New Construction 400 Amp Service / 200 amp sub panel / future solar Currently I am looking at a 400 amp Square D combo panel installed outside garage(flush mount) and then 4/0 Al feeder to a 200 amp sub panel on the other side of house (135' length). The combo panel (30 space, 40 circuit) seems like the simplest way to do this.

Another option is a Siemens 400 amp 4-space 4 circuit Levery Bypass meter base (with 2 - 200 amp breakers ?) on the outside with a 200 amp sub panel directly on the inside (connected by nipple to feed that panel) and then a 200 amp sub panel on the other end of the house. Would this work as well? The one advantage I could see is the breakers would be accessible inside the garage instead of outside. And maybe when hooking up solar- it might be easier as well??? I'm sure I will have to check with power company on this...Any comments/suggestions are welcome!

225A just isn't quite enough for everything you want to do here

Normally, I do not advocate for 400A services to single dwelling units; most of the drivers for such are large single loads such as whole-house instantaneous water heaters and oversized backup strip heating, and these tend to be harsh on the power grid.  The next smaller service size SCE provides, though, is 225A, and it just isn't quite enough for all you wish to do here, between the two hot water heaters, the heatpump, the EV charger, and the shop.  Even without the shop taken into account, I get a service requirement of 212A (assuming a 23A@240V heat pump condenser, 9.6kVA for the EVSE, and 5 kitchen small appliance branch circuits as well as an 8kVA range allowance). Given that a woodshop would have a multi-horsepower dust collector in it atop other motor loads, and other sorts of shop space are equally power hungry, this points towards 400A service, or making other sacrifices (such as ditching the second hot water heater).

Fitting it all in

One way to make room for the shop in your setup would be to sacrifice the second hot water heater.  While it may sound like a terrible problem to provision hot water throughout a 3800 ft2 house from a single point, there are tricks that can be used to ease this, and one of the most significant is to insulate, or lag, the hot water piping throughout the house, to at least R-6, using standard foam pipe insulation parts.

This keeps the water in the pipes from cooling off nearly as quickly, allowing near-instant warm-to-hot water without the need for an energy-hogging recirculation setup or multiple hot water heaters scattered across the house. It also reduces standby losses from the heater itself, which means that lagging the hot water plumbing is a good idea in any case.  However, if the demand is too high for a single hot water tank, that is also an understandable reason to have multiple hot water heaters, so I can understand if this is not an option for your situation.

If one is able to do that, then one can use a 225A, EUSERC compliant, over-under meter-loadcenter as a distribution panel to feed the subpanels at each end of the house, as well as the battery/solar system and its associated panel.  While this hardware is uncommon, it does exist; the Siemens MC3042B1225SED is probably the easiest-to-find example.  The other downside of this cram job is that it would limit you to a dust collector (of about 2-3 HP) + one power tool (1500VA) running for a woodshop.

Going for the big amps

If you do decide to go with the dual hot water heaters, though, then you likely will need a 400A service and matching equipment in order to provide sufficient headroom for shop tools and future expansion.  For the meter main, you can take one of two routes; either you can use a 400A meter-loadcenter, such as a Siemens MC2442B1400SD(S), as a distribution panel with a single main disconnect and feeder breakers to the aforementioned subpanels, or you can use a 400A multiple-disconnect meter-main, namely the Square-D CU12L400CB/CN, with the two 200A mains feeding the subpanels at each end of the house and a breaker in the loadcenter section feeding the solar/battery system.

As to those subpanels

Either way, you'll want to go with a pair of 42-space, 200A or 225A, main lug panels for the main subpanels in your setup.  This will provide ample expansion space for the future, compared to the pair of 30-space panels you proposed, without costing much more at all in the grand scheme of things.

You will also want a 24-space or 30-space, 125A, main lug panel as a dedicated subpanel for standby loads, given that you are taking about a multimode (battery backed) solar system vs. a simple grid-tied setup.  While it generally does not make much sense to have batteries without the ability to disconnect and run at least some loads off-grid, especially with the volatility of the modern grid, it also does not make sense to have a standby system, whether it be a battery system or a generator, try to run the whole house, either.

What about that solar and battery stuff?

While the combination of solar and storage is certainly not a bad proposition, it does raise some questions about choices in storage technology and system architecture, as getting the maximum utility out of battery storage is not merely a matter of hanging an "AC battery" off a branch circuit and calling it a day.

The first key decision you have to make with solar+storage is how you want the two to integrate, and there are three ways to do that: low-voltage DC coupling, high-voltage DC-coupling, and AC-coupling.  Each of these has pros and cons, which I will cover here in turn.

Going old school

The classical solution to the problem of integrating solar and storage together is to follow the lead of the off-grid folks, using a DC-coupled system running at low voltage, typically 48VDC nominal.  These systems are designed around an open architecture, with a variety of manufacturers making equipment suited for these applications alongside a free choice of battery chemistry, with classical valve-regulated lead-acid technology providing a low first-cost option, large-capacity lithium-ion storage solutions offering a balanced package, and modular lithium-iron-phosphate battery systems providing a high-performance solution at the cost of a high upfront pricetag.  They also provide good battery-charging control and low conversion losses, which is useful in places where the grid is relatively intermittent as it maximizes the practical utility of the solar harvest available.

This approach is not without its downsides, though.  First off, these systems require quite a bit of balance of system equipment, with separate charge controllers, battery/multimode inverters, and relatively costly heavy-duty DC switchgear, as well as rapid shutdown and arc fault protection devices.  Atop that cost, this approach requires fat copper wiring for the low-voltage DC bus to keep voltage drops acceptable, and fat copper is not cheap, especially in the fine-stranded type required sometimes for battery and inverter hookups.  The final downside is that these systems require an installer well-versed in the off-grid/multimode world; "box-pusher" contractors that are only familiar with a single manufacturer's hardware will struggle with the system integration required in such a setup.

Cranking up the juice (but it's not that simple)

The second approach is the one taken by SolarEdge, Pika Energy, and a couple other vendors, and that involves using a vendor-specific high-voltage DC battery pack alongside a specially equipped high-voltage string inverter.  These systems provide tight integration due to their single-vendor sourcing, while providing low standby losses and good charge control just like their low-voltage counterparts, and have the advantage that all the troublesome high-voltage DC switchgear is integrated into factory-built equipment.  However, getting replacement parts and upgrades are more difficult due to these systems having a proprietary architecture, and you are also locked into lithium-ion chemistries with this approach.

For a completely different solution...

The other alternative would be to use an AC coupled multimode solar system.  This uses either standard string inverters or microinverters to convert the solar harvest to AC, then feeds that AC to a dedicated solar or standby bus.  On this bus either sits a multimode/battery inverter's standby-side output, or an AC battery storage system such as the current-generation Tesla Powerwalls, that takes the AC from the solar inverters and converts it back to DC for battery storage.  There will also be a transfer device (either a dedicated unit if an integrated AC ESS is used, or built into the aforementioned multimode inverter) that isolates your standby system from the rest of the AC grid during a power outage.

The primary advantage this has is that it is easy to install, using relatively thin wires and standard AC distribution equipment for most of the system, while providing the opportunity for an open-architecture system to be deployed, easing hardware upgrades and replacements down the line.  However, battery charge control is much more difficult on these systems, requiring a certain degree of configuration intelligence from both the battery and solar inverters, and there are extra conversion losses in these systems compared to their DC-coupled counterparts.  Furthermore, taking full advantage of the open-architecture possibilities that using a multimode inverter in an AC-coupled system gives requires some of that aforementioned heavy-duty DC switchgear and thick cabling, and it also limits the amount of solar one can install so that the battery inverter can regulate the standby power system during outages.

What should go on the standby system?

The other hard decision one has to make in this case is the matter of what should be powered by your standby system vs. what you can afford to lose when the grid goes dark.  In your case, you have one piece of good news and one piece of bad news.  The good news is that since you are in a warm enough climate that pipe freezups are not a serious concern, losing your heat to a power outage is an acceptable state of affairs.  The bad news is that unitary/hybrid heat pump water heaters, especially when your house has two of them, draw too much power for effective standby operation, which means that a power outage makes for some rather chilly showers.

That being said, if you are not dealing with extended outages, we can rule several other things out as standby loads.  The EVSE, being both a high-power load and something that can be deferred for the span of a shorter outage, has no need to be on the standby bus, for instance; nor does the range (far too large of a load), or any laundry equipment (since it's not running often enough to matter during all but the longest of outages). Furthermore, the range is simply too large to run on any reasonably sized standby system, and the heat pump itself is a heavy starting-current load, atop being non-essential in a relatively mild climate.

This leaves us with basic lighting, refrigeration, and a small selection of general receptacles (for essentials such as charging a cell phone, or keeping clocks running), as well as the nicety of a small-appliance branch circuit that can be used to run a microwave, toaster oven, or electric griddle, permitting a modicum of cooking capability during a power outage.  Fortunately, with the advent of LED lighting, one probably only needs to provide a few kW of standby power to run all this, and that eases things considerably, allowing a not-totally-unreasonable battery to provide a day or two of autonomy, even if the grid is down and the solar harvest empty.

Other notes

If you use a multimode inverter, whether DC or AC coupled, you'll want to provide a bypass facility so that servicing the inverter can be done safely without killing power to the standby loads; this can be done using a bog-standard safety switch as a dedicated inverter disconnect (something that your utility may already require), with power tapped off the line-side of the inverter disconnect to feed a breaker in the standby panel that is interlocked with the standby panel's inverter breaker using an ordinary generator interlock kit.

