Water tank will not charge [Please forgive bad terminology - I'm new to this]

My water tank doesn't seem to take a charge at all.  I'm hoping to get some suggestions as to what is happening.  I have a bladder tank.  If just a single tap is open, the pump turns on after only 5-10 seconds.

My theory is that the air nozzle leading to the bladder is blocked.

I've tested this theory with the following:

Turn off the pump, open a tap and let the pressure drop to zero
Open up the air nozzle and try to inflate the bladder manually with a bike pump.

When I do this, it feels like no air is getting into the tank:

When I connect the air pump, there's no hiss of air escaping
The gauge on the air pump immediately spikes.  I've had it up to 50 psi, and it does not decrease over time
The water pressure from the tap does not increase with the air pressure.

I've even removed the schraeder valve and tried the above with the same results.

Does anyone know what might be happening? (or is anyone willing to tell me how stupid I am for missing an obvious cause :)

The bladder has a leak in it, causing the tank to essentially fill with water. There is no room for air to go to charge the tank.

Replacing the tank is the cure.


How to get rid of mold behind garage door railing Is this soot or mold:

The metal bar you see are the garage door railing. I'm looking up at the ceiling.

How do I get rid of this mold? Do I need to cut the drywall away? Or can I just spray it with something?

Thanks for your help in advance.

It's mold. Spray some straight bleach on it.


How do I repair this interior door? I am trying to fix a door that the kids broke.  Should I use use wood glue, clamps, and some small nails?

I would try applying some wood glue  into the split with a small brush. Sandwich the door between two 2x4's with some clamps. It may help to put some wax paper on the 2x4 to keep any glue from adhering the board to the door. Tighten the clamps until the glue starts to squeeze from the crack. Let it sit 24 hours, remove the clamps and scrape any excess dried glue. Repaint to hide the repair.


When to use concrete plasticizer When should one use a concrete plasticizer? Should it be used for internal floor slab?

You use plasticiser when you need to improve the workability of concrete.

Concrete's workability improves as you add increasing amounts of water. Increasing the amount of water in the mix beyond the optimum leads to weaker concrete. Insufficient water also makes concrete weaker, as it is harder to compact it to remove air voids.

For a normal floor slab, I wouldn't expect to need plasticiser to get the concrete sufficiently workable.


How do I clean up white dust and spots "blooming" on rubber? I have a number of designer rubber hooks (Ikea) of varying colors hanging from the wall.

The black and red hooks have white spots (not pictured) all over them.

I have read that this whiteness appearing on the rubber over time is called "blooming" and is due to excess vulcanization powder coming to the surface.

I've wiped them down with olive oil, which seems to have solved it, but I don't know if this is a good solution, or a permanent solution.

How do I clean this white bloom off the rubber and can I prevent it from happening further?

One of the most common solutions to rubber bloom (in pretty much any setting) is an interior car cleaner like "Armor All" (not an endorsement, just an example). This is a durable oil-based product that is less volatile and less likely to be removed by friction or otherwise.

I typically only have to re-treat the weather stripping in my car 1-2 times per year with a product like this, and it keeps them from cracking, blooming and otherwise deteriorating as fast as they might otherwise.


How can I be sure all the asbestos particles are gone? So we got rid of the popcorn ceiling that had asbestos. Now my wife is worried about the particles that might still be lingering in the air. How long until it settles down? Wet-mopping, HEPA vacuuming and opening the doors/windows will help? I sealed the vents. Should I still be worried about residue in the ductwork?

If you had the ceiling removed by "professional certified removers" then you are free of asbestos.  They should have sealed everything up, including vents, etc. before starting and all the particulates were pulled out of the air as the removal was done.

Now on the otherhand if you did it yourself or hired some shady under the counter removal company, your probably exposed already so nothing you do now will matter much.

There is a bit of hope in that the asbestos used was probably long grain(Old terminology, now they are classified by color.) rather than short grain.  Long grain is less toxic than short grain but can still cause cancer, etc.

Cleaning everything, ducts, Furnace, filters, air conditioners, rugs, walls, floors, household items, etc., etc., etc. will help remove residual contamination, as will leaving all windows and doors open.  Once spread all over your home asbestos is hard to impossible to remove completely.

Use masks if you do the cleaning yourselves and a water vacuum to clean the rugs.

It will cost a small fortune to have an asbestos removal company do a whole house clean.  Also in many states doing asbestos removal yourself is illegal. So if you removed the ceiling yourselves don't get pro's in after the fact as its way too late and way too costly.


Is this vertical crack/split in stud significant? Stud is in the exterior wall of my garage. I am looking to hang something fairly heavy (30-40lbs) using lag bolts on this stud.
I am curious if the vertical cracks would be an issue or if they are fairly normal sized and insignificant.
https://imgur.com/a/DWrgaU0

That crack looks fine to me. From the image it looks to be mostly superficial... I might drill a pilot hole if the screw is going dead center where the crack is, just to make sure the crack doesn't widen. If you want to err on the safe side, you can get another 2x4 stud and nail it to the side of the existing, cracked stud (this is called sistering) with some 10D nails every couple of feet and then attach this item to the new 2x4 stud.


Where can I find furniture screws that lock into embedded metal parts? I'm renovating an old box for the MRS. as a bit of a project. It's missing some parts which appear to be the type of screws you get in "flat pack" furniture whereby you screw so much into the wood, it then slots into another piece and you add a metal object that you rotate to lock it all in place.
I basically need to find some replacements and I have one taken out. I just don't know what its called and what length I need.
Anybody in the know able to assist me?

Do an image search for "cam lock fastener". You'll find what you need.


How much clearance do we need for side-loading garage When we build our house we will have a 16' clearance between our property-line and the garage. Is this enough distance for turning into a side-loading garage without making it too tight to pull in and out?

16 feet would probably be enough clearance to get a single sedan-type car into a two-car garage, assuming no other car in the driveway. I've got about 18 feet of space to maneuver into my garage, and it's tough when there's another vehicle parked in the driveway. Not impossible for my little Mazda 3, but it's not happening with our SUV unless we drive on the grass. Parking in the garage when there's another vehicle already in it is tough as well, but easier than when the other vehicle is in the driveway. And if there's a vehicle in the garage and one in the driveway, forget it - I'm not getting into the garage in that case, even with my small car.

I have trouble with 18 feet of clearance, so 16 will be even worse. If you can provide some additional space to either side of the garage door - especially the far side away from the road - that would help quite a bit. If you can give yourself more than 16' of space between the garage and the property line, that'd help immensely more.

As @Ecnerwal mentioned, this could affect resale value; it would quite severely limit the types of vehicles that could be parked in the garage, or it would turn a 2-car garage into a 1-car garage.


How can I install drywall that has warped from improper storage? I have 90 sheets of drywall that I stored for a couple of months against a wall.  The warp is minimal but noticeable.  I tried hanging a sheet on a wall.  The nails pulled through in the middle where the drywall is bowed.
I have laid the 90 sheets flat on the ground on top of each other.
I assume that eventually the sheets will flatten out but I am anxious to get them hung.
Any thoughts?

First off, use screws - perhaps just my personal preference, but I don't have nearly the problem with them.

I assume you are laying the drywall horizontally (not vertically) and the bow along the long 8' (or 12') length (not the 4').

It might take a little longer, but you could screw a 2x4 along the face with the drywall in place to  force the board back against the studs until the all screws are in - One board centered in the middle should do with just securing it at 16" & 80" then pull the board and move on down the line.


Grounding requirements for main panel and subpanel I recently had my main service professionally upgraded to 200A and had a 60A subpanel installed in my master suite to support future additions. All work passed city inspection, for whatever that's worth. I'm just now noticing some things about the work that I'm not so sure about.

The main panel is in an separate-attached garage. The majority of circuits enter the house through a covered breezeway between the garage and house. The new 60A subpanel in the master suite is fed by wires in a buried conduit run through the backyard from the garage.

Questions:

Only one ground rod was driven for the 200A panel. Is this sufficient?

There are only 3 conductors between the main and sub. 2 hot and 1 neutral, no separate ground. There is a ground bar installed in the panel, but no wires connect to it. When I asked the electrician about this after the fact, he said that the neutral wire also serves as the ground, and that it is ok to do this in a subpanel. Is he correct? I've read that ground and neutral bars should not be bonded in a subpanel, but in this case there isn't even a ground wire - neutral and ground share the same wire.

The NEC only requires two ground rods if one doesn't suffice the 25ohms requirement.  If an additional ground is installed then a minium of 6' spacing is required between them.  The only time the neutrals and grounds are allowed to tie together are in the main disconnect.
To keep the neutrals and grounds separated, a 4 wire should have been used to feed your sub panel.


Why did my Faucet's Metal Braided Hose Fail / Explode? Two years ago we installed an expensive high end branded (Lifetime warranty) single holed faucet in our laundry room.

Last week the metal braided hose on the cold side burst. The way our faucet is designed is that the hose is attached to the faucet itself, so it was not a 3rd party or cheaply made metal braided hose. Luckily we quickly noticed the leak, and the damage was not that severe, but it could have been much worse! But the  idea that these hoses can fail only after 2 year is very very very troubling to say the least.

After doing little bit more research. According to this  MIT paper written in March 2016, it discusses the failures of metal braided hoses.

Few points in the conclusion is the quality of the steel. But as I've said before, ours is attached to the high end faucet, so i'm assuming it's of the highest quality.

Storing cleaning agents under the sink which can contain chlorides or other corrosive compounds. But we don't store anything in this particular cabinet. So that's ruled out.

I've read on other sources: suggesting to make sure not to over tighten or under tighten the hose. Okay???

That you should replace the metal braided hose every 5 years. That's not possible in my situation because they are attached to the faucet.

And that you should have a licensed plumber install the faucets. Why? What is a Licensed Plumber going to do differently than a person with a wrench and a common understanding of how to install things. This shouldn't exactly be rocket science.

The faucet company has already sent me a brand new replacement of the unit, but now i'm skeptical in installing it again. If we didn't catch this leak, it could have costed us thousands of dollars in repairs.

Any suggestion would be appreciated.

Here are a few images.

