What precautions should I take before moving my family into a pre-1978 (lead-paint-era) house? I am about to sign a lease and move with my family, including a 3 mo old and 2 yr old, into a home that was built in 1944. The house is in good condition and has been repainted at least once in the last decade.

The lessors are required to inform me about the dangers of lead paint, but the house has never been tested for lead.

How much should I worry about the dangers of lead and what precautions should I take to reduce the risks? Should I have the house tested?

You have to actually eat, inhale, or otherwise take in lead paint for it to cause lead poisoning: it can't be absorbed through touch.  So, if you find paint flaking anywhere, you should keep your children out of the room, scrape the flaking area (while wearing a mask), and repaint.  Then clean the area thoroughly, especially if flecks fell on anything they are likely to stick in their mouths.

Be wary of lead paint on surfaces that may become scraped/worn easily, as that could lead to lead paint fleck/powder flying around.

If you still feel concerned, you can have the house tested.  Also, be aware that US public schools are required by law to offer free lead testing in kindergarten and first grade.

Thanks to Robert for suggesting this link from the EPA on lead hazards.


How is a toilet flange attached to new flooring? Doing a complete remodel on upstairs bathroom.  New tub is set, putting down Hardi backer on the floor.  Do you cut the hole in the backer board around the sewer pipe to fit right up to it, or do you leave some slight space away from the pipe, but yet under the flange?  I'm tiling over the backer board.  I've read already that the flange should sit on top of your finished flooring.  My questions is, do you screw through the flange holes and into the backer board?  Or does the toilet merely sit over the flange (wax ring also) and just the 2 screws for the toilet go into the flange ring?  Given that the flooring will be level, and the flange is already solid into the sewer pipe, is it necessary to screw through the holes in the flange itself to secure it to the subfloor?

You should screw the flange through the floor, through the subfloor, and ideally into some kind of framing.  Use all holes.  I don't fully understand the reason for this, but all flange manufacturers are very clear that you need to screw the flange down.


What are these screws called? Please can someone advise what is the correct name for these screws? I went to a local DIY store but couldn't seem to get them.

That is a sheet metal screw with a Phillips head.

It is very similar to a flange-head screw and somewhat similar to a pan-head screw.


Drip water system low pressure I've been struggling getting a simple drip water system running.

I don't think the specific brand matter, but I'm using Rain Drip components from Lowe's.

I have 10 rose planters I'm trying to connect together. I'm using a faucet mounted timer/pressure regulator.

The system comprises of 1/4" tubing, with assorted outlets: drippers, "bubblers", sprays. I cut the tubing, insert barbed T-connectors, and then use short (3-4") tubes to reach the outlets. The last item in the chain is just connected straight to the tube. All of the tubes are the same (vs a 1/2" feeder to 1/4" branches).

I tried working with the drippers, but it was inconsistent. I've since switched to sprayers. These are small, adjustable sprayers and cast water out in 8 or 10 streams (vs a classic sprinkler head that actually sprays).

But, simply, I don't get consistent pressure across the system. The first sprayer is "ok", but the rest mostly just gurgle along regardless of how I adjust them.

I've tried removing the timer to use the full pressure of the house water, and it didn't make any difference.

This all seems just far too complicated for such a simple system. Cut the tube, plug in the fitting, move on. I don't believe it's clogged with anything but, honestly while the system is pretty trivial to put together, taking it apart is a real pain (most likely a feature, not a bug long term -- but short term, it's pain).

So, I feel like I must be missing something fundamental to these drip systems.

I guess what I should do next is go to each sprayer, remove the head, and turn it on and see if I get the same height from each one. But I can use any advice from folks with more experience with these systems.

The problem is that pressure loss in 1/4" tubing is relatively high. You'll have much better results if you use larger tube for distribution and use the 1/4" only for branching to single emitters (maybe two, but likely not more than that).

Pressure loss in a tube is a function of flow (gallons per minute, or other similar unit) and tube diameter. As tube gets smaller or flow gets larger the pressure drop increases. This happens remarkably quickly with 1/4" tube.

I suggest building your system by working from the most distant emitter back toward the source. Pick an emitter and measure off the length of tube needed to get to where you want the next fitting to be. Instead of connecting to that fitting, connect to the water source. Verify the flow from the emitter is satisfactory - this confirms that the 1/4" tube is adequate for the flow that lone emitter requires. Add the next emitter, tube, and tee, and test with the water source again. After a few iterations you'll have an idea how many emitters a length of 1/4" tube can supply. It's at this point that the system needs to transition to a larger tube.

