Hot water is not getting hot in kitchen sink only The hot water valve is open and the water comes out but it stays cold. We shut off the cold water valve and it made no difference (besides obviously when you turn to cold side no water pours). We turned closed and opened hot valve and it did not change the temp, it when closed had no water came out.
The water in the bathrooms gets hot and very quickly.
We just got new countertops so everything was disconnected yesterday.

It depends on how you get hot water. There may be a "tankless" water heater under the sink, or very close to it, that was turned off during countertop installation. This is likely, because the sink is getting water, but it does not get hot. If that's the case, just find the instructions for turning it on, and check circuit-breakers as well.

These heaters are popular where energy is costly, since they run only on demand.


So sistered floor joists need to touch the wall? Improving an attic for live loads. Contractor sistered our 2x6s but due to the plaster ceiling, they weren't able to sister evenly. I realized this means the new sistered 2x6 beams aren't actually touching the walls they span between.

Do I need to go back and wedge something under so they're touching? Or are the nails sistering them together enough?

It’s complicated and it depends. You’re using 2x6’s so there can’t be extra large loads, so you’re probably ok.

The reason the joists need the correct amount of bearing area is so that the joists don’t crush where they bear. Extremely large loads tend to crush the fibers of the joists at bearing points, unless they have an extra amount of bearing area. You are using 2x6’s which don’t support much so I’d guess you have plenty of bearing with one joist.

A bigger problem is deflection (bending).  If you over load the attic, the joists will bend and crack your plaster. I’d keep the heaviest loads against the walls and the lightest loads in the center of each span.


What would cause multiple fridges motors to stop running, but leave the lights on? When my old fridge cooling unit stopped working but the light remained on we assumed that since it was an old fridge that it was broken, so we replaced it.

Today my new fridge has had the same problem. The cooling unit stopped but the light inside is working. It started working again when I jiggled it, then it stopped again. It started again after I unplugged it and plugged it back in, but then it stopped again. It's a new fridge, so this is pretty unlikely to be a coincidence. I've had this one for about 10 days and it worked the whole time as far as we know.

What would cause my fridges motors to stop running, but leave the lights on? The only similarities between the fridges is it's location and power socket.

It wasn't that the thermostat was registering it being cold enough so that the cooling unit could stop working - in the original fridge everything defrosted.

Thanks.

One possible explanation for this would be if you run the fridge from batteries or solar power with too small inverter. Even a small fridge requires an inverter capable of giving at least something like 1 kilowatt when the motor starts. If the voltage drops when the motor starts, it won't be able to start spinning after the initial pressure pulse of the first rotation: the motor will get stuck and the overheat protection will cut the power from the motor. After a few minutes the motor will again try to start, and possibly fail again.

This answer does not apply if the fridge is connected to proper AC mains power.


How to sand, stain and seal wood filler in a knothole I have this knot hole in the floor:

I want to fill it with wood filler and then sand, stain and seal it.

I have a few questions though:

How do I find out what sealant was used before? I assume it Polyurethane. But was it oil or water based? And if I use water based on an oil based Polyurethane, will this cause problems?
What's the direction of the wood fibers (wood grain or whatever it's called)? Is it in the direction of the length of the wood board?
How do I stain the wood after sanding down the wood filler and the area immediately around it? I mean, it's two different colors. How would that work?
What grain of sand paper do I need to use for the sanding?
Is there anything else that I need to know before starting?
Will the hole deteriorate if I leave it as is?

Thanks.

How do I find out what sealant was used before?
The answer to that is as you'd guess... look for product packaging, ask the installer or builder, etc. If it was a prefinished floor it probably has a proprietary coating that includes aluminum oxide for hardness. In any case it probably doesn't matter. I'd simply use gloss urethane for this little patch.

What's the direction of the wood fibers (or grain)?
You're correct that it's technically parallel to the length of the board. Even though there appears to be a curve in the grain direction, that's mostly a result of the type of cut made in the board.

How do I stain the wood after sanding down the wood filler and the area immediately around it?
Find a dark walnut or other stain that matches the darkest part of the knothole, and use a small art brush or cotton swab to stain just the patch. Actually, you may find a very dark wood filler that doesn't require staining.

You want to simulate a knot, not try and hide it. Also, you should avoid sanding the existing finish. I'd approach this repair from a hole-only standpoint. Do your best to avoid disturbing the finish on the adjacent area, as it will be very difficult to hide. I'd go so far as to apply masking tape to the area to preserve it.

What grain of sand paper do I need to use for the sanding?
The "grit" you'll use depends on how you apply the patch. Ideally your putty knife will leave a fairly smooth surface. Finish with 120 and 180/220 before sealing.

Is there anything else that I need to know before starting?
Just to reiterate, seek to repair only the hole, and not the surrounding finished surface.

Will the hole deteriorate if I leave it as is?
That's hard to say, not knowing the use of the floor, but it's likely that the edge of the hole will eventually degrade due to foot traffic. However, you shouldn't see serious damage unless it's susceptible to table legs, etc.


clothes sanitizer vs clothes detergent Recently I came across a product called a clothes sanitizer.
Is this just marketing or is there a difference between clothes detergents vs clothes sanitizers?
Are clothes sanitizers more effective at killing viruses (think Covid) or is detergent just as good?

Laundry sanitizer is a different chemical than detergents and is targeted at killing microbes. Apparently pine oil is an example for a natural laundry sanitizer. Other types include phenolic, chlorine based or quaternary if you want to do some more research on the chemicals. And yes they are more effective at killing microbes than detergent. Many microbes can survive regular detergent and it is the high water temperature that can kill them though.

Laundry sanitizer is either an additive to be added to regular detergent or it is a complete product which includes the detergent. Be careful and read the instructions on your brand closely because some sanitizers cannot be mixed with regular detergent or there will be a bad chemical reaction.


How to stop coil burners from cycling off and on I have Frigidaire cooktop stove not smooth top. The burners cycle off and on. I would them to stay on until I turn them off, can that be changed on my stove?

Painful though this is, the correct answer is learn to cook with electric.  The stove works differently and you have to learn to deal with that.

For instance, I found that to quickly arrest heat (say, when something is boiling over), the answer is to quickly move the pot off the burner.  Obvious though it may be in hindsight, it was a real eye-opener at the time.

I do see where it has its charms, for instance if an unattended pot runs dry on an electric burner, the electric will simply hold it at target temperature and not destroy the pot.


How do I stop my vacuum belt from making a noise and smelling when using it? Last week I had my Hover WindTunnel Max Multi-Cyclonic (Model # UH70601) vacuuming carpet on the bar floor setting. It started making a thwapping noise and smells like burned rubber when vacuuming with the brushroll on.

I opened up the bottom of the vacuum. When I remove the belt the vacuum doesn't make the noise. Looking at the belt and what is holding it in I don't understand why it is making the noise.

The belt is a wear item - it will need to be replaced occasionally.

Typically, what happens is that the beater will get stuck on something but the motor will continue to run, and the friction of the motor against the belt will cause it to heat up - that's what you're smelling.

Once that happens, it's time to replace the belt.  One trick that might get a bit more life out of it is to reverse the belt, but that probably won't last that long - most belts have grooves on one side to improve friction.


Is installing a tankless water heater outside a good idea? We currently have a gas water heater in our laundry room (part of a converted garage, on slab). The hot water and gas are (obviously) running to it with no problem.

When I was getting a quote for a tankless gas water heater, the sales rep looked at the setup and decided we should put it outside by the gas meter instead, on the opposite end of the house.

This is slightly nice, since it will be closer to the bathrooms and they'll get hot water faster. However, I'm concerned about the level of work required to put it out there. They'll need to drill through the brick wall into the crawlspace to access the hot water lines, cap off the gas and water lines in the laundry room, and run the control unit wires through the crawlspace up into an interior closet -- instead of simply taking out the existing tank, putting the tankless unit in, and sticking the controls to the laundry room wall. I'm also surprised that having the heater outside makes sense from an efficiency and durability standpoint (we're in South Carolina, a mild climate, but even so).

Does it make sense to put the tankless hot water heater in a complete different place like that, or is this plan unnecessarily complicated?

Are you OK with "beautifying" your house by adding a post-industrial or modern "style" water heater on the outside of your house? Is there some other interior hidden space close to the bathroom that will be less conspicuous?

You could also run a dedicated ½" or ⅜" PEX hot water line to the bathroom, which will store much less water and therefore result in faster hot water there.


Re-staining with a lighter stain I'm trying to restore a piece of furniture that has sentimental value. It is currently stained with a very dark (mahogany?) color:

However, I would like to stain it a much lighter color (Maple, using Cabots). I assume that if I don't completely remove the existing stain then it's going to end up a hot mess. I'm finding it very difficult to remove the existing stain because it's not a professionally made piece of furniture, so it has a lot of nooks and crannies and I don't think the wood was well-sanded before it was originally stained, so there are lots of indentations and rough surfaces.

So far I've managed to achieve this state:

This was by using very course (40 grit) paper with orbital and detail sanders:

Can anyone offer advice to ensure I'm successful with this project? Specific questions include:

I will have to remove all existing stain, right? Is there some magic I'm not aware of that would make this more practical?
Can I improve my strip-back process? I feel like it's taken an awful long time to strip back even this one small part of the furniture, and it's still not completely done. My only plan of attack right now is 40 grit, then 80, then a very fine (120). I came to the realization today that I might have to do some parts by hand, which worries me.

Try applying a household bleach full strength in a small area you've sanded. Chlorine bleach will remove dye without harming the wood, but it won't remove pigments. It looks like you've sanded away most of those already, so this may be a good final step.

Two part bleaches are another option; they're stronger but will lighten the wood. That's usually not a problem if you're going to stain the piece, but it will tend to homogenize contrasting grains. The potential upside is that these bleaches can decolor some pigments, which is a lot less work than trying to get them out of the pores.

