Running 100 amp line to detached garage I found lots of questions about this, but with many different answers.

I'm looking to run a 100 amp line from my 200A main breaker box to a subpanel in my new detached garage. The run is about 120 ft. A large part of the run will be under my house in a crawl space... the rest will be below ground.

The garage will charge my car and power some equipment, possibly at the same time. I wouldn't expect more than a 60 amp constant draw.

I've read I should probably use at least 1-1-1-3 aluminum cable. I'm not sure if I want to use direct burial or conduit. If I use direct burial USE-2/RHH/RHW-2 cable, will I need conduit in the crawlspace? I think USE-2 wiring is individual - Do I just kind of bury the 4 wires together in a trench and put some danger tape a few inches above?

Honestly I'm not too familiar with electrical work, so I want to make sure I do it right (it will be inspected too, don't worry).

Your choice of 1-1-1-3 Aluminum is adequate. Most Level 2 car EVSEs only draw 30-32A continuous. A few years ago I dropped 2 gage Cu from my panel to my car charger spot. It was way overkill for my 32A ChargePoint, but just a couple years later and we have 40A and 60A EVSEs available. I could put two Tesla Wall Connectors on that wire and only need to upgrade the breaker. I future-proofed that circuit.

NEC Rules for Underground wiring

Under Driveways and Outdoor Parking Areas

Direct burial wire - minimum of 18 inches deep.
Rigid or Intermediate Metal Conduit — 18 inches deep.
PVC without cement encasement — 18 inches deep.

Under Buildings

Direct burial wire in an approved raceway needs to be buried 0 inches.
Rigid or Intermediate Metal Conduit — 0 inches deep.
PVC without cement encasement — 0 inches deep.

Otherwise

Direct burial wire — 24 inches deep.
Rigid or Intermediate Metal Conduit — 6 inches deep.
PVC without cement encasement — 18 inches deep.

Conduit?

Under your house you need to be in an approved raceway. That can be sheathing, if you buy wire that way and run it "in" the walls/floor. Otherwise it must be in conduit.

I wouldn't even consider skipping conduit. I like more protection for my underground wires than dirt and wire insulation. If someone is digging in my yard, I want him to hit the conduit before he runs his shovel or pick into the wire insulation. Since it's my yard, guess who that digger is likely to be?

The conduit fill table says you can get your 1-1-1-3 into 1-1/4". However, I would put them in 2". The cost difference for larger conduit is small and it makes pulling much easier. I'd also pull an extra pull cord in the conduit. Consider it a gift to the future owner of your home, which might be you!

Larger conduit also makes it possible to later pull bigger wires without digging. That garage panel might be the best place to plug in that new 120A mega-EV-charger, whole house battery, generator, and/or 20kW solar array. If you live in PG&E territory, these "someday" off-grid upgrades have recently moved up the priority list. For me, those potential future uses of the garage panel are the main reason to consider larger conductors.

Minor reasons to upsize your conductors is reduced voltage drop and less resistance. Larger conductors means less of the energy that flows through your meter to charge your car is lost heating the wires. Since EV chargers draw continuous loads for hours per day, the parasitic losses add up.


20A Circuit In Use Trips Unrelated 20A Breaker I have a home built in 2010.
I installed some monorail lighting (150W) in my home office last year. When this light is on, it always trips the breaker for the Washer (when it's running). Not instantly, but within a minute or few.
The washer is on it's own 20A circuit. I drew power for my monorail lighting from the garage opener motor outlet (also 20A, three stall garage, each motor has its own outlet/circuit).
The odd thing, is that the 20A circuit the monorail/garage motor are on, does NOT trip. Never has.
The wiring method was all new. I bought 50 feet of 12AWG, pig-tailed the garage motor outlet and brought the line over to my office ceiling. Here I create a new ceiling outlet (for my monorail lighting) and a switch in the wall. Folded and fed the 12AWG down the wall to the new hole for the switch. Once through, I cut the loop (one for source, the other for destination). Wired the switch, then wired the ceiling fixture.
I have enclosed a picture of my electrical panel with the two circuits highlighted (blue is the lighting/garage motor, red is the washer).

My issue seems to be the same as this unresolved issue

You have crossed neutrals
First, crossed neutrals are always bad.  After all, neutrals don't have breakers:  the whole idea of neutral protection is that the neutral can't possibly carry more current than its partner hot (or hots in the case of an MWBC).  If you cross/share neutrals, now a 20A neutral wire can return current for 40A worth of hots, and none will be the wiser.
If an AFCI has a neutral pigtail, it includes a GPFE - a weak GFCI that is sensitive to crossed neutrals like a GFCI is.  The easiest way to detect arc faults which are ground faults (i.e. hot-ground or neutral-ground) is simply detect ground faults.
So, whoever wired the monorail lighting, not naming any names, tapped off a place maybe they should not have.  They picked up "hot" off the garage motor circuit, and "neutral" off the laundry room circuit.
A "switch loop" for a switch brings only always-hot, and switched-hot to the switch -- no neutral.  So you can see where that's a recipe for trouble - a novice installing a new lighting string in an existing switch box might be tempted to grab hot off circuit 1's "switch loop" and for lack of a companion neutral, grab neutral off circuit 2.
99% of the time this fiasco goes undetected.  And obviously if the AFCI or GFCI had supplied the hot, then no joy, since that would trip.   But the odd case of an AFCI supplying the neutral is what you have.  AFCIs don't necessarily interrupt neutral.
To give specifics on how to fix it, we'd need specifics about how it was wired. The above is one guess.


Why are there four electrical lines (12 wires) in this ceiling fan box? My ceiling fan stopped working many months ago. I had somebody looked at it and they couldn't figure out what was wrong so I bough a new one today. When I dismounted the old one I found this strange wiring setup as shown in the image below. I'm no electrician, and this is my first time installing a fan, but it's still puzzling.

Why are there four lines? You can see three at the top of the box and one coming in at the bottom.
Why are all the hot lines connected together?
Why was one neutral line being used as the live line? The terrible thing is I can't remember which one it was.

This is connected to only one wall switch. The previous fan was controlled by a remote. Is it possible that more than one switch was used to control the fan before the remote was installed on the previous fan? There are no other switches in the house which could be used. Perhaps they were removed.

This is not strange at all. It's because you have a feed in, two feeds out (going to other things on the circuit), and one switch loop.

The switch loop is not using a "neutral" as a live. It is simply using a white conductor as a feed to the switch, or at least it should. The way it is wired now is incorrect. The white of the switch loop should be connected to the constant feeds in the box, and the black of the switch loop brings back the switched line.

If you don't remember how it was wired you need to do a continuity test to see which cable is the switch loop.


Is a 1x6 enough to secure a wall mount sink? I'm doing a mild bathroom remodel and plan to install a wall mount sink since it's a small half bath and that would open the room up. I had originally planned to install a 2x6 between two wall studs to mount the sink too. Unfortunately it turns out the hot water supply line to the entire house comes into this wall, and the drain vent goes right behind it too, so I only have enough clearance to fit a 1x6 in there instead.

Would a 1x6 secured with screws and liquid nails be sturdy enough to support a wall mount sink? The sink itself weighs around 40lbs but I figure at some point someone will lean on it so it's got to be secured pretty well.

I would use something wider than a 1x6 - why not?  Even if the mounting plate is smaller, the wider board will be easier to hit, and will be stronger.

If yellow pine or douglas fir are available they are a lot stronger than white pine.

I don't trust toe-nail attachments with skinny boards.  The old school way to do it would to be notch the studs so the board lays in the notch, then face nail (or better, face screw) it into the studs.
 But that's a bit of work, not too bad with an oscillating tool but still.

The easier alternative would be to use an angle bracket.  For example, the Simpson Strong Tie L70Z is not made for this exact purpose, but I think it would be suitable, and it would be easy to make a very strong attachment.


Installing P-trap on vanity going from 1 1/4 to 2 inch drain pipe I installed a new vanity recently as I am wrapping up a bathroom remodel but when I went to install the p-trap I realized that the p-trap is 1 1/4 inches and the drain pipe at the wall is 2 inches. I looked online for more info and to see what kind of adapters I may need but I couldn't seem to find anything. Are there adapters I can get for such a large diameter change? Are there online resources that I just didn't find? Thanks!

A 2" to 1-1/4" reducer like this should work. This was the first one I found but they are out there. Home stores should stock them also.


Does wire running up an exterior wall require conduit? I plan on running wire from a nearby exterior GFCI AC Box to the soffits on my house for soffit lighting.

Behind the GFCI box is the garage. I was thinking about running the romex along the bottom of the siding -> In the channel of the 90 degree vertical siding "corner" and then into the soffit.

What would be the best way to run the wire from the exterior box to the soffit? Should I use conduit or is running the wire bare but in the channels of the siding good enough?

A UV resistant type of non metallic called UF (underground feeder) is allowed to be used exposed code requires the cable to be protected , above 8’ is normally considered protected by height in the national electric code. If the cable height is above 8’ it could be routed along the siding but would look like a diy hack job. Since conduit would be required for the rise to 8’ why not do the run in conduit or pull the line inside in the wall along the roof truss to the soffit and out, that would be the pro way to do it and you may have a receptacle you can tap closer, a few small holes in the drywall to patch , this would be my suggestion.

Note low voltage is not restricted as much as power.


Is this flexible drain trap configuration acceptable? I recently redid my entire bathroom (new to all of this), The sink we chose has a draw back we discovered late into the remodel...it has a non-removable drawer that sits almost level with the drain leading into the wall.

I had to come up with a somewhat creative design to allow a p-trap to be implemented. I am a beginner and not sure if this design works. I can run the faucet for minutes at a time and it does not leak. The p-trap appears to hold a large amount of water in it because of the large loop, but perhaps this isn't an issue at all.

Sorry if this seems basic but does this setup seem suitable?

No. That is an absolute mess waiting to happen.

Go to the hardware store, buy a longer tailpipe so you can lower the trap. Aim the pipe off of the trap for the drain you have that is lower than it should be.