Since the system is already assembled, you could repeatedly break it down into smaller pieces until it becomes a set of subsystems that each work well on their own. These would then be joined to a larger distribution tube from the water source.


bathroom exhaust fan doesn't work Bathroom exhaust fan stopped working. Wall switch is dual --one for light and other for fan. Voltage at light switch is 125VAC but voltage at fan switch (measured bare wires) was only 16VAC! My guess is an in-the-wall electrical problem. Any other ideas?

The fan was the problem. I measured voltage at the fan and it was 125. Experience has told me to look for the sample explanation first. I started with the wall switch. Wrong. I should have went to the fan first. Replacement was simple. I didn't have to remove the casing, only the fan which was a Nutone. I found it at Home Depot...Lowes did not have it.

Next problem I have I will think about it more before I actually do anything. Perhaps my advanced age (77) has blurred my thought processes.


How can I install exterior trim around my windows My house has serviceable but plain-looking windows:

I'd like to spruce them up a bit, by installing some exterior trim that can be painted in a contrasting color when we have the house painted in a month or two. I like the look of something like

or

My questions are as follows:

The windows in the examples I gave seem to be inset from the wall, whereas mine comes out from the wall. What's a good way of dealing with that without it looking terrible? Do I need to cut some kind of angle into my trim boards to cover that up?

The angled part also has weep holes. Does that mean I simply can't cover up that part, or can I cut corresponding weep holes into my trim?

The problem that you will have is that you have stucco walls, this complicates the attachment of any decorative trim (but does not make it impossible).

For your application I would suggest lightweight foam architectural trim, painted as you wish. This is commonly used around windows on homes with stucco walls (albeit it is usually installed on the "brown coat" then stucco'ed over). The advantages are that it can be attached using special adhesive, you then caulk around it and paint; any other type of trim (wood, shutters, etc.) would require drilling into the stucco and using anchors to fasten.


What is the proper way to route ground from semiflush mount panel to grounding rod? [

I'm using #6 shielded grounding wire to go down inside wall then coming out to a rod in corner by bricks and continuing on outside attached to house around corner going 6 feet away to 2nd grounding rod. Is there a box or something I need to install where ground wire comes out of stucco or do I just fill around it with fire caulk or? thank you for all the help everyone. You all make me proud to be an electrician. Also how much do I leave the ground rod sticking up out of slab and do I need to put anykind of sleeve around the rod where it goes thru the concrete? I'm in southern California.

No need for a j-box you can just fire caulk the hole. Be sure and strap down the ground wire. Ground rods should be driven completely into the ground, most AHJ let you leave a few inches above the soil to make the ground connection.


Mini-spit AC unit consuming electric power when off I have discovered that my recently installed mini-split is still consuming electric power when it is turned off.   This is a 12k btu cooling only TGM mini-split inverter. I noticed that it seemed to be using more electricity than the similar mini-split that it replaced, and I thought that was strange given that both units have the same SEER rating of 21. So I started measuring loads on the circuit with my amprobe. What I discovered is a constant 24/7 load of 0.27 amps on each leg when the unit is off. This is with the remote set to off, air deflection vane in the closed position, no evaporator fan, no condenser fan, and of course no compressor load. I was measuring the load at the breaker and although it is a dedicated circuit, I thought perhaps there might be something else that I don't know about tapping into the circuit. So then I measured the load at the condensing unit and got exactly the same reading - 0.27 amps on each leg with everything off. In my opinion this 24/7 load is not an insignificant parasitic load that would normally be necessary to await a signal from the remote. And by the way, the other mini-split in my apartment is an older single speed unit that draws 0.0 amps when I select the OFF button on the remote. Yet it still responds instantly when I send a signal from the remote to turn on. Any new theories as to what is going on here with my new mini split? I have had this new unit for less than a month, and I am wondering if there is a defect.

Your old system did draw current but your measurement equipment was probably not sensitive enough to measure it. If there is a remote to control and activate the system it has to have some power to do this.
Your new system being an inverter based system is also always drawing power the control buss is usually powered up to maintain the charge on the capacitors if it is powered down it will take an average of 30 seconds up to 3 minutes to deplete this charge and to wake the system up takes longer than when in standby and is harder on the electronics.
Where your new system will out preform a single speed system is it can maintain the coolant/ heating levels without starting and stopping all the time but running at a slower rate using less energy overall.
So yes your inverter based system is probably drawing 270ma but this is how that technology works just the elimination of a few hard startups a day will more than compensate for the small draw when not in use.
And your equipment was not sensitive enough to measure the 15-20 ma of Curren draw in your old system if the remote can turn it on there is current being consumed.


