Gas-fired water heater safe to have in living area of home? A un-licensed renovation on our house was performed about 15 years ago, which turned a former garage into a 200 sq ft den directly attached to the rest of the house.  In this den is a gas-fired water heater.  It is not enclosed, and still has all the same venting it had prior to the renovation.

Is having a gas-fired water heater in a living area legal according to the Florida building code?  Or to get right to the real point, is this a carbon monoxide hazard?

As long as the gas appliance is vented properly, it is not a CO hazard. Venting is vital to ensure combustion products (i.e., CO) do not remain in the living space. If you are in doubt, get the water heater checked by a professional.

Carbon monoxide detectors are also required by code - one on each floor and outside each set of bedrooms. But, perhaps counter-intuitively, do not place a CO detector close to the water heater (or any other gas appliance); doing so can lead to false positive readings / alarms.


What to use to build an enclosure for projector screen case? I need to create an enclosure for a projector screen case mounted on the ceiling. The size is 50 inches wide, 4 inches high, 4 inches deep.
Requirements:

The enclosure is just for visuals, just to hide the plastic case of the projector screen, so it creates a more "built-in" looking.
It will be finished just like the ceiling: white.
Must be lightweight. I can't use thick wood (probably your first thought!). I was thinking about some kind of very thin wood (I remember seeing them before, they are a little flexible but stay straight if no force is applied). Remember the idea here is just to hide the projector screen case, nothing else. So less is better!
It must be easily removable. It means this enclosure will not be attached to the ceiling, but will just use something to attach it to the projector screen case (that's why it needs to be lightweight). Don't worry about how to attach it, if it's lightweight even a velcro will make it. It is because the projector screen is battery powered so occasionally it is necessary to replace the battery.
Ideas about how to finish (specially the sides) so it looks like something built to the ceiling.

The whole idea is just to hide the plastic casing.
I'm looking mainly for ideas about what materials to use to create the enclosure, what to use to connect the sides, what to use to finish it.
Thank you!

Think about running down to you hobby shop or home store and checking out their supply of balsa wood. That stuff is really light and easy to work with. It comes in many different sizes, sheets and square stock. It can be glued with regular wood glue or super glue and can be painted to match the ceiling.


Should I get a single- or two-stage furnace for my three-floor brick home? I just bought a house that has a furnace on its last legs. The house is 1941 masonry in Chicago with 3 floors: finished basement, first floor and a second floor that is a converted attic with vaulted ceilings and gets way too hot. The total square footage is about 900 per floor (so 2700 total)

I am looking at an American Standard AUH1C100A9481A as a replacement (recommended by a HVAC pro).

Is it worth going with 2-stage and how much extra would it be?

Any disadvantages? I hear variable speed units are pretty unreliable and really expensive on repairs.

2 stage is always the way to go but as with any furnace must be sized right. To size a furnace properly a contractor should use ACCA Manual J or equivalent. The furnace should be sized based on the coldest anticipated temperature(minus the worst 3%). Since it is not that cold very often your furnace is almost always too large for your house. A two stage furnace helps to alleviate this by using the low stage when it is not too cold. If your furnace is too large there can be large temperature swings. The proper size furnace keeps temperature more even. Some contractors try and use two stage furnaces to makeup for them not doing a proper heat load calculation usually ending up with a furnace that is too large. If sized correctly and operated with a good 2 stage thermostat that actually calculates how fast the temperature is rising, two stage furnaces are awesome.
Variable speed furnaces are very reliable and their motors are much more robust than normal motors. I have seen their “brains” scrambled on a few units without surge protection. I generally only remommend variable speed furnaces if there is air conditioning involved. Variable speed is great for controlling humidity during cooling and they take less electricity so your savings adds up quickly if using for air conditioning too.
Two stage furnaces are only $300-$400 more than single stage and variable speed furnaces about $500 more than that. You will need to add for a good 2 stage thermostat and possibly running an extra wire.


Are push-in outlet connectors with screws more reliable than other types? I have an 18.5 cubic inch box that has three 14/2 nm cables coming in. I am putting in an Eaton AFCI/GFCI outlet but the limited space is making it hard to get back in.
I noticed that the outlet has 2 push-in connectors on the top and two on the bottom. They seem to be screw in unlike the old push in spring connectors. Anyone have experience with these to know if they are safer/reliable than your standard push in that it seems like people say to never use? If I didn't have to pig tail the two wires together with a nut it would save a ton of space so that is why I ask.
Thanks!

Screw-down insert connectors are very reliable. They're really no different from a well-done loop under a screw. Just be sure to strip the wire to the correct length. There should be a gauge molded into the outlet back plate.
These aren't really "push-in" connectors since you still have to clamp them. The push-in connectors that are problematic use just a spring tab to engage the wire. They're to be avoided.


Backlight moving mirror in bathroom Bathroom will have a medicine cabinet behind the mirror. Going to use wall mount sliding door hardware to make the mirror move. Will look similar to this:

I would like to use some 12v LED lights on the backside of the mirror to give it a nice look like this:

The transformer will be hardwired

located elsewhere; not on the back of the mirror.

Question is how can I transfer 12vdc to the moving mirror? I was thinking of 2 metal strips on the top back side of the moving mirror for positive and negative; with some sort of spring loaded contact pins

for power (+-) being centered right below the track. Doable? Better ideas on how to do it? Being discreet is key.

Sliding contact, bathroom, expect failure.

Using a ribbon cable in the manner of a cable carrier (should not actually need a cable carrier, though if you wanted to go there you could get a small one) would be far more reliable. Fixed contacts, cable moves. Seen on many inkejet printer printheads (the "doing it with a ribbon cable method", that is.) The real things are common on CNC tools, equipment with extendable booms, etc.

The "point that's not obvious until you use this method" is that the cable ALWAYS has a 180 degree bend, even at full extension. It leaves the moving part facing away from the fixed part then bends back to the fixed part - the bend moves as the item moves.


Recessed Lighting in the garage - Fire Rated Products I have an unfinished 2-story detached garage (20x24). First story is the garage and the second story is a studio like apartment. I am considering using recessed lighting on the first floor. I understand that the ceiling is a fire barrier to protect the occupants on the second floor. One sheet of Type X 5/8" is rated for 1 hour and two sheets of Type X 5/8 is rated for two hours.
Any penetrations though the ceiling degrades the ability of the fire-barrier (ceiling) to be effective. I searched for Fire-Rated Recess Light Housing and found Cooper Industries Halo (H750FR2ICAT). So I go to Womack Electrical Supply (WES) Website to order one. It says: "Your Price $240.00 each". That does not seem right.
Anyone know of any reputable resellers  willing to sell to a Por-DIYer like me? HomeDepot / Lowes do not appear to carry any product like this in my area. And I prefer to do business with local shops when I can.
Side Question: Do the resellers like WES even want to do business with the likes of me (Pro-DIY).

Revised base on "Lee Sam's" Answer:
Area = Pi * r(2).
Area (6" hole) = 28.27 sq inches
Ceiling Area = 20 ft x 20 ft = 400 sq ft
4 * 144 sq in / 28.27 = 20 each 6" holes.
I suspect I will only need 12-16 each 6" holes for recessed lights.
After further thought, I still would want to install light fire-rated recessed lighting housing or some other method. My kids might be sleeping in the second floor one night.
I am also evaluating creating a recessed channel between the i-Joist within the gypsum board to install lighting.
I liked recessed lighting in a garage with 8 foot ceiling because I want to avoid the glare and I want to keep from hitting a light fixture with a 2x4, plywood, pole, etc. If I had 10 foot ceilings, I would just mount the lights on the ceiling.

Revised: July 21, 2020
Garage lighting needs/requirements/brainstorming.

General Lighting: Soft Lighting (3500K-4000K color range) will automatically turn on with enough light so that the family can get into and out of the car safely, move around the garage, etc. The general lighting would would be on a motion/sound sensor and turn off automatically after 20-30 minutes. (I found a brand/model used in my office at work).

Note: When the garage door opens, I don't want there to be so much glaring light flooding out of the garage that it looks like an alien invasion (like "Close encounters of the Third Kind").

Party Lighting: More Soft (3500K-4000K color range) lighting that General Lighting for a birthday party, family gathering, covered space for BBQ, etc. I would clear out and clean the garage for this type of event. Setup of food tables, etc.

Work/Task lighting: This would be a third set of lighting that I can turn on as needed for working on the car, small wood working projects, kids school projects, etc. The color of this type of lighting would be in 4000K-5500K range. Unsure about the amount of Lumens (or how bright) needed.

Cooper Lighting Solutions - Halo - Fire Rated Recess light Housing - H750FR2ICAT
Website: http://www.cooperindustries.com/content/public/en/lighting/products/recessed_general_purpose_downlighting/fire-rated/_1066527.html

This website isn’t setup for recommendations on purchasing items and equipment.
However, you’re missing a better question: How large of hole can I cut in a  1-hour fire fated ceiling before I void the rating?
Yes, you need a 1-hour Fire rated barrier between your garage and a habitable space. However, you are allowed a 6” diameter opening provided the aggregate area does not exceed 144 square inches in any 100 square feet of floor area. (See ICC 712.4.1.1)
If this doesn’t work for you, you can always extend the gypsum board up a few inches between joists and then install a surface mounted light fixture up in that recessed space. (You’ll need a different type light. Rather than a recessed can, maybe use a surface mount fluorescent.)


How do I get rid of water streaks on my bathroom wall? So the walls in my bathroom have streaks all over them. They've been building up over time and is getting worse. The wall over the shower in particular looks pretty bad. Does anyone know how I can get rid of them? I tried spraying Clorox Bleach spray but it doesn't seem to be doing anything. Anyways, I'm open to suggestions.

What that needs is a good scrubbing with warm soapy water. If the paint comes off because it is old or because it is no longer durable enough to survive a good scrubbing... then it needed repainting anyway. Use a high quality gloss or semi-gloss paint if you do it.


What adhesive should I use to glue rigid polystyrene insulation to itself and to wood? I have a partial sheet of Polystyrene insulation that I plan to cut into a shape to insulate a square hole, without permanently filling the hole. (The structure will be removable for intermittent access.)

