Is my custom shower enclosure plan reasonable? I'm renovating a cabin and my last inside project is to finish the shower/tub enclosure. I really don't want to be doing this but can't find reliable help locally. I have two big issues; the window in the center of the wall and I have never done tile and don't feel this is the time to start.
I had tried to use a pre-formed tub enclosure but none of reasonable quality could be cut out to deal with the window. I had one that would work but it was so cheap and flimsy I decided not to use it. I stumbled upon a product called Duma Wall that I feel comfortable installing. Even though it is waterproof, it recommends a water proof layer underneath.
The tub lip is off the studs so to get the water-tight layers to hang over the lip of the tub I shimmed the whole enclosure out with 1/4" plywood. Unfortunately it has been very humid since I started this project and the plywood is warping a little. My plan was to cover this with 1/4" HardieBacker and then the Duma Wall. I have a plastic vapor barrier installed at the stud level. I plan to flash the window on the inside the same way I would flash it outside.
Is this a reasonable plan? Should I just tack the plywood down some more and assume the HardieBacker will smooth out any warping in the 1/4" plywood? Or just rip it out and do something else?
I've enclosed pictures of the tub and my plan.

That’s a heavy duty sandwich.
I would probably leave the ply up.
I don’t use it just backer board. I would leave it up because of the holes in the barrier would be leak points.
In the past I have tiled directly to plywood 3/4 and thicker.
using thin set to bond the backer to the ply and then screw them together this will make a very solid base.
once all the moisture from the thin set and grout are gone everything will be fine. Make sure to seal your finished job and that will last for 50 years.
I have seen tile on Sheetrock last 30 years and if it would have been sealed more often It could have lasted longer.
Thin plywood flexes with moisture changes I would not be concerned about that at this point.
Keep on going it looks like you are going to have a solid base and that is best for tile.


How can I install a ceiling fan that needs a 4" box where I only have a 3" box? As part of a home renovation project I discarded my old ceiling fan and have bought a new one. When installing the new one the electrician tells me that I have a 3" junction box and that I'll need a 4" junction box to install the fan. Now, this is a Manhattan high rise and getting to make any changes to the concrete ceiling would be impossible (to replace the 3" junction with a 4" junction).

Can someone advise me of a workaround or perhaps a fan that will work with a 3" junction box?

If the ceiling is concrete, you can mount the fan to that.  Fan boxes are meant to support the fan, but a concrete ceiling will support it just fine.  As long as there's enough room in the box for the wiring, use the 4" fan bracket to mark two holes outside the box on the concrete that won't interfere with the wiring coming out of the box, and use appropriate tools and fasteners to attach the fan bracket to the concrete around the old box.

If you can't modify the box, chances are good, being embedded in concrete, that it'll still hold the heavier load of the fan designed for the bigger box, and you can modify the fan bracket, or use an adaptor.

If none of these solutions seem workable you can buy a 4" box, and mount it to the 3" box, then mount the fan to it.  It's not ideal, as the fan mount would no longer be flush to the ceiling, but it should work just fine, and provide all the room you need for wiring.


Alternatives to circular saw for cutting 2x6 wood? I need to make straight cuts to several 2x6" pieces of wood and I don't have a circular saw. I was checking several stores and a decent circular saw costs over $70.

What alternatives do I have for clean straight cuts of 2x6 pieces of treated lumber? It doesn't have to be fast, but it has to be clean.

I have a drill and a jigsaw.

Thanks.

Buy a handsaw like this 13-20 dollars. Will cut straight not fast and it will strengthen and tone your arm muscles.


Woodstove Install in a Barn I want to install a 10yo Vermont Castings woodstove in a un-insulated barn so I can work on projects throughout the winter and allow friends and family to play ping pong.
I want to use single wall pipe to maximize heat exchange as well as it is much cheaper. The distance of the stove to the roof (10' off the peak) is about 25'.
I will mount the stove on a tile slab that I make from leftover tiles. I have 2 wood beams running horizontal that the exhaust pipe will pass by within 6 inches. I will either wrap the beams in fire retardant cloth or mount cement board in front of the beams.
What other considerations should I be making?
I had a sight unseen install quote of $3900 for this job and I feel confident that I can do it for much, much less.

Regardless of what you prefer, you need to meet both the requirements of your town/city/county (LAHJ) for proper woodstove installation, and your insurance company's standards, unless you operate "at risk" without insurance.
Both of those entities will almost certainly require transitioning to UL Listed Class A insulated chimney before leaving the room. If the beams in question are at, near (and you transition to class A before passing them), or in the ceiling space that will likely also address protecting them adequately, since those systems have much smaller clearances to combustibles than uninsulated single-wall stovepipe.
You will need to extend the exterior chimney at least 2 feet above the peak of the roof (2 feet above the highest part of the roof within 10 feet is the code language, so far as I recall at present.) You might be able to save money on Class A Chimney by locating the class A chimney at the peak of the roof (where it only has to stick up 2 feet above the peak) and angling the singlewall pipe to the center in the room below. That position is also less prone to leaks than a chimney sticking out 10 feet down the slope of the roof.
You will need to give consideration to access for cleaning your stovepipe and chimney, as well. A long run of singlewall can help to heat the space, but it also serves as a great place to collect creosote and start chimney fires.
It may also be required (and would be advisable regardless of that) to install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in the space.


Tips for repairing a large, shallow drywall scratch? Lummox that I am, I went and put this dent into the wall. It's only a millimeter or three deep, but covers several square centimenters, and also reveals the underlying metal angle at the corner. Any tips for products/techniques to repair this?

All you've done is "Knock the Mud Off". The thin layer of joint compound on the wall.
I would use Spackling and a flat bladed putty knife.
Spackling
Putty Knife
There are plenty of YouTube videos on how to do it.


Electrical requirements for 3ph IR lamps I have a series of lights that I want to use, with one controller, but do not know the electrical requirements.  the 15 total lamps, each lamps (IR) is 9000 watts, 27 amps, 240 3ph volts.  How do I calculate it?

Your controller should have a safety factor of 50%, so 9000 x15 x1.5 = 202,500 watts

This may be a bit high, as 27 x 240 is only 6480 watts (P = IxE)

Medical marijuana? Runway lighting? Rose bowl lighting?

This doesn't seem like a home application...  expect to defend WHY you need this or the question may get put on hold


Can I safely create another 120V outlet using the fourth neutral wire from a 4 wire 240V line? I recently just ran a 4 conductor 240 volt line out to my shed. I chose to run the extra conductor just in case, but I do not currently need it for my application. My question is, can I add a 120V receptacle using the extra neutral line as long as I tap into the same ground as the 240V is using, or possibly another grounded outlet in the room? If not, then how do appliances make use of the fourth neutral to power clocks and things safely?

You didn't say what you're doing with the other side.  It depends an awful lot on that.

If the circuit breaker in the main panel is 20 amps or less, and the existing load is 120V (i.e. between hot and neutral), you can make it a multi-wire branch circuit which is basically what you're talking about.  (By "multi-wire" they mean multi-hot.)

Why 120V only?  You can't do an MWBC if there are any 240V loads on the circuit.

Why 20A or less?  Nothing about an MWBC requires that.  But a different rule requires outlets have the same rating as the breaker.  (Except 15A outlets are allowed on 20A circuits).  And disallows ordinary wired lighting on >20A breakers.  So if the breaker is 30A, you can't use common outlets or lighting.

If you do MWBC, it's best to feed it with a 2-pole breaker, which, by definition, takes 2 full spaces in the panel -- never, never, never a duplex/tandem breaker that crams 2 breakers into one space.

If the above rules don't allow you to do MWBC, then a sub-panel will handle it.


Does RTD in plywood mean "Rated" or "Resistance Temperature Detectors"? Lots of plywood at Home Depot have the letters RTD in the title, with no further detail. Many of these have multiple user questions of the form "What does RTD mean?" Answers seem to be split 50/50 between what it actually means though. On the one hand are those who think RTD stands for the manufacturing process. Almost all of these answers (and others on the internet) seem suspiciously close to this wording on theplywood.com which makes me suspect that a single source from 2017 has been repeated over and over on the internet enough times that it's being accepted as infallible.

Example:

  RTD refers to the method used to manufacture the plywood. This is, essentially, next generation CDX plywood which is manufactured with a quality control system using RTDs (Resistance Temperature Detectors) to maintain correct temperature during the bonding process. This process helps ensure complete bonding of the layers to minimize delamination.

On the other hand are those who think RTD just means it's "rated," here's an example:

  RTD is an abbreviation for RaTeD. Yes in the manufacture of plywood the use of Resistance Temperature Detectors is normal to ensure delamination does not occur later on. But this generally applies to all plywood manufacturing, not just to those listed as RTD.

So which is it?

The “RTD” in RTD plywood stands for Resistance Temperature Detector.

You have your normal CDX plywood for exterior sheathing.    This plywood is made to function better outdoors - deals with temp changes and moisture better than other forms of plywood.   The main difference between this and your normal plywood is that you will have less delamination.

Now RTD takes the CDX a step further and has controls for the amount of glue used, types of glue, and most importantly making sure the bonding temperature is highly accurate for each layer of veneer.

This will result in less delamination for CDX and makes it superior for outdoor use.

The grading difference between the two most common types of plywood can be summed up in that CDX is Exposure 1 rated (which means that water hitting it won't hurt it) and RDT is purely Exterior rated (yes I know CDX is still used as exterior sheathing in some places).   Being exterior rated means it will withstand constant exposure to temp changes and moisture.

Depending on the price difference we may buy CDX for subfloors but RDT is used for everything on exterior, including walls and roof.


Concrete vs crushed gravel for fence posts in clay soil? I'm prepping to build a fence in the back yard and am going back and forth between using crushed gravel and concrete. I've read lots of differing opinions on the pros and cons of each.

I'm leaning towards using crushed gravel as it's easier to repair posts if they rot. I'm just worried that with clay soil it will just fill with water and stay there for days. I'm not 100% sure the concrete would help that though as I assume water would still get in to the post and sit there.

