Installing a Meter Socket and Safety Switch I’m in installing a meter socket and 30 amp fused safety switch where I’m only using one leg of service. I got 3- wire 120/240 service entrance which connect to my meter socket black and red to there designated spot, the meter says to land the neural ground to a 2 hole grounded lug in the meter panel. My safety switch is connected with, chase nipple under my meter. I ran a 8’ ground rod below my Safety switch, (this is all on a pole).

Can I run my 6awg solid ground from ground rod through bottom of Safety switch to a chair lug then run a insulated 6awg to the meter lug where the service entrance grounded neural is?

My equipment is coming into Safety switch 120v black to its spot. Now the Safety switch has a neutral bus with green screw; do I need to ground that bus?

My white to that neutral bus and green ground wire also with green screw inserted or a separate ground bus is needed, and is there a neutral that comes down from meter to Safety switch or not?

This can be confusing when first dealing with panels.

How main panels work

The utility supplies only 2 hots and a neutral.  That is coming from the meter.

Your main service panel supplies 1-2 hots, neutral and safety ground to all circuits.

Where does safety ground come from?  From a local pair of ground rods.

There is also a Neutral-Ground equipotential bond inside the main service panel, which bonds neutral and ground.  In an ideal world, these are on two separate buses, connected by a thick wire you can put a clamp meter around.  However, it is perfectly acceptable to use one bus-bar for both inside the main panel only.

This disconnect switch is functioning as your main panel

So it needs to be wired like a main panel.

This will be where the ground rods attach, and this is where the neural-ground bond must be.  As such, you can simply put all neutrals and grounds on the same bar.   Everywhere else, they must be separate.


Retrofit motion sensor to multiple switch, multiple fixture floodlights I want to retrofit motion sensing onto my floodlights.

I want to be able to easily override the motion sensing lights-on function to turn on the lights whenever I want.

I have three double-bulb floodlight fixtures on the house. Controlling those floodlights are three separate wall switches (presumably a couple of 3-ways and a 4-way).

Is there an easy way to retrofit one or more motion sensors to control all the lights in unison? I willingly would give up two of the three wall switches to accomplish my goal (leaving just one wall switch to control the manual lights-on function).

If there is an easy way, can you sketch a diagram and suggest the parts list? Many thanks.

Yes.  Wire the circuit with /3 cable and assign values as follows:

Black: always-hot
Red: switched-hot
White: neutral

Connect each lamp between switched-hot and neutral.

The switch goes between black and red.  Keep in mind a 3 and 4 way switch complex basically equates to a single switch, provided it is a spur.

Everywhere you site a motion sensor, it connects to all always-hot, neutral and switched-hot.

Do not allow power to be severed from the motion sensors.  They need power 24x7 to retain their memory of day-night light changes.

If you're trying to do this with combo sensor-lamps, they're not made to do that. You'll need to "hack" them to do that, and that's electronics.se's bailiwick.  Also it violates Code, which makes it off-topic here, and we see nothink.  Keep in mind many combo sensor-lamps create 12V internally to power sensor and lamp(s), as 12V sensors are much cheaper than 120V sensors.


Proper deck post installation I am having a deck installed and question how the posts are done.

The deck is from 2 to 5 feet above ground on a slope.  The holes were dug, probably 5 feet deep near the house then about 4 feet at outer edge.  Inspected by county.

They had started building the deck framing on temp supports waiting for inspection, then after they mounted the post to the frame so they were suspended in the holes.  Maybe 2 to 4 inches above the dirt in the bottom.  Then poured about a foot of cement in bottom and filled in with dirt.

I'm worried  that the bottom of the posts shouldn't be sitting in the cement ?

I've been reading they should be on a gravel base, Do I need to worry ?

Thanks

If I understand your description you're concerned because the posts are encased in concrete with no gravel under the posts.
It would have been good to have gravel under the posts for drainage but it's not critical. Of greater concern to me is the several feet of soil they placed around the posts above the piers. Encasing the posts in concrete isn't necessarily a problem but in my opinion you want to avoid having soil directly in contact with the posts.  Microbes in the soil and moisture in contact with the posts will accelerate rotting so you want to avoid that. There are various ways to anchor deck posts and provide for drainage away from the posts. I have seen deck posts done just the way yours are - it is structurally sound but I don't like it because of rot issues. Given that your piers and posts are completed I'm not sure what recourse you have. So let me show in the picture below the way I prefer to do posts and one possible remedy for your situation.
The illustration on the left is the way I prefer to do deck posts because it keeps the post above grade while still providing support. The one on the right might be one remedy for your situation. It would mean removing the soil around the posts down to the pier and then backfilling that space with stone for drainage. It's not the ideal solution but it will give the posts a longer life.


What kind of mortar should I use to point a fieldstone foundation? What kind of mortar should I use to point a fieldstone foundation?

The old mortar is crumbling, and sandy mortar is falling out onto the basement floor.  I plan to remove the crumbling mortar (see related question on how to remove), then point the foundation with new mortar.  But what kind of mortar should I use?

I have had a hard time finding definite answers about fieldstone foundations on the Internet, but I'll include some of what I've found here.  First, David Valley has this to say about fieldstone foundations:

  Most fieldstone foundations have, or had at some time, a thin mortar coating on the face of the stone. The purpose of this coating was to assist in holding the stones in place. This thin mortar coating will inevitably flake off from any moisture migration, revealing the surface of the stones. As this coating continues to erode, the mortar between the stones will begin to crumble and the soft, sandy mortar begins to slowly fall out onto the basement floor. It looks like a small pile of sand at the base of the foundation. When this occurs, tuck pointing is needed to refill the voids where the old mortar has fallen out. It's very important that you scrape away or chip away the crumbling mortar (in between the stones) in order to establish a small cavity or key way which can hold the new mortar that is being applied. Never apply new mortar over any old crumbling mortar, as this is a temporary fix and it will only last a couple years. All crumbling mortar must be removed in order for the newly applied surface to bond properly. While upgrading your field-stone foundation, only work on a section at a time. Do not remove the old mortar throughout the entire basement all at once. Complete all removal, tuck pointing and parging one section at a time.

  To avoid annual tuck pointing, you should finish the foundation with a complete top coating of mortar. Be sure it is lime based. This top coat does not have to look like a stone artisan's creation: It merely has to serve the purpose of keeping the newly installed mortar in place. It's sort of like applying a frosting to a cake.

This page seems to suggest that I should be using not straight type-S hydrated lime, but type-S mortar, which consists of one part Portland cement, ¼ to ½ part lime, and an amount of sand equal to 2¼ to 3 times the total volume of cement and lime.

Do I need to analyze the existing mortar to make sure that the new mortar has the same lime content, as suggested by some?

Should I expect the new mortar to start crumbling and releasing dust soon, or should it stay solid and dust-free for many years?

I have been working on my field stone basement as well (170 years old), and here is what I have learned:

Having hired an actual stone mason (that's right; they still exist) to repair an area of wall that was very decrepit I learned some things that are helping me now, and I have also learned that some of what he was doing was not necessary.

I have begun my tuck pointing by chiseling away the loose mortar; sometimes there is a lot, and sometimes just a little (sometimes I can clear a cavity inside the wall bigger than a softball, and sometimes I have to chisel away sound mortar to have enough of a keyway to hold the new). This process starts by actual, but gentle, chiseling, and ends by scraping with the chisel until I am satisfied that any mortar left is sound. (Old lime mortar is more like scraping very hard playdough that the kids have left out accidentally). I chisel this away strategically, never completely freeing a stone from the wall, if I can avoid it, and never removing to large an area at a time; as I progress, I work from and join into the areas I have recently completed, so that the wall is well supported. Then I vacuum out the cavities completely before I begin mortaring.

I am using a type N mortar mix (already to go; just add water). Since this is about 25 percent cementitious material (lime and portland cement), I am adding sand to bring the percentage down to about twenty percent, to more closely match the hardness of the old lime mortar, although with all the conflicting advice regarding this, I doubt this matters as much as some say. The sand, however, makes the mortar a bit more workable, and enables me to pack it into the crevices a bit better.

I am using a trowel and tuck pointing tool to pack the mortar thoroughly between the stones, and completely fill the cavities (I mean COMPLETELY). Then, after curing for a little while (till the moisture shine is off of the mortar), I use a damp paint brush (really cheap one for this) to brush the mortar joints smooth, and to bond all the edges thoroughly to the stone. The result is pleasing to the eye, and completely sealed. After this, the stone mason advised me that a parge coat (completely coating the wall) is unnecessary; in fact, it seems to me that if repairs are needed in the future, that coating will make them harder to see early on, and complicate the repair.

I hope this helps. My repairs are progressing nicely, and look just like what the stone mason was doing.


What is the proper way to install a exterior door in brick/drywall wall? A little background: in Brazil drywall is kind of novelty yet, mostly used on comercial building. Houses here are still built only using bricks, with the jambs of door being affixed to the bricks either using PU foam or nails on wooden blocks lodged in the brick wall.

My house will have exterior brick wall (16 cm thick) with interior drywall (9 cm thick).

The exterior door jambs should be affixed to the bricks or to the drywall studs (metal studs here) or both?

What are "extension jambs"?

I was thinking on installing first the door on the brick wall and after that install the studs and hang the drywall and in the end install trims and any additional jambs, etc. Is that feasible? How should it be done?

The answer is different between a structure supported by brick and a brick faced (brick veneer) wood structure.

It also depends if you want the door flush with the brick or inset from the brick.

The jamb extensions address the situation where the door assembly is smaller than the combined wall thicknesses

In general, doors are attached to the building structure.  It sounds like your structure is the brick.

I personally like the inset look, so that would mean lining and waterproofing the brick rough opening with wood (typically 2x4s, treated).  Then the door and exterior trims would attach to that.