For the spaces the sander won't reach I'd try a chemical stripper along with a brass toothbrush. Painter's tools (5 in 1 tools) are also handy because they won't gouge easily. Plastic putty knives are even safer, if less effective.

It's not magic, but using a gel stain might help. They sit on top of the wood to prevent blotching, but that means they have a fair amount of pigment added. It's not going to give coverage like paint, but it may disguise small amounts of the previous finish.


How do I attach a shelf to an existing kitchen unit? In the kitchen of our new house, there is a slightly unusual extension to the side of one of the cupboards where the wall has been covered by a flat piece of veneered chipboard, the same finish as  the rest of the units in the kitchen. It looks like it might have had a shelf in there at some point, but it is currently dead space and I'd like to hang some new shelves in there if possible:

Behind the backing board the wall is drywall/plasterboard and I wasn't sure how to securely fasten a shelf bracket to the wall through the backing board. Normally on drywall I would use rawlplugs, but since I can't actually get to the drywall in this case, I wasn't sure if there was an alternative.

This second photo shows the unit to the immediate left of the area I'm looking at, you can see that there are some boxed in pipes that I don't really want to go drilling holes through if I can avoid it:

Can anyone give me some advice?

Wall studs should be every 16". If you measure from the start of the wall where the pipes are, you should be able to hit a stud every 16" behind the backing board. I'm not sure what the pipes are that you have in your kitchen - venting maybe, but I would look for shelves that would be supported via studs through the backing board wall instead of trying to screw into the wall with the pipes.


Can two light fixture switches share a neutral? I have two porch lanterns ( sgl pole sw #1) and one foyer ceiling light (slg pole sw #2) in an existing two gang box, but I'm not sure how to use some existing old black pipes for my new wiring.

One porch fixture has a direct pipe from the box, so it easily gets its own black and white. But the other porch light (which I want to switch together with the first)...its pipe is branched off the foyer light's electrical box.  Can my second porch light share the foyer light's neutral, or should I bring it its own neutral ? I do already have the second light's hot coming through the foyer box.

If they are all on the same circuit, yes.

If not, no.

If one circuit breaker turns off all three lights, then they are on the same circuit and you should be good to go.


Installing a window casement operator (on a window that's never had one before) I have an FCL (left-handed) wood-framed casement window in my apartment. I'm looking to add an operator to it. Right now it's just a manual push open/pull close. I think I've found an option or two, but it's unclear to me what features I need. I'm also not sure exactly how to take the measurements. So:

When do I need an operator with a link? For example, right now I am looking at this operator without a link, or this one with a link. Does a link just add more stability to the open movement, or is there another reason one might need one?
How do I know what length of an arm I need? I assume I can just open the window to its fullest extent, then measure from the point on the sill where I would install the operator to the point on the window where I would expect the operator to connect to, but how do I know where that would be?

The pivot point for your operator is going to be off-axis from your window's hinge line. Because of that, as your window opens and shut, the distance from any single point on your window to the operator's pivot will change, which means you can't have a fixed-length arm attached to a fixed point on the window.

You can handle this in two ways:

1) Use a split arm operator, where the swung arm has a second link connecting it to a fixed point on the window. That way the two arms will flex as the window opens and shuts, compensating for the changing distance

2) Use a straight arm operator, where the end of the swung arm slides in a channel on the widow as the window opens and shuts.

Choosing the length of the arm is just figuring out the geometry. Getting it right may be difficult without some trial and error; you may consider buying where you can return the unit if it's wrong.


How can I stop PVC decking from squeaking? We recently installed a TimberTech deck using all-PVC flooring. They use a clip fastening system (non-nail and non-screw)that recommends the floor joists be spaced for 12 inches on center, if diagonal. We built the structure on the diagonal but at 16 inches on center and fastened the floor boards.

We now experience a spring to the boards when we walk on them and a squeeking of the boards when we walk on the deck. The deck is 20 ft. by 35 feet.

We attempted to resolve the problem by placing 2x4 braces diagonally every 10 inches between each of the joists with the edge of the board nailed and glued to the joist and just "kissing" the floorboard so that the floorboard just rests on the support piece. This doesn't appear to be working -- less spring but still squeaking.

Any suggetsions? Desperate to find a solution.

Take up the flooring and install proper joists to be 8" on center.

At 12" on center your diagonal distance would have been just under 17".  Now with 16" on center your diagonal distance is 22.6".  That's way too long, and of course it's going to pull and squeak.  I'd be worried about long term safety as well.  Manufacturers do give recommended maximum spacings for a reason, after all...

Bracing it with 2x4"s which themselves are going to flex under the weight can't fix the problem.  You need to properly reinforce the structure with properly sized joists.

Basically you went cheap on the foundation - now you're paying for it.


wiring location for unfinished shed Ive  been coming across conflicting  information about wiring in the inside of the shed, or more specifically  where to attach the cable. I was under the impression  that you should always follow the framework.
So when it comes to going across the  studs, would you  drill holes in the studs and feed  it through there,or you could you run it across the top plate then bring it down the studs, and if is the case would you still need to drill through that top place to feed the wire through,or can you go over the framework.? ( this is going to be a unfinished shed)
Also.. my  power cable is coming  straight from the main  panel outside ( not inside the house),,  so do i still need a main cut off  switch at the shed?

To me that's a no-brainer, for several reasons. It's much better protected in the wall, and it's not in the way of shelving, cabinets, wall surfacing, etc.
The NEC requires that all cabling be out of harm's way. Most interpretations prohibit surface-mounting of wiring for that reason. I prefer to run cables through the rafters (over the wall), and then through the top plate(s) and down the side of a stud.


drywall patch replacement I used a patch kit to fix a 1/4" hole in drywall and the patch is too raised and visible. Is there a way I can undo the patch and try a different solution? There are 2 separate holes, both are patched and sanded, one also has primer over it.

I recently learned on a trrick on ajob site for this problem. Use a utility knife to cut around the hole. Use some thing as a template to trace aroud before cuttng.
Then use the same template and cut anew pice of sheet rock the same size. But taper it like you would if you were cutting the top of a jack o lantern. It will slide in perfectly with a little mud around the edges it will stay in place and stay flush or just slightly off.
You can then fill or sand to get it flush.

It works perfect and is very easy. Not a lot of skill involved


Deck or Patio - Landscape Design Opinions My house has a nice backyard and I want to put on a deck or patio.  Currently I have a covered side porch that is about 2-3 feet off of ground level in the back.  My debate is whether to ask for a deck or to level the ground and get a patio.

Whatever I build has to:

Big enough for a table that seats 4-6, a grill, and possibly a few chairs
Immediate privacy on one side from my neighbors pool.  I'm thinking a fence so I don't have to wait for landscape to grow

The land slopes up gently as it follows where the deck/patio would be built.

I'd like to be around $7,000 for the project.  I'm OK using cheaper material (cement pad, basic lumber) if I can get functionality.  I'm also open to renovating some of the side porch with that money.

I'm looking for any opinions here.  I don't know anything about landscape design or cost of materials.  Is leveling the ground and using pavers going to be cheaper than building a deck?  Would concrete be a lot cheaper than pavers?  Can I combine both a patio and a deck into one design?

Any and all opinions are welcome.  I'm afraid when I talk to the professionals that each company will try to sell me what they're best at or make the most money on.

I am thinking remove the wrought iron railing and project a deck out at the same level as the porch, with broad steps down and a cut-out along the wall for AC unit and shrubs/trees. This will relieve you of expensive ground work necessary to make a level patio (whether pavers or slab) due to the slope. It will also look nicer, IMO, but will of course require upkeep. Might need handrails on the left side (or all the way round) depending on final height (and aesthetics).


What is the proper way to frame in a room? I'm looking to frame in this room (photo 2) to utilize the space for a 1st floor bathroom / 1st floor laundry room / storage.

I think I have the process down having seen my uncles and brothers houses being built from the ground up. On the 2 interior walls, use 2x8's around the perimeter; the 2 exterior walls, build a 2x4 wall from the concrete slab to the bottom of the 2x8 height of the interior wall. Floor joist across the span, 3/4 plywood over and build the remaining 2x4 wall to the ceiling (all of this after the demo of course)

The brick pillars you see in photo 2 are structural, so I won't be touching those. Photo 4 - the bathroom would be to the right of it and the laundry space to the left. trying to leave the sky light in place.

My problem comes in with the concrete steps in photo 1. I don't want to have to take them out as to not disturb the foundation. I think I can frame around them. If my measurements are correct, I think i can simply fill in the void of the top step (just outside the door) to equal the floor in the house inside the door (which has already been refinished with 18 inch porcelain tile)

I will loose the big interior window (connected to the dining room) but will remove the door and make that the entrance into the room. Photo 2, eventually the window on the right edge of the photo will be taken out and converted into a french door or sliding door to access a new patio (some day)

Is that a suitable plan?

-Mario

Photo 1

photo 1 http://jandmcreative.com/room/photo1.JPG

Photo 2

photo 2 http://jandmcreative.com/room/photo2.JPG

Photo 3

photo 3 http://jandmcreative.com/room/photo3.JPG

Photo 4

photo 4 http://jandmcreative.com/room/photo4.JPG

You are going to need to pull permits unless you live somewhere that doesn't have any requirements for them.  Since that is probably visible from the road, there is almost no way that code enforcement or one of your neighbors isn't going to see it and report you.

The stairs look like the precast concrete kind and probably are hollow and not attached to your foundation.

The method you are proposing sounds more like building a deck than building correctly for a house. Most likely, to be legal, you'll need to remove the slab and dig down beneath the frost line and build up with poured concrete or with cinder blocks.

If the slab happens go down around the edges far enough to support the weight, fine, but most likely it doesn't.  Assuming you don't care about being legal, you could build up a cinder block wall to the height level with the bricks on the existing part of the house, setting them back so that you could brick the new parts at a later date.  The bricks from the first place might be enough to recycle. Then build your new walls on top of the cinder block walls.

