety of the item and could lead to electric shocks (and possibly death).

I'd stop using it until it is removed (with power off at circuit breaker) and repaired or replaced.

   What should I check for?

I'm not familiar with these units but, from your description, it is probably a fault in a switch operated by the chain. It may be that dirty contacts at one position are causing arcing. Arcing causes a sizzling sound, Arcing causes heating and that causes barning smells as nearby non-metal parts are burned (eventually they may melt or catch fire)

Arcing is when sparks are jumping across a small air gap where the switch contacts are pitted, corroded or dirty.

In principle it may be possible to clean-up the contacts (which may only be a temporary cure) or replace the switch (if spare parts are available). You might need to replace any other parts damaged by heat.


Washer drain hose depth in stack pipe We had our new washing machine recently installed and I noticed tonight that it looks like the men who did the installation basically inserted whatever length of drain hose was available into the stack pipe (I’m not sure how far down it goes but I know it is more than 4 inches).  Is this definitely going to be a problem in the future or will it most likely be ok as it is?

Well, as long as it does not go into the U-bend where the water trap is (prevents smalls coming up) then it will be fine.
I always make sure it goes in at least 6" as I have seen the force when it starts pumping to push the hose out - leading to some clearing up, one way to get a clean floor though :)


How to attach single step for deck where deck rim joist is not low enough to overlap step rim board Similar to this question.  I am trying to attach a single step to a deck located adjacent to a patio, a setup which looks like this:

I'm trying to figure out how to secure the step effectively.  Here are a few sub-optimal things I've considered:

(Important Notes:  There is very little space to fit a driver underneath the deck from behind; I cannot fit myself under there, so I would be doing it blindly at an awkward angle toward myself from the outside of the deck.  The deck structural lumber only very slightly overlaps the step structural lumber vertically -- if at all -- not enough to accurately fasten with a screw through the back.) :

Customize a Z-shaped bracket and fasten from behind to the deck structural lumber and through the deck fascia into the step structural lumber.  This would be exceedingly difficult due to the access limitations mentioned above.
Screw through the deck fascia to the step joist from behind.  Fascia is not meant to be structural, but possibly combined with other methods it could work fine.  This would be slightly easier to accomplish than #1.
Attach the step structural lumber to multiple pavers with L-shaped brackets using a masonry drill bit and masonry screws.  This is not ideal by itself due to the potential for lifting or moving the pavers, but with enough pavers (which are "glued" together with polymeric sand) and in combination with #2 this might work.

I'm not thrilled about any of these options.  Can anyone please offer some sound advice?

I see no reason this need to be complicated, it can all be accomplished from the front side.

Install your pavers properly at the proper height ( this is critical as it doing the yeoman's work here. ) And know-one wants a wonky landing.

Construct your step on your workbench to the dimensions you need.

Install a 2x6 between the stringers ( the sides ) on the back side so it is flush with the back of the step unit and then attach your  fascia to that 2x6 backer.

Now you can just set your pre-built step unit on your paver, slide it into place so the  fascia is up against the deck rim joist and fasten it to the rim joist from the front.

Your plastic fascia could be a more a robust,thicker,stronger board, this is effectively a riser that is acting as as another rim joist.  If you can not find one of sufficient width then you could run  strong boards run vertically.

You could use construction adhesive or L brackets to secure the step to the paver for added stability if needed.

There is more then one way to skin a cat. You could also just build a traditional  stringer, (  two step ) Use simpson strongtie brackets or a board at the top between the stringers and screw through that to the rim joist.


How to repair (and is it worth the trouble to) a rusty dishwasher rack? I've seen a couple of solutions:

Dishwasher paint, like Uber Goop
Silicon
Vinyl paint

But some reviews of some of the "paint" products say it doesn't last long.
If this is only a temporary repair it might be best just to get another rack for $100 or so (rather than spending $10 and an hour to just have to repeat it in a month.

Also someone recommended running lemonade (unsweetened mix packets) through the dishwasher to initially remove the rust.

ReRack from Performix (same people that make Plasti-Dip) is specially made for repairing dishwasher racks. It has decent reviews on Amazon.com.


Metal junction box shows 5V relative to ground when circuit powered. Why? I have a small, octagonal junction box in my basement with one 2-wire-no-ground cable going in and a standard porcelain lightbulb fixture attached to the bottom. In the process of investigating an unrelated issue on a different circuit, I discovered that my non-contact voltage tester would go off anywhere in the vicinity of this box. I pulled out the multimeter, touched one lead to the box, and the other to the ground socket of an extension cord plugged in elsewhere. It showed about 5V. When I switched the circuit off, that 5V went away. I opened the box up and checked to see if there was any worn insulation or bare wire contacting the metal, but I couldn't find anything that looked fishy.

There are other similar junction boxes down there, but none of them set off the voltage tester and none of them show any voltage on the multimeter. Any idea what could cause this? The number 5 in particular is confusing to me. Contact with the hot wire would give 120V, but how can you get 5? All the components here (box, wires, fixture) are probably about 60 years old.

This sounds like a capacitive coupling issue -- the electric field radiated by the wires can and will couple to nearby metal objects, and a voltage-detector or high-impedance multimeter will pick it up.  If you can get a multimeter with a low-impedance (LoZ) voltage range, then that can be used to discriminate between capacitively coupled "phantom" voltages and voltage sources that have some "oomph" behind them.


PV inverter breaker sizing requirements I have a PV inverter that is rated at max output of 25A, and the backfeeding breaker in the main panel is a 35A. This is appropriate considering the 25A * 1.25 and round up sizing formula. However, I'd really like to move an additional size up to a 40A breaker so that I can replace the existing one with a quadruplex breaker to free up a space in the panel.

The main panel is rated 200A so I should be allowed up to a 40A PV breaker. The conductors to the inverter are #8 THHN in conduit.

Is there anything that should prevent me from swapping this 35A breaker out for a 40A quadruplex?

Short answer. Your fine to upgrade to a 40A breaker. Remember the breaker is being used to protect the feeder conductors. If you feel you need to use the breaker to protect your inverter you should install protection just before the unit.


Does a ceiling fan need to be wired to a switch? I'm looking to install ceiling fans and recessed lighting in the bedrooms of my house. My thought was to tie the fans into the existing outlet wiring and just have them be on constant power, controlled by remote and pull cords. The recessed lighting would use the existing lighting wiring and switch. This would mean no having to muck around with adding a separate wall switch for the fan and would simplify the job a bit, and since I don't plan to use a light kit on the fans I really see no benefit in being able to turn the fan off at a switch.

Is there anything I'm missing with this idea? I've tried searching but can't really find anything about problems with wiring a fan to a constant power source, all the instructions out there include using a switch. I feel like maybe I'm missing something...

There's no problem installing the fan without a switch.

In many cases folks replace a switched ceiling light fixture with a fan, so the fan uses the switch that used to control the light.   In other cases the ceiling is too high, so controlling the fan via the pull chain is inconvenient.

If you install the fan without a switch, you could always add a remote module later.  They're cheap, easy to install, and allow you to control both a fan and light.


What's the right way to insulate and frame around this pipe? I have been studying the latest engineering on how to insulate and frame basements after tearing out a partially finished basement that had wood and insulation in direct contact with the concrete.

Bonus picture:

From my research, it seems that the best option is to install rigid foam insulation glued and screwed to the blocks and taped at the seams to create an effective air, moisture, and vapor retarder and then frame the walls in front of that.

However, as you can see from the picture above and the picture below, there is a large cast iron sewage pipe that covers approximately 3/5 of the walls.

I'm thinking that my options here are:

Where the gap is big enough, follow the contour of the wall with 1/2" rigid foam insulation. Where I can't get the 1/4" or the 1/2" (e.g. around the collars), I'll leave an opening and fill with spray foam.  Put the framing in front of the pipe and fill the entire remaining gap with insulation (rock wool).  The problem is that this will require a lot of insulation along these walls.  Probably 9-10" of insulation to fill the cavity.
Where I have the sewage pipe, install the framing in front of the pipe and install 2" rigid foam board glued onto the back of the framing.  I'd go thick in this case because I can and to prevent a temperature gradient causing moisture to form on the inside of the right foam.  In this case, there will be a 5-6" air gap from the backside of the wall assembly to the concrete.  I figure as long as I can make the assembly relatively air-tight, it will prevent moisture from moving from the conditioned space to the wall.  And in any case, the walls will be bare concrete.  In general, I was thinking of doing this for the whole wall since the sloped transition ledge runs along the entire perimeter and makes it difficult and time consuming to install tight foam board pieces.
Like (1), install rigid foam board and use closed cell spray foam where necessary.  Then, frame a half wall below the pipe and a half wall above the pipe and frame a ledge around the pipe. Install insulation in wall assembly.  The problem with this approach would seem to be that the wall won't be very strong structurally with a break in between unless I attach the upper half wall against the concrete.  And plus, it probably won't pass inspection.

