Is it viable to vent a range hood back into the kitchen? I live in a 2 story townhome. I would like to replace the recirculating above the counter microwave with a more stylish and more effective range hood. There are cabinets above the microwave, standard under cabinet installation.
The kitchen backs up to the next door unit making that wall inaccessible and there appears to be no easy access point to work in the ceiling and and attempt to install ductwork to the unit's back wall.
There are some heat ducts and lights and recessed lights in the ceiling so probably space, just difficult to access for non-rodents. The thought of having to rip open the ceiling is unappealing.
Venting into that crawl space is probably fairly easy but from what I've read a bad idea. The next, least cost-prohibitive option, would be to do a bit of a hack and cut holes in those cabinets and install some ductwork and angle it out over the kitchen and then cut open a hole in the ceiling and fit it with a ceiling or heating vent and attach that to the ductwork. This would not be easily but probably doable.
The range is electric. Venting this way would not be ideal yet certainly no worse that the current microwave vent, and I've noticed that with the microwave lots of air blows past the front of the vent into the room anyhow. The range hoods that inspire me are all 3-6" deeper than the mic.
A second, less cumbersome might be to mount the unit on brackets a couple inches below the cabinets and have it vent into the room that way. Maybe sounds a little strange.
Opinions, feedback, suggestions welcome.
Edited with pictures - The first picture is with the old shelves. The new shelves /cabinets go all the way up to the ceiling. There are no shelves above the refrigerator. Also to note - budget is rather limited. It may be the best solution, but opening the ceiling and running vents to the backside wall is probably not viable at this time.

Edited by Bob M - added picture of new cabinets

Here's what I did in a previous kitchen makeover.  The original microwave (part of the range, not separate) vented into the wall, down to the basement, then to the outside.  For the new microwave I brought the vent up through the cabinet above the microwave, then ran it along the top of the cabinets to the outside wall (left in this picture).  This was hidden once the crown molding was installed.

Here's a close up view of the cabinet and duct work.

EDIT1 - Added picture below
Boxing in the refrigerator with a shallow cabinet over the refrig.


How to unblock a blocked toilet? I have a toilet which drains out quite slowly and water rises to the brim when the flush is exercised.

I have already used the plunger multiple times to try to see if it makes a difference, but it has not helped much. The water level still takes about 30 minutes to go low after a flush. I am clueless at this point.

Is there anything else I can try? Is there a 'draino' equivalent for toilets?

I would use a toilet snake as @Wayfaring Stranger suggested. The home depot treatment you looked at is not a drain cleaner but a septic treatment. You might try warm water. When the water is low in the bowl (as in after plunging), slowly add a large pot of warm water to the bowl. Use warm water from the faucet not boiling water. Boiling water may crack the porcelain. Let it sit for about 5 minutes. Plunge it again. then flush. The warm water may soften soap or grease that is in the trap.


Appliances plugged in GFCI outlet works but when plugging in the downstream outlet doesn’t When I plugging coffee machine in the GFCI outlet, it works but does not in the downstream outlets. The Voltage of downstream outlet drops to 87V after plugging in the downstream outlet.And shows open neutral if plugging tester. GFCI wasn’t tripped and voltage was still 120V.
Test-reset GFCI will bring the Voltage back. Any suggestions to troubleshoot?

Only do the following if you are familiar with electric wiring and the necessary safety precautions.

Switch off the circuit breaker that controls the outlet with the GFCI.
Open the outlet and remove the GFCI.
Check the wiring.

There should be two wires (black and white) going to the terminals marked LINE.  There should also be two wires (should be black and white) connected to the LOAD terminals.  The hot wires are black and the neutral wires are white.

If these check out, and if you think you are prepared, then switch the breaker back on and check the voltage at the LINE terminals (should be about 120 V).

Then check the voltage at the LOAD terminals (should be the same voltage).

Push the TEST switch on the GFCI.  The voltage at the LOAD terminals should
 go to 0 V while the voltage at the LINE terminals should stay at 120 V.

If all of this checks out, you need to check at least one of the downstream outlets. Again, they should have a black and white wire connected to their terminals and the voltage should be 120 V.

Trip the GFCI and check that the voltage goes to 0 V.

Note that if any of the connections use the backstab (located at the back of the outlet), you should change those to connect with the screw terminals on the outlet. Backstab connections are known to be unreliable.

If everything checks out, then you may need to call an electrician.


How can I get my Particle-Board Cabinet re-staining project looking more professional please? So, I am working on changing the stain on my particle-board cabinet(disassembled). I sanded, and then pre-stained the various pieces. I have also applied the first coat of stain(ebony) to the wood pieces, but I keep getting finger-prints and various marks on it as I move the pieces around. How do I get rid of those from the dried pieces? What is the best way to store the pieces away to dry?  My other question is now that the pieces are dry, I guess I need to apply the sealer, in my case, minwax quick-dry polyurethane clear gloss,is there anything else I can do to make the finished product appear as if it was professionally done? I am using MinWax Wood Finish which claims to be both a stain, and sealer, do I need sealer still?
 And please how do I get rid of the smell when I am done? Is there a trick to this I can apply here?

Do what a professional would do - don't touch it when wet.

Sand the affected areas with fine grit and re-stain, leave until it dries completely, then move, flip over and do the opposite side, etc. Apply the poly in the same manner. You cannot handle pieces until they dry fully. You also cannot handle them with hands that are wet with finish.


How can I reattach my steam outlet pod? I have a shower tub steam combo of an unknown brand, installed by the previous owner, and I accidentally hit the steam outlet pod, which came off.

The pipe it was attached to also came off :

How can I fix this mess ?

Ok, I got a generic replacement that had the same dimensions from an online shop.

I didn't change the plastic elbow fitting, because this part wasn't damaged.


Any reason not to leave unused breaker in the panel? My main panel has a couple unused slots, but the metal tab covering those slots has already been removed. One of those slots has an unused breaker, the other one used to have a plastic filler panel, which eventually broke off (it's sitting on top of the panel, one of the tabs that holds it into place is broken off). So now there's an empty hole, which is obviously not very safe.

I know I could just buy a new filler plate, but for less than I'd pay for a 3-pack of filler plates, I could just fill that slot with an new 15A  breaker (which I can use as a spare if I ever need it). The breaker seems like it'd be a better solution since it'll never break off like the plastic filler piece.

Is there any code restriction or other reason that would prohibit leaving unused breakers in the panel (I'll mark them as unused).

Note that the one unused breaker that's already in the panel appears to be a defunct GFCI breaker with the neutral wire clipped off, so as a secondary question -- is it ok to leave that defunct breaker in the panel?

National Electrical Code simply states that all openings must be closed.  An unused breaker or cover likely both meet that requirement, so either should be fine.
I don't think there's a rule that says "Thou shalt not leave unused breakers in thine panel.". But I could be mistaken.
Remove and discard the bad breaker.

National Electrical Code 2014
Chapter 4 Equipment for General Use
Article 408 Switchboards, Switchgear, and Panelboards
408.7 Unused Openings. Unused openings for circuit
breakers and switches shall be closed using identified closures,
or other approved means that provide protection substantially
equivalent to the wall of the enclosure.

It's possible that the AHJ could argue that a breaker does not meet this requirement, but that would be completely dependent on the opinion of the individual.


How to join melamine sheets for a concrete mould? I'm planning on making an L-shaped concrete kitchen countertop (2100mm x 2500mm) with a single large piece of concrete (Yes, I know, see below!). As the melamine sheets only come in a max size of 1220x2440, I'm trying to figure out how to best join the base sheets together for a seamless mold without leaving a depression in the finished surface.

I'm considering using Silicone on the exposed edges and then clamping the sheets together and bracing it underneath and on the sides with strips of wood. The big concern is ensuring that the seal keeps the liquid inside the mold and doesn't soak in to the chipboard.

I'm aware that it will end up being a very heavy piece of worktop, and may even break under its own weight when I (and 5 other people!) move it in to position, but I really want to give this a shot. I've planned and experimented with hollowing out half the depth of the counter with foam and am using glass fibres to add strength to the whole piece. I'll also be using rebar / mesh around the sink cutout to keep that together. A bit of research and math has told me the full weight will come in somewhere around 150-180Kg.

Someone asked a similar question before (How do I make this large mold for concrete countertop? ) but the suggestions came back with where to divide up the mold rather than how to make a single one.

Edit:
I'll be making the mold in the same room as where it will be placed (so, thank you for the warnings on movement and structural strength, but that's not my query). I'm willing to accept breakage and retries. My end goal is to produce a single piece of polished concrete from a mold, and don't want to pour in place as the skill and labour involved is beyond my mere DIY determination. Poured molds have worked really well for me so far, I want to figure out how to make a bigger one.

Any seam with a void in the mold will result in a raise bead on the concrete top which could be polished down after curing.

I doubt 5 people are going to be sufficient to lift and move a counter of that size. 5 may be able to lift it but moving it through doors and setting it place will be much easier with more people. I think your weight est is a bit low.

I have the book "Concrete Countertops" by Fu-Tung Cheng and they specify clearly how to make molds for tops that are in two parts to be joined at the installation process but they do not talk at all about a mold longer than 8'. I recommend you get it. You may want to consider doing a pour in place counter top instead or come up with a design that incorporates the seam into it.

  Idea: If you fill the seam with something, a resin or epoxy? and sand flat you can minimize the void but you need to research how the filler will work with or react with concrete. You would absolutely need it to be flat or you will create a void in the top and it would be more work to fill the void than to polish a raised bead. ANYTHING IN THE MOLD WILL BE TRANSFER TO THE TOP.


Effective method for waterproofing a tube through a hole drilled in the side of a bucket? How to prevent water leaking around a tube passed through the side of a bucket? The bucket is plastic approx 1mm thick wall and the tube is rubber with 6mm outside diameter.

