Can I split off a pipe to create an additional faucet in my basement? I've been madly googling this question, but either this is not a thing anybody does or I can't find the words to express it well enough to get an answer.

I have a home hydroponics setup for growing hot peppers, and the faucet / laundry tub is across the room from the reservoir, which makes filling it up kind of annoying and unwieldy.

I have a PEX pipe that feeds an outdoor faucet and goes past pretty much exactly where I want it to go. Drainage would be an issue, since the drain is on the other side of the room, but since it's always going to be going directly into a reservoir, it doesn't really matter.

Can I split off that existing pipe and run another pipe to some kind of hydrant / silcock that I can connect a hose to without ruining everything? I have the basic plumbing skills to do the job, but I'm worried that it might be some kind of building code violation or that in doing this, I'll ruin the water pressure to my outside hose. Any clarifications on how best to describe this or videos talking about what I want to do would be very helpful as well.

Turn off the main supply and connect the supply line(s) to the faucet. You will need a brass tee, crimps, and the connector for the pipe to the faucet, and some pipe.

If you want to use a silcock instead of a sink, you still need to attach it to something. I would start there (build something to hold the silcock), and attach the pipe to it once I figured out exactly where I wanted it.


Dual pole light switch w/ 2 live, 1 neutral-can I remove the tab? I have a set of two dual pole light switches that only one switch works on each(the bottom of each set)-the switch that works out of each set will turn on a all lights at once (i.e. porch and kitchen or all of the living room), but I would like to use both sets of switches (all 4 switches) to turn on these lights independently.

Right now each switch has two black (I'm assuming live) wires.  There is a single black wire connecting the two sets of dual pole switches.  One switch has a ground wire (switch on right) and the other switch has a black wire that connects the two sets of switches and what looks like a 3rd live black wire from the box (switch on left).

Any clue on how to tackle this?

There is a bundle of white wires that are capped in the receptacle (4 total), and there were two ground wires but they were crimped together and then pigtailed into one.

Why are the two sets of switches wired together?  Is there a way to get the top switches to work (as only the bottom switches turn on lights)?

This is a 1971 manufactured home and so far I have come across a lot of weird wiring and plumbing, but this is the first one that has me completely stumped.

Box from a distance: https://sta.sh/0ecrvle8hse

Grounded dual pole switch on left: https://sta.sh/0x13ic5a70k

Non-grounded dual pole w/ extra black wire on right: https://sta.sh/02dt1xc2fzqd

I've seen enough.

What went wrong

I'm guessing that somebody swapped out these switches in recent years, since they are too modern-looking for 1971.  What they did was move the wires to the new switch, based on physical position on the old switch.  Of course, switch manufacturers randomize the location of screws on every switch (no two are alike), so that doesn't work. You must look at how the switch works, particularly screw colors and "common" terminals, and move the wires over to the equivalent function.

How to fix.

The good news is, thanks to that little "hop",  we can instantly identify the "Common Wire".  That is the one making the little hop.

The common wire needs to be on the black screws that are right next to each other; the ones with the tab that is possible to remove. (DON'T remove it).

Obviously, the other black wires (and mercifully, they are all black), should be over on the yellow screws.  Swap as required, then get a bag of marshmallows!  Because all your lights should work, and you're ready for the fire.

Whoops. Aluminum wire.

Even before I wildly distorted your photos to try to see the wires behind, it was clear these are aluminum wire.

OK, now aluminum wire is not the end of the world, and much alarm is overblown, because we figured out the tech to make them safe.

Those switches are not part of that tech. Any receptacle, switch or nut you attach these to needs to be rated CO-ALR.  These switches are not.  You can tell because CO-ALR switches have a tinny gray look to the terminals, and they feel weirdly light.  In fact, CO-ALR combination (dual) switches might not even be available.

You could pigtail all these wires with Alumiconns, but that many Alumiconns might not fit in the box. You'd need 5 2-pot Alumiconns, and some Mac-Blocks to gather all the neutrals (unlike Alumiconns they can accommodate up to 8 Al wires).  And another one to tie all the grounds.

So your best bet, honestly, is neck this down to 2 CO-ALR switches which will fit in the box, and group the 4 controlled lights so they are on 2 switches.  Or alternately, blow that junction box out to a 4-gang and have 4 full-size switches.

You could also just "take your chances", but if you must do that, put the circuit on an AFCI breaker, as that has a better chance of catching the usual problem with old AL wiring: series arc faults that start fires.

Do not abide having neither AFCI nor CO-ALR devices.  Have at least AFCIs; they are nearly a silver bullet. But follow up and fit CO-ALR when able.  Or if practicable, swap cables to copper; that will help your resale value.


How can I disassemble this P-trap? I have a double-basin kitchen sink, and the drain line from the garbage disposal is completely clogged. I've been unable to clear it with drain opener, so I'm looking at replacing the P-trap, but space is a bit tight. The pipe nut just on the drain side of the P-trap won't come loose - I've tried WD-40 and several different wrenches. Given the pictures that follow, how much of the drain system should I try to replace? Or should I simply call a professional, given the tight spacing between couplings?

The non-disposal side of the sink is not clogged, and is draining normally. I'd prefer to not replace that part of the drain system if I don't have to, but I'm willing to if I can do the replacement myself and need to replace the whole system to do it sanely.

EDIT:
I'm pretty sure I'm turning it the right direction - it won't budge in either direction, though. I decided to punt and cut the downpipe coming from the disposal leading to the P-trap (intending to snake the trap and replace the downpipe with an extended with two slip joints) - and yes there is a slip joint from the disposal to the downpipe - and the clog is in the disposal itself. The pipes are completely clear. Since the disposal has been giving me problems (the motor won't turn the blades when I turn power on) for about 4 months, it's time to just replace the disposal. I'm not comfortable doing that myself, so it's time to spend some money on a professional. Thanks for all the help.

Image 1: the P-trap below the disposal:

Image 2: the joint for both "halves" of the sink drain:
The longer pipe coming "down" comes from the P-trap below the non-disposal side of the sink.

Image 3: P-trap below non-disposal side of the sink:

Image 4: the non-disposal side where the dishwasher waste line comes in:

I disagree with BMitch as far as if the P-trap will come apart. (Possibly the first time we've disagreed?) The metal nut could not be where it is if the joint did not separate. The rest of his answer I agree is the easiest fix. However, if possible, physically cleaning the trap is preferable to a chemical approach. I'm assuming there is a slip fitting just out of the picture, just as there is in non-disposal side. By detaching the metal ring in the first photo and the unseen slip joint, the trap should be able to be removed.

Even without a slip joint, the pipe could be detached right at the disposal itself. This could actually be preferable as it would allow the P-trap to swivel, which may help in loosening the nut. Are you sure you are trying to turn the nut the correct direction? I'm not saying you don't know how to loosen fasteners. The direction depends on which piece the nut is threaded onto, which is not always clear in plumbing.

The curved shoulder of the nut tells me it is threaded onto the U-bend, so the nut is turned anti-clockwise when looking down at it. It's hard to tell by photos, but you appear to have decent access to the nut from the left side as it is below the pipe coming in from the other side. Even though the opposite trap may be in the way for fully turning a wrench, you seem to have enough room to place the wrench handle near the trap and pull right.

As for counter force, if pulling on the pipe itself isn't working, try a large screwdriver wedged in the inside of the U-bend. If you have the right wrench, the ring nut shouldn't offer a lot of resistance.


Raining inside workshop The place where I do my diy stuff keeps getting wet because whenever it rains the water gets inside through the roof, the roof looks generally like this stock photo of a tile roof (this is not my roof):

I have put this isolating sheets:
(source: warmup.pt)

On the inside and siliconed them to the concrete (on some of them applied isolating foam spray to the borders) but water still gets in through one of the borders (siliconed), what do I do to stop this, already got an angle grinder broken because of the rain (left it on the table and it got soaked)?

Photos of the roof setup:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/89he486zegulxit/15731288_1410928465608812_774723163_n.jpg?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/hn6x1j4uaoexp7g/14970833_1352211198147206_137584259_o.jpg?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/9rdndqnwdtn2sv6/14513567_1313594228675570_596033170_o.jpg?dl=0

It sounds like your roof has failed. Unfortunately, if that's the case, there isn't anything that can be done inside the structure. The water will always have to go somewhere. Short of building a second ceiling inside, you're stuck.

I'd say call in a roofer to take a look, they'll know the warning signs and can tell you if it's a repair or a replacement kind of job. Might be a couple tiles have broken, or a problem with the roofing underlay (tar paper or similar).

You may be in luck though, that plastic (I'm guessing) roofing tile may be removable/patchable without being destroyed, which would make the roofer's job much easier.

There is a very small chance that this is internal condensations collecting on the new panels, or just above them. Did it do this before you installed the panels?


Power wires too short, what to do? When I see a short wire, what can I do? There are close to ceiling junction boxes on top of the outlets where the wires come from, should I pull the short wire back into them and splice them with new long wires to extend them? Like with a twister on or wago connector?

Or should I try to rewire and replace the entire length of the wire coming from the apartments breaker? I'm tempted to try this because in one of the junction boxes I see black oily grime like char on the shielding of same wires, which leads me to think are somepoint something exploded in there.

I would use a push-in connectors like https://www.toolstation.com/shop/p29476
Just add extension wires.


How can I replace an I-T-E panelboard? I have an old 225 Amp 30 space commercial flush mount sub-panel in my home with bolt on breakers that has worked for years. Now, there's 120v on one bus and 0 volts on the other bus.

When I remove the leads from the bus, I get 120v on each lead, so there isn't an issue with he wire. It seems I have to replace the panelboard, as when I attach one the lead to the bus the voltage drops from 120v to 0v (the other lead is fine).

I can't seem to find a replacement panelboard for an I-T-E NLA30-3L.

Does anyone know where I might be able to find a replacement?

Are the panel boards repairable?

Is there a replacement panelboard perhaps from Siemens or any other company that will accept the same I-T-E bolt-on breakers so I don't have to replace all of the breakers?