I should note that the original wall in this area was framed in front of the pipe with paper-faced insulation installed into the wall assembly not touching the concrete and this was the only wall in the basement where the insulation was not discolored and the back side of the wall did not show any signs of mold so in a way, I am inclined to go with #2.  I'm inclined to build the whole wall this way to avoid excessive seams and cuts to accommodate the sloped transition ledge.

A bonus challenge is what to do around the mechanicals.  There is not enough space behind the water heater to put rigid foam and build a wall assembly in front of it.  Should I move it?  Should I frame around the room and put foam board directly on the backside of the framing?

I'd really appreciate some input on the best way to manage insulating and framing this to avoid moisture issues in the future.

Skip option number 3, you don't want to have two half walls with a framed in gap between. It's not stable so you'll have cracking and likely other issues.

Option 1 implies that you need to fill all the open space with insulation, that's not the case. You need insulation between the outside and inside, but once you have enough insulation installed (for your desired R value) and a continuous envelope around the home, there's no need to keep adding more to fill a void.

So your options are either 2 or one unlisted option. Your option 4 is to insulate against the exterior wall and behind/around the pipe as best you can, and then install your wall in front of the pipe. The main difference between option 2 and option 4 is whether you insulation directly against the concrete wall or inside your framed wall. Inside the framed wall will be easier and likely use less insulation material. Against the concrete wall will allow you to more easily fish wiring inside the framed wall.


Lawn mower's power line cut off caused partial power outage I happen to cut off lawn mower's power line with the lawn mower cross over it to cause partial power outage. Everything seems to be OK except the outlets on the exterior of the house. I checked my fuse box, and nothing is on off side.

How can I turn it on again? If I need professional services, to whom do I ask help?

Exterior outlets are normally GFCI protected either at the breaker box or the outlet itself. If you have checked at the box already, check that none of the outlets is a tripped GFCI. If it is, there is a reset button on it.


What is on my shower drain and why is my shower not draining? I just moved into an apartment and the shower does not drain well. It floods above my feet every time i shower. I've tried running vinegar down it after showers and this sort of helps, but eventually i need to use a plunger on it to get it to drain, since it will stop draining entirely after a few days.

I dont know if this is contributing, but there is a built in stopper in the drain, and im wondering if i can remove this safely? What is it called?

I have one of those that I have to unscrew then unscrew the drain itself, notice the hairs on the cross bars as you remove the drain assembly. Don’t break those hairs just unscrew the lower section and lift it up. What you wipe probably find is a wad of hair and soap scum. YUK! My wife daughters and most of my grand daughters have long hair, when they shower some goes down the drain so I have to do this several times a year. I haven’t needed a snake and you might not either, it is gross but only takes a few minutes. My drain has an o-ring seal but in the past I had to roll a bead of plumbers putty to seal the flange when re installing. I have a wrench to pull the flange but have used heavy duty needle nose pliers in the past. I would recommend pulling it out with this method because a drain cleaner won’t dissolve the entire hair ball and it may break loose and lodge lower in the plumbing and then a snake would be needed. Give removal a try , it’s gross but usually works.


How can I coil up a rope so that it doesn't get tangled? When I get stuff for DIY projects, I regularly use rope to tie it all down to my trailer.

When I coil up a rope for storage I wind it around my palm and elbow (on the same arm) then use the last approx 1 metre to bind it together. However, when I come to use the rope again I often manage to get it tangled up. I think the large loops might get inside each other? I'm not sure, but there must be a better way.

How can I coil up my rope so that it doesn't get tangled?

Here's a photo of how I currently do it:

Around the elbow no good, for ropes they get tangled and for cords they get ruined over time.

See my instructions below, but check out this animation for reference.

Keep in mind, I am right handed and this is how I do it:

Start by placing one end of the rope between your left thumb and forefinger, and grab the rope with your right hand about 2 1/2 - 3 feet away both palms down. While holding the rope in your right hand, grab it between your thumb and forefinger.  Now bring your right hand to your left hand so the tips of your thumbs meet (and the newly created loop should form towards your left wrist). At the same time, roll the cord that is between your thumb and forefinger on your right hand away from you.  Now grab it with your left hand and slide your right hand down the cord 2 1/2 - 3 feet and repeat till done. The last 2 or 3 feet will be used to wrap the cord/rope.

If done correctly, you'll be able to take the end you wrapped around the cord like in your pic, unwrap it, hold one end and throw the cord/rope to unroll.


Reinforcing a shelf supported only by pins Our liquor cabinet has the usual row of holes drilled on either side for height-adjustable shelves, with typical shelf pins:

I think the wood is MDF + veneer. It might be plywood. It's not holding the pins very well.

The end result was sudden catastrophic failure followed by two hours of mopping up glass shards while trying to convince the world-famous Siberian husky who lives with us to stay in the other room.

Yes, that is a marble tabletop that actually got shattered into pieces by a bottle of Maker's Mark (recommended).

What would you use to reinforce these shelves instead of the dinky little pins?

Cleats.

Well, If I didn't simply add up what this expletive redacted liquor cabinet just cost me (not counting husky-containment and mopping time) and shoot it into the sun to be wholly replaced with a decently made hunk of furniture, which I'd be fairly inclined to do after what you just went through.

I would glue and screw 1x2 wooden cleats (non-adjustable) to the sidewalls where you want the shelves to be. Depending how flimsy the shelves themselves are, I might also put a couple long 1x2 on the bottom of each shelf for reinforcement.

Alternatively, look for an adjustable steel wire rack shelf unit that fits in the cabinet - there being doors, you don't have to look at it except when getting bottles out.

On the positive side, at least the marble-topped table wasn't a fishtank ;-)


How can I hang a ceiling fan on a cathedral ceiling without wiring or an electrial box? How do I install a ceiling fan on a cathedral ceiling that has no wiring and electrical box? I don't really want to cut into ceiling drywall.  I'm worried about support for the fan.

After writing this long answer, here's a YouTube video.

I'm not a professional, but I had to do a ton of research for a similar situation at my home, and here's some information that I hope will be helpful.

First, it would be easier to break your question into parts, for clarity.  I may be misunderstanding your question though.

Q1: I don't have electrical in my ceiling, how can I get power there?
Answers:

First there may actually be wiring up there, an electrician (or you) could figure it out by trying to get access to attic or space around the perimeter of the cathedral ceiling.  In our house, from the attic we see Romex cable entering the cathedral ceiling in between the rafters.  So I would do some research there first, or ask a Pro too (they would know where to look faster).

If there is no power there already, it should be possible to add it to an existing circuit from a nearby wall.  An electrician would cut a hole in the ceiling and then cut a hole in the wall and use a fishtape to bring the wiring up to the ceiling.  I'm not a pro, so there's a lot of detail here that is missing, but trying to give you a general idea (there are a ton of resources online to find out how to do that).

Worst case scenario you could surface mount the wires like another person mentioned, but unless it is a rustic house or you have a very limited budget, I wouldn't go with that (unless you are ok with it as a short term solution).  I would think an electrician / GC could get wiring to this location for $300-400 and might install the fan for that price as well.

Q2: how do I attach the fan to the ceiling?
Ceiling fans need considerable support.  If the center of the room or the location where you want to mount it doesn't have a joist/rafter that you can mount the fan to, you will need to get one of these mounting brackets:

Westinghouse-15-5-cu-in-Retrofit-Ceiling-Fan-Saf-T-Brace (search that on google)

I used something like this (not sure the brand), and it works well (it is very stable/solid), but it definitely involves cutting into the ceiling, however all the work can be done from the one carefully cut hole it needs anyway. Also, depending on how your ceiling is designed, there may be no clearance space (ours has insulation between the exposed ceiling and the roof deck).

