My successful electrical weekend project ended with a 3-way from hell! Help Been updating the outlets and switches in my office building for last couple of days and I am having trouble with the last of 70 receptacles/switches... a-3 way switch that seems to be wired in a series or something and its driving my crazy. After doing 70 over the weekend I got cocky, careless and the switch blew up.

The beginning:

The 3-way switch had 1 black, 2nd black and red wire wrapped around the black common screw.  Everything was working fine. I thought this was going to be an easy swap out. I thought wrong.

I took a photo for reference. I then removed all wires, the other 3-way connected lights stopped working as well as 3 bathroom lights and one set of ceiling lights that is connected to a single pole switch. Meanwhile the panel is not labeled correctly. Actually no lights are labeled but the outlets are for the most part.

Moving on... Three wires on one common screw didn’t seem right and since I wasn’t sure if I could backstab 1 black wire and place the 2nd black and red wire on the black common on new decora switch, i simply stacked all three wires (1st black, 2nd black, and the red) on the common - everything worked.... as I mentioned above, I removed the 3 wires on the common because this didn’t seem right or safe. I actually switched around the wires to see if another configuration would work, but they did not.

I also did some research by looking up the backside diagram of the new decora 3-way and saw that the decora switch could in-fact be backstabbed... so I backstabbed the 1st black, and put the 2nd black and red wire on the common screw....the lights noted above didn’t turn on. I have also reversed black wires to see if it solved the problem. It didn’t.

I was left scratching my head and decided to call it a day by screwing the switch in so nobody would walk into it...as I was screwing it in I believe the backstabbed wire released and I shorted the 2 light switches. Left side is the 3-way and right side is a 1-way.

I noticed both were scorched so I snipped the burnt ends and replaced both switches. But this didn’t turn them on .  All wires in the 2-gang box are no longer signaling to my non-contact volt detector. Now I was digging a hole. Now what?

None of the circuit breakers popped. Since the original electrician had messy handwriting, when working on outlets /switches, I shut off the main when replacing switches. I have “reset” (flicked back and forth) each one but all seems fine. I put the volt tester 3 inches from each circuit and there’s one that needs contact to signal. This is a little odd since it has nothing to do with the 3-way receptacle that I blew out.

Not sure what the problem is so I’m looking for suggestions. The only thing I haven’t checked is to see if the twisted wires (inside the 2 nuts) also got scorched (I don’t think they did) but I really didn’t want to go there since everything is so tight within the 2-gang box.

Any help would be appreciated.

o

Back stabing = fire waiting to happen or paying someone like me to fix it!

1 screw 1 wire same reason!
Must pigtail the wires properly with proper means
Loose connections burn down building!

3way switch line goes to dark screw of one switch, load goes to dark screw of other switch. The other 2wires between the two switches go to the 2 light colored screws,  either or, doesn't matter

If you remove a 3way switch, and tie the 3 wires together the load will be energized

No breakers tripped, still no power, device or wire burnt in half


schlage privacy set door knobs Gold coloured. Model unknown.  Took the handles off to paint/update them, now the knobs just will not operate the mechanism at all. Knobs will not turn or operate thestriking mechanism. No, it has nothing to do with the painting process.  It just needs some adjustment about which I know nothing. HELP!!

Making a wild assumption since we don't have enough information: I'm guessing that what you have is a grade-3 Schlage cylindrical privacy set of the sort that's available from every hardware store in the country. There are three pieces to this unit -- an outer knob with a hole in it, an inner knob with the thumbturn, and the latch mechanism.

The installation guides on the Schlage website are for one-side-keyed knobs, but the principle is the same -- in fact, the mechanism is close to being the same.

If you look at step 6 in that guide (sorry, I don't have that one image by itself), you will notice that on the inner knob with the turnpiece, they tell you to look into the knob and make sure the slot is horizontal. If you look closely, you'll also see that the flat piece which runs from knob to knob is horizontal.

That's what you got wrong. It is possible to assemble the lock with these pieces rotated 90 degrees -- but only if you rotate them in opposite directions, with the result that they're both at their limit and each keeps the other from operating. This also has the side effect of tying up the knobs in the locked position.

(This is a general hazard when assembling mechanisms that are only designed to operate through part of their rotation rather than being able to spin endlessly. The position of the parts in this cycle is known as their "timing". You got the timing wrong.)

Remove the knobs, and reinstall them with the flat bar horizontal and the thumbpiece turned to match it. That should cure the problem, unless you've managed to do something more weird than usual.


Egress window directly beneath electrical meter? My house was built in 1973 and has a tiny basement window (single-pane aluminum frame) in a window well.  The utility electrical meter is on the same exterior wall, not directly over the basement window.
A few years ago I had some solar panels put on the roof, and they installed all of their meters and inverters right next to the utility electrical meter, so some of their equipment is now directly over the window well.

I'm considering upgrading the tiny window to an egress window, and I'm wondering if there's any way to do that and still meet code.
It looks like the National Electric Code 110.26(A) says I'm supposed to have 3' of space in front of the meters and inverters, but I can't find anything that talks about requirements for what the ground under that working space looks like.
Is the working space rule satisfied, if any workers have to stand on the grate on the top of my egress window well in order to access the equipment?
I emailed my county planning department and they said "Your proposed grate or cover over the window well shall NOT encroach on these requirements for the any electric devices."  That sentence is a little convoluted so I'm not 100% sure, but I think he's saying that I can't do what I want to do?

Working space is:

The width of the equipment but at least 30"
78" high
36" deep for these voltages

This only applies to things that need to be read or that have controls. If it's merely a junction box, it simply needs to be accessible without removing parts of the building.
When they initially installed this unit, they added 2 meters, a disconnect switch and a grid-tie inverter. (or possibly more than that?) All that equipment needs working space.
The installation was botched from day 1.  From here I would research whether they pulled a permit for this work, and if the installation was approved as-is.  If not, I'd call the company back in and tell them to relocate the equipment to a lawful location.  Not a word about your building plans, of course.
Mind you, if it were me, and I had one job: make that location legal, I might build a wooden deck there, with a steel grate over the window area to let in light (and with the grate sitting on reliefs in the wooden deck so the grate was electrically isolated). Don't let them do that!


Proper craftsmanship to mount Wi-Fi AP and ethernet cable to ceiling? I'd like to add a ceiling-mounted Wi-Fi Access Point to the upper floor of an already existing house (USA, wood studs, built 1998).

I have access to the attic above and would run Category 6 ethernet (UTP, CMR or CMP) to this location.

If I use an AP like the Unifi AP Lite, which can be ceiling mounted, what's the best way to handle the "appearance" of the ethernet cable in the ceiling?   I believe the choices are:

(a) hole in ceiling,  push the cable through the hole from above, and terminate the cable with a plastic 'RJ45' plug, or a fancy Category 6 version.  Cover the hole with the AP.  Mount  the AP with screws and drywall anchors to the drywall ceiling.  (The
UBNT community doesn't seem to worry about the weight of the
AP.)
(b) wall plate on the ceiling with keystone-style punchdown jack
and a very short 6" patch cable to the AP (I believe it has a recess
to stow the cable)
(c) old-work box mounted to a ceiling stud (attic joist).  Bore a hole
in the ceiling the size of the old-work box. Terminate the ethernet
cable inside the old-work box.  (This seems like overkill).

Is a plain-old hole ("a") an okay way to go here--  Any concerns about losing the cable up into the hole?

And, I know they say "it's just as easy to pull two cables as one" but do I really need to pull two cables to this location? I can't imagine needing a second ethernet cable in the ceiling at this exact location!

This is a very short answer but I'd just use the mounting disc that comes with the AP, drill a small hole in the ceiling and put a plug on the cable and you're done.  The instructions for the AP show how to mount it but it's really just a matter of three screws and drywall anchors and when mounted no cable visible.  Look at the disc and you'll see where the hole needs to be.


Drop Ceiling Carrying Current? After we use our shower, our ceiling makes a buzzing noise (sounds like a bug stuck up there). When my husband moved the drop ceiling tiles he noticed one rail is carrying current (it was throwing off a continues spark when it touched another metal). We turned off the breaker in our apartment and the apartment above ours and it was still carrying a current, not as strong as it was before we turned the breakers off but still enough to notice. Any ideas as to what it could be? is it possible that who ever installed the drop ceiling drove a nail into a wire in the wall?

Switching just the 2 apartment's breakers off was a good try, but now you need to switch other breakers until the current is gone. Then, leave that circuit off even if someone needs to run an extension cord or 2 until the repair is completed.

Once it's gone, then nails can be extracted & reinserted until the offender is found in the ceiling & walls, the token (hopefully) long nail or screw would be the likely culprit. If the Landlord doesn't act immediately & filing a complaint with Local Officials has an estimate of weeks, months, a year or never.

Then, you can still protect yourselves by insulating the drop's grid, perimeter rail ends & bottoms & the hanging wires. Rails with, bicycle inner tube chunks, plastic L's like the clear clips that come with mini-blinds to secure the blind's bottom (stores sell them in bulk packs), or anything similar in shape & material. Hanging wires can be removed & wrapped with electrical tape & reinstalled or at the ceiling you may be able to slip on small rubber tubes.


Sliding glass door stuck closed I am buying a condo and it has a small deck.  There is a sliding glass door from the kitchen to the deck and it is stuck closed.  Stuck as in won't move even a fraction of an inch.  A couple of us tried and it wouldn't give at all.  I think it probably hasn't been opened in years.

There's nothing obviously wrong with it, such as being rusted or painted shut.  If this makes any difference it is about 30 years old.  One possibility that occurred to us is that the (cheap-looking) lock is stuck in the "locked" position.  There is an itty-bitty lever, and it will move, but not very far.  Less than 45 degrees.

Is there anything to do to diagnose what's wrong without breaking it or, probably worse, having it end up stuck in the open position?

More info: yes, having the seller take care of it would be ideal, but the seller has already moved out of state and will probably just knock the price down a bit in return for me doing the repair.  I'm not sure how big a deal this is or how much money to ask for.