This sounds like a bad connection upstream of the panel. No load, you get voltage - apply a load, voltage goes away.

Try turning off all the breakers on the affected bus, with it connected. Does voltage return?

Try (since you seem comfortable handling the feed wires - right, you do say sub-panel) marking the feeds and see if the problem follows the wire, or stays with the bus. If it follows the wire, the problem is not with the panel.


How can I attach a metal soap dish to tile? What is the best glue to use when you glue a metal soap dish to a tile in the bathroom.

My approach (depending on the mating surface available, shape, etc.) would be to use pure "clear" silicone along with a bit of foam tape.

Cut a small piece of foam tape to act as a temporary anchor while the silicone sets. Place it in the center of the soap dish back panel in a location that allows you to apply a bead of silicone entirely around it (to effectively seal it in).

Once the silicone is applied to the back of the dish, stick the dish to the wall and press firmly. Wipe any extra sealant from the wall and dish.

Optionally, once the silicone sets (2-4 hours should do), run a small bead around the dish to seal it further and improve appearance.


7 inches long 4-40 screw I have been looking all over to find 7 inch long 4- 40 screws.

I found McMaster carries threaded 4-40 rods that are 8 inches long but these are not screws.

I know they do exist as I found one just lying around (image) but haven't been able to find a vendor.

Could someone help me find 7 inch long 4-40 screws.

If not, what would be a good way to turn 4-40 threaded rods into makeshift screws?  there won't be too much strain on the screw so im not worried about the strength.

A threaded 4-40 rod with a cap nut/acorn nut on one end would be similar to a screw.

Acorn Nut Wikipedia page


Where do you put the oil when oiling a fan? I know some fan motors have ports to oil but many do not (bathroom exhaust fan, bathroom heater fan, regular house fan, etc). How do you oil the ones that do not have ports?
Specifically, where do you put the oil 3-in-1 oil?
Edit: The model I'm maintaining is NuTone 765HL (https://www.broan-nutone.com/en-us/product/ventilationfans/765hl) ad it says the heater fan is sealed but doesn't mention anything about the vent fan.

You'll need to check the manual to be sure but if you don't see ports, chances are they are sealed like Tyson said and don't need maintenance by you. And for motors that do need oiling, manual should tell you what kind of oil you need.


If I replace my main panel, will I need to fit AFCIs? This question is about whether "circuits" can be grandfathered if the breaker or panel is changed but the circuit is otherwise not disturbed.

Code is NEC 2017.  My existing main panel has plenty of ampacity but few spaces, and thus, is totally full.  I have several potential paths for an upgrade.

One involves fitting a subpanel and moving 4 circuits (2 double-stuff breakers) there, and adding circuits there.

The other involves outright replacing the main with a very fine 60 space main panel.  No more space problems!

But what happens with AFCI and GFCI requirements? If this were a new house,  nearly all my circuits would require it, but I am grandfathered.  Will the  "new main" scenario void the grandfathering and require that nearly all circuits be upgraded to that protection?   Or can I just move over my old breakers and call it good?

With the NEC straight up I think 210.12.D. Would require AFCI's where required (when the branch is modified, replaced or extended) the only exception is if the conductors are extended less than 6 feet with no new devices. Note I just checked with a inspector I worked with in my last county, he said 6' on either end with no new devices in our state would not require all the new code, I always read this as an extension to the end of line for a remodel with the total devices the same so even in my state and county there are some options.


UK: Is it safe to bypass a light switch? Is it safe to join the live & switched-live wires behind a switch so the light is permanently on?  And if so, what would be the best method (connector block, crimp, etc)?

You can

Replace the switch with a key-operated switch. The type that have a slot for a "fish key" are probably the cheapest.
Replace the switch with a 1-gang coverplate and connect the wires using a suitably rated (e.g. 5A) screw-terminal block. I don't know if this is legal. To replace the lightbulb you'd then have to go to the consumer unit (main panel) and turn off the MCB for lighting to that whole floor.

  OR

switch and key are each about £1.20. That is cheaper and better than the alternative.


Can I insulate portable AC vent duct? This is a picture of a Gree 8000 btu unit.  Can I put insulation around the vent duct since it is getting a little warm to the touch?

It should not be a burn hazard but adding insulation will only help the performance by reducing the convection of heat from the pipe.


Cheaper to run central heating sporadically high or constantly low? My central heating has a thermostat dial ranging from 10 to 30 degrees Celcius. I'm wondering whether it's likely to be cheaper to crank it up to 30, and turn it on for, say, an hour, 3/4 times per day, or to turn it down to say, 15, and leave it on all day.

Thoughts?

I tend to think of questions like this about heating and cooling efficiency from a thermodynamic perspective, where its primarily a question of energy loss. The energy loss to the surrounding environment goes up when the temperature difference between the inside temp and the ambient temp goes up; the energy loss goes down when this temp difference goes down.

Lets say for the sake of argument that your ideal temp is 15*C. So one option is to leave the thermostat at 15*C. Lets say that the other option you are considering is you'd run the thermostat at 30*C until the space reaches 30*C, then turn the heat off until your inside temp reaches 10*C, at which point you'd set the thermostat back to 30*C, and repeat.

Your proposal basically implies that you're willing to accept your inside temp being slightly higher than ideal sometimes (up to 30*C when you want 15*C), and slightly lower than ideal other times (down to 10*C when you want 15*C). What are the concequences of this for energy loss?

At those times when the inside temperature exceeds your ideal temp, you'd be losing more heat energy to the environment than you would if the space was at your ideal temp. At those times when the inside temperature is less than your ideal temp, you are losing less heat energy to the environment than you would if the space was at your ideal temp.

My conclusion is this: why subject the people occupying the space to somewhat uncomfortable temperature swings? Set the thermostat to your ideal temperature when you're in the space, and set it to something low when you're not.

A related question I've heard is: Why turn down my thermostat when I leave? The heater is just going to have to work harder when I get back to bring the space back up to temperature. While this is true, the whole time that you were gone, you were losing less heat to the environment because your inside temperature was getting closer to the temperature outside. That is your energy savings. That doesn't get taken away when you come back and turn the heat back on. Yes the heater may run for longer when you come back, but all you need to be concerned with is energy loss, which has gone down on the net.


Will insulating attached garage walls create a moisture problem? I live in Chicago and have 50 yrs old house that has attached garage. I found out that the walls in garage does not have insulation. I am planning to open the drywall, put batt insulation and drywall it back.
My concern is moisture here. The reason I am concerned is that the garage walls are built in such a way that half of it is concrete wall and framing rests on this concrete wall. So if I insulate 'til the framing only will it create moisture issue? Or should it be fine?
The reason I want to insulate is because I have room above the garage which stay colder than other rooms in the house. I have checked the garage ceiling and attic and they both are insulated. The only part in garage which is not insulated are the walls. So I am thinking insulating the walls will keep the garage little warmer and in turn the room above will be little warmer than what it is currently now. And by the way on cold day my garage temp goes to 35-40F.

Chicago - Cold. Vapor barrier to inside. Moisture concern solved.
Half-concrete wall - if you only insulate the frame part, the concrete  part will still be wicked cold. You might want to consider insulating the frame part and then covering the whole wall (concrete part and stud bays) with rigid foam sheets, taped or sealed as the vapor barrier, and then drywall - which would give you some insulation over the concrete part.


Framing new wall/door I have a dining room that I want to convert into a home office. There are two openings that I would like to close up and put doors in.

Here is a rendering of both locations:

I made an attempt at what the framing would look like.

For the first opening:

And the second opening:

Do these openings look right? The inner frames are outlines of the prehung doors that I plan on putting there. For the smaller opening, there isn't enough room in between the wall and the door frame to insert anything but shims. Will that be okay? Also, for the larger opening, can I get away with not screwing into the floor?

Thanks for any tips.

Framing like that looks fine and is standard.  Just put a single 2x flat at the top of the jamb instead of 2 and nail up into the cripples above it.

As for the screwing into the floor, the closer you can get a screw or nail into the floor the better.  We usually shoot some nails at an angle (toenail) at the bottom plate on each side of the opening.

Other than that get your measurements right and you should be good to go.


Should I install gutters before addressing draining in the yard? My house doesn't have gutters or downspouts, so I'm planning to install them. Parts of the yard also remain wet for days after a rain, so I'm planning to install some kind of drain system in the yard (as well as fill in low spots, address slope, etc) to drain much of the water out to the front of the property.

The downspouts would tie in to the drain system, but should I install them first? Is it necessary for the downspouts to be present in order to tie them into the drains, or would I just need to know their likely locations?

You can do the drain system and gutters/downspouts in either order. Assuming you are installing an in-ground drain system, you'll need to use the appropriate fittings to receive water from downspouts. You will want to install these when you're first burying the drain system, so you don't have to dig it up later to add them.

If you do gutters/downspouts first, you'll just make sure to route your drains so that you have intakes at the right spots. And you'll likely modify the ends of the downspouts slightly so they go straight down into the right spot.

If you do the drain system first, you'll have to place your downspouts such that they can flow into the drain intakes. Also pretty easy to do at installation time.

No matter what order you go, you should have a design for the whole system in mind before you start. The shape of your building and site may constrain both the gutter/downspout system and the drain system in different ways. For example, you may need a certain minimum number of downspouts to handle the expected rain flow.


Do I need to remove all the old paint prior to repainting! I am restoring a window sill, scraping paint and using epoxy sealer & woodsculpt to fill so areas eaten by rot.

Right now I'm scraping. My question is how hard should I work to remove all the old paint? Is it ok to leave it if it's tough enough to not easily scrape away?

Answer: yes, if scraping and thorough sanding (coarse, then medium, then fine grit) until smooth does not remove the old paint than feel free to prime and paint right over it.