If you have a joist/rafter that you can attach the fan to, then you can get an normal mounting bracket (your fan might come with one already).

This is my first answer on this site, hope there's some helpful info!

My references:
familyhandyman.com/electrical/how-to-install-ceiling-fans

They have a good video on installing the fan brace too, but stack exchange won't let me post 2 links


How to identify electrical panel busbar rating recently I got a bid from a solar company and they said I don't need to upgrade my eletrical box since it is rated at 125 amps, and for that value, I can install a 7k system based on calculation here https://www.altestore.com/blog/2018/11/grid-tied-solar-breaker-box-120-percent-rule/#.XzwpBpNKg8N. I poked around the panel itself, and found two ratings, 100amps and 125 amps, and I am not sure which rating should that solar company to use, and definitely blowing out my electrical box after solar panels are installed is the last thing I want to see.

This is a 125A panel
From the labeling on your panel, in particular the note about field upgrading 100A mains to 125A by replacing the main breaker and the meter-to-main-breaker wire jumpers, we can tell that this panel has 125A busbars in it, since UL wouldn't have permitted the manufacturer to provide such an upgrade as an option otherwise.
The fact that it's center-fed may or may not be an issue
If your jurisdiction's adopted the 2017 NEC, you're good to go, since it provides new language for this situation in 705.12(B)(2) point 3(d):

(d) A connection at either end, but not both ends, of a
center-fed panelboard in dwellings shall be permitted where
the sum of 125 percent of the power source(s) output circuit
current and the rating of the overcurrent device protecting the
busbar does not exceed 120 percent of the current rating of
the busbar.

Note that this 120% rule is the same as the rule in subpoint 3(b) that'd be used if your panel was end-fed with the solar breaker at the other end; this means that the 120% math works out all the same, and gives us 150A for the combination of main and solar feed breakers.  With a 125A main breaker, this lets you put a 25A solar breaker in, which limits your system to 6kW.
If you have an AHJ that's not quite with the times, you may run into trouble as the standard load calculations tend to be more restrictive when applied to center-fed configurations such as yours.  In that case, I would talk with the AHJ about a written variance to use the above center-fed calculation method.
Before you go...
The one other issue you might have with this panel is finding breakers for it.  Siemens has discontinued the Murray MP line of breakers, and it appears that the other breaker types it is labeled to take are either GFCI (ITE/Siemens QF1-B, Westinghouse/Eaton QPGF, Bryant/Eaton GFCB) or double-stuff (Bryant/Eaton BRD).
If you don't wish to take a minor gamble on New Old Stock Murray/Siemens MP breakers being available and in good shape, I would use a Siemens QP breaker, based on the subsitution letter Siemens provides, although that's subject to AHJ acceptance of the subsitution.  If you can't get your AHJ to accept Siemens breakers in this panel for some odd reason, you can Eaton CL for the solar breaker as that's UL classified to play nice in Murray (including Arrow-Hart/Crouse-Hinds) panels.
If none of those are an option, your AHJ might be willing to accept an Eaton BR (not BRD or GFCB) breaker in the panel based on it being crosslabeled for BRD and GFCB types, but that's a judgement call considering that UL never tested it for that precise configuration.  (Granted, it's not much different from putting a NOS MP120AFC arc fault breaker in the panel, considering it's far too old to be labeled for type MP-AT2 breakers.)


Need to renovate kitchen in house, where to start? In my new house, the kitchen needs to be redone. The floor tiles are ok. The tiles that cover part of the walls are ok. The paint above the tiles that goes up to the ceiling needs to be redone.

The cabinets in the kitchen need to be replaced. This means that the countertop will also need to be replaced. A stove is basically connected into the countertop needs to be replaced with a gas stove. The sink needs to be replaced.

I am not exactly sure how cost of replacement will be calculated.

What information is required to determine cost of replacing the things I mentioned above? I am confused about doing full DIY, buying flatpack furniture or outsourcing the whole thing. I just want a reasonably priced replacement, probably on the low-cost end but the necessarily the cheapest.

I live in England.

There are a lot of variations between houses and kitchens. For example, gas and water plumbing can be trivial (if open space underneath or behind the kitchen) or very hard (some houses in my neighborhood have the original electric kitchen on a concrete slab so getting gas into the kitchen - even though they have gas heat & hot water - is very expensive). You may have a lot of electrical work to be done that was grandfathered in but now that you are renovating would have to be replaced (this is very common in the USA), etc.

Unless you are in a "no way I could possibly hire a professional to do the work" mode (in which case I think it would be dishonest to bring in a professional to do a free estimate), I would consider finding a construction company that does this type of work and see if they can either:

Give you a free rough estimate (i.e., not draw up plans, but take a look and give you a rough idea of 'x' for the plumbing, 'y' - 'z' for cabinets (will vary depending on style and quality), etc.
Do a formal assessment, including drawing up some plans, for an agreed price for a few hours of work.

One other possibility (I did this myself) is to go to a big-box store (Home Depot or Lowes in my area) and have the kitchen department draw up some plans. They will generally do that with no obligation, with the understanding that you will likely buy at least some of the project materials from that store. If you go this route, measure everything first: Dimensions of existing cabinets, location (old & new) of sinks, stove, etc., location of walls, etc.

As far as "flat-pack". That depends on what is available. When I renovated my kitchen (~ 19 years ago), the local Home Depot stocked a full flat-pack brand (Mills Pride) and I was able to get almost everything ready-to-assemble at a very good price. I only had to build two cabinets from scratch (and I was able to get materials to match the flat-pack cabinets). But now they don't stock it any more, so the same project would be a lot harder. So the specifics will really vary a lot depending on what is locally available in your area, your budget and other factors.


How can I remove polyurethane while it is still wet? I applied a coat of Polyshades on top of a cabinet I am refinishing. It looks HORRIBLE! I'm trying to be patient but I have other things to do and don't want to wait a day or two to remove the Polyshades.  Can I remove it while it is still wet and tacky using paint stripper?  I imagine if possible, it will be quite messy but I don't care about that.  I just don't want to cause any damage to the wood.

Okay first: don't use PolyShades for anything...ever. Its the worst.
Second: Stripper is great except when its not. Sometimes certain strippers react to certain finishes in a way that is...undesirable. Then you have a mess. I've been doing this longer than I care to remember and I still have weird results now and again. No rhyme or reason. CitriStip gel is pretty good, and safer to use than the solvent based variety.

I like to remove finish with a scraper, especially when green. It cuts through the finish quickly and doesn't clog like sand paper. Its a modest investment and learning to sharpen them properly takes a few tricks (see William Ng's tutorial on Youtube) and profiled moldings present a bit of a challenge, but its a skill worth learning if your into working wood.
Good luck.


What is this white fitting inline with my showerhead? I just got a new apartment and am going to replace my shower head as it's too low. I noticed that it has a white plastic fitting on it that comes before the shower head. I'm not to sure what it's for. Maybe someone can enlighten me?

Probably a charcoal filter. Probably disgusting (people put them in, change the filter a few times, and then get bored of buying the filters, which turn into a gross mess as often as not.) Or the filters become unavailable since these are not exactly a standard item.

I'd strongly suggest removing it; if you want to keep it and can find filters for it, at least take it off and clean it throughly and replace the filter.

Looks like perhaps this one:


Is this horizontal drain pipe under kitchen sink a problem? My double kitchen sink drains into a 2” white plastic DWV pipe that traverses approximately 4-5’ of distance without any slope at all. I used a level to confirm my visual observation: there is indeed no slope to the pipe.
Here’s where it starts:

And here’s where it traverses the next cabinet:

The horizontal pipe seen in both photos has no slope at all. My question: does this look wrong / problematic / against code?
For context, here’s how this pipe attracted attention to itself. My sink backed up Friday night. I removed the P-trap and drained everything. Put it back together, sent some Green Gobbler and went to sleep.
Woke up Saturday morning, ran hot water and saw it back up.
Took apart the P-trap and drained everything again. Used a rubber coupling to attach my shop vac just downstream of where the trap used to be. Nothing came out, and the vac sucked air from the vent stack. Put it all together, plugged the disposal opening, ran water until it backed up and vacuumed through the sink drain. Vac took out all of the water and then sucked air through the vent stack again.
Snaked it with my 24’ x 1/4” auger. Put P-trap back in, ran the faucet for an hour: nothing backed up. Ran the dishwasher: it backed up into the sink. Drained & snaked again. Sent more Green Gobbler overnight.
Woke up Sunday morning, flushed with hot water and did not observe a back up. Currently contemplating whether to run the dishwasher.

