Stinky dishes and cups from the dishwasher - but only after it rained The house I live in is 14 years old and is connected to the municipal water and sewage system in the Toronto, Canada, suburbs. I am on my second dishwasher. The first one was a cheapo Whirlpool, the current one is a mid-priced Miele. Nothing too fancy, but not cheap too. Both of them have the same issue: after it rains, or while it rains for a long time, the dishes and glasses/cups come out stinking of rancid fish.

None in the household was ever able to feel any odors from tap water. And we do not feel any odd smell from the sink drains or from the toilets. We never had sewage backup, knock on wood.

What was suggested to me:

That the drainage pipe out of the house and into the sewage could be
cracked, and rainwater may be pushing sewage gases up the drain. But
I would imagine the stench would be felt from the sink drains as
well. We do not feel any of that. And the issue started as soon as we
moved into the new house.
That rubber gaskets in the
dishwasher have deteriorated and let wastewater stagnate in the
joints. I am also having a hard time buying into this theory, as both
dishwashers had this issue since brand new.

I found a workaround with the new Miele dishwasher - if I stop the cycle right after the rinse is complete and before it begins to heat and circulate air out and into the drainage, the smell is either reduced to a minimum, or not there at all.

It also helped to add about 1 cup of white vinegar to the water once the cycle fills the pan. The smell was reduced, but not removed completely.

And finally, the smell was reduced significantly after installing the whole house filter from Vitasauls. The smell was horrible very often before that, and now it is noticeable only after it rained for a while.

I have a suspect, but that is inconclusive: the pleated drain hose of the dishwasher sounds like a perfect spot for breeding bacteria which arrives with the tap water, contaminated during the rain. But what can I do, if they all come with pleated plastic hoses?

I know that this is a very widespread problem with no one-size-fits-all resolution, but hoping for suggestion from anyone who experienced the same.

The picture below is very similar to my installation, both in the design of the sink drains, and the path of the drain hose to the stem on the drain pipe:

This sounds like a drain hose problem. If you can post a picture of the drain hose from where it leaves the dishwasher until it goes into the drain pipes (usually either into the pipes under the sink or into a disposal under the sink), that would be very helpful.

Key likely items:

1 - If the drain hose goes into the drain pipes past the trap then that would likely violate code and would definitely explain the problem. The trap is there to prevent sewer gases from getting back into the house - or into the dishwasher. If that's the case, you need to either move the drain hose so it connects before the trap or add another trap (and then connect it before the trap).

2 - Dishwashers require an air gap. There are two forms.

The first ("traditional" in my mind) is a gadget on top of a corner of the sink. The drain hose goes up to this gadget and the water has to literally go through the air (an inch or so) to then flow back down into another drain hose into the pipes. I highly doubt you have this because any sewer gas would be coming out of the air gap either all the time or every time you run the dishwasher.

The second method is a high hose loop. The flexible hose from the dishwasher loops up so that the middle of the hose is right up underneath the counter before looping back down to go into the pipes or disposal. The key is that water can't back up from the pipes through the drain hose into the dishwasher unless water was backed up in the sink just as high - which would be quite unusual (and quite obvious at the time). There is effectively an air gap inside the hose.

If you have a hose loop that no longer loops - i.e., the hose either was never installed properly or has fallen down - so that the highest point on the hose is not much above where it connects to the pipes/disposal then you will have problems. If you have this problem, moving the hose may be all that you need to do - just use a loop of wire or something to hold the hose up in the right place. If your hose is not long enough - or if you are concerned that it is filled with dirt, etc. - you can replace it for ~ $10 (US).

Update based on picture. There appears to be a normal trap (good). But the drain hose does not have a traditional air gap and only goes a couple of inches above the pipes. The highest point is significantly below the bottom of the sink, so it will definitely not function correctly the way it is currently installed.

It is hard to tell whether a longer hose with a proper high loop will be enough to solve the problem, but you should install a longer hose with a proper high loop anyway in order to have a proper installation. If the problem still happens after that then some more troubleshooting will be needed.


Rust in gas flame area of water heater, should be replaced? There is rust right above the gas flame in our water heater (not outside the water heater as in this question Rust spots on water heater -- time to replace? or on the inside where the sacrificial anode might be an issue).  A repair guy said this indicates a slow leak that could become a big problem all of a sudden, and that we should probably replace the water heater.  The water heater is an American Water HEater Proline model and it is about 12 years old.  Should we replace it?

I've never seen a burner assembly area that wasn't rusty, H2O is a byproduct of combustion. Things to consider: is the exhaust vent in good condition, is the TPR valve not leaking and in working order? Provided it's not in a location where a catastrophic leak would cause damage, ride it out. That being said, 12 years is getting towards the end of its life. If, at some point in the next few years, a few days without hot water is unacceptable, replace it soon or begin saving money now by upgrading to a tank-less.


Is my bath exhaust fan pulling dust into the room? We moved some time ago and in the new washroom there is a lot of dust on the surfaces (I clean it nearly every day but next day there is a new layer). Only source I could imagine is the ventilation system. My guess is there is a missing part like a fabric layer or something on top of the shown part on the picture.

Is this assumption right and how could I add it?

Addition: On one outer side of the washroom is a fireplace. Once we start the ventilation (button for it like for light) when the fireplace is burning, the smoke comes into the washroom.

Your exhaust fan is bringing smoke/soot into your bathroom. Your fan is operating correctly and no screen or filter on it will solve your problem. Make sure the flue for your fireplace is completely open. You might want to keep your bathroom door closed when the fireplace is in use, or at least don't use the fan.


Can I backfill without inspections using sight tubes? What code section is it where you can use sight tubes in the trench to determine the depth of your installed conduit so we can backfill without inspection??

I doubt the existence of any code requirement that an inspector must accept sight tubes. Even if there were, a local authority may simply say "nah, not gonna do it that way." Then what would, what could you do -- a fight over code is seldom truly won by the inspectee.
There are instances when it is literally impossible to visually check the depth of conduit: directional boring, for example. An inspector can see only the entrance and exit pits and has to trust the depth record made by the boring crew (if any was made at all). Other times an inspector may accept a photo of a measuring stick showing the depth. I'm not a full-time professional, but I've had an inspector accept both my directional bored work and my photos of an open trench. The biggest key is to earn their trust by being friendly, direct, and honest. Don't just barely meet code, either. In the case of a buried conduit go an inch or even two deeper than required unless there's a compelling reason not to -- in most conditions it isn't tremendously more work.
You can always try submitting a photo to the inspector. They'll probably respond in one of two ways: "thanks, carry on" or "schedule an appointment for me to see it in person."


14ga wire with 12ga wire House built in the 1940s.  When remodeling a bathroom, I put a 20A circuit in the panel and ran new 12/2 wire up to the bath to GFCI outlets. I continued the circuit up into the attic to power an attic bathroom exhaust fan.

In the attic there is a rickety old pull-chain light fixture attached to the original 1940s wiring, which has two conductors but no ground.  A prior owner of the house attached 14/2 wiring to this old 1940s wiring, and had simply tied the ground wire of the 14/2 to the junction box.

I would like to detach the 14/2 from the ungrounded old wiring and attach it to the new 20A 12/2 wire in the attic.

All the receptacles on the 14/2 are 15A.

Does mating 14/2 to 12/2 present any safety hazards if nobody tries to draw more than 15A on the "extended" 14ga leg of the circuit?

You cannot do what you propose. You are good by running a 20A circuit for a bathroom receptacle circuit, it is required. By adding #14 to the circuit would mandate that you downgrade the breaker to 15A which would not be code compliant.

Your best bet is to run a new #14 circuit to re-feed this non-grounding circuit.


Purpose of septic vents both in the yard and also through the roof? My house has both septic venting that goes up through the roof and also a vent in the yard. What is the need for the yard vent? Is this vent a requirement (code or otherwise)? A "best practice"? Or ... ?
Here's a photo of the vent when it was installed, just to clearly show the relationship to the house outlet (right), trap (center), and tank (left):

This came up because we are looking into relocating it, being in the way of a deck project.
The roof vent is standard, with all the fixtures passing through traps and then draining down eventually through the basement as well as venting upwards.
The yard vent sticks up out of the grass about 16' from the house. It is just upstream of an underground trap which feeds directly into the septic tank. (This is not a municipal sewer.)
At one point due to some project I had temporarily replaced the yard vent cap with a solid cap so there was no airflow, and noticed no difference on any plumbing in the house. (Maybe there could have be some long term effect we'd eventually have noticed?)

In reading around this subject I'm not finding yet anything reliable or pertinent for my system. There are discussions of venting the leach field or the septic tank itself, but my vent is neither of these. Being upstream of a trap I believe it provides at most pressure equalization as air won't flow through the trap by design.

I've noticed that some homes have these vents, others do not, that's part of the motivation for the question, to understand the reasons for the differences.

These are different things.  The vent stack inside the house is there to prevent sewer gas from pushing back into the traps (as well as providing overall pressure relief).  The vent in the yard is there to handle gas generated inside the septic tank.  Whether that is required by local code, or as part of your specific design, or just because some people think it lengthens the tank and leaching field's life expectancy, I cannot say for sure. I have lived in towns where some people have added a tank vent, others have not, and there's no apparent rhyme or reason.


What kind of paint should be used on an outdoor concrete walkway? I have an outdoor walkway that was freshly painted just before I bought my house two years ago. Two winters have worn down the paint and now it needs another coat or the exposed concrete will crumble.

I have two goals with re-painting the walkway.

Protect the concrete (this is a must)
Add a non-slip texture (this is not necessary, but would be nice to
have)

To these ends, what type of paint should I use that is not slippery in cold, wet winter weather?

For point 2, is it possible to mix in gritty sand without compromising the paint? Or should I paint the walkway with some 'concrete safe' paint, then add a non-slip layer on top?

The walkway will need to be shoveled, will adding a layer of non-slip grit make the paint more prone to chipping?