On the other hand I'm also thinking concrete would be easier to install, as tamping 30ish holes 48" deep with crushed gravel doesn't sound very fun. I will be using pressure treated lumber if that helps

Anyone else build fence in heavy clay with any luck? Any recommendations greatly appreciated, thanks!

In clay soil, the water just sits in the hole, especially where the water table is close to the surface.  Gravel lets the water get right up against the post, which will rot it out fast.  Using concrete will help the post to last longer, if you create a dome of concrete above soil level and make sure it is smooth and tight against the post.  This will ensure that no water gets down into the post.  Also, make sure the bottom of the post is not below the concrete level or the post will soak water up from the bottom (pour a little concrete in the hole, then set the post, then fill the rest of the way)


How to straigthen the twine curls/wraps I have a thread cone like this

which I need to load into net needle.

The issue is after I have pulled some thread from the cone, the thread becomes too curly and tangled, it tries to wrap around it self. Is there any easier way to straighten the thread?

Put the cone on a spindle so it unrolls/unwinds, rather than pulling it off the end.


How do I interpret the American Wood Council's Design for Code Acceptance table of cantilevered joists? In designing a deck I've been looking at this Deck Construction Guide (PDF)

Table 2 lists the max joist spans (Lj) for joists that are cantilevered by a maximum of Lj/4.

How do I calculate Lj/4? For example, say I have a 12 foot joist span and use southern Pine 2x12, could I have a cantilever of 4.5 feet(18 feet / 4), or 3 feet (12 feet /4)?

Directly from the document that you linked the following figure shows that the Lj and Lj/4 dimensions are additive.


GFCI tester is tripping 15A breaker in panel; outlets on circuit do not appear to be GFCI outlets - is this a problem? Level of electrical wiring knowledge: Very basic, if that
Problem: 15A single-pole breaker in panel randomly trips - has been doing so since buying house in 2009 (house built in 1987)
Trouble shooting steps: I have an outdoor power outlet and two bathroom power outlets that do not appear to be GFCI. The outlets do not have Test/Reset buttons- there's no labeling for GFCI anywhere.
I bought a $10 GFCI Tester. (Those little three-pronged things with 2 yellow/1 red light and a "GFCI test" button)
When I insert the GFCI tester into the any of 3 known outlets on the circuit (2 bathroom outlets, 1 outdoor outlet) and push the button on the tester, the 15A breaker in the panel flips, killing power to all 3 outlets and the hall lights.  Far as I can tell these are the only connections on that 15A breaker.  Worth noting(?) this 15A breaker that keeps tripping is the only one in the panel with a test button.
When I insert the GFCI tester into other non-GFCI outlets in the house and push the button, nothing happens - outlet remains hot and the connected source breaker in the panel does not flip.
I have replaced all 3 outlets myself since moving in, but this overall problem persisted prior to me replacing the 3 outlets (2 bathroom, 1 outdoor) - and has persisted since outlet replacement.  Breaker randomly flips, often when the A/C kicks on or is running (not on same circuit, per the breaker panel) or the pool filter is running (connecting to outdoor outlet in question) or a hair dryer is used in one of the 2 bathroom outlets in question.  Sometimes the vacuum running in the living room will flip it, despite those other outlets apparently not being connected to the 3 outlets on the circuit in question.
Looking for some guidance on what this means.  I've since read on this site that these cheap GFCI testers are not really good for old wiring troubleshooting, but I didn't know that prior to purchasing one.  I would like to spare the expense of an electrician, if I can.  My next thought is to replace all 3 outlets with GFCI outlets and see if that resolves this.  Or maybe replace the 15A breaker itself, except that I assume it's doing what it's supposed to do - trip when there's a problem on the circuit.
Thanks in advance.

Worth noting(?) this 15A breaker that keeps tripping is the only one in the panel with a test button.

Because it is a GFCI breaker.
Yup.  That's a thing.
The GFCI rabbit hole gets weirder: Any GFCI device (recep, breaker, deadfront, switch, combo switch/recep) can protect downline circuits.  So if you have a GFCI recep at spot 1, and cable going onward to spot 2, there is an option to wire it so the GFCI recep at 1 protects both the cable to 2 and the outlet at 2.  Or 3 or beyond.
In fact that is exactly what a GFCI breaker is doing: protecting the whole circuit.
The reason this wasn't apparent to you is that the receps did not have the mandatory sticker: GFCI Protected.  As such, they were a code violation and need to have the sticker added.
This puts the "random trips" in a whole new light.
It's simply ground-faulting of the various appliances.  Keep in mind that small leakage from several appliances can add up to enough leakage to trip a GFCI device.  So an additional appliance (like the vacuum) can "push it over the edge" as it were.
However, a 2-prong appliance is unlikely to cause a GFCI trip unless it is ground faulting internally and it contacts something grounded.  (E.G. if the vacuum tripped everytime you vac'd under a water pipe or something).
If you have a cyclical load like an air conditioner that sometimes trips it, then the trip will appear to sporadically occur with any appliance you regularly plug in: the appliance isn't at fault, the other load just happened to choose that moment to trip it.
If unrelated circuits trip it, it's possible the 2 circuits' neutral wires have been bridged together at some point.  Current from that circuit returning on this circuit's neutral will cause a trip.
Lastly, it's not impossible for a GFCI to fail outright.  I strongly discourage people from thinking in those terms, because experience has shown most people will instantly leap to that conclusion: a version of "shoot the messenger". I am glad you are not vulnerable to that.
It wouldn't hurt to buy a second GFCI breaker with an aim to fit it on a second circuit, and use it to test this circuit before assigning it that task.


How do I turn off my water heater drain? I read that draining the water heater is general good practice. The problem is that I don't know how to turn off the draining plug. It kept draining water through the night.

Here is a picture of the vent.

It looks to me that you turn the hose drain outlet on and off using the knob highlighted below:

This knob looks to be a turn style device. Rotate one way to shut off drain and the other way to turn the drain on. The hose nib for attaching the drain hose looks like it is on the opposite side of the valve assembly as you have pictured it.

If you got the water to drain by another means, such as opening the over pressure switch, you will likely need to replace the whole valve assembly.


Air Conditioner frosting at the bottom I have a window air conditioner (about 7-10 years old) it uses the cut to size foam filters.  Today, I was going to remove the filter for cleaning and found what seems to be frost across the bottom area of the (I think it's refereed to as the cooling coil) it's right under the foam filter, and has metal fins.

Anyone know what might be causing the frost?  I turned off the air conditioner to let the frost melt - the foam filter was actually stuck to the frost.

It seems like a contradiction, but ice on the inside coil almost always means the air conditioner is LOW on refrigerant.  Most people think freezing up would mean too much, but in the case of AC it means the opposite.

It takes a physics lesson to explain why,  but in short because it’s low there is not even cooling across coil, instead too much cooling occurs in one spot and not enough across the rest of the coil.  That’s an over-simplified explanation, but to the point.

At 7-10 years old, I wouldn’t try to get that unit repaired, replace it instead—the new one will be more energy efficient and save you on electricity, todays units use significantly less electricity in most cases.


How to install drywall over electrical box connected to rigid conduit? I'm trying to figure out how drywall is supposed to be cut out to go around preexisting electrical boxes that are attached with rigid metal conduit. The conduit is the ground path. My dilemma is if I disconnect the box from the conduit and then push the box through the front of the drywall I won't be able to access the back to reattach the conduit. If I put the drywall over the box I'm not sure how to get the "ears" through unless I make the cutout large enough, but then the ears won't have any material to since against.

I've attached an image that shows the box as well as how a box on a different wall that is already installed looks. The ears on the box are detachable, but I don't see how I could even access the screws to secure them after the drywall is placed over the box if I remove the ears first. The already installed box isn't shedding much light on how they did this, so any advice would be appreciated!

On the metal box remove the ears, put up the drywall, then pull the box out sightly past the wall and reattach the ears.

If, in addition to screws in the "ears", it is necessary to to provide additional clamping of the box on the inside of the drywall, assuming the bottom of the box has no cables or conduit in the way, use the flat metal folding clips to hold the box to the inside of the drywall. Raco old work box supports. One drawback to the use of these metal box supports is that the end folded inside the box can touch the hot screw contacts. So if they are used, a good practice is to use electrical tape around the receptacle to cover the screw contacts. I suppose one could instead put tape on the part of the box support that is folded inside the box on the hot side. In this case the metal receptacle box is apparently mounted horizontally so the receptacle could be placed with the hot side up and away from the folded support.

But a neater way to securely hold the box on the inside of the drywall would be to adhere wood strips (such as 1/4" or 1/2" thick plywood) on the insides of the drywall opposite the ears on the box. This would give something for screws in the holes in the ears to bite into. If non-combustible materials are required, then metal flashing could be cut and secured to the drywall before it is screwed place to the wall. Then drill through the holes in the ears through the drywall, and through the metal for screws to hold the ears.


Over-the-range Microwave on small-appliance branch circuit Either there is conflicting information or a lack of when it comes to this question. Is it allowed in NEC code to permit an over-the-range microwave to run off of one of the small-appliance branch circuits?

Folks may be too wrapped up in the kitchen rules and forgetting the everywhere rule.

No receptacles if fixed loads are >50%

Add up the rated amperage (or VA/120 or watts/120) of each and every load that is either hardwired or permanently installed like the microwave, garbage disposal, fan, lights, yadayada.   Got the total?

Now look at the circuit breaker, it'll be 15 or 20 amps.

If the total of all the fixed, installed loads is more than half the circuit breaker rating, that circuit cannot power receptacles (other than the receptacles for the installed loads.)


How can I repair drywall which has bowed away from the framing? I was getting ready to tile my basement bathroom and noticed the wall wasn't as flat as I expected.  I cut in a hole to take a look and got a nasty surprise.  The drywall in my bathroom was glued to the studs rather than screwed.  As the house settled over the past 50 years, the paper backing on the drywall tore off at the glued spots leaving a 1-2.5" large gap where it has bowed outwards from compression.
I've been able to use drywall screws to get the upper parts of the drywall properly secured to the studs but as I work my way down the bow out is too significant and the screws just pull through.
I had been thinking of trimming the bottom edge of the drywall to allow for some downward give.  It wouldn't be visible due to baseboards but I'm not sure if that would create moisture issues in the long run.
Do I have any options other than tearing the drywall down and redoing it?

