Strategy to free up slot for a 50 amp 240 volt circuit My first ever post here. Can someone explain to me the best strategy for freeing up a pole/slot so that I can install a two-pole 50 amp 240 volt circuit on this panel? I have a free slot at the bottom left.

I want to use a tandem circuit, but I'm not sure which existing circuits would be ok to swap out. My panel is "twinable" (see panel label sticker below)

If I've understood correctly, I can't use a tandem circuit to consolidate the two bottom left circuits because they are AFCI.

Above those two AFCI circuits I have 3 circuits that I think might be candidates for combining into a tandem circuit. Can someone tell me if those types of circuits are eligible for being replaced by a tandem? If so, would it be better to tandem the 20/20 and shift the three below it upwards? Or would it be better to tandem the 15/20 and move the two AFCI circuits upwards? One final note: of these 3 circuits, the top-most 20 amp circuit is labeled "Bath GFCI", so I'm not sure if that can be put on a tandem circuit.

Final note: the new 50A 240V circuit will be used to power a NEMA 14-50 plug that I'm going to install in the wall below the panel. It will be used to charge an electric vehicle (Tesla Model 3).

Thank you!

MWBC's and double-stuff

The worst danger to double-stuffing breakers is encountering a multi-wire branch circuit.  In that case, double-stuffing can overload the shared neutral.  However, I don't see any markings on your wires, so it appears they are installed in cable, and all your single-pole circuits are installed with their own /2 cable.  If that's so, then you have two multi-wire branch circuits in the box, already on 2-pole breakers where they belong, and I trust you'll keep them either on 2-pole or the inner 2-pole breaker of a quadplex.  These are

disposal --- dishwasher
kitchen receptacles #1 --- microwave oven & oven hood

Alien breakers

You have a Siemens panel, but you have Eaton "BR" breakers in the panel (the ones you consider candidates for replacement). Those are alien breakers and should be removed immediately. They may seem to snap in, but if you compare them to how a proper Siemens breaker snaps in, they feel different; that difference is the breaker not engaging properly to the bus stabs, which could cause arcing under load. That will destroy the bus stab, and now you'll have an 18 space panel.  So those BR breakers disappear - today.   And the guy who installed them isn't invited back.

What might've confused that guy is that Eaton does make a "CL" breaker line, specifically UL-classified to replace your Siemens Q115/Q120 breakers. However BR is not that line, note CL breakers are not classified for BR panels.  CL costs more and is much harder to find, so there's no earthly reason to go that way unless you have a high volume commercial account with an Eaton dealer (or want Eaton-only exotica like CLR "remote control" breakers).

This panel...

You are correct, AFCI breakers are not available in double-stuff. The most you could do is combine 2 circuits onto one AFCI, but it appears your existing AFCI breakers are heavily oversubscribed already, serving more than one room each.  Somebody really, really chintzed out on this panel, and is putting you to considerable inconvenience.  Well, I hope they really, really, really enjoyed that pizza (the one they bought with the savings on not getting a properly sized panel).

At your very first opportunity, you will want to install at least a 20 space subpanel, either here, or somewhere more convenient to your loads.   A proper house, especially one with 200A service, needs 40+ spaces.  There's always another load, and "I'm out of space, help" is a top question here.

Best plan going forward: option 1

I see a couple options. The first one is simpler/cheaper, but the second one prevents future problems.

Replace the three alien BR breakers with a Siemens QT type ("Q" Twin) Q2020 duplex breaker, and a Siemens Q115 one-pole.  That frees up one space, and gets you home for about $14.

Option 2

You know the problem where someone replaces a multi-wire branch circuit 2-pole with a duplex, and overloads the neutral?  This option has a big advantage: it heads that off.  This overstuff problem isn't going to go away, and somebody's going to come along and want to compress those big 2-pole breakers.  So we're pre-emptively double-stuffing the MWBCs so the next guy can't screw them up.

We'll use quadplex (Siemens calls them Triplex) breakers.  And by the way, MWBCs require common maintenance shutoff, so they must be on the inner 2-pole on a quadplex. The outer 2-pole won't do, even if they're handle-tied, because the handle-tie is too flimsy to assure common maintenance shutoff (and the labeling says so).

We replace the 15A 2-pole MWBC (Disposal/Dishwasher) with with a Q21515CT quadplex.  (15A singles and 15A inner 2-pole).  We are stuck doing this because this is the only quadplex readily available with 15A in the center.  That is where the MWBC goes.  The two outer 15A's are independent 1-poles.  Your panel has two singleton 15A circuits -- "Furnace" (which must be a separate breaker) and "Garage/GFCI".  Those move to the outer terminals of this quadplex.

Then, let's kill two birds with one stone.  Pre-emptively replace the "Kitchen#1/Micro-hood" MWBC 2-pole, in similar fashion, with a Q22020CT 20A-all-around breaker.  Then, likewise, move two 20A single circuits to the outer positions.  I would say go with what wires will reach.  This does one other useful thing -- frees up two real Siemens 20A breakers.  Those replace the alien BR breakers, which go on Craigslist unless you need them to fill empty holes.

This scenario will cost you about $40 plus some 12 AWG pigtails, because Mr. Snippy didn't do you any favors by nipping off the wires to barely what's needed to reach the breakers now.  Future note: Every circuit should have its hot and neutral both long enough to reach every breaker space in the panel.  Neutral for GFCI or AFCI.

This option will create some empty holes in your panel.  Slap any handy breaker in there, and don't connect it to anything, just put a sticker with a red X on the breaker. If it's a BR breaker, spray-paint the whole breaker red to deter people from using it.


What is this type of traditional adjustable shelf support called? I saw these on a bookcase in a shop today, but don’t know what they are called.

Also is there an easy way to make them, or can they be bought “off the shelf”

This appears to be a "sawtooth shelf support" like the one shown in this article.


Light is working but switch is not Total noob here. Replaced a ceiling fan with an LED light. Connected the green to green, white to white and the black to black. The light is turning on but the switch is not working.

Not sure what to do. There is another black and another red wire.

Please help.

Thanks.

This looks like a very common type of circuit, called a switch loop.

One question: do the unused black and red wires at the light come out of the same cable? If so, the other end of the cable is most probably attached to the switch.

Strictly speaking, you should test this by checking for continuity between the unused black and the unused red, with the switch off and then with the switch on. However checking continuity is something that a total noob may not know how to do, or have the equipment for.

Now, I usually test continuity using line voltage and an ordinary drop light. You can do the equivalent of that here by simply wiring the switch loop into the light circuit and trying it.

Turn off the circuit breaker controlling the light.
At the light fixture, disconnect the black light fixture wire from
the black wire bundle.
At the light fixture, connect the unused black wire to the black wire
bundle.
At the light fixture, using a new wire nut, connect the black light
fixture wire to the unused red wire.
Turn on the circuit breaker.
Turn the switch on and off.

If this doesn't work, that is, if the switch still doesn't control the light, or if the circuit breaker trips, then you have some unusual wiring, and you will have to spend some time analyzing it. If it does work, you're done, and you can put the cover plates back on.


Can I mix joint compounds with different setting times to get a custom setting time? I'm currently skim coating some really bad looking walls and my 45 minute joint compound is setting too fast for me to get a nice finish.

Can I mix the remainder of my 45 minute Joint Compound with a new bag of 210 minute JC to get something in-between?

The short answer is yes.  I have done this but not for the reasons you have stated.  I just had some leftovers and wanted to use them.  As long as your mixing agent - water - is the same then mix away.  Note that other than trial and error you are looking at a setting time between 45 mins to 210 mins - even if you mixed 50/50.


Does siphoning through a garden hose to a basement make sense? I'd like to drain some rainwater sitting on an in-ground pool cover. I siphoned the first few inches quite easily with one end at the street level—which, luckily, is a little lower than both the front- and the back- yards—and the other in the pool.

That still left me with a few more inches. Had I had a rain chute right in front of the house, I would have just dangled the garden hose in a little and continued the drainage. That makes me wonder. What is to stop me from simply taking the garden hose through a window and down to the sink in the basement? I'd keep in eye that there are no microscopic holes in the hose, and I'd be sitting next to the sink in the basement for the 2-3 hours that the task will take to make sure I don't end up with a flooding.

All in all it's an entirely passive method, but my gut feeling tells me it's irrational to take a garden hose, even one carrying water passively, into the house. What am I missing?

It may not seem intuitive to do this, but not to would be irrational. Temporally secure the hose to something so that it can't fall out of the sink, and go to lunch. Sticking it as far as it will go into a (known working) floor drain would be even better.

I've been doing some work in my basement lately. Step one of every morning, is hosing off the 100 years of brick dust so I can tuck point it. "A little water never hurt anything."


Could recent electrical work cause lights to dim when A/C turns on? Last week I had an electrician in to put in some new wiring; I also had an HVAC guy come do the annual maintenance on our system. Since then, the lights in our living room flicker whenever the A/C comes on.

I would usually suspect the start-up capacitor in the compressor, but the compressor is on a separate panel from our living room lights. On the other hand the 1st floor lights (1) and the attic air handler (4-6) are on the same panel, as is the new wiring, which was added to the Bath GFCI circuit (2) as shown here:

The new wiring is supporting our basement de-humidifier and a desktop computer. I confess to knowing next to nothing about home electrical -- is it possible that the additional current being drawn by circuit 2 could be causing the flickering of lights in circuit 1 whenever the HVAC kicks on?

Find out what the A/C guy did.  I would guess he did something which improved the performance of the A/C system, so now, instead of the motor nearly freewheeling against little load, it's having to hunker down and really work.  The increased amperage is "bringing to the surface" a pre-existing problem with wiring, probably between the sub-panel and the supply.

I would now measure to see how serious the problem really is.  It may not be worth worrying about, it may just be over-sensitive bulbs.