Paint on a concrete walkway will never last very long, and adding sand would definitely make it chip faster. The correct way to do it would be to stain it. I would use a good stain instead of what you get at the big box stores. Then seal it. Concrete sealer you can get anywhere. You can add some sharkgrip to it for the non-slip you are looking for.


No ground bus in panel Correct me if I’m wrong but there is no bus panel here. Working on a bath remodel and running new wires to two new breakers for new GFCI receptacle and one for heated floor. As this is main panel other posts indicate ground can share neutral bus. Should I bother running two new grounding wires to each of those locations and breakers? No other grounding wires evident.

All the wiring is in THHN wires inside metal conduit.  Since the metal conduit carries the ground, there's no need for any ground wires, therefore no need for any ground bus.
"That was easy..."
Note that nobody puts in metal conduit for their health.  They use metal conduit because the municipality requires it.  So if you are DIYing electrical and got all your knowledge off Youtube or books at the store, you may have used the popular Romex/NM cable. If so, you'll have to contact your local inspector's office and ask them what is required, and upgrade to that if called for.
It can be frustrating to have to learn a second method after learning a first one and doing the work... but really, conduit is a much better setup and much more maintainable and easy to change/upgrade.  Once you get the hang of it, you'll be smug about using conduit :)

Note that several of the circuits in your panel are sharing a neutral.  (twice as many hots as neutrals in some pipes).  The breakers on the 2 hots need to have a "handle tie" between them, or, use a 2-pole 240V breaker of that same amperage.

If you really need a ground bar, then the manufacturer's label will specify certain accessory ground bar models which are designed to bolt right into the holes pre-drilled in the panel.


3-wire dryer plug with mismatched voltages Just moved into a house built in the 1950s and, I discovered that one of the hot prongs for my dryer plug is giving me 120VAC (A in picture) and one is giving me 60VAC (B in picture).

In addition, prong A (I believe this is the red wire) is just a single, solid copper wire while prong b (black wire) and the neutral (white wire) are both copper strands. I realize this setup is not correct, but I'm wondering what specifically needs to be fixed. Is this something I need an electrician for?

This is an obsolete type of dryer socket and it should be replaced with a newer 4-prong style that includes both NEUTRAL and GROUND.  Yes you probably should contact an electrician to pull a new wire and hook it up properly.  Since it's clearly not right as it is, you should get it fixed properly.


Cold water faucets plugged We live at the end of the service line and all of our cold water faucets keep plugging off down to a trickle.  How do we stop this and how do we fix it?

If they are plugging with debris (scale, etc. from inside the supply pipes), you prevent it by intercepting that debris with a filter when the water first enters your house, and you fix it (in most cases) by removing the aerators (which have a fine mesh screen) and flushing both the faucets (by running them without the aerators until the water runs clear) and the aerators themselves (by running water backwards through them until clean.)

If larger debris is plugging the valve itself before the aerator, it's a larger job to fix.


Can fill in a doorway opening in a foundation wall over the top of the slab? I have an exterior service door on my garage I'd like to remove and wall off. The exterior of the garage is cedar siding. Replacing that and framing the doorway in is not the issue. My concern is pouring concrete over the existing floor. There is a foundation on the exterior wall, maybe 8" as the garage is attached to the house

Can I just pour new concrete over the existing concrete without leaking issues? I plan on drilling into the floor and insides of the foundation doorway walls, and adding lengths of rebar to tie it all in. Will this be enough? Thanks

I understand the question to be about filling in the foundation wall through the former doorway opening over the top of the floor slab. I would not do so because the slab will have a tendency to move with seasonal soil movement, etc.

Presuming that the slab is poured over a lowered area in the foundation wall, I'd cut back the slab and pour your foundation wall repair directly on the original wall. This will provide the most stability.

If you'd rather not do that, consider simply framing in the opening with wood, using pressure-treated lumber where there's concrete contact. Construction adhesive would secure everything just fine. If it's exposed below the siding on the outside, paint it with an appropriate gray paint to match the foundation. Caulk it in and it'll become nearly invisible.


Portable air conditioner produces nasty smell in fan mode after running AC My Haier HPN12XCM Portable Air Conditioner, 12000-BTU air conditioner produces a horrible smell whenever it is in fan mode after I run it in AC mode.

To reproduce the problem, I do the following:

Run the AC unit in AC mode for 20 minutes. No smell.
Turn off AC mode and turn on fan mode. Smell slowly fades in over about 2 minutes.
A horrible smell will occur for approximately 20 minutes and then go away. It appears for longer if the AC unit has been running for longer.

Interestingly, if I turn AC mode back on, the smell disappears within 1 minute.

I've attempted to disassemble the unit to find the problem. Some very minor damage was present to the coils on the lower half and those coils, when rubbed with a paper towel, produced the smell of rotten eggs on the paper towel.

The smell is not easily identifiable when it's in the air, but if anything, I would guess that it smells like a mixture of butt and that awful oil smell you sometimes find on railings outside.

What I've tried to fix the problem:

I've attempted to run the unit for 7 straight days in fan mode to no avail. When I ran the AC unit for 20 minutes after that, the problem reappeared.

Unfortunately, this makes my portable AC unit inoperable, since it needs to be in fan mode for 2-3 minutes before AC mode kicks in and the smell does not go away when the unit has been off for a while. The smell is so awful that it sticks in the room for hours afterwards even if it only runs for 2-3 minutes.

I've also tried unplugging both of the rubber plugs on the back. On a humid day, one produced a small amount of liquid. Today, despite the smell, no liquid. Also the lint filter on the outside of the unit has no lint on it.

This unit is a rental from my apartment complex. I've tried switching out the unit but they both had the exact same problem.

What could be causing this smell? Is there a way to fix it?

I'd be careful with cleaners, the manual online specifically says not to use any harsh cleaners. Personally, I'd use my judgment on this though. I'm not sure how much you can get at the insides, but I'd try and brush the coils with an old toothbrush and warm water with a drop of dish soap.

I'd also see if I could clean the evaporation tank. Water condenses on the coils and drips down into the tank. Heat from running the unit should evaporate the water (just like your fridge) so it's normal not get much out of the drain hole. You should be able to take the lower drain out, spray warm water on the coils and see it drain out.

You should also wash the air filter weekly, it's collects dust and not just lint, so visual lint isn't a useful indicator of anything.

Personally, I'd never use the AC just in fan mode. If you want to just move air around, an actual fan is going to be more efficient.

If these are the only two rental units left from your apt complex, you might see if they'd buy a new one, or consider buying a new one yourself. It looks like a model similar to this is around $400, so depending on what you pay to rent it, it might be easy to recoup that cost in a short amount of time.


Inverter switches off powering as soon its unplugged from mains I have a Su-Kam shiny 850 model inverter which powers my home appliances when there's a power outage or if I switch off the mains that supplies power to the inverter. However whenever I unplug the cord of the inverter from the mains, the inverter still shows are "Backup" mode while no appliance  work which basically means it stops working. Is it necessary to keep the plug attached to the mains even if there is no power through it?

Current flows in loops.  That is basic "electrical 101".  All current 'comes out' the hot wire, and 'flows back' via the neutral wire.
A switch only interrupts the hot wire.  That is enough to break the loop and make the load shut off.
A plug interrupts hot and neutral and safety earthing, because, obviously, it's a plug.
So if you think about it, unplugging interrupts neutral.  Switching does not.  It's all about the neutral.
And more specifically, it's all about illegal and dangerous mess that was made when this was hooked up initially.

On the inverter, only the hot wire was connected through back to the panel.  The neutral was never connected or switched, and so neutral is forced to go backwards through the system via the plug.  This is bad: the hot and neutral wires need to stay together for a variety of reasons.
My guess is this was done so the panel could be "back-fed" so the whole house could be powered (on 650VA inverter that can barely provide 3 amps, lol).  I will guess that this wasn't done with a proper interlock.

I suspect this was done because 1-pole switches (which do not switch neutral) are cheaper than 2-pole switches (which do).


What’s is the consequence of trimming too much of a wood door? I’d like to have all matching doors downstairs in our house (link), but one of our door frames is shorter than all the others. The doors say the maximum you can trim off any given side is 5 mm, but I need to trim 12 mm off both top and bottom to get this particular one to fit. To my knowledge, this door only comes in one size.

What would be the consequence of trimming the extra 7 mm be and is there anything I can do to mitigate it?

It looks like from your picture (wild guess) you have 35 mm on both sides. 12 mm should do nothing to the structural integrity of your door. More picture and measurement would be always helpful.


Why would you use copper electrical conduit? This is not "home" improvement per se, but it fits the spirit of this stack exchange. While waiting for my train I was peeking into a ceiling that had all of its slats removed for some kind of installation. I noticed there was a lot of new electrical conduit being laid which was made of copper. This struck me as really odd because this stuff is usually laid as aluminum or some kind of steel; copper is really expensive, it's not rust proof, nor is it electrically or thermally insulating, so I'm not understanding the choice in a more expensive material. The only answer I can possibly come up with it's better for its environment (moisture, against concrete; something re: anodization)

Here's an extremely professional photograph of the aforementioned:

Why would this be done?

I'm guessing it's plumbing, not conduit.  Unless you actually see wires running through the tubing, I'm not convinced it's conduit. In the US only certain types of conduit are listed for use, and I'm sure they are similar in Canada. Copper is not among those listed, so it's not likely it would be approved by an inspector.

In a comment you mentioned that the pipe was connected using "nuts", and therefore could not be used for water.  However, I disagree.  A union is a fairly common fitting in plumbing. In fact, you'll probably find some if you look at the plumbing for the water heater in your house.

Update:

After further searching National Electrical Code, I found this...

  National Electrical Code 2014

  Article 344 Rigid Metal Conduit: Type RMC

  II. Installation

  344.10 Uses Permitted.
  (A) Atmospheric Conditions and Occupancies.
  (2) Red Brass RMC. Red brass RMC shall be permitted to
  be installed for direct burial and swimming pool applications.