Last, but not least, you or your installer will need to torque all set-screw type connections to manufacturer's specifications using an inch-pound torque wrench or torque screwdriver.  This is required by 2017 NEC 110.14(D), and is good practice in any case, lest your electrical system lose you the race!


how do you install a glass door on a drywall? I have made a cabinet style cutout in the drywall and finished with dry wall.  Now I want to install a glass door to this drywall and want to know how and best way to do it.

Gypsum board will not support a glass door, unless the door is tiny (like a 6" square).

You will need a frame which goes all around the opening and is secured to a structural member, like a stud. Then the door is attached with hinges to the frame and a latch or latches are installed on the other side of the frame.


Can someone explain if this wiring is correct Yesterday when I was replacing the old ceiling light fixture with a new led disc light in the laundry room, I notice the old light was being wired like the above diagram (probably by previous owners).
Basically there are 2 pairs of wire coming from 2 end of the electrical box. The neutrals (yellow in the diagram) were twisted together. The black wire (red in the diagram) of the light fixture was wired to the black wire (hot) from the power source and the neutral (white wire) of the light fixture was wired to the black wire on the other end of the box, which I believe is connected to the switch?
Can someone please explain to me what kind of wiring is this? and is this legal at all? Thanks.
P/S: the diagram was drawn on phone so please excuse me if it's not looking good.

The details of this answer assume you are in North America. If you are elsewhere, you should add that information to your question.
Assuming you are correct in the wiring, then no, it is neither legal nor safe currently, though if the wiring is old enough, it may have been "normal" at the time.
The problem is that the switch is interrupting the neutral wire to the light while the hot wire goes directly to the light. The problem is that if you turn off the switch and go to work on the light without flipping the breaker (a bad idea but some people just depend on the switch), you can get shocked as the red wire to the light is still hot.
It should be very little effort to change the wiring so that the switch interrupts the hot instead. Also, on the white wire coming back from the switch, you should add a wrap of black tape or paint at each end to mark it as (switched) hot.


Frigidaire FEX831FS4 transmission leaked oil. Should I refill? With what? While rebuilding the Frigidaire FEX831FS4 washer's transmission, I did not remake the gasket between both transmission halves. So, for the next few days there was a little bit of oil splattering going on (i kinda wiped the front panel, but it shows how situation looked like).

My questions are:

Should I bother with refilling transmission with oil? Maybe not worth since the splattering has stopped. But then again I don't know if it is running empty.
If yes, then what oil should I use? 1qt of known right oil costs $94.14 That is way too much I am willing to invest in this old washer. What other oil would work here?
In case I don't refill with oil, do I understand correctly that the worst case scenario here is that transmission would break and seize; And either belt would snap or come of pulley? Opposed to stalling motor, overheating it and possibly starting fire?

Don't buy the correct oil if it's that expensive.

Use a high viscosity automotive gear oil typically used in differentials, and just buy the cheapest one you can find in stock at your local auto parts store.

Buy SAE 140 or SAE 110. Those monograde oils should be the least expensive, but if they have a bad selection or a sale then a multigrade oil like 85W-140 would be fine too. Really anything they have there will work, even if it's a 75W-90. If you already have some gear oil in your garage from changing the differential fluid in your vehicle, then just use it.


Trap adapter on wall drain rough in - what is this? I'm installing a new p-trap for a vanity that is roughed in. I'm trying to get the trap adapter as close to the wall as possible, so the escutcheon will cover the adapter (it will be exposed), but there is some sort of collar around the pipe where it comes out the wall:

Is there some way  I can remove this collar so I can get my adapter up next to the wall?

That is a 2" tee with a reducing bushing glued into it. You will want a "deep box type escutcheon" which will bell over the fitting and hide it. They look like this:


Before Staining... Do I need to sand my deck first? Or just chemical wash/pressure washer? We've been living in our new place for a few months now and now that we are more settled... I want to stay on top of maintaining the outdoor deck. But, I am unsure what's the material used for the deck (Merbau?) and when was the last polish.

Honestly, it does not look old but it is overly new either. Feels "dusty" when I walk around at times. Based on the picture, do you think it needs a resand? Or would chemical (deck cleaner) and pressure washer would be sufficient?

There's a small portion of the deck on the side that is not covered so it's obviously wearing out because of the weather exposure (see picture) below. Should just that portion be sanded?

Appreciate the opinions there guys :)

Deck looks good to me.  I would not sand.  If you really want to restain, then just power wash, either with a mild detergent or plain water.


Should I sand each layer of mud when joining drywall? I'm plastering my first drywall and have been given advice from a friend who as done it a few times before. He believes I should not sand down the mud (a.k.a. jointing compound) between coats, but I think I should. I don't think the first layer is as smooth as it should be and I think getting any little bumps out now before the next coat would be a good idea. Surely the next swipe of the knife is going to catch on them and leave elongated ridges or scratches down stream.

Yes, knock off any bumps between coats, but there's no need to get it perfect. A screen sander on the end of a pole is the best tool for this job. And it goes without saying that you should minimize any bumps while the mud is still drying to avoid having to sand it later. Some even recommend using the premix joint compound on the last coat and, just before it dries, going over it with a slightly damp sponge to take off any bumps.


What is this vertical metal pipe in my backyard? old well? septic? Purchased this house last week and the previous owners also did not know what it was. The pipe is heavy duty and set in concrete. There's water about halfway up the length of the pipe, but I haven't tested the depth.

UPDATE: it was definitely an early generation giant satellite dish. Not only did we find 2 buried coax cables running towards the house when we removed it, I've since spotted several other such remnant poles in backyards across town.

Since the pole is so thick and there's only one of them, it could have been the base of a satellite dish - like one of the old 8' dishes (big, not sure of exact measurements).

The height is about right for that, and it's kinda short for a clothesline.

It filling with water is just from the rain.  I've never seen anything plumbing or well related that looks like that.


How to cut exact and identical rectangles with a circular saw? Following this question What tools do I need to make a straight cut in laminated chipboard? , I bought a circular saw.

So far, I used it to make long straight cuts which didn't require high precision for the absolute positioning and it's working great.

The lengths involved in this question are not greater than one meter for the rectangle I would like to cut.

I would like to use the circular saw to make two identical rectangles from a larger piece of wood. The dimensions of the rectangles do not need to be precise, they should just be equal. My first attempts have not been successful, and I had these problems (formulated as questions for a better fit here)

How to improve absolute positioning of the blade ?
How to duplicate a rectangle ?
How to ensure that a piece of wood is rectangular ?

Is there a way to do this without a table saw ?

I have a few ideas of jigs in mind, but looking at a table saw, everything I have thought of would be easily done with a table saw, and everything I could build would probably not be precise enough to be useful.

Even by cutting the pieces that need to have the same dimensions together, in the end there is always a little difference between them, because the cut is not following a perfect line, the edge is not perfectly linear, my guide is not perfectly aligned, and so on..

I also think having them cut at the shop would solve all these problems.

Try this little trick.

Cut two rectangles from your plywood an inch or two larger than what you want your finished pieces to be.  Be sure one face of these rectangles are a straight factory edge.
Now stack the two pieces together and clamp them with the factory edges one on top of the other, nice and flush.
Scribe a perfectly square line using a builders square perpendicular to the factory edge on both sides separated by the dimension you want the piece to be.
Now take a perfectly straight piece of wood and clamp it onto the surface exactly at the dimension of the distance of the edge of your blade to the edge of the saw frame. You now have created a guide to run your saw against while making a cut through both pieces of plywood at the same time.
Repeat this procedure on the other side.
For the last cut parallel to the factory edge, measure precisely the distance and mark on either side, draw a line between the marks. This line should be square to the end cuts and parallel to the factory edge.
Now reattach the cutting guide at the blade to frame dimension as you did for the edges and cut both pieces at once again.

You have now made three cuts, two at a 90 degree to the factory edge and one parallel to the factory edge.  Since both pieces were cut at the same time, they should be identical.


Water in my central vacuuming system? We have a central vacuum system that was installed in our 4 year old new build. It works perfectly but about 6 months ago we found water in the canister. We assumed our cleaners had accidentally dropped the end of the hose into the pool. We hired an industrial vacuum to suck out all the water (several gallons). All fixed and working well. Then yesterday found water again? Definitely not an accident this time. My husband thinks there is a leak and somehow water is getting into the system but surely we would lose suction? Any other suggestions?

We have a problem like this. Our central vacuum unit is located in our detached garage with a pipe going from the garage to the house underground (it's about 20 feet from the house to the garage). We found that the roots of some trees cracked the pipe and water was seeping into the pipe and getting sucked into the canister. Is any of your pipe underground?


Thinking about replacing old fuse box. Looking for advice In my detached workshop/garage, I have an old fuse panel servicing that building only.  I am thinking about switching it out with a new small breaker panel.  I have been reading everything I can find on properly making this switch, and for a while was referring to this as a sub panel, with the larger breaker panel in my house being the main.  I made note of everything I read saying to make sure the sub panel's neutral and ground were not bonded/connected and the dangers that creates.  However, upon further inspecting my setup it occurs to me that my situation is different.
The meter hookup is on the side of my log cabin

Years back when I had electric turned on, the power company explained that my 1930s cabin had a really old service hookup:  The rightmost meter services just my hot water heater.  The left meter goes to my main breaker panel inside the cabin.  On the left of that meter is a Square D panel, with a single switch inside that sends a buried line to my detached workshop.
Once inside the workshop, it runs through the pictured rightmost panel with an on/off switch in it (panel is opened up in this photo -- revealing there are 2 black hots and a bare wire neutral).