Trimming the bottom will not create moisture issues--nearly every wall in existence has a gap at the bottom. If you're relying on drywall to handle moisture you should hang up your hammer.
Trim away, and if the drywall offends thee by refusing to lie flat, pluck it out.  Drywall is cheap and if it's behind tile anyway you can patch in as you see fit. Either cut on studs and patch it in, or cut between studs, float new backing, and screw it all together. Drywall behind tile doesn't necessarily need to be taped. If anything, use fiberglass mesh in your tile mortar.
Also, bathrooms are not boats. They needn't float. I've build and owned hundreds of bathrooms and I've never caulked baseboard. I'd rather have some airflow after a splash situation than a sealed floor that takes forever to dry. You will not keep it from leaking if you flood the room.


Is this a good drywall hole cutter? Has anyone used this:  Stanley Drywall Hole Cutter

There are no reviews for it and I can't seem to find any on the web. I like the fact that it has two saws, though since I've never used a cutter like this, I wouldn't have anything to compare it to.

Anyone recommend another cutter?

I've used the single wheel version of this before, and it works fine.

Pros:

Simple design. Just like using a utility knife to score a line, you cut your circle out on both sides, and then punch out the hole.
Perfectly round holes.

Cons:

Slower. To make the cuts at the same place, you drill a small hole in the center and then align the cutout tool on that hole.
Error prone. I'd worry that two cutting wheels would only make it more difficult (you have to line them up, so they're cutting the same location).

That said, if you're doing a lot of cutouts, mastering a rotary tool with a drywall bit will be a lot faster.

And a keyhole saw will be a lot more versatile for occasional usage.

And if you're making lots of identically sized holes, then a drill mounted hole saw makes a perfectly round hole each time without much effort.


When is pipe dope/tape needed? When is it appropriate to use tape, dope, or nothing at all when connecting pipe fittings?  Several advised not to use any product when I posed this question.  What is the purpose of each product, and what problems would they solve or could they cause?

To preempt duplicate question flags, this question is focused on tape vs. dope, and doesn't ask about case where neither is recommended.

The only place tape is to be used is on threads, to be exact, tapered threads, the kind that are on pipe nipples, or the male threaded ends of valves for example. These are the kind that get tighter as you twist the parts together. If you look at the threaded end you can see the pipe is smaller at the end than farther down the length. Pipe dope can be used on these threads too. Pipe dope, otherwise can be used on the various types of compression fittings, the type that use a ferrule. When using metal pipe the type of pipe dope is not that critical, but if using plastic, be careful, there is pipe dope NOT for plastic.

In a nut shell, tape is for tapered threads only, dope can be used too. and either must be used or a leak will occur. Dope is to be used only on mating surfaces, flat, smooth or rounded. It is mainly insurance in my opinion, and I use it too, but the mating surfaces should make a tight fit on their own. I have had a many a leak before using dope, now the leaks are non-existent. Then again, maybe I just got better at it finally....


Does an activated carbon filter in a kitchen hood dry the air? Clearly, an activated carbon filter can be expected to collect what comes from the cooking plate with the air. But what happens to the moisture, how much of it will leave the hood?

All the moisture will head right back around if you are (as seems to be the case) talking about one of those useless hood-shaped objects that don't actually vent outside. Carbon does not trap water, and if it did, or you put in something that did, you'd have to change it very, very frequently.

Indeed, the "filtration" provided by such hood-shaped objects is fairly ineffective, period. Burn something on the stove and the smoke will hang around for a long time.


Can I ground my new exhaust fan to the metal box where there is no grounded conductor? Can I add a green ground screen to my exhaust fan's housing (metal) and connect the green ground wire to it?  There is no ground wire in the old supply wiring.

Sure, but it won't do anything. The term "ground" implies an electrical connection to the Earth, which is normally provided by the bare grounded conductor.


Can I add a single pole switch to an existing thee way switch with same power source Hello and apologies for this newbie question.
I have a three way switch that controls recessed lights in an extension through a wall, one three way switch inside (basement) one three way switch outside (extension).
Outside (in the extension) I have a two gang box where the power source comes in and provides the power to the common and then the travellers for the three way switch inside (diagram explains it best):

What I'd like to do is to add a separate single pole switch together with the first three way in the attached diagram, that controls a separate set of recessed lights daisy chained with 2 wire Romex.
I've seen it done where the layout is three way switch to three way and then lights but this is slightly different.
For the life of me I can't figure out how to have my hot and neutral available to the single pole switch to control the second set of lights independently.
Again, sorry if this is too basic. Appreciate any help and guidance.

Edited:
Adding a bit of context:

It is simple and straightforward in this case. From the switch on the left take the hot neutral and ground to the new switch location. Then feed the hot (black) to the switch.
Now take the black to the other side of the switch with the neutral and ground to the new light location.
Install the switch and the black at the light will be the switched hot from the new switch you added.
This is the only location you can add with the diagram you referenced. If the hot and neutral are at the light, not the switched position, it will take 12-3 or 14-3 wire to do it, but it can not be done from the switch on the right.


Why doesn't my air conditioner's drip pan drain properly? My AC Unit in my attic is roughly 10 years old, still heats/cools exactly as it should, but I noticed yesterday that the drip pan is overflowing.

What do I need to do to get the drip pan to drain? And what is causing the drip pan to fill?

First - why is your drip pan filling?

Because the process of cooling air requires the use of a condenser which gets very cold.  Humid air when it contacts cold surfaces causes moisture in the air to condense (think how a glass with cold liquid gets condensation on it).

This water falls off the condenser and into the drip pan.

Second - Why is your drip pan over-flowing?

Sounds like your drip drain is clogged.  You should try to run a thin snake through the entire drain.  Hopefully the drain pipe is big enough to allow this.

Do NOT put drain cleaner in the pipe as, as you've seen, it will drain into your yard and cause damage to plants.


HVAC System Just Installed Yesterday and AC condenser outside is blowing cold ir HI my just installed ac condenser is blowing cold air out side .  when I put my hand over it and move it around most of the air is hot but a portion of it is cold. Is this right ?

Very generally speaking, provided the outside air temperature is 80F or warmer, correctly operating modern residential split systems should have a condenser temperature split of 15-20 degrees F.  If you measure the temperature of the air leaving the top of the condenser with a thermometer, it should be 15-20 degrees F warmer than the temperature of the air entering the sides of the condenser.

Very far outside this temperature range usually indicates a problem.


Should my thermostat's blue wire be going to W2? I've recently moved into my first house and am looking to replace the existing basic thermostat in the home. Here is a picture of how I found it wired:

Researching the wires, I've read that commonly W2 is suppose to be white and blue wire is usually C (Common); and that W2 is used in 2 stage heating systems. So now I'm concerned if this old thermostat was not wired properly? Or if my wire colors are just uncommon...

I'm unsure if my furnace (Amana GUIS070CA35) is actually two stage or not. When I get the new thermostat should I just plug the blue wire into C and see what happens? The thermostat I'm looking at would use the 24V common wire to power the display. So I'd guess if it didn't power up that the blue wire was actually for W2.

Almost every thermostat installation manual I've read always says something along the lines of "Make sure to mark you wires based on the currently connected thermostat. Do not rely on the wire coloring".

The colors are really just a guideline, there is no requirement to adhere to them.

Looking at the controller board of your furnace should confirm how they are connected.  It's possible that the blue wire isn't even connected to anything on the furnace side.  Perhaps the furnace was replaced at some point and the thermostat wasn't re-wired.

It's not uncommon to not have a C wire as older thermostats were either unpowered or powered by batteries.  New thermostats (especially the ones with LCD screens, Wifi, etc.) have larger power requirements and rely on the C wire to provide a return path for power coming from the R terminal.


Confusion while diagnosing an open ground I have an outlet tester and it says the outlet in my bathroom has an open ground and I'm trying to see if I can fix this by replacing the receptacle or if the problem is elsewhere.

With a voltage meter I tested voltage between hot and neutral and got 120 (good), I tested between hot and ground and got 50ish (bad, should be 120), and I tested between neutral and hot and got 40ish (bad, should be 0).

Next I shut off power, pulled out the receptacle, and then turned the power back on. With the outlet sticking out of the wall I can test with the volt meter by touching the screws where the wires connect and the bare copper ground wire. I still find 120 volts between hot and neutral but now I read no voltage between ground and either hot or neutral... huh?

Questions:

1) Why would the voltage difference disappear on the other side of the receptacle? For the volt meter to read positive volts I had to have a completed circuit right? So where did it go?

2) The outlet itself is not a GFCI outlet. Instead it looks like the breaker it's connected to in the breaker box is where the GFCI test button is located. Is that screwing up my voltage readings?

3) My volt meter doesn't have probes that are long enough to poke into a receptical, so what I do is plug in the outlet tester but only halfway and touch the volt meter probes to the exposed prongs of the outlet tester.  But the outlet tester has some kind of circuitry in it, will that screw up my volt readings?

4) And most importantly: Is replacing the receptacle likely to fix this issue, or is it time to call a professional?

The funny voltages you are seeing are due to the lamps in the 3-lamp tester. There is a hot-ground lamp (yellow) and a neutral-ground lamp.  They are in a 3-way tug of war with the voltmeter.  So wacky numbers like that are not unusual.  But it means the ground wire is floating (not attached to anything) so it is easily influenced by whatever it's attached to.

When you removed the socket, you no longer needed the 3-lamp tester so the voltmeter won the tug of war, pulling the floating ground to whatever voltage you were testing to.

The ground wire is simply not working.  This would be of serious concern if the circuit was not GFCI protected.  But it is.  So, shrug, there you go.


What's the difference between can and canless lighting fixtures? While getting my (finished) shed built, the electrician asked if I wanted can or canless lights. I had no idea what that meant, so I turned to Google. While there are lots of discussions about which is better, remarkably, I can't find anything explaining what, exactly, they are! Can someone here please describe it in simple terms, so I can make a decision?