The nice thing about doing everything legal is that it will let you remove that fire place and any of the columns. That fireplace almost definitely wouldn't be legal for inside use.


Does the neutral wire float or go to the neutral bus on a sub panel? Does the neutral wire float or go to the neutral bus on a sub panel?

No.  The grounded (neutral) wire should not float.
In a 120/240V single split phase system, a subpanel should be wired similar to this.

Main Service Panel
Notice that in the main panel the grounded (neutral), and grounding buses are bonded (electrically connected). This means that grounded (neutral), and grounding conductors of a branch circuit can be connected to either bus.
Subpanel
In a subpanel, the grounded (neutral) and grounding buses are not bonded. Which means grounded (neutral) and grounding conductors of branch circuits, must terminate at the appropriate bus.
Separate Building
If the subpanel is installed in a separate building, it might be supplied with a 3 or 4 wire cable, and there may or may not be a separate grounding electrode system installed. There are numerous factors that determine how a subpanel in a separate building is wired, which is beyond the scope of this answer.


Cracks on Ceiling and Wall I'm thinking about buying a condo which has cracks on the ceiling and wall in several rooms. The condo is located on the 4th floor in a 7 stories apartment building in New Jersey.  It's steel and concrete. I'm worried that these cracks might be caused by water leaking or structural problems. Any advice would be much appreciated.

Horizontal Crack along the junction between Ceiling and Wall

This is a corner unit. The two walls shown in the photo are supporting walls.  They are the inside parts of the exterior walls of the building.  Could the cracks be caused by pipe leaking above the ceiling?  Could they be caused by water from outside leaking through the exterior walls?

If the cracks are caused by water leaking through the exterior walls, how do I fix it?  How big is the project?

Crack on Ceiling in Bathrooms

I'm pretty sure that the crack in the first photo is due to previous leaking from the unit above.  How about the crack in the second photo?

Crack along the junction between ceiling and wall and runs down on the wall

This is one of the walls in living room. This is probably not a supporting wall. Behind this wall is the kitchen.   What might be causing this type of crack?

The wide spots are where the tape came loose and this could be from a leak or bad install in the first place. I don’t see any damage to the Sheetrock so it probably is not a chronic problem. The crack in the corner looks to have air flow, notice the dark area with lines close to the crack. I have seen this around air plenums many times. From what I see they don’t look bad as a real concern about the structure. Repair work to fix these is more of an art than hard because it can be tough to match the texture. I would clean them up get a small tub of joint compound a roll of “paper tape” some sandpaper or Sheetrock sanding cloth and a can of texture. A wide putty knife is really the only tool needed because it is small areas but a mud tray could be handy and a pole sander can make the job easier. Don’t get hot mud or a fast setting type it is harder to sand and takes more skill to apply ( it looks like some one may have already made this mistake.
So how big is the project? It depends on your abilities, I would say it is an easy fix however some would say impossible. For a new to diy an hour of online research should be 45 minutes more than is needed to learn how to do it. Maybe an hour of prep work to clean things up. And since there are multiple surfaces flat and corners maybe 2 hours on the first pass and a quick sand then a final coat 30 more minutes prior to a quick shot of texture and painting.  This could be broken down into a bunch of tasks 30 minutes or less you don’t have to do it all at once and usually over several days. A pro could probably have it done in about an hour maybe 2. So it really is not a big job at all and although a bit like art it is a great skill to have. I have seen people pay hundreds for repairs that only cost 20$ in parts (mud, tape and Sheetrock) and took a pro about an hour once set up.


open light socket on string lights safe to use? I have string lights in my room and my sister accidentally broke one of the bulbs. The lights are my main source of light in my room so I was wondering if I just removed the broken bulb it would all be fine but I'm worried that if plug them in something bad will happen

By string lights are you refering to something like a string of christmas lights. If this is what you mean then remove the buld and replace it. If you don't have a replacement bulb, cover the opening with tape just so nobody sticks their finger in the opening and you're good to go. Plug it in and let there be light.


Can I use a 4-pole breaker in place of a Gould 200 amp main breaker? I have a 200 amp gould ITE 2 pole main breaker that keeps tripping, I've checked around and they are no longer produced, but I did find a 4 pole breaker. can I use this in its place?

Never, never, never mix random brand-name breakers with random-brand-name panels.  Most of the 1" wide breakers will seem to physically fit, but they won't mate properly with the buses, and will arc and burn up.  This is a death sentence for the panel, so now you're into the ~$2000 of having one replaced whole.

I get when you're dealing with an obsolete panel like ITE/Gould, Cutler Hammer, Challenger, Westinghouse, Murray, BRyant, etc. -- you go "gosh, this thing is totally unsupported, I have no choice but to root around eBay for used breakers".

Not at all.  Most old brands - and every one I listed - have been acquired and merged, and are now new-brand panels readily available at electrical supply houses.  Those six I listed are now Siemens, Eaton, Eaton, Eaton, Siemens and Eaton.

So I would call around to electrical supply houses (NOT big box stores) and find one who is a Siemens dealer.  Then come in with a photo of your panel label and of your old main breaker, especially any numbers it may have.  It is quite possible they can hand you a new-manufacture Siemens breaker that will fit.  They can also sell you THE correct branch circuit breakers for the panel.  Those can be worth modernizing, because  you can add AFCI or AFCI+GFCI functionality.


Exposed Conduit Transition Into Wall What is the best way to transition from THHN wiring in exposed conduit to a wall panel inside a wall? The conduit holds wiring for a 120v circuit and a 240v circuit with power outlets. I was going to use a 4x4 junction box to transition through the back of the box into the wall using using romex behind the wall. It is my understanding that you can't put both lines through the same knockout because they are different voltages but not sure how to mount a junction box on sheetrock with two rear knock outs broken out. Seems like a lot of sheetrock would need to be removed to do that. Any ideas welcome.

Ditch the box
The simplest way to do this would be to use an EMT-to-FMC coupling and a length of flexible metal conduit of the same size as your EMT that "dives" into the wall and lands in a FMC fitting atop the panel, as it appears you have enough length in your wires to do this.  You'll need to remove the box and offset nipple first, though!
You could also use a bent section of like-sized EMT and a coupling to make the "dog leg" through the drywall. This may be more attractive than transitioning to FMC if you're handy with a conduit bender.
If you come up short...
If that doesn't work out, probably because the wires are too short, then you can flush mount the box, with a wiring method of your choice (I'd use a rigid or EMT nipple and locknuts, myself) from the box to the panel, then use a short length of FMC and the EMT-to-FMC coupling from before to attach the conduit to a right-angle FMC connector mounted into a KO faceplate (Steel City 52C6, shown below, or equivalent for a 4" square box) on the box.

Or, use an extension
If the flex whip isn't appealing to you, but a box sticking out isn't a bother, you could use a flush-mounted 4" square box as above, but with an extension box (such as the Raco 203 shown below, NoSparksPlease's Raco 187 is designed to fit over a switch opening instead of the full box opening) and blank faceplate instead of the flex whip and KO faceplate, so that the EMT can come directly into the top of the extension box.


what are pros and cons of an air handler located in cooled space? The air handler unit on my central air conditioning system in Florida is located in a closet that opens to the attic. The air handler is exposed to the attic temperatures (hot) which seems counter intuitive for maximum cooling capability. The cooling coils are bolted to a metal frame that's as hot as the attic.

Should I insulate the closet so the majority of the indoor unit is, truly in cooled indoor space?

What are the pros and cons of my current (typical) setup versus an indoor air handler that resides in the cooled space?

This is the same arrangement as in all 270 houses in my tract development in Dallas TX. It is the standard arrangement. There is some insulation on the inside of the sheetmetal panels.

EDIT Given the new info that this is a heat pump it would be some benefit to put an insulated ceiling on the closet. Possibly the original heating was a gas fired furnace and the heat pump a retrofit.

EDIT2 If there is a gas fired water heater in this closet,then it is probably necessary to have an opening for combustion air or to expel heat to the attic.

EDIT3 Our closet has an insulated drywall ceiling with one small section of screening to supply combustion air from the attic to the gas fired furnace and the gas fired water heater.


Air conditioning window unit My father in-laws wife plugged a brand new air conditioning window unit I with a small extension cord and she said it ran for just a moment and then cut off. And it has not turned on again. Does anyone know what the problem is and can I fix whatever is wrong with it. It's brand new and I sure could use the help. Thanks

Sometimes there is a reset button for the circuit near where the power cord comes out of the air conditioner. Usually a little black or red nub.  Is the outlet still hot? It's possible she tripped the circuit breaker for that outlet.


Downsides of Linoleum (in kitchen specifically) I am thinking of replacing tiled floor in my kitchen with linoleum (in Canada). I see a few benefits to it, 1) easy to wash 2) fallen glassware doesn't always break. However, there seems to be unexplained negative attitude towards linoleums. (At least from my experience.) What are real downsides of linoleum?

If the tile is nice tile, I'd strongly consider keeping that. People like tiled kitchens.

Linoleum is a bit like laminate counter tops. Has a bit of a 60s/70s stigma to it.

But also like laminate counter tops, they've gotten better and now come in a much wider range of looks.

Linoleum has the added benefit of being a 'natural/green' material, so fits into the green trend as well (which is a good trend, for the most part).

I suppose the biggest con would be that it won't wear as well (or last as long) as tile will...then again, very little will wear as well as tile.

You'll also need to decide if you want a surface that needs to be waxed regularly or has a more permanent top coat. I assume most products on the market today will have the latter, but you'll want to check into that.

The other con is that you'll likely have to either tear out your tile, or add a new layer of plywood to the top of it. Granted, you'll probably have to do that regardless, but also something to consider.


What is the correct tool to unscrew this mixer tap nut? I have a single lever mixer tap which needs a cartridge replacement. I’ve managed to open the lever using an Allen key. This brass nut has had me stumped. I don’t want to use a tap wrench and damage the nut.