This is not my faucet, but an exmaple of how the hose looks. I've faded out the 3rd hose because my faucet only has two hoses, not three.

Edit:
isherwood suggested the discoloration could be rust. It's possible, but I think it may be rust dust? Here are couple pictures of the surrounding area.

As you can see the bottom of the sink is rusted out, and if you wipe it, "rust dust" comes off and could fall down toward the hoses. I'm not super knowledgeable about rust dust, or rust itself.

Any thoughts?

High Resolution Images: https://imgur.com/a/6H8ocfw

You specify that the location is a laundry room.

I wonder if there are hammer arrestors (newfangled) or dead air spaces (oldfangled, may need draining the pipes once in a while to maintain) on the waterlines serving the washing machine, a prime culprit of high flow rates combined with quick-acting solenoid valves for the finest production of water hammer any household appliance can manage (equalled but not exceeded by the dishwasher, in some cases.)

Water hammer (whether or not it rattles the pipes so you hear it) is a sudden spike in water pressure caused by the inertia of flowing water in the pipe, when the place it's flowing to is quickly shut off. As a somewhat flexible item in close proximity to the end-point of the washer lines, the faucet hoses might be getting stressed by the repetitive pressure pulses.

A water hammer arrestor is basically a very small pressure tank, located at the end of the line to provide a compressible (gas/air) buffer. Water is effectively incompressible, and as such the pressure reached in the absence of an air chanber or arrestor can be quite high.

While it may be comforting to think that the high end faucet maker means only the highest-quality components, it may not be true. In this case, you may simply be exceeding the rated pressure on a brief, but regular basis - until failure results. If, perchance, the hose was kinked or in any way damaged (possibly in shipping and handling rather than though anything you did to it) that would make a weak spot in the hose.


Reviews on Nest Thermostat - That Learns I am just wondering if anyone has used Nest | The Learning Thermostat. At $200 it is very expensive, and I wanted to know if it is worth the price!? Is it practicle, is it actually smart? How precise and accurate is it? What do you think of the price, and value?

http://www.nest.com/

I've got one that I've been using since late December. I'm not sure yet if it has helped reduce heating costs.  I have to examine the bill numbers from the last two months.

I also switched operating modes on the furnace when the Nest was installed.  I was previously using a single stage thermostat and relying on the furnace (a Bryant furnace) to decide when to activate the second stage.  With the Nest (and a new wire for activating the second stage (see below)), I'm now letting the Nest control both stages. So, I've changed two variables that will make deciding if the Nest is winning a bit more difficult.

It is easier to use than the last "dumb" thermostat we had.  There are other brands of smart thermostats out there that are similarly priced, and I'd bet they have similar features and smarts.

Installation was as easy as other thermostat installs I've done, save for the need to run a new control cable from the furnace to include a common wire. Our existing thermostat included wires for the R, G, and W connections but didn't include the C wire. This prevented the Nest from charging properly. Luckily, this new cable was very easy to run in our house, otherwise it would have been an upsetting development.

A couple things I like about the Nest in particular (these may be present in other brands, too):

Control via Internet.  Through the Nest website and an iPhone app, both my wife and I can adjust temperature and schedule. This is nice if we are on the way home and want to make sure it's not cold, if we wake up early and can't bear the thought of getting up when it's cold...
it provides visual feedback regarding whether a new temperature will save money with a green leaf icon when you decrease the set temperature.  It's not rocket science, but it's nice to see the leaf.
It's pretty. It's nice that it doesn't look terrible on the wall.
There is apparently a ZigBee controller in the Nest, which suggests potential for some kind of future home automation integration.  That's all speculation based solely on the existence of the chip in the Nest as found in a teardown, so I wouldn't bank on that.

I think the ease of use and the Internet control are worth the added cost over a normal thermostat.  They are nice to have. But, I think that a properly programmed normal thermostat will be as efficient as the Nest.


Sizing a window AC for bedroom, but with extenuating circumstances I'm looking to install a window AC in my son's bedroom, which is about 120 sq ft.  The guides that I'm reading suggest a 5000 BTU unit due to the size.  However we live in the high desert where the summer temperature gets > 100 degrees (F) at times during the summer.  Also he has several reptile terrariums in his room that require lamps which also heat up his room.  In this case would using a 6000 BTU AC unit be more appropriate?
My 180 sq ft. home office/spare bedroom is in the room next to his.  I use a 6000 BTU unit and it chills this room no problem.  So thinking of getting the a simular sized unit, but don't want to oversize if that's going to cause problems.
Thanks in advance for the advice.

I would go larger, I have installed many heating and cooling systems and when the systems are running properly the AC will cycle more often, icing is more of a problem with very high humidity and or low air flow and this can happen even in the desert on a hot day if the filters are dirty reducing the air flow while the system is working at its maximum cooling capacity.
I find customers are happier being able to turn the thermostat up a little verses when the room is still hot with the AC at its lowest setting running full blast. An over sized unit may cost a little more because it may cycle the compressor on and off more often but this cost will be a small percentage of the annual cost to run and you have a better chance of keeping the room comfortable.


Help deciphering breaker box diagram (where can tandem breakers be installed?) I'm doing some research ahead of a tankless water heater installation, and wanted to check which breaker slots will take tandem breakers. (I won't be doing the install myself).

I think it's telling me that every slot will take a tandem breaker. However the diagram doesn't match the real life layout (there's actually 10 slots per side), and the text is a little cryptic & confusing.

Can anyone help decipher the text & diagrams to confirm where tandem breakers can be installed?

It is telling you that each slot will take a tandem breaker. The lightning bolt like line through the layout is just a way of communicating a repeating pattern in limited space.


Is this a Federal Pacific electrical panel, and should I replace it? I was told I might have a Federal Pacific electrical panel, and if so I may need to replace it.  It’s hard to read, but it looks to me like it says Trumbull Electric (see photo).  Is this panel something I need to worry about?  My house was built in the 1950s.

It's not a Federal Panel. It is a Trumble Panel built in the 1940's bought buy GE. Some say that's the reason GE breakers start with a T (TED THQ etc.)

Should you replace it? Yes, its a 1940's panel, but beware there could be a whole lot of things wrong with your service than just that panel. For example do you have a main fuse or breaker ahead of your panel? How is it grounded? ETC.


Electrical wiring and bulb I have a chandelier with Leviton bulb sockets marked: 75W 125V

My first question is can I use 120V bulb instead of a 125V bulb?

My second question is in relation the wiring and whether 12 gauge wire with a 20 AMP breaker is okay to use with the Leviton bulb sockets marked 75 W 125V?

On your first question, those are rating limits.

Look at your coffeemaker, "capacity 10 cups" etc.  Can you make 4 cups? Of course. They are saying if you put more than 10 cups, it won't work.  Your S-rated (112mph) car tires are also safe at lower speeds.  Etc.

125V is the max limit for the socket (due to insulation strength).   You don't get to choose the voltage in your house, the power company supplies 120V in North America.  This would be the wrong socket, say, for Europe where line voltage is 230V.

75W is the max limit for the socket (due to thermal heat from the bulb).  Since the ruling factor is heat not light, you are allowed to use any bulb less than 75 watts actual.  So if you have a 26-watt LED (bright like a 150W incandescent), that is fine since it's well under 75W.

On your second question, if your breaker is 20A, then use of 12 AWG cable is mandatory all the way from the panel to the ceiling box where the chandelier attaches.  This is another "rating-like" thing; you're perfectly welcome to use larger 10 AWG cable but you cannot use the smaller 14 AWG.


How to subfloor basement bathroom for tile? I'm putting a bathroom in the basement. I need to have sub-floor in so I can install a tub and tile the floor. I was either going to use Dricore, or 5/8" OSB laid on top of DMX and fastened with tapcon screws. I read that Dricore isn't recommended for use under tile because of how much it moves, but what about the OSB/DMX?

I assume your floor is concrete in this case. I would use a decoupling membrane like schluter ditra or one of the competitors. You can thinset this directly to the concrete and then tile on top.
For the tub I would just use a mortar bed to support the tub and then attach the flange to the wall(s)


Wrong installation of tandem breaker for 240V burn water tank My contractor installed water tank

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Rheem-Performance-50-Gal-Tall-6-Year-4500-4500-Watt-Elements-Electric-Tank-Water-Heater-XE50T06ST45U1/205810674

and it ran for a short while (not sure how many days or weeks) before it’s dead. No hot water, no power in the tank, element burnt.

We replaced another new one but in the process we found out the circuit breaker was one leg burn

BEFORE:

My electrician said whoever installed it actually crossing the legs so they can get 240V.

The new one (red) looks like this after he replaced

AFTER:

My question is: How is it even “possible” to install the breaker like that to get 240V? Does it mean “someone” has to bend the breaker fitting and force it in? I asked because the evident were gone and I wasn’t home. What’s exactly behind the panel that allowing such installation to create 240V for a small 2-pole? Is it “legal”?

UPDATE 1

So my contractor said that the red double pole 20A now is 40A / 240V total. But does it mean "before" there were multiple circuits but now there is only ONE big circuit. Should I be concerned about overload?
There is a subpanel in the house. The photos above are the outside panel located in back of the house.
The wire is 10/2 but it is non-stranded. I don't know if 10 AWG Stranded is a MUST/REQUIRED here or 10/2 is enough.

Punchlist:

Paint the Square D breaker or a Challenger breaker red and put it on top of the burned up bus stab. Don't use it.
Replace all black Challenger breakers with Eaton BR/C
Check technicolor BRyant breakers and make sure they are cross-listed Type C; if not replace with BR/C
Make sure water heater wire is 10 AWG
Replace water heater breaker with 25A BR/C
Rearrange all breakers to avoid burnt up bus stabs
think future subpanel

Abducted by alien breakers

We talk a lot on this forum about alien breakers. This panel is the picture postcard example of why.  But it also has some interesting exceptions.

This is a Challenger panel. It requires Type C breakers.   Nothing else will do.  Yes, other types of breakers will snap in. But they won't fit, and this is what happens.

The breaker your plumber used was a Crouse-Hinds, which only works in Crouse-Hinds panels.  It uses a trick we've seen in the GE Q-line, which is to have a 1-space breaker straddle 2 spaces, with a 1/2 space hole above and below (which you're supposed to fill with companion 1/2" breakers).