That switch panel (switch says 100 AMP on it) is then fed into the fuse panel.  In the fuse box, the main pull out switch, when pulled out, shows that 60 amp fuses are installed.  As you can see from this photo of the inside of the fuse panel, it is a bit of a mess, hence why I'd like to clean things up with a 6-8 breaker panel.

So am I right that this is not a 'sub panel' hookup, since it is coming right off the meter?  It is essentially its own main panel in a different structure.  I'm thinking I would get a new breaker panel and hook it up to the 3 service wires (2 hot, 1 neutral) present in the adjacent Square D box pictured above?
My comfort level with DIY electrical work is simple swap outs or replacements.  If this is more involved I will wait to get an electrician to do it, but where I live up in the mountains, electricians aren't plentiful and you usually have to wait 6 months or more before one can squeeze you in for non-emergency service.

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[5]: https://i.stack.imgur.com/7bXQ4.jpg![enter image description here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/diL5I.png)

Your fuse box is a sub because the “switch” is the main. (From Beal) Installing a sub service panel is a bigger job, but if you've installed new boxes before the principles are the same. Read the section in the code, and leave yourself enough space. Remember you need a separate circuit for the light above the panel.
I would recommend you install at least a 20 breaker box. A box with more spaces costs only a little more, and it's astonishing how fast you use them up.
(If you don't already know you must turn the power OFF to work on it, get an electrician!)
Your best friend on this is the free online National electrical code at NFPA.org

Just by the way, the fuse panel you're replacing is an old Federal Pacific box. If you have other Federal Pacific boxes with Federal Pacific BREAKERS, run, do not walk, to replace those panels!!
FPE Stab-Lok Electric Panels Don't Need to be Inspected; They Need to be Replaced!
The problem with FPE Stab-Lok breakers is they don't trip when there's an overcurrent, and the breakers themselves have bad connections inside that can start fires in the service panel. The problem is particularly bad with tied double gang breakers- these ALMOST NEVER TRIP FOR AN OVERCURRENT!!
There are no safe replacement Federal Pacific breakers. The Federal Pacific box itself is defective. You have to replace the whole thing.
FPE Stab-Lok Electric Panels Don't Need to be Inspected; They Need to be Replaced!


Can forced central air be retrofitted with central humdifier? Several homes I'm considering have central air conditioners, but radiators or baseboard heaters.  Is it possible to use the A/C ductwork to provide humidity to the home?  I assume most central humidifiers rely on the furnace to provide the heat to evaporate the air.

Do central humidifiers exist that provide their own heat source?

While not as effective as hot air if using hot rather than cold water tap with an evaporative style humidifier it does still provide humidity.  My system is configured to allow humidifier to turn on blower fan separate from heat if needed when humidity is low with good results.


Drain pipe at wrong angle. What are the consequences? A friend of mine is asking me about severity of the problem she has with the drain pipe under her kitchen faucet. The pipe was installed horizontally, but now for some reason (I suspect the main drain pipe behind the wall was moved) it is at wrong angle, down from the horizontal by several centimeters.

What are the consequences of keeping it this way for a prolonged period of time?

P.S. Sorry about my English, please tell me in comments if there are any unclear/wrong wording. Thanks.

The low point is where semi-solid materials (sludge, in our vernacular) will collect and ultimately clog the sink. If your friend is willing to clean the pipe out regularly, then it's probably okay.

As you probably know, the solution is to fix the plumbing and let water run downhill.

(Edited to respond to the comment/question about possible leakage.)

I'd say that the quality of the connection and the likelihood of it leaking is a different matter. A little bit of backed up water won't create a leak. However, if the plumbing was done poorly in the first place (and it looks like it was), then it might leak. While water is running, try to gently move some of the parts and see if there's a leak. If there is, the system needs to be repaired.


Why did a gate post rot after just 6 years? My friend put a 4 inch treated wood gate post in the ground and we filled the hole with concrete.  A neighbor built a fence around the same time, using similar-looking posts.  Six years later, the post rotted out but the fence is still going strong.  Did we do something wrong?

The most common failure with posts in concrete is "collar rot", where the post rots right at the point where it exits the concrete at the ground line. This can be easily avoided if the concrete is slightly above ground grade and domed or tapered away from the post so water doesn't lay against the wood. Drainage is the key, keep standing water away from the posts and they will last a lot longer.


How do you keep bugs/dust out of electrical conduit which terminates in the open? Though it isn't specifically stated in the code, I try to protect cable that is installed less than 8 feet from the ground with conduit. This tends to be accepted by inspectors as "protection from physical damage."

If I am going straight up from the electrical panel, into garage rafters, I would like to use a conduit sleeve up to the 8ft mark and then continue on with bare cable. This means the conduit would create a path for critters/dust to enter the panel... is there something I can put over the end of the sleeve?

Thank you!

Electrical insulation putty (duct seal) is ideal for this. Most bugs aren't going to have the perseverance to chew through it.

You could also run through a junction box and use a strain relief clamp to close things off where the cable exits.


Does it make sense to add an upstairs dormer in two phases? We are planning to add an upstairs dormer to our 900-square-foot ranch (adding about 500 additional square feet).

The entire project for us is very daunting and we don't yet have enough money to complete the entire project. We are considering two options:

Wait a year until we have all the money saved which we need, then do the whole project in one phase.
Do the project in two phases where the first phase would be to frame the entire space and do all the roof / exterior work. Then wait until we save the rest of the money needed and do the remaining work including insulation, plumbing, heating, electrical, floors, walls, and all fixtures. Possibly do some of this work ourselves.

The second option appeals to us for several reasons:

We would only be doing at each phase the portion of the project for which we had the money available.
We could put the project on-hold at various points to make it more manageable for us and to give us more time to shop around for contractors and finishings.
Since the project schedule would be more flexible, this would give us more flexibility to do work ourselves that we might otherwise not be able to.

Are there any disadvantages to a two-phase approach where we would have just an unheated shell on top of the house over a winter? Are there any significant advantages which we may not have thought about yet?

The two phase may cost you more, unless you are doing some portions yourself.
The reason is time.  The general contractors major contribution is scheduling. He gets his best prices from subs by giving them consistent work of known quantities.

A two phase plan is really 2 unique jobs, from the general contractors' perspective.

What you are proposing is not unique.  Interview the GCs and be upfront about the need to budget.  Ask if there is a discount for a complete job vs 2 phases.

Having a larger "attic" has energy pluses, especially if you can insulate and add HVAC in the 1st phase.  You see major benefits when doing interior finishes in later phases (especially drywall) if the interior humidity has stabilized.
This means the framing will have finished moving BEFORE you add onto it.


How to hook up the C wire from my thermostat to the air handler? I already have the blue wire for the common but if anyone could tell me how to wire it to this old unit please. Could I just add it to the other yellow 24v wire from the transformer?

That looks fine.

The gist is that a transformer has two wires with 24V between them.  The R wire goes to one, the C wire is the one which is not R.

You've got a lot of exposed bare-wire 240V power in there; be careful  and shut off every furnace breaker before going in there.   There is likely more than one.


Broan fan and light no longer function SOLVED. It was secret door number 3. In this case, a GFI outlet two floors down in the basement adjacent to the fuse panel. Having only been in the house a couple months I never even noticed it or thought of it as playing a key role in a bathroom fan/light  two floors up.
Our Broan fan and light combo in the bathroom no longer work -- both fan and light are non-functional.  I noticed that the GFI plug wasn't working.  Upon pressing test/reset I heard it buzzing and it smelled like something burned inside of it. As a result I removed the outlet and replaced it.
Once the GFI was replaced it now functions correctly, but fan and light combo overhead are still not working.  Is it possible that the fan AND the light stop working at the same time.
Anything else worth checking?
Model number is 678g/2678F-A
Wires didnt look damaged, but that was just visual inspection.
I took the cover off to get model number and see that the fan and light plug in like a normal outlet. No voltage from those outlets and the light works when plugged into another outlet. So, seems the issue exists between the switch and the hard wiring of the fixture perhaps.
Wiring was just as on old switch.

[Posted for original questioner]
SOLVED. It was secret door number 3. In this case, a GFI outlet two floors down in the basement adjacent to the fuse panel. Having only been in the house a couple months I never even noticed it or thought of it as playing a key role in a bathroom fan/light two floors up.


How do electricians quickly choose electrical box sizes? I've got my copy of "Electrical Wiring: Residential" 18th ed, complete with all the information, tables, and formulae for choosing electrical box sizes, but I've got to imagine that experienced electricians aren't spending 10 minutes per box calculating the proper size, and they're still meeting code.  Are there any industry rules of thumb for looking at a circuit diagram, and quickly choosing the correct box based on what's going in it?  I'm mainly interested in straightforward circuits comprised of receptacles and two- and three-way snap switches with standard NM-B cable (14/2, 14/3, 12/2, etc.).

The tip I got from an electrician was to just buy the big boxes; the cost difference is minor, it's easier to work in bigger boxes, and then you don't have to work about it.


Can I install a modern furnace without ductwork? I removed an old coal furnace from my basement.  The furnace did not have any duct work to speak of.  There was an exhaust pipe which fed into the chimney and a duct that went into the next room, but for the most part all the heat went up through a 30" x 30" hole in the ceiling above it.  The hole is covered by a floor grate without any filter or louvers.

My house is 1100 sqft and reasonably well insulated.  Can I install a new gas furnace to use this same hole?  Is there a particular type of furnace that would work best for this application?  Do I need to worry about a cold air return?  I'm assuming I would need to add some kind of filter.  I would greatly appreciate any general advice on how to approach this project.  Thanks in advance.

