Are there electrical outlet plates or devices that can be put inside the electric box to measure power usage? There are some outside the outlet devices that can measure power going through outlets like these:

But it's pretty massive and 70s looking. Has internet of things permeated to power usage yet?

Yes, If you Google "Smart outlets" and similar phrases you will find outlet replacement products that can be used to monitor the power usage of individual outlets.

  With the {proprietary product name}, controlling and monitoring the power usage in your home has never been easier.

  The {other product name} is the first intelligent plug boasting Air technology.
  - Powerful and switchable
  - Integrated temperature sensor
  - In-built energy and power consumption monitor

I'm not mentioning specific product names here because this isn't an advertising forum and because the actual products available depend on where you are and what year you are reading this.

CNet seem to have reviewed some - only a few do energy monitoring, most are smartphone controlled switches.


How to wire ceiling fan motor to supply but light kit to switch? Situation: Two wire supply source is at overhead box. Two wire runs to single pole wall switch. New ceiling fan with light kit.

I would like the light kit to be controlled like a conventional overhead light, while the fan motor is controlled by the on-board pull switch.

Is it possible to wire the ceiling fan motor to the supply side, while wiring the ceiling fan light to the switch loop? I think I need three wire on the switch side to do this, but not sure. This is an older house, so no common ground to parasitize, either.

Your wiring should look something like this.

The incoming "hot" connects to the black motor lead of the fan, and the white wire of the switch loop.  This white wire will be marked at both ends, with black tape, marker, or paint.
Connect the neutral from the feed to the neutral of the fan.
Connect the blue light kit wire, to the black wire coming back from the switch.
Connect all grounds.

This will allow the fan motor to always have power, so it will be controlled by the built in pull switch. The light, on the other hand, will be controlled by the wall switch.

Technically, this is no longer a code approved installation, since there's no neutral at the switch.  However, since you're simply installing a lighting fixture, you're not required to bring the wiring up to current code.


Replace Switch that's currently wired Supply -> Fixture -> Switch with an Insteon Switch? I'm trying to replace an electrical switch (controlling a whole house fan in attic that should only run when the downstairs windows are open to not suck air from the chimney) with an Insteon switch that can be controlled by Insteon controls (smartphone app/amazon echo).  (It's currently annoying as before bed, I hang out downstairs, have to walk to the attic, turn off the fan, walk downstairs, close the windows, and then go to bed and would be nice to turn off from downstairs.)

However, the switch for the fan is wired Supply -> Fixture -> Switch aka what is described as the "standard black-white setup" and with the images where wires are "coded black" here, where there are just two wires going into the switch a black wire and a white wire painted black at the end.  The Insteon device needs a neutral and ground, which do not seem to be present.

Could someone verify that I (or an electrician) needs to run new wires between the supply and the switch and then back to the fan, putting the switch between the supply and the fixture?  Or more specifically, there isn't another type of programmable switch that could work in this setup without rewiring (and preferably is compatible with Insteon hub and/or amazon echo)?

Insteon does make "2-wire" dimmer switch modules.  But not relays which you would need for motor control.  I presume this is because a closed relay would leave no current for the circuitry in the Insteon module itself to run, and the dimmers basically only go up to 99% intensity using the power of that last % to run the module.

Having deployed a significant number of insteon modules myself,

Here's what I would do:

Buy an additional Insteon switch module or remote fob for the new remote switch location
Buy a 'micro on-off module' to be placed in the attic in the fan's jbox.

Take the old switch out of line of the fan.
Wire the switch module you already have up where you want it, and ignore its red load wire.  (Cap it safely with a wire nut.)
In the fan's j-box:

Wire together in parallel:

the mains in.
the line out to your replacement switch.
the input to the mini on/off.

Connect the fan to the mini on/off's output.
Cap off the micro on/off's purple and yellow sense wires.

At this point you should be able to control the fan from the buttons on the mini on/off module
Use programming to make either switch module control the mini-relay, and all other switches.  (Making a switch control another switch might seem useless, but it is what will keep your indicator lights in sync.)

You are probably going to want to have one of their pc link modules and the pc software to do the programming.  But it can be done following tedius steps with just your fingers.  If you want to do it without the pc software, PROTIP, wire everything up temporarily on a table top and program it there before taking modules to their final install locations.

THE CHEAPSKATE OPTION:

If you want to save the cost of one of the Insteon switch modules (they aren't cheap) would involve taking advantage of the relay module's "sense wires".

You could for instance connect a switch between sense wire 1 and line.
That switch would then be able to actuate the relay directly without sending Insteon signaling.  That switch could be a 50 cent on/off switch in the wall where the old timer switch used to be.

Programming micro relays that use sense wires is difficult and I have ran into firmware bugs that flat out render their micro relays bricked in the on position in some circumstances until you factory reset them.  You won't want to go up into the attic to do this all the time, so consider skipping the cheapskate option.


Can I install a LED Transformer in a junction box? I want to put a series of LED tape lights under the bathroom medicine cabinet.

My bathroom has a series of lights above the medicine cabinet that are controlled by a switch, and I'd like to tie the under-cabinet lights into this circuit.

The thought I had was to tie a small transformer into the line voltage and stuff it into the junction box that holds the light fixture, and run low voltage wires down and behind the medicine cabinet to the LED tape.  I only need a watt or two.

Questions:

Are there transformers that are small enough to put in junction boxes?
Is this against the electrical code, and if so, how do most people deal with this?

Some are.  You can also get transformers designed to mount into a 1/2” knockout in a junction box.  The transformer proper sits outside the box. You can also find transformers which sit on the outside of a metal box cover.   These are very common in 24VAC.

These are typically true transformers.   You may be using the word "transformer" loosely to mean any low voltage power supply.  That may be a bit harder to find.

Any device you put on 120V power should be UL listed for the purpose, or inside a listed metal enclosure.

Another option, if there is a metal fixture involved, is to mount the power unit inside the fixture.

You do need to watch out for box fill limitations.   Don't overstuff the box.


How can I fix these peeling cabinets? Our house is less than 6 years old and our cabinets are peeling.  How can I fix it?

You are going to have to re-finish. If it is just the doors, I have seen people leave the cabinet face-frames alone and just refinish the doors. If it really is particle board there will likely be no way to restore them to an acceptable "wood-look" finish; you will probably need to consider painting them.

To paint, make sure you sand all surfaces until any material that is peeling, AND any material that looks like it might peel, is removed. Fine sand to knock down any gloss, then wipe the surfaces clean with mineral spirits (paint thinner), turpentine, lacquer thinner, or some other solvent. Prime with a high-hiding latex binding primer like BIN 1-2-3, then use a good quality gloss or semi-gloss paint with a professional grade paint brush (don't skimp on the paintbrush for the finish coat, your end result will be way better).

it's a lot of work, but nothing good is ever easy.


What is the proper way to vent a dryer through a crawlspace? I am selling a brick, pier and beam home that has a Dryer in the garage that currently vents into the crawlspace. I had run flex tubing through the crawls space to the crawlspace vent.  The inspector indicated I could not run the tubing to the crawlspace vent because it had a screen on it.

What is the correct way to vent this dryer? Do I need to drill a hole in the brick exterior for the ventilation?

The "proper" way to vent the dryer, is to go out the wall.  This could be the wall of the garage, or the wall of the crawlspace. Though if you're venting through the wall of the crawlspace, you'll want to make sure the vent is the proper distance away from any crawlspace vents.

You're also supposed to use rigid metal duct, not the flexible crap. There are also limits on the vent length, which is reduced by bends in the duct. Check manufacturer installation instructions for vent requirements, and restrictions.

In the best case, venting into the crawlspace is blowing moisture and lint into the crawlspace. Worst case, you're pumping combustion byproducts into the space as well.


Cutting powder coated steel - how do I prevent rust? We have a series of powder-coated electrical cupboards that need to be cut open to install recessed components. The exact product description can be found on the manufacturer's website.
The manufacturer describes the material as such (abbreviated for brevity) :

1.2 mm mild steel for enclosures ... Folded and seam welded ... Structured powder coating ... For outdoor installation, the use of a
rain hood ARF and 100% polyester paint coating is recommended. The
corrosion resistance must be taken into consideration.

The enclosures will be installed indoors but are expected to attain a service life of at least 20 years.
We want to install an embedded touch screen in the door and also install air vents and a cooling system on the side. This requires cutting openings in the door and sides.
How do I prevent the fresh steel around the cutouts from rusting?
From what I've found on the internet, it seems the best option is to re-powder-coat where we have cut (but I don't know how to do that), I was hoping for an easier solution :

A spray-paint type product?
A tar based plumbing product, maybe?

Rustoleum 7769 Rusty Metal Primer is my go-to for outdoor things.  The cleaner they are, the better it works, but it works with wire-wheel levels of rust removal.
I'm a "prosumer" painter.  I know how to handle the dangerous stuff like LPU, and I don't mind paying $300/gallon if it means I'll never have to paint it again.  I've delved deep into http://corrosion.ksc.nasa.gov and I'm willing to use the mil-spec 2-part chromate primers (the green stuff on new airplanes and locomotives).  That's the only stuff I've found that will beat Rustoleum 7769 on clean metal (as in SSCP-SP10 near-white-metal prep).  For worse prep (e.g. wire-wheeled) I simply haven't found anything at all.
The fact that Rusto 7769 is readily available in the consumer channel just makes it all the better.
Keep in mind my criterion is that it doesn't fail, until the topcoat above it fails.  I prevent topcoat failure by using LPU topcoat, but you don't need to do that.
I would dab it onto the cut edge with the cheapest natural bristle brush at the hardware store, e.g. an "acid brush" (~3/8" wide) or a cheapie "chip brush".   If you bought a spray can and realized what a mess that will be, and want to brush, simply shoot a little spray into a soup can (cleaned out and dried, obviously) until you have a tiny puddle of liquid paint.
Rusto is an "oil based" alkyd, and it will stink. There's no water-based product that will do what you want.  (least not in the consumer tier).


How should I safely replace Central Vacuum faceplates? The covers for the faceplates of my central vacuum system have started to break off from age. How do I safely replace these? These are technically wired for electricity right? Is this a job for an electrician?

