Can I use toggle bolts to mount a tv on a barnwood wall? My wife and I recently purchased an old farmhouse and one of the many tasks ahead of me is mounting the TV.  We have a 40lbs, 55" flat screen and we've determined that the best place for it to go is int he corner of the room.  One wall on that corner is brick and has a window near the corner, so that isn't the ideal place for the mounting bracket.  The other wall is covered in old barnwood (vertical planks).  Doing some poking around, it looks like the barnwood is around 1/2"-3/4" and is relatively soft.  It is mounted via furring strips attached to 2x4 framing using nails (into the furring strips) around 4' off the ground.  The top of the barnwood is tucked in behind a beam that supports the ceiling.  Unfortunately, I can't really find where the studs are (I can see a few at the other end of the wall) and there were enough shortcuts taken in the construction that I don't trust them to be EXACTLY 16" on center across the length of the wall to allow me to drill with confidence.

My thought was to use a number of stout toggle bolts to hold the mounting bracket onto the barnwood.  But my other concern is that since the TV will be mounted on the wall, but situated in the corner, the mounting bracket will be fully extended (meaning the maximum amount of force being put on it).

Does this seems like a reasonable approach?  I really don't want to wake up to a crash in the middle of the night with my TV and half my wall in pieces on the floor.

No, you can not mount the TV the way you have described. Since you want the TV to articulate out from the wall, most of the force will be pull-out instead of shear. The barn boards are not attached to the wall in such a way to support your TV. It's likely you would rip the barn boards right off the wall, or break one where you drill for the toggle bolts.

You need to find the studs. There is no other way forward for you if you must mount it to the wall. Some ways to find studs include:

Remove the face plates from any outlets or switches on the wall. The outlet box is likely mounted to a stud, which you can see, or probe for with a screwdriver.
What's on the other side of the wall? If it's drywall, use a stud finder. Then measure off a common point to transfer the location to the barn board side, or use a long drill bit to drill all the way through the wall next to the stud.
Remove one barn board.
How are you going to power the TV and get any cabling to the TV? If you want to hide the cabling, you're going to have to cut a hole in the wall anyway. Use the hole to locate the studs.
Drill one hole, but point it severely to the left or right. Using a cut coat hanger, probe the wall to find the stud.
Use a magnet locate the fasteners holding the firing strips to the studs. This has a low chance of working in your situation.

Also, a good way to repair a hole in your wall is to make it look like a knot by painting the inside of the hole with black or brown paint. It helps if you carefully choose where to drill the hole to begin with so that it looks natural. Drilling the hole tilted down also helps with the realism and makes it harder to see through the hole.


6-outlet wall mount with dual active plugs and widely spaced outlets I'm looking for a wall outlet adapter converting two outlets to six, like this GE one. However, for reasons I don't comprehend, that adapter (and all its clones) have only one active plug, the other being a plastic dummy. Adapters that plug into both outlets do exist (example) but the outlets they provide are too closely spaced for most wart transformers.

Are there hybrids between these two wall outlet adapters?

The reason for the one active plug is because the one you show is rated 15A which is what that configuration will carry so there is no reason to have two. On your other question you might look at the ones that have USB ports and outlets. The ports wouldn't require a transformer. last resort would be an old fashion ugly three way or cross adapter.

Good Luck


what kind of drill bits are these? Trying to drill through flat side of a fence T-Post I'm trying to drill through 1/4" hard steel. the thicker bit went through relatively easily one time, but on the second go just spins.  the thinner bit did not go far .. i think both need to be sharpened or are low grade bits. I'm doing this by hand.  Wondering if they are Cobalt, Titanium, HSS, M35, M42? likely none of these.

Basically i'm trying to drill through the flat side of a T-post. The steel is harder than a mother. Any suggestions?

Yeah, newbies + metal drilling is usually a recipe for disaster.

Usually I'm a fan of having newbies use hand tools for a good while until they get the tactile feel of the tool and the material.  That's hard to do in drills, though, as proper, usable hand drills are practically unobtanium these days.   So I'd prefer newbs start with a drill press where parameters are easier to control. So let's talk about that.

To drill a metal, you start with what material it is, then you go off to a chart of feeds and speeds for what engineering and experience has shown is correct for that material.  I work a lot with mild steel and I prefer to start with 1/8" drills because they're dirt cheap and they break about when they get dull.

So feeds and speeds chart tells me that for tool steel speed wise I should be at about 60 surface feet per minute, or 720 inches per minute.  A 1/8" drill is about 0.4 inches circumference. So 720/0.4 gives me 1800 revolutions per minute.

Since we're not milling or lathing, and I don't have a drill press with an autofeeder, feeds must be dialed in "by feel".  "Feed" coarsely maps to "pressure" when in a drill press or a hand drill.

When you have feeds and speeds correct,

Cutting is efficient and makes good progress.
Chips are long - they are not chips but slivers/tendrils, and they are so long and consistent that they threaten to wrap themselves around the drill bit!  So you back off for a second which has the effect of breaking the tendril.
The drill bit does not get hot.

So if the above isn't happening, newbies tend to go "oh, that's normal" and continue with bad technique.  STOP.  Don't have any tolerance for bad drilling into metal, because that only work-hardens the surface, making it even harder to get restarted.

First, make sure your drills are sharp.

Then, recheck your speeds and make sure they're at least in the ballpark.  Like I said into hard steel you need 1800 RPM on a 1/8" drill.  (more like 3000 RPM into mild steel).  That can be a problem. Everybody these days has one of those studly drill-drivers which is mainly for driving drywall screws, and it maxes out at 400ish RPM.  That would be about right for a 1/2" drill bit into tool steel, but the tool doesn't have the torque for that.

A Dremel moto-tool (whose arbor is 1/8") only develops significant power around 7000 RPM.  Then there are the cheapie corded drill-NOT-drivers, which like to spin around 1500 RPM.  They're not a bad fit actually.

For Feeds, you have to dial that in with pressure.  And the usual mistake is to not use enough pressure and again, work-harden the material.  IME enough pressure requires pushing hard enough. And - this takes skill - you have to push straight down the drill bit, not partly to the side, otherwise you'll break the bit! Note that the handle is not in line with the bit.

You know when you have pressure right, because you start getting lovely, stringey chips and cutting proceeds at good pace.  Learn to do that again.


How to protect sumbersible pump ‘pumpsaver’ device I have a 600 ft well and submersible pump in a mountain home at 9500 ft elevation prone to lightning storms.  I typically have to replace the ‘pump protector’ relay (i.e., protects pump from either high or low amps, e.g., dry well) at least annually.  I’m almost certain the failures are due to lightning strikes nearby.  But my home has lightning rods, whole-house surge protector, and most failures have occurred when pump is not running or even the incoming power disconnect has been turned off.   So I think the power surge which is frying the protective relay is backfeeding from the well.   I’m considering installing an isolation contactor inbetween the pumpprotector relay and wiring going to pump.  Does anyone have a better solution or know of a reason to not install the isolation contactor on all three wires?

If you are using copper water line to the well just make sure the pipe is bonded to the well casing and your house electrical ground.
If it's plastic water line than you might want to bury a #6 bare copper bonding jumper and connect it to the house ground to equalize the potential between the two grounds.


Need help planning an electrical renovation I live in Thailand and I am renovating a small townhouse. I want to do the right thing and plan the circuit breaker with the correct amps.
After a little reading it seems we should use 1.5mm cabling for lighting and power outlets and 2.5mm cabling for a/C and water heater. I'm not sure about fridge, 17kilo washing machine, and microwave. I am assuming they are also OK with 1.5mm cable.
Anyway I think I need a 15amp circuit for each of the 3 bedrooms. I am reading it's also better to have a separate circuit for the lighting and sockets. So does that mean I need 2 x 15amp Siemens breaker for each bedroom? There will be "standard stuff" in the rooms - 4 down lights, probably no computer, maybe a TV in the future. Powering a phone at night. Really nothing special. And how about the living room. Should I have 2 circuit breakers the as well.
I will also have

20amp for each a/C in the house (18000 BTU)
15amp for the fridge
15amp for micro
Maybe a 15amp for kettle
20amp for 2000w water heater

Any other suggestions?

Your planning is a bit...off
Thailand, like most places in the world that aren't in North America, uses IEC style nomenclature and wiring, from what I can tell (the actual standards aren't available in English, but the two threads I found on the topic on a Thai expat forum are thoroughly steeped in IEC terminology, such as RCD/RCBO, metric wire sizing, 400Y/230 LV distribution everywhere, and so on).  As a result, 15A isn't even considered a standard breaker size, and Thai wiring rules apparently limit 1.5mm² to 10A anyway, with 16A circuits requiring 2.5mm² wire instead.
Given this, and the fact that Thailand, while having a legacy of using NEMA 1-15/5-15 plugs/receptacles (which is wrong, since those are a 120V config, not 220-240V), now uses its own plug standard (considered a "Type O" in the IEC taxonomy) rated for 16A/230V, you'll want to run your general appliance branch circuits as 16A circuits with 2.5mm² wire.  You may be able to use 10A circuits for lighting, though, so do check with someone locally knowledgeable about that.
Wet area receptacles (kitchen/bath/outside) as well as water-heater type appliances will need RCD protection, although it may or may not required panel-wide, best I can tell.  Eurostyle consumer units with DIN rail breakers may be permissible, although if you're going above about 24 breaker spaces, special IEC-rated versions of North American panelboard construction are available and may be preferable to the more traditional "consumer unit" construction.
Likewise, your service sizing will be...small by US standards.  It seems that 30/32A and 50A are common service sizes in Thailand, with larger services delivered as three-phase.  Speaking of large loads, note that that 2kW water heater will be perfectly happy on a 16A circuit, although the air conditioner may or may not require something larger.
Other than that, and any provisioning requirements the Thai standards provide, I'd provision:

two lighting circuits (so that one trip doesn't wipe out the whole house's lights)
a dedicated spur for the fridge
two kitchen receptacle circuits
a bathroom receptacle circuit
a circuit for washer + dryer
your water heater and AC circuits
and circuits for bedrooms and living spaces as Harper describes (basically, splitting each room across 2 receptacle circuits shared between adjacent rooms)

Last but not least, Thailand apparently uses TN-C-S grounding, similar to what we do over here in North America.