I drilled a 6mm hole and passed the tube through it, applying Araldite glue/resin around the on the inside and silicon sealant on the outside. I happened to have these lying around and decided were worth trying, but it doesn't feel robust at all.

What is the proper way of doing this? Preferably cheap and easily mass produced as long as the solution is robust and reliable.

What you want is called a bulkhead fitting.

This has a gasket to make a seal against the container, and threads to connect to whatever fittings you need. Some have outside threads on only one side, or you can get them with inside and outside threads on both sides, and they cone in all sorts of different sizes and materials.

You can screw in a 6mm push-fit connector, for example:


How to remove metal ring on flex conduit? I'm replacing my electric car charging station with a newer version. The current one is fed from behind by flex conduit which is held in place with a metal ring. The ring is featureless and smooth (see photos) so I don't think it twists off. I tried gripping it with pliers and twisting anyway but all that happened was that the conduit turned.

Any idea how I can remove this ring to release the conduit?

Edit: This is in California USA.

It's threaded into the flex conduit. it has ridges on the side of the fitting that match the pitch of the spiral of the flex.

In reality they are not really using that correctly, they are rigging it up using parts that are intended for a different use. Here is the actual assembly that it is part of (the photo is of a stainless steel version, but it's the same concept):

The part you are looking at on yours is only the chase sleeve, shown in this photo to the left of the blue ring. It is INTENDED to go into a fitting that is sealing against the seal-tite flex. They are using only that sleeve and using it kind of backward.


Help peeling painted cabinets I live in a house that was built in the 1950's. It has wooden kitchen cabinets that have been painted from the looks of them alot of times. I know I have painted them twice. Every time I paint them the paint comes off in some spots you can actually peel it off. Then around where the handles are they get all scratched up and you can see the old paint. I'm using a semi gloss paint. I want to paint them again. Can you please give me some advice on what to do. Or what I am doing wrong? I really want this to be the last time I have to paint them.

To get something that lasts on high traffic touch areas like cabinets you need to go with oil based paint.  The latex stuff just doesn't hold up and it will come off or get rubbery with water, changes in temperature (near oven), or a lot of touching (oils and rubbing it).  This is especially true when latex is on oil without being primed right.

If the cabinet doors are nice I would try to strip them.  A more practical solution is buying an oil based primer made to go over latex.  And then an oil based paint on top of that.  Do your worst offending door.  See how the results are after a few weeks or a couple of months and then do the rest.


Need to know the extra boxes connected to exterior outlet So I have an exterior outlet that seems to be up to code. But I want to move the outlet 4’ so that I can put pavers in this area.
Before I do I need to know if these two boxes can be moved.
The outlet was originally setup for a jacuzzi so the extra boxes may have been for that. The new outlet will just be for a fan or Bluetooth speaker aka low usage.
Here are some pictures. Any help would be appreciated.

I added a pic of the middle box - It doesn’t really serve a purpose

There are few "simple" moves with buried conduit.

Can it be moved? - Almost certainly.

How much work will that be? - Nobody can tell you until you figure out what goes where, and that will almost certainly involve excavating the 3 buried conduits if you have no plan indicating where they run to/from - unless you get lucky and find that when you open the box, two of them are empty. Don't bet on that being the case.

Note: moved may really mean "partially reconstructed anew in a different location to effect "moving" the outlet and junction box (if the junction box is still needed in the new configuration") rather than reusing much or any of what you have there.

The non-outlet "boxes" shown are apparently a junction box (the big thing up higher) and a Tee down lower which is not really a box, at least with small conduit. You may not need them in the new configuration, it depends what they are doing or were doing for the Hot tub functions you are not replicating after the move.


What can I use to automatically turn off a bathroom heater after a fixed time? I never want the heater in the bath to operate more than, say, one hour straight.

I want a way to automatically turn it off after one hour of usage (in case I forget to turn that off), however, I want to turn it on just like I always did. I don't want to change it's current buttons settings, I want to turn it on without using a dial to set a timer.

What's the best way to do that?

You don't say the power specifications of the heater so be very careful about the switching you select.  If it is a simple 120volt electric heater, you could go with something like a Leviton LTB02-1LZ but the wattage of your heater may be too high.

There are other switches available that will probably handle the load but you will need to know exactly what your heater requires.


How do I shut off the power, so I can install a USB enabled electricity socket? I want to replace a standard wall socket with a new USB which looks something like this...

The instructions say to turn off the power for the socket. I went to the master house control and took a picture...

I assume that I can turn the power off with the big switch on the right that currently shows "ON".  I do not know if this must work in concert with the objects containing white, blue, and red dots (don't know what they are).

Question: If I switch it "OFF" will it turn off the power?

Ancillary questions:

Does anything need to be done prior to switching it off?  Are the
objects to the left involved in any way?
Does switching it off invite any disastrous consequences that I
should be aware of?
Does anything need to be done prior to restoring power? Will the
house suffer from thermal shock?

As a final thought, if the picture gives an idea of the date or age, I would be grateful. I have been assuming the house is 1940's British Pebbledash.

Yes flipping the switch will turn the power off. You will still want to double check at the outlet with a voltage tester.

The objects to the left are fuses and are color coded to the amperage which you can also see embossed on the front (red is 30 amps; blue is 15 amps and I can't read the white one). If one blows then you will probably want to replace the entire panel for one with resetable fuses as I don't think you'll be able to find replacements easily anymore. It's also possible that a previous owner added a bypass wire at the back of a blown fuse. This is not something you want to keep in place.

Remember that the power to everything will be cut including lights and your fridge; freezer and computer. If anything can't handle a sudden power outage well then shut it down before cutting the power.

If you have appliances with an induction motor (like a pump or a blower) then the current may spike when you turn the power back on and blow a fuse. If you have several then disconnect them and after you turn the power back on reconnect them one by one.


Could a faulty stove burner trip the circuit breaker? I have a four-burner stove and recently every time I switch on one of the burners it's tripping my main circuit breaker. It began with only one burner but lately it does it with two of the burners. I did check if there were any wires that was burned but couldn't find anything.

Then what it did next was to try and swap the faulty burners with one of the burners that was working without overloading and tripping my breaker, and when I switched the plate on it didn't trip my breaker. Is it possible that the fault can be on the burner itself or is it somewhere else that i need to look into?

The resistive plates are the main wearing element on an electric stove.  That is why they are made to be not expensive and easily replaced.

If one is tripping your 40-50A stove breaker, stop using it. Repeatedly tripping a breaker to see what happens will tend to destroy things which are not yet broken -- since you are, after all, surging well north of 100,000 watts of power through equipment rated for 1/10 that.  Why are people so unafraid of electricity?


GFCI in a 3-wire sub panel with bonded neutral and ground My detached garage has 100-amp 3-wire service from the main panel in my house, with a 100-amp breaker at each end of the feed. The grounds and neutrals are bonded inside the sub panel due to the lack of grounding conductor (garage was built pre-2008 so I understand it is grandfathered into code). I am setting up an electric brewing system in the garage that requires a 30-amp 2-pole GFCI breaker. Eventually, I certainly plan on running a grounding conductor back to the main panel (somehow... the live conductors run through underground conduit...). Until then, is there any way to install the GFCI breaker so it is functional? Breaker is an Eaton GFTCB230.

A GFCI breaker does not know or care what happens upstream (elsewhere in the subpanel or back at the main panel. All that matters is that neutral and hot are connected to it properly so that it can detect the difference between them. If there is a ground wire going to the protected device then that ground must be separate from neutral until sometime past the GFCI - i.e., whether the ground is connected to the neutral bar in this subpanel is a code & safety issue but won't affect the GFCI.

So the GFCI should not be a problem.

On the other hand, some things look a little strange about the panel. I'm no pro, but:

The right-side breaker 2nd from the bottom looks different. Is it the right type for the panel?

As far as a proper ground path, if your conduit is metal end-to-end then that should give you an easy way to take care of grounding. And if it isn't metal end-to-end, you should be able to fish a ground wire (green or bare copper, size depends on the size of the other sizes) through and then separate neutral and ground in the subpanel.


What do I need to do to split a washing machine hookup to allow adding a dishwasher? In my new (1836— just moved in) house I have a washing machine in a, um, short hallway? cupboard? leading from a kitchen to a bathroom. Above it is a shelf. The plan is to move the washing machine up onto this shelf and put a dishwasher below.

Here's what it looks like now:

The washing machine is presumably a cold-water hookup + waste. I've read that dishwashers take a hot-water hookup. Are we already into call-a-plumber territory?

The shelf I want to move the washing machine up onto looks to be well-supported, but how can I tell whether it will hold a full, spinning washing machine?

In the US, a general contractor would do it, sub-contracting all the plumbing work to a licensed plumber.  If you can do all the work that doesn't involve plumbing, you can call around and get estimates, and choose a plumber you like.

From the photo, it looks like you will need to make the support stronger, keeping in mind that the washer is full of water and its center of mass shifts rapidly during operation.  You will also need to robustly attach the washer to the support so it doesn't vibrate off and fall to the floor.


What can I use for a water supply for my electric hot water heater? I want to move my hot water heater to the porch by my washing machine.  Can I use the same water supply lines that are used for my washer?

Theoretically, it's possible. Practically, it depends on the size of the pipes, distance, and layout of your plumbing. If the water main is 3/4" and the washing machine is fed by 3/8" lines, you'll lose a lot of flow going out and back. Depending on the type of valve on your shower, it could mean significant temperature swings when a toilet is flushed or another shower is running, or you could see the flow frequently drop to a trickle to avoid freezing you. It could also mean much longer waits before hot water reaches various fixtures.


Part name identification help - WinkHaus side locks? I have a WinkHaus doors that can tilt and turn, and when you luck them there are pins bon the door that slide into these "pegs" that are mounted inside rhe door frame. Anyone knows their name? Do they have a generic name?