A drain pipe should have a 2% slope. This prevents water from standing in the pipes. If there is not enough flow through the pipe, you also have the risk of sediments building up in the tube and clogging it. I would guess that having no slope in the pipe can cause a problem with the dishwasher. I would recommend changing the slope of the tube.


How to fish thermostat cable using an existing cable So I have an existing thermostat cable on my 2nd floor that only has 4 wires, and I need a 5th wire to use as the common wire.

Can I use the existing cable to fish or guide a new 6 wire cable through down to the basement?  If so, what kind of tie or connection should I use between the two wires so that it doesn't come loose as I pull the cable through, and to keep it streamlined so that it can slide through holes or whatever it's going through? Is it better to pull the cable from the top floor or from the bottom floor?  Is there a chance I'll get stuck or lose the cable in the wall - and thus should I just leave it to the professional?

Any tips in general for this?  Is this recommended?

That's a very labor intensive approach considering some of the latest technologies. Have you thought about converting to a Wireless Thermostat?
Take a look at the Honeywell YTH6320R1001.

You might also consider a cheaper option with the VentStar Add-A-Wire. This setup allows you to use your existing four wires and still be able to have a common wire. It's an ingenious idea that piggybacks unused wires and converts them into one common wire.


What do you do if the hole in the tile is larger than the shower faucet escutcheon? Whoever built this shower stall really made a hack job of the hole for the shower faucet.  The hole is actually just a bit larger than the escutcheon on the upper right corner.  One option is to just caulk the heck out of it and hope for the best.  Is there a better approach?

Some vendors offer over sized escutcheons for this purpose. I found one available from Symmons. It was for their shower faucet, but I used it on a Moen. It's just a matter of how it is mounted.


temperature pressure valve leaking I just change my pressure relief valve due to the previous valve dripping.  This was suggested by my plumber. The new one is also dripping. What could the problem be?

The initial check would be to install a pressure gauge on a hose faucet and check to see if your relief device is opening because your supply pressure exceeds the pressure set-point of the relief valve.

Also check if it is a temperature sensing valve as well, and ensure that is within range. If it leaks but is within range, I would return it for a new one.

Note these valves are notorious for leaking once they have opened (manually or due to exceedance of setpoint), do not manually open the valve during handling or after installation. Also, on boilers/water heaters, most local codes require that the valve outlet is plumbed to an outdoor location.


Why did wooden furniture parts warp after staining but before assembly? I'm not sure what I did wrong.  I'm building a small AV cabinet.  I cut all the pieces of wood and did all the detail work (pocket holes, shelf holes, etc) first.  I also let my pine wood rest before doing anything to make sure it didn't warp.

I pre-stained, stained, and applied clear gloss to one side (after waiting the proper amount of team between each).

I then flipped all my pieces over, pre-stained, stained, and applied clear gloss to the other side of all the pieces.

Now when I look at the pieces they are warped.  All of them.  I'm not sure what I did wrong here.  Should I have assembled them together first?  Before staining?

You're right assembly & locking into position would've likely prevented most of the warping, because Ed Beal's right. Though, longer spans would've possibly still bowed. The wood today is all new growth & very unstable compared to old growth stuff. Even tightly strapping & then heavy weighting wood together until it's dried or acclimated in a week or 2 is still far from predictable.

But after that, sanding or planing it back to reasonably flat is a better practice. Which, would be your solution at this point, for just the areas that matter most. Using Furniture Grade plywood avoids much more warping to yield better results, if you don't want to get a PhD in wood storage, curing, steaming & handling.


My GFCI trips when fluorescent light turn off - light will turn back on anyway This has been going on for awhile, but it is intermittent - about every 3 - 8 times the fluorescent light in a closet off the bathroom are turned off, one of the two GFCI outlets in the bathroom will trip. 95% of the time, it is one particular of the two GFCI outlets in the bathroom.  The fluorescent light will still turn on with the GFCI tripped.  This will also happen - about every 3 - 4 times - with fluorescent lights in my garage.  The lights there will also still work with the GFCI tripped.

The bathroom GFCIs seem easily tripped by what I am 99% certain are non-faulty appliances (hair trimmers, electric tooth brush, etc...)

Ideas?  Thx!

Anytime a thing on circuit 1 trips a thing on circuit 2, you have a crossed neutral.   That's bad wiring.  On ground wires, it is ok to just twist all the grounds together (if they're all from the same panel) even if they are different circuits.  Some people think they can do the same with neutrals.  That was always bad... and with GFCIs, it does not work.

Another sign of sloppy work is two GFCI receptacles on the same circuit.  Occasionally a wiring topology makes this semi-necessary, but usually it means the installer does not understand how to install GFCI's.

What's happening with the crossed neutrals is that current to an appliance, now returning to source, has a choice of two directions: directly on circuit A's neutral, or through a GFCI device on circuit B's. Actually, it follows all routes at once, in proportion to their conductivity (1/resistance). That conductivity is influenced by loop effects and eddy current heating, because those occur at the cost of conductivity:  in short, it prefers to go back the way it came.  That still means some current is going the wrong way, and that will still tend to trip a GFCI.

So you need to untangle those neutrals.


100 Amp Sub-Panel in Detached Garage - Which Wire and Breakers for Code Compliance? I am installing a 100 Amp sub panel in my detached garage for a 40 Amp car charger It is 70' away, 30' in the basement and then 40' outdoors. I am going to be running it using XHHW 1/0,1/0,1/0,2awg Aluminum wire in 1.5" PVC conduit.

My questions here are:

Per code, should I continue to run the XHHW from the PVC LB into the dry area, or should I splice it to a different cable type (if so which type? A 1/0 SER cable or NM-B?)in the LB? If I stay with the XHHW I will need to find the correct way to gather/hang the 4 wires wire inside, perhaps zip ties and then use SER supports to the joists above. If I splice it in the LB, how should this be done? Alu lugs that then get heat-shrink wrapped?

Does code dictate that I connect the Sub-panel through a 2-pole 100 Amp breaker or connect it directly to the 200 amp bar. If by breaker, which type? (GFI AFCI, normal) The sub-panel will have a main breaker either way.

What is the correct cable to connect to the exterior ground rod at the sub (less than 6 feet from panel)? Jacketed 4 AWG THHW copper or 4 AWG bare copper?

You need to use wiring methods compatible with the wire.  For instance XHHW wires aren't  allowed outside conduit, so you either extend the conduit the full run, or transition to a type of cable that is rated for direct use.  They do make individual wires rated for direct use, check with your supplier (who I hope isn't a big-box store).

You cannot splice in an LB. *  Put that right out of your head.  You'd need an appropriately sized junction box, and since we're dealing with large size wire, you need to follow the wire-radius rules, not just the cubic-inch rules.  So you'd want a gutter, specifically.

1/0 may be larger than you need.  1 AWG Al should be legal for 100A (you are allowed to work out of the 75C column for >=100A feeders) and your distance isn't enough to warrant a voltage bump (put your distance, 40A for the charger, 240V and 6% into the voltage drop calc and see what it says).

The feeder run must be protected.  The main breaker in the subpanel is in the wrong place to do that, so you need a 100A breaker in the main panel  A normal breaker is fine.

The subpanel doesn't need a main breaker. However since it is an outbuilding, it needs a shutoff switch.  Using a panel with a main breaker is an overkill, but cheap, way to do that.

When used as a shutoff switch, as in here, the size of the subpanel's main breaker does not matter. If you're getting a small-ish panel to obtain a panel with a 100A main breaker, don't do that!  Spaces are rather valuable (super cheap to add now, super expensive to add later) and you don't want to have to have a future project compromised because you refused to spend a few latte's on a bigger panel today.

Also you want to avoid the necessity to go to "double-stuff" (twin, duplex) breakers simply to achieve needed density; most breakers today need AFCI,GFCI or both and that is they don't make those in double-stuff.

You need 1 ground rod if proper testing proves it to be <25 ohm to earth (this is specialized testing, not a pocket VOM) - otherwise you need two.