You can mask the symptom by buying modern lamps.  Any multi-voltage rated LED (typically 100-240V) or fluorescent tube ballast (100-277V) will ride through voltage sags.  Avoid the cheapies (Feit, Utilitech, Lights of Amerchina, and CFLs of any make; you will not be satisfied with their long-term performance, and they will give LED a bad name.)


How would I fit both a dishwasher and a washing machine with this plumbing? What parts do I need to hook both units to this sink?

Assuming you can physically fit a dishwasher and a washing machine between your cabinets, you would need to replace two parts.

Replace the trap under the sink with one that has connections for two appliances.
Replace the blue shut off valve with one that also has two connections.

Here are a couple of parts that should work.

This is all feasible by a DIY'er but might require some extra fittings or cuts to the shelf to make the new trap fit. You might also be able to find a similar valve but push-fit and easier to install.


There is a big open pipe to the attic in my AC closet? I have a pipe that lets air from the attic into my ac closet.  This closet also has the hot water heater.  However, both of these already have vent pipes that vent out through the ceiling.  Is there a reason this hole would be there?  Its not connected to anything so i wonder if its from an old unit?  House is 45 years old

It is possibly for makeup air. The units need air to burn effectively, since they are in a closet, there will not be enough air getting to them for effective combustion.


string trimmer slits bottom screen door I live in a condo with a back doorwall, but no patio. The doorwall opens directly onto lawn.
In summer, the grounds crew comes through with a weed trimmer and (since no patio) trims right up the to house.
In doing so, they repeatedly cut a slit in the bottom of the screen door, allowing bugs and dirt to enter the house. I've repaired the screen twice, but they just cut through again.
Short of installing a patio that I probably won't use very much, is there any cheap way to fix/prevent this problem?
I've googled for this problem, but it returns no references at all. I find it hard to believe that I have encountered something completely unique.

I solved a similar problem (cat scratching a low screen) by attaching a piece of clear acrylic plastic to the frame, just high enough to prevent damage, and still allowing ventilation through the upper part of the screen. I would guess 8 - 10 inches across the bottom would be sufficient to guard against string trimmers.

My frame was wood, so drilling some holes for screws was easy. Might be harder if you have aluminum. Also, the cut edge of the acrylic was not especially nice looking.


How can i use the closed power outlets I am Greek so my English wont be perfect, forgive me.
I have this power strip with 3 "spots" for a year now.
I plugged in something today in one spot, then unplugged. Everything as usual. Ever since, I cant plug in anything else. I apply force, i wiggle, i followed other advice i found online, nothing!
What happened all of a sudden?

What probably has happened is that one of the retaining clips has become bent too far toward the center and is blocking the plug. Press the clips outward as far as you can, and make sure the plug can push them both into their slots.
You shouldn't remove the clips as they probably also supply safety fault grounding.


What is the proper hole size to drill through joists for wiring? I am running CAT6a wire around my house and I was wondering what the maximum hole size I can drill to run cable across the joists in my basement to various rooms. I should measure but the joists are 2 x 8's I believe.

According to International Residential Code, the maximum diameter of a bored hole in sawn lumber is 1/3 the depth of the board.

See this answer for more details.

A 2x8 joist has a depth 7¼", so maximum hole diameter would be 2 13/32" (7.25" / 3 = 2.41667").


Cover & sound-suppression for doorbell transformer in utility closet This transformer is installed in the utility closet of a 1970's condo.

Notice the wad of cut paper sheets pinched between transformer and the wall plate. This is an attempt at halting a low-tone humming caused by the transformer. Is there a better way to avoid this annoying hum?
And should a transformer be exposed in the open like this? If this is proper, are there covers available to hide the ugly and protect the wires?

The best way to eliminate transformer noise is to purchase a quality transformer.
The noise is because the laminated core is heavily loaded or overloaded and the plates are actually vibrating because of eddy currents. I can’t quite make out the size, but it looks like 24V, 20VA. I would bump it up to a 24V, 40VA unit that would be compatible with video doorbells and probably a lot quieter. Usually, hard mounting is fine unless the core is coming apart or overloaded so going to a new larger one fixes both problems.


How should I go about insulating a 1920's stucco house in LA? I own a two story, 3200 Sq ft house in Los Angeles.  The exterior is stucco and the walls are lathe and plaster.  A year ago we had some water damage after a rain storm.  When the contractor demo'd the lathe and plaster for repair of the wall, I was shocked to discover there was no insulation between the inner and the outer walls.  I want to lower my heating/AC bills, and make the house more livable.  What is the best route to go (Cost v. Benefit) to insulate my walls?  What are my considerations?  (Based on what I saw during the demo I do not believe there is any kind of "wrap" on the exterior of the house).

It IS possible to insulate with a "wrap" on the outside, but then you need to extend all the window frames: a huge undertaking, and really hard to seal properly.

Your practical options are blown in insulation from the outside or from the inside. Then you can choose from fiberglass, cellulose (most common) or maybe maybe foam.

From the outside is less disruptive, but introduces more chances for leaks.  From the inside works OK.  Two holes are drilled per wall cavity.  You'll want to use a contractor who uses a thermal gun, to ensure all the cavities are filled.

As mentioned here:
Alternatives to conventional weep screed, for stucco to the ground homes?  the stucco and interior plaster of that era is just reaching maximum strength, and it's rock rock rock rock hard.  Drilling from the outside is a serious chore.

You also have a SEVERE danager.  Existing leaks in your stucco are no big deal, they dry out.  With blown in cellulose in particular you now have wet compost in your walls.  Paying a professional energy consultant is needed to give a better answer and to really evaluate your house, habits and opportunities for energy savings and comfort upgrades.


Should toilet be close to sewage pump? I am adding a bathroom in basement which will have a sewage pump. I am finalizing the bathroom layout and the ideal setup will have the toilet 8 ft away from the sewage pump. Is there any reason of concern like clogging issue or anything else? My layout is as below

My 2nd best best option is switch the layout (top/bottom) and the toilet will then be next to sewage pump but it is not ideal layout.

Is my original layout Ok or should I make sure the toilet is next to sewage pump?

As long as you have proper drains and a good pump/pit for the water to drain into 8' is not a problem. Check local code as some require a larger pit when located a long distance from the toilet. I think the distance for the larger pit was based on number of levels + bathrooms.


How to splice grounds in a metal box with a 30amp and 20amp circuit I have a 30amp dryer circuit (4x10 gauge - 2hot, 1neutral, 1gnd) and a 20amp circuit (3x12 - hot, neutral, ground) coming into the same metal box. The 20 amp circuit continues on to another box where the 20amp outlet is and the 30amp outlet is in this box.

Do I need to splice all the grounds together in this box (and to the box)? Or, can I directly connect the 4x10 to dryer outlet (without any splices with the 20amp circuit), then splice the 12gauge ground together and to the box?

If I do need to splice them all together, do I need to use 10AWG to the metal box?

EDIT: Basically I'm wondering if doing something like this is acceptable, or if I need to also to connect the incoming line to the 30amp dryer outlet to the ground bundle.

Splice the ground wires together and to a box ground pigtail

You'll need to splice the ground wires coming into the box to each other and to 10AWG pigtails to both the receptacle ground terminal and the box grounding screw, as per NEC 250.148.  That way, there's a direct path for ground current from the MC's ground conductor to the ground wire in the FMC, instead of sending ground current from the MC cable through the box and the yoke of the NEMA 14-30R in order to get to the ground wire in the FMC (or equivalently, through the box and then the 5' of FMC to get to the next box).


Wiring a new thermostat without a C wire, extra wires from furnace I have checked other posts regarding this and don't see a solution yet.

I have purchased a new thermostat that requires a c wire.  My old thermostat's c wire didn't work so I went ahead and added a brand new 18-5 thermostat wire and wired everything up.  Unfortunately, I am getting no power.  Here is my old set up:

I stupidly did not get a before of the furnace set up, but there were two wires that were connected to it that actually don't run to the thermostat but come from somewhere else.  They are red and white:

Here is my new set up using my new wire:

And at the furnace:

So anyways I get no power at the thermostat and am wondering if those extra wires are the culprit, any help is appreciated.

You said your old thermostats C-Wire did not work so you wired a new one.
You said your meter only measures 50V or higher (I never saw a tool like that before) - so how do you know the c wire was not working?

Your old thermostat was not working ?

Your old thermostat picture shows something like this:

C or G?? , [Y?orX? - most likely Y], W , [RH RC]

It would have been a better photo if the letter codes were visible; these codes are standardized and they do have meaning as to what circuit they operate.

Common (24VAC) - should be a black wire - blue is for other things, G is for Ground green wire ,  if Y Cooling On Signal [Most likely Y for Yellow] ,  W Heating on Signal - white wire , [ Rh 24VAC Heating , Rc 24VAC Cooling  - red wires ].

The additional wires that you show removed - I am thinking out loud here - they go to your outside Air conditioner Condenser? They turn it on. You can check the wiring diagram for the condenser to find out for sure - and ohm the leads ..by opening the condenser panel - disconnect the red and white wire that goes into the unit - tie them together - then go back inside and measure continuity - if continuity - then you know which wires go to the AC unit - put the wires in the condenser back to the way they were before and connect the wires inside to the proper terminals. Red probably ties in to your Yellow Wire that is wrapped, and the white wire to the common - (Black tape the white wire so you know it is really black).

Now if they do not go there - then they must turn something else on - that will need to be verified where they really go to by continuity testing .. but I think the AC Condenser is where they go.

I can't see your Air Handler control board terminal labeling very well - so under the white wire - the label is ? and next to it is that a Y ? for Yellow like if AC is on don't allow heater to run ?

Your yellow line is not hooked up so it goes somewhere - perhaps to that Y terminal on the AH control board and something like the red wire ?

The answer here has a layout of what wire is what and the proper color scheme - although there are some missing exceptions like X which could be a heat circuit if I am not mistaken ..