Do not pay attention to those that say "you must test for compatibility with the new paint" or "don't paint it with latex (water-based) paint if it might be old alkyd (oil-based) paint". Use a high quality exterior primer and a top-of-the-line high gloss exterior paint and it will be beautiful and durable. PLEASE, I cannot under emphasize the importance of using high quality paint brushes, it will make all the difference.


Pipe not straight, touching another pipe - possible fixes Problem: hearing clicking metal noise when water-based heating is on.
Because this sound travels so quick, it was very hard to find the spot, but finally found it - right below the outlet.

Opened the wall, here it is:

Black pipe in the back: water-based heating.

The three pipes at the front: electrical.

Note that the middle pipe is not straight - maybe a problem during construction? instead of side-by-side/aligned with the other two pipes, the middle pipe has a bend going a little behind. It is touching (ou super close to) the heating pipe and causing the clicking noise as the heating pipe expands/vibrates.

What do you guys suggest? For example:

Just putting something (insulation) between the middle electrical pipe and the heating pipe to stop the clicking noise?
Cutting the middle pipe and installing a Z join (not sure if there is enough space).

All ideas are welcome.
Thanks!

A little window and door, low pressure expanding foam will do the trick. Be very careful around those pipes they are in very bad shape. Don't pry or push on them. You are going to need a complete overhaul of your heating system if they are representative of your system. I'd start putting money away if I were you.

Don't use the regular expanding foam. It creates enormous amount of pressure.


Where to split existing water pipes for new pipe run? Goal: Install a new hot and cold supplied exterior faucet for garden watering and year round animal watering.

Here's the rough situation:

We're on a rural property, drawing from a well, into a pressure tanks and 3 stage-filtration system. We have a handful of adorable dwarf goats in the back, and last winter we filled up buckets of hot water and walked it out to them every morning and night. Obviously that was a lot of work because we'd have to go around/through the house, so we figured this would be a good first step.

Question: Where do we split the existing water lines? I have read briefly about pressure drops when sharing pipe runs, which can apparently be addressed by adding a manifold at the source and then splitting off of that. Is this typically a concern? Should we be splitting at the place that is most convenient/shortest new pipe run, or going right back to the pressure tank/hot water heater, installing a (presently non-existent) manifold? As it stands, we have mediocre pressure, but haven't noticed a drop when the washing machine kicks on, for example.

If all the plumbing in the image is 3/4", then I'd simply tee off as near the new faucet as practical. In the drawing, somewhere between the laundry and the kitchen.

If you're worried about losing pressure to the other fixtures when the faucet is on, then you'll want to tee off using a 3/4" x 3/4" x 1/2" tee.

That way you'll have 3/4" all the way to the kitchen, but the supplies to the new faucet will only be 1/2".  This configuration will help maintain pressure to the kitchen, when water is being drawn from the new faucet.

You'll want to install "anti-siphon frost-proof sillcocks".

These have a vacuum breaker built in, so water won't be pushed back into the plumbing. Without this feature, you could potentially contaminate the water supply. This is required by code in some areas.

The frost-proof feature should prevent the plumbing from freezing during the winter. The sillcock has a long stem, so the water is actually shut off way back where it connects to the plumbing, instead of right at the spigot. This means that when the valve is closed, there should be no water in the entire assembly.  Basically, the water is shut off back inside the warm house, instead of outside where it's cold. NOTE: If you have a hose attached to the spigot, make sure the hose drains after each use during the winter.


Do I need to replace my copper gas line before installing a new dryer? Why? Just purchased a new dryer, and when it was delivered the installer said he could not connect it to our soft copper gas line -- he said it needs to be replaced with another type before he is allowed to touch it.  He also said that any appliance installer would have the same policy.  He did say, though, that we can connect it ourselves to the current line if we want to.

Can someone explain to me what the issues are here?  Is it really necessary for me to swap out my current gas line with something different in order to install a new dryer?

Sounds like a liability issue. If they hook it up and the line breaks or leaks, they can be held liable. They probably want a gas flex line (something like this) installed between the copper and appliance.

If I were you, I'd get a gasfitter out to have one installed and hook up the appliance (which means future deliverers will install it). You don't want to be wrong on a gas line.


Lift bucket in tub won't go down enough The lever to the lift bucket was stuck and I didn't want to force it so I took the screws out and took out the assemblage and lift bucket to inspect.  I cleaned off the lift bucket and put it back in.  Problem was, it wouldn't settle down to where it should go.  Something was blocking it.  Obviously, that's what was causing it to stick.

So two questions:

What could be blocking it?
How can I unblock it?  (I already used a plastic rod that you would use to pull out hair from a drain and it felt fine.

These get blocked by hair and soap buildup all the time there was probably some scum on it when you removed it (now matter how clean the tub is).
An old wire coat hanger can be used to scrape around and pull the remaining soap/hair out. Or the purchase of a small hand auger and slide it in and rotate to clean.
I really don’t like drain cleaners in these cases but if you can just put a little down and let it sit it may dissolve the blockage once it will seal  let a small amount sit in there and rinse it down.
But if using drain cleaner they sometimes discolor the plumbing / tub so I never over fill the pipe if I do use cleaner.


How can I repair leaks in metal wrapped wood gutters? I've noticed a good bit of rain water leaking through what first appeared to be my gutters on my roof.  When I got on the ladder and took a few pictures ( attached ), I noticed I've got wooden gutters that have been wrapped with thin metal sheets. The sheets look like they were originally nailed into the wood gutters and sealed around the top / side of the wood gutter. The sealing has started to come apart, and there are missing nails along the length of the metal wrapping.

So my first question is: how should I proceed to fix the leaking? Re-sealing the metal to the wooden gutter and re-nail the metal wrap into the wood gutter ( if so, what kind of sealant / nails )? Replacing the whole gutter system? Replacing the metal wrapping?

The wood actually looks to be in decent shape, but from what I've read, I'd have to paint the gutters every few years, and that's why the previous owners likely chose to cover them ( the whole house is now vinyl sided as opposed to the original wood ).

My 2nd question is: what's a good way to check for damaged external siding (my original concern when I saw there was leaking under the gutters)? Hardly any water is making it into the downspouts that are cut into the end of the original wooden gutter. Instead the water collects at the seam of the metal wrapping and drips down. I can't tell if any water is getting behind the gutters and causing any damage.

Hardness is a good way to check wood for damage without pulling it apart.  Take a nail and press it into the wood where you know the siding is in good shape.  Then, do the same where you suspect damage.  If the wood is softer, then you can assume it has some amount of water damage.  If you want a more direct, verifiable method your best bet is to yank a shingle or two off and check behind them.  (From the pictures it looks like you have shake but its hard to tell.)

Also, as Steven commented...remove those "gutters" as soon as is humanly possible and replace them with actual gutters.  Each year you wait things will get exponentially worse.  If there is not currently water damage (which I doubt, sorry) there will be very soon.


Can Simpson Strong-Tie H1Z hurricane clips be installed on the inside of a wall? Can the H1Z (diamond shaped) hurricane clips be installed on the inside of a wall's plate or do they have to be on the outside?

H1Z clips, per the manufacturer, belong on the outside with the "ears" facing outward (not resting on the top plate).

The purpose of having the clips on the outside are twofold:

So the clip is attached to the rafter tail rather than the ceiling joist

The rafter board and the ceiling joist could become separated in high winds
If the rafter board is held down, it will hold the ceiling joist down as well

So the upward force on the roof does not cause the top plate to pull away from the walls.

If the clip is on the inside the, only thing holding the top plate on securely would be drywall (or often nothing in the case of an unfinished garage). The wind could "bend" the sheathing and easily break it due to the angle of force.
However, if the clip is on the outside, the sheathing will keep the top plate from separating because the sheathing would hold it down where the clip is. Any upward force would be fighting against the sheathing whereas on the inside, it would have just been fighting against drywall or some nails.

With that said, if you put the clips on the outside of the wall (under the sheathing and above the soffit), an inspector may not be able to see that they are installed. Some inspectors might prefer them on the inside for that reason.

http://embed.widencdn.net/pdf/plus/ssttoolbox/hpsfgtsdtt/T-C-HTIECON17.pdf


Graphite packing rope squeezes out between valve stem and packing nut I'm repairing an old brass hot water valve for my washing machine.  I've removed the old packing material and replaced it with new graphite packing rope.  I've tightened the packing nut until it is firm, but when I test the valve, water still leaks out between the nut and the valve stem.  When I continue tightening the packing nut, the graphite packing squeezes out between the valve stem and the packing nut, and the valve continues to leak.  What am I doing wrong?
(I have tried doing the recommended "wrap the packing rope twice around the stem".  I have also tried manually pushing the rope down into the void between the stem and the valve to minimize air gaps.  Neither approach seems to make a difference.)

Using the graphite rope isn't as easy as you would think. First off, you need the right size rope that fits in tight with one wrap. You don't use a continuous piece. You cut a piece equal to the circumference and push the rope in and butt joint the ends. Then do it again with another piece of rope and rotate it so the ends don't even up with the previous layer ends of the rope. Keep doing this until the nut is full.
Better yet, get one of these kits. Picture from Granger.com


How do I stop a leak in a refrigerator water line connection? I have a copper water line going into my refrigerator.  It's leaking at the connector line in the attached picture.  It looks like the leak is not from the fridge, but from the connection line, right where the copper attaches to the threaded connector.

What do I need to do to fix the problem?

It looks like a compression fitting which requires that the tubing be round to make a good seal.  The tight bend seems like it has crimped the tubing and probably has broken the seal.

You need a new compression fitting attached to the fridge. If there is play in the copper line, you may be able to remove the fitting, cut the tubing to get to a place where the tubing is not bent and crimped,replace the nut on the tubing and place a new compression ring on the tubing and reseal (with teflon tape on the threads).  Make sure that the tubing is going stright down toward the fridge connection and is not bent (like the current one).

If there is not enough play in the tubing, you may need to replace the whole line to the next connector.


Can I using a 3-phase connection to power 1-phase AC unit? I have preparation for an AC connection with 3-phase 220V 3X16A breaker. I want to install a 220V 1-phase unit, which also needs a 16A breaker. The physical connection has screw-on terminals, so there is no worry about plug compatibility.