There are a number of spanner wrenches that you can use. If you're replacing the cartridge, you can probably pick up a cheap wrench where you purchased the cartridge or at a plumbing supply store.

I usually just get a piece of bar stock and place the end in the groove and gently tap it with a hammer ccw.


What is best product for stripping paint from wood? We want to strip previously painted trim and baseboards.  We have tried the Jasco paint stripper but it gums up and is not very successful, especially since the trim has a fairly detailed profile.  Is there a more successful product to use?

I've had better luck with strppers if you cover it with plastic food wrap after applying it. Be aware that some strippers will disolve the plastic so test a sample first,if it disolves the plastic try it with wax paper. The idea is to keep the solvents from evaporating before the paint has softened. Any latex paint should peel off easily. If you have oil based under it scuff it with some sandpaper and reapply the stripper.The sanding seems to break the "shell" and allow the stripper to penetrate. As DAO1 mentioned be cautious of lead. Avoid using a heat gun and allow for plenty of vetilation.


What is the recommended way of attaching ledgers to Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs)? It appears that our house's exterior walls were built using Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs). Some of the plans for our new house involve adding ledgers to these walls in some various ways:

exterior for a front porch
exterior for a roof for said porch
interior for a loft in the bedroom

I'm not clear as to how one needs to attach a ledger to such a structure. Are there clear methods for this? Particular fasteners? I'm not having much luck with googling this (perhaps because "SIP" isn't a term that's always used for this type of construction?)

DAGS for SIP ledger detail, e.g. http://www.extremepanel.com/Details/PDF/EP-120.pdf - if you have enough info about the house to know who made the panels, look for info specific to (or from) them, .vs. generic panel info.


Looking for name of door trim part I have an old door with what looks like a wooden equivalent to weatherstripping.  The door, and frame have mating parts that interlock.  I'm trying to figure out what its called, to have a chance at replacing a segment. Any direction would help (even a better search term)

Pictures...

Door side

Frame side

Usually this stuff is metal, known as "interlocking weatherstrip", but since that's not a great search term, it's often found in the same vicinity as "spring bronze weatherstripping". Check kilianhardware.com, under the springbronze tab.


Exhaust Fan in small half bathroom on first floor Hi, I would like to add an exhaust fan in my small half bathroom on the first floor (it’s a 2 floor semi-attached home).  The bathroom becomes very humid and takes a few minutes to eliminate odors.  I’m planning to hire an electrician to install the fan with a switch button.  Based on the picture, can you please advise if I can add a fan directly to this exhaust/air duct vent or if I’m required to have an insulation tube leading outside the roof.  The house is a flat roof and I don’t have an access point to the attic (or area between my celing and roof).  Also, my electrician has sent a few fan suggestions but they are not appealing as they look like attic or laundromat fans.  Does anyone have an exhaust fan suggestion that can fit into this vent and appealing (preferably white colored)?  The measurements of the vent are 14 inches by height and 13 inches by width.  Thank you so much for your support.

Here are some photos of the vent behind the grill:

You need to remove that grill and find out what's behind . Hopefully, there will be some sort of duct work that vents to the outside. You do not want to vent humid air into plain wall space. There are many fans to choose from so look around. I would tend to look more on efficiency than appealing. You can always spray paint it white.

Here is a typical bathroom exhaust fan that has a 13.5" by 13.5" grill and 14.25" x 14.25" housing. It vents to the back.

here is a link to the site so you can get more info.

https://www.zoro.com/broan-fan-wall-10-38-in-506mg/i/G3064914/#specifications

you should also try to clean out as much of the debris from the duck as possible. It will help with the air flow.


Is my existing electrical feed to my detached garage safe? Recently bought a house with a suspicious electrical setup running to a detached garage. Garage is about 70 feet from the main panel. Feeding the garage is 10/3 Romex with no ground wire on a 30amp breaker. The romex is fed to the garage from the roof of the house overhead. Inside the junction box in the garage is a mess - 10 gauge pigtailed with 10,12 and 14 garage wire feeding several outlets, lights and switches (see second picture).
Would love some advice on whether or not this is a safe enough setup. We have no need for 30amp power so I’m wondering if I can just change the breaker from 30a to 20a.
Also, concerned that there is no ground wire and how to remedy without installing a sub panel.
Thank in advance for any advice!
[1

First there are multiple code violations even if done in the 60’s when Romex or nmb did not have a ground.
Having 2 hot and a neutral was ok I believe until the 1999 code change. But the max breaker is 15 because of the 14 gauge wire.
If the 14 gauge was removed a 20 amp breaker could be used but that was the max when built and still is today without a sub panel.
The switches and outlets for 120v are only listed for 20 amp circuits a 30 amp is a violation (even if a 15 amp receptacle or switch they can be used on a 20 amp circuit and be code compliant).
Could this be made safe? Yes, change the breaker to a 15 amp OR remove the 14 gauge wire and go to 20 amp.
Install GFCI protection on both lines you have 2 120v 15 OR 20 amp circuits at that point and this would be safe and even code compliant.
What would it take to make it better? Meet today’s code?
I would suggest a sub panel but then you would need A ground would have to be pulled from the service or on a point from that same panel to the garage.
A ground electrode would need to be driven or other method of grounding electrode to the panel. Then you could leave the 30 amp breaker in the main, install a 20 amp breaker for the #12 and a 15 amp breaker for the #15. And that would pass (what you have should have been flagged on the home inspection for the reasons I mentioned).


Need help building a ceiling lamp (LED Pin-socket Bulbs to mains) I have tried my best to gain as much information as possible, but I am mostly stuck at the connection part.

To start with here is the goal of my DIY project:

Now here is what all I have bought/acquired,etc:

Ceiling lamp socket + clothed wiring (that should go from the socket to the lamp)
Extra clothed wiring - has 3 wires inside (3 metres)
Light Bulbs - 5W G4 AC230V. Here is a description and I have translated from German in black

The microphones - Got some cheap microphones and emptied them of all "audio
components". Dimensions are approximate - 60cm x 45cm x 45cm. The cases
where the lights are planned to be installed are made of hard-plastic.
I do plan to buy a fuse. 3 bulbs * 5W/230V = 0.06 A. Am I doing this right?

Important Information: I live in Munich, Germany. Voltage is 230 V

Now my questions

1. How do I connect these pin bulbs to the mains - any special holders? transformers, etc?

I mean the bulbs are meant to take AC directly so it does not look like the case with other LED lights where you need transformers for AC to DC. I could get different bulbs if needed too.

2. What amperage (if needed) should the fuse be?

3. The microphone shells are this hard plastic type. Should I do something about insulation so that the plastic does not melt or something?

All help will be appreciated! I want to hang these in my music studio.

I really want to go ahead with it though many a times I just think its too much work or might be a disaster. Also sorry but my electrical knowledge is all rusty. A few friends who have studied this stuff would eventually help - but they are not "ceiling-lamp-geniuses" so need help

How do I connect these pin bulbs to the mains - any special holders? transformers, etc?

You can buy G4 sockets with trailing wires, these have mounting holes that can be screwed or bolted, or you could probably glue them in place with a heat-resistant glue. The trailing wires would have to be connected using a 230V connector block.

These sort of parts are available from specialist retailers and distributors (in the UK this would be Maplin, RS, Farnell etc,  but there are many equivalents in Germany)

Make sure you buy a 230V lampholder not a 12v lampholder, if it says "halogen" it is probably only rated for 12V.

So far as I know, most G4 usage is for 12V so there is a danger that, now or in future, you or someone else will end up plugging a 12V product into a 230V supply causing failure of the product with a small chance of minor explosion and fire.

  What amperage (if needed) should the fuse be?

It depends on local regulations. In the UK the main-panel provides required overcurrent protection to the lighting circuit. If you wanted to provide additional protection I'd add the smallest 230V fuse that exceeds the expected current. But this should be additional to other protections.

  The microphone shells are this hard plastic type. Should I do something about insulation so that the plastic does not melt or something?

You should ensure that the bulbs cannot come into contact with the plastic shells and that the shells provide adequate ventilation for the bulbs to prevent overheating.

I'd test the plastic shells with a temperature controlled soldering iron to see what temperature they start to soften at. I'd also take one outside and apply a flame to it for 30s to see if the plastic is the sort that produces thick black toxic smoke and which drops burning molten plastic onto your carpets and furniture setting them alight. At least you can make an informed decision about the risks.

  What have I not asked about but probably should?

Most importantly, since you are using 230V bulbs, you must ensure the whole arrangement is safe from an electrical perspective. Usually this means double insulating everything, grounding any exposed metal parts and making sure nothing bad happens when or after your 5 year old daughter/niece/visitor grabs the lowest shell and hangs her weight on it and then tries to put the broken pieces back on the now-broken exposed 230V wiring.

Personally I'd see if it is possible to use a 12V solution with transformer in/at the ceiling.


Is my outlet grounded? My house is ~100 years old, and I just bought it. I have an outlet that has 2 wires, what I assume are hot and neutral but no ground wire. I'm using a Klein receptacle tester. When I plug the tester into the outlet, it says that it is correct. When I pull the outlet out of the wall away from the metal box it sits in (while still wired), the tester says there is no ground. I assume that is because the screw that I use to screw the outlet receptacle to the box it sits in is metal to metal thus "grounding" the outlet. Is this incorrect? I just want to make sure I'm not misled by this tester. I thought the purpose of ground was to provide an "error" path that leads a charge back to the panel. I've been told many different things about ground, but trying to understand in regards to an outlet how ground works and what is safe for a 2 wire outlet.

Metal junction boxes are typically serviced by metallic conduit that is grounded in the panel. This is particularly common in older homes that have been updated to whatever the current code was when it was rewired. Homes 100 years ago didn't require grounded outlets so when they were brought up to date it was the best way to provide proper grounding. Although a receptacle will usually ground through the attachment ears to the metal box you should still attach a ground wire to the green screw on each recptacle and run it to a grounding screw on the box.
One suggestion for the future, instead of a receptacle tester, which can be squirrely at times, you should invest in a multimeter that will give you more precise information.