This central vac system is one of the older ones where the powered floor brush plugs into its own outlet external from the faceplate.

If the brush gets power from a separate outlet, then more than likely the voltage going to the vacuum outlets is very low (maybe 5v), just enough to detect a connection.  But it doesn't hurt to shut the breaker off to the central vacuum, if for no other reason than to keep the thing from turning on and sucking up your screws.


Is it bad that my porcelain tiles were stored outside in the rain? I just picked up my porcelain floor tiles from the warehouse. They were stored outside in the rain for a week. They're still wet and being aired out now. But they smell of mold. Is this bad news?

If they are true porcelain, they have not absorbed water.  Porcelain are rated for exterior applications.

Some people generically call ceramic tiles porcelain, which may not be rated for continuous water exposure.

The porcelains will completely clean up and not harbor anything other than a surface covering of mold, which might have come from the packaging.

Update

Tile Council  of North America (TCNA) Porcelain Certification

  Porcelain tile is defined as an impervious tile with a water absorption of 0.5% or less
   as measured by the ASTM C373 test method. There are, however, many instances in which
   tile not meeting this standard is advertised and sold as porcelain tile.
   Marketplace confusion, installation problems and even liability concerns can result
   when non-porcelain tile is misrepresented in the marketplace.


How to attach short bottom plate for door frame to concrete floor? I'm framing out my basement, which I've done once before in an old house. I use the treated wood (green board?) for the bottom plate, raise up the frames, get everything level, and use cut nails to attach into the concrete.

But for framing out doors, where I want to have the door close to the beginning of the wall, I need to somehow put multiple nails through a 5 or 6 inch piece of green board, and I don't have any room with the king studs and jack studs, to do it after I build the frame, but I don't want to toenail, either, makes keeping it plumb difficult.

More importantly, when I tried this once already, I split the green board. Should I just attach the frame real well to the perpendicular wall and not worry about it? Should I liquid nails the bottom plate to the concrete? Both?

You could run your PT plates across the doorway to begin with, then cut them out after the fact. (Predrill the plate and use tapcon style screws and you won't split even a short bit of plate.) The upside of this is that you'll have a straight line across the doorway. Build a wall on this with another bottom plate/studs/top plate and it's easy to plumb it.

Alternately, you could skip the plate and attach the framing to the wall, but that could have issues with the lumber running nice and straight in line with your opening. Best practices would have you use pressure treated lumber in contact with concrete. (It's a bit of a waste of lumber to have 4 or 5-2x4s stacked up where you don't need them. Plus you'll have a hard time putting a light switch there.)


Is it safe to connect dish washers and laundry machines to hot water? Is it a good practice to connect the dish washer and laundry machine to the hot water line, instead of the cold water line?

My house has heated water, so this would save energy and time; I wonder if there are any risks or caveats.

The problems are twofold: too hot for some things and too cold to save much.

A modern washing machine uses surprisingly little water (though top-loaders still use quite a lot). By the time the hot has come through, most front loaders will already be full. At this point the water just cools down in the pipes wasting heat, while the machine's heater has to run. Many programs use cold water for at least the first rinse.  If you connect only a hot line you waste more heat at this step. By the final rinse the water will be quite hot. But when you want a cool wash for delicate clothes, the final rinse will still be hot (even if all previous steps aren't) thus ruining expensive clothes.

Some machines may also get confused and refuse to run if the incoming water (expected to be cold) is above the  program's setpoint.

Cold feed only is the norm in Europe, specifically to save energy. The only exception would be if hot water is plentiful but electricity is expensive. This is rare.

The situation is similar for dishwashers.

To answer your title: no, or at least probably not given that it's cold feed only


I have a leaking drain in my kitchen sink There are two washers that are constantly coming loose under my kitchen sink. I've tightened and retightened both of them with a pipe wrench, but they always come loose.

They don't seem to be stripped or rusted or anything like that, so I'm guessing that I can probably fix them pretty easily, but I have zero experience with plumbing.

I was thinking that some type of a glue or wax could work, and I found something through a Google search called pipe dope, but it's hard to tell if it would be the best thing to use in my case.

Just wanted to make it clear that I live in a rented apartment. Since our landlord is a guy in his 80's who owns this building, which is a two story duplex, I usually heat try to fix the small stuff without bothering him. He used to do all of the maintenence himself, but he can't any more. He'd have to call his repair guy, and this is such a small thing.

We've lived here for three years now, and I've never had trouble with the plumbing in the kitchen until recently. I don't know what sort of materials were used whenever this plumbing was installed.

Any tips are appreciated!

Thanks!

Curious that they are coming loose, but pipe dope would insure a good seal and may gum up the threads enough to keep it from working loose again. I typically use pipe dope in the seal area, some always gets on the threads, it is non hardening, so it can still be disassembled when needed.


Laminate flooring edging I've installed some laminate flooring, and am coming to do the edging.  I'm aware that I can't fix the edging to the floor itself, but to the wall.  However, the wall is just brick.  I've tried using PVA and even silicone, but it's very difficult to get it to actually stay on the wall.  Does anyone have any suggestions as to something else I could use to fix the edging in place?

You need a heavy duty construction adhesive.  PL, Loctite Power Grab, Liquid Nails, etc.

PL makes a trim adhesive that should work well on that brick - it sets up kind of slow but once it gets set up it will stick that trim to brick just fine.


Is there a setup where I can leave the water on all summer? I have an elderly person that is no longer able to walk the land to reach the faucet.  It's about 20' between the safe patio and the faucet.  She needs to turn on the faucet in order to hand water the garden (a task she enjoys so not thinking of using drip system).   My idea is to run a hose to the patio.  Then put a shut off valve there.  This means the hose and other equipment will need to be able to handle constant pressure for 3 months at a time in Texas.

Is there a hose and shut off that can handle this job?  My initial thought is a heavy duty hose and a brass shut off coupling.

There's really not much that can fail in a setup like that if you use quality components. A hose bib on a post or standpipe used to be a common sight in gardens before underground irrigation became so common.

Even with old rubber hoses disaster rarely struck. Modern reinforced hoses make failure a very remote possibility that shouldn't dissuade you from following your plan.

Run a good hose from the faucet and install whatever valve or hose bib that suits the good lady's needs.


What mortar mix for flaunching on chimney stack? What mix and sand\cement ratio's should I use for replacing a chimney stack flaunching?

I've seen suggestions to add some sharp sand to the building sand, and other suggestions to add lime or plasticizer or even PVA glue, but without an explanation of why I don't want to risk it!

Nobody answered so I went with:

2 parts sharp sand
1 part soft/builders sand
1 part cement

Seemed to work ok.


What, if anything, can I do to fix this treadmill? A 10s video of my loud, squeaky treadmill operating is shown here.

As the video shows, it squeaks and makes a grinding sound, and it is much louder when a person is running on it. I have to wear earplugs to use it.

I bought it new only a year ago, the model is 'Sole F63 Treadmill'.

Any ideas on what I might try to fix it? It was a huge pain to put together but I would be willing to take it apart and try to fix since these things are expensive and I cannot buy another. Do you think a manageable fix might be possible, e.g. by oiling something in there or maybe replacing some bearing?

You bought it new a year ago, and the manufacturer appears to have a decent warranty. Contact them. Any "taking it apart to fix it" is likely to interfere with the proper warranty process.

For reference, it's probably something wrong with the motor; you can confirm by using a cardboard tube or the like to focus on specific areas of the treadmill.


Digging 4-foot drainage trench I am contemplating digging a drainage trench to drain my gutters instead of just having them empty onto my lawn. My plan is to go down 4 feet which is the frost line here and then install perforated drainage pipe which will funnel the water away from the house into small underground gravel beds. I have two questions.

(1) The soil in my area is sand. How big do I need to make the gravel beds to ensure drainage with no backups?

(2) Can I rent a small excavator to do this, or is operating those things strictly for professionals? Will I find it easy to dig a 16 inche wide, 4-foot deep trench?

Tyler, This can be tough to give based on area. Where I live 3" is a huge storm but we have constant rain at small amounts for months. The first system I built was a 500 cubic foot catch basin the house was under 1800 sf. the system filled at almost 2x the rate I had expected (full in February). The next year I added a 2nd cistern now watering my plants with fresh water was getting expensive. Both cisterns were completely full by March the 3rd year. There was not that much rain. what I missed in the winter the water table in my area jumps close to 6' so the over flow drains were actually back backfilling the tanks with water. My 2 over flow drains were basically shallow (2-3’) French drains 8” wide both 75’ long that drained into a seasonal creek at the bottom of the property. Depending on the water table in your area a drain field may be all you can do.  I have belt rock basins (large pits to catch run off filled with rock) to catch the water and allow it to filter back into the ground instead of being run off into storm sewers. This would not work at the home in Oregon. This was meant to be a comment but is too long.  I wanted to explain that it can be difficult for a DIY because there are factors we don’t think about. Good Luck.


Relay in Thermostat: current capability \ rating When designing a thermostat, a relay must swtich a 24V AC signal to call for cooling / heat / fan etc.

Industry standard thermostat wire color code used for most systems:

White. The white wire connects to your heat.
Yellow. The yellow wire connects to your compressor.
Green. The green wire connects to the fan.
Orange. This wire connects to your heat pump (if applicable).
Red (C). The Rc wire connects to the cooling system.
Red (H). The Rh wire connects to the heating system. This wire may be red without an “H” attached, in some cases.
Blue. The blue wire on the thermostat is the Common or “C” wire.

Is there a rule of thumb to determine the minimum current rating of a  thermostat relay?  I see many relays for raspberry pi that can accommodate 10 Amperes and would like to know if currents are typically under 1A.

Well, the entire system tends to be powered by a bog-standard 25VA or 40VA transformer at 24 volts.  That means total amperage available to the system is either 1.04A or 1.6A.

So I think a 10A relay is pretty safe design choice.


On demand water heater flow loss I removed a traditional water heater with 1" fittings and 3/4" pex to and from it with a on demand heater that has 1/2" fittings.

So I currently have 3/4" pex to the heater with 1/2" fittings.  I have noticed a significant decrease in flow to the shower.  Is there an easy way to resolve this?

thanks

Get a different water heater with larger fittings.