Point is, that Crowse-Hinds is seriously wrong in your Challenger panel.  Obviously, the plumber had it lying around and couldn't be bothered to pop into any store and get a BR220. The Eaton BR line is cross-listed Type C.

A shame the classic breaker was destroyed by ineptitude. Unfortunately, its destruction also took out the bus stab. Certainly the melted one, possibly the other tapped one as well. That stab is dead; put any old 1-pole breaker there and don't use it. I would paint the breaker red to indicate it's not for use; you wouldn't want someone trying to use it by accident.

Additional breaker issues

With a Challenger panel, you are blessed that Eaton type BR is compatible and cross-UL-listed for Type C.  That means UL gives the fullest endorsement possible for a breaker. (The alternative is a UL-Classified breaker, made specifically for panel X by competitor Y and passed UL safety testing.)  Eaton BR/C is the correct breaker for your panel. And they're $5!

However,  actual Challenger branch circuit breakers are known to be defective. The panels and bus stabs are fine.  Well, yours are a bit corroded and could stand a pass with a wirebrush to see if they're solid underneath, power off of course! I presume this is an outdoor panel.

So every Challenger breaker should be replaced - those are the older all-black ones with the 7-segment-display style lettering.

The remaining ones are actual BRyant, you can tell from the multi-color breaker handles. Look closely at those and make sure they are actually cross-listed Type C; Bryant breakers are reliable but they might not fit the panel.  Modern Eaton Type BR/C are readily available at sane cost ($4.50/pole).

The only ouchy price in there will be that 100A that feeds your subpanel; bring $50 for a BR2100. That is on the top of the hitlist for being replaced.  Further, the breakers across from it must never  be larger than 20A and can't be double-stuff -- otherwise you'd put 130A++ on those bus stabs the 100A breaker is using.   They are only rated for 125A.

Lastly, there's the remaining alien breaker, the Square D HOMeline double-stuff. That is fine as only a hole-filler since the bus stab underneath it is  burned up and unusable.

However, it is in the wrong place.  I believe the burnt stab is the one below. The newer Bryant 2-pole breaker is there instead, and probably not working because the stab is burnt up.

The better plan: another subpanel

Replacing a panel can be heinous.  So I suggest installing a subpanel either right next to this one, or some appropriate place (like where all those cables go). Have this panel have nothing in it but two 100A breakers feeding said subpanels.  (And space-occupying breakers to nothing, to fill the holes).

Do not put the second 100A breaker across from the current one, for stab limit reasons.  Put it below.

That 20A water heater circuit

This is a 4500W water heater.  Applying the mandatory 125% derate, we need to provision 5625W of power. That requires a 25A breaker and therefore 10 AWG wire, as indeed called out on page 8 of the manual.

This we know. That plumber needs to stick to pipes!

Legionella bacteria kills

Looking at that manual, I see that it doesn't talk about the dangers of legionella and other bacteria breeding in a hot water heater.  This is a recent scientific discovery, and the didn't update the manual because it's part of the UL listing for hundreds of products; changing it voids the  UL listing for all of them.

It does warn about scalding, and you do indeed have to balance the risk of scalding vs the risk of legionella and friends. (Scalding is not an issue if you have thermostatic "joystick style" knobs).  I suggest reading the latest literature and making up your own mind.


wiring switch and plug to flourescent fixture I'm having a problem wiring a plug and a pull switch to a fluorescent fixture. The switch wiring is the problem. If I connect the hot lead to the ballast and plug  and the common to the ballast and plug  I blow the breaker. If I do not connect the common on the switch the switch will not work. My ohm meter shows the switch is good.

Because switches don't take neutral (which you call common).  Only hot wires go to switches.  That thing you think is "the other one from hot", is not neutral.  It's switched hot.

First, connect all the grounds/earths.

Second, connect the neutrals to each other.

Third, take the switch out of its retail packaging /shipping box. .

Fourth, you should have two hots left over, one from the cord, one to the ballast. Those two go on the switch.

If you want to get some colored tape and color-code (which normal wires are not), then put red tape on the black (non-neutral) wire from the ballast, and tape the two wires on the switch so one is black and the other is red.


can we use UPS as stabilizer for 1.5 ton AC? I bought split A.C 1.5 ton Samsung AR18FC5efbh model. Can I use an 800VA Microtek UPS as stabilizer for this 1.5 ton A.C?

AC Specs http://shopping.indiatimes.com/electronics/split-ac/samsung-1-5-tonsplit-ac-ar18fc5efbh/10291/p_B1619918

Model: 800 VA Microtek ups with below specs:

Technical Specifications

Model
MDP800

Input Range
135~300V AC

Frequency
(50Hz+5%)

Output
Voltage
230V ± 9% AC

Transfer Time <6ms

Regulator on Mains
Automatic Voltage Regulation

Regulator on Battery
Pulse Width Modulation

Unit Input Protection
Fuse Protection

Noise Protection
Noise Filter

Short Circuit (Line)
Fuse Protection

Short Circuit (Inverter)
Pulse to Pulse Electronic active Protection

Battery Type
SMF

Recharge Time
2~8 Hrs. (depending on the status of Battery)

Backup Time
25-50 Min.

Batery Rating
(Load 1PC) / 12V, 7.2AH x 2

Alarm Battery Backup (Sound beeping)
Per 20 sec. (Approx.)
Battery Low
Sound beeping long

LED Display
Green
Mains mode operation / AVR Working

LED Display Red
Inverter output from battery

Physical
Size (L x W x H)
(300x125x170)mm

Weight (Approx.):
11Kg.

Environment

Operating Temperature
0ºC ~ 48ºC ; 32ºF ~ 120ºF

Rel. Humidity
0 to 90% non-condensing

Noise Audible Noise level
<35dB, distance 1 meter from UPS

The key facts about your A/C are

Power Requirements  1/230V/50Hz
Cooling Operating Current   7 A

7 A x 230 V = 1610 Watts. UPS specs are in VA not W due to power-factor corrections which I'll ignore:

Your 800 VA UPS is probably not a good choice for a 1610 W load.


Please identify this ceiling texture Please identify this ceiling texture
Thank you!

OK, i can identify it.
It is That ugly texture for the 70's that the neighbor lady talked my mom into letter her put on my bedroom ceiling.
She also did one on the living room ceiling that was like a swirl, she would dip a brush in mud, stick it on the ceiling (poke the ceiling)  and turn it before pulling straight away from the ceiling.
I think she had stock in the mud company because it uses a lot of mud.
I also had red white and blue shag carpet in 1976. And you wonder where i get my warped sense of humor.

Which stipple brush will match my pattern?

One possibility is they used a straight brush, loaded it with mud and poked the ceiling, pulled straight back and then turned the brush and poke and turned the brush and poked and tur- - - ked.


How good of a vapor barrier is OSB in a dirt crawlspace? Some background -

I bought my current house in the middle of a drought in 2007, and knew nothing of vapor barriers.
The house has a nice, albeit uneven crawlspace, that is walkable for about half of it's size.
I built  a floor with two by fours and osb for a workshop in about one third of the crawlspace
The rest is just dirt.
I'm in the hot and humid American Southeast.

I've come to the realization that I need to add a vapor barrier in the crawlspace to bring the humidity and mustiness down.  Putting down plastic sheeting over the non-workshop part of the crawlspace should be no problem, but I reallllllllllllllly don't want to pull up the flooring of the woodshop, put plastic down, and put the flooring back down again.

Is it possible that the OSB would do at least some of the traditional plastic sheeting vapor barrier?

Moisture barriers are not a water tight seal kind of thing.

If you cover 75% of the dirt then you should reduce the mustiness by about that much.

Anything will probably be an improvement and if is not good enough you could paint the OSB floor to add some moisture barrier. However, this could possibly reduce the life of the OSB since it can't breath as well.

Good luck!


How would I go about painting exterior brick? We have a house from the 1920's that someone decided to paint the brick white for whatever reason.  A later owner decided to cover that up by wrapping the entire house with siding and then painting the siding.  A series of mistakes indeed....

Anyhow, I want to remove the siding from the lower half of the house and leave the brick exposed.  I have no plans to leave just the faded white on there and wanted to see what some people thought of painting over it, maybe with a darker brown color.  I've seen a few houses in the area where this done and you can still see the natural texture of the brick but I'm not sure what type of paint they used.  Is this still a possibility?  How would I go about doing this?  My understanding is a want to allow the brick to breathe but I'm not sure how much it is able to do that now.  It seems like whatever it was painted with originally wasn't put on very thick.

Prime over the already painted brick first?
Elastomeric vs standard latex acrylic paint?
etc....

This is a tough one that will take a bit of work. From personal experience, any time you're going to be applying paint/primer/etc. to any kind of questionable masonry and mixed surfaces, it's going to be a good idea to clean/prep in several stages, then apply a masonry grade primer.

Depending on if there was any kind of debris, mildew, moss growing on the surface, a brush and/or pressure washer could be suggested. If the surfaces are clean and evenly covered, I would use a good stiff deck brush or similar.

I would also suggest a chemical cleaner/stripper containing muriatic acid, which will have a mild etching effect and ensure good adhesion with whatever you decide to paint with.

Then proceed with a good masonry primer, following manufacturers specifications. The same would apply for your paint.

In most of my jobs and personal projects, I would say a good paint job is 90% preparation, 9% good product and 1% skill.

In short, treat all surfaces the same, clean and prep evenly and somewhat indiscriminately. I would suggest a standard latex acrylic. Elastomeric paints tends to be heavier and really suited to new construction and initial application. If the house is older, it's most likely done most of its settling.

This reference is in regards to commercial new construction, but a lot of the premise will be the same.
http://www.masonrymagazine.com/5-08/cleaning.html

Good luck with the project.


Dishwasher Hose Clamps won't open This will come across as a silly question but I cannot open up the hose clamp for my dishwasher's drain tube. I need to unhook/open the tube, clean its head, then reattach. The metal clamp simply won't open, when I use screwdriver, the screw simply won't come out, it just becomes loose in its place but there is no way to take it out. I'm not sure how pliers would help either because I tried pulling the screw out and it didn't work either.