A can light has a removable, standard bulb
The housing that the bulb goes inside looks a bit like a can, thus the name. You've probably seen this kind of bulb before:

A canless light has the actual LED bit built in
This means they can be more creative with their shape, including being almost completely flat and/ or surface mounted. But if the LED(s) fail, you have to replace the whole unit. That could be problematic if the unit isn't being manufactured anymore.


How to fix blotchy deck 2 year old pine deck was originally weathered for 6 weeks then 2x coats of Calbots Silver Beech Water Based Deck and Exterior Stain applied.
We did it ourselves and overall did a pretty bad job, my husband didn’t read the instructions to follow the advice of not overlapping and instead to run the stain the length of the boards. We also did it on a hot day so we have a bit of overlapping going on as well as what you can see in the photos, blotchy patches of colour and what looks like mould? We’ve tried a mould remover/deck cleaner to no avail.
How to fix?! Another darker coat?
Another product to strip it back?

Check the local hardware store paint department. Behr makes a series of deck products that are very good. They include a wood conditioner and mold remover, as I recall. These blotches are very hard to get rid of completely. I ended up restaining a deck once with a solid stain product to hide the black discolorations. Deck paint also works of course. I would investigate the latest wood deck reconditioner then stain or paint a solid color.


wire gauge and hp of electrical motor Short version

Is there some table that tells one how much HP an electric motor is and the gauge of the wire needed to run to it???

Long story

Our well went bad, losing pressure. We have been living in this house for 15 years without doing anything to it. Six of Dad's friends from work came over and pulled out the well pump as it was only 430 ft down.

Ta-Da

and specs

Note that there is a bunch of black tape that came loose. It's a 3/4 hp with 430 ft of 12 gauge wire going down the well, plus the wiring going to the electric box, so at least 530 ft of wiring at 12 gauge from the well pump to the panel.

According to the manufacturer's table from the  service manual
the maximum wire length is 480 ft.

Clearly it wasnt an issue. Can a 1 hp be used as a replacement and the wiring be OK?? Or is the problem the well itself needing to be replaced?

There is some table, you appear to have found it, (though I don't know if you've found a "2-wire" or "3-wire" table - these days, "2-Wire" is a win, and black tape does not belong anywhere in a well, IMHO.)

...and you want our blessing it ignore it? If the pump "lost pressure" possibly from rust, not being stainless, evidently, possibly from ingesting black tape, possibly from 15+ years of wear - I tend to think in terms of "around 10 years, be ready to replace a pump" - the solution is to fix or replace it - adding a larger motor won't help, and adding a larger motor on undersized wire definitely won't help. If 3/4 hp got you adequate flow for 15 years, it will do so in the future, too - more horsepower is not always better, and often comes with a pump curve that may not work at your depth.

With a deep well and a relatively short topside run that's only slightly undersized, you can probably get acceptable voltage drop by leaving the buried wire alone and upgrading to 10 gauge for the longer downhole run in the well.

As to whether the problem is the pump (likely) or the well (possible) it's very hard to tell from afar - you either drop in a new pump and see what happens, or you hire a well company to come and evaluate the state of the well. There's not a lot that a homeowner can afford to do to evaluate a deep well OTHER than dropping in a new pump, and you can screw one up pretty good if you (say) try to evaluate the water level and end up dropping something down the well-hole. How far up the pipe was wet when the pump was pulled?


How to frame for a drywall ceiling with 8 feet between trusses? I have a post frame building that was recently constructed where the post and joists have 8 foot on center spacing. The building is 38' x 54' and we had a 2nd floor built on the North end of it which measures 38' x 30.  This 2nd floor is to be a framed in and finished "living space". I didn't consider how I was supposed to do a drywall ceiling on the 2nd floor when the trusses are so far apart.
I was considering using 1x3" 16' furring strips to span over 2 trusses at 16" on center. I'm afraid that an 8' span will still sag with drywall on it.
My other idea was to put 2x4 8', 16" on center, in between the joists with hangers like these
Would either of these ideas work with what I have? Are there better options?

I would verify your trusses have the capacity to add the additional weight of the strong ties and 2x4s on 16”. That is how I have done it on several buildings but I had the weight added in because I wanted clear span below. Your trusses look a bit lighter than mine were, but I can’t see much of them. But our span was similar.


Nest Door Bell Works Fine but Mechanical Doesn't We recently installed a nest door bell it is working fine but, the plunger on the mechanical door bell barely moves and doesn't ring.  We did verify the door bell transform is a 16 volt transformer.  I called the nest help line and verify the transformer voltage was with the correct line of operation.

I've owned my home for 21 years, and have had to replace my doorbell switch twice.  What happens is typically corrosion and dust collection, and if enough builds on the points, the circuit can't get enough current for it to ring/too much voltage is dropped across the switch.  It's cheap and easy enough to replace, and they're built accordingly - IP 55 rated switches are made [they handle being hit with a garden hose], but I've never bothered.  Before you go buying, first check to see that you have voltage at that doorbell: an open switch will should show something if your transformer connections are good.  As I read specs on Nest equipment, 16volts is minimum to work with 24v maximum - anything in between should work fine.  What you need to know is this: if no wiring was added for your nest doorbell, then you can't use both.  The Nest needs it's 16-24v present continuously, whereas a standard doorbell has it's power interrupted by the switch: somebody may have abandoned/bypassed your doorbell to provide power to the Nest device, as paralleling the two would make your doorbell run continuously.  If that's the case, you want 4 wires going to your door: a pair for each.  3 could be made to work, but complicates working on one device while leaving the other in service at any point - if both use the same voltage.  Two pairs gives you the freedom to have two different transformers in the future in case two different voltage requirments exist.  I buy my doorbell for sound, and deal with whatever the system needs to work.


What is this pipe? It leaks when the sink runs I have a pipe that is halfway under a door jamb and inside the concrete floor which when I run a the sink water is now coming out of it. This pipe is next to our AC blower unit inside the basement. I suspect this is somehow connected on the other end to our sewer septic tank and was never capped correctly when they made   changes to this 40 year old house.
Does anyone know why there would be a line near the AC unit?
(Could it have been an original condensation drip line into the septic tank?)
Any suggestions on how to uncover more of the line to cap it?
I am guessing this also means the septic is nearly full and needs to be pumped. Original owners didn't know where it was located to tell us at time of sale a year or so ago.
Any ideas on how to find it?

Poly is flexible, I haven’t seen it used as a drain like abs that is rigid.
With a septic system in winter it could be your field is flooded (standing water where the field is?).
Another cause is a partial plug up below this point it’s not always a failed system heavy rain fall and a flooded drainage field the water takes longer to dissipate into the ground.
That could have been a condensate drain for the AC system but not well done. I would cap it using a rubber cap. Fernco makes them.
Cut off pipe square slide cap on and tighten the hose clamp 5$ fix for now.
There may be other ways but a fernco end cap would be my choice in this case.


Shoring up drainage culvert slope I just bought a new house, and the drainage culvert out front along the road has several areas where the slope has collapsed, resulting in what looks like a miniature landslide landscape. What is the best way to shore this up to improve the aesthetics without causing drainage problems?

Your pictures appear to show a steeply sloped section with erosion, a flat section, and another sloped section (without erosion.) If the flat section resulted from poor compaction of an original sloped profile that did not have the flat part, you may be able to simply fill that back in so the slope is not as steep. If you want to keep it in mown grass, that might be the best bet.

Otherwise, "rip-rap" or fairly large rocks are arguably the standard method of holding a steep drainage slope.


Checking house wiring for high resistance connections My 1970 house was wired with aluminum branch circuits which I pig-tailed 35 years ago. I want to test the circuits by pulling 13 A from each receptacle and observing the voltage drop. There are six 15-A circuits 12 AWG AL and four 20-A 10 AWG AL. I have added two more 20-A circuits 12 AWG CU.

How should I proceed? Should I first take the cover off the panel and test the voltage drop on the incoming legs or should I proceed to test the receptacles?

The electrical panel is a GE with four 2-pole 240 V breakers in the top (30 A, 40 A, 50 A, and 60 A, for clothes dryer, a/c, kitchen range, and branch feeder) and a lower section with slots for two columns of eight 1/2-inch breakers fed by a 60-A 'main' breaker. The panel is in the attached garage.

The panel is now full because I have two GFCI breakers (1 inch each) and I have one 2-pole 50 A breaker for the whole house surge protector (Eaton). The house has no AFCI breakers. If I want this, I would have to use AFCI receptacles.

Preliminary results with a 13-A current draw (1600 W hair dryer):

Garage: one 15-A circuit goes from 124 V to 120 V, and one 20-A CU circuit also goes from 124 to 120. Another 15-A receptacle goes from 121 V to 113 V.

Farthest bedroom from garage: 15-A receptacle 122.7 V to 112.4 V.

The distance and wire size would be needed to see if things are good. The formula is Voltage drop= 2K x L X I / Cm ... K for aluminum is 21.2 You will need to measure the lenth (L) and the current (I). You did not state the wire size so here are some values of circular mills (Cm). #14=4110, #12=6530, #10=10380, #8=16510, #6=26240, #4=41740, #3=5260. Doing the math after making the measurements you can see if the measured values are close to the calculated values. If your measured voltage drop exceeds the calculated values you may have some pigtails or connections that need to be cleaned and terminated with fresh anti oxide compound.
remember their can be calibration issues with the amp reading and voltage depending on the conditions. If all your measurements are within a few percentage points of the calculated value every thing is probably fine, If you find 1 that has a higher voltage drop than the average calculation that may be a place to investigate.


Circulator (grundfos or willo) vs water pump Can a circulator that is usually used in hydronic heating systems be used to improve free water flow, coming from a tank? Can it replace a pump. Pressure on the outlet of the pump is not important, but the flow rate is. I have a grundfoss circulator that is capable of circulating 13 qubic meters per hour, but to my knowledge a circulator can only be used in closed systems. The water would be coming from a tank and static pressure available at the circulator suction side would be 0.2 bar when the water level in the tank is the highest. It should pump the water through an heat exchanger and out to drain line.