  (B) Corrosive Environments.
  (1) Galvanized Steel, Stainless Steel, and Red Brass
  RMC, Elbows, Couplings, and Fittings. Galvanized steel,
  stainless steel, and red brass RMC elbows, couplings, and
  fittings shall be permitted to be installed in concrete, in
  direct contact with the earth, or in areas subject to severe
  corrosive influences where protected by corrosion protection
  and judged suitable for the condition.

  (C) Cinder Fill. Galvanized steel, stainless steel, and red
  brass RMC shall be permitted to be installed in or under
  cinder fill where subject to permanent moisture where protected
  on all sides by a layer of noncinder concrete not less
  than 50 mm (2 in.) thick; where the conduit is not less than
  450 mm (18 in.) under the fill; or where protected by corrosion
  protection and judged suitable for the condition.

Which means it's possible the conduit is not copper, but red brass. According to wikipedia, red brass may be 85% copper, 5% tin, 5% lead, and 5% zinc.


Should exterior stucco be sealed to prevent water damage Should exterior stucco on Tudor style home be sealed?

If your house's wall was built correctly (maybe not), then the stucco should be able to get wet--soaked, even--without it impacting the structure beneath. You would be in the danger zone if:

You live in a very rainy climate
Your roof has stingy or no overhangs
the water-resistive barrier layer under the stucco is something less than two layers of grade D building paper (common in houses built after 1980)
The sheathing underneath the water-resistive barrier is OSB (common in houses built after 1980)
There is plastic sheeting underneath your house's interior drywall and you use air conditioning (common in houses built after 1970 in Canada and the northern part of the USA)

The more of those that are true, the more risky stucco is on your house. By "risky" I mean "more likely to cause hidden structural decay and mold growth inside the walls."

So if you decide that too many of those factors apply and you want to do something about it, what do you do?

First of all, don't paint the stucco with standard paints. It makes future repairs more expensive, and it's also dangerous because they don't breathe, so water that does get into the stucco becomes trapped there. Water stays in the wall longer and the paint will bubble as the water tries to escape through it. You'd be signing yourself up for a lifetime of maintenance.

You can paint the stucco only with special masonry sealer products called "silicate mineral paints." These are paints that seal out water but allow any trapped water to escape as a vapor. A basic one can be created yourself using pure sodium silicate. These products harden to rock so they do not have any maintenance associated with them.

You can also apply a new thin layer of stucco on top with these silicate mineral paint waterproofing additives into it--or other suitable waterproofers. The important part is that you need something that blocks liquid water but is permeable to water vapor.


What should I do about my concrete shower curb that I did not remove all the air bubbles from? I'm building a concrete shower curb and pan. I built the curb and when I removed the 2x8 forms I notice that I didn't pack the cement all the way to the bottom in some parts:

A bit crumbled and fell out when my wife touched it, but the rest seems very solid. (There is a lot of dust near the curb left over from the install.)

I'm a little north of 200 lbs and I stomped on it and there was no movement or anything.

So:

Is this a failure?  Is failure of the curb imminent (within 5/10/20/etc. years)?
If it will not fail then how should I fill the gaps? Fill it in?

Next time, tamp the cement into the corners (using a putty knife, large screwdriver, gloved finger, etc.) after a couple inches is set down.  If you wait until the form is almost full, it forms stronger bubbles and they are harder to coax out.

Structurally, the curb is more than strong enough unless you anticipate automobiles driving over it.  The major issue is adequate structural support for the finishing material.

If you will be tiling the curb, the thinset is plenty strong enough to support the tile if worked into the gap and corner well.  So there would be nothing more to do.

If you will be putting vinyl, etc. over it, the mastic would not be strong enough, so the curb should be smoothed out with concrete filler.


How can I calculate the number of solar panels required to power a specific load? I recently purchased a home in Maricopa AZ. With that said, I'd like for it to be most efficient. It has a forced air system for heat and cooling. I don't know the size of the cooling unit. How does one figure out the number of panels needed to properly supply enough current to operate devices properly.

Calculate the required load for your house.  Call that L
Identify the rated power one panel generates.  Call that P
L/P = Q - quantity of panels needed.


How do I add a filter to the return air vent of my retrofitted forced air system? I have a 1940 home with a basement and a forced air heat pump system that was added some time in the past decade by the previous owner. The ceiling in the basement is open, and the ducts were installed inside the joists in the basement. There are two large grills, one on the main level, and one in the basement that connect to the return air duct. The return air duct, appx. 16" in diameter, appears to be expoxied to a square 20x10" vent that's connected to the air handler.
Unfortunately, there's no proper filter bracket or rail. It appears the previous owner simply cut a hole in the square vent and set a 20x20 filter into the hole without any sort of sealing or cover.

I bought a new 20x10 filter and set it in this hole, but there's nothing on the top or sides in the vent to support it, and no cover to seal the hole.
Is there a feasible way for me to install the appropriate filter bracket to this system?

Of course, shortly after posting this question, a little more searching yielded the answer, as detailed in this video.
The vent has been cut and prepared for the installation of a filter rack, but one has not been installed yet.
A U-channel needs bent and installed to hold the filter. After installing the U-channel, it needs snap locked and riveted in place. A cover can be slid into the s locks on the edges of the hole.


Options for lubricating wires for conduit? I am trying to pull four #8 stranded wires through a flexible PVC conduit that is 25 feet long. I can get the wires just a few feet into the conduit before they bind. I know there is a commercially available wire lube, but I do not have any. Can I safely substitute another product like dish soap or something? Or would that just be a bad idea and I should just get the real deal?

I'd agree with the comment that you may have another problem.

What size is the conduit?

Are you pulling or pushing (pulling is what works, pushing won't.) If you need something to pull with, use a shop-vac to get a rope through the conduit first. Braided hollow rope can be nice as you can expand the end and use it like a Chinese finger cuff to grab the ends of the wires (use tape as well.)

If the conduit is exterior and the wires are correctly rated for exterior conduit, you could use water as a lubricant. It's not a good idea to come up with a random soapy product, since the commercial products are tested for long-term compatibility with wire jacket material, some lube will remain in the conduit, and the wires are generally expected to be there for decades - over which time it's possible that the seemingly innocuous dish soap might have a deteriorating effect on the wire insulation, due to some component inconsequential in washing dishes (say, for example, the scent...)

The real deal is quite affordable if you can find it in quarts, which you generally can at most electric supply houses or the internet if you have difficult electric supply houses and your home improvement stores don't stock it.


Powerline Networking - Outlet lost data throughput I have two outlets in my house that I use for powerline networking, and they both use to work fine, outputting 100% of my data speeds that service from my provider allow.  Now though those same outlets are only outputting 50% of the data speeds that they use to.  I have tried the powerline adapters in other outlets and they both return to 100% output.  They are plugged directly in the outlet and I have not changed what has been plugged in next to them or anything else with my electrical.  They only thing I can think of is there was a power outage that may have been around the time that I noticed the reduction in performance in these specific outlets.  Do you know of any reasons this would occur and how I could correct it?

Noisy Neighbors

It could be a new appliance or device that you or one of your neighbors has installed, putting more noise on the line than what was their previously. Or it could even be new powerline networking devices that your neighbor has installed, causing interference with yours. It could even be that your neighbor moved an old powerline networking device to a different outlet in their house.

Wait, one of your neighbors?  ;-)

Networking Through The Power Company Transformer

The two 120 Volt hot buses in your service panel are fed from opposite poles of the big power company step-down transformer outside (some people will refer to these poles/buses somewhat but not entirely misleadingly as "phase legs.").

The 120V outlets in your house are all fed off of just one of those buses in the service panel.

All of the branch circuits on each bus are electrically connected to one another inside your service panel, inside your house, but connected to branch circuits on the other bus only through the power company's big noisy transformer outside.

All of the branch circuits in your nearby neighbor's homes are also connected through that very same path through the transformer.

Communication Paths & Interference

So, if the powerline networking devices connected to your computer and your switch/router are on branch circuits on the same bus, then they can "hear" each other through the service panel inside your house. This is a relatively short and probably a fairly "quiet" path.

If the devices are on branch circuits on opposite buses, they can only "hear" each other through the power company transformer, which you also share with all your neighbors and their electronic equipment and electric motors (air conditioners, refrigerators and freezers, dishwashers, washing machines, clothes dryers, fans, power tools), as well as with your neighbor's powerline networking devices.

It's even conceivable that their powerline networking devices are interfering with yours in the same way that two wireless access points on side-by-side channels can interfere with one another (powerline networking is just broadband radio transmission through the wire, like WiFi is broadband radio transmission through the air).

Howdy, Neighbor

And either way, yes this does mean that signals from your neighbor's powerline networking equipment are propagating all over the electrical circuits everywhere in your house, and with the right equipment you could snoop on their traffic, or they could snoop on yours. But those transmissions from your neighbors' equipment might be loaded with enough noise and distortion to cause your equipment to falter, especially if you're both using the same brands and frequencies, and your devices are trying to communicate with theirs. Or maybe worse, if you're using different brands which are competing for the same frequencies and not coordinating their efforts very well.

Somebody once tried to tell me that circuit breakers stop these transmissions. That is absolutely, positively bunk. If that were the case, two devices couldn't talk to each other unless they were literally on the same circuit.

Having said that, you're likely to get the best signal in this order:

Same branch circuit (no circuit breaker in the path)
Same bus in the service panel (two circuit breakers in the path)
Different buses in the service panel (at least two circuit breakers plus the inner coil of the power company transformer in the path)


Should I use a halogen light transformer with a higher wattage rating? I have a light fixture with 9 G4 20W halogen 12V light bulbs. It has Jindel 105W 120V to 12V transformer, which died. Please explain how 105W transformer can support 9 20W light bulbs? Should it be 180W (9*20W=180W) transformer? I couldn't find similar transformer with 180W, but I found 150W. Will it work in my fixture? Again, why OEM installed 105W transformer?
Thank you in advance for the response!

I think you are asking the right question. The transformer should be rated higher than the total load. It would be better to go higher with a landscaping type transformer this one is 12V @ 500W. You don't want to use a switching supply as they have a tough time with loads like halogen lights.