NOTE: I need to use the same hose , so I cannot break this hose. It's FAR beyond my expertise to change the whole tube, I'm just trying to clean the head to open it up. So I need to be able to reattach it.

Thank you very much for your help.

UPDATE:
Sorry for my bad wording: I don't need to reuse/keep the clamp, I just need to keep/maintain the tube/hose because changing it requires taking out the whole dishwasher. My dilemma is cutting the clamp without damaging the hose now.

The END SOLUTION:
Lots of great answers, comments and suggestions. I ended up actually forcing (force pulling) the tube/hose, and took it out. Once it was out, it was easy to just slip the shot clamp!

Based on other answers and comments, I'm hoping I can provide some help by bringing together some of the relevant information into one answer.

How it works

As @user1289451 pointed out, the "screw" is technically a worm gear. However, instead of the threads on the worm turning a gear, it is advancing the band by engaging the slots and moving the band forward and backwards. Because one side of the band is secured, then this forward and backwards motion results in widening or narrowing the band around the hose.

Loosen the connections

It sounds like the screw is turning, but if something seems seized anywhere, pick up some PB Blaster from your local hardware store. It will help free frozen joints. If you are screwing the worm drive and nothing is happening, then the threads or the band are so rusted out that the threads are not making contact with the band. As such, the only thing holding the clamp together would likely be rust/corrosion. Spray PB Blaster into the housing and let it sit for a while (check can for durations). When you come back, attempt to use pliers/flat head screwdriving to get leverage on the band itself using the slots and simply pull it apart.

Use a nut driver (To loosen it)

I would also second what @gregmac said in his comment. When loosening this, it is highly recommended to use a nut driver (or an appropriately sized socket if it's not 1/4") to loosen this. Between slippage and stripping the screwdriver slot, a nut driver will save you lots of headache. However, when you reattach the existing or a new hose clamp, be careful when using your nut driver because it is very easy to overtighten the clamp, possibly damaging the metal/plastic/copper hose/pipe to which you are clamping.

Replace the clamp

I'm not entirely clear on why you need to resuse the clamp as you can replace just that part with a part from a local hardware store. In fact, if you are unclear about its operation, I would recommend a trip to your local hardware store and looking at hose clamps in the store and playing around with them so you understand what how it operates under normal conditions. I would recommend replacing this if at all possible to avoid issues if service of the same connection is required in the future. If you need to cut the clamp, there are several ways to do it. If you want to avoid damaging the hose at all possible costs, then a hacksaw through the top of the wormgear housing might be your best bet. Once you've broken through to the worm itself, use a pair of pliers to bend/twist/open up the housing so that the band moves freely (since it will have not resistance against the worm anymore). You could attempt to cut the band, but this has a much higher chance of damaging the hose.

Pipe replacement

If you get to the point where you need to replace the metal pipe itself, or even any portion of the dishwasher hose, look into using Pex piping. I know it seems scary, but Pex makes plumbing much simpler and with a little research you should be able to replace part or all of the pipe if necessary. The damaged section can be cut back and a piece of PEX can be cut and inserted in the line and secured with a crimp clamp. With a little care, almost any size pipe or hose can be replaced with PEX.


How can I mount a punching bag in a closet opening? I need to hang a punching bag, and was thinking of putting it in a closet opening.  I assume that there's a header across the top of the opening that's at least a 2x4, but will that be enough to hang a 70 lb. Heavy Bag?

One other option would be to put a 2x4 (or even 4x4) across the opening on the outside, and bolt it through to another 2x4 on the inside, and attach the bag to that.

I have a bag like that. The steel supporting chains at the top are there for good reason. And I don't think even a short 2x4 would hold it up very long once you start pounding away at it. Beyond that, closet doors are fitted in inside walls and don't require headers in some jurisdictions.

The rigidity of a piece of wood, as a beam, is proportional to its width and proportional to the 4th power of its height. So using a 4x4 will only double the kind of strength you want. You would be better to use, say, a 2x10 or whatever you can fit inside the closet, assuming I understand you correctly. Now your problem is that this beam will have a tendency to bend in the middle along its length or topple. So you will need some framing to make it stay upright.

It's not just the static weight of the bag. It's the fact that hitting it will put a lot of weight in motion. Come to think of it, can you be sure that the framing around the closet door can stand up to this? Perhaps you should think of building a frame to support the big beam inside the closet door so that that bag won't distort the door frame?


Can I properly install Roxul mineral wool batts in a mostly-drywalled stud bay by pushing them up from below? Using my nifty thermal camera, I discovered that my furnace closet's combustion air duct (visible in this question) is getting really hot when the attic heats up, and then (being sheet metal) it radiates that heat into the furnace closet. Here's the combustion air duct:

The furnace closet has no insulation to thermally separate it from the rest of the house, so the obvious thing happens: the heat escapes. Here's a thermal view of the wall closest to the duct when it's hot out:

In order to combat this heat transfer, I would like to insulate the stud walls that frame the furnace closet, which are currently empty. The furnace closet sits above a return air plenum that is un-drywalled, giving me a place where I could stuff something rigid or semi-rigid up into the cavities from the bottom. I am considering using Roxul mineral wool insulation batts, which I hear are more rigid and dimensionally stable than fiberglass batts. Would this work? are they rigid enough that I could actually stuff them up into the cavity? Or would this be a waste of time and money because they'll just snag and compress?

In addition, would a radiant barrier help? (asked as a separate question)

Before anyone asks, I don't want to fill the stud bays with loose fill cellulose because it would require drywalling and sealing the open sections in the return air plenum and blowing the material in from the attic, which is scary and I don't like to go up there. It's also flammable and it would be used to insulate a furnace closet, after all.

Roxul batts do not compress a lot, well not nearly as much as traditional fiberglass.  They are also pretty rigid.  They can definitely go 6 feet or so in a wall cavity.  I have used them to do what you are doing, when there aren't things in the way.

I am guessing you believe you don't have cross bracing or electric/plumbing or obviously this won't work.  I would unroll a batt, cut to height size (possibly cut to width), push up slowly starting at top of batt.  If it snags and is resisting I would cut it.  Then push up with broom or something similar and just keep on going until you fill it.  Even if the Roxul slides a little you can stuff the bottom to hold it.  The stuff really compacts well and holds its place.  Why I tend to use it in basement joists.

Also if you place a small screw in the top side of your batt (just push it in so it isn't hanging out) you can use a magnetic stud finder to see where you are at.


Why am I only getting 130 volts at some power sockets? In my living room (in Germany) I have one line, going from the fusebox around the walls with around 7 power sockets on it.

Four of those sockets have the normal 230V on them and work properly. Three however only have 120V on them. I've measured the voltage between the line and neutral. I've also measured between the ground and the 2 lines to see if there was a short-circuit but nothing showed.

I've tried checking all the lines in the walls to see if one of them is not properly connected, but from what I could see all lines, neutrals and grounds are properly connected.

The voltage at the fuse box is 230V, so the the fusebox itself is fine.

Does anyone have an idea why on the same circuit 4 boxes have 240V and 3 boxes have only 120V?

Does anyone have an idea why on the same circuit 4 boxes have 240V and 3 boxes have only 120V?

It may be there is a loose/corroded/burned connection in the 4th or 5th circuit box.

It may be you are using a voltage detector that has LED indicators for specific voltages, and does not make an exact measurement.

I would turn off the circuit breaker for that circuit, lock it out (to prevent other people turning it on), verify that nothing is live, verify again, then check resistance from live on 4th socket to live on 5th socket using a good quality Cat-II or better meter.


Level a linoleum or vinyl floor for bamboo flooring I plan to float a bamboo floor over top of our kitchen's existing linoleum (or vinyl, not really sure which). The problem is that the floor has a couple of high joists that make it pretty uneven along the width of the room. The height difference reaches half an inch in the worst spot. How can I smooth out the floor?

Floor details:
The kitchen sits above a partially unfinished basement (meaning we have access to some of the problem joists). The subfloor* is 3/4" OSB. On top of that is the "linoleum", which is backed by wood so that it's about 1/4" in total thickness.

** Room details:**
The room is a U-shape about 18' wide that opens to the rest of the house after a length of 20'. The cabinets line the "curve" of the U, with the bad joists cutting "across" the U, just past where the cabinets end. At one end of the bad joists, there is a sliding door that we intend to replace.

Other concerns:
We installed the cabinets on top of a 1/2" spacer (to fit the bamboo) directly on top of the floor, and adjusting those is more or less not an option.
So while we aren't opposed to cutting into the linoleum if necessary, we will need to match its height somehow so that the cabinets are at the appropriate height.

There's a cabinet about 20" from the worst joist, which is also where two OSB boards meet. So we can't remove the entire board, but we could potentially cut it back to the previous joist and path that spot somehow. I'm not sure if there are structural issues to worry about here.

One thought we had was to cut out a wide strip of the linoleum along the bad joists, then fill the now-pits to level with the rest of the floor. Self-leveling products sound handy, but my research tells me that there aren't any that work properly on OSB. Plus, I'm not sure if that even makes sense for use in a narrow strip like that. Some sort of thicker, manually-leveled putty also makes sense, but I don't know if anything would work for that purpose.

So I have a good understanding of where the problem areas are and what the result should look like. What I'm looking for is: what combination of steps can we take to level the floor, while keeping the cabinets where they are, the subfloor stable, and not raising or lowing the overall floor height?

*As a side note, we have a spot where we cut out the linoleum to get to a spot where the subfloor has some wood rot. We intend to patch the subfloor here, and so I'd like to handle that in a compatible manner. If you have any insight here, I'd love to here that as well.

I have read your question several times and feel there is no simple solution to the problem. Laying any kind of wood floor over an uneven base floor can be difficult with disappointing results. This is especially true with thinner laminates or veneer type floating floors. Seems can buckle or open and the floor can have a hollow feel.