Air conditioning: Frequent on-off of outdoor unit or stay on for long duration I've a LG 1.5 tonne split AC in my room. As with many LG models, the ac comes with auto shut down feature of the outside unit as soon as the room temperature reaches the temp set in the AC. So this leaves me with two scenarios and I need help in determining which is ideal for less power consumption.
Scenario 1:
I set the temp in AC to 28-29 deg cel. In doing so, the outdoor unit runs for about 12-15 minutes and then shuts down for around 5 minutes (until the room temperature rises again and the cycle continues)
Scenario 2:
I set the temp in AC to 23-26 deg cel. The outdoor unit, in this case, runs for around 35-50 minutes and stays off for around 5-10 minutes and the cycle continues
I've come across suggestions that the outdoor unit consumes a tremendous amount of power to start and hence it's recommended that the unit stay on for longer duration as opposed to frequent on-off in order for less power consumption, but I'm not sure how genuine this information is.
Any inputs?
If it helps in any way, the region in question is India.
UPDATE:
Model Name: LSA5VP3M

In a nut shell, the cooler your home, the more your electric bill will be. You pay for your unit to run, not to start up. Sure, there is an increase in current when the unit starts up but the increase only lasts for a few seconds and there is a slight voltage drop when this occurs. It will have a very negligible affect on you bill. Scenario 1 would be your best option.


How do I finish this wood box extension I made, to match the drywall around it? The previous owners put a ceiling fan box in such a place that the ceiling fan bracket and the drywall would have conflicted. I extended the electrical box lower, using a piece of 2"x8" that was cut to fit and a ceiling electrical box extender.

It's ready to finish/paint before I hang the fan.

What's the best way to make the wood match the surrounding drywall? Should I just prime and paint? Should I drywall tape the seams and mud with joint compound, then sand, prime, and paint?

I would like it to look nice, but also it is 10' off the ground so close up perfection is not important.

I have used a wall paper that has the same surface texture as drywall in the past to cover custom jobs like this. I like the look better than just primer and painting. From my experiance there will be less cracks at the interface from the block of wood to the ceiling and the paint color is uniform where going from sheetrock to wood there is usually a shift because of the texture difference.


Can I use 10 gauge to first distribution point, then 12? Can I replace 12 gauge line to attic with 10 gauge when distributed wires will remain 12 gauge. Can I then increase Circuit breaker amps as each distributed line handles little amperage and only short main line to circuit board may have higher amperage. Changing wire from board to attic distribution point is easily done.
Would this be Code?
Would this endanger House insurance?
Dan B.

You haven't said how you will manage the transition from 10 gauge to 12 gauge.  If you are thinking of wire nuts in a junction box, then the answer is that you cannot do this safely.  The 20A breaker's job is to protect the load wire connected to it.  A 12 gauge wire needs a 20A breaker to protect it.  You cannot guarantee that a device at the end of one of these runs will not draw in excess of 20A (the rated capacity for 12 gauge wire).  Your larger breaker (30A, the maximum 10 gauge is rated for) will not trip in this situation and the 12 gauge wire may start a fire.  In addition to being unsafe, it is also not to code.  Code requires the breaker to be no larger than the ampacity of the wire and since you're using 12 gauge wire at some point that's your limiting factor.

However, if you are thinking of installing a sub-panel then you may be able to do this.  It would be fine (if you follow all the rules for sub-panels) to run 10 gauge wire protected by a 30A breaker to a sub-panel and then run 12 gauge wires each protected by a 20A breaker from the sub-panel.  However, this seems a little silly (if you're going to all this work you probably want to run more than 10 gauge to the sub-panel).

If you explain more about your goals you might get more useful advice about what approach to take.


Should I convert my 4-stroke engines from regular gas to propane I am planning on converting my portable-generator/lawn-mower/snow-blower from gas to propane. This was my analysis; could you please comment on the facts, analysis & conclusion? Am I on the right track?

Question: Are my facts correct?

Gas: BTU/gallon: 114,000 $/gallon: $3.25
Weight: 6 pounds/gallon
Propane:
BTU/gallon: 91,502
$/gallon: $2.93
Weight: 4.2 pounds/gallon

Question: Is my analysis correct?

Gas is more cost effective (35K BTUs/$ for gas vs.31K BTUs/$ for Propane)
Propane is eco-friendly (societal factor)
Propane does not destroy the engine (maintenance cost)
Propane can be stored for a longer time without deterioration (cost of waste)
Propane is lighter to transport

Is my conclusion correct?

Gas is 12% cost effective; however, propane compensates for lower energy/$ due to other practical factors; hence gas-to-propane conversion is worthwhile.

As you already know, there are pros & cons - it isn't a simple decision. So take each device separately as they are actually quite different:

Portable Generator

How often do you use it? Job site or fixed location? Power outage or "some tasks always need a generator"?

The more you use it, the more replacement with propane may make sense. But if it is only occasional usage then the environmentally & financially speaking the fixed costs (i.e., energy used in manufacturing and cost to buy it) will have a very long payback time.

Lawn Mower

Depending on:

Size of your property
Usage elsewhere (e.g., if you use the mower to mow other people's lawns)

you may be far better off with a battery electric mower. There will still be emissions, but at the utility plant which are (a) typically (unless coal) cleaner and (b) don't have the same direct impact on your (and your neighbors') air quality.

Snow Blower

Battery electric may make sense here too, but depending on how frequently you get snow-blower-level snow (the more frequent, the faster the environmental and financial payback of switching) and how much power you need, sticking with gas may make a lot of sense.


How to add a light fixture to an existing 3-way circuit? I'm trying to figure out how to wire a utility light to the existing light circuit in my basement. I've attached a diagram of the switch that I'm hoping to tap into (Switch 1). The switch is at the top of the stairs and there is another switch (Switch 2) on the circuit at the basement door. Coming into Switch 1 is a 3-wire cable wired to the switch as shown in the diagram.

When Switch 2 is on, the red wire at Switch 1 is hot and when Switch 2 is off, the white wire at Switch 1 is hot. When Switch 1 is turned on, both the red (or white) wire AND the black wire are hot. (This is probably all obvious to an electrician...)

Any help would be appreciated.

You can't just pick any random point and fork a lamp off that.  They do not work that way.

The simple way

3-way circuits have several tricks and traps, and you can't get anywhere with them unless you really understand how the circuit functions, how switches are designed, and I really, really recommend wires be marked by function with colored tape.

So the simple way to do an end-run around all that complexity is supply the second lamp from the first lamp's location.  You are simply grabbing the 2 wires (and ground) supplying the first lamp, and paralleling it to a second lamp. Badabing, done.  You never have to think about 3-ways.

The hard way

You can stop and train up on wiring and 3-way circuits.  I'm all for education. But in this case, this will only make you realize you can't get there from here.  You cannot feed a second lamp from this location.

The smart way

This is a different kind of smart, where we toss traditional 3-way wiring into the dumpster of history, and go with "Smart Switches".  There is a huge variety of smart switches, and we're not a "Shop For Me" site... but there's at least one out there that'll Git-r-Done for you.

What's unique about smart switches is we toss out the goofy schemes and oddball wire functions found in traditional 3-way wiring.  We reduce the wires to 3-4 functions:

Always-hot goes to every switch location, and use Black.
Neutral goes to every switch location and every lamp, and use White.
Switched-hot goes from the "master" smart switch to the lamps, using whichever wire color is left.
Some smart switches require a datacomm signal between switches, that'd most likely be red.  Red can't do 2 things at once.

Ground is a safety shield and can't be used for any of these.


hallway lights not working ok to start with I was going to change my hall way lights but first was going to install a dimmer at the top of the stairs, well long story short when I pulled out the old  switch and yes I did not turn off power and pop the circuit breaker, then I noticed that my stair lights were out, thinking I broke the 3 way switch I replaced it and quite sure I did it right, well no lights.
 also replaced the dimmer sw down stairs and checked that the breaker was good, voltage at both terminals, there was, power from box has two black wires, upstairs has 1 black 1 red and one white plus the ground.
there is no hot wire upstairs I get a flicker of voltage on the white wire but not a constant voltage.
and yes I checked the bulbs, which was not an easy thing to do because they are so high up, HELP I'm lost  I did not mess with the sw that controls the stair lights when I pulled out the sw next to it that's when I pop the breaker.

First thing, you should probably shut your breaker off if you haven't already because it sounds as if you have some wires crossed here.

From your description it sounds like you have:

Lights
Downstairs Dimmer Switch
Upstairs Dimmer Switch

This is requires a 3-way switch circuit... but I'm not able to determine which one you have.

Generally, Black and Red wires are the "hot" wires (or your line wires). White is your neutral, and of course green or copper is ground. If you're getting voltage flickering on the white wire, you're likely registering return power on the circuit. If it's flickering without you touching the switch, you could have a lose connection somewhere.

You shouldn't have only 2 black wires in one of the boxes. There should also be some white wires connected via a wire nut, as well as one or two additional red wires. Without knowing more, it's difficult to determine what type of 3-way switch wiring you have. You may want to check out the diagrams here to determine what you have:  http://www.do-it-yourself-help.com/3_way_switch_wiring.html

Side note: Having 2 dimmers in series on the same circuit isn't a good idea. The 1st dimmer can only increase the power to the total level of the 2nd dimmer. Which is why normally when you have two switches on a dimmable light, only one of the switches is a dimmer.

Good luck!


Garage Wiring Route Through Ceiling I have started drilling holes in order to fish wire down from my attic to the garage.  Unfortunately this house doesn't allow me to have easy routes.  Where I currently have the hole through the floor is an ideal location but this comes out the ceiling relatively close to the Garage arm.

I basically need to know if this is ok or if I must find another location.  I plan on running all of this through conduit in the garage since its finished but I wasn't sure if there was a rule regarding how close conduit can be to other objects.

It appears the danger-close part is the "wing" on the garage door track diagonal brace.

That wing is essential for strengths/stiffness.  But structurally, that brace doesn't care if the wing sticks out that way, or the other.   I would just flip it over/put it on the other side, so the wing sticks out the other way.