You can buy a proper trap that has nut fittings so you can remove it to clean hair, and jewelry out.  You may have to cut a small hole in the vanity floor / drawer top to make clearance for the trap. Do not try fudging it with that S trap mess.


How do I remake my floor using hardwood such that it will not squeak at all? I have carpet in my bedroom that when you walk on certain spots makes lots of noise. I am tossing the carpet and putting down hardwood flooring. I am using 3/4 in prefinished oak in widths of 3 1/4 inch.

I dont want my shiny new floor to be squeaky. What should I do to kill any noise in the current floor, sub floor, and new hardwood floor?

I have joists at 16" on center with 1/2 plywood layer on top and nailed down. This is my current floor after I got rid of the carpet that used to be there.

What do I do now, what steps do I take, what materials/ tools do I need?

EDIT: thanks all, i will 100% use screws and drive them in near each nail already in the plywood to hold things together well. then i will go around and knock each nail in good.
then add the paper and install hardwood on top.

Use screws instead of nails to hold the plywood down.  If you can, screw it into the joists, not just the existing floor.  You can also put down some glue betwen the plywood & subfloor to prevent the plywood from moving at all.  Use tongue-and-groove plywood if possible.

If that doesn't help (and you should be able to do that & check to see if you still have squeaks before putting down the hardwood) you might need to beef up the joists, or add additional bracing, from underneath.  Not so hard if the ceiling below is open, a lot of work if it's finished.


Powerline adapter killed my circuit edit: apparently the powerline adapter tripped an AFCI receptacle. Resetting this solved the problem.

I plugged in a a pair of powerline networking adapters (TP-LINK TL-PA4010KIT AV500 Nano Powerline Adapter Starter Kit, up to 500Mbps). They seemed to connect no problem (the lights came on, never got a connection working...). Then I realized that the UPS powering a computer on the same outlet as one of the powerline adapters started beeping as it lost power. The powerline adapter seemed to be making a noise and was a bit warm. I immediately unplugged the adapter and then plugged the UPS into another nearby (working) outlet.

I figured this would be easy as flipping a breaking that tripped. However, surprisingly all the breakers were good. For good measure I flipped them back and forth anyways. Still no luck. I even checked the voltage across all the breakers. I've got a sub-panel and I made sure those breakers didn't trip either.

The only thing "special" about the outlet that failed is that it was added in a recent remodel (last year), the house was built in 1972. The adjacent outlet that I moved the UPS too is working perfectly and on a different circuit. The breaker box is Zinsco :( Can't really see replacing it right now so no need to tell me how terrible it is.

All in all, my master bathroom lights, the three new outlets added in the recent remodel, the master bedroom closet lights, crawlspace lights and half of the master bedroom lights aren't working. The master bath fan and outlets appear to be on a different circuit.

I replaced the outlet that the powerline adapter was plugged into and no change. Other than a Lutron Nova ELV dimmer all the other things on the circuit are simple outlets and dimmers.

I checked the power going to many of the non-functioning outlets and switches and there was no live wires in any of time.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Did I do something wrong?

Did any of the outlets or switches on this circuit that has failed use back stab wire connections? If so try replacing all of those with new  parts and use the screw terminals on the side for the wire connections.

Have you determined yet if there are any switch / outlet / junction boxes on the failing circuit that still have power? If so those would be on the part of the circuit from the breaker box and the failure could be in that box or the next down stream box.

Did you check if any of the outlets on this circuit is a GFCI unit? If so make sure that it is not tripped and reset it.

Finally did you do any recent hanging or mounting things on walls where screws or nails may have have penetrated a wire? Think carefully as this may have caused the circuit to become broken.


Viber bathroom mirror light replacement I own a Viber bathroom mirror that houses some halogen lights at the top.  Does anyone know how I might replace the bulbs on such a unit?  They don't appear to twist, push or pull, and I can't see any obvious releases.

Ok,

There was a super-simple solution - there was a cap on the underside that you just pry off with a knife, as per a similar set of instructions here


Is it possible/recommended to use AFCI/GFCI breakers when replacing subpanel? I'm replacing my old subpanel. (It was from Federal Pacific.)
I'm not rewiring my home. And I understand that I'm not required to use AFCI/GFCI breakers.
Is it possible to use AFCI/GFCI breakers with the new panel? I prefer AFCI/GFCI breakers for the safety benefits they provide.

Go ahead with AFCI for the 15/20A circuits
As long as you don't have any shared neutral situations (look out for 14/3 or 12/3 cables entering the panel as you're wiring it), you shouldn't have any trouble putting your new 15A and 20A branch circuits on AFCIs.  I would familiarize yourself with the way Square-D does AFCI trip diagnostics at least, though, so that you can understand how to troubleshoot a case where one of your new AFCI's is tripping.
If you do find a shared neutral or Multi-Wire Branch Circuit, you'll need to use a two-pole AFCI for it, though.  This will also ensure that both hots wind up on opposite legs of the feed, preventing the neutral from becoming overloaded.
GFCI breakers aren't going to be useful for much, though
Since you have a 3-wire dryer feed and GFCI protection in most of the required places to begin with, you won't need GFCI breakers at all under the 2017 NEC, and will only need one for an air conditioner circuit (if present) under the 2020 NEC.  You may wish to use one if that's the easiest way to extend GFCI protection to the basement, though.


Extending longevity of ceramic water filters With washable ceramic water filters, should they be washed regularly to improve longevity? Like this type:

My thinking is that if they're not washed, contaminants could get pushed deep into the core of the filter, making them harder to remove. Is my thinking correct?

Check with the manufacturer. Some have their own Kitchen Scrubby & others don't say anything about it, so you buy very much more frequently. My understanding & experience is that you want to scuff or sand the surface visibly clean. Basically, sand off anything that's been caught, since really nothing gets past the outer most surface. The outer surface just gets more crowded.

I'm on my 3rd sanding with a Pro-Pur & did 15 sanding's on a previous Berkey. I still have the Berkey as a spare & it probably has 30 or more sanding's left in it. It was working fine & at the same "good for so many gallons capacity" with no weakness or threat of collapse yet, but I wanted to try the Pro-Pur. In both cases, my slow drip was restored to the original quick drip & no taste or smell difference & a food coloring test reveals no difference.


Is it common for professional drywallers to tape narrow corners, but not mud over the tape if it's going to be covered with moulding? Sorry to spam SE with questions relating to a job done by a company I hired to finish the project in my room, but some things seem very questionable to me.

In the below pics you will see a narrow corner that's just smaller than the width of your average-sized piece of moulding.  As you can see, they taped the corner and even applied what appears to be a partial coat of mud.

My initial thought was that they simply overlooked it due to the tiny amount of area between the door opening and wall.  However, when I addressed this with the superintendent and project manager when they came to my house in response to my complaints about the quality, they replied, "Your moulding will go over that, so they didn't finish that section since it's going to be hidden anyway."  Being the pushover that I am (not that it helps any that I am a novice DIY'er), I bought it.  However, I can't help but think they were just giving me any excuse to keep me from having their crew make another trip out to actually finish it.  Having thought more about it, I wonder why they even taped and partially mudded that narrow section in the first place.  Did I get taken for a complete idiot?

Edit 11/28/2012 No one has yet answered this question or come out and said it, but, judging by the comments section, it seems that everyone's thinking that this area should have been completely finished.  As Matthew also stated, you don't know how wide the moulding is going to be.  By shirlock's comment, if it were a snug fit, no taping would have been needed.  As I understand it, taping is mainly to prevent the cracking of compound between joints (please correct me if I'm wrong) and has nothing to do with structural integrity.  If that's the case, their response of "we only partially finished it because it's going to be covered by moulding anyway" makes no sense since they wouldn't have even needed to put down any tape in the first place.

Personally I would not lose a lot of sleep over this.  The molding will probably cover it up.  If not have the contractor make the necessary adjustments.  Tape would still be needed for the seam that is above the door that we can't see in the pictures.  Do you feel that part of the seam was properly done?  There is also an indentation on the edge of wall board for the tape that might have been easier to fill with tape instead of just joint compound that shrinks and could crack.


Can I use a 2x6 beam stretched across a few of these roof rafters to support a hammock? I want to hang a large hammock in my reading room. It used to be an open-air carport structure and so the construction is fairly lightweight. Here're some pictures of the ceiling/roof in question pre-drywall.

If I take a 2x4 or 2x6 and span several of the rafters, would it be safe to hang the hammock from the center of the 2x6?

Alternatively, would it be better to mount the hammock directly to the center roof beam (4x6?)?

I think you'll be OK, but another alternative would be to add another rafter just for the hammock.  That might look a little better, too.


Why do I only have 30V going to my light fixture I just replaced a broken light fixture in my closet. (The switch in the light fixture broke when I pulled too hard on the chain.)

When replacing the light fixture I noticed that there is only 30 V AC between the white and black wires. The ground wire is cut back and is not being used. By the way, the wiring in my house is all aluminum.

I know the new light fixture works. I checked it out with my multimeter, and I tried it in a different closet. But the light bulb won't turn on because there is only 30 V. (Even if I disconnect the light fixture completely there is still only 30 V.

It seems to me that it must be a problem with the wiring.  My attic does provide some (difficult) access to the wiring, but I am not sure where to start looking for the problem or what to look for. Can anyone offer some suggestions?

Are you sure the circuit was live when you measured it? If you try to measure an open (i.e. off) circuit, you can sometimes read a "phantom voltage" caused by coupling with other nearby live wires. Phantom voltages can't generate a significant amount of current and are therefore harmless, but they can be measured by a multimeter.

If you say the fixture doesn't work even though the old one did, perhaps a connection came loose somewhere and now you have an open circuit with only the phantom voltage. Or maybe you just forgot to switch the breaker back on?

I don't see how the old fixture could've worked if it was actually only getting 30 volts, so something must've changed during your installation.


What is/was tunneling into this 2x4? I have a piece of scrap 2x4 lumber that I was planning to use until I saw these little tunnel markings. Any idea what insect/creature made them?  And is there any way to tell if it's still infested? And is it safe to actually use this 2x4?