Oh and by the way if all else fails - and you have not done so already - Please check your circuit breakers and check for any fuses that you might have in the system - just in case (sometimes that old adage of making sure we really have power gets skipped - especially when we have pulled things apart and perhaps mislabeled something or did not take note - figuring that out makes people forget that simple stuff - even the pros - we are all human. I remember having a 20 year old washer and dryer set - I replaced the timer in the washer and my dryer went out a month later - I had no heat but it spun - with no time to spend checking anything I quickly ordered a timer as I assumed what my problem was. Upon pulling the dryer out and getting behind the unit - I did that yes let me check the power before I go digging.  One leg of my circuit breaker in the service panel was blown. I had that Homer Simpson moment Doh!


How can I identify the brand name of bathtub? I need to replace the pump on my jetted tub and the plumber requests the brand name of the bathtub in order to do so. Where do I look to see if I can locate the brand name? This tub was possibly manufactured in the mid 1990s. I can upload a picture if that helps.

There should be an access panel of some type, to get to the electrics. Start by looking within that compartment. At the very least, there should be a label on the motor (nameplate). If you send that information to the plumber, it should give them a clue.


Wrapping fibreglass/ rock wool to seal in fibres in acoustic panels (bass traps) I'm Making acoustic panels to treat my home studio and plan to use mineral wool or fibreglass insulation to do so. Likely Owen's Corning 703 or something marketed as safe insulation like Bradford Sound Soundscreen or Roxul Safe n' Sound. Regardless of how safe salespeople market these fibrous materials I still want to seal in this material, which leads to the questions:

What material can I wrap around the insulation in order to trap the fibrous particles in but still allow sound to pass?
Is there some kind of measurement that I should be looking for such as stitching density?

I can't find any data about the size of the particles for fibreglass or mineral wool. One company uses a material called Micromesh but provides no data about it:

You would do fine using simple burlap. Given the wavelengths of the signal that must pass through, cotton fibers will pose no problem. They are also considerably smaller than the coarse fibers found in commercial acoustic panels. In fact, any material used as speaker cover would work for your application. Incidentally, fiberglass is a very hard and acoustically very reflective material. You may do better with a panel of dense open cell, soft urethane-based foam; they may be found at a local craft store.


Trimming hollow doors without circular saw? I am currently looking to replace the old doors in my house. The doors themselves are probably 50+ years old and therefore have very noticeable signs of wear and tear. Just to make sure I can do it, I purchased one of the very cheap hollow interior slab doors (link here) and some other small tools that look like they'll make the job a tad easier without breaking the bank (jig for mortises, etc). The closest sized door I could find had the dimensions of 32"x80". The old doors (probably due to multiple layers of flooring) share the same width, but the height is slightly smaller (79 1/4"). So my dilemma becomes trimming the doors 3/4"so they'll be a perfect fit.

Throughout the years I have received various tools from family and friends that they no longer needed but unfortunately I do not own a circular saw. However, I do have access to an electric planer. From my understanding of these hollow doors, the bottom is blocked off by a small piece of wood. My fear is that I plane the bottom portion of the door (take 3/4" off) and end up have the bottom of the door entirely hollow (because I would be shaving off the bottom insert that blocks it).

Here is a picture of the piece I am talking about (Reference: YouTube):

I suppose it is almost entirely dependent on the door, but is there a typical size for this bottom wood piece? Are there any better solutions to get around this (buying the equivalent sized wood and nailing it in, just buying a circular saw, hiring a professional, etc)

Thank you!

I have done this with 100s of hollow doors.

You need a table saw period for your situation.   The electric planer is the other tool you need - which you have.   But using the planer is not right for that big of a cut.   You will have trouble managing the edges - these doors will splinter on you unless you are perfect.

If you want a half inch gone -

Remove the bottom piece of the door.   You can usually bump it on one side with  something blunt - that side will push in and the other side should pop out a little.  Pull it out.  If you have serious issue just put a screw in it and tap screw and pull out by screw.   It is the bottom of a door so no one will ever see a screw hole.
Cut door with table saw.  I guess you could use a circular saw but you need to use a guide.   Honestly I wouldn't use a circular saw because these are hollow and you will get kick back and the doors are flimsy.
Reinsert bottom of the door.
Wood glue the bottom back in.   You will need to put glue on every side.   Clamp it while it dries.  (check 20 mins later and wipe glue)  It needs to dry for a day.
A day later you will probably need to shave about 1/32" off with the planer.   No matter how good you try to get the piece in, it won't be perfect.   The planer will make it look new and will also shave off excess glue.

Also don't touch the top of the door.   Imperfections are really not noticed at the bottom and even if not perfect it will look like wear and tear.   At the top it will be very noticeable and will look like a hack job.

The other factor of not cutting the top is when you look at a hallway all of the panels should be the same height.   You will notice the distance from top panel to the top door frame trim and if there are differences an OCD person might have a meltdown :)


Centralised home automation system - Any product out there? I read the Scalable, affordable home automation question and answers with great interest. Simply Automated looks pretty cool & so do the ideas behind Z-Wave.

What I'm looking for, I don't seem to find - although it would seem to me like the obvious thing to do.

Is there any reasonably affordable system out there that centralises all power to say a single patch panel?

Get the power from just outside the breaker, through the patch panel to the switches and dimmers just there (really, just a collection of individual switching or dimming devices, within a few feet of the circuit breaker board) and direct to the target device (mostly lights, some dimmed others switched - that one is the wire that runs within walls and things).

Somehow plugged to that 'central' patch panel are all the controls (wall switches, buttons, dials and computer interface). I would imagine that it would be most efficient to use low power wires for the controls, but I actually don't really mind if they have to be regular home power.

Or is it just me not seeing the writing on the wall and that's exactly what some of those systems do?

Without home aut, one controllable lamp requires a switch, which interrupts the 110V/230V wire between the power source and the lamp. When you need another lamp, you have to find the point, where you can join to the 110V/230V, a switch and a lamp.

In a centralized system, you have to lead 2 wire from the button to the center, and another 2 between the lamp and the center. Switching to home aut. requires complete re-wiring. When you need another lamp, you have to another 2+2 wire for lamp and for button, you have to provide a relay for the lamp, a free slot on the controller for the lamp (sometimes built together with the relay), a free input slot. If your controller device has no free slot, you have to buy another one. Sometimes adding new devices is not a simple task, e.g. if the controller is connected to the computer with RS232 or other point-to-point cabling, you have to expand the computer. So, when the hardware is OK, you have to configure it in your software.

So that's why this part of the home automation is less advertised: you have to completelly re-organize the electrical stuff in your house. It can be quite expensive.

There are other kind of home automation systems, where there're no central panel, but each actuator/sensor is intelligent. These manufacturers say that it's more reliable than centralized systems, but you will forget it as soon as you will see the price of that sysems.

There're solutions avoid cabling: the smart guys say X10 is not the best choice, it's unreliable etc., the future is ZigBee and EnOcean. (I just have to write EnOcean driver for our system.)

So, when you choose system, take care of expandability, ask these questions: what if I double my lamps? How can I add +1 dimmer switch?


What kind of material is this (for a shower pan) and how to remove it I have a house built in 1962. I want to demo the bathroom and I'm seeing this patterned sort of cement looking material (perhaps it's granite?) that is the shower pan. Is this cement? And what is the best way to remove it. Photo is from side view of wall.

This looks like a Terrazzo flooring, which is marble chips poured in place with a bonding agent over a concrete floor. That looks like a sill so you should be able to whack it a few times with a sledge hammer and break it apart or break it free.


How can I adjust the operational tension of a Delta shower faucet? My Delta Monitor 1300/1400 series faucet was repaired by a neighbor because it dripped from the shower head. Now it works and there is no leak but it's waaaay too easy to push. Like you touch it with slight pressure and it flies over to the hot or cold whichever way you touch it.

The cartridge for that shower model contains all the moving pieces internally:

It isn't like some cartridges that rotate inside the faucet body.  Since the moving parts are inside the sealed unit, there's not much you can do to make it tighter.

It's possible that a low-cost replacement cartridge was used instead of a genuine OEM part.  My suggestion would be to get a name-brand Delta replacement cartridge and install that.  Since it was recently repaired, it should be an easy fix (cartridge shouldn't be stuck or anything), but you will need to turn off the water to do it.


Outlet drawing too much power So this is confusing me a lot.

I have a gaming computer in my office, connected to an UPS (battery backup). If I plug my space heater in and turn it on in my bedroom (same breaker), the outlet the UPS is plugged into stops working. It doesn’t trip the breaker; it just stops supplying power until I turn the space heater off.

This is also true for the other outlet in the same room as the computer.

Does anyone know the cause or how to fix this?

Sounds like a bad connection to me.

And this is dangerous.  This could set your house on fire.

It happens all the time with backstab connections that a poor connection creates a virtual "fuse" that "burns out" above a certain current (often well within the rated ampacity of the circuit).  This results in a dead branch.   It would be less common, but certainly not impossible, for such an "accidental fuse" to be self-healing; making it an "accidental circuit breaker".

The problem is, such things cannot be counted on to be stable. This is likely to devolve into a more serious arcing fault, which can create hundreds of watts of heat in a near-pinpoint area of the receptacle.  This can melt the receptacle, and even set the box or surroundings on fire.  It's a big cause of house fires, and the reason AFCI breakers are Code for most circuits today. AFCI breakers listen for the electrical sound of arcing.  (if you've ever jiggled a headphone or speaker wire and heard crinkle-crunch, that's the sound, and it manifests both electrically and aurally.)

Don't overload the circuit

A gaming PC.  Those have "850 watt" power supplies - but that's on the DC side. You still have to count efficiency and power-factor, so if you look at the AC-side nameplate, that typically says 10 amps.  But all the cool kids today are using 1300W supplies that AC-nameplate at 15 amps.

So you're putting that, and ~1A worth of UPS (figuring battery recharge current), and 12.5A worth of heater... on a 15A (typical for bedrooms) or 20A circuit.

All but the UPS need a 125% derate, so over 30A provisioned, all on a 15/20A circuit.