If you can't budge it at all,  it most likely is the lock. Difficult to advise you on how to handle the lock without seeing it. If possible post a photo of the lock.


When add a new closet in an existing space, should I attach the bottom plate to the flooring or the subfloor? I am adding a new large closet, 3 walls and a door, in an existing bedroom.  Can I attach the baseplate of the new walls directly on the existing oak flooring, or do I need to cut a channel in the oak flooring so the base plate is attached to the subfloor?  What about the ceiling top plate?

If you're not removing any of the existing structure, you can absolutely frame on top of the existing floor. Same goes for the walls and ceiling, you can frame your new walls without removing anything else (unless you need to run wires or something). One thing to check, however, is which way the existing ceiling joists are running. Depending on how long your new walls are, you might want to cut out the ceiling where the new walls go so you can add some 'nailers' (small blocks of wood) to run between the existing ceiling joists, so the top of your new wall is firmly fastened to the framing.


Checking voltage on a 240 volt thermostat Very basic electrical question.
I have a non-functioning double pole thermostat (wired to an electric baseboard).
I'd like to replace it, but of course my breakers are not labeled.
Is there any way to use a simple voltage tester to identify the circuit? (Or, does the fact that there's no neutral wire mean that you can't find a voltage drop? (Thinking back a few decades to Physics 101))
If not, what can I do?

A simple voltage tester would work fine, you can test line to line and get 240v or line to ground to get 120v. Lack of voltage drop would only matter if you tested line to load when load is open. Even a non-contact sensor should work fine for determining voltage being present. You could also turn off all two-pole breakers.


Do I need to put mortar between wood and backerboard on a mixed wood/tile floor? We have a hardwood insert on our kitchen floor and we will be surrounding it with slate tile.  Also the room next to the kitchen is all hardwood floor.  Our heights are correct for the tile (with the backboard installed) but i'm curious as do I put down thin-set mortar between the backerboard and wood and then grout between the tile and wood as well?

It seems like I should but I haven't found much information on tile/wood combinations.

edit: picture!

+++ #### wood and tile
+++ ---- wood and backerboard
======== sub-floor

So to clarify, do I need to put mortar between the wood and backerboard?

Normally when flooring changes you would use a proper transition. for example where your tile meets your other room, you will want to leave a small gap between the wood and the tile and then use a transition to cover the gap. I would guess if you have a wood floor in the middle of a tile floor you're going to have to leave an expansion gap all the way around, which will be a good place for crumbs and debris to collect.

You might be able to use silicone to fill the expansion gap, as it would be able to flex when the wood expands/contracts. I don't think I would put grout there, because it will most likely crack when the wood moves.

Here is an example using a transition.

And without a transition.


Without access to breaker box, how do I determine if outlets are on the same circuit? I run a small crypto mine out of my apartment in NY but summer is here and it's getting hot. I've designed a mini shed for our backyard but the only issue is powering it. If I'm lucky there's a chance two outlets in the same room are on different circuits. Is there a way I can test this using a multimeter? Any advice or suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thanks!

What you shouldn't do is short one to see if the other breaks too.
First, measure the voltage between the lives of both receptacles. Use an extension cord to get from one close to the other. If it's 240V, then you have two circuits. If it's around 0V you don't know (yet). The extension chord helps you measure between two lives of two different receptacles if the multi-meter probe is not long enough. Remember, you're measuring live-to-live, not live-to-neutral. The live pin of of the socket is the smaller one intended for the smaller plug blade.
Failing insight from the frist test (you got 0V in the above test), do this test: measure the voltage in one receptacle (let's call it "A"). Now you are measuring live-to-neutral in "A". Take note of the reading, it should be about 120V.
Then plug in a large load like a space heater, hair dryer, kettle, AC or mining rig etc... in that same receptacle "A", and measure the voltage. This is a bit tricky, and you can use a power bar to plug in a device and measure at the same time. Power bars are usually not for big loads as intended here, but for a short test this should be fine.
Take note of the reading and observe the voltage drop from 120V in "A". Perhaps you read 118V, corresponding to a 2V drop. The drop could be in the range 1V..3V, and depends on how far you are from the panel and how big the load is.
Then measure the voltage in the other receptacle, call it "B", which is the other one in the room and that you are hoping is on a different circuit. Keep the load running on "A". So now you are loading "A" and measuring live-to-neutral in "B"
If "B" has a similar drop, then both receptacles are on the same circuit. If the drop is notably less (perhaps even 0V), then they are on different circuits.
This trick works if the second circuit for "B" is only lightly loaded. If you can control it, switch of all other heavy loads on "B". Should that not be possible, you can perform this same in opposite order: measure and load "B", and then measure "A" and compare.
Also, it's not laziness that puts two outlets on different circuits. It's material and labour cost, plus it's a desirable feature as you now discover. You have more wattage available in one room, and if one circuit goes out you still have power.


moving electric water heater to old shower cove doing extensive remodeling of a small (1400 sq ft) house. I want to move the electric water heater to an old shower cove. Getting the wiring there will be easy (its about 5 feet away and all the walls are currently open).

I would use the old shower cold water pipe to supply the water heater and use the old shower hot water pipe to supply the rest of the house from the water heater. Those connections  would be simple to do.

I realize the 1/2" shower lines are smaller than recommended for a water heater, however at the old water heater site the 3/4" output line is immediately reduced to 1/2" BEFORE any branches - so the entire house is currently being served by 1/2' trunk lines. The street supply to the water heater in its current location is 3/4', so that would be a significant change in the new location.

It seems to me that, physics being a constant, if the output trunk is 1/2", then having a 3/4" supply to the water heater doesn't matter, since the water can't come in faster than its going out. Therefore, there should be no change to the pressure or flow rate throughout the house with the water heater relocated to the old shower.

Finally, the new (old shower) location will have a floor drain (concrete slab, single story house) so that's a plus for the relocation of the water heater.

My question : is there anything I'm missing about connecting the old shower pipes to a water heater?

I will throw in here that putting in an electric tankless heater in the current water heater's location is an option, but I am not thrilled with that plan - tankless electric water heaters seem to be less powerful than their gas fired cousins.

You can move the water heater to just about anywhere that would be convenient. However, it is not a good idea to reduce the size down from 3/4" to 1/2" directly off of the tank. You will likely run into issues with water pressure.

In branch plumbing, it is best to keep the size of the pipe at its maximum until it branches off to a specific fixture. Most fixtures, with the exception of a toilet takes 1/2". A toilet is actually reduced to 5/8" by the time it gets to the fill valve. 5/8" is an odd size in plumbing, so most plumbers typically run 1/2" anyway.

You should try to extend the 3/4" pipe as far as you can go, and then tee off of it using multiple 3/4 x 3/4 x 1/2 tees. When you tee off, try to make that run directly to a fixture without teeing off again. This will greatly help keep the water pressure balanced. If all of the plumbing is 1/2", then the fixtures will compete against each other for water because there is not enough volume of water coming through the pipe.


Drain pipe blocking shower installation I'm in the process of removing an old bathtub/shower and replacing it with a walk-in shower.  The problem is that a 1 1/2" drain pipe that was once covered by the tub is now eating into where my new shower floor/walls will be.  I'd like to redirect it through the bottom plate of the wall, but the wall is flush with a floor joist that's already been notched and strapped.  For some reason there's also already an unoccupied notch in the bottom plate.

Here are some pictures:

What are my options?

I would add another framed wall, adjacent to the one that's there, that's just 3'0" high (except for where the drain pipe runs to the ceiling).  This would create an in-shower ledge that's 4" deep...great place to put shampoo bottles, etc.  One could also create a between-stud nooks above the in-shower ledge.  This idea, of course, would have me bring the shower forward to retain dimensions.


What to do after wood paneling is removed? So I have recently moved into a (new to us) home built in 1948. There was a master bedroom addition that is on the backside of the living room wall which was once exterior and the kitchen wall also once exterior wall. There is paneling over both of the walls.

When we moved into the house we knew we would want to remove the paneling. This week we started to remove the paneling in the living room and were surprised to find the original wall there. Windows and all. So there are old non functioning windows in the living room interior wall.

I'm not sure what we should do. We had planned to hang drywall and have debated on just covering it all and putting the drywall over top. I'm just don't know what to do and would love some feed back.

Covering the old wall with paneling was a quick and easy way to hide the old wall. I would pull the old windows add some 2x4' in the space so you could attach your sheetrock. Demo of the windows is not that hard if you have a Sawsall then toe nail for the same spacing as the rest of the wall 16 or 24 inch on center.


Default an appliance to off (no power) when on generator power and on when on utility power I'm planning a generator installation (Generac PowerPact 7.5kw) with an ATS with 8 circuits (i.e. Not whole house).
I want 240v hot water to always be on when on utility power. When the ATS switches to generator power, I want the hot water heater to be off and require manual intervention to turn it on. When power is switched back to utility, I want hot water always on.
I do not want it setup so that when power switches to generator, I have to go and turn off power to hot water.
You ask: Why is this hard and not just have separate breakers for utility vs generator? As I understand, the breaker in the ATS replaces the original breaker in the main box. So utility and generator power go through the same breaker and can't be controlled independently. But perhaps there's another way to wire it so I can have the situation described above in my second paragraph?
Update in regards to comments:
I'm planning on a Generac Powerpact 7.5.kw. I am in the northeast USA. The ATS is a subpanel off the main panel. I don't have a planned diagram but it's this kind of setup (minus optional sub panel on bottom left: https://i.imgur.com/VMhOpwe.png.
In regards to xy problem: Hot water uses 4500 watts and I have a furnace (~1100 watts running/~1500 watts startup) and well pump (~1500 watts running/~3300 watts startup). Hot water is not a necessity and puts me over my generator power limit. But I'd like the option to turn off the furnace or well pump and turn on hot water temporarily.