T1-11 siding installed horizontally This is my home for the last 10 years with T1-11 installed horizontally in the front.

Is it "wrong" to have it like that? I am not having any water issue for a decade since. But now I am selling my house, the home inspector said it is wrong and must be re-done to pass inspection. Since he said water can collected and damage. I argued that the 2-ft overhang was good enough.

Thought?

True, the grooves are to be installed vertically. Here is an installation sheet from LP, who manufacturer’s the siding:

https://lpcorp.com/media/1270/lp-smartside-precision-series-primed-panel-siding-installation-instructions-english-1.pdf

If you carefully read the instructions, you will not find any instructions that say it cannot be installed with the grooves horizontal. Rather, they only show it installed vertically.

Originally, T-1-11 siding was made from standard A-C plywood with a “textured” face ply (thus the T symbol in its name) and grooves cut into the plywood along the 8’ length.

This method of making “siding” was not acceptable, because the inner plies had voids. The voids were caused by spaces between the inner plies during fabrication. This allowed moisture to lay inside the siding and cause rot.

In order to avoid this problem, they started making the inner plies “plugged”.  Plugged meant they’d fill all the voids in the second and third plies so that moisture could not penetrate the siding.

Your siding must be that latter type of siding, because I do not see blistering or rot on the face of the siding.  Installing the siding with the grooves vertical or horizontal doesn’t matter with the inner plies plugged. Moisture cannot enter the siding.

Btw, you must have maintained your siding by repainting on a regular (3-5 years) period. Otherwise, any siding would have deteriorated and started showing signs of rot.

Btw, who paid for the home inspector? When I sell a property, I always pay for the home inspection, because if I don’t like it, I’ll hire another, and another, and another until I get one I like. (This works the same when I buy a property too.) If you paid for the home inspection, toss it and get another inspection.


How to stop water running down shower tube and under the bath We've got a corner jacuzzi bath tub with a shower attachment. The shower tube goes through a hole and via a spring so that the tube retracts automatically. The problem is that water collects on the floor under the bath tub when it runs down the shower hose, through the hole where the shower tube retracts and onto the floor below. Does anyone know of any solution for this problem? Is there some sort of circular rubber flange that you can put the shower tube through to stop this happening. Thanks for your help.

Thank you for the pictures, that was very helpful. While I wouldn't want to restrict the hose retraction, I don't think there's any other option than to do so. Your situation is worse than I expected & you are stuck with a very poorly planned installation.

But, I think you could go any of 3-ways as still keep your tub wash-down capabilities, as pictured below:

1 - Is to minimally re-plumb with a new hose to a proper tub mount, a short connecting hose below the tub & a longer hose above. (below are the best match I found.) Presuming you have access from the other side of the wall or could install an access panel there for future servicing of the tub.

2 - Is to cover & seal the existing tub mount with an escutcheon & grommet, the grommet's slit would seat inside the escutcheon's hole shoulder. The hose could pull out further, but not retract down to the tub. You'll want an escutcheon that's only slightly larger than the tub mount's diameter.

3 - Is to cover & seal the tub mount a little sloppily with a Hinged Flange & O-ring on top. This is the most flexible as you could easily remove the Hinged Flange & the O-ring would slip through the tub mount's port.


Is my plan for embedding a mirror in a tile wall ok? Doing a bath remodel, and found this photo of a backsplash that appeals to me. I like the built-in tile-framed mirror.

Seems easy to achieve. I would appreciate some input on my plans:

Install 1/2" cement board on studs above vanity. Install 1/4" cement
board exact size of mirror on top of 1/2" cement board. E.g., cut a
18" by 24" piece of 1/4" cement board.
Attach mirror to cement board
using adhesive.
Frame around mirror with something like pencil
molding.
Tile the wall.

Mirrors get broken.  Mirrors lose their silvering on the back.  Neither is a likely event, but in this case a very expensive or time consuming one.  As a general rule I hate to create situations where fixing it later is difficult.

For this reason were it my project:

Don't attach the mirror to the substrate with adhesive or thinset.  I don't know what the chemistry between either and the thin layer of aluminum on the back of the glass would be. If you do removing the mirror will be difficult.
Buy a mirror with holes drilled in it.  Buy a set of the cute rosettes and attach the mirror directly to the wall.
Frame the mirror in a complementary wood, and attach THAT to the wall.  The outer edge of the frame should be raked about 5 degrees so that it can be removed from the tile when necessary.


How can I determine whether pipes in my basement are actually drains? So I've had a plumber friend tell me the best way to see if 3 pipes in my basement are drains is to put a Garden hose in them and run the water.  What if the pipes under the slab are cracked?  Won't water just sit there then under the slab?  Sounds bad

The ground under your home is loaded with water. It may be down a ways, but it's there. Any water you add will percolate down to the existing water table. The only real concern is temporary flooding. Use common sense. Monitor the entire area while you run your test. Use an assistant if available. Look and listen.


Adding an outlet to an existing light switch: Can the outlet be switched along with the light? Is it possible add an outlet to an existing light switch where the outlet is switched along with the light? The switch is not at the end of the run. So far I've only been able to find answers where the outlet has constant power.

Yes, that can be done.

Connect the neutral from the light, and the neutral from the receptacle to the feeder neutral.
Connect the feeder hot to one side of the switch.
Connect together a wire from the other side of the switch, the hot to the light, and a wire to the hot side of the receptacle.
Connect all grounding conductors.

If you're a more visual learner, search google for "switched receptacle wiring".


Easy to spread caulking - window weather proofing I want to go around the exterior of my windows, etc with some caulking.  I have some now that I used in the bathroom but it doesn't spread that easy or lay a decent bead.  I know when I was growing up and helping my dad build houses we had stuff that would lay a good bead and I could push it into the joints without making a giant mess.  Well I want to make doing the exterior as easy as possible so;  Do you know of any good exterior caulking that is easy to put on and spread?

Check the packaging on the caulk you used for your bathroom. From what you described, it was most likely silicone caulk, which is more difficult to work with than other types of caulk. Silicone requires alcohol rather than water for cleanup. I'd try acrylic caulk, which is the most common choice for exterior applications.


Can I plug a 120 volt generator into a 240 transfer switch with a modified cord/connector? The four terminal plug in the transfer switch I have has neutral, ground and two hot wires, labeled "X" and "Y" for the black and red wires in a four wire set up.  This is for a very low amp cabin set up.  I have a generator but it does not provide 220/240 volts.  It seems in theory that I should be able to run 1/2 of my breaker panel by modifying a cord and running just one hot wire to one of the hot terminals in the 240 V. plug at the transfer switch.  But I am mystified as to how this would actually be wired.

Any suggestions as to how this may be done or why it won't work?  Other than get a 120V transfer switch or a 240 generator?

In principle Yes, but all your 220V loads won't work (as they are phase-phase and with this configuration will get 0V). You can connect the phase to both phase contacts and the neutral to it's place.

So I suggest you to turn off all the 220 switches in your fuse-box.


GFCI will not allow things to work We purchased a newly remodeled home last summer & over the holidays I received a treadmill. The treadmill will not work in any
of the outlets bc they are all GFCI protected. Can someone please help me solve this ANNOYING problem!

Big AC motors (refrigerators, air conditioners, washing machines, and exercise equipment) can create large current spikes when they start up - especially if they need to fill a capacitor as part of their operation.

A GFCI will detect current going out but not returning. Sounds like the GFCIs are working correctly. This is by design to catch a situation where the user of an appliance become part of the ground path, and why GFCIs can save lives. They work by measuring the current leaving the GFCI device on the hot wire and returning on the neutral wire. If currents do not match within some close tolerance level, the assumption is the current is leaking somewhere; possibly cooking the flesh of a human or pet as it seeks ground. A device such as your treadmill may have a current mismatch that is completely legitimate, but incompatible with a GFCI-protected branch circuit.

You will need to plug your treadmill into an outlet that is not GFCI-protected. If one is not available, I recommend contacting a licensed electrician to assess the situation and possibly install a new circuit for the treadmill in accordance with whatever electrical code is relevant in your location.


Fireback with gas line I have an old brick fireplace that had a gas line installed in it years ago. It works fine, but doesn't produce much heat when it's turned on (most heat goes up the chimney). I've read that a cheap way to improve heat is to put a cast iron fireback in it.

My one concern is that the gas line comes in through the back of the fireplace, not directly in the center, but not fully at the edge, if a fireback were to be placed inside, the edge of it would probably be within an inch of the pipe. Would the heat from the fireback be a cause for concern at all being that close?

Also any other suggestions on how to cheaply improve heat output would be appreciated.

Thanks!

No. You are safe.  The sch-40 black iron pipe and the natural gas can easily withstand any heat from that situation. These set-ups are notoriously inefficient.  A good upgrade, though somewhat expensive, is a gas fireplace insert.


Furnace flashing 4 times (Ducane) My Ducane furnace flashes 4 times, runs for 5 minutes, and then the burner goes off.  When the limit switch is jumped it runs good. What needs to be changed here?

NEVER JUMP A LIMIT SWITCH TO ALLOW A GAS APPLIANCE TO RUN. THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT SAFETY IN THE SYSTEM AND IS REQUIRED FOR PROPER AND SAFE OPERATION OF THE UNIT.

Limit switches may only be jumped by technicians to test and rule out certain components and are not to be left bypassed.

Your furnace seems to be going off on High limit. When the fan runs for long enough after the furnace shuts down on high limit, it will cool the limit switch to the point where it can close again and re run the heating cycle. This is why the unit is cycling.

There are many things that can cause this. Listed in order from most common to least common:

Blocked or dirty furnace filter (Most common)
Plugged heat exchanger (causes heat exchanger to over heat)
Blocked or dirty air conditioning coil
Faulty high limit switch
Blower motor will not run (can be numerous causes)
Blower motor not spinning fast enough (Cause by dirt and dust getting into motor)
Faulty control board

Always check your furnace filter first. This may save you the cost of a service call. If your filter is clean then have a licensed HVAC service technician look at and repair the unit. This problem will either be a very very minor issue, or a very very major issue.