According to WinkHaus, I believe the parts you are talking about are named as follows (quoted material)

The Winkhaus roller cam
Cotter pin locking systems are an
easy-to-install alternative for main or secondary entrance doors made
of wood or plastic. The lock has up to four additional drawing points
and thereby guarantees a tighter seal and improved protection against
opening of the door by force.
The roller cams, adjustable manually,
allow the door situation to be adapted accordingly and thus facilitate
optimum locking. This allows door design tolerances to be balanced
out.
Winkhaus mushroom pin
The mushroom pins slide behind the
security keep when the door is bolted. This prevents the door leaf and
frame from being pulled apart horizontally. The contact pressure can
be conveniently adjusted using a hexagon socket. This guarantees easy
bolting and high door movement in the frame - a major plus for
security and tightness at the door element.


GFCI wiring same as before, but no power I've watched a handful of videos on installing a GFCI outlet and it seems like a nearly identical process to installing a normal outlet, which I have done a handful of times before without issue. I wire it up in the way I believe is correct (identical to the way the broken outlet was wired):

Using a voltage detector I can see that there's power at the terminals, and that the ground is connected, but there is no power to the actual outlet. What am I doing wrong?

Have you pushed the "reset" button? Many GFCIs need that done when first wired up.
And really, get a short 10-32 screw (you can buy green ones for the purpose, or green ones with a loop of wire already attached for the purpose, but you don't need to) and look for a pre-threaded hole in the box which is intended for the ground wire - the way the ground is wired currently to a box mounting screw is a kludge and not to code.


Replacing a ceiling light fixture, I found a wire adapter The existing pendant light is Ikea, which I removed. The wires were plugged into some kind of an adapter, as shown in the attached pictures. I am not sure if this is something new that they include with their products.

The new pendant light is a standard one, with three wires (black, white, ground). My house has copper wiring.

I am attaching pictures of the adapter. I even wouldn't mind using it, if only I knew anything about how to use it properly. My google search didn't produce much. The side of the adapter says CB-HFT tube, but that only indicates the shrink-wrapped tube.

Should I just remove this adapter, or is there a male part of the adapter that I should find for the new light pendant? Also, can anyone give more info on this adapter?

I would cut the existing ends off and use wire nuts to make the connection. Just about every hardware store will have wire nuts and even some grocery store’s have small bags. Cut the wires off strip the insulation and twist the nut on and it is done in seconds.
Added

I have not seen adapters for these styles of plugs usually you have to find the right style , cut the wrong one off crimp the ends then insert them into the new shell , so you can see wire nuts would be much easier and quicker.


Mounting a 32" LED TV to Dry Wall without Stud Support We're looking into mounting our current TV on the wall in the bedroom, however we've hit a minor snag, it appears there's no stud in the area where the TV would be mounted.

I've searched the wall using the 'magnet trick' and positioned the TV where we'd like it to go (opposite the bed) and it falls exactly between the edge of the wall (metal stud) and the wooden stud which is half way down the wall.

The mount that I'm looking at (and that's pictured) includes two snap toggle bolts, and I've also looked into and found some additional spring toggles. The TV itself is quite light weighing only 11.0 lb or 5 kg.

Anyway, what all the preamble boils down to is, do you think it'll be safe to mount the TV directly to the dry wall using a combination of Spring Toggles and Snap Toggles and not mounting it to a stud? If so, do you have any tips or hints on how to do it safely? If not, do you have any other suggestions?

Thank you,

TV Real, Mount Photoshopped in at the correct scale

Approximate Room Layout (note the "tv" on the wall)

"Heavy Weight" Spring Toggles

Bridge the studs by using wood and connecting the studs and forming a ledge for the tv then to be anchored to
The wood connect the studs which should be 16" apart giving the strength of both studs supporting the wood between then screw the tv using toggle bolts long enlighten to go through the bridge to the drywall


Mounting outlet to rubble stone wall I'm looking to mount an outlet to this rubble stone wall. The wiring would come down from the ceiling. I was thinking of trying to screw a conduit to the stone wall to house the wiring but the wall is a bit uneven. Is there another way?

Use a 4-square metal box. Use any common masonry anchors. Anchor into rock not mortar. Half inch ENT (electrical non-metallic tubing) would be a good choice for conduit.  You can use the ENT as a sleeve for the NM cable. Use a 1/2" raised cover and a standard receptacle. You will need a small hammer drill to drill holes in the rock and rock bit. Support the ENT every couple of feet. P.


Is it normal for water to drip from a shower head for a bit after a shower? Water drips from new large shower head for a while after shutoff. Is that normal?

The "problem" may be that in a shower-only configuration, the only exit path is up. The line may siphon for minutes until an air bubble breaks the siphon.  I see this a lot on hand-held shower wand only setups.  There usually is an anti-siphon valve that breaks and drains the wand line

In a shower-tub or other diverter configuration, @chriscudmore 's suggestion will help purge quicker.

In a new configuration, I'd be tempted to add a water hammer arrestor (though an air admittance valve would make more sense) just above the drop ear elbow that the shower arm attaches to.


GFCI outlets fail repeatedly in new home I purchased new home which has never been lived in and I have had to replace three different ground fault outlets. They just quit working. Now I have one in bathroom, which had been previously replaced, that quit working again. The only thing that was plugged into outlet was a night light. Yes a night light caused the previous to quit working. Is it possible that the ground faults are cheap outlets? Menards salesman stated he never heard of brand installed in house. When I replace them, they seem to work fine for few weeks before malfunctioning again.

Don't throw anything out & put in a Warranty Claim ASAP! Yes, the "Builders Grade" outlets are the lowest of the low, but you should get 10-years out of them. I'd get your wiring, service panel & circuit breakers all checked out, especially & specifically since the new outlets are failing too. That's not good at all.


Is this normal or should I be worried? The plumbing under my kitchen sink looks discolored and there is a black mark. I don't see any water leaking though.

The black mark is the result of a careless plumber nearly setting the kitchen on fire when installing that cutoff valve. If your place hasn't burned down by now, you can ignore the burnt spot.

The green discoloring is oxidation caused by a slow leak higher up on the pipe. Tiny leaks sometimes seal themselves via corrosion, so if you don't find any moisture on the pipe, this is another thing you can ignore.

If you want more peace of mind, you could clean the green oxidation from a visible section of the pipe and see if it reappears in a few weeks. Clean pipe = no worries.

If you want less peace of mind, consider this: if the installing plumber was careless enough to burn the wooden cabinet with his torch, and to leave a leak causing that much visible corrosion, what else might he have done incompetently? You may have sloppy plumbing throughout your house.

Welcome to your new home, and good luck.


Metal around wall register boot for trim Below are two images of what im talking about. Around the duct boot for the wall register is a metal box to make up for the difference between the wall and where the trim ends. What is it called and where can i find it?

Thank you for your time.

I don't think they're made anymore, but I heard them called Register Mounts, Extensions & Collars. I looked for replacements a few times & ended up with nothing to end up wire brushing them back to bare & spray painting them, good as new.

If no-one else here answers or has an avenue to get any. You can make your own quite easily & of much better quality...in the size that you need, which might be the real problem. I'd suggest Aluminum Angle for it's workability & corrosion resistance, but you can go with steel or C-channel or J-channel.

You'd probably need about a 4' length for each one & can either attach the last corner with a tab on the inside (not on the outside like the picture) or use a corner brace with countersunk (if desired or needed) screw, bolt or pop-rivet face holes.


Can I install a Honeywell WIFI Thermostat? I have done quite a bit of research and have not been able to find an answer I am looking for. I currently have a manual digital thermostat that is not programmable made by Braeburn. My system is a Ground A/C unit outside, and my heater/air handler is up in the attic. My thermostat is wired the following way:

Jumper wire between R and RC
Red wire from wall to RC
B terminal on thermostat is empty
Blue wire from wall to O
Jumper wire from Y to W
Yellow wire from wall to Y
No wire to W other than Jumper
Green wire from wall to G
There is a spare wire from the wall harness to nothing as well.

I have not had a chance to go in the attic to check the labels on the air handler, but I am hoping there is an extra wire up there too so I can use it as a C wire.
I am curious how, or if I can use a WiFi thermostat or any other programmable for that matter. I have not come up with any leads yet, and don't want to screw things up before I start.

The C wire, not to be confused with R or RC is the return path. Think of it as a ground, though technically not. Based on the information above, none of the wires O, B, W, G, R, Y, will work for C.  So they can not be jumped over to the C connection.  The C wire, usually the brown wire on the transformer, the low voltage (24v) is the common. However, no matter the color, there are only two low voltage wires on the transformer, one power (Red, Blk, Yel), one common.  So what ever color not representing the power, is the common C.  Of course, AC current flows both directions, but trying to make this simple.  Anyway, that wire (the non power wire) needs to come in to the thermostat for the C connection. With an extra wire (any color on the wire loom at the thermostat can be traced back to the 24v transformer and connected to the common, usually color brown wire). That extra wire used, the new color will become the C wire. Just a note, one issue I have had with the WiFi thermostat is the fan ON and Auto don't work independently. So for example, if the thermostat is selected to run the fan ON - no cooling or heating, I've seen that not work. It can be fixed too, just not answering that.


How to change halogen bulbs at 18 feet height ceiling? How can I change the halogen bulbs above 18 feet high ceiling? How can I change the light bulbs around 20 feet height in tennis court?


How to keep the house cool from inside by covering the window panes? I am thinking of covering the window panes with 5 fold newspapers.

What other inexpensive items/materials can be used to cover the window panes for keeping the house cool from inside?

I see you're writing from India, so the standard US answer of installing light blocking cellular blinds may not apply to you.

Consider using a thin material that reflects light instead of absorbing much of it, such as aluminum foil.  If you want it to look nice, you can stack the foil between a light piece of paper for the outside (so the neighbors aren't blinded by the reflection) and cardboard (for rigidity).