What adhesives are good, and what are bad for gluing this material to itself? I was also considering some spare wainscoting board to use as a backer material... if I were to go this route, which adhesives would also be good for that junction? (This is for use in an attic, so the temperature cycles may be significant, and moist, here in the Southeastern US.)

The material in question:

Specially, would wood glue work? How about latex caulk?

"Project adhesive" or "panel adhesive"  is a variation of construction adhesive that's water-based. It doesn't have solvents that eat foam, and it has reasonably good grab.


Seperating bathroom light and exhaust fan on single switch I have a single switch that turns on both the bathroom light and a separate exhaust fan at the same time. I want to change this to be able to power them on independently via a dual rocker switch or two switches. I have read that I may have run a new wire for the exhaust fan. I'm a bit confused on the wiring and need clarification on which wires are which. I have three wires crimped together with a wire nut which one wire seems to be going to one of the terminals.  Would this be possible without running a separate wire for the exhaust fan?

It is possible that the two black wires (other than that going to the switch) are going separately to the fan and light. If so, the change is easy.

To test this do the following:

turn off the breaker
separate the three black wires nutted together
wirenut the black to the switch with one of the others and insulate the other in a separate wirenut
turn the breaker back on test the switch. Hopefully, the switch will operate only one of the fan or light.
turn the breaker back off
switch the black wires so the other one is connected to the wire to the switch
turn the breaker back on and test the switch. Hopefully, it will only control the other of the light or fan
Turn the breaker back off and optionally restore the original wiring

If the test results followed what I marked "hopefully", you are in business. Remove the other wire to the switch and wirenut it to two wires to run to one side of the dual switch (if one side of the switch has a removable bridge, just connect the single wire to that side). Connect the two blacks originally wirenutted together to the other side of the switches (if that side has a removable bridge, remove it).

For the pigtail wires, you should use the same guage wire as the rest. Examine the wires for printing on the insulation (look for an AWG number).

I'd also recommend against using the back push-in connectors. It's better to use the screw terminals.


GFCI master works but others in chain aren’t The GFC outlet in the garage is linked to 5 outlets in the kitchen, as well as to the garage door. The outlet in the garage and the garage door works and it resets, etc as it should. The outlets it controls in the kitchen however, are dead. The breaker is fine for the master GCFI circuit. I am at a loss to why this GFCI receptacle isn’t powering the rest of the receptacles on the circuit.

I can't buy that the GFCI in the garage is powering circuits in your kitchen. Kitchen receptacles are usually powered by small appliance circuits which are 20A and there must be at least 2 of these in the Kitchen/Nook/Dining area. NEC Article 220.52 (A). This is actually in my 1965 code book so it has been around for almost every dwelling in the US. These circuits by code are separate from any other circuits.

I would look for a different circuit breaker or a GFCI powering the receptacles in the kitchen. If it isn't a breaker look for GFCI receptacles that are hidden. Like behind the refrigerator.

Good luck.


installing a french drain around a basement wall I'm in the process of building a new house with basement. The deep end and approximately 3/4 around of the basement wall is approximately 8 ft. deep. do I need a French drain this deep basically at the footer. I have waterproofed the block wall with Damtite water proofing. Looking for other suggestions to help prevent problems years later.

So moisture can either come in from below (a rising water table) or come in from surrounding ground water (rain) in the saturated soil.

If it comes up from a rising water table, it will enter the living space from below through cracks between the foundation wall and slab.

If it comes from the surrounding ground water, it COULD enter the living space through the wall, especially if the exterior side of the foundation wall is not sealed properly or through the crack between the foundation wall and slab.
Either way the moisture enters the living space, it will need to be collected and disposed.

I think the best way to collect it is on the exterior side of the foundation wall by installing a 6” perf pipe in drainrock and laid 6”-8” BELOW the interior basement slab. (Some use “filter fabric” around the drainrock to keep “fine” soil particles out of the rock and pipe.)

To keep the subsurface water from seeping through the wall, I recommend installing a moisture barrier on the exterior side of the foundation wall and install a 2” thick plastic mesh on the wall to allow water to flow down to the perf pipe. If dirt is allowed to be backfilled against the wall, the dirt could hold the moisture giving it a chance to seep through the wall.

Once collected it needs to be disposed by extending a solid pipe over an embankment or in a collection well and pumped away.


Lower Sanitary T in Wall for new lower sink I have a question, I need to lower the Sanitary T due to new sink being lower and garbage disposal out being lower then the wall out. Luckily the pipe is vertical in wall. The old T that you see in picture, is 2 inch coming from basement, 2 inch to kitchen sink and then 1.5 inch up to upstairs bathroom sink.
My new sink is lower and is only a single drain now instead of a dual sink.

Should i put a 2 inch to basement, 1.5 inch to kitchen sink and 1.5 inch to upstairs or still do 2 inch to basement, 2 inch to kitchen sink and 1.5 inch upstairs.
How is it best to glue these new pipe fittings together if there is not much play to them. To ensure enough of pipe gets into the fitting. (Glue the New T First), then use a hard coupling 1.5 inch to the old 1.5 inch to upstairs?

You might need to use a Fernco coupling to get everything hooked back up. It's a rubber coupling with hose clamps to hold the rubber in place like this:
Source: SupplyHouse.com No endorsement of the vendor intended or implied - they just had a nice pic.
I'd use it on the 1 1/2" pipe up to the 2nd floor. Slide it on the 1 1/2" pipe, up and out of the way, hold it up with a piece of tape for now.
Glue a piece of 1 1/2" pipe in the top of the new sanitary tee.
Slip the new sanitary tee in place, glue it to the drain going down. The 1 1/2" piece sticking out of the top should just about touch the 1 1/2" piece coming down from upstairs.
Pull the tape and slide the Fernco down over the stub of 1 1/2" pip out the top of the sanitary tee. Tighten the hose clamps to spec.
Use 1 1/2" pipe to finish the trap to the new sink. You could use a screw together (slip joint) trap to make it easier to assemble, adjust, and take apart when someone drops something important down the drain.


When remodeling a hallway with new walls and ceiling, should walls be done first or ceiling? Should walls be done first or ceiling? I'm doing in plywood with FRP covering

I usually do the ceiling first but have a lift.
If doing all by hand you could make life easier by doing 1 wall with enough gap to slip the ceiling panel over the wall then it will stay on that ledge while you hold it up  and secure.  This is how I did most jobs prior to getting my first lift.


Sound deadening in a small (~5x6) room with a glass wall I have a small phone room at the back of the office. It's around 5x6, has a ~10' ceiling, a large window, and a full-height glass wall and door on one side. The walls are brick on two of the other walls (exterior) and dry wall on one.

Now to get to the point: The room is extremely echo-y, understandably with the glass wall and hard surfaces. I'm looking for an aesthetically pleasing and relatively affordable way to deaden echoing.

I've considered wall-mountable foam like this, but I'm not sure that's the right solution or how I would most effectively mount them (where on the walls, how much to use, etc).

Pictures below. The boxes you can see are not normally there. The shelving is just to the left of the window.

Any suggestions are appreciated!

Assuming curtains for the glass wall are out; acoustic ceiling tile, and a tapestry along as much of the brick as possibly should help considerably.


What is involved in replacing a missing speed selector on my two speed hammer drill? I have a Bosch CSB 500-2 2 speed hammer drill for wood, concrete, and steel. As can be seen in the image below, the speed selection knob is missing.

Would it be simply buying a new selector, which I imagine is pretty simple and inexpensive, and just opening the machine and slotting it in, or is this repair more complex than I envision? If more complex, I would appreciate a short summary of what needs to be done, but I am not looking for instructions on how to do it.

I imagine is pretty simple and inexpensive

Spare parts for older machines are often either unavailable or surprisingly expensive (e.g. armature £37).

  is this repair more complex than I envision?

You'd need to open up the case and see if there is any other internal damage.

You might need to fabricate or improvise a speed selector. For example you might use polymorph or adapt a metal part.

A new Bosch drill of that sort can be purchased for £35-£50 (PSB500RE PSB680RE are often available on special offer at 30% lower price). A cheap store-brand drill might be £20 or less.

Links and prices are illustrative examples, a web-search will find local equiavalents.


My house was hit by lightning. What should I do? A huge thunderstorm passed by the other night and lightning hit the condo building I live in. The fire department came out and inspected the attic, and removed the antenna that was hit.

Inside the condo unit, some of the outlets no longer seem to work, and the garage door opener lights up but will not open the door. The TV was fried despite being on a surge protector.

We have an electrician coming out to check a few of these things, but in general what things should I check after a lightning strike? Are there other things I should be aware of, or look to have fixed/replaced?

Lightning strikes can cause damage to many items in a house. The most suspectable items are GFI outlets, any electronic machines ( TV, computers, audio equipment etc.), dimmers, switches and elements of an electric range/oven, and yes, garage door openers.

Another area to check is to unplug any device plugged into a receptacle and inspect the metal plug prongs for any signs of burns. If you find dark pits, any melted metal etc, then the plug and outlet should be replaced.

Using an inexpensive outlet checker, check all outlets for malfunctions such as open grounds, neutrals etc. Open the circuit breaker box and do a visual check for any signs of arcing or burned wires.

If you are not comfortable doing these inspections yourself, ask your electrician to do a quick once over on the items I mentioned above. This should take less than an hour to complete and give you peace of mind.

Just a side note. Lightning rod systems are somewhat effective for direct hits, however in the large percentage of lightning damage cases, the surge of ultra high voltage enters the home via the grounding system of the house. Lightning strikes a tree, a transformer or the ground close to the house and energizes the entire ground and neutral system and conductors. The instantaneous voltage spike can easily exceed 50,000 volts. there is little you can do to defend your property from such a strike. Common surge protectors will fail most of the time. Computers connected to a UPS usually survive because they are isolated from the primary power source even though the UPS may be damaged.


Three wires in an outlet box I have an outlet box with a 1957 two pronged outlet with three wires connected. I want to switch it to a GFCI outlet.

When I connect the black 120v lead wire and the white load wire I get power to the GFCI. When I connect the third wire which is miscolored white (it’s actually also a lead 120v the GFCI trips (of course). When I test voltage between the black (lead) and white (load) wires I get 120v. When I test the black and the mismarked white I get 220v.