This is treating wall outlets like a cornucopia, and that doesn't work.  I expect what's been happening is this "accidental circuit breaker" has been preventing you from overloading the circuit, and so your actual circuit breaker has not tripped. But you must fix the bad connecton, and when you do, the breaker will see full draw, and likely, you'll get trips.

Best tocall an electrician and have them fit a dedicated circuit (or two or three; the hard part is the fishing; tossing in an extra cable or two is no trouble) to support your hardware. Bedrooms are simply not wired for big PCs and heaters.  And if you want heaters, rather than buying a rinky-dink $20 heater-fan every year, heck, in 2-1/2 years you've paid for a proper 2000W baseboard heater ($50) that'll last 20 years!  So have the electrician install that on a 240V circuit.


Should we use plasterboard, MDF or wood when blocking up a window in our pantry? We have a window in our pantry and we have been advised that we might need planning permission to remove it. Instead it would be easier to put plaster board over it.

I was just curious whether plaster board, MDF or wood might be better because we intend to put shelves up on this wall.

In most localities it is illegal to permanently block a window from the inside only. The reason being in an emergency fire fighters may waste time trying to enter a blocked window. The amount of difficulty to do it properly will vary based mostly on the type of exterior siding. I would remove the window, frame it in with 2x4's or what ever the wall is framed with. Install any blocking that will help with mounting the shelves. Install sheathing to allow the siding to fit flush with the exterior. Install plasterboard to fit flush with the existing interior wall including any insulation.


Move around table with attached legs I have a table that has the legs drill-attached to the surface. The surface and the whole table is quite heavy.
What is the best way to move the table around a room if
1) it is not very easy to lift up and carry around
2) pushing it could be risky for the attached legs?

If your concern is friction of the legs against the floor, you can get some of these furniture sliders.  They will take that pressure off of the legs and allow you to push/pull the table without putting excess strain a the base of the legs.  This is, however, assuming that you can lift at least one corner of the table at a time just barely enough to get one of these under there.


How to prevent warping of softwood shelves? I've been buying planed timber from my local builders merchant for various simple interior jobs.
Recently I noticed warping across the width of some of my shelves. Attached shows a 20mm thick piece cut in half and compared with itself. I wouldn't have expected such a thick piece to be bent across such a narrow width.
I don't know if this is normal for softwood (this is Scots Pine) but clamping a bunch of sawn pieces together for 24 hours made some decent improvement.
My worry now is that the warping will return. The wood will be painted, but is there anything else I can treat it with to avoid warping?
One piece in particular will be a shelf above a radiator - would you expect heat to cause further warping?

The problem:
Welcome to the joys of working with a natural product!
Wood will move year in, year out. Some woods are more stable than others, but they all have cells in them that were designed to move and hold water when the tree was alive. Now that the tree is dead, they're still there, they're just not actively working, but they still work just great passively. The first couple of paragraphs of my answer here go into some detail about it.
The thickness of the board will have some impact on the amount of cupping you'll see, but you'll need to go significantly beyond 20mm (~3/4") before you'll notice a difference. Head back to the builder's merchant and look at a board like a 2x8" (~50x200mm) - you'll see that even along the 200mm dimension the boards will curve (put the board on the 50mm edge, with the 200mm dimension vertical, then sight along the board, you're likely to find some that curve up or down - this is called "crown" and it's necessary to put the crown up when using this lumber in a floor or ceiling).
All lumber will dry out with age (roughly 1 year per inch/25mm to air dry when properly spaced). Kiln dried wood has been heated to speed up this process. It costs money to run the kiln, but it saves time - you pay extra for the process - but otherwise, it behaves essentially the same as air dried wood.
The Fix:
If you want to minimize the chances of your boards cupping, you need to purchase quarter sawn lumber. This will be significantly more expensive than the plainsawn lumber you show in your picture, and it will not guarantee that it won't cup on you, but it will significantly reduce the chances of cupping.
You can tell a quartersawn board by looking at the grain. The face grain will be very consistent along the length of the boards like this oak is:
Source: wiseGeek.com. No affiliation, just the first pic I found
You can also look a the end grain. Where the boards in your picture show the growth rings curving through the end, in a quartersawn board, they will run vertically (or near vertically) from one face to the other, like this:
Source: Bell Forest Products No affiliation, just the first end grain pic I found
It is possible to rummage through the piles of lumber at your local home center to find the boards that were plainsawn from the center of the log and exhibit these grain features. They will exhibit the same stability and resistance to cupping and expansion that quarter sawing will yield for the price of painsawn wood, but you're going to spend a lot of time looking for them.
You indicated that you clamped some pieces together and that the cupped one uncupped, at least a bit. Congrats! Give it 48 hours or so and it will, most likely, return to its curved shape.
A more permanent fix is to cut a series of grooves along the inside of the cupping to relieve the stresses. Unfortunately, this also weakens the board and it won't support as much weight when working as a shelf.
Painting is probably your best, simple, way of minimizing the cupping. Paint will slow the absorption and release of water by the wood, but it won't stop it completely. The same applies to a couple of layers of polyurethane or any other covering finish (stain will soak into the wood, not sit on top - it's only there to dress up the wood, not protect it). The key to minimizing the warping via coatings is to cover all 6 sides. Paint the top and bottom and edges and ends. If you cover only the visible sides, you'll actually accelerate the warping as you'll reduce the water absorption on one side while leaving it at "full rate" on the other side. The uncoated side will absorb more water and expand faster.
The best solution, one that is probably serious overkill for your fairly narrow shelves, is to rip the boards into narrower strips, arrange the strips so that the growth rings (viewed from the end) alternate up and down, then glue them back together into the width of board you need. This is the technique used to make wide planks for things like table tops out of boards wider than the ones you show in your picture. It'll work for your shelves, but it is serious overkill. If you want to find out more about this methodology, visit the Woodworking stack and look at the tabletop or table-making tags. You can also look at the wood-movement tag to see other thoughts on the topic.
To reduce the warping in a practical manner, place the boards on the shelves with the growth rings "down". That is, arcing from the bottom of the board, up in the middle, then back down. This will use the weight of whatever is on the shelves to help resist the wood's desire to curve upward, but won't prevent it. Unless you're clamping your books and nick-nacks down.


Need Tree Platform Build Advice First time here and I am hoping someone can help me with my issue.
I have been planning platforms for the past couple weeks for the kids and am starting with the most basic one.

Rough sketch is attached below..not exactly to scale.

I know the basics and have some prior training building. I am NOT a math head and that is my weakness.

Dimensions are 8' x 16'. See diagrams for more specifics. Roughly about 6' off the ground. Two trees with 1' diameter.

I have two different designs for this making a platform, the main concern is the 8' span between trees. I need it to support an active weight of say 500lb around the middle. 2 Adult + 2 kids

I know traditional route is 2 beams parallel to the trees, however I am concerned the one tree is leaning a bit. I might not be able to make it a straight line, it may be over 5 degrees, perhaps 10.

In the first design I have:

2 beams 2x8x16 - Joists are 2x6x8

Hence build number 2 going with 4 horizontal beams and following up with 16' joists. The main question dogging me, will plan number 2 work.

4 beams are 2x8x8 - Joists are 2x6x16

Specifications:

Douglas Fir #2 Kiln Dried for all structure.
Beams 2x8's
Joists 2x6's
Plan on spacing joists 16" apart.
Traditional V support on each tree.
3/4 8" Hot Dipped Galv Lag Screws
3/4 10" HDG Lags for the V's
galvanized joist hangers
galvanized rafter ties

Was planning on using 1 x 6 x 8 boards for the deck across.
Not sure what wood to use, this is the most expensive part.
Options I have been thinking about.

T1-11 Plywood or OSB floorboard.
Whitewood Common / 1" doug fir boards, treated with wood sealer / preservatives.

Redwood / cypress is out of my price range, wife is allergic to cedar.
I am open to ANY and all suggestions.

Trying to keep this under 300-400.
I do not have the budget for expensive things like TABS,
I am trying to preserve the tree as best I can with single lags.

Thank you for your time.

At the time of this post you haven't asked a clear question, so I'll offer some general advice. Your design is reasonable except for a few key things:

Rigidly attaching such a structure to two separate trees is a sure to result in its rapid destruction. Movement of the trees with respect to one another transfers huge amounts of force to the framing. No lumber or fastener will last long.
Joist hangers serve no purpose in your design. As the common joists rest on the beams, and the rim joists carry little weight, there's no point in using them. Screw through the rim joists into the common joists with coated 3" screws. Toenail through the commons into the beams with same.
Fastening directly to the tree fails to account for tree growth. Rather, suspend the deck by cables anchored up a ways (from large branches near the trunk, or from brackets bolted to the trunk) in an A configuration. Rather than expensive purpose-built hardware, I'd use some simple steel plates drilled for several lags and a cable eye.
Keep the primary framing several inches from the trunks, and leave a gap between the decking and the trunk to allow for several years' growth. You can always run a jigsaw around the tree if you need to later. If any of this is unclear, please ask.
OSB isn't an exterior product. Period, end of story. Unless you intend to fully roof and side this thing, don't use it anywhere.
A solid floor is a bad idea anyway. Think of your floor as a deck, and use decking with drainage gaps. Even if you install the deck boards tight together, the floor will drain and you'll have much less mold and rot.
To save cost, watch Craigslist and similar for used pressure-treated decking. Ask around for anyone doing a deck rebuild. Often decking that's being discarded is perfectly serviceable once flipped over. I build a round treehouse very much like your plan with some beautiful 5/4 redwood that was headed for the landfill.

That's all I got for now. I'll update if more comes to mind.


What do the diagnostic flash codes of Milwaukee tool battery packs mean? When I press the fuel gauge button on my Milwaukee M28 battery pack for a bit longer (some seconds), the four fuel gauge LEDs start to blink out what seems to be diagnostic codes. I just tried it twice in a row, and each time the readout was as follows:

all                                               4
all all          1  2 2 2 2 2 2  3 3 3            4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
all all all         2 2          3 3 3            4 4 4 4 4
all all all all     2 2          3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3  4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4

Here, "all" indicates one flash of all four LEDs at the same time, and a number indicates one flash of that LED (counted from left). Reading direction is like lines of text. Spacing is for clarity only.