What you need is a critical-loads subpanel
This is an ordinary subpanel, in which the critical-load circuits are permanently moved.  (this isn't as annoying as it sounds).  The ATS automatically switches its source between utility and generator.
As Ed Beal notes, it's unusual to put a large load like hot water on a backup generator for a couple of reasons: First, tanked electric water heaters are well-insulated, and will hold heat for 12-24 hours. So it's simply not a problem except for long outages. Second, they are one of four enormous loads in your house, the others being electric dryer, electric range and A/C.  Because of their large size, they are generally excluded from critical loads, because they require such a large generator, and wipes out any ability to use a portable generator.
Generally an ATS (automatic transfer switch) implies permanently installed generator, since it defeats the purpose if the ATS can't auto-start the generator, and that's not generally supported with portables.
Pad generators can easily be sized to pick up any planned load, and when an owner is committed to supporting some or all of these large loads, that's what they do.  NEC requires a load calculation be done to assure the generator is large enough.
You may be looking for a load shed device
However, NEC has an exception - when doing your load calculation, you can exclude loads which are on automatic "load shed" devices.
A load-shed device is an interruptor, which monitors the input power, looking for sagging voltage, slowing AC frequency or other signs of the generator bogging down.  They then drop out their connected load.
What they do not make, unfortunately, is a smart "load balancer" that draws off only the excess capacity of the generator; it would have to "dim" the water heater, but that would work stupendously well with water heaters.  Be a disaster with a motor load.  Too bad this is vaporware... the problem is how to sense when the generator is at peak performance.  Generators don't exactly have an output signal for that.
For what it's worth, water heaters are well insulated.  Once they reach target temperature, the water will stay hot for as long as a day, even with the power off.
To answer your question, you need a contactor.
Which is a big relay. And I would use either a DPDT contactor with an interlock, or a 3PDT contactor.   2 poles are for water heater power; the third is to allow a "hold-on" feature.
Here are the bones of it. The common goes to the water heater.  The NC (connected when de-energized) contacts go to the utility (i.e. its normal 30A breaker in the main panel).  At its quiescent state, it's on utility.  Its NO (connected when energized) contacts, you have several choices  there.  The coil contacts likewise; you have choices there as well.
The reason to make NC (coil off) the utility side is so that coil doesn't have to get held "on" 24x7x364.  Wasteful and unnecessary vampire load, that!
How to wire that contactor's coil to manually switch onto generator load is complicated, and I have an easier way.
Or, you could run the water heater on 120V
Which lowers its power usage to a very practical amount for a small generator, only ~1200 watts.
It takes the water heater 4 times as long to recover, but it works.  You can crunch the numbers easily enough, thanks to a convenient unit called BTU.   (note that HVAC equipment uses this unit incorrectly.)

1 BTU heats 1 pound of water 1 degree F.
1 KWH (1000 watts for 1 hour) equals 3410 BTU.
250 pounds of water in a 30-gallon water tank.

Go look at the nameplate (take the ONE largest wattage, don't add them, they don't run simultaneously) and punch it into the above, you'll see full recovery at nameplate wattage takes around an hour.  Okay, that's on utility.
On half voltage, the water heater's power will be 1/4 of that. Recovery will take 4 times as long.   Expect ~1200 watts give or take. "Well gosh, that's well within the range of a common 120V circuit!"
So instead of a 240V/30A breaker, it goes to a 120V/15A breaker.   With the contactor we just discussed, the NO side is connected: 1 wire goes to hot of the critical-loads sub, and the other wire goes to neutral of that same sub.
We still need to get the contactor coil to pick up.  We don't want it picking up on utility (and the critical-loads sub will be hot on utility mode)... so we can either take coil power hotshot off the generator side of the critical-loads panel interlock... or, here's what I'd do.
I'd get a plain old Intermatic mechanical timer... the kind you twist.  I would feed the contactor coil through that.  It will work and run down the clock whether power is on or off.   Basically whenever you set the timer, the water heater will be taking 120V off the critical-loads subpanel instead of 240V off the utility-only subpanel.
Since a typical water heater can fully recover in <<4 hours (run the math above), I wouldn't bother with a timer longer than that.  You set the timer AFTER you use hot water, so it can recover, and the next person can "just use it".


How to remove a Screw or bolt fastened with metal epoxy I have done a mistake by adding metal epoxy to a machine screw.

I added that because that screw did not fit. but later it was turned out that it is a wrong screw that I used. Now I cannot unscrew it. I tried adding alcohol, WD40. But it didn't work. Do you have any suggestion to remove this epoxy and unscrew it.

What is the metal you're screwing into part of?  Depending on that and the screw material, there's a high probability heating it up sufficiently with a torch (As little as 200F/93C may soften it) will allow you to get the offending bolt out and expose the surface of the epoxy so that you can try to use a powerful adhesive remover to dissolve it.  I'm assuming the epoxy has cured, but if it hasn't, you can look up other weaker solvents to use.  If you find you can't get enough cleared out with solvents, order the correct closed end hole tap and use either solvents or heat to soften the epoxy while you clear out the threads.
As a backup you can drill the center of the offending bolt with increasing sized bits to get rid of it(a huge pain, but I've done it) and use a pick and or tap and or heat/solvent to clear the bolt threads from the hole threads and then a tap and heat/solvent to prime the threads before using the correct bolt.
Depending on the size of the bolt you used and how concerned you are about ripping the head off it, you may wish to take an equal sized bolt and drive it into something else and intentionally rip the head off it to see what it takes.  Automotive impact drivers and torque bars are particularly effective for ripping bolt heads off without destroying your socket.  If you don't have an automotive impact driver a wrench can withstand more force than a socket.  Knowing how much force you can use to get it moving will help you know if it's time to try more heat.  On the other hand, heating the bolt up may allow you to heat the epoxy without distributing too much heat to the surrounding material, but will reduce the force required to tear the head off the bolt.
Depending on whether the metal is tempered or could be ruined by uneven heating, you might be stuck with mechanical removal and/or solvents, but a last ditch option is to drill and thread the hole to a larger size and/or use a thread insert to reduce it back to the size you want.
User @Jason recommends MEK as a solvent from experience if you need to go the solvent route.  Whatever solvent you use, you may want to double check it's OK on the metal.


Adding a wire or circuit to a disconnect box I have a 40 amp 240v circuit powering a sprinkler pump. There is a disconnect box located near the pump. Can i add a 30 a 120 v circuit to this by replacing disconnect box with a 60 a subpanel or is there a better way ? Need 30 amp 120 v circuit near pump

Current code would require 4 wires for the sub panel. The 40 amp circuit should have at least #8 wire. With a 40 amp breaker in the main you could feed a 60a sub panel with 4 wires and meet code, if this panel is outside you will need an outdoor panel or a NEMA 3r enclosure. Also the neutral buss needs to be isolated from ground. The ground buss still connects to the case but neutral and ground can only be tied together in the main panel.


What is this, and can my dryer work without it? My clothes dryer had about a quarter of the rope in the image hanging out from inside the door. By pulling it the rest of it came out. Looks like some sort of gasket that's broken.

Questions:
Does anybody know what it is?
Can the dryer operate without it?

Dryer maker/model: General Electric Profile

The item referred to as a "rope" is likely to be either the drive belt or the felt strip that the drum rides on.

If the dryer drum still turns when the unit is turned on then what you pulled out is not the drive belt! On the other hand the belt could have torn in which case the motor will no longer be able to turn the drum. Clearly you would not be able to ignore and run the dryer without the belt.

The felt strip is typically fitted around the front periphery of the drum where it fits into a round track on the front housing of the dryer. The felt acts as a low friction bearing surface for the front support of the drum. If this is what you pulled out of your dryer then you do not want to attempt to operate the dryer without replacing the felt strip. To do so would lead to more serious damage as the drum became a metal to metal or metal to plastic bearing surface in the drum track.

For most dryers the replacement of the drive belt or the felt strip is relatively easy. You typically have to remove the front loading door assembly and the front housing of the dryer. (There may be other pre-steps to get to the point of being able to remove the front housing). Once you have access to the front of the drum it is easy to slide a new drive belt around the drum and onto the motor shaft and belt tightener/idler assembly. If it is the felt strip being replaced it is necessary to clean away any of the old felt debris and then afix the replacement strip into place on the drum. Note that the felt strip could be installed either on the drum itself or on the round track that is part of the front housing. It is typical for the opposing surface the runs in the track where the felt is placed is lined with a surface made of a hard slippery type of plastic.


Watertight power connections Is there something like a water-proof Amphenol-style plug connector for an exterior 12/2 120V power connection?

I have pool pumps hardwired through grey "Sealproof" flex conduit.  I need to remove them seasonally, and I'd rather have a tail on the pump with some sort of watertight power coupler than have to remove the covers of each pump and (un)screw each wire to/from its terminal.

Yes, there are numerous lines of connectors designed for water-resistant use, or even "waterproof", such as might be used in boating marinas (or on boats) or other places requiring the quick replacement of water-proof appliances.

They typically have an exterior screwshell and interlocking seals.  Here is one example:
4-pin waterproof cord connector, 5 Amp


Can I use Eneloop batteries in my thermostat? I have this LuxPro thermostat http://www.luxproproducts.com/pdfs/spec_pdfs/PSD010Bc_NL_ENG_Manual.pdf

There's a warning in the very first section that says to use only Duracell or Energizer Alkaline batteries.

Will there be a problem if I use Eneloops?

Eneloop batteries are NiMH which has a normal voltage of 1.2V vs. 1.5V for an alkaline batteries. Your thermostat uses two batteries so the Eneloops will generate 2.4V instead of 3V for fresh alkalines. At a worst case, the thermostat will not work (or report low batteries with fully charged batteries). Best case, the batteries will last for a short time.

As for specifying brand name alkalines, it's probably a partnership as @ratchetfreak suggested. They may also be trying to avoid customer dissatisfaction when cheap, off-brand batteries work poorly or last for a short time.


Best way(s) to add new king stud to existing exterior wall I'm going to be removing a large 4'wide x 7'tall window and replacing it with a small 3'x2' window.

I will probably need to add a couple of new king studs when framing up and to keep everything 16" on center.