From the similarity of the lines, I'd say you pulled something out of the old 2x4 (nails) and dragged them across the board, perhaps as you twisted and pulled to separate/remote the board from wherever it was before. I don't believe there are any insects that travel in perfect unison like that.


How should I insulate and block moisture inside rim joists where foamboard doens't fit? My question is around the use of foamboards in finished basements to serve as a vapor retarder and to reduce condensation.

I've already fastened foam boards against all the concrete walls, taping the seams, and also cutting pieces for the sill boxes.

But what do you do on the sides of the house that don't have sill boxes (see picture below)?  Currently the foam boards end as high as I could go, but its impossible to get behind that joist.  There is actually fiberglass stuffed behind it but it would be hard to pull out.  Should I put foam boards against the face of that last visible joist?  Caulk the gaps?  Any help would be appreciated.

Closed cell foam is an insulator and vapor barrier in one.

You can buy a kit at the  blue box store that contains the two parts
that get mixed together with the enclosed spray tip.

I have used this one  (Available at the blue box store ). but this one looks good also.

You could do all of your gaps and hard to reach places.


Is it a legal requirement / building regulation to have a stopcock within a property? I recently moved into a property (in the UK) - it's a 1930's semi which was renovated about 2 years ago. I am wanting to have a water meter fitted - utilities company came to have a look and couldn't find a stopcock in the house. There is a mains stopcock in my front garden which controls the supply to both mine and adjoining neighbours, but nothing we could find in the house. I struggle to believe that i can't turn my water off without disturbing next door - is it a legal requirement or building regs requirement to have an individual stopcock in each property?

If it is a requirement to have independent control of the water supply now then it won't be applied retrospectively unless and until you have some work done on the water supply.

The first thing you should do is arrange with your neighbour a mutually convenient time to fit individual stop cocks. Then when this is done you can then arrange with the water company to fit the water meter.

Having said that, we have a house built in the 1890's that has it's own stop cock so it might be that you just haven't found it yet. Have you checked close to the house?

Another possibility is that the stop cock has been buried in a floor. This was the case in our previous house where the kitchen floor had been relaid and the stop cock - which was just below floor level inside the house - had been partially buried.


Where should I connect the ground wire in a 30amp enclosed switch? I plan on wiring this 30A general duty shutoff switch with 8 gauge red /black/ as two hot 120 legs and green as ground. The line will be coming from a 30 amp breaker from the main panel. The load will be to a 50amp plug for my welder. My question is do I run the ground from the plug right to the panel or should I add a ground bar to this shutoff switch for my ground. Also will having an empty pole on this switch hurt?

Well everything but the 50 amp plug will be ok, putting a 50 amp plug on a 30 amp circuit Would violate code per table 210.21.B.3
When you connect in the box the ground attaches to the box also.
Normally a green 10-32 self forming screw fits right in one of those punched holes below the switch block. Some have a ground symbol above them.
There should be a flash guard and a cover over the contacts it is kinda important and should be replaced (the flash guard these switches are known to throw molten metal).


What are these 3 pipes on the side of my furnace / AC? I'm trying to install a whole-home humidifier. I'm wondering whether I can use these copper pipes as supply lines for the humidifier. Any guesses as to what pipes A, B, and (just out of curiosity) C do? I believe they're connected to a condensate drain, but am wondering where they come from.

A and B look to be a gas line of one nature or another, whether it be natural gas or liquid propane (LP), C is the conduit that feeds electric to the unit.

Either A or B supplies the unit, and the other branches off to supply fuel for another appliance that requires gas.


Replacing electric cooktop (40 amps) with induction range (50 amps) We are remodeling the kitchen in our new condo (haven't moved in yet).  We would like to use a Wolf induction range which says it requires a dedicated 50 amps.  Our current GE electric cooktop is listed as being on a"double 40amp" breaker.  Can we use the Wolf range instead?

If and only if the wire size going to the current cook top is #8 wire, even then it barely passes.  If not, upsize wire to #6 copper. In either case you must upsize the breaker size to 50-Amp.


What kind of valves are these? I have two of these valves, one before and the other after my water meter in my home. This is a building with multiple apartments in New York City (not sure if it helps).

I would like to replace my water heater but need to shut off the water supply to do so, not sure if these valves are safe to use or old and due for replacement.

Can someone tell me what kind of valves these are and a rough guess as to when they may have been installed?

I believe it would be called a "block and bleed" cock in industry. "Cock" because it is a 90 degree turn off/on. And the B & B because the small ( 1/2 " ?) knob on the lower part will open to bleed a line when the cock is closed. That of course , assumes that the supply is coming from the top pipe in the view.


Grohe LadyLux3 faucet flowing at 40% expected rate, even after replacing cartridge My Grohe LadyLux3 kitchen faucet's flow rate has gradually slowed in the 4 years since we installed it, so that now it's flowing at 0.7 gallons per minute, which is less than half its rated flow rate of 1.75 gallons per minute. The flow isn't even strong enough to keep the "spray" setting active without holding the button on the faucet head.  When we first installed the faucet, the flow rate was close to the rated level.

I assumed that the problem was sediment buildup in the aerator so I replaced the cartridge in the faucet head. Surprisingly, this didn't fix the flow rate at all. I then tested the flow with the head removed completely, and the flow rate only slightly increased to 0.77 gpm-- still less than half of the faucet's rating.

The flow is the same regardless of hot, cold, or mixed-temp water. It's the same when just turning it on vs. leaving it flowing for a few minutes.

No other faucets in the house have shown a similar decline, so it seems unlikely to be a house-wide change in water pressure.

The change has been gradual-- it's not like one day suddenly the flow was cut in half.

The valves to both the hot and cold water under the sink are fully open.

We haven't made any plumbing-related changes since the faucet was installed.

Any ideas for how to get the flow rate back to normal?

If it's equal between hot and cold, it's at or after the cartridge. Since you've ruled out the flow restrictor/aerator, the easiest next thing to take apart is the quick connect leading from the mixing cartridge down to the flexible hose loop. It's K in this diagram and usually made out of plastic that might need some delicate handling to detach without breaking.

I wonder if you don't have some debris in there.

If you don't want to do try to detach the quick connect, you can also try removing the cartridge again and blowing into the outlet to dislodge the debris and shoot it back up to where the cartridge is.

If there's no debris, or even if there is, point the output from the hose to a bucket and turn on the water and the faucet. The pressure at that point, without the hose, will help you narrow down the problem. If you still get low pressure there, that would be very weird since the blockage can't be upstream of the cartridge.


Shutoff switch before breaker box I want to upgrade my 100 amp power to 200 amp. Under the new 200 Amp setup, can I install a switch that will cut all power to the hot bars in the box, say for lock-out, tag-out? Do they make a switch rated/designed for this purpose?

This is Indiana, US

Oh yes, and it's a good idea, too!  "How" depends how you feel about it being outside.

A combo meter pan/main breaker

If you want the master switch to be outside, simply get a combo meter pan/main breaker.   Some main breaker types even have room for another breaker or two, like this 200A meter-main combo that provides 4 spaces to feed 2 subpanels for instance.

You can lockout/tagout simply by locking the door.

At that point you no longer need a main breaker in the service panel, and can select a "Main Lug" type panel.

A "main breaker disconnect" indoors

Indoors or outdoors you can get a very large box containing only a 200A main breaker; that is a cost effective way of getting a 200A shutoff switch.  However, these cabinets are positively enormous - and any shutoff switch will be too. The reason is the cable bending radius required for 300kcmil aluminum wire, which someone might potentially use for a 200A panel fed from a long distance.

However, this gadget can serve as your main breaker, simplifying your service panel(s).

Most have a means to lock the breaker or lock the access door. Watch for ones that don't.

Generator transfer switch

This does not serve as a main breaker.  It's just an expedient way to get a really big shutoff switch.  Not a cheap way, however, and again the boxes are enormous.

Again, lookout for units that do not provide a way to lock the switch in a "Gen" or "neutral" position.

Pull the meter / just have the power company turn it off

Traditionally, when you need to de-energize everything after the meter, you'd pull out the electric meter and replace it with a plastic blanking plate.   The power company would reinstall it and install their tamper seal.

However today, there's a faster way: don't pay your electric bill - no, just kidding, you can call up the electric company and ask them to remotely shut off the meter. That will de-energize everything downstream of the meter pan; however it will not provide lockout-tagout.

One last word about lockout/tagout. If your scheme is to manually interlock a generator so you can backfeed your panel, NOPE.  Big bag of NOPE.  It is illegal to use any scheme that involves a manual checklist to provide interlocking.  Why?  Because humans don't rise to the occasion in a crisis, they sink to the level of their training.  So in the dark, in the rain, with other problems to deal with, that is exactly when this sort of thing gets botched.

If you want a gen interlock just buy one - however since it sounds like you're rewiring anyway, you can architect your electrical system for maximum advantage. One of my favorite strategies is to use a 40-space Siemens main-lug panel, and a $30 kit they sell which interlocks two 2-pole breakers (so they both can't be on). It also straps the breakers down and it doesn't require the panel cover to be on, so it complies with Code.  You make this a subpanel and put as many circuits as you please in there - put the whole house in there, for all I care! Somewhere else you have a main breaker (/panel?) that feeds this subpanel. That main panel can have circuits you don't ever expect to power off generator - hot tub, half of your heat pump emergency heat, that kind of thing.


Attached garage wall with house - cabinets to the interior? We have an attached garage. The entrance to the garage is in an interior hallway. I'd like to break the wall a bit & install interior upper cabinets and countertops on the inside of the hallway. The garage is much lower than the inside hallway and cars in the garage (on the other side of the wall) would NOT lose any parking area/space. I'd like to gain some cabinet storage inside our house. Is this a terrible or doable idea?  If so, what are the main issues to watch out for?
Thanks!!

It all depends on the wall. An attached garage wall is an important firewall, with requirements far stricter than most other areas of the house. Actually, most of a house (with the exception of bathrooms) could be one big open space except for the garage.

This link has a good writeup based on the 2006 IRC. As I understand it, unless you have something stronger (e.g., a brick or cinderblock wall (common in older construction or where the garage was added after the house was built, but far less likely in new construction because it costs more), you need to have 1/2" drywall - with joints, edges, holes all sealed very well - on the garage wall as a firewall. There are also requirements for doors - your ordinary interior door won't do even though from the perspective of residents it is an interior door.