What do these battery flash codes / blink codes indicate?

I found nothing about them in the Milwaukee V28 battery troubleshooting guide, and there is seemingly no equivalent document for the (newer but very similar) M28 battery series.

Battery pack data:

model: Milwaukee M28 Lithium-Ion 3.0 Ah (so, not yet the new M28 REDLITHIUM series)
nominal voltage: 28 V
working fine but in use for some years already
other numbers: 4932 3525 23, 7INR18/65-2, HAAC0

Since there is no official documentation, we need to do a bit of reverse engineering. So it appears to me (from similarities with flash codes from cars in the 1990's) that the number of flashes will indicate digits. The "all together" flashes are probably just separators. Applying this, the numbers encoded in your example would be:

0001
1638
0235
0289

Meaning:

The second number means "days since first charge". This number seems to increase by one every day (I observed an increase of 1 in 36 hours, but have to check more; also somebody else claims for M18 batteries it changes daily, see below). So 1638 days back from the date of your question would mean Sept 5, 2012 (says WolframAlpha). It will probably be the day of first charge, not of manufacture, because the date of manufacture is already included on the battery as a Milwaukee date code (though for this one I can't detect one, bit strange). Also, it is reported in the Milwaukee V28 battery troubleshooting guide that fuel gauge LEDs do not work at all before the first charge, so it seems reasonable to assume the flash codes will not work until then either. That is unconfirmed though, but anyway, both date of manufacture and date of first charge are a reasonably good approximation of battery age.
The third number means "charge cycle count". I found that out by charging again until the green light appears, which increased the third number by one and left all others unchanged.
The first and fourth numbers did not change yet, and I have no idea what they mean. They did not change for others who tried to decode them (see below). So maybe a battery health state code, a battery type number, or something else. I will have to compare values from my other battery packs (or if you have these too, please post your values below).

Other bits and pieces (everything I could find on the web):

Seemingly the Milwaukee M18 battery packs (18 V LiIon series) exhibit a very similar behaviour, and one user reports about that: "The first set of flash codes appears to change daily. A second set does change as well, but I haven't figured that one out yet. The remaining codes remain the same." (source)
Again for Milwaukee M18 batteries, an unknown source is quoted saying that "[T]he batteries ha[ve] a chip that records the date they were first charged (at the factory I assume) and that it records the number of charge cycles it has gone through." (source)
A Milwaukee support employee reportedly said "The flashes are of no significance." (source) The answer should have added "to consumers" however, as blink codes are of major significance to geeks :)


Is PebbleTec / PebbleSheen pool surface worth the extra cost? Any alternatives? First time pool owner in the process of resurfacing a 15 year old pool.

We're getting sold hard on the PebbleSheen finish, but I'm not convinced it's worth the bump in cost. In searching online, it looks like there are a number of alternatives like:

DiamondBrite
Hydrazzo
Quartz Plaster
Wet Edge Primera Stone

Any thoughts? I need to make a decision in the next week and greatly appreciate your insight.

Someone was recently selling me on a fresh water system for my pool as an alternative to my salt water (or chlorine) system. I asked him if there was a pool I could go off and swim in to see the difference and he said sure, come by his house. In the end I never went because I decided to not use that system for other reasons.

You are about to spend a lot of money on a pool surface and if you stay in that house for 5, 10, 15 years you will have to live with that decision for a long time. My advice is to ask each of the vendors if they have a sample pool that you (and your family) can try out to get a good feel for the surface. I have a pebble-tech finish and I could give you my opinion but it would be just that: My Personal opinion. What I like might not be what you and your family likes.

I hope this helps.


connect 3 inch ABS pipe to only 0.5 inch exposed pipe I would like to cut an existing pipe and install a coupler to connect 2 pieces of 3 inch ABS. I would like to make the connection where I am pointing on the image.

Is that enough pipe to connect to (approx 0.5 inch)? I would like to avoid going back to the main if possible.

No, it is not. If you read the manufacturers' instruction on the ABS cement it says to seat the pipe completely in the hub.

Now... I have cheated the above instruction on more than one occasion but never to that extent. If you are careful, gluing to 1/2" of pipe will probably not leak immediately. The problem is that the strength of the joint will be compromised and any movement (due to soil movement, expansion/contraction of pipe with temp changes, etc.) could cause failure.

I say you should "bite the bullet" and cut back to the next available spot where you have some pipe to work with. You will likely have to rebuild that whole junction area.


How Should I Block a Diagonal Deck? My deck has a diagonal decking. To attach the decking to the ledger side of the deck, 2x4 blocks were screwed directly to the ledger. I'm trying to improve water flow from the ledger. I'd like to move the blocks so that they are as seen in the picture I found below

This is what the blocks look like now:

In the photo, you can see that there was some sort of filler or something to attempt to seal the space between the block and the ledger. It just doesn't seem like the right way to do it. There the space between the decking boards is so narrow and having this blocking here just makes the distance the water has to travel to escape the ledger flashing longer. Compound it with all the debris that builds up between decking boards and I suspect it is contributing to my water problems.

Will moving the blocks as I described cause too much unsupported overhang of the decking? Is there some other reason I shouldn't move the blocks? Is there some other standard way diagonal decking is fastened on the ledger side of the deck?

First off, You mention the water escaping the ledger flashing - it's doesn't look like there's any flashing on that ledger board at all to me.  Is that something you were planning to add?  (I certainly would if I were you).

As for weakening the decking by moving those blocks back - I wouldn't worry about it.  An overhang of an inch or two shouldn't cause any problems.


Does a self-adhesive membrane roof need a fire-proof layer? I've received quotes from two different roofers for the installation of an elastomer membrane on a low-slope roof.

The first roofer is installing a fire-proof netting, followed by a membrane that is nailed down, followed by a membrane that is welded on.

The second roofer is installing a self-adhesive membrane without a fire-proofing layer. He claims that because no nails are used the membrane acts as a fire-suppressant by itself.

Is the second roofer correct? Do self-adhesive membrane installations require a fire-proof layer?

"Fireproof netting"???  I've never heard of such a thing. If it's netting, then there are "holes" in it AND THEN ITS NOT FIREPROOF. The netting might be fire retardant, but it's not a fireproof membrane. We worry about the exposed surface to make the roofing "fire retardant".

It might be an "isolation fabric". They are used between the roofing and the old roofing. (You want the new roof to move independent of the structure.)

The second roofer's "peel and stick" type roofing has problems too: 1) most are not UV protected (I'd be skeptical and demand to see the "Product Data Sheets".) They are made to be installed under another type of roofing, (I.e.: composition shingles, metal roofing, etc.) 2) When installed over an entire roof, it doesn't allow the roof to breathe. Usually, this type of roofing is used in valleys, at eaves for ice dams, around difficult areas like vents, etc. in low slope areas, etc. and then covered with another type roofing. 3) When fully adhered, it will move with the roof structure, which can put stress on the membrane and it could tear (fail) over time. The second roofers statement about its fire suppressant because it doesn't use nails is wacky.

In low-slope applications, I like thermoplastic (TPO) or PVC roofing...never use EPDM roofing...it can come apart over time. The first roof sounds like one of these (TPO or PVC) with a "mechanically fastened" installation, (nailed down).

If fireproofing is important, I'd use metal roofing with a low-slope application, otherwise I'd use TPO or PVC roofing with mechanical fasteners and "heat-welded" to the fasteners for low-slope applications.

(Btw, if you live in a high wind area, make sure you get the proper number of fasteners per square foot. Check with the manufacturer.)


Providing additional support for door hinges with no stud behind We are preparing our basement living area to be AirBnB-able, and for added peace of mind, we want to replace the thin, single-panel interior door between that area and the rest of our house with a solid-core 1 3/4" door with upgraded hardware. (The unit has a separate entrance and multiple windows, so meets emergency egress requirements without this door.)

Both for security and to support the 90-lb. weight of the solid core door, I want to use 3" screws that will penetrate the stud through both the hinges and the latch/deadbolt strike plates. The door jamb is quite a bit wider than the stud wall itself; the wall has been built up with additional layers of drywall and plywood, so there is no stud directly behind where the door will sit. See the diagram below (1 square = 1/4").

My thinking is to cut back the two layers of drywall (or drywall+plywood layers on the knob side) far enough to sister another 2x4 to the studs cross-wise, then drive the screws through the hinges/strike plates into that. This 2x4 would need to be trimmed to fit cleanly behind the casing (not shown in diagram), so would not be a full stud-size, but I'm hoping would provide enough strength as long as I attach it to the studs with multiple screws. (I was planning to use some GRK 4" structural screws since I have them already.)

I would also drive additional screws through the door frame into the studs, beneath the door stops (which I need to remove anyway to trim to accommodate the thicker door) to better secure the frame.

Does this seem like a reasonable solution? Is it overkill, and I should just rely on the frame itself both to hold the door and provide security? Or is there a better solution to provide the needed strength and security?

Your idea isn't terrible -- it's really nice to have long screws through the hinges, but it still might be overkill.

Long screws through the main part of the jamb that pass close to tight shims and go into the stud will be sufficient. I'd do 4 per side. If you don't want to patch and paint a whole bunch, you might be able to take off the hinges and run a long screw on a slight angle that will catch the stud.

If it isn't an integrated stop as shown in your drawing, pull the stop off and put screws behind it.


Mount Ceiling Fan to Old Junction Box? Is there anyway to safely mount a ceiling fan to this type of older ceiling junction box (see the photos)?

I rent an old 1920's built house where an old hanging light fixture junction box was covered with a blank panel. I want to hang a ceiling fan in this living room, but when exposed I see this old junction box that is really in the plaster and would be a huge hassle to replace.