My grand mother had this exact same type heating system in her old farm house. You roasted in the room above the furnace and froze in the others. I would install a better system than the one installed now.


Confused by ~115VAC 5-wire cabling to UK thermostat I have a 5-wire cable as used for 3-phase (i.e. stripes/blue/brown/black/grey) coming to a hole where a thermostat was - only the earth, live (brown), and switched live (black) were used by this battery-powered thermostat.

Assuming that the 5-wire cable had been used simply to avail the black for use as a switched live, I thought that it would otherwise be like the 3-wire cables to a standard plug, and I could use it as such.

Confusingly, I measured 115VAC between live and neutral (expecting double, I'm in the UK). The same between live and earth; live and grey.

No matter, I thought, I can use a 100-240VAC -> 12VDC converter. Connected it, and then measured mere mV across its output. Strange - so I measured its input; found 7VAC. Repeatably.

I don't understand this - how or why is the voltage falling so drastically under (0.25mA) load, preventing the transformer functioning?

Do I have any alternatives? I don't understand why these lines are at 115VAC anyway.

Beware Ghost voltages

Typical UK central heating is wired like this (Honeywell Sundial S-Plan)

It is not immediately obvious but essentially, the 240 live supply passes through a series of switches in this order:

Mains supply (there is often a wall switch plate for heating). Provides power to ...
Timer (AKA controller - ST9400A/C in diagram).  Provides power to ...
Room thermostat.  Provides power to ...
Zone valve (when motorized valve is fully open it closes a switch).  Provides power to ...
Pump and Boiler

Unlike the arrangements common in the US, all the above equipment operates at 240VAC.

Note that, so the switches in the timer and therostats don't have to switch the high currents needed by the pump, there is a separate (grey wires) parallel live feed to the mechanical relays in the zone valves. This doesn't change the fact that, logically, the units in the diagram operate in series.

Some commercial installations and some more recent domestic installations may have low-voltage to thermostats and may have intelligent thermostats that incorporate the timing functions. This doesn't seem to be the case in your installation.

As shown above, for installation convenience the equipment is wired radially and all connections are made in a central wiring box (often a backbox of the timer).
So physically star-wired but logically in series (with parallel branches for hot water and heating).

Normally the thermostat needs 240 VAC neutral, 240VAC live (from timer) and switched 240V AC live (to zone valve). Some traditional-type thermostats include a heating anticipator (a resistor across switched-live & neutral that warms the thermostat).

UK wiring insulation colours are

            old           current

neutral     black         blue
live        red           brown
earth       green         yellow/green

Earth wires are sometimes bare copper (as in "twin & earth" single-core cabling inside walls/floor voids etc) but inside a junction box, back box or patress should be covered by the electrician in a yellow/green sleeve at time of installation.

If your thermostat has a ground connection but no neutral connection, it is wrongly wired and you should consult an electrician if you are not confident working with lethal voltages.

If the timer (controller) is set to "heating: always on" you should measure 220-240 volts on live at thermostat. Some multimeters have a low-impedance setting to avoid "ghost-voltage" indications. An alternative might be to temporarily wire a 60W incandescent light bulb across live and neutral, using a connector block, then measure voltage when the bulb is on (fully).


standing seam metal roof: length of the clip-strip fastener What is the usual length of the fastener that holds the clip-strip to the decking for a standing seam metal roof?

It depends. There’s several issues: 1) deck thickness, 2) metal panel width, 3) wind loading, 4) slope of roof

You’ll want to follow the manufacturer’s installation instructions, but here are generally acceptable standards.

1) Most manufacturers recommend penetrating the roof deck, unless it’s 2x material (1 1/2” thick). Therefore, 1/2” plywood deck could use a smaller (shorter) fastener than 3/4” thick deck. However, most manufacturers recommend 1” long fasteners. (If you install over an old shingle roof, you’ll need to add sufficient length to go through the shingles.)

2) Depending on the panel width, and thus spacing, a shorter screw could be used for narrower spacing and still develop the same holding power.

3) If you’re located in a high wind area, screw lengths will be longer and spacing is less.

4) Roofs with steep slopes are more susceptible to wind loads (uplift) and size and spacing needs to be adjusted accordingly.

Here is an article that explains it better. Go to page 4 for a typical spacing chart and page 8 for length and general installation recommendations.

https://www.centralstatesmfg.com/wp-content/uploads/GUID_INSTL_HorizonLoc.pdf

Btw, don’t forget to install on an isolation sheet.


How can I muffle a loud doorbell? I live in an apartment, in which the doorbell emits an unreasonably loud tone (kind of square-wave-y) continuously and at constant volume for as long as someone has the button depressed. Since people buzzing me from the complex's front door have no feedback that the bell is actually working, they tend to press it multiple times and for a long time; this gets to be very annoying.

I would like to figure out a way to dampen the bell's sound. Since I do not own the property, I cannot replace or alter the bell in any way, so I'm looking for non-invasive ways of quieting it down. I'm not really concerned about aesthetics; if I need to make the thing look like a Lovecraftian horror to quiet it down, so be it.

My first instinct is to purchase some acoustic foam (like this) and tape it over the speaker; does that seem like the kind of thing that would work?

Here is a photograph of the thing for reference:

You can get some wide white gaffer tape and cover the speaker grille. If you did it neatly, you would barely be able to tell it is there. Gaffer tape looks similar to duct tape, but it sticks better and leaves much less sticky residue when it is removed. That way your modification would be completely reversible.


How do I attach skirting boards to a plaster wall? I have ten feet or so of new skirting board to put up by my front door where we have just had the walls plastered [1]. Back when I was a kid I did a carpentry course so I know how to cut and mitre the corners together on the board one thing I'm not sure on though is fixing the board to the wall??

Is it just hammer and nail and hope you don't crack the plaster whilst putting it up? Or are other methods used now? Like mastic or some form of adhesive?

Basically I don't want to mess up my nicely new plastered walls by whacking nails in there

[1. I have just had my front door moved forward several feet so it is no longer a recessed porch but flush with the front of the house where we have had to have the exposed brickwork plastered]

Typically a contractor will use a brad nailer such as this:

Brads (A thin wire nail, glued together like staples) generally are long, and driven at a high speed and won't split the molding.

The advantage of brad nailing is that in the future, the molding can be removed without damage to the molding or the wall behind.

Note that you will still need to caulk the edges and cover the heads.

Aside: If you need to remove the molding later, pry it off with a thin prybar and remove the brads with pliers, pulling through the molding via the bad side.  Don't try to pull them out from the good side.  It's difficult, and will damage the face of the molding.


What could cause a brand new fluorescent fixture to not work? I purchased a brand new fluorescent light fixture to replace my previous fluorescent light fixture (it was old and one of the ballasts was blown, so it half-worked).

After drilling the holes in the wall, mounting the fixture, plugging in the 3 wires (brown, yellow, blue into the appropriate sockets) and mounting the tubes, I turned on the circuit breaker to see if it was working right.

At the first second, there was a normal white fluorescent light. It then flashed and turned off.

I reset the wall switch to cut and restore power to the bulb, it then flashed an orange light very brightly on both sides of only 1 tube, the other tube was completely dark. It did this for about 3 seconds, then turned off completely.

Resetting the wall switch again did nothing. There was no visible light at all, maybe only for a split second after turning it on the 3rd time.

What could this be? Is the wiring in the fixture defective? It came pre-wired in the box, the only wires I connected were the 3 brown, yellow and blue wires.

It's most likely just a defective ballast in the new fixture. Failure rate of course varies brand by brand, but none of them are immune to having a wonky ballast fly through the QA process.

I keep replacement ballasts around just like replacement lamps. Since they are rather cheap in most cases, I'd buy one (to test), then keep a small stock for the various types of fixtures that you have.


How do I remove bathtub drain screw? I currently have a toe touch drain stopper installed (see first photo), and would like to replace it with a twist stopper (see second photo).

The screw on the bottom of the toe touch stopper is stuck in the drain, and I'm assuming it's supposed to come out with the stopper.

Any idea how to remove the screw and install the new twist stopper?

I use large needle nose pliers if I don't have a drain wrench. The pliers need to be opened and in contact withthe outside edge of the metal cross member. Turn counter /anti clockwise. These parts are usually brass and or plastic so they don't usually rust. If the assembly starts deforming with needle nose a drain wrench will be needed drain wrenches slip over all 4 points and provide more force without damaging the existing flange. Here is an example One of the less expensive ones I saw with a quick look.


How to deal with bedroom condensation/moisture on winter mornings? In late September when the weather started cooling down here in Surrey BC Canada, we started to see morning condensation on our windows (newly installed last year):

My wife and I and our son sleep in the room, so presumably it is due to our breathing. I should double-check the humidity in the room when it happens again tomorrow, but I think it is about 60%. We do have a dehumidifier, but we find it too noisy to run during the night (even with a timer), so we just run it after we wake up.

Questions:

Is the humidity/condensation in the windows and walls a concern for mold growth, or is it sufficient to run the dehumidifier after we wake up and rely on the sun to dry up the windows?
How to prevent excessive humidity/condensation in the bedroom? It is cold, so we don't want to leave our windows partially open all night. And the dehumidifier is too noisy for us to run during the night. Would a silent moisture absorbing product like DampRid help? I heard that it won't help much.

I read that the key to solving humidity problems is improved ventilation. But how to improve ventilation in a bedroom with a closed door? The bathroom fan won't help because the door is closed. Opening a window won't work because it is cold outside. Is our only option an expensive Heat Recovery Ventilator that will vent to the outside while conserving heat? But aren't those as noisy as a dehumidifier?