GE THQL1120GF Equivalent replacement breaker I have a hot tub served by an outside panel with a 220 volt gfi breaker and a 120 v 20 amp gfi breaker.  The 20 amp breaker has tripped a couple of times and I've noticed that the TEST function button on it no longer works.  I'd like to replace that breaker, A GE THQL1120GF breaker.  Although I have found a few places that sells that breaker in new condition it seems it has been discontinued by GE. I also see that I could get a GE THQL1120GFTP from ACE hardware or Menards (a Wisconsin big box building material store) or a GE THQL1120GFT from several online sources.
Can I substitute the THQL1120GFTP or the THQL1120GFT for the THQL1120GF?  are they electrically and mechanically equivalent?  Which might be the better replacement?
Or is there some other brand breaker (Siemans) that's equivalent to the THQL1120GF?

You're looking at the right thing, either way
The THQL1120GF was replaced with the THQL1120GFT when the UL 943 mandate for automatic self-testing in GFCIs went in; the P suffix is likely simply for blister (retail) packaging vs a breaker sold loose, as you'd get at an electrical supply house.


Dead circuit off of GFI outlet Wiring going into and out of GFCI outlet. The circuit breaker is good and so is the GFCI outlet reset. Outlets that appear to go one direction from the GFI are working while outlets that appear to go another direction from the GFCI are not. I have checked the connections, stabs and screws, on the effected outlets and they appear to be solid. I'm not too familiar with GFCI circuits and assumed that every outlet coming through the GFCI would be daisy chained. Is this the case? If this is not the case, I am assuming that there is an open between the functioning outlets and the dead outlets. One anomaly that I noticed was, with the circuit breaker off, as I was putting an outlet back in place, the bare ground wire touched a pole on the outlet and arced. Am I getting bleed over from another circuit? Any help would be greatly appreciated. (Note that the GFCI outlet is directly next to the breaker box and all outlets appear to be the other side of the outlet.)

From your description a line in (the hot or feeder)
The load out (2 circuits going different directions).
Look at your line and load neutrals I see 3 wires on the line and only 2 on the load that will cause issues.
It also looks like one of the black hot’s has damaged insulation but it is a guess as it is fuzzy on my phone.
The line hot and neutrals should be connected on the line 2 wires looks like an extra neutral.
The load outputs should each connect to 2 circuits looks to be 1 short on the neutral.
Or did this get wired with line and load reversed I can’t quite tell on my phone.


Is their a Radiator Safe expanding Foam? So I live in an apartment building and I have a Bug problem, go figure. I have had my place sprayed repeatedly to try and get rid of them, but within a few weeks they're always back, worse than when the cat came back. I have fought with the management office to no avail on fixing the holes in my wall -- in particular, the huge-ass holes left in the dry wall around the radiators going from wall to wall. I have given up.  I can't afford to move.  I want to live better. Is there foam or anything I can use that is heat-resistant and safe to touch a hot metal surface.  The holes are quite large, about 6x5.  They left off the whole bottom corner of dry wall where the radiator is and thought because the cover was there, that was ok.  Any tips, suggestions, or advice?  Please help!

See if you can get some drywall scraps (you certainly don't want to buy a whole sheet for this) and fill in the corner, then fill the remaining gaps with drywall compound (both of which are fine with hot metal.)

For a dire kludge if you can't manage to beg some scraps you could build up the whole thing from drywall tape and compound, but ANY place that's being drywalled generates scraps (and they are throwing them away) - anyone who has needed to do a large repair probably has the remaining part of the sheet they had to buy sitting in a basement or closet - you should be able to find some.

You might want to use silicone caulking between the drywall patch and the pipe itself, just because it will be less prone to cracking (so more resistant to bugs) than drywall compound right up against a hot pipe.

As to your question, yes, any of the polyurethane foams (read the label) are safe with a hot pipe, and you could potentially use the "low-expansion" type to augment this approach to sealing the wall - but I would not recommend it as the only method. Actually, given that you are in an apartment (and that a single can will probably do you) I'd suggest the "fireblock" type of foam if buying a can of foam.


LED bulbs won't screw in far enough My led bulbs will not screw far enough in my regular light socket. I am considering adding a small circular magnet to the base of the LED before screwing into the socket to add additional length to the bulb base. Is this safe?

Don't do this -- it'll expose some of the threads on the bulb, which are connected to the neutral.  (It's a good way to get bit if you need to change the bulb again.)

An E26 to E26 extender should fix this without causing any safety issues.  You can also try turning the power off at the breaker and bending the back (hot) contact of the bulb base up with a wooden tongue depressor or other suitably nonconductive instrument so that it makes contact with the hot contact on the bulb.


Tesla Mobile Connector tripping GFCI on NEMA 5-15 Many times when I plug in my Tesla, the GFCI 5-15 outlet in our garage trips, killing the whole circuit. It usually works fine after resetting the GFCI and trying again. This happens whether or not I have the charger plugged into a regular outlet or the GFCI one.
I've read that GFCI outlets "get old/wear out" over time and become more sensitive, and this one is likely at least 6 years old. Something about Tesla charger testing out the ground when starting to charge? Would it be a good idea to try and replace it? It appears it's on a 20amp circuit (at least, all breakers in panel are 20amp+), so I should be alright going with a 5-20 receptacle while I'm at it, correct? Might as well get a little extra amperage if I'm going to replace it anyway.
Update: I purchased a new 5-15 outlet and installed it, have had no issues since.

1 - If this is a 20A circuit but the device is designed for 15A (two straight up prongs instead of one up, one sideways) then changing to a 20A receptacle will make absolutely no difference.
2 - GFCI tripping, in some circumstances, is due to an actual failure of the GFCI itself. I don't think 6 years old is all that old (I have some that are 20 years old and working just fine), but replacing it may have some effect. A GFCI in a garage is likely subject to extreme temperatures which can affect lifetime.
3 - GFCI tripping, in most circumstances, is due to a failure of the device you are plugging in or due to moisture. Make sure that the plug/cord is totally dry before plugging it in and that there are no exposed conductors, crimped cords, etc. that could be the source of a real problem.
4 - Charging a Tesla, or any EV, off a 5-15 receptacle is extremely limiting. Going up to a 5-20, provided the charger will actually make use of it (which should mean that it has a 5-20 plug, which is actually quite unlikely because of other better options) would increase charge rate by 33%. But going to a 6-20 (20A 240V) would more than double your charge rate and going up from that to a 14-50 (50A 240V) will give you a LOT more charging capacity. See the Tesla manual for details.
Upgrading the receptacle (beyond 5-20) will require new wiring. How easy or hard that will be depends on:

Your total electric service - i.e., whether you have enough capacity or need to get a utility upgrade
Space on the panel for a new double-breaker
Work involved running a new circuit from your panel to the garage

But long term, it will almost certainly be worth the effort. It can easily make the difference between being able to charge overnight after a long trip vs. getting up in the morning and finding you are only at 25%.


Garbage disposal problem -- do i need to replace? My garbage disposal (2008 InSinkErator Evolution Compact) started leaking today because the rubber of this part that connects to the tail pipe split open. I pulled it off and noticed this on the inside of the disposal. I know nothing about disposals, but that doesn't look right to me -- so before I go through the effort of trying to fix it, is this the sign of a greater problem and should I be replacing the entire disposal?

This is the first issue I've had with the disposal in the 2+ years I've owned the house -- so will cleaning it up and replacing the part be enough? More photos of disposal here.

... should I be replacing the entire disposal?

You could try removing the disposer and cleaning up the waste elbow outlet, which looks like it may have been permanently damaged by corrosion. As a note, you can remove the disposer without disturbing the sink flange/basket assembly by tapping the large fastening ring counter-clockwise until it releases.

The waste elbow outlet requires a specific type of gasket particular to that brand of disposer, and the connection is held with a special plate and screw. Confirm that you have these, then reassemble and test to ensure it does not leak. Your only alternative is to replace the entire unit.


Install an occupancy sensor, old switch has 3 black wires I have an odd situation. I bought a simple occupancy sensor switch but when I opened it up there's an additional red load wire. The existing switch has 3 black wires and the neutral and ground are tied to each other in the box. How do I install the occupancy sensor?

WARNING: This procedure requires working on live wiring. If you're not comfortable with that, contact a local licensed Electrician.

Turn the light switch off, then use a multimeter/voltmeter to check for voltage between the ground and the terminals on the switch. One terminal will read line voltage (120 volts), while the other should read 0 volts.

Once you know what's what, turn off power to the circuit and verify that it's off.

The terminal that reads line voltage, is the line side terminal.  If that's the terminal with one wire, attach the single wire to the black wire of the new switch. If it's the terminal with two wires, attach both of those wires to the black wire of the new switch.

Attach the wire(s) from the other terminal (the 0 volt terminal), to the red (load) wire of the new switch.

Connect the white wire from the new switch, in with the other white wires in the box. Connect the green wire from the new switch, in with the other grounds in the box.

Use twist-on wire connectors, or other approved means to make the connections. Make sure you use connectors rated for the number, and size of wires you're connecting.


How do I fix a leaky toilet that only leaks from underneath? I am noticing some water spots on my concrete in my (unfinished) basement.  When I look up for the cause of the water I can see water dripping around the hole that is used for the sewer pipe for the toilet (upstairs).  (Note: there is a lot of duct work around that spot, but I am fairly sure that is the source.)

Close examination around the base of the toilet (and in the upstairs bathroom in general) shows no water or moisture of any kind.  It also only seems to leak when I flush it (I tried not flushing it for a few days and the wet spots started to dry out.)

So, I am not sure what to do.  Should I rip my toilet off and try and fix it?  Any ideas on how to do that?  (I have never needed to install a toilet before.)

I am reasonably "handy" around the house, but if this is going to be a big/complicated job I would like to know so I can just hire a plumber.

You can try replacing the wax ring.  Usually, that will fix the type of leak you describe.

Essentially, there is a wax gasket which seals the area between the flange (in the floor) and the porcelain (on the bowl).  Due to age/movement/etc, this gasket will eventually fail, and cause leaking when the toilet is flushed.

