Horizontal Electrical Outlet - How to Rough? I'm out in Chicago, and we are required to pipe in everything with conduit and use metal boxes.
For vertical 2 gang outlets, we use normally a 4 inch box with side mounting to a stud and two mud rings (one for each gang).  Image attached.

I'm trying to figure out (without ripping apart my house), how all the outlets in my kitchen are horizontal as the mounting flanges I've seen on metal boxes are vertical.
I've used the "old work" boxes with drywall clips and ears to put in a switch or outlet (so you can mount them vertical or horizontal as needed), but when my house was roughed in all of the 1 gang outlets are horizontal.
What sort of metal box is used for rough in that is installed horizontally, like the pictured horizontal outlet?

Sideways mud rings
I'm fairly sure that what your installers did to get the horizontal receptacle effect was to take a 4S (4" square) box (or another square box) and then mount a matching 1-gang mud ring on the square box so the 1-gang opening in the mud ring is horizontal, not vertical.


Tap into an Electrical Wire Under a Raised Cottage I have a raised cottage that is exposed underneath. There is an nmd90/Romex/indoor-rated electrical wire running along one of the joists below it.

I realize that isn't up to current code, but it isn't going to be changed right now.

I want to tap into that wire and split it off into two.

What is the proper junction box for this given that it's not indoors, and how should it be done?

Several issues at play here:

First off, everything will depend on the type of wire you are talking
about. If it is UF (Underground Feeder) cable, it might be perfectly
legal. If it is indoor rated NM (Non-Metallic) cable, a.k.a. "Romex",
it is already not to code, so any connection you decide on will not
bring it up to code anyway. To be "proper" in that case means redoing
the entire run.
"Splice" by the way implies it has been cut in two and you want to
re-join the cut ends. Did you mean you want to TAP into it and have 3
wires now?
Assuming it is stapled to the joist the chances that you have enough
slack to be able to cut into it and add a tap line are slim, because
you need extra wire to make the connections with anything like "wire
nuts". What you could do (if you have the right tools) is to put
"ring-tongue crimp lugs" on the ends of each wire then use screws,
nuts and lock washers to attach the rings together, then tape over
them with a layer of varnished cambric tape, then electrical tape
over that.
All of this should be done in a weather tight electrical box with a
gasketed cover. The thing is, the threaded holes into and out of that
box where the cables need to pass through would also need to be
sealed. Here's where the type of wire makes a difference. If it is UF
cable, they make "UF Cable Seals" (search that term) that you can buy at supply houses.
They are a fitting that will thread into the box openings, then the
cable is run through a rubber grommet that is then squeezed down to
seal around the cable to make a watertight seal. But nobody makes a
seal fitting to fit around NM, because, again, this is not something
that would be done legally, so they don't make parts to do it. If you
want to rig up something non-code compliant anyway, you could try using the UF cable seals anyway, then to make sure, seal around the
wires with silicone sealer.


How should I caulk between bathtub and drywall? My tub sits in an alcove that is 6 inches wider than the width of the tub at the head, and sits against a full wall at the foot. I tiled the alcove but stopped at the front edge of the tub so that painted drywall is exposed and meets at the tub at it's full height in the front.

I've used non-paintable silicone caulking already for the parts where the tub meets the tile, and all else is fine, but I would like to seal these two edges as well.

Should I use a paintable caulking?

Yep, use a paintable latex bathroom caulk. We always use PolySeamSeal (now owned by LockTite, available at Lowe's).


Can plug an air-conditioner into a outlet with an adapter So I'm getting a window unit and I've read online that you should never plug an AC into a power strip or even use an extension cord. My room has no three prong(grounded) outlets, can I plug the AC into an adapter or do I need to pay someone to upgrade the outlet?

The most important thing to consider is how much current the air conditioner requires and how much current the receptacle can supply. Most USA wall outlets can supply 15 amps. Kitchen counter and bathroom outlets have long been required to supply 20 amps, but probably not at the time before grounded outlets were required. You need to first check the current requirement marked on the AC. If it has a standard 15 amp plug, it should require no more than about 80% of 15 amps, 12 amps or 13 amps. Check the fuse or circuit breaker for the outlet you want to use to determine the maximum current it can supply. Also check what other outlets are on the same fuse or breaker. After plugging in the AC, there may not be much capacity for other things plugged into the same circuit. If the circuit has the capacity, you can connect the AC.

Rather than use an adapter to accommodate the grounded plug, it would be better to install a GFI outlet in place to the old ungrounded outlet. I believe that code still allows that, but the outlet must be marked as ungrounded using the label provided with the outlet. (I checked your profile to determine that we are talking about a USA location.) Better than that but more expensive would be to add a ground wire. An electrician would need to determine how that can be done in an acceptable way.

If the AC does not have a standard grounded plug, it must require more than 13 amps. If it requires no more than 15 amps, it could be connected to the proposed circuit, but code requires that there be no other outlets on the circuit. If it requires more than 15 amps, it requires a higher capacity circuit.


Will heat pump heat home faster than space heater? I know that a heat pump is cheaper to operate than an electric space heater, but I'm wondering if a heat pump will heat our home faster than an electric space heater.

I'm asking because I have an open-plan two-storey home, and I've been frustrated because neither our single baseboard heater nor our two space heaters are enough to get our main (lower) floor tolerably warm - it takes hours to bring the place up from 53°F to 64°F. I've heard about the cost savings of heat pumps, but am wondering if they too will take hours to heat up 1250 sq ft.

Part of me doubts that the heat pump will be any faster, because an electric space heater is essentially a fan in front of a heat source. But isn't a heat pump also basically a fan in front of a heat source?

Or is the heat pump heat source so much hotter and the fan so much more powerful that it will heat our home faster? For example, one of the bigger heat pumps that can heat 1250 sq ft?

I've never seen/felt a heat pump in action, so I'm asking here.

The answer depends on size of the space heater vs heat pump. If they are set same size in BTU they will take the same amount of time and the heat pump will cost much less. If you double the size of the heat pump compared to the space heater the heat pump now will heat much faster at a similar cost to the space heater type system.


Does Mineral spirit make for good wood Pre-Conditioner? I was at the HomeDepot the other day and was informed that I could pre-Condition wood using Mineral spirit. However, this is the information came from the very same person who told me that I could use Mineral Spirit to clean dried stain from my wood project, but after pouring a gallon of the substance on my project with no result, I realized that the guy probably does not know much of this stuff.
 Before this I had been using MinWax Pre-Conditioner and noticed how quickly one runs out of those and has to head back for more. I have a gallon of mineral spirit that could come in handy and wanted to know from those here is Mineral Spirit can in fact do the same job the MinWax Pre-Conditioner does, and seems to do well?

No mineral spirits are not a good conditioner for wood.  Solvents in general will dry wood out and break down any oils that are in the wood.  This leads to decay of the wood.

What are you conditioning it for?  Do you plan to stain and seal it or are you simply trying to protect the wood?


What bathroom vents/ceiling/roof vents and fans are most recommended? I need to vent a room in an uninsulated cabin - the ceiling is also the roof - so I don't need soffit tubing or anything like that.  I am looking for a fairly cheap item that has a large cfm ability.

(This is for venting steam from a maple syrup evaporator)

EDIT

We ended up just putting in two vents in the roof.  (Maybe 12"x12" each - though maybe a little smaller than that)

We did not need a fan.  We still get a tiny  bit of condensation on the ceiling but not even close to what it was before.  We are happy with the two vents but may add one more.

First we put in one vent and it was FAR superior to just having windows open.  We could actually see across the room when boiling/evaporating.  Then we put in a second vent and that made a difference too.

The next vent will be fed directly from a steam hood we will put over the evaporating pan.

You can get a powered attic vent that would install directly into the roof.

But, It might be cheaper to get a bathroom vent, suspend it from the ceiling (like a garage door opener) and run a 3 or 4 inch pipe out under the eaves.

What are you using the cabin for the rest of the year?


Copper to CPVC transition fittings : allowed by code to be used inside a wall? Does the Uniform Plumbing Code (US) allow copper-to-CPVC transition fittings to be used inside a wall?  Just to be clear, I'm referring to the hybrid fittings that are part brass, part CPVC.

The code does not specify specifically that such joints cannot be inside of a wall.


Hot to Neutral at the outlet only reading 112V I am trying to troubleshoot an issue.  All outlets downstream from my GFCI will not work when I plug anything in.  with my DMM I pulled the GFCI from the wall and measured voltage into the GFCI from Hot to Ground = 120 Neutral to ground = .5 Neutral to hot 120.  Out from the GFCI Hot to Ground = 120 Neutral to ground = .5 Neutral to hot 120.  I go to the next outlet and I get Hot to ground 120. Neutral to ground 1.5 Hot to Neutral 112v.  any ideas on how to resolve?  When I trip the GFCI all reading on the outlet goes to almost 0 as would be expected.  It is important to note I have replace the outlet not working to no avail. I get the same readings without an outlet attached

Loose neutral on either the GFCI, the socket under test, or an intermediate socket.


What temperature should I set my water heater to? When adjusting my water heater, what temperature should I set it to? Is the answer different if you have:

Concerns about diseases
A dishwasher
Young children or elderly that can be easily burned
Electric vs Gas heat
Type of plumbing (e.g. PEX or Copper)

Also, is there a preferred technique to check the temperature of the water after adjusting it?