How can I keep my southern facing bedroom cool in the Arizona Heat? Our MB is on the South side of our house in AZ. It stays warmer than the rest of the house. I am considering installing and 8" in-line booster fan at the 'T' where the supply duct (flexible) where it branches off to the 2 supply registers.
Two questions:

Would this be the proper alternative?

Can I tap off of the 110 VAC to the blower motor so that the booster fan would only run when the blower runs?

So, I guess there is really a third question: Will it matter if the booster fan runs when the supply fan is off?
Please let me know your thoughts. Thank you.

The 1 time I used an in-line fan as you are suggesting it made more noise than it was worth. It produced very little increase in air flow.
I would have an HVAC company look at your problem to see if there was a simple fix or as the others have said plant trees, and some type of shading or add a separate cooling device. Since you are in Arizona, could you add a "swamp cooler" just for that room?


Large voltage swing on incoming main hot line- definitely outside? So for much of last fall, I had an issue of flickering lights in my house (half of the house seemed to flicker in unison).  Back in December, I called the electric company, who came out, and claimed they found and tightened "a slightly loose neutral" in one of their connections outside, but thought it wasn't the issue (he said there was no charring, and thus there had been no arcing).  So after they left the flickering lights went away.  Problem solved...

Until last night, when our lights started flickering like crazy (I mean to the point of almost going off).  So this morning, I opened up my main breaker box, to see what I could discover.  It turns out that when the lights are flickering, one of the two hot lines is having a pretty wild voltage fluctuation (I measured the voltage from the incoming neutral to each of the two incoming hot lines.  One hot line stayed rock steady at 119 volts, the other varied by 15-20 volts when the lights were flickering- dropping to 100-105 volts).

Now, this measurement was done on the incoming side of my main breaker (i.e.- I was measuring the hot lines coming in from my meter).

My question is- since I am measuring the hot line dropping in voltage on the incoming side of my breaker box, does this indicate that it is not something inside my house that is causing the fluctuation?  Or could something in my house be causing the kind of extreme voltage draw that I am seeing?

Definitely outside,  in your meter box or with the utility lines feeding your box.  Call them again, now!!!  Btw, the meter is theirs also.


Grounding Upgrades While Replacing/Adding Panels I've previously mentioned in other questions my plans to upgrade two old and insufficient subpanels which serve my garage and its upstairs apartment. Note that the garage is attached to the house; it was an addition (in the mid '60s) but it is not a separate structure. The two panels are fed by a common feeder which is 3 x #4 copper in 1" EMT; the apartment panel is downstream of the garage panel and fed via a breaker in it. There is not a separate ground wire in the feeder although the EMT provides some ground continuity. In addition, since my service entrance panel is more than maxed out (the previous homeowner double-wired some circuits as the neutral bar was filled up, I'm planning to install a smaller sub-panel at the back of the house in an office/bath area I'm renovating and offload some circuits from the main panel. (See photo attached). The feed I'm planning for this new subpanel is 3 x #4 plus a #6 ground in 1" PVC, but I haven't cut any holes or bought any materials except for the panels themselves so far so I'm able to modify my plans if desirable.
I'm asking for recommendations for wiring and upgrading the grounds at all four of these panels. Currently the service entrance panel has a single ground rod driven I-don't-have-any-clue how long ago, and it looks badly corroded. At the back of the house, about 12 feet from where I'm putting in the new subpanel, there's a 1/2" ground rod which I drove myself a few years back when I found that an outlet where I wanted to place a computer did not have a functioning ground. The corner of the garage where the two old subpanels are has no ground and has a concrete walkway all around, but that's not a showstopper as I have a hammer drill. The two subpanels are within three feet of each other, so they ought to be able to share a ground connection. I'm not planning to upgrade the feeder in 1" EMT at this time as my eventual plan is to have a new, larger service entrance installed behind the home.
As the old saying goes, "I'd rather do it right than do it over." I definitely want a new ground rod for the garage panels, and I'm thinking that this is an opportune time to drive one or two new ground rods for the existing service entrance panel to replace the one which is corroded. For the new panel at the back of the house I could either drive a new ground rod, run wire about 20 feet around the perimeter of the room to the 1/2" rod I drove a few years back, or simply ground it back to the existing service entrance with the ground wire in conduit.
Since some of you will be curious, here are the projected loads for the various panels:
Garage Panel: Lighting (fluorescent, 8 single-tube fixtures), convenience outlets for power tools. Planning to add a 50A circuit for a welding machine (infrequent use) and to offload the laundry equipment (gas dryer [with provisions for electric], washing machine) onto this panel once it's changed out. Once service entrance is upgraded may add some more heavy-duty power tools on this panel, possibly a feed to a future swimming pool.
Apartment Panel: Small appliance & lighting circuits (gas range); 220V window AC/heat pump (20A circuit, downrated from original 30A as new A/C was more efficient). Eventually want to upgrade appliances to modern standards (dishwasher, disposal, installed microwave, etc.) but this can wait until I upgrade the service entrance.
Office Panel: Will be rewiring the back corner of the house which is the last vestige of fabric-covered ungrounded Romex which I'm aware of. Two circuits for computers and lighting, two circuits for a network closet and central sound system, offload HVAC (gas furnace, outdoor compressor, with provisions for eventual installation of ground-source heat pump and electronic air cleaner). Bathroom circuit. AFCI/GFCI protection as appropriate.

TLDR:

No need to upgrade main panel. A big subpanel will support your future needs.
You MUST upgrade your service (and service entrance) to 200A since your main breaker is already 200A.  WTH?

This will handle everything you plan, and an EVSE also.

LOVE your EMT and rely on it for grounding. Consider it for your next run!
For #4 copper wire running in EMT conduit, upsize the 70A breaker to 90A. (instant capacity!)
That other bar is a neutral bar. Grounds are OK there in a main panel.
Having reclaimed your other neutral bar, remove the double-taps in the main panel.
Never again use a grounding rod as a substitute for a ground wire!

On the main panel
I see the installer made several questionable choices even if they are not Code violations.
Oh wait, there are code violations at the double-tapping of some neutrals, as well as the shared neutral lug.  The bare neutral to the right appears to be your service feeder neutral.  The insulated seems to be your subpanel neutral, and it belongs on the neutral lug on the left!  (but don't runt off any more length please).
Also, I see a 200A main breaker.  Given your modest loads, since you already have 200A, I wonder why on earth you need a service upgrad--- Oh, wait.  Those service wires look awfully small to be 3/0 Cu.   It looks to me like you have a 100A or 125A service with a 200A main breaker.   Yeah, I would go ahead and upgrade that service to 200A A frikin S A P before you set those service wires on fire. But the good news is, you don't need to change this panel!  It's not as full as you think, and your "subpanel" strategy has a lot of legs - you'll be fine!  To repeat:
The installer chose to clip off all excess length, in the goal of "neatness" (and nobody gives out awards for that).  This creates a great inconvenience (wires are too short to freely move breakers around) and also creates a thermal problem with so many active conductors bundled together, see neutral wires bound together.  Never do either one!! Every hot and neutral should (not a Code requirement) to reach any breaker space in the panel (neutral for AFCI or GFCI).  Unbound and slightly loose wires creates the airspace between wires needed for cooling.
You have #4 Cu wire coming off a 70A breaker.  Now, if you look in the ampacity tables, at 60C thermal, #4 is allowed 70A, clear enough.  However, wires run in conduit are permitted 75C thermal.  That gives your #4 feeder 85A, and you are allowed to "round up" to a 90A breaker.  So we change that feeder breaker to 90A immediately, and just bought ourselves 20A of headroom. Easy peasy!
You can squeeze 4 more full spaces out of this panel by doing more double-stuffing.  That'll give you room for full-size breakers for 2 more subpanels.
Remember if you're staying with #4 Cu, that breakers at 90A if run in conduit.   You should also evaluate aluminum for long runs, there's nothing wrong with it for feeder.
Neutral and ground bars
GE has a funny way of doing double-stuff breakers.  They sell 1/2" width breakers that clip onto a "cruciform" bus stab unique to GE.  So this is a GE Q-line panel for sure, and given the positions, it's clear all the spaces have the cruciforms.  This panel has 16 spaces and can accommodate 32 circuits via the 1/2" double-stuffs.
Since there's no such thing an accessory neutral bar, it would be a grave oversight for a panel manufacturer to short you.  Indeed, the bar on the left is a neutral bar that the installer has chosen to populate exclusively with grounds. It is legal in a main panel to put grounds on the neutral bar, but this has led everyone into an error in thinking.  Simply evict the grounds from your other neutral bar and you'll have plenty.
Here is the spotter's guide: The steel case is grounded. Neutral bars are designed to be possible to isolate from the steel case. Ground bars cannot be isolated; they are bolted direct to the steel case.  That's what you do; bolt on accessory ground bars anywhere you please. Either

a) use #10-32 (or any -32 or finer thread pitch at least #8) self-tapping screws to mount them, or
b)  run a fat wire from the ground bar to the neutral bar, ideally in a place you can get a clamp ammeter around it.

Ground rods and grounding
Your plan to update ground rods is a good one. Remember there is such a thing as an UFER ground - this is poured into the concrete and brought out as a chunk of reinforcing rod etc.  This is the best ground available.  Look for this on each concrete pour.  Other than that, if you are not confident of your ground bars, by all means put modern ones in!  They must feed into the main panel to count.  You can keep the substandard grounds connected.