End result: You need to see what is inside your walls before knocking them down. If you have brick or block on the garage side then you can likely tear down drywall and (provided they are not load bearing, or with appropriate changes to take care of loads) even remove some studs in order to get more space for cabinets. If you have an ordinary wall with drywall on both sides and studs in between, you should be able to remove the inner drywall, but you need to be certain that the garage drywall remains intact (and/or is patched as needed) so that you still have a proper firewall. On the other hand, if you have drywall on the inside and open on the garage side (i.e., inside the garage you currently see studs and the back on the hallway drywall) then the inside wall is the firestop and you can't do anything to that wall without adding drywall on the garage side - with extreme attention to joints, edges and other gaps. As I understand the IRC, there should never be "drywall only on the house side" but I have seen that - maybe not to code, or maybe the code has changed.

You may also have an issue, particularly if you can't borrow space from the wall cavity, of hallway width. Hallways should normally be at least 3 feet wide. While there is likely some leeway for an unnecessary hallway - e.g., a hallway that leads only to a storage area - any hallway that goes between living areas and a functional entrance (which certainly includes a garage) should meet that minimum. So if your hallway is 4' wide that gives you 1' to play width. If it is less than 4' wide then this may not be doable at all.


Should I trim or bend the lip to a strike plate? Inside my house, the strike plates are T-shaped and the protruding tongue sticks out 10-13 mm (3/8"-1/2").

Occasionally someone gets their clothing caught on the strike plate.

It seems to me that these would do their job just as well if I cut the tongue nearly flush with the wood or bent the tongue far enough back that they wouldn't catch on clothing.

Is this commonly done?

Cutting it would be okay so long as you keep enough of the bend for it to function properly. Having said that, the tab on that strike looks exceptionally long to me. You might want to see if you can pick up a new one that has a more appropriately sized tab, it would be way easier than modifying the old one.


Covered or Locking Light Switch? I have an attic fan that is operated by a regular old light (toggle) switch.  The problem is that the switch was installed by the previous owner in the master walk-in closet, right where one would expect the switch for the closet light to be located.  I'm afraid that I will often mistakenly switch on the attic fan instead of the closet light.

I'm looking for suggestions on possible replacement switches that have some sort of cover or safety/locking mechanism that would prevent me from accidentally switching on the fan.

Something like a toggle switch cover would be great, however, I can't seem to find any that are designed for standard light switches.

Search for a switch lockout or a switch guard.  Either will solve your problem, but the lockout is easier to open and change the setting, the guard is more permanent.

A third option is any of the child proof switches.


Is it safe to block the hole in the wood in the basement? I discovered today that there are some holes cut in the wooden frames (located near the ceiling of the basement). I suspect that mice come through these holes. The holes are of regular shape (trapezium); it is definitely man made, and I also found holes of the same shape in other parts of the frame at similar relative locations (near a rebar). What are these holes for and is it safe to block these holes with steel wool and caulk?

I have no idea what the hole is for but feel free to plug them.


How to increase the size of an existing metal hole in kitchen sink I want to install a sink soap dispenser but the existing hole in my sink is too small.  From what I've found the universal diameter of the threaded piece that inserts into the hols is 1 inch.  My hols is closer to 3/4 inch.
So, how can I increase the size of an existing metal hole in kitchen sink?
My research so far has led me to using a piece of clamped 2x4 as a guide for a drill bit but I cannot clamp the wood to the sink.
Any ideas?

You should be able to use a knockout punch.

These are inserted through a pre existing smaller hole, and can cut sheet metal including stainless steel. They come in a range of sizes.

Images and links are illustrative only, not an endorsement of goods or sources.


dimmable led bulbs won't work in dimmable fixture Our living room has 4 dimmable lights controlled by 1 switch and slider. Many years ago, we replaced the incandescent lights with fluorescent bulbs (we didn't know that fluorescent bulbs don't dim out of the box). A couple weeks ago, some of the fluorescent bulbs randomly stopped working. Some days they'd turn on, other days they wouldn't,so we decided to replace them all with LED bulbs.

However, only one of the LED bulbs will turn on and dim while none of the others will turn on--let alone dim. When I reverted back to fluorescent bulbs, all but one work normally (at least in the 5 hours since reversion to fluorescent).

Do y'all have any tips for troubleshooting? I'd like to use the LEDs from now on.

UPDATE, 2018-01-26: My dad replaced the light fixtures, and now all of the LED bulbs dim properly. Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to see what spec/model the old fixtures were before he threw them out.

I found that when I replaced the four incandescent 40 watt lamps in my ceiling fan light fixture with LED 60 watt rated (about 6 watts) they wouldn't work unless I reinstall one incandescent. I think it's because the dimmer needs at least 40 watts to work. I guess I'd better replace the dimmer with one rated for LED, but so far they will dim or work bright. I think I'll just run on bright until I replace the dimmer switch.


Why is there a beaded tie on new fire extinguishers? When I see fire extinguishers these days they seem to have some form of the yellow beaded tie as shown in this photo.

What purpose does this serve? It looks to me like it prevents the pin from pulling out. Hardly something you'd want in a fire. I've never had to use a fire extinguisher in real life, so please forgive my ignorance. Shouldn't the yellow tie be cut off?

The plastic ties are a tamper evident device, which lets you know if the fire extinguisher has been used.  It also helps to prevent the pin from accidentally becoming dislodged, and potentially lost. They have a very low breaking strength, and can easily be broken by twisting (or pulling, but more difficult) the pin from the extinguisher.


How can I remove a large obstruction from a storm drain pipe? This is a hypothetical question, so that I'm prepared if it happens again.

Sometime ago someone dropped a ball that was almost the same size of the storm drain pipe (10cm/4in) in it. By luck it rolled out without a problem. But if the pipe was dirt or had sand/soil in it the ball would probably be stuck.

How can I solve prevent that?

The pipe section that troubles me is about 20 meters long and has 2 short 45° turns and 2 long 90° turns (the first 90° is vertical, the rest is horizontal).

Depending on the location you could install a 4 inch or suitable size floor grate to prevent large items from entering the pipe. You could also fabricate something out of coarse screen, which in some locales is called "hardware cloth". Removing any obstructions will depend on whether you have access to only the entrance or also the exit. If you are clearing normal silt, sand, etc a power drain snake should work. If you are clearing a solid obstruction like a ball, you could try a large shop vac with a long length of hose attached. Swimming pool hose is fairly rigid, is flexible, comes in long lengths and more reasonably priced than regular vacuum hose. If both ends are exposed you could try blowing the ball out with a leaf blower from the exit end.


how do I fix loose tile on basement stairs we had our basement stairs tiled with ceramic tile, now the grout is breaking on some of them and the tiles are loose and coming off.  they were applied directly to plywood.  Can I fix them as they come loose or do I need to redo the who thing?  And what do I use and how do I do this so it doesn't keep happening

If you are in the US and have a traditional stringer staircase leading to your basement there is almost nothing that you can do to prevent issues with a tile installation.

There is too much movement in this type of staircase.
Dimensional lumber moves too much.
Unless there is a closed door at the top you have two climate zones hitting each other on the stairs.
Basement stairs are about as steep as possible in most cases causing more stress on the stairs.

To get tiles to work you would have to add in supports under the stairs and into the framing on each side, put concrete board over stairs, possibly plywood under concrete board, and then a membrane.  And even then you might still have issues.

Tiles look great on stairs if done right.  I have mentioned before that I have rehabbed houses in Europe.  I have gutted some 80 year old homes in France and never had to touch the tile floor/stairs - which after cleaning hold up better than a wood floor.  However the tile stairs were laid on top of concrete 100% of the time.

Meaning unless you want to pour concrete stairs, don't tile.  You can put some nice bullnose pine treads on the stairs with some oil based paint that will blend in just fine to tile and will hold up and look nice.  Whatever you do to temporarily fix the issue is just going to cost you time/money/frustration.  The tiles are a sunk cost, sink them.


Builder used same brand for lights and fan in 3 different places The builder who built my house and a few other houses near me had put in a hampton bay brand light and fan in my master room, my family room, and my neighbors family room.  It is not necessarily the exact same model but it is from the hampton bay family brand.  The remotes are almost identical.

Whenever I use the remote for one of the rooms it turns on / off the fan / lights in the other rooms..including my neighbors.  The other day we were sleeping with a dim light and a fan running.  Suddenly the light was increased freaking us out!  When we turned it off the same thing happened.  This went off and on for like 5 minutes.  The next morning the neighbor called us and mentioned it had happened to her.  Come to find out she was turning hers on and during that same time she was turning ours on as well.  Me turning ours off turned hers off as well...

Same issue with my family room fan and light.  When I turn it on upstairs in my master bedroom it also turns it on in our family room.  Its not a huge issue because the actual light switch has to be turned on to activate whether the fan / light can be controlled via the remote or not.

I just hate it since it causes issues with my other room and my neighbor.  What can I do ?

Changing the frequency IS the answer, regardless of the location of the fan. A remote with a new battery could easily work to a house next door.

Some remotes/receivers use DIP switches. They are tiny little switches in a row, usually four of them, and you change the combinations of on/off so that the receiver and the remote match.

Others use an RF signal where you typically press and hold a button 'till an LED lights up, then press another button so that the two are paired.

You really need the instructions to let you know what method your fans use to change the frequency.


Changing the light switch I am changing the light fixtures and I got stuck. The wires coming from the wall are Red (was connected at the bottom of old switch), Blue (was connected at the top) and Copper (was connected with a screw). The switch I now have is plastic and does not have a place to connect the copper wire. It also has 3 ports - L1, L2 and L. Which wire do I connect to which port?

That sounds like a 3 way switch but I don’t think I have seen one labeled that way.  Other than the copper you only had 2 wires I think , I would connect 1 to L1 and the other to L  , I believe l is the common  for a 3 way and L1& L2 are for the travelers , but for a single switch we just don’t use L2 . The switch won’t have on and off embossed on it if this is the case.
A photo would clear things up or the model # of the switch but I believe using L & L1 will get it working.