There are two main and opposing risks:

Too high, and users get scalded
Too low, and you risk pathogens, particularly Legionella bacteria, which causes legionellosis (Legionnaires' disease)

Minimum temperature

Legionella risk

According to the paper "Legionella and the prevention of legionellosis," found at the World Health Organization website, temperature affects the survival of Legionella as follows:

Above 70 °C (158 °F) - Legionella dies almost instantly
At 60 °C (140 °F) - 90% die in 2 minutes
At 50 °C (122 °F) - 90% die in 80–124 minutes, depending on strain
48 to 50 °C (118 to 122 °F) - Can survive but do not multiply
32 to 42 °C (90 to 108 °F) - Ideal growth range

Dishwashers

Most current-model dishwashers have a minimum requirement of 49 °C (120 °F). Most have heaters and will heat the interior as needed. If yours is older you may want to check specifications.

Dishwasher detergent varies, but "works best between 50 and 60 °C" seems to be a fairly common statement. There is also cold-water detergent on the market that works at basically any temperature.

Maximum temperature

Burn risk

Setting too high can scald someone using the water. This is particularly easy because when you first open the tap, the water in the pipes has cooled down some, and so its temperature will rise (possibly dramatically) once the water from the tank reaches the point of use.

Young children are at higher risk because their skin is thinner. Some people, especially the elderly, are at higher risk because they may be less sensitive and slower to move away from scalding water.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recommends setting to 49 °C (120 °F)

Piping Concerns

From LegionellaPrevention.o:

Dead legs

Dead legs (branches that are capped off or rarely used) contain stagnant water that can be an ideal breeding ground for bacteria which can contaminate the entire system. This should not be surprising as the water in the dead leg would get warm, but never hot to the temperature of the main flow.

If unavoidable, a valve should be installed as close to the main line as possible (no more than 1 pipe diameter away) to minimize risk.

PEX vs Copper

In a study, Legionella seemed to grow a bit faster in PEX than copper (over a period of 500 days), however, over a period of 800 days there was essentially no difference in growth and both pipes had identical biofilms formed inside them.

Copper in theory would cool down faster than PEX (Ed: I can't find any studies on this) but given enough time (likely a couple hours), the temperature of both would cool to the ambient temperature. There's a separate question that discusses if it's worthwhile to insulate pipes, but even with insulation, the water in the pipes will eventually cool to ambient.

PEX vs Copper is irrelevant

Conflicting Views

From Heated Debate about Hot Water:

  The country’s top experts, represented on the Canadian Commission on Building and Fire Codes (CCBFC), have rejected the lower maximum hot water tank temperature of 49 °C. In spite of this, trusted organizations are telling homeowners to lower their hot water tank temperature to 49 °C as a precaution against scalds from tap water. Some even offer tips on how to find the thermostat so you can adjust it yourself.

  The bottom line is that water must be stored at a high temperature as a precaution against bacteria. It can be delivered from the tap at a lower temperature to prevent scalds.

Conclusion

The article Residential water heater temperature: 49 or 60 degrees Celsius? published in the Canadian Journal of Infectious Diseases concludes:

  In our opinion, it is important to reduce both the risk of scalds and the risk of legionellosis associated with domestic water supplies.

  For water heaters servicing a single housing unit:

  Electric water heaters should be set at 60 °C to limit the risk of Legionella contamination, and equipped with anti-scald devices to deliver water at 49 °C to the entire household.
  Gas or oil water heaters should be set at 49 °C, because the risk of scalding is greater with these devices.

  For water heaters servicing multiple unit housing complexes:

  More complex water distribution systems are more likely to be contaminated, and the recommendations from the WHO should apply no matter what type of water heater is used: hot water must be stored at 60 °C inside the water heater by ensuring, at least once a day, the temperature reaches at least 60 °C in the entire tank.

  Moreover, water should reach the tap at a temperature of at least 50 °C.
  Taps in these buildings, especially in the bath or shower where most scalds occur, should be equipped with anti-scald devices to decrease the water temperature to 49 °C or less.

Absolute Ideal Scenario

The best scenario seems to be to install anti-scald mixing valves at each human point of use (e.g., sinks, tubs): whether it be integrated in a shower valve, or installed under the sink.

The tank gets set to the WHO-recommended 60 °C.
Each human point-of-use is limited to the CPSC-recommended 49 °C (120 °F)

You may even want it lower (e.g., 110 °F) in kid's bathrooms.

Other uses -- dishwasher, washing machine, humidifier -- can get the full 60 °C with no issue.

The downside to this, of course, is cost: you need to install the valves on each hot water tap. For sinks, this is relatively easy to retrofit; for tubs/showers it may be more difficult.


Does the pressure valve on the wall need to replaced Hi I just got my hot water tank replaced and the repair man said that the water pressure was to strong and that I need replace the pressure valve. And that the part costs $500. Is this true or am I getting ripped off sincerely new home owner

Having replaced the water heater in my home recently, and also having a surprise needed replacement of the pressure reducing valve too, I can sympathies with your situation.

If you are just replacing the Pressure-Reducing valve for your home, you can find Pressure-Reducing valves from $50 to $150 at your local big box home improvement store. For our project we spent around $95 to match the size of the threads to the previous arrangment.

Also when working on hot water heaters and valves, I learned that this is also the time to have a Expansion tank installed, or replaced. If this is also something in the agenda, you are looking at around $40-90 at the same retail outlet.

Also factor in cost for copper / pex, etc fittings, and any tools that you need and there should be your cost to do it yourself.

Depending on the plumbing in the home, it could take anywhere from minutes to hours (like mine) to replace. I'd recommend having someone confident in the task to complete the job. It's possible to do it on your own, just make sure to do your thorough research.

If possible, request a itemized list of expenses for the project to help you understand the high cost. If unable to be provided with that, I'd recommend shopping around for another plumber as this does seem high.


Sharing a 240v 30A circuit using a dial switch I have a situation where the previous homeowner installed a sauna using the dryer plug. You have to unplug one to plug in the other, a setup that is not only ugly with the sauna plug hanging in the air it also seems unnecessary.

What I want to do is install a 240v 30A rotary switch to service one or the other with one circuit wired to the sauna and the other wired to the dryer plug. I have attached pics of the switch I have in mind - please advise as to whether or not it will work.

Thank you!

You can't use that switch, but you don't need it.

You can't use it because it's not UL listed.  The shady supplier admits this rather cleverly, saying the switch is CE (China Export lol), but the enclosure is UL listed.  rolls eyes Getting a UL listed BOX doesn't make the switch OK.

But it turns out there's nothing wrong with simply installing two receptacles on a 240V/30A circuit.  Well, that was easy!

Just don't run the dryer and sauna at the same time.  Done!

Oh wait, two little glitches.

First, the sauna needs GFCI protection.  Second, I bet you have the obsolete and dangerous 3-prong dryer connection, and those aren't allowed at all anymore, because they can kill you (whether the sauna or dryer is plugged in - worse for the sauna!)

And I bet you don't want to pull a retrofit ground or a new cable from the panel, or else you wouldn't be here.

Fortunately, we can kill 2 birds with one stone.

There's a rule that says you can install a grounded receptacle, even if it isn't grounded, as long as it's behind a GFCI device of some kind.  So that's what we do.

We install a 30A, 2-pole GFCI breaker back at the panel.  And then,
We install TWO (count 'em, two) of the modern, new-fangled NEMA 14-30 receptacles.
And we label both receptacles "GFCI Protected. No Equipment Ground".

Oh yes, and we change the dryer cord to NEMA 14-30, and very important here, follow the procedure to separate ground from neutral at the dryer. Otherwise the dryer can still kill you.
And we change the sauna cord to NEMA 14-30.  Now if it has a ground wire, we put that on the ground pin of the NEMA 14-30.  That's very important too. If you left the ground pin on neutral, the sauna could still kill you (as it can now).

Just like that we're sittin' pretty.  Legal as the day is long.

The second socket can be anywhere, but there's no way to get rid of it altogether. As soon as you hardwire the sauna, it becomes a hardwired load that is >50% of total circuit load, and receptacles are not allowed at all, so that knocks the dryer off.


How do I add more circuit breakers once the breaker box is full? My house was completely rewired by the previous owner.  They tore out all the old knob-and-tube and replaced it with modern wiring.  I definitely appreciate this, but unfortunately they left absolutely no extra space on the new breaker box.  Every single slot is filled with a circuit breaker.

It's not that the circuits are doled out too liberally either.  Its just a small breaker box.  It fits the requirements of the house exactly, but leaves no room for future expansion.

So, what are my options for adding more breakers?  Can I add a sub breaker box?  Or should I just replace the whole thing with a larger one?

The only reason to replace the entire box is if aesthetics: if there isn't enough room on the wall for two boxes, or the box is in a closet or cabinet where there isn't physical space.

Putting in a new breaker box is much easier than replacing an entire box.  If you replace the entire box, you will need to rewire every breaker.  When the original box was wired there was lots of slack on each wire, but after each breaker was installed the wires would have been trimmed.  A good electrician will allow slack in the wires for reconfiguring breakers, etc. but if it's a small box you may not have enough wire, or you may end up running the wires in ways that aren't as neat or professional as it should be.