On the interior, vapor barrier (semi permeable, like Tyvek, insulation and framing.  The framing should be tied into the rough framing of the door..  Jamb extensions typically extend the door jamb out to thickness of where the drywall will be, making a natural place to cutoff the crywall.

After drywall installation, interior trims cover the small gaps between the jambs and the drywall.


How do I install carpet tiles in a below grade room? A few years ago, I saw an advertisement for carpet tiles that had a jagged edge so there would be less movement in the interlock between tiles, and prevented the need for glue. (would like to find these or similar)

I have a below grade room that has ceramic tile over concrete floor. We want to carpet this area, and figured carpet tiles might be the best/easiest way to accomplish this. Additionally, the room is a pass through from the garage to the main level and is a high traffic area.  We thought carpet tiles would be nice, as we could replace sections of it if need be.

That being said, we would like carpet tiles that don't have to be glued down. Any suggestions?

Also, should I put down a barrier (like you would with a floating floor)? Or put down a moisture block?

Additionally, do I need to make any considerations for the grout spacing in the tile (for the ceramic tile underneath)?

Update:

considering DriCore, but because of the chip board and lack of mold treatment, it has possible moisture issues.

Possible alternative: http://www.supersealonline.us/

and another alternative: http://www.spycor.com/DMX_Subfloor_for_Concrete_p/dmx1.htm

Assuming you want to do this right and don't mind a little elbow grease.
1) Clean it up
Remove the ceramic tile, and strip the floor down to the bare concrete.  Technically you don't have to do this, but not doing it is, IMO, just lazy.  Building up the floor is convenient but not the best work you can do.
2) Build the base
Now that you're down to bare concrete, install Dri-Core tiles or something similar for subflooring, making sure you add ventilation as per manufacturer instructions.  This product protects itself from moisture (except in a flood of course) and will likewise protect the tile from small moisture accumulations.

3) Put down whatever floor you like.
There are a number of interlocking carpet tile products available that allow you to do a floating style installation.
The grout question is a non issue if you remove the ceramic, as you should.


Keeping outdoor deck stair stringers from splitting I have a set of pressure treated stairs that lead from ground level up to a wooden deck, providing access from the pool to a water slide (salt water and chlorine).  I originally built these stairs about 10 years ago using galvanized nails to secure the stair treads.

Over time the galvanized nails rusted and eventually split the stringers.  I replaced both about 4-6 years ago using deck screws. The deck screws didn't last long at all, split stringers and rusted screws, I replaced the stairs again, about 2 years ago.  This time I used stainless screws.

I've noticed that the stringers are splitting yet again.  When building the stairs, I predrilled every hole for the screws, even removing the tread when drilling to make sure the hole was deep enough to cover the length of the screw.  The treads are not loose yet, but I only see it as a matter of time.  The slide stairs are still plenty strong, just aesthetics at this point.

I live in the US, Atlanta, GA area and we did see a good number of frozen days this winter as well as snow, I don't know if that helped in the stringer demise.

I'm thinking of rebuilding another set of stairs (no direct exposure to pool water, but limited access to sun), whose stringers are split to hell, and I'm looking for some tips to make them last longer.

EDIT:

I took a good look and noticed that only the center stringing is splitting like this.  The left and right strings have the same number of screws and the exact same placement.  I think they are just a bit less exposed.

I've never had that problem either.  But you could use long screws, say 6". The stringer would be over bored the first 2-3", then piloted for the remaining depth so that only the distal 2" of screw thread into the stringer. The aim is to get the thread to bite into only the solid length of the stringer, not the triangle.  Fill the bore with caulk to keep water out, then drive the screw.

I prefer my screw heads flush or 1/32" proud, never counter sunk.

Alternatively, you could use lengths of angle iron.  The stringer screws would go into the face of the stringer, not the edge. The tread screws would go into the bottom face of the tread (and be hidden). See: https://duckduckgo.com/?q=angle+iron+to+attache+treads+to+stringers&iax=images&ia=images


How to stop rats from walking in plastic sewage pipe and damaging it? A rat has scratched open a big hole in a plastic sewage pipe near the toilet. After closing the hole with a metal plate and taping it with power tape, the rat has started scratching again. How to stop it from destroying the pipe again?

Step one: eliminate the rats.

Step two: find their means of ingress and block it off.

Pictures of the pipe where it exits the house, the cover on the access port of the tank, and the area of the ground that's above the tank would help suggestions flow in to accomplish these steps. Failing that, those are the places that you'd need to inspect, to figure it out.


What do you do/ask when hiring a contractor In a world where every guy with a truck full of tools is a "contractor", how do you weed out the good from the bad?

A few ideas:

Ask for references.  This can work nice, but since the contractor can choose which references to give you, doesn't always give an accurate picture.
If they are in a regulated trade (electrician, plumber, builder, etc.) ask your local city code inspector.  They know all the contractors and know which ones do good work and which ones do just enough to pass inspection.
Check with your local building/plumbing/electrical supply stores.  They know the contractors and which ones are good or bad.


Underground Propane line to fire pit I'm building a propane fire pit in my backyard patio with a pea stone surface.  I want to have the LP tank located 12 feet away from the fire, and I don't want to trip over the line.  What can I do for an underground connection for a small application like this?  For the burner, I'll be buying a kit from FirePitsDirect.com.

I did more research on this topic and decided to go with CSST (corrugated stainless steel tubing) inside a PVC conduit.  All material is available at Home Depot.
Good references are propane101.com and homeflex.com
BTW, I don't have a natural gas line in my home.


How can I attach the divider for sliding closet doors to concrete? I've finished my basement including carpet and laminate floors. I have sliding closet doors in both areas.

What is the best way of attaching the door separator on the ground, knowing that it is concrete underneath?

Use plastic concrete/wall anchors with long pan head sheet metal screws. Pick the diameter whose screw matches the holes in the guide you are mounting. Use masking tape over the carpet and mark the hole locations using the guide you are mounting on the tape. Leave the tape in place while you drill the pilot holes. Drill through the carpet, pad and into the concrete. Make sure you drill deep enough in the concrete to completely sink the plastic insert.

Leave the tape in place or you will lose the holes. Insert the plastic inserts. If the carpet and pad is thick,  be careful to push the insert into the hole as far as possible, then use a hammer over the hole to carefully seat the plastic anchors fully. They should be fully in the concrete. Place the door retainer over the tape and start the screws. Tighten the screws,  drawing the retainer against the floor. Once in place,  you can trim around the door retainer and remove any visible tape.


Fixing clogged washer drain pipe My washer drain pipe backed up today and I tried fixing it with one of these with no luck so far

I imagine it has to do with this tight turn in the drain pipe:

I thought maybe an auger would be better for this sort of thing, but the guy at Home Depot convinced me to get the snake instead.

Am I using the right tool for this? Anything that might be able to make this easier?

That snake is a nice one I would open that vent on the end and go straight in with the snake it should do the job, an augger only goes to the trap for the most part and in my experiance the plug is further down where other things connect. If you can't get that vent off you may be able to go to a sink that is close or find another clean out but remove the trap and go straight in. In my location that vent would require an air admittance valve since it is inside and some areas don't allow that at all (even though it is the same as a sink trap).


How to support a heavy wooden lid in a copper sink We have a wood kitchen surface and a pretty large copper sink. The hole is prepared for the sink, which we originally wanted undermounted with a positive reveal.

The idea was that the wooden cutout would be used as a lid to fill the hole when the sink wasn't in use and a cutting or work surface when the sink was in use.

However the copper sink looks much better overmounted. I would still like to be able to place the lid in the sink though, even with the copper rim around, and ideally have it flush with the remainder of the kitchen surface.

My question is, what can I do to support the lid in the sink? Can I tack weld something onto the inner sides of the sink, and if so what can I do to achieve that.If I hammer some kind of studs through into the wood surface, what can I do to seal the object hammered through?

I would create some hooks out of straps of metal to hold the lid in place.  If you made these out of copper, they would match the sink.  You could probably make them out of plumbing pipe, which you sand, hammer flat, and lacquer.  Alternatively, stainless steel to contrast with the sink.

You'll need to think about a handle so that you can get the lid in and out.

Section view:

 ----+              +----
\\\##|\\\\\\\\\\\\\\|##\\\
   ##+---         --+##
   ##                ##
   ####################

# - Copper sink
\ - Wooden worktop and lid
- - Metal hooks

Plan view

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
\\\\\\\##############\\\\\
\\\\\\\#\\\\\\\\\\\\#\\\\\
\\\\----+\\\\\\\\\\+----\\
\\\\\\\#\\\\\\\\\\\\#\\\\\
\\\\\\\#\\\\\\\\\\\\#\\\\\
\\\\----+\\\\\\\\\\+----\\
\\\\\\\#\\\\\\\\\\\\#\\\\\
\\\\\\\##############\\\\\


Installing a smart thermometer (ecobee4) can I move the wires around on the HVAC? I want to install an ecobee4. I want to install it with the C wire so I do not need to use their kit. It seems to me that I should be able to just move the wires around on my hvac.

Here is a diagram of my thermostat and HVAC.
On the thermostat, the blue wire is just hanging out there.

Here is a page from the ecobee4 manual:

I want to make the left picture, Guide 1, work. Can I just move the wires around on my HVAC accordingly? Basically take the Blue off of the G post and put it on C.

Also, there is skinny red and white wire on the HVAC, I do not know where they go. Can I just leave them on the posts as-is or are they thermostat specific?

Here is one more pic just bc

More pictures.

Go ahead

You can take the blue wire from G and move it over to C on the furnace -- there is room for two wires on the typical furnace-board terminal.  The skinny red and white cable carries the Y and C wires to the compressor contactor on your AC's outdoor unit, by the way, and simply stays put when you do this.