Can I use a spray sealer and primer over a patched drywall followed by painting over it? I have patched one of my wall from a few holes(5) where each is about a finger big.  Since it is not a big surface area, can I use a spray stain sealer and primer, and then apply paint over the entire wall as usual?  I'm not sure if it's worth getting a 1L primer that I will probably not use again.

Yes.  The purpose of primer is to seal the raw plaster/gypsum/drywall and create a better surface for finish paint that won't soak it up.

As long as the rest of the wall is properly cleaned before painting (paint doesn't bond well to dirt, grease, etc), your finish coat should look even and consistent.

For your situation, assuming the existing paint was rolled on, I would spray on the primer and then go over the freshly sprayed area with a roller - going heavy on the primer and using the roller to spread it out nice and even with the same kind of roller texture the rest of the wall has.

Follow with one, maybe two coats of finish paint and you'll never know the wall was patched.


How to find where an AC power wire ends (or starts)? Refinishing my basement. Been a 5+ year project, and I'm forgetting things. I have a white AC power wire in the ceiling, but I can't find where it goes or what powers it (it's not powered currently).
Is there a tool, similar to the kind you can use for Ethernet, Coax...etc, where I can clamp something onto it, and then use a gadget on various other wires to find out which is the wire in question?
Obviously I would just follow the physical wire if I could, but a good length of it goes under/behind drywall.

If you happen to have a "toner/tracer" for one of those other wire types, and you are SURE the wire has no power applied (yes, you said that, but generically, one has to be careful when attaching things to power wires) you can simply try it. It may or may not work well enough to be of use.
You may be able to rent (purchase is unreasonable for someone not in the trade, IMHO) a more sensitive/powerful unit optimized for power cabling. Or you can purchase a more affordable but likely not all that capable unit which specifically claims to work on electrical power cables, but is likely otherwise similar to the network cable models.
Now, if you have a bare end (unpowered) and are trying to match other bare ends (unpowered) you can just use a multimeter - after verifying no voltage and no continuity between hot/neutral at each suspected cable, short one (hot to neutral) and look for continuity at the others, or attach a battery and look for the DC voltage at the others.


Correct crimping tool for these sleeves? Are these the correct sleeves? I recently bought these aluminum sleeves for 3/16" wire, and this crimper tool. They will be used with this 1/8" wire coated to 3/16"

I started using it today, and it seems the tool is too small. I pressed as hard  as I could, and not even a dent on the sleeve. Either that or the sleeve is way too hard.

Two questions:

For 1/8" wire coated to 3/16", are these the correct aluminum sleeves? I bought 3/16" sleeves because the wire is technically 3/16" (with the vinyl coating).
What crimping tool should I use for these sleeves? I will only be using it for this project, so I don't want to spend a lot. I've already spent too much as it is.

For 1/8" wire coated to 3/16", is there a more inexpensive alternative to these aluminum sleeves?

The tool you purchased is for  electronics wire connectors and is not strong enough for  wire rope/cable ferrules. This  is the tool you need.


Flex-duct as a Trunk? From my A/C supply plenum, I will have a trunk (approx 20ft straight run) with 3 branches coming off (each about 2 ft runs). This 20ft straight run would be perfect for a large flexible duct, and ductwork wyes are available to create the smaller branches.

Thing is, I've always seen trunks being made from steel rigid-duct, or in very few instances fiberglass board. Is there a reason I don't see trunks made of flex, and would this be a viable application of flex?

(note: Calculations have already been made for CFM, pressures, and output velocities. This question pertains specifically to the usage of flex-duct as an appropriate trunk in an hvac system)

There may be some opinion on top of what I believe to be true.
There are some large flex duct sizes but the ribs are horribly inefficient.
 Metal trunk is also better suited when going vertical it is easier to secure.
 Frame work is square to box-in a round trunk the box would be much larger.
I have seen DIY main trunk in a home we were replacing the “mess” that really did not work well , added adjustable baffle dampers and the system worked where prior the furthest rooms had no flow graduated size ducting fixed the mess.
So sure it can be done but the trunks will take up more room and not work as well.


Is it a problem that my laundry drain protrudes above ground level? My plumber just moved the laundry's washer drain location and this is the picture from the outside:

It was re-connect to the old drain pipe and go into crawl space.

My question is: Does it look right like that when the pipe is somewhat high on the ground and sticking out?

I mean some kids would have been not smart enough and step on it, right?

Is it code violation or no? The city is Tacoma, WA.

You need to have it redone and buried.  Though it is unsightly, the real problem is not appearance but the exposure, not only to the elements but to human influence.  It needs to be trenched and placed below freeze level.


Is it okay to use both the backwire holes and the side terminals on an electrical outlet? I'm tying into an existing outlet box to provide power for a new electrical outlet. The existing outlet already has 2 lines connected to it - one from "upstream" (to the fuse box) and one downstream to more outlets. The existing lines are connected to the "quick connect" holes in the back of the outlet, leaving 2 open terminals on each side of the outlet. Is it okay to connect the third new line to the side terminals, and the new ground wire in with the other two grounds?

So the new setup would consist of this:

2 lines (2 white + 2 black wires) connected through the backwiring holes
1 line (1 white + 1 black wire) connected via the side terminals (black on "long" side, white on "short" side).
all three lines' ground wires pigtailed, with the pigtail connected to the one ground terminal on the outlet.

There is no problem connecting wires to both the "back stab", and screw terminals of a receptacle.  As long as the terminals are rated for the size of wire being attached. For example. Most "back stab" terminals are rated for 14 AWG solid copper wire, whereas screw terminals are usually 12 or 14 AWG solid or stranded copper.

With that said... It sounds like your receptacles might be hooked up backwards.  The black ungrounded "hot" conductor should be connected to the brass colored screw, which is on the side of the receptacle with the shorter slot (at least in the US).


How to build deck steps down to patio? I have a deck on the back of my house with a patio next to the deck.  I would like to build a wide set of steps down to the patio.  Can I have the steps rest on top of the patio or should I put footings in the ground to support the steps?  I live in Illinois.  The patio is poured over a packed bed of rock.

As long as the steps are not attached to anything and the patio has a good mortar base and a packed gravel underbed then it should support the steps.

During the winter ground moves up and down due to freezing/thawing, so the steps cannot be attached to anything, because the whole patio will be moving up and down during the winter.

If the patio is old and has been been through several winters and shows no signs of cracking, then it is probably good to support stone steps. If it has cracks already, the steps will likely cause more cracking and settling. If it is a new patio, then it is hard to tell, because it depends on how well the patio was made and the soil.

Therefore, if it is a new patio, it would be better to use a separate foundation for the steps. If the steps are disconnected from the house, then you can use a gravel footing. Make sure it is drained with a pipe going to the storm runoff. If it is attached to the house, then it should have pillar footings that go below the frost line (about 4-5 feet deep).


Two different color wires under single outlet screw I have this outlet with two wires under a single screw on both sides, which I've learned can be resolved through pigtailing. However on the hot side, one of the doubled-up wires is black and the other is yellow. Is it safe to pigtail these two together? I'm not sure what they're for to be honest, nothing is connected to this outlet normally so I'm not sure if it was for something it was previously used for or not. It's a 120 V 20 A outlet.

2 wires under a screw like that is not code compliant. A yellow wire is just like a red, pink, black or blue they can all be hot wires so yes it would be best to pigtail them. If the tab is intact between the 2 screws on that side I would pigtail all 3 together.
If the tab was broken and that was a multi wire branch circuit code would require the neutrals to be pigtailed. So it’s a good idea to do the whites while you’re fixing things.
It really doesn’t matter where the wires go. They could be powering the room lights or another receptacle and until disconnected you may not know


Building out wall for electric panel I am replacing a tiny 6 circuit subpabel in my detached garage with a larger panel and have been trying to find some info on this but haven't been able to locate anything in NEC or other threads. My plan is to add some thick furring strips (2x4 on edge) or scab some 2x8s to the current 2x4 framing, mount the panel "flush" and then drywall around the new 2x8 "pop out" for the box, kind of getting the best of flush and surface mount.
Is this code compliant?
This would solve a few issues for me:

the weird 12" stud spacing there so most modern panels don't fit,
provide around 7" of "stud" to give more room to run the feeders, which were brought in via a 2" pvc pipe by the original installer/electrician since I am having trouble finding anything to reduce that down to a managable size within a 2x4 wall
allow me to keep several existing NM circuits that are behind the drywall andrun those through the top of the box behind the drywall
*Finally, I could use EMT straight out the side of the box for new outlets ran with THHN.

Any references to NEC you guys know of that allow/prohibit anything about this or something obvious I am overlooking with this idea? I am good on the building code and framing part, just can't find anything in NEC to make me think it's either permitted or allowed.

This is fine as long as you maintain clearspace
There is nothing wrong with framing a non-structural "bump out" to house a flushmount panel as long as you don't introduce foreign (i.e. non-electrical, such as HVAC or plumbing) systems directly above the panel or create a situation that violates the 30" by 36" (fridge sized) clearspace that needs to be present in front of the panel so that it can be serviced.


MWBC for Fridge and Microwave I've recently learned about Multi-Wire Branch Circuits and intend to use one to provide dedicated circuits for both my built-in microwave and refrigerator.  I understand the requirements around handle ties, separate phases, etc, but I haven't seen or read of someone using it for fixed appliances.  Would this be a normal/appropriate practice?  I've only seen it discussed regarding split or alternating receptacles.

Thanks

No.  Find any other partner device.

Microwave + garbage disposal, fine.   Microwave+dishwasher, fine.  Microwave + 1 of 2 kitchen receptacle circuits, fine.

Nothing shares a circuit with a refrigerator.

Because food spoilage is serious business. You really don't want a situation where someone comes into the kitchen, looks at the time, the microwave is dead, so they go downstairs and reset the breaker then set the microwave time.  Hours later they grab some food out of the fridge, it's nice and cold, so they eat it.  Unbeknownst to them, the fridge has been off for awhile, the food spoiled, and they just poisoned themselves.