At the back of the house, about 12 feet from where I'm putting in the new subpanel, there's a 1/2" ground rod which I drove myself a few years back when I found that an outlet where I wanted to place a computer did not have a functioning ground

Never do that! Ground bars only handle lightning and ESD (which was what you were after in that application). They do nothing for ground-faults of human-generated electricity, because dirt is too poor a conductor of electricity to return 30A of current.  So you created the illusion of ground-fault safety, but none existed: you could've corrected that by GFCI-protecting the outlet, gaining its ground-fault protection along with the rod's lightning/ESD suppression.

although the EMT provides very excellent ground continuity

Fixed that for ya :)  Seriously, I once accidentally returned several hundred amps of current through 1/2" EMT which was 50 years old and deteriorating from water damage.  EMT is a fantastic grounding path.  And you want a fantastic ground, because the better the ground is, the more likely a bolted fault will magnetic-trip (insta-trip) the breaker in 5ms instead of waiting 500ms for a thermal trip.
I know you want to use PVC for your next run because it's the "new shiny", but that's because it's cheap (and not in the good way).  In commercial installations EMT is mandatory and PVC is not allowed. Consider staying on-board with EMT.  It is superior unless you are going underground. And yeah, it handles the ground for you.  I manage 9 buildings with over 2 miles of EMT - not a ground wire in any building. Our 800A service is grounded through two 4" EMT pipes.  This, plus stranded wire, makes life much easier!
On speccing subpanels
We cannot say it enough: Go Big.  Go really big.  Going with a smaller panel saves you -- maybe, a latté.  Will you still be able to taste that latté several years later when you are confronting another "box full" situation?
Figure on this new subpanel (or a fourth additional subpanel) taking heat/circuits off this existing semi-full main panel.  There's no problem with your 200A service supporting four 85A subpanels like that, since the chances are bascially nil that they'll all be maxed at the same time.  85A = #4Cu in conduit.
Given your situation with your panel (plennnnty of amps; precious little space) I would use subpanels as your primary expansion method.  I like to see houses finish a subpanel add with about 50 spaces (remembering those Q-line double-stuff breakers take half a space). This panel has 16, your two other subpanels have ??? and ???.
Feel free to stay GE, it's a perfectly fine panel. But don't count on the Q-line "double-stuffing" method; most breakers these days need to be  AFCI, GFCI or both.  AFCI must happen in the panel not the first recep (unless the run to that recep is EMT conduit, haha, I love that stuff!!)  NEC 2020 brings GFCI requirement for 240V circuit and that can only happen in the panel.  Together these rules are basically the death-knell of double-stuff breakers.


Is it necessary to shut off the water in order to tighten a handle on a Moen faucet? I have a Moen faucet. The handle unscrews.

Do I need to shut off the water to remove the barrel shape under the handle in order to tighten the handle?

If all you're trying to do is tighten a loose handle - the answer is no - you don't have to shut off the water. The screw to the handle should be on top of the handle. Sometime it's under a cap which is usually just pressed in to the handle. Pry it off with a blade of some type and tighten the screw.
That should do it unless you have a setup that's totally different than most Moen faucet handles. In that case - send a picture.


Proper sized screws to attach whiteboard on wall I need to attach a 120 x 200 cm (47.2" x 78.7") whiteboard to a concrete wall with some plaster on it, and the whiteboard arrived with 4 screws which seem kind of small to me.

I will be attaching the whiteboard in all four corners with these screws, but compared to the size of the whiteboard I find them to be rather small. The whiteboard is 15 kilograms (33 pounds) heavy.
I would like to use the install kit that came with the whiteboard, since I don't have longer screws of the same diameter to fit the wholes in the corners of the whiteboard (and would like to avoid an unnecessary trip to a hardware store to buy some, given the current pandemic) but I'm worried the whole thing will just come apart and fall if I use the provided kit.
So my question is, are these screws appropriate for mounting the whiteboard? Or should I use longer ones? What length would be appropriate?

I think you may have some difficulty drilling deeply enough into the concrete behind the wallboard without making the wallboard portion of the hole too large.  That will leave very little of the insert there to "bite" into the concrete.
I recommend you get some longer wall anchors and screws that will allow you to get the majority of the anchor into the concrete.


Raised horizontal lines along walls throughout house Just bought a home built in the 1980s back in October when temperatures were relatively warm. Much colder now and I'm noticing that in al the rooms/hallways, under lighting conditions you can see where the drywall (which is hung horizontally) seams are. They are generally about halfway up the wall and are nothing more than a visible line due to shadowing; there are no cracks and the walls are painted eggshell so there is a very slight sheen.
Is this pretty typical to see? Just a part of the age of the home?

I'm afraid the age of the house can not be blamed for the drywall seams  being noticeable. Dry wall seams, when completed properly, should be invisible even under close scrutiny.
It sounds as if only 1 or 2 coats of joint compound was applied. The solution is to apply more compound in wider passes to ease the compound to the surrounding wall (Feathering). 1 or 2 more coats should blend it enough to be unnoticeable.


Should my sump pail be perforated? I'm replacing the sump basin/liner in my home which is currently a perforated 5 gallon bucket surrounded by gravel.  I have an interior drain system that has two pipes terminating into the gravel pit area (but not into the basin itself - the water dumps into the gravel and through the holes in the bucket).  We have a high water table and the sump runs every few minutes on normal days.

My question is: should I replace the bucket with a solid liner, with openings for the drain pipe to go directly into the basin to be pumped out.... or should I use a perforated liner that allows water to come in in addition to the drain pipes?  It seems counter-intuitive to me to have the drain pipes empty into a basin with holes in it... but maybe I'm missing something and water needs to be allowed in in addition to the drains?

I really appreciate any advice you can give.  Thanks!

Oh my - two very different responses!  My thought was that if it the liner is sealed any additional water pressure would result in the perforated drain tile doing it's job "better" and bringing the water to the pit.  However, the response from Ed was exactly what I'm concerned about (the ground water causing the floor to leak).

If I use a perforated bucket it would surely always have water at the bottom because of the high water table.  Would it be okay to elevate the sump in the pit (using something like pavers) so that it's only emptying to a depth around 6" below the slab?  The problem now is it's constantly cycling to remove ground water that is over a foot below the slab.  I'm using a Zoeller without an adjustable float, so raising the pump itself is the only thing I can think of.

Thanks again for the responses.

Edited to add photo of current setup.  The current bucket top sits a couple of inches below the top of the slab... when I install the new basin I will make it level with the slab and fill with concrete.

I've installed many drain tile systems in Minnesota, and none of them used perforated pails. Really, you don't want to be collecting water from that far below your slab (and typically don't need to). All drainage should occur in the drainage medium via the tile.

If the drain tile (pipe) is perforated, there's no reason to have holes in your bucket unless you have a particular need to drain that deep. You're more likely to get sediment if you collect from down there as well.

Response to your answer/comment:

Your drainage medium (the clean rock I assume is below your slab) acts as the drainage path to the drain tile, which is simply a collector. If they're doing their respective jobs, no significant amount of water is present at the slab underside, and the question is rather moot. You don't need perforation unless you don't have drainage media under the slab, and if you don't, a perforated bucket only serves to allow drainage in the immediate vicinity of the bucket anyway. It won't keep your basement dry throughout.


Can I replace two Siemens QP type, handle tied, single pole 15 amp breakers with a tandem QT type in the same configuration? Our Siemens electrical panel has two single pole 15 amp QP type breakers, with a handle tie that are together powering a mini-split HVAC system. One breaker has the white neutral line into it (wrapped in black tape as appears to be expected) and the other has black hot line.

Can I replace these with a tandem 15 amp QT type Siemens breaker (edit: specifically, model Q1515U)? Assuming I use a handle tie (model ECQTH2, which it looks like qualifies as a common trip for those breakers) and wire it with the same neutral line in one and hot line in the other.

Edit: fwiw, this panel does support tandems in every slot

Photo of the current breaker if it's helpful:

NO. Your current configuration puts each hot on a different leg, resulting in 240 volts (120+120). The tandem breaker you’re proposing puts both hots on the same 120 volt leg. This will result in zero volts across the hots. If this were a multi-wire branch circuit, you’d end up with double current on the neutral.

What you could use is a compatible quad breaker (4 breakers in the space for two) with appropriate handle ties to produce two 240 volt circuits or one 240 and two 120s.


Enlarge a drawer opening I need to know what tool and instructions or suggestions  on how to make my kitchen drawer openings taller. The drawer faces are tall enough to cover another 3/4 " and i really could use that little bit of height. There is a quartz counter top installed and so i wont be able to use a normal type of router on the top drawers. Thanks

Cabinet front faces are normally built as a structural frame. In general trying to cut away part of that frame can literally mean that the frame could fall apart as you cut into the doweling or mortise and tenon joints that hold the frame together. What you propose is not something I would recommend.

I think that you may be asking an X Y type question here. You should really step back and re-evaluate how much junk you are stuffing into your drawers that they are so full that they need another three quarters inch to be able to close. I see two things to consider instead:

Take a hard look at how much stuff is in those drawers that never gets used. If you are like most of us there is probably 30% or more content that can be taken out for donation, charity or throw away.
If your situation is one where kitchen drawer space is very poorly designed and minimal then take a look to see if there is some way to gain some more space. Some ideas that come to mind are to add a kitchen island with added cabinet space/drawers or to purge the dishwasher (pick up the old craft of hand washing dishes) and retrofit the dryer space with more drawers.


What annual maintenance does a dishwasher require? The house we moved into has a dishwasher, and I am wondering if there are any annual maintenance procedures for it.  In googling, all that I came up with was making sure the spinning propellers are cleaned every now and again and wash it with vinegar occasionally to remove any mildew smells.

This one is probably at least 10 years old and we do not have a manual and the label to identify the make model was probably removed years ago so I do not have any identifying tags to specifically research the brand.

Should I pull it out from the counter, or look for a filter to clear, or do I need to oil any parts occasionally aside from the door hinge which I already did?

Or is it best just leave it alone.

Dishwashers are intended for permanent installation and there are no parts behind it that you will need to service.

The only things you might want to clean/treat are inside the unit.  Best to leave it alone otherwise.  If you can't remove it easily, it wasn't meant to be removed by household users.


Options for Replacing T101 Rotary Timer With Switch I recently moved into a house, built in 2004, and there this old looking rotary timer (T101 from Intermatic) in the garage that controls two large exterior flood lights.
The timer is wired with neutral, line and load wires.
On closer inspection the wiring is as such:Two sets of wires coming into the box for the time.The first wire: white goes to neutral on the timer, black goes to load on the timer and the ground is snipped off/not connected to anything.
The second wire: white is daisy-chained so that one goes to neutral on timer and one goes to outlet; black is also daisy-chained so that one goes to line on timer and one goes to outlet; ground is tied together and only goes to the outlet.
There are wires from the rear of the timer that go to the neutral and line on front of the timer.
This timer sits out from the wall (not recessed). There's also a regular 110V outlet that comes out off of the timer.
The breaker shows 15A.