Circulator pumps can be used in open loop systems (though I think these are typically aluminum or brass rather than cast iron since the latter will corrode in an open loop system).

There is no way to know if your particular pump will suffice because we don't know the head loss of the hoses or the heat exchanger.  I'm assuming the 13 M^3/hr figure is pumping against no head.  You will of course flow less the more back pressure involved.  You also have not said what flow you actually need.  If you know the model number of the Grundfos, it should be a simple matter to download the pump curve.  That will tell you the flow at various head pressures.

You could measure the head loss of the heat exchanger by putting pressure gauges on the input and output of the exchanger.  The difference is the head loss.  Bear in mind, however, that the head loss will depend on flow rate.

Probably the easiest thing to do is just connect the pump as you envision and see if you get enough flow.


Sheet material that does not adhere to wood glue I am looking for some sheet material (as in paper, cellophane etc.) that wood glue will not stick to to use as an insulator between glue drippage on one side and something on the other side to which I don't want it glued by the excess glue.

E.g. if I am biscuit joining two long boards and using wood glue with biscuits, I need to clamp the whole thing together and if that clamp is touching the joint, the excess glue will stick the clamp as well, which I obviously don't want.  So is there some material that can be used as an insulator blocking the glue coming through to the other side but also not sticking to it?  Cellophane sheets of some sort (which?) come to mind because they seem very smooth, i.e. not adhesive.

I have used wax paper over surfaces to keep it clean. Used tape over the shafts of bar clamps, small pieces of cellophane between blocks of wood that was clamped in place to keep faces of planks aligned while edge gluing.


How do I tell if a bag of concrete is OK? We have a number of bags of pre-mixed concrete (Quikrete) around the shop that have been sitting around for awhile.  Most are sealed but a few have been opened.   All feel like a solid rock, not like a bag of sand.

if they're no good, I'd like to throw them out now.   If they are good, I'd like to store them indefinitely for a future project.

How do I tell the difference without opening them?

Without opening...lift them, they should have some squeeze/give and feel soft. Hard as a rock, then most likely not good.


How to get 110 from 240 We currently have 240 high bay metal halide lights in our gym we bought 110 led high bay lights to replace them ( new fixtures) can i not just remove one leg  of the 240 in the breaker box and move it to the neutral bus to make 110 from the 240 wiring i have been to electrical school but not very up on 3 phase thanks.

It's easier to teach a violin player to play the bongo drums, than the other way 'round.

You need to take those lights back and get universal-voltage lights that work on any/every voltage between 100 and 277.  (100 is Japan, also 110-10%, 277 is pole-neutral on 480 wye).  In this day and age there is no excuse for someone not selling universal voltage lights, it literally adds 2 cents to the cost of manufacture.

Here's why converting the ceiling to 120V won't work. Several reasons.

First, metal halide is already very efficient, and LEDs are less or not appreciably more efficient. LEDs are better aimed, but only if they are actually aimed (corn cob LEDs are not).  That means you need to deliver potentially the same amount of total power.  When you cut voltage in half, you must double current.  It's easy to insulate wires for higher voltage, they're all already insulated for 600V, but to increase current you must install wires twice as thick!

Realistically that means breaking it into several circuits, as you still have 20/30A caps on lighting circuits. This is becoming quite an undertaking.  Now one option is to add a neutral wire and rewire the ceiling as "multi-wire branch circuits".  However this is complex and easy to botch.

Wire colors must be correct.  If they are cabled in Romex, chances are the white wire has been used for a hot, and it can be easily re-tasked to be a neutral.  That is easy enough.   However if this is in conduit, the two 240V wires are both hots, so they will both be colored wires.   In conduit, you must use natively white wires for neutral! That means pulling additional wires.

Lastly and mostly, you mentioned that your power is 3-phase.  There are several arrangements of 240V 3-phase.  You are thinking any random phase wire will be 120V from neutral.  That is not true, in fact, it's impossible. In regular wye, it'll be 139V from neutral.  In wild-leg, it'll be either 120 or 208 from neutral, and they are supposed to use orange for the 208V wire, but you can't count on that, especially in circuits where they never expected to even use neutral.

Anyway, the various dialects of 3-phase are wizards-only territory.   You've been fairly candid about your skill level.  I agree that changing lamps is well within your range.  However the engineering needed to deal with the above is considerable, and it would be quite complex for us to walk you through it all, and even then, we could miss something important.

Bongo drum rule: Take the lights back.


Flushing issue with toilet Can someone give me helpful feedback. I recently had a clogged toiled. In fact i had to take off a toilet and go in with snake and reseal the toilet back. Now my toilets flush but doesnt flush consistently. Almost every other time, water returns and fills up the bowl. To complicate the issue, i have a paralel toilet on the othe side of the wall that probably are on the same waste pipe. When water returns in the first toilet, the other toilet gets very low water level in its bowl. And if i try to flush that one as well, it gets overflow and wont flush as well..

Will be glad to get any info. Thanks

Even though you snaked the line near the toilet, it sounds like the line is still blocked or slow draining such that standing water sits in the line above the point of connection to the vent.  Vent lines for toilets are often connected as shown:

Standing water above the reducing wye where the vent connects will cause water to be pulled from the toilet bowl as water flows down the line (such as when the other connected toilet is flushed).  A flood when you flush both toilets indicates the sewer line is slow draining and cannot handle that much flow.  Possibly the vent is plugged.  More likely there is an obstruction such as tree roots infiltrating the line.  If you have a septic system then it is time to pull the inspection lids, especially the one at the inlet.  Check for obstructions such soap caked near the intake baffle.


Does running a dryer on 120 V drive up electricity costs? So I have a ventless dryer, and it's a relatively new LG model (LG DLEC855W 4.2 cu. ft. Compact Electric Dryer) that I have hooked up to a 120 V outlet.

I know it's not supposed to run on a 120 V outlet, and it honestly doesn't work great, but it does work, it does run, and it does eventually dry clothes.

However I have huge huge electric bills every month, US$600+ for a 900 sq foot (80 m2) home. I live in Florida and electric prices are average down here and even though it is summer it should not be this ridiculous. My only thought is that my girlfriend and my brother do laundry constantly and I'm not sure if this dryer, running on a lower voltage, drives up the price or not?

Not an immediate danger, but quite a few problems
According to the spec sheet, this dryer is rated for 240V, 30A. Running it on "120V outlet" in the US normally means either 15A or 20A. Thanks to Ohm's law, if you run it on a 20A circuit you are probably safe. If you run it on a 15A circuit, there may be a safety issue. But in any case, there are plenty of other problems.
A dryer has three main power consuming sections - controls, drum motor and resistance heating elements. Typically (but can't tell for sure on any particular dryer without checking the schematics or the actual wiring), the controls & drum motor require 120V (Hot-Neutral) and the resistance heating requires 240V (Hot-Hot). If you manage to get the dryer working on 120V, then presumably you have everything working on Hot-Neutral.
As numerous others have pointed out, thanks to Ohm's law, if you cut the voltage in 1/2 and keep the resistance the same, the current will also be cut in 1/2 and the power produced by 1/4 (power = current x voltage). The result is nominally 4x the drying time. But due to other related factors, my gut feeling is that the drying time may actually increase by MORE than 4x. But we'll go with 4x.
Assume for the moment that the dryer uses, normally, 22A @ 240V for heating. That is now cut to 11A @ 120V and instead of 5,280 watts it is only 1,320 watts.
However, the drum motor (controls are minimal power on a modern machine), will still use the same power it used before. If it was previously 5A @ 120V, now it is still 5A @ 120V, so the total usage will now be 11A + 5A = 16A. If my numbers are correct (they are an arbitrary guess and may not represent reality, but they are one possible combination) then the usage of 16A would be greater than the normal capacity of a 15A 120V circuit. So there is a possibility of over-current if this is a 15A circuit and the numbers are "just right". It is also possible that this is a 20A circuit (no problem) or the numbers are a little different (e.g., heater 22A => 11A + electronics 1A + drum motor 2A = 14A total) and no problem. So there is a concern but it is NOT my original "BIG PROBLEM".
As far as electricity cost: In theory, if 120V == 1/4 the heat produced and the clothes dry in exactly 4x the normal time, then your electricity costs would be the same as running at 240V. However, it is quite likely that the clothes take substantially MORE than four times as long to dry for "physics reasons" (I can't get into it all right now, though I still stand by that statement despite my retraction of the imminent safety issue).
Bottom line: Your current setup:

May be a real hazard due to possible over-current of wiring and equipment
Is a waste of energy (as you already suspected)
Takes way too long to dry your clothes (as you already know)
Is almost certainly shortening the life of the dryer due to use beyond the design

Get it fixed - put in a proper 4-wire NEMA 14-30 outlet, a 30A 2-pole breaker and appropriate wiring (minimum 10 gauge copper).


What are the pros and cons of covering a basement ceiling with drywall vs. panel board? I'm renovating an unheated basement into a shop in a 1900's wood frame house.  The plaster has long since come down and I'm looking to cover the joists.

The goal is to insulate a bit (the floor above is pretty cold in areas), reduce noise and dust (upwards), and make the room less dark.

Any suggestions between using basic sheetrock versus using panel board like:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Unbranded-Thrifty-White-32-sq-ft-Hardboard-Panel-Board-709106/202090193

The basement is a little damp, but not enough to make surface rust on iron.

thank you!
steve

For insulation (either thermal or acoustic) use batt insulation between the joists (e.g. Roxull or other mineral wool type which seem better for sound insulation purposes).

For additional soundproofing and a finished ceiling, you may want to consider a resilient channel ceiling, with some kind of removeable tiles (e.g. http://www.homedepot.ca/product/resilient-channel-x-12/968159).  This could lose you less ceiling height than a drop ceiling.

One consideration for having the ceiling be removeable is that you may want to run wires/pipes for the finished area of the house in future.