Replacing the ring is a relatively straight forward procedure:

Remove the toilet

Turn off the water to the bowl
Disconnect the flexible water pipe from the shutoff valve
Flush the toilet, holding down the handle to get rid of as much water as possible (use a plunger to push the remainder out)
Loosen the bolts on either side of the bowl (These may be corroded or completely stuck.  You may have to hacksaw these off)
Gently rock the bowl side to side to release the seal, and then move the toilet off of the drain
Invert the bowl, exposing the seal on the bottom of the toilet.

Install a new wax ring

Remove the old wax material from both the bowl and the flange with a putty knife (you will likely also find a plastic "funnel", which can be removed as well)
Take your new wax ring, and install it on the bottom of the bowl (the rounded portion will be facing up towards the bowl.
If you were forced to hacksaw the bolts from the flange, install the replacement bolts to the same position on the flange.

Reinstall the toilet

Lift the toilet back up, and thread the bolts through the holes on the side of the bowl (do not let the wax ring touch the ground until you are ready to drop it in its final position).
When the bowl is in its final resting position, sit on the bowl to seat it in place.  Rock back and forth gently to squeeze the wax ring.  The base of the toilet should now be resting on the ground around the entire base.
Reinstall the washer and bolts holding down the toilet.  Be careful when tightening these bolts (do a little at a time, switching between the 2 as you go).  You do not want to break the flange or the bowl.
Trim up the bolts with a hacksaw to adjust the length (if necessary). Reinstall the plastic caps over the bolts.
Reconnect the flexible water line to the shutoff valve
Turn on the water


What kind of lightbulb(?) is in this chandelier? I've come across images from a chandelier by Mathieu Lehanneur for Chateau Borely. Even after looking at it quite for a while and going through everything I've ever seen, I couldn't really imagine what light source/bulb (I don't know the English word) this is. After reading the article on Dezeen, I saw that it's

  Glass tubes containing strips of LEDs

and at the end of the article

  LEDs, tubes of borosilicate glass, luminous control system.

It's hard to imagine how a glowing tube could be made out of LEDs as those are single/point light sources. How would this be build/made?

Images and copyright notices can be found on Dezeens original article.

There is also something called El-Wire. It is a flexible cable that is fluorescent. It can be powered of batteries and is popular on clothes, like dancers - But the applications are endless for this glow wire.

I bought 10 metres of this and it is really funky stuff. I bought really thin el wire for christmas decorations but you get various thickness.

Explanation

El wire is quite different from standard lighting. What makes it work is high frequency alternating currents and not really the input voltage. I have read that powering it up directly from 110vac or 220vac will light them up but it will be dimm because its on 50/60hz.

The general standard indicates that the transformer box you get with it steps up (or down) to somewhere between 90~120vac at 1000 Hertz - You can get transformers that can even power a few hundred feet by a AA battery up to several days. This high frequency is what excites the phosphor coating and causes it emits light.

Regulating the frequency makes it brighter or dimmer. The input voltage also makes it brighter or dimmer but too much or too little voltage will deplete the phosphorus layer quicker. Unlike LED's el wire will eventually burn out and become really dimm.


AC Blower Motor not working during night The blower motor in the furnace stops working at night most of the time when the AC should be on.  The blower motor (in the furnace) might run for one or two cycles at the beginning of the night but then it stops working the rest of the night.  The outside condenser will run all night, draining my bank account, since it's being told to by the thermostat.  Because the blower motor stays off most of the night, this causes the AC lines to freeze from the compressor (outside) to the evaporator (inside on furnace).  At some point during the morning, the blower motor starts working again somewhere around the time where the thermostat set point changes (programmable thermostat) and everything thaws out and starts working again.  During the daytime, there seems to rarely be problems, but they do happen occasionally as verified by my online data gathered by the smart thermostat (Ecobee).

I have tested as follows.  At 2:00AM, when AC lines are frozen, the condenser is running (fan and compressor), and the blower motor is called for but not working, I completely shut off the system at the thermostat.  I then use the thermostat's installation testing feature to manually turn on the "fan" (aka blower motor).  The blower motor does not come on even though I have verified 28VAC is present at the "G" (fan) connection at the furnace when this manual test is activated.  I have even disconnected power completely to the furnace, waited 10 minutes, plugged everything back in, and still see the same results most of the time.

When the problem persists for 4 or more hours, the thermostat will detect something is up and display the following on the screen - "Cooling problem... There may be a problem with the Cooling system.  For the past 4 hours the thermostat has been calling for cool, but the room temperature has increased by 3.9F"

My AC repairman has taken out the blower motor and tested everything, seeing no issues.  Now a new motor control board is on the way but I'm a bit skeptical that this will solve anything after reading some other posts on Stack Exchange with similar issues and no solutions...

Update:  The new motor control board was installed yesterday and everything worked during the day.  However, the system again froze last night after the furnace blower motor had been non-functional for enough time.  The thermostat again displayed the "Cooling problem..." alert as we were sweating in bed.  The low pressure line outside was a Popsicle when I checked it at sunrise as the system continued to cycle on/off with no blower motor.

You may have a run capacitor for the blower fan that is going bad.


How do I make my gas furnace throw out warmer air? I just bought a new house. It has a 2007 gas furnace. The make is a 2007 heil furnace .

I would like to know how to adjust the furnace to make it throw warmer air out of the ducts.

You can't.  Furnaces are either one stage where they output a single temperature, or two stage where they output two different temperatures depending on the temperature difference they make up.  Your thermostat controls this.

The air coming out of your furnace is far hotter then your thermostat setting, but your thermostat shuts off the furnace when the ambient air temperature reaches its setting.

Your only real option you can control is how long you run the furnace for.


Rain water collection barrel pump I have a rain water collection barrel attached to a section of my gutter.  I have a simple sediment filter attached to the barrel as the water is used inside a studio for a air chiller.  I want to increase the pressure of the water so it can flow through a 15' hose (a 50' hose would be even better but not necessary).  What pump option should I go with?

It depends on how much height difference more than length of hose.  For a couple feet of lift, you can use a fountain pump.  But if you need more speed and more lift, then a submersible utility pump will work.  Note that the utility pump may not be designed for long term use, they are typically used for draining something that has flooded and then going back into the tool shed.  And both expect that the other end is always open.

Depending on exactly how you plan to use this, a sump pump may be ideal to lift the water from a low barrel to a higher one, and then you can tap the higher barrel for your purposes, only opening the tap when needed.  You'd want to wire up the pump to automatically cutoff when the top barrel is full.


Drilling holes in 'styroglass' I have a sheet of styroglass, which I assume by the name to be a clear polystyrene.

I want to drill some M4 holes into it, which are about 2.5cm separated from each other.

However, I only have drillbits for wood and stone here. Will I be able to dill the holes with these or do I risk to crack the material? Should I go for another type of dillbit or just use strong glue?

Clear polystyrene appears to be a type of plastic, so I would say a wood drill bit should work.  However, be careful about heat - you dont want to melt it.  Take a break to let the bit cool if its starts getting hot.


Can I remove accumulated sawdust from fiberglass insulation? I have an unfinished basement with framed and insulated (the yellow fiberglass stuff) walls, but no sheet rock. Over time there has been a lot of accumulation of sawdust on the insulation as the area is a workshop. I'm now planning to finish the room. I want to remove the sawdust but I don't see a practical way to vacuum the dust without continually sucking in insulation. Is there a practical way to do this or should I replace the insulation?

Blow it out with compressed air instead.  Any of the modern, "made safer" type blow guns should be weak enough to not tear up the insulation.  (I'm thinking air off a compressor, not "canned air" (basically freon), the latter wouldn't be powerful enough.
Then, in the future, don't do woodwork around unfaced insulation.  I totally sympathize with not wanting to drywall, because access to utilities is a huge money saver. But at the least, staple up some 4-mil plastic sheeting and replace it every few years when it gets rotten.


Anchoring Aluminum Pergola To Paver Patio I'd like to install an aluminum 16 x 12 pergola on my existing paver patio and I'm wondering the best way to anchor it.

It comes with brackets to bolt the posts into concrete, with the bolt holes in a square pattern (one bolt hole in each corner of the bracket, 5.7" apart). For each post I'm thinking to use a 12" diameter sonotube with fast setting concrete, set 36" deep ( I'm in NJ ).

I'm not sure whether the top of the concrete column should be level with the ground beneath the pavers, or level with the top of the pavers. I'm leaning towards the top of the concrete being beneath the pavers, so the molding that goes around the bottom of the post sits on the pavers for a clean look, rather than seeing a concrete circle under each post, and challenging myself to not mess up cutting an arc in my paver stones to fit around the concrete column.

If I do this, I'm also thinking to recess the concrete a little below the ground under the pavers to leave some extra space for the concrete bolts that will be sticking up, otherwise those bolts would elevate the paver stones above it to be higher than the rest.

If I do this, can I just put down a layer of sand above the concrete to have a flat surface for the pavers above it?

This is my first time doing something like this, so I'm mainly looking for someone to confirm my plan is sound, or offer any suggestions of a better way.

Thanks!

Hiding the concrete with a layer of sand should be fine. I would want to make sure the concrete is not cupped (holding water) but slightly domed so the water will drain. Other than that I am glad you read the instructions for anchoring, I though at first you just wanted to glue it to the pavers , that would not be good and it would end up over the rainbow in OZZ with a good wind. Your plan to anchor and have a layer of sand on top sounds good to me.


Does this existing wiring with shared neutrals need to be corrected? I've come across some existing wiring in my home and I wonder if it needs to be changed.

In my basement, there is a 4" box with a 20a GFCI receptacle. A conduit runs into this box. The conduit contains 2 #12 wires (hot & neutral) for circuit 3, which is a 20a circuit. The receptacle is connected to this circuit.

Also running in the same conduit is 1 #14 wire (hot) for circuit 4, a 15a circuit. This circuit is just passing through and exits the box through another conduit. However, this circuit's #14 neutral comes back into the box through this conduit and connects to circuit 3's 20a neutral. Specifically, circuit 4's neutral, circuit 3's neutral, and a pigtail #12 are wire nutted together, with the pigtail connecting to the GFCI.