A separate refrigerator circuit isn't a Code mandate, but it it really improves safety for less than the cost of a GFCI outlet.

NEC does not require kitchen refrigerators to be on any protective circuit - not GFCI nor AFCI.  That's what you want.  You don't want dueling safety systems, and frankly, a refrigerator is not a shock risk warranting a GFCI.

Of course you know, the two breakers must be handle-tied. The handle ties must be UL-listed and made for the breaker (i.e. By the manufacturer). Those are pricey and hard to chase down, so we recommend a 2-pole breaker instead. It doesn't cost anymore than two 1-poles, and they're easy to find.  Handle-ties don't guarantee common trip, but they usually cause it... And 2-poles do guarantee it!

MWBCs are obsolete, anyway

The larger problem with MWBCs in general is they are being made obsolete by the new requirements coming down the 'pike, like AFCI and GFCI on increasing numbers of circuits.  And those absolutely require 2-pole breakers, you cannot use 2 singles and a handle-tie (expept GE AFCIs, and those don't allow GFCI at all).

There's also a problem when people use "double-stuff" duplex breakers.  A lot of people cheerfully throw a MWBC on a duplex, but they are overloading the neutral because both sides of a duplex are on the same pole of power.  Also they can't be handle-tied, so there's a codevio right there.  (You can't improvise a handle tie with a nail, you need a listed tie, and no manufacturer sells that).

I have basically stopped installing MWBCs, although I will do them if I expect interest in 240V appliances on that circuit.  An MWBC allows you to tap hot and hot for a 240V load.  So if you have a chef with European appliances, or 240V tools in your shop, MWBCs are a great option then - but you will also be using a 2-pole GFCI+AFCI breaker, which means you won't be in a GE panel.


How can I remove paint from a deck? I bought my house 3 years ago. The deck surface and decorative fence around the edge are painted with a latex-based paint.  After shoveling snow each winter, the deck surface is chipped with raw wood exposed.  I have painted it twice but this seems like a poor approach going forward.  I would like to remove the paint from the surface (3 layers) and stain/seal the deck -- eliminating the need to take care of its surface each spring.

What do you recommend?

For the main deck, I would recommend a floor sander, similar to what's used for finishing hardwood floors. Put a 100-120-grit belt on it and take it back and forth along the deck in the same direction as the planks until you see bare wood. Once you have bare wood, I would apply whatever stain or sealant you want very quickly thereafter, as you have just removed a large portion of both the artificial and natural weather and bug resistance the wood had.

A handheld orbital or belt sander will get most of the stuff off the vertical components (handrails and pickets). You'll need a "corner cat" or other detail sander, or some elbow grease, to get the paint out of crevices and detail work.

You will not be able to avoid taking off some wood along with the paint. Paint (especially a product designed for this kind of outdoor application) will seep into the grain of the wood, and you will be removing wood before you see the color disappear and bare wood show through.

By the way, you will still need to maintain the deck after staining and sealing. The stain will last for quite a while, but you'll need to re-apply the water seal at least once a year, once every 6 months if you get a lot of rain.


How can I remove thick dust on the top of a wardrobe? I am talking about dust that have been accumulated for years. The options that I've considered are:

a vacuum cleaner. However it's container is too small and it's very hard to use it on a ladder.
Using wet towels. It looks like a lot of work that will release dust to the air.
Applications using static electricity. I've no experience with this.

What would you suggest as the best practice?

Cover entire top of wardrobe with king sized bed sheet.  Lay it down gently across the top, right on the dust.  Don't stir it up.
Scoot edges in along the top of wardrobe, pushing dust in front of them.  Dust pushed into the air will remain trapped under the sheet.
When you have pushed edges in to center, dust will be inside sheet.  Gather edges in the middle of the wardrobe and take sheet (now bag) outside to shake dust out.
Bring sheet back in and use it to wipe off residual dust.  Take back outside to shake.
Bring sheet back in and use furniture polish and sheet to clean wardrobe top.

would it be too much to ask that you post a picture of the dust?  Prurient interest, perhaps, but I want to see dust that thick.


How do I prevent white film forming on utensils in dishwashers? I've installed a Bosch SMS60L18IN dishwasher, best in its latest series. We were very satisfied with its first wash when it gave us clean utensils without any problems. We put a 3 in 1 tablet then. Now, I use a special salt, detergent and rinse aid, all from Finish.

From the second wash onward, it leaves white film on almost all utensils and food residues are not cleaned on some.

I tried all workarounds that I found online like changing detergent amounts and using the vinegar trick.

The issue I was thinking and the company engineers suspect is the water hardness which is around 900 (or 920) ppm. They changed the hardness level in the machine to H7 (this is the max one for 8.9 mmol/L hardness that the company specified) suggested me to run the machine for a few cycles to get rid of water residue from previous cycles.

I've already ran four cycles and the issue still persists. Is the water hardness the cause alone? Would be there other issues like the detergent or salt?

I observed:

The first wash was perfect. We haven't used salt here. Second and
third washes are a bit okay.
In the second wash. We put a 1.5 kg of specially recommended salt (Finish brand)
Issue worsened from the fourth wash.
I realized that I haven't filled the salt reservoir with water (the company recommends to fill it with water when you use the machine for the first time) and then filled it with a glass of water.
The technicians said that is not a big issue as the machine will itself dilute the salt with water after 2 or 3 washes.
I ran the machine by pouring a cup of vinegar as suggested in some articles and I found that the white layer on the machine's door was gone and utensils in the next wash are somewhat clean. Also, I tried changing detergent amounts, rinse aid quantity settings and switching hardness levels with each wash.
Tried changing the size of the load with each wash
Even if we purchase a budget softener like this, it may have low output rates and that gives new problems.
importantly is that it's too noisy (it gives knocking sounds while rinsing) like a clothes washing machine. The company staff said it is normal or I guess it is not that loud when they are around:)

More details

Name of the detergent, salt and rinse-aid's brand is Finish
I am not using all-in-one tablets now

The company staff recommended water softeners (of a different brand as they don't sell softeners). But I fear if it brings new issues like the change in flow rate (individual tap softeners have low flow rate, i.e., 2 litres per minute where as the dishwasher requires 6 litres per minutre). Ours is a rented house so I can't install a permanent or full house water softener.

Could anybody tell me if you find any other issues here other than the water hardness? Any suggestions or solutions are welcome.

is it wise to spend on dishwasher maintenance and water softeners when we have the water with too much hardness (900 ppm)?

Well, the whole point of a water softener is to reduce the hardness. So I find it odd that you ask if it's wise to use a water softener when your water is excessively hard... In short, yes, that's what you do to fix this problem, normally - install a water softener with appropriate capacity to deal with the hardness of your water, at least for the appliances you care about that for.


Identification of shelf brackets I have a steel sheet metal cabinet that uses the pictured brackets to hold up shelves. It has a runner in each corner on the inside, with slots which the brackets fit into with a little tooth on the back, which is 3/8" wide (shown below). The shelf sits on top of them. Similar to a push in shelf bracket. I would like to install some more shelves, but do not know what the brackets are called, preventing me from getting some more. Can these be identified to assist in purchasing some?

brackets installed into slots

top of brackets

back of bracket showing tooth

bottom of bracket showing tooth

Using the term "shelf clips" I was able to locate only one resource, a company called Locksco which has a clip that appears to be similar to yours.

During the search, I saw also the term "metal cabinet shelf clips" but using that search term did not present the previous location/link. At US$20 for quantity four, they certainly are expensive.

Note also that no references of scale are apparent. They could be too small or too large for your purpose.

Additional searches proved fruitless.


Generator fuel consumption I'm considering getting a home standby generator. I have an existing small propane tank that's only used for a gas fireplace which is rarely on. I'm trying to figure out if I need a bigger tank.

My home has a peak power usage of about 16kw, but that's way, way more than my typical usage. I generally am not pulling more than 2kw in the winter, and perhaps 5kw in the summer. Averages are closer 1kw.

I can figure out the fuel usage based on these loads, but I do not know if a generator has significantly variable fuel consumption depending on the power consumption of the house. In other words, if my house is pulling 10kw, is that using twice the fuel as when it's pulling 5kw? Or is it more chunky?

The generator manufacturer should publish specific curves relating load to fuel consumption.

It seems like there would be some sort of Y value just for running, with an added consumption as load increases.


how to run conduit past/over wide stone foundation I'm planning to run 1" conduit to power an outdoor sauna. In digging the trench, I discovered that my old stone foundation runs outwards from the house. That is, while the inside cellar wall is straight up and down, on the outside it is built down and away from the house. At the conduit depth (~18") it's about 12" away from the house.

How should I run the conduit up and through the wall? Can i run conduit right at ground level for the last few inches and go straight through the wall (actually a panel of CDX that replaced an old cellar window)?

I was originally planning on doing this the traditional way - conduit up with a 90 º sweep to a LB through the wall. This won't work unless i put in an otherwise extraneous 90 º sweep right at the end... and I'm not sure if there's room for that given the rather small size of that CDX panel.  Here's a sketch:

Your bigger problem is running out of allowable bends (or pullable bends between access points,since pulling near the max allowable is a bugbear and often beyond the ability or available tools of DIYers.  You end up humiliatingly having to call an electrican simply for the pull, and once called they want the whole job.

I would consider a conduit body right at the upper vertical bend.

Conduit bodies are 90 degrees, so I would add a slight ~20 degree bend onto the short conduit coming out of the access panel, to tuck it upward slightly, so it is perpendicular to the angle of the outside wall.  Then, when you make your 90 degree with your conduit body, you come down at the correct angle.  That will also mean you face less than 180 degrees of bend through the underground section, still in the DIY-pullable range.


Can I mount wall 75 inches (50kg) tv on plasterboard? I am going to mount a TV to a wall in my living wall.
The only problem I have is the TV weighs about 50kg and I am little bit afraid of hanging this amount of weight on pure plasterboard.

Is it safe to do so?