What are these droppings/dirt clods/mold clumps? I removed a section of baseboard and found some unusual little blackish-brownish clumps on the back of it and the drywall that it was fastened to:

Anyone have any idea what these might be?

For context, this baseboard came off of an interior wall in a dark coat closet. There is some old termite damage nearby  (they ate the paper off some drywall) but no tubes or current activity. Maybe it's mold caused by the old water damage that attracted the termites?

Your guess of mold is correct. The moisture that was or is still present does attract termites also. Something worth checking into, why there is excess moisture enough to harbor mold


Problem with a circuit that has only 2 outlets, one is fed from breaker and that one feeds a 2nd outlet, 2nd is not working anymore Charleston Sc- Inland, not on any beach or anything like that. I have 2 outlets, front porch and back porch. Both porches are covered but outside, nevertheless. They dont get wet when it rains, just the outside moisture from it. Both outlets are on the same circuit, there's no other outlets in this circuit. Just these 2, they're both 15amp.

One at front porch is fed from breaker, it then feeds 2nd one on back porch. The fed back porch quit working, been about a year now. Today I took 2nd fed receptacle off, tested wires and got 119 or so at black/ground. Got 0 at white/ground. There was like 1 or 2 at black/white wires. The neutral and the hot are showing 1 or 2 at the most, sometimes 0, it just sits there and fluctuates around those 3 numbers.

The main front porch outlet that feeds this non working one has 6 wires instead of 3. Two black, 2 neutral whites and 2 grounds. The 2 grounds are twisted several times together, nice and tight. The white and black from the breaker show 119 or 120 or so. The white/ground show 0. The black/ground show 119-120. I replaced the receptacle from an older push type to a newer one.

The newer one all wired up correctly show the 119 to 120 from both white/blacks, both black/grounds and show 0 from both white/blacks. There's still same issue at 2nd outlet.

No power still. Still same black/white showing 1 or 2a. Black/ground showing 119 or so. White/ground showing 0.

Is the breaker bad? Can't be, right? The breaker has red button on it, in the box, none of the other breakers have that red reset button on theirs. The 2 receptacles and not gfci's, just regular receps. 1987 house.

I've done a good bit of troubleshooting and checking things, still not sure why no power at back porch's outlet. Anything I should check for next? I def got tools, time and patience for any help I can get! Thanks.

If I read your question correctly you are getting 120 V hot to ground but not 120 V hot to neutral. That sounds like the neutral is broken or there is a poor connection of the ongoing neutral at the first or second receptacle.

You have a voltmeter. Does it have a resistance function (ohms)?  If so you can check to see if the connection is broken between the two receptacles.

Turn off the breaker. Plug in a long extension cord sufficient to reach from the front porch receptacle all the way to the back receptacle (either through the house or around).

Test the resistance between the neutral in the cord and the neutral in the back receptacle. The neutral is the longer slot.

EDIT

If the neutral path is interrupted, you should see a high resistance hundreds or thousands of ohms. You can also check the resistance between the hot in the plug and the hot in the receptacle (shorter slots). Since you report you are getting 120 V hot to gnd, you should see a low resistance there (0.1 ohm or so). Be sure the breaker is off before connecting the meter in the resistance mode to any hots.


Do I need a 24V or 120-240V thermostat? My Honeywell thermostat just broke. I want to get a new one and install it myself but I don't know whether to get a 24V model or a 120-240v model. There is no indication of this on the one I have. How do I tell?

How thick are the wires connected to the thermostat?

24V wiring will be small gauge, usually 22-18 AWG.  It's commonly used for forced air, hot water, and similar systems.

120/240V thermostats will typically use 14-10 AWG, and are commonly used for electric baseboard heaters.


What's a good way to minimize bends in a dryer transition duct? I installed a new clothes dryer yesterday using the laminated foil transition duct the appliance store gave me.  In order to get behind the dryer to access the duct, I have to pull the dryer out at least 4 feet from the wall.  Then when I push the dryer back to the wall, the duct lays in a twisted heap on the floor with lots of bends that could reduce efficiency and trap lint.

What tips do you have to minimize the number bends in the flexible duct?  Or, would you recommend a different type of transition duct?

Rigid duct would be best. But there are times where that is not so practical and flexible duct makes more sense. But you need to make sure that it is not any longer than it needs to be:

Pull out the dryer
Cut the flexible duct so that it is stretched and just long enough to reach (i.e., at an angle) with the dryer pulled out
Push the dryer back in place

That should get it from "twisted heap" to "sag a bit on the floor but not too bad".

As far as rigid duct, depending on the layout of the room, you may be able to use an elbow plus one short (4' ?) piece to go from the dryer to an open spot just above the dryer and set up other rigid duct to meet it. Then when you push the dryer back in place you have two pieces that you can clamp together.


Adding second ground rod. Is this an acceptable way of bonding? I recently found out that our sole ground rod is only 4 feet long. That said, I want to add a properly-sized ground rod to "improve" the grounding system and hopefully comply properly with the electrical code.

Our current electrical system is the one in blue, where M is the meter, B is the breaker. Both are grounded via #8 wires connected to the ground rod. The ground bus bar in the main panel is also connected to the ground rod via a #8 wire.

The existing ground rod is in front of the house. However, there isn't much space in front to place another rod there. That said, I'm planning on putting the additional rod at the back of the house. In effect, the two rods will be around 20 meters apart.

Now, the question is: Can I just run a #8 or #6 wire from the 8-ft ground rod back to the Main Panel and just bond it to the ground bus bar, in effect bonding the two ground rods? Or do I need to run a separate wire all the way from the 8-ft rod to the 4-ft rod? Note that the Main Panel will be closer to the 8-ft rod. They will be just 7-8 meters apart.

NEC requires the bonding electrodes be connected via an approved method if joined together outside an approved assembly like the main disconnects bonding lugs.  In other words, you might have done it correctly assuming the main disconnect is actually in doors and not outdoors, and it had a free lug opened. If there were not any free lugs available then it would need to be secured via an approved method.

Adding two new ground rods ( 6 ft a part is Code ) would be ideal and leave the old one buried and unused.  Though as mentioned by Ecnerwal it would not hurt anything to leave it connected.  I say disconnect it as the next home owner will just be confused.

Edit

Additional info has came to my attention in that your drawing shows a box below the meter.  This is typical of a main disconnect.  Just to be clear, the panel inside would not be considered the main disconnect if there was already one outside.  If this is the case then connecting the grounding electrode would only be acceptable at the main disconnect and not the panel inside.

Also, Code only requires one 8 ft ground rod if the minumin 25 ohms is met.  It is easier to drive two ( Code says 6 ft a part ) and not bother testing if the 25 ohms is reached.


Why are some outlets still out after replacing an outlet? So I had an outlet that was sparking and sometimes cutting out (till I moved it to an angle) so I decided to change it. Turned the breaker off, replaced it, turned it back on and find out my room and a few other things on my side of the house don't have power. Now this had happened before with my bathroom on the same circuit so I know what breaker it is. So a few outlets on the way from the breaker box (on the same breaker as my room) to my room work, and stop about halfway through. I bought a multimeter and tested my outlet and get ~120 Volts. Tested a light switch (that wasn't working but on the same breaker) and same thing, so I'm at a loss of what to do. Any help would be appreciated.

What I'd do is first systematically correct all the receptacles in one circuit, then examine the switches for the light fixtures and insure that the switches are in the hot line and not in the neutral. This means that each 1-pole switch should have an always hot on one contact and switched hot on the other. Note that a white colored wire can be and often is used as a hot or switched hot in a loop for a light.

I hope this won't happen but it could be that if you correct a receptacle and turn the breaker on, it will trip because incorrect wiring in either a remaining receptacle or in a loop for a light makes a short. If that happens you will have to correct all the remaining wiring before proceeding, instead of going receptacle by receptacle, switch by switch, light by light.

Finally, after all the receptacles and switches have been corrected move up to the light fixtures and insure that the switched hot goes to the proper wire lead or contact. In a screw base fixture this means the central contact is switched hot and the neutral. In others generally the switched hot lead will be black. Note that a white wire could be used for a switched hot so you could be connecting a white wire to a black wire (something you would usually not do with receptacles).


Where to place a radiator under a window seat? I have a bay window in which I want to build a window seat like this:

However, a radiator is currently attached to the wall underneath the windows, with a radiator cover (the typical board with holes) covering the front, and a windowsill covering the top. I'm figuring that I could either leave the radiator on the wall and build the seat around it, with the same type of radio cover as the front of the bench, or I could pull the radiator off the wall and move it forward a bit to get it closer to the cover. This would allow me to use the space between the wall and the radiator for storage, and I presume the radiation of the heater would improve somewhat if it was closer to the cover. I figure I could also use some flexible PEX pipe to go back and forth on the wall a few times before connecting it to the radiator, so that there would be a heat source right under the wall, and the radiator would still be close to the front of the bench.

What are the pros and cons of both configurations? Would both combat the cold air from the windows in roughly the same manner? Would the effect of moving the radiator forward be negligible in terms of improving radiation?

If the existing radiator is not covered now and you want to cover it with a seat of any construction type, it will drastically reduce it's heat output. Remember cast iron radiators heat by both radiation and convection. If you cover the radiator, you will loose the radiation aspect of that cast iron radiator greatly reducing it's heat output. Radiators, were "made to be seen", and not covered. So if you cover it you may have to add more heat output into the room. This could be somewhat offset if all radiators were zoned. This may not solve the problem but it could help. Also the cover would need to have a long register mounted directly above and be the full length of the radiator to allow for the convected air to escape. I have seen many cases where covers were installed and the areas could not be heated to the desired temperature. If your heating system is hot water, and not steam, the added heat required could come from cast iron baseboard radiation, which is still made, looks decent, and is very expensive. Finned tube radiation,  not usually installed in combination with a cast iron system, could be utilized if, and only if, the whole system is zoned. On a steam system convectors and/or  finned tube baseboard units made for a steam system could be utilized in addition to the now covered radiator, to provide the necessary additional  heating for the room. Zoning would not be required if the extra radiation were sized correctly. I would be very careful in choosing the heating company you choose to do the required work. Most residential heating companies are not schooled in steam. Placement of the radiator under the cover will not greatly affect its heat output, correct installation will.