Fixing broken fence posts with Simpson Strong-Tie E-Z Mender and concrete With a recent wind storm, most of backyard fence fell over in the adjoining school yard. The fence posts were set in dirt I believe and snapped; we didn't build the fence...

In the past, I have used a product like the Simpson Strong-Tie E-Z Spike. It's not cheap nor easy to drive in. I was considering using the E-Z Mender instead and pouring in some fast setting concrete as well to a depth about 18-24" around each broken post. I'm look at about a $200 repair in materials alone for five posts, so I am a bit cautious at doing this.

I am open to alternative suggestions.

I'm going through the same thing with a similar fence in a similar setting.  There appear to be three options:

Attempt to repair the existing posts.  Pros: straightforward.  Cons: expensive and you risk having to redo everything within a short time when another part of the posts rots out.  Could be ugly looking, too.
Yank the broken posts and replace them.  This requires detaching the panels from the posts (they're usually nailed or screwed on), digging out the remains of the post, setting new posts, and re-attaching the panels.  Pros: Costs are minimal--you pay for the replacement 4 by 4s plus a few nails or screws.  Cons: Digging out a well-set post (especially if concrete was poured around it) is time- and labor-intensive.
Replace the broken fence.  Do this by removing all panels between the extremal good posts.  Minimize the damage and save the panels.  Cover up the remains of the broken posts (after cutting them off below ground level if need be).  Buy one more post than you lost.  Set new posts where the middles of the panels used to be: this should be virgin territory, so it's no harder than starting a new fence.  Cut one of the panels in half: use the two pieces to span the short stretches at the ends.  Put the other panels in place.  Pros: Costs are low, not much higher than option #2.  Cons: you wind up with two short panels along the fence.  (You can choose where they are located, perhaps putting them behind existing bushes.)

I have been doing a combination of #2 and #3.  My strategy is #3 (so that replacement posts go into new holes), but I was forced into using #2 when a post I thought was still good broke off in the middle of an otherwise competent stretch of fence.  It was easier to yank the old one than to cut a couple panels and put two new posts in.  Incidentally, I'm re-using fence materials (posts and replacement panels) from another location (obtained free) because the remaining fence isn't going to last long anyway.  (Total cost for all repairs: a few dollars for a box of screws and some 10d nails.)  There's little sense in using new, costly materials to repair an installation that will need a complete replacement in a few years.  Yours looks like it's in similar shape.


Rolled paint on wall has a patch that goes completely flat (not colour but flat as in looks like it wash brushed not rolled) I have a patch on my wall where the rolled paint goes completely flat against the wall so it looks like it was brushed on in that area rather than rolled like the whole wall.
Before I painted it there was a patch of paint there that was really smooth, almost gloss like, I have no idea what was used but it was obviously to cover up something. Anyway, before I painted the wall myself I sanded down the whole wall included that area. I then put an undercoat/primer from Dulux™ over the whole wall.
I noticed when doing the primer it bubbled up in one part of that area but only a small bit and it then dried and looked OK. So I thought, that's it sorted.
When I then rolled the new paint, it looked fine then when it dried, in that area, there was no roller stipple (is that what its called?) it just seemed like it sunk into the wall and laid flat. I left it a day then did a second coat, same thing. I then resorted to dabbing the area with the brush to recreate a similar affect as the roller, but again, it dried and laid flat again!
I think I will end up having to sand back that area and redo it unless anyone has any ideas? Also, I don't want to go through the process then find it does it again anyway. I could, of course just ignore it as it is not noticeable unless close up but it is annoying me as i spent ages trying to do it all right.
Before I forget, I even tried applying a thin layer of filler and then over painting that with the roller and STILL it lays flat!
Picture Added: I have circled the part I mean otherwise where the camera loses focus it also looks flattened, also I will get rid of the obvious bits once figured out why it keeps going flat.

Looking at your photo that is a patched area that the person that did the patch did not know to texture it. I would rough up the area a bit with sandpaper and get a can of orange peal texture shoot the texture heavy in the center and fade to the outside (do not mask off the area or you will see the lines. After the texture is dry repaint and it will look better.
Matching texture can be very tough but orange peal (what you have I’d the easiest).
The trick is to go slowly where there is no texture and quickly where there is some.
Or have the spray can 8” in the center and as you approach the edge pull out to 16” . This will fade the repair and hide the repair.
Paint as normal note some spray textures need primer some don’t when it is a small patch like you have I use a can and the texture that seals itself or no primer needed.
Shake the can often and have plenty of fresh air some of the spray textures are kind of nasty to breathe. Read the instructions.