If I just connect the black and the white (load) wires I get power to the outlet, but not to my bathroom and bedroom outlets. Any ideas how I can wire this GFCI?

This happens a lot with GFCIs

A person tries to replace a plain receptacle with a GFCI, but they have a problem.  The GFCI only has 2 screws, but they have 3 or more wires.

Then, they see 2 more screws (under the warning tape) marked LOAD.  They think "LOAD must surely relate to my problem*" (no).   And then they kind of invent a theory (no) and roll with it.  Sometimes they get lucky and it works anyway.  That won't happen with 3 wires.

LOAD isn't for splicing in additional wires.  It means something else, and it can't be used here, so I'd say don't try to untangle its mysteries today.

Also, your use of "LEAD" and "LOAD" (as a matched pair of wires) is something I've never heard of.  We use "hot and neutral" as pairs of wires.   You connect a matched hot and neutral to "LINE", or (not today) to "LOAD".

Backstabs and cutting wires

I see on the old receptacle, you cut the wires rather than release them (either by stubbornly twisting out or by releasing per instructions).  Only cut wires if you have ample extra length to waste.  Your wire must be 6" from the back of the box and 3" beyond the surface of the wall, or you must fish new cable.  Don't squander needed length.

That connection type was called a "backstab".  In our experience, backstabs are unreliable, and often cause difficult-to-find connection problems later or after being placed under high load.

Your GFCI probably comes with "screw-to-clamp" type connections, which have 2 "back" holes directly under the screw, and you must tighten the screw to clamp them.  Note this arrangement accepts 2 wires on 1 screw!

The mystery of the 240V "miscolored white"

It's definitely a multi-wire branch circuit (MWBC), which is a googler for you. Mildly complex, and dangerous if there's a wiring error.  A MWBC is two hots sharing a neutral.  There must be 240V across them or it overloads the neutral, so we know that part  is correct.

By the way, that also means you must shut off 2 breakers to de-energize what's in this box.  MWBC rules require the breakers to be "handle-tied" so they shutoff together... But they often aren't.

One common MWBC configuration is a split outlet, with a common neutral and two separate hots each feed one socket on the receptacle. But your "hot" tab would've been broken off, and it isn't. More importantly, that wouldn't explain the knocked out bathroom.  No, I think something different is going on.

On a normal circuit, if you disconnect the neutral, the neutral on the panel's side will read 0 volts.  But the neutral on the equipment side will read 120V.  That's because power is coming through the equipment and trying to loop back to the panel, and it can't because you've disconnected it, so it's floating it up to 120V.  This sort of "hot voltage on neutral" is why we insulate neutral as if it was a hot.

Anyway, I think the "miscolored white" is actually a neutral.  It's the neutral from the other half of a multi-wire branch circuit.

You severed it, which is why it's reading hot, and it's the other half of a MWBC, which is why it's reading 240V.

Now, we can test that easily enough.  Connect this "mystery neutral" to the HOT side of a plain receptacle, and the known neutral to the neutral side.  Plug in an incandescent bulb and turn on the bathroom breaker.  Switch on some of the (now dead) bathroom devices.  Does the bulb light up and change brightness depending what's on, and do the bathroom loads run badly/dimly? If so, my theory is correct.

Presuming that, from here on forward...

Further, the installer broke another rule of MWBCs -- Neutrals must be pigtailed, so a device can be removed without severing the neutral for the other half of the circuit.

So the two white wires should be pigtailed together with a third short wire (the pigtail).  This should go to the LINE side neutral of this GFCI device.

The black wire should go onto the LINE side hot.

LOAD is not useful here and can't be used.


How to make stone fireplace look better, darker and shinier? My fireplace looks somewhat dull and cement-y. I would love to hear more suggestions to make the stones look better. I am thinking about putting some clear coat to make it darker and shinier. Is that a good idea? What coating do I use?

Thanks.

Generally, cleaning then sealing can give you a shinier appearance. I emphasize the clean, since 90% of people skip that step. The sealers tend to give a wet stone look. It might not be darker but could bring out colors that your not seeing. So clean it, and see how it look wets first. Apply sealer as needed.


how to fix leak under the sink Our super installed a new faucet and when I tried it it was working just fine, a few hours after I noticed a few drops. I go under the sink and record a video. Below is a picture of the leak and here is the full video:

The threaded connection of the basket to the tail piece should have some Teflon tape wrapped around the threads before it is threaded together.

It needs to be taken apart and the tape installed correctly.

It should be the responsibility of the person who did the work incorrectly.


Ceiling Fan is hot 6' down, but lights nor fan comes on I've hooked up my hunter ceiling fan with black/blue wire connected to the black(hot) wire and my white to white(neutral) and green to ground wire.
My sniffer says that I'm hot not only at the ceiling level but also 6 feet down near the motor. However, even though I'm "hot" my lights don't come on nor does my fan. So is the brand new fan at fault here or did I do something wrong?

Jon

Make sure you turn the fan on!  No seriously, it probably has a pull cord in addition to the switch that may not be obvious (plus a direction switch that might be stuck in the middle or something) You could always install a dummy load like a light bulb to test it


How do I properly install a replacement thermostat in my refrigerator? My fridge stopped cooling - compressor was always off - so I tested if the thermostat could be the culprit by bypassing it - bang, compressor powered on. So I bought a new thermostat.

It is not looking identical to the previous one although it is listed as the official spare part.

I plugged all connection as in the old one (I pictured it) and compressor started pumping... forever.
Fridge temperature went -8C and everything froze. Whilst, the internal light went off also when the door was open.

I thought that I probably connected the cables to the wrong connectors - so that when the fridge senses too cold, it stop powering... ehm, the light.

Still, I can't get around it. I own a multimeter. How could I use it to test what are the proper connections so that the thermostat will stop powering the compressor rather than the light?

Assuming that my idea about those connections is right, and it could be not.

Click for larger view

This is the simplest thermostat you will get. It has 4 pins on it.

2 of which will be GND and Vcc
1 will turn on and off (the compressor and other stuff)
1 will be the sensor.

Easiest way to test which is the sensor and which is the switch will be to test continuity on the pins. Set your multimeter to ohm. Place one probe on GND and the other on one of the 2 suspected pins (senors, switch)

The switch will usually be closed- so no ohm reading (no route)
The sensor will give you some ohm reading (5~50)
GND will give you 0ohm (Short)
Vcc will give you and ohm reading again.(this one can get confused with the sensor.

They should be pretty clearly marked to be honest. Are you sure that the thermostat has not been set to the lowest setting? Maybe the sensor is misinterpreting the thermostat.

The other way to test it is the Live way. This is dangerous so if you do not have gloves and insulated tools, or unsure of the voltage do not attempt this. Have somebody with you to turn off power in case of emergency.

Adjust the thermostat to the lowest level (warmest inside - or like 0/10)
Test voltage on the pins and turn up the thermostat slowly
Keep reading until the voltage goes on or off
Try the next pin the same way.


Location of breaker panel Can you have an existing breaker panel in a pantry closet. The breaker panel is in bedroom closet, I want to get rid of closet to enlarge kitchen. Can I put breaker panel in a closet used as a pantry?

Here is the section RME cited:

240.24 Location in or on Premises.
(A) Accessibility. Overcurrent devices shall be readily accessible and shall be installed so that the center of the grip of the operating handle of the switch or circuit breaker, when in its highest position, is not more than 2.0 m (6 ft 7 in.) above the floor or working platform, unless one of the following applies:
(1) For busways, as provided in 368.17(C).
(2) For supplementary overcurrent protection, as described in 240.10.
(3) For overcurrent devices, as described in 225.40 and 230.92.
(4) For overcurrent devices adjacent to utilization equipment that they supply, access shall be permitted to be by portable means.
(B) Occupancy. Each occupant shall have ready access to all overcurrent devices protecting the conductors supplying that occupancy, unless otherwise permitted in 240.24(B)(1) and (B)(2).
(1) Service and Feeder Overcurrent Devices. Where electric service and electrical maintenance are provided by the building management and where these are under continuous building management supervision, the service overcurrent devices and feeder overcurrent devices supplying more than one occupancy shall be permitted to be accessible only to authorized management personnel in the following:
(1) Multiple-occupancy buildings
(2) Guest rooms or guest suites
(2) Branch-Circuit Overcurrent Devices. Where electric service and electrical maintenance are provided by the building management and where these are under continuous building management supervision, the branch-circuit overcurrent devices supplying any guest rooms or guest suites without permanent provisions for cooking shall be permitted to be accessible only to authorized management personnel.
(C) Not Exposed to Physical Damage. Overcurrent devices shall be located where they will not be exposed to physical damage.
Informational Note: See 110.11, Deteriorating Agents.
(D) Not in Vicinity of Easily Ignitible Material. Overcurrent devices shall not be located in the vicinity of easily ignitible material, such as in clothes closets.
(E) Not Located in Bathrooms. In dwelling units, dormitories, and guest rooms or guest suites, overcurrent devices, other than supplementary overcurrent protection, shall not be located in bathrooms.
(F) Not Located over Steps. Overcurrent devices shall not be located over steps of a stairway.

Specifically, 240.24(D) prevents location in clothes closets as RME stated.
However, if your space is dedicated to other utilities, e.g. Water heater, furnace, etc. and you have the required clearance in accordance with 110.26 then you can call it a utility closet and it's within Code. Many slab homes have just such a "closet".
It would seem to me canned goods would not be considered easily ignitable but paper products would be.
So, depending on what you are storing in this pantry is your answer.
Good luck!


Grout cracked & discoloured My bathroom floor grout has several cracks - and appears to be rusting. See the image for an exemplary area.

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

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

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

"I rather want to know, whether I need to worry and act immediately or can lay off the fixing for a while."
In answering this specific question it's obviously not going to get any better without remediation. However, it isn't an emergency situation as long as you can keep that area dry. If it's just you, that might be workable but if you have a wife and three kids using it- good luck. Even small amounts of moisture seeping under that tile may cause mold, mildew and possibly other issues.
So if it's a landlord issue - why put it off?


Why would only 1/3 of my registers be blowing warm air? I have a Coleman gas furnace in a wall space in my house which somehow shares the blower on my a/c unit on the roof because it turns on when furnace is called to start, though it does bump up after a few minutes when the furnace ignites (which tells me it has its own blower motor) and both are controlled by a single thermostat and shuts off when satisfied.