Ideally I'd like to replace this rotary timer with a regular light switch so that I can have easier control over turning these lights on/off. I don't have a need for the plugin so that can be removed.

What options do I have for doing this?

Replace it with a switch in a surface mount box

Once you get that switch and receptacle out of there (after turning the breaker off of course), you'll need to install a surface mount box -- I'd use a 4" square box with a single gang mud ring as handy boxes get tight quickly -- and use some cable clamps to bring the existing cables into the box (one will come in from the lower left and the other from the back right, from the appearances of things).  You may need a spare handy box as well in order to "jumbo pigtail" one of the cables to extend it with an extra length of 14/2 NM -- this will also be surface mounted, with a ground pigtail nutted in with the rest of the grounds and a blank cover over it.

You can then install a single pole switch -- the whites nut to each other, the blacks land on the switch hot (brass/black) screws, and the bare grounds nut to each other, a pigtail to a ground screw on the box, and a pigtail to the green ground screw on the switch.  Add a switch cover, turn the breaker back on, and enjoy!


How to seal around metal gas pipe penetration through poured concrete above ground? I have a gas pipe that comes through my poured concrete foundation about 12 inches off the ground:
It is not sealed around the pipe on the outside. The gap is definitely large enough for insects to get through, and maybe small mice so I want to seal it up.
Googling this, I see a lot of mixed info - some ppl are saying expanding foam or caulk are OK, others are saying you MUST have a special sleeve. However, the sleeve stuff seems to be specific to underground penetrations through the wall?
So, I'm wondering is it OK to put expanding foam or caulking around that? Should I do just one or the other? Or should I pump foam deeper into the hole as thermal/ air insulation, and then after that's hardened, caulk around the outside for water seal?  Or should I use some other product entirely?
Note that this is already in place, so something like a sleeve that needs to be put in place at the time the line is run is not an option.
Thanks.
Update: Based on the comments and suggested duplicate, I'll clarify that this pipe goes through a concrete tunnel at least 10 inches long. The suggested duplicate may be a solution, but if it is I need some clarification on whether I should be trying to get duct seal to completely fill that tunnel around the pipe. Or do I just seal the outside with duct seal? If the latter, then that means the rest of that tunnel is just empty. Does that matter?

I would use "duct seal". It's a putty-like material that's a bit sticky. You'll find it in the electrical department. It's much more robust than foam.
Caulk would be difficult to work with on a gap that big and would be more difficult to remove if you had to do any modification later. You could probably get good results with silicone, though. I'd go with clear or light gray. Don't use latex as it shrinks badly.


How to Replace Old 1/4" In-Line Copper Water Filter? I have an inline (10 Year Old) water filter that wasn't replaced.

I'm interested in replacing it (Just eliminating the filter and replacing it with a straight run of tube) as I suspect that it might be interfering with the flow rate of our newer refrigerator that has a built in filter.

The copper comes from a saddle valve.

What procedure should I use to replace it with a straight run of tube (either copper or something else, whatever would be easiest / reliable), and what components do I need?

Here are some pictures:

It appears to me that the copper tubing connected to the outflow of the filter is long enough to reach the saddle valve. ( upper right corner in Photo ? )

If that is the case you can eliminate the extra tubing feeding the inflow side of the filter and just go directly from the saddle valve to the copper tubing that is feeding the refrigerator.

You may be lucky and the threaded fitting on the outflow tubing will be the correct size and kind to attach to the valve.

The saddle valve could be a 1/4" OR 3/8" connection. If you turn off the valve and then disconnect the line from the valve to the inflow side of the filter you can then mark the valve end and the filter end  of the tubing and take it to the store so you, or the associate, can determine the correct coupler fitting to use to connect your existing fitting to the saddle valve. ( the inflow threaded fitting appears to be the same as the one on the outflow side. )

If it were me i would replace the saddle valve, they are notorious for failing due to corrosion over the long term.  This require shutting off your water removing the saddle valve, cutting out the puncture from the saddle valve and soldering in a Tee, ( or use a push to connect fitting ) Then put a 1/4 turn valve on the tee branch for the refrigerator and the correct fitting to marry to the threaded fitting on your exciting tubing that goes to the refrigerator.


Which type of pump is appropraite for my well? My well is 250ft deep with a 6 inch bore. Water yield is moderate and starts from 115ft. My house is a three story building. What kind of pump would be appropriate for this application? I am confused between compressor type, jet type and submersible type pumps.

At 115 feet static and 250 bottom your (sensible) options are submersible, submersible, or submersible.

Which is really "new-fangled 2-wire submersible" (my choice, matter of opinion) or "old-fangled 3 wire submersible" (avoid like plague, matter of opinion) or fancy-schmancy constant-pressure inverter-drive submersible (too expensive for me.)

Since you have a 6" bore, a 4" pump will fit nicely. Park it at 235-240 feet down the hole.


Shower surround - does it need adhesive? I just had a plumbing company over to install a tub and shower surround.

I noticed when showering that the walls all bounce against the studs if you touch them.  Not sure if that's normal, I looked at the installation instructions, and if I understand them correctly, it says they were supposed to be glued to the studs.

Should they have glued them to the studs, or is it common practice to just screw the flange and not glue the walls?

This is the shower surround:
http://www.lyonsindustries.com/whirlpools/whirlpool-bathtub-walls/elite-corner-shelf-wall/elite-wall-corner-32x60x59/

The installation instructions you linked specifically say to "Apply a generous bead of polystyrene compatible adhesive" on the back wall studs first, then on the side panels.

These installation instructions are the authoritative guide for how this product should be installed, so yes they should have been glued. Hopefully it's not too late to unscrew, add the appropriate adhesive, and reattach.


Should a roof drip edge be placed above or below roofing felt? I'm confused... I've seen two conflicting sources of information describing how a roof drip edge should be installed.

One source (Ask This Old House), states that a drip edge should be placed above roofing felt: https://youtu.be/dms-qDIUnUQ?t=11m31s

Another source (Handy Home), states that it depends on which side the drip edge it being placed... and the stuff on the sides should be BELOW the roofing felt: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRciDPll_NY&feature=youtu.be&t=2m4s

Is this just a personal preference? Or is one method clearly superior?

It depends on where the drip edge is.  At the side, or gabels, of a roof, the drip edge goes over the roofing felt.  At the bottom of the roof, the drip edge goes under the roofing felt.  I have no idea why Ask This Old House did the drip edge the way they did.  The main purpose of underlayment is to keep water away from the decking if it gets under the shingles.  Water will pass right under that drip edge.
But don't take my word for it.  Your shingles will come with instructions that say how to place the drip edges.
Example Installation Instructions
Timberline® Shingles Installation Instructions (PDF)

Oakridge® Shingles Installation Instructions (PDF)

Example installation instructions located using a simple google search. Products listed are not recommended nor endorsed by the author of this post.


How can I turn glossy finish matte? I've just decorated my front room, but the skirting boards and cabinets are too glossy and I'm looking for a way to turn them matte.  Is there a product or method which I can use to remove the shine?

Sanding with a very fine grit. And then possibly repainting with a matte finish if the results aren't good enough to your liking.


How to protect these NM cables? I have an old chimney that an electrician used to run cable to the attic, and they protected them with small diameter metal conduit.  I have run several more cables.  I could run each in it's own tube, but I'd rather get one big (1.5" or 2") elbow and put them all inside, which I believe will be tidier.  The elbow would be open on both ends, just used as cladding in an unfinished basement.  Is this way of protecting the cables to code, or is there a better (safer, neater) way to protect these cables?

The total cable bundle will be 2x 14/2 and 3x 12/2.

You can't get one big one.  You'll smack into 310.15(B)(3)(a), which says no more than four circuits per conduit even if you can walk through the conduit standing up.   In residential split-phase wiring, all properly wired cables count as 2 conductors for the purpose of this chart, and 70% derate is harmless. 50% is a serious problem.

Having 10 wires (5 circuits) requires a 50% derate, which requires bumping up to the next size of wire (#10 for a 20A circuit, ouch, and that takes more space which means fewer wires can fit etc.)

Instead, switch to THHN wires inside that conduit

It looks like he used nice big pipe - either a 1/2 and 3/4, or a 3/4 and 1".  Not clear.  (a 3/4" pipe is about 1" diameter). You can easily fit 3-4 circuits in each one as individual THHN wires.

Get some black #12 stranded THHN, white #12 also, green ground screws, and a few feet of solid #12 bare wire.  Also a 5-pack of colored electrical tape (for marking circuits).  Also some 4-11/16 large deep square junction boxes with knockouts that'll fit your pipe, and conduit knockout adapters as needed.  The big boxes are cheapest at a real electrical supply, "big box" stores overcharge for them.

Pull the existing cable out of the pipe.  (you can do this one pipe at a time so you only knock out 1 circuit; once we've done one pipe you can put both existing circuits in that).
Install a junction box on the end of the pipe (cut or bend if necessary) using a proper EMT-junction box fitting into a knockout.
Do this to both ends.
Bring the Romex cable into the junction box via a knockout, using a cable clamp of the right size, clamp it, and cut it with 12" of extra length inside the box. Shuck it back most of the way back to the clamp.
Figure out the length of the pipe, add 24" and that's how long your THHN wires need to be. Check first, before cutting.
Neutrals must use white THHN. (or gray)
Hots must use black THHN. (or any other color but green).  That includes 240V circuits - so if it comes in in black/white /2 Romex, it must go through the pipe in black/black.
Use colored tape to mark wires.  First group them by circuit (black-blue and white-blue is circuit 2), and then to distinguish hots from each other.
Mark every circuit. Leave "plain-black" and "plain-white" for the future.

In each box, for the Romex grounds, put a 9" pigtail on green ground screw, and attach it to the grounding screw inside the box.  Splice that ground to all the Romex grounds. The rest of the way, ground will be carried by the pipe itself.  If you don't like that, feel free to throw a single #12* bare solid wire into the pipe also. This will be redundant, but redundant grounds are allowed.

* If there is #10, #8 or #6 wire in the pipe, the ground wire must be #10.

Now, for each cable set's conductors, do wire-nut splices from the Romex to the THHN.  Do one circuit at a time.  It's no big deal attaching a stranded to solid wire, no need to pre-twist, just use good wire nuts (Ideal) and tighten rather firmly!  Hold the nut and yank the wire for your pull test. No need for tape; if you feel like you need tape to hold the wirenut on, that's a bad connection that will arc-fault; fix your technique instead.