Breaker for 240V baseboard heater, do I need GFCI/AFCI? I have an old electric 240V baseboard heater. Currently, it is using 2 single pole 20 amp breakers. I am going to change that to a 1 double pole breaker. No neutral is used. Is GFCI and/or AFCI breaker required? Does such a breaker even exist?

You need to handle-tie those 2 breakers, boy howdy!  If you can't find an appropriate factory handle tie, use a 2-pole breaker.
You don't need to GFCI a 240V circuit; the only exception being if you're in NEC 2020 territory (about 4 states so far) AND the location is one that normally needs GFCI (garage, basement, kitchen, bathroom etc.)
AFCI protects the wiring from arcing, which can cause house fires. Unfortunately 2-pole AFCIs are scarce.  NEC is not in the habit of requiring use of products which do not exist in the marketplace, so you're in the clear on that.
However if you want it, you might get lucky with your panel's brand.  For instance GE's latest AFCIs do not need neutral wires and are specifically designed to be used in pairs with a handle-tie for 240V circuits and MWBCs.  But you can only use those in GE panels.
You cannot use brand X breakers in your panel, only your own brand, or Eaton CL, Eaton CHQ or Siemens QD which are UL-approved for competitor panels.  However none of those offer anything special in the AFCI space.


How can I build a fence with posts that rest on concrete? We have a townhouse complex that is on the second floor.  The building is a "U" shape. There is a central courtyard in the middle of the U that has some private use space for each homeowner, which we need to fence off for each unit. The courtyard base is a concrete slab that has a waterproof membrane on it, which is then topped with 4.5" of rigid styrofoam insulation and then some compacted gravel and a combination of 2' x 2' pavers (for walkways) and artificial turf.

We are looking for a solution that would give us a reasonably solid fence without drilling any brackets into the concrete slab (and thereby penetrating the waterproof membrane).  We've been told to avoid doing that at all costs.  Whatever base we use could sit ON the membrane/slab, but is not physically attached to it.  At the building perimeter, the fence can be attached to brick walls, so it's the posts that hold the panels extending out from the building that need a good mounting solution.  This is kinda like a floating fence.  Anyone have any creative solutions to this?

You could build a modified free standing Colonial Style Log Fence. It is basically logs or boards in a zig-zag pattern. Instead of logs it can be built with dimensional lumber 2x4's or 4x4's etc. They were originally used to mark property lines or animal confinement. You could drill a hole in both ends of the boards and use a piece of pipe or re-bar as a pin to align the zigs to the zags. The advantage of this type of fence is wind passes through it. It would take a decent gale to move it. The minus is it uses a lot of material per linear foot of fence line and depending on the lumber used could allow small animals or children through the fence.


What are some recommended cordless trimmers/weed-eaters? I'm looking to pick up a cordless trimmer/weed-eater.  I have a bit of an anti-noise bias, so I'm hoping to find something that's electric cordless, not a gas-powered one.

Are there any trimmers of that sort that have decent power and battery life?  Or is the very nature of the tool such that a cordless electric version won't be satisfactory?

For what it's worth, I have a fairly small yard ~ 1/3 acre.

Edit

Gave the Black and Decker a whirl, and it was perfect - one battery on full charge, and I didn't even run it down doing the whole yard.

I own this cordless string trimmer: Black and Decker NST2018 ($100)

It comes with two batteries, so if the first one goes dead, you can pop in the second one and keep going.  (Always keep the spare one in the charger!)

I am happy with its performance.  My lot is 0.35 acres.  I use it to trim along my driveway, sidewalk, swing set, and a few flower beds.  I don't have a fence around my lot, or anything that requires extended use.  My usual trimming routine takes ~30 minutes, not counting cleanup.  I can usually finish the trimming in a single battery charge.  If I have neglected the yard for a while, it might take 1.5 battery charges to do everything.

It has an auto-string feed, which hasn't failed me yet.

You can rotate the trimmer 90 degrees to do edging work.  I do this along the edge of my sidewalk and driveway.  Makes a really "sharp" line, which looks nice.

It is pretty convenient to use.  No cords to drag around the yard, no engine to service.

However the battery does have its limits.  It starts out with decent power, but as the battery starts to wear down in the last few minutes, the motor RPMs will decrease.  It will still trim, just not as well.  If I had a larger lot, or a fence, or more things to trim around (garden, lots of landscaping features, etc), I would probably need something more powerful.  If your trimming routine is similar to mine, it should be OK for you.

My string trimmer is part of a larger Black and Decker 18V Yard System.  I also own the hedge trimmer and leaf blower from the set.  Since the batteries are interchangeable, I have plenty of spares and chargers.  Do you need other yard power tools?  If so, consider getting a set with interchangeable batteries.