It is much easier to fill low spots than lower a high spot. You said in your question that the difference is about 1/2 inch. That is a large difference to bridge. Usually the best way to eliminate a high spot is to raise the level of the rest of the floor to the highest level. Cutting down the joist is not a solution unless you are willing to remove the subfloor. You did not say how large the entire room is or how it transitions into other rooms or doorways. That information would be helpful to know. The fact that you installed cabinets before solving the floor issue complicates the fix.

The first step is to map the floor by using a long true straight edge and or a laser to visualize the contour of the existing floor. This will tell you what areas need to be raised and by how much. The differences will vary over the span of the room.  Since wood flooring can bridge small gaps, creating a perfectly smooth base is not necessary. The goal would be to create a level plane so the new floor will lay flat.  The fillers or shimming can be done with thin plywood, luan, scrap vinyl, leveling compound or a combination of materials. Baseboards need to be removed and reinstalled after the new flooring is installed. This process can be tedious and time consuming, but if done well, will result in a much better finish product. It really doesn't matter what the subfloor fix looks like as long is it leaves a flat surface. Your new floor will cover all that.


Can I use a transformer for a 240v stove/oven on a 120v outlet? I'm remodeling a section of my house to add a second kitchen, but I don't have a 240v outlet in the room (I'm in North America). To my surprise the 120v North American outlet next to the future stove is already capable of comfortably supporting more than 6,000 watts! I suppose that means it can carry a current of ~50 amps. The former owner of my house was an electrician, so I guess he must've made the wiring really beefy for some reason.

Is it possible for me to simply buy a portable transformer to step up the voltage from 120v to 240v and then plug the ~40 amp stove into the transformer? On paper it sounds like a good idea, but is there anything I'm missing here? Do North American stoves require something more complicated than just 240v and enough amps, or should this simple idea work?

6000W at 110VAC would equate to ~54.5A. It would be extremely unusual to see an 110VAC outlet supporting that level of current. You really need to show a picture of the outlet to allow members here to verify that this is a compatible outlet.

A 55A circuit would require feed wires of at least 6 awg copper wire. You need to show evidence that the "really beefy wiring" is actually connected with 6 awg copper or larger diameter. In addition we need evidence that this circuit is being fed from a circuit breaker not exceeding 55A.

If your power feed is indeed rated for 6000W at 110VAC then a transformer (assuming 100% efficiency which they are not really 100% efficient) would not be able to convert to more than 6000W at 220VAC. This would result in a maximum converted current not exceeding ~27A. Clearly this is not enough to supply current on a circuit to a stove that requires a 220VAC feed at 40A.


How can I power IP camera from same lan cable as wifi AP over POE? I want to mount IP camera on my house , problem is that I do not want to drill into isolation or have cables hanging around house. There is already one lan cable mounted and connected to wifi ap which is powerd by POE injector.

Now how can I use this one cable to power two devices. I would buy wifi IP camera so data cables of lan cable will stay into wifi AP.

What device would allow me this?

There are PoE pass through switches.

The issue is that you have multiple devices, IP camera, WAP and the switch is likely to exceed your power budget.

Also the cost of any switches, splitters or injectors that may be able to do this would likely exceed the cost of a short cable run.

Wifi cameras generally suck and your issue is power anyway, IP data is not very power intensive.

If though the cable run for some reason is nigh on impossible, ideally see if there are altenative power sources near your WAP, if so you may be able to install a small PoE switch at that location or possibly a power supply for a camera or the WAP also which removes the need for PoE pass through and a normal switch or small PoE powered switch can be used. Not the finest solution but gives you a bit more options.


Robotic vacuum for pet owner I'm trying to select a robotic vacuum that will cleanup my apartment on daily basis (3 cats is a lot :) ). Which one should I try? I was thinking about iRobot but with no mapping mechanism they seem rather dumb for me.

We have a small apartment with wood floors and one cat. The iRobot Roomba 560 works well if we run it daily, but the bin needs to be emptied every couple of days, and the brushes need to be cleaned at least once a week.  With 3 cats, I imagine it may overwhelm the Roomba's capacity.

On the other hand, the new 700 series models have a higher capacity vacuum bin, and we just bought this new bin for the 560.  In theory this can hold more cat hair and the stronger motor sucks more of the hair off the brushes and into the bin.  We'll see over the next few days how much of a difference this makes...


Are compression fitting deamed water proof Are compression fittings on 2 inch conduit for the meter socket and weather head installation deamed waterproof?

they have to be listed nec 358.42couplings and connectors referrs back to 314.15 that says they have to be listed, I usually use ridgid out side but there have been a few cases I have used compresson when it is away from people and equipment, I just looked up the ones I have done this with and they are listed as concreet tight (no other specific listing)but the inspector did pass the install (i usually use screw type) so the inspector probably figured they were listed... I did find some that are listed not sure what the difference is O ring or some additional seal? (I did not ask is this EMT or PVC conduit) I rarely use PVC in an industrial facility so I will check those out also. ok I am a dummy you glue PVC so for a box end or coupling there should be no compresson fitting
ao I go back to the part must be listed some are some are not


Do I need to weatherproof my outdoor conduit? I recently installed some outdoor conduit, with weatherproof boxes and (the most expensive bits) raintight compression connectors. Because this is EMT conduit, set screw connectors were also available, but, obviously not wet rated.

I recently got to thinking, however, that THWN is, on its own, wet rated and the conduit merely serves as physical protection.

So, do I need to install raintight/weatherproof connectors for conduit when the wires within are already wet rated?

Short answer: Wet locations only require corrosion resistant materials. But I would use compression connectors outdoors anyway.
From the National Electrical Code

358.10 Uses Permitted.
(A) Exposed and Concealed. The use of EMT shall be permitted for both exposed and concealed work.
(B) Corrosion Protection. Ferrous or nonferrous EMT, el-bows, couplings, and fittings shall be permitted to be in-stalled in concrete, in direct contact with the earth, or in areas subject to severe corrosive influences where protected by cor-rosion protection and approved as suitable for the condition.
(C) Wet Locations. All supports, bolts, straps, screws, and so forth shall be of corrosion-resistant materials or protected against corrosion by corrosion-resistant materials.

Good luck!


How to Fill Gap Between Steel Beam and Concrete Pillar? I have a Concrete Foundation Pillar that is 5/8th of an inch too short. What filler materials are appropriate when a steel I Beam will be resting on it? Can I use mortar, or is steel more appropriate?

mortar is not really structural, I would go with steel, perhaps half-inch plate and some washers


How can I repair these cracks in my balcony wall? I have recently purchased a flat which around three years old. The house is on 11th floor and has vertical cracks on balcony walls. Some of them are across the wall. Here are some pictures

Wall crack pictures

I am more worried about the one in the picture below. This appears to be across the wall.

Question is is it a safety issue? And what is the best way to repair this.

It is not possible to know if these cracks are structural or cosmetic, without knowing many construction and assembly details (such as the use of pre-stressed, reinforced panels).

This is would be in the domain of a structural engineer.

If cosmetic, an elastomeric, exterior grade concrete crack filler would be advisable. Sika products come to mind


i want to know the name of a table i want to buy a table like this, but I don't know the name. Somebody help?

It's a "desk with two short legs". :-)

I'd guess it might have been custom made or adapted from something normal by having two of its legs shortened with a saw.

Ikea Hacks
Ikea ADILS/HISSMON


Upgrade a 30 amp breaker to a 40 amp In my house, can I upgrade a 30 amp breaker to a 40 amp breaker in my main breaker panel, if I ran the right gauge wire (8-gauge I think )? I have a 100 amp panel...

Don't have any any slots available in the panel but I have a 240v 30amp not doing anything. That I can use in the basement if were able to upgrade to a 240v 40amp breaker and just run new wire in the basement

Yes, if you are running new wire, and ensure it is the proper gauge for the material (copper or aluminum), there is no reason you can't swap out to a higher amp breaker if you have an unused one.

I would suggest that you go to 50 amp if you're going to this much trouble.  40 amps is a bit of an odd duck, so you might as well have 50 amps available because you could end up with an appliance or tool that needs it.  The most common residential outlets will be either 30 amp, or 50 amp for 240.  If you're running this to another subpanel I guess that doesn't matter, but I'd still suggest scaling the circuit for 50 amps.


Should I supporting a load via anchors in brick or mortar? I'm attempting to hang window flower boxes (a metal frame with a moss/fabric insert, filled with dirt/flowers/water for a total weight of about 15 lbs) on a brick wall.

An example of a similar metal frame can be seen below (found at http://www.vintagetub.com/asp/product_detail.asp?item_no=B-30&utm_id=IDK14&cvsfa=1353&cvsfe=2&cvsfhu=3439353934): Flower Box http://www.vintagetub.com/images/medium/m_B-30.jpg

The specific box I have has two vertical support beams towards each end with a common vertical set of holes on a each of these that will slip over the head of screws that are firmly anchored into a wall.

I've got two concerns:

Can I support this load via screws only in the mortar or do I need to drill the brick? (A mortar repair is easier and more sightly than holes in brick if I ever take this down, since it's on the side of a garage - i.e. a large uniform brick surface - instead of directly under a window where the holes might go unnoticed.)
If mortar alone will support the expected load, would using only the top two screws suffice? (I'd suspect not.) The distance between the holes in the box is not the same as the height of the brick, so at best I could only get 3 of the holes (two in a horizontal line of mortar, and one in a vertical line) used without drilling brick or coming up with some other way to fasten the box to the wall.

I'd appreciate any thoughts at all on the matter!

With only 15lbs, two screws (one on each side) ought to do just fine.  Just drill into the mortar with a hammer drill and an appropriately sized bit, then use either a sleeve type anchor with the screws, or you could just use a couple tapcon type screws as well.


How to fix a Front door sticks out (from the inside slightly) I had a new front door (with frame) installed recently. The door seems to be sticking out (from the inside) in the upper left corner causing it not to seal tight against the weather stripping. Any ideas how to fix this? The door seems level as well.