Electric water heater thermostat keeps tripping and needing reset I have a 40-gal A.O. Smith Promax electric water heater (see pics below). It was a few years old when we bought the house, and we've been living here about 10 years. So I realize the heater may be reaching the end of its life, but I'm trying to see if I can replace a specific part and squeeze a few more years out of it.

It's always ran perfectly fine. A few days ago, we went to do dishes and noticed there was no hot water, only lukewarm water (again, not hot, but not freezing cold either). I went down to the basement and can confirm that there was no water leaking out from underneath it. I started to monkey around with it, and did the following:

Cut the power to it
Used a multimeter on both the elements (there are two) to confirm conductivity across them, and there was
Used the multimeter to also confirm conductivity going into and out of the thermostat (there was)
Turned the power back on to it
Pressed the reset button (red button in the photo below), and immediately heard it turn on and start working
Waited a few hours and confirmed we had hot water (although it bounces back and forth between frigid and scalding hot...)

Hoping we were in the clear, I went back to business as usual.

Last night, same thing: no hot water, only lukewarm. This time I just hit the red reset button and -- voila -- 2 hrs later, hot water is restored. I went to take a shower and again, the water bounced back and forth between freezing and scalding hot, took a lot of fine tuning with the faucet to get the water just right.

I'm wondering what the possible problems could be? Is it just a bad thermostat perhaps, or a similar/related part? I'd rather try and swap that out with a new one for ~$100 than replace the entire tank!

Is there any way to test the thermostat or related parts to see if they are in fact functioning improperly? What diagnostic steps can be recommended here to rule out before "going nuclear" and replacing the whole unit?

Water heaters have replaceable parts in them:

The anti-corrosion anode rods (what a boater calls a "zinc")
The heating elements proper
The dip tube which is an internal baffle which brings the cold water down to the bottom of the tank

The dip tube needs further explaining. In stagnant water, hot water will rise to the top.  However if it were actively stirred, the temperature of the water quickly becomes the average of all the water in the tank.  As you use hot water, cold water comes in. If stirring were happening, the heater's water would continuously decline in temperature as you used it.  That would be no good!

So the hot water tank is optimized to work more like a toothpaste tube - the entering cold water pushes the hot water upward -- so it doesn't stir or mix, but the hot water moves up like a piston until it is used up.

The dip tube's job is to carry cold water to the bottom of the tank, so it can do the piston thing. Otherwise, cold water would just "take the shortcut" from the cold inlet to the hot outlet just 9" away.

Your dip tube is broken, hence the flashes of hot and cold.  Cold water is shortcutting.  Fair chance it broke because it corroded off. As such, it's worth looking at the anode, whose one job is to corrode first.  If it's used up, corrosion spreads to other components; good heater design calls for it to be easily replaced components.

The heating elements can also be swapped, and that is likely to take care of the tripping. You know the tripping is a safety device.  It's like a circuit breaker; when a breaker trips, the breaker isn't bad, the circuit is being overloaded.


Need to fix toilet that moves? My mom's toilet moves because one of the bolts in the floor is loose. It just moves a little and takes some effort to do it. We had a handyman come look at it and he can't fix it.

It will probably cost hundreds to get a plumber to come fix it. I'd rather not pay the money if we don't need to fix it but I'm concerned that there is a bad seal.

Do you think we should fix this? Or can we let it go?

Probably just needs new seal. Get someone to help you with the following.
You will need: 1 wax ring, putty knife, plunger, wrench, new hold down screws if old ones are rusty, towel or small container, trash bag.
 Cut water valve off, flush toilet to empty tank, use plunger to remove last bit of water in bowl, place small container or towel under tank incase excess water drips, then unhook water line from toilet. Place tank lid in a safe place so it wont get broken. Remove the two hold down nuts on either side of the commode. Lift toilet and Lay the toilet on its side . Take putty knife and scrape old ring off bottom of toilet then scrape and clean the flange in floor. Place new ring on the bottom of the toilet. Replace toilet on flange and put on new hold down nuts. Hook water line back up. Good luck.


Is a noisy / humming GFCI breaker OK? I noticed a slight humming noise coming from a subpanel in my house. Narrowed it down to a single GFCI breaker.
When I press the test button on this breaker and it trips to off, the sound is gone.
Its a barely noticeable sound (I have good hearing) and constant in tone.
The GFCI is for a dedicated circuit for a spa-type bathtub. Its humming even though the tub is NOT running and I would expect drawing no current (I don't think there is even a small load for electronics, though I can't be certain).
The breaker, if original, would have been installed in 1996 (the panel inspection sticker date). Here's the face of this breaker:

Is this OK? Should I be concerned or replace the breaker?

Update - There is one other identical breaker in the same panel which is normally off. I switched it on and it makes the same noise.
The panel mostly has standard breakers and also a few newish arc fault breakers, and those are all silent. Every breaker in the GE panel is a GE breaker, they should all be correct models for the panel.

OK a piece of electrical equipment, like a breaker, should not hum. In fact it indicates that it is not working properly or it is a really poor piece of equipment. Both reasons would be enough for me to replace it with a new and better part.
If it is new you might be able to get a replacement under warranty (usually one year). I really don't accept any argument if someone says "It's supposed to do that". My reply is "No it's not." or "You need to show me some documentation that says it is acceptable."
Good Luck


Outdoor tap won't close completely My outdoor tap seized up and wouldn't close.  It was gushing water.  I bought a new one and replaced it.  It's a cheap one from Bunnings (link, but male instead of female), screwed on to the pipe with plumbing tape in the thread.

This one has worked well for a few months, but now it too is starting to seize up.  It isn't gushing, just trickling, but it won't close completely.  If I open it completely, spray WD-40 on it, and close it, it will stop flowing, but this only lasts for a few uses before it won't close completely again.

The house was built around 1996. The water source is metropolitan mains water (Melbourne, Australia) which is reliable. It's only this tap in the house that fails.

What could be causing this?  What can I do to fix this permanently?

First try to grease the stem by opening the valve to max opening and smearing grease on the stem. Use special plumber's grease.

If that doesn't work, turn off the water and remove the service opening and and advance the stem all the way through the packing and apply plumber's grease to the stem where it seals against the packing. It may be necessary to apply a small amount of grease to the coarse threads inside the valve which advance and withdraw the stem, but I'm not sure about that. When putting it back in be sure to have the valve opened sufficiently so that the rubber seal is not pressed against the seat.


Water damage restoration - disinfecting carpet? Is it possible to actually disinfect carpet after a small amount of (technically) dirty water exposure, either by applying something to the carpet or using an upright carpet cleaner and mixing something into the water?

I searched but couldn't find much on this - small amount of dirty water (sewer ejector backed up and emptying laundry machine caused overflow) seeped out of the utility room and into the carpet - less than a couple square feet. Pulled up the carpet, cut away the wet padding and removed it, got the carpet dry using upright cleaner and dehumidifier. By the end of the day, entire basement was dry.

Question: is the carpet salvageable? How can I disinfect it?

I would like to use some kind of disinfectant, either applied directly or by using the carpet cleaner, but not sure what would do the job. Was thinking about using something like Microban Disinfectant Spray (https://www.prorestoreproducts.com/Content_003.aspx?cid=1157) or maybe a bleach-water mixture.

Bleach is king for disinfection. But you have to be careful using bleach as it can bleach the carpet (of course). For general cleaning 5% dilution of household bleach is generally recommended (so, 6.75 fl. oz. household bleach plus one gallon of water). But for the carpet, I wouldn't do it- or I would try starting with a lower (1% or 2%) concentration of household bleach.

Since bleach is kind of sketchy, benzalkonium chloride or n-Alkyl (40% C12, 50% C14, 10% C16) dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride would be the next best thing. These antibiotics are the active ingredients from many lysol and clorox products (like wipes, 409, and hand sanitizers). I would recommend the same usage level (for these antimicrobials) for cleaning and disinfecting the carpet, as around the same levels that are used in wipes and 409 (that's 0.3%). In fact, I think that pouring 409 over the spot and then using a wet vac or steam cleaner to clean the spot would work perfectly well.

Now there are a ton of disinfecting carpet cleaners (antimicrobials require EPA registration) so, generally speaking, they are more likely to work. Some antimicrobial carpet cleaners might contain some form of benzyl ammonium chloride... whole others only contain alcohols (like phenophenol or phenoxyisopropanol)... and some contain both.

That being said, some companies like Bissel are able to sell 4.67% hydroxgen peroxide as a disinfecting carpet cleaner... if you poured that straight onto the carpet it should work, but I can't see how you could really dilute it and still expect it to work. So obviously, the EPA lets some stuff slide. I think that Bissel's banking on the fact that people rarely shop for disinfecting cleaners... and plenty of people opt for the good looking packaging. On that same note, I ran across a product called Microban... which contains: o-Phenylphenol 0.22% and Diisobutylphenoxyethoxy ethyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride monohydrate 0.70%. Pretty good looking stuff, but the package is ugly as sin and the price is too high compared with say 409 (actually named CPPC EVEREST epa# 67619-10... Clorox tries to hide their products with names like Boris and Blondie), which contains 0.3% n-Alkyl (40% C12, 50% C14, 10% C16) dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride.

For any product that claims to be antimicrobial, you can find the label here: USEPA Product Label Search.

Also be skeptical of instructions online for using all kinds of stuff- especially the one that pops up first on google which includes about 1/2 cornmeal. Using cornmeal isn't a good idea for disinfection. Borax... not really. Vinegar... a little. Vinegar with bleach... oh yes- but that could also go deadly wrong.


What could be causing this strange behavior of a branch circuit? My uncle lives in an older house with crazy wiring. The kitchen lights, microwave, most receptacles and fridge stopped working yesterday for 4 hours. Then they came back on with us doing nothing. Well there off again now. Replaced the breaker, nothing. We went to the first receptacle that came from the breaker box and replaced it. Have power there when ground and either side of the receptacle are touched. Nothing when something is plugged into it. We touched the plug of a lamp end to the neutral and the ground and everything in the kitchen turned on. We could actually turn everything in the kitchen on and off with that lamp. What would the ground have anything to do with this and any thoughts on how or why this is happening or what else we should try. Baffled.