When I got my yard tools, the Lithium Battery stuff was still pretty new, and no one was offering an interchangeable set.  Now there are at least a few on the market, so you may want to consider them over what I have.  Have never used one though, so I can't make a specific recommendation.


Are there left hand cartridges for Delta two handle faucets? Is there a left hand faucet cartridge for delta-delex two handle faucets? Or are all cartridges interchangeable?

Yes, there are cartridges supplied in left and right configuration. No, not all cartridges are interchangeable.


Is there any feasible way to work with live electrical wiring? Possible Duplicate:
  How do I install an electrical outlet on a live circuit?

I remember back in my college days, having a badly damaged outlet plug on a built-in dresser/vanity right above my bed (the face had cracked away exposing the metal contacts for the hot and ground). My solution, not needing the plug at all, was simply to tape over it. However, had I put in a maintenance request, let's assume for a second that the most granular breaker circuit available would still shut down half the dorm floor and so it normally wouldn't be done.

How then would an electrician or maintenance guy attempt to replace the outlet while keeping it live? Obviously the average joe working on his home wiring should ALWAYS kill the breaker (because otherwise he can kill himself), but if you HAD to work on a live circuit, as a professional electrician, how would you prepare/protect yourself?

Professional electricians work on live circuits all the time. They don't shut down the powergrid when they have to climb a telephone pole. ;)

The key with working with ANY electricity is to make sure you aren't grounded and providing a path for the current. This typically involves using all sorts of various insulators...rubber gloves...rubber shoes...not using metal tools, not being on a metal ladder, etc, etc.

But yea, whenever possible, kill the power first.


Why do I have low water pressure with more than one fixture turned on? What would cause low water pressure or flow when more than one fixture is turned on. It does not matter if it's hot or cold water.

I am going to answer this assuming you get your water from the city...

Check to make sure your lines are at least 3/4".  If they are you should not normally lose a drastic amount of water pressure unless you had a lot of things running.  3/4" is the standard in the US.  Also make sure your water heater is not being fed by 3/4" line - I have seen this several times.  Every time the water heater needs water it sucks everything out.
Check the material of your main line.  If it is some steel material you could be dealing with a rusting/shrinkage issue.  You should replace this because this also has health side effects
If pipe checks out fine - copper and 3/4" or greater then next step is to a pressure test.  I have had the water company out several times to my house.  They do have a gauge that can check but the most common thing they do is firmly put their thumb over the first opening in the line.  If their thumb can hold down the pressure (water will come out but your thumb won't flip back) then there is a pressure issue.  I know this isn't exact science but it is something a home owner can do in a few mins.
So you need to figure out where your water comes in and see if there is something before your shut-off.  On almost all houses there is an outside hose tap in this location.  Use that to test.  Some houses it might be a laundry area.  Either way do the thumb test.
If you do not have adequate water pressure in step 3 through your first outlet, then you can call the water company.  They will come out and check the pressure coming out your connection to the main.  If they find a problem with the pressure it is on them.  I had this happen to me.  They actually had to replace a main piece on my street and had to dig up about 300 meters.
So they replaced part of the main.  Water pressure should be great now right?  While they were doing the main massive air pockets went into the line and my toilet was jumping up and down like that Goonies scene.  The next day they come by and test the main connection to my house.  They say it looks great... Good pressure in the house?  No.
So they replace the first elbow after my shut-off (very nice of them) because this commonly collects mineral deposits and causes blockage - water company said this fixes 20-30% of their pressure issues.  Did it fix mine?  No.
During their main pipe replacement they had pressurized air used for cleaning... This blew a bunch of crap in my line between the main and my house.  They hooked up an air compressor and blew out my line - the crap actually blew out of the elbow that they took off after the shut-off.  I was very surprised by the amount of big mineral deposits and crap that came out.

on a complete side note and still very relevant to troubleshooting pressure - I have about 120 feet from main to my house.  If you have a long distance like this you will not have the best water pressure on the block.  This is simply due to friction.  The longer the line the less water pressure.  Some people might suggest upping the line to 1".  That is if your city will let you.  And if they do (given you have a long line) - it will cost a ton.  It is doable and another option is a booster pump - also messy and expensive.  Just know longer line means less pressure - shouldn't be drastic but will be less.