Basement It's not wet just spots on concrete I would like to do something with basement floor it doesn't get wet just dark spots in area!  Our house built in 70's someone has said underground river in neighborhood not sure if true!  We tried commercial rubber backed carpet tiles in basement that lasted for about 2 weeks and we developed horrible smell!  Once we pulled tiles up and airing out we got rid of smell.  We run humidifier all time! Help I would like to use area as living space!

Basically what appears to be happening is that ground water is saturating the concrete, which is acting like a sponge. The concrete will continue to absorb the ground water until that situation is remediated.

Some solutions to this include digging down to the footing of your foundation completely around your entire house, and installing a french drain to direct the water away from your foundation. The foundation walls should also be waterproofed from the outside. This is typically done by using attaching a combination of tar, plastic sheets, and drain tile to the exterior foundation walls that are below grade.

You may need to cut into the basement slab, and run drains under the slab and into a sump pit if the source of the water is coming from below the house. If the walls of the foundation on the inside are bone dry, but the slab is soaking wet, then you pretty much know that it is coming from below.

Obviously, both of those solutions are expensive, and are typically above and beyond a DIY project, unless you have construction experience, and you know exactly what you are doing.

One thing you can do to partially remediate this problem on a budget would be to seal the surface of the concrete so water cannot weep into your living space.

Epoxy floor paint may be an option as long as the slab can be dried out. The floor needs to be nearly bone dry before you can apply the paint. If it is too damp, the paint will not bond properly to the concrete, and it will cause the paint to blister, and peel. I had a similar problem in my basement, about 4 years ago, and the epoxy paint solved the problem. So far it has held up pretty good. I will need to touch it up in spots from normal wear and tear, but it has not peeled at all.

You can try drying out the floor by using a combination of a blower fan, and dehumidifiers. You can also try laying down a thin layer of clay based kitty litter (unscented is preferable) to soak up excess moisture. If you can keep the floor dry for at least a day, then you have a good chance that the epoxy will take. If the floor never dries out, then you can wait and try again when conditions are favorable. The best time to do this is during colder/dryer months where the relative humidity is at its lowest.

When you apply the paint, make sure you read and follow the instructions exactly. You would typically apply a degreaser/etching solution first, followed by a concrete primer and bonding agent, and the finally the epoxy paint itself. If all goes well, then your basement shouldn't have any more water seepage issues.


What should I be aware of in buying second-hand sinks and toilets? I am planning an extension to my house, including a new ensuite bathroom and a downstairs WC.  To save money and embedded energy I'm thinking of buying secondhand basins and toilets.  There seem to be plenty around, but I wonder if there is anything I need to be aware of, e.g.:

things like fixings, washers, pipe couplings may or may not be included or re-useable.  Are these generally standard or are they manufacturer-specific so maybe hard to source?
I am assuming porcelain sanitaryware isn't subject to much "hidden" wear and tear (it's either broken/cracked/chipped or it's not) so it shouldn't be hard to avoid a lemon.  Right?
I won't be fitting these.  Assuming they fit in the space, and the appropriate fixings, pipe, etc are there (see 1.) will plumbers be happy fitting them?

I applaud your effort at frugality and environmentalism. The "throwaway" mindset peeves me to no end. Many folks change out fixtures just to change the look or size, and there are plenty of good units to be had. In fact, I'll soon be swapping out a perfectly serviceable round-bowl toilet for an elongated one just to better accommodate an add-on bidet.

Some suggestions...

Look for well-known brand names. They tend to have better integrated components and repair parts are more readily available.
Some parts are replaceable and available from third parties, such as toilet valves. Some are proprietary and may be hard to find, such as toilet-to-tank connections. Do a little research as needed to avoid surprises.
Ask about condition from the seller/provider. You'll then be able to decide whether you can live with known issues.
Inspect porcelain closely for cracks, and be careful when moving. Even mild impacts with rigid objects (garage floors) can cause damage. Always use padding.
Give the items the sniff test. Long-term problems rarely fail to leave an odor trail, be it mold or... other material.
Clean things up very well to avoid extra charges from sub-contractors. Razor blades work well on porcelain to remove caulk. Plastic scrapers are good for counter tops, etc.


Aftermarket Variable/Multi Speed Blower Kits I have a 3 year old Trane Furnace TUD1A040A9241AB with a 2 ton Cooling evaporator 4TXCA024BCHCBA.  I believe it is a single speed blower or if not, I would like to figure out how to limit/eliminate the highest speed.  It is noisy!  Have to constantly change the TV volume based on if it is running or not and now with COVID19 and wife working from home, she can't hear on conference calls when it is running.

I heard there are aftermarket kits that can vary the speed (with some type of rheostat?) that have two thermistors both upstream and downstream of the blower.  Mainly need to solve this issue with AC mode as we live in a condo in Florida and rarely even need to use the gas furnace as our elderly neighbors seem to keep their condo's so warm that our condo never gets cold in the winter.

Advice?

Try to find the installation papers for the furnace and check the installation specs. Most blower motors are 4 speed. As far as the noise is concerned, I just replaced my 20 year old furnace with a new Goodman unit and it is very loud compared to the old unit. With most of the newer units today, you can not just reduce the blower speed since it may cause the heat exchanger to over heat. I would call a Trane guy and ask for advice.


Is it important to finish rafter tails, (sub)fascia, and barge rafters? My roofing will have a drip edge that directs rainwater away from the subfasica and barge rafters. Is it still important to finish (paint) them to protect them?

Yes, you should finish all exterior wood no matter whether it will get rained on or not as wood still can rot simply from ambient moisture in the air.


Electrical hook up for new stove top The cook top I am replacing (a small, old Credo unit) uses a 2P 30A Circuit breaker.
The similarly small new Summit cooktop I plan to install has the following electrical specs:

Connection voltage: 220-240 VAC 60Hz 29A
Max connected power load: 6400W.
"Electrical requirements" specify that "the socket should comply with relevent electrical standards, or should contain a 1P circuit breaker with electrical loading of at least 40A."

What I'm thinking is that I'll have to replace the 30A 2P breaker with a 40A 1P breaker and change out the wiring from 10g (which I presume it is, but will check first) to 8g.
But, what I HOPE, is that the connection voltage and 6400W power load indicated for the Summit (@ 29A) means I could install it without changing out the wiring or the circuit breakers. Would that work?

You can keep the existing wiring and breaker
Range loads are computed from their wattage, based on the rules in NEC's Table 220.55.  In particular, since 422.10(A) paragraph 4 explicitly permits range loads to be sized as per Table 220.55:

Branch circuits and branch-circuit conductors for household
ranges and cooking appliances shall be permitted to be in
accordance with Table 220.55 and shall be sized in accordance
with 210.19(A)(3).

we can then apply the logic from Note 4 to Table 220.55 to our situation:

Branch-Circuit Load. It shall be permissible to calculate the branch-circuit load for one range in accordance with Table 220.55. The branch-circuit
load for one wall-mounted oven or one counter-mounted cooking unit shall be the nameplate rating of the appliance. The branch-circuit load for a
counter-mounted cooking unit and not more than two wall-mounted ovens, all supplied from a single branch circuit and located in the same room,
shall be calculated by adding the nameplate rating of the individual appliances and treating this total as equivalent to one range.

In our case, given that we have a 6.4kW, 240V cooktop, we treat this as the branch-circuit size, without derating, giving us something in the 27A range.  As a  result, since we're below the 8.75kW threshold set by NEC 210.19(A)(3), we can use that as our branch circuit load, giving us a 30A branch circuit and breaker with 10AWG wire.  Since it's a 220-240V appliance and not a 110/220 or 120/240V one, we also know that it has no use for a neutral, which means that's not a concern when wiring this, either.  In your case, since you are dealing with a conduit run for the existing branch circuit, the new cooktop needs to be wired the same way the old one was: black to black, red to red, and green to the box, with the white wire in the box left capped off as it is right now.


Getting notified when things fail There are a lot of things around the home which can be automated.  For instance, at certain times during the day lights get turned on, sprinkler systems run, and so forth.  Some of these operate based on time, while other operate based on need, such as pool auto-levelers, and sump pumps. However, some of these things are more important than others.  If a light burns out it is less important than if a water value fails to come on or shut off.  In an arid climate, a value failing to come on could kill a tree, while a valve failing to shut off could result in flooding an property damage.  A pump failing to shut off could cause a fire.

Yet when I look at these systems, I don't see anything obvious that stands out as an alert mechanism when things fail.  If I'm away from my property for a while, I expect the automation to work properly the whole time I'm gone, and I can't babysit things which should work.  Yet when something does go wrong, I would like to know so the problem can be fixed ASAP.

How do people generally handle exceptional conditions like this?  Am I just having bad luck?  Am I the only person who has had things fail which don't call attention to themselves until something bad happens as a result?  Or is there some best practice (aside from continual babysitting I hope!) to catch and detect these various sorts of problems as soon as they occur?  If a home alarm system can send an alert to my phone when a door is ajar, why not when a device malfunctions?

OK, so you do have a security system with cellular notifications...  You are probably aware you can add freeze sensors and flood sensors to communicate alerts through that system.  That is at least some peace of mind if you're out of town and a pipe breaks or the furnace fails.  But I have yet to hear of outdoor sprinkler system alerts.  You might check with the sprinkler system company to ask if anything like that is being developed (if you haven't already asked them).  Another thing to consider is surveillance cameras.  Being able to take a peek using your smart phone now and then is some peace of mind until sprinkler systems can report malfunctions.