With a new box, on the other hand, you only need to remove one 220V or two adjacent 110V breakers.  The old wires can be run into a junction box to provide as much length as you need for wiring into the new box.

As Mike Sherov noted, you need to be sure that your service can handle the load and number of circuits.  That'll be a location specific code issue.  If the knob-and-tube wiring was recently replaced I'd be surprised if the old service (probably 50 or 60 amp) wasn't upgraded as part of that process (likely to 150 or 200 amps).

If your new circuits are within the capacity of your service and local regulations permit, this is a job you can do yourself.  If you choose to do it yourself, in some jurisdictions you can ask the inspector if your plan will keep you in code, to save the cost of a consultation with an electrician.  (In some places of course, they're too busy for such questions.)  Or you can research it yourself: it's not difficult if you have access to a code book.


How do I fix broken screw flange in shower drain? On my shower drain, I have a broken screw flange, so only one of the screws is holding the drain cover in place.  This causes the drain cover to slide around easily when your foot hits it during a shower.  The other screw got lost a while back due to this issue.  Is there any easy way to reattach this flange?  Before it broke, the threads are stripped and the flange material is almost crumbling.

I thought about using some kind of silicone to just hold the drain cover in place on the broken flange side, but I need to be able to take the drain cover off from time to time to clean out hair, etc.

Another idea would be to put some JB weld or some kind of epoxy to reattach the flange, but then I still have the problem of the stripped threads.

I really don't want to replace the drain because this is an upstairs bathroom, so we'd have to cut the ceiling in the living room to access it.

I did try to use some plumbers putty, but it does not hold it in place and it makes quite a mess too.

See if some of the covers that do not use screws will work for you.

Example this oatey cover has tabs that grip inside the drain hole.

There are other after market drain covers that employ a screwless attaching mechanism, even an attached hair trap.
Use the search term “snap in drain cover” to try and find a compatible one.


How can I prevent a faucet retaining nut from freezing to a steel washer? My real question, after several hours spent removing the old faucet (progressing from tapping the basin wrench with a mallet, to an overnight soak in penetrating oil, to cutting it off with an air grinder) is "what idiot engineer uses a mild steel washer in a wet environment?" But it looks like they all do, or at least the ones who designed the new faucet do, so ...

On the assumption that I or someone else will someday want to change the faucet, what can I use to prevent the nut from freezing to either the washer or the faucet body? If I were working on a car, I'd use thread sealing compound. Does that make sense in this application? Or are there any professional tricks that aren't quite as messy?

Anti-Seize Lubricating Compound
Make sure it's waterproof

Pipe Dope
Make sure it's Anti-seize

I do not specifically recommend nor endorse either product, they are only used as examples.


Electricians, do you see any problems with this wiring diagram for power at light shared between independent light groups? I'm looking for input on the safety and code compliance of the wiring plan i've detailed, shown in the photos below.

Description of the broader project
My jurisdiction is subject to the 2014 NEC. I'm planning to install downlights throughout my house, on one circuit, power at light, with groups of lights on separate switches (led fixture housings rated for max 25 watt bulbs, and airtight-ic Halo Model #H750ICAT). There will be nearly 50 of these fixtures on this one circuit (intending to install with 20 amp dual CAFCI+GFCI breaker (Square D Model #QO120DFC, using 12ga nm-b cable).
Description of this portion of the project detailed in the photos below
This particular portion of the project is for a bathroom; one of the light housings will be installed above the shower (thus the AFCI+GFCI protected circuit for interior lighting, to provide both AFCI and GFCI protection).
Photos of Electrical Diagrams
The first pic shows the switches in the room I'm focusing on with this first stage. Please ignore the fan/heater/light/night-light unit; I'm specifically looking to get input on the safety and code compliance of the downlight wiring.

src
The second pic shows the general principle I think will allow me to carry power across the light fixtures, while switching groups separately.

src
The third pic details the principle in the second pic in greater detail

src
Thank you!!

This looks good, although you'll have to pay attention to keeping your neutrals separated in the switch boxes!
Your plan for the light circuit should not be an issue at all; you're running proper NEC 2011 new-style switch loops with neutrals provisioned for future use, and your fixtures are designed to take LED modules, not Edison-base bulbs, so some dim bulb incandescenthead can't go in and overload the circuit with their heat globes, either.
The one caveat, though, is that you can't just glom all the neutrals together in the switch boxes like you're used to.  You'll need to keep the lighting neutral strictly separate from any other neutrals present there to avoid falsely tripping your GFCIs, if nothing else.
Also, in an unrelated note, I'd consolidate the two apparently-adjacent switch boxes in your plan into a single six-gang box.  If that's impossible, though, I'd at the very least get all the fan switches into one box and move the switches for the rest of the lighting out by themselves so that you don't have awkward problems with crossed wires.  Another aid to dealing with that is using individual THHN wires in ENT ("smurf tube") between the fan and its light switch box; that way, you're no longer constrained by cable configuration limitations.


Can I use 22/4 wire instead of 20/2 wire? My central vacuum system needs 20/2 stranded low voltage wire (24 volts I think).  Can I use 22/4 wire and pair-up two each to equal or better 20/2?  I could save some money by using surplus 22/4 wire.

For power delivery through copper wires for this type of load the amperage capability of the wire is proportional to the cross sectional area of the conductor. You can check this in a standard AWG wire table.

Your existing 20 awg wire has an area of .518 mm2. On the other hand a 24 awg wire has an area of .205 mm2. So two 24 awg wires @ .410 mm2 would not be equivalent to the 20 awg wire.

It is possible that your system would work OK with the pairs of 24 awg wires if the current draw in the wires did not come close to the total capacity of the originally specified 20 awg wire but I would suggest that instead you try to either find some actual 20 awg wire, use surplus wire that had paired 22 awg conductors or find 6 conductor cable with the 24 awg conductors and set them up in two sets of triplets.

Update. I misread the original posting as specifying 24 awg wire instead of 22 awg. Sorry about that. The fact still remains that two 24 awg wires in parallel are not up to the same current capacity as the 20 awg wire. However a pair of 22 awg wires, each with a with a cross sectional area of 0.326 mm2, will be more than the equivalent of a 20 awg wire. So now you know that a pair of 22's or a triplet of 24's will suffice as a substitute.


What is the difference between LVL 1.9 and 2.0? A structural engineer gave me a header design using beams made from LVL 1.9.  Looking around, I'm seeing more LVL 2.0 available locally.  What is the difference?

LVL is laminated veneer lumber.  The numbers 1.9 and 2.0 refer to the Modulus of Elasticity which is a measure of the stiffness of the beam.  I would seriously doubt that there is any meaningful difference between 1.9 and 2.0 rated beams.


Replacment remote for an older garage door I have an older Lift-A-Dor garage door opener. The remote is no longer working. The remote model# is RC-10. The garage door lift is model# LD100. Where do I purchase a replacement or is there a compatible universal remote available?

You can purchase from the big box home improvement stores or online resources a device which connects to the physical button (wired) of your opener. It is a radio receiver matched with the remote(s) included in the purchase. It replaces/augments the existing system, allowing more remotes along with the original for those who have working systems.

More advanced versions will also mate with one's portable communication device with the appropriate application.

Skylink is one such brand, there are others.


Fridge: short vs long cycle My fridge broke, so I replaced the analog thermostat with an ESP2688 + relay + DS18S20 temperature sensor.

My server is getting the temperature readings every 10 seconds and is capable of switching the relay to turn the fridge on and off (once the logic is settled, I will bake it into an Arduino).

I've set it so that the server switches the relay on when the temperature is above 5°C (41°F) and off again when it's below 4.5°C (40.1°F).

A full cycle takes about 35 minutes about 5 of them cooling down (the fridge is currently empty, so there is no food "storing any coldness").

I know from my parent's house that the fridge turns on far less often (mine is about 17 years old, theirs about 3).

Is this a problem? Should I increase the temperature range, let's say from 5°C to 4°C? This way a cycle would take about an hour.

The image contains 12 hours of logged temperature data. I can't remember the change I made at around 10pm, I think I relocated the temperature sensor, but at 13:30 (1:30pm) I changed the lower temperature from 4 to 4.5.

Now, what is better for the fridge/compressor? A longer cycle or a shorter one? What is cheaper from the power consumption point of view? I can't place a power meter at the outlet because it's an integrated fridge and quite a hassle to remove it just to get to the outlet.

I vote for the longer cycles if you can live with the temperature variant.  The fewer starts is always going to be better for the equipment.  As far as energy consumption, that's well over my pay grade.  I might keep it slightly closer to 38*.  Keeps the unwanted growth down.


Is Flex Duct Safe To Use In A Crawl Space? The home I purchased has a crawlspace below an addition that was put on to the original structure.  The HVAC contractor that did the work ran 2 long runs of flex-duct to the 2 registers in the room of the the crawl space.

Is this acceptable?  Do I need to be concerned about the elements or possibly animals getting into the crawl space and chewing holes in the flex duct?

I would not use flexible duct in a crawl space.  It is like a 4 lane freeway for animals and bugs.  Rigid duct is very easy to piece together.  Even long runs might take you an extra few minutes.


What type of material is my countertop made of? My wife and I move into our very first home together and have been struggling to figure out what type of material our kitchen countertops are made of. We'd like to know

for a few reasons:

• There are some old stains on them that we want to try and remove but don't want to use the wrong type of cleaning method/solution.