How can I use a portable A/C unit to cool my clean room? So, I have built a room inside my shop, a clean room for finish and airbrushing. I want to cool this room as I spend more time in it than the rest of my shop (garage)
So, I get a portable unit.  Block walls, no possibility of a window unit.
The room I built is false..that is to say it's not correctly framed, finished, insulated, etc. It's just insulation panels, so it's not, nor will it ever be air tight.
The portable AC unit seems to make it more humid in the room - my theory is it's pulling the hot, humid air in from the shop and not really helping. So .. my question.

Can I put the unit in the shop, and run a duct for the cold air into the room I want to cool? I have an exhaust fan (on the way) that I will install in the room to exhaust the air.

I've seen several unique installations of portable type air conditioners. The true difficulty comes as you need to have a separate location to exhaust, which will get both hotter and more humid. Fundamentally, an air conditioner is increasing the temperature gradient between the cooled side and the exhaust side. This exhaust side is typically meant to be outside, as the way most of these uprights are built, blows a healthy majority of condensate out as water vapor. I discovered this after I disassembled mine completely out of curiosity.

To get more directly to your question, unless you have a good and thorough seal between the area you're cooling and area your exhausting to, you will actually just be disturbing more air and creating some odd microclimates.

It matters less if you pipe the exhaust out, or if you pipe the cooled air in. What matters is that you contain the cooled air and prevent it from re-mixing with the unconditioned air.

However, these units can create a bit of negative pressure near them as they  exhaust some air from the conditioned space, over the heat exchanger. So your suspicion that it is pulling in the air from your shop that it sounds like is both unconditioned AND it sounds like you're exhausting to.

I would surmise, that creating a positive pressure from blowing in the conditioned air might feel more comfortable, but know that you're creating a fairly small space with both a dry cool area and a warmer, more humid area. This could cause problems with things like condensation, mildew, corrosion, etc. if there were enough moisture throughout.

It might be good to pair this with a dedicated dehumidifier also.

Also, it's worth noting, that the recovery time for these type of units is quite poor. It makes more sense to let them run as much as possible, and the larger/more hot and muggy the room you're conditioning, the more lead time they'll require.

I would also go ahead and check how the exhaust vent line is attached. If it's misaligned, has a tear etc, you would just be blowing heated and moistened air near your unit.


Can you have many adjacent windows along the perimeter of the top of a wall? I'm looking to build an outdoor shed with a lean-to roof, and I'd like to have windows all along the top right beneath the roof, like this picture:

What additional engineering considerations are required for something like this? Do special windows need to be used? I don't see any room for a header, and there doesn't look to be enough space between the windows for more than one trimmer.

This answer is pretty much the same as Jasens, I elaborated a little bit.
Each post, at the corners and between the windows are supporting a rafter, sized properly for the roof load. Set between those rafters are purlins which make up the rest of the support for the roofing. The roofing is attached to the purlins.

So to answer you first question, as long as you follow this post and rafter example, you could have as many as you prefer as long as you have enough wall space for racking resistance.

In other words, don't make the windows too tall.

I added a pic to show what is going on with the roof.


How can I clean and smooth the finish on an old table? I recently bought a second-hand coffee table and I'd would like to clean and smooth the existing finish. It's exactly same table as this, so I guess it's a copy of a common model.

Below you see details of the blemishes and also poor execution of the previous finish.

Unfortunately I can't tell what kind of finishing it is. Is it safe to use mineral spirits to clean it? What about wet sanding, does it require a specific type of finishing ?

Those questions are all interrelated ;)  Whether mineral spirits are safe to use depends on the finish. Any sense of age? Since there's more than one, I'll assume it's factory made and guess a polyurethane finish, and as another guess not oil based since it doesn't appear to have any yellowing... put a drop of water on it.  If it turns white it's waterborne. I'd suggest you try mineral spirits on an inconspicuous spot first, although that won't help much with refinishing  and will often leave a greasy film that may interfere later... you may be better off with naptha.

If you're trying to remove scratches etc, use a fine sandpaper, maybe start with 320 grit before applying a new top coat.  If you're trying for a high gloss, as it appears it has, it's much more difficult by hand... usually sprayed in a factory.  If this is a piece you're very fond of, I'd suggest doing some reading on refinishing and practice on a less important piece first.

Hope this helps!

Ooops, I see on rereading that you're trying to salvage the finish?  Start with 320 if there are significant scratches, work your way up to 800 or higher, depending on the gloss you're looking for you may want to go as high as 1200.  Stop frequently to clean the slurry from the surface and check your work.  Be especially careful at edges as it's easy to sand through the finish there.


Why are there three cables coming into my ceiling fan box? I'm working on a new ceiling fan install.  I pulled out the old light fixture (traditional fixture) with three sets of wires coming into the box (three hot, three neutral, and three grounding wires).  There is only one light switch, so why are there three sets of wires?
One long hot wire was connected to the hot wire receptor on the fixture, two shorter hot wires were held together with a nut and not connected to the fixture, and the three neutral wires were held together and ran to the neutral receptor.
I tried to copy this after I installed the new fan outlet box and support bar, however, I can't get the power to turn on to the fan.  Here are the installation instructions that I followed to a "T".
Any help to solve this problem would be much appreciated.  Thank you.

This is how the wires were bunched with the old fixture.  The white wires were combined.  I think that the long black wire is coming from the box because it is coming in from that direction.

The one on the left is connected to the fan, the one on the right is not.

Here is how I connected the white wires for the fan.

(A partial answer)

Why are there 3 cables in the box?

One cable brings power from "upstream", either directly from the circuit breaker to the fan, or from the breaker via another fixture.
One cable leads from the fan to the switch. This should be the cable that you connected to the fan. This is what enables the switch on the wall to operate the fan.
The last cable takes hot power from the box to another fixture somewhere. Turn on all the lights in the house, then turn off the breaker that controls the fan. See what else turns off - that's where this other cable leads. (Once you've figured that out, you may want to be sure the label for the breaker accurately describes what it powers so you don't have to figure it out again in the future.)


Is PEX exposed to the environment OK to use? In preparation for a big job I found some PEX on craigslist.

It appears to have been exposed to the elements but all in all it looks fine.

http://images.craigslist.org/00J0J_kqRj1PQAivO_600x450.jpg

Can PEX withstand a little environmental conditions without loosing it's stability?

NO. PEX degrades in the presence of UV radiation. A few days exposure reduces its lifetime resistance to chlorine by 50%. Source: http://www.coengineers.com/preventable-problems-with-pex/


GFCI Outlet trips when white and copper wire touch I wired a bath renovation with all power routed through a GFCI outlet. With power on, and all switches off, when I touch the white wire and the bare copper wire in a fixture box, the GFCI trips (did it accidentally at first).

Here is what I have:

Dedicated circuit from the breaker panel to the bath GFCI
Load out of GCFI to 3 gang switch box
In switch box, COPPER WIRE from the LINE in from GFCI and COPPER WIRES from 3 fixtures connected together with a pigtail out to ground the box
In the switch box, WHITE WIRE from the LINE in from GFCI and WHITE WIRES from 3 fixtures connected together
In switch box, BLACK WIRE from Line in from GFCI connected to 3 BLACK WIRES pigtails, one of each then connected to each switch
In switch box, BLACK WIRE from each fixture connected to one pole of each of the switches

All fixtures work fine without tripping the GFCI. If I hook up a non-GFCI outlet to a fixture box, and plug in a 3-prong appliance, it works fine. I checked to ensure the Line/Load and polarity on the GFCI is correct, no visible bare wires anywhere, all connections are tight. Tried a new GFCI and the same occurs.

So, with all that, with all switches off, why would the GFCI trip if I touch white to copper in one of the fixture boxes? Seems to me there shouldn’t be ANY current in the white wire, let alone bleeding in the ground. Why would the GFCI trip if I touch the wire ends, but not trip when I hook up an outlet and appliance?

Maybe it's a predictable anomaly. But I thought GFCI's worked on change in resistance in the ground, and would think a direct connection of the white and copper to have low resistance versus an appliance. Ideas or explanations?

GFCI devices work by comparing the current incoming on the hot wire to the current leaving on the neutral wire. If there's a difference, it means electricity is leaving the circuit somehow (a "ground fault") and the GFCI cuts power*. The GFCI doesn't do anything with the ground conductor—in fact, you don't even need to have one at all. One way of upgrading a 2-prong outlet (without ground) to a 3-prong outlet is by inserting a GFCI device upstream or using a GFCI outlet.

So I'm guessing there is a small amount of current in your scenario, and when you touch the white and ground together, some of that current goes into the ground and doesn't return through the GFCI neutral. Do any of you lights have timers, nightlight, etc.?

(BTW I'm not sure it matters for this question but your description of how the wires up is a little confusing to me. LINE and LOAD are opposite sides of the GFCI device, but you use them interchangeably. If you want a downstream device to be protected by the GFCI it must be connected to the LOAD side. Anything on the LINE side is considered upstream and is unaffected by the GFCI.)


Why does the outside fan stop but the blower fan continues to run? We can have the thermostat set on 76 but wont stay 76 in house. Will come on when temperature is 79 in the house.

I think the outdoor unit fan turning off while the AC is still running is normal - I know that happens quite often in my own home (and my previous home), and the AC has always worked fine.

As for the temperature, how new is your thermostat?  In my current house, I have a thermostat from about 30 years ago (one of those dial-style thermostats), and while it works fine in general, the temperature it's set to has very little relation to the actual temperature in the house.  If it's cold, we turn the thermostat up a little, and vice versa, and it works out fine.


Is it safe to use an extension ladder in the garage? I had a line of insulation decide it no longer wanted to stay attached to the garage rafters.  Bought some fresh (and better) stuff.  Went to put it up, but my standard stepladder is coming up short (literally).  I've got a nice extension ladder, but am unsure if it's safe to use that against the 2x6 beams across the garage?  Height may not be enough (how much below the pivot point do you need to stay?) and also concerned about side load on the beam.