I have spoken to 3 electricians: one says that I need only change the 3-phase breaker to 3 separate 1-phase breakers, and leave the 2 additional phases disconnected and unused in the AC connection. The other two electricians say that there is no problem leaving the 3-phase breaker and just leaving the unused phases disconnected. All of them agree that there is no worry about the shared neutral of the connections, and say there is no need to re-wire the neutral.

Should I listen to the majority? I tend to trust them more since they are basically telling me that they don't have to work (do nothing = no get paid), so I'm more suspicious of a guy telling me I need to pay him to do the needed changes.

I'm asking both in terms of code-correctness and more importantly, safety for myself, the AC unit and the house (electrocution is bad, blown AC unit is bad, fire is bad).

Edit: to clarify, mains voltage in Israel (where I live) is 220V. Most older homes have 1-phase 40A (or even 25A) breakers, and new homes (like my own) have 3-phase 3X25A breakers. The main usage for the 3-phase is AC units and electric cooktops and ovens. The rest of the electrical wiring in the house is distributed across the three phases to even out the load.

Both are correct.  The 3-phase breaker is just 3 separate 1-phase breakers with a handle physically connected so shutting off one shuts off all.

Code correctness depends on your local jurisdiction.  In virtually all USA locations, separate uses of each phase allows either breaker setup, while use of all 3 phases on the same device requires the 3-phase common handle breaker.

The 3 separate breakers would be more convenient with 3 separate circuits since you won't turn so much off if one of them goes off.  But there may be a rule that requires this in some location.


Wiring a C (common) wire to a Triangle Tube Prestige Excellence 110? Wiring noob here. Can someone give me step-by-step instructions for where and how I should attach a C (common) wire to a Triangle Tube Prestige Excellence 110 boiler for a ecobee3 thermostat?
I think the gray box on top (pictured below) with the blue, brown, red and white wires is the 24VAC transformer, but I'm not sure.
Also I'm not sure where or how I should connect a C wire.

I think the 24v terminal is the orange one on the bottom right labeled with the ports 7 to 19. you should be able to confirm this by seeing only small (18 or 20 gauge) wires entering into these ports and a red and white wire in location 7 and 8.
I am installing a Nest thermostat and if I need a Common wire, I will add some comments when I figure this out too! I sent triangle tube a request for this information.
Scott


How do I break rotten boulders? I have a lot of rocks around my house. Generally, I drill holes with a rotary hammer and then use wedges and feathers to split them. There are some that are rotten, however, and the wedge and feathers just blow out. They are massive, and breaking then with a jackhammer would take a long time. Is there another option? I think that if I could saw them or something, it would be easier.

Rent a mini hoe or skid loader with a hammer attachment for a day. Git 'r done.


Is there a way to diagnose ceiling fan 3 speed switch wires? I have a Hunter ceiling fan (3 speed with lights, all on one switch) and the pull switch for the fan broke. So, I went to HD and got a replacement switch that looked identical, same volts/amps rating and 45 wires, same as the old one. I thought I hooked up the wires to L, 1, 2, and 3 in the same configuration as the old one, but now the fan won't turn off, and there are only two settings (high/low). Additionally, if I pull the light switch, it arcs and the breaker trips instantly (AFCI breaker). I checked all of the connections and they're good, so it isn't arcing from loose wires. Obviously I must have either wired it differently from the original one or this switch is different than the original one. Is there a way I can diagnose this without just trial and error? Is it even possible to fix, or do I need to get a new fan?

Edit: added a couple of pictures and a layout of the wires; I checked Hunter's website but they don't have a wiring diagram. I did find out that there was a short in the lampholder assembly itself which is/was the problem with the light tripping the breaker... but unless anybody here can help me find a "ze-301t" lampholder (alibaba sells them, minimum of 1000 pcs) then I might just have to get a new fan. For now though, it'd be good if the fan part worked even without the lights. I'll take readings with a multimeter tonight and post them.

Go looking for a circuit diagram for your exact model of fan (probably findable on the manufacturer's website) that will tell you how the old switch was connected, which will provide the info needed to connect the new switch. We've discussed this before, but the Android app makes searching for and linking to the previous answer somewhat annoying so I'll leave it o others to provide that link.


How do I repair a drywall ceiling when there is blown in insulation above? I was finishing the space above a garage.  The space was buried in blown in cellulose insulation and we framed in some walls, laid a subfloor, and finished the room.  During framing two different people punched a hole in the drywall ceiling below creating a couple large irregular holes and causing it to rain insulation.  The space below is an unheated garage.

Now it's time to fix those holes.  I see two options:

1)  Somehow patch the drywall as-is to keep from dropping another ton of insulation.  The holes aren't nice and square and some of the edges would be a good 10 inches from a support to screw into.  Don't see any way to easily frame or toenail in 2x4s without cutting more drywall and dropping more insulation.  Is there any product or technique that could help here?  I've tried those aluminum patches in the past, but wasn't very impressed.

2)  Somehow catch all the insulation, then the holes can be cut square back to beams and patched in a normal fashion.  How to do this?  Vacuum? Any way to put the insulation back up there when installing the ceiling patch?  To further complicate matters, the garage in question can't be emptied easily.

Drywall is easy to patch without having to cut it back to expose a joist.  Here's how:

Cut a piece of thin wood to a length that is a couple inches longer than your hole.  A paint paddle or the thick side of a wooden shim works well for this, but any scrap piece of wood will do.

Drill a screw partially into the middle of your scrap piece of wood.

Using that screw as a handle, insert the piece of wood into the hole and center it so that it makes a bridge across the hole from the inside of your ceiling.

Again using that screw as a handle, drive two additional screws through the existing drywall and into the part of the scrap wood that is hidden behind the drywall on either side of the hole.

Remove the screw that you've been using for a handle.

Cut a piece of scrap drywall into roughly the size and shape of the hole, and screw it into the piece of scrap wood.

Use joint compound or Spackle to finish the cracks and screw holes.


Is this caulk not intended for use around my tub? I am recaulking around the edge of the bathtub where the tub meets the tile on the wall.  I got caulk listed as "for kitchen & bath": Loctite PL(Pro Line) 530.  I haven't used the shower in weeks and finished cleaning the old caulk off.  Reading the directions on the caulk, two things concern me: "Not Recommended For: ..., tub surrounds,..." and "Do not use in areas subject to water immersion".

I am hoping the first means it isn't meant to structurally hold a tub surround(like one of those molded wall liners).  Maybe the second is saying it's not meant to seal things that would be subject to water pressure, i.e. sealing something that holds water and thus would need to structurally hold under water pressure.

So is this caulk not intended for use around my tub?

PL 530 is not on Loctite's website

Are you sure that the number is correct?

Given their products with similar numbers, your tube of 530 is likely an adhesive, not a sealant.  I would not use it except as a last resort in an emergency.  I'd use a tube of sealant instead.


Installing IKEA farmhouse sink in 23 inch deep cabinet? We bought this IKEA farmhouse sink that I love.

Unfortunately I found out our kitchen cabinets are only 23 inches deep. The sink is made for standard 24 inch deep cabinets. Any suggestions for installation?

It looks like the sink can be used with a shallower cabinet frame as long as you don't mind more of the sink projecting from the front of the cabinet than what you may have seen when it was displayed in the showroom.

Also, there is a trim board that is usually installed below the sink rim at the front, to hide the bowl. This may not be possible if your cabinet frame does not project out far enough. Your cabinet doors would also need to be installed below the projecting portion of the new sink.

Your "countertop guys" are correct, you should wait until the sink is at the job prior to any alteration of top or cabinet. If you are not handy with cabinet making or carpentry, a good cabinet contractor can likely make this a quality install that looks good too.


How to remove a stuck key? A hypothetical question - if I get a key in the door lock from one side of the door, could I somehow use another key to open the door from the other side?

And what if you could "engineer" the stuck key - is it possible to allow the other key to open the door?

Before the key gets stuck, use graphite to lubricate the lock.

When the key gets stuck, there's nothing preventing you from using the other side of a lock (it's not the same keyhole).

If you can't gently unstick the key (forcefully removing a key may bend the pins in the lock, rendering it useless), then it's probably easiest to replace the entire lock.  They aren't too expensive, and installing them where the same size lock already exists is a simple matter of unscrewing the old and screwing in the new.


How to keep an attic over the garage cool? The space over my garage is dominated by a large dormer, which I use as my office.  On either side of this dormer, the remainder of the over-garage area is attic space.  We have access panels into these attic spaces.

I'm thinking of using that space as a networking closet, as it's easy for me to get cables to the basement and up into the main attic from there, which gives me the ability to drop cables down to all of the other bedrooms.

My concern is temperature.  This is the front of the house, and the slope of the the roof of this space goes all the way up to the attic (which does have a ridge vent), but it's broken by an interior wall, kind of like this:

Here's a picture of the front of the house, for reference:

I haven't measured temperature in there on a hot summer day, but as it's uninsulated and effectively not vented I assume it gets fairly toasty in there.

Is there any way to keep it cool(ish?)  I'd love to keep it under 85F, but I'd settle for keeping it with 5 degrees F of the external temperature.

You're basically asking how to convert an unconditioned space into a conditioned space.

This requires opening up the space to the existing conditioned part of the house and closing it off to the unconditioned space.

I challenge your belief that it isn't vented.  I suspect that it is vented - there will (or should) be some kind of air gap between the top corner of your office wall and the roof line.  This is mandatory, as unconditioned spaces must properly vent to the outside to allow airflow which prevents moisture buildup, thus preventing rot, mold, etc.

I won't design the solution for you (plan my project questions for me are frowned on), but if it were me, I would bump the wall out a couple of feet and build a complete closet, WELL insulated, with vents on the top and bottom, with a low power continuous fan running to make sure the air got transferred.


fireplace door and stone veneer over brick fireplace Do you install fireplace door before laying stone veneer or after the fact?