So 15a circuit 4 is sharing 20a circuit 3's neutral. Is this a problem and should a new #14 neutral for circuit 4 be run from the panel into the box in the incoming conduit, and connected to the circuit 4 neutral which runs back into the box from the second conduit?

That's fine, but you'll need to apply a factory handle-tie to those two breakers.  When someone shuts them off, they must shut off together for safety reasons.

The handle-tie also assures they are phased correctly (on opposite phases), which they must be to avoid overloading neutral.

This type of arrangement is called a multi-wire branch circuit or MWBC.  There's nothing wrong with it, and nothing wrong with asymmetrical ampacity as long as the neutral is sized for the higher ampacity.  MWBCs have fallen out of favor because of the rise in AFCI and GFCI applications, which they don't always play well with.


Mounting bat house on cedar siding - too heavy? I have built a pair of bat houses using these plans at Bat Conservation International.

A finished house
weighs about 25 lbs (11 kg) and I would like to attach it to the
outside of my house, over horizontal 3/4" cedar plank siding.
Here's what I have in mind.
I made some wedge mounting plates that
fit into the natural slope of the siding and provide a flat surface.

I plan to attach the plates to the siding (liberally caulked) with 4"
construction screws and then attach two horizontal "french" cleats
(upper and lower) on which the bat house will rest. The top and bottom
halves of each cleat will be secured to each other at the exposed ends
with a metal bracket so the bat house
cannot be lifted off the cleats in strong winds.
My question: Will the siding tolerate this load if the plates are
screwed into the siding?
Based on recent work replacing gable siding, I expect there's a gap
between the siding and the OSB sheathing, so reaching a framing stud is
unlikely, and I'm not sure I would want to put a screw through the
Tyvek anyway.
Also, assuming this will work, is there anything else I need to be aware of?

Nice work with those mounting brackets you made.  I think your basic plan is totally sound.
Ideally you'll want to locate studs and mount those brackets on studs, and drill through the siding and sheathing and into the studs.  I think three 4" x 1/4" lag screws on each bracket would be good, there's enough meat to lag screws that size to hold the weight of the bathouse.
Rather than seal those brackets to the siding, I'd put a thick washer between the brackets and the siding.  I'd rather have that little gap for the siding to get wet and dry out.  That's just my opinion.
I see one possible problem with the design.  The french cleat will leave space between the bathouse and the siding.
The bats won't know which crevice you intended for them to take up residence, and roost between the siding and the bathouse.  You might want to add to or modify your design to close off that space.


Which side are these washers supposed to go? I’m trying to assemble this trolly and the instructions are blatantly useless. Attempting to check it from the box picture, I was convinced that the washer goes on the nut side, but as I tried fitting one caster without even tightening it hard, I got a feeling that the railing got a bit crooked (it will be under load pressure) as the caster base isn’t wide enough and that if the washer goes to the inner side, it would provide more support to prevent the caster based wedge int the railing and bend it, but then the front and back heights won’t be the same, since the front side doesn’t have washers. I know we’re speaking about a few millimeters but still.

So which side do you think it should go?

It looks like the U-channel on that side came bent - If you compare it to the other side it seems to be bent quite a bit, judging from the pictures.  This is why the caster plate isn't hitting the other side, and why you though to put the washers behind the plate.  However, the washers are meant to go underneath the nut, not the plate.  I would suggest trying to bend the channel back into shape - try using a hammer and a block of wood - place the block of wood on the side of the channel, and then whack the block of wood with the hammer.  The block should help to minimize any distortion as you bend it back.


Protecting child from wall heater I moved into an apartment that has a wall-mounted heater that gets rather hot when turned on (see below).  I have an inquisitive 1-year-old who already likes to climb up on the unit (luckily not while it's been on).  I am wary about putting something directly surrounding the unit, both because it would block the heat and because it might be a fire-hazard.

Does anyone have suggestions on how to properly protect the unit from my child (and vice-versa!) without creating further issues?  I cannot remove the unit or do major construction, as this is a rented apartment.

I'd place some sort of wall/fence around the outside. You could use two or three segments of a gate system like this:

Or for a more DIY solution, you could build a fence on a plywood base with rubber feet to hold it in place.

I would not recommend using heavy furniture to block access, as it will (1) block heat circulation and (2) in the event that your child does climb over it, he would be less able to escape.


Splitting a light circuit into two I currently have a simple circuit.  Three ceiling lights, and one switch.  I would like to break it into two lights on that switch and the other light on another switch.  Will I have to run all the way back to the fuse box, or how can just run the switch to the light?  Diagram please.

THANKS!

ThreePhaseEel's comment is key. Most light switches I've seen are set up the same as in this instructional PDF. The relevant portion from that PDF is in this illustration:

Likely, this is exactly how the switch with one light is wired. The switch with two lights starts like this and then has another run to the 2nd light box. The first light in the circuit will have 3 conductors in the wire nuts of that lamp. If you can make a run of romex NM from the single light circuit to one of the lamps of the 2 light circuit, you'll be ok.

Disconnect and cap off the feed to that other circuit as well as the wires to the unused switch. Then you can add the light to the desired circuit.

I started an illustration but that'll take longer to draw than to do the connections.


Basement shower not draining; dirty water now seeping back up drain Our basement shower hasn't been draining properly for months. During the course of a 5-10 minute shower water will back up to above ankle height. Drain cleaner had no effect. I just pulled a wad of hair out of the drain and tried snaking it. Now dirty grey water is backing up out of the drain, especially when I run the sink next to the shower. Any idea what's wrong with the drain?

I got the snake in no more than three feet. I cranked it until it developed what appears to be a permanent kink.

All other sinks and showers appear to be draining correctly.

The sink next to the shower is almost surely tied into the same main drain line. The clog is apparently beyond the reach of the snake that you tried.

You either need to get a longer drain snake from a box store (you may even be able to rent one), or call a drain cleaning service.

Good luck!


Consumer unit (electrical panel) in cloakroom allowed? Is it OK to have a consumer unit in a downstairs cloakroom off the main entry?
The unit is between basin and toilet, at head level, 50-100cm horizontal distance from the basin. This is how the house was built in 2003.

I am having some changes done, including a consumer unit with more switches, and the electrician says the consumer unit must be moved out, for instance into the entry.

It is obviously not the ideal place, but must have been approved originally. What do the regulations say?

What do the regulations say?

The law says remarkably little.
You can download Approved Document P: electrical safety, dwellings
It says things like

P1. Reasonable provision shall be made in the design
and installation of electrical installations in order to
protect persons operating, maintaining or altering the
installations from fire or injury.

and

Additions and alterations to existing electrical installations
1.6 Regulation 4(3) states that when building work is complete, the building should be no more unsatisfactory in terms of complying with the applicable parts of Schedule 1 to the Building Regulations than before the building work was started. Therefore, when extending or altering an electrical installation, only the new work must meet current standards. There is no obligation to upgrade the existing installation unless either of the following applies.
a. The new work adversely affects the safety of the existing installation.
b. The state of the existing installation is such that the new work cannot be operated safely

(my emphasis)
and

Electrical installations should be designed and installed in accordance with BS 7671:2008 incorporating Amendment No 1:2011

Note that "should" is not "must". In practice, a DIYer or self-employed electrician would not have the resources to use another standard.
BS 7671 is a publication of the IET & BSI  and can be purchased from the BSI for £85.
I'm not an electrician so I haven't purchased a copy, I'm reasonably sure that it permits consumer units in rooms containing a toilet and washbasin. BS 7671 is stricter about what goes in rooms containing a bath or shower.
The builder probably located it there because it was convenient (probably utility owned meter on other side of wall) and cheaper than putting it somewhere more sensible.
Note that the IET say

No, when installing a new circuit to an existing installation, after 1st January 2016, providing there is a spare way on the existing consumer unit, or if you utilise an existing way, there is no requirement to upgrade the consumer unit from a plastic product to a new metal type.

So adding new circuits is not sufficient justification by itself for relocating a consumer unit.


Can SER labled XHHW-2 be buried in conduit I've read many good answers here regarding what types of cables (conductors) can/cannot be buried.  I've come across blanket statements like "SER cannot be buried, even in conduit."  I want to install a subpanel in my workshop (100' from main to sub) and plan to use 2-2-2-4 Al.  A friend did almost the exact same job and used SER type XHHW-2, buried in conduit as recommended by an electrician.  Alarms went off in my head because it is SER.  However, XHHW-2 can be buried in conduit, so my question is: just because the cable is called SER does that preclude its use outside (i.e. buried in conduit) even if it is labeled as XHHW-2 (i.e. does the XHHW-2 designation change anything)?  I'll paste a shot of the cable below to capture all the markings.

EDIT
Just to close the loop on this.  I went back to the store and peeled back a bit of insulation and looked at the wires.  I saw no markings on the conductors and the ground was not insulted.  A non-insulted aluminum ground cannot be buried regardless.

SE cables simply can't be buried, conduit or no conduit
Why you're seeing "SER can't be buried" on this site is because the rule's right there in section 338.12(A) of the National Electrical Code (irrelevant point 1 snipped):

338.12 Uses Not Permitted.

(A) Service-Entrance Cable. Service-entrance cable (SE) shall
not be used under the following conditions or in the following
locations:

...

(2) Underground with or without a raceway

You're better off pulling individual wires instead
Even disregarding the restriction above, you're still better off pulling individual wires through the conduit, simply due to how stiff that cable will be to pull. You'll have to send the cable to the scrapper and get new wire for your pull, though, since the wires inside cables aren't generally marked for usage outside the cable.  Furthermore, a 2AWG Al conductor is limited to 90A by NEC Table 310.16 when landed on the 75°C capable terminations found in modern distribution equipment; the 100A figure you may see in other sources is only usable when you can apply the 83% rule for dwelling unit services or feeders found in NEC 310.15(B)(7), which is not the case here since you're feeding an outbuilding. Given that you're putting a fat conduit in, being limited to 90A at the moment isn't too big a deal now since you can upgrade later without needing an excavator, but you'll probably want to go to 1AWG Al so that you can have a full 100A feeder to your workshop subpanel.
GO BIG OR GO HOME
Another common mistake with subpanels is to try to pinch pennies by downsizing the subpanel.  In particular, breaker spaces count for far more than amps do; while a 100A or 125A, main breaker panel is fine for most detached outbuildings, it should be a 24 space panel at a minimum in order to have sufficient room for expansion, and a 30 space panel is not at all out of place here; given that this is a workshop, splashing out on a 40 space, 200A panel might even be worthwhile.  (The extra main breaker amps in the subpanel don't matter since the subpanel main breaker is simply a convenient shutoff switch in this situation.)