* Ever buy a product with 10 warning labels because some people need disclaimers to not eat things they shouldn't?  Well, here's one.  If the LB is excessively large for the wires that are in it, e.g. if you used a 6" LB, then you get to treat it under the junction-box/gutter rules, and count the dimensions to determine whether a splice here is legal.  But normal people don't do that, because it's an expensive way to get a junction box.


Confusing switch wiring... Need to repurpose the switch to power/control new light strip I have a double gang box with two single pole switches in it. My goal is to re-purpose one of the switches to control a soon-to-be-installed strip light to be mounted on the wall. One of the existing switches controls the ceiling fan/light, and I want to keep that. The other switch is a bit of a mystery, and I hope you can help me figure out what it is. I’ve drawn a crude diagram that hopefully would help, but I can't see how to upload it.

There are three Romex cables coming into the box. After turning off the circuit (and carefully noting and diagraming where they all went), I disconnected all of the wires. After turning the circuit back on, I tested every wire with a voltage tester (by contacting the wire and the ground). I found only one black wire that came in hot.

Cable No. 1 has only a black and a white. The black in cable in Cable No. 1 is the hot one. That hot black wire goes into a wire nut, with the black from Cable No. 2 (described below). From that wire nut, a jumper connects a black to a terminal on Switch No. 1. The white goes to all of the other whites under a single wire nut.

Cable No. 2 has a black, red, and white. The black goes to the wire nut mentioned above, and from that wire nut, another jumper connects a black to a terminal on Switch No. 2. The red goes to a terminal on Switch No. 2. So…the wire nut has two black going in (the hot one from Cable 1 and the “not hot” one from Cable 2). The wire nut has two jumpers coming out (one going to a terminal on Switch No. 1 and the other going to a terminal on Switch No. 2). The white goes to all of the other whites under a single nut.

Cable No. 3 has a black, red, and white. The black goes directly to the other terminal on Switch 1. The red is just capped and goes nowhere. The white goes to all the other whites.

Switch No. 1 controls the ceiling fan/light.

Switch No. 2…. Well, here’s what happens. Turning that switch on or off doesn’t seem to do anything. I’ve checked all of the outlets, and it doesn’t control any of them. HOWEVER: If there’s power going “up” the black in Cable No. 2, all outlets in the room work, and the red in Cable No. 2 comes back hot. If there’s no power going “up” the black in Cable No. 2, the red in Cable No. 2 in not hot. That suggests to me that this is creating a loop? (These are the results whether Switch No. 2 is installed or not.)

So the question is: Any idea what’s going on with Cable No. 2? Is there a way to repurpose Switch No. 2 to power and control the soon-to-be-installed light switch?

Many thanks for your input!

The wirenut you first described is the always-hot being distributed around.

Switch 1 and the Cable 3, which is /3 cable it's involved with, go to the fan/light.  Right now, the fan/light operates off the single switch and black wire. The red wire is in the wall, reserved  for the happy day when you get a better fan that allows separate switch control for both fan and light.

Cable 2 is a very familiar scenario.

You know that some houses have floor lamps controlled by a switch.  The idea is you plug in whatever light you want, and this is cheaper to build also. Also, some of those receptacles are "split" - the top one is always-powered, and the bottom one is switched by the light switch.  The receptacle can be "split" by breaking off a brass tab on the "hot" side.  Then you hookup separate wires to top and bottom, e.g. Black and red.

Well, the last guy didn't know about the tab.  He replaced a receptacle, and just hooked it up like he found it.  Forgetting to remove the tab had the effect of shorting the red and black wire.  So you can restore the switch's functionality by finding the bung receptacle and breaking off the tab.

Or, you can cap off the red wire and use the switch for something else.


Tried to remove one GU10 bulb, afterwards lost the entire fixture We are in a new-to-us home, and the breakfast nook has a hanging fixture with 5 GU10 (or at least I think they are GU10) bulbs, all in a row. The 4th one has been dark since we moved in so I decided to tackle it earlier today.
After much wrasslin' and cussin', I ended up breaking the bulb despite trying the rubber gloves 'push and turn' method.
After getting most of it out, glass shards and all, some of it was still left in there so I tried some pliers, only making the problem worse.
Left it for another day, but as I was about to close up for the night I dimmed this fixture (the fixture uses a Lutron I believe) and after working as normal for a few minutes there was a sound like something between a loud click and a snap, and the entire fixture went dark.
The dimmer switch does not respond at all, and nothing lights up on the little dots in the switch. The breaker panel is all fine, nothing tripped.
I am concerned this could be a fire issue, and of course I'd like to get the fixture working again, even with 4 out of 5 bulbs.
What is the likely problem? Is the fixture toast, or the dimmer, or both? How do I go about troubleshooting? I've done light electrical work before (and one time, in a foolish prior life, actually added a 20 amp breaker to a box but I won't be trying that again). I do have some tools but before trying anything I thought I'd check here first.
Thanks in advance!

Just replace the stupid fixture.  The entire point of the GU10 was to force people to stop using filament bulbs and replace them with Compact Flourescent bulbs.  This was in the days when the cost for CFC was higher than filament and the lifetime was the same as filament so naturally nobody was interested in buying them except California who was struggling with the shortage of generation capacity due to their stupidity in electrical regulation.
Today, with LEDs the Edison-base replacement market -DWARFS- the GU10 market and with LEDs costing the same as filament and the lifetimes of them so much longer, there is no need for goofy sockets to force people to replace lights with LEDs the cost savings and reduced replacement intervals are plenty good enough for that.  The final nail in the GU10 socket was when CA stopped requiring them in new construction.
I haven't seen a new GU10 fixture at Home Depot for quite a while now.  Everything is Edison-base and the vast majority of LED bulbs are Edison-base.  They have a few token GU10's in basic sizes for apartment dwellers stuck with this strange deviation from what has got to be the most foolproof light socket ever designed, but the cost of GU10 bulbs is rising as the demand has been falling and we all know where that vicious circle is headed.
The former owner of the home knew the future of that light in your nook was fixture replacement and left it for you to do.  Take your wife shopping at HD and let her pick out a new fixture and get some good husband brownie points for this one.


How to add a C wire to an old Lennox attic furnace GS810-105N I bought a smart thermostat for my house in hopes of cutting some bills a little. I read up on them, I thought, thoroughly and figured I could handle the task. However, upon climbing up in the attic and pulling the cover, I discovered my unit does not have a labeled terminal panel and the wiring diagram is long gone.

I was hoping for some help with this as $300 is a lot to have sit on the shelf for 6 more months until I mister up the courage to climb back into the attic and stare at the unit confused for an hour again.

Like I said the wiring diagram was not included and there is no terminal board, just a mess of wire nuts but I did track them the best I could and made the list below. I'm not a professional so please excuse my ignorance when it comes to the industry vocabulary. I tried to pick up what I could from other forum posts but none of them were close enough for me to be sure of correlation.

From thermostat:
Red:  ties to yellow wire with silver stripes that goes into silver box with coil thing (possibly internal tranformer? Is half way in the metal box and has two wires going into what almost resembles a roll of paper with two wires coming out inside the box)
Yellow: ties into red wire from transformer I believe?
Green: ties into post 5 on terminal bay
White: ties into wire from blower controller and blue wire that looks like it goes to the gas control

Other wires: white from transformer goes to terminal 4, second wire from terminal 4 ties to big blue wire from limit controller and silver box with paper coil (internal transformer?)

EDIT: while there are 5 wires at the moment (blue is not in use) I will be relocating the thermostat to the wall across the hall once I'm done renovating so I bought a roll of 18/5 to replace it with so I have all the wires I need at hand.

I'm trying to add an image but not having much luck so may try to in the comments to see if something is just hung up. In the image the red circled but is what I'm calling the internal tranformer, the blue is the terminal board and the yellow is the blower controller

This has been solved. I tracked the two wires that ran to the condenser, figured out which was hot and which was common. The common for the condenser will also work as the c wire for the thermostat. At least in my case.


What temperature can tempered glass withstand? I have an induction cooktop, and sometimes I want to cook over another glass so the pots are not on the hob itself.

For that I thought to use a piece of tempered glass cut in the desired sizes.

What heat is tempered glass capable of withstanding?