TV i am trying to put on the wall:

https://www.samsung.com/uk/tvs/qledtv-q9fn/QE75Q9FNATXXU/

The wall mount that I am planning to buy:

https://www.samsung.com/uk/tv-accessories/no-gap-wall-mount-wmn-m22e/

I am aware of where the studs are.

To answer the question I would say don't do it. But an easy solution is to determine the width of the studs in your wall and then get 3/4" plywood and cut a rectangular panel long enough so that you can securely fasten both ends into a stud inside the wall. Then you can securely attach your TV bracket into the 3/4" plywood and it should hold up well. Once I actually had 2x4's and cut them to be 17" long. I used 3" screws to secure them horizontally onto the wall attaching them to the studs that were spaced 16" in the wall. I made sure the horizontal studs were placed so that the screw holes of the TV bracket were centered in the horizontal studs I attached to the wall. If you do this correctly your TV is not going anywhere. This makes your television stick out a couple more inches but if you don't mind this you will have a very securely connected TV to your wall. Good luck!


What is the proper deck footing depth in Connecticut? I'm moving a deck footing for an existing deck, the current one is in the wrong location and it's too small.  What is the proper depth in Connecticut in order to ensure that it doesn't suffer from frost heaving?

You need to place the footings deeper than the frost line.  Some research says the frost line in CT is around 42" so you'd do well to put the posts down 48".

The city will be able to verify this when you get your permit approved.

Count yourself lucky...  In Ottawa, Ontario I had to put them down 60"...  and they still heaved one year.


What sandpaper grit should I use between coats of varnish? I have just varnished pine furniture and due to my complete beginner skills, I did not paint it correctly. (I went over my previous strokes after the varnish was tacky and it now has a rough finish.) I do understand now that the fibers swelling and standing out are also contributing to this roughness.

Please advise what sandpaper grit I should use before doing the 2nd coat and then what grit before 3rd coat.

Thank you

1] Wait. It may take days or weeks for the varnish to harden enough to sand without it "balling up" or being "gummy". This is the most important thing.
2] Test it gently from time to time with 120 or 150 grit until it sands cleanly, no gumminess. Then scuff the whole thing down gently, just knock off the high spots and ridges, avoid breaking through to bare wood.
3] Lay on another coat, try to brush in one direction, "flow" the varnish on and don't worry about small streaks, varnish is "self levelling" if it's not too cold.
4] Follow the same steps using 220 grit. This should be a decent finish.
5] Depending how far you want to go you can work up in stages to 1200 grit and polishing compound, but that's extreme.
6] When brushing varnish, what you did wasn't entirely wrong. Cross brushing then linear brushing to "work" the varnish onto/into the wood is good but you have to do it fast before the varnish starts to "set up".
Good luck and enjoy.


What is code for installing a dishwasher in the U.S.? I will be replacing my dishwasher and I am curious what is the current code for the wiring of the dishwasher.

Assuming you're in the US (though I can't imagine it being much different elsewhere, but do check!) ...

Be sure to check the label, but most dishwashers run perfectly happy on a 15A circuit. If a dedicated circuit to the dishwasher isn't possible, you can come out of a general receptacle circuit that isn't otherwise utilized in the kitchen, depending on the rating of the dishwasher. What you want to avoid is a mixer and toaster and dishwasher using the same circuit at once. You may have to do some investigating. Go for the dedicated circuit if that's possible.

NEC 210.8.D specifies that dishwashers must be GFCI protected, and doesn't differentiate between cord-and-cap or direct connection (as it defines an outlet as any connection). However, not all states have adopted this because of the nuisance factor of older appliances and older GFCIs that tended to be overly-sensitive to fluctuation on the neutral leg. Check what applies in your state; you may want to just use a GFCI breaker on the branch circuit feeding the dishwasher as that's the easiest way to be sure, or be absolutely certain you're coming out of the "load" side of a GFCI receptacle that won't otherwise see much use.

Otherwise, if the dishwasher has a cord and cap, you should have an appliance receptacle installed where it can be reached. An appliance receptacle is an outlet with only one place to plug something in. If your state doesn't require the dishwasher being GFCI protected, they'll absolutely want to make sure you use a single appliance receptacle so nothing else can be connected to the unprotected receptacle. Finally, if directly wiring it, just make sure you use the appropriate connector if the vendor doesn't supply one.

Be kind to your future self, or anyone else that has to pull the dishwasher out in the future to service it by leaving enough cable to be able to pull it out and off to the side. Make sure the cable is secured properly wherever it is fed, and protected anywhere that it may be exposed on its path to the dishwasher.

If uncertain or uneasy - you probably want to call an electrician.


install a door on stairs I'd like to install a door at the stairs in the basement:
I will most likely buy a pre-hung door that comes with a door frame.  The wall construction is drywall, the left and right edges have 2"x4" boards behind.
What would be my steps to install the door with its frame within the stairway.

The Code requires a landing at the top and bottom of all stairways, except a landing is not required at the top of a stairway provided the door does not swing out over the stairs. (See ICC R311.5.4)
If you need to install a door at the bottom of the stairs, maybe you could turn the door 90 degrees and install it in the hallway.
If you try to install it at the bottom of the stairs, the doorknob will be difficult to reach when you descend the stairs.


How to reduce noise from trash chute door closing? I live in an apartment and unfortunately I live in a room right next to the trash chute room. I hear this loud clicking noise multiple times a day, including sometimes at night and it's starting to get really annoying. I know this can be solved very easily. But I have no idea how to fix this myself.

I uploaded some images on what the door looks like.

Click any photo for full size

Since you rent this apartment don't try to adjust it yourself. If adjusted incorrectly the door can be a safety hazard if it closes too fast. Call the maintenance person or building super and ask them to check and adjust the automatic door closer. The closer can be adjusted to slow the rate the door closes which will make it quieter.


How long can a concrete pool stay without the water? After draining the pool, how long can it stay empty. In other words, how much time do I have to work on it, before it is not safe?

I heard opinions that concrete pools can't stay long without the water due to a risk that groundwaters with "pop it out" or/and will change the pressure and it may crack.

Depends on where the natural water table is and how much pressure it can put on the pool (which is a function of the porosity of the earth immediately surrounding the pool).  If you know the bottom is above the water table you can leave it empty until the ground freezes.  Otherwise you're counting on the water table level and surrounding soil to not exceed the pressure from when it was first built or last empty without damage.

There is a countermeasure built into most pools: they have plugs you can unscrew or pop open when drained that provide a conduit for water to drain in and out of the ground.  But again, those are only as good as the sub-surface porosity at relieving water pressure on the pool shell.


What are these large pieces of plexiglass? I found these large, heavy pieces of plexiglass while cleaning the shed on the property of a house that I just bought.  I have no idea what they are or what they are used for.  They are about the size of a kitchen table and if there wasn't 6 of them back there, I would have guessed it was an old table top.  As you can see from the pictures, they are very dirty, but from what I know about plexiglass, pieces this size do not come cheap.

The 6th piece is on the right side of the other 5.  It seems to be of higher quality, you can see from the pictures that it is more clear.  It is also heavier.  It also has a crease around the edges of it that you can see in the pictures. I thought it was real glass at first based on its weight and hardness.

Any idea what these are and what they are used for?

Click for full size

They look like high-end desk chair mats, perhaps for use on carpet.


Why tape black garbage bags to outside windows, not between inside windows and blinds? I went store to buy double layer of heavy duty black garbage bags to black out a bright bedroom at night, and spoke with salesperson and his supervisor. They both recommended go outside to balcony and tape these bags on outside window. Don't stay inside and don't tape bags between blinds and inside window!
My English is bad, and I can't remember their explanation. Can anyone think why? Because weather? Condensation? My condo's in Toronto, Canada.  Toronto snows and gets cold in winter.

Because black surfaces absorb sunlight and convert it to heat. You don't want to accumulate that heat inside the house, usually. Of course, this assumes that you don't install and remove the covering daily.
You could also use aluminum foil and avoid most of that issue. However, check where the light shining on your window will reflect to before using aluminum foil (you might annoy your neighbors or fry your plants).
Caveat (thanks, Max, and others who confirmed):  With double or triple glazed windows, it can be destructive to mount bags or reflective foil from the inside. It can cause uneven expansion of one glass panel which can result in fractures or breakage of the window.


Can a dimmer switch be on the same circuit with outlets? Can a dimmer switch be on the same circuit as outlets (with some of those being GFCI)? I've seen questions where the outlet was wired on the load side of the dimmer switch, but is this the same if the supply line is split before the dimmer? Will the outlets experience pulsing in this case too?

Yes. As all devices are connected in parallel there's no relationship between the switch and the outlets. In fact, You'd be lucky to find a dimmer switch that isn't on the same circuit as some outlets. It's quite common.
You're correct that it's not legal or safe to use the dimmer to control the outlets, though. That can lead to low-voltage/high-current conditions and device failure or fire.


Can I stack my boxed air conditioning units for storage? I pulled out the AC units from the windows and have put them back in the original boxes that they came in. Can I stack them one on top of another for storage? I know not to stack the units normally, but since they are in the manufacturer packaging I think it should be fine.

If you have put the units back in the original packing boxes they came in, then it should be fine to stack them. Normally, product boxes will indicate somewhere how high they can be stacked. That information is used by the people at the store and the people packing them on pallets. I would suspect that AC units could be stacked at least 3 high but do look on your boxes for that information.


How to mount 18mm MDF Shelves on plasterboard/drywall hollow wall (no studs)? I have had some 18mm (0.7") MDF cut to make some shelving in an alcove between my shower room and main hallway. It's 18.5cm (7.2") deep by 196.5cm (77") long

I have been considering the best way to mount these to the plasterboard/drywall - there's a few screw options and i'm inclined to go with this type https://www.diy.com/departments/diall-steel-self-drilling-metal-plug-pack-of-100/1511938_BQ.prd

but I'm not sure what to actually use to mount the shelves.