Do I need to re-sheath, wrap and side an old house just insulate it? Looking into buying this house that was built around 1900. From the photos, it appears that there is a layer of shiplap underneath the siding. Is there any way, barring ripping all of the siding off and re-sheathing and wrapping the house, that I could go about insulating? I've read a bit about insulation and moisture problems, and the idea that you need the vapor barrier seems to be somewhat disputed (according to this article the sheetrock ends up behaving as a vapor barrier). It also appears that this structure has some lateral bracing, so the sheathing may also be overkill. So what would be the most efficient way to insulate? just pack the walls with insulation and seal for air leeks? Get some closed cell foam panels and cut to size? Experience would be appreciated.

Also found this interesting article.

Ahhh...the good ‘ol days. We didn’t worry about much: 1) single top plate, 2) top plates not lapped at corners, 3) no headers in non-bearing walls, 4) no hold downs, 5) is that a floor above those ceiling joists? 6) that beam on the left with just a single stud under it probably doesn’t mean anything either.

If you live in a high wind area or a high seismic zone, you may want to put some clips on those ceiling/roof joists, add a hold down or two, check your anchor bolt sizes, etc.

You can’t follow the “prescriptive path” for energy compliance requirements with those 2x4’s. You’ll need 2x6’s or add some rigid wall insulation, extra ceiling insulation or install a super efficient heating system...all of which requires a ton of calculations.

BTW, do not install plastic sheeting vapor barrier on the inside of the walls, unless you live at the North Pole.

You’ll need to Solve some of these issues to get a Building Permit. You are getting a Building Permit, right?


Clicking/Ticking BEHIND Gas Stove I recently noticed a continuous clicking/ticking noise behind my gas stove. If you stand in front of the stove and focus, you can hear it. To hear it really well, you have to lean in towards the stove. Definitely not metal expanding/contracting.  I don't smell any gas.  However, I don't think this is normal.  Also, it is not the clock.  Any thoughts on why this is happening?

I decided to unplug the stove to see if it would stop. It did. @isherwood was closest with his suggestion because the sound was coming from near the clock housing where all the mechanical components are located. Go figure... Thank you all for your suggestions to help pinpoint the issue.


Mouse trap and detector? I need a mouse trap which sends a signal when it is activated, because in Finland, there is very strict animal legislation about catching mice. You cannot use glue traps. You can only use those mouse houses which the mouse can enter but not exit. However, the problem is that you have to look those traps regularly.
The regular checking of the trap makes the cost of getting rid of mice on roofs expensive in Finland.
The main problem is the cost of getting rid out of mice on the large surface of 400 m2.
Other alternatives in preventing mice in roofs by

Battery operated trail camera with bluetooth/cellular. Example: Primos, Browning, Bushnell, HC-300M, ... but should be with cellular or stable bluetooth where connection can be formed. Problem: current models are mostly with cellular and no bluetooth version.
Activity cameras like GoPro Hero 3 only choice? Xiaomi Yi rejected because no Pebble support, in contrast to GoPro Hero 3.
Eco Defense Ultrasonic Pest Repeller which may help in concentrating mice in one region. Link here. Too unstable and too inefficient if used alone.

Is there any mouse traps on the market which are battery operated and give signal when activated etc wifi, bluetooth?

Is there any mouse traps on the market which are battery operated and give signal when activated etc wifi, bluetooth?

Yes. Kinda.

Google is your friend for this kind of thing. A random result:


Using a temperature relay as a fridge temperature control thermostat I have W9RXXMFWQ00 that isn't working anymore unless I hit it, so I'm assuming the thermostat is broken.

A replacement thermostat is 150$ so that is out of the question

I was wondering if anyone ever used a temperature relay such as Siemens 3RS1 or something like that to act as a thermostat?

I see no reason why a device such as the Siemens 3RS1 could not be adapted to control a refrigerator.  I'm assuming you have one on hand as the price of one of these is close to the $150 that you are saying is out of the question.

Keep in mind that this device has no built-in thermometer, so you'll need to add an appropriate one of your own.  Also be aware of the output capacity so that you don't damage it by switching the compressor on and off.


Bathroom Electrical question GFI Can I run a 12 2 wire off of a 20 amp breaker to a splitter box, then from the splitter box run one 12 2 wire to a light switch, then to 5 can lights? Then one more wire from the splitter box to another light switch connected to vent fan/light? Then run one more wire  from the splitter box to a GFI outlet, then wire two more outlets from the GFI? Do I have to use GFI outlet after the first GFI? All this is off of one 20 amp breaker and will only be feeding the master bathroom.

Yes, you can do exactly what you propose.  Just make sure the box you use is large enough for the splices.

You'll need at least a 4x4x1-1/2" box, which would be literally at full capacity. A 4x4x2-1/8" box would be a much better choice.

No, you do not need any GFI devices downstream of the first one, provided you wire the line in to the LINE terminals, and the line out to the other receptacles to the LOAD terminals.


new water heater, unexpected noises I installed a new water heater about 2 months ago and I hear this cracking noise most of the time, even when I have not used the hot water. Does anyone have an idea of what could possibly be causing that noise? I called the plumber who installed it but he refused to come to see it.

Erick

Keep in mind your water heater doesn't only run when you're using hot water. (assuming you have a regular tank-style unit, tankless are a very different beast) There's a number of things that COULD potentially be causing the noise but without more details it's gonna be impossible to say what. Unless you notice any other symptoms I wouldn't worry about it.


How to eliminate odor from the heavy cooking? We live in a small space. And we cook a lot leaving our home smell like a spice box.
What are the ways to follow while cooking to not spread the odor.. And secondly get rid of the smell fast.

In some cultures, there is a room called a spice kitchen that is an important feature of the house.

  In order for the Spice Kitchen to serve its intended purpose, it needs a high-volume exhaust hood over the oven and a door. The foods that are going to be prepared in the Spice Kitchen should be stored there as well, so there should be cabinetry, counter space and a sink.

Some foods create an enormous amount of smell and that smell can be carried around by steam or aerosolized oils or smoke.

So, the best solution is to get rid of the smell before it circulates and settles on other areas of the house.  You need a large hood to catch the steam and smoke from cooking and duct it out of the area.  How you do this is probably beyond the scope of your question, but removing the by-products of cooking is the solution.


How to unfix a pvc tube glued to another pvc tube? I have the following drained pvc tube pipe. As you can see from the picture below, I want to detach the part that I've circled in green (the upper part).

The pvc part has been glued.
After many readings on the internet, one of the easiest solution would be to use a heat gun/thermal cleaner to unstuck it (like in this video).
Is there a simpler way to unglued the pvc tube without using a heat gun?
Thank you.

The glue normally used is a pvc cement and « welds » the joint together.
I would cut that tee out and fit a new one with extensions to meet up with the existing pipes using couplers.
When you get the old part out, try separating a joint - they tend to « tear » the surface.


Adding work shop to garage I am planning on building a wood workshop attached to my garage.  I have a 220 line already on the outside wall of my garage with two 20 amp breakers.  Can I install a 60amp sub box in place of the 220 line (which services my hot tub) and run 110 curcuits off that box and still have my hot tub?  If not, what guage/breakers do I need to run from my current service box to the new sub box?

60 ampere double pole breaker in the main panel.
6 AWG copper wire (x4) for a run less than 75ft., 4 AWG copper wire (x4) for runs less than 150ft.
60 ampere panel with 60 ampere main breaker.


How to hook up thermostat C wire? I would appreciate a sanity check/advice from this community.

I plan to install a Wifi thermostat (likely a Honeywell) that requires a C wire in a house built in 2005.  It's propane forced air plus AC.  There is a blue wire running from the furnace to the (old, dumb) thermostat, but it's not connected to anything on either end.

On the furnace end, there is clearly a C terminal on the circuit board, with one wire attached to it, going to the AC compressor.  The transformer hooked to the circuit board is labeled 24VAC 40VA.

From everything I've read online, I think I can simply:

Shut off power to the furnace and AC at the breaker box.
Hook up the blue wire to C terminal on the furnace so both the blue wire and the white AC wire are attached.
Hook up the blue wire to new thermostat as part of installing it.
Turn breakers back on and enjoy the vast wonders of 21st century networking technology.

find the Transformer inside the furnace. One wire connects to the R terminal 24 v
other wire is common or neutral.


Can an AC condenser be wired inside the wall, underneath siding? The label on the disconnect box says this is a 60amp, 240v system (box might be oversized for this unit, it's old and a 2 ton I think, I doubt that it's truly 60A). I know that I need 6awg for it, and the wiring currently is in metal conduit on the outside of the wall. The run itself is only about 15ft (plus or minus a few inches) to the main electrical panel.

[edit] The AC unit is an UAKA-030JAZ, and the label lists itself as says that it is minimum 19/19 (not sure what the double number means, honestly) ampacity. Looks like this is a 2.5ton. I'd expect if/when it needs replaced to be replaced with a larger unit. I don't think any of the new homes of this size built around here are less than 3.5ton.

I will have opportunity to put this in-wall when I repair some of the siding at some point this summer.

Does the code (US, Texas) allow for in-wall wiring for the condenser? Does it have to be in conduit, if in the wall? What wiring do I need to purchase for this?

[edit] Is there any reason not to go with a heavier gauge wire, considering that the cost is minimal, it possibly future-proofs, and I might need to drill slightly larger holes? Both Home Depot and Lowes offer 15ft and 25ft sections of NM 8/3 and NM 6/3, not to mention the many places on the internet that I can apparently order this.

[edit] Adding a photograph of the label on the main wiring panel, as requested.