My problem, only 1/3 of my house is getting warm air blowing through the registers other 2/3 is mild to cold air. All registers have adequate air flow. It causes our room to get very warm while others are cold. In the summer I had a Freon leak and they took the a/c unit somewhat apart to find it. Not sure if somehow they put it back together incorrectly and there lies my problem. I have yet to go in the attic or on the roof. Any suggestions or leads would be helpful.

Your A/C unit on the roof should only start running if it's heat pump, and it definitely shouldn't be running at the same time as the gas furnace.

I'll take a guess that your thermostat is wired incorrectly, and it's running the air conditioner and furnace at the same time.


How to clean a toilet pan properly? What is the best way to clean my dirty toilet pan without damaging the enamel or something else?

Remove items from atop and around the toilet. Clearing items away from the toilet will keep them out of the way and will prevent any accidental drops into the toilet.
Wipe down the toilet with a damp sponge. First put on clean gloves. Then moisten a sponge with hot water and wipe around the tank, lid, seat, base, and the exterior of the bowl. This removes excess dirt and helps disperse the cleaning product.
Squirt a liquid (cream) toilet cleaner inside the bowl. Squirt the cleaner inside the bowl, starting at the rim and making sure to get the area under the lip of the bowl. Read the manufacturer's instructions first for specific directions. Many cleaners work best if you allow them to soak on the bowl for a while.
Scrub the bowl with a toilet brush. Brush the entire bowl thoroughly, paying special attention to mineral stains that may accumulate along the water level and at the back of the bowl. The more thoroughly you scrub the bowl, the cleaner it will get.
Flush the toilet. Flushing rinses the bowl and the brush. Continue to scrub as the water drains from the toilet. Repeat several times to thoroughly rinse the bowl and brush.
Spray the rest of the toilet with a disinfectant cleaner. Follow the manufacturer's directions. Make sure to get both the top and bottom of the seat, and spray the entire exterior of the toilet. Use a cloth or paper towel to work in, and wipe away, the cleaner
Clean the handle thoroughly. Be sure to get the handle with the disinfectant spray. The handle is the primary avenue for the spread of germs, so clean it well.
Spray the floor and tiles around the toilet with the disinfectant spray. Wipe clean with paper towels or a cloth.
Replace items that were on or around the toilet. Put on clean gloves and rinse off the items that were on or around the toilet. Wipe them dry with a paper towel and put them back in their places.

tips:Paper towels are ideal for cleaning the exterior of the toilet. Since they are disposable, there is a lower risk of spreading germs, and they also absorb the cleaner well and don't leave streaks on the toilet. If you use a cloth, wash it well when you're done, and wash it separately from clothes or other cloths.

from How to Clean a Toilet: 9 steps (with pictures) - wikiHow -> http://www.wikihow.com/Clean-a-Toilet


What timber to use for formwork or shuttering concrete base What type of timber would you use to construct the formwork (shuttering). There seems to be 4 different types that I could use.

Planed
Sawn Untreated
Sawn Treated
Carcassing

My particular project is for a garage slab that will have a 100 mm sub-base with 100 mm of concrete ontop e.g. The image below shows the sub-base and the proposed formwork.

Pine, sawn untreated.

Pine - most typical for structure civil works, doesn't need to have some better grades or something. It's just for formwork after all...

Sawn untreated - concrete doesn't care, so You shouldn't also. These planks will serve as another formwork or to feed some furnace.


Coleman furnace question It seems my Coleman furnace relies on the hi-limit to shut down the burners, then when the hi-limit resets itself, the sequence of operation resume until the thermostat is satisfied. Is this normal operation?

An "upper limit" or "high limit" in a forced-air furnace is generally intended as a safety device, not for ordinary use to stop the burner. The thermostat controls of a properly designed system will only stop the burner when the room temperature reaches the desired temperature. In other words, the furnace should run constantly, with fan air-flowing, until the thermostat shuts off the burner.

The fan may have a dirty filter, closed registers or other obstructions that restrict the airflow and trigger the safety of the upper-limit switch. The system may be too large for the target living spaces. A gas-fueled fire may be burning overly hot for some reason. A good technician may assist in pinpointing the exact cause of a high-limit problem.

In many systems, such switches require a manual reset and can only be reset once without knowing additional "magic", to avoid untrained homeowners from bypassing the built-in safety.


How to troubleshoot outdoor lamp/electric functionality? Our backyard lamp and electric outlet stopped working and I am trying to figure out what else I can try to get this working again. I've already tried toggling the switches on the electric panel. I am not sure if it is safe and appropriate to swap out the fuses (see picture). Any advice, tips, or suggestions would be appreciated.

Electric Outlet

The electric outlet used to work and somehow just stopped. I am interested to know what things I can try to bring this back online. I am used to working with low voltage at work for data and I'd like to know what I can safely evaluate.

Lamp

Our lamp in the backyard used to work just fine. One day without warning it just seems to have stopped (the outlet socket is not producing electricity and the lights no longer come on).

Electric Panel

The panel seems to indicate that the electric lamp is controlled from this location. I've tried toggling the switches without getting the power back on to the outdoor lamp.

Fuse Box

Our house has one or more fuse boxes like this one. If I need to change a fuse, how would I do so safely?

Update 02/08/18

I am continuing to research this issue based on the very helpful comments and will go out today in search of the proper tools to test for connectivity (I welcome any recommendations).

Lamp Switch

On the opposite side of the electric outlet, the lamp has two switches. One feels a bit mushy when pressed and the other clicks firmly. Toggling has no visible effect on the situation.

I'm just sharing the answer and outcomes to this question. Hope it helps someone else. Thanks to everyone for the comments especially isherwood and  Ed Beal for leading me in the right direction.

I found additional GFCI switches and outlets in the backyard shed. The original owner apparently wired this in series to the outdoor lamp.

There was a GFCI outlet with a reset button which when reset did not actually reset (the light on the reset tab stayed open):

After that, I found an electrician and pointed them to the problematic outlet. Another hint was that the outdoor light outside the shed had been displaying unusual behavior (it has a motion detector and it started to stay on all night at about the same time our lamp went out.)

Outcomes:

Once the shed condition was repaired, the lamp and electric socket began working again. I sure would like to really understand what the technical fix was (if anyone is inclined to share some insight; it'd be much appreciated). I try to learn from each experience so I'd like to understand what could have caused this and how it was fixed.

I guessed that the original issue might be related to weather and added a flip box over the two outdoor switches.

Just not sure how the electrician resolved the open circuit in the shed.


What is the best way to add new stud framing above fireplace and tie it into existing framing? I've purchased a 55" TV and a pull-down mount to put over my fireplace so I can pull the TV down when in use and guests won't have to crane their necks. This is the overall layout of my fireplace and room (please forgive my amateur SketchUp mock):

Unfortunately, the drywall above the fireplace is attached directly to the brick with no studs in between. I understand that some mounts can be mounted to masonry, but with the additional force from the pull-down mount, I'm not comfortable with this solution (and neither is the manufacture).

So instead, I'm using this predicament as an opportunity to build a fireplace surround, and bump out the area above the fireplace with a new stud wall in front of the existing drywall. Sort of like this (sorry, SketchUp merged my studs together; the outer full-height studs are meant to be king studs with jack studs nailed to them, and a 2x4 "sill" connecting them on top of the jack stud):

The bottom of the king/jack studs will be hidden by the fireplace surround. There are studs on either side of the fireplace, which I was thinking I would attach the new king/jack studs to. I would drywall the area above the surround for a finished look.

Here are my concerns/questions I'm hoping you can help me out with:

Am I overthinking this? Should I just build a framed box like this and attach it to the studs on either side of the fireplace? Will this be strong enough for a pull down mount and TV, if my new framing is only attached to studs on either side with bolts?
How would I go about attaching a new stud wall adjacent to an existing stud wall, anyway? I have a stud behind the drywall, skinny side facing the drywall backing of course, then drywall, then a new stud oriented the same way... do I somehow run a bolt through all 7+" of material??
Do I need to cut away the drywall/ceiling to build this new stud wall, or can I attach it to the joists/studs through the drywall?

Thank you in advance for any help you can offer!

It is up to you of course, but good solid masonry is great for fixings. I'd cut out a square of the existing drywall a bit larger than the base of the bracket and then replace it with a new piece of drywall (or tile cement backer board for even more strength) fully bedded in adhesive. I.e. instead of a small air gap behind the drywall go for full adhesive (like you would behind a ceramic wall tile for example). Fill the small seam between the new and old and allow a good amount of time to dry.

I'd also note down where the brick joints are when the drywall has been removed (so as to avoid them when drilling your fixing points.

The only caveat is that this plan fails if you open up the drywall and find poor rubble/ soft mortared/ old brickwork which is not very solid...

Update: Okay, if the bricks are a bit poor, you could still cut out a square of drywall and follow that with raking out the soft areas (joints mostly I'd assume) until the mortar feels solid (i.e. just scrape, don't take a hammer to it). Then mix up some render and plaster the area. Depending on the depth you'll need to do this in several layers over several days. If the mortar in the wall is lime based, I'd go with the same for the render (1 lime putty to 2.5 graded sand). Apply a couple of thin 'skimming' coats (fine sand and putty in equal measures) to the last 3-4mm 1/8th" or so to finish.


How to wire this back up? I was trying to replace my ceiling fan and well of course I didn't take a picture of how the wiring was before I tore it apart so I'm trying to figure out how to put it back together so everything works.  The only thing not in the pic is the fan/light so if you could also let me know where those two wires would go as well would help.

This is what I've figured out:

yellow circle has the power
red circle is the other bedroom
blue circle is the switch
green circle is the outlet in the room.

Ok, so you will want to connect the white wires from the yellow, red, green, and the fixture.  Connect all the black wires together except the fixture.

Now the only two wires you have left are the white wire from the switch and the black wire of the fixture.  The white wire will be the "switched hot" and needs to be identified by wrapping a strip of black tape around it.  You don't need to cover up all the white, you just need to have an obvious band of black to mark that wire as hot.

Connect that switched hot white wire to the black wire of the fixture and everything should work fine.  Note that the larger bundles of wires will need to use larger wire nuts (typically red).  Don't try to force more wires into a small yellow wire nut.