The distance the ladder base should be from the wall is 1/4 of the vertical height of the ladder contact point. The side load will be minimal. However with the ladder against the rafters it will be difficult to position the insulation and not have the ladder in the way.


Seeking clever ideas \ suggestions to pole mount water timer I would like to mount the timer to a pole, which would be staked into the ground.   The timer would sit 10 inches above the ground. I do not have a clear idea what would be a simple effective means to mount the timer to the pole.

If parts were available via Amazon or Home Depot that would be great: links are appreciated.  Looking forward to clever ideas or similar examples of work (photos).

I have a battery powered timer that is similar to what you have and it looked not so sturdy so I purchased a hose hanger like this and drilled 2 holes for the hose to enter and exit. The small storage space keeps the unit dry and out of site. It still looks new after 3 years. The second unit on the back side of the barn failed in less than 2 years (not protected). Now both have these hose hangers that look nice and the controllers are protected and the grand kids don't play with them.


What to do with these tiny exposed wires? We discovered a non-functional smoke detector that's hard-wired into the electrical system of the house we recently bought. I removed the smoke detector and am replacing it with a battery operated one. But there is one set of 4 small wires hanging out of the ceiling. They all run through one single wrap. The colors are black, red, green and yellow. The hole in the ceiling is small. I won't be able to cap each wire and push it back through. Not sure if they can all be capped together into one wire nut or what....

Those wire colors (black, red, green and yellow) are commonly found in the wiring for security systems; smoke detectors that hardwire into security systems typically run on 12VDC or 24VDC, unlike the 120VAC detectors that you generally find at home improvement stores.  I'm guessing the wires are stranded instead of solid core (like mains wiring) and of a smaller gauge wire.  Another clue is that there's a small hole in the ceiling; if it was a 120V detector, there should be a ceiling box, and the wires would be colored black and white, possibly with a third, red, insulated wire, and probably a bare copper wire for ground.

Since this smoke detector isn't working, the security system may have been disconnected or removed.  Do you have other smoke detectors in the house, and do they work?  What about other security system components like motion detectors, glassbreaks, the control panel and/or keyboard?

Use a multimeter to check that there's no voltage between any of the wires; the supply for the detector was probably on the red and black, but check all the combinations to be sure.  I would seal the hole with some expanding foam to prevent air leaks into the ceiling, then wrap each exposed wire individually with electrical tape and just leave them behind the base plate for the new detector.


What should I use to fill cracks in my wood door? I'm almost finished stripping multiple layers of paint and varnish off my front door.  It's revealed some really nice detailing that was previously hidden by paint.  I'd like to stain and seal the door now, but each of the 4 panels on the lower part of the door have substantial cracks in them.  Right now, those cracks are filled with paint.  What can I use to fill the cracks? Sorry for the blurry picture of the door]2

Word of advice, do not sand the door anymore than what has occured already. You can see how there are a few lighter areas where some dings are that the "patina" has been removed by something. Sanding will ruin the patina, making the door look blotchy as well.

On old furniture and doors where the cracks are not structural, burn in sticks are what I use. They are made of lacquer, and if you finish your door in a water based or poly finish, this will fill the cracks nicely. Burn in sticks can be bought on Ebay, its where I got mine, they come in a wide variety of colors, and the color you see is the color you get, they don't change color once applied.

Once the door is sealed, NOT finish coated you get yourself handy a heat gun. Use that to melt the stick of the color you want where it starts to flow down the stick, careful. Then move it onto the door with out dripping and push it into the crack. On small cracks, I use a putty knife heated and set the stick on it to melt it a little and use the knife to apply it. When the crack or hole is sufficiently filled, I take the heated putty knike and flatten it out, removing the excess. This will leave a small skim over the surface, which will then clean up with a little lacquer thinner on a clean rag. Do not get the rag to wet, it may try to dissolve the sealer too.

Apply the finish coats over the repairs as you normally would.

Use this only in cracks, not joints, wood needs to move and if it is placed in a joint you will hinder the movement, doing more harm than good.


Pipe blocking drywall placement I'm new here

I'm redoing my 2nd floor Bathroom and this is my first major project. when the plumber redid the plumbing in the wall (coming from 3rd floor and joining waste from 2nd floor bath and down to drain) he put the pipe sticking out so that I cant put on the drywall.

I only removed the old tiles on the lower half of the wall and Don't want to remove the lath and plaster.

I don't want to bring the plumber back and I don't want to add another layer to the entire wall. What can I do?

There is a door immediately to the left of the area shown. (you can see the casing on the bottom of the second picture)

I'm only tiling the bottom part so my only thought is that perhaps the tile can make the difference in depth not noticeable. but I'm not sure how that would work against the door.

I'm new to this so any advise would be appreciated. Thanks

It looks like the existing cast iron nub is the problem more than the pvc.  If you are covering in tile you can cut out a hole in your sheetrock or wonderboard this will save you 1/2 inch.  Then you can tile right over the area.  You may have to build the wall out some to do this but there is no other way.  End result will be your tile will be only a tile thickness past the nub on your finish wall.


Connecting 14 AWG to 12 AWG for oven operation I have a new wall oven to install.  Both old and new oven are 30Amp units.  Old wiring from local oven junction box is 14 AWG (pig tail - 6ft).  New oven is 12 AWG, 3ft pig tail (will not reach junction box and is hardwired into new oven controls).  I want to put a 30 Amp plug/receptacle in the oven space to connect the two pig tails.  Can I connect both 14 gauge and 12 gauge wires through the receptacle (14g) and a plug (12g - new oven)?  The 12 AWG oven ground will be connected to the 14 AWG ground old oven wire directly. Ok?

A 30A connection will require a much heavier wiring connection than either 12 AWG or 14 AWG. It is common that a 40A or 50A cord is used to hook up a range unit. These can be purchased in several lengths with molded on plugs at the end.

As always make sure that your outlet, wiring back to the entrance panel and the circuit breakers are sized properly for the load. The circuit components are normally rated a bit higher than the maximum current draw of the range. So a range unit that pulls 30 or 32A should be on a 40A circuit.


Does it make sense to use a nipple to connect a tub spout to copper? I recently purchased a Grohe tub spout and it requires a MNPT fitting on the copper. The MNPT fitting must be placed behind the CBU and the tolerance is 1/8". Since I haven't chosen my tile yet, I'm still not sure how long to cut the copper pipe.

My question is: can I just sweat on another female npt fitting on the copper in the wall, then just make a smaller intermediate pipe with two male ends (basically a copper nipple)? I'm just thinking that way, I can cut the intermediate copper pipe & screw it in after the cbu and tile is done.

Here's a diagram of what I'm thinking:

Here's the spout in question: https://imgur.com/a/Ou43OW6

Typically you would use a copper sweat by FIP 90° elbow (often called a wing back elbow, as it has tabs on it to allow for securing to backing). Then screw in a test nipple (or use a nipple and cap) while the tile is being done. Once tile is done, use a brass nipple of the correct length (best to buy a few of different lengths and just return the ones that were the wrong length).


How to choose a weekend warrior's finishing nail gun? BACKGROUND
I am not planning to use it with any regularity, just when maintenance projects come up.  15 residences are maintained: ranging from 20-50 years in age.
My next project will involve nailing in shoe molding. Current context includes an existing eco-system of Ryobi battery driven drills / weed whackers etc.  A portable air tank is also in the tool crib.
QUESTIONS

Is a "brad" finish nailer (vs. finishing nailer) the better choice for shoe molding?

Is the first feature-decision will need to be made between electric vs. pneumatic air gun?

What other features are important to evaluate and what is the order of such a list?

What is the thought process to correctly choose finishing nail gun features?

I am not seeking specific make / model recommendations, as this would have the question run afoul of rules and result in deleting the question.

I don't know Brad
There are no "brad nailers" in my lexicon as a former pro and perpetual home improver*. There are only finish/trim nailers that accept either 18ga. or 16ga. nails. Which you need depends on the job.

Most 18ga. guns only shoot up to 2" nails. Some only do 1-1/2". That's inadequate for things like heavy base trim and door jambs, let alone almost anything outdoors.
16 ga. guns are larger and heavier and leave a larger hole. They can also split delicate moldings more easily. They're more versatile, though, since they offer more holding power. Keep in mind that the surface area of a 16ga. nail is dramatically greater than that of an 18ga. nail. That means a lot more grab. It's not just about length.

To Hose or Not To Hose
The benefits of pneumatic air nailers:

Relatively inexpensive to purchase and operate (assuming you already own a compressor)
Endless fuel supply
Dependable power
Speed (compared to gas-powered nailers--I've never used electrics)
Lighter weight for easier operation and less fatigue

The benefits of cordless (gas or electric) nailers:

More portable
Quicker jobsite setup

Features? We don't need no stinking features.
In air nailers I look for ease of use and longevity. Simpler is better, as they tend to get banged around and weight is a concern. Good ergonomics are also important. There are many types of safety triggers, so find one you can live with. A well-designed nose is also helpful in positioning shots precisely. A big looped wire plunger can make that challenging. A poorly-designed nose can scar your woodwork.
OK, I guess those are features.

Light weight
Good ergonomics
A precise nose with a soft plunger
Simple design

Getting there from here
I might ask myself these questions when shopping:

What jobs will I be required to complete on a regular basis with my nailer?
What jobs would be nice to do with my nailer?
What are my portability and ergonomic requirements or preferences?
What's my budget?

It's a fairly subjective thing. There's no one recipe for success. Buy or rent, try, trade if necessary. Good luck.
* The term is just too nebulous to be useful for describing pneumatic nails. In fact, I think of brads as short, fat nails for making shoes and other olde fashioned crafts, closer to the diameter of a 16ga. nail. The term is centuries old and has been casually and inconsistently applied to modern nails.


How can I safely sand a small, thin item with a belt/disc sander? I have small, thin items measuring roughly 4"x2" with a depth of only .33". I need to sand the back of them down evenly, and have been using a belt sander to do so. However, I'm a little nervous about how close my hands are to the belt while sanding such a small item.