You could in theory do it inside of the wall, but the "device box" would have to a a Flush Mount 3R box, and that's not something I have ever seen for a simple AC disconnect. In other words you can't just exit the wall through a hole in the siding and run into the bottom of a surface mount box, and for all of the surface mount ones I have seen, you can't enter the box from the rear because that's where the disconnect device is. So although it COULD be done, I don't think you will find the hardware to make it happen (at least not to Code).


Drop ear elbow leaking at shower arm I soldered 1/2 inch drop ear elbow to the copper pipe coming out of my shower valve that I just installed. Everything has been tight but it is leaking at the threaded female connection of the drop ear where my shower arm is threaded in. I put plenty of Teflon tape and tightened it all the way down where the shower arm is angled downwards. Is there any other fitting that should be used here or is it probable that I just have a bad drop ear?

Obviously it could also be the shower arm threads are bad. When you thread in the shower arm do you get resistance after a few turns or is it loose until it suddenly hits the end of the threads?

Some people use both pipe dope and Teflon tape.

Alternatively, you can use "plumber's hemp" and use it in conjunction with pipe dope. Hemp may work better with loose threads. Hemp is used in Europe for parallel threads. US tapered threads normally don't need hemp, but sometimes it does the trick. Google for a Youtube video on how to apply it.

I wonder if heavy duty sewing thread would serve as well as the plumber's hemp?


How do I replace the cartridge on a Delta faucet? I am trying to replace the cartridge, but there appears to be a cover that I need to remove first, but I can't open it.

The red arrow in the picture (sorry about the bad quality) is the piece I'm talking about, I've tried using a wrench, but I don't want to use too much pressure lest I break something. Is there something I'm missing?

Thanks

First of all the model that you mentioned does not correspond to the picture that you have on there unless it is a much older model it does however fall under similar faucets that I have worked on myself. The cap you mentioned that you can't get off does have to come off. Right there where the grooves are there is a joint that unscrews that cap. Yours has just gotten so tight you can't get it by hand. A pair of channel lock pliers and a rag to try to prevent any marring if possible should do the trick. After you get that off there will be a little grey or white plastic cover with an odd shaped hole in it that that brass stem comes through. That cap comes off and then that stem is attached to a metal or plastic ball that has holes and or slots in it. It just rests in that . You must remove that plastic cap and then you will see two or three holes with rubber cups and springs in them. Remove the cups and the springs with needle nose pliers. You will have to take all the parts with you just removed to the hardware store and they will have Delta parts or similar replacement parts made by other companies that will fit your faucet. Just match them up to what you have removed from your faucet and take them back home and put them in reverse order and you should be good to go of course you have to turn off the water to that faucet which usually means you have to turn off the water to the house. Oh yes and by the way if you do have to mark up the original chrome cover with the grooves on it in your picture with the pliers getting it off a replacement usually comes in one of the kits that you will be buying. Good news is it is pretty simple once you get that super tight cap off.


Can I run my hydronic circulator off an appliance cord in order to use it to purge air? I have a hydronic heating system with a relatively powerful B & G circulator pump.  This pump has a relay that is controlled by the furnace electronics; if there is no power to the furnace, there's no power to the pump.

This makes it tricky to purge air from the system via the technique of using the city water filler, a circulator, and the drain, thus bypassing the boiler.

I would like to be able to use the circulator when the furnace is off. I thought that the best way to do this would be to install a junction box with a UL listed DPDT switch (e.g. a Leviton 1286) that switched the circulator's feed from the normal furnace wiring to an electrically isolated hard-wired appliance cord of sufficient gauge that I would plug into a different circuit.

Can anyone think of problems with this?
Is this against the electrical code, or will it not apply so long as the appliance cord is not plugged into the different circuit.

Thanks!

For those who are interested in doing this:, I simplified the wiring diagram as illustrated below.

I cut the 120v lead to the circulator relay and wired it to a terminal block.  From that terminal block, leads go to to one pole of a 3-way switch and to the relay. Likewise, the other side of the relay was cut and now goes to the other pole of the switch.  The center pole of the switch goes to the circulator motor.   This allows me to run the circulator without running the furnace.  Total cost was less than $10.


Half the house has power - Stove, hotwater tank and dryer not working! I have a 5 unit apartment building, but one unit is having a problem - which is only one side of the panel is working.  My electrician has checked the electrical panel inside the unit for connections and they appear to be good.  Then he went to check the breaker outside next to the meter and turned it on and off.  Then everything worked for couple of days and afterwards the same problem started again.  Now he's saying the breaker next to the meter is most likely not making good contact and needs to be replaced.  I talked to the city light and they said after changing the breaker and if the problem still existed then to call them so that they can come out and check their connections.  Any thoughts?  Thanks.

Your electrician seems to be spot on. The fact that only one unit is having problems leads me to believe City Light's connections are good and the breaker after their connections for the problem unit is at fault. Why didn't your electrician replace that breaker when he examined it?
If this was a breaker in the unit I'd suggest swapping it with another breaker in the panel and see if the problem followed. Since it's a main unit breaker you wouldn't want to do that and have the problem move to another unit and tick those people off.


Two Stage Propane Regulator with Splitter I am building an addition, and I was hoping to run a new gas line into the addition directly from my propane tank to feed a new furnace and tankless water heater that will live in the addition.  I am wondering if I can split the line after the First Stage regulator on the tank and have two Second Stage regulators on the house?  Sorry for the poorly drawn picture, but hopefully it illustrates the point.  If this is possible to do, what considerations do I need to take into account?  And how would doing this split change the amount of pressure in each line?
My current line going into the house is 5/8" copper tubing.

Yes you can split after the first regulator.
You may need to upsize the regulator as on demand water heaters are high usage devices if your current regulator is 75k btu snd you add a 50k water heater there is not enough for other devices but it can be done.


Furnace transformer hot to the touch Should the transformer be hot when the furnace isnt running? replaced the transformer and it is hot to the touch but not hot enough to burn fingers..

What is the size of the transformer? Usually excessive heat in a transformer means it is undersized. Larger transformers actually have there temp increase listed on them. If you get one the same voltage but a larger kw / kva output it will not run as warm if you are concerned.


How to repaint bathroom walls that have a vent but lack an exhaust fan I am in a condominium apartment in a building that was built in 1965. My bathroom has a wall vent for air circulation but it does not have a motorized exhaust fan. The paint is flaking and pulling away from the wall. I am thinking that it might be a problem with the sheet rock or the plaster behind the paint that is already there. What can I do to prepare the wall to be repainted?

1965 - test the paint for lead.

If you have lead paint, you'll need to take appropriate precautions.

As for painting preparation, the usual - remove all flaking and peeling paint (scrape, sand, whatever it takes) back to sound substrate - if the substrate is not sound, replace it. That would be firmly attached paint, or the surface of the plaster or drywall. Depending what state that leaves the walls in, use spackle or joint compound to fill in defects and sand for an even surface, prime, paint.

Alternatively, put "remove existing wall surface, place tile backer, and tile the bathroom" on the list of options.

Your lack of powered vent does not really make the bathroom all that unusual or make painting it a particular problem - while they are common now, they were not common then, and  the main issue is 50 year old paint, not lack of a fan. If the walls are wet and deteriorating, it's probably more than the lack of a fan making them wet. The last 3 or 4 bathrooms I've repainted did not have a powered vent, and normal preparation and painting have held up fine for many years since.


Estimated strength of U-profile shelf standards? I would like to make a table, which is only supported by 4 of these U-profiles. Two on each end will be screwed in a brick wall.
The shop doesn't have any specs on the U-profiles.
Question
Assuming I can align the U-profiles exactly, so each only have to carry 1/4th of the tables weight. How many kg can I expect each U-profile can carry?

While they may work for a table that is shallow, not cantilevered off of the wall very far, it really is not the appropriate hardware for the job. Assuming you fasten the shelving standards to the brick wall with the appropriate fasteners, i feel the week link in this plan is the little tabs on the back of the bracket that hold the bracket to the standard.
I would invest in these brackets.
I have used them to make desks, they are great and come in a variety of size's to accommodate shallow or deep desk/workbench's.
Here is a link to a desk question that I answered that shows the brackets in use.


How to fix a socket that works and doesn't work and has a switch in the cord. It is a small one the size of a chandelier bulb. 25 watt round light bulb in a device that melts wax with fragrance in it goes off after a couple of minutes.  If I mess around with the bulb it will come on and then off again.  This fragrance melter is new and was a gift so want to fix it.  Do you all know how to fix it or buy a new small socket with a switch in the cord?  The socket is only 1 3/8 inch tall and is small like a chandelier bulb socket. Appreciate any help?

The contact in the light socket might be bent too far down.  Unplug the device, remove the lightbulb, gently bend the contact up a little.  The light should work awesomely then.


How do I prevent mold in drywall mud pail? I just opened my pail of drywall mud and discovered mold on the sides. It has been a few months since I last opened it. This happened to me a few years ago. I tried using the mud anyway, but the bad odor persisted in the dried mud. I had to toss that pail of mud. As a work-around, I've been using 20 minute mud powder, but that was going to be inconvenient for a somewhat larger project I had recently. How do I prevent mold from growing in the bucket?

Edit: I wonder if I sprayed (light mist) a mix of chlorine (Clorox) and water onto the sides and surface of the mud?

Once you have mold in the bucket, the compound is no good.  After using some compound from a bucket, I found that if I cover the unused compound with cellophane it helps to extend the life of the bucket.  Take a bucket scoop to push all the unused compound into the bottom of the bucket, then cover it with the plastic.  Even though the compound may last a little longer, it won't last forever.


Plumbers putty or 100% silicone? Which is better to use under the lip edge of a pop up drain pipe on the inside of the porcelain bowl?

You want to use plumbers putty for a drain pipe like that. If you put silicone between those two parts, especially if these are new and pristine clean, you would likely never get it back out without a huge amount of work. And in trying to remove it you would risk major damage to the porcelain sink bowl.