Why won't my dryer tumble? I have a GE dryer (MODEL #DSXH43EF0WW) and it stopped working this morning.  The light still comes on when I open the door and the dryer will make a humming sound when I press the start button, but it will not actually begin to tumble.  I was wondering if anyone had any ideas as to what the problem might be.

Searching online, I found that it is likely the thermal fuse that is at fault, but I wanted to know if there is something simpler that may be wrong (or if there is anything else that could be at fault).

Another thing that could be wrong would be that the drive belt had snapped. They do wear out. Replacements exist. How hard they are to install varies from model to model; mine wasn't bad, but did require disassembling the drier to the point where I could lift out the drum, and then required some access from the back to get the belt hooked around the drive pulleys properly. (I'm sure a pro could have done it entirely from the front, but this is the approach the maintenance manual I found online recommended.).

I'd suggest looking for the repair manual first. That'll generally have some problem analysis tips, and you'll want to see where the part is located and how to replace it before you decide to do it yourself.

Reminder: Disconnect from the wall before servicing!


Raised area in plywood is a problem - please help I posted here (Question on relative warp resistance of engineered wood ) to this forum and got help for a wood sheet based project.

My plywood sheet arrived about 5 days ago it is softwood and has a sort of veneer on either side.

There is an issue. There is a 2mm high (approx) raised area at one end, highest at the edge of the wood which comes down approx 30cm and is roughly 30cm in diameter if it was a circle.  (I know it sounds pedantic, but the wood is for a person with a severe spinal condition )

My guess is that the hump/raised area came about as a result of a clamp holding the wood in position, perhaps during storage and transport or cutting itself. The raised area/hump is at the rough centre of the edge.

I have not examined underneath the bed yet to see if the raised area has the mirror image shape missing as is upthrust from the top yet, but that would be tricky to do.

My experiences with mdf have not been enormous but it seemed to be flat, for sure and to not have raised areas like described.

My question:
-   Are such variances (ie 2mm humps not uncommon) part and parcel of using plywood?
-    If they are common am I right in guessing that mdf is less likely to have a non-uniform surface?

Many thanks in advance
gav

2mm humps are not common with good quality plywood. You could plane or (with effort) sand that flat without impacting strength. (Note that you would impact the finish, as you'd go through the veneer into the inner plies.

MDF would be flatter, but not as strong as plywood. If you need dead flat and a nice finish, (and you had room) you could consider putting a thin skin of mdf (like, 6-12mm) on top of the ply that you'd flattened. (You might even get away with not flattening the ply, as the mdf skin would make the 2mm difference very hard to perceive.)

Alternately, and you'll have to judge if this is appropriate for your application, you could put the hump at the bottom of the bed where it might be less noticeable.


How should I clean my dishwasher filter? My dishes, especially glasses, are often getting dried sediment left on them after a cycle in the dishwasher.  I run it with vinegar every couple months but that doesn't seem to be enough.  I want to clean the filter and surrounding assembly similar to what's done in the YouTube video "Repair Dishwasher For Cleaner Dishes - Maintenance Clean Fix Whirlpool Kenmore" but can't tell how to access mine.  The plastic bolt in the very middle will turn and turn but not come out.

I've looked through the manual and a RepairClinic “Troubleshooting” page that comes up when I google the model number, but they don't seem to be much help, unless I missed something from them.

Did some digging for you:
http://www.appliancerepair.net/dishwasher-repair-3.html

Here's the remove of the filter cover:
http://www.partselect.com/Models/GU2275XTVY1/Sections/PUMP-AND-MOTOR-PARTS/?ModelID=1619670&ModelNum=GU2275XTVY1&mfgModelNum=&ManufactureID=3&Selected=HALWT3WI&Position=9&mfg=Whirlpool&Type=Washer&Mark=9

Here's the arm parts:
http://www.partselect.com/Models/GU2275XTVY1/Sections/LOWER-WASHARM-PARTS/?ModelID=1619668&ModelNum=GU2275XTVY1&mfgModelNum=&ManufactureID=3&Selected=JY7US5YH&Position=7&mfg=Whirlpool&Type=Washer&Mark=7

So removal is righty loosey :)  DEFY THE RULES!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGZYhEljgPw

Good luck!!!


Can I vent a bathroom through the side of the house instead of the roof? Venting a new bathroom through the side of the house

If you are referring to a vent for an exhaust fan in the bathroom, then the answer is yes.  I recently purchased a new home and the bathroom needed a full remodel due to mold and water damage. There was not an exhaust fan and we wanted one in the bathroom to help pull moisture out and keep the bathroom well ventilated.  Previously I had helped a friend install an exhaust fan and we routed the vent out to the soffit. In our new house the soffits are a long way from our bathroom, so the easier route was to install a wall vent outlet, similar to a dryer vent outlet, directly below the attic vent on the side of the house.  Make sure the vent outlet has flap inside to keep air from flowing the wrong way when the fan is not on, especially if the vent is installed on the windward side of the house.  We painted the cover the same color as the exterior and unless you are really looking for it you can't see it easily.


200 AMP Service - Feeding 3 Sub-Panels - Wire Size and Set Up Help Needed We are installing a 200 amp outdoor service panel (specifically, this one) and want to run 3 subpanels (1x100amp for the pole barn/workshop and 2x60amp for other locations on the farm). I was planning on running 2-2-2-4 Dyke Quadruplex Aluminum Conductor 600V URD wire as the main feed for each of these sub-panels because I found a great deal on it. Each run to the sub-panel will be directly buried to each of the 3 different locations (see attached sat image)

My Questions:

Is this wire sufficient to power each of these sub-panels using separate breakers (no feed-thru)?
Is this wire overkill for what I am trying to accomplish?
How should I go about hooking larger wire to breakers in the main box, or will this 2-2-2-4 wire fit into 100 or 60amp breakers without modification or tap lugs?
Am I missing anything?

Any help or advice would be massively appreciated.

Stop.  You're making the classic novice mistake.

I'm referring to sizing the subpanels.

Ever bought tires? They come in different speed ratings.  Have you ever gone "My truck has never gone faster than 85 mph, therefore I can't use an HR rated tire"?  Of course not.  The fact that it's good for 112 mph, you see that as safety margin.  Am I right?

Well, panels work exactly the same way.  Even if you never plan to pull more than 60A, a 100A panel is better, and a 200A panel is better still.

Remember. The size of the subpanel does not decide the load. That's decided by the feed breaker in the main panel.  The "main breaker" in the subpanel is nothing but a disconnect switch.

  Your actual main panel has a 60A breaker feeding a 2-2-2-4.  This goes to a 200A subpanel.  Legit?  YES.  The subpanel has its own "main" breaker of 200A.  Legit? YES.  That breaker is nothing but a local disconnect switch. What is the rating of the subpanel? 60A. Because that's decided by the feed breaker.  Is the panel running at redline?  No, not nearly, it's well in its safety zone. And that's good, because it's outdoors.

Some people want the subpanel's local main breaker to be same size as the feed breaker.  Their dream is that this local breaker will trip first, and save them a walk.  Nope! That trick never works! But I'll come back to that.

And don't be chintzing out on panels anyway.

This one person thought the $20 6-space panel was a great bargain.  #1 guess what, you need a main disconnect. Boom 2 spaces gone that the person did not expect to lose.  Just for one each 120V and 240V utility sockets, the person now has 1 space left.  They wanted a hot tub, well that takes 2 spaces, and they're out of space.  Can't use double-stuffs because 2020 NEC pretty much outlaws them. That person is painted into a corner and must now install an 8-space, and will need to go 12-space for the next thing.  How many times are you going to replace panels?

I put the person into a 24-space panel with a main breaker and with $20 worth of bonus breakers, for $70.  So $30 more (net) and a vastly superior panel with plenty of expansion room.  $30?  That's a takeout pizza.

Spaces are cheap.  Redoing work is expensive.  Everytime you change a panel you risk damaging wire - and then you're really in trouble.

If it was hundreds of dollars of wire, sure.  But c'mon. A pizza?  Skip it and enjoy an installation with expansion room. You'll thank yourself later.

If I were paying for the panels - and I do pay for most of the panels I install - I would use a 12-space main-lug at the remote sites and a 30-space at the shop.  Space not circuit... circuits mean nothing anymore.

The wire size

The 2-2-2-4 Al is a perfectly fine wire size for the runs you have "60A".  Feel free to breaker those at 80A at the main, since that is allowed on 2-2-2-4 of any length (unless the length carries it into Canada, then no).  "Nanny breakers" (downbreakering to a 60A to protect yourself from "voltage drop" ooga-booga) are not required in the USA or El NEC countries.

For the 100A run, you can't breaker the 2-2-2-4 at 100A, I'm sorry.  You need to use at least #1 aluminum.  Now, if you actually needed 100A, you'd be required to breaker for 125% of that, or 125A obviously.  But let's say you actually need 80A, so you breaker for 100A.

Never calculate voltage drop on breaker trip.  Either calculate it on expected load, or on 80% of breaker trip since that is the max you're allowed to plan to load.   So that means we're calculating your workshop run at 80A.

#1 wire gives 4.44% drop at 80A
1/0 wire gives 3.82% drop
2/0 wire gives 2.98% drop

So pick your poison.

You do need a "main breaker" (well, disconnect switch) at EACH subpanel

"6-space guy" got blindsided by needing a "main" breaker as a disconnect switch.  In a 6-space panel, "main breakers" are placed in regular breaker positions and backfeed.  Suddenly 2 of 6 spaces are gone - whoops!

However, you can use that same backfeeding trick (hopefully with a larger panel, say a 12-space) -- fit a plain common breaker at the top left, label it "Main Disconnect", apply a Tie-Down Kit, and feed the panel there.