I saw a similar question here (Why does significant condensation gather on my bedroom windows overnight?) but it just suggests opening the windows, using a dehumidifier, keeping the blinds open, putting bubble wrap on the windows (won't solve moisture getting into the walls though), and not worrying about it.

Indoor humidity levels are high in the fall, making window condensation more likely. Where I am, we have to wipe our windows each morning for the first few weeks of cold weather. After that, it's less of a problem. It's important to exhaust moist air using bathroom and kitchen fans to reduce this effect.

Mold is a slight concern, but not as much so as during warmer months. More of a concern is liquid water damage. If water collects on the sills the wood will begin to swell and decay and the finish will degrade. This is your primary concern. If you wipe them each morning you'll mitigate the problem.

If you still have regular condensation a few weeks down the road, look into the source of the moisture and whether you can improve ventilation or room-to-room air mixing (possibly using a fan-only cycle on your HVAC system). The appropriate indoor relative humidity level depends on the outdoor air temperature, so it needs to decline during colder weather.


How do I remove a 4x4 fence post that is snapped off at ground level? I'm trying to come up with a cheap and easy way to remove a broken-off fence post. It's a 4x4 lumber post that's snapped off flush to the ground, without any concrete around it.* I'd like to pull it straight out and sink another post in the same hole without digging too much.

*EDIT 2: I tried digging down a few inches last night to attach the 1x2, and discovered it was set in concrete about 6" below ground level. Looks like I'll be digging this one out.

The current plan that I have in my head is to dig down a few inches and nail a 1x2 strip to the side of the post. Then take a few boards, stack them up as a fulcrum, and wedge another board or a pipe under the 1x2. Then stomp on the other end of the lever to pull up the post. Will this work, or should I just dig it out?

I suppose soaking the area with a hose would help, but I'd rather not soften the ground since I want to reset another post immediately.

Note: I'd like to avoid spending anything extra if at all possible. It's my neighbor's fence, and he's told me that he's in no hurry to repair it. Since I want it back up, I'm taking the initiative and fixing it for him.

Edit: Here's some pictures of the fence line:

And here's where the fence post is snapped:

That big spot without any grass is where my neighbor's shed used to be before the tornado carried it off.

Depends on how intact it is. If it is good solid wood, screw a long eye-bolt into it and yank it out / work it out that way

If it's all punky, drill some holes down the middle and split it, and remove the pieces.


Does Manometer Tubing Size Affect Measurements? Does the diameter & length of tubing used with a digital manometer affect gas pressure readings? I'm trying to measure the outlet gas pressure going into my furnace and I had to connect different diameter sized tubing together to connect/fit to my digital manometer's ports.
I'm not sure however whether the readings are skewed by this or by the length of the tubing. I'm assuming the tubing length doesn't matter, not sure about tubing diameter though.

No.
Pressure drop is caused by gas flowing through a restriction such as a narrow / long piece of tubing. Once the system reaches equilibrium (i.e. the manometer is pressurised), there is no gas flow and therefore can be no influence on the measured pressure.
The diameter / length of the tubing is therefore irrelevant.


Can I winterize sprinklers by running them with the water off? I am a new home owner and need to winterize (get the water out of the pipes of) my sprinkler system. I was planning on contacting a professional to help/show me how to do it.

However, I was told by a friend that I can turn the water off to the sprinklers and then turn on the sprinklers to do the job.

Would this work?

Turning on the sprinklers after the main water feed has been shut off will not adequately drain you lines before freeze weather.

In rare instances some sprinkler system installations may have been setup with slope on the distribution lines out to the very tail end of each line. That tail end would also need to be accessible to be opened to let all the water flow out under gravity driven flow.

So you need to either get a professional out or could DIY if you have all the proper equipment. Often compressed air is used to force the water down the lines from the valves out to the extremities of the distribution lines. This air purge process may require removal of some sprinkler heads and/or closing them off so that the compressed air does not just leak out of the first heads on a line.


Can I use a 240/120 transformer and adapter cable to connect a generator to my house? Tornado took out power around here for a good while. Parents aren't here and I'm stuck with the task of hooking up a generator. I'm not savvy with this stuff very much at all.
Here's the issue. The connection coming out of the house is L14-30P. The generator has L14-30R. In my head we just need a 30a cable between the two.
The only stuff we have right now is an adapter L14-30P to L14-20R. My dad says this adapter is needed because it puts the voltage down to 120v. It's literally just an adapter. He says at 240v it would fry our equipment and appliances in the house. Doesn't make sense to me to have this adapter, then have a L14-20P to L14-30R cord connected between the adapter and the house. Seems like an extra useless step right?
I'm not worried about breaker positioning and all that. I just need to make sure I have the cords done properly between the generator and the house. I've got the rest done.
Feel free to correct everything that is incorrect about what I just stated, logic and all.
Here is the front of the generator:

It does seem like an extra useless step. The L14-30R on the generator has two 120 V slots, a neutral slot and a ground slot. The voltage between the two 120 V slots is 240 volts. If the L14-30P on the house is wired correctly, it is connected to both 120 and 240 V circuits in the house. However the generator is not big enough to power the 240 V appliances in the house. It is not even big enough to power very many 120 V appliances. It could be that the cord that you have does not have 4 wires. It may be wired to supply only the 120 V circuits in the house that are connected to one of the two L14-30P 120V prongs. If your dad has told you to use that arrangement and you have reason to believe he has used it in the past, I would say go ahead and use it. You may find that some things in the house will not turn on. If that is the case, determine if they are things that you can live without. If they are, that is your answer.


How do I replace a 3-way switch on 2-wire cable with a programmable timer switch? I'm using the same Honeywell Programmable Timer from my last question, but under different conditions. In particular, I'm replacing a 3-way switch on 2-wire cable.

Here is a schematic showing the back porch light, a 3-way switch located in the garage, and a 3-way switch located in the house:

And here is a closer inspection of the switch (demarcated by green):

You'll have to purchase a timer that is specifically designed to work as a 3-way switch. Or you'll have to rewire the other 3-way switch in such a way that it will no longer control anything.

Since I can't see the wiring at the second switch, I'm guessing the wiring currently looks something like this...

Which is sketchy, since there's no grounded (neutral) conductor running with the travelers. It's not clear where the grounded (neutral) conductor that the light is connected to comes from, so you'll want to look into that.

To get this timer working, you'll have to bypass the other 3-way switch like this.

Again, I don't know what the whole circuit looks like, since you've only offered a partial look. So I'm guessing at the wiring when it comes to the second switch.


Did I use my light fixture's ground wire correctly? I took down an old ceiling fan in my home, and replaced it with a basic light fixture.

When I took the fan down, I saw the normal white and black wires, but no ground coming out off the ceiling.

The only ground was a wire screwed to the metal ceiling box and then the other end attached/wrapped up in the white wire's connector cap. In addition to the cap, they were also electrical taped together.

One, does that seem right?

Two, and I guess more importantly, the instructions for the new light fixture said to take the included ground wire from the new fixture and wrap it around the ground screw(which is screwed into the included bracket) and then attach the end to the ceiling box's ground wire.

Well, I cannot use the metal ceiling box that was being used with the ceiling fan. I can only use the bracket, which is currently screwed into place, right into the "hole" in the ceiling.

Everything is installed and up, working fine, but my biggest question is how the ground wire works. Is it supposed to have a shared current going through it from the white wire?

I'm currently using the included ground wire from the base of the light fixture, and that goes up and it's wrapped/attached to the ground screw on the bracket.

That to me doesn't seem like it would help anything at all. Would it? Did I do something wrong?

It sounds like this is what you're describing...

If this is indeed what you've encountered, you should remove the grounding conductor from the twist-on wire connector used to connect the white wires.

The only place grounded (neutral) conductors and grounding conductors should be bonded (connected), is at the main service disconnect.

If there are no grounding conductors in the house, it's not that big of a concern. As long as the wiring is done properly, you should have no problems at all.  If there truly are no grounding conductors in the house, connecting fixture grounding conductors will have no effect. If you're really concerned about the lack of grounding conductors, you can install combination ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) breakers in the service panel.

This sentence also has me concerned...

I cannot use the metal ceiling box that was being used with the ceiling fan. I can only use the bracket, which is currently screwed into place, right into the "hole" in the ceiling.

Are you saying that the new light fixture is not installed in an electrical box?

If this is the case, you should correct that issue as well.  All electrical connections must be made inside an approved, listed and labeled enclosure.


How can I replace this water pressure reducing valve? Some of my taps were dripping slightly and it was recommended that I test the water pressure. After a few tests the pressure is 140 PSI in the house, which I understand is extremely high and I have been advised that the water pressure reducing valve (WPRV) needs to be replaced. I am not a plumber, but have sweated a number of joins in the past and can fix most basic things. However, after looking at where the valve is positioned I'm a little nervous to attempt this kind of repair. It seems relatively straightforward, but the risk of failure could be great (and expensive) if things go wrong.

First of  all, would it be confirmed that the valve is toast? Are there any adjustments that can be made - perhaps it is just the settings? Or am I dreaming?
The valve is immediately below the water meter (see pic) and is threaded directly onto the pipe. The issue is that the valve is against a wall, so I can't (seemingly) turn the valve to unscrew it. Can the top of the valve (the bell shape) be removed and replaced, or should the entire valve be replaced?
Am I messing with something above my experience level and should I rather be spending $200 (excluding parts) to have this replaced by a plumber?