Clear Drain from Toilet to Street My downstairs toilet is the last fixture hooked up to the house drain line before it makes its way to the public sewer system.  This line between the toilet and the public sewer gets clogged periodically.

Unclogging this usually means calling a plumber who will remove the toilet and put a large head snake in and snake it from the point where the toilet connects  to the street.  Being Bergen County, NJ, that runs $300+ depending on the time of day.

What's the best equivalent solution that I can do as a homeowner?   I'd rather not remove the toilet.   Can I get a 3" snake and run it out to the street?  Would that damage the toilet?

What's the best method to clear the drain in this situation?  If it's a snake, then what kind of snake?  It is about a 30-40 foot run to get from the toilet out to the street.

As others have suggested, knowing why it backs up is key.
For that, a reputable plumber with a camera can find the absolute answer. If it's damaged pipes there is no other long term option than replacing the main.
If it's backing up due to bends or joints then installing a cleanout would be the best option for cleaning it out yourself in the future. Then you could buy your own sewer machine (I've seen them as low as $150 on CL) and deal with it yourself. With a cleanout installed you could also have a service plumber clean out the line for about $85-$100 per visit in the future.

Alternatively, you can add products to the line yourself to maintain it, things like a lye-based gel or heavy duty main line cleaners such as Liquid Plumber, to keep some of the solids or semi-solids from accumulating to the point of backing up the line in the first place.

Lastly, have you checked to see if the local sewer/water company offers main line insurance? Here at my house it's like $10 a month and covers main line failures. After signing up it would be wise to wait at least a month or two before filing a claim on that.

Good luck!


Solar powered water pump I have really low water pressure in my home at about 15 PSI and sometimes even 0. I already have a check valve on my main 3/4" line from the water meter. Since electricity is pretty expensive where I live (about $0.35/KWH) and also goes out sometimes, I was thinking of getting a solar panel to charge a battery and run a 12 Volt water pump. I would like some recommendations and what I should look for when buying the water tank, pressure tank, pump, battery, and solar panel.

Would a 100 Watt solar panel connected to a charge controller to charge and maintain a car 12 Volt battery connected to a 12 Volt 5GPM water pump be ok?

If you are on a city or town water supply, ask the water authority as to why your pressure is that low and what steps they can take to increase the pressure.Has the water supply pressure always been this low? A 12 volt pump probably will not supply enough volume from the existing supply line for a residence unless you were to add a storage tank to pump fron.


How to fix the wire connections on three-way switches? I've replaced the two three-way switches of a hall light and now the second switch has to be in the on position in order for the first switch to turn the light on or off.  The hot source is in the first box and connected to the black screw.  The wire with continuity in the second box is connected to the black screw. What have I done wrong and how do I fix it?

The source goes to the black screw, yes.  But both brass screws are travelers.  What's always true with travelers is

There are two of them
They are interchangeable
They are in the same cable on both ends
They are the same colors on both ends (obviously)
On both 3-ways, the two travelers go to the two brass screws

So for instance the travelers might be the red and white.  It really depends on what your installer picked for each segment of cable run, and some installers choose different colors for each segment.

Now, I greatly simplify my life by marking both travelers with yellow tape. And anytime you mark a wire with tape, mark both ends of the wire.

Now the first 3-way is super simple, both "yellow" wires are landed on both brass terminals.  Assuming the cable run is continuous between the 3-way switches, the other two travelers are also marked yellow and go on the brass screws there.


PEX repipe and hot water issues We just repiped out 45 yrs old house with PEX and the whole process was very smooth and I’m glad we did this. I knew the water pressure would change going from 90 psi water pressure to I don’t know what but I feel like I’m taking a shower in slow motion now, but what I can’t figure out is why it takes what seems to be five minutes to get anywhere close to hot water. I turned the water heater up a little. I know it takes a long time to fill a pitcher of water so I figure that is the same with the water heater tank. Also, there’s about two feet of space between the walls bathroom opposite of kitchen and the kitchen faucet will sometimes have hot water seriously hot water coming out of the cold water setting.??? Any idea of what might be happening with this? Appreciate any suggestions for what it if anything I need to do here.

Check all the aerators for clogs. When you repipe you can dislodge a lot of rust and gunk from the old pipes and it can clog the filters. Also check the shower heads for the same thing. If the problem is with a specific faucet you might want to remove and check out the cartridge.


Calculating floor load strength Well I'm sure this had been covered over and over. I could not find the formula I seek. I'm building a storage room in the back of a large steel building on my property and I was thinking I'd use the roof of my storage cube as place to put pallets and store junk. Nothing heavy I'd say no more that 300 pounds per pallet so that's about  300 every 4' squared I'm not sure of the span yet I plan to sheath it with osb prob 1/2 but what I'm looking for is a formula I can use something like
 A 2x4 frame spanning 10' with joist spaced at 16' will support =

A 2x4 frame spanning 15' with joist spaced at 16' will support =

A 2x6 frame spanning 10' with joist spaced at 16' will support =

A 2x6 frame spanning 15' with joist spaced at 16' will support =

And so on

Think anyone can help me out?

I'm not sure of the exact formulas as I'm sure they're fairly complex but the John Bridge Deflect-o-meter is a good place to start: http://www.johnbridge.com/vbulletin/deflecto.pl


How can I drill through very hard porcelain tile? I've read multiple instructions on mounting a shower rod in bathroom tile, however I've spent much longer than the internet suggests it should take to drill through my tile. I drilled for about 50 minutes on two holes that are not yet finished--one is about 60% through and the other is 80% through.

Is this normal? I have used both a masonry bit and a tile bit. I've tried low speed, high speed, wobbling it around, pushing hard, pushing soft, but at this rate it'll take almost two hours of drilling to do both sides.

Any thoughts on what I'm doing wrong?

Check your Tile bit to see if you have melted the edge. normally it should feel nice and sharp against your finger.  Hopefully you have a nice drill (generally battery operated may be a little on the light side).

What I do, is get a straw filled with water, or a spray bottle, and get a helper to either "pipette" or spray water onto the hole while you drill.

Second, keep the drill at slow speed - high torque, pushing hard onto the tile. You should hear it biting into the tile, As soon as you go too fast and see the tile or bit-tip going red, you have probably destroyed the bit (this is especially true for ceramic tiles)

third. as you suggested, some bits actually like it when you move the drill in an orbital fashion. I find that it cuts well on some of my bits.

So basically, if you are keeping the cut surface nice and wet (cool), and you have a sharp bit, you are doing everything right.

I have previously bought diamond bits like these with very little success. (i think you need to go for name brands here)

These are the regular tile bits which I speak of. (and I am sure the ones you describe)


When installing a stone fireplace, do I install the wood mantle first? I have an existing, irregular river-stone fireplace and would like to fit a solid pine slab mantle to the surface.

I have considered scribing the top and bottom surfaces of the wood mantle, but I do not know how to account for the irregularities in the stones behind the mantle.  I would like the mantle to sit reasonably flush to the stones.  I am not interested in cutting or damaging the stones.

The mantle has a thickness of 4 inches and is 10 inches wide and 60 inches long.

Any thoughts or solutions would be appreciated.

To mount this mantle you will need to drill into the stone face!

The outline of the mantles' position should be taped to keep track of its placement. You will need to scribe the profile of the stone to the wood mantle. More on this if needed.

As long as the scribe marks are back cut severely, in essence, hollowing out (making it concave) the back edge where the mantle meets the stone, it should fit pretty well, save a little extra taken out here and there. You could use a small diameter disk sander on a drill with a VERY coarse grit paper on it. Self stick or screw on should work.

After you get it scribed where you want it to fit, find 2 or 3 suitable places to drill and epoxy steel pins into the stone face. Choose smaller stone to drill near, they will be better encapsulated in the mortar than larger stone so they have less of a tendency to fall out when drilled. 1/2" holes, 2 to 3" deep with 3/8" pins straight in with epoxy should do there. Please do dust out the drilled holes, the dust will not let the epoxy bond. Let it cure. Concrete epoxies only take about 15-45 minutes to get hard.

On the wood mantle, drill 3/4" holes, you can fill with the same epoxy, even if it is for concrete, the wood won't mind. Concrete epoxies offer two mixing tips, this will come in handy for the setting of the mantle.Here is an example


my fan over my table works from wall switch but the light fixtures doesnt come on unless i flip the switch numerous times my fan over my table works from wall switch but the light on the fan wont come on unless I flip the switch a number of times before light will come on. what is causing this problem. if I use the pull chain on the light I have no problem turning it on and off

Read the manual for your fan.

For some fans, this is an intended feature to allow control of both fan and light from a single light switch.


2 different sets of downlights off the same switch. How to wire? I am going to be changing a bedroom ceiling rose into 2 different sets of downlights. The first set is the main room lighting and the second is in cabinet lighting. Both of which I would like to switch on using the same room switch.

My question is how best to add the second set of cabinet lights. Should they be added on to the end of the downlights loop or have their own wiring?

I have drawn 2 diagrams showing what I mean.

The two lights in question are the main room lights:
https://www.screwfix.com/p/luceco-ftype-fixed-fire-rated-led-downlight-white-600lm-6w-220-240v/6092t

And some mini downlights:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3WIndoor-Recessed-LED-Cabinet-Light-Mini-Spotlight-Small-Ceiling-Lamp-Downlight/254407149000?hash=item3b3bd905c8:m:mOo9ZORoSX-ylBP9pHDUgOQ

Ecnerwal make an excellent statement; doesn't matter.

I've got 25 years with the power company designing underground systems for high rise buildings, residential subdivisions and downtown areas. We hate radial feeds because if you have a problem, everyone's out. So I'd be running both sets to the switch. If something goes wrong with a section, you can disconnect that section from the switch and power up the other set so you have lights to fix the problem. (I know, I'm being ridiculous).