Also, I hope the zip ties in the back of that box are not holding the box in place.  The box shouldn't wiggle and should be very securely mounted with strong screws if it's going to hold a fan.


subpanel tied to main thru 50 amp double. One 20 amp outside receptacle. Can I put another 20 amp on the subpanel? hot tub gone but subpanel still being fed from main that has a 50 amp double. Can I run two 20 amp outdoor receptacles from that 50 amp subpanel?

If the subpanel was installed correctly You can run the two twenty amp circuits. They will have to be GFCI protected.


How can one detect how many coats of paint are used in a newly built house . I just bought a new house and moved furniture in. I noticed that the paint is really thin because it bruises easily, i.e., I cd see the cement behind it when I accidentally peeled off the sticker glue from  the wall. The builder said in the contract it is 2 coats of paint. Should there also be an oil sealer before the paint is applied?

Crappy/crumbly paint is usually thin as well... and 2 coats thereof may (and often do) not cover or resist well. So it doesn't really matter how many coats are in the contract if the paint (or layer thickness) is not specified therein.

(Illustration from the previously linked article.)

Most industry tools/methods (destructive or non-destructive) can only measure total paint thickness, not count layers. The most reliable way to inspect/count/measure individual layers is a destructive method using a PIG (paint inspection gauge) using the ASTM D4138-07a method. The gauge cuts a v-groove that is examined using a built-in microscope, which looks like this:

(Image from tcq.eu.)

It takes considerable operator experience to distinguish layers of the same paint though... so if you're looking to sue or force them to repaint, better hire an expert to do this determination for you.

I've sanded a few things (to repaint) myself, and some of these had 3-4 different paints that were easy to distinguish while the sanding was going on; basically you get a much, much wider V-cut at the sanding edge... but I could never tell with the naked eye how many layers of each paint might have been there (and had no reason to get microscope).


Carpet cleaner keeps tripping outlet I have a carpet cleaner. The first time I turn it on, I can use it for about 5 minutes before it trips an outlet's breaker which disconnects the power to the used outlet. I then reset the outlet breaker switch. When I turn it the cleaner on it runs for less than 5 seconds before the breaker is tripped again. I then have to continue after a few hours.
I am guessing the cleaner uses a lot of power. I am not sure if this means something needs to cool down first.

Are there solutions to this issue?

Plug it into a circuit that's rated for the power it draws.

Lacking details on the device, its ratings, and what the circuit you are plugging it into is rated at (or other things that are using power at the same time on that circuit) can't say much beyond that.

The time behavior is normal for an overload. You should not continue to use it in the manner you have been.


What type and gauge ground wire do I need when using 1/0 hot and neutral wires I have a 260 ft run from my main 225A panel to a 100A subpanel in a steel shop out in my yard. I have a #4 bare copper wire grounded to the rebar in the foundation of the shop. Not knowing what I needed I was advised that I would need three strands of 1/0 THHN stranded copper wire and that that would fit in 1 1/4 pvc conduit. I bought the wire, buried the conduit, and then learned that that size wire was overkill even for the power drop for that distance. I also learned that in addition to grounding the subpanel to the rebar I need to run a 4th wire between the main panel to the subpanel. So at this point (if it's even possible to fit it in the conduit) what is the smallest size wire I can use for this ground wire and can it be bare wire? In either case does it have to run through the same conduit or would it be acceptable to run outside the conduit or in a separate conduit parallel to the original conduit. Just looking to reduce the damage caused by me trusting the advice of someone evidently unfamiliar with code and common sense. I could probably cram a #6 or #4 bare wire in there but if it has to be 1/0 or even #2 I will probably have to just dig up the conduit and bury new 2 in. conduit and deal with the added 250 bucks of conduit and trencher rental. Any advice would be greatly appreciated...I am a homeowner trying to minimize costs and ending up spending an unnecessary amount on wire and extra work because of it. You get what you pay for

So here's the deal, and here's how your friend "helped" you.  There's a rule of "thumb" floating out there that we shouldn't let voltage drop exceed 3% when calculating a long run.  This rule of "thumb" was invented by cable manufacturers, I'm fairly sure.  There's no requirement whatsoever in the electrical code for this.  It's just not there.  They do comment that you shouldn't engineer for a 7%+ voltage drop, but nothing says 3%.

Even so, this should be based on your actual, expected load on the circuit, not the number written on the breaker handle.  And when sizing a circuit, you shouldn't design it with >80% expected load, so if your actual load is 48A, you should run a 60-70A circuit not a 50A circuit. Follow?  So your actual expected load probably doesn't exceed 80A and may be only 40-50A.

And third, anytime you're at #6 wire or larger, you should seriously consider aluminum conductors.  Even the old alloy was reliable at these large sizes, and after all, the lugs are aluminum because Al lugs are compatible with both Cu and Al... so why create a dissimilar-metal problem when you don't have to?

So let's see how far off they threw you.  Looking at 310.15b16, your absolute minimum legal wire size is #3Cu or #1Al @ 75 degrees C.  (cost: $780 or $405)

If you are forced to use the 60C table, then #2Cu or #1/0Al.  (cost $1006 or $460)
(Note that #2Cu@60C says 95, but they don't sell 95A breakers so you get to round up).

Now we look at voltage drop. Over your distance at 100A, #1Cu ($1287) is going to give you 3.3% voltage drop @100A, or alternately #2/0Al ($538) would give 3.5% voltage drop.

But hey!!! By bumping up to #1/0Cu ($1474), we get down to 2.7% voltage drop, and similarly #3/0Al ($663) would give 2.8% voltage drop.
Golfclap

What went wrong?  Some fool decided that 3.00% was an absolute absolute when spending your money, so he disqualified #1Cu at 3.3%.  Wasn't his money.  And of course, it's stupid because you don't foresee drawing that circuit anywhere near 100A for very long, so really, your voltage drop will be proportionately lower, e.g. half at 50A.

Given the crazy expensive wire that is now in the ground, you could actually up-breaker that to 125A @ 60C (3.3% drop) or even 150A @ 75C (4% drop).

Or alternately, you can yank that copper outta there, sell it on eBay, and go with #1/0Al ($460), and just lump the 3.5% voltage drop @ 80 amps.  That'll pay for the new ground wire, and still leave you with a stack of twenties.

Sizing the ground wire

I assume you picked Schedule 40 PVC conduit, because nobody ever swerves out of their way to buy Schedule 80 unless they've done a lot of research.  That is nearly at the 40% conduit fill limit. There's just enough room for a #6 insulated wire (diameter 0.249) or the equivalent uninsulated wire (#3Cu, almost #2Cu bare).  Bare wires must be Cu.

Here's the problem.  When you upsize for voltage drop, you also need to upsize the ground wire in proportion.  Normally a #8Cu or #6Al wire would suffice, but you need to bump it. AWG is based on proportion. You bumped 3 AWG sizes for voltage drop, so you bump 3 AWG sizes for the ground. Done!  #5Cu isn't made, so you need #4Cu bare.  I did run the numbers on this and it worked out the same.

I also like a rule of thumb: Consider the maximum breaker that would be allowed on the circuit if voltage drop were ignored, and size the ground wire for that.  As discussed, you could bump to 150A based on 75C, so figure the ground that's called out for a 150A circuit. That would be a #6Cu.  (#4Al is not possible because you don't have room for an insulated #4, and Al can't be bare.)

So if you keep the 100A breaker you need a #4Cu bare wire, but if you up-breaker to 150A you only need a #6Cu.  Funny how that works out.

Conduit fill

If you have Schedule 40 conduit, you will be at the absolute limit with a #6Cu insulated ground wire or a #3Cu bare (or possibly #2Cu, very close call).

If you have Schedule 80 conduit, that has thicker walls and thus a smaller inside diameter (pipe trade size is defined by outside diameter).  You already exceeded fill when you selected 1/0 for the three conductors, so you are already out of compliance and you can't recover.  Your only hope would be to yank the neutral and replace it with #2 Cu, and that would leave you just enough room for a #6 bare ground. You would need to look at your loads and see if it is legal to shrink neutral.

In any case, we are kissing 40% fill, which means this will be a bugbear of a pull.  It's really easy for a DIYer to paint himsefl into a corner, when pushing fill limits on conduit. So we would have violently recommended that you use 2" PVC from the outset. I don't know if you have access to 260' of fishing tape, but you might have to pull the 3 conductors out in order to get the ground wire to fish.


Replacing compressor motor (going from 3 wire to 4 wire) and question about wire colors I am replacing a GE motor with an equivalent Mars motor, they are same fitting size, HP, RPM etc. and volt range 208-230.  The wires are different though:

The old motor had orange, blue, and black
The new motor has four wires, brown, brown/white, yellow and black.

the black and yellow have raw tips, and the brown and brown/white wires have female knife-blade connections.

I am wondering which wires to equivalently hook up. I'm thinking obviously the black is common, but beyond that I don't know.

Figured this out!  I hope this answer posted here helps someone else.  The real topic here is "converting from a 3 to 4 wire motor.

First of all, a shout out to Solar Supply, Inc. in San Marcos, TX for matching the Mars 10204 motor with my GE for about 85 bucks.

The first thing he did when I got it was grab a capacitor and add it to the box.  I thought, "I wonder why, I already have one?"  Well, now that I compared both diagrams it makes sense.

The old motor's orange line was connected to one of 3 leads on the capacitor.  From that line I noticed that there was a YELLOW line that went to the terminal block.  I deduced that orange was analogous to yellow on the new motor.  Black? That was easy, at least one thing was obvious.

That leaves the brown and brown/white pair.  It finally dawned on me that these were to go on the new, separate capacitor that the guy at Solar gave me.  I'm assuming that having a dedicated capacitor for the fan motor is an overall improvement in safety and integrity.  I suppose it would be theoretically possible to join the brown and brown/white wires to the old capacitor, but Murphy's law said that a 50% chance of getting it wrong is optimistic..  by so doing you're essentially joining one leg of the capacitor wires to the line voltage, and there must be a good reason why the capacitor is now separate.