At 140 psi, either that valve is shot, or you need to install/check your expansion tank. To know for sure, after running some water for a second, stop any running water and check your pressure again. If the high pressure only occurs after the hot water tank has been heating back up, then what you really need an expansion tank.

To replace this valve, after turning off the water, unscrew the union fitting on the bottom of the PRV (at least I'm hoping that's a union, it should be two pieces and the nut should move independently from the pipe). You should be able to work on that with a crescent wrench one partial turn at a time. Then with that disconnected, you should have some play in the pipes to pull it slightly out from the wall and unscrew the valve from the top threaded connection. Installing the new valve will be a similar procedure in reverse, just clean off the threads and apply some pipe dope to the male threads first.


How do I wire a ceiling fan? I recently purchased a ceiling fan - Harbor Breeze Tilghman WITHOUT a light - to replace a ceiling fan WITH a light.  The wires coming from the (old)ceiling are red, black, white, green, and copper. The green wire is coming from the ceiling mounting bracket. I do know the light worked on the previous fan before replacement, but the fan motor had long burned out.  On the new fan, the wires are white, blue, and black; with the green ground wire from the downrod.
The old fan connected to one switch, which turned on both the fan and light, then we could use the pull chains to turn either/or off as desired.
I have tried multiple wiring combinations and still the fan does not work.  What wiring combinations do you suggest - aside from the obvious white-white, black-black, and green to green, I'm not sure if I need to connect  the red (from the ceiling) or the blue (from the fan - since we don't have a light on this fan) to anything or to simply leave the alone and wrapped in electrical tape.  Any suggestions??

Absolutely do not leave the wires alone wrapped in electrical tape. Electrical tape does not have enough longevity to safely protect the exposed leads and can create a hazard in the future.

The blue wire exists to support the future addition of a light. The polite thing to do for your future self or future owner of your home would be to connect the blue and red wires. However, it is not necessary; if you do not want to, you can cap both leads with wire nuts.

Note that it is also legitimate to connect the black on the fan to the red from the ceiling, and the blue on the fan to the black from the ceiling. Assuming you have two switches, that will swap which switch controls the fan and which switch controls the light.

If the existing black-black connection doesn't work, you can try the black-red. If that does work, it would suggest that the switch for the fan has failed, although it could also indicate other wiring problems.


Why does glass spontaneously shatter? We had double-glazed sliding patio doors installed about 18 months ago.  On separate occasions over the past couple of months, two of them have spontaneously shattered from around the centre of the pane.  Both of them inside panes which rules out unknown impacts from outside.

The first one was in the bedroom;  I had just gone to bed and could hear what I thought was rain or sleet against the window. I thought that odd as it was a perfectly clear sky just before I went to bed.  I opened the blind and the whole inside window had shattered.  It was still in-situ (thankfully!).
The installer is currently in the process of trying to get this one replaced under warranty from the manufacturers.
But when the 2nd window shattered he said he'd have tremendous trouble trying to convince the manufacturer of two separate faults.
He went on to say that if it was a manufacturing or installation fault, then the glass cracks/shatters from around the edge of the glass.  But these are near enough bang in the middle (excuse the pun!).  At no point have they been hit with anything.  Indeed, the installer said that these units are incredibly strong, and that they have trouble breaking them in the skip, especially when trying to break them from the middle on the pane.
I read online about this and how that it could be caused by Nickel Sulfide contaminants during the manufacturing process;  these contaminants expand with variations in temperature and it's the expansion that causes the glass to shatter.  That explanation certainly fits with both of my scenarios;  the 1st occurrence was at the end of summer; it was a very hot day, but the temperature plummeted in the evening and it was the first night that we had a frost.  The 2nd occurrence happened recently (in the middle of winter here in the UK); it had been about -3c for a couple of days and the wood burner had been on almost all the time.  That window shattered over-night.
The glazier that installed them says he has never heard of such things happening, but another glazier I spoke to said that it's not uncommon, especially with large variations in temperatures.
Has this happened to you?  Do you know what caused it?

I'm 95% confident that, in this case, it was nickel sulfide contaminant.  I took photos of the epicenter of the shatter and zoomed in on the computer.  The contaminant is pretty clear to see:

This is pretty much exactly what articles like these show: https://www.constructionspecifier.com/fully-tempered-glass-and-spontaneous-fracture/2/


Cold floors and drafts I have a 12x24 building that I built for band rehearsals last year and since it has gotten very cold here in Alabama (was 9 degrees F today) I have noted that it is almost impossible to heat.  It's a wood frame building.  Barn style.  Upstairs is blocked off with trap door access.  The roof is insulated with a gap at the ridge for a vent.  Metal roofing.  Downstairs the walls are insulated and sheetrocked.  Outside is covered in vinyl siding and moisture barrier under that. It's temperature controlled downstairs with a infrared space heater at the front, and a conventional one at the back.  When it gets below about 40 degrees, I can't get it to an acceptable temperature.  There's some really cold spots in it too.  They feel like drafts, but I'm pretty certain I did a great job on the insulation.  I can feel cold air at the floor radiating inside.  The floor is super chilly.  Half the floor is carpet and half is wood flooring.  Both are cold.  THe carpet has padding under it.  Subfloor has 2 layers of plywood under it and tar paper between the layers.

Ive pretty much figured out that the cold is radiating through thhe floor despite this.  I could insulate under it as I can access it, but at the rear, it is just inches off of the ground.  Putting traditional insulation under there isn't a viable option due to that and I don't want to invite rats under there either.  So my question here is, what options do I have to insulate?  If I were to underpin the building and face the underpinning with insulation would that work?  Could someone do spray type insulation on a building that close to the ground?

Any advice is much appreciated!!!

The floor is not insulated.  This was a major dumb move on my part.  I figured in Alabama that wasn't an issue.  I was apparently wrong. What insulation options do I have seeing that the building is so low to the ground at the rear?  Would underpinning and insulating the underpinning be worthwhile instead?

I store things upstairs so I didn't want it to get super cold or hot up there.  My research told me that this was ok to insulate the roof instead of the floor below it to achieve a not so hot or cold space.  Is that not the case?   Should I pull up my upstairs floor and put the insulation in there?

What about venting?  I've shook my head over and over on this. Do I need to vent this roof?  What I did do was I installed an exhaust fan in the rear of the building that kicks on at a predetermined temperature.  It works incredibly well during the summertime.  Even when it is blisteringly hot outside, it is tolerable in there.  Maybe 90 degrees at the hottest.  I felt like that with metal roof and no insulation it would be unbelievably hot during the summer which isn't good for the stuff stored up there.  My house on the other hand is so hot inside that I feel like I'm dying in the attic.  I bet it's 130 degrees in there in summer.

During the summer, a 12000 BTU ac unit cools the downstairs easily.  And fast.  It remains cool all the way into the afternoon the next day with the ac set to 85 and it stays about that till later afternoon.  I was very impressed with how well the building retains cool air.

I can post some pics if that helps.

I'm going to assume that the attic is for storage and isn't needed as a "conditioned space".

Remove the insulation from the roof. It's detrimental to ventilation and cooling in the summer and won't do you much good in winter.
Insulate the attic floor. You can probably reuse your roof insulation, and as little as R-19 will probably solve your problem for all but the very coldest days, but ideally you'll get to R-30 or better. Also insulate the attic trapdoor with foam sheets or whatever, and seal it against air leakage.  You can still use the attic for storage, but the floor may need to be lifted to accommodate the insulation.
Improve attic ventilation. Ridge venting is part of the system. You also need soffit venting or something else low in the roof. Ideally you have a flow path that moves air upward and out across the entire attic area. It's critical to vent heat in the summer and moisture in the winter.

It's that simple. Let us know in a comment or an edit to your question if this isn't feasible for some reason. The uninsulated floor isn't ideal, but it's a minor component of your overall problem.


two-phase 50amps electric switch I will be installing a NEMA 14-50 outlet/socket for my Level 2 EV charger.

On average, it'll be about one connect-disconnect cycle a day.

To avoid wear, I'd like to install a two-phase switch that will disconnect this NEMA 14-50 outlet. (also it'll be much more convenient to use a switch as pulling this plug might be hard, especially for my wife)

It has to be a two-phase switch, rated to at least 250V / 50 amps.
Since it'll be inside of a garage, it doesn't have to be weather-proof.

Spent an hour in Internet, and closest match I found is this -

but this one is only 20amps.

Also on an Australian web site found interesting switch+socket combined:

- although it would be ideal, I don't expect to find one for NEMA 14-50 outlet.

So any ideas for just a two-phase switch rated for 50 amps would be greatly appreciated. Can be either for surface or flush mounting.

The problem is, the pretty ones you saw there are Chinese junk.  You can't safely fit a 50A switch in an Au/UK 1-gang space, it needs more airspace than that to arrest arcs.

This need for a shutoff switch is a common one, and you can use any variety of air conditioner or outbuilding shutoff switches or hot tub mini-panels.  In some of them, they are simply a 2-space breaker panel, and the breaker is the shut off switch; a breaker is the cheapest 50A shut-off switch made.

You may use any device rated 50 amps or more; there is no need to match the size of the equipment to the size of the load. The 50A breaker in your main panel will protect your 50A equipment regardless of any higher-rated devices in the chain.


What's a good cheap sander to sand the ends of wooden blinds? I need to sand down some wooden blinds because they are about a millimeter too wide for the old window frames they are going into.

I'm trying to figure out a cheap and easy way to sand down about 6 sets of these blinds.

Does anyone know of a good cheap sander I could buy to do this job?

Does anyone know the best way to do this?