One photo is how it looked when I first removed the blank cover.  You will see the old threaded light fixture mount.  With that mount removed as well as some plaster, you can see it is in there pretty well.  There is no access from above it since that is a wooded bedroom floor directly upstairs.  That junction box appears to be held sturdy by the two rusty-colored head screws (see photo) to a metal cross bar behind it.

I am sure my landlord would not be cool with having the ceiling torn apart more to replace this old junction box, so I wanted to see if anyone thinks there is an adapter or way to retrofit and adapt this box to mount a ceiling fan.

Buy a ceiling hugger style fan (the ones without a stem or with the option to mount without the stem).

Mount the fan's bracket directly to the ceiling with toggle bolts or other such fastener. This way the fan is not support by the box at all.

Good luck with your project!


Hackzall vs oscillating multi-tool If comparing the two, doesn't any oscillating multi-tool do the same or more than the Milwaukee Hackzall or similar products?

In a much, much slower way, with more dust and noise and shorter depth of cut, yes.

Your multitool will also not work well on steel.


Chattering contactor, what should voltage be when AC is on/off? I have a Nest thermostat that I believe is the culprit of this issue. I've already replaced the contactor once and now the new one is chattering and not kicking the AC on. When the AC is turned off, what should the voltage at the contactor be? I'm getting 27 volts (24 volt transformer), which seems reasonable with no load. However, if the AC is turned off shouldn't there be no voltage? And when the AC is turned on, it still remains 27 volts, but the contactor won't stay locked in.

If the transformer does not have one leg grounded, then you could measure 24 volts at the contactor when the thermostat is not calling for cool. This is because you're measuring between one leg of the transformer (24 volts), and a floating wire (0 volts).

When the thermostat calls for cool, you'll still measure 24 volts if the leads are not attached to the coil. Because you're measuring between each leg of the transformer.

If the leads are attached to the coil, and the thermostat is calling for cool. Then the circuit is complete, and you should measure 0 volts. Because both leads are now at the same potential.

If the coil is bad, or there's a loose connection or broken/damaged wire somewhere. You'll see the voltage "bounce" between 0 and 24 volts, but probably only if you're using an analog meter.

Check all the wiring for loose or broken connections. Make sure the contactor is the proper size, and that the coil is still good.


How should I secure the inner ring of bearing race to a wooden frame? I have a fairly small ball bearing and am wanting to secure the inner ring to a wooden frame. The inner ring has a diameter of 5mm, although I'm unsure the best way to secure this. I could glue a small dowel to the frame and then perhaps lightly hammer the bearing onto the dowel, but I'm not sure if this is the best way. Perhaps somebody knows of a more reliable method?

Since wood glues tend to be stronger than wood itself in my experience anyway, gluing the dowel to the board sounds like a solid plan to me with one exception...

I'd suggest reversing the order.  Secure the dowel in the bearing first, since that step will put more potential strain on both parts.  Particularly if the dowel breaks, you don't want it to be permanently affixed to the board when it does.

Compared to the force necessary to wedge the dowel into the bearing, the insertion into a hole in the board with glue in it will be trivial amounts of pressure.


Shower Valve / Diverter pipe thread size I am ordering my pex parts and am wondering what standard tub/shower valves use on the adapter. Male or female? 1/2" or 3/4" size?  I'd prefer a reputable brand but it looks like the adapters vary...

(USA - likely different in places that use other thread forms, of course) The valve is usually 1/2" FIPT, so the PEX adapter you'd need would be a 1/2" MIPT (and at the showerhead end you'll want a PEX - 1/2" FIPT Drop Ear Elbow so you can affix the shower arm attachment to the framing.)

Of course, you could actually buy a particular shower valve and know for sure.


Is blocking required in framed walls? Is it required for all walls to have blocking in them. The builder put blocking in the basement but the other two floors I have not seen any.  Reason why I ask is, the hallway to my garage which isn’t finish. I can see at least two 2x4 in the wall twisting.
Ben

No blocking is not required, but you might be using the wrong term. If what you are calling "blocking" is actually a Fire Stop, then yes it is required in certain circumstances.
Blocking is a term that describes wood flat nailed behind the wall finishes to provide faster support for materials that lay across the face of your wall finishes. It is also one of those terms like "coke" or "soda" or "sheetrock" that is misused as a general class of things when it really refers to a specific thing. The trades will use the term "blocking" to describe framing included in the wall system besides the studs and plates. Often times someone will call something "blocking" which the code classifies as serving some other specific purpose. This is why pictures are so useful to include in questions about "what is this thing".
I will say this, there are a lot of reasons to install blocking. Fixing twisted framing is very far down on the list; framing serves two main purposes: it holds up the thing above it, and it lets thing hang off the face of it to conceal things running in the space it creates ("the wires/plumbing/bodies behind the wall"). You don't need to fix the twisting to accomplish either of those things, and you don't use blocking to correct "twisting" when it does interfere with either of those things especially right now when the cost of lumber is stupid high and things like furring strips and planers or just whacking it into a different plane with a hammer will make those problems disappear.
That said, fire blocking is a must, and that's laid out by code. If you're asking about fire blocking and you want to know the specific regulations, call your building department (no need to mention your project or your home address or whatever) and ask them to point you to the local adopted codes, then go look up the regulations on fire blocking. Usually every ten feet and full height closing off from slab to joist above so no air can pass behind the wall from block section to blocked section over the wall or under the plate, and from one floor to the next. Fireblocking and Draftstopping will be in the section governing fire stops.
Read this This guy says it better than I can:

The International Building Code (IBC) Section 717 and the International Residential Code (IRC) Sections R302.11 and R302.12 address requirements for concealed combustible spaces. The code requires fireblocking and draftstopping to ensure concealed spaces are not continuous.

It is important to understand the distinct differences between fireblocking and draftstopping set by code. Construction dictionaries and common knowledge do not reflect the code distinctions.


Does the supported weight of drywall anchors scale linearly? That is, if one drywall anchor supports 50 lb, will two support 100 lb? Four support 200 lb? etc.

This should largely be the case as long as the anchors are relatively far apart.

Think of it this way, two 50lbs. anchors on different walls can each support 50lbs, whether or not the load(s) supported is shared between the two or not.

However, any holes in the drywall weaken it slightly, so while an anchor in drywall may be rated for 50lbs, putting two within a few inches of each other will decrease this rating.

I don't have a good answer for how far apart the anchors need to be, but if you can span anchors to 16" apart, you might as well just mount directly into the studs (assuming 16" OC).


Identifying a (power?) socket We found this socket in a house in Belgium of the 50's. There are no wires connected, and there seems to be no numbers or identification on it.

Does anybody know what it is?

Google really did not want to help, because any such queries were glutted by travel adapters with all the different socket codes (A through J). Americans may note those cover only US NEMA 1 and 5, and don't cover NEMA 7, 15, L5, 23 and many others intended for heavy-duty use.

That is the situation here.  This socket is for heavy-duty loads.

It is not terribly unlike those pictured here in pictures 17-20.  This one has a different keying, so is for a different phase relationship or perhaps different current/fusing.


Where can I find the trip curve for this circuit breaker? I have a Westinghouse Cat. No. B10 2020C Type 1 Indoor Enclosure, and I'd like to find the trip curve for the breakers.  Any idea where I can find this graph?

I just followed the link. The trip values for the breakers are the numbers on the handles. You have at least 3 different sizes in your panel the red, blue & black  (the top left one is the main 240V 100A) the blue and reds are the 120V 15 amp & 20 amp the top right is a 240V and there should be a number on the handle that is its amperage. The numbers you want are the ampacities of the breaker they should trip close to this value. the normal load for a breaker is 80% of the value on the handle. As breakers age or have been tripped many times sometimes they do trip early. If you need the curve values we need the type and brand. The type is normally something like "QP".


Remove screw from lock cylinder I need to replace the cylinder in our front door lock (just bought the home and need to make sure nobody but us has the key). However, the screw that fixes the cylinder in place gets stuck. It gets progressively stuck, and so much so that it makes it very hard to get it to screw back in, and I don't dare try to force it further due to the risk of it just getting completely stuck.
I thought perhaps it was getting stuck in part of the door mechanism, so I unscrewed the front panels, and you can see the screw. It appears to be getting stuck just before the last part of the screw that sticks out at the end is about to enter the cylinder, and while I can't see anything wrong with it, I assume that means the screw is bent or the thread is damaged there, which would explain why it is so difficult to screw back in.
Other than calling a locksmith, my only idea is to take a small, narrow hacksaw and saw the end of the screw off through the slit next to the cylinder, and try again. Is this the right approach or is there something I'm missing (e.g. it's something entirely different, sawing the screw off might saw through some other part of the lock mechanism, or I'll never get the sawed off end out and it will break the mechanism)? Attached a video showing the screw inside the mechanism, and where it gets stuck.
https://youtu.be/5-C2MEDm_0U

Problem solved. It was indeed a cross-threaded screw as the comments said. I was afraid to get too enthusiastic about using pliers to unscrew it, in case it got utterly and entirely jammed halfway through. The local hardware shop said that in that case I could just take a hammer to the cylinder (after turning the key to where the pieces line up) to break the screw off and tap the cylinder out. So with that as a backup option, I used more elbow grease with the pliers and was able to unscrew it. No hammering required.


Is cleaning the tub with bleach bad for the plumbing? My wife had a brainstorm and we tried cleaning the tub with a dilute bleach solution, letting it soak overnight, and it worked very well. The tub still needs a cleaning, but the bleach loosened the worst of the dirt.

I'm viewing this is a pre-step to a proper scrubbing, but one that will make the actual cleaning easier.

If we were to do this regularly, say every few weeks, could this be bad for the pipes?

Bleach is really tough on surfaces and over time may damage the tub. If its diluted, I don't think that it will affect pipes, but then again, just about anything is bad for 100 year old iron pipe.