This means you're using the same kind of branch circuit breaker that is supplying the panel at the other end.  So that makes "trips locally first" at least a 50/50 proposition.  (if the other one always trips first, swap them; that's just manufacturing tolerances.)  You can help that even further by making the local breaker smaller.  Say you use an 80A feed breaker at the main panel, and a 60A or even 30A "main breaker" in the sub.  It's a "nanny breaker", sure, but it's helping you save a long walk.


G to C trick not working for cooling. Honeywell RTH9080WF My electric furnace has no c terminal. Furnace is heat & cool both. (Lennox Electric Fan coil Model CBS18-21-3P).

I installed Honeywell RTH9080WF.
I switched G to C on my thermostat and got the power.

Furnace has no C Terminal.
The connections on furnace is  "R"  "W"  "G"  "Y"

Further on my thermostat I chose "fan controlled by heat pump" and it worked. Heating worked for the whole season.

In summers I switched to cooling and found that compressor is coming up but fan is not.

Fan comes up with heating but does not work with compressor.
Kindly advice how to fix this problem.

Your original wiring looked like this, where the top circles represent the thermostat terminals and the bottom the furnace.

To properly pull off the "G wire trick", you have to locate the transformer in the furnace. You then have to determine which leg feeds R, and which does not.  The leg that does not feed R, will be where you connect your new C wire.

Once you have all that hooked up, then you'll install a jumper between the Y and G terminals in the furnace.

Once all that is completed, you'll have to make sure the motor is spinning at the correct speed when in cooling mode. If it's not, you'll end up with inefficient cooling. Which can cause poor performance, and/or damage to the system.


Connecting a single audio device to multiple outputs for whole house speaker system Edited title and updated description:
I have found an speaker distribution panel that I think will work to connect all the outputs to a single input. I would just need to know how to connect the input.

Original post:
I've just moved into a new house that has a built-in speaker system, but the inputs for the rooms are these 4-pole audio connectors that I have never used before. I would like to simply plug in an old phone with an audio app installed and have that play through the house.
There are connectors for each of the rooms. The bare wires are for the main living space.
What equipment can I get to connect all the speakers together to a simple 3.5mm jack without having to splice more wires together? Or is there a better way to wire everything together? I'm not opposed to some work, but I don't even know if the speakers work yet. For now, I'm looking for fast and cheap; good can come later.

EDIT:  This is to address the additional info the OP add to the question.  The distribution panel you linked to is straight forward and is essentially the same thing as the switch i referenced in my answer below.  You run speaker wire from your amplifier or receivers speaker output to the "input from amplifier" (the red inputs).
On the back of your amp you have speaker outputs, each speaker gets to wires,  the left has a (+ & -) and the right has (+ & -) .
These go to the red inputs box on the panel.
The left from the amp goes  to the (L + & -)  and  right from the amp goes to the (R + & -)  ALL connections are Positive to Positive, Negative to Negative.
Your existing speakers are wired  colored coded. As long as you use the same color for each terminal you are good. In your case you have the old terminal blocks with labels. In the photo the block is set up as follows,
Red is right +, Black is Right -. White is Left + and Green is Left -.
To wire each set of speakers you wire them to the terminals on the new panel just same.
(Red to right +, Black to Right -. White to Left + and Green to Left -.)
You need to get the colors the same on your new panel as they are on the old blocks because they all go to a volume controller and from the volume controller to the speaker in that + - configuration. If you get any backwards you will have reversed the polarity  of that speaker (s). (it needs to be positive to positive all the way from amp to panel to volume control to speaker.)
I would suggest that you contact the folks at Crutchfield  They are very knowledgeable and will be able to assist you. They can tell you if the panel you listed is the best option for what your system needs, plus they have amps.   Not affiliated just a customer.

Original Answer:

Connecting a single audio device to multiple 4-pole audio inputs for
whole house speaker system

While there are 4 wires in the one jacket of insulation it is not a "4-pole audio inputs" It two sets of wires for two speakers.  Each speaker takes only two wires, a +positive and a -negative. (there are speakers with 4 terminals for bi-amping that can use 2 or 4 when two different amplified signals are sent to the same speaker, you should look at the back of each speaker to make sure what kind they are. Bi-amp speakers are usually a more high end audiophile speaker.)

simply plug in an old phone with an audio app installed

First it is not that simple. Your speakers need to be supplied a powered signal and your phone in not capable of doing that.
There are several options to get music from your phone to your built in speakers, the simplest would be a small stand alone amplifier with RCA inputs and out ports for speakers. (you will need an adapter to go from the headphone jack to RCA.) There are hacks and/or adapters you can buy that you can add to a stereo to receive a bluetooth signal from your phone.
To get the most out of your music/speakers you should have DAC (Digital to Analog Converter) Many amps have them built in or you can get a stand alone unit.
You are not limited to a basic amp, you can use an old stereo receiver or a modern AVR (Audio Video Receiver) or even an old/new tube amp. You will want an Integrated amp unless you want to go with a pre amp/amp combo but that is more complicated then we need to get here.  All of these have RCA inputs to accept the adapter from your phone and speaker connection ports on the back.
You have quite a few speakers judging by the number of wires you have. If you only want to use one or two  pairs then an old stereo will work, an AVR will have more speaker outs, but maybe not as many as you need if want to use all your available speakers.
The system in your house must of  had a speaker switch box with speaker outputs to all of the speakers in your home. I have a Niles and it has connectors similar to the ones in your photo for 6 pairs of speakers. A speaker switch has the ability to select one pair of speaker, all of them or any combo the user desired, (volume is controlled by your amp/receiver.) You connect the speaker switch to your amps , receiver or AVR speaker outputs and it will send the split/send that signal to any speakers you select.
I suggest that you join and Audio forum were you can read many treads and have a back forth discussion with others.
stereophile
and
audiokarma  Are two but there are many.
I would suggest that you get a turntable and a good Integrated amp. Leave the iPhone for texting and making phone calls. :).


Drain line higher than sink outlet ^^^ UPDATED PHOTO ^^^

I recently purchased a mobile home and have changed out the vanities in the bathrooms.

In the master the drain line was to low and had to extending the sink drain to hit that line, which was easy.  But now the second bath the drain line is HIGHER than the P-trap.

Hopefully not busting into the wall to drop that line.

How do I fix this ?

Thanks in advance for any help.

As long as your sink is above the drain it will work. Looking at your photo I would shorten the drain line from the wall. Make you get everything sealed or it will leak but it will work because the drain is below the sink bottom.


No flange when replacing toilet I pulled out an old toilet and there wasn't a flange in the floor to use when installing the replacement. It looks like the bolts were drilled straight into the ground, although one of them I had to pull out to remove the toilet. I'm not sure what kind of pipe it is; it looks like concrete on the inside, but looking up at the pipe from the basement it's definitely some sort of metal; not sure if it's cast iron or if it's painted black.
Is there any way to add a flange to this without having to drill new holes through the floor?
Here are some photos of what I'm seeing. The first photo is of where the old toilet was removed. The second photo is the pipe underneath, in the basement. The pipe looks kinda grody, but it's been there for 90+ years.

You need to install a toilet flange for cast iron.  The only thing that looks weird is that side pipe that enters and would likely be blocked by installing this flange.


Apartment entrance intercom Does anyone know how an old apartment intercom with door unlocker works? When I open it I see 2 wire connected to it.

The way it works is very simple: if someone at the building entrance pushes my name on the button I can hear a buzzer. When I pick up the phone I can talk and I can push a button to release the door.

It seems everything is going through those 2 wires.

Using a voltmeter I can read 13v. And when I push the button it go to 0v.

Any one know more about how this works?

There are a lot of varieties of these systems. The more modern ones work over phone lines, and a phone line (POTS) is just two wires.

Intercom is actually a small computer with a directory of names
Select a name and the intercom dials the phone number associated with that name, hopefully ringing a phone in the correct apartment
When you answer the phone and press a button on your phone, the intercom detects that button via DTMF and triggers the latch to open the door (typically an electromagnet).

However, older systems may work differently - e.g., using separate buttons and wires to trigger the door opening mechanism instead of DTMF signaling.


I have a 3 total wire 220 volt service. New oven has 4 wires How do I wire my new oven with 4 wires, red black white and bare ground to my 240 service with black wire with red stripe, black and a bare ground. Thanks in advance for your help.

If you dont have a White (Neutral) wire you will not be able to run the little things, like the timer, clock, lights, rotisserie, etc. Just the oven elements (and maybe the top elements, but not sure on that one).


Why is there continuity between hot and neutral in the unmodified part of my circuit? Long story. I'll try to make it short:
Goal: Replace cooktop exhaust fan/light
I've done this before. Should be no big deal... Removed old fan/light. Started to install new fan/light. Connected cable - armored (BX?). To make sure I have the grounding right, I checked continuity from metal case of fan/light to armor and to neutral. All good. But then checked to hot and that also showed continuity, not good.
I figured the problem was the old (~65 years old) cable with insulation falling off the wires. Went to a big orange store to get something to cut the armor, new bushings, etc. Cut off some of the armor (fortunately this cable had some length to spare) to get some good wire - same problem! Figured it must be down the line. Next fixture is overhead light. Removed fixture to get to the wires. Disconnected the cable going to the fan/light (that's all good) and problem is coming from cable from the switch box.
Opened up the switch box and found a big mess. Two switches, one cable coming in, one cable (3 wires black hot/red switched hot/white neutral) to overhead light and fan/light, one cable for second switch light fixture and one cable going on to at least two rooms of the house. Hot wire looped around a screw and then one to another screw instead of using a pigtail. At least one wire around a screw the wrong direction. Etc. Cleaned it up, marking wires as I went with colored tape (I'm learning) since all the old wires are shades of gray.
Isolated the problem to the ongoing cable. Capped the two wires of that cable.
Put overhead light and fan/light back together - all worked. Having a bit of trouble getting the switch box (but with the bad cable wires capped) back together, but I'm sure I can get that done.
The question: Since everything was working when I turned off power to this circuit to start this "little" project, and I found the problem (hot shorted to neutral in a cable far from where I was working), any idea this would happen? And any idea how to find the source of the problem, or is it just the usual "keep taking things apart until you find the problem"?
Resolution: Ed Beal and Harper's comments were 100% correct. Unplugged everything and the phantom short went away. The interesting thing though is that some of the devices (the kitchen LED light fixture and the new kitchen fan/LED light fixture that started this journey) did not cause a phantom short. In fact, leaving those lights on let me have an easy way to check (yell upstairs after restoring power "did the kitchen lights go on?"). So this is not an absolute "must turn off/unplug everything". But oh what a mess...turns out downstairs refrigerator & freezer on the same circuit and I hadn't realized it. Freezer definitely OK, refrigerator almost certainly lost some stuff. Ugh. Live 'n learn.