This is all new to me so I'm looking for ideas on ways to add the new king studs.

For example, should I "toenail" the studs in? I've seen techniques where people use their pocket hole jig and come in at a 45 degree and and screw in the new studs.

Technically you're adding pin studs or trimmers under the header, and not kings, but yes.

Insert the new trimmers before anything else and stand them vertical, then add the inner trimmers (assuming you want doubled studs for strength and trim backing). Move the trimmer pairs into position and toenail them to the header using either framing nails or construction screws.


Can my remote controlled fan/light also be controlled with existing wall switches? My old fan had a light kit also. The wiring coming from the ceiling was:

White wire going to white wire in fan.
Bare copper to green wire in fan.
Red wire in ceiling to black wire in fan.
Black wire in ceiling to blue wire for light kit on fan.

The new ceiling fan had no blue wire to connect to the black wire in ceiling for the light kit because it is remote controlled. I capped the black wire in the ceiling.

The old fan and light kit was turned on and off from two different switches on opposite walls. I now have two switches that don't control the fan and lights now.

My question is: Is there a way I can have those switches still control the fan and light, and be able to use the remote control also?

Nope, the HB fans have a single power wire, so only 1 switch will work. I had the same issue after installing some, and in the one place where it really bothered us we installed one of these https://www.amazon.com/Harbor-Breeze-Universal-Ceiling-Receiver/dp/B004FY8MR0 (essentially adding a second remote). In some other cases, we just replaced the dead switches with other things like USB charging ports or night lights.


How to wire programmable switch to only a single set of white-black-ground wires I have a switched outlet that I want to control using a programmable switch. I have done this before with other lights around the house but they all have 2 sets of wires: one from the source and one to the fixture, so I'm familiar with Line, Load, and Neutral connections.

However, this particular switch and outlet seems to be wired with only a single set of wires where black connects to Line and white connects to Load. This makes me think that the switch is wired this way (switch wires are reversed in my case):

Is it possible/appropriate to tap the white load for the Neutral required for my new switch? Would the current draw by the programmable switch be an issue for the outlet? Are there other ways to solve this problem? Thanks.

You'll need to find something that doesn't need a neutral, or run a /3 cable to replace the switch loop

Unfortunately, the timer switch you have needs a neutral, which your old-style switch loop wiring does not provide.  So, you'll either need to find a different switch that doesn't need a neutral, or to replace the existing cable with a /3 cable so that neutral can be provided at the switch location in addition to line and load.


Hot water in showers gets very hot when other hot water is turned on This symptom is opposite of what you might expect. House has two showers and one gas water heater. First, if hot water at either shower is turned on all the way, you get comfortably warm water, but if any other house hot water is turned on, you get very hot water at the shower. Thus the problem, only one shower can be used at a time and no other faucets or appliances can use hot water while one is showering. What's going on?

Pure speculation ahead...

Lets say you have low water pressure or a flow restriction.  Normally, when you turn on the hot water, there's plenty of excess pressure to still provide the same amount of cold water.

If turning on two hot water valves is using almost all of your pressure/flow, the pressure might not be enough to provide the same amount of cold water. If you have two hot valves open wide, and one cold valve only 1/3 open or so, the water's going to take the path of least resistance, and cold flow will reduce.  In fact, pressure/flow is reduced everywhere, but is more noticeable on the cold.

So what do you do with that?  Check your water pressure.  Make sure the valve on your water meter is open all the way.  Compare flow from different faucets and see how they compare, etc.


Craftsman 3/4 hp garage door won’t go down. I have a craftsman 3/4 hp garage door that will not go down, sometimes it goes down about 2 inches then back up and flashes 10 times. It will go all the way down if I hold the wall button until it reaches the end of its travel.

I’ve checked all the tracks for any obstructions, I’ve unplugged the thing for 24 hours, cleaned the sensor lenses with alcohol, and that’s when I noticed that the receiver (green LED light) doesn’t appear to be working anymore, no matter how I position the two sensors the green light never turns on and there is absolutely nothing blocking the sensors.

So, can I just replace the sensor or is there an issue somewhere else in the system?

Check your garage door opener manual for a trouble-shooting procedure which may help figure out where the problem really is. It certainly could be just the sensor. Having had a bizarrely behaving garage door which turned out to be the main "computer" board in the opener, I'd want to try and check that the sensor was getting whatever it needed to operate correctly before I'd assume that the sensor was the cause of the sensor not working and bought a new one. If, for instance, the main unit is not supplying power to the sensor, replacing the sensor won't fix it. Your manual may provide some procedures to test/isolate the problem.

More generally, my advice (despite the fact that I did replace that main board for a successful repair) is always to consider the age of the unit and the price of a replacement. Parts are often not returnable and don't have any warranty, while a whole new unit comes with a whole new warranty. In my case I bet that the board, at about half the cost of the relatively new opener would do it, as I knew there had been a nearby lightning strike. With an older unit, I'd lean heavily to replacement to avoid replacing so many parts trying to solve the problem that I'd have spent less for a complete new opener.

To be clear, I have no idea where your actual problem is, but it could be:

The sending unit
The receiving sensor unit
Or the main unit powering both units and reading the sensor output
Or the wires connecting them may be broken.

If your garage has mice as most do, that last one might be the first one to check.


How can I clean high roof gutters? My house is a tall colonial. At the tallest point the gutters are almost 30 feet above ground. I do not have a tall ladder and do not want to climb on a roof which is even higher. I do have a gutter cleaning gadget with a steel fork at the end BUT it is only 5 feet long.

Is there a extension pole system or some other idea so I can raise this gadget up to 20 feet safely?

There comes a time when every do it yourselfer reaches the limit. In your case this may be yours. At some point the risk offsets the cost. Even with a forty foot ladder you will be working on the upper rungs. You will have a working range of a few feet on each side of the ladder. This means you will be moving the ladder 15 or 20 times. Unless you manhandle 40 foot ladders for a living it is a difficult and arduous task.  You may want to consider having the gutters evaluated. If you have large trees they may dropped leaves into you gutters. If they are clean now you may want to consider one of the many types of gutter- guard systems so they will stay clean.


Suspect wiring for sconces I am replacing two sconces that are over my mantle in a 1930s house. The strange thing is that one sconce had two of each wire going to it. Can this cause a problem? Is there any reason to do this assuming that just two wires would be enough to support the sconce? If I should be using both wires I suspect a pigtail would be the proper way to do this these days (although not as easy with this old wiring as it’s not very malleable)?

Here is the box with just the two wires:

And the box with the four wires:

Any guidance here would be greatly appreciated!

I think I've figured out what this is - I imagine there have been sconces here for quite some time (although the ones I removed were more recently updated). I'm guessing these wires were simply extended to the other sconce where there are only two wires - basically this was the older version of what today you would solve with a pigtail. Assuming the new sconces have wire leads I should be able to just couple them in here with a yellow cap.


strange smells in my sons room So we moved into an apartment recently. And all was good but the other day my boyfriend and I walked into our sons room and it smelled like rotten food. You can only smell it when you walk into the room but that's it. It wasn't like this when we first moved in. I cleaned his whole room to find nothing that could be causing this horrible smell.

Along with this smell he will not sleep through the night any longer. Also a few days before this started happening he would randomly start laughing in his sleep and talk to himself. He never did that anywhere else we lived.

I'd call somebody out to investigate.  While a question like this may be off topic here; because we can't smell through the internet, your sons symptoms are quite alarming. If it smells like rotten eggs, it could be a natural gas leak, and your son is being gassed while he sleeps. It could also be sewer gas, which also is not healthy to breath.

Since this issue is affecting the health of your son, you should take more action than asking a bunch of nincompoops on the internet. A local fire department has the equipment to test for gas leaks, and are more than willing to investigate for you. As testing for a gas leak, is much easier than putting out the fire it could lead to.


Is there a simplified chart of how many amps can I get at a distance by wire gauge? I'm looking for a simplified chart of max amperage based off wire type and distance.  Something like this:

                          50ft  75ft  100ft 150ft  200ft  250ft  300ft
NM-B 12 Gauge             20Amp 20Amp 20Amp  ??     ??     ??     ??
Extension Cord 14 Gauge   15Amp 12Amp 8Amp   ??     ??     ??     ??

I'm pretty sure that things are more complex than this, but this isn't a high end job, it's a temporary fix to a much bigger problem.  I just need some way to figure out what can be done.

I'm not sure how helpful it is, but here's a chart that shows voltage drop at various distances. This chart shows the voltage drop across copper conductors, at 100% the allowable circuit capacity.

This chart that shows the voltage drop across copper conductors, with a 15 ampere load on the circuit.

And one with a 20 ampere load.

If you want to do the calculations yourself, you can use the formula:

Voltage Drop = 2 * Length * Current * Resistance

That will give you a rough approximation of the voltage drop that should be expected.

*You can look up the resistance of the conductors through the manufacturer, or use values found in the National Electrical Code.


4x4 with a steel pipe running through Given two 4x4's with a 1/2" steel pipe running through the middle, how much weight can the posts support? Is there a chance the wood will split?

Guessing you intend it for a pull-up bar. That 1/2 will easily hold 400 lbs, possibly not at one point but at one time, I weighed almost that much and ma and my son were doing pull-ups, he said I made the posts wobble but the bar is still there 20 years later.


What could be causing my air conditioner to make a humming sound? I have an air conditioner that has an in-floor intake. When the heat pump turns on, there is a fairly loud humming that comes from the intake.  If I step in certain places around the intake the humming will go away until I move where I am standing. The ducting is in the crawl space under the house and actually where I step to make the humming goes away is in the opposite direction of where the ducting runs by a couple feet.

Does this mean that part of the ducting is loose under the house or something and I just need to find the spot and tighten it down?

The usual culprit is resonance. Your pump vibrates at a particular frequency, and while the mountings are usually damped using rubber bushings enough vibration passes to the floor/wall that anything else nearby that resonates at that frequency will vibrate if not fixed securely.

Ducting should be your first check, but also floor boards, drywall panels, or anything really.