• So we know if it's heat resistant or not

• So we know if we need to do any kind of maintenance on it like sealing it, etc...

Additional info: Like I mentioned above, it does have some stains on it along with a few small chips off the edges. It also has a somewhat shiny/glossy finish to it.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

I could be wrong, but from the photos, you seem to have a quartz countertop.

Some brand names of quarts countertops are Silestone, or Caesarstone.

As good as your photos are, you may wish to compare visually with a countertop distributor to see if you agree with the guess.

---- now that people tend to think it is quartz ----

Quartz is strong (about as strong as granite) but that also makes it brittle.  The problem with brittle counter tops is they chip with a hard enough impact.

There are products to clean and fill the chip.  A quartz counter top installer probably has access to them, and will hopefully have enough experience with them to match color and embedments close enough to not notice.  Another option is to have the edge ground down with a bullnose.

There is no special cleaning for quartz, other than the standard "don't use highly abrasive materials" which will scratch off the polish layer.  Your ring looks like a rust ring, and it may have embedded into the resin binding.  If you call a pro out to fix the edge, you can might ask them if they can buff the surface and re-polish to match.

I would still use trivets and hot pads for hot items.  Sure the counter can take the heat without them, but you want to minimize (like granite) the possibility of thermal expansion of the counter top.  They also provide a padding for setting things down (which can minimize chipping if you slightly drop things on the counter)  While heat expansion won't be very much, the hardness of the material will be such that small amounts of heat expansion could promote cracking.


How do I repair a dresser with the side falling off? My kids have a dresser and somehow they have managed to pull the sides partially off. (In all fairness, it could have simply been an age issue – the sides were originally stapled on and it is 20 years old). I've tried using a couple of screws to hold it together, but they aren't managing to hold it as tightly as I would like.

The design is pretty basic. There is an interior structure which allows drawers to move in, but the sides actually hold the channels for the drawers.

Glue it & screw it. Staples were never a good idea & they eventually fail. You would remove the panels in order to hammer out all of the staples & to apply a bead of glue (wood glue). Then, pop a panel back on & screw (screw length should be twice the panel's thickness) wherever there was a staple. Repeat for the other panel. The screws are your clamps & the piece is actually better than new. Of course, wipe clean any glue that squeezes out.


sealing off sunroom to a/c in summer what's the best way to seal off our sunroom so we don't pay to cool it?  It's really humid AND hot in MS this time of year (avg 90+ F).  We have a very "open" house, with a large dining room connected to the sunroom by one normal "door hole" AND one "double door hole", but the openings are...well, openings.  There's nothing at all there.  The sunroom doesn't have a/c, and only has single pane windows...about 10-15 of them, floor to ceiling.  It's a round room with practically no wall except between the windows.

Solutions?
-door(s)?
-curtain(s)?
-"magnet" curtain(s)?
-blanket(s)?

We rent the house, so major reconstruction isn't a reality.  Nor a desire...

Thanks!

edit: infrequent access is still necessary to the room.

Cheap, effective, non-intrusive...  Adjustable shower rod with heavy curtains - this will help a ton.  If you never want to use the room... stand up an old matress or something similar.


Light switch arcing. Is this a fire hazard? H, I am new here. I have a few questions about some electrical stuff. I live in a late 80s mobile home (87-89). It is a 2 bed one bath. The light switch in the bathroom is pretty worn out and gets a little hard to switch on/off. The switch is self contained, like the one in the picture. It just has one set of copper wires (meaning just one single set of copper going to it). I think it may be arcing. This switch is fed by a bd-1515 breaker. This breaker is like 2 breakers in one. The breaker has lights wired to one side and receptacles on the other. Can arcing in the switch make the breaker get hot, burn something up, or damage something on the receptacle side of it? The switch is right next to an exhaust fan switch, which looks exactly same. The exhaust fan switch has 2 sets of wires going to it. One set at the bottom and one set at the top. The bathroom is right next to the back bed room where breaker box is.

Any type of arcing should be addressed immediately and can cause a fire. The arcing is probably caused by a loose connection or a bad switch. There is probably nothing wrong with your basic wiring. I would replace that light switch. I have worked in many mobile homes and the switches used in that industry are much different than a standard household switch. They do not have screws, they are push-to-fit connectors. There is no screw to tighten. Thereby, you have to cut the wires where they connect and re-strip the wiring. Now, you can go back with a mobile home switch. However, these can be difficult to locate unless you have a local supplier. You could buy one online but I would go back with a standard household switch. You can buy an "Old Work" single gang box, a 15 amp light switch and a cover plate. All of these are available at Home Depot for a total less than $10.

Make sure the circuit is dead. Cut the wires on the old switch...

Cut your existing rectangular hole in the sheetrock to the size of the new box (larger). Make sure you don't cut it too large because the outer lip of the box will need to be flush with your wall. Insert the wiring into the holes on the back of the box. These boxes will work without the need for nailing it to a stud. When you turn the screws at the top and bottom, a small flapper will tighten the box to the backside of the existing sheetrock wall. Connect your two wires to the switch, screw the switch into the box and finish with a light switch cover plate.


Do drywall cracks pose any risk for further damage? I recently discovered a fairly long (~2 foot) crack in my drywall within my home. Aside from the aesthetics, is there any negatives associated with leaving a drywall crack alone for an extended period of time? Of course I will eventually fix it up, but does delaying this fix pose any risk for further damage?
Edit: The property is basically brand new. It is a condo that was constructed in 2019. The crack (image attached) is about 2-3 feet long. From top to bottom, it starts off jagged like a normal drywall crack but then suddenly becomes very straight near the window frame. The area right at this crack-type transition is raised off the wall. Don't know the exact dimension of the raise, but it is obvious in sight if you are close and very obvious running your finger over it. I do not know what would be in the wall here since it is a perimeter wall.

Assuming your unit is similar to those outside your window. The crack is worthy to keep an eye on.
If there is a beam in that bulkhead, there could be a shoddy load support in the wall under it or in the floor below. Is the lower floor(basement)finished?
Depends on where you are located,  structural defects such as that crack indicates is typically covered under the new home warranty.
Structural engineers or Building science engineers will have the expertise to identify if there is reason to escalate the issue.


Drywall patching using 3M Patch Plus Primer Whenever I patch a drywall using 3M Patch Plus Primer, it ends up looking bumpy and unnatural. I can't get it to spread evenly and perfectly flat. So I do try sanding after it hardens, but it's really hard to sand and it doesn't come out flat.

I was able to smooth out the top edge shown on the photo, yet after painting, you can still see the boundary between the 3M patch and the normal drywall.

I'd appreciate any tips. Thanks!

I have never used 3m patch.

I use drywall mud, you have to feather out quite far from the hole you patch so you do not notice the raised area. You apply the mud and sand it down as much as you can without revealing the tape or mesh patch, then feather out more mud to make the raise area very gradual. Sand it all so there is no lines, smooth transition between old wall and new mud, then use a can of spray texture to match the existing wall texture to make it blend in better. Then you prime and paint.

If you search YouTube for how to mud a drywall but-joint you will see what feathering involves.


How to chain two recessed lights together? Disclaimer: I am one of the most non-handy people on the planet, so forgive my total "newbie" question.

We are in the middle of a kitchen remodel. I need to install two housings for recessed lights and run them both off of one switch. The switch is already set up and I have a wire running to where the first light will be, but I am not sure how to chain the two lights together.

Here's a photograph of the wiring box. It has something called "Quick connectors".

Do I simply connect both wires (the wire from the switch and the wire to the second light) to the available holes in the quick connectors?

In case it makes a difference, I scanned the instructions.

You've got it.  Just make sure that in the light fixtures you use all black in one connector, all white in the second and all bare wire in the third (from your hand-drawn wiring, it looks like that's how you plan to do it).  That way, the lights are wired in parallel so that they both get the full mains voltage across them when you turn on the switch.

Also make sure that the switch is connected to the live (black in this case) wires in the two cables, which means that no electricity can reach the light fixture when the switch is off (which could save your life if you accidentally touch the live terminal in the fixture when changing a bulb).


Which sink trap should I buy? My sink trap is leaking and I need to buy a new sink trap and/or washers.

But I’m not sure which one to buy, I’ve looked around and found the SA10 and SC10 but don’t know how to tell which one I have currently to replace it.

There is nothing on the pipe to indicate which one it is.

Can anyone help me with which one I need to buy to fix the leak?

Edit: there is a photo below with where the leak is coming from highlighted in red.

I'd just put a large pliers (channel lock) on that nut and snug it up. Clockwise from the top, assuming that the threads for that fitting are on the U-bend segment. Support the rest of the plumbing as you do so to prevent damage.

If that doesn't work, it looks like you have standard 1-1/2" (i.d.) plumbing there. Virtually any parts with the same configuration should be interchangeable.


In the attached picture is 9/16" referring to the compression fitting end's internal diameter? What 90 pushin should I buy to work with this hose? I need to buy a 90 push in that has male NPT that matches this below hose end.
I am not sure what to buy and if the 23-9/16" means 23" long hose and 9/16"ID for the compression fitting
What 90 push in fitting that works with this should I buy?