It's installed incorrectly.
This happens when the hinge side and latch side are not both truly vertical. In this case, the top of the hinged side is installed too far towards the interior. On closing the door, it will first contact the bottom of the latch side which then prevents the top of the latch side from closing fully
Your installer should fix this, it is because of poor workmanship


Advice on estimating load and wiring a small cabin I have some basic electrical knowledge but have never wired anything.
I plan on wiring a 288SF cabin; it be just one room and will have a separate small bathroom. I will need a mini split system to provide heating and cooling and I was thinking about using a tank less water heater to save space.
Here is my idea of how I would wire it :

20 AMP Bathroom Fan and lights
20 AMP Bathroom Outlets
40 AMP Mini Split Unit
20 AMP Outlets Outlets Cabin (8 outlets)
20 AMP Outlets Kitchen
75 AMP Tankless Water Heater
20 AMP Lights Main Cabin and outdoor light

That would come up to 215 AMP which seems like a lot ! I am guessing that I will need to get a sub panel at my house where I was planning on getting power from.
Do those numbers look about right ?
Thank you for your input, I do appreciate.

The added up size of the breakers is not equal to (generally it's much greater than) the actual load.
There are code guidelines, or you can look at what's expected to be powered and what its actual amp draw is.
Tankless electric water heaters are foolishness, and the huge amperage requirement is one reason why (the lack of power savings is the other main one.)
Also you are apparently in 120V/240V land and don't realize that 2 20A loads on opposite phases at 120V are the same as one 20A load at 240V. That alone gets you down to 175A on your current list.
You also need a minimum of 2 20A circuits for kitchen outlets, and it's generally advisable to have at least one other circuit (15A is normally plenty) for the refrigerator and nothing else.
For a start, look at the actual running amps of your mini-split, .vs. its 40A breaker size. If you insist on the tankless foolishness, it's actual amp draw .vs. breaker size will matter as well, but it won't spare you much in that case. FWIW, that's one HECK of a breaker for a minisplit on a 288 sf cabin - I'm doing 1000 well insulated square feet with one that asks for 15 and uses maybe half of that.


Why would all pizeoelectric plugs spark when igniting just one gas stove burner? When trying to ignite a single burner on a 2012 model gas stove, all 5 of the piezoelectric plugs start to spark. Once the chosen burner lights and I adjust the flame all the plugs stop sparking.

Questions

Is this something awry or is this typical behavior of a gas stove?

What are some probable explanations for such behavior?

Yes, it is a typical for the gas stovetops to light all of the burners even when only one is needed. Note that this applies to stovetops that do not have a standing pilot light. The oven often will have its own ignitor that operates independently of the stovetop.

The reason for this may be in order to reduce the complexity of the stovetop design. With all of the sparkers running in parallel, only one set of electronics is needed for all of the burners, instead of each one having its own electronics (or requiring additional relays). Stoves will often come with schematics showing their wiring, and you could consult these to see how your particular stove is designed.

Note that it is perfectly fine to spark already lit burners (though this will slightly reduce the lifespan of the electrode as it'll erode more quickly at high temperatures), and burners that are turned off (since there's no gas available, it'll have no effect).

There's also a bit of a a safety factor involved. If you have a failed ignitor (blocked with crud or broken), the plume of gas will be ignited by the other burner before it fills up more of the room, thereby creating a smaller fireball than it would have otherwise.


Is it okay for wires at the C terminal to touch? I just purchased the Honeywell wifi thermostat but my existing thermostat does not have a C wire.  So the instructions given suggest using the G wire as the C wire and at the furnace to move the G wire to the C terminal.  The problem is that my C terminal already has 2 other wires there, is it okay to add another?  Is it okay for those wires to touch?  They also suggested to build a jumper using 18 gauge copper wire from the Y terminal to the G terminal.

There's no problem with those wires touching. However, screw terminals are commonly only rated for one or two wires to terminate at them. If you're adding a third, it might be time to use a "pigtail".
Creating a pigtail

Remove the wires from the screw terminal.
Combine the two wires that previously were under the screw terminal, with the wire you're adding, and a short bit of scrap wire of the same or larger (smaller gauge) size using a twist-on wire connector (or other approved means).
Attach the short bit of wire (pigtail) to the screw terminal.


How do you achieve this stairway 'chaser' effect with an LED light strip? Here is a gif showing it in action, once the motion is detected, the strip slowly lights up directionally from bottom to top, how is this achieved? I can't seem to find how this is done: Looping GIF link

Here is the website that the video came from.

tinker-fun.com/DigitalLEDStairlighting

Note that this DIY project requires electronics and software knowledge. The website has fairly detailed hardware instructions. The designer has not posted the full software yet. Pieces of the software are available from various open sources.


Can I use exposed UF instead of THHN in conduit to outdoor AC disconnect? I'm installing a mini-split and need to run power outside to the disconnect box, then an additional line from the disconnect to the compressor unit. In most installs I've seen, power to the the disconnect (in circumstances where the line is not coming through the wall directly into the back of the disconnect--which is not an available option to me) comes through a conduit; in this case, I expect I'd use THHN in the conduit. Then, a whip is used from the disconnect to the compressor.
So, my questions:

Since UF cable is OK for use outdoors in exposed conditions, can I run UF (not in conduit) to the disconnect? (FWIW, I'll be using 12/2 UF on a dedicated 20A 240V circuit, although I don't think that detail is necessary for the question.)

A secondary question to #1: The lineset for the minisplit will be run in a decorative PVC cover secured to the outside wall. With the lineset inside the decorative cover will be the 14/3 communication wire between the compressor and the indoor air handler. Can I run the UF to the disconnect inside the decorative cover?

Instead of a whip (which is essentially a waterproof flexible conduit with THHN or such inside) can I use UF from the disconnect to the compressor unit?

Thanks,
AEP

UF cables can be installed outdoors without being in conduit unless it is somewhere where it could possibly be damaged. So no, it can't just be run plain to a disconnect and tacked to the wall. Any decorative PVC would have to be strong enough to provide protection for the cable. The same goes for the run from the disconnect to the compressor unit as it could definitely be damaged. Since it's hard to run UF in conduit, you'd be better off just installing the conduit and pulling individual conductors.


Effects of Gas Pipe reduction from 3/4" to 1/2" I have a capped 3/4" pipe in a concrete slab meant to bring natural gas to an outdoor fireplace; however, I have lots of left-over 1/2" pipe & fittings from another project.  Yeah, I might be "cheap," but wondering what effect would it be on a fire element if I were to install a 3/4" to 1/2" reducer and used my surplus piping?

If you were going to pull a permit, you'd be required to submit a pipe sizing calculation. There are several methods of doing this, the Longest Length Method is very popular.

How to use the Longest Length Method


Should I add batt insulation to concrete basement walls? We're planning how to finish our basement, and haven't been able to figure out something related to insulation.

The home's in Minnesota, and was built in 2008. XPS insulation (installed by the builder) covers all concrete surfaces, and I haven't seen any indication of any sort of moisture intrusion. I can't see what's behind the XPS, though I took photos during construction and it doesn't look like there's anything but concrete there.

Here are my questions:

When framing the exterior walls, should I add any sort of vapor barrier between studs and XPS, or will the existing XPS facing suffice?
Should I add batt insulation between studs, or leave those interstices empty?

I finished a basement in MN and spent a whole lot of time researching it. I eventually settled upon a method using XPS, steel studs, and paperless sheetrock as recommended by Building Sciences corporation and the US Dept. of Energy. I detailed the specifics on the answer to this question here:

https://diy.stackexchange.com/a/8644/1209

As for your questions:

I strongly recommend not ever using a vapor barrier in a basement. Read through my answer above for some more details. But, in summary: XPS acts a moisture retarder, but will still allow trapped moisture to dry to one side or the other. And since a basement can have moisture on either side, it's good to let it breath. When I finished my basement in MN, this was the biggest challenge I had with the St. Paul building inspectors. They insisted on vapor barriers, though invariably, in every basement I visited in MN with a VB, it smelled musty. I eventually did enough research to show them that the times have changed and VBs are not recommended that much anymore in basements by modern builders.
adding the fiberglass likely wouldn't hurt anything...it's more insulation. But it may not add a whole lot, either, if the XPS is already sufficiently thick enough. So, the question is how thick is the current XPS? If it's providing a good r-value already, you might be good to go there. Save the time/effort and just stud out from there (using Metal studs, IMHO).

Good luck!


Aprilaire 700 humidifier not working properly The fan does not seem to be running.  How can I determine what the problem is?   I'm not sure if it's the fan, solenoid or the computer board.

humidifiers can be complex devices.  first step is check power at the board and make sure you haven't blown a board fuse or a fusible link.  assuming the board has power, check to see if the fan gets power when you turn on the power.  if no power to the fan, and all the wires are good, then chances are the power supply on the board is shot, or the control module is shot.  does it have momentary switches or good old fashioned "click" knobs or switches )ie SPST or DPST?


My light switch make a loud noise when used slowly; does it need to be replaced / fixed? I have a 3-way switch that controls 6 recessed CFL floods.

One of the switches consistently makes a loud crackling / popping noise when used slowly.  The other switch if played with slowly enough will make a quiet pop after several trys.

Should either of these switches be repaired / replaced?

Yes, I would replace any switch that is consistently making the "popping" noise. This noise is from sparking of the switch contacts and is a bad thing and could lead to switch failure or even a fire.

When choosing a new switch choose one that has a quality snap action to it.

Lastly stop teasing the switches by moving them slowly. This is a bad practice and should be avoided. Operate the switches as they are meant to be used - snap on - snap off.


Can a toilet vent be upstream? I am relocating the bathroom door and the toilet vent is right in the middle of the new opening. I want to put the vent in the wall behind the toilet which will be upstream of the toilet. Will this work? The vent is currently about 6 feet in front of the toilet. The shower drain will be connected into the 3" toilet pipe about 3 feet downstream of the toilet.

The image below is what I'm hoping to do, with two different ways to handle the vent connection.

You are within 6' so it would be allowed in my state.


How should I remove this bulb? My bathroom bulb died and I am trying to replace it, but before I can figure out what sort of bulb to buy I want to remove it so I can take it with me to the store and get an exact one. However I've tried to pull it hard and it won't come out, I'm afraid I might break the connector if I pull any harder so before I mess it up I thought I would ask.
Here is a picture of the little guy (click for full size image):

First, make sure the fixture is switched off.