What do I need for new home electrical service? I am bring new power into a new building site.  The power company requires that I install a meter pedestal with a disconnect.  I can do this myself or hire an electrician.

Since there is no live power until the meter pedestal is installed and the power company hooks it up, and since there is next to no wiring involved, I think I should be able to do this myself.

Basically it is setting a post, attaching the box, attaching a conduit in which the power company will run the incoming power and driving two ground rods.

The question is, I am supposed to have a disconnect.  Now the meter box has eight slots for breakers and has one 200 amp breaker installed all ready.  It seem to me the 200 amp breaker is the disconnect.  YES?

After reading your comments, it seems you should be alright with what you want to do.

The basic idea is that there has to be a circuit breaker style disconnect outside and away from the house, that can be operated by anybody (non electrician).  If you only have a meter socket a general worker would not have the tools, or knowledge to pull the meter if there was any need (emergency or otherwise) to shut off the power.  You also may not be able to use the load center as a disconnect (depending on your location), because at some point the load center will have to be moved into/onto the house. The general setup will look something like this.

The disconnect will have to be a weather proof, circuit breaker style disconnect.


Adding a 100 amp main panel I have a 200 amp main panel
I want to run a 100 amp service  from the 200 to my garage.
There's  nothing  on the 200 amp panel other than security cameras  and lights.
Do I need to install a 100 amp breaker  in the 200 amp maln to do this ?

Some initial notes
You can run any amperage you please to the garage.
That thing you're running to the garage is on your side of the meter, so it's feeder not a service (that's why 310.15(B)(7) says "service and feeder").
If the garage is a separate building (i.e. if the meter is NOT mounted on the garage building), then you need a local disconnect at the garage.  It does not need to be outdoors.  The cheapest way to get a local disconnect is to select a breaker panel that has a main breaker, the size of the main breaker does not matter.  Literally anything will do, so if you like a panel with a lot of spaces and those only come in 200A, that's fine.
The wire has to be actually rated for the specific known load that you are driving, or the load calculation you have done.  But if you don't have a specific load in mind or just want to exceed those minimums, you can run any size you want.
You must protect the wire with a circuit breaker, but you get to "round up" in breaker sizes.  If the wire is rated for 115A, you get to use a 125A breaker.  There's one exception: your feeder never has to be bigger than your service wire has to be (as per 310.15(B)(7)).
Feeder in these ~100A sizes should be aluminum - it's what any electrician would use because it's 1/3 the price of copper.  The panel lugs are aluminum anyway.  (aluminum lugs are the "universal donor", they play nice with both copper and aluminum wire). So I'll be talking aluminum sizes.
Ready?
You don't need a breaker in the main panel if you simply bring over the full 200A to the garage.  Why would you do that? Well, what else would you do with it?  You don't have anything to power at the main panel if the only things on it are cameras and lights.
However the trick would be attaching 200A wires on the load side of the main breaker.  For this you'd need a main panel with "through-lugs", or a "Subfeed lug" that clips in like a regular breaker, or an actual regular breaker that is 200A. They must be made for that panel; you can't use off-brand devices (except for things UL-Classified for your panel, but nobody makes what you'd need).
But if you can do that, then you can carry 200A from the main panel to the sub on 4/0 aluminum wires.  This is allowed because 310.15(B)(7) allows 4/0 for the entire service, and you don't need any bigger than that.
There's no need to enlarge the wire for voltage-drop reasons; it isn't far enough to matter.
If you want to carry less than 200A, e.g. to save money on wire or because there's no way to get lugs of 200A breaker... then simply use a breaker appropriate for the wire size (rounding up to the next available breaker):  #2 aluminum = 90A, #1 aluminum = 100A, 1/0 aluminum = 125A.


DIY Swing Set. Need angle measurements Using common swing brackets for use with 4- 4x4x8 posts and 1- 4x6x10 beam, at what angle do I cut the bottom of the 4x4 posts to sit flush on the ground?

Without knowing the design of the brackets this is impossible to answer, but rather than calculate angles using trigonometry, there's an easier way:

Assemble it, and sit it on the ground. Then use an offcut of 4x2 or whatever, laid on the ground next the posts to mark a line parallel to the ground on each one. Then take it apart, cut them, and re-assemble.


Is this pocket door header load-bearing? I removed two pocket doors in my second story bathroom (see picture 1 & 2). I would like to remove the headers above the pocket doors and open up the bathroom. However, I wasn't expecting such a large header above one of the doors (see picture 2).

I didn't think this was load bearing because

the header runs parallel to the trusses
the header only spans the length of the door way (~58"),
only a single stud is holding up one side of the header (see picture 2)
over the phone the original architect told me that typically load bearing walls do not contain pocket doors (house built in 1979), but he vaguely remembered the project.

What made this more complicated is a board runs on top of the header then a truss runs on top of that board (i.e., truss, board, header all run parallel on top of each other). Is this load bearing?

Also, I would like to remove the other pocket door header that runs perpendicular to the trusses. This one I am uncertain about. I didn't think it was load bearing because of the type of roof trusses I have (see pictures 3&4). I also didn't see any indication on the original plans that these walls are over supporting posts in my crawl space (see pictures 5,6,7). Is this load bearing?

Any advice you have would be greatly appreciated.

Firstly, reason 2 is invalid. Even narrow openings would require a load-bearing header if they carry floor or roof framing above.

Also discard reasons 3 and 4. Only the largest of headers call for two trimmer studs on each side. This one wouldn't even if it were load-bearing. Pocket doors can be and were installed anywhere a standard door might go.

Otherwise, I agree. You should be able to ascertain that there's no load resting on this header. The wall plate that runs across it should be visible from the attic, under the insulation. If that's clear, you're correct. A truss over the wall that's the same in bearing and design as the adjacent trusses isn't a concern.

This is a rare load-bearing question that has all the necessary information in it to make a confident answer. Bravo. That said, there may be factors we can't see. That's the drawback of asking the internet what it thinks. Responsibility for your safety and financial well-being still rests on you.


What size drywall is required for commercial establishments. 1/2" or 5/8"? What size drywall is required for commercial establishments.  1/2" or 5/8"??

It has to do with fire rating requirements.

For NON-FIRE RATED requirements: Walls: 1/2” for 16” and 24” oc stud (wood or metal) spacing. Ceiling: 5/8” for 16” and 24” oc spacing.

For 1- hour FIRE RATED requirements: Walls: 5/8” for 16” oc stud spacing. Ceilings: 5/8” for 16” oc spacing. If you have wider spacings, there are other options. Fastener sizes and spacing are based on the type of occupancy (use).

Doors and door frames need to be 1-hour fire rated in those walls too. Also, ducts passing through a fire rated wall must have a fire rated damper installed in the wall too.

Fire rated construction can be required: 1) throughout the building, or 2) just on the corridor walls and ceiling, or 3) on party walls. You’ll need to ask the local Building Department when you get your Building Permit. You are getting a Building Permit...right?


Bosch PSB 650 hammer drill chuck won't tighten I was using my hammer drill and wanted to change the tool but it now looks like the chuck won't tighten to hold any tool. The motor is still working fine but can't use it as can't attach anything to it.

Is the drill now permanently unuseable or can this be remedied? Can the chuck be restored to function or replaced?

You should try lubrication the chuck with some penetrating oil and working it open and closed to see if you can get it working again.
If that fails you may need to replace the chuck.
The manual for your drill motor has instructions on how to replace your drill chuck.
Good luck!


Can you save money with a humidifier and air conditioner combo? I recently discovered how powerful humidifiers can be in terms of generating cold.

What happens if you run a humidifier in a small room that has an air conditioner?

The dehumidifier can produce air up to 12 degrees cooler than the ambient temperature. The air conditioner can take away the swampy humidity.

However, taking away the swampy humidity shouldn't take away the cold the humidifier had produced. Unless the reverse happens when the humidity condenses into water?

Anyway I presented this idea to my dad and he said that removing the excess humidity with the air conditioner would make the whole thing useless as the air conditioner would expand more power to get rid of humidity. What do you guys think?

Potentially, but not in the way you suggest. Evaporative coolers (aka swamp coolers) are an efficient way of cooling by adding moisture to the air. If the relative humidity is already high, then the additional moisture will need to be removed, with either an AC system or a dehumidifier, and any benefit will be lost and you will be worse off. If the relative humidity is low, then the additional moisture of the evaporative cooler is not an issue, and might even be desirable. In this case, there would be no need for an AC system or a dehumidifier.

If the relative humidity is moderate, you may be able to use both an evaporative cooler and an AC system. When the relative humidity is slightly low and the temperature is high, turn on the cooler. When the humidity is high and the temperature is high, turn on the AC system. Finding the perfect balance between temperature, humidity, and efficiency is going to be very hard.


What should I consider regarding LAN wiring before building a house? I am planning a small house (4 rooms, 2 floors, no basement, no attic, 120 sq.meters) and I want to run a lot of LAN cables throughout because of poor WiFi experiences in my apartment.

Because the house will be built according to my wishes (including electrical plans), I can pretty much choose whatever I want. But ... what do I want?

I want to provide at least 2 LAN sockets in each room, plus some more in the living room and underneath the staircase for central infrastructure (DSL modem, NAS, WiFi, media center). I will also have at least 2 desktop computers, three audio devices, and a handful of wireless devices (laptop, smartphones). Clearly, a regular DSL modem with 4 LAN ports and WiFi won't be enough.

I have no idea what kind of Internet consumption and local network usage a family of 4 would have many years from now, and this is the only chance I'll get to make smart preparations.

What considerations should I include in my network planning?

I guess it would be smart to have a switch, right? I'd place it under the staircase along with the DSL modem, WiFi AP, NAS, and other central headless equipment.
Would a patch panel be useful, or is that only used in large office buildings?
Is it stupid to plan 2 LAN sockets per room? I figure 1 is not enough, but 4 is too expensive.
What's the recommended minimum distance between electrical and LAN cabling? We don't build using "studs" in Europe (we mostly use bricks), so an actual measurement would be helpful.
What am I forgetting?? There's always something that you only learn from bitter experience. I'd like a head start.