Sounds like there's a break in the neutral wire between the panel and the first receptacle, or possibly a bad neutral connection at the panel.

Power is going out on the ungrounded (hot) conductor, passing through a load somewhere on the circuit and returning on the grounded (neutral). However, since the neutral is not continuous back to the panel, the circuit is not complete.  When you put the lamp between the grounded (neutral) conductor and the grounding conductor, you completed the circuit through the lamp.

If you measure with a digital multimeter, you should measure 0 volts between the ungrounded (hot) conductor and the grounded (neutral) conductor. You'll measure a voltage (1 - 125 volts) between the grounding conductor, and either the grounded or ungrounded conductor.

If you disconnect the grounded (neutral) conductor from the receptacle,  and measure continuity between it and the grounding conductor.  You'll get an open (or infinite) reading,  because the neutral is not continuous back to the panel.

Fix the break or loose connection, and your problem will be solved.


How should I drain an area of gravel between a sidewalk and retaining wall? We are reclaiming a flower bed and extending our existing patio. After a gully washer I am now concerned about drainage for this 5ft by 36ft impervious surface we are adding.  We are also adding a stair case in the middle to access the upper yard over a brick retaining wall. The stair case will be 2 risers and end where the retaining wall brick drops off 4 feet wide stairs. For relation each existing concrete square is 2ft by 2ft
So my question is how would you drain?  Can I run pvc pipe under the stair case to allow draining under the stairs?  Should I drin towards retaining wall and away from house and existing patio? Should I drain towards existing patio and add a channel?  The next problem is what to do with the water once it gets to the end of the patio?
Just add a French drain along the length of new concrete and funnel to flower bed?  Any help would be great.  Mainly wondering about the possibility of running pvc under stair case to allow drainage and not ruin concrete integrity.  Thanks in advance.

The direction of drain should be from the house toward the end of patio. I'll consider to provide French drain along the retaining wall, then discharge to storm water system, or a sandy pit in your own yard.


Passing wire down through Exterior Wall Replacing some old wiring with crumbling insulation. One of the wires passes down through an exterior wall from the attic, to an outlet on the second floor, and continues down to the first floor.

I attempted to follow the same path, but I drilled over 6 inches into the bottom of the wall and still haven't broken through.

The drill seems to be really struggling through the wood. Started with a 3/4 auger bit on an 18" extension. That stopped making any more progress so I switched to a 5/8" spade bit on the extension instead. Now the spade bit is fully into the hole along with part of the extension.

Not sure if I should keep going. The old wire goes through, but is there a chance I'm going to cause problems if I keep drilling? The house was built in 1930, so I assume the drilling difficulty is due to the wood used. I'm just worried about weakening the beam or something.

HazardousGlitch had a good suggestion. I don't think I was drilling into to top of a stud because I had tried several holes before posting.

Opened up the wall more so I could position the drill closer to the drywall and went through easily. Above I posted the wrong photo that didn't have the deep hole. Now you can see the deep hole (left bottom) and the successful hole (right by the old wire). You can also see my other failed attempts.

Thanks for the help!


how to cut multiple 2x4 to a same length with a circular saw I need to cut three 2x4 pieces (about 2 feet) and their size should be exactly identical. What would be a good way for doing that with a circular saw? The articles I found recommend using a miter saw and a stop block but I have only a circular saw. I am thinking of clamping three lumbers, making the ends of them flush and cutting them at once. But, I am wondering if there is any other better way.

What you just described (cutting multiple pieces at the same time) is in the construction field referred to as "gang cutting". And, yes, if your only power tool is a circular saw, than to get the most precise and exact lengths, cut them in a gang cut. What you should first do is make an initial gang cut at the bottom so as to square the ends. Than measure and mark the length.  After they are clamped strike a line with a square across all pieces. If you have a steady hand slowly begin the cut being sure to keep the saw blade to the waste side of the line. Or clamp a guide fence down so that when the saws base plate edge rides along it the blade is at the appropriate mark (usually 3- 3 1/2 inches from inside blade edge to outside plate edge).


What can I build/use for a door in an old barn? I have a very small barn/chicken coop on my land that we basically use as a shed.  It currently has a standard door on it.  However I just got a new riding lawnmower and would like to store it in said barn.  It needs a ramp (there is a lip) and it won't fit through the door.

I am looking for ideas on what kind of door I could use/make.  The door is situated about 8 inches from one of the corners of the barn and there are no other windows on the door side.  If I were to slap on a 36" hinged door it would open to the inside and be hitting a window on the perpendicular wall.

Cheap would be great, easy to use is a plus, cool looking, and most of all sturdy.  I may lock the door (in any way) but security isn't a huge issue as someone who was looking to steal things would have other entries.

One simple and classic option would be a sliding barn door:

You can make the door whatever size you want. You attach a rail to the outside of your shed, some rollers to the top of the door, a handle, and perhaps some retaining or locking hardware. You can make the door in a traditional rails/stiles approach or just cut a piece of plywood to size and paint it.

Here's one idea for a cool look with moderate effort. I haven't done this but am considering it for some new shed doors.

Get a piece of plywood and cut it to size.
Attach 1x6 wood along its outer edge so it looks like it has stiles.
Cut some lights. You can do simple rectangular ones or get fancy with a jigsaw and cut in some fun designs, your initials, whatever. Because you're working with a piece of plywood you have a lot of options.
Prime & paint with good exterior paint.
Attach some acrylic/plexiglass behind your lights (glue, caulk, and/or window glazing compound depending on your design, plus a few screws around the edges).


What does "24 on center" mean I'm viewing a tutorial on soundproofing, and it shows the diagram below, with the red rectangle area being the noisy space to soundproof from, and the blue rectangle being the quiet space being protected. Then he says

  instead of 16 inch on center we're gonna go with 24 on center

while pointing at the red arrow. What does that mean?

"On-Center" is a term to indicate measuring from the center of one to the center of the next.  This has the advantage of not getting into the detail of the actual width of the material being used.  If you try to space a set of 2x4's by measuring between the side of one, to the side of the next, then you have to take into account the actual width of the stud. (24" - width)
A "2x4" is a nominal size, the actual size is less, and that's just a detail in the bigger scheme of things.  If you do "On-center" measurement that issue is brushed away.


What are some tips for installing laminate wood flooring? I'm about to install laminate wood flooring in our family room. The floor is concrete. Having not done this before what tools and tips can you all offer before I get started?

Pick up a kit like this from your local hardware store, it will include every thing you need.

Make sure you measure the room and make sure the last row is not going to be a tiny sliver, it is better to start with a thinner first row than get to the end and realize you are going to have a really thin last row.

Also be very careful when tapping the boards together, if you go to far you will chip/crush the board you are butting up to.  When tapping the boards together be careful not to let the tapping block slip up, because that too will chip the plank.

Oh and don't forget to remove any baseboards before you start, and then measure again without the base boards.

When buying the underlay material make sure you get some that is made for concrete, you don't want moisture wicking up through the concrete into your new floor.

It's also a good idea to pick up an extra box or two of flooring, it could save you a trip to the store in the middle of the project if you underestimated or damage some of the planks during install.  You can always return any unopened boxes when your done.

A miter saw is also very handy.

EDIT:

Be careful when tapping the planks into place, if you don't have weight on the floor or you are not using spacers the whole floor could shift and become crooked (I learned this the hard way).  I was about halfway across the room when I realized the planks that I had previously installed were shifted, if I hadn't caught it I would have ended up with a very crooked floor.


Warm Floor - Water Leak? Our kitchen floor is very warm.  We don't have in-floor heating and we hear the quiet hiss of running water all the time.  My fear is that a pipe has ruptured under the house and is slowly leaking hot water.  The foundation around the kitchen is dry, however, and there is no indication of a leak anywhere in the house.

Location is the Phoenix area of Arizona, USA.

What could this be?

If the floor is warm and you hear a hiss, it's not "slowly" leaking, it's spraying in a significant quantity. Prepare for a large utility bill, and go shut off your water supply. It takes a pretty significant leak to noticeably warm the floor, in my (unfortunate, and that was a BIG gas bill) experience.


Wiring 50A RV receptacle to 120V service I will be installing temporary wiring for an RV which has a NEMA 14-50 plug.  The RV does not actually need 240v, it just splits the load between two 120v legs.  I want to use a 30A 120V circuit breaker, and put a 14-50 receptacle on the end of a cord.  A common way to do this is to use a straight TT-30 cord with a 50A to 30A "dogbone" adapter, but in order to have one less connection, I'd like to wire a 14-50 receptacle directly to the cord, like this one.

My question is, how can I bridge the two hot legs inside this receptacle?  Is it safe to use a short jumper wire for this?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00192QB9M

No.  You cannot hardwire a 50A receptacle onto a 30A breaker.

Given your goals (30A single-pole breaker) use either a TT30 receptacle or a NEMA L5-30R.

You are welcome to fabricate your own dogbone adapter, with a NEMA 10-50R on one end and either a TT30 plug or L5-30P on the other.

Inside the homebrew dogbone adapter, I am OK with hooking both 10-50R hots to the same supply hot, but: Be very careful that your RV is not wired with any multi-wire branch circuits.  Those will overload the neutral wire in that configuration. Because of this risk in using the adapter in random unchecked RVs, be very careful who you loan that adapter to.


Dryer 240 to 120 question I have a 240 volt dryer currently, and I want to change it out for a gas dryer that will utilize 120 volt.  Since the circuit is 240 volt 30 amp, I'd like to use the existing 6-8 gauge wire and pigtail it down to 12 gauge in the existing 2-gang box, and just cap the extra wire.  Is this within code, or should I pull the romex and run new?

You may be able to install a 120v receptacle but you would need to change the breaker to 20 amp how many wire is your existing feed would be my question if 4 wire yes you can convert if 3 wire it depends on the colors.


What is this pipe - should I be worried? We found it behind a wall, it is a bit more than 10 inches wide it has about an 3/4 inch of concrete between metal.