Conduit fill limits: No more than nine #12 wires per conduit. That is the limit for 1/2" conduit, but that's also where you'll hit the cubic-inch limit of those 4-11/16" square junction boxes (42 cubic inches). If you use larger boxes, you can take 3/4" conduit right up to the 4-circuit limit.

Why are we using #12 wire on 15A circuits?  Fewer wire spools to buy and less leftovers.  A 50' spool each of #12 + #14 is more expensive than a 100' spool of #12.

Why not just shuck the sheath off the Romex cable and use it?  It's not tough enough to handle life inside conduit, it's too stiff, and it lacks the markings on the side of the wire  "12 AWG THHN/THWN-2 ABC Wire Co. (UL) blah blah" that make it legal to use.


How can I effectively hide cables under my carpet or around the room? Current situation:

I have recently hooked up my PC to my new room setup. The problem is, the LAN cable is exactly in the middle of the other side of the room. Here's a quick sketch of my room (horribly out of proportion):

The red line is the LAN cable, and the gray area is my carpet. You can see that on the other side of the room, the cable goes under the carpet. This is annoying in two ways:

The cable is loose. If anyone slips on the carpet hard enough, it slips right out of my PC.
The carpet has a pretty visible bulge.

Currently, without a lot of effort, I can't put the cable under the.. wooden thing (I do not know the name, here's an image:)

(Image source: profhome-shop.de)

This is because I would need to rearrange my wardrobe and bed. Also, the cable would need to go under my heater, and I do not want to risk any damage to my cable from the heat.

So I pretty much have no idea.

Is there any better way of arranging my cable around my room?
Can I somehow hide the bulge on my carpet?

(Note: WiFi is not an option ;) )

Go up and over the door, and along the top of the wall. then down the wall to the computer. Use wiremold cable duct to make it neat. wiremold is a brand-name, I guess. Cable duct is more generic.


How do I unclog my AC drainage line I live in a condo with an in-home AC/heat pump. This morning we noticed that it was dripping water, and when we took off the front panel we could see standing water in the run-off tray. It was pretty clear that there was gunk (probably built-up dust) in the bottom of the tray, so we assume there's a bunch of it clogging the PVC piping too.

What is the best way to clean this out? We have one snake tool, but unfortunately it only reaches to about the top of the U-bend. I read that Drano is not a good idea, because without water pressure from above, it could sit in the U-bend and corrode the pipes. We poured about a cup of vinegar in this morning and are going to let that sit all day to see how it does. Is there anything else we can do if this doesn't work? We don't really want to have to call a plumber if it's just a clog job.

Update: All the vinegar drained through. Filled it again and it's a slow drain, though better than it was before. Hopefully a few runs of this will do the trick.

Here's some pictures to give you a better idea what I'm dealing with. The left shows the PVC piping. The right shows the coils, with the drainage tray underneath. The water pools underneath that lowest coil.

The best solution to this problem is to install a drain system that allows for easy inspection and cleaning.  Here is an example of "the right way" to plumb that:


Can an 8" rigid duct be split into two 6“ flex ducts I'm trying to finish an en-suite bed/bath that currently has a capped 8" rigid duct coming off the main trunk. What is the proper method to supply air to both the bedroom and bathroom?

The bedroom is about 135 sq-ft and the bathroom is about 35 sq-ft. Can I just split the 8" rigid into two 6" flex? Or do I need to come off the trunk line with two 6" lines, one for the bedroom and one for the bath?

Thanks in advance!

Yes splitting an 8” duct to 2 separate 6” ducts is an appropriate size transition, since it is a master the air will be going to the same areas while the bathroom door is open. I usually add dampers to all my vents it costs more but makes balancing easier.


Bases for anchoring 2" tubes? Is there a base, similar to this simpson 4" 12-gauge ez base, that can be used to anchor a 2" steel tube/pipe?

It would be exactly the same thing, but instead of a 4" square, it would be a 2" round tube.

Search for "structural pipe fittings".

Here is an

example.


Customizable boiler water load I need a boiler to produce hot water for my bathroom. I wonder why boilers usually don't let you customize how much water they should contain. I only need to warm up 80 litres if there are guests in my house. Otherwise, 50 litres is more than enough. I think (maybe I'm wrong) this could greatly reduce energy bills, and I also think this should be quite easy to implement. So, what am I missing? Is there a specific technical reason why this is not implemented?
Sorry if the question is dumb. :)

The most common reason is the difference in volume between water and steam; water expands to 1700 times its original volume during the phase transition. That makes steam engines capable of driving locomotives easily, but also makes steam boilers an explosion danger. Even in hot water "boilers" which don't produce steam need to be engineered for safety. You could easily lose an afternoon googling pictures of damage from hot water heater explosions.

Another common limitation is the design of the boiler itself. Most commonly the water is heated by a set of tubes inside the boiler. Generally the tubes themselves are designed to be cooled by the boiler water and must remain submerged. Lowering the water level exposes the tubes which can be weakened by the heat. In the absolute worst case if the tubes contain flames rather than water they can be heated to the temperature of the fire itself. If water is added it will instantly flash to steam with spectacular results. (Like over-pressuring so quickly not even the relief valve prevents an explosion.)

In general residential boilers have their design constrained by the need to be relatively safe and function unattended. You are right about the energy savings though, which is why you'll see more tankless types in new work. There are also hybrid styles designed for buildings which are too large for a tankless, which use a small tank combined with an on demand unit.


Add a toilet to washing machine drain line Are there any disadvantages to adding a toilet so that the toilet waste drains into the washing machine drain? We have a small home and it only has one toilet. There are four people who live here so we are looking to maximize our space by adding a toilet in the garage. Is this possible? Any pitfalls?

a toilet needs either a large drain pipe or a fecal grinder that prevents fecal matter and toilet paper from clogging it up

that or it needs to be a urinal


How to fix sagging ceiling? I have an older building on my property that I am in the process of fixing up.  The person that built it used 2x4s for the ceiling joists and it is beginning to sag a bit in the middle of the ceiling.

I would like to fix this and also hopefully prevent future sagging.  My current plan is to jack up the ceiling until it is level and then sister 2x6s to the existing 2x4s.

I have a few questions about this approach:

is it a reasonable approach to resolve the current/future sagging issue?
The ceilings are already kind of low - could I potentially use a 4x4 instead of a 2x6 to get the same support and save myself the 2" of head room?
The current 2x4 joists continue through the wall to the outside - am I ok stopping at the wall with the new 2x6 joists?  They would just rest on the wall frame.
Am I ok to sister the 2x4 and 2x6 joists using screws every 18 inches or so?

Update:

There are two spans of about 12 feet that meet in the center of the ceiling.
The joists are spaced somewhat irregularly - between 18 and 24 inches.
As @LeeSam mentioned the ceiling joists are the roof joists as well.
There is no material attached to the bottom of the 2x4s.
There is plywood and tar paper on top of the 2x4s but nothing else.
The angle of the roof is fairly shallow, it raises about a foot over the 12' span.
Water doesn't currently pool on the roof

Crude drawing:

Is it a reasonable approach to resolve the current/future sagging issue?
Yes, adding 2x6 lumber should resolve your issue. 12 feet is still a long span for unsupported 2x6 boards, but it'll be a definite improvement. Be sure to crown each rafter to maximize benefit.

Could I potentially use a 4x4 instead of a 2x6 to get the same support and save myself the 2" of head room?
This is inadvisable. The additional weight and lower rigidity of 4x4 lumber make it a poor rafter choice. They'd also be quite expensive.

Am I ok stopping at the wall with the new 2x6 joists?
Yes. 2x4 rafter tails should be adequate. It's not critical that the new rafters bear either on the wall or the ridge beam. Fit them as close as is convenient. The short spans of 2x4 beyond the 2x6 boards have the strength needed to carry the load. You might level off the bottom ends of the 2x6 boards to create a taper into the 2x4, like so (but obviously with less pitch):

                /      /
               /      /
              /      /
             /      /
            /      /
           /______/
          /    /
         /____/

Am I ok to sister the 2x4 and 2x6 joists using screws every 18 inches or so?
Yes, if your screws are 2-1/2" gold construction screws (or better--no black oxide), you use two per 18", spaced widely, and you be sure to clamp the rafters tightly together as you progress.


How do I add an on off switch to the power cord of a 2 wire AC motor complete novice here so please take that into account when responding.

I want to add an on & off switch to the power cord of an AC motor so that I don't have to unplug it from the wall outlet every time I want to turn it off.

Both wires coming out of the motor are black, I guess that means there's no neutral, and I'm gonna be using a wall switch.
, hope it's helpful.

Please help

Peace

Do not assume that the fact that both leads from the motor are black means that the motor "has no neutral". One of the leads will definitely be connected to neutral and one will definitely be connected to hot. It may be that the motor is designed to have either lead be hot or it may be that one particular lead is supposed to be the hot. Something in the documentation accompanying the motor or written on the motor will probably tell you which this is.

The electrical box you have chosen is designed to be inside a wall, not loose on a table or on the floor. The box has flaps covering openings for heavy #14 or #12 sheathed cables to enter and be clamped. It is not designed for lamp cord. The flap could cut the insulation on the cord. You would be better off an inline switch designed for flexible cord. You can buy cords with the switch already in.

How do you propose to enclose the motor and protect the connection of the cord to the leads of the motor?

What is the current draw of this motor? You should select the power cord based on the current draw of the motor. Your proposed wiring is stranded wire "lamp cord" to wire this motor. This varies in current capacity depending on its size and number of strands between 3.5 A to 7 A or maybe 10 A if the cord is larger than it appears in the picture.

The switch is supposed to be in the hot wire. Is the plug you have selected polarized, that is, does it have one blade larger than the other so it will only go into the receptacle one way? If not, get one that is polarized. Your wall receptacles are supposed to be wired so that the smaller slot is hot and the larger slot is neutral. The insulation on one side of the cord will be marked or  ribbed so that you can keep the hot and neutral identified as you make connections. The convention is that ribbed or marked side is neutral. The smooth or unmarked side is hot.