My goal is not a show-and-tell geek project. It needs to be reasonably affordable but also future-proof for the next 10-25 years as best as possible without introducing fiber or some such.

First off, your cabling doubles as your telephone wiring, so 2 per room is reasonable. Put a jack anywhere you think you may need a phone, computer, or media device (TV/Boxee/game console/etc).  If you know you are going to likely need a couple at some particular spot (eg, a home office, or your main TV watching area) then you can do that as well.

Run all the cables back to some main wiring closet or utility room. The "nice" way to do it is with a patch panel, but you certainly don't have to go that far. You can get away with just terminating the ends with regular jacks. In your wiring closet, you'll have a switch of some sort (either the 4-port switch built into most routers, or something bigger if you need more than 4 ports). You'll also need a small patch panel for telco wiring for your analog phones. If you want a particular jack in the house to be on your network, plug it into the switch. If you want it to be telco, plug it into the phone panel. Note you don't need every jack to be active, and you don't have to decide telco or network now.

Here's how I have my house terminated, including patch panel. Note I have a 16-port switch, then the patch panel. There's only one analog telco line (port 4), the rest of my phones are VoIP (there are two power injectors on top of the switch for a couple of those phones).

You may also consider running coax (RG-6) to TV areas, for use with cable or satellite, and you can terminate in the same boxes as network cables if you want. In my house, I have a box with 2 Cat5's and a coax in every room, but I would probably split them apart so there was one on each side of the room if I could. In my case, I was retrofitting most of the house and mostly just did interior walls.

In my opinion, Cat5e is good enough (it supports gigabit), but Cat6 works too (I personally don't think it's worth paying any extra for).

I would not be overly concerned with noise in a residential setting. Twisted pair wiring is resistant to noise anyway. Try to avoid prolonged parallel runs (less than 6" apart), but even if you do you're not likely to notice any problems.

As far as future-proofing, one word: Conduit.

Who knows what cable tech will be used 10 years from now. Install what is useful today. If you want to run a 1 gigabit network, and a couple 1080p video links to a flatscreen on the wall, then install cables that can support that. By the time 4K or holographic video or whatever is "current" 10 years from now takes over, there's a good chance there will be new cabling standards and all the most expensive cutting-edge cables you can buy now will be obsolete.

Case in point: 15 years ago, 10 Mbit was a common ethernet speed, and 100 Mbit was high-end. 802.3ab (gigabit over copper) was only introduced in 1999. 10 years ago, YPbPr component video was top-dog (HDMI only came on the market around 2003), and now it's getting hard to find gear that even has component video connections.

If you can afford it, sure, install Cat 6 or even Cat 7, but you have to realize any extra you spend on it is basically a bet that in 10 or 15 years, there is not going to be some new standard or totally different technology that makes it all obsolete. There's also a chance that you won't need it: I have gigabit throughout my house, but some of my (within 1-year-old) end-points (such as VoIP phones, and media streamers that play 1080p video) still only have 10 Mbit connections, because that's all they need.


Is my new wiring to the code? I am running 4 new circuits. 6/3 (50A 240V) Romex, 8/3 (40A 240V) Romex, as well as a couple of 12/2s.
Cables start at the far end of the boiler room from a panel, through 1.5" holes of several exposed joists, followed by finished basement (quite wide 3-4 ft) soffit that currently houses lots of other cables and wires, followed by stud space to the upper-level kitchen.
Is this to the code? Is it okay to run 6/3, 8/3, and two 12/2s in a single joist hole bunched together? Is it then okay to just have those wires laying in the soffit, since they are fished through? Just before they leave the basement for the stud space above, they are in close proximity with PEX tubing so want to double-check that as well. And once inside the stud space (they will branch out through holes to the other studs to the final outlet locations), do I need to put some kind of protective plating or conduits or would stapling them to the middle of 2x4 studs suffice?

In my jurisdiction they would call that bundling and flag it.
They normally won’t say anything with 2 cables and some areas up to 4 but when there are more than 3 current carrying we have to start derating
over 8 current carrying conductors the built in safety in #14, #12 &#10 exceed what is allowed.
there can be some issues there even though nipples less than 24” don’t have to be derated a long run like in the photo is normally flagged with more than 4 is all the states I have worked in.
I see 6-3 , 8-3 & 12-2 x2 10 current carrying conductors as I said most jurisdictions would flag this as bundling.


Eliminating a 3 way switch in a 3 gang outlet I want to use some smart switches and wanted to eliminate the use of 3 way switch in a 3 gang outlet. Can you please walk me through which wires to connect and which ones to cap.

Switch 1 - three way switch which operates with another three way switch upstairs --> this is the one i want to eliminate. I may put the a smart switch at the junction at the top of the box if this is possible.

Switch 2 - single pole switch that controls main entrance light --> this is where I have a smart switch

Switch 3 - single pole switch that controls outside light --> this is where i have another smart switch

When i opened up the box - all the neutrals were packed together. I have split them up and connected them together for switch 2 and switch 3 to work (which it does).

I also noticed that one of the black wires ran through each of the switches originally. I have now separated them between the 2 smart switches and the 1 dumb switch.

Currently, the three way switch does not work.

My question is - can i have a 1 dumb three way switch with 2 smart switches. Also, can all the neutrals be connected together to complete the circuit?

I am open to replacing the three way switch to a single pole that is simply controlled from upstairs.

Thank you.

Yes, if the switches are all on the same circuit (breaker), you tie all the neutrals together.
Yes, you can have dumb & smart switches in the same box. And receptacles. And all kinds of other things.
As Harper noted, you must have switches for stairway lighting at top & bottom. So if you want to put in a smart switch for one end, put in a smart switch remote for the other end.


Cut 2'' thick bamboo butcher block for table top I have a 2" bamboo butcher block 72" x 36".  I wanted to cut the butcher block down to 57" x 36", with inserts like that shown in the figure below.

I was thinking of using a jigsaw, however, I was practicing on just a 3/4" plywood, but the blade kept bending on me.  Can you offer some advice as to how to cut this 2" bamboo butcher block?  Thanks!

A router with a template (and template bit or guide collar) is the only way I can think of to get top quality results. An ugly second choice would be a belt sander, but getting your edge to be square to the top and your lines straight will be incredibly hard.

Let's assume you're using a template bit, because the math is easier. Create an exact template out of 1/2" mdf. Rough cut your top to whatever tolerance works with your jigsaw. (I'd suggest 1/4", but if you're getting lots of blade bend, maybe 1/2" is safer.)

Attach the template to the butcher block (hot glue/ doublesided tape/ clamps that you'll have to move around). Take small bites with the router until you're actually being guided by the template. (Note, taking small bites with the router takes practice... work on scrap before you go to town on the real thing.)

Don't rush, but similarly, don't take too long on the final cut, as there's a high likelihood of burning, which would then have to be sanded out.

Although I love DIY, if you're not extremely comfortable with a router, this is something I'd outsource to an experienced (and tooled-up) woodworker.


Is this an A-series or a T-series light bulb? The first of 3 bulbs in a new-to-us bathroom fixture has burnt out. I (my wife) would like to replace it with the same shape, but unfortunately the label had worn off -- all we can make out is "60" (watts, presumably). Anyone recognize it? I'm in the US. Have tried google image searching as well as tineye.com; the closest I've seen is an a-series-shaped tubular (t-series) bulb, but I'm striking out with local hardware stores.

Updated (based on finding the Kirby Risk site) - the width at the cylindrical part is about 2 1/8", making it an XXX-17 (or -18 if I'm mis-measuring).

It is an older style Philips Halogena bulb meant to replace the typical incandescent bulb.  The lamp is a quartz halogen tube enclosed in a glass envelope that resembles an older style light bulb.  The 70 watt actual / 100 watt equivalent spec sheet for this style bulb can be seen here:

http://www.usa.philips.com/c-p/046677209698/halogena-energy-saver-household/specifications

In this case you have a 43 actual / 60 equivalent.  "A19" and "T60" are essentially the same thing.  "A" designates the original light bulb shape and "19" designates the diameter in eighths of an inch (bulb shape, 2.375" diameter).  "T" designates tubular shape, but unlike florescent tubes where the number indicates eighths of an inch, in this case the number is in millimeters.  "60" in indicates 2.36" diameter.  For all intents the two are interchangeable.

In the most recent version of this 60 watt halogen, Philips changed the glass envelope from metric "T60" to the english "A19":

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Philips-EcoVantage-60-Watt-Halogen-A19-Soft-White-Dimmable-Light-Bulb-4-Pack-426031/203637006


Hardwire vs Plug-In stationary power tools? I have a large woodworking machine with a 5HP, 240VAC motor, requiring a 30A 240VAC branch circuit. The machine weighs about 1000 lbs and is stationary (not mounted on a mobile base). The machine will have a dedicated branch circuit regardless of the connection method.

Is this machine required to be attached with a plug-and-cord method, or hardwired in with flexible conduit?

For stationary equipment you can go hard wire or plug connected. Usually wood working equipment has a high vibration so a 6' length of flexible conduit is used. In my shop I prefer cord connected on most equipment but my big air compressor that is bolted to the floor is flex connected.


Microbubbles on kitchen cabinet doors using HVLP sprayer, how to fix the issue? We're trying to paint our kitchen cabinet doors white but keep getting a ton of microbubbles in the process.

We have primed the doors twice using B-I-N Shellac-Based White Interior Primer and Sealer and sanded them down smooth. We dusted them off and also used a rag to get rid of any missed dust particles.

We're using an HVLP sprayer to apply the paint.

At first we tried BEHR White Alkyd Semi-Gloss Enamel Alkyd Interior/Exterior Paint, and had the bubbling issue. We switched to Benjamin Moore Advanced, and still the same bubbling issue. We did notice that the paint in the can itself had these tiny bubbles...so we let it sit overnight. Same issue the next day. The paint also didn't smooth out as it dried.

Any suggestions on what might be causing this and how to fix it?