Suppose you do it "BEFORE", then the installation is clear, you just screw that metal frame to the bricks from inside. Here is my confusion though - doors will be almost (~1/4") flush with the bricks with metal frame overlapping like 2" of top and sides. How do you install stone veneer over it? Especially if edge stones angle over inside

Are you supposed to build a 2x4 frame covered with plywood to add depth over the door?

Now, supposed the answer is "AFTER", how do you hide gaps between uneven stone and metal frame? Do you secure the door frame right through the stone veneer?

For those who came here from web search, I've done this and I can share my experience.

You install doors before.
There will be gaps between firebox bricks and door frame - cover them with cement.
Remember to raise doors high enough over existing opening to allow for the thickness of the new hearth stones (if you plan to put them) so that these little vents in the bottom of the doors have unobstructed air flow
If you plan to install stone veneer with corners build up a wood frame over bricks deep enough to accommodate these corner returns
Cover all the gaps with cement
If you built the wooden frame, you don't have any metal to put cement on. It's all covered with plywood and wire and cement layers.
If you had a mantle shelf you might need to redo/rethink how you want to secure it after the stone is laid, but before actually laying the stone.
Instructions call for cement type S ($7 per 40lb), but my experience shows that you need  much more experience with stonework to use it than I had, so just use polymer modified tile thinset ($25 per 40lb)
Use cement type S + cement colorant for grouting
Forget finding the perfect stone, cut and cut and cut
Get yourself a vac enabled cover for angle grinder and use shop vac


Is it better to use a AFCI/ GFCI breaker in the panel or do to use a AFCI/ GFCI receptacle? To protect a bathroom outlet, should I put an AFCI/GFCI breaker in the breaker box or do I put in an AFCI/GFCI receptacle?

Can a AFCI/GFCI receptacle be divided into 2 circuits with a 20A breaker for each side of the AFCI/GFCI receptacle?

You can use a breaker or an outlet.  It's up to you.  For outside outlets on my house I chose to use a breaker so I could use regular cheap outlets in the weather, but in the bathrooms I stuck with the outlet style because it was a direct replacement and I didn't have to mess around with the breaker panel again.

AFCI/GFCI outlets only have two sets of screws - Line and Load, so there is no little tab to break off and separate them into two circuits like on a standard outlet.  You can't feed them with 2 breakers.


Dual GFCI/AFCI breaker to support regular TRR USB outlets on kitchen counter: to code? I would like to replace some outlets that run along my kitchen countertop because the TRR plugs are hard to plug in, and I would like to put ones that have USB jacks.  I know that GFCIs are required in this area, but if I install dual GFCI/AFCIs breaker to support this circuit and replace it with the non-CI USB outlets, would this be to code?  Is there any easy way I could have found out if this was to code myself (I assume reading NEC 20, is the start?), or is this a bad idea for a DIYer? Thanks!

You're not on NEC 2020 yet, unless your state just adopted it. (MA has so far).

Under NEC 2017, Code requires GFCI only in certain places (kitchen being one of those) and it generally does not require AFCI breakers in those places. The rationale being that providing both can be a technical challenge. So you probably do not require AFCI protection in the wiring to a kitchen, but it is a good idea if (in order of importance) roached wiring, aluminum wiring, old wiring, or wiring in non-metallic cabling or conduit. IMO.

Keep in mind despite the similar names, AFCI and GFCI do totally different things. AFCI protects wiring from burnup due to bad connections, and this mainly guards in-wall wiring, particularly backstab connections. Originally they were conceived to protect electric blankets, but "backstabs in plastic boxes" proved to be the main thing AFCIs defend from.  Whereas GFCI protects humans from shock, hence the requirement anywhere within reach of a sink.

AFCI is only constructive at the breaker.  GFCI can be anywhere, however. And at the breaker is just fine.  Your plan is perfectly fine.

Keep in mind that making an outlet USB does not erase any requirement for Tamper Resistance.  If TR is a requirement, then you need a recep that is TR and USB. There is a lot of junk on sale on Amazon Marketplace and other outlets of the Alibaba junkstream, which uses direct mail to circumvent the laws which assure the supply chain contains safe, UL-listed products.  Such things are best bought at a bricks-and-mortar retailer; if you don't like Home Depot's pricing, try a genuine electrical supply.

Do your level best to keep refrigerators, freezers, fire alarms, radon systems and other "needs power for safety" appliances away from both GFCI and AFCI.


Why does the kitchen faucet lose pressure and sputter? Only the kitchen faucet, all other in trailer work fine, will start with full pressure, lose the pressure, and if I turn the water off then back on, it sputters so hard that it can be felt on the counter. This only happens with hot water, cold runs fine. There is no leak under the trailer, and the aerator is not removable. What could be the problem and how can I fix it?

The washer in your kitchen faucet's hot water tap is loose or worn, and is flopping around when the tap is opened. Replace the washer and you should be fine.


Breakfast bar. How should it have been done? We have just moved in a new apartment. It's a rental but it's a new luxury condominium and nobody lived in this place before us. Today I noticed something weird in our kitchen. The breakfast bar is not resting on the brackets and the top only seems to be attached to the side with some silicone seal. Obviously the brackets bit has to be fixed but before I kick a fuss about the attachment of the top to the leg/side, can someone confirm if this is safe or should there be some metal brackets there? The picture shows the bar seam from underneath. I hope you can ignore the kitchen reflecting from the leg/side. I have a very active kid and wouldn't want this to land on her.

Depending on the materials, the top may be jointed to the side internally and it may be perfectly safe. If I were designing a breakfast bar, I certainly wouldn't wish to see brackets underneath but I'd find another way to fix the top securely.

You may be right; safety first especially if children are around. Why not simply lift the top hard and see if it moves? If in doubt, call a professional out.


How can I lower my room temperature? My room has the following window:

My room becomes extremely warm whenever the day is sunny (the window is facing the south) and the outside temperature is a bit warn (> 60F/15C). Yesterday for example, my room temperature was over 88F/31C most of the day, despite opening the windows at night and the outside temperature being 70F/21C. Even when outside temperature get colder (I live in Massachusetts and temperatures may vary a lot from day to day, or even within the same day), it takes many hours for my room temperature to get lower.

Opening the windows during the day don't help, because the window opening is tiny and as you can see in the picture it opens to the bottom (which means the cold air from outside cannot enter the warm room, since cold air goes down and warm air goes up).).

Is there anything that can be done to make the room temperature lower?

My 5 ideas so far:

Turning on the air conditioning: this isn't possible (quote from the building house manager where I rent the room: "We are still a couple weeks away from the building wide turnover.  It has to be a complete Heat to AC Switch in our building (Heat turned off, Chillers turned on), so we have to wait until risk of cold days/nights are behind us."). I also cannot cut the window to install an AC.
Placing some "air pump" on the window, i.e. some  pipe  measuring one or two meter that would go from outside to inside through the window. Does such things exist? The only items I could found so far were window air conditioner, e.g.:

However, since the outside air is not that warm I don't need to isolate the window: a simple pipe flushing some air from outside to inside would be enough (the pipe doesn't need to cool the air).
Adding more curtains, as it shown below: it helps a bit but not that much.

Placing some heat control window films to the window. I haven't tried it yet, I don't know to what extent it would reduce the heat. Should I expect some significant improvement with it?
Adding some external window shutter. I'm not allowed to do so:

How about getting a Portable Air Conditioner - these can be moved room to room as long as you have a window you can feed the exhaust out. The link I provide in the example below shows two types of A/C units make sure you get the Portable Unit and NOT a window unit - they are different animals altogether.

Or you could buy a fan and place in front of that window.

Example of  Portable Air Conditioner (more examples on Amazon):


Need help choosing t&p replacement valve I tried testing the t&p valve on my water heater, and after it kept leaked very badly, I had to shut off the water supply.

I am trying to find a replacement valve, but I don't know how to decipher this.

I'm not sure if this one will work - https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home/p.34-inch-t-p-relief-valve-extended-shank.1000123781.html

I'm in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, and trying to find something locally asap.  Thanks.

Same pressure/temperature, greater BTU rating. That part looks good.

But, half the extension, I guess.

Since you are shut down water wise, shut off the heat/power/gas to the water heater and take the old valve with you when shopping.


Covering intake register for a whole house fan in winter The register for the whole house fan blows cold air in winter from the attic.

I would like to cover it up to avoid this. I have seen HomeDepot/Lowes sell magnetic covers. However reviews indicate that they do not hold too well in that they peel off on their own.

Anyone have suggestions on solutions that you have used?

Many thanks!

Your register should not be "blowing cold air" regardless of the time of year. That indicates that you have a ducting problem, likely a popped duct seam somewhere. That could be costing you a LOT of money and should be found and fixed.


How to cover gap below garage back door I have a 3/4" gap between my garage back door (see image. blueish color is outside evening light).
Looking for a good way to cover this gap with two goals in mind:

Stop rodents from coming in
Help as much as possible to keep heat from escaping

The door is a simple wooden door. The floor is cement.
I know there are some thick rubber bands that can be used. Are there any better solutions?

The simplest solution will be to install a larger door sweep on the inside. Sweeps come in a variety of sizes and styles. Check the out at any home improvement store. They easily attach to the door with a few screws and are adjustable so you can be sure they gently touch the floor and solve your gap problem


How do you accomplish equipotential bonding for an above ground polyester/PVC pool if the filter pump provided is not compatible? I recently bought a Bestway 15' x 48" above ground "flexible assembly" pool with polyester-type material and PVC-type vertical frame. In Florida,a permit is required for all pools with depth over 42".  The permit includes the requirement to install equipotential bonding to the pool. The pool comes with a simple filter pump which does not facilitate bonding and no skimmer basket is provided with the product. However, I bought a portable skimmer for the pool but the skimmer is of plastic and must be placed inside the pool wall.  I have done an enormous amount of research on the Internet to find products that could work with this type of pool to meet the bonding procedure, without much success.  Hope you can help. Thanks!