The small green ground wire was a bit of a mystery but I just added it to the mount screw attaching the motor to the grill.  Here is the diagram which should make everything clear:


How can I make the new thinset level with the old one? I was replacing one kitchen floor tile which had been cracked. I removed the cracked title, cleaned the old thinset, applied new thinset, spreaded it with a 1/4” trowel and put a new title. Well, the problem was that the height of the new title was a lot lower than the other ones. I found out that the thinset layer of the existing tiles was thick — it was about 3/8”.

Does anyone know the best way of leveling with the thick thinset layer? Should I use a trowel with a larger notch? Or, does it make sense to put another mortar layer over the backerboard so that the gap is reduced? Then, leveling the mortar layer seems to be tricky. Any advice is appreciated.

Use a 3/8" notched trowel, and "backbutter" (put a flat thin layer of mortar on the back of the tile), situate the tile accordingly, and remove excess mortar from the joints immediately. After drying, grout as normal.


cut protection sleeves for power tools what is the best protective sleeve for working with power tools. My buddy's boss badly cut his forearm to the bone with a disc grinder cutting masonry and he wants to know if kevlar sleeves will be enough to maybe help in that it wouldn't cut as bad {to the bone and through tendons)?

The guard that came with the grinder properly adjusted would be the best protection. The next is using the tool properly so the tool is pulling away from body parts not at them. Would a Kevlar shield or sleeve help to reduce damage to the body, Yes but only if the protective device is covering the area that the tool comes in contact with. I have seen a contractor get injured when using cutting disk and forcing it so when the blade broke it grabbed and took a big chunk of flesh if he would have had the guard on he probably would not have been injured.


Is deckover or a simple stain more appropriate for this deck I spent a couple of days sanding this deck and aside from a few boards that need to be partially replaced it is in good condition. I also plan to fill in a few holes with wood putty.

But I'm confused about whether I need to use a deckover or just a stain.

With the weathered surface I would suggest a product like restore. I have used this on several decks with really nice results for weathered decking. This will cover the areas you use wood putty so the repairs are invisible. My last home had a large deck that I used this on with the roller they recommended and it was an excellent finish and covered 3 diferent ages and types of wood.


Cost effective way to finish this shower? I have an unfinished stand-up shower seen in the picture. I got estimates for frameless glass (a look that I like) and all of them were in excess of $3000. If I give up the idea of it looking super nice, but refuse to have a shower bar with a curtain, are there good economic options for finishing it off? Anything pre-fab that can be adjusted in the field?

Thanks!

IMO, not really (someone screwed the pooch with that mirror). TL;DR: it's curtains for you, or bust ($$$).

If I had to guess, any type of custom shower door is going to cost $1~2k installed. So, you should get some estimates and see where you're at. If they all want 2.5k for glazed doors, why not go all the way and get what you want? Perhaps one of them will do some sort of financing?

Take some really good measurements; you might be able to squeeze a complete door set behind that half wall, to make this a feasible DiY project (but that will probably lead to a mold problem).

ATM, my town is in "construction season" (summer); wait for winter to come around and everyone's prices should drop. Use a curtain in the meantime, or at least until you can secure a reasonable bid.

As I understand it, cutting tempered glass is basically out of the question. So this is either going to be full-on custom, or ad-hoc schlock. You've literally backed yourself into a corner here. (who put that mirror in?)

DiY - cut tempered glass, "Step 2 - Anneal the Glass"

Good luck with that!... I sincerely doubt you have a 6' oven.

There are several different types of corner shower doors that come as kits. Using 2 out of the three panels (and a small filler strip of 'C' channel if necessary) might do the trick, but you'd better measure everything extremely well...

Good luck in your search, these days "adjustable" means it can be ever so slightly out of plumb, and still hang frameless doors. To the best of my knowledge, no one sells a glass door with actually 'adjustable' (non-glass) side panels but someone might.

I have seen accordion style (folding) plastic (PVC) shower doors; the hard part is going to be finding one that has a track that will fit your angled base, and then you would 'simply' cut it to size. Or just get a straight one and modify it.


Can I wire-nut together and cut a switch out of my overhead fan? I have replaced my bathroom extractor fan with a new model. The new model comes with a single-gang controlled switch which is wireless. You can slot it into the 1-gang box, but it doesn't need any wiring in. It takes a AAA battery.

Currently I still have the old switch in box, and the wireless just sits on the counter.

Does it violate any electrical code (I'm in CT, USA) if I just wire-nut and tape up the wires in the box, and remove the old switch? What's the best way to permanently join those wires. I'd actually like to do it all correctly.

The specific model is: https://www.homedepot.com/p/NuTone-ChromaComfort-110-CFM-Ceiling-Bathroom-Exhaust-Fan-w-Customizable-Multi-Color-LEDs-and-Smart-Phone-App-AERN110RGBL/307771471

Wall control is section 11: https://images.homedepot-static.com/catalog/pdfImages/85/85b96547-666a-4f8e-a586-4c4ecfc0b214.pdf

The wall control unit feels too big, if there's an existing switch behind the front panel.

With all the new technology it seems the NEC and local codes are having a hard time keeping up. This may be one example.
I'm probably over my head here but it seems logical that securely wire-nutting them would certainly be safe. They are in an accessible, approved box. There is still a  switch control which has UL approval although it's technically in the fan/light assembly. I'm not suggesting you do this without checking your local and NEC codes. If they haven't dealt with this yet I would think it will be happening soon.


Are solar panels cost-effective? Environmental issues aside, I'd like to know whether solar panels are worth it from a monetary standpoint?

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

Installing solar should be one of the last things you do.  You should first concentrate on those things that will reduce the amount of energy you will be using.  "The Green Building Advisor" has a good article on The Energy Efficiency Pyramid.

I believe this article will help you make some wise decisions about where to start.


What parts of a circuit does an AFCI receptacle protect? I'm assuming that it will protect against arcing in the appliance that is plugged into it.

Will the AFCI receptacle trip if an arc is detected in the wiring from the panel to the receptacle?

Will the AFCI receptacle protect items downstream or upstream in the branch?

Arc-Fault Circuit Interrupter (AFCI) receptacles only provides sufficient arc fault detection and protection in the portion of the circuit downstream from the receptacle.

If AFCI receptacles offered adequate protection for the full circuit, you could install one receptacle and be done. However, NEC requirements for AFCI protection where an AFCI receptacle is used always require some additional form arc-fault protection for the portion of the circuit leading up to the first AFCI receptacle of the circuit.

The means of protection for the portion of the circuit leading up to the first AFCI receptacle include:

Combination-type AFCI breakers (here, no AFCI receptacle is required because the breaker provides sufficient protection for the entire circuit downstream from the panel). Refer to section 210.12 (A) 1 of the 2014 NEC.
Different types of supplemental arc protection breakers or AFCI breakers to detect arc faults in the portion of the circuit leading up to the first receptacle. Refer to sections 210.12 (A) 2-4 of the 2014 NEC.
Nonflexible metallic conduit, MC, or some AC to protect against a fire caused by arcing with flammable materials in the portion of the circuit leading up to the first AFCI receptacle. Refer to section 210.12 (A) 5 of the 2014 NEC.
Metallic, nonmetallic conduit or tubing or MC cable encased in not less than 2 inches of concrete to protect against a fire caused by arcing with flammable materials in the portion of the circuit leading up to the first AFCI receptacle. Refer to section 210.12 (A) 6 of the 2014 NEC.
For individual branch circuits to a fire alarm system installed according to specific requirements in other parts of the code, including being fully enclosed in RMC, IMC, EMT, or steel sheathed cable, AC or MC with metal outlet and junction boxes, AFCI protection is not required in receptacle or outlet form because the entire circuit is protected against arc faults with flammable materials by the metal enclosure. Refer to the listed exception for section 210.12 (A) of the 2014 NEC.

  From the 2014 NEC:

  210.12 Arc-Fault Circuit-Interrupter Protection. Arcfault
  circuit-interrupter protection shall be provided as required
  in 210.12(A) (B), and (C). The arc-fault circuit interrupter
  shall be installed in a readily accessible location.

  (A) Dwelling Units. All 120-volt, single-phase, 15- and
  20-ampere branch circuits supplying outlets or devices installed
  in dwelling unit kitchens, family rooms, dining
  rooms, living rooms, parlors, libraries, dens, bedrooms,
  sunrooms, recreation rooms, closets, hallways, laundry areas,
  or similar rooms or areas shall be protected by any of
  the means described in 210.12(A)(1) through (6):

  (1) A listed combination-type arc-fault circuit interrupter,
  installed to provide protection of the entire branch circuit

  (2) A listed branch/feeder-type AFCI installed at the origin
  of the branch-circuit in combination with a listed outlet
  branch-circuit type arc-fault circuit interrupter installed
  at the first outlet box on the branch circuit. The first
  outlet box in the branch circuit shall be marked to indicate
  that it is the first outlet of the circuit.

  (3) A listed supplemental arc protection circuit breaker installed
  at the origin of the branch circuit in combination
  with a listed outlet branch-circuit type arc-fault circuit
  interrupter installed at the first outlet box on the branch
  circuit where all of the following conditions are met:

  a. The branch-circuit wiring shall be continuous from
  the branch-circuit overcurrent device to the outlet
  branch-circuit arc-fault circuit interrupter.
  b. The maximum length of the branch-circuit wiring
  from the branch-circuit overcurrent device to the
  first outlet shall not exceed 15.2 m (50 ft) for a
  14 AWG conductor or 21.3 m (70 ft) for a 12 AWG
  conductor.
  c. The first outlet box in the branch circuit shall be
  marked to indicate that it is the first outlet of the
  circuit.

  (4) A listed outlet branch-circuit type arc-fault circuit interrupter
  installed at the first outlet on the branch circuit
  in combination with a listed branch-circuit overcurrent
  protective device where all of the following
  conditions are met:

  a. The branch-circuit wiring shall be continuous from
  the branch-circuit overcurrent device to the outlet
  branch-circuit arc-fault circuit interrupter.
  b. The maximum length of the branch-circuit wiring
  from the branch-circuit overcurrent device to the
  first outlet shall not exceed 15.2 m (50 ft) for a
  14 AWG conductor or 21.3 m (70 ft) for a 12 AWG
  conductor.
  c. The first outlet box in the branch circuit shall be
  marked to indicate that it is the first outlet of the
  circuit.
  d. The combination of the branch-circuit overcurrent
  device and outlet branch-circuit AFCI shall be identified
  as meeting the requirements for a system
  combination–type AFCI and shall be listed as such.