Thank you

This picture shows the resulting tiny craters from the bubbles popping and bubbles that haven't popped:

We have tried increasing the temperature to 72F / 22C, increasing the humidity by evaporating a qt of water, increasing/reducing the paint flow, and thinning with water.

I've had similar problems with my HVLP gun and after playing around with it and asking Google for tips I found that

Good quality paint (as in excellent coverage paint) is essential for spraying because you are diluting it thus reducing the coverage.
Diluting is essential and finding the right mix is trickier then it seems. I found the consistency of heavy cream works well with my gun.
Less is more. Don't try to apply it thick. Mixing the paint and applying it in your garage is not an exact science. Pros have the facility and the equipment to know how to micro adjust the environment and equipment to get a favourable result quickly. It's better to do many coats once then 1 coat 5 times with sanding in between.
The secondary air is very important to adjust properly. It dictates the spray pattern characteristics.
Always spray perpendicular to your nozzle. As in left to right if your spray pattern is oriented vertically.
This is the most important. Test and adjust repeatedly on a scrap

At first I found it difficult and messy. Now I use it to batch spray gas pipe quickly, baseboards, doors and casings, I've even done walls but for walls I apply it thick and backroll for texture.

I think based on the image your applying too much with too high a secondary air setting.

I'm by no means a pro. But I have work it out with my setup.


What should I look for when buying a frameless mirror? What should I look for when buying a frameless, full length mirror to mount on a bedroom wall?  It will be mounted close to a light switch (not that I think that matters).  I understand that mirrors come in all kinds of thickness.  Would 5mm suffice for this purpose and is there anything else I should consider before purchasing?

Use a straight edge to make sure there are no high spots on the wall.As the glass will not flex if the wall has an outward bulge the glass may break when you tighten the mounting brackets.Make sure that nothing will contact the mirror during regular activities,opening doors ,cabinets,drawfronts etc.It is also not advisable to mount it next to a doorway such as a bedroom door as it might be confused with the exit in an emergency.Think middle of the night and the smokealarm going off.


Laminate floor against fireplace brick We are installing a laminate floor in our family room and have precisely the same problem as described in this question.  The brick is not even close to flat where it meets the floor, leading to ugly gaps.
The solutions given in the linked question are not what we'd like to have.  No trim or border.  We'd really much rather have the "floor underneath" look, where the floor appears to simply disappear underneath everything in the room, including the fireplace brick.
This implies that we have to cut the brick somehow.  I've seen a few online videos showing how to do this, but they were lucky enough to have a grout line at floor level.  There is no grout line at the correct level - the floor goes right into the physical brick.
I am looking for methods and suggestions regarding how to best cut the brick.  Tools, gotchas, ways to make sure it looks neat, etc.  I only get one shot at getting this right.  :)
As an alternative, I'd consider using some kind of a "gap filler" to hide the gap, as long as it is level with the floor and can be colored to match either the grout or the floor.

I would rent an "undercut saw" and put a diamond blade in it. Cut a channel along the floor at a suitable height. Brick cuts fairly easily and you'll have a dead-straight, perfect fit to your floor. Here's a video
You'll have to do a little creative grinding with other tools near the wall where the circular saw won't reach. You can get diamond-grit blades for reciprocating saws, or maybe go at it with some patience and a rotary tool with grinding bit.
This work is very dusty. Use a vacuum held by a helper and seal off the room.


What is an oven anti-tip device and how do you install one? I'm trying to sell a home, and we're in the inspection / repair phase.  The buyers asked for me to install an anti-tip device for the oven in the kitchen, and I'm not even sure what that is.  Can someone explain it to me and tell me how to install it?

It's a bracket, with a U-shaped slot. Depending on the model, it is screwed either to the floor, or to both the floor and the wall behind the oven.

You slide the oven's rear foot underneath the bracket, and it holds the oven in place in case you step on the door while it's open, preventing your pot of boiling water from sliding off the top onto you.

Installation is usually just a matter of:

Sliding the oven out;
Cleaning all the gunk that's collected there over the years;
Measuring where the foot will be when the oven is back in its spot;
Screwing the bracket into the floor, and the back wall if it's an L-shaped bracket.
Sliding the oven back in, making sure the foot goes under the bracket.


How should I level (flatten) ceiling joists for drywall? My kitchen ceiling joists are old and at varying heights. I'm trying to make it level, or at least flat, in preparation for drywall installation. Would you suggest installing strips of wood to the side of the joists or stacked to the bottom of the joists in order to even them out? Which is easier and faster? Which is stronger?

The way we do it is to strap the joists perpendicular with 1X3 cheap strapping.  Find the lowest point in the existing field of joists and that will be your level reference. We use a laser 360 degree level , but you can get by with a good 6 foot standard bubble level. Mark off the joists in 16" on center with an extra piece of strapping along each wall edge. Then set the first piece of strapping closest to the lowest point of the ceiling.  Use simple shims under the strapping as you go to keep each piece of strapping level side to side and row or strapping to row of strapping.  Secure the strapping with 4d or 6d ring nails to the joists.  It will take a little time, but you should get the hang of it very quickly.  The result should be a nice flat and level ceiling. I know this is a quick description, but I will be happy to give you more info and hints if you decide to use this method. BTW, this is definitely a 2 or 3 person job, and an air nailer will really help.


AC won't turn on after replacing thermostat batteries we replaced the batteries on our thermostat after they began flashing for a few minutes. We'd been using the heater up to that point. After replacing the batteries, the heater does not turn on anymore. We can hear the click indicating it's trying but nothing is happening.

If your thermostat requires you to remove it from the wall to replace the batteries, with a wall plate left affixed to the wall, then it sounds like you didn't properly reattach it to the wall plate. There will be electrical contacts between the two halves, often long pins, that need to properly align. A bent pin, incomplete attachment, dirt on the contacts, etc, can all result in the symptoms you describe.


Do front loader washing machines need more electricity? I am planning to buy a washing machine. I see online that front loaders use more electrical power (around 1500 watts) than top loaders (max 500 watts).

If that's true, then why are front loaders called energy efficient?

That 1500W is the maximum motor power of a front-loading washing machine, relative to the maximum of a top-loading washing machine. Front-loading washing machines only use that much power when doing high-speed spinning, and that's only a small part of the cycle; generally they're just gently turning the wash over. More significantly, front-loaders use much less water, and specifically much less hot water, saving heating energy as well as clean water.

Another reason for a high peak load may be that it's a cold-fill-only unit. These are designed to only draw cold water, using their own heating unit for when a warm or hot wash is desired. Of course, this uses energy, but in return saves the energy that would be used by your hot water heater. This may seem like a wash [sorry about that] but the hookup is simpler, which can be important in large buildings. More importantly, if the washer is a long way from the hot water supply then there may be more water in the pipe than the washer uses to fill itself. In that case, a hot-and-cold unit would try to fill itself with hot water, but just get the cold water from the pipe, leaving the new hot water slowly cooling in the pipe, ready to be cold for the next load. A cold-fill-only unit would just heat the water it needed, leaving you with the desired temperature wash and no wasted heat.

Finally, with that powerful motor the final spin is much faster, and so they extract much more water from the clothes before they go into the dryer, so the dryer will use far less energy (electricity or gas) to dry them.


The outlets power goes to ground when you plug something into it I am having trouble with my outlets power going to ground from what my outlet tester is telling me. I have changed out all of the receipts on the circuit. And I double checked all of them again to make sure that they were wired right and they are wired right but I have a receipt tester plugged into one outlet and it shows good, but when you plug something into another outlet it shows power is crossed with ground and none of the grounds are touching any power wires

First, those outlet testers are a mess in a dress.  Not the tester, that's simple enough, it's just 3 lights across the 3 pins.  But the legend, and all the silly things it says, is about as helpful as a magic 8-ball.

The light labeled "open ground" measures across the power blades.  The other yellow light measures between hot and ground.  The red is between neutral and ground.

You said you plugged in something, but didn't say what the load was. A little bit of voltage between neutral and ground is actually OK.  Neutral is not ground.  If such a low voltage sets off your tester, it's too sensitive.  Otherwise I'd look for a wiring problem in the neutral.

Are you using screw terminals, backstabs, or poke-and-tighten-screw?  Are you doing it monkey tight, not gorilla tight?

Just so you know, people, especially inexperienced people, find backstabs are not reliable.  In many circuits they are not even legal.  I avoid them entirely.

Sometimes, the screw terminals on the side of a receptacle will strike against the side of the outlet box, or hit the bare ground wire.  Often this will only happen when the weight or strain of a cord is bending the outlet. A cure for that is to wrap several loops of electrical tape around the perimeter of the outlet, i.e. Over the screws.


What are these capped, metal pipes in our yard? We've owned this home for 5+ years now, and these pipes have been bugging me. Even moreso now that I'm looking to do some landscaping right over one of them.
The house was built in the 60's in a Philadelphia PA suburb. We have city lines for natural gas, water, and sewer. The pipes wiggle a bit with a touch, but don't pull out. They're very firmly capped. 811 hasn't ever marked them when we've had them out before, and I intend to have them out before I do anything, but I want to know if anyone can ID them ahead of time so I can call a specific utility.
One of the pipes is in the front side yard, near the driveway but far away from the street. The other is in the backyard next to our patio.

Even though 811 ignored them doesn't mean they are not a private utility. It is possible they are natural gas or waterlines, or were an electrical conduit however they are most likely just pipes driven into the ground as support for a past fence.
To rule out private utilities you can call an HVAC contractor licensed in PA to work on gas (most installers and maintenance companies have employees who are) to come out and verify it. They will likely uncap it and use a special meter to detect gas. If there is water or electrical lines they will be able to tell you and give you guidance on your next steps. They will need access to the home and it will be easier for them and you if you clean out any areas in the home where pipes or electrical lines could be concealed behind exterior walls or crawl spaces on the side of the property the pipes are on.
Absent any utilities, you can dig down to the base or use a pipewrench on the pipe and unscrew the pipe and pull the unscrewed pipe up. If it is welded to a spade or something weird, you'll have to dig down all the way or cut the pipe off below grade.
If you have never worked with natural gas I don't think it would be responsible for you to take any advice walking you through dealing with a suspected gas line other than to call a licensed and trained professional.