Update: This is a follow up or a sequel of this thread Would a 1/2x3/8 Dishwasher Tube to Pipe Elbow, 90 take a 3/8 flex connect for a shower pannel? where I was told not to use the fitting I was asking about because it is for a dishwashere and it will reduce the volume. So now I am trying to find the right 90 that would be push in on one end and it will take the above compression hose

23-9/16" means 23 tpi and 9/16" in diameter - tpi is threads per inch.
Standard sizes so any decent hardware / plumbing store can help.


Finding Common Wire on Laars JVT boiler Replacing mercury thermostat with wifi.  I have just a red and white wire connected to current thermostat and boiler.  There is a green present, but it isn't hooked to anything on boiler.  So I can use the green if I can identify the common on the boiler.   I think I've found the blue common, but would like to confirm.  I believe I just need to connect the green wire to the wifi thermostat and to the bottom post of the first picture,  Green would then be my common.  Am I on the right track?
My thermostat wiring is routed through several pumps, but final connection is here on the boiler.

Inside, a blue wire is connected to the bottom terminal of above picture (circled in blue on left), but there is also a red wire connected to that post.  Circled on the right side is the blue wire connecting to post numbered 6.

Tap the bundle of yellow wires connected to the transformer

If you'll look at the wiring diagram for your system, you'll notice that your R terminal is connected via a red wire to the transformer via an inline fuse, and the other secondary terminal has yellow wires connected to it, as well as a green ground wire.  Furthermore, there is a crimped splice of several yellow wires hanging below the transformer in your photo -- cutting that splice off, stripping the ends, and splicing a jumper to it using a wirenut (I'd use 14AWG yellow stranded THHN for this, it's cheap and easy enough to get) will let you bring that common wire out via a jumper to where it needs to be.


Can you always use the Chassis as a HVAC C-wire contact point? I am new so can't add comments to existing posts it seems, but in searching for an answer I found Tester101 suggested attaching to the chassis. I had come to the same conclusion but wasn't willing to risk it without first researching it a bit more. In the end, I did that and it works. However out of over a dozen articles about the C wire that I read it was only here that it was suggested and it happens to be about my specific brand/model. So this makes me want to ask the next logical question. Can you assume that on any unit the C (Common) wire connection can be achieved by connecting to the chassis? Or is that a unit specific solution in my case?

It is quite common for the C terminal of HVAC transformers to be bonded to the chassis. However, using the chassis as a C terminal is not a common technique, and should only be used in very rare circumstances.

I'm not sure why I would have suggested that, as it's not a "proper" wiring technique.  If you can link to the question where I said that, it might shed some light on why I said it.


Removing Oxbox GripTip Hey guys! I'm trying to install a drainage line and I came across this Oxbox drainage line cover. I couldn't figure out how to remove it and have been attacking it with pliers to no success.

Does anyone know exactly what's supposed to happen here? Does the whole bottom disk come out or just that little nub?

Thanks!

"Drain knockout is easy to remove with pliers" –siouxchief.com

No they're not. You need to use a utility knife. This should have been done before it was installed. I'm unfamiliar with that type, because it looks like it has a stub that you can cut open, shove the hose over it, and use a hose clamp. (?)

Usually you just cut it out, tracing the inside of the circle, and shove the hose down in there. You're sure there's a (2") drain pipe connected to it inside the wall, right? DO NOT over cut the circle or you'll ruin the box. Start small if you're unsure. Be careful; don't cut yourself.


Can I install drywall on the ceiling, without removing crown molding? I'm in the process of replacing a failing plaster ceiling in my finished basement with drywall.  I originally had intended only to scrape down the popcorn finish and have it skim coated, so I did not initially try and remove the molding.  Once I got down to the original plaster and saw the extent of the repairs that would be needed, I decided it was going to be more cost effective to just replace it.  I had already draped the room in plastic from the molding down, and it was looking tough to get a pry bar in there, so I left it figuring I could remove the majority of the ceiling and then remove it when I had access from above.

Well now I have that access, but it still looks to be a challenge:

It is 85 years old, and while it's in great aesthetic condition, in reality, the wood is dried and quite fragile.  If I try to remove it, I'm likely to end up damaging some pieces.
The bottom portion of the molding is flush with the plaster walls and it is nailed directly into the lath, maybe even glued?  When I tried to gently pry it off, the whole plaster surface moved along with the molding.

So given this, I'm wondering if I can get away with installing the drywall without removing the molding?  There is 3/4" of space between the joists and the molding, so 1/2" drywall would fit fine, and due to slight unevenness in the joists I need to shim down about 1/4" anyway.

Is this a terrible idea, or does anybody have tricks for gently removing old crown molding from plaster?  It would be easier to hang the drywall with the molding off, as I could strap the ceiling and shim the strapping.  As is, if I did this I guess I would have to shim the joists themselves with plywood strips.

EDIT: The crown molding is stained oak, which means pretty much any nick shows and damage of any substantial size is tough to re-stain to the right color.  I am pretty attached to it, so I'd prefer to keep it intact.

Go ahead and place the drywall over the top edge of the crown moulding. Sounds like the wall was already re-plastered with it in place. If you tried to remove it, you may end up re-doing the walls as well. Even forgetting that, it's almost impossible to remove moulding without sustaining some loss. Without replacement material available, removal with intents of preservation is extremely risky, especially with stain grade material. You don't want to go there.

If your joists were flat, you'd still only need to shim down the first 4 feet or so along the walls, no one will see the resulting slight slope. Keep this in mind when planning your shims. It doesn't have to be perfectly flat, unless that gives you pleasure. You also don't need to shim to completely fill the gap. An 1/8" gap makes a clean shadow line that is not detrimental (assuming it is perfectly uniform) at all. It also makes finishing easier. The taped joints of drywall are normally not perfectly flat, despite the tapered edges. There is a slight bulge which is usually invisible. But against straight moulding, depending on the profile, this bulge may be visible. You might consider grinding down the edge tapers at the board corners against the wall so the joint tape can be completely buried and the yet the joint against the moulding can still be perfectly flat.


What to do with a cold corner? I live in an apartment on the 4th floor. My bedroom has the misfortune of being in the very corner of the building - it has two outer walls. On top of that, the corner between these two walls is facing north (where the sun don't shine) and there are no obstacles for the cold winds coming from that direction. The only insulation that the building has is about 30cm of concrete.

As a result, the corner tends to be substantially cooler than the rest of the walls and lots of condensation gathers on the wallpaper. Since I cannot do anything to the outside of the building, is there anything I can do on the inside? Some material that I can place beneath the wallpapers? (I have enough spare wallpaper to fix the corner, but not the entire wall)

It depends on ownership and what you're allowed to do under your rental agreement, but this was the solution on our house. It's stick built 2x4 construction, you didn't say what wall construction is used, so it may not apply. Same situation, north facing, cold corner, black mold growing in the plasterboard surface and paint about 4 inches back from the corner on both walls, looked like someone used a paint roller to apply it.

I stripped the plasterboard off the wall to the stud closest to four feet from the corner. The 70's insulation was mouse power R-6 pretending to be something like R-13 but which didn't completely fill the air space.

After clearing everything out of the stud bays and bleaching the minor surface mold that was on the exterior sheeting, I examined what I had to deal with.

The most egregious problem was the empty box created where the two walls came together. We're talking about uninsulated dead air space that is open to the outside atmosphere and sealed by the exterior trim. It was a source for both draft and cold. You could feel the air flowing into and out of the room. I took a wood knife I had and opened up the spaces between the 2x4s that enclose this empty space so I could get a nozzle straw in from floor to ceiling so I could fill it with Urethane foam. You don't want to do the whole space all at once, urethane foam in quantity develops a skin, massive internal voids and blows itself out of the containing space in massive mushrooms that waste the material. This is why you want a slot that gives freedom of movement for the nozzle straw. After about six passes and a couple days for full expansion and cure of each foam application, the void was completely filled with minimum waste. No more cold vented dead air space or drafts!

I got R-15 which was the highest R rating available for 2x4 studded walls (R-19 is standard for 2x6) and filled the stud bays completely with no voids. Over the top of this went 6 mil plastic for vapor barrier so no internal moisture would intrude. Put the plasterboard back, taped the joins, copied the simple skim coat, primed and repainted the two walls to match.

After the project, the corner is actually warmer than the rest of the wall because it has working insulation with no empty, uninsulated and unsealed air spaces. No more mold!!! My only regret is I probably should have done the whole whole room on the reinsulation.


How long do batteries typically last in electronic deadbolts? I'm considering getting a Schlage Plymouth Keypad for our front-door but was curious how long the 9V battery typically lasts. The web site says "3 year battery life" but I'm... skeptical. =)

Has anyone used these types of locks before and if so, do the batteries need to be replaced often?

-M

I've used something similar on my front door for about 4 years now (4xAA instead of a 9V) and it's great not having to carry keys everywhere. On average, I change the batteries about every 12-18 months. I guess it all depends on how often you use it and how worried you are about getting locked out.  Personally I don't bother testing the batteries because mine beeps angrily when they start to get low.


How do I go about hanging a hammock? I would like to replace my bed with a hammock. Without buying a stand I would like to know how to suspend it in the air. How exactly do I affix the ends of the hammock to the wall so it won't fall off, or damage the wall.

I would primarily use the hammock for sleeping, but I would like to have friends sleep over as well. How would this change the affixing method?