  (5) If RMC, IMC, EMT, Type MC, or steel-armored Type
  AC cables meeting the requirements of 250.118, metal
  wireways, metal auxiliary gutters, and metal outlet and
  junction boxes are installed for the portion of the
  branch circuit between the branch-circuit overcurrent
  device and the first outlet, it shall be permitted to install
  a listed outlet branch-circuit type AFCI at the first outlet
  to provide protection for the remaining portion of
  the branch circuit.

  (6) Where a listed metal or nonmetallic conduit or tubing
  or Type MC cable is encased in not less than 50 mm
  (2 in.) of concrete for the portion of the branch circuit
  between the branch-circuit overcurrent device and the
  first outlet, it shall be permitted to install a listed outlet
  branch-circuit type AFCI at the first outlet to provide
  protection for the remaining portion of the branch
  circuit.

  Exception: Where an individual branch circuit to a fire
  alarm system installed in accordance with 760.41(B) or
  760.121(B) is installed in RMC, IMC, EMT, or steelsheathed
  cable, Type AC or Type MC, meeting the requirements
  of 250.118, with metal outlet and junction boxes,
  AFCI protection shall be permitted to be omitted.


How can I remove vinyl base without damaging the drywall? My house has vinyl base material attached to the walls in the laundry room and bathrooms. This material is glued directly to the drywall. It is presently unclear if the glue was a pre-applied layer on the back of the base material or if the glue was applied in a separate step.

I want to know how to remove this base material with minimal damage to the underling drywall. Previous experience in another house has shown that the outright brute force removal of the base material will rip the paper off the drywall leaving a huge mess to repair.

Buy tall trim to cover up the glue issues or just skim coat the whole area.  You will spend more time tying to get this off clean then ripping and skim coating the area.


Best edge finish for spill resistance? I've seen two common types of edge finishes for laminate flooring. Since I'm not familiar with the actual trade terms (feel free to point these out), I'm going to dub them: flush fit and V-fit. I call flush fit is the planar one, where the edges attempt to form a continuous & seamless surface between planks. The V-fit is the one where the planks are slightly grooved on the edges so that adjacent planks form a V-shaped notch. As far as I can tell from the advertising material, the main purpose of this notch is to give a 3D impression of actual wood planks.

I'm wondering what's the best edge shape for maximum spill resistance. The manufacturers are rather mute on this. The V-shaped notches look like an obvious place where liquid would gather. On the other hand, the notches could be well sealed... and I've seen "aqua safe" boards from Pergo that use V-edges. The flush edges could actually draw in more liquids through capillary effect if the fitting isn't tight. Is there any comparative experience or data on this edge shape issue as it relates to spill resistance? (As an aside: I'm well aware that some manufacturers like Egger advise to use (and even sell their own brand [STRIP-EX] of) glue for increased spill resistance between boards.)

Standing water is a problem for any wood-based product, as the water will eventually find its way to the unfinished sides of the planks and be absorbed, causing swelling, heaving, mold, and all sorts of unpleasantness.  At that point, the affected flooring will have to be removed and replaced, which isn't quick or easy.

Accidental spills of water or beverages, if cleaned up quickly, are much less of a concern.  A flooring that cannot withstand the wear and tear of everyday life wouldn't be very popular or last very long.

If you're concerned about long-term standing water (an appliance or fixture prone to leaking or dumping water, or a basement that regularly floods), consider a vinyl or tile flooring, which are much less susceptible to moisture.  If you're only concerned about the occasional spill, a wood-based flooring product is fine as long as you attend to the spill quickly.

Just as an aside, what you call "V-fit" is commonly referred to as "beveled" or "beveled-edge", and is generally aesthetic.  The beveled edges are still covered by the laminate surface (commonly mylar), rather than being "raw".


How do I install a jump duct? Our master bedroom is considerably warmer than the living/dining/kitchen area of our house, and we've been setting the thermostat quite lower than we'd like in order for the bedroom to get cool enough at night to sleep in.  Upon exiting the bedroom in the morning, we've practically got to bundle up due to how cold the rest of the house is.

One suggestion we got was to install a return vent above the door, which we don't want to do because of the loss of privacy.  Another suggestion was to install a jump duct in the ceiling inside and outside of the bedroom, which appeals to both my wife and me.

What is the correct way and what are the materials required to install a jump duct so as to maximize air circulation while not leaking any cold air into the attic?

Go to any big box store and get some 6" flexible insulated duct (this pic shows black sheathing on the outside, but it's often made of shiny reflective mylar):

And a couple of 6" boots, one for each end:

Use aluminum HVAC tape or a large band clamp or zip tie to connect the inner sleeve of the duct to the boots, then use another layer of tape to seal up the insulated layer and prevent it from sliding around.  Cut holes in the ceiling to match the rectangular boot opening, keeping one long edge of each hole flush to a ceiling joist.  Then take your duct assembly up into the attic and insert the boots into each hole.  You can just leave the flexible duct lying on top of the ceiling joists.  Back downstairs, use small nails (with heads, not finish nails) to nail through the inside of the boot opening into the side of the adjacent ceiling joist.  Then install a couple of register grilles and you're done!


How to replace an anti-siphon spigot without access to the back end? I left a hose attached to my spigot during the first freeze.  Nothing happened at the time, but just a few days ago someone went to use the spigot and the water didn't come out - well it did, but it came out inside my basement rather than from the spigot.  Closing the valved stopped the flooding.

From what I can tell, I'm guessing that I have either an anti-siphon valve or an anti-freeze valve and a break occurred somewhere along the foot or so of pipe between the spigot and the actual valve since the valve being closed was able to stop the water that was coming into my basement through the basement ceiling.

I've looked at a number of how to's for these types of spigots, and they all seem to indicate that you should replace the whole unit by going into the house to access the attachment point a foot or so back from the actual spigot.  The problem in my case is that there is absolutely no access.  I think that whoever finished the basement didn't provide access and covered it with drywall.

So, my question is: is there any way to replace this without having access to the actual connection point a foot behind the outdoor wall, or am I looking at cutting out the drywall to gain access (and replacing with an access panel unlike the other person that walled it off)?

You'll have to cut the drywall.  Honestly if I were building the house I wouldn't do something special for this either.  I'd just drywall overtop and if there is a problem the guy replacing it can add an access panel if he wants.   It isn't any easier to do it at build stage than repair stage and you delay the additional cost for how ever many years it takes before it breaks.  Also chances are if it breaks and floods like this the drywall above around it will be damaged by the water so even if you did access panel it you'd still be looking at drywall repairs.  This sounds like a finished basement so I don't even see a significant advantage to an access panel given how often these things have to be replaced.

I do prefer to do a yard butler instead of house mounted hose bibs though as you can place them anywhere without trip hazards and they should be easier to replace and if they fail they don't damage your house.


How do I pull up sheets of plywood from the floor? I have ripped up the carpet in the master bedroom and found that between the sheets of plywood there is cold air blowing in because part of the floor is over the garage.

I want to pull up the nailed down sheets of plywood to add insulation and then I guess I want to screw it down.

What tools do I need to make pulling up the plywood easy?
What screws should I use to secure it back after adding insulation?

(The 2nd question is more geared to another one I am about to post on how to remove the squeaks from a wooden floor)

You should be able to pull them up with a 12" long prybar and possibly a crowbar (3' to 4' long), if it is stubborn.  Most that I have seen are put in with nails only.  You may also need to have a circular saw handy in case some of the subfloor runs underneath a wall (in this case, you would want to make a clean cut of the subfloor piece, so you can remove the part that you need and leave the part under the wall intact).

As for reattaching the sheets, you should use 3" screws.


Can I use a *ground wire only* conduit for copper data cables? Hypothetical question. I won't self-answer.  The purpose is to inform potential answers on another person's question.
Suppose I have a shed with a 200A subpanel, with 3-wire feed that was installed prior to 1999, so it was grandfathered.  I now want or need to retrofit ground to that shed.  I lay either

Rigid metal conduit, which is the ground path, so it contains no wires at all. OR
PVC conduit and I install a #2Al ground wire and nothing else.

As such there are no live conductors therein, just EGC (Equipment Ground Conductor). Can I put ethernet or other copper data cables in that pipe?  Best answers will include Code cites.

What do you mean by “retrofit ground?” This phrase makes no sense to me.
If you have a 3 wire feeder (L1, L2 and a “grounded” conductor, aka a neutral) you dont have a ground at the shed and one must be established using one of the approved methods found in article 250 of NFPA 70 (assuming you’re in the USA). You reference 1999, which is a NEC code cycle year in which 3 wire feeders were probably permitted.
If you have a 3 wire feeder to the shed you would have had to install... ground rods or a UFER etc..   The neutral and ground bus bars in the panel would have to be bonded together and you would be establishing a new ground at the shed.
With a feeder, it is required in NFPA 70 that the grounding conductor/ ground wire be ran/routed with the ungrounded and grounded conductors. See Articles 250.24(c) or 250.118 or 250.186(A) and/or 300.3(b) of the NEC.
You cannot just throw a ridged metal conduit in the ground and bond it between your source and your shed and now say its grounded. The ground path must be routed with the current carrying conductors and be installed in a very particular manner.
Your second idea about using PVC with a number 2Al also doesn’t meet the requirement that the conductors all be routed together.
If you install a second conductor between the source and the shed. This second conductor needs to be treated differently from the grounded (neutral) conductor because it isn’t a current carrying conductor (it isn’t meant to carry the unbalance neutral current, its purpose is to facilitate the operation of the over current protection device (breaker) at the source.
Bottom line: if you want to “retrofit” your ground you will need to pull a ground”ing” wire in the same raceway/pathway as the other 3 current carrying conductors. You will need to separate the grounds and neutrals at the shed so that you dont have parallel paths to ground. And deal appropriately with any and all parallel metal paths between the source and the shed.
Again, check article 250 for requirements on grounding and article 230 for feeder requirements.


How do you attach a wooden gate to fence with metal posts? I'm building a wood fence with metal posts. I'm using those clips that let you attach 2x4s horizontally to the metal posts. And then the boards go on top of that.