How to wrap french drain I'm putting in a french drain to control runoff and get it out of the yard. The drain is going in an area of the yard that is covered with 1.5" river rock, no dirt will cover the trench at all. I want to wrap the pipe properly but I'm not sure the best way or that I even need to in this scenario. I lined the trench with fabric and put a layer of rock down. I then layed the french drain pipe, holes down, along the trench. Do I now back fill the pipe with more rock and then wrap the fabric that is sticking out of the trench over the top of the rock or do I just go over the top of the trench with the fabric as I lay the 1.5" river rock(a I would if the trench wasn't even there).

Somewhat up to you, but standard practice (IMPE) is to cover the pipe with some rock, then fold the fabric over to "box" the pipe (overlapping the fabric, unless you want to get fanatical and seam it), then cover with more rock to keep it in place.


Reason GFCI breaker popped? When a GFCI breaker pops, is there a way to tell whether it popped for the GFCI reason or because of excessive current?

If the GFCI breaker pops because of a ground fault it pops softly without a loud sound. When it pops due to an overload you can hear a sharp sound inside the breaker comming from the spark during the opening of the breaker contact


Cracks on Sheetrock joint compound There is a round hole in my ceiling wall which i want to fix.
I covered the hole with steetrock as best as i could, put a meshed tape around the border and then applied sheetrock joint compound.
But the next day i see lot of cracks on the joint compound (attached picture )
Any idea what i am doing wrong ?
Thanks in advance.
[

The joint compound you used was either not mixed properly or had already dried out to some extent before you applied it.   It also looks like you exacerbated this by putting on a really thick coat.   (also I see the edges and I don't see tape nor joint compound... you mud the edges of your sheet first not the middle)
I personally would try to scrape as much of that off as possible.  Immediately.   If you leave it you will either:

Sand the crap out of it, chunks might come off, and if everything goes as well as possible you still have huge divots/lines.   You will then need to add a few (much thinner coats).

Just add more joint compound and push them into cracks.   They won't perfectly fill cracks and then after you sand for a long time it still won't be smooth.

What you should do...

scrape it off
only add joint compound to the area below mesh tape and a couple inches to each side
your joint compound should be consistency of a runny peanut butter (if you eat Nutella, like a new jar... not the crusty Nutella in an old jar).
after two layers around the tape you can try to add small, smooth layers to center... probably two more to get it right.   You can't just slop on the stuff in the whole area unless you are very skilled and are using a very loose/runny mix.


How do I stop a bed frame from squeaking? I recently bought a second hand wooden bed frame. All is good except it squeaks quite a lot when I move around on it (ahem). Any advice on fixing the annoying squeak?

EDIT :: photo of the joint

I fixed my metal bedframe by putting leather patches between parts that are rubbing.
Wooden frame is a bit more tricky - not so easy to identify where the parts are rubbing, but this is the first initial step.
I'd say check all the joints and see if you can tighten the bolts or add glue to moving parts.

Basically, the noise comes from parts rubbing on each other. If you can eliminate rubbing, or put something between the rubbing parts - that would reduce the noise.


Insulating inside walls of old house We have a 120+ year old farmhouse in South Central Illinois. We removed all interior plaster and lath and want to insulate the walls. What is best way to insulate?
I have been researching for a week now and have seen MANY different answers.
The house has new double pane vinyl windows, sheathing on the exterior of the stud wall, original wood siding on the sheathing and vinyl siding over the wood siding. No insulation or vapor barrier on the outside of the house.
Also has two bedrooms upstairs that does not cover the entire upstairs area...when we removed the plaster and lath on the ceiling, the area around the upper bedrooms are open on all 4 sides.

Although it can' t answer the question for the best solution,
a fast, accurate  and very easy method for insulation simulation is offered on the site www.ubakus.com.
The very important parameters dew points,  moisture and drying time can be seen in seconds, thus disclosing any critical layer combination that could effect the health and damage the walls.
Maybe there is a subsidies program in Illinois - here in Europe some threshold values must be met in order to get public subsidies. And sometimes there is a jungle of different programs, offered by city, county, country - besides tax reduction. Here is a screenshot from another insulation question.


Need help removing recessed canister light without a screw I need to remote a Halo H572RICAT recessed light canister. It has a CFL and I want to remove the ballast so need to remove the can.
There are no screws for sure. I can't see any small slot either that I move the canister to. There seems to be 4 clips that don't move whatsoever. They had like a mini foamy sticker on them. Any help appreciated.

I found this picture of H572RICAT in a Halo catalog

and then I scribbled on it...
To remove the fitting you need to withdraw the curved springs at the base, a flat bladed tool may be used to lever the top part of the vertical part of the spring into the can
Doing this should allow the fitting to be removed and the mains cable accessed.


Led 30watt external light My garage light has started to (after the sensor has been triggered )it works o.k. But as it is due to go off it just dims very low but stays on any advice on problem would be very much appreciated.

You have three competing items here:
No Neutral (or at least, designed for "no neutral")
Historically, there was no guarantee of neutral in a switchbox. So to make a "universal" switch (timer, dimmer, sensor) you designed it to not need a neutral. There are basically two ways to do that: leak through switched hot, leak to ground. Leak through switched hot used to be a great solution with incandescent bulbs. But not with LEDs.
Sensors Need Power
Many (though not all) switches with light sensors need to power to make them work properly. That means they need power all the time. So, as noted above, they will typically try to get that power using the same wire that is "switched" on/off. No problem with an ordinary switch as it doesn't need power to do anything except to power the light. But sensors, timers, smart switches, etc. need power to do things even when the light (or other switched load) is "off".
LEDs Don't Need Much Power
This is the final piece of the puzzle. An incandescent bulb will happily let a little bit of current through with no visible effect. The current is going through the same filament that normally glows when "on", but at a very low level of current there is no glow. It isn't "dim glow", it is no light at all because the wire doesn't glow until it gets hot and it doesn't get hot unless it has a lot of current.
An LED bulb uses the current in an entirely different way. In a sense (not exactly), it grabs as much current as it needs, converts it from AC to DC and then uses the result to create light. As a result, it can produce a little bit of light with a little bit of current. Sometimes that translates into a dim light. Sometimes that translates into a flickering or flashing light. Sometimes it won't light up - but the sensor/timer/etc. won't work either. Sometimes it will work just fine (i.e., nothing visible but the sensor/timer/etc. works correctly). Which "sometimes" you get will depend on the particular type of light.
How to Fix
The NEC now requires neutrals in (or easily added via conduit) each switchbox. If you have an older house (like I do) then you have a few options:

Find the neutral and use a switch that works with a neutral. If you have a switch loop (power => light => switch) then this will probably not be so easy, but if you have a simple switch configuration (power => switch => light) then very often the neutral will be easily accessible - typically look for two or more white (and only white) wires wired together.
Add a neutral and use a switch that works with a neutral. If you have a switch loop or other wiring with no neutral accessible, add a neutral. If your wires are in conduit then it should be easy to add a neutral wire. But if not then you must replace the cable - you can't have cable-(black/white) and string a separate white wire next to it - you need to have /3 cable - black/red/white. (Doesn't have to be black/red but those are the usual colors in cables.)
Use a switch that doesn't need a neutral and doesn't use leakage current through the switched hot wire. It will be hard to something described exactly that way, so what you normally look for is a switch that (a) specifically lists "LED compatible", (b) does NOT require a neutral wire and (c) requires a ground wire. All (or nearly all) switches will have a ground wire, but the key here is that the ground wire is actually functional and not merely for safety. Figuring this out may take a little digging.

For example (I haven't tried this one myself, but based on specs it should work), Lutron
Model # MS-O2S-2PK-WH Maestro Motion Sensor Switch:

"works with any bulb type, including CFL and LED"
"no neutral required - ground wire required"

If the ground was only for safety, then "ground wire required" would not be stated *and especially not right next to "no neutral required".
In the instructions item 1 is "Ground is required for product to function. If no ground wire is present, consult a licensed electrician."


Diagnosing appliance that shocked me I have a portable air compressor (Master Airbrush MAS TC-40T) I use frequently, usually for airbrush painting. Normally the compressor sits on a counter, and I do not touch it while it's running because I have no need to. However, yesterday when I touched the compressor while it was running, it shocked me several times.
When I got shocked, I was using the compressor to blow dust out of a ventilation fan in the bathroom ceiling. The compressor (which has a three-prong grounded power cord) was plugged into the bathroom's GFCI grounded outlet. I had the compressor balanced on top of a ladder and was leaning past it to point the spray nozzle at the ventilation fan.
Every few seconds I'd accidentally brush against the compressor's casing and get a shock. The first few shocks were very brief and I chalked them up to static electricity. However, one time when my finger touched the casing, I received a sustained shock that lasted a half-second or so until I pulled my finger away. At this point I disconnected the compressor and stopped using it.
Now I've done everything I know of to try to diagnose the problem and haven't found anything wrong:

The Test/Reset buttons on the GFCI outlet are working correctly
When I put the multimeter into AC Volts mode, insert the black probe into the outlet's ground slot and the red probe into the outlet's hot slot, the multimeter shows a reading of ~118V, which I think means the outlet is grounded correctly (I'm in the US with 120V power).
When I put the multimeter into Resistance mode and touch one probe to the casing and the other to the ground prong on the power cable, the multimeter shows a very low resistance reading, which I think means that the compressor is internally grounded correctly. I've tried this with the compressor in several orientations in case the internal grounding wire is loose, but the readings are always about the same.

I can't think of anything else that could be wrong that I should be testing for. Have I tested everything that I should test correctly? Should I chalk the shocks up to static electricity?