It was jaggedly broke off on the bottom in the basement ceiling.
It is also jaggedly broken off in the attic, it looks like it used go through the roof, because there is patch there. It does not seem to be supported by anything.  it is almost in the middle of the house. It is not near much plumbing or anything.

It seems really heavy duty and does not seem to have any connections.  What was it for? Could this be a problem in the future? Could it fall? Could someone have messed with the structural integrity of the house?

It an abandoned sewage and vent pipe. It was replaced, and the roof patched where it used to exit. Apparently they never got around to finishing the job, or just figured it wasn't any problem leaving it like it was. As to whether it's safe, since it hasn't fallen yet, it probably won't. But, you could get a ladder and pull on it to make sure. And no, there isn't a structural integrity issue. I'd finish off the basement ceiling to hide it.


Maneuverable Toilet spray pipes like kink free collapsing Garden hoses? After my travels and stays across the Globe I have realized that a Toilet Spray followed by Toilet paper is more hygenic than only one of them.

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

Are there any toilet sprays or pipes that are flexible and maneuverable like those kink free collapsing Garden hoses?

http://gardeningproductsreview.com/best-garden-hose/
http://clearflowwaterhose.com/garden-hose/

If not, how could one find such pipe/ hose and then DIY them to attach them in a bathroom?

Especially, if the place is rented - what would be easy ways to do this?

There are bidet toilets that spray (2 positions) heated water, and blow you dry.  It has a heated seat, too boot.

I've installed the Toto brand version (Washlet) (a seat replacement).  It has water and electrical hookups included.  The spray wand self cleans and self stores.

I can recommend its function and efficacy.

http://www.totousa.com/people-first-innovation/peopleplanetwater/cleaner-future/washlet-how-it-works


Best tool for cutting a 2" horizonal sloped canal cut through a 11' plaster/lath internal wall In one room I need to cut groove into a wall to accommodate a condensate drain from a minisplit air handler/evaporator in an adjacent room.  I know I could use a pump but I rather rely on old fashion gravity to transport the condensate to a drain, but in order to do so pass through one room's interior wall on a downward slope.  What would be the best way and/or tool do so ?  Any advice on how to also protect the drain from getting pierced in the future from a nail/screw.  Probably shouldn't worry too much about it but rather avoid it if it is worthwhile.  For the tool, I was thinking of a 4" grinder.

Thanks in advance!

If you use a circular saw a straight pair of lines can be cut. Then a simple wood chisel with a sharp whack will remove the block to make your channel. Steel nail plates used for electrical will protect where the lines are trapped by the studs. In between the studs push the line set back an inch so distance will be protecting it if you run the line set with the drain.

I would suggest your control wire for the wire beside unit be run in the channel with the drain. This way the line can be identified later with a stud finder with voltage alert. I agree with gravity drains as I have seen many pumps fail.


Can I splice a chandelier cord to reach a junction box? I purchased a Arteriors' Geoffrey chandelier. Unfortunately, when I got it home I realized that the chain and wire are not long enough to hang from our 14' ceiling.  I called an electrician to install it and he told me I would have to have the fixture's wiring completely replaced before they would install.
Is there a reason why I cannot purchase additional wire and chain and extend?  The printing on the wire:
(UL) E309953 SPT-2 2x1.31mm (16AWG) 105oC 300V VW-1 FT2 TOONG YEAN HSF

There is also a ground wire separate from this that runs to the fixture.

The reason is because splices that are not in boxes are not code compliant.
An electrician can lose his license for installing devices that do not meet code.
So it can’t be done done by a licensed professional with a splice in the wire outside a box.


Was there a NEC Code Change that disallows 14 gauge wire in a residential receptacle? I am thinking of remodeling my home.  I have a bunch of 14 gauge THHN wire.  A friend told me I can't use 14 gauge wire in a residential receptacle application.  Has there a code change that would not allow 14 gauge wire to be used in residential receptacles?

To my knowledge the only recent changes dealing with residential receptacles, says that they must now be tamper resistant, and that ALL garage receptacles must be GFCI protected. There were also some changes dealing with Arc Fault breakers in NEC 2011, but I haven't read through it all yet.

Code compliance can be a fickle bitch, and the minimum code applicable for your area will depend on what your local government has chosen to follow.  To my knowledge, there have been no changes that say you cannot use #14 for 15Amp receptacles.  But even if there were changes, say for example in NEC 2011.  Your area may still follow NEC 2008, or even NEC 2005, in which case those are the minimum standards you must follow.

The best way to know for sure, is to contact your local government to determine which standard they follow.  Then do some research into that standard.  Or contact a local licensed electrician, and ask.

So if I were you I would ask my friend to site some section numbers (then look them up if he actually can), or call a local master electrician.


What is the intended plan with this basement rough-in plumbing? I am currently planning out the framing portion of my project and I am trying to figure out what is what with the rough in plumbing you see in the picture.  I don’t have any plumbing experience and plan to hire someone for that part but I want to know what’s what so I frame accordingly.  Anyone know?  Thanks in advance.

I think Jack is right--here looks to only be one water line so that maroon would be for the toilet. I would expect the vent to be in the wall, and the 1-1/2" or 2” pvc to be a sink drain. The toilet was probably planned to be at a 45 degree angle.

A sink requires a outlet within 36” so that electrical may be for that once the studs have been installed on the stem wall. With only one water line an on-demand or small water heater may have been the plan.


Decking fastening schedule? I'm screwing down a deck of 5/4 x 4" cedar, over joists 16" O.C.

It's a covered deck, so it won't get very wet.

Is 1 screw per joist/plank intersection enough? Or 2?

It would be best to use two. If you make sure your deck boards are cupped down you would think that only one screw would be fine, to stop the board from cupping up in the center. I have seen wood cup in some extremely odd ways so this is not always the case. Two per board/joist intersection will ensure you do not need to mess with it in the future. Or you can always just use one and wait for the weird boards to cup :) I prefer low maintenance and the screws shouldn't be too pricey. Good luck!


A splitter for low-voltage wire I want to run some low-voltage wire in my yard for path/accent lighting.  I want to avoid connecting everything to a single segment of wire, mainly to reduce power loss associated with long runs.

So instead, I want to run a trunk wire, with branches splitting away from it.  I plan for the wire to be 12-gauge copper.

What's a suitable splitter for this purpose?  Ideally this splitter would also have a quick-disconnect functionality, but that's optional.

Direct burial connectors.

Several varieties exist, silicone packed and grease packed are the most common.

You cut and strip and twist the connection(s) and insert into the cap, which then isolates, insulates and waterproofs the connection.

They are a HUGE step up from the "vampire tap" connections that come with low priced landscape sets.  In any type of wet climate, the taps are only good for several years

Another approach is a "staked" junction box. which houses the connections for a hub distribution method.  The junction box sits atop a ground stake, keeping the wiring above ground.


How do I fix this part of the wall? I have this section of the wall just above my bed, recently it became a bit dirty so I used a sponge to clean it. Unfortunately now I'm left with a a big green mark on the wall and it wont go away.

I think the only way it to paint over it . is there any other option ?

If I paint that half a meter squared section I donx't want it to much noticeable from the rest of the room
What should I do ?

It looks like you scrubbed away the top layer of paint. There's no way to scrub it back on.

If you have the paint, you can easily blend it in, though fading due to age may result in it being slightly conspicuous.

If not, get a paint match (for both color and sheen) and paint the entire wall.


How to remove broken threaded water pipe The pipe connecting my shower head to the wall has broken off. I removed the head and tried to remove the theaded pipe but the potruding metal broke off completely. Is there anyway to remove the part that's still stuck without drilling the wall and replace the pipe? Landlord would kill me for that.

There is a tool that will remove the pipe. It works on the inside of the pipe so it needs none of the pipe to grab onto. This one set may work, but this is the type I think is more reliable.


Converting from Oil to Gas heat. Any recommendations? I've received news that I'll need to get a new boiler. My wife and I want to take this opportunity to switch to natural gas from oil. I'm a technical guy, but I'm having trouble deciphering the power output of my current boiler to size a replacement.

I'm looking for a useful calculator to convert from steam volume output, to BTUs. This is merely as a budgetary exercise for information when a contractor comes to provide an estimate.

Any recommendations?

instead of sizing your current boiler, i would instead have a heating professional visit your home and calculate the heating requirements of your home from scratch.


Need help to understand my electric panels and subpanels I moved into this home few months ago in California (U.S.), and want to understand how much electric load I can use in each room. The house doesn't have HVAC and I am using floor heaters. I would not like to overburden the electric system beyond its capacity.

House Covered area: 1460 sq feet
Meter photo:

Here is the excerpt from inspection report:

  Some more context, the house is 70+ years old, and was built in two steps. Original part was built in 1940s, later another portion was added in 1970s.

Volts: 120/240
Service Entrance: Overhead mast
Service Capacity: Undetermined
Main Panel Protection: Breakers.
Subpanel Protection: Circuit breakers and fuses
Subpanel Location: hallway, garage.

  The electrical main service panel is older and utilizes outdated technology. However, it was opened and the inspected circuitry was
  found to be properly installed and correctly fused, with exceptions noted elsewhere in this report. Upgrading should be performed in the course of on going improvements.

  Note: The main electrical panel was manufactured by Federal Pacific Electric.

  The electrical service capacity is minimal by all current standards (100 amps) and may prove inadequate for today's lifestyles. We recommend further review by a licensed electrician, and the electric service upgraded as recommended.

  There was an older glass fuse subpanel. This electrical panel uses outdated technology and is intended to meet minimal loads. With any remodeling or expansion the panel would need to be updated. Additionally the panel does not include modern safety standards

Initially, I was naively adding up all Amperes to total it to 100, which they don't. After reading up similar questions on this site, I have figured out that it is not even expected; so I am asking for specific help for my situation.

Note: I am using a gas dryer.

Main panel: The marking in Red deciphered as 'Kitchen'

Subpanel1: (in the hallway, this is the one which is very high as mentioned in the notes)

Subpanel2: (This is physically located in the garage, ironically the other subpanel has a marking "Garage")

You're going to have to start by mapping your house.  It helps to have a whole bunch of night lights, or any kind of lights, or loads of some sort that light up clearly when the power is on.  One for each receptacle in the house.