What can I do, or use to maximize my safety while sanding such small and thin items with a belt or disc sander?

Make a piece of board that looks like the following with some small 0.1 to 0.2 inch thick strips glued to it. This board would be long enough that you can hold it safely near the belt sander. The pocket in the middle will be the periphery size of the small item that you want to sand.

Stick a piece of double stick tape into the cavity bottom to hold your piece in place. Now you can hold the part up against the belt sander with ease. The length of the board will also help to eye the angles and keep it straight to the sander.

It may even be possible to use the double stick tape alone on the board without the containment cavity.


Hole in hose on Dishwasher drain kit As in attached picture the hose on the drain punmp of my GE dishwasher seems to have developed a hole and is leaks when the dishwasher runs.
I contacted GE for a solution but not much luck.
Can anyone suggest any Waterproof sealant that might help in this situation.
Any alternate fixes ?

Thank you

I would not give up repairing it.
The pump has a plastic shoulder that the rubber part mounts into.  Take some sandpaper and rough this area up.  Then go to the auto parts store and buy a foot of coolant hose that has an ID slightly larger than the shoulder and will slip over it and buy a hose clamp.  Also buy a tube of silicone high temp RTV get the stuff the stays soft.
Cover the rubber host with a liberal amount of the RTV and then slide the coolant hose over that so that the space between hoses is filled with the RTV.  The other end should be exposed just enough for space for it's hose clamp.  Clamp down the coolant hose on the pump side.  Jam in as much RTV as you can without collapsing the inner hose.  If the RTV tube has a plastic nozzle you can jam this down between hoses and squirt more in.
Reconnect everything and clamp it down around the other side (which I assume connects to the tub)  Let it cure and see if it holds.


How long will Concrete bond together when poured over multiple days? I've heard / read references to concrete being poured over 2+ days becoming "bonded" but I can't find any details to what the longest you can wait is.

What is the longest you can wait between pours and still have the concrete "bond".  I understand drilled joints + rebar will help with this, but is there anything else that can extend the time.

I also understand after months / years this becomes much more difficult.

It's either a continuous pour or it's not. Whether you have to 'bond' (use rebar/scarify) depends on the thickness of the new pour, the existing substrate and the expected conditions it will be subjected to.
Excerpt from Bonded or Not, a discussion on pavement restoration using concrete overlays, by William D. Palmer Jr.: (concreteconstruction.net)

Bonded overlays become part of the underlying existing pavement—they work together. They are 2 to 5 inches thick and are usually applied to strengthen an existing pavement or for preventive maintenance. Bonded overlays cannot be used if the existing pavement is in poor condition.
Unbonded overlays, 4 to 11 inches thick depending on the desired life span and anticipated traffic, are a pavement structure on their own—the existing pavement is only used as a supporting base. This means they are thicker than an unbonded overlay, but are the only choice if the pavement is in less than good condition.

How long you have until you must take into account other considerations for concrete to self-bond; about two hours maximum. After that, it's way beyond 'begun' to set. Your previous pour should have left some rebar sticking out, if you knew it was going to take multiple days pours.
The longest you can wait is forever (with the caveat of proper surface prep), the longest you should wait is not at all.


Why am I having trouble starting my gas hedge trimmer? I was running the trimmer I had just bought 2nd hand. I ran it great for about 10 minutes when it suddenly throttled high. I released the gas right away and it died and hasn't started again since despite much effort. Here's what I've done:

I verfied spark at the plug by pulling the plug while maintaining connection, holding the hex area to the cylinder wall, pulling the start and observing sparks at the business area of the plug
I verified gas getting to the cylinder by removing the spark plug and being able to sling liquid off it (I had just done multiple pulls with the throttle fully pulled)
I replaced the diaphram, metering valve, lever and spring (items 4,5,7,8,9,10,26, & 27 in breakdown below:

Here is the troubleshooting chart for the trimmer:

I assume that the "high tension cord end" is the connector at the spark plug. I'm not exactly sure how to test that. I pulled the plug cap and held it close while pulling the start, but observed no spark. Can someone confirm how to perform that particular check, or confirm that it is unnecessary because I found spark at the plug electrode?

Also, can anyone give me anymore guidance? Of the 100's of pulls I've done since the original incident, I never one time got a single fire from the engine despite every possible choke configuration and lean or heavy throttling.

By the way, while changing the parts I listed above, I thoroughly cleaned the carb.

The fact that it sped up right before shutting off tells me it ran lean. My first inclination would be to an air leak, most likely at the intake manifold or exhaust manifold. Check the gaskets and the bolts to make sure they are intact/tight. Also I'd also check the gap on the spark plug. Does the compression feel the same when starting as it did before it quit running?


How many problems does my shed's 240V receptacle have? I have a detached shed that was wired by somebody who evidently thought codes were just a friendly suggestion. I'm slowly trying to correct the electrical sins as I find them.

In this shed is the following 240V receptacle:

The receptacle is wired as follows:

The wire that feeds it is 10/2, with this stamped on the side:

  E30445 (UL) AWG 10-2 WITH AWG 10 GROUND TYPE UF 600V SUNLIGHT RESISTANT

And that's fed from the following double-pole breaker:

This receptacle is the only thing on the circuit. Total wire length is roughly 80-100 feet one-way.

As I understand it, I have the following problems:

It looks like the receptacle is a 10-30R, which as I understand is frowned upon today because it doesn't provide a ground prong.
It doesn't seem okay to use the ground wire in a 10/2 cable as the neutral.
The breaker seems way oversized for this application, unless I'm misunderstanding how current works with double-pole breakers. It's not clear to me if "internal common trip" changes anything.
Other problem(s) I'm not aware of?

I'm looking for the most reasonable way to make this safe and code-compliant, bearing in mind that I don't even have a use for this receptacle right now. I know I always have the option of removing the receptacle from the wall, pulling the breaker out of the panel, and capping the wire at both ends. I'm curious what it would take to fix it right, however.

Bonus question: Does anybody have any idea what purpose a 240V receptacle in a shed could serve? My guess is the previous owner was using some kind of heater or heavy-duty tool -- what could it have been?

The problematic receptacle

Use of a NEMA 10 family receptacle is illegal today.  It was always illegal with that cable type, which is a "/2 + ground" type, for reasons I go into in comments on George Anderson's answer.  Use of SE cable was legal, but only to help dealers use up their remaining stocks.  So the NEMA 10 must go; you don't have the right cable for it, and so it's not grandfathered.

Install a universal junction box.

I would fit a 4-11/16" square steel box there, set about 4" lower on the wall. (to give you the legally required wire length.  Note that in your installation, wire length is precious; don't CUT wires off the old recep, unscrew them).

For wire length, you need 6-1/4" past the cable clamp; plus 3" beyond the surface of the wall.

Then, on the 4-11/16" square box, add a 1-gang mud ring (not a dome).  That will you give you a 1-gang space for any recep, and also LOTS OF ROOM behind the box for GFCI, AFCI, bulky receps etc.  You also have space to change to a 2-gang mud ring, to allow GFCI + second recep.  The box also has room for extending wiring to other points of use e.g. lights.

Fit the receps you want

Once that universal box is in, fit whatever receps you want:

For 240V, a NEMA 6-30.  OR
For 120V @ 30A, a NEMA TT30, or L5-30
For 120V @ 20A, the common 5-20 or dual 5-15.

You must choose 120V or 240V.  You can't have both unless you add a subpanel and a proper 120-240--240/480V supply transformer, which will give you both, totaling 7,200W.  You can also go "two transformers" which will give you 14,400W or up to 18,000W.  The cost of these will rise exponentially with increasing power because of size and scarcity of the transformers.

Now change the breaker (mandatory)

According to Code, the breaker size must match the receptacle size.  (with one exception: if the circuit has two or more 15A sockets, a 20A breaker is allowed.)

I recommend a 2-pole, 20A or 30A breaker, because it'll fill the hole completely.  A 1-pole breaker is $5 and a 2-pole is $10.  A blanking plate is $3 + $50 of your time just running around trying to find somebody who has the darn thing in stock (won't be a big-box store).   So I use breakers to fill empty holes.

Also do not under any circumstances buy a 30A, 1-pole breaker.  They are completely useless for any application except certain small travel trailers (which take a TT30).  If you need one, buy a 30A/2-pole instead, which  have many applications.  You'll thank me later.

The 60A breaker is perfectly usable and about $10 to buy a new one. They're good for subpanels or bigger EVSE's. Do with it what you will.


Code for how many ground wires can be under one screw on bus bar in main breaker box of residence I am a DIYer and am in the middle of renovating my home. I want to do all of this to code, want to clean the breaker box up while I am in there, and want to try and get the final inspection done next week if possible.

I am at the point where I am connecting new home runs into my main breaker box and need some advice and info from all of you professional Electricians out there please.

I have an EATON Type BR 200 amp main breaker box that has two bus bars running down the inside of the box close to the side of the breaker box.  The bus bars are connected together and it is my understanding that this means that I can connect my ground wires and my neutral wires to either of these bus bars (either separately meaning the neutral wires on one of the bars and the grounds on the other side OR a mix of neutral and grounds on both bus bars.)

From the research that I have done online, it sounds like no matter what, you can only connect ONE Neutral Wire under one screw and cannot connect more than one neutral wire under one screw on the bus bar.  Is this correct?

So with regards to the ground wires, how many ground wires can I connect under one screw on the bus bar?  When I read the information from EATON for the breaker box I have, they say the following:

  Neutral and Ground Terminals.  The Standard terminals on grounds and neutrals are rated to accept (3) #14-#10 Cu/AI or (1) #14-4, provided the cables terminated are of the same material.  For larger cables, add-on neutral lugs may be ordered from the accessories on Page V1-T1-66.
  Note: NEC allows only one current-carrying conductor per hole on the neutrals unless otherwise noted.