As 'cheap' is one of the requirements -- I'd probably go with a random orbit or even just a vibrating palm sander.  You can get some decent models for $50-60.

I would recommending one of the 1/4 sheet models, where you can use any sand paper that you cut down to size, rather than the fancy shapes that require you to specifically buy sand paper made for that model.  (the circular random orbit might be an exception ... the holes help to clear out sawdust faster and keep the paper from getting bogged down as quickly, but if you're going for cheap, 1/4 sheet's still your best bet in the long run).

I'd loosely secure the whole bundle with a ratchet strap or something similar, jog the slats so they're well aligned (stand it on end and tap it on the ground), then tighten the strap, and sand the edges down.

If the slats are really thin, and you fear them breaking, either add another strap close to the edge, or even just bundle it up with tape.  (if you don't want to deal with tape residue, use cling film or similar first, then tape it)


How do I support shelving What is the recommended distance between brackets when supporting a particleboard shelf 11 3/4 inches deep by 3/4 inches thick to support books?

There's no single answer, since it depends on the expected load. Use a calculator like this one


Circuit breaker panel voltage drops when a load is added I have a 240 volt 225 amp sub-panel. Both lines attached to the bus bar have 120v.

When I turn on any breaker connected to one of the bus bars, the voltage drops to 80-108v. If I remove the load and then turn on the breaker, I have 120v.

All breakers on the other bus bar when turned on do not affect the voltage. It remains at 120v.

Any idea what the issue is, as it doesn't seem to be the wire, the panel or the breakers.

It sounds like a bad connection to the main breaker or a bad hammer in the main breaker. Try making the measurement at the main prior to the breaker. If your voltage is normal above the breaker the hammer in the breaker is not making a good contact. If it is the breaker turn your small breakers all off. With all the small breakers turned off flip the main breaker 10-20 times on and off and see if this cleans the contact. Sometimes this fixes the problem with a bad contact. but be prepared to replace the main if it happens again. If your voltage is low prior to the main you need to call the power company and have them check the connections at the transformer / line fuses on the pole for a loose connection. I just realized you said this was a sub panel if this is a sub measure the voltage coming out of the main and verify the breaker feeding the panel is not the problem other than that same procedure for checking the main in a sub. The next thing to try is swap L1 & L2 your 2 hots feeding the sub and see if the problem follows the wire.


What is this foil-backed bitumen in my garden. Asbestos risk? I am clearing some old paving slabs which have been overgrown and covered with soil.  I keep coming across patches of thin (<1mm) black material, looks like bitumen, with some kind of foil backing.  It's possible they were stuck to the paving slabs (60cm square smooth concrete slabs) at some point, but if so they have delaminated. I also keep finding bits of broken horticultural glass in the same area which may or may not be related.

Any ideas what this might have been?  My concern is whether it could be an ACM.  Obviously testing is the way to be sure.  But having some idea what it could be will help in working out where else I might find it.

It tested negative for asbestos, though the surveyor (in to check out the house) did recommend testing as it was reinforced with some kind of fibre so potentially asbestos.  I've dug up several large sections so I think Ecnerwal was right - old shed roofing.


Adding back removed 3-way switch from 4-way setup I made a terrible mistake. I removed a 3-way switch from a 4 way switch setup without labeling the existing wires. Now the light the switch was attached to doesn't come on. I was going to put a blank in place of the switch but now I just want to put the switch back the way it was. I had just capped the three wires separately. I'm very sure the black and red wires were connected directly to the switch. The white wire probably was somehow twisted with all the other white wires from the other switches.

There is a 4 gang box upstairs with switches in it controlling four different lights. All lights are on the same circuit. All white wires except one are twisted together in this box. One white wire from a 2-wire (leftmost) is not connected to anything and has tape covering the end. I assume power comes in and is hooked into every light there. The switch I tried to remove from this box is a 3-way switch connected with a 3 wire. Downstairs is another 3-way switch connected with a 3 wire. (I assume they are connected together.) Red wire is top left, black is top right and white bottom right. Also downstairs is 4-way switch with two 2-wires coming in, blacks on left whites on right. The light controlled by all three switches is closest to this 4-way switch. There is one 2-wire coming into the light, I presume from the switch close to it. Directly above this 4-way switch is the 4 gang box upstairs.

Is it correct that all I have to to is add another white wire to the removed 3-way switch and twist it and the white wire from the capped white from the 3 wire together with all the other white wires and hook up the same way as the 3-way switch in the basement?

Power off.
Pick any 2 of the capped wires formerly attached to the 3-way.
Nut those two together.
Leave the third wire nutted independently.
Power on.
Throw any other switch in the 3/4 way group.  Does the light turn on or off?

all other 3/4-ways work correctly -- fail*. Pick a different pair and go to 1.
lights do not work in either position -- success. The two nutted together are the messengers.

Mark both messengers with yellow tape (or other appropriate marking) -- messengers are interchangeable, so you don't need to distinguish them from each other.

The two messengers go on the brass screws of the 3-way switch.

The remaining wire is common and goes on the black screw.

* Or, if you just want to eliminate that 3-way, you can stop right here and you are done.


Skill level required to install new windows Given basic abilities of home and car repair (i.e. installing new sinks, canned lights, basic wood working, oil changes, etc) what is the relative complexity level to install new windows, in a standard single family home ?

Does it take years of practice to be done correctly and left to a professional...or can it be studied and applied ?

I don't think it's that technically hard.  It does take some time and care.  A number of years ago, I installed 21 replacement Andersen windows in my house.  I was able to do about 2 to 4 a day working part time.

Replacement Windows avoided issues that putting in a "new construction" window requires.
You have to deal with the exterior and interior finishes.  On the exterior side, its about the flashing and waterproofing. And fitting with the siding.  Inside, you have to fit the jambs to the wall, fix any insulation & drywall issues, and fit the interior trim.

Even on replacement windows, I found myself having to fix and replace rotted and failing parts of the existing window sills, jambs and trim.

The job entails attention to detail, ability to cut,shim, and fit, understand the house wrap and sealing.  Eventually mounting the window level, plumb, and square.

For the unpracticed, it can be a learning curve that takes time and fiddling.  But if you are persistent you will pickup speed.   There are instructions that come with the windows, and videos you can watch online.


Basement Bathtub Backup I have 2 family house where 1st floor drainage system working fantastic. Now, 2nd floor bathtub and kitchen sink is connected to my basement bathtub drain. My basement bathtub backs up sometimes and after a while the water goes away. Sometime I see some bubbles in basement bathtub when someone take shower in second floor. I ran 50ft drain snake through my basement bathtub and nothing is stuck.
I’m guessing it’s some kind of venting problem.
Anyone know how to fix this issue without calling a plumber and paying lot of money?

This doesn't sound like a venting problem.

If your basement bathtub is backing up, I assume it is the lowest point in your plumbing drainage piping.  This typically means that the sewer service line to the city is clogged or restricted.

What snake did you use?   How far from your property to the city sewer main?   50' doesn't sound like enough.  How old is the house / sewer line, do you trees on your property?  You might also want to rent the scope to see the problem.

Rent the 100' sewer snake from homedepot and run that from your house out to the sewer main.


Why use a screwdriver when we have drill/drivers now? I'm wondering when should we choose a screwdriver.
Can it be used to put screws in wood, concrete or metal without drilling a hole?
If we need to drill a pilot hole anyway, why don't we just use drills to put the screws in?

If you can use a drill with a screwdriver bit to drive a screw, then most of the time, use it.

Here's when you might be smarter to use a screwdriver:

The screw is going into a pre-tapped (threaded) hole in metal, or plastic, or any soft material.
Always at least start such screws by hand -- so that you can avoid cross-threading them.
Putting screws into delicate assemblies: eyeglasses, electronics, medical prosthetics, etc.
When working in cramped spaces, a drill/driver often can't fit.  Screwdrivers come in flexible, stubby, right-angle, etc. varieties for such occasions.
For emergencies or odd jobs.  Multi-bit screwdriver tools are dirt-cheap now. I have one in all my vehicles. I keep one in my briefcase, one at my grandmother's house, etc.  You'd be surprised how often something needs to get screwed ;) and I certainly don't have dozens of cordless drills and chargers.

When the environment is likely to damage an electric device -- working in the rain, or in the mud under a house, or in a very gritty environment, etc. (Note that this is one more reason to make employees buy their own tools.)
When working with a material where finish is important.  A driver is much more likely to strip the screw interface, or to slip and mar the material being screwed, or to drive the screw too deep and crack or warp the surface of the material.
When driving slot-head screws.  These are notoriously hard to drive with a drill; the bit flies out of the slot too easily.
When a precise torque is needed.  (NEVER trust the torque setting on a motorized driver unless it is one of the industrial models made for that purpose and it has been recently calibrated.)
When the screw itself is delicate, such as plastic screws, soft metal screws, threaded wooden dowels, etc.
When working around volatile chemicals or in an explosive environment.
When working in a clean-room environment, screwdrivers are much less likely to contaminate and are easier to sanitize/sterilize.
When chemical or radiological contamination is an issue.  A plain screwdriver is much easier to decontaminate.
When the power has failed and/or the battery is dead (batteries also stop taking a charge after a while and need to be replaced).  Thanks to ratchet freak for the reminder.
When you want a nice vodka "kick" to your orange juice.


garage outlets stopped working So 3 outlets, and an exterior light (bulb is fine) in my garage stopped working. These outlets (and light) have been working fine for years, this is a recent development. I already toggled the circuit breaker to no effect. The only thing that does work is the ceiling light. I drew a diagram, and i'm making an assumption of how the wire runs (i don't want to start punching holes). I'm guessing the problem is between the ceiling light (orange circle) and the ceiling outlet (red triangle). Can y'all suggest what i could do to diagnose what the problem is?