Two-way or two-strength LED bulbs We have a Vent-a-hood over our stove with halogen lights. There's a switch for low level and high level lighting using the same two light bulbs. Would like to replace with LED GU10. Our first attempt to use a 'dimmable' bulb resulted in great light at the high level and a flicker at the reduced level. Worth trying another LED and/oror are there specific two-way LED bulbs to look for? Thanks!

The high and low settings of the lights on your range hood are most likely not controlled by standard semiconductor triac dimming technology. Such technology is typically used where continuously variable brightness control is desired.

In the case of your range hood the high setting applies the full AC waveform of the mains voltage across the light bulb. For the low setting the light bulb is typically placed in series with a diode that cuts out half of the AC voltage waveform thus operating the light bulb at half the typical average voltage.

The graphs below show the difference of the AC voltage waveforms for the two cases.

The high setting allows the bulbs to be energized for the AC line voltage being first positive and then negative during its 60Hz cycle (16.66 msec total per cycle). The low setting with the diode only allows one polarity of the AC voltage to be applied across the bulbs.

(Note that in the above pictures the AC waveforms show that the voltage attained by the sine wave at its peak is about 170 volts. The typical 120VAC we are familiar with in our homes is an average value that would deliver an equivalent amount of total energy as the sine wave if the voltage waveform was a flat line at 120 volts.)

Typical incandescent light bulbs that give off light by heating a filament to white hot temperatures have a thermal response time that is much longer than the 16.66msec period of the AC waveform. This averages out the light emission of the light bulb to the extent that we do not see flickering when viewing the light bulb.

LED lights on the other hand are a semiconductor component and are able to respond to changes in applied voltage much more quickly. So quickly in fact that most LED bulbs that are designed to run right from the mains power line have to have internal circuitry that converts the AC line voltage into a DC voltage to operate the LED. The reason that you will see flickering with the LED bulbs on the low setting is that the AC to DC converter circuit built into the LED bulb is not designed to handle the case where the AC voltage disappears for half of each cycle and is thus turning on and off (at least partially) at the AC line frequency rate.

Could LED bulbs be designed to work without flicker at a "low" setting like this?

The answer is that yes they could be and such LED bulbs may very well be available. However such circuits cost a bit more to build and may take more space in the base of the bulb.


Best way to hold interior wall insulation in place prior to drywalling I'm insulating the interior walls in my house with rock wool insulation for sound proofing.  I'm having drywallers come in to drywall everything in one fell swoop and the insulation needs to be in place before they do anything.  I'm wondering the best way to hold the insulation in place prior to drywalling.  My initial thought is tape, but wonder if anyone has a better suggestion.

The insulation batts should stay in place by themselves via friction. If they're falling out, you're not cutting them snugly enough.


Use a 2-wire line voltage thermostat on a 24v / low voltage 2-wire furnace This is an ancient furnace at my aging mother's. Basic 24v thermostat, two wires only, the original from my childhood used a mercury switch. There are some commercial, line voltage, 2-wire thermostats on the market that are also just a simple SPST switch. The nice thing about them though is they have a single dial with the intended temperature and the temperatures are printed as large, black on white numbers. In other words, they'd be much easier for her to use. Without having to disassemble one, is there any reason one of them shouldn't be used? It'll be carrying only a fraction of the voltage & current it was designed for & there doesn't seem to be any added or different functionality unless I'm mistaken or uninformed.

Plain old mechanical thermostats don't care, but...

They are simple switches, whether they are line voltage, millivolt, or 24V.  However, obviously, they have different current ratings; I wouldn't lose any sleep over mixing up millivolt and 24V, but those must never carry line voltage.

However, your thermostat with the single dial and the "large, black and white numbers" is not a plain old mechanical thermostat.  You are talking about some sort of smart thermostat there.  If this thing is battery powered, that's a possibility; but more likely it relies on a "C" wire or on current leakage through a large resistance heater (which would be pretty easy to do for a line voltage 'stat). These won't work on the wrong voltage.

Why are you bothering? There's a huge variety of 24V thermostats

I gather you spotted one you like, but if you do some research I bet you can turn up a comparable one that runs on 24V.  Probably ten of them.   Some that use batteries, some that use C-wire power, and others that allow leakage power through a clunky old 24V solenoid like you'll have on an old furnace.

As far as price, line voltage doesn't buy you anything.  There are very inexpensive thermostats available for all types.


Installing WeMo Wi-Fi Dimmer Switch - Lights not turning on I have attempted to install my WeMo switch; however, it does not seem to want to work. Before I contact Belkin or my superintendent, I wanted to make sure that it is WeMo that is broken, and not my brain.

My living room light switch, once removed has the following wires:

All wire labels are what I THINK they are, not necessarily what they really are.
But the way I labelled them, is the only way it makes sense? Cause at one point I accidentally started controlling my fridge with the light switch.

So based on that diagram, I wired my WeMo Dimmer switch accordingly. Neutral to white,  Line to brown, Load to beige, and ground... well none of the switches in my apartment have ground. So I let that be.

The switch gets powered correctly (white light,  and then blue). I even set it up on the wifi. The fridge stays powered on (yay); however, the switch does not turn the lights on and off. Does not matter how many times I press the button. Won't dim. won't turn on.

The lighbulbs I am using are dimmable LED - https://www.lowes.ca/products/view.aspx?sku=12467830.

Before I go over to belkin, I wanted to see if perhaps I did something obviously wrong.

EDIT:
At this point I've tested the following:

Controlling the switch from the app would cause the relay click sound, the switch would appear as if it turned on, but the lights remain off.
I've tried this with a single LED bulb, a single incandescent bulb, and a mix of both.
With the original switch connected, in the ON position and with the breaker ON, (aka the lights were shining) I've used non-contact voltage tester and probed an empty bulb socket. This results in continuous high-pitch beeping sound (48V-1000V AC)

I have then taken my WeMo switch, connected it to the exact same wires + a neutral, and with the breaker ON and WeMo "ON" (the lights weren't shining, this is my issue here) I probed the bulb socket, and there was no light or noise from the tester. This to me indicated that my wiring should be correct (as it was consistent with the original switch + 1 neutral wire, the relay clicks, but no power is sent to the light fixture.

From your drawing you essentially have it wired “backwards” or at best you are “switching” the fridge. Where is the light you are trying to switch in that drawing.

Line = power coming in
Load = power going out to the device you want to control.

The switch is in between, either connecting or interrupting the flow, therefore, turning on or off the device.

Not sure what the tan box in your drawing between the line wire and fridge represents. It would be unusual for there to be a switch for the fridge. If you are representing that you have “tapped” into that wire to gain power (line) then the load wire from the Wemo needs to connected to the wire that goes to the light you want to control


Azek trim on bay window box I have a bay window with a (I think) classic 3-sided trim bottom.  The trim is rotting and I plan on replacing it down to the studs and back.  So studs, exterior ply, tyvex and flashing, then trim - either poplar or azek pvc.

Here is the first ask - could you take a look at this video?

https://solutions.dunnlumber.com/projects/using-and-installing-azek-trim

Note how he creates the box structure - he has an outer rectangle of trim over  another panel then insets trim to create a nice 3d effect.

My question, and I looked throughout the article, is what is the first layer? From the video I can see he put down his ply and tyvex but for the first panel, is that azek so he is nailing azek to azek?  I wasn't sure you could do that - I thought it was azek to substrate (ply).

I'll try to ascii draw it.

------------------------------------
|                                  |
|       -------------------        |
|       |xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx |       |
|       |x               x |       |
|       |x               x |       |
|       |xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx |       |
|       -------------------        |
|                                  |
------------------------------------

In this "drawing" the x is the decorative trim, the box it is in is the inset, and the outer.  So the stuff x is attached to, probably azek?

Trying to figure this out so that I can make sure I have enough room as my drip edge fro mthe windows above is only so big.

Thanks.

Meta: Also, if someone with 300+ rep could add the tag "azek" I think that would be useful for others.

Just to follow this up - I ended up using 3/8 ply for my backer, then a sheet of azek 3/8, then 1x6 on the left and right vertical, 1x8 o nthe top and bottom which makes a nice box effect.  Then trimmed the inner box with azek scotia.

I'm not accepting this answer, since it is mine.  But everything worked out just fine.


Toliet flapper doesn't reseat properly on flush Toilet has a rubber flapper that after a flush doesn't always get seated properly.  Most times, if there are no solids in the bowl it does this.  Twice I've replaced the flush assembly with a new kit.  It seems to be okay for a few weeks and then reverts.
When I look in the tank the flapper is almost always off kilter, like it was pulled out too far and moved a bit.
Looking for tips on getting current kit working right before buying yet another replacement.
Edit:  Added photos.

If the problem keeps occurring after a new flapper has been installed then you should be sure that:

the chain from the flapper to the handle is not too short as to not allow the flapper to seat fully.

If the flapper continues to sit askew it may be installed wrong. make sure that the two openings on the flapper arms are sitting evenly on the overflow pipes attachment points. It should not bind.

Some flappers have a hollow bulbous cavity that sometimes get air trapped inside. This may prevent the flapper from closing properly. Remove air from cavity.

Some tank cleaners that contain chlorine or other chemicals will degrade the rubber flapper making it brittle and deformed. There are ones resistant to these cleaners.


Is my ceramic hob wired correctly? My 5.8kw ceramic hob has been wired into a 30 amp junction box with the electric ignition cable of the old gas hob and then wired into the cooker switch with .6 mm cooker cable. Is this correct wiring?

I Forgot about this one. 5.8KW on a 240V would only draw a little over 24 amps. in the U.S. this would require 10 Awg wire. A standard wire type THHN 10 Awg crosses over to 4.166 MM as the aprox diameter as listed in the NEC chapter 9 Table 5. I am surprised the cable is not melting this is way under sized.  To answer the question: No it is not correctly wired.


Foundation for structure on bedrock We have the mixed blessing of a giant swath of exposed Canadian Shield on our property in Ontario. Literally a big flat area of exposed rock, no soil whatsoever.