The pump is a red herring
The pump has nothing to do with the equipotential bonding requirement.  So looking at the pump to help you is dead-end.
Your bonding effort should ignore the pump altogether.
Equipotential bonding is generally done to panels.
Equipotential bonding is just another phrase for the normal “grounding electrodes” that your house already has.  The requirement is that the pool have a separate set of grounding electrodes all its own, and those attach to the house’s grounding electrode system.
So that goes back to your main panel, or if you have a pool subpanel that is connected 4-wire (separate neutral and ground) to the main panel, then it goes there.
The purpose is to keep the earth around your pool from floating at a voltage above safety ground, as this would break/defeat the GFCI devices that protect your family.


burners out of sequence with blower motor I have a Bryant furnace plus 90 model #398AAW036060D. I just changed the blower motor. In the last five years I've changed the main board, inducer board, pressure switch, and cleaned the igniter the the the fan limit switch.

It was running well and then it got to where the inducer motor starts, burners light and run, and after the burners stop firing the blower motor runs. The furnace blows warm air. The blower stops and then the whole process starts again. What would cause this?

Normally the burners heat up the heat exchanger tubes. The blower motor circuit senses the heat and turns on the blower motor fairly quickly. As long as there is a call for heat (thermostat on), the burners and blower continue their merry operation. When thermostat opens, the burners quit immediately and the blower runs a short while to get the remaining heat from the heat exchanger.
Does your blower motor wait too long to start, or does it stay on too long? Or does the thermostat switch off too early? Or do the burners shut off too quickly? These answers will point to the faulty part.


"Treated" wood vs "Pressure Treated" I recently bought what I thought was pressure treated railing pickets. But now that I look more carefully at the label, there is no UC code. My understanding is that each piece of PT has to be labeled with a UC code. This looks like PT, but the tag just says WeatherShield, and on the back of the tag: "Do not burn treated wood", and "Above Ground Use Only".

Does anyone have experience with this, or can tell me what it really is?

It's pressure-treated just under a different process that is "greener". See the PDF here. If it's treated, then there are preservatives in the wood to prevent rot and as an insect-repellant.


Replace MR16 Low Voltage Lights with Standard fixtures I regret having MR16 low voltage lighting (recessed can fixtures) installed in our home remodel.  It covers more than half of my house.  I would like to convert to recessed fixtures that are 120V and standard size.  Unfortunately, for almost all of the lights, they cannot be accessed from above (an attic space, that is).  Does anyone know of any way to retrofit these cans to bypass the transformer and install a standard sized socket without having to remove the MR16 fixture, which would require tearing up the ceiling?

Additional Info:  MR16 fixtures include a transformer to step the voltage down from 120V to 12V.  I have attached some pictures of the fixtures before being covered up and what the ceiling looks like today.  One worry I had was that the Romex coming into the transformer would not reach the position of the light if it was pulled off of the transformer and attached to a standard fixture in the original position of the MR16 light, but in the photos I took during construction it appears there is enough slack to do this (if all were wired in the ways shown in the attached photos).

Reasons for getting rid of the MR16 lights:
1. They are essentially spotlights and the widest beams will not flood the light like standard fixtures will,
2. My dimmable SATCO LED replacements for original Halogens (which were too hot) do not dim reliably and consistently and I don’t think I can find a workable solution,
3. In two cases the fixture has failed, I don’t know exactly why, but I think it has to do with incompatible dimmer switches, and I must expect failures will continue.

Unfortunately the lighting layout is pretty bad so getting a new light would not help.

Your best option here is to actually redo the entire lighting layout and use the type of light you're happy with.  Have an electrician try to reuse the existing wires if possible and then get a professional painter to patch and paint.


I used pex to plumb my bathroom and now have water coming out the shower head when filling the tub If the pressure is to high at the faucet creating back pressure and I turn down the water at the main water shut off, would that reduce the the pressure enough to stop the water from coming out the shower. I thought that would be the case but I was wrong and water still came out the shower head when filling the tub.
Question: If reducing the pressure there doesn't help then how much help would replacing the Pex line for copper be?
Can anyone she'd some light on my situation. I might add that there is a considerable amount of water coming from the shower head. The shower head mixer and faucet are  Moen products

Sounds like you used PEX to run from the mixer valve to the tub spout.  Replace the PEX that goes from the mixer to the spout with copper.  You are getting a bypass to the shower because the PEX from the mixer to the spout cannot handle the flow without backing up to the shower head.  PEX has a slightly smaller i.d. than copper.


Would a 120/240 V whole house surge protector work with 120 V single phase? I live in a place where lighting strikes and power surges are very common. After experiencing multiple electronic failures I decided to look into surge protection, specifically whole house sure protectors.

Looking at a variety of models and brands, most of them seem to be rated for 120/240 V (ground, neutral and 2 live wires). My house electrical installation is 120V single phase (ground, neutral and 1 live) and I just can't seem to find a surge protector for this specific installation.

Is it posible to use a 120/240 V SPD and ignore one of the live wires and connect the rest as normal? Would it work? Would it be dangerous? Any info could help me as i'm still an amateur in electrical related stuff

I have done exactly that in a similar situation. It did not explode or anything.  The unit I used was a HEPD80 from Schneider.

I capped one of its hots and wired its remaining hot, neutral, and ground in parallel with an L5-30 plug and receptacle to improvise "an L5-30 surge protector" which otherwise does not exist or I couldn't find one.

I have no proof that it suppresses surges.  But it seems not to have contributed negatively.  I could not imagine any way it would hurt.

As expected, only one of the "OK" leds light up.  That could be confusing for future residents, so you might want to label it appropriately.


Will my US 120v power tools work on UK 240v 50Hz? I may be moving to Scotland for my wife's job. Will my power tools and other basic electrical equipment (like fans and lights) work on 240v 50Hz?

Probably not, but check the specs.
A lot of consumer electronics - e.g., computers, TVs, etc. will work fine on a range of 90V - 240V and 50/60 hz. That is because they are designed to work that way and a key is that most of those electronics actually work on DC power. So they build in a power supply that converts high voltage AC to low voltage DC. Frequency doesn't matter (within reason) because the result is DC = no frequency at all. Voltage doesn't matter (within reason) because there are components that can handle a wide range and 90 -> 5 or 240 -> 5 is a big change either way.
However, motors are a different story. If a motor runs directly on AC then it will be dependent on the voltage and the frequency in a number of ways, and rewiring (or possibly even redesign) is needed to run correctly (and safely) with 2x voltage and/or 50 instead of 60 hz frequency.
Check the specifications or the nameplate and you should be able to figure it out easily enough. The frequency is a particular issue with motors, so even if you use a transformer to go from 240V to 120V, the motor may still not work correctly, leading to it running too slowly and/or premature wear.
Battery operated tools are a little different. Since they run off batteries, the only issue is the charger. Battery chargers are often designed to handle 90 - 240 & 50/60, just like laptop computer power packs. But check the specs to be sure.


Multiway switches on 24V or 230V? I will be redoing my room lights for 24 VDC LEDs, with multiway switches.
I'm located in Poland.
Should I put the switches on the 24V side or the 230V side of the circuit? What are the points to consider?
230V will be done by a qualified electrician, but 24V I'll do myself.
Having the PSU always on doesn't bother me as it's no-load draw is only 0.5w.
Is there anything else I should take into account?
Data dump:

one of the switches will be placed on my bed's headboard
cable length will be about the same
the no-load power draw on those is only 0.5W
this will be dumb white LEDs, no dimmer either
going by the spec the current draw is 1.8A (3 meters of a 14.4W/m strip, 24V)
power supply used is FTPC50V24
the only common point with the existing lighting will be the location of one of the switches - old lighting is not multiway and the fixture is in a completely different place

All things being equal (meaning, any wire and switches are rated for the voltage and current they will be carrying) you'll typically experience fewer losses and longer component life if the control is done at the line voltage side, instead of the lower voltage side.
Power loss due to resistance in a wire is proportional to the current squared (Ohm's law, P = I^2 * R), and raising the voltage lowers the current for the same power draw. Switching the line voltage also means less arcing on the switch contacts due to the lower current. Additionally, even though the power consumption of the power supply is low, leaving it on means using up more of its rated lifetime for no reason.
Granted, this may not make a significant difference in your specific application, but it's worth taking into consideration. If the code in Poland doesn't require one way or the other and the cost is similar for both, I would wire the switches on the line voltage side.


Do I need a separate vent stack for my kitchen sink? The drain line from my kitchen sink drops down through the basement, into the basement floor (Concrete), and I assume under the floor to the main sewer line.  The sink tends to drain slowly.  Should I have a separate vent at the sink, or is it OK if the only vent is the main vent stack?

Should I snake out the line to see if it helps, or is this more likely a problem with not having air behind water?

EDIT:

I have already taken apart and checked all the pipe that is above the basement floor (and it was clear), if there is a clog it would be in the line that runs under the basement floor.

To answer the specific question of whether you need a separate vent for this sink: in my state (VA), the allowable distance between a 1 1/2" drain trap (standard size for a kitchen sink) and its vent is 6 feet.  If your trap is farther from the vent than that, then you should consider adding a new vent or an air admittance valve.

That said, too much distance from the vent won't cause your sink to drain slowly.  The problem with it being too far away is that the column of water flowing away from the trap is large and heavy enough that it has the potential to suck the water out of your trap as it leaves.  And along with this sucking comes the gurgling sounds mentioned in the other answers here.