Borosilicate glasses such as old Pyrex and good laboratory pieces do well with both temperature and thermal shocks. Soda-lime glasses such as all current cookware only do well with temperature. Spilling cold additions to a hot pan onto glass is always going to have some risk of shattering.

The tempered glass you by in a store will not contain boron. So while it will easily endure high temperatures it will not withstand rapid changes in temperature. For example, you're sautéing some onions in a skillet and the bottom of the pan heats the glass to 600 degrees. You proceed to deglaze the pan with a nice white wine when a dog barks causing you to pour it onto the glass, which rapidly cools and breaks into a bunch of shards.

The root problem is that conventional glass undergoes a fair amount of thermal expansion. Borosilicate glass only expands about 33% of the amount another type of glass would when heated, so it's much less likely to blow up in your face when rapidly cooled. It's also more expensive, which is why Pyrex cooking goods are no longer made from it. (I'm guessing induction cooktops aren't either, probably using mass and fancy acrylics.) Nothing is stopping you from buying it (or a comparable glass) from a specialty supplier, just be sure you're clear with them about the use case.

A better bet would parchment paper or food grade silicone. Companies such as Silpat sell pan-sized solid mats made from fiberglass and silicone that you can use to prevent scratching the induction top. I believe you can also get carbon fiber pads sized to fit particular model ranges, for a whole-stove solution.

If you're committed to shopping at the hardware store rather than restaurant supply, how about a soldering heat shield? Metal grommets are out, but the flame retardant synthetics they're made from more than fit your bill. Pyron is good up to 2,500F and you can roll it up and stick it in a drawer.

One final thought, the typical temperature on an induction stove is well below the worst case. An empty cast-iron skillet, for example, will convert around 90% of the electrical power directly to heat. The cooktop itself has a bunch of mass and is a thermal insulator, you'll lose at least the mass with whatever you use. Silicone for example is good to 500F but can get gooey on high heat.


Wire size to run 200' to a shed I want to run a 60 amp sub panel to my shed 200'+ out back. This will only run a few lights, an outlet and run to a chicken coop for a heat lamp in the winter. What size wire would get it done? I will be putting it below ground in conduit. Thank you for any help or guidance you can give.

The capacity of the sub-panel isn't what's important, you could put in a 200 amp panel configured as a sub-panel and feed it with 14 ga wire on a 15 amp breaker.  Not a good idea at all, but it could be done. The wire size all depends upon the maximum load and distance. in your case #6 ga copper would provide you with about 50-55 amps, depending upon temp derating. Are you planning on a 240v sub-panel? If so, that would require 2 hots, a neutral and a ground. If only 120, it would need 1 hot, 1 neutral and a ground. Running large copper that far would be expensive, you might consider aluminum #4gauge for that distance.  Don't forget the "goop" (NOALOX) compound if you go AL.   You could get by with smaller wires, but like I said, it's all about the maximum load and distance. There's tons of info here at SE on installing sub-panels. I suggest you do a search and you'll be inundated with answers!
EDIT: In reviewing my answer I find it somewhat incomplete, so here goes with the EDIT:  The panel must be rated for AT LEAST the maximum power supplied to it. There is nothing wrong with installing a sub-panel with a capacity LARGER than the supply to it. That is commonly done.   I have a 200 amp panel in my shop fed by a 100 amp breaker.  I did that just so I'd have enough breaker spaces for my tools.
For us to better help you, add up all the loads you can think of that might be running at the same time. Going big on sub-panels isn't very expensive...going big on wire (esp. copper) on a long run can really run up the $$$, so a reasonable assessment of the loads is important.   So get back to us with the info for perhaps better advice.


Why is the spigot on my oil heater dripping? We have fuel oil and a Beckett oil burner that heats our house. I just noticed water is dripping out of this hosebib/spigot at the bottom of it:

What could be causing this and how can I troubleshoot? Also, in case you're wondering, we had a basement flood a few months ago and I put down cat litter around the base of my Beckett to wick water away; thats the gravely/grainy stuff you're seeing in the photo.

Is it the spigot, or is there leakage from a corroded boiler?
If you determined it's the valve that's leaking, you'll need to:

Shut the electricity to the heating system to prevent it running while dry.
Shut the cold-water feed to the boiler.
Drain the whole heating system through that valve... you could run a garden hose to the fitting once it's cooled.
Replace the washer in the valve, just like you would a faucet valve.
Close the repaired valve.
Open the valve to the cold-water feed slowly.
Check for leaks.
Once the system is filled at bottom, purge air from baseboard convectors or radiators. This is a bit of a nuisance, since each valve at each heater must be opened until air stops hissing, and water starts to drip. Failure to do so will restrict heat to some areas of the house. Purging may need to be repeated after the system runs for a while!
Turn the electricity on again.
Turn up the temperature at the room thermostat and check that heat is coming out of all the convectors/radiators.

Yep, what a pain it is to replace one washer.


Is it possible to remove fluoride from drinking water? I've been looking for a residential water filtering system (preferably under sink), that can filter fluoride from drinking water. It seems that none of the systems I've looked at boast the ability to remove it. And the information I've found on the internet, is conflicting at best.

Some sources suggest that reverse osmosis systems (which was they type of filter I was looking at), can remove 80-90% of the fluoride. While others say that RO systems can't remove fluoride.

Activated alumina filters seem to be another alternative. Though I've not seen these types of filters available at the local big boxes.

Is it possible to remove fluoride from drinking water in a residential setting?  Is a reverse osmosis system capable of removing fluoride?

Yes, RO can remove most of the fuoride (according to the mfg specs on my system).  Distillation will also remove just about everything -- in either case, you should weigh the benefits of these systems (costly!) vs using a water cooler for drinking water.

Deionizers and activated alumina are more obscure filtration systems that you can look into as well.


What is this part of the heating system, and how can I stop it from leaking? I bought a quite old house, and I found on the attic a thing that's part of the central heating, and it's leaking water. Not a lot, but enough to soak through to the floor below.

Pictures:
  .

I can't figure out what the thing does, as the water just runs from sideways to downstairs.

Is this something I can fix myself, or should I get a plumber?

It is an automatic air vent that is supposed to allow air to escape from the heating pipes.  It should not be leaking water.  From the looks of it, it is definitely defective and should be replaced. I recommend a plumber.


Using just power from ethernet cable for security camera? I'm trying to install security cameras around my house. My problem comes when I try to find power for the locations I want to monitor. I have one camera mounted already, but it is 25 feet away from the nearest outdoor outlet. I was just going to use an extension cord to run power closer, but heard that this is not a safe thing to do.

The camera is the Zmodo 720p outdoor (https://www.zmodo.com/720p-outdoor-wifi-camera/).

It comes with a 5V 1A adapter with a micro usb on the end to power the camera since data is sent over wifi. I was thinking of using a usb extension, but found out that power can only travel about 16 feet over usb.

That leaves my last option which is POE. I hear most people use it for both power and data, but I only want to use it for power. Would it be possible to get a POE switch, plug it in to the outside outlet, and run ethernet cables to each of the cameras without worrying about data? Can power travel 25 feet over ethernet?

Is there any better way to get 5V to the camera?

Thanks

I don't believe you need to spend the big bucks for POE, as your requirements are straightforward. If you would install CATx cable for POE, you can easily enough install a pair of wires and add a micro usb pigtail at the camera end. Even though you are running only 5V, to reduce voltage drop, consider to run something as large as 16 gauge wire to the pigtail. Ensure that you provide correct polarity on the added wiring, of course.


Patio Light Fixture To Electrical Socket So we are putting up some string lights on our covered patio and want to use those instead of our patio light fixture right outside the door. I've removed the light fixture and there is an octagonal electric box. I was hoping to put an electrical socket in there and plug the string lights in through there to control with the light switch inside the house. What can I use the fit over that octagonal box and keep the socket in use and weather proof? I'm having the hardest time finding something to work. The octagonal metal box is in brick and mortar. I'd prefer to NOT remove the box and replace with a different one if possible.  The box looks like this:

One possible idea for this connection is to look for an octagon electrical box cover that looks like this:

Then acquire a box to box electrical connector that looks like this:

This can then be joined to a back hole in an appropriate electrical box that gets surface mounted to the face of the wall. This box would then accommodate the needed outlet and exterior in-use cover assembly.