This depends on your walls. Assuming your walls are the typical 2x4 studded drywall, fastening into studs is probably a bad idea; studs aren't designed to withstand that sort of horizontal load, and you'd likely damage the wall and structure over time.

An alternative might be to fasten hooks for your hammock from the wall's top plate. You'd need access above the wall in order to do this, but you could install the fastener pointing down, so that you are essentially adding to the load above the wall. Your wall is probably designed to support a load in that way, so adding a few hundred pounds shouldn't be a problem.

That does seem like quite a lot of work, though. Unless you're really sure you want this hammock to be a permanent feature of your room, it's probably less work (and definitely more flexible) to make or buy a stand. Search for "how to make a hammock stand"; there seem to be several good guides.


Are tamper resistant outlets required in a cabinet with child proof latches? Like many people, I have a dishwasher and a disposer, which are plugged into an outlet in the cabinet under the kitchen sink. Also like many, this is where I keep a whole host of cleaning products and other things that children should be kept away from. So, as part of general childproofing of my home, I am going to install a child-safe latch on the cabinet door.

The question is, does the outlet under the sink still need to be tamper-resistant by code if the cabinet itself is made inaccessible by some other means? Also, since it's a "wet" area, does it additionally need to be weather-resistant?

In NEC 2008 Tamper Resistant receptacles are covered in section 406.11

406.11 Tamper-Resistant Receptacles in Dwelling Units. In all areas specified in 210.52, all 125-volt, 15- and 20-ampere receptacles
shall be listed tamper resistant receptacles.

Since section 210.52 specifies receptacles located within cabinets or cupboards, even those receptacles in the cabinet used to supply disposals are required to be tamper resistant.

210.52 Dwelling Unit Receptacle Outlets. This section provides requirements for 125-volt, 15- and 20-ampere receptacle outlets. The receptacles required by this section shall be in addition to any receptacle that is:
(1) Part of a luminaire or appliance, or
(2) Controlled by a wall switch in accordance with 210.70(A)(1), Exception No. 1, or
(3) Located within cabinets or cupboards, or
(4) Located more than 1.7 m (51.2 ft) above the floor

NEC 2011 revised section 406.11 to 406.12 and added some exceptions.

406.12 Tamper Resistant Receptacles in Dwelling Units. All non-locking type 15A and 20A, 125V receptacles in a dwelling unit (210.52) must be Listed as Tamper Resistant, excluding the following locations:
• Receptacles located more than 5 ½ ft above the floor
• Receptacles that are part of a luminaire or appliance
• Receptacles located within dedicated space for an appliance that in normal use isn't easily moved
• Non-grounding receptacles used for replacements as permitted in 406.4(D)(2)(a)

However, none of these exceptions exclude under cabinet receptacles. If you're replacing the receptacle under the cabinet or installing a new receptacle under the cabinet, it must be tamper resistant. Having a lock on the cabinet door has no bearing on the code.


How to connect a new C wire I have a 2 zone, single stage, heat only system with 2 wires running to each thermostat. I'm looking to install 2 Ecobee's; I have a second Honeywell AT72D1683 that I can install if needed and have new 5 wire cable ready to run as soon as I know where to hook it up.

Zone Valve = Honeywell F-10 0805  V8043E1019
Transformer labeled 8004

I'm attaching a diagram of the current configuration hexagons represent wire nuts.

Your setup is "upside down"

Normally, 24VAC HVAC thermostats are set up to switch on the high side, connected between the ungrounded secondary terminal (R terminal) on the transformer and the actuator (gas valve, furnace control, zone valve, compressor contactor, fan relay, ...), with the other side of the actuator connected to the grounded secondary terminal (C terminal) on the transformer.

However, your system is set up the other way around -- R is routed to the actuators, which then are connected to the thermostat, which then connects back to C on the transformer.  (Think of it like a lightswitch in the neutral instead of the hot, just without the Code issues involved with that.)  This is fine for "dumb" mercury thermostats and "dumb" actuators like those in your existing system, but is not what today's programmable and "smart" thermostats expect, so our first order of business is straightening that out.

Rewiring this

As a result of the above, when you put in the new thermostats and thermostat wiring, you will need to connect the red wires in the new cables to the transformer R terminal, the white wires in the new cables to the wires from the zone valves that were nutted to the existing setup's W wires, and the blue wires in the new cables to the transformer C terminal, along with the wires from the zone valves that were originally connected to the transformer's R terminal (these move, as the zone valves don't care).  The green and yellow wires can simply be wrapped back along the cable jacket here, as they are not needed for this setup.

Once that's done, you should be able to get the zone valves to operate by jumpering the red and white wires at the thermostat ends of the new cables.  If that proves out, you can then remove the jumper and install the new thermostats as if they were connected to garden-variety HVAC systems, with the green and yellow wires left unconnected at the thermostat ends as well.


Protecting multiple outlets with one GFCI; is it possible with this wiring scheme? I have a family-room circuit with 5 outlets and a one-year-old who thinks it's funny to try to stick things in them. So I thought it would be a good idea to add GFCI protection (and tamper resistance). I know that in theory you only need one GFCI box to protect the whole circuit, the trick is to determine which receptacle is farthest upstream and replace that one, making sure you get line vs. load correct. So my plan was this: take all five boxes out of the wall, disconnect and separate the wires, flip the breaker back on, and walk around with my non-contact voltage tester looking to see which black wire still has voltage on it, implying it is the most upstream. Well, it turned out that when I did this, every single black wire at every single outlet still had voltage. I'm sure this wasn't a false positive because none of the white wires triggered the tester. I take this to mean that there is one main wire that circles the perimeter beneath the floor, and right below each outlet there must be a junction box with a separate wire going up to the receptacle. Is my reasoning correct, both regarding how to find the first receptacle and what it means that the technique didn't work? If so, does it imply that I can't protect this circuit by replacing a single receptacle, and would need to either install a new outlet farther upstream or use a GFCI breaker instead?

I take this to mean that there is one main wire that circles the perimeter beneath the floor, and right below each outlet there must be a junction box with a separate wire going up to the receptacle.

This sounds most likely, however, if done to code, junction boxes shouldn't be hidden in inaccessible locations (walls/floors/ceilings that do not have access panels over the box). If there is a floor beneath the floor or an attic above, this is the most likely location of the junction box.

You may be able to find an outlet further upstream which supplies power to the other outlets, but in comparing the price of a combination GFCI/AFCI breaker (~$40) with a single tamper-resistant GFCI outlet GFCI (~$20), I personally wouldn't spend any more time investigating for the additional $20 and would just swap out the breaker.


Building water tight box from plywood and HDPE Origin

I built a box out of 0.3" (8mm) plywood sheets framed by 3" (75mm) by 2"(50mm) staffs. The box is about 3' (1000mm) each side and 2' (600mm) deep,  has a floor but is open at the top. The box should act as a water reservoir, therefore needs to be waterproof (at least on the inside).

Additional materials

In order to waterproof the box I bought sheets of HDPE of 0.04" (1mm) thickness. The sheets are somewhat "semi-rigid", not as flabby as foil, but also not rigid enough to support itself, hence the plywood structure.

My Ideas

I planned to nail the HDPE sheets to the plywood sheets and weld the adjoining edges together. Additionally I wanted to seal the nails in a similar way.

Problems

Today I did a few test weldings (I could only get my hands on 0.15" (4mm) welding cord) and was less than satisfied. Probably because of the thickness ratio of cord and sheets the heat distribution was off, the sheets getting too much heat while the cord barely melt.

Question

What other ways are there to waterproof my box (preferably using most of my setup)?

Disclaimer

I know there are easier ways to gather water, I deliberately want to
do it this way.
I welded HDPE sheets before, but always with a
thickness of more than 0.3" (8mm).

When dealing with water, look at marine

People make boats out of plywood, just make one inside out.   They have several techniques, including involving fiberglass, but one of the most prominent is epoxy systems that give you a lot of options.  One such is West System epoxy.

Keep in mind water is heavy (1 tonne per cubic meter, in fact) so your cross bracing needs to be tip top.


Can anyone help identify this spigot? The valve stem is broken off. I would like to find a replacement valve stem because removing the entire faucet is impossible without replumbing.

There isn't any way to identify this exact valve but they are pretty much available in home stores. Turn off the water to that spigot and remove the top nut and take out the valve stem. Bring it to your home store or to a plumbing supply store and look for a replacement. This doesn't appear to be a regular gate valve so you have that going for you. It looks like you'd be able to remove that spigot and just replace it. You'd probably have to secure the pipe on the other side of the wall while removing the spigot.


How to cut out a piece of a stud fully from an existing wall? I'm not sure what tool to use or how to use it to most effectively cut out a chunk of a stud of an existing wall that already has exterior wall sheathing on it.

Things I've considered:

1) Circular Saw - all safety stuff says to not cut on something that is mounted on both ends due to the likelihood of the blade pinching. Combine that with the fact that the blade depth can't penetrate fully through 3.5" widths of the board, the best I could hope for is a partial completion of the cut. Add to it that I'll be moving the blade sideways as opposed to blade pointed downward seems like even more of a case for me losing control.