How can I hide a sewer 'Candy Cane'? I'm in the process of buying a newly built house and today the builder had work done on the sewer. When I saw the house I couldn't believe that they placed the 3-4" high 'Candy Cane' smack dab in the middle of the front yard. This completely ruins the appearance of the house and I just don't know what to do about it.

If I cover it up with a bush, fake wishing well, or something of that nature then it won't look right since it's in the middle/center of the front yard. If it were off to the side then I think that would potentially work but it's not.

The only thing I can think of is repiping it somewhere else or maybe cutting it down myself (regardless of what any regulations say). If I cut it down and it snows I'll just shovel around it. Is this a big job for a plumber or someone to come out and repipe it to a more discrete location? I'm wondering if I should complain to the builder and have him fix it before it's completely my responsibility.

Here is a picture of it, however I should have taken it at a different angle so you could see my house and the pipe in comparison (the picture only shows my neighbors house).

Cutting it off is a bad idea. Aborting the "process of buying" that you're in might be worth considering if it bothers you that much. Relocating it significantly would probably require significantly relocating the septic system, which is very expensive - so you might consider it a "deal-breaker."

As for the location in the center of the yard, simply change your mindset from "I'm hiding this ugly thing I cannot believe is here" to "I'm putting a centerpiece in my lawn/yard."

I'd go for a planting, myself, but seriously get out of the mindset (while retaining the function) of "just hide the darn thing" - put in a carefully laid out bed that has some shrubs that happen to hide it (paint it in camouflage colors, as well - white pipe does stand out.)


Do I need a transformer to use this lamp in the US? I bought a lamp that was advertised as having 90V - 260V US power supply, and it has an LED screw-in type light bulb.

I received the lamp and it has a type C plug adapted to type A for US power. However, the tag says, "220V - 240V ~ 50 Hz, E27 Max 40W."

It has the CE certification, which I think means it's safe to use in the US, am I correct? And I don't know what the other 2 symbols mean.

Is this lamp safe to use as-as, long-term, by plugging into my US wall plug (120V)?

Thanks for your help!!

That mark actually means "Chinese Excrement".

You think I'm kidding.

Overseas makers of the cheap & shoddy are regularly forging quality marks.  Far and away their favorite is the CE mark; they either mess up the mark accidentally-on-purpose, or render it correctly but put it on total junk.  A proper CE mark is only applicable to bricks-and-mortar companies located inside the EU, who ships the product from their EU warehouse (not Amazon's) to an EU customer, and it is a self-certification by that company.  Naturally every Chinese maker self-certifies everything, and the EU can't do anything about it because they don't have assets in the EU.

The USA is not a member of the EU, so the EU can do nothing about products shipped from China to the US.  CE has become a self-fulfilling prophecy; "I see it a lot" (on junk) "so it must be legit!"

Actually, in the US, products for retail sale must clear an independent third party testing lab (which CE is not). The biggest labs are UL (Underwriter's Laboratories, surely you've heard of them), CSA, and ETL/Intertek. All will assign a "file number" as part of their listing; you can spot a fake UL when there's no file number nearby, but China doesn't fake UL marks very often.

Probably because UL is a private nonprofit company with an army of attack lawyers.

Here's more on marks.  Note the UL stamps with C/US and file number. Also notice, no CE anywhere.  There'd be no reason to put CE on a charger with a Type A plug.

All this is to shortcut all the safety standards that make products safe.  It's not insulated well enough not to energize the chassis or start a fire with arcing, the components aren't tested not to make toxic smoke if burned, the line cord's wires aren't thick enough, the insulation isn't tough enough, and they haven't paid for independent lab testing.  That makes the price lower, which is what draws you to it.

Is it safe?

It certainly does not meet the standards for any US product.  It was skated by Customs because Customs is overwhelmed and has higher priorities.

Can it function on 120V?  The sticker plainly says no, but that kind of sloppiness is why they can't get certified.  Reality? Maybe, maybe not. It depends if the fixture contains only wires, or has some sort of smart or powered thing (like a dimmer) in its internals.

If it's only wires - I wouldn't say it's safe at any voltage, but if it were safe at 230V, it'll be safe at 120V,  and the functional voltage will be decided by what kind of screw-in bulb you use.  If you use a 120V bulb you'd be fine.
If it has electronics inside - then it's hit and miss, but no lab anywhere has tested what happens, so don't be surprised if it starts a fire.

The other marks

Square in square means the appliance is double-insulated; that means one insulation failure won't cause you to be shocked; it will take two.  Don't count on this being true; it's probably faked.

The house and arrow says "Bring it in from out of the rain" which means it's indoors/dry location only.


What is best way to caulk this improperly installed bathtub? How do I caulk this beast? I was trying to replace the caulking, took out the old caulking to find out that the bathtub was improperly installed, and the tiles are not over the lip. There is this half inch gaping hole such that the caulking needs to do all the work to keep the water out. I know the ideal thing to do is to redo the bathtub installation, but I need to have this fixed right now and may be able to take the larger job later.

What is the best way to go about this?

Here is a further away view:

Any help would be appreciated!

Alfredo

It looks like this is a tub that is not meant for installation up against a wall.   Though it's hard to tell from the photo. Looks like a drop-in tub.  Tubs that are meant for installation along a wall have a flange (not a lip) that the backer board goes over.  This is what actually keeps the water in the tub.  If this is purely a drop-in, you'll want to replace the tub at some point, because you will have leaks no matter how well you caulk (I'm assuming you're using the tub as a shower too).  There are some manufacturers that make non-integral flanges for their drop-ins, but they aren't ideal.

To caulk the gap, find some caulk backer that will fit into the space.  They are made of foam and come in a variety of sizes.  Put the backer in neatly, and then caulk over the backer.  Use silicone caulk, making sure everything's bone dry before application.  I like to use a caulk tool to make things neat.  I see you have masking tape up, which is a good thing.  Carefully remove the tape right after you caulk, before it sets.


Badly chewed exterior door frame I have a three-season sun porch off the back of the house. When the dog was younger and out there, he just chewed the heck out of the door frame. There's a framing piece, perpendicular to the face of the door, that has a gap where weatherstripping slots in, and that's been destroyed/chewed off to right about the door handle. From inside, you can see daylight between the door and frame. In winter, there's just cold air rushing in, and of course it looks terrible.
Is there an option besides completely replacing the door and frame with a new pre-hung door?
It's more a problem of stock/availability during Covid than cost, I just can't seem to find the same type of door in stock or shipped before spring. I've had to repair chewed interior door frames, but this seems like a bigger problem, or I'm just not seeing how to go about it.

That jamb is too far gone to be trying to fix it with a dremel, IMHO. You can buy new replacement jambs and just replace that side for not much money.
Have you tried salvage yards, used building material stores to find a match?


Can I use existing 40 AMP breakers when the item calls for 30 AMP My tankless water heater stopped working and I purchased a new but slightly smaller one.  The description on the website said that it used the same wiring as my last one (3 40 AMP breakers and 8/2 AWG wires).
The instruction coming with the new unit now say it requires 3 30 AMP breakers and 10/2 wires.
Can I keep my existing 40 breakers if I am also using the 8/2 wiring?  I have read other comments that say that the person couldn't use the 30amp since the wiring was probably 10/2, but I know mine is 8/2 so I am hoping I can still use the newer and smaller heater.
Thanks

It may be possible if the new water heater doesn't state the maximum breaker size.
If the manufacturer only states the minimum, since you are not at 150% I would hook a triple 40a to the new triple 30 water heater.
It is not Code compliant to go the other way from 3 30 with #10 to a 40 this is correct.


How can I install a frost-free outdoor faucet with very little space? On one side of my house, the previous owner frequently forgot to shut off the outdoor water during the winter. Given that my house is in Minnesota, it gets cold during the winter, and he had to replace plumbing twice because of busted pipes.

I'd like to avoid this nonsense (and the associated insurance costs). Ideally, I'd like to install a frost-free faucet so I have added protection in case I forget to turn it off in the winter. Unfortunately, I have about 4" from my exterior wall (siding) to the sheetrock on the other side.

The smallest frost free sillcock I was able to find is one with a 4" extension. The problem is, once I put the soldered fittings on it (a right-angle connector and a threaded connector for the sillcock) it's about 7" long. As an added bonus, the pipe to which I'm connecting is about 2" into the wall, so I lose 2".

All told, if I connect the frost-free faucet to the existing pipe, I'm looking at it sticking out of the outside of my house about 4.2". Ugh.

So, my question is sort of two part -

I thought about blocking the exterior of the faucet. That is, I thought about taking a 4x4 (or a piece of wood that's an appropriate size) and cutting a section of it to place on top of the siding, into which the pipe will go, extending it away from the siding, but giving me enough room to attach the sillcock to the existing pipe. What I'm worried about is whether this is a waste of time. If the extension of the sillcock is sitting outside of the house, will it even buy me anything additional over having just a standard sillcock?
Is there another way I might be able to attach this device that, in my less than infinite wisdom, I haven't thought of yet? I'm a pretty new homeowner, so it's possible that I might be able to do something else that isn't quite as ludicrous as having a 4" pipe sticking out of the side of my house. :)

The purpose of the extension on a frost free faucet is to get the valve itself in a heated space inside of your home so that it could never freeze (see the below diagram). If you only have an inch or so of insulation that's being penetrated by these plumbing pipes, it's likely that the valve would still reach the freezing point inside of your wall. So any type of build out on the outside of your home to mount the faucet is defeating the purpose of the extension. The proper way to use this type of faucet would be to build out something on the inside of your home, which I'm guessing isn't possible, or at least unattractive in your situation.

Therefore, I'd recommend getting in the habit of shutting off the water on the inside, possibly replacing the shutoff valve with a quarter turn ball valve so that it's quick, easy, and obvious when it's been done. You want to open the outside faucets when the water has been shut off so that the lines are empty when they do eventually freeze. After they've been left to drain for a day, I cover my outdoor faucets with insulating covers. This is also a good time to drain the hoses and bring them into a protected location (e.g. a garage or shed).


Enable switch with two pair of black and red wires I am in the UK, I have a switch that has been disconnected.
The rose that this is connected to has the red wires into the "Loop" part.  (There are two ceiling roses connected to a single switch).
I need to enable this but don't know if the red wires or the black wires need to go into the switch?