Your problem has all of the symptoms of a tripped or bad GFCI device. Insure that all GFCI's are reset. As far as diagnostics are concerned, at this point you will need a multimeter or ammmeter, or begin replacing parts helter skelter until you find or replace whatever is broken.

First kill all power to the devices and lights. Then you need to open up all of the receptacle and light fixtures so you can access their terminals. Then you can turn the circuit back on and using your meter, you measure voltage from your source to your neutral and ground. It should be reading around 120V. When you find the devices that are not reading 120V trace back to the nearest intersection where you are reading 120V and not reading 120V, and somewhere in there is where you have an open circuit.

I can say that before I started all of that, using my meter I would verify that there is 120V at the circuit breaker and then I would do everything I could to locate the GFCI.

If your house was built after 1978 then your garage receptacles will be required to be on a GFCI device.

Good luck


Why is my hot water running out quickly regardless of other household water usage? I've noticed that my shower, which used to run hot water for what seemed like forever, now can only produce about 15 minutes of hot water. This doesn't appear to be related to other water usage in the house.

What are the possible causes of this? Could there be a leak in my water heater, etc?

If you have an electric hot water heater, it may mean that one of your two elements has burned out.   Most electric hot water heaters have an uppper and a  lower element; the upper runs until the top of the tank is hot, which provides quick recovery time, then when the top thermostat is satisfied, it transfers power to the lower thermostat, which heats until the entire tank is hot.

If you are getting less than a full tank of hot water, the most likely cause is the bottom element burning out.   Less likely, either of the thermostats could be faulty, which could be keeping the lower element from turning on.

If the upper element were burned out, you most likely wouldn't get any water, since the lower element is usually not turned on until the upper one shuts off.


What are possible environmental concerns that delay home construction/additions and why do they do so? I know that identifying wetlands or steep slopes on your property is important before you design and begin to build, but what other issues have people run into when trying to either start or finish an exterior project? I want to build an addition on my house, but I want to know what to expect or at least know where I can go to find this information. We are trying to determine a timeline for the project in order to make it easy for everyone involved. My contractor is looking into it as well, but I figured there was no harm in asking here!

Social: 1) Neighborhood, 2) schools: Many clients come to us to “remodel” their existing house because they like the neighborhood. They could find better land values elsewhere and probably build new cheaper, but they like their neighbor’s, etc.

Economic: 1) Financial, 2) investment: You probably won’t own that investment forever. Review trends in your area for increasing value. Will you need financing? Lending institutions require adequate time for closing.

Regulatory: 1) Adequate review period for permits, 2) adequate time for sub bids, utility install, etc.

Environmental: 1) Weather acceptable for material installation: Where I live, we build year-around, but it costs more in the winter because it’s slower and we have to protect our work from the weather.

Design: 1) adequate time for design review considerations, changes, etc. 2) adequate time to obtain materials and equipment. If you’re adding a second floor bath, do you have adequate water pressure? Will you a new electrical service added by utility? If you are not hooked up to the local sewer utility, you’ll need adequate time for soil sample analysis, testing and design approval. Likewise for water and you’ll need adequate distance between water supply (well) and septic system (septic tank and drainfield.


How to laser-level close to a surface Many self-leveling lasers, including my Bosch GCL 2-160, have a limitation when used to level a ceiling or a floor: the horizontal laser beam often cannot get within several inches of the ceiling or floor due to where the laser emerges from the device.

This really slows things down for me when trying to grind down a high spot in a concrete floor, or trying to shim the ceiling strapping. My workaround typically involves getting the laser as close as possible to the surface I'm trying to level, and then using a tape measure to sample the distance from the laser to the surface at a bazillion different locations.

Are there any devices or techniques to make this less painful?

A good ol' scrap block of two-by does nicely. Just set your laser 1-1/2" above your slab height and kick the block around as you work.

This doesn't work for ceilings, of course, but hopefully you have fewer points to measure in that case. You'd have to use something with a suction cup or magnet otherwise.


methods of detecting a copper pipe in concrete floor We believe that our copper water line is embedded in the concrete (and rebar) basement floor. We would like to excavate a hole to install a sump pump. We don't want to hit the copper line which we think is in the vicinity.

Is there any way to detect that copper line?

We've tried finding his line already with with 2 different metal detectors.

This a is a very interesting question. I must assume, hopefully not wrongly, you are talking about a main supply line from the street. I can see no reason for an in house line to be embedded in the floor unless it feeds an out building or the like. In any case, an in-house line could be tracked back to some point of source and rerouted if necessary.
As for a street supply line, Mitch is correct in that the utility or a good metal detector can follow the line to the point where is enters the foundation. Usually it would follow a fairly straight path to the meter/main shut off from that point.  That would give you a good guess where the line is routed.  It will be very difficult to detect this line in concrete with rebar. The rebar will show on the detector and mask the copper. If you can find the point of entry, and follow it to the meter, use a placement for your sump pit far from this assumed line. As a precaution, I would be tempted to have the main water supply shut off while the sump pit is opened up. If you do hit the line, you won't have water gushing in at 70PSI.  If you're unlucky enough to find the line and damage it, then you can at least carefully work around it, clean up the line on either side of the damage and repair it in the sump hole.


replacing a range outlet I am replacing the range in my kitchen with a free standing range.  The old range was a electric cook top with a separate wall oven. The old oven and stovetop were connected to a breaker box behind the cabinet which was connected to a junction box near the floor.  I removed the breaker and junction box and all wiring.  Now all I have coming through the floor is the main wiring. There are 3 wires:red, black and white, no ground.  Do I attach a 3 prong recepticle to this or does it have to be 4 prong?  There is no ground wire.  And get a 3 prong cord for my stove?  Will it be grounded?  Sometimes I would receive a slight shock from the stove if I touched the sink at the same time.  I was told that the stovetop was going bad.

There is a provision in the National Electrical Code that will allow a 3-wire installation, in situations where there is existing wiring (250.140 exception). You should be fine to install a three prong receptacle, and use a three prong range cord.

There should be special instructions in the manufacturer's installation instructions that are included with the range, that will specify exactly how to attach the 3-wire cord.

If you're really concerned about it, or want to update to follow modern code. You could install a new 3-wire with ground cable, and use 4-prong receptacle and cord.

  National Electrical Code 2014

  Chapter 2 Wiring and Protection

  Article 250 Grounding and Bonding

  250.140 Frames of Ranges and Clothes Dryers. Frames
  of electric ranges, wall-mounted ovens, counter-mounted
  cooking units, clothes dryers, and outlet or junction boxes
  that are part of the circuit for these appliances shall be
  connected to the equipment grounding conductor in the
  manner specified by 250.134 or 250.138.

  Exception: For existing branch-circuit installations only
  where an equipment grounding conductor is not present in
  the outlet or junction box, the frames of electric ranges,
  wall-mounted ovens, counter-mounted cooking units,
  clothes dryers, and outlet or junction boxes that are part of
  the circuit for these appliances shall be permitted to be
  connected to the grounded circuit conductor if all the following
  conditions are met.

  (1) The supply circuit is 120/240-volt, single-phase,
  3-wire; or 208Y/120-volt derived from a 3-phase,
  4-wire, wye-connected system.

  (2) The grounded conductor is not smaller than 10 AWG
  copper or 8 AWG aluminum.

  (3) The grounded conductor is insulated, or the grounded
  conductor is uninsulated and part of a Type SE serviceentrance
  cable and the branch circuit originates at the
  service equipment.

  (4) Grounding contacts of receptacles furnished as part of
  the equipment are bonded to the equipment.


How to clean gray paint from copper pipe for push-in fitting? I currently have old radiators and connected 1/2" copper pipes that were painted in grey color long time ago (assuming when heating was put in place). One pipe has developed a leak and need to replace about a foot or so.

I'm going to be using push-in SharkBite coupling. How to I clean the paint off copper pipe?

You ask:

  How to I clean the paint out of copper pipe?

I have to presume that you really mean "off of the copper pipe".

Paint can be removed from the copper pipe using steel wool. A course style will be better to begin with and follow up with a finer style to nicely shine up the copper pipe.

If the paint is extra thick you could try removing a good bit of it first using a sharp utility knife to peel most of it off the pipe.

Jell type paint remover is another option to soften the old paint but that option comes with its own set of extra concerns with odor and caustic nature when handling it.

With any type of paint removal like this it is highly advisable to question the possibility as to whether the paint is a lead bearing type. If so you need to take proper precautions with respect to any dust and debris created as a part of the paint removal.


Bench soldering copper pipe into a subassembly Is it possible to pre-assemble and pre-solder copper pipes into a subassembly that then can be installed using a threaded fitting?  I'd much rather solder the joints either in an oven environment or on a workbench than sweat them right up against my water heater.  This is for a downpipe drain on a water heater T&P valve -- our heater currently lacks the downpipe, with the T&P just "spitting" sideways.  The valve in question has internal threads on its downstream (open to air) end, by the way.

Also -- copper is the material I want to use here -- last I heard, PEX isn't code-compliant where I live, and I would not want to use it anyway due to the prospect of material damage if the T&P ever had to function in anger.

Yes, it's possible to bench solder, and in fact you should generally avoid soldering on an assembled threaded assembly. "Oven soldering" is a completely absurd approach to plumbing. Save it for your SMT electronics projects.

If you are very uncomfortable about soldering, just use threaded pipe (steel, brass, stainless steel...) and threaded fittings.