Replacing bulb in surface mount light I am struggling to remove the light diffuser of this surface mount light so that I can replace bulbs. Any help is hugely appreciated.

I would try turning the black ring anti-clockwise - it may be threaded or could need turning with sufficient force to pass the clips.

Also try gently pulling down on the black ring as it may just have clips that work vertically so it does not need to be rotated.


Is it a bad idea to use pine for painted exterior siding if prepared properly? My house is about 95 years old, and currently has wood clapboard siding that is in pretty rough shape and needs to be replaced. My local lumber yard has 1/2" x 6" for $0.53/linear foot. Since vinyl starts around $2.50/linear foot, I am considering trying the pine out. I would install it myself. I am already close to underwater in my mortgage, and don't want to invest in vinyl right now.

I did a lot of research on the best way to cover the knots in pine, and people seem to have the best luck with this BIN Primer with a shellac base. http://www.rustoleum.com/product-catalog/consumer-brands/zinsser/primer-sealers/b-i-n-shellac-base-primer. People say that it is VERY important to do 2 coats. One that dries at least 30 minutes, and one that dries overnight. Then primer, then paint.

Is it a bad idea to replace the siding with pine? I am in the Northeastern US.

Pine has been the traditional siding in the Northeastern US for several hundred years (along with cedar shingles). Painting is the standard protection.

While numerous products are lower maintenance, if you have the skill (not too much required) and time to keep it up (a good bit required), it should be fine.


What to do if my sump is bone-dry? My wife has been suffering the past two years with severe asthma symptoms (never had asthma before this). She's been advised that it's probably mold.

We asked a company to look for moisture vulnerabilities. They pointed out salt deposits at the bottom of some cinder blocks in our basement. They said this is due to water on the outside trying to get in. They also pointed out that our sump is bone dry, and said that normally we should see some water in there - showing evidence that previously it was normal. (Our home is 40 years old).

They said that water is now blocked getting to our sump. They did an estimate on building a new drainage system/sump, involving jackhammering our foundation on the inside.

Looking for any advice/experience on this. The company said that blockage to a sump is unfixable. This is disappointing, given that the house was otherwise built with a lot of quality.

Except for one minor instance, we've never "seen" water come in the basement. But would like to have a normal working sump; and most of all, would like to prevent mold growth. Thanks for any help!!

I would second the comments recommending a second opinion.  A sump is in the basement to allow water to be drained away if it accumulates around the footings.  If there's no water there it quite probably means that your water table is low enough that there's not seepage.  It also would indicate that you have decent drainage around the house and rain water is running away and not down along the foundation walls.

Even if there is a blockage in your sump I would expect there to be some water in the bottom if you currently have a water problem.  Blockages often involve crushed weeping tile or other drainage pipes.  However, it would not usually be a complete blockage and if you have a have water on the outside trying to get in at least some of it should be seeping into your sump even through damaged draining lines.


Home A/C Repair/Replacement quotes are very different. Which one to go with? I recently have been having issues with my A/C unit on my Condo which was built in 1986. This unit might very well be the original A/C unit. It has two components, the fan outside and the air handler in the attic. I had the A/C maintenanced last summer and was told it was leaking Freon. They filled it up to spec but told me it would just continue leaking, which it has 1 year later.

Company A (big A/C company) told me to replace the whole unit because the fan was going to go out soon and both components are leaking freon, he didnt actually check for a leak, and gave me a quote for a 2 ton A/C for a 900 sqft condo costing about $5100 for unit and install with warrenty.

Company B (mom and pop shop A/C company) told me the leak is most likely in the Air Handler, just a guess and still needs to check, and they can replace just that part of the system for about $2000 while replacing the fan's capacitor and other parts for about $100.

I have a lot going on this year and would not like to dip into savings to fix so option b looks better and while I would rather replace the whole thing, I wanted to know if what Company B told me is true, I can replace just the Air Handler and not worry about the fan till later, which he said was in decent shape.

I would call a third company.  They should actually try find the leak, not just sell you a new system.

What brand is your A/C system (Lennox, Carrier, Trane, etc)?  Find the local HVAC company that is an authorized dealer for that brand.  They will be most familiar with your system.

Once you find out where the leak is, you can make an informed decision from there.

Common techniques an HVAC company would use to check for a leak:

Spray soapy water on the fittings and look for bubbles.
Use an Electronic Nose to "sniff" around all the fittings (it can smell the refrigerant).
Add a UV dye to the coolant, let the system run for a week or 2, then go over the system with a UV light (if you see the dye, there's your leak).

(Expect to pay for the leak testing.  It can take a good hour or two to go over the whole system, and time is money.)

Once the leak is found, the HVAC company should be able to give you an estimate for the repair.  If the leak is something simple like a fitting on a coolant line, the repair can be cheap/easy.

If the leak is in the coils or the compressor, expect the bill to be steep ($thousands).  At that point, I would think about replacing the system.

Reasons to consider replacing:

You fix this leak, but what else is going to go in the system?  If the system has been running for a while without enough coolant, there is increased wear and tear on the compressor.
R-22 systems will be getting progressively more and more expensive to service.
Newer systems are way more efficient, so expect a lower electric bill.  You should be able to calculate the "pay back" period of the new system (how many years of reduced electric bills will it take to offset the cost of the new unit).
Check for Tax Credits and Rebates.  The Energy Star Tax Credit expired at the end of 2011.  However, you might be able to get a tax credit on your state or local taxes.  Also check with your power company.  My power company had a rebate of ~$300 for a high-efficiency AC.
Newer features on the new system (variable speed fan, quieter scroll compressor, touch screen programmable thermostat, etc).


Old dryer vent in concrete We have an old dryer vent that is no longer in use, but is still on the outside of the house.  Due to some regrading, the vent is now below the ground line (but boxed off).  This causes obvious problems when it rains heavily and often.

I was thinking of pulling the vent cap off and filling the most of the hole with spray foam, then after curing put an inch or so of mortar on the exterior edge.  I'm not too worried about needing to undo this fix (I know the foam can be extremely difficult to remove...)

But I haven't used spray foam before so hoping to get some affirmation so I don't do something dumb.

Nah.  Build your new masonry exterior first, then if you need insulation spray foam from the inside.  Foam breaks down over time with any sort of exposure.


Can I temporarily connect a dishwasher with hoses running along the floor? I currently live in an in-laws suite with my wife in the in-laws house.  We love it and have plenty of room.  Look at the attached picture for what we have for a space.  My question is if I wanted to add a dishwasher.  I'm looking at getting a cheap scratch and dent Bosch at a store foreclosure this weekend. Can it be set up about 6 feet from the sink and the water lines be ran along the floor possibly as this will not be a permanent setup and can not be too destructive as there is no plumbing where I have space for the dishwasher.  In the picture I want to put the washer next to the fridge in the corner.

There are a number of issues with the plan.

The biggest problem may be the routing of the water supply and drain across the door threshold. Wire covers are intended to cover wire, not hollow tubing. More importantly, the channels in them are usually not more than 3/4 high (most smaller) and will not fit a drain line. If you could find one large enough, it would pose a trip hazard at the doorway.

The next issue is the risk of damage to the tubing under the wire cover. You would need to ensure that the cover was rigid enough and stable enough to avoid both compression of the lines and tugging on the fittings (although you could put full or partial loops in the lines to avoid strain).

Dishwasher drain lines are usually fairly short, and the run you propose may be more than the dishwasher pump can handle. The hot water line is under pressure, so that would not be a problem, but I would consider using PEX to avoid crimping issues.

If you do this, you will still need to put in a branch on the drain and a branch with a shutoff valve on the water supply.

You may want to consider a portable dishwasher such as this type

Smaller ones are also available in countertop versions. They are wheeled to the sink for use, and attach to the faucet and drain over the lip of the sink. They can easily be taken with you and most can be converted to a built in when you are ready.


Do I have to worry about an empty external light socket shorting out? Our house has some directional external lights (the mount allows us to pivot the fixture).

I just tested out one of them today by putting in a bulb. The bulb flickered (it's a good bulb) when I turned it on and it did not stay on.

I'm not going to fix it right now.

Do I need to worry about rain shorting out the fixture if I don't put a bulb in the socket?

It would only short out if the switch is in the ON position right?

Do outdoor rated light fixtures mitigate against this?