Using a small piece of cloth, to protect your fingers in case the bulb breaks, grab the bulb firmly near the base, and rock it slightly back and forth (left to right), so that you are alternately pulling on one pin, then the other.   Once the pins start to move you will probably be able to pull it straight out.

If the bulb does break, you should be able to remove the remaining parts with a pair of needle-nose pliers; be sure to apply the force in the direction the pins are pointing so that you don't break them off.


What glass and materials are needed to install a glass shower screen against a sloped wall and where can I get them? I saw a picture in an answer to a question from 3/6/11 about installing a shower curtain with a sloped ceiling.  There was a piece of "glass" installed on the sloped side (left) and a shower curtain on the right.  I was wondering if it was in fact glass the was specially cut or something that you made yourself.  We have this problem and are looking for a solution just like this.

Glass in a shower enclosure must be tempered to be safe. Tempered (or toughened) glass is much harder to break than conventional glass and, if broken, crumbles into pieces that are not very sharp.

Because it is so hard, tempered glass is cut to size before it is tempered (hardened). This is almost always done by a specialty glass shop.  Usually they will either take your measurements or come and measure themselves, and then create the sized tempered piece.

There are also various plastics that are used in shower enclosures that are also less prone to breaking than ordinary glass. Some of these may be able to be cut by the DIYer.

In either case, you need to be sure there is a good, waterproof seal between the panel and the wall and tub.


What to do with metal fascia wrap when attaching ledger board for a pergola? I want to install a pergola over a space out my back door. My plan was to cap and remove the gutter from a section of the fascia and attach a ledger board (secured to the rafter tails).

What I'm not sure about is the aluminum trim currently covering the fascia. Should I leave this in place and sandwich it between the fascia and the ledger or remove it and replace it with some other covering?

You should probably leave all weatherproofing in place. The key is to prevent water from draining into unwanted areas, which means that you may want to add flashing to move the drip edge outward and over the ledger. Whether and how you'd do that depends on your pergola design.

You may also opt to simply seal all penetrations through the fascia cover by sandwiching a rubber or foam layer. Moisture will have a tendency to soak into that joint and through nail or screw holes.


Dimmer stopped working I had left the dimmer switch for my bedroom light off for a couple days but today I decided to turn it on. The light came up but dimming it caused it to go out. The dimmer then stopped working period (with the light off)
What could be the cause for this?

Assuming that the bulb isn't burned out, the dimmer failed. It happens.
We installed simple incandescent dimmers for all of our lights when we moved into our house 25+ years ago. We've replaced every single one of them at least once. Maybe it's because we bought the cheapest one on the shelf at our local big-box store...
Replace the dimmer.
Cautionary note:
Be sure to:

Turn the power off at the breaker

The easiest way to know you've got the right breaker is for the light to go out, but since the light's already out...
Pick up a non-contact voltage detector while you're getting the new dimmer. For $15 or less it can save your life.

Have the new dimmer handy before removing any wiring

When you've got the old dimmer out of the wall, but BEFORE removing any wiring:

Grab your cell phone & take good, clear, focused pictures of all the wiring connections.
Take good, clear, focused pics of any extra wiring in the back of the box

If you're not clear on how to rewire the dimmer based on the new one's instructions and what you're seeing in the box, come ask a new question here before disconnecting anything.

Include all your good, clear, focused pics
Include the make/model of the new dimmer. A link to the mfgr site (and instruction PDF) is always appreciated

It's a lot easier to ask a "stupid" question than it is to rewire it wrong which could damage the new dimmer, the fixture/bulbs, or you.


What are some of the best books/resources on home inspection for first time home buyers? I'm looking at buying my first home.  Considering the amount of money involved, it seems logical to make sense the inspection is solid.  (I've seen a few "Holmes Inspection"s to have the reinforced.)

I know "Holmes Inspection—Everything you Need to Know Before You Buy or Sell Your Home" was out there, but it's no longer on print.

For the first time home buyer, what books or resources should I use to educate & prepare myself?

I can't agree enough with Greebo's statement that you should be present for the inspection. Even if you don't know why the inspector is doing everything he's doing, you can see that he's being as thorough as possible without causing damage to the house. Remember, Mike Holmes is called in when the homeowner discovers there's a problem, and so he has the homeowner's blessing to cut holes, pull up floorboards, and get to the root of the problem. Inspectors aren't allowed to cause damage to walls, floors etc; they can SOMETIMES remove screwed-in fixtures (because replacing said fixture is trivial and makes no additional holes).

However, Holmes will also show viewers what, if anything, the inspector should have caught but didn't. Basically, if it's visible, obviously wrong (or indicating deeper issues), and the inspector didn't make note of it, Holmes will call the guy out for it. There have also been times when Holmes has actually defended the inspector because he either did note an issue that the homeowners thought was minor, or because he couldn't have known there was a problem because it was so well-hidden by the previous homeowner.

Anyway, there are plenty of things an inspector should do that don't cause damage to the home. They are centered in five main aspects of the home: foundation, structure, plumbing, electrical, and HVAC. The following are some basic tests that any inspector worth his salt will tell you about.

Foundation:

For slabs or basements: Are there any obvious large cracks in worrisome areas? Are there any running cracks in tile floors, or obvious change of grade angle in other types of flooring?
For below-grade foundations (basements/crawl spaces); are there signs of bowing or excessive settling of the foundation?
For pier & beam: Is there any obvious sign of deterioration of the piers or joists?
Is the earth eroding or pulling away from any foundation members, for any reason?
Is water collecting against the side of the house or underneath it, due to improper drainage?
Is water leeching through the slab or basement walls/floor?

Structure/Exterior:

Is the roof sound? Any signs of wear, damage or old age that indicate repair or replacement?
Is the "skin" of the house weathertight? Are there any cracks, breaks or gaps in brick or mortar?
Are the gutters appropriately designed, installed and maintained to ensure water is collected and directed away from the house?
Any creaking, flexible or unstable floors, indicating joists are loosening?
Tap tile floors with your hand or a hard heel. If you get a hollow sound, the tile is not properly adhered to the substrate; a lot of those will necessitate pulling up and relaying the floor.
Any obvious bowing or "waving" of walls or ceilings indicating improper construction?
Is there a stud every 16" (your average inspector may not check every wall, or even any wall, but a simple radar stud finder can be used on a few walls in the original house and any additions to it)?
For floors not directly on the slab: Is there a joist every 12", cross-braced every four feet? You may not always be able to tell, but in houses with basements you can at least check some of the first floor)
Any signs of lead paint? (unless there is loose or flaking paint, the inspector may not be able to test for lead without the homeowner's approval, and so it may cost extra)
Any signs of asbestos? (Asbestos was very common in home building materials; various types of home insulation, roofing shingles, flooring tile, even popcorn ceilings in houses older than about 1980 can contain asbestos; it's fine AS LONG AS it is left alone, but virtually any inspector will strongly recommend it be removed)

Electrical:

Do all lights work? Do all switches do something obvious?
Do all outlets work?
Are there any overloaded circuits (panel switches controlling too many lights/outlets)? Rule of thumb; Other than major appliances (HVAC, washer, dryer, dishwasher/disposer, and hot water heater should all have their own panel switch), count outlets or light bulbs controlled by a single switch, and if you count more than 12 that circuit has too much on it.
Are all outlets properly grounded? Believe it or not there are plenty of houses with two-prong outlets all over, and that was perfectly legal when the house was built. However, you have to know this up front; you can't plug in most high-amperage devices, including many vacuum cleaners, without a three-prong properly-grounded outlet, and it will cost a lot of money to have the house re-wired.
Is there any knob & tube electrical wiring? K&T was also legal at one point, and it is grandfathered, but if you're looking to renovate in the future you will need to know it's there and budget for an upgrade to Romex wire. K&T is also rarely grounded. Opening up a switch box, or taking a good look at the panel, will tell you this.
If GFCI is present on circuits, do they work? What outlets are protected (if GFCI is there at all, you want it in all "wet areas" including the kitchen, bathrooms, exterior outlets and basements)?
If GFCI is NOT present, would it have been required in a house this age (built or last renovated 1996 or later)?
If AFCI is present, it is present in all bedroom branch circuits? Does it work (there are arc fault testers, but generally that feature is not part of the average outlet tester)?
If AFCI is NOT present, would it have been required in a house this age (I believe 2006 and later)?

Plumbing:

In a house older than about 30 years, are there any obvious signs of lead pipes, especially on supply lines? (Lead is bad no matter where it is)
In a house older than 50 years or so, any obvious signs of clay drain pipe? (Clay isn't toxic and generally it's fine to have, but it's VERY old material and may be a harbinger of various plumbing problems like cracks or collapse)
In a house between 10-20 years old, any obvious signs of PVC (white plastic) supply lines? (PVC leaches Bisphenol-A, or BPA, into your water, which can affect young children. It's acceptable if not ideal for drains, but it should not be used for water supply lines, especially hot water)
Smell all the sink and tub drains, and the dishwasher. Any smell of sewer gas or general decomposition? In a house that's been vacant for months, a little of this is normal; the traps have gone dry. Run some water down the drains, then repeat the check at the end of the inspection. In a house still being lived in or recently vacated, foul-smelling drains indicates missing or improper P-traps on one or more drains, or improper slope of pipes causing wastes to back up in the pipes.
Run water through all faucets down all drains. Check that the sink doesn't back up from a slow drain (improper venting or improper angle of drain pipe; water being forced uphill). Fill each sink to the overflow drain (if present) and ensure the overflow drain drains properly.
Any obvious signs of water damage around any of the water faucets or drains? A leak or burst pipe may not be immediately obvious except in certain circumstances, but if that leak has caused water damage, the damage will be visible when the water isn't.
If there is a sprinkler system in the yard, does each zone work? Are there any broken or stuck heads?