OK now I have good pressure - clean pipes.  What if the pressure was still bad?  I would be replacing the connection between main and my house.  Who pays for this?  Depends where you live.  My city pays 50% I think.
Now going back to point #3 - lets say we had good water pressure at our first outlet, what do you check next?  The first thing you need to do is an audit.  You should have 3/4" or greater coming in.  The first thing you need to do is make sure you do not have 3/4" feeding any fixture.  If you do that is a problem that will cause pressure issues.

Next are there any low pressure zones?  If there are you may be looking at a valve that is restricting pressure.  You need to figure out if it is a house-wide issue or when you try to use particular zones in the plumbing.  Blockage at valves is the most common (still not real common with pex or copper) and then elbows next.
Last is about your expectations.  What do you think you can have running with a 3/4" line?  If you have 3 showers running off of 1/2" pipe (which is common) and all shower valves/heads allow for the full rate of water flow (not remotely common) then you would definitely not have enough water pressure.  One fully functional 3/4" line can feed a little more than two 1/2" lines.  In practice this isn't true though because valves slow down the water process and shower heads will have flow (low) controls.
If you have older fixtures you could have two issues hurting you.  First maybe your shower head has no flow control so it is just pumping out water.   Then older valves have two issues.  First they mix poorly, so any fluctuation coming to the valve will be magnified.  Then they often have filter that are blocked up, which slows water flow...
If other people have things to add just edit and add it if you want.


Is PEX water piping allowed in San Francisco? I’m sorry if this is inappropriate to ask so specifically for San Francisco dwellers, but I couldn’t find the answer this online.  Does anyone know if PEX plumbing is allowed for water piping solutions?

Looks like San Francisco uses an amended version of the 2015 Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC). So as long as the PEX conforms to NSF 61 and has the marking "NSF-61" or "NSF pw", it should be allowed.  A quick call to the San Francisco building department, should provide a definitive answer.


Rewiring European Chandelier I have a chandelier that was bought in Europe in early 1990s, and I would like to hang it in my house in the US on a standard 120V AC circuit. There is nothing in the box or in the manual stating that the wiring is appropriate for the US, the wires follow European coloring scheme and "250V" is prominently stamped on the inside of the ceiling canopy, so I assume that the safest option is to rewire it. Below is my plan, and I appreciate if you could point out any obvious safety or code compliance issues and answer the questions at the end.

The chandelier has 8 arms, each labelled "40W". I plan to replace the European socket in each arm with a candelabra socket. The ones I consider buying are rated up to 75W, so the max total wattage of the chandelier would be 75W * 8 = 600W (*)
Replace the black/blue wires in each arm with 18/2 SVT or SJT stranded lamp cord and connect it to the new sockets
Replace the black/blue/green-yellow wires in the rod with 18/3 SVT or SJT stranded lamp cord. Connect the ground wire of the new 18/3 lamp cord to the original grounding screw at the bottom of the rod.
Connect the hot and neutral wire in each arm to the hot and neutral wires in the rod, respectively

My questions are:

Is 18 AWG wire appropriate for this load (600W) or do I need a heavier gauge?
Is SVT or SJT wire type important here?
In the last step, I need to connect nine wires together (one from each arm + the main one). Is there a wire connector that is designed to handle 9 18 AWG wires? Could the red wire nut handle it? If there is no single connector that can handle all 9, what would be the best option to minimize pigtails, and what connectors should I use? For example, I could connect 4 wires from arms + 1 pigtail and then connect the two resulting pigtails to the main wire. Which wire connectors should I use in that case?

(*) In reality, I will probably use LED candelabra bulbs equivalent to either 25W or 40W, but I do not see any significant cost or time savings in cutting corners here in terms of max wattage, even if safety is not an issue.

The 18-gauge wire for the arms is fine. You could even go a bit smaller safely if you wanted. The code, Table 400.5 (A) & (B) says that the 18-guage can also handle the entire fixture, although I would like to see 16-guage for the entire fixture.

I would definitely use fixture wire, SVT & SJT would be good.

I would use a pre-insulated crimp connector. Use the smallest one that will handle all the wires.  Get and use the right tool.

Spice once only for each lead.


Is there an improper way to connect water lines to water heater? The building just installed some new pipes and since then I believe that the hot showers cannot last as long as they once did.

Is there a sub-optimal way to hook up a new cold water intake that would mean that cold water would mix prematurely with the hot water running to the bath or anything that might cause a lowering of the available hot water?

There is a way that cold water would mix prematurely with the hot water.  This could happen if there is something wrong with the cold water dip tube.  The cold water dip tube takes the cold water from the connection at the top of the tank to the bottom of the tank where it is heated.    If the dip tube becomes faulty or is removed, the hot water from the tap will run out quickly.