EDIT: To be clear, your sink doesn't have to be 6 feet from the vent stack, i.e. the main vent pipe that goes through the roof.  Your DWV system may have other vent pipes that converge in the attic at the main stack.


troubleshooting smart switch installation Tried installing a Gosund smart light switch this weekend...didn't go so well. Got it wired up (I think) correctly - attached a picture of the rat's nest behind the plate and did some highlighting of some unclear wires - but the unit wouldn't power on. Trying to figure out next steps.

edit: a (maybe?) better shot with the original switch and as many of the wires separated as possible. not shown here - the pigtail on the ground was getting in the way so I temporarily disconnected it (and I made sure to reconnect it before switching the panel back on):

The picture's a bit of a complicated mess, so let me walk through it. There's a 2-gang box, switch on the right is a 3-way switch whose pair is literally four steps away on an opposing wall. There's a single pole switch on the left that controls an overhead light fixture - that's the one I'm trying to replace because I'm geeky and also using a smart bulb doesn't do me any good if someone flips the physical switch. The ground for the original switch looks like an extension from the wire nut used to ground the 3-way switch and just loops around the screw on the original switch before going into the 3-way. There's a single black wire coming from the panel (if you count left to right, it's the second sheath of wires) that is connected to the bottom of the original switch, and another black wire going from the top of the original switch into the first sheath of wires. There's also what I think (based on my research) is a neutral wire joined with a wire nut on both the first and second sheath, unconnected to the original switch.

When I installed the smart switch, I:

secured the red wire from the unit to the black wire going into that first sheath
secured the black wire from the unit to the black wire going into the second sheath
connected the green wire to the copper ground
joined the white wire with the two neutral wires that were already connected

Fired up the panel, got nothing out of the unit. Replaced the original switch, everything worked fine. By way of background, the house was built in 2008 so ostensibly things should be up to code? Right? No one in my city ever cuts corners when building a set of houses over three blocks...

Curious what troubleshooting tips I can try here?

I think you hooked up neutral correctly. Stay away from the 3-way switch.

Your assumption that cable 2 comes from the panel may be incorrect.  Mechanical switches are direction agnostic, they don't care which is supply-hot and which is switched-hot.  Smart switches do.  The switch needs supply hot on its (presumably) black.  Then, it will power up even without hooking up the red wire.

So I would test the black wire to either one of the blacks coming in cable 1 or 2.  When the smart switch powers up and becomes recognizable, declare victory and hook the red wire to the other black.


Using FPL (18/4 ) cable for 120v Smoke detectors Currently have 18 smoke detectors inter-connected to a Vista 20 panel with 18/4 FPL cable.  We are selling (sold) the house, but have to replace all detectors since they are more than 10 years (Massachusetts Law). Current detectors are 4 wire, and unit replacement cost is ~$35.  The 120v units from Homedepot are ~$12.

My question is whether the existing FPL cable can be re-wired to the cheaper units, since the cable is rated to 300 volts.

Thanks in advance for assistance

You absolutely cannot use that cable for line voltage smoke detectors, for several reasons. One big one is that you cannot have a typical circuit smaller than 15A, which would require #14cu minimum. OK, I have to say, it is technically possible, but entirely impractical.

IMO replacing "alarm system" heads with line voltage smoke detectors is a downgrade and rather hackish.

Just how big is this house that you have 18(!!) smokes??


Which M3 screw / bolt material can be used in dishwasher? I have fixed two pair of tongs I use for cooking with M3 screws and bolts.

After a few rounds in the dishwasher rust started forming...

Is there any different M3 screws / bolts material that I could find easily that will not rust in dishwasher?
Or, if non toxic, an anti-rust paint?

You want stainless steel

That should be readily available in any hardware store that sells metric.  Stainless + metric both can be a little bit specialty, so you need that community hardware store that's been around for 100 years, or McMaster-Carr or equivalent in your territory.


Safe to install vinyl plank flooring over existing peel and stick Looking for some insight on best approach for prepping a floor for vinyl plank install.
I am laying down vinyl plank flooring in our laundry room/mud room. I was going to remove the two layers of peel and stick flooring first. A contractor coming in to liquors painting kitchen cabinets mentioned he would just put it over the peel and stick.
My instincts are to remove all existing peel and stick. But my wife says I have a tendency to make projects bigger than they need to be.

Floating floors like that were developed specifically to avoid the need to remove the flooring underneath in most cases. if your existing flooring is well bonded and flat, there's no need to take it up unless you have height transition issues with adjacent rooms.

To be absolutely sure, and to avoid compromising your warranty, read the product literature.


HO fluorescents not working after switching with power on I’m curious as to why after replacing T12 HO bulbs they don’t come on if power was on when replacing. I come back hours later and they are finally on.
Replace with power off and they work right away. Ideas? Thanks.

Depending on the ballast type the lamps need to go through a “start cycle”.
Live swap is not the best thing for a ballast and although not usually dangerous it’s never a good idea to change out lamps live.
What is the start cycle, when a ballast is first fired the voltage spikes depending on the type well over 300v until the gas in the tube ionizes and starts to glow, at this point the voltage is quickly reduced to control the current this is why you need to use the correct lamp type for the ballast, wrong lamp type and the lamp life is drastically reduced or the light output is reduced.
Many times the lamps will light on install on mag ballast but solid state need to go through the cycle and may have turned that lamp channel off because of the bad lamp or open socket. The next power bump the ballast goes through the start cycle sees a good lamp and it works.
With electronic ballast I pull the power to that fixture prior to relamping why most ballast I have are electronic and the channel or lamp may be shut down, if not overheated Chanel’s need to cool before they will try a restart or strike.
If the lamps don’t light up I know the ballast is bad this is quite common with electronic ballast that have been trying to light a bad lamp for months.
Today I convert all my fluorescent lamps to LED and have been doing this for years. My opinion the universal led retrofit lamps are the best light color is up to you but if you want bright work area lighting go 5000k or higher light color 6500k at 1/2 the wattage of a fluorescent will appear 2x the amount of light. If in a area like a living room you want a lower color in most cases 3000k -4000k is usually preferred but you still get the same light feel fro 1/2 the wattage.


High humidity in an unused, air-conditioned, finished basement; dehumidifier? I have a partially finished basement that is connected into my house's 2-ton A/C system. The humidity in the space is consistently high during the summer (60%rh and up), and I believe that this cool, moist air being drawn into my HVAC system is making it work harder and inhibiting it's ability to cool/dehumidify the living areas (which are uncomfortable on hot days). I don't really care if the basement is warm, though I do wish to control the humidity so nothing gets ruined and to keep the cave cricket population down.

What I've tried:

My first inclination was to cover the basement return vent, but the return duct is huge (16inch diameter) and this made me worry that I would drastically change the pressure dynamics of the system and possibly damage the blower motor if I disconnected it. Of the 3 return ducts in the system, it is by far the largest - the others are each only 6 inches (this weirdness confuses me).
I have sealed around the foundation/rim joists with spray foam to prevent outside warm/moist air intrusion, this reduced the humidity somewhat.
I have added two 50-pint dehumidifiers to the basement, one running continuously and another set to go off at high RH.  This seems to work to reduce the RH in the basement, but I don't know if this is helping me cool the house, as it is producing hot air, all day long, that is feeding back into the HVAC return.
Covered the supply vent.  I'm not sure if this does anything, the return will just suck cool floor air down the stairs from the 1st floor.  It makes me feel better about wasted cold air, so there's that.

I have hired 3 different HVAC professionals to help me with this, and the end result is I now know 3 different ways to rip everything out and start from scratch ;)  No hard feelings, I think it's funny.

Any ideas?  Could I safely disconnect the supply and return?

EDIT: A little more info about the duct layout:

the A/C system was added on to an existing forced-air heating system where each (1st floor) room has a single supply vent at floor level, and there is a single return for the whole floor, at floor level in a central hallway.  Supply ducts are 4inches in diameter.  The single 1st floor return is a box with a large grill, and there are two 6 inch ducts coming from that box and entering into the air handler in the basement below.
the basement return is also a box with a large grill, connected to a 16 inch duct that connects directly into the air handler.  It is on a wall at the bottom of the basement stairs.

I have read and re-read all the questions and answers every one put forth and here is another try at helping you resolve your A/C problem. You said that the temperature drop is about 10 degrees. You need to buy a pen style thermometer similar to a road pro RPCO 841 (amazon $11.00), and check the temperature drop at the furnace, close to the coil. If the temperature drop is actually 10-12 degrees, that is too low. A low temp. drop could be a worn out A/C unit, a dirty outside coil, low refrigerant charge, too much air flow at the furnace, a mismatched restrictor or thermostatic valve at the coil inlet, etc. I would check out as many as you can yourself, since I rarely trust any service tech. (I was one for 40 years). For the outdoor coil, turn off the A/C unit, look at the outdoor coil closely for blockage of dirt, hair (dog hair), etc. If it is dirty it will need to be cleaned, or just have someone clean the coil. You need someone that knows what they are doing so the do not ruin the coil or get shocked by the electricity.   Do you know how old the unit is? To answer Harpers question Of May 19 -- yes high humidity and it's removal does greatly reduce the capacity of your A/C unit.  The single large return in the basement is the "new normal" way to run returns in a house.  I hate that installation because it is the CHEAP way to do a return. Returns for the top floor should be located at the ceiling and in every room, although this can't always be done. Another question I have is "how much insulation is in the walls if any and how much is in the ceiling". What type construction is your house. Measure the outside dimensions of the top floor, add a best-guess for the conditioned basement space. Trying to figure out what is wrong is hard for anyone on this site since they are not there. Lastly, use the psychrometer to check the basement humidity. I should use paragraphs in my writing but I was a service tech and not that good at writing.  You may have gotten good advice from the A/C companies you have contacted or you may need to may still need to find that good one. Hope this helps


Tying a switched line into a switched line Built a bathroom onto our office and need to run a switched line for bathroom ceiling light and exhaust fan. For simplicity's sake, looking to pull power source off the end of a line already on a switch. The already established line powers two ceiling lights in the office and I understand that this line needs to be switched on for power to go to bathroom. This is fine, nobody will be using the bathroom unless the office is in use anyway. Just want to know if this is okay. Thank you!

Electrical work should really be done by a licensed Electrical Contractor.
Please only undertake DIY wiring if you REALLY understand what you are doing.