That looks like a very dodgy bit of wiring to me. I would strongly suggest you get a professional in to sort it out.
Having said that I can make a guess at how it's connected, and how you can get it working, but you should check my assumptions for yourself.
The first thing you must do is find out which cable is power in to the system (probably one of the two in the first rose, should be connected to N and Loop), then work out where the other cables run. My guess is that of the two cables in the switch back box, one runs to each rose.
If you don't know how to do that or my guesses are wrong, STOP and call a professional.
If I'm right, then connecting the loose red wire into the bottom terminal of the switch will re-enable the lights, but they may behave oddly as it looks like they're wired in series and so each bulb will only get 120V instead of the expected 240V.
The correct wiring should be from the second rose to the first with red and black in the L and N terminals, and only one cable to the switch from the first rose, with red and black in Loop and L respectively, (the black should have a red band applied)
Again this looks like whoever wired it in the first place did not understand what they were doing, and should be fixed by a professional.


Simple light switch wiring upgrade to new switch - NO NEUTRAL I'm trying to upgrade a light switch and would be grateful if someone could tell me what goes where. I've tried various combinations but the light either does not turn on or stays on permanently.

Neutral Required
Many (not all) smart switches, timers, motion sensors, etc. require a neutral. That is because they need to get power even when the switched device is off. Some older switches were designed to leak power through the device even when "off", but that does not work well with LED lights, so needing a neutral at the switch has become more common in the last few years. Current code in many areas now requires neutral to be available at switches for exactly this reason, but many older houses don't have neutral at many switches.
Your existing switch has hot (black) and switched hot (white).
Your new switch has hot (black), switched hot (red), neutral (white) and ground (green). You have ground available in the box (the uninsulated wire) but you don't have neutral.
There are two basic ways a switch can be wired:

Panel -> Switch -> Device

If this is the case, you will either have neutral in the box (connected to the neutral wire coming back from the device) or have it nearby (i.e., neutral didn't actually get into the box but is right next to it), since the hot & neutral from the panel need to be together.

Panel -> Device -> Switch

This is a switch loop. Switch loops are a great way to avoid extra wires (saving a little money in installation) by only routing hot & switched hot to the switch and not bothering neutral (until the recent code changes, that is). It looks like you have a switch loop. With a switch loop that doesn't include a neutral, the usual fix is to run a new cable from the device that includes hot, switched hot & neutral. If your wiring is in conduit then you can run just a neutral wire. However, since one of the existing wires is white, that would indicate that the wires are part of a cable and not individual wires because white as an individual wire should only be used for neutral and it is only permitted for a different use in a cable because "all 2 wire cables are black/white".
As Harper noted, there is a way to make this "work" without any additional wires (I won't tell you how) but it is not approved by code and not a good idea.


Raised Concrete Patio Drainage I recently purchased this house which has a raised concrete patio in the rear that has a large depression in the middle probably 4' wide by 6' long.  You can see the cracks in the concrete where the water settles (picture below).  I assume this is due to the material that is underneath from the original construction of the house breaking down and the concrete settling.  So I am looking for options other than replacing the whole thing.  Possibly filling the area with some type of self leveling top coat or something.  Any thoughts would be appreciated.

A self leveling cement may reduce the standing water but if the pad has no wire mesh or rebar it may continue to settle. I would acid etch the surface and rinse then use the self leveling cement . after that I would probably epoxy coat the entire surface to try and seal it. the more water that gets into the cracks the more it will settle. I use a 10-30% Muriatic acid and water solution. Remember to always add acid to water. Muriatic acid can be purchased at most home stores and pool supply stores.


Alternatives to bituminous membranes for concrete roof? This new question is related to this old question I had previously asked, but from another point-of-view.

I have a 13ft x 13ft rooftop made from plain concrete. It's leaking a bit, so I have to do something about it. I was going to do it on my own, but decided to hire a professional... for now.

I called several contractors, and they all work with bituminous (or asphalt) membrane rolls that are installed with a torch. I asked a few of them if they can apply a product applied with a roller, but they make a point of telling me that they only work with asphalt membranes. Unfortunately, the estimates are very high.

So these is what they will do:

wash roof with power washer
Apply primer with roller
Apply bituminous/asphalt membrane rolls with torch

Few people (if any) walk through this 13'x13' area, so I'm not sure if this membrane is overkill.

I guess my question is, is there anything as "thick" as the membrane that can be rolled on and that may also cover up any defects in the concrete?

I really like the idea of this membrane, because it's almost like a "carpet" that will cover the concrete and any ugly details the the floor may have. On the downside, this product is quite expensive and the labor is ever more expensive.

Btw, we live in the Caribbean and it cannot be the reflective white that hurts your eyes when looked at directly. Also, I don't mind the surface getting warmer.

There are several "rubber" roof materials for flat roofs; neoprene, EDPM, butyl, TPO, etc. Search "rubber roof" on the net for your location to find out what is available , what is needed for your UV, temperature, etc , and what is required for installation. I have EDPM pond liner; small parts of it have been exposed to weather for 20+ years and seem to be "good as new".


Help Identifying this Shower Faucet Cartridge I am "attempting" to fix our shower faucet and in feeling ambitious, I decided to take a wrench to the broken knob. To my pleasant surprise, the "cartridge" just popped out and I thought to myself "ok cool, just pop another one in and I'll be good". Unfortunately, there are no identifying marks on the cartridge or any of the hardware associated with the shower. I have spent hours looking online and I still have no idea what brand, let alone model it is. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. I am looking for the blue/white cartridge in the attached photo.

I'm confused, you have two cartridges in your hand and all the cartridges are in place in the shower valve. Is it a different shower?

If there are no markings anywhere on the valves or handles, You've got two choices: go to your home store and look on the plumbing racks for an identical cartridge (bring the old one with) or go to a plumbing supply store and they should be able to match it. Those guys usually know their stuff. It will be hard to find one online without actually being able to line it up with the old one. Good luck and stay safe out there.


Why does my new smart dimmer have an extra wire? my single pole dimmer has a hot (black), white (neutral) and green ground. The new dimmer appears to require a hot, neutral, ground and load.... why, don't get it?

Your old dimmer had neutral, eh? Now think that through.

Let's see. We've got safety ground; then always-hot as supply; then neutral to power the device -- Wait, aren't we missing something? How does it power the light???

The answer is, that wire you have identified as neutral, is not neutral at all.  It is surely switched/dimmed hot to the light.  The old dimmer does not need neutral to power itself; it's designed to get power by leaking it through an incandescent bulb.  This is the old way of doing things, and it does not play well with LED.

Now, I seriously doubt the old dimmer had a white output wire.   What I suspect is the wire in the wall is white.     That's bad news: it means your wiring the is an old-style switch loop which is using white as a hot wire.  That style of wiring does not have neutral.  You cannot use that smart switch here, unless you want to pull a /3 cable into the wall and wire it as a new-style switch loop.


adjustable pressure relief valve on a gas water heater Is it necessary to have to adjustable pressure relief valve and a t&p valve on a gas water heater, or can this be bypassed?

Yes !!!  it is absolutely necessary to have a T&P valve to prevent the water heater from exploding if for some reason the pressure was to become to great and keep building. If the pressure in the water heater increase above the safe limit the T&P valve will open and allow some of the expanding water to escape out until the pressure reduces to a safe level,  then the spring in the valve will close again.

I have not heard of an adjustable pressure valve for a water heater,  Some home have a pressure regulator on the incoming water supply line so you can set (reduce) the water pressure to some other value than the incoming pressure from the city supply.


Goodman GMP 100-4 Red light blinks 4 times As the heading says I bought a used Goodman GMP 100-4 and the red light on the board blinks 4 times.  As soon as power is turned on tho the Furnace I hear a click and a few seconds later the blower motor and inducer run even with the thermostat disconnected.  I have checked the inductor switch and have continuity, and also tried jumping it.  I checked the nipple on the inductor and it is clear, the hose is not kinked.  The vacuum pot does open and close when vacuum is applied.  the fuse on the board is good.  I did not see a reset button any where.  Also there is a multi connection plug laying in the bottom of the Furnace and I have no idea what it is for.  See photo I just happen to think I have not checked the igniter.  It will do the same with the thermostat connect or out of circuit.  Am I missing something,  is the board the problem. applied.

The plug in bottom of the furnace had come unplugged from the board.  Plugging it back in solved the problem.


Why does the hot water run cold at less than 'full throttle'? I'm as environmentally conscious as the next American (probably not very) but here's an example: I like to rinse dishes that I've just washed in a stream of hot water as this works best for drying.  I would like to run the faucet at a trickle, as that's all I need to rinse off soap and put onto the drying rack.  But if I run the hot water at a trickle, it is COLD, like 65 degrees F.  Opening up the valve fully results in hot water.

Conversely, the cold water tap gives lukewarm water (85-90 degrees F) unless it is opened fully.  Both these behaviors persist over time, so it does not seem like it's just room temperature water in the lines.  This particular dwelling is also equipped with hot water baseboard heat and recirculating pumps for the hot water lines, which I thought was to avoid this sort of thing.

Is there something wrong with the recirculation pump, where it's forcing backward flow when not overcome by a higher volume due to a fully opened tap?  That's the only thing I can think of, I'm stumped.  I should also note that this place is a rental, so I will need to get the landlord to fix this, but he's not very, er, mechanically inclined...so if I present the problem in a nutshell with proposed solution, hopefully it will get fixed.  Also the fact that we actually have hot water and plenty of it mitigates against action.  I just would like to stop wasting so much hot water!

Many new kitchen faucets use a single arm and a cartridge to control how much hot vs. cold water is released through the fixture. Sometimes, the cartridge can go bad as it wears out, causing the mixing process to not work correctly. Shower controls use a similar system. You may be able to get your landlord to replace the cartridge (a simple process for most major brands), solving your problem.

You might also try balancing the hot and cold water using the water shutoff valves under your sink. You can open the hot water valve all the way and then turn the cold water valve down some. This might help if you have significantly more cold water flow vs. hot for some reason.