I assume a current-carrying conductor would be the neutral and not the ground?

Ground wires are limited to 1 under the screw, unless the lug is rated for 2 it will say if it can be. as far as mixing in the main panel to me it it looks neater to mix them, not running a ground to the other side of the panel for breakers on the neutral side, also not running a neutral to the other side with breakers on the ground side. Some inspectors can get really picky on the neat and workmanship clause, although if a large enough panel is not installed to start with then rewiring would have to be done if the panel became a sub to isolate the neutrals. NEC 250.70 not more than 1,  and 110.14.A. Both say they can have more if listed / identified. (BTW there are panels that are listed for 3. Grounds under 1 lug)


Recipe for Limewash or Whitewash I'm curious if anyone on here has a recipe to create limewash/whitewash for indoor use on wood? I will be making a kitchen back splash (actually, the whole wall behind the sink/countertop) out of reclaimed wood and would like to whitewash over it so that it has the grain showing, is that translucent white, and is durable.

It appears that whitewashing over wood does not provide much water resistance, but I've seen some reports that you can create a more durable whitewash finish by adding a "binding agent." I have not found out what the best type of additive is for the binding agent or if it even does anything. I've read about adding molasses or linseed oil.

I'm not SUPER worried about water resistance since there will be a piece of painted/caulked trim directly in contact with the counter top so any standing water would interface with that and not the backsplash.

Recipes I've seen mainly consist of 1:4 Hydrated Lime to Water, some calling for a certain amount of salt.

Does anyone have a good recipe they've used for a more durable limewash/whitewash?

Common recipe

2 c salt
6-8 c slaked lime
1 gallon water
Mix salt in water.
In part of the water mix the lime until it's a stiff paste.  Add water slowly.  Think gravy.  Making it thick initially keeps lumps from forming. Add the rest of the water.

Whitewash will look very thin on application.  Multiple coats 1-3 days apart work better than single thicker coats.  This allows the carbonation of the hydroxide to proceed.  If done in warm dry weather, the use of a binding agent that slows drying is necessary, or misting the coat.

Recipe 2:  This one is low in salt by comparison to most.

12 c lime
2 c salt
4 oz elmer's glue.

Recipe 3:

12 cups lime
4 cups salt
2 gallons water

For additional durability: ONE of

2 tablespoons powdered alum OR
1/2 cup hide glue flakes OR
1/2 gallon skim milk

I suspect the glue gives the best durability increase.

From de Gruchy's Lime Works

A Lime Whitewash / Colorwash Recipe

10 lbs St. Astier Natural Hydraulic Lime 2 (NHL 2)
2 gallons of water
¼ cup of casein powder dissolved in hot water
½ cup of Borax (Won't allow mold & helps repel insects along with the lime)
3 lb common table salt (Salt is proven to only be beneficial to lime whitewash to harden it. Don't use salt
with any Portland Cement based materials.)
¼ teaspoon laundry bluing for extra whitening or approximately ¾ lb of iron oxide pigment for a color
of choice.
Add 1 oz Alum to help make the pigment become more colorfast

I've also seen 1-2% linseed oil added as a binder, up to 1/8 raw linseed oil for the liquid.

A whiter colour and increased mildew resistance may be added by adding copper sulfate.  This does make the paint more poisonous in quantity.

Traditional pre-made whitewash had fine chalk. (CaCO3) Since whitewash 'hardens' by Ca(OH)2 + CO2 => CaCO3 the addition of chalk reduces the amount of hardening needed. Too much chalk however and there's not enough binding to hold everything together.  Chalk doesn't need to be roasted in its making so it's a lot cheaper.

Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whitewash

Good article:  http://pachamamatrust.org/f2/1_K/CBu_build/Se01_whitewash_KBu.htm

This latter mentions several other binders, and is oriented somewhat to conservation applications.


Windows with efficiency with blue tint My house was built in Florida in 2008.  I am having a difficult time in replacing my windows as they have a blue tint.  I have contacted all the local window places in the area and they do not know of this type of glass.  I have several windows to replace and do not want to replace the entire house of windows.  I have also had the glass people come to my house to check it out.  Any ideas?

Exactly matching some particularly shade of tinted window will not be easy, even if you can identify the maker.

Your best bet is to find out who the architect was on your house. If your city planning department still has the drawings, they will have the architect's name on them. Alternatively if you know who the developer is they might be able to tell you the guy's name.

The architect will know where the windows came from and how to get replacements, if it is possible.


Where do the hinge knuckles go on these fold down table legs? https://youtu.be/e9GSTO-4Txo?t=119 is a This Old House fold down workbench (among other things). The knuckle of the leg hinge (at 1:59) appears to be pointed into the 2x4 of the table top frame. If so, how did they get the hinge to lay flat? I'm talking about the leaf that goes against the table top, and not really the table top, just the frame.

It seems to me they could have used a shim to support part of the hinge; although, I see no evidence. So maybe it's a special hinge, a hinge that's different than what I have?

It appears that the outside edge of the knuckle is flush with the hinge plate attached to the table top, like this (side view):


Any tricks to draining a tank-style water heater? Are there any tricks to drain a tank-style water heater?

Or is it as simple as attaching a hose to the small drain pipe and then opening the valve?

Some web references have said you need to open up another valve somewhere so that air can enter in order to allow it to drain, whereas other web references make no mention of this.

Make sure it's off (power/gas and water supply). Open a faucet (upstairs) and put a towel under the bottom valve before working on it (just in case). After the tank is empty, open the water supply again (for a minute maybe) to flush out any sediment.


How to temporarily mount a large object on the side of my house? I have a large, wooden snowflake I made that I'd like to mount on the side of my house this winter, but I don't want to put nails into the siding. The snowflake is about 3' across and about 15 lbs.

In the searching I've done so far, I've found siding clips, but these either seem to be for vinyl siding, or they don't really come out.

I also thought about hanging it from some rope anchored to the eave, but the eave isn't straight and it is quite windy here in the winter, which may cause it to swing/scratch the wall.

I briefly considered mounting it on a post with a base on the ground, but I think that would look weird.

Edit: I don't mean to make it sound like any of the above options are unacceptable, except using nails. I've just been thinking over my options for the last week or so and these are the ideas I've had and my initial concerns with them. If anyone has done something similar, or sees a way to improve one of these ideas, that would be great too. I'm kinda hoping someone has had experience with using siding clips on non-vinyl siding and knows of a good brand that could hold the snowflake and is removable.

Here is a picture of the snowflake and the wall I'd like to mount it to:

Based on the restrictions you've presented, your post idea isn't farfetched and I don't think it will look particularly unusual, especially if you consider to paint the post on which it is mounted to match the color of the siding. From any appreciable distance, the post will mostly vanish.

On close inspection, or a second look, the post may "pop into view," but the viewer will have already experienced the primary focus of the snowflake.

If the post idea is still rejected, the hanging idea could be better implemented by attaching it by cables to the eaves, but also attaching cables to the ground, to prevent movement. You could get away with a minimum of three cables, one above and two below, or two above and one below. A padded substance behind the snowflake will improve circumstances, as well. Use enough padding to push the cables all the tighter, forcing a more secure friction attachment to the wall. Paint the cables to match the siding?


Appropriate heatgun for removing cellphone screens/backs From watching a number of Youtube videos it appears that many cellphones require a heatgun (or equivalent) to remove the screens or backs.   Similary, Looking at a Huawei 10 lite phone backing, it appears I need to heat it up to get it to adhere properly.

How hot/big a heat gun should I be looking at as a general tool to help me hack my cellphones without substantial risk of damaging components due to excess heat?

You would want to get what's called a hot air rework tool. It's basically a small, usually digital hot air gun. You can adjust the air flow and temperature accurately. Since you are working on a very expensive device it's worth the 50-60 bucks on Amazon.

https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=L&ai=DChcSEwim2JbIt8TgAhWXVg0KHdhXAZgYABAfGgJxYg&sig=AOD64_36vNmm026oQN5wswhU3_F0NFlXiw&ctype=5&q=&ved=2ahUKEwiFuJDIt8TgAhVCneAKHb6yC9QQwg96BAgKEB0&adurl=


Can my house support a bathroom addition? When I bought the house, it was a 4 bedroom, 1 bath rancher with basement laundry.  We have since "converted" the smallest of the 4 bedrooms to an upstairs laundry, and took the closet out to accomodate a larger master bath on the other side of the wall.

In the very near future, we would like to split the current laundry room into a second bathroom, with tub, and a small laundry space.  I am confident in doing all of the work DIY, but am unsure about the structural side of things.  My floor joists are 2x8 beams 16 inches on center.  What do I need to consider from a structural standpoint before proceeding with this plan?

Thanks in advance.

It should be fine as-is, after-all a bath full of water weighs about as much as a waterbed, and there are no special requirements for framing under bathrooms. (unless you want to lower the floor)


Covering Trex Enhance Board Ends I am installing Trex Enhance decking and would like to know how to cover the scalloped profile ends.  I could picture frame the deck to cover the ends.  How much overhang should the board have before attaching the facia board underneath it?

An alternative to picture framing is to cover the scalloped profile ends with facia board.  I won’t overhang the board ends with this option.  I don’t see as many people doing this and am wondering if there is a reason other than aesthetics.

The 2 choices you suggested are pretty much the standard. The amount of overhang for the first choice can be varied, from a 1/2" to 1", perhaps as much as 1 1/4" AFTER the fascia is applied. This will require screws through the top to help keep it in place.

There is no reason the second choice will not work either, it give a more contemporary/modern look that may or may not fit your exterior of your home. The other is more traditional. The fascia board will need to be wider for the second choice, to cover the framing the same as the first choice.

If it was me in either case, I would router the cut ends and edges the same radius as the  uncut factory edges, so all the gaps take on the same look.