After you get the tub clean enough, I'd recommend using one of those daily spray tub/shower cleaners or a steam cleaner like a Haan. The bad thing is that you need to use these products more often, but the good thing is that it takes minutes and little work vs. scrubbing and burning your lungs.


Is UF allowed everywhere NM is allowed? NM is interior Romex; UF is similar but is rated for outdoor and direct burial. Randomly checking Home Depot prices there seems to be an anomaly on 100' 12/3; UF is less than half the price of NM.  Obviously the best answer is "shop at a real electrical supply", but nevermind that.

What keeps a person from simply using UF everywhere they would use NM? Is UF prohibited in any particular applications that NM is allowed?  Does UF have a more restrictive thermal rating?  Anything like that?

Multiconductor UF can go wherever NM goes...

While single-conductor UF is a thing for certain applications, the UF one sees in residential work is almost universally the multiconductor version, and that is permitted to be used anywhere NM can be used by NEC 340.10 point 4:

  (4) Installed as nonmetallic-sheathed cable. Where so installed, the installation and conductor requirements shall
  comply with Parts II and III of Article 334 and shall be of
  the multiconductor type.

However, UF isn't available in all the configurations NM is

According to Encore Wire's specsheet for NM-B, they make NM in /2 in 14 through 6AWG, /3 in 14 through 2AWG, /4 in 14 through 10AWG, and /2/2 in 14 and 12AWG.  If you look at their specsheet for UF though, there is no such thing as /3 UF fatter than 6AWG (you're expected to use a different direct bury cable type, such as URD or MHF, for applications upwards of 50A), nor are there any /2/2 or /4 configurations available (you're expected to use conduit if you need more than 3 wires + ground).


One of two Nest Thermostats won't run Fan Only, fan runs with heat though We've got two Nest Learning Thermostats (3rd Gen) running two separate heating and cooling units in an office. They both work fine for heating and cooling, with one exception: one unit will not turn on the fan only. The fan comes on as normal for both AC (probably, too cold to test) and heat, but if set to run Fan Only nothing happens.

I'm confused because it seems like the unit is able to run the fan if heating just fine. Both thermostats are wired up exactly the same. Not the initially recommended configuration but one Nest support recommended during the initial setup that has proven effective.

I'm not 100% sure that both heating/cooling units are the same. They were wired up the same with identical old thermostats before we installed the Nests, but the hardware is up on the roof where I've not been yet. Never tested Fan Only before switching to Nest, so troubleshooting scenarios are unclean!
Wondering if anyone has any ideas to isolate the issue. The only thing I can think of to start is to try switching the Nests but I don't guess that will help as the controller seems an unlikely source of the problem.

To troubleshoot this, you can remove the Nest and use a jumper wire to touch the red and green wires together.  The fan should come on.  If the fan does not come on, then the system is not wired correctly on the other end.

You'll have to take a look at the air handler side of the wires to see what happens to the green wire.  If the wire was broken or if they were trying to get around a limitation of some other thermostat, the could have jumped the fan wire to the heat or cooling to get it to work at the expense of not being able to run with the fan only.

The fact that the white wire doesn't go to the W terminal on the Nest already proves that something is out of the ordinary.  It might not be broken, but there might be a combination of equipment that requires some odd workaround.  That or the person that tried to get it to work last time didn't know as much as they should have.


How can I fix this leaky water heater? I have an electric Water heater and it is starting to leak from what I believe to be the pressure release valve. I just wanted some tips on how I can fix this before the leak becomes unmanageable. The water is a couple decades old and rusty, heck the hot water inlet valve is rusted stuck open.

Click images for larger view

More pics

I ran out of space composing an comment response to Rick's last comment, so I'm going to just make everything into an answer. First my original comment:

This heater appears to be much more than 20 years old! I agree a new installation is the best option. However, if money is tight, the valve alone should be replaceable for little money and will fix the leak, but not the other deficiencies. But with old plumbing, you are as likely to break something as to take it apart, so you may end up with a new heater anyway.

And my response to Rick's comment:

I doubt the water is very hot by the time it drips out, any hose should work, use a washing machine hose if you want one that is heat resistant in case the valve actually blows. You will need a male pipe thread to male hose thread adapter fitting to connect a hose to it. Alternately you could fabricate a drain out of CPVC pipe and fittings.

To replace the valve, take the old one out and take it to a hardware store and find a "Domestic Temperature and Pressure Relief Valve" of similar configuration. Ensure the pipe thread that goes into the heater is the same size and gender. Also insure the temperature probe is similar in length or at least is long enough to extend through the heater's internal insulation and protrudes into the tank proper. While you're there, get some pipe dope and enough CPVC pipe, glue and fittings to extend the outlet to near the floor. You don't want a family member sprayed with scalding hot water should the valve release when someone is nearby.

Honestly, you should avoid the sink/hose drain option and replace the valve, they are not that expensive. Just don't break anything removing it. If something feels like is about to break on disassembly, then maybe the hose/sink option makes sense. But for your own sake, please start saving money to replace the entire installation. It's not going to last a lot longer.


Fluorescent Lights Turning on Slowly I have a Philips fluorescent light fixture in my kitchen. It was installed in the mid-1990s, so it uses an electronic fast-start ballast. The lights were not turning on at all, so I replaced the ballast with a brand new one. I also replaced the two T12 bi-pin bulbs with new ones.

Now, the lights DO turn on but they take between 5 and 10 seconds, gradually fading in. I have the exact-same light fixture installed in other rooms of the house and they all turn on instantly.

I thought that by replacing the ballast and bulbs, it would take care of that problem, but it didn't.

What could be causing the lights to turn on slowly?

I tried searching online and the usual answer is the starter or ballast. My fixture has no starter and I already replaced the ballast.

Thanks for any help.

Here are some photos of the light fixture:

This is the new ballast, a Philips Advance AmbiStar Ballast RELB-2S40-N, which is the same one I installed in all of my other fixtures that start instantly:

Fluorescent tubes have 2 pins because each end isn't just an electrode, it's also a preheating filament.  This helps the arc to initially strike, with less wear-and-tear on the tube (longer tube life).

You have chosen rapid-start ballasts, which start the tube after a very short delay, which is used to stretch bulb life.  The other options on the menu are

programmed rapid-start aka programmed-start, which monitor the filaments and wait until they're fully preheated before striking... Giving much longer bulb life, but longer to start in the cold (several seconds). These are great for harsh conditions, motion sensor (frequent on/off) or hard-to-reach bulbs.
instant-start which ignore preheating (hence, 1 wire per end) but strain tube life.

The line between rapid-start and programmed rapid-start is blurring, and I suspect your rapid-start ballast has a little bit of "smarts".  Since your environment is not cold, I suspect the problem is a broken tombstone (end lampholder) or the wire not fully/properly connecting to the tombstone.  One wire is connecting, but not both, so that end cannot preheat - and the ballast knows that and is delaying start.

Most rapid-start ballasts are 2-bulb-mandatory, so a problem with either tube could prevent both from starting.   So I would carefully check all your tombstone connections.

If you have a voltmeter you could also pull 1 tube and put a voltmeter between the two terminals on one end (at a time); you should see small voltage the instant power comes on, and more after.  If you see 0 voltage between the terminals, that may be the source of trouble.

Tombstones are pretty standardized down to just 3-4 types.  Watch that your height matches, there are 3 heights also.

As far as LED tech, I know everyone's all "Oh, just junk the fluorescents, get fancydancy LEDs!"  And they want you to run down to the big-box and grab the cheap $8/tube LED conversions.  The problem is, first, they're cheap stuff, whereas that ballast and those tubes are top quality product that will last.  Second, right next to them in the store is 90CRI or even 98 CRI real fluorescent tubes with absolutely fantastic light quality.  I use 90CRI T8s that cost less than $2 each.  The LEDs can get near that, but the cheapies can't.

If you go LED, make sure to buy ballast-bypass aka direct-wire LEDs, because it's stupid to continue to use the ballast.  Also get tubes that take hot and neutral on opposite ends, because those two little pins were never made for 120V.  Then you simply rewire (a rapid-start fixture) all blue/red to supply hot, and all yellow to supply neutral and bypass the ballast.


Safe/professional way to transport lumber with just a roof rack I'm doing some home improvement, and have the necessary skills, tools, etc, for the job. There is one thing I'm lacking: a large pickup truck for transporting lumber. A buddy of mine used to have one, but he had to trade it in for an SUV to get the kids to/from school, sports, etc.
I have a fairly large SUV, and can buy an aftermarket cross-bar roof rack. I've tied down some mid-sized items in the past while camping, but I'm a bit concerned about how I'm going to transfer a few large items from Home Depot:

A 5/8" thick x 4' wide x 8' long MDF particle board.
16 2x4's, each at 6' long.

I think I'll have to do two trips. The planned setup is documented below (pardon the obscene number of pictures), and I plan to essentially run web ratchet straps (with band protectors where it comes in contact with the wood) to hold down the load to the cross-bars, and then an extra 20' web ratchet strap along the length of the load to act as a fail-safe. I'll have to drive maybe 20 minutes at highway speeds, and am concerned, especially in the case of the MDF board, of the payload catching too much wind drag and being pulled off the roof (ie: acting as a big parachute).
Does the setup below look sound? I'm not comfortable enough with my knot-tying skills to go with a hitch in place of the web ratchets, unless there are some dead easy knots I could use in place of the ratchets. I do not want to pose any risk at all to other drivers, so if I need to invest in additional hardware to secure the lumber, that's fine with me.
Also, if I can find a working approach for the lumber project above, I also need to transport a glass door plus frame about 400km at highway speeds, and was wondering if it would be viable to fix it down to a large piece of plywood similar to what I'm doing above.
Thank you for your help!