Addition Edit

The inline appliance switch is the better and standard way to put a switch in a flexible cord, but if you would want to use the components you already have on hand, below is how I would used them to wire the connection in the switch box. But this is not an approved use for these devices and the inline switch would be.

Drill two small holes in the sides or ends of the box that are just large enough to insert the wires. File or sand the edges of the holes so they are not sharp. Insert the wires through the holes leaving about 6" or 7" of wire on the inside and then tie the wire into a simple knot large enough so that the knot cannot pull back through the hole. Connect the neutral wires with a wire nut and connect the hot wires to the switch terminals.


How to clean kitchen cabinets? I just bought a house with some dirty (greasy, grimy, dusty, &c.) wooden kitchen cabinets.  What is the best way to clean them?  I've read that paint thinner works well, however, I am afraid that will damage the finish.  Can you recommend some good cleaning products?

Suggestions for regular maintenance cleaning would be appreciated, however, I am really looking for advice on a one-time, heavy duty cleaning.

Ok serious answer.  If in fact they are urethane, start with Dawn. If that isn't quite strong enough, step up to Barkeeper's Friend powdered cleaner.  It will clean and polish most anything and not scratch the urethane finish.


How much will a board-on-board (shadow board) fence reduce the wind load? I have had problems with a fence on one side of my garden because of wind in Montreal. The posts end up leaning away after a few years. Part of the problem might be how the posts were put in (perhaps not deep enough), but the wind is a big factor.

EDIT: Current fence design is 2m high with posts roughly every 15 feet, similar to the image below:

I'm wondering if a board-on-board fence design (aka shadow board or shadow box fence) will help much. It seems that there's more wood involved in this design, and so it will cost more. I'm not sure how much it reduces the wind load, and I'm trying to get an idea of the cost/benefit of the design.

Here's an image to give you an idea of what I'm talking about:

This is an interesting read:

http://www.justanswer.com/structural-engineering/6escy-does-shadow-box-fence-significantly-less-windloading.html

The engineer says that there is no reduction in surface area, and the gap between boards isn't significant enough to significantly alter the air flow.  He also says that in reality, there may be a minor reduction in the wind loading, but not enough to make it worthwhile.

You may want to consider a Louvred fence (angle board fence).  However, these do not provide much privacy in the one direction, so you will want to angle the boards away from any nude sunbathing areas.


Why is there moisture on some parts of my basement slab? In the mechanical room of a new construction house there is some moisture at the bottom pressure treated plated.  When I remove the vapor barrier and the insulation and check up against the  concrete wall there isn't any moisture on the wall itself or behind the wall.  It is only below the pressure treated plate and in front of it on this one wall.  I don't understand why this is and could really use some help with this.

One other concern i have is on one of the other interior walls that has the finished basement on the other side there is a little bit of moisture in one random spot as well which i don't understand. Right above this is the gas line for the furnace and when i touched the plug on the bottom side which is threaded on or whatever it is it felt a little wet but it isn't leaking not sure why there would be moisture on that.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, I want to make sure to take care of these moisture issues and don't want it to lead to something long term. Thanks.

The pipe could be cool and condensing humidity on the pipe (like a glass of ice water condenses moisture) . As for the moisture at the wall floor junction this is a common place for moisture to enter if there is standing water outside the foundation. We usually install a drain and gravel at the footings to prevent this and some times sumps (a pit that collects the water) with a pump to pump it out as the level rises. When I put bottom plates on concrete I use a sill seal (foam sheet to prevent the wood from sitting on the damp concrete. If this is new construction and your contract specified a dry basement you should be talking to the contractor. This is not an uncommon issue and there are measures to prevent the moisture from entering but usually excavation, draining and sealing are required. In some cases an internal sump is added to keep the water level below the slab.


Voltage tester indicates the wall has an electical charge My Dad installed a bar on the wall, and put his voltage tester to the bar, and it lit up red.

Then he tested the wall ( with the voltage tester ), and a couple of adjacent walls - 2 red, one not.

He removed the bar ( and the screws ) opened the wall where he had installed the screws, and didn't find a wire ... chances are it was a previous short ?

Any suggestions, short of removing the sheetrock around the room and to find the problem?

If the "voltage tester" is one of those "tick tracer" type that don't actually need to touch two wires (or one wire and ground), they function my simply detecting magnetic fields AROUND wires. So they will "light up" by just being NEAR wires, even wires BEHIND something else. Basically, it doesn't mean anything in the scenario you described.


Pros and cons of coupling vs. threaded when transitioning from copper to PVC I'm replacing a copper DWV pipe with PVC since it's rotting out. It looks like this:

There's the cast iron on the bottom going into the foundation, followed by a brass cleanout, a brass tee above that, and then finally the copper that I'll be replacing.

Most sites I've been to recommend leaving a bit of copper and using a coupling to make the transition. But a few site recommend using a threaded connection with the understanding that the copper half should be the female half and the PVC should be male.

On this site I found the following with regards to using a coupling:

  Q: Is this any better then soldering a copper female onto DWV and
  using a male PVC/ABS to connect to it?

  A: yes it is better. Torque the
  band down to 60 inch-pounds and you'll not have to worry about it.

Okay... WHY is it better? What are the pros and cons of each method?

Definition: DWV - Thin copper pipe for drain, waste, vent usage.

Edit:

On the page linked above, the one of the posters shows the following two couplings:

No-Hub (corrugated):

Pro-Flex (smooth)

I went and purchased a coupling with a smooth metal band around it that was "for connecting no hub pipes of similar or dissimilar materials." The PVC would barely fit in it and the copper was too thin and I could easily pull it off. Since the sizes were so different the metal band bent badly. I saw in the linked post that the rubber was supposed to be thicker at the copper end. I guess I just didn't understand how much thicker.

Follow-up questions:

What is the use of the corrugated coupling? What other features should I look for in an appropriate coupling?

Even a properly installed threaded copper x pvc connection will eventually have problems due to the differing rates or expansion/contraction + plastic embrittlement as it ages. That is not to mention that rarely is a plastic x metal threaded joint properly done to manufacturers specs. The plastic usually gets over tightened into the metal, leading to an even faster failure of the joint.

None of those are a problem if you use a properly rated no-hub coupling. No-hub couplings are simpler to use, faster and less prone to failure.


Electrical pipe heated by heating pipe - against the code? Please see the picture below.

The three pipes in the front are electrical (conduit). The big black pipe in the back is the heating pipe.
I guess something went wrong when building the building and the middle pipe, instead of being straight like the other two, bends to the back.
The problem is that it is touching the heating pipe. When the heating is on, this conduit gets warm. It does not get super hot/burning like the heating pipe, but it does get warm.

I'm in New York.
Do you know if a conduit touching a heating pipe and/or getting warm is against the electrical code and, if it is (I guess it is!) what would be the paragraph showing that this should not happen?
I ask because it belongs to the building (it's a coop) and I'd like to be prepared when I inform them (they are aware already, but I see it as a hazard, while they don't seem to have the same opinion, and I want to be prepared to show that in the electrical code).

Thank you!

I have probably said this before but one of the first thing they teach in apprentice school is that there are two things that should be avoided when dealing with electrical circuits. Heat and Water. So how hot is hot?

Conductor ampacity charts use 30C or 86F for conductor size ratings. If your conduit temperature is higher then the resistance of the conductor increases making the conductor hotter, making the resistance higher and on and on. You can check the ambient heat of the conduit with an infra red thermometer. So hopefully the heat was taken into account and the conductors are sized accordingly.

Normal recommendation is minimum 3" of separation from hot pipe to give the heat time to dissipate into the air. If you can't achieve that then you might try a piece of welding blanket or some other type of insulation between the conduit and pipe. Welding blanket is fairly inexpensive and you can buy a small one from someone like Harbor Freight or a welding supplier.

Now everything I wrote here except for the sizing and temperature rating of the conductors (Table 310.15(B)(16) and 310.15(B)(2)(a) is not really code. Most of what you are asking about is training and developing skill. The NEC is more about materials and methods, and their safe and proper electrical installation not compatibility with other disciplines.


Circuit board fuse blows on AC switch I have a Honeywell System. Back in November of 2014, I replaced the Circuit Board with one by Honeywell from Amazon (1014460). The blower motor was replaced over 2 years ago. Last month, I have replaced the Transformer. (No part # available at time of writing). I also replaced the cap on the board as well. (97F9002). My thermostat is about 5 years old. All caps for my a/c system are no older than 2 years old.

When I switch from Heat to AC, my circuit board fuse immediately pops. I am unable to use either until the fuse is replaced. I haven't tried replacing the circuit board fuse and putting it on AC to see if the AC would kick on that way. However, I haven't been able to determine why the fuse keeps blowing. Nothing was replaced last year and it worked great during the summer.

Any suggestions to try for troubleshooting? (See below for another suggestion)

Research: All the research I have found regarding my issue tends to be the other way around. People seem to have the issue with AC to Heat. However, I want to test to see if it is my thermostat as that has been suggested to others. How would I test if that is a possibility?

BRAND ICP
Model N8MPNO75B12A1

Transformer 44504 jard 4031f

Without knowing much about your system, I'd recommend starting by checking the contactor in the condensing unit  (outdoor unit).
Before you begin
Before you open up the condensing unit, make sure to turn the power off at the breaker, pull/turn off the serviceman switch, and verify power is off.
Once you've opened the unit, you'll want to properly discharge the capacitor(s).  You don't want them to accidentally discharge through you.
Check the contactor
Using an insulated screwdriver, or pair of pliers, push the contactor plate in. You'll want to make sure the plate moves freely, and is not sticking or getting hung up.
If you're really careful, and comfortable doing so, you can run the system with the condensing unit open. Then you'll be able to see if the contactor pulls in.
Here's a good YouTube video that shows why the contactor not pulling in is a problem.
Next, set your multimeter to test resistance.  Carefully remove the leads from the coil terminals, then test the resistance of the coil by touching one probe on each of the coil contacts (where you removed the wires). Make sure the resistance matches the manufacturer's specifications.
If the resistance is really low, the coil is likely shorted out.  If the resistance is infinity, the coil is likely broken.  In both cases, the contactor will need to be replaced.