Breaker trips instantly I have a TV, DVD player, and satellite receiver box on one breaker and it suddenly tripped.  I went to the panel and tried to reset the breaker and it trips immediately.  Then I unplugged everything and it still trips instantly.  It's a 20 amp circuit, so I don't think it's overloaded.  Does anyone know why this could happen?  Should I be concerned?

You either have a short in the circuit, a short in a component you didn't unplug on the circuit , or a defective breaker.  The last is highly unlikely, though not impossible.  You really need a licensed electrician.


Can I do two 220V on a single line? I am in the process of adding subpanel. This question is a continuation from my previous question.

Can I do two 220V receptacles on a single 20A line?
The equipments will be drawing max 3A and 13A. Is it possible to both on a same line?
Can I also use 12/2 cable? or should I use 12/3?
Can these receptacles placed in a double outlet box?

P.S:

Top Image: 2 receptacles separated by a junction box and separately placed

Bottom Image: 2 receptacles in a same double housing

Can I do two 220V receptacles on a single 20A line?

Yes, you can.

  The equipments will be drawing max 3A and 13A. Is it possible to both on a same line?

Yes, even if they are continuous loads 16 amps would be allowed.

  Can I also use 12/2 cable? or should I use 12/3?

12/2 is all you need

  Can these receptacles placed in a double outlet box?

Yes.

You can put as many receptacles as you like on a circuit in residential applications. 240 volt receptacles only require 2 wires and a ground wire. Hence the 12/2 wire is sufficient. Circuits are required to be sized for the load they serve. Continuous loads are required to be sized at 125% of the load served. Devices can be placed in the same box without dividers unless the voltage exceeds 300 volts between devices. Which does not happen in residential applications (here in the US anyway).

Good luck!


What could cause my newly installed disposal to not work? I just replaced my garbage disposal. Completed install. Darned thing won't start. Checked the wire nuts two and three times. Nothing. Ideas?

Your new disposal should be connected to a switched GFCI outlet.

Verify that the outlet is not tripped.

Using an outlet tester,
verify that the switch properly powers the electrical socket.

Many disposals have an integrated breaker. Locate this switch and verify that the disposal itself has not tripped. You could also try plugging the disposal into an extension cord into a known-good outlet and verify that it operates properly.

Verify that the disposal is not jammed. All modern disposals have an allan socket beneath them which manually turn the blades. Make sure this moves freely.

Following all of the previous trouble-shooting tests, replace the disposal.


My LG washing Machine Model F1203CDP has error DE I read online that DE error is due to Door Not Locking properly. I also read its  because of drain hose which I don't understand. Can any one help me in this regard how can drain hose cause DE error and how to resolve it. Also let me know if I'm  doing wrong by draining the washing machine water directly into the floor trap in kitchen. is this causing DE error??

DE is usually related to the door. It could be a broken hinge, a faulty door magnet, a door not properly closed or an overloaded machine that is applying too much pressure to the door.

It can also be a drain issue. Using a floor drain is acceptable as long as you also have a standpipe that is at least 3 feet high. Otherwise, the water would run out of the washer when the water level inside the machine reaches the height of the standpipe. If your hose is too low or something is restricting the water flow, that could be throwing the code.


Air pushing under basement door and kitchen sink cabinets when furnace runs Whenever the furnace runs I feel a steady draft of air pushing out from under the basement door and kitchen sink cabinets. I have a mostly finished basement with registers but not return vents in basement all return vents are on first floor. My home is about 1500 sq ft and I live in northern IL. Do I need cold air returns in the basement to stop this and to help increase the temperature in the basement.

You are supplying heated (or cooled, in season if it also does A/C) air to the basement, but not providing a return for it in the basement, so it's traveling to a return on the first floor by any means it can.
As you properly suspect, the cure for this is a return in the basement. Placing the return low in the basement will return colder air (good in heating season.) If you also air-condition you might want a way to switch to a high return vent in the summer (such as having one low, and one high and a damper to choose between them.)


Is wood strength affected after weathering wood? Lately I have been looking at tutorials for weathering some Maple wood with vinegar but I couldn't find any mention if it may cause any long term issues with the wood such as splitting, warping, etc. etc.  So I was curious to know if there is any effect on the wood after weathering?  Is there any effect with applying an enamel polyurethane after wood has been weathered?  Would it be better to apply a varnish instead of poly?

I've used the steel wool + vinegar method before*. It's essentially a stain so really only affects the surface layer. It shouldn't have any meaningful affect on the strength of the piece of wood. Splitting and warping is related to moisture and drying so wouldn't really be affecting by weathering stain.

After you weather it, note that most any additional finishes will change the color. With pine (and actual drift wood) I've found both water and oil based polys will give it a slightly darker, slightly yellow tint (varnish will typically add color as well). So definitely use test pieces before committing.

Rule-of-thumb is that water-based finishes will add less color than oil-based finishes. That said, if the goal is to 'age' the wood, perhaps no finish at all is suitable. Let it age even more in use. :)

PS (*) one trick is to pre-'stain' the wood with black tea. This puts more organic material into the surface of the wood for the oil and vinegar mix to react to.


New Thermostat Ecobee3 to Old Galaxy GG-75 boiler - Needs common wire I would like to replace my old thermostat with a new Ecobee3 thermostat.
HVAC system is a Slantfin Galaxy GG75 boiler - single zone.  (No air conditioner.)

Current set-up has only a red and white connected from thermostat to boiler. (see picture).  There are unused wires from thermostat to boiler.

Connection at thermostat is to "T" and "TV" terminals (though not labelled).

Need help figuring out how the connect the common wire and where...

Thermostat manufacturer has suggested everything from not possible to get another transformer, to get a ran/isolation relay...  No consistency on the best solution.  Help Please.

From the pic, I'm guessing the transformer is the black device under the junction box. Looks yellow and purple coming off of that, you're connecting to the yellow, so the purple would be the common. To be sure, you'd want to connect a multimeter and verify the voltages to ground. It would also be helpful to find the wiring diagram for your boiler to be sure you're interpreting these wires correctly.

Assuming purple is the common, you'd run your wire to that, preferably through that wiring block where the other thermostat wires are connected on the left. There's no issue connecting the common to multiple places.


Diagonal Bracing Requirements I'm currently designing a deck to replace an existing deck on my home. The new deck is subject to different codes than when the original was built. The city provides a link to a design guide which I am trying to follow.

The deck will be 8' 8" (~2.64m) above grade and will require diagonal bracing. The image on the design guide is unclear as to where the bracing perpendicular to beam should connect to the blocking between joists. In the diagram, the joists are coincidentally the same width as the diagonal cut in the bracing. My joists will be 2x8. Should the bracing connect to the top, middle, or bottom of the joist blocking?

Some sections of the design guide reference IRC specifics, but this section does not. If someone could reference the specific IRC or applicable passage that would be optimal.

The blocking needs to be nailed in place through the decking as well as on the ends, so when the diagonal is connected to the top of the blocking, it will be connected to the strongest point of the blocking.


Bizarre home electrical problem I am in Australia, with 220-volt single phase power. My electricity distribution control panel has 6 switches, of which two, call them A and B, control wall power points. My juicer is plugged into one of these power points, which is controlled by the A switch. Using the juicer often causes the B switch to open while the A switch remains closed.

I am sure that the juicer is not in the B circuit because it continues working when the switch opens. I know what the A circuit controls by experiment with other equipment. My question is not why a switch opens when overloaded, but why does the wrong switch open?

Can anyone explain what is going on?

Well I'm from America living in North Carolina but I can take a stab at it because I have a similar problem with my home. It will overpower by using too many amps. So you need to find out how many amps are on your A and B switches. I went through my house and marked everything with a removable sticker for each switch and each outlet. Then by process of elimination I found out which on/off switches and which outlets were controlled by either the A or B fuses in the box. Then you need to know how many amps your A/ B fuse can handle. If you have a 15 amp fuse then you cannot use more than those 15 amps at any given time. I hope this helps.


How can I prevent a humidifier from getting moldy? I have a small cool mist humidifier. It has a water tank and ejects a mist and does not have a filter or anything. It is "TaoTronics" brand in case anyone wants to find it.

I've noticed pink streaks accumulating where the mist ejects, and also where the water collects. This seems to be mold, and a lot of it.

I cleaned it thoroughly with water and vinegar and thought perhaps running it continuously would prevent mold from accumulating, but I was wrong. After a week of continuously running it 24/7, the mold returned.

How can I prevent mold from accumulating in this humidifier? The only options I see at this time are:

Clean the humidifier weekly (huge hassle).
Always run the humidifier with a mold-killing substance in the water (vinegar? chlorine? Would  this be SAFE? Would it break humidifier?)
Use distilled water (expensive and hassle).

How can I prevent this humidifier from getting moldy?

My mom puts a silver dollar in hers, I think they need to be pre 1960's to have enough silver she says the silver kills stuff naturally (she also puts one in the pitcher in the fridge for drinking water) she has done this for years and swears by it.


Can a hole cutter be used with a dremel? My dremel has an adjustable speed switch, which makes it a lot easier to control the speed than with a drill. Is there an adapter I can buy so I can attach this hole cutter (which has a shank that is too big for the dremel), to my dremel?

On the packaging it says maximum 500RPM.

Even if you could find an adapter to connect the bit to a rotary tool, I don't think the rotary tool would hold up to the weight of the bit and the torque it produced.  Rotary tools are not designed to handle large amounts of torque.

The weight of a bit like that, and the drag forces it would encounter would likely be too much for the rotary tool to handle.  This would cause the motor of the rotary tool to burn out, simply not spin up to speed, or stop as soon as you started cutting.


How can I repair or hide dings and scratches on polyurethaned trim? I have lots of trim, ledges, and doors in my house that were covered with a dark stain and then polyurethaned. Looks great until the tiniest ding or scratch, at which point it turns white. Even minor vibrations and movement around door handles that were a little loose has left a white outline where it touches the door.