2) Reciprocating Saw - maybe this could be used in combination with the circular saw to finish the partial depth cut, but there's not enough space between the other studs to get in there flush. And if cut at an angle, the blade will disappear into the stud being cut and could be cutting into and through the exterior sheathing without me seeing it.

3) MultiTool - This seems to be a possibility, but the deeper the cut towards the wall makes me think that I have to get further and further at an angle that puts the exterior sheathing at risk of being carved right through.

4) Chainsaw - Kidding...but I'm out of ideas on how best to do this really.

I'd go for my pull saw or my oscillating saw/multitool

You should be able to get most of the way through with the oscillating saw and then finish it by hand with a compact hand saw. I like my compact pull saws to tight spaces like that.


Generac Generator with Carrier Infinity Heat Pumps I've signed a contract to install a Generac 22.5 kW whole house generator and transfer switch in our home outside Boston.

Our home has Carrier Infinity 3 ton heat pumps installed on the first and second floors.  The first floor has hydronic backup heat and the second has electric backup heat.

In order to avoid overloading the generator, the transfer switch sheds individual heavy loads when the total load gets too high.  I talked to my HVAC dealer about how to implement the load sheding feature for the heat pumps.  Initially we discussed the utility curtailment feature which allows utility companies to shed a heavy load in a home when the load on the grid is so heavy that it strains the utility's ability to maintain power.  However it turns out that this feature works for cooling but not heating, which won't work here because both heating and cooling loads must be shedable.  That leaves the conventional approach of removing power from the heat pumps and electric backup heat.  This is done by Generac System Management Modules (SMMs) that are connected to each load to be shed and disconnect the power to the load when needed.

The HVAC dealer consulted with their Carrier distributor rep who has said at times that "generator applications should always be designed by an electrical engineer".  Also at one point he recommended that the heat pumps be disabled when the generator is running, which of course would defeat the main purpose of the generator.

I'm concerned by the comments from the Carrier rep.  It may be that he's just being extra cautious but I can't be 100% sure.  Has anyone used a whole house generator with in Infinity heat pump?  Have they implemented load shedding by disconnecting power to the heat pumps?  I just want to make sure I'm not doing something that will cause problems in the future.

Thanks,
Mike

I worry your service might be much larger than your generator

Since I hear you are in the snowbelt, and have oil for heat only (never heard of an oil fired water heater or range), and 2 x 50A circuits just for the emergency heat (24kw right there) -- I'm worried that your house may be set up as an "All Electric Home".  What's often done in the snowbelt is to supply the house 400A service (aka 320A service) - commonly as two 200A panels side by side.  One panel entirely for the heat pump and emergency heat, and the other panel for "everything else".

If so, a 23KW whole house generator will be totally inadequate to cover the entire house.  Even the transfer switch will be expensive at 400A. I don't know what you have or what your loads are, but straight-up, 400A is 100kw. Even after removing the emergency heat from the picture, your other electric appliances can also overwhelm the generator.   You will need a lot of load-shed circuits, or a much bigger generator.  A 23kw generator is appropriate for a 100A house.

If my theory is correct, and you haven't said, then I'd say that one of us is missing something fairly significant about the discussion with the generator salesman. Perhaps the salesman has sold you something that hits your price point, and is indifferent to the actual usability of what results.... it may take months or years to uncover any deficiencies, by which time they gotcher money.

Load shed is the same basic tech

Regardless of utility or generator, the mechanics of shedding load are the same - either a big contactor that disconnects the load, or say, heat or A/C can be shed by manipulating the 24V thermostat lines; intercepting the thermostat's "call for heat" or "call for A/C".  That also allows the furnace and A/C to sequence itself normally if that matters to the unit, such as preventing short cycles.

So what's the business about A/C being sheddable and not heat? That's the power company talking, and they have a different business agenda than you.  The fact is, power demand goes up and down, and the grid must cope with this by spinning up and shutting down very large 50+ megawatt generators. 200MW coal plants and 1000MW nukes Do Not Like to be idled, so it falls to more expensive generators to be "peaking units", typically gas turbines or diesel engines.  Solar just happens to be a fabulous peaker.  Because the highest peaks all year are in summer afternoons, and the main component is air conditioning caused by solar load.

The power company wants to shave peaks any way they can, so they can build fewer peaking stations. (they're expensive; it's not just the $ per W, it's that the mortgage must be paid everyday even though they only run 27 afternoons a year!) Therefore they are interested in shedding peak loads - air conditioning!   They couldn't care less about shedding heating load, because that doesn't occur at peak times.

So the switching hardware that the power company uses can work for your generator, but the decisions of when to shed load need to be switched when you switch power source.  When on utility, the power company should decide when to shed A/C.   When on generator, the generator's control  system should decide when to shed A/C, water heater, range, electric heat, etc.

ThreePhaseEel says there are some implementation challenges in designing load sheds that work for all modes.  Ok.  However most thermostats are very simple creatures, and it should be possible somehow.  However this may be a "bridge too far" for a COTS (commercial off the shelf) system.  Mind you a thermostat interrupt may not shed load instantly on demand, if the furnace controller wants to run awhile longer to avoid a short-cycle etc.

Elegant design goes far

You may have gathered that simply brute-force attaching a generator to an all-electric home is a hard undertaking.  It helps quite a lot if the house can be "designed to be off-grid" by elegant choices in design and appliances.

A great example of this (requires propane or methane, not oil) is the "Empire style" wall furnace.  This unit requires no electricity whatsoever so it licks the problem of pipes freezing, without even needing to start a generator. The double-wall version is a 50,000 BTU brute, which is the equivalent of about 15,000 watts (60A) of emergency heat.  This machine is only sold in places like California, and is unobtanium anywhere in the rust belt, which makes no sense whatsoever.

This is an "Achilles' Heel" of almost every heating system in rust-belt homes: they all are designed to require active pumping to circulate heat or cool around the house.  They must pump fluid to radiators or mini-split heads, or forced air. This requires far too much non-thermal power, and makes "your pipes not freezing" totally dependent on large amounts of electricity.  (it's even a bit much for solar, especially in winter when you really need it, since you may not be there to broom snow off the collectors).

They come in other form factors, including direct-vent through-the-sidewall types.  They completely work on passive convection, so smart placement of the furnaces is essential so heat will be circulated around the house.  They use external "millivolt" thermostats, but can also be operated with a relay from a 24V thermostat, and can use both methods at once.  So for instance one might set the millivolt thermostat for 50 degrees F, so it only calls for heat if the 24V thermostat system has totally failed due to power out and the house has chilled. Now your generator has less load, and is not as critical.

Of course anything you can do to make a big electric appliance "not electric" also helps ease generator load.  At extremes, a house could be engineered so onsite solar panels could keep the house entirely livable and fully functional with grid power lost.  But in your case, I would focus on that very, very hungry emergency heat.   Two big Empire furnaces (or several smaller ones) would go far to assure your house can't freeze.


What is the best skim coating for polystyrene sheets? My log hut is extremely hot, I have glued polystyrene sheets to the ceiling and would like to skim to create a clean finished off appearance. The sheets are the pressed pellets type (not isoboard)

can normal gypsum/ rhinolite/ plaster work? Any advice would help.

If you attach (probably to the logs with long screws) metal lath

for the plaster to stick to, sure. If you only attach that to the foam, I kinda doubt it will stay, and without the lath I doubt the plaster will stay put long-term. Of course you could also just put drywall/plasterboard sheets up, again with screws long enough to hit wood (and adhesive, if you like.)


1930s roof with no felt lining, solutions without removing roof I've recently bought a 1930s house and looking in the loft space there's no felt lining. You can see the backside of the tiles from the inside. What would be the best way to achieve some sort of insulation / roof protection without having to remove the roof tiles? For example is there a spray-on product that creates the same effect as felt?

I'm trying to find the simplest way of bringing the roof into the present day without having to remove the tiles.

Any advice would be wonderful!

Thank you.

Mark Lawrence

Wood shingle roofs in Dallas used to be nailed onto strapping (battens) without any roofing felt underneath. Then when those shingles were worn out a layer of asphalt shinges was put over that, and I don't think roofing felt was used. (I do remember heavy wood shake roofs in the 1970s were installed with felt interleaved with the courses.)

If you have a 1930s roof and the wood structure underneath is not rotted, then you should leave it alone. When the roof needs to be be replaced, then probably OSB or plywood decking will be put down, and modern water barrier on top of that.


Do I need to do some drying before filling a small gap in the bathroom caulking? I discovered a small gap in the caulking between the floor and the bathtub.  The gap is an inch or two long -- but it's right where the water sprays at the edge, when someone takes a shower, and a very small puddle always forms there.

I propose to fill it with some silicone caulk.  Do I need to pull up some of the floor first to make sure the subflooring is not damp?

Should I run a space heater and a fan for 24 hours before caulking?

Is there some way of detecting whether there's a moisture problem underneath the floor?

OK, you had me at "a bulge with cracking". This is a little scary. Even though you don't feel any moisture doesn't mean it's not pooling on the top and rotting the wood. Tubs are heavy and tubs filled with water are a lot heavier. I really think you need to check into this a whole lot more unless you want a tub in the basement. You mentioned LVT flooring in the bath. You might want to consider removing a few planks and examine the subfloor. Hopefully some planks were leftover from when the floor was put down. If you determine all is good, a good silicone caulk applied after everything is dry and scraped clean is all you need. As mentioned above, try to eliminate the water running down the side or at least throw a towel down there before showering. Good luck.