Failure of dip tubes is common, especially with water heaters from the mid 90's.  There is also the outside unlikely chance that it was removed when replacing the pipes.

Of course, you get the same effect if the hot and cold connections are reversed.


What would cause my sink to back up and my dishwasher pipe to overflow? So I installed a new disposal and connected the dishwasher directly to the disposal. I put a stopper in the second drain pipe the dishwasher was draining to and all has been ok. Recently, the sink isnt draining, I tried snaking, plunging, and removed and reinstalled the pipes. I removed the plug on the second drain pipe under the sink, but now everything is overflowing and spilling up under my sink. Any suggestions on what else I could do here? This is my last step before biting the bullet and calling a plumber.

Call the plumber.  That kind of backing up indicates a problem down the line that is not easily addressed.


How to use hopper gun to apply drywall mud to walls in rental mobile home I want to use a hopper gun to create a textured or splatter effect on mobile home drywalls.  I have an air compressor and I need to know how to start applying the drywall mud to my walls?  How many coats should I apply?  I am trying to create a textured splatter effect on the original drywalls of a mobile home I bought to rent out but the walls have a few spots that were damaged that I am trying to cover

Texture isn't terribly hard, but there's a few things to note.

Last question first: texture isn't going to hide much in the way of damaged drywall unless you really lard it on. Fix the drywall first.

You'll be shooting texture, not drywall mud. (Texture is usually sold in powdered form and mixed by you. Practice mixing/shooting.)

Check that your air compressor puts out the required CFM to run the gun. (The hopper gun will specify.) You might need to rent a bigger compressor.

One coat is usually the right number, but if you really screw up and have bare spots, you might have to let everything dry and shoot more on top. That's hard to do well, so don't mess up. (If you put too much texture on, just trowel it off when it's wet and shoot again. Obviously, this isn't an option if you're on the second coat, so it's extra stressful.)

Decide in advance what kind of texture you want (orangepeel, knockdown, etc) and practice on some scrap. (Different nozzles/pressure/speed give different patterns.)

You need to mask off everything you don't want texture on. This might be the most tedious part of the job.

It's nice to have a helper that can dump the texture mix in while you hold the hopper.

Did I mention practice? You should practice.


Is this wiring up to code? I opened up a wall to renovate my kitchen and noticed something funny. The outlet on the right, which faced the kitchen, is fed with 12 gauge wire. Then there is a "jumper" line as shown, which is 14 gauge, connecting to the outlet on the left which faces the dining area.
Question 1: is this ok to leave?
Question 2: where would the wire be going from the outlet on the left back up through the ceiling? Could I assume it is feeding another outlet? I have to move both these vertical wires to remove this wall.
Thanks for any help.

After reading your comment on the wire size there are multiple code violations.
If there is 14 awg wire on a general purpose branch circuit the maximum breaker is 15 amps.
Also the nmb needs to be secured within 8-12” of the boxes. if clamps 12” is ok  but those appear to just be KO or knock out entries so a staple is required within 8”.
Today different sizes of nmb usually have different sheath colors; white for 14awg,  yellow for #12 and orange for 10awg. This was started as an inventory tracking but most manufacturers have adopted the colors/size
It is not mandated but started after Y2K and makes it easy to catch changes in wire sizes.
Black cable is used for both 6&8 awg not sure why they did not separate those sizes by color.


Fix drywall around a electric panel I just upgraded our electric panel. But there are quite a few holes around the new panel (see the picture below) .

How can I fix the upper and lower holes around the panel? Thanks.

Frame it with wood.  Make it removable.

The Victorians had a brilliant sensibility.  When they built bathrooms, they would build a small, attractive cabinet door in the wall on the other side of the tub spigot.  You need access to the plumbing guts?  Open the door.  It has proven indispensable.

What looks like ugliness is in fact a godsend.  You have access to the exterior of the panel for adding more circuits.  That said, you still want fire protection.

Since this is a utility space anyway, I would build a simple, attractive wood frame of 1x4's around the panel, bridging over those holes.  I would make the top and bottom easily removable.  Also set it back just enough the service panel cover is easily removed without removing the top and bottom.

For fire protection, I would cut drywall pieces to fill those ugly holes top and bottom, and attach them to the back of the 1x4 framing.  That way the framing holds the drywall in place.   Want to add a circuit? Remove two screws and the 1x4 comes off, voila.

Since it is a utility space that gets dirty fingerprints, I would attractively stain the wood.

Thanks for the idea. I don't often embed service panels in drywall, but now I'll find a way to fit access points above and below, Victorian style.