I can use Pledge™ or orange oil on these and they disappear perfectly…for about 1-2 weeks. Then the oil dries out (?) and the scratches are evident again.

Is there a way to fix these long-term (at least 12 months at a time), other than sanding/staining/repoly?

If it were me I'd hit it with a dye stain first to help color the scratches but this takes a light touch and a bit of experimenting to get the tone right. If the marks disappear with a little oil you can probably just apply (after a good cleaning with Murphy's Oil Soap) a light coat of linseed or tung oil, followed by a reapplication of whatever poly was originally applied (the brand isn't often important but you'll need to know if the finish was water-bourne or oil based) or spot treat with a good wiping poly if you don't want to do the whole surface again. Another way to go about it is to accentuate the defects and call it distressing. If you like the worn look, substitute the oil with a quality glaze in the Van Dyke brown family, we like Sherwin Williams solvent based glaze. With all of these techniques you should do a test on an inconspicuous area to check the look and compatibility. Good luck!


Replacing a wall outlet with three black and three white wires with a smart outlet with one white and one black wire I got a Kasa Smart WI-Fi Power Outlet for Christmas and want to replace an outlet in my living room with this. The Smart Outlet has one White, one Black and one Green wire coming out of it and no other places to connect wires.  When I pulled the outlet out from the wall, there were three black, three white and a copper wire connected to it. What is the reason for three wires?
Based on  my research I should tie all three black and all three white wires into a pigtail with the wire from the smart outlet and wire nut them together, then do the copper to the green. Is this correct?

If your existing blacks were all on 1 side of the receptacle on the brass screw and the whites on the other side silver screw than yes you can tie them together.
Why 3 cables , possibly 1 feeder the one that supplies power , one going to the next receptacle and one feeding a light switch. This would be quite common.
I would say possibly every house I have wired has at least one or 2 of these configurations.


How can I fit patio French doors in a frame that is too small? My question is very similar to "How can I fit a door in a frame that is too small?" except my house is made of concrete block.  I bought a used patio French door to replace my sliding door. The sliding door measured 71 1/2 x 80. The French doors measured the same. After taking out the frame for the sliders, I need at least 1/2 inch on the top and sides. Help!

It depends on the construction of the door, but if it's a wood door, you should be able to take off 1/4" from the top and bottom without any problem.


Looking for a Kitchen Sink Hole Cover with a opening I installed a DrinkPod that connects to my cold water link under the sink.

I routed the hose through an unused hole in our kitchen counter top. Is there a Sink Hole Cover, but maybe with a smaller opening in the middle to make this look cleaner? Or what would you suggest? The sink hole opening is about 2" in diameter.

Buy a 1-3/4-Inch Sink Hole Cover and drill a hole in the middle. voila problem solved.

You may want to get a grommet to protect the hose from the edge of the hole you are drilling. You would need a grommet with a hole sized right for your pipe and then drill the appropriate size hole for the grommet to fit in.


Replaced Piece of roof sheathing, forgot to use 1/8th inch space - should I be worried? I replaced a piece of plywood about 4x8ft on my roof, I did not take into account the recommended 1/8th inch gap suggested to be used between decking.

Should I be worried? I haven't attached singles yet but I have nailed it down and I would rather not remove it if possible.

The gap is to allow for expansion due to heat and humidity. If you just installed it this summer I wouldn't lose any sleep over it. It is already pretty warm and humid so the wood should be near its maximum dimensions. One sheet out of many is not likely to cause any problems.

If you are really OCD then take a circular saw and set the depth shallow at the thickness of the plywood so you don't cut into the trusses. Then cut along the butt joint with the other sheets. This will create a gap the width of the blade ~1/16".

Good luck!


How can I deal with a low spot in a fiberglass shower pan? The slope of the shower base is not quite right. Water will drain correctly at the front of the shower, but the water at the back does not flow towards the front. Likely because the floor is not really straight. There might be a very slight bump in the middle that causes the water at the back to stay trapped.
I have no appetite for breaking everything and replacing everything.
Is there a solution for this problem? Maybe a type of silicon or something that could recreate more of a slope at the end?

autobody filler might work out you can put a real thin layer of it then sculpt it with a sander then finish it off with enamel paint, assuming this is a fiberglass pan.  Make sure you don't create a slippery surface though.  Another way would be to remove the glass wall and completely resculpt this with filler than put down tile mastic and tile it with traditional grout including a new higher lip.  Then reinstall the glass frame.  I agree with you I would not start a project to tear out the pan.


What's wrong with the polyurethane on this hardwood floor refinishing job? This is basically what I've done so far:

I sanded the floor down to 120 grit with a drum sander (did a pretty good, time consuming job)
Put 1 coat of polyurethane down - these problem-spots soaked it up completely
Put a second coat of poly down and this is the result

these problems start/stop at the edges of the boards - it seems specific to the wood

Elsewhere the floor looks really good.  I can certainly sand & put a third coat down, but the fact that the finish looks like it is either cracking or not adhering to the floor has me concerned.

What could the trouble be, and what options do I have?

Update: A friend who does contracting work suspects the wood for this floor is odd-pieces and left overs; definitely possible from what I know of previous owners.  The current thought is that some pieces were pre-finished with something that didn't accept my poly.

There is something...in those pieces of wood.  (Detailed enough for you?)

Ok, so I would have initially said temperature until you mentioned it was only specific pieces, which leads me to think moisture, but even that would cross pieces...

My best suggestion is sand those spots down, clean them with a solvent dampened rag, lacquer thinner maybe (don't pour it on) and then apply a wood treatment to the spots.  Then re-coat.

Edit:  To answer your question in the comments

Yes, should have mentioned that, you will need to sand before completing the steps I outlined.  If it isn't real wide spread I would just use scraper to get the big chunks off and then a fairly fine grit sandpaper and do it by hand.  If there is a lot I would go with a palm sander or belt sander.  You don't want anything that spins it will leave marks that will be visible in the final finish.


Adding an outlet to a 3 way switch on 'far' end I'd like to add an outlet near a 3-way-switch as it's the closest potential source.

My issue is that there is no constant load at this location; when I toggle the other switch the red and black wires at this switch alternate being "hot" (I tested using an a non contact voltage tester).

This is how my switch is currently wired:

                                  |------|
                    Black --------|Switch|
                    Red   --------|------|
                |-- White             |
                |   Ground            |
                |      |              |
                |      |              |
                |      |             Black
                |      |-----X-------Ground=====> to light fixture?
                |------------X-------White

Do I have a reasonable way of adding an 'always on' outlet 3 feet away from this switch without sacrificing the 3-way functionality?

Leviton sells this device which would appear to do what I want except the outlet is located on the switch itself. Do any of the terminals on this switch provide a hot/neutral sources that I can run a 14/2 wire from?

https://www.amazon.com/Leviton-5645-W-Combination-Commercial-Grounding/dp/B000U3BULU/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=leviton+combination+switch+and+outlet+3-way&qid=1554754009&s=hi&sr=1-5

** Update **

I replaced the two switches with a Leviton WiFi Smart Switch and (3-way) Remote. This setup gives me a constant hot at the location I wanted and the outlet works  without issue.

The solution is to replace the traditional 3-way switches with smart switches. Traditional switches need 2 travelers. There are smart switches that need only one wire for switched hot and somehow signal on that wire, freeing up a wire to use as constant hot. However you will need neutral.

If your configuration is:

Panel -> switch -> switch -> light

then you turn a traveler into hot.

If it is:

Panel -> light -> switch -> switch

then you turn a traveler into neutral. Except you have to be careful with colors so that neutral ends up with the white wire.


Do you need special recessed LED housing for angled / sloping ceilings? Do you need special recessed LED housing for angled / sloping ceilings?
I see that they sell them, but if there are enough recessed LEDs installed for good coverage, can't I just use regular housings? At the most get inserts that pivot.

Does anyone have any good experience here?

A housing can either take a bulb or a retrofit LED ring that sits on the end.  If you use a bulb (LED or otherwise) then the angled housing can be of benefit, by keeping the beam pointed in the downward direction.  However if you're using a flat LED ring, there's no benefit to using an angled housing, because it's going to sit on the slope anyhow.

If you're concerned about lighting the area in a downward fashion, you can either use an angled housing:

with a LED bulb in it:

or use a standard housing:

with what's called a "gimbal" fixture.  A gimbal fixture looks like this:

And will allow you to compensate for the slope in the ceiling, by pivoting the fixture inside the housing.


Practical limits of how many LEDs can you use to replace halogen 12V? I'm gradually replacing halogen lights at home with LEDs.

We have a couple of 12V rails with a 5x35W rating when using halogens. When using the same transformer with LED's, can I use the theoretical maximum power? eg. If I'm using 5W LEDs instead of 35W halogens, can I mount up to 5 x 5x7 = 175 replacement LEDs?   (If I could afford that of course).

Given that LEDs are not resistive loads, does this simple math apply? Or are there other factors that need to be taken into consideration?

At the moment, I'm leaving some halogens on each rail, as I've read that the transformer needs a minimum of resistive load (not sure what that minimum would be, nor I've found comprehensive guidance on this topic). The transformers are coil based (not electronic).

Any advice?  Thanks.

While most 110-240V LEDs are nasty complex loads due to their AC/DC power supply, many 12V LEDs are probably no more complex than the LED and a resistor, or possibly the LED, another diode or 4, and a resistor for 12VAC service. That sort should run fine of a 12V supply at full ratings and with no need for a regular halogen bulb in circuit.

If your 12V LEDs are straightforward "bulb replacements" or devoid of a power supply circuit between the 12V supply and the LED, they will probably behave as above - after all, when the halogens you put in circuit burn out, that's where you'll be anyway. If they have a more complex power supply, the manufacturer would be the best bet to determine the correct deployment on your power supply. In all likelihood, they will be fine.