How long does it take for polycarbonate to yellow? I recently replaced a broken small window with Lexan polycarbonate.  Lexan is reported to yellow after 10 years. How bad is this likely to become, how quickly -- will I have to change the window again in 10 years to be able to see clearly through it?

About 10 years in Florida, if given an anti-UV treatment. Here is an old GE technical report which gives details http://www.bristolite.com/interfaces/media/Tech%20Report%20GE%20Lexan%20Polycarbonate%2010%20Year%20Aging.pdf


How do I unblock an interceptor chamber? I have a house built in the UK in 1906, which has an Interceptor Chamber. Having identified it as such, I need to figure out how to unblock it. Water is currently backing up all the way to ground level, very very slowly draining away.

I believe there is a flap to another pipe under the surface of the water, slightly below ground level which I should be opening and trying to unblock, but I'm not really clear what I should be doing. Reading online seems to indicate that it's the U-bend/trap that's blocked so I need to clear that. Mainly, I don't want to do anything that could just cause a blockage somewhere else.

What I remember seeing when it wasn't filled up with water was a 6 inch (diameter) pipe that went down as far as I could see (presumably until it hit the near horizontal waste pipe). Within that, taking up about half of the diameter of the pipe is a flat cap (also called a tea-pot lid I believe). Not really knowing what I was doing I tried plunging down the pipe as best I could with a normal plunger, but don't think it did much as it wouldn't fit properly because the tea pot lid took up much of the room. What should I try next?

tl;dr: See title.

You are lucky there is a vertical pipe. The teapot lid is often at the bottom of the chamber, so it needs to be pumped out for access. As you suspect, this should enable cleaning out the main house trap. The pipe with the flap that is under water is to access the pipe beyond the trap. Either the pipe beyond or the trap can be the cause of the blockage. Dealing with the pipe beyond likely requires professional service with root cutting equipment.

So lets deal with the trap and hope that fixes it. You need to feed a plumber's snake down the pipe and through the trap to break up the blockage. I've also had luck simply jetting out the trap with a common garden hose with maximum water flow. How successful you are depends on the nature of the blockage. It may also require professional service with the proper equipment.

If you do require assistance, enquire about the cost of removing the main trap. It is typically no longer required by building codes and would eliminate a common trouble spot. Sometimes it's an easy job and other times it means digging up your garden.


How tight should a cable clamp be? When using metal junction boxes for electrical work, it is required to use a cable clamp to hold the cable at the edge of the box and to protect it as it passes through the potentially sharp metal. Often, a screw-clamp clamp like this is used:
Image courtesy of topaz-usa.com. First small image I found for what I was after
How tight should the screws be that actually clamp down on the cable? I've always tended to tighten them until the wire cable* is squashed between the clamps, but recent reading indicates to me that this may be too tight.
What is a reasonable rule-of-thumb for knowing when the clamp is tight enough?
*I originally meant to say "cable", but wrote "wire". I know I've pinched the cable housing, but don't know if I've tightened things down tight enough to actually pinch the wire insulation within the cable.

You want to tighten the screws so that the cable's outer insulation is just compressed a bit which should leave you with the wire unable to move in or out of the box unless you apply a lot of pressure.
You do not want to compress it so much that the inner insulation is compressed or the wire itself is deformed.
Yes, the tendency is to overtighten these.  My rule-of-thumb is tighten gently and check if the wire can move.  If it does, tighten a bit more until you get it right.
You CANNOT "undamage" a wire once it's been damaged so proceed carefully.


Noise reduction for roof air condensers I have built a 38"x81" pressure treated platform to host an air condenser and a heat pump (two unit house) on the roof of my house.  It is positioned right above the master bedroom so I am a little concerned about noise even though both units emit noise upwards.

Is there some kind of rubber sheeting that I could spread over the platform before I set the units that would reduce the noise by impeding reverberations?  I was thinking a rubber mat similar to the Oatey shower membrane.

This is a non-trivial problem.

To be successful, you will have to determine the vibration frequencies emitted by the equipment under various conditions and do whatever it takes to dampen all those frequencies in the structure.

One strategy which is more likely to be successful than not is to place the mount points of the platform directly over load bearing supports all the way to the ground under the structure.  This could be through a series of walls which are aligned atop each other, but if there is any cavity above or below them, there is a set of frequencies at which that wall will vibrate the floor/ceiling of the cavity.  It would be hard to do that for more than two corners of the platform unless it is significantly oversized to reach a pair of walls.

Another technique would be to firmly attach plate steel (or similar) in the attic to the ceiling joists to a) change the resonant frequency and possibly b) dampen any vibration.  This is so hard to determine by engineering computer models that it is simply faster and more accurate to do it empirically:  That is, by trial and error.


What kind of repair do I need for water damage from second floor? Last night, my second floor shower wouldn't turn off because the handle cartridge broke and water leaked from the shower handle opening to behind the shower walls and all the way down to the garage. The water was dripping through the ceiling of the garage. This morning everything looks dry, but I'm sure I need to have it checked for standing water damage. Who do I call, what kind of repair needs done, about how much?

Tim,

diceless is right about drilling holes to let out any water. If you get all of the water out quickly, chances are you will only be left needing to patch the holes you drilled, which is pretty easy. If a lot of water comes out of any spots, you may want to cut a small square hole (like 3x3) to make sure all of the water comes out and to allow air to get in for drying out. Then you can get a patch kit from the hardware store to fix the hole.

Drywall is fairly resilient and can tolerate a moderate amount of water for a short period of time, especially if the ends did not get wet.

And if it dries out quickly enough you will not have any mold worries.

So get drilling those holes!

Brad


Tv antenna turns by itself Our TV antenna turns by itself.  The inside controller is unplugged and the antenna still turns.
Not just a bit but a full quarter turn and back.  Sometimes it will point west and sometimes south or east. It will stop for a short time and start up again. Any solutions?
Thanks for all of your comments.   Ed, do you mean to touch the wires on the inside controller together?  Won't that ruin the antenna motor???

If the rotator has a separate power injector in addition to the controller, make sure that is unplugged also. If all power to the rotator is cut, and the antenna is still rotating on its own, there are 2 possibilities:

The rotator motor or its gearing could have gone bad. Something could have broken from use over time or some extra strong wind that now causes that much slop to be in the mechanism. Probably the only fix is to replace the rotator. It seems that the recommended course of action would be to try and find a new old stock type model, as they have a much better reputation than the ones made today. I can't vouch for this personally though.
The clamps holding the antenna to its pole or the rotator to its pole could have loosened over time. Just get up on the mast and tighten everything up again.


How can I remove dried paint from carpet and leather? I placed a full tin of valspar v700 Int wall/ ceiling matt paint on the back seat of my car, the lid hadn't been put back on correctly by B & Q and it fell over all over the black leather seat and all over the carpet in the back foot weel, Does anyone know how to get this off, it happened 2 days ago,

Carpet
I'd give up on the carpet and order a replacement.
Leather
The usual techniques for removing paint from leather are to try one of the following treatments in a small inconspicuous unpainted area of leather first to see if it harms the leather (there are a variety of ways leather is made, so results can vary), then try it on the painted leather, keep trying treatments until you find something that works.

vegetable oil (cooking oil)
vaseline (petroleum jelly)
warm soapy water (and a non-scratch scouring pad used gently)
nail polish remover
rubbing alcohol (isopropyl alcohol)

You'll probably need to follow up with some leather conditioner.


Remove/Kill Wasps When You Cannot Get to the Nest Advice on how to get rid of wasps now in the cold months. Last Summer I had a terrible infestation of wasps underneath a plastic utility shed with a wooden foundation. They were getting in from a hole or holes in the foundation. I was unable to reach or see a nest. I sprayed a couple of dozen cans of insecticide around the holes (different brands, saturate them and it appeared to have little to no effect on them). I sprayed winterizing (orange colored) foam all around the foundation in hopes of preventing egress. Either a small area was missed or they worked their way out. So, short of disassembling the shed and building a new foundation (cinder blocks would be a good but costly solution). Any solutions that have proven to repel wasps etc to insure they will not return? I had a nest in the soffit of the house and was able to knock it down in the Winter. Hopefully, they will not return from that location - or will they? BTW they never bothered anyone from that location. The wasps under the shed were murderous. Thank you!

I have uploaded an image of where I believe the primary place the wasps are entering the shed. The foam evenly covered the holes when it was first applied. However, the weather has done a job on it.
The shed is usable as it is. Would really like to avoid disassembling the shed and building a new foundation. Spray cans won't reach. Appreciate any ideas.

Have you thought about using a trap?
We had an infestation of yellow jackets last fall, and tried almost everything to wipe them out after my brother got stung by a swarm while out mowing the lawn, only we couldn't find the nests. What we ended up doing was hanging a trap in the back yard, and only a few days later, we started catching the little buggers in it.
The trap we bought, called a "Rescue W.H.Y" trap (make sure to grab attractant refills too), supposedly works on wasps and hornets, but I can definitely say that it works on yellow jackets. You can find them in the Garden section of a local Home Depot or Lowe's, but it's a little cheaper online, if you don't mind waiting a few days to get them.
Hope this helps!


Freezer part of KitchenAid fridge not freezing Freezer in Kitchenaid side by side fridge stopped making ice,, but will dispense water. Freezer has been emptied and cleaned. When open, I can hear and feel a fan blowing cool air. Have reset circuit breaker and vacuumed lower front coils. Temperature settings for both sections are at max.
Still not cold, and don't seem to hear compressor running, only the soft sound of a fan running. Yesterday fridge part was cool, but now this section is also not cold. What is likely the problem?

When this happened to me (the day of my wedding!), the repairman replaced the logic board in the back of the freezer compartment. Problem solved. According to him this is a common failure in KitchenAid side-by-side fridges.