I'm fond of making up names for them.  So for instance the Square D breaker box, I might call those Quill, Rocket, Gamora, Groot.  Then in the fuse block, call those Thor, Loki, Sif.    Then in the main one, use names of other Avengers not affiliated with the Guardians or Asgard.

Starting with the subpanels, pull one breaker or fuse.  Then walk the house to see what dies.   Label them as you please, so you know what that outlet or hardwired device is powered from.    Repeat for each subpanel breaker or fuse.

Next, go to the main panel (the StabLok?) and do the same thing.  Two of them will most likely shut off power to each subpanel, and you'll know that because everything connected with the subpanel will die.  Label that Asgard, Guardians or whatever grouping you are using.   All the other fuses will shut off some loads or one load.  Again mark the outlets/hardwired loads.

Now you know what circuit every outlet and hardwired load is on.

Next, read the number on the breaker or fuse.  That is your circuit limit for that circuit.  Figure 80% of that (12 amps for most of them) and do not exceed that.

Generally, as far as the common 1500W heaters, you can put one of them per circuit, with nothing else except maybe a cell phone charger or at most a TV.

To find out what loads draw, either read their labeling, or get a Kill-a-Watt and measure them (at maximum working load, e.g. Full-on FPS gaming, not editing a Word document).


How to remove a rusty screw and cap from a toilet The toilet seat has rusted away the screw holes that connects itself to the iron hinges, making the seat removable while the lid and the hinges stays connected to the toilet bowl. I want to remove the hinges and the toilet seat (+ lid) but the hinges have become so rusty that when attempting to remove the cap beneath, the screw rotates with the cap.

I've tried holding the screw head with slip joint pliers but it's so flat and that it's fitted so tightly making it impossible to fix it in place. I've also tried adding lubricant but it's not working.

Use a Dremel with a cut off grinder wheel. Works fast and precise. Buy new screws. No holding of screws required. There are thousands other purposes for the Dremel tool you will discover. And it's fun.


How can I level out this hanging light fixture? Should this have come with weights of some sort?

To me it looks like the arms might have been bent/rotated slightly which causes the imbalance.

Try to see if the arms can be bent/rotated at the joint and try playing around with their positions.

It also looks like the chain can slide horizontally within the shackle, possibly you could balance it out a bit there as well.

Alternatively, if the metal is magnetic you could try buying some small magnets and try balancing them out like that.


What wood to build a bath-tub tray? I'm new to wood working and I want to build my wife a bathtub tray that can hold a laptop (for Hulu watching) and a glass.  It doesn't need to hold anything else really.  But I don't know what type of wood to use for this.  What wood would be good?!

I would suggest using a hardwood like "teak" as it is commonly used in environments where it is exposed to water such as on boats and for outdoor furniture.


Removing teak oil from varnished wood Someone "polished" my varnished mahogany dining table with teak oil.  How do I remove it?

If the table was varnished, then the applied oil will not have penetrated and could be removed with a rag soaked in mineral spirits. Don't use more volatile solvents as they could soften or damage your varnish. Afterwards, wipe clean with a separate damp cloth to remove all traces of the oil and spirits.


Size of circuit breakers for 220v circuit I'm considering a piece of shop equipment with a motor that can be wired as 110-volt (20-amp) or 220-volt (10-amp). I'm leaning towards 220v despite the additional cost of installing the electrical outlet.

The equipment vendor says the minimum circuit should be 15-amp. Initially, I was planning to request each leg be 20-amp (40-amp total) but after digging into this, I'm wondering if 10-amp on each leg would be sufficient considering the circuit minimum is 15-amp.

If I have the new outlet to power this machine wired as 220-volt, will the circuit breakers in the box need to be 15-amp total or 15-amp on EACH 110-volt leg?

They are the same thing and you don't have a choice.   Your breaker is going to be a 2-pole breaker rated 15A.  When you look closely, it will very much resemble two 15A breakers bolted together.  That's not far from the truth.

The breaker will mount in the service panel in two spaces, which could otherwise accommodate two 120V breakers.  What is happening is there are two 120V buses in the panel, and the 2-pole breaker is designed to tap both of them.  They are phased opposite (when one is -120V the other is +120V), so if you tap both, you get 240V.


Matte finish for a pine desk? I recently bought a pine tabletop from Ikea, unfinished but for a very thin layer of their BEHANDLA oil (which I think is just boiled linseed oil). It's going to be used as an office desk.

I bought a bottle of BLO and applied a thin coat over the underside of the desk - very pleased with how it looks. I'll probably apply another coat tonight and then flip it and do the top tomorrow.

However, I am reading of a few downsides to using BLO - lack of physical protection, drying out every few months, possible staining of items even after curing (?) being a few.

So I'm looking for a matte finish that I can apply over the BLO once it dries (maybe this weekend?) that will mitigate these downsides, provide better protection and longevity to the BLO but maintain the nice matte look and the colour of the BLO (without being too much of a burden to apply).

What are my options?

@Ant P Oil based poly will work perfectly over BLO, no worries at all.  From your description I'd get a satin finish poly, and probably apply it with a foam mini roller.


Mold and an insulated shed roof Thanks in advance for any answers.

I have just had a shed installed which is built onto the side of our house.  It has a metal roof, with OSB board under it (there are wooden noggins to support it).

I have tried to insulate the roof with Polystyrene blocks, which we intend to cover with plasterboard.

The sides of the shed have been insulated in the same way - although there is no metal on the sides it's just wood.  The main difference being, that I have used a vis screen on the cold side of the polystyrene.  There have also been vents cut in the sides of the panels towards the bottom.

The floor is currently just a concrete slab with flags in between.  There is nothing over the top of it.

The sides of the shed are showing no signs of mold, however the roof is - behind the polystyrene blocks.  I am guessing that this is due to moisture being trapped and a lack of ventilation.  Does anyone have any ideas for a solution that we could use to avoid this? Or am I better off just taking the plasterboard and polystyrene off of the roof and forgetting trying to insulate it?

Thanks again,

Mark.

Absolutely, remove the insulation & don't install any drywall. Floor venting is a start, though not needed, but mid-level or high-level venting is best. Bleach the interior down, scrub it with a broom, hose it out & leave the door(s) open for a couple of dry days to get rid of any mold.

A shed must be free to change with the outdoor conditions as quickly as possible. Organic items should not be stored in the shed. So no, Cardboard or Interior Upholstered & Fabric. Outdoor only Cushions, Table Umbrellas & Wood Furniture are mostly fine, but should be cleaned & sunbathed annually.


How can I connect my LED strip lights? I bought this white-only LED strip lights off amazon, and it has a DC jack. However, when I search on the internet, there seems to also be 4-wire cable and 2-wire cable.

I'm asking this because I want to attach a remote and a dimmer to the LED strip light, and the remote dimmer has 2-wire cable.

Can I connect the LED's DC jack to the dimmer? And how do I go from the dimmer to a 110V outlet?

Usually you use the two outmost connection points for +/- 12VDC on the strip ... and usually + and - leads are marked by printed labels on the strips at each seperation mark.

For connection from power supply to the strip you either use the premounted socket (if any is mounted at the end of the strip) or you solder the cables coming from the transformer / DC source onto the connection pads.

With the shopping list of your OP I would do the following wiring

            +-------------+              +-------------+                +---------.
           ~|             |+ ---------- +|  in     out |+ ------------ +|
 110/220VAC |  Mains/12V  |    12VDC     |   Dimmer    |   12VDC PWM    |  Strip  ....
           ~|  converter  |- ---------- -|             |- ------------ -|
            +-------------+              +-------------+                +---------.

The power rating of your ACDC converter is a function of the length of LED strip you want to use. If I am not mistaken - a single tripple of LEDs (the smallest separable unit) takes 60mA ... so all 300 LEDs (100 sections) would require as much a 6000 mA (6A)

The current limit of the dimmer is 12A which is fine for the whole strip.

If you are using more than -say- half of the strip I would consider more than 1 feed point to avoid voltage drops along the strip.


Change recessed CFL lights to LED I have the CFL recessed lights in my kitchen but i want to change them to LED, some one at home depot told me that i will need to change the can. Can someone help or guide me to a video or instructions how can i remove the old can with the new one ?

The question is if the can has a built-in ballast for the florescent light. If the can uses standard screw-in CFL bulbs, then you can just replace the bulb (and probably the trim ring) with a retrofit LED module designed for use in a incandescent can.

On the other hand, if the florescent light has two or four pins to connect into the can, then the can is designed specifically for florescent and includes the ballast for the florescent light. In this case, you will need to replace the can (or modify the can, removing the ballast and rewiring it, which is probably not worth the effort).


How to loosen traditional faucet stem? I have a faucet from an old house (Over 20 Years Old) and am having issues with the sink leaking. This isn't a problem because I'm familiar with how to fix it (Replace Rubber Washer) and have diagnosed (By turning the water valves at the bottom of the sink) that the leak only happens when the hot water valve is open, and doesn't when the cold water valve is open.

Everything was going great until a couldn't get the nut for the stem off. It requires a lot of force, and makes the entire faucet assembly shift in response to the required force. I figured that I should find out if I'm doing anything wrong first before going full primate on it. The faucet (Minus the handle and underside of the sink are posted below.)

On the underside of the sink, there appear to be threads and that white thing there. Should I loosen them first?

As I look at the pics, it appears s if there is pitting and corrosion.  Maybe it is time for a new faucet.  To use the current one, I would saturate it with a corrosion cutter, repeat about every 30 minutes.  There is a clip in the top picture that needs to be removed.  A screwdriver will generally remove it.  This will allow the stem to be removed.  I would soak the nut again, and use an adjustable wrench, an open end wrench or a box wrench.  Then go primate on it.  I suspect once it gives you will be on your butt wishing you only went half primate.  Good luck, hope this helps.
I bought a plastic faucet at Lowe's 20 years ago for less than $10 for an apartment that I owned.  It still works, never have had a repair done to it!