Thanks to everyone and particularly to ThreePhaseEel for his suggestion that helped me diagnose the issue.
My non-contact voltage detector picks up current within about 18 inches of the fan housing, even while the fan is turned off. The other two bathrooms have the same model fan assembly installed, but the voltage detector doesn't read anything from just beneath their housings, even when they are turned on!
Clearly something is not wired correctly in the bathroom where I got shocked, and the shock which I received when I touched the air compressor must have originated from the fan assembly/housing, which is apparently hot all the time.
I didn't get shocked when I removed the cover from the fan assembly, or when I touched the inside of the housing while inspecting it, but maybe that's because I was standing on a fiberglass ladder. My guess is that I got a shock when my body formed a circuit between the electrified housing and the air compressor (which was plugged into the wall and thus able to continue the circuit), and I just happened to be feeling the shocks on the air compressor side even though the current was coming from the fan housing.
Update:
The cables on my multimeter are not long enough to reach from the fan housing to a safe grounding source, but my uncle brought over a wired voltage tester with long cables. We put one probe into the ground port of the bathroom outlet, and touched the other probe to the fan housing. The tester immediately beeped, verifying that the housing is hot.
Update 2: Final diagnosis of the disastrous wiring

The fan (which is a 1500W combo unit with a heater and dome light) was on the same 15-amp circuit as all of the ceiling lights in that half of the house. I don't know how it never tripped the circuit breaker.
The vanity lights were on their own 15-amp circuit. Obviously whoever originally did the wiring mixed up the two, as the fan should have been on its own circuit.
The fan housing has a grounding wire, but the grounding wire was not connected on either end.
The fan housing was hot because the wiring to the vanity lights was frayed at the junction box, which is attached to the same metal framework as the fan housing.


Central air conditioner grounding wire size difference I disconnected the central air conditioner long ago during the initial phase of my home renovation. I am preparing to hook it up again and have a technician come out to look at it. The original wire is 10/3 with ground but the grounding wire is 14 gauge. They originally installed a small disconnect box in the basement with another wire heading out to the panel outside. I purchased some new 10/3 for the part after the disconnect, and noticed the ground which is 10 gauge (no surprise). Would it be problematic on this type of circuit (dedicated) to use the new 10 gauge ground with the older 14 gauge ground?

Using a larger ground conductor is fine. Using a smaller gauge wire for grounding was common in the past, but not correct anymore. The grounding conductor should be at least as large as the other conductors.


Do I need to shut off gas water heater if I turn off water? I'm renting a house in Washington DC but the house is going to be empty all of December since I am going home for Christmas. I'm very concerned about the pipes bursting. I would just leave the house at 55 degrees, but the thermostat doesn't work. I can turn on the heat, but it won't go to any specific temperature, it just keeps getting hotter and hotter. So obviously I don't want to be paying a ridiculous gas bill when no one is going to be here anyway.

So I think my best option is to just shut off the water to the house. I recently had a new water heater installed and I had the repairman show me where the main water valve is. The only thing I'm worried about now is whether or not I need to turn off the water heater? I'd rather not, since I'm not sure I would be able to get pilot light re-lit. I'm just not super handy. I was planning on setting it to lowest heat setting. Will this cause any problems if the water is shut off for a whole month? No one is going to be using the water. It is a natural gas water heater if that's important.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

I don't think that you need to turn off the gas to the hot water heater.  I believe that it is likely acceptable to leave the appliance on the 'pilot' setting.

I would obtain the manual for this device (try searching online, you will likely find it that way) or call the support number for the manufacturer.

However, what is acceptable practice is not necessarily best practice.

Personally, I would be hesitant to leave a gas appliance unattended for more than a day or two without physically disconnecting the gas (usually a 1/4 turn valve on the feed line).  However, I feel comfortable lighting the pilot light myself.

Perhaps your should check with the local utility that provides your gas and see if they offer a service to visit your home and relight the pilot light upon your return?  Mine does and it is free.  My wife knows to contact them in the event I am unavailable because she is not comfortable at all in doing this herself.


How do I carry electrical power across a pond? Suppose I need to run power to an outbuilding.  The line will run underground.  Between the supply and outbuilding is a long, wide pond.  Going around the pond isn't really feasible.

This is not a question about how to power equipment in a pond. Finding Code cites on this has been hard because Google is flooded with advice on powering loads that are in the pond, such as fountains or aerators.

I simply need to get across the pond.  The pond will have ducks, otters, beaver, fish and humans.

What are the Code legal methods to carry the wires across the pond, and how do I transition between that and the underground run?

I am unable to drain the pond.

What we know won't work

First off -- a cable or conduit submerged in a pond is in something beyond a wet location from the standpoint of the Code, so our wiring method needs to be suitable for the conditions.  Second, laying sticks of rigid conduit is probably not practical either -- you either have to pull or push the conduit across the pond or lay it from a boat, while making joints in the conduit every 10', and ensuring it bends properly under the forces involved, as any kinking or damage will make pulling the wire through it far more difficult.

Furthermore, any wiring method that uses anything other than an insulated copper wire for its grounding conductor is no good as well, as it violates NEC 682.31(A):

  (A) Type. Equipment grounding conductors shall be insulated copper conductors sized in accordance with 250.122 but
  not smaller than 12 AWG.

As a practical matter, this rules out UF and USE cables, as well as armor-grounded or bare-wire-only grounded direct burial (jacketed) MC cables.  Furthermore, neither cordage nor typical submersible pump cable is directly suitable for this application as they are unlikely to be robust enough to handle a long run across a pond.  This leaves us with two general groups of options:

Liquidtight flexible conduit (LFNC as LFMC to LFMC couplings do not seem to be a thing) with listed watertight fittings and appropriately rated cable (likely an unjacketed/multiplex submersible pump cable) inside as THWN or XHHW-2 singles aren't rated to sit in water 24/7/365
Direct burial rated cables suitable for the application (some TC and MC constructions)

Going the conduit route

We will be using LFNC by the spool for a long run, or at least the longest coils you can get, here, to minimize the number of couplings to act as potential leak points.  Furthermore, LFNC-B is the construction of choice for this application as all the LFNC to LFNC couplings I can find are for LFNC-B.

You can lay the conduit from shore, or from a small workboat if you prefer (remember your PFD!).  Once the conduit's in from starting point to ending point, using listed LFNC fittings to transition into the boxes or handholes at each end, then pull an unjacketed (twisted multiplex) submersible pump cable through it -- individual type THWN wires are not rated for continuous submersion.  Note that it may be necessary to use a wet-dry vac to "suck" the conduit dry before pulling, depending on if water was allowed to freely enter the conduit during the conduit-laying process, and it also may be a difficult pull due to the inability to install usable pull points underwater to conform with bending limits.

If you wish to go the cable route

If the above idea seems too difficult, then it is possible to do this using cable wiring methods, using either type TC-ER-JP (Tray Cable, Exposed wiring Rated, Joist Pull rated) cable or some type MC cables.   TC-ER-JP has the advantage that it's cheaper and easier to run/handle; however, it will need conduit protection at the stub-ups as it's not suitable for exposed work outside of supervised industrial installations, which increases the difficulty of installation here.  Jacketed MC is somewhat stiffer/harder to run and terminate, but can be obtained in a construction called MC-HL (Metal Clad, Hazardous Location rated), which offers some advantages for a submerged application -- the welded armor on MC-HL is basically watertight, and it's tested to survive a greater degree of abuse than ordinary type MC cable as well.

Either way, you'll need a cable construction that fits the following criteria:

Copper conductors, minimum 12AWG, with THWN (acceptable) or XHHW-2 (preferred) insulation
PVC outer jacket, direct bury/wet location rated
3 conductors (hot, hot, neutral) + an insulated ground (for MC-HL, insulated ground wires can be obtained in control cable constructions only)
For type MC cable, MC-HL (continuous welded corrugated armor) construction is preferred, with AIA (aluminum interlocked armor) construction acceptable depending on availability and cable sizing.
Type TC cable needs to be TC-ER-JP (Tray Cable, Exposed usage Rated, Joist Pull rated) in order to be adequate for this application -- this ensures that it has a fighting chance at surviving abrasion and other such physical abuse

I would terminate the cable and trench it in to 24" topcover at one end, then use a workboat to lay the rest of the cable (remember your PFD!) to the opposite shore of the pond, where you can then trench in the rest of the cable and terminate it at the other enclosure. Termination is fairly simple here -- the insulated ground wire lands on a ground bar or lug within each enclosure, while the armor of type MC cable is terminated at the fitting.  With TC cable, a suitably sized Schedule 80 PVC or rigid metal conduit can be used to provide stub-up protection; this is terminated normally at the enclosure, with the jacket cut off and the insulated ground wire landed on the enclosure ground bar/lug.


Switched receptacle to fully powered receptacle withuot losing light function I have a bathroom receptacle that is controlled by the light switch. How do i PROPERLY separate the switch from the receptacle so as the light still works from the switch but the receptacle stays fully powered instead of shutting off when the lights go off

You move the hot supplying the receptacle from the downstream connection FROM the switch to the upstream connection SUPPLYING the switch.
However the word "bathroom" should be a huge red flag here.  Do NOT touch a bathroom wiring project involving an outlet unless your intent is to replace said outlet with a GFI.  They do make GFI's with an outlet on one side and a switch on the other.


Where is my gas shutoff valve for my stove or do I need to have one installed? I am getting a gas stove delivered to replace my existing one. I am in a condominium unit, but I don't see a gas shutoff valve, there are ones for the water inside of my unit.
I thought it may be this brass nut piece sticking up in the middle, so I put some wd-40, but it doesn't seem to turn.
Should I try to turn it more or is there no shutoff valve here?
Thank you!

Yes, that appears to be a valve. Note that it can only turn 90 degrees (clockwise as it sits), constrained by the lugs on the side. The line indicates gas flow (in line with the pipe as pictured open, crossways to the pipe closed.)

If it requires excessive force to operate, better to have gas shut off upstream and replace it, rather than risk breaking it.

WD-40 is not really the appropriate thing to use on stuck items - it has a particular use (displacing water) and it's a poor excuse for either a penetrant or lubricant.