Normally, old style exterior flood lights are mounted under the eave of the house protecting them from the rain. They also had a rubber gasket to seal against the flood lamp.

If yours are mounted on the gable wall of a house/garage they should be pointed down anyway which keeps the socket from collecting water even if it's empty.

Unless the socket fills with a considerable amount of water it won't short out. And if it does it will most likely trip the circuit breaker before anything bad would happen.

Rest easy.


What is the most durable wood to use for an outdoor swing set I'm looking to build an outdoor swing set for my kids in the garden. I'd like to know what is the most durable wood to use that doesn't warp or bend. I've been down to the big department stores to get wood, but it is mostly warped already and it has been difficult to find a quality wood.

I would highly recommend Cedar.  Similar to Redwood, it is resistant to insects and rot.  If you can source it, Eastern White Cedar is a wonderful wood to make a play set out of, as it wont give splinters as easily as many woods will.

I went a bit overboard on the play set I built last summer.  I went with rough cut western red cedar 4x4s, and jointed/planed them down to about 3 3/4" x 3 3/4".  This allowed me to end up with very square members.  This was necessary as I did everything using mortise and tenon joinery (yes, I went overboard).

The primary problem with cedar warping/twisting is when it is unsupported.  Once supported properly (i.e.- assembled as a structure), the warping/twisting is minimal.


Cable securing/support, conduit, etc when exiting main service panel: questions I'm totally confused by this. Looking for any help that anyone can provide.

I've attached a photo of the top of my recently-installed (inspection passed) service panel. The top of the panel sits about 8" below the bottom of the 2x10 floor joists. The basement walls and ceiling are unfinished. There are 2x4's nailed parallel to the inside of the joists (an old ceiling installation, since removed? it's a 1925 house), so you actually can't see the joists very well; in the photo, you can barely see them off to the right, sitting on the sill.

My questions are about code requirements for cable/wiring exiting a service panel.

In this installation, the un-sheathed NM cable exits the panel and runs through a 10" length of conduit; then the sheathed cable emerges from the conduit through an open conduit fitting (no clamp) and runs along/through the floor joists.

EDIT TO RE-PHRASE:

How is this installation not in violation of 312.5(C)? Does that section somehow not apply here, or is there another section that takes precedence?
Could sheathed NM cable exit this panel directly, without the use of conduit/raceway?
Could flex conduit be used in place of the rigid conduit in this installation?

[[My original questions were:

Are the 8" lengths of conduit necessary? Are they even allowed? I'm confused by 312.5(C), which seems to indicate that the NM cable should be secured to the panel directly unless it meets the conditions listed as an "Exception", one of which is that the conduit should be not less than 18" in length; another of which is that the end of the conduit should be sealed or plugged; and another specifies that the sheathing should extend at least 1/4" into the panel. Does 334.15(C) somehow take precedence here?
If additional circuits are added, should the cables exit the panel in the same manner as those already installed? I assume it's not ok to have NM cable exit the panel directly, since it would then be unprotected for the 8" run along the basement wall up to the joists. 334.15(C).
Is there some part of the code that disallows flexible conduit from being used to protect NM cable when exiting a panel? For any future circuits, it's going to be easier to bend and secure flex conduit to the joists than to use rigid conduit. (All the "easy" knockouts have already been used, the ones that allowed a straight run of rigid conduit to be secured flush with the joists.)]]

Note: All code references cited in this answer are from NFPA-70:2014 (the 2014 NEC).

Question #1: It looks like you have it right that the installation is in violation of 312.5(C). The code reference is attached at bottom of my answer.

312.5(C): There is less than 18" of EMT used. This rule was evidently introduced in the 2002 NEC because a number of electricians were stuffing a bunch of NM cables through a single hole. I have yet to exactly figure out from code history why 18" was the selected value, but I suspect it is because a generally accepted height that is no longer subject to physical damage is 8' and the maximum height of a breaker is 6'7" (hence the potential minimum height for the top of a service panel with a breaker at this maximum height) per 2014 NEC 404.8 (8' - 6'7" = 17"). It seems like the installer met the spirit of the rule given the low basement ceilings (but not the letter) by giving each cable assembly it's own EMT protection even though the length is only 8" -- this is perhaps why the inspector let it slide.
312.5(C)(a): At least one cable is not secured within 12" of exiting the EMT (the orange one on the right).
312.5(C)(d): The EMT is not sealed at the outer end (per your description)
312.5(C)(e): There is no visible NM sheathing extending into the box and is definitely less than the required 1/4" of sheathing extending into the panel

Question #2: I could see an argument for installing NM cable outside of conduit so long as the cable originates from a punch-out toward the middle of the panel. The reason I say this is that you effectively have EMT providing protection against physical damage on all sides around it. That call would ultimately be up to the inspector's opinion though -- the same goes for all calls on "subject to physical damage" since the NEC doesn't define it.

Question #3: You will note that flexible conduit is not expressly allowed by 312.5(C) and expressly specifies only two allowable methods: securing the cable and specific uses of nonflexible raceways. Also, all flexible conduit options are subject to the same "cannot be used where subject to physical damage" restrictions as NM, so it wouldn't do any good in this case even if it were allowed since the NM cable is being protected because it is subject to physical damage.

Just to show the specific prohibitions on the various flexible conduit options:

  ARTICLE 348
  Flexible Metal Conduit: Type FMC

  348.12 Uses Not Permitted. FMC shall not be used in the following:

  (7) Where subject to physical damage

  ARTICLE 350
  Liquidtight Flexible Metal Conduit:
  Type LFMC

  350.12 Uses Not Permitted. LFMC shall not be used as
  follows:

  (1) Where subject to physical damage

  ARTICLE 356 Liquidtight Flexible Nonmetallic
  Conduit: Type LFNC

  356.12 Uses Not Permitted. LFNC shall not be used as
  follows:

  (1) Where subject to physical damage

  ARTICLE 360
  Flexible Metallic Tubing: Type FMT

  360.12 Uses Not Permitted. FMT shall not be used as
  follows:

  (5) Where subject to physical damage

  ARTICLE 362
  Electrical Nonmetallic Tubing: Type
  ENT

  362.12 Uses Not Permitted. ENT shall not be used in the
  following:

  (9) Where subject to physical damage

  ARTICLE 320 ARMORED CABLE: TYPE AC

  320.12 Uses Not Permitted. Type AC cable shall not be
  used as follows:

  (1) Where subject to physical damage

  ARTICLE 330 METAL-CLAD CABLE: TYPE MC

  330.12 Uses Not Permitted. Type MC cable shall not be
  used under either of the following conditions:

  (1) Where subject to physical damage

I think that has it covered.

  312.5 Cabinets, Cutout Boxes, and Meter Socket Enclosures. Conductors entering enclosures within the scope of this article shall be
  protected from abrasion and shall comply with 312.5(A) through (C).

  (C) Cables. Where cable is used, each cable shall be secured to the
  cabinet, cutout box, or meter socket enclosure. Exception: Cables with
  entirely nonmetallic sheaths shall be permitted to enter the top of a
  surface-mounted enclosure through one or more nonflexible raceways not
  less than 450 mm (18 in.) and not more than 3.0 m (10 ft) in length,
  provided all of the following conditions are met:

  (a) Each cable is fastened within 300 mm (12 in.), measured along the
  sheath, of the outer end of the raceway

  (b) The raceway extends directly above the enclosure and does not
  penetrate a structural ceiling.

  (c) A fitting is provided on each end of the raceway to protect the
  cable(s) from abrasion and the fittings remain accessible after
  installation.

  (d) The raceway is sealed or plugged at the outer end using approved
  means so as to prevent access to the enclosure through the raceway.

  (e) The cable sheath is continuous through the raceway and extends
  into the enclosure beyond the fitting not less than 6 mm (1⁄4 in.).

  (f) The raceway is fastened at its outer end and at other points in
  accordance with the applicable article.

  (g) Where installed as conduit or tubing, the cable fill does not
  exceed the amount that would be permitted for complete conduit or
  tubing systems by Table 1 of Chapter 9 of this Code and all applicable
  notes thereto. Informational Note: See Table 1 in Chapter 9, including
  Note 9, for allowable cable fill in circular raceways. See
  310.15(B)(3)(a) for required ampacity reductions for multiple cables installed in a common raceway.