My question is how do you attach a gate? The only thing I can think of is a strap hinge. Are there other products out there that allow you to put a wood gate on a wood fence with metal posts?

You have numerous choices to deal with the gate hinge issue. For a round post you can clamp on this type of hinge and then bolt its flat plate to the gate:

Alternatively you could drill a horizontal hole through the metal post and install the bolt type hinge pin to be mated with the type of bolt on hinge strap in the second following picture:

A third option is to use the following U-bolt type hinge point mounted on the post. Then use a lag bolt hinge pin screwed into the gate framing:


How to plaster up to the ceiling Where a new drywall meets an already finished/plastered/painted ceiling or wall (at a corner) is it good enough to simply apply a cost of plaster all the way to the corner or is it necessary to use paper-tape and jointing compound across to the adjacent surface (Eg to avoid cracks)?

It's always better to add paper or mesh tape at seams in walls or ceilings. You can use plaster instead of joint compound, mud, but mud is easier to work with. In corners, it's good to use a preform interior or exterior corner. Some don't need to be taped because they come with tape installed on both sides of the corner strip. Check your home stores for the types they carry.


What can I use instead of a ducted range hood in my kitchen? I know this edges pretty close to a shopping recommendation, but I hope that I'll manage to stay on the good side. If not, please tell me and I'll delete the question myself.

My situation: I live in an (older) apartment block have a kitchen without a range hood. I also have no holes in the walls to put the duct into (technically a hole could be drilled, but for various reasons the proper paperwork is nearly impossible to do). There is a ventilation hole, but the local fire safety regulations forbid blocking it (since I have a gas stove/oven), explicitly mentioning that range hoods may not be connected to it. However I could put a fan in it, since that does not block it.

I've looked at various recirculating hoods, but they all seem to just filter out some odors and grease (which is nice), but not water vapor (which is not nice). The water vapor actually is a problem occasionally when we do some heavier cooking. I've had my kitchen walls slick with moisture on more than one occasion. What I'm surprised about is that I cannot find any hoods with a built-in dehumidifier. Sure, the device would get much heavier and bulkier, and need a connection to the plumbing, but so what? It'd work for me. :P Does anyone know if this exists, and if it does, what keywords I should look for?

Barring that, what other options do I have? What kind of device (or combination of devices) would provide the best kitchen exhaust solution while not requiring a dedicated hole in the wall?

One solution is a window extractor fan.

Cutting a hole in the wall is pretty permanent, but you can always replace the glass in a window if you need to restore it. Actually cutting a hole in the glass is a job for a professional, but it's pretty quick and doesn't make much mess.

Any room with a gas burner (like a cooker) needs a vent to allow fresh air in, otherwise you'll use up most of the oxygen and it'll start producing poisonous carbon monoxide. If you add a fan to suck air out of a room, it's even more important to have a vent to allow fresh air in.


Controlling two fixtures on same circuit independently I currently have an existing loud bathroom and a ceiling light on he same circuit. The wiring goes from the switch to the ceiling box and then to the fan. Both of these are controlled by the same switch. The fan is quite loud and not necessary much of the time when the bathroom is being used. I was wondering if there are any remote controlled type switches that could be used to indepentandaly control the fan and the light. I understand that for the fan to be turned on it will be neccesary to also have the light on. I really just want a way to have the light on without having to have the fan running. I don't mind adding another switch to the box, however, I don't want to rip out the walls/ceiling to run another wire from the switch to the fan.

I know there are remote controlled switches to control ceiling fans and ceiling-fan light kits, like the Lutron MA-LFQHW-WH Maestro Dual Digital Dimmer / Fan Control. If there was space in the ceiling lamp, maybe something like this could work?

Without running an additional switched hot lead, it can be done using radio frequency transmitting switches which control a RF receiver/relay which you would have to wire into the ceiling box. Leviton makes devices like that. They are neither simple nor cheap. In my opinion it would be easier, quicker, and cheaper to fish a new wire or even open the wall. Patching is painstaking and tedious but not difficult.


How do I get an exterior vent to stop frosting over in a cold Canadian winter? We have a high-efficiency gas-fired hot water heater (in our a basement) that is vented to the outside of our house. When the weather gets below -30°C the vent has a tendency to frost-over. When the water tank heater is unable to vent, it shuts off, depriving us of hot water. So when it frosts over we have to go outside and clean off the vent. Can you offer any suggestions to avoid having the exterior vent getting frosted over?

I have experienced the same problem. My intake frosts over and the furnace shuts down with a differential pressure fault. The cause is; when the intake air temperature falls below the dew point the relative humidity of the intake air becomes greater than 100% which means the moisture in the air will condense or precipitate out of the air onto anything that is colder than the dew point. When the furnace fires it draws a huge amount of air in through the cold air intake port. If the air temperature is less than the dew point, the excess moisture in the air immediately condenses on the cold intake screen (if you have one) and the inside of the intake pipe. As long as you draw this moisture saturated air across the cold surface of the intake port and the subsequent frost layer the moisture will continue precipitating out and make the layer(s) of frost thicker and thicker until the pipe is completely closed off or the screen is completely plugged.
The fix; First item of business was to remove the bird/bug screen. This eliminated about 80% of my issues. But every once in a while when it would get really cold (-20 to -50F) and the dew point was above 0, the intake pipe would completely fill with frost. So, I reconfigured my intake pipe to be as close to the building as possible and constructed a foam insulated hat that covered the top, sides and outboard surfaces of the intake, leaving the space between the building and the intake uninsulated. This allowed the intake to be "heated" by the escaping heat from the side of the building. I was only looking to get the intake pipe temperature above the dew point and I believe this has worked.


How enthusiastically should I strip a flaking deck before staining? A summer vacation home I use in Maine has an open 12' x 24' wood porch with multiple layers of Cabot solid color oil deck stain, and I'm planning on re-staining it. The stain is cracking and flaking near the edge of the porch, probably where it's covered in snow for much of the winter:

However, the majority of the porch (away from the rail) looks just fine (yeah, could use cleaning):

I've gone at the loose areas with a hand-held scraper; some of it comes up easy, some comes up hard, and some not at all:

I'd like to know: how far should I go in getting the old stain up? Should I instead be renting a sander? The priority is for the results to be durable, although it would be nice for it to look good.

Based on what I've seen in the pictures I'd say you have two option: 1) get a sander and sand the entire deck or 2) get two gallons of stain remover and spray in on the entire deck and scrape it all off. Deck stains are most durable when applied to wood and coating new stain over bare wood and then wood with old stain won't give you the results you want.

Also, are you sure the stuff on the deck is stain? It sure looks like paint, especially the way it's peeling. I bring this up because most stain removers do not remove paint. I'd suggest taking a few samples of the "stain" flakes and bring it into a paint store like Sherwin Williams and getting their advise.


Replace light switch with weird wiring and no ground I would like to replace this old light switch with a newer one, but as all newer electrical items it has a grounding screw to be connected and there is no obvious ground connection available in the box.

This house was built in 1963 (Colorado, USA), and it has several 3-prong outlets around the house that look newer, but not on this wall.

My investigations in this box actually make me worried if any of our 3-prong outlets have proper ground, as I read that the standard socket checking devices could be fooled with ground-neutral connections?

Here's why I'm worried:

In the switch box photo one can see 2 neutrals connected via wire nut
In the back of the box (which is metal) one can see a blank wire looking like its intention is to "ground" the box? It is screwed to the box at the back.
I confirmed that the neutrals and the box are electrically connected (does that equal a bootleg ground?)

Adding to the confusion is the cabling of the switch:

one red going in above,
two blacks at the bottom, both on the same screw (but this should be a 2-way switch)

  Hypothesis regarding the last point: Half of the rooms in this house
  have fans installed, is the double-wired black maybe a provision in
  case one wants to install a fan in this room as well?

So, the new switch of course wants a hot, a neutral and a ground wire, what am I supposed to do?

For additional background I add a photo of the 2-prong socket that is on the same wall. It also has a blank copper wire connected to the back of the box (interestingly, in both cases the screw connection was rather weak, I tightened it, hope that wasn't a special technique in older houses for some reason?)

My background, in case you wonder what level of detail you can load your answer with: I'm a physicist with lab experience (so give me all your details! ;), but no formal education as electrician; meaning, I'm confident enough when I understand things, but also reasonable enough to concede to the professionals when it just gets too complicated.

EDIT: Adding layout graphic how it is now.

EDIT2: Attaching a graphic implementing the solutions given below.

I agree, the /3 Romex is certainly intentional future-proofing in case you add a ceiling fan later.  Unused wires should be capped, not wired to hot.

It looks like the Romex they used does indeed have a ground wire in it, and they have grounded the steel junction boxes, assuming corrosion has not damaged that.

However, note how the yokes (metal ears) of the switch and receptacle attach to the metal boxes, i.e. Only by the screws.  The yoke does not bottom out onto the metal box, and where it makes contact is painted.  The screw threads are not a legitimate grounding path.

So.   Buy a couple feet of 12/2 NM cable and tear off the sheath and grab the ground wire.  If you need more ground wire, strip the insulation off the other wires.  Cut about a 6" length and pigtail it off the ground screw of the switch or receptacle.  Then, unhook the ground wire(s) screwed onto the back of the box, and replace that with about a 6-8" pigtail.   Now join both pigtails, plus the wire(s) you took off the screw, with a wire nut (red or green should be the best size). Shove all that into the back of the box.

Are those ground wires any good?  The simple way is to use a 3-lamp tester and look for 2 yellow lights, or measure 120V between hot and ground.

The more conclusive way is to deliberately connect a duplex receptacle so the hot and neutral screws are actually connected to hot and ground wires.  Then hook up a big load like a hair dryer or 1500W heater, measure the voltage across hot to ground, turn on the load momentarily, and measure the voltage again.  Don't leave it on.  It should sag only a few volts, about the same as it sags when wired correctly.  Ground is not neutral and is not a substitute for neutral, but it is intentionally bonded at the panel, and this tests that continuity under load.

Almost any test between hot and ground will trip a GFCI device, since it is in fact a ground fault.


Can you cap a chimney to reduce moisture and still use the chimney with a gas fire? Or does capping a chimney always remove the ability to use a fire ?

I'm pretty sure that you can get caps that allow you to still use a gas fire.

Consult an expert though.