HVAC:

With the A/C on (if you can; don't turn on the A/C if the outside temp is below 60 degrees or you risk freezing the evaporator coil), check the temperature of the air coming out of all vents. It should be 20 to 30 degrees colder from each vent than the OUTSIDE ambient air temperature.
With the heat on, check the temperature of the air coming out of the vents. It should be 20 to 30 degrees warmer than the current INSIDE ambient air temperature.
With just the fan on, or the system operating normally for the season, check the airflow through all vents. Measure the air speed with a simple wind gauge; that figure, plus the size of the vent, can be used to calculate CFM of the system. Compare that to the blower's CFM rating, and if it's not within about 10%, there's a leak or blockage wasting capacity.
Check the vents themselves with a mirror; look for dust accumulation. A duct cleaning isn't terribly expensive but you may want the seller to cover a complete checkup and maintenance if the overall airflow is low.
Check the filter; if it is highly caked with dust, you may consider redoing the airflow tests with the filter removed, to ensure that the blower itself is moving enough air when unimpeded.


Why can't I drill deep enough into my wall for wall anchors? I am living in a condo and have a problem to put anchor in the wall (drywall? I don't know th exact type of the wall). when I drill it doesn't go deep enough to put anchor completely in, so it can't stand heavy items. How can I figure out this problem.
I have heavy items to hang.

You may be trying to drill into a concrete or brick wall. you can remove some outlet covers (e.g., electric, cable) on that same wall to be able to get a peek inside and confirm.  It's also possible that you are drilling into a stud or even a fire break. Both of the above situations are a good thing if you are trying to hang/mount heavy items.

If it is a concrete wall, look into the correct concrete wall anchor for the weight or bolt size you need. You may also need to get a drill bit for concrete if you don't have one.

If it is a wood stud, you may not need to use a drywall anchor.


Why does my wooden table have streaks after refinishing it three times? Months ago I purchased a French expansion table.  I painted the table legs white and I am refinishing the top and expansion pieces in a dark stain with a semi gloss poly finish (Minwax).  I noticed when I initially stripped this table that one section didn't strip well.  I had to strip it again.

That stripping did well but when I put the poly on it, it was very cloudy and streaked.  Attributed it to the poly being outside in the Louisiana heat and humidity and not giving the can time to acclimate to indoor temperatures (as it was poly'ed indoors).  So went back and stripped it a third time.

This particular time, Minwax told me that I didn't give the stain enough time to dry as this coat of poly was tacky and didn't dry.  Furthermore, there were streaks in the finish.  So they suggested Mineral Spirits.  I used it and it did help.  But after sanding to try and remove the streaks, I could see scratches in the finish and I was so upset I stripped it again.

So, here I am on the fourth stripping. This time I took my time.  I hand sanded the piece.  I stained it and waited two days before putting the first coat of poly.  Being I had had so much trouble with the poly before on this piece, I used a sponge applicator thinking it would make a difference.  These streaks are what I am left with.  It was a little tacky the next day but it's almost dry.  The streaks are back!!!  I'm scared to sand it because last time I did that it scratched the table top even though I used the correct grit as indicated on the can.

So, to recap, poly acclimated correctly to room temperature, stain set for 48 hours.  What am I doing wrong?  How do I fix this so I can move on with my life?

As Harper mentions old poly can be a problem, but poly that is not well mixed (stirred not shaken) can also be an issue. If you sand you may well have scratches but don’t strip again--you need more coats and a very fine sand paper or fine steel wool between coats for best results.

I have put more than a dozen coats of poly down for a gorgeous finish. Depending on wood type and the time of year I may wait 2 weeks after staining to start putting down poly. Have I ever stopped at 1 coat? Yes but not often--my “quick” quality jobs are usually 3 coats looks very nice. And with the right conditions can be done in 1 day but usually 2.

Just a note I like wet sandpaper at 600 grit for multiple coats and have gone up to 1200 grit in the past for an absolute perfect finish.

What do I mean about stirred not shaken? Stirring will mix the poly without introducing air bubbles like shaking will. I do shake on occasion but have a vacuum pot to pull the air bubbles out. I can’t tell if your haze is surface or below, over working poly will cause a haze to form those pesky air bubbles. In some cases it helps to thin the poly on the first coat or two if the haze is because of grain. 1-2 maybe 3 brush strokes and move on or you will create the haze by over working the poly.

Lastly, use a very nice brush. I have brushes that cost $15-20. After use I clean them in solvent, then seal them in a jar of fresh solvent. I like solvent-based poly because I have used it for over 40 years and this method preserves the brushes. I think I am close to 7 years on the same brushes and they are almost new looking. I hope this helps.


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

W1 x3 22
G1 x1  1
R1 x1  2

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

I worked in the paint department of Home Depot way back when and I can tell you that their paint labels list the letter of the colorant in the first row followed by the ounces and fractions of an ounce of that color.

The current label above is newer than what I worked with, and the color names have changed, but that label says that quart of paint has 0 ounces and 126/384ths of an ounce of the DL color, 56/384ths of FL and 6/384ths of RUL.

The different brands format the information in different ways, but it's all going to come down to colorant and quantity.  If I had to guess, I would say that your label would have 3 ounces and 22/128ths of W1.  Of course you would have to ask what the fraction was because I made up 128th and have no idea what it really is.

You would also need to know the codes for all the colorants.  There's probably 8-10 different colorants - it's not just primary colors.


What are my options for dealing with/getting rid of storage items I do not want/need? I am moving into a new house and have some movers moving all of my stuff out of storage and bringing it into my house. Unfortunately, there are some large furniture items (couch, table, etc...) that I do not want/need in my new place. I am apathetic about what happens to these items. Ideally, I'd like to give them to charity, but do not want (nor have the means) to drive them to a charity location. I could throw them out, but again I do not have the means to transport them a disposal site. I could sell them (via Facebook marketplace or something) but I do not want them placed in my house because it will be difficult to move them out of the house once they are inside and finding a buyer may take a while. Can I just leave them outside? Will the moving company even allow me to elect to have them not be moved into my home? What can I do? Keeping them in storage is not an option.

You are responsible to see the items all the way to their final disposition.

Yes, it's a pain, but you have to do it.

You can ask the city if they can do a special garbage pickup.
You can call your normal garbage company and ask them about a special pickup.
You can rent a dumpster short-term and fill that.
You can ask your movers to dispose of the items in their dumpster, however, if they dump the items down some alley instead, and the government catches you, you will be fined heavily even though you acted in good faith.
You can hire "get rid of your junk" companies to make it go away; they may try where possible to profit from its sale, however the same warning applies.
You can put a "free stuff" listing on Craigslist, Freecycle, Nextdoor etc.  -- but if the stuff is not taken, you are still responsible for its disposal.
If you are renting, you can walk away from the stuff.  The landlord will hire movers to remove it, and bill the cost of this to you.

Taking the items to Goodwill/charity is probably a lose; they are glutted with excess furniture, so they are very picky what they'll take.

If you abandon the items at a house you are selling, it could interfere with closing, and at least, the buyer could sue you in small claims for the disposal costs.  "Broom clean" is the standard for both sold houses and rentals; look it up.

My best advice is if you don't want to dispose of it, don't buy it in the first place.


Will water damage a spliced coaxial cable? I have some R6 coaxial cable that runs from the alley underground and into my house to provide high speed internet and TV service. The line was cut by mistake while digging in the backyard. I've spliced it together and service is restored (yay!) but I wonder whether the splice will be OK for the long run.

The coaxial cable is inside a 1/2" black plastic pipe of some sort (looks like sprinkler line) as a sort of conduit.
There was water inside that black plastic pipe at the point where I cut into it, so the splice will definitely get wet if I leave it there.
I stripped the ends of the cut lines, added 2 Compression F Connectors (one on each side), and screwed those compression connectors onto a screw-on splice connector.

I haven't yet tried to pull on the coax to see if I could just run a new complete line all the way through.

Chances are good it will oxidize if not hermetically sealed. The (presumably) steel connectors will rust, and the copper core conductor will turn green. Ultimately this could result in a failed connection.

Also, you've added quite a bit of resistance to the signal. You may see degraded performance, especially downstream of additional splitters and connectors.


Help needed with mounting sink to wall I am taking on replacing my utility sink with a wall mounted sink.  I know that I have to have support and plan to open the drywall to install backing (fortunately, I have a stud on the left side for hanging, only requiring me to back the right side.  The sink weighs 55 lbs.  I do not plan to use legs and want to know if lag screws will be solid enough to hold the sink to the wall. I originally bought brackets (picture attached), but I am unsure that I need them.  Any help is appreciated.

Question: Want to know if lag screws will be solid enough to hold the sink to the wall. I originally bought brackets (picture attached), but I am unsure that I need them.

Yes – lag screws would be able to support the weight. And the use of the bracket depends on the points I bring up when installing this sink as a utility sink.
Your utility sink was free standing and most likely had a splash panel on the back or the area behind it was protected from water. The drywall was either backer board or drywall cover by appropriate layer to prevent water damage.
Using the lag screws with appropriate washer is doable, if the proper support is provided on the right side as you stated.  You must be careful when tighten the lag screws enough to hold the sink securely WITHOUT overtighten that the sink or coating will crack.  A heavy rubber gasket between two washers can be used, but again do not over tighten.
Use of the brackets:  After securing the two brackets flushed to the surface with appropriate long heavy screws (3” deck screws/) to the support, you will be able to just lift the sink and hook the sink to the two brackets.  The part on the left of your picture are L hooks.  Push the sink over the hooks, and the hooks will garb the sink. Using the brackets, you do not have to worry about over-tighten the screws.
Using either method of attachment, you can tile or use other design to create your splash panel above or around your sink.


Why do I have pocket holes in my new texture ceiling? We sanded down old texture on ceiling. Then skim coated, and sanded again. After that was dry, put up knock down to ceiling. When it dried, we have little holes all over. What can we do to fix it?

The miniscule openings you notice are from air trapped in the joint compound (knock down). It occurs when the compound is stirred or mixed rapidly or with a mixing paddle meant for a different material. Bringing the paddle blades out of the compound when mixing will add air. It may also be occurring if the surface has been previously painted or sealed. If the air in the compound can't penetrate the sealed drywall surface it has no other direction to go, but up through the compound. Some people claim that adding small amount of dishwashing soap decreases the air pockets by decreasing the surface tension, but I can't vouche for this .      Mixing slowly will decrease the air entrained compound. The simplest way to remove them is through sanding and then applying a lightweight compound over the holes.