Not only the possible continuity from a lamp being the issue but if any of the switches are lighted can also be the source.
Last and most common is a plugged in transformers on the same circuit Will look like a dead short. This messes with new apprentices every time.
A transformer Looks like a short to a continuity or DC ohm meter test but AC has a reactance so it is not actually a short.


Charging Irrigation System, Can I Do This Myself? Every spring some company comes out and "charges" our sprinkler system. Can someone explain what this is and whether or not this is something I can do?

It basically seems like they come out, turn on the water to the system, run each zone, and check if all the heads are operational.

What am I missing?

Does someone come out and "close" your sprinkler system for the winter?  I don't know much about lawn sprinkler systems, but "charging" sounds similar to opening a swimming pool.  Every fall, I drain all the water out of the lines for the pool and plug them so the water doesn't freeze and crack the lines.  In the spring, I then remove the plugs and prime the pump to get water back in the lines.  I would expect a similar procedure for a sprinkler system in a climate where freezing is a probability.


How can I connect my new light fixtures to old fluorescent fixture bases? I have these old 6 inch recessed fluorescent light cans in my kitchen. I can hardly find the bulbs anywhere so I decided to replace them.

I pulled them apart thinking a could simply wire a new fixture, but it's not as easy as I thought. I purchased the LED retrofit, but it seems to assume I have a standard bulb socket. I don't have a bulb socket but the old can is attached to the black and white wire coming out of the wall.  How do I get this apart and then can I connect the black and white wires to the new retrofit LED?

Cut off the light bulb adapter, strip the wires, cut off (or release, if they are releasable - look for a hole to poke something into) the plastic connector blocks, strip those wires if you had to cut them off,  and wirenut black to black and white to white. Keep the little orange connector, it's handy for removing the light later, and for being able to wire the connections without the light being in your face.


Can I install a photocell on a 3-way switched circuit? I have a set of front exterior lights on my house which are controlled by two 3-way switches, one in the garage and one in the front entry way. I would like to install a photocell so that I can leave the circuit on all the time and let the photocell decide when to switch the lights on and off.

I'm finding it very difficult to find a diagram of a photocell in a 3-way light switch circuit. Does anyone know if this is possible; and, if it is, what should the circuit look like? I've looked at various photocells online and they all seem to have three wires coming from them (red, white, and black).

Also, does it matter where the photocell is installed in the circuit? The circuit I'm interested in adding the photocell to has 4 fixtures on it between the two switches. I noticed that the photocells have a maximum wattage rating. I plan on using LED lights in these fixtures to keep the wattage down below the maximum rating of the photocell.

Yes.

The photocell is placed in series with the feed from the panel ahead of the switches. The white is the neutral, the black is the hot feed, and the red is the switched hot. Of course, this makes the circuit inoperable during the light of day and there will be no manual override.

I would install an astronomical timer like this one:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004AP92N2/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This also goes in series with the switches in the circuit but it has a manual override and does not need to be placed outdoors. The built-in computer calculates the times for dawn and dusk for your lattitude and longitude. Those default start and stop times can be adjusted to your preferences.

Good luck and stay safe!


What can cause a wet patch to appear on an outside wall around an external tap? I have just noticed that I have a wet patch around my external tap on the outside wall.
The wall seems to dry throughout the day.
I have turned off the water to the tap, but the following morning, the outside wall is again damp.
I have looked at the internal wall and there is no sign of water.

I do not know where to look/what to do next. What could be causing this wetness, and how can I fix it?

My first guess is that the threads where the valve is screwed onto the pipe have started to leak. Even with the water turned off, there will almost certainly be water in the line that would leak. With the water turned off, you can try unscrewing the valve from the wall (as long as the plumber didn't solder the threads, it should come off). If the valve is relatively new and the threads are in good condition, then you can clean the threads, apply plenty of pipe dope to the threads, and screw the valve back on.

Note that if you don't see any mineral buildup around the pipe or threads, then the problem may be inside the wall and require removing drywall to locate the problem. If that's the case, I wouldn't delay in opening things up, since a small sign of water outside could be concealing lots of water inside.


Grind a quartz counter top or call a Pro? I'm looking to replace the sink in my quartz countertop.
The new sink I've purchased is a drop in sink of the same dimensions.
It "fits" into the hole, with the exception that on both the left and right side of the sink are a couple tabs. So the sink fits into the hole, except for the tabs. These tabs sit under the lip, but would require notching out the counter in 4 spots by about 1/8". The sink would almost fit in like a puzzle piece.

I want to understand the risk of getting a grinder and doing this myself. Is there a chance of really messing up my counter top? Is this a DIY job, or call a Pro due to the complexity and mess?

Tabs under the sink:
The instructions/cutout is a rectangle with 4 sides. It doesn't move out/in to follow around the tabs. The hole to cut would take into account the size of these tabs. Thus, if installing new, the whole would just be bigger than the one I have now. Instead of making the entire hole bigger, I'm hoping to cheat and notch the counter top for these tabs under the lip. These tabs are for clamping the sink.

I cannot find the install instructions online (it's just the 1 large page cutout diagram), but this is the sink: https://www.blanco.com/ca-en/sinks/vision-f/vision-210-silgranit--pdp-59.046/

I've added a picture of the tabs. They are not removable Looking at the picture and thinking a bit more about this --- if I were to only notch out for these tabs, that means the sink would most likely be resting on the counter top on the dark/black material. The grey lip would not sit down flush, and thus there would be a gap. So my original question is slightly different, I originally thought about grinding out a 4 small parts for the tabs, now it seems I really do need to widen the hole. Is this a job for a Pro?

To answer your question, “Can a novice ..do it in place”.  Yes you could, but I would NOT.  The hole for the sink is normally cut out before the countertop is installed, with water flowing on the quartz as it is being cut.  All the mess is made outside.  I just had this done recently.
I have done major DIY project, consider myself capable with a power handsaw.  I just cut up 4 leftover quartz countertops for an outdoor cabinet.  Since this in your kitchen, you would have to use a dry cut diamond blade, and it will be dusty as h…  I believe it will be difficult to cut the parallel line next to the backsplash and a saw guides will be difficult to clamp on the countertop except for the front edge.

A grinder would not have any support during your cutting session and would likely bind in the kerf as you proceed.  With the power handsaw, I was able to use a guide to keep the blade straight and on the cut line.
I believe the Pro would have better tools and blades to do this cut on an installed countertop and the router bit to do the corners of the sink cutout.

Again, I would NOT attempt to do this.  Any screwup and you are having to replace the whole countertop or a section of it with all the issues of making it match.


How to open jammed shut off valve I want to open a valve and tape it properly to prevent further leakage. But the valve is jammed and as I put more force to open the hexagonal nut (shown with red arrow) it is going to be deformed into a circular shape...
Any ideas on how to open this?

That hex nut is the packing nut, which you may need to loosen in order to actually turn the valve off with the gear-looking part of it (the valve stem), and then tighten the hex nut back down or it'll leak from there now too.

Seeing as you don't have a handle anymore anyway, and that it's being difficult, replacement of the entire valve (with a quarter turn valve) should be considered.

If you can't get the valve stem to turn, and you can't get the packing nut to loosen enough to do so with an adjustable wrench, then it's about time for a new valve, so go ahead and try it. Use a quick, snapping motion to break it lose. Do it too slow, even with a well fitted wrench, and it might deform anyway.

Turning off your main valve comes with its own set of problems, so I'll leave that choice up to you, but before you begin, you should at least know where it is.

If you're really trying to not have to replace the valve, this is the procedure you'll have to use to open or close it in the future:

Loosen packing nut.
Turn valve.
Re-tighten packing nut.

Use a quick, almost snapping motion to break it lose with an adjustable wrench. Use a pipe wrench with a rag wrapped over the valve body to 'back it up' or you risk unthreading the entire valve from the wall. Put the pipe wrench where the tee is, to stabilize the valve, and apply torque in the opposite direction of your other wrench.

Sometimes you have to tighten threaded connections a little bit, that you're trying to take lose.


Is There Room for a 240v Breaker Thanks for all the input on my previous query.  I have added a photo of the breaker box diagram showing the 5/10 hot bar blades.
Questions:
1. can the tandem and single Murray breakers be rearranged so as to fit a double pull 30 amp breaker for powering my 240v EV charger?

What is the significance of the connection symbols on the wiring diagram that I noted in RED?

What you can do is move the second from bottom right breaker to the top left and then replace the remaining breakers on the two bottom right stabs with a quadruplex breaker with an independent trip outer pair (15/15) and common trip center pair (30).  Then you can connect the EV charger circuit to the center pair.

Otherwise, you are a half-space short of room for a 240V breaker.  The only way to make enough space in the existing panel if the second-from-bottom-right breaker can't be moved would be to use a deadfront or receptacle GFCI to provide GFCI protection to the circuit that is currently GFCI protected by the GFCI breaker in your panel, and then replace that GFCI breaker with a regular half-width breaker and rearrange the rest of the panel accordingly.

At that point, you might as well just throw a bigger panel at the problem -- 42 space panels are cheap, and if you're willing to throw some more serious cash at the problem, commercial panelboards like the Square-D NQOD line can pack up to 84 full-width slots into a single enclosure.

As to the bar? It indeed means that a two-pole or quadruplex double-stuff breaker can be put there -- it represents the common-trip function in such breakers.  Normally, this is done by an internal linkage, not a handle tie, though.