What you are suggesting is not ideal, and should be avoided if possible.
How are you planning to switch the new fittings?
Sometimes, for example when retrofitting say an exhaust fan to a bathroom or WC, there is no access, and the only way is to tap into the light, generally using a pull-cord switch.  Not ideal but sometimes unavoidable.


Is it safe to mount a medium-sized air compressor to the floor to stop or limit vibrations? I have a 220V 6hp 33gal oil-less horizontal air compressor that aside from being noisy rattles all over the floor.

Stock Image:

I would like to either mount it to the floor or build a small frame/box for it to sit in tightly. I have a permanent location for it but want to make sure it "shaking" isn't a safety/stabilizing factor for the compressor/motor. The compressor was just rebuilt with all new seals/gaskets, sits on a concrete pad, and moves up to ~ 1 foot in a single cycle. The floor is only about 3 degrees off grade, a soft ball won't even roll, but the compressor obviously favors that direction which is away from the wall.

Also very open to other mounting or generic solution.

If the compressor is equipped with anchoring tabs it can be anchored to the floor. Install some pieces of rubber between the floor and the mounting tabs. Cut the rubber pieces from and old tire,rubber mat etc. Use locking nuts on the anchor bolts and don't tighten them so much that the rubber is completely compressed. If there are not mounting tabs on the compressor than I would build a wood box will restrict the wheels and what ever else hits the floor. Then anchor the box to the concrete pad.


Can I connect my EU 230V 2.8kW appliance to a US 240V 20A receptacle? The appliance is a pizza oven with Schuko plug [Picture 1], running at 240V 50-60Hz 2.8Kw. The receptacle is a US 240V 20A [Picture 2] to which is currently connected the PTAC [Picture 3]. Sharing the picture of the circuit panel [Picture 4] and the back of the appliance [Picture 5]
I’ll use the pizza oven once a week and I can not replace receptacle because I live in an apartment. Would this appliance work if plugged in the receptacle shown?
If yes, is it better to replace the cord or use an adapter? I couldn’t find any to buy online.
If not, what other options do I have?
Thank you!

![

blink blink I can't believe it.
We get so many variations of "I got this European thing" or "can I plug (huge thing) into (tiny outlet)" or "renting as complication" - and the answer is always a huge Nope.  Until now.
Yes, you can!
That receptacle is exactly what you need for that appliance.
In fact, if you had the ability to run a new circuit to that appliance, this is exactly what we'd tell you to install.
You might want to buy a lottery ticket :)  Luck is with you today. (or skill?)
Change the plug.
It just takes a common NEMA 6-20 plug that has a strain relief appropriate for that diameter of cable.  Any electrical supply house will have it, and a hardware store or box store might even.
The only way I'd consider an adapter cable is if you made it yourself with a TUV-rated Schuko inline socket, some 12/3 cordage, and the NEMA 6-20P of course.
Even if you could find an adapter, 99% chance it would be some cheap Chinese rubbish that would catch on fire and kill you with toxic smoke while you sleep.  I suppose, if you could find a high-current (at least 2.5mm wires) Schuko "power strip" from a reliable vendor of unquestionable quality (Tripp-Lite, Siemens etc.), then I'd say buy it and change the plug to NEMA 6-20P.


Removing a Schlage door knob with stripped screw heads I made the mistake of trying to remove a Schlage lockset with a regular screw driver too many times.  (The knob makes it impossible for an ordinary driver to seat properly on the Phillips screw head.  So every time I touch it, the screw heads get worse.)  Now I've stripped both screws.

I installed the door knob in the main entry two years ago, and it gets a lot of use.  I originally attached the screws with threadlock because I was so fed up with re-tightening them every few months.  I was expecting them to be a bit stiff.  But since I was the one who put the thing together, I thought I could just carefully back it out.  It got it off once, but not any more.

So I wised up (a bit) and bought a $3 offset screwdriver, but the screw heads are too worn.  The offset driver just slips out of the heads no matter how tight I grip it, and I've cut both hands trying to hold it steady.

I tried setting up a screw extractor, but the knob prevents me from drilling through the center of the screw.  I also tried tapping the handle-end of a flat head screwdriver, with the flat head tip placed on the axis, to try and get some counterclockwise rotation, but the threadlock seems to prevent any movement.

Unfortunately I may have to completely destroy the lockset to get the thing off, which seems like a complete waste, but I'm running out of ideas.  Is there anything else I can do that might remove it, without losing any more blood?

I'd drill the existing screw head off, use a bit slightly larger than the shaft of the screw but smaller than the hole in the knob. The stripped out screw should keep the bit fairly centered even when used at a slight angle. Once each head is removed you can pull the knob and try a screw extractor on what's left, but there's a good chance you'll need to replace the entire lockset at this point.


Pigtail off before kitchen 20A GFCI for Cabinet Lighting? I'm struggling finding a power source for the cabinet lighting in our remodel.  The breaker box is very full and I'd rather not re-wire/double up breakers are this time.

Is it ok to pigtail off of one of the LINE inputs of a 20A kitchen GFCI?

These are all LED lighting, which I've read about the issues with GFCI cicruits and LEDs on the load side.  Hence, pigtail off of the LINE side.

It would be fed into a metal 4x4 box and conduit.

No.  A circuit which supplies kitchen countertop receptacles can ONLY serve:

Receptacles located in the kitchen or dining area
A clock on the wall (remember those)
Auxiliary electrical loads in a gas powered oven/range

Even if your installation is grandfathered, you're not allowed to make a grandfathered installation worse than it already is.

However, kitchen receptacle circuits can certainly serve receptacles in the kitchen under or near a cabinet.  Are you sure that low-voltage LED lighting doesn't come with some sort of power supply that plugs in?


How can I make tiki torch holders from PVC pipe or equivalent? I have a plan to attach some short segments of PVC piping to a pool fence and use them as holders for tiki torches. These are the questions that I'm trying to find answers to:

Can you suggest something better than a (say) one foot piece of PVC piping as a tiki torch holder on a pool fence?
How would you attach the PVC piping to the pool fence? (I feel that cable ties might slip over time.)
Where is the best place to buy PVC piping in short segments or which shop will cut it for you?

(I'm located in Phoenix, AZ)

PVC pipe especially schedule 40 would be super strong.  Attach them to the fence with some stainless steel hose clamps.(hardware dept)  PVC  is so easy to cut, any saw will do. If you go to Home Depot, they got saws you can use in the millwork dept.  Just cut up your lengths there.  Case closed!  lol


multiple frequencies grounded to same ground bus bar Does the NEC allow me to ground a 50hz and 60 hz load (two separate pieces of equipment) to the same ground bus bar in the main distribution panel?

Absolutely not

Two Rules in NEC intersect to cause this.

First, different frequencies are by definition and nature different services.  You can't put two services in the same panel (unless the panel is specifically listed for that use). That's because you can only use an electrical part according to its labeling and instructions which are part of its listing and testing at UL etc.

When a manufacturer submits a device for listing, they include draft labeling and instructions, which they revise if necessary to narrow it down to something UL can test and is willing to list.  "Multiple services" is such an off-the-wall requirement that it is difficult to imagine UL would test panels for that.

Second, your grounds (Equipment Grounding Conductor) for any given circuit must go back to the same panel the circuit comes out of. Particularly look at the ground-retrofit rules, which allow grounds from the same panel to be mixed promiscuously, but not from different panels.   You can't mix grounds from different panels.. At least not Equipment Grounding Conductors.  These  different services can and often must use the same Grounding Electrode System, but that join will be outside the panels.


Installing shelf over block construction walls, plus more I'm in Florida. Exterior walls are concrete block, then rigid foam insulation with randomly located wood furring strips, then a double layer wall covering (sheetrock covered by a layer of concrete board), and then ceramic tile over the whole thing.

I have pretty, but heavy, iron shelf brackets, and we're planning to store dishes on the shelves, so I really need to anchor these things properly. I'm at a loss as to what kind of anchor to use, or even how to figure it out.

Suggestions please!
--Danny

Your 1 by firring strips should not be randomly spaced - they should be 16 inch on center - just like studs. There is a set distance you have from sheetrock to concrete block (about 1 inch total). There might be electrical run behind the sheet rock as well. You might want to invest in a tool that you might be able see behind the sheet rock.

All of that said :

You will need to anchor into the concrete block via through the fir studs.

Issues:

Concrete block is not hollow everywhere so the anchor you will need is a metal style plug - much like a lead lug.

Concrete block has hollow area (which might be filled with concrete) depending on what year your house was built (if after 1997 you can be assured it should be every 24 inches I believe and there you will also find a strap down rod so the roof can be strapped to the foundation every 24 inches).

So in these non-hollow areas again a concrete plug style anchor will be needed.

In a hollow area you can use a butterfly anchor.

You should find areas of the wall where you have those stud fir strips - because as you tighten the bolts/screws holding your heavy iron against the wall it will compress the wall and also there will be 'free play' that could allow the screw/bolts to sag from the weight - loosening the hold into the concrete and also damaging your wall. To exaggerate what I am saying imagine a 10 foot pole extending out from that wall and some one standing on the end of it - it will sag and act as a crow bar on the anchor point.


Bostich Finish nailer hanging up My Finish nailer will shoot just fine. Afterwards, it hangs up or sticks. Doesn't reset immediately. There is always a 5- 10 second delay, unless I disconnect air hose. I don't like doing that because it will sometimes fire another nail after re-connecting air. Any ideas how to fix this? Thank you, Dane.

I've only used a few pneumatics in my time & one that was doing the same thing, turned out to need a re-build. Here's one place to find parts or maybe a re-build kit. The owner of the tool tried lubrication, but it didn't do anything. I was told at the time, by another carpenter, that any abnormal behavior is the beginning signs of gasket wear.

So, I got a re-build kit from a non-local heck of a haul Bostitch dealer/distributor. Due to, my local Vac & Sew place only doing staplers & the Electronics & Power Equipment Repair places not doing pneumatics at all. A new spring here & a new seal, there, there, there & there. And, the problem was gone forever, as far as I knew, & the tool owner was pleased as punch.