Watched a lot of videos where people screw wooden batten supports against the wall and simply rest the wooden shelf on that, but not sure that will work with the .5" think MDF

Thoughts?

p.s. found this pretty good guide - but I'm limited with my abilities and tools. https://www.practicaldiy.com/carpentry/shelving/shelving_alcove.php#metal

I love those ez anchors they can support a fair load.
At 77” long and only 7” deep I would consider L brackets that require 2 screws each this would provide ~100 lbs of support at each bracket l bracket is similar to your angle but one side is 3” the other is 1” or 1/2 my local big box store has this type of angle or bracket. The issue here is the front will sag so a longer bracket is really needed.  As far as how many you will need I would think at least 5 brackets because MDF will sag if not supported. 4 may work but I would probably use 5 .

I would create triangle braces out of 1x2  again I would probably use 2 anchors for each support 7 “ is not much but better safe than sorry.
If you make your triangle 7” on the 2 sides then the long side creates the support for the front of the shelf , this would prevent sagging.


Insulation inside AC unit has mold and falling apart I noticed the exterior on my AC units has small black circles and I assume it is mold. A few days ago the drain was plugged and the condensation all backed up inside the unit. I had the drain fixed but now the insulation has mold and pretty much falling apart. I want to replace them, what's the best way to do it.

Please see the pictures. Thank you.

I've done similar repairs to AC units. The yellow insulation can easily be replaced with fiberglass insulation from your home store. It can be cut to fit and just set in place.

I would not be replacing the insulation inside the plenum as you would weaken the structure. I'd spray some white vinegar in it and let it dry. Vinegar is great for killing mold, surface and below the surface. Then lightly vacuum it out but don't break up the insulation. Make cleaning the drain a yearly task and don't wait for it to leak first. Many AC units have a safety float in the drain piping that will shut the unit down if water fills the pipe.


More than one circuit in a fluorescent fixture, OK? I'm adding some more circuits to a finished garage. Most of the wiring is going in the joist cavities (or in EMT otherwise). Perpendicular to the joists, in the middle of the garage, is a steel I-beam. I can't (don't want to) drill  through that. To get across the I-beam, I span it with a fluorescent  fixture (non-hanging with built-in J-box). The lighting circuit goes in one side of the fixture and out the other.

Is it OK to also run another circuit through the fluorescent fixture in this manner? I'm basically using the fixture as conduit between two locations.

This is fine as long as they can be joined end-to-end, are identified for through-wiring, or are listed and marked as a raceway, as per NEC 410.64.  Just keep in mind that end-to-end joinable luminaires are limited to one branch circuit (that must feed one or more luminaire(s) in the set) in addition to the circuit that is feeding the remaining luminaire(s).

  410.64 Luminaires as Raceways. Luminaires shall not be used as a raceway
  for circuit conductors unless they comply with 410.64(A), (B), or (C).

  (A) Listed. Luminaires listed and marked for use as a raceway shall be
  permitted to be used as a raceway.

  (B) Through-Wiring. Luminaires identified for through-wiring, as permitted
  by 410.21, shall be permitted to be used as a raceway.

  (C) Luminaires Connected Together. Luminaires designed for end-to-end
  connection to form a continuous assembly, or luminaires connected together by
  recognized wiring methods, shall be permitted to contain the conductors of a
  2-wire branch circuit, or one multiwire branch circuit, supplying the
  connected luminaires and shall not be required to be listed as a raceway. One
  additional 2-wire branch circuit separately supplying one or more of the
  connected luminaires shall also be permitted.

Also, in your case, as per 410.21, the luminaire must be identified for through-wiring in its integral junction box:

  Branch-circuit wiring, other than 2-wire or multiwire branch circuits
  supplying power to luminaires connected together, shall not be passed through
  an outlet box that is an integral part of a luminaire unless the luminaire is
  identified for through-wiring.


smart light wire "interceptor" I went to showroom recently and they showed me a product (which I've now forgotten the name of) which is basically a box that behind the wall or in the ceiling - it connects to wifi and is essentially a hidden switch. You can then connect via an app and switch lights on and off etc.

I like this idea because I can use my own choice of light switch and there's no restriction on the type/model of LED light that I install.

What is the class of these devices called? And who is doing them? All my internet searches keep coming to the regular wall-switch ones like lightwaverf.

Argh, typical right after I post a question I find the answer myself.

They're called "in-line modules" or "in-line switches". And there's plenty of companies that do it.


Replaced fluorescent tubes with LED tubes, the LEDs only turn on when tapped I bought FEIT replacement LED tubes at Costco, item number T48/840/LED/2, and swapped them in for fluorescent tubes (the thinner style).  When I switch them on, the pairs of LEDs barely illuminate.  They have an faintly-imperceptible glow but are essentially off.

When I give a good tap with my fingers on the end of the fixture on just one of the tubes in a pair, the pair of bulbs immediately lights up and stays on until I switch the lights off.  Then it's back to the original state.

These are supposed to be plug-and-play bulbs with no need to bypass the fixture's ballast.  The ballast says 120V/0.80A 50/60Hz, it's made by Keystone, part number KTEB-232RIS-1-TP-SL.

What might be the problem such that it is fixed every time by tapping the end of the fixture?

I have the same issue.  The Keystone KTEB-232RIS-1-TP-SL ballast is not compatible with the Feit T48/840/LED/2 tube.  I have four Lithonia Lighting fixtures I just purchased only to learn the Keystone ballast is not compatible with these Feit lamps.  I've had good luck with Feit products.  This is a compatibility issue.


Photovoltaic installation: does it make sense (or is possible at all) to get a bigger inverter than the power output of the installed panels? We are going to install a PV in our offices. Our actual needs would be satisfied by an installation of about 4kW, so that ~16 panels of 250W. It's going to be a central-inverter, grid-connected installation.

Now, we would probably need more power in a few years. So I'm asking the contractors to quote me a bigger inverter, say, one for 6kW, thinking that if I already have a bigger inverter, then I can just buy more panels when needed, without having to change the inverter itself. I had the idea that I could put a bigger inverter, say, maybe even a 8kW or so, and it will produce what my panels would produce even if it's just half the capacity of the inverter.

But one of the contractors just told me that it wasn't the case. That the inverters "just work" under specific loads, for instance, the 4kW "doesn't start" if it's not feed 3.2kW (or so) from the solar panels. That doesn't make sense to me, specially since for what I have read the inverters just need a certain voltage to start, and that voltage, for instance, is the same for the inverters (in this case, Fronius) from 3kW to 7.5kW, specifically, 260V. This means (I'm no electrical engineer, but I'm no complete layman either) to me that the same power from the panels array is needed to start any of those inverters, so even if the maximum capacity is different, they can start producing as long as the Voltage from the array is 260V.

I'm not talking about putting 4kW worth of panels and an inverter for 20kW or something like that. I'm talking at most of a 10kW inverter, that it's the max amount I could put of solar panels in our roof, and the max one can generate for oneself here in México (or so I understand).

I understand if they are not at their maximum efficiency if not feed under their expected output range, but that they "don't start" doesn't make sense to me.

Am I missing something?

Thanks!

Better idea: get panels with their own micro-inverters. Then you can add more panels at will in the future. Bonus: micro-inverters are more efficient than a central inverter and will last longer.


What type of insulation is needed for exterior walls on a brick house? I have a government grant (2,440$) to insulate all of my exterior walls. The issue is, I cannot access them from the outside because I have a brick house.

My first guess was that I will need to take apart all the walls inside and insulate from there. The good part is, most of my walls are already pulled off or will be pulled off. I am replacing the current 3/8'' drywall with 1/2''.

What kind of material would be the best to insulate my exterior walls? I have a 28'x 40' house, will 2,440$ be enough? Also, if there's a better way of doing this than removing the walls, let me know.

If you wish to preserve the brick exterior, you have the following options, depending on the wall construction:

If you have a structural brick wall (e.g. multiple-wythe brick or brick veneer on block) then you will have to insulate the wall from the inside. This will entail applying rigid insulation board--either foam or mineral wool--over the inside of the wall, and then covering that up with drywall.
If you have a brick cavity wall (e.g. brick veneer on the outside and structural brick or block on the inside) then you can blow water-permeable insulation like perlite into the cavity. You could additionally insulate this wall from the inside as per above.
If you have a brick veneer on wood framed wall, then you'll need to insulate the stud cavities normally. You can use fiberglass batts, mineral wool batts, closed-cell spray foam, or dense-packed cellulose. All will be effective. One advantage to dense-packed cellulose is that you don't actually need to take down the drywall; you just drill holes in the top and blow in the cellulose. This could save you a ton of money if you haven't already removed the drywall. If you have to or plan to remove and replace the drywall anyway, my personal recommendation would be installing either mineral wool batts or dense-packed cellulose in the stud bays, covering the open stud bays with an additional layer of rigid mineral wool board, and then applying the drywall over that. An added bonus is that this will all but completely soundproof the house.


Looking to ground roof mounted mast - No ground rod at service entrance So I'm looking to install an anemometer on my roof.
With my last house, in Ohio built in 2000, when I added a TV antenna there was a grounding rod near the electric meter.
However, my current house, in Utah built in 1979, there isn't a ground rod near the meter.  It appears cable guy simply "grounded" to the incoming metal service conduit.

FYI: I believe the loose green wire goes up to where a DISH antenna used to be.
The house (actually the whole neighborhood) has underground electric service.  Though the house in Ohio did also.
One other thing I noticed, there's no ground jumper around shutoff valve & pressure regulator for the water service in this house like there was on the Ohio house.
So the question, is my house properly grounded?  Is the service conduit functioning as ground?
Assuming the answers to both those are yes, then I just need to ground my new roof mounted mast to the incoming service conduit right?

Yes it's likely that merely doing what the cable guy did meets "legal code" for that county.
I prefer to treat antennas like lightning rods since that's exactly what they become during a lightning strike.
So I drive in a 8 foot dedicated ground rod and run a minimum of #10 solid copper or #8 solid aluminum wire to the antenna mast.
Then run a #6 copper bonding jumper from the rod to the main electrical ground to meet code.