How to get this electric panel up to code? This is my situation.  Am going to list my house, but this panel has always been like this.  We covered it with a mirror the whole time we’ve lived here.  I know, I know.  NOT the smartest move I’m sure.  Question is, will it meet code requirements if I have a cover or door installed?  Or is something more extensive needed?

Guess you'll have to go shopping for secondhand electrical parts
The good news is that with all the labeling in hand, it's rather easy to figure out which cover you need; the labels say right on them that this takes a HOMC20L125 cover.  However, your loadcenter is of an older design (Series 03) that has been discontinued for some time now, and according to this Square-D FAQ, the HOMC20L125 cover is no longer available from Square-D, with no substitute parts provided.  So, you'll have to find either the cover itself or a complete HOM20L125C series 03 loadcenter (note that Series 01 and 02 use a different cover P/N, and so do the series S0x Homeline loadcenters as they have convertible mains, a feature your loadcenter likely lacks given the lack of height up top) that you can harvest the cover from.


Adding Ground Conductor from Service to Upgraded Sub-Panel Upgrading electrical system with new 200 amp (main disconnect) service panel then underground 110 feet to house and a new 200 amp sub-panel. There is a 3 wire feed of 4/0 Au in 2" PVC conduit (with two 45 degree turns in the run) servicing the house now. To provide for a 4 wire feed and code, I need to run a 4th wire as a ground condutor (4 ga Cu) between the service and the sub-panel to meet code in El Dorado County, California. Unfortunately, I have been unable to get a fish tape through the conduit, past the first turn in the run. The upgrade and the county requires a 4 wire feed. The question is, can I run the ground conductor in a separate conduit pararell in the same trench (yes, I'll dig it) between the main service and the sub-panel? Thanks.

I quite agree, pulling three 4/0 Al wires is the kind of job a DIYer ends up getting stuck on and having to call an electrician just for his truck full of pulling tools.

How old is this work?  If it was legal to wire ungrounded at the time, it may be legal to retrofit ground using the NEC rules allowed for that.     For a retrofit, the rules are liberalized and you have a much wider set of choices for how to get it done.  Make that argument to the AHJ and see what they say.

Also, why dig a wnole 'nother trench? You only need to dig out the old trench to the 45, which I assume is only a few feet from the house and shed.  Then you can disconnect the wires, cut the pipe (carefully) and get the access you need to get the ground wire through.  If the joints were not cemented, it'd be even easier.   Really keeping an underground conduit watertight is a lost cause, it will fill up with water, that's why the wire has a THWN rating.  So not cementing it does make sense.  It's exactly what I'd do in that circumstance.

Also, if your wire is the obsolete AA-1350 type, just be careful with your terminations, make sure the lugs are made of aluminum (most are), use the anti-ox and torque them exactly to spec.  I see no reason to spend a fortune on new AA-8000 wire, they both conduct electricity just fine, the issue was always at the terminations, and even that was mainly an issue for the tiny wires (10-12 AWG) on Cu terminations.  On the other hand if the old wire is not outdoor rated, that's a different kettle of fish.


How to fix detachment of counter top laminate I would like to fix the corner of my kitchen countertop where the laminate is comming off (see photo).

Is there a clamp for this? What is it called?

Can I use epoxy or should I get a special adhesive for countertops? Is there something that is heat resistant?

Thanks

Laminate strips like that are often made of a material like the commercial product called Formica. The material was most likely originally installed with an adhesive called contact cement. This type of adhesive was painted onto both the strip and the edge of the counter top and let dry some before sticking the two parts together.

As you can see this type of adhesive can fail over time, especially when used on narrow areas like in your case. Unfortunately the presence of the old adhesive on both the strip and the counter top edge does severely limit the available choices of what you can use to re-adhere the strip. Epoxy would almost for sure not bond well with the old dried contact cement.

The best bet would be to use some stripper to remove the old contact cement before attempting a repair but that could be very difficult without removing the whole strip. It may be possible to apply an additional thin layer of new contact cement. It may soften the old adhesive enough that you can successfully rebond the end of that strip.


Outdoor copper water pipe My backyard has existing copper pipes outside that I want to reroute.   To keep like with like, I'll just continue using copper.  Are there any considerations or special types that I need to be aware of?  Specifically, is there a special type of pipe that is better suited for outside conditions.

No snow or freezing temps here.

If this is outdoors and possibly underground, understand that there are two types of hard copper pipe (as opposed to soft tubing); type L and type M. Both have the same external diameter so they both use the same fittings, but type M has thinner walls. It is for use where the pipe is going to be somewhat protected, as inside of a stud wall in a building. Type L has thicker walls so the inside diameter is slightly smaller, but it is much more resistant to accidental puncture and will last longer in terms of corrosion when in direct contact with soil. Some jurisdictions require that you use type L outdoors, so it's just better to go that way.


Can I use three 2x8 beams instead of two 2x10s for a deck? Can I have 3(2x8) beam/girder with 2x10 joists 12" OC? I'm building a 16x16 ledger mounted deck. Two footings were poured a little higher than they should be. There are four 16" footings of 5,000 psi concrete supporting 6x6 posts.

Reference the American Wood Council's Residential Wood Deck Construction Guide free download pdf.

It looks like 3 2x8 beams allow a longer joist span than 2 2x10s.


why doesn't my cedar hot tub rot? I want to put a cedar wood board in my shower in order to mount soap dispensers.  Of course I'd like it to look pretty and not construction-project-y.  How do I prep the board for this purpose?  How do I keep the wood from rotting from all the water? I have a cedar hot tub and all the inside is not stained at all.  Why doesn't this rot?

Cedar is often used for outdoor and other wet locations because of its high tannin content. Tannins are natural compounds that prevent bacterial and fungal decomposition (rot).

When used in exterior applications, such as home siding, cedar is often protected with oil stains or varnishes. This is primarily to protect from sun damage, which dries out the natural oils and fades the wood.

When used indoors, as in saunas and spas, cedar is usually left raw. Sealers tend to disintegrate quickly in very wet situations such as these, leaving it with a degraded appearance.

In your case, I'd either leave it raw or use a penetrating oil finish that can be reapplied periodically.


What type of insulation should I use in a knee wall? We have an unfinished bonus room over the garage on the second floor. A normal door goes to it and same height as rest of the 2nd floors and full sized windows and the house was zoned for the additional room but the original buyers from a few years ago decided to leave it unfinished.

In Southern New Hampshire we are in zone 5 which requires R49 to R60 for uninsulated attic and R13 to R21 for Wall Cavity and R5 to 6 for Wall Insulation Sheeting according to energy code website.

My question is in a knee wall which insulation would be required in the outside wall/roof and above the ceiling?.

As with any answer, you should check your local codes. However, Going with R-30 on top and R-13 on the sides is standard and will give you very good value. If you can, you should plan on putting R-30 into the 'diagonals' too, that is, where the rafters are above the knee-walls but below the ceilings. If you don't have enough room now, you can screw some 2x4s onto the bottom of the rafters to gain more room: it'll be worth it in the end.

Two things to remember: you don't have to or want to insulate away from living space. So, from your diagram, you would insulate vertically up the knee walls, but don't insulate in the area you close off, as you won't gain any value from it. Two, make sure when you insulate the sloped area where the rafters are, make sure you put baffles underneath the plywood before you install the insulation, to leave space for air to flow from the soffit vents up to the ridge vent.


What could cause my gas oven not to ignite? I have a Whirlpool gas oven Super Capacity 465.

The four cook-top burners work ok.

When I turn on the oven on broil, I hear gas hissing and igniters ticking. Within a second it ignites the top burner inside the oven. I could see flames from the jets.

On the other hand if I use the bake setting (to use the lower burner). I hear gas hissing, igniter ticking but it doesn't light up. It stops for a minute or so and tries again. It does light up rarely sporadically but not dependable. I opened the bottom panel to expose the burner and sprayed some oven cleaner over the jets. No luck. If I manually ignite the lower burner, it ignites. To try this I lighted up a small piece of paper, close the oven door and turn on the oven on bake setting. When the lower burner is burning, I can see all jets have a flame. I did this only to diagnose and later closed the bottom panel.

I have used the self cleaning feature of the oven a few times already without any luck.

My issue is similar to this but in my case the igniter is firing.

Some time back I discovered a gas leak from behind the oven but it was fixed by the gas company. They unscrewed the gas inlet hose and applied some kind of grease and tightened it again. I'm not sure if this could be related.

Since the oven has two burners, it would of course have two igniters - but either igniter could be busted and the other would still make noise. Can you look at the igniters? Are you sure both are firing? Because it would be easy for something to have fouled the lower igniter.

You really want to see that the igniter sparks at least as bright as the upper one before you say that it works.


how do I keep leaves and foreign objects out of the top of my a/c unit? Is it possible to make a lid that is light enough for the air coming off the fan to raise it attached with hinges so it drops back down when not in use. This would keep debris from getting inside, yet still be strong enough to close and protect the unit.

I used some 1/2" galvanized wire mesh to build a cover over my Mom's outdoor unit. I laid the wire on top and pushed it down all around the top of the unit. Then I cut it, leaving about 4" on the sides. It been there over 10 years, and keeps the leaves out.