Isolate the problem
To try and determine where the problem is,  you could disconnect the control wires feeding the outside unit. Then switch the unit to COOL, and lower the set point until the thermostat calls for COOL.  If the fuse blows with the outdoor unit disconnected, then the problem is likely on the control board.
Unfortunately the control board doesn't appear to be serviceable, so you'll have to replace the entire board if that's where the problem is.


How to seal gym floor mats along the edges to protect your floors with knobbles facing downward? My partner and I are about to furnish a large room with gym equipment. We recently moved into our new home and had the entire first floor tiled in porcelain 2x2 square feet tiles and love it. In the room we're going to turn into our gym we want to protect the newly tiled floors with rubber stall mats we purchased from Factory Supply. They have round circular knobbles. Some people keep them facing up and some place them on the floor with the knobbles facing the floor. I was hoping to keep them facing up but then my partner reminded me that we squat in socks and that this won't feel good on feet with socks on only. Had I kept the knobbles facing up I would have used Gorilla tape to tape the seams underneath. This is why I want to do this. But with the knobbles facing the floor I don't see how I can use tape to create an impenetrable seal. Here is what our mats look like:
https://www.greatmats.com/rubber-stall-mats/washbay-rubber-stall-mats-button-top-4x6x12h.php
Ever notice mats placed on a floor and at the seams where debris, dirt and gunk fall between the seams that there is permanent discoloration or marks after several years? I was hoping to avoid this by using tape but since I will more than likely keep the knobbles facing downward I am not sure how to create a seal to prevent debris from falling between the seams. We plan to have this gym set up indefinitely. I'm only concerned that when we move and sell in the future that if the floor has damage or is stained or altered along all the seams of the mats that it will work to our disadvantage when we sell. Plus, I wouldn't want to damage our newly tiled floors in the first place.
We also live in the desert and it's very windy here. The dirt is pretty much sand based and we're always sweeping away sand that gets in the house ALL THE TIME. So I could only image what sand seeping through the seams of the rubber mats would eventually do over time. I could see the grains of sand grinding away at the floor causing marks or discoloration along all the seam lines over the years.
What would help protect my floor over the long haul?

Just going to throw the relevant suggestions into an answer:
Sheet plastic under the whole floor I think is the most thorough and cheap option.  Well placed double sided tape will prevent a slipping hazard.
I second the recommendation of jwh20 in throwing down a layer of plywood or similar to reduce the risk of drop damage.  The crushing destruction of the wood fibre will absorb an immense amount more energy than the rubber mat. It is possible to inset a tile level with an existing floor, but it is a huge pain and it won't be many tiles that make you wish you'd laid plywood.
You can mostly lay them button side up as FreeMan suggests to make them easier to tape together, and I'd note if you apply it warm to clean surfaces, many types of tape are flexible enough that button side down isn't a huge issue.  Wider tape will work better as well.  However, taping long seams tightly on the underside of something is a huge pain.


Can't get drive hub out of washing machine to replace gearcase I have a Kenmore "VMW" model 110.21302012

I am pretty certain the problem with this machine is the gearcase has worn out. To that end, I already have purchased and received the replacement, as well as a replacement drive hub and belt.

I am now stuck. Or, I should say, the drive hub is stuck -- I can't free the old gearcase from the washer. It is as if the multiple pieces of the drive hub, and the gear shaft, have fused together into a single piece.

I bought some Supco "Rust Buster" penetrating oil. Was advised in a repair video that that would help.

Does anyone have any advice on freeing these parts?

I'll answer my own question.

I resolved this by

whacking the heck out of the drive hub with a hammer
using "rust buster" penetrating oil in all the cracks
eventually, i had to drill out one of the stuck screws
then finally, I split the center piece in half with a metal chisel

Summary: Brute force removal method. Good thing I had already bought a replacement hub assembly.


Would it be Code legal to have an all-240V house in the United States? My goal is to have a house where all loads are powered by 240V, that is fully livable in all the normal ways.  And this question concerns the hard, in-house, built-in wiring; we will armwave the availability of plug-in appliances.
Under NEC 2014/17, will it be possible to a) serve all built-in (ordinarily hardwired) loads with 240V supply?
I am willing to switch appliances (e.g. to all hard-wired lamps, and to all socketless, light emitting or discharge lights). There won't be a conventional forced-air furnace; it'll be mini-splits, baseboard emergency heat, and electricityless Empire heaters.
Let us presume I have either found US-legal 240V plug-in appliances, or decided to do without them.

Code calls out a number of 120V circuits and receptacles that specifically must exist: kitchen counter receps within 2' of any point on a countertop, wall outlets within 6' of any point along a wall, laundry room, bathroom, outdoor etc. I'm willing to physically install them as well and just leave them de-energized. With 240V circuits right next to them.  120/240V multi-wire branch circuits will not be used.

Such a fun question deserves an equally fun answer.
Sure you can!  And there's a neat trick that will help with all those troublesome NEC 2014/17 rules: simply make sure to build this house in a country where the NEC does not apply!
Most of the world uses 230V as their standard supply voltage, which is pretty close, but if that's not quite enough for you, there are 19 countries that use exactly 240V by default, and would make an ideal location to build a 240V-only house.

Brunei
Cook Islands
Cyprus
Falkland Islands
Fiji
Gibraltar
Isle of Man
Kenya
Kiribati
Kuwait
Libya
Nauru
Oman
Papua New Guinea
Qatar
St Lucia
Seychelles
Tonga
Uganda

(source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mains_electricity_by_country)


Is there enough time to pour 40 sqf 4" slab with 60lb bags of premixed concrete if working alone? Any hints? I am planning to pour 40 square feet of 4" slab to support light shed. I was thinking of using 60LB bags of regular premixed concrete (not fast set). I figured that getting it as ready mix in a truck is way too expensive and also the site is 150+' away from the street.

What is the best way to do it so concrete wouldn't set before time and I don't kill myself? The place is very constrained so I can't fix electric mixer and it's tight even for wheelbarrow.  My current plan is to use Leonard OdJob™ Concrete mixer and I will need abot 30 bags.

Any alternatives and hints?

The answer depends on your level of physical ability and ambition, and is therefore mostly subjective. There are plenty of folks who could do it. I wouldn't try it myself at my age and level of fitness. Concrete is really freaking heavy. I would want some additional labor on hand.

I attempted to finish a sidewalk and garage apron on my own when my help had to leave, and there's little as nerve-wracking as finding oneself racing the clock with setting concrete. You never end up with a good finish in those cases, and if you try something foolish like watering the mix you'll end up with a weak surface prone to flaking and disintegration.

My $.02: Play it safe and have someone around to help you mix and move the mud.


What is the purpose of the "grounding" tab/wire on a 3-prong to 2-prong adapter? We've probably all seen these guys...

They come in handy when you need to plug something with three prongs, into something with two prongs.  What I've never understood was, what the heck is the "grounding" tab for?  It's meant to have the cover plate mounting screw through it. But why?

Is this really designed as a grounding device, or is it there simply as an attachment means to insure the thing doesn't fall out of the receptacle?

Yes, it's designed as a ground attachment. No, it's not simply to keep it from falling out, as evidenced by the style you haven't shown that provides a pigtail green wire, and the fact that the terminal in question is electrically connected to the ground pin of the receptacle side of the device.

While it is true that this will not always result in a ground, and may (I haven't got time to sift through code, nor code on a computer to sift through) not result in a ground approved by code, it is, nevertheless, what it's there for, and in quite a few cases it does, in fact result in a ground - whether or not you like it.


Connect 1 power source to 2 sets of 2-light switch Based on the diagram in this thread

Link:
How do I wire two lights with a switch?
or ascii:

    Power source       First Light   Second Light   Switch
   |  |               |   |         |   |        |  |
   |  |               |   |         |   |        |  |
   |  + white/neutral ----+---------+   |        |  |
   |                  |                 |        |  |
   |                  +-- red/switched -+--------+  |
   |                                                |
   +------- black/hot-------------------------------+

How should I wire to a 1 power source if I have 2 sets of a 2-light switch setup? Should I just simply tap on the power source? What if I have 6 sets to 1 power source?

Ascii, nice.  There's many ways to wire it depending but this is the most straightforward way to illustrate it:

Source ---blk--- Switch ---blk--- Light1 ---blk--- Light2 ---blk--- Light3 etc.
       ---wht---        ---wht---        ---wht---        ---wht---

The idea is that although the lights are electrically in parallel, the wiring "daisy chains" from one to the next.  The switch can tie into the chain at either end or in the middle, it doesn't matter.

Now with two switches, it gets a little more interesting - you want different kind of switches, and three wires plus ground between the switches.  (No more asccii, going to reuse someone elses drawing...)


Is the gutter on the side of my roof dormer necessary? On each side of this dormer there is a small gutter which drips onto the roof and into the longer gutter and down the side of the house. If this short gutter wasn't there, wouldn't the water go to the same place anyway? Follow up, if the short gutter is a good idea, should I connect it to the longer gutter or leave it as is?

Since the dormer extends out past the main roof, some (looks like about half) of the water would fall to the ground below. This could cause problems with drainage, puddling, erosion, and possibly lead to water infiltration.

The gutter should be there, but there should be a downspout running from the outlet to the lower gutter (as described in this answer).  As it is now, you will likely see deterioration of the shingles, where the water flows out of the outlet and across the roof. The rate of deterioration will depend on the volume of rainfall in the area, among other factors.


How can I increase airflow through an attic without soffit vents? My house does not have soffit vents. The overhang at the eaves is too small. The ceiling leaks were sealed up by an HVAC company about 10 years ago. They also blew in insulation to an R30 level in the attic. There are gable vents (22” rounds) on both ends. A roofing company just put a new roof on and added a ridge vent. Am I ok to leave it alone? Do I need to put in a gable fan for air intake?

I live in Oregon and gable vents work fine here if you needed more flow I would suggest a solar exhaust fan in the middle of the house to create more flow but if you don’t have excess heat your system is working fine. I have added exhaust fans to my homes as it reduces my cooling costs.


remove chamberlain wall unit How do i remove below wall unit? I need to replace it with a new one

It looks like this one which has a manual, which says:

  Remove the push button cover by gently prying off the top edge with a screwdriver