Should I leave an oil water heater turned on while away on vacation? I turned off my oil hot water heater during a four week vacation. When it was turned back on, the T&P valve leaked and flooded the basement.

Why did this happen? should I just leave the burner on while away?

Do you have a back-flow prevent valve (aka a check-valve) in the water supply? If the answer is yes and you do not have a hot water expansion tank, then as the tank full of cold water was heated it would have expanded significantly and forced open the PT relief valve. The valve then must have malfunctioned and stayed open so you ended up with a flood rather than a puddle.

You must get a new PT relief valve. I suppose you could try to remove deposits on the PT relief valve, but I doubt this is worth the risk of a repeat flood at an inconvenient time.

In the future, when you come back to a cold tank, as the tank is heating up you should let one faucet drip or run on low until the tank reaches the temperature set-point. This would prevent a pressure build up during heating. The dripping  faucet can be a cold side one if the check-valve is before the branching of the supply to the hot water heater. You could let a hot water faucet drip if you would want to know when the water is hot, but this of course would waste hot water and lengthen the time to a full tank of hot water.


Where in the fire code does it say gasoline may not be stored indoors? Re Seattle fire code, but site this applies to most U.S. cities.

I think it is forbidden to keep a fueled or formerly fueled gasoline generator indoors, esp in a commercial, multi tenant building.

But the code is so big, I don't know how to find the relevant rules.

Suggestions?

Gasoline is allowed indoors. However, the occupancy then becomes H-2, and fire walls, ventilation, etc. are required. (See Section 307.4)


Conflict with roofer I hired a local roofer to redo my roof. One of the items in the contract is to "INSTALL 7/16” OSB SHEATHING OVER EXISTING ROOF BOARDS." The roof boards are rough sawn 3/4 inch thick pine, with a 1/2 - 3/4 inch gap between them.
Yesterday I found out they installed the roof without sheathing. The roofer claims that they decided it wasn't necessary. He says installing architectural shingles over wood planks is a widespread practice, and has offered me a 10% discount.
Apart from the fact that I think he shouldn't have made this decision without consulting me, I'm trying to find out to what extent the lack of sheathing will compromise the quality or lifespan of the roof. If there's a problem, the discount won't take me far. Would appreciate any advice or suggestions!

One of the first things you might want to do is look into the building codes in your area to make sure that the work performed meets code. In Montgomery County, Ohio planked sheathing is considered spaced sheathing. Therefore as roofing contractors, due to code, we have to install 3/8 or 7/16 OSB over-top of the existing planks to meet building code. Many contractors in my area do not know this code, or if they do they just ignore and continue to violate. Hope this helps and best of luck with your situation.

http://www.mcohio.org/services/building/docs/Roofing_Issues_Policy_13RCO.pdf

Can I use the existing roof sheathing?
Section 905.2.1 states “Asphalt shingles shall be fastened to solidly sheathed decks.”
Therefore, if the existing sheathing is in structurally sound, it can be used for the new
installation.
Exception: If the existing roof sheathing is spaced lumber or damaged such that it
will not hold a nail, it must be covered or replaced.


Brass/plastic part to keep toilet seat lid from lying back too far I have at times seen toilet seats fitted with what could be called a backstop that prevents the seat lid from resting against the toilet tank lid or otherwise traveling too far back. I've seen them on older (or retro) toilets, with brass hinges (though a strong plastic would be fine).
I've been looking for something like that, but I can't find anything, in stores, or online. Heck, I don't even know what the correct name is.
I need something like that to prevent the seat lid on the toilet in my master bathroom from resting against the flush lever, which restrains it from allowing the flapper to close.
Does anybody know what the name of that part  is, Or keywords to uses, so i may have better luck in my search?

I have tried all kinds of search terms with no luck.
I would suggest that you affix something  to the tank that the seat will rest against instead of the flush handle. It would need to be thick enough to stop the seat before it reaches the handle (and not so thick that the seat will not stay up)
Perhaps a nice piece of foam wrapped in some material that matches your decor or towels.
You could use some light duty hook and loop fastener (Velcro) on it and the tank to affix it so you could remove it form washing it and cleaning the toilet.
If it proves to be successful then we can advertise it with late night TV infomercials and make millions.

(Actually we could do that regardless of whether it works or is even necessary and still make millions as long as we speak loudly and with conviction)

OR You could even just place something on top of the tank thick enough to stop the seat before it reaches the handle (and not so thick that the seat will not stay up) like a decorative box to hold potpourri or scented matches or grandma's toilet paper cozy.


Hot water heater flush valves too close I have an outdoor Rheem water heater that I want to flush/descale (run vinegar through it).
Problem is, the two flush valves (hot and cold) are so close to each other that I can’t fit my hose to connect it to them.
Is there any kind of solution that can get me around this and able to connect hoses?
I’m attaching a couple of pictures here to show this.

Well, I have made tight installations before but leaving access is key. Was the fitter blessed with an IQ in single digits?
I would rotate the right hand one (blue) by 90 degrees then it can still be turned off etc as well as both unions used.


Repairing small damage to outside corners. Plaster walls. I'm thinking of using bondo. Is there a less-complex way to do it. I'm concerned that regular plaster material will fall off.

Use plaster, 2-part body filler will be just as likely to fall off upon impact and is more difficult to use (IMO).

Rough up the areas around the repair to improve adhesion. Moisten the existing damaged area before carefully applying plaster repair. Mix it to a firm putty consistency then use a moistened wide putty knife to "feather" the plaster back onto the adjacent wall areas. Sand smooth.

You might consider using a corner protector for areas subject to frequent bumps, they come in all colors and sizes including clear:


What type of block should I use for a small retaining wall? I am just starting on a new project to build a small 10 x 10 patio in the front of my house.  The 10 x 10 area is not level with the front left corner sloping down about 8 to 10 inches compared to the back half which is mostly level.

I am assuming I would build a small retaining wall to build up the front by that 8 to 10 inches.  Any recommendations on the type of material or block to use?

It really depends mostly on the look you are going for, any kind of retaining wall blocks should work fine.  The most important thing is making sure that you put down a good foundation for the bottom row of blocks.

Make sure to trench it out a bit, put some gravel in the bottom of the trench and sand on top of that for good drainage and to prevent frost heave (if you have frost in your area).  Level it out nice and put down the first row of blocks.  Once you have that down, the rest is easy.


I have more than 1 submeter off my main service do I need a (8ft 5/8"), grounding rod for each sub meter? I have more than 1 submeter off my main service do I need a (8ft 5/8"), grounding rod for each sub meter? They feed outdoor receptacles. Thanks for any help.

Well, it's not prohibited to drop another ground rod.  It's a good idea.  Can't hurt, might help.   The ground rod would be required if it's a building.  This is wobbly if it's an RV outlet, but some jurisdictions seem to require it, and most consider it the right thing to do.

The whole idea of trying to get electrical ground from a rod is, after all, hit-and-miss.  Dirt doesn't conduct electricity reliably or well.  The objective is to get neutral as close as possible (in voltage, not distance) to ground, to reduce the chance of getting shocked when the earth is conducting well enough to matter.

You need to be very clear on the difference between the main service panel and a sub-panel.   If it's a sub-panel, the ground must also be carried from the main service panel.   Neutral must be bonded to ground only at the main panel.

Sub-meters are a totally separate issue, they have nothing to do with a panel being a main or sub panel.

Sometimes, main panel vs. sub-panel is a matter of structuring.  If you have a campus with 6 buildings, how do you do that?  Eithe A) they are all sub-panels, distribute 4 wires to each building and do not bond neutral to ground in each panel.  Or B) they are all main panels with bond and mandatory ground rod, and you are your own electric company, distributing 3-wire service around campus.


PVC to metal joint leaking Some days ago I assembled the following joint using pipe dope (it is solvent based that semi hardens to a rubber like stuff).

I waited 2 days to pressurise the system and after a few days it started leaking.

How can I fix that?

Edit: this is how it looks after disassembly:

You should try TFE pipe thread joint tape. This tape is a thin white film that you wind several times around the externally threaded part before screwing the parts together.

I would suggest cleaning away as much of that dope material as possible before re-assembling with the the TFE tape. Also it may be well to look at the possibility of using a new PVC part. That particular one looks a little bit low quality as the molding marks show that the two halves of the mold did not line up perfectly which leads to the slight misalignment of the threads at the mold line plus the mold line itself. This may be contributing to the leak problem.


Wiring washer, dryer, tankless water heater Trying to wire for washer/dryer combo in the garage, and we need to add a tankless water heater to get hot water to the washer. In their current location, there's a (EDIT: 15) AMP circuit for washer, and one for the dryer. Both are electric. The water heater requires up to 33A, and needs a double-pole 40A breaker. It also runs 240V (washer 110, dryer 240). To make this fit in the box, I'm hoping I can make some combo of either the washer or dryer on that double pole as well.

EDIT TO CLARIFY: We have two open spaces to work with in the panel, I'm trying to see how I can combine one of the other appliances with the heater in that open 2-pole spot. (See @Harper below)

Electrical newbie, but am I correct in thinking that the best way would be:
-50A double pole with 6/3 to the heater (max 33A) and washer (Dr. Google says max 10). I already ran 10/3, but it looks like that's nowhere near enough to carry this load. It's exposed 20 feet, so I don't mind re-running.
-Leave the dryer on dedicated 30A circuit.

Does this sound reasonable? Is there a simpler way that I am missing? (or is this DOA and all three need to be on different circuits?)

Thanks!
Jeff

I think what you mean to say is you need a quadruplex 40/30.

The tankless would be fed with a #8/2 #6/2 to suffice the 33 amp requirement. ( black/white/ground ) unless for some reason it requires a neutral then #8/3 #6/3 ( Black/red/white/ground ).

The existing dryer 30 amp breaker would be replaced with the quadruplex.  The dryer #10 would connect to the 30 amp side, and the #6 would connect to the 40 amp side.

Note: The panel should indicate how many, if any, quadruplex it can allocate.  Also, the breaker obviously needs to match the panels manufacturer.