My Car

My Car with roof rack with cross-bars installed

My car with 4'x8' MDF board on the roof rack

4 web ratchet straps in a pair of X formations to hold down the board to the cross-bars

A pair of 20' web ratchets used as a fail-safe, in case the board slides to the rear of the vehicle

Second trip, 16 2"x4"x6' boards on my roof rack

3 ratchets for holding the bundle together, 4 in X patterns to secure it to the cross-bars, and a 20' ratchet along the length of the bundle as a fail-safe

Update
I'm getting a pair of stainless steel tow hooks installed on my vehicle tomorrow. The current little hook on the rear of my vehicle doesn't have a large opening, and the one on the front is a joke, as it just screws on, so it's easy to steal. The new ones will be bolted on the vehicle without the bolts being exposed.
I'll continue using my roof rack with the advised ratchet configuration to secure them (ie: the pen-and-paper plus elastic example in the accepted answer), and using a large 27' ratchet wrapped around the length of the load, and secured to the rear and front tow hooks (with thick protectors where it touches the car chassis) to keep the front of the planks from flapping upwards and either snapping off or acting as a parachute. Plus, it gives some extra security in case the friction from the other ratchets isn't enough. Thanks everyone!

Almost all of the Home Depots that I do business with have short term rental trucks available right in their parking lots for very reasonable rates. Call in and reserve one for a particular time. Drive to the Home Depot in your car and park it in the lot. Go inside and checkout the truck. Then drive it up and load all of your materials and head home with it to unload. Take back the truck, check in and head away in your own car.

This is a lot safer option than risking some accident resulting from wood items sliding or flying off the roof of your vehicle.


Venting Range Hood into Attic Space, Temporarily My ductless recirculating range hood broke, and I have to install the replacement.  I love to cook, so I'm installing a roof vent for a ducted hood.
The range hood I bought has good filtering for grease and carbon filters.

It's winter in MN, and I can't easily work on the roof for a couple of months. Here's my question:

Is it ok for me to vent this into the attic space with minimal use for a couple of months?  I understand there are downsides of venting a range hood into the attic, but I need to know if it's fine for a short time.

The biggest issue you have venting into the attic is warm, moist air being blown into a somewhat closed area (aside from the grease and particles you have a filter for).  If the attic space you vent into is large, and has good ventilation this shouldn't be an issue.  If you have to vent into a small portion of the attic and it looks like the moist air will get caught by insulation then there might be an issue depending on how much it's used.

The warm air will condense readily in a cold attic, so knowing that, look around and imagine what the moist air will do.  The other issue is that things can come up and "only temporary" ends up being 3-4 years...  Ultimately you'll have to answer for yourself, but for light use an "only a couple months", it's probably fine.


Installing OTR microwave with 15" deep cabinets We installed IKEA cabinets that are 15" deep (15.5" with the doors) and we have a GE OTR microwave that is 16" deep. So we need to bump out the microwave in order to open it. We see GE sells a kit, which is $130 and it bumps it out 3". This seems excessive. Is there another solution to this issue?

The simplest and most cost effective solution is to use a wood frame. The frame can be painted or stained to match the cabinets or wall.  Most of the OTR microwaves I have installed have a metal track at the bottom that screws to the wall first that the microwave hangs on and two screws at the top that connects it to the upper cabinet. If this is the case you could recess the frame to better conceal the lumber.


How can I attach an overflow cover in a bathtub with no access panel? Years ago, the builders put the bathtub in the wrong way so that it abuts tile in the bathroom behind it. The only way to put in an access panel or to access the pvc behind the tub would be to either remove the tub and/or tile, an expensive and time consuming process.

Is there an overflow cover that will just snap on with no screws?

I have attached a picture of my predicament.

You don't need access from the back.

Usually the overflow tube is accessed from the bottom. If you can get to the trap then you can get to the overflow.

The trap and overflow tube come as an assembly and the overflow tube usually has two threaded bosses to mount your overflow drain cover and a rubber gasket that goes up against the back of the tub to seal it. You don't need to drill any holes in the tub itself.

Look for a new tub trap assembly with the drain and overflow included to suit your bathroom trim design (polished chrome, brushed nickel, etc.).

Good luck!


Replacing existing 9" dome fixtures with new 13" ones I purchased three 13" LED dome fixtures for my kitchen over the sink and the two bathrooms.  I removed the original fixture and the existing brackets screws are only 4" apart.  The new fixtures do not include brackets.  The old bracket would have to accommodate screws 6" apart which it does not.  Can anyone explain to me, how do I mount these?  Do they make longer brackets or do I have to change the boxes out?  Any help would be gladly appreciated!

Holes 6" apart for a lamp fixture are not very common. You need larger or adjustable crossbar (also called a fixture bracket)

You can attach this type of bracket to standard boxes with holes at 4" or 3 1/2".

Depending on whether the crossbar you find is threaded at 6", you may need to install machine screws in the crossbar slots, locked into place with nuts, that then stick down through your fixture mounting holes.

The links and images are for illustration only and are not an endorsement


How long should the smell of silicone caulk last? I recaulked around my tub last night with 100% silicone caulk. It's now been a bit over 12 hours, so the caulk is set and I can get the tub wet (according to the instructions on the tube), but the bathroom still stinks of silicone.

The bathroom is pretty small, only about 6x10'. I don't know the CFM of the vent fan, but it has been running constantly for about 12 hours (from just after I finished the caulk job), and there's a pretty good gap under the door to allow fresh air to flow in.

How long should I expect that smell to remain?

A few days. Solvent will continue to escape the caulk from deeper in for a short while. After a week you probably won't detect it, but that depends on the nose.


Strip on side of window letting cold air in My apartment bedroom window has a thin vertical strip along the right side that allows warm air from the room to escape. Even with the bedroom thermostat set to 80 degrees, the room hasn't gone above 70, mostly due to this.

You can clearly hear that it is not sealed, it sounds as if the window is open an inch or two, but it is actually closed and locked.

How can I seal this strip to prevent warm air from leaking out? It is a plastic material.

If you rent you can always ask the apartment manger the reason for the vent and if it can be closed.  Also look on the side of the window to see if there is any switches, levers or slides to open/close it.  If you don't own, you can always just cover it with 2 inch wide masking tape which will drastically cut down on the airflow and be easy enough to remove at the end of the lease.


Does cork flooring underlayment have to be glued down? I'm finally getting around to installing an engineered floating floor in our living room. It's 1/2" thick. I am looking at using 1/4" cork underlayment underneath such as this from Home Depot.

It mentions 'cork underlayment adhesive'. Is this necessary? I figure since it's a floating floor to begin with, there's no real reason the underlayment can't be floating as well, is there?

The cost of the adhesive isn't a big deal, but I figure if I can save the mess/time, I will (not only for me, but any future person wanting to replace the floor). Are their strong reasons to adhere the underlayment?

UPDATE:

Thanks for the answers thus far! So, a follow-up question: If it's best to adhere the underlayment, what would be a pragmatic solution other than the mess of floor adhesive? The suggestions thus far:

tape the seams of the underlayment together (duct tape? would other tape be better?)
Staple the cork to the subfloor (will that cause issues with the underlayment expanding/contracting?

You don't have to glue it but it needs to be secured somehow - duct tape.  Don't want the pieces rolling up on each other over time.

You would just be duct taping the underlayment to the outside flooring or in the inside seams.  And duct tape isn't hillbillying your floor.  It is used because how well it handles moisture.  Maybe someone has a specific underlayment tape they like to use but several manufacturers (I read directions) said to use duct tape.

Also try to get some duct tape attached to the subfloor for each piece - clean subfloor.  So around the perimeter you are taping your cork to the subfloor directly along the outside edge.  In the "middle" you want to tape cork piece #1 to the subfloor.  Then you tape some of cork piece #2 to the subfloor.  Then you add additional tape to tape #1 and #2 together, where ever they join.  This is not more work either.  If you only attach the pieces together at the seams they will slide on you.

(anyone who edits this to give a better picture if free to do so)

So your choices are glue everything down. Or tape the seams to each other and subfloor.  I have always had the choice to do both and always chose tape.  Not sure when I would glue - generally this would scare me because lets say you spill some lemonade on the floor and it gets to the subfloor.  The acidity could eat through the glue (duct tape wouldnt be affected).  Yes I understand that it would have to be a lot of lemonade to make a difference but if it happens right at a seam and two pieces lost their glueing...


Retrofit a ceiling light with RGB LED tape/lights? I have a ceiling fixture in the kitchen that I like and can't find a replacement electronic ballast (Tospo TP120-1/26UPL 26W). A replacement fixture has been hard to find and stupid expensive. I realized many of the newer LED ceiling lights are basically just LED tapes.

Since I was going to also run RGB LED tape throughout the kitchen, I thought it might be nice to also control the overhead light. Could run the tape in a square spiral - should give off more light than what was there before. Most of the LED tapes I've seen on Amazon though have a power supply / transformer.

Do they make ones that don't need a transformer?
And if so, what would that be called?
The CFL bulb that was in the fixture would get plenty hot, guessing I shouldn't have to worry about heat off the LEDs but also interesting in any opinions here too.

The Tospo is a cheap Chinese ballast.  To find ballasts, start with what bulbs will fit in the fixture (all the better if you have a bulb already).  Then search for ballasts meant to drive that bulb (which also fit in your fixture). I think I see several on 1000bulbs.com in the $20 range.

LED strips really, really do not like to bend on the flat side.  They will bend only in the direction they go onto the reel.  However they do make LED strips which emit light out the edge ("side emitting"), these can be curled up in a spiral.

LED strips generally come in 12V or 24V.  You might call it a "transformer" but most of them are digital switching power supplies.  Very likely you can find one that will fit in the site of the old ballast.

They also do make LED strips that are 120V.  This works by putting 30-40 LEDs in series with dropping resistors.  This greatly reduces the number of allowable cut points.  Getting this and also side-emitting may be a difficult combination to find. Of greater concern: you no longer fall under the "low voltage" rules.  Everything you do is subject to the full weight of the National Electrical Code or your local equivalent. The law requires every part be listed (UL, CSA etc.) and installed properly. Break the law and fire insurance won't pay, and it's downhill from there. This is no place to buy Chinese junk.