Scale is hard to see, but a satellite view looks like this:

In our area it has been tested to have a bearing weight > 10 000 pounds per square foot (basically high enough that the number doesn't matter anymore). We have the pieces of a high tunnel style greenhouse (32 ft wide, 96 ft long, 24 ft high in the center), like this:

Perhaps foolishly (no one we've spoken to in the area has tried to permit a greenhouse), we took the plans to our local permitting office. The only particularly difficult part we've run into is the foundation. As purchased, the plans were for a standard installation with a more house-style foundation. We were presuming that it would be extremely easy to do a foundation as frost heaving and bearing weight aren't a concern. The only engineered diagram we've gotten past the permitting office is a 24" tall x 14" wide concrete beam poured directly on the bedrock.

Our issue is that this seems to avoid all the benefits that exist with the exposed bedrock, makes it virtually impossible to do ourselves just due to the volume and the associated risk of mistakes, and is crazy expensive without much perceived value.

I've seen this related question, which basically ends up with something like this:

Are we missing why this same principle cannot be applied with just enough concrete to level out the area and provide a consistent and level wall to form the perimeter of the structure? Is 2' high really required, or is this a case of the engineer getting fed up with the back-and-forth with the permitting office and over-engineering it?

Are there any other options we're missing to accomplish the same end result - a blocked in bottom perimeter that can support the greenhouse "hoops"?

Note: We haven't measured the grade over the entire length, but it can safely be assumed to be < 6" after clearing away surface dirt, loose stone etc.

Late Update: After building a few small outbuildings, we were misunderstanding the concerns addressed in the design. The massive foundation is essentially a humongous anchor. If hurricane force winds come through (and in this imaginary scenario I guess the plastic holds to the frame better than the frame to the ground anchors) the foundation is spec'd so the whole building doesn't lift up and blow away. All that to say the bearing weight and heaving are not large concerns as we were thinking they are.

To summarize, it is almost exclusively uplift which is being addressed by the massive amount of concrete. No engineers are willing to say the bedrock is really bedrock without a (hugely expensive) core sample (I guess the system works?), so the building has to be designed to not fly away with no consideration of the uplift resisting ability of the ground underneath, or fastening systems attaching to the ground.

I'm not a licensed engineer, but I've been involved in building structures, block, skirted, footing with a kick wall. I do have a BA in Industrial Techlology (the guys that fix what the engineers thought was a good idea) twits.. The biggest issue with what you are trying, IMHO (in my humble opinion) Site preperation.  You have to get that exposed rock shining.  Then you need to use cord for leveling so you Identify your site high spots.  A chalk line might help with that. you'll have to try.  Next is your anchoring.  Even if the frost goes down 5' 2-3' anchored into the bedrock ought to be enough.  This is going to require a drill on a platform, one you rent. You will need a 36" carbide teeth, x 1" masonary bit.  I'd get 2, oh yes they are expensive!  Talk to your county engineer, explain this to him, it will NOT go anywhere. Drill a 24" x 1" hole in the rock.  cool it with water, a good flow.  Get your drill on a GFI if you want to live! From the contractor desk have them order a case of rebar epoxy.  you may want the pheunuematic tube gun, save your arms & hands. After this is all approved...

cut 4' sections of 3/4" rebar, fill the hole you've drilled and lived, (after 3-4 hot days) cover them tight maybe a cork.  That gets you to the wine/beer making store. LOL  When the holes are fully dry, use the epoxy to fill the hole, put in the rebar.  You can cut the top off at a hight agreeded upon with your engineer.  Personally, I'd put these every 12".  If they end up being 18" high, then wire tie 2 full length's or 1/2" rebar around the whole foundation, minus the door. You'll make this  then ~12" of foundation, epoxied into the rock, with 12" concrete. If there are specs on your frame for pre drilled spots, use those spacings. Then on the top, drill a 1/4 or 3/8" hole just above the frame line, room for a big 1" washer.  Find the company that still cuts nails, they are tapered.  You slam that nail, just above the washer, and pound the narrow end down. with those 12" footings, it will give you a nice base for a level concrete floor. That thing is NOT MOVING.  IMHO in my humble opinion... but I live in an 1854 post & beam, hand adzed timbers house.  I tend to over build. It really sounds like a fun project.  work out the rebar anchors w/ the engineer, and a poored futting 12" high that has horizontal and vertical rebar. The square nail for the wedge in the locked hole, should top it all off.  Hope this works for you... let me know ok?   JLH


TV flickers when AC shuts down My 220 AC is somehow causing tv to flicker when the ac shuts down.  The ac and tv are not on same circuit.  Replaced the tv but replacement does same thing.  Could the ac shutting down cause a voltage surge in the circuit which feeds the tv and cause the flickering and momentarily shut down?  If so would surge protector eliminate problem?

A UPS would be the only way to totally fix the problem condoning and surge protection only filter very short time based spikes, but do not do much more than that. A UPS constantly supplies power to the device through a inverter. When there is a problem they use battery power to supply the inverter until the battery is depleted.


Second Floor Bedroom Little HVAC I have one bedroom upstairs 2nd level that virtually gets no air or heat. The other 2 bedrooms have medium force. For the one bedroom in question, checking with your hand, you feel very little and I mean very little air force coming from the baseboard vent. I have tried to balance the 2 basement furnace dampers to no  avail. Went from both wide open to partial setting on each damper to force the air up to the second floor. The basement family room is *****real cold***** even with the room vents closed and the first floor is OK cold with some room vents closed. The first floor has tube type vents running from the furnace and one goes to one bedroom to the second floor and the second floor has your large vents. Return vents are sucking air. Any ideas out there that I should be looking for? Thanks

First, Take a probe type thermometer and check the temperature drop across the cooling coil. The temperature drop should be 15-20 degrees F., and preferably closer to the 15 degree temp. Next, check to see how many return registers are located in the basement. They should be located near the floor. Remember that multi-story houses like yours all have similar problems since cold air is heavier than warm air and tends to fall to the lowest areas. Look to see if every room has it's own supply pipe and not have a common pipe supplying a lower and a higher room. Count the number of supply and return registers on each floor. Every room should have at least one of each unless this is a newer house, then any thing is possible. The returns for the top floor should have returns located near the ceiling to take the hot air off the ceiling. Measure the sizes of the supply and return ducts include the duct that drops down to the furnace. Also list the model and serial number of the furnace or air handler and the size of your house and it's location, type of windows etc. The more info provided the better. (There are a lot of smart guys that monitor this site that can provide possible solutions if given enough information). Hope this helps


Garbage disposal wiring I've installed a new disposal on it's own 20A circuit with a wall switch, everything works fine... no problems. I was told it needs to be a GFCI receptacle. What say you?

Yes, it does, under 2014 code. You may find outdated articles claiming it does not - they are outdated.

210.8(A)(7)  Any 125V 15 or 20 A receptacle within 6 feet of the outside edge of a sink (shortest path) requires GFCI protection

Used to have an exception for dwelling kitchens (up to 2011) does not now (2014 forward.) Other than dwellings was required in 2008.


What kind of board can span 16 ft for a wall pergola We are building a wall pergola that we want wisteria to grow on top of.  The pergola will only come about 3.5-4 ft out from the wall (Edit: the columns themselves are less than 2ft from the wall). I have already placed 2 6x6 columns bolted into concrete on both sides.  The beams are 16 ft apart.

Are there any wood (preferably cedar) beams that can span that 16' distance without having to place additional support in between?  If so, what kind?  Is there a chart somewhere with max distances that beams can span with minimal weight on top?

In the picture below, these beams span pretty far, but they are also very thick and I wonder if beams that thick can be mounted to a 6x6.

Edit:

If worried about the weight, see this wall pergola from Lowes.  This would  bear the weight with or without the long board in between the columns. This is what I am going to buy or build.  I also have 6/6 columns on either side for wisteria to wrap around.  I may or may not span a board from one column to the other, depending on if it makes sense to do so.

Here is the answer to my actual question:

http://awc.org/codes-standards/calculators-software/spancalc

Edit: Sorry if I'm not on the same wavelengths as anyone else.  I already know about insurance and inspectors, and that was not at all what I was asking about.  I just wanted to know what length of wood would span a certain distance given various criteria.  I would have expected an answer to that question, instead of all the "your a dumb homeowner who's going to get in trouble" type replies.  I question the idea that there will be 50psf of weight from snow given the fact that it is an almost non-solid top, and saw no real attempt to answer my question, so I had to come up with this.  It took me awhile to find, and I hope it helps others.


How do i get 120v @60Hz 400VA? So I'm in Australia and unfortunately we run on 240v @2A 50Hz.

I've recently purchased a neon sign transformer but just realised that its got the below

Doh! Wrong input. I'm wondering if there's any way I can easily get the required input from my mains (I've also got access to 3 phase etc)? Does the Hz matter? If it makes any difference, i'll be passing the output through a Rectifier later to (hopefully) get 6kV DC @ 30mA.

The other question is what is 400 VA referring to and how do I get it?

If this is an old fashioned wire wound transformer, the 60 to 50 Hz will not matter, going the other way makes some difference though. If it's some sort of electronic switching transformer, it could be a problem, I've no idea.

The voltage difference is obviously a problem. The 400 VA is volt-amps, or watts. You don't need to get it, it just happens as a result of applied voltage and resistance in the windings. 400 watts isn't a huge amount of power, you may be able to find a step down transformer intended for travelers from North America. You may find such transformers cost more than the device you have. You may be better off getting a proper transformer and writing off the amount spent as a lesson learned if you are unable to return it.


What is this terminal called in my service panel? only ground wires are terminated in here.  I'd like to buy another one for the other side of the panel but I'm not sure what this is called.

That is a terminal or lug.  It's not likely rated for multiple conductors.  What you probably want is a grounding bar.