What do the letters mean in sandpaper grading? I have a set of sandpapers that has the following papers:

 60 AN
100 GB
120 DN
180 FB

All have the marking S/C/W/P paper T9 C Closed. These are all paper sheets. I know that the number is the grain size.

What do the other markings mean?

Especially the 100 GB. I've noticed that it behaves somewhat different to its grit size compared to the others. I am guessing that the G means its the thickest paper? The backside looks different compared to others.

According to this site:

  The weight of the backing is usually designated by a letter. For paper backings, the weight ratings range from "A" to "F," with A designating the lightest and F the heaviest. Letter nomenclature follows a different system for cloth backings, with the weight of the backing rated J, X, Y , T, and M, from lightest to heaviest.


How can I make this stair rail less slippery? I recently replaced the handrail on my staircase.  I had just painted the moulding with a gloss white paint, and decided to paint the handrail the same color.  It looks great!  It's also very smooth and low-friction.

Is there any kind of coating, treatment, or something else I can do to it to make it high-friction?  I'm imagining some sort of polyeurethane, rubberized gloss, or something like that.

Yes, it's called anti-skid coating (or non-skid coating, or anti-slip coating). Some brands are Non-Skid Paint and Sure Step. I have never used it, so I don't know how well it works.


What are these? [Unknown Hardware] After doing some cleaning over the weekend, I found these left to us from the prior owner of my home.  I've never come across these before, but they look to be lag screws within some sort of hangar or mount. Can't say I've ever seen these during a trip to the hardware store, nor can I find any location in my home where they're actually in use.  Frankly, I'm baffled.

What are these, and more importantly what are they used for?

Possibly Appliance shipping locks.  Probably for a washer or dryer.  Keeps the vulnerable internal parts from banging around during shipment (for instance, the washer drum).

Usually are just thrown away after installation.


How can I check my hot water heater temperature? Isn't 120 degrees cold? I'm trying to test the temperature of the hot water coming out of my hot water heater but I'm very confused.

Can I use a meat thermometer or what should I be using?

Also, just to make sure my thermometer is accurate, what should a glass of ice water show?

Your best bet would be an IR or instant read thermometer.  You should test it from the closest faucet to the hot water tank, and make sure to let it run for several minutes first.

If you do use a leave-in meat thermometer, it might take several minutes to get an accurate reading.

Ice water should be close to 0C/32F (and if you add salt, it would get even colder), which I doubt your meat thermometer can measure.

120F might be considered low, but it is also safer.  140F is a pretty typical setting.


What is the correct way to attach two grounding sources to my electrical panel? I replaced my existing electrical panel with this electrical panel in order to have more available slots to redo my kitchen. I have one 6# copper wire ran & attached the water main and one 6# copper ran outside & attached to two grounding rods. What is the correct way to attach these two grounding sources to my panel? (If it matters, I'm in Minnesota, USA.)

If in doubt, don't be bashful about adding an accessory grounding bar or two. This attaches direct to the chassis of the panel.

This can be a wiring convenience, because you can terminate each of the cable's grounds at the grounding bar, rather than taking it all the way to the breaker with the neutral.

Separating the grounding bar from the neutral bar also aids making this panel a subpanel in the future; 24-space is worryingly small for a whole house, so that may be an option if/when you outgrow it.   The reason you can't just turn it into a 48-space using "double-stuff" breakers is that as of NEC 2017, most circuits must be AFCI or GFCI, and as of NEC 2020, virtually every circuit must be.  AFCI breakers are not possible in double-stuff, so every 120V circuit will need a full space, and every 240V circuit will need 2.   You might be grandfathered in that respect today, but if you do any renovation you'll quickly find yourself out of spaces.  Again.

I am also a big fan of 100% separate neutral and grounding bars, with a clear neutral-ground bond that is a wire.  That lets me clamp an ammeter around it to look for ground-fault leakage.

To the extent able, you should leave hots and neutrals long enough to reach every breaker space thay can. That will allow you to a) upgrade the circuit to AFCI or GFCI, since they need neutral at the breaker; and b) move the breakers around as needed to acommodate many things which need to be in a particular place - whole house surge suppressors, gen interlocks, solar power breakers etc.


AC is dead, should we open the windows to release the heat and humidity? Live in Central Texas where the temp is in the upper 90's, low 100's. My AC went so I had to put a single room AC unit for my Master bedroom and bath. Square footage for coverage is 600 sq. feet. Well, it's humid in the rest of the house and my Mother keeps reminding me not to open the windows because it will develop mold. Well, I have a dehumidifier floating from living room to kitchen. Is it safe to open the windows at night to release the heat in the house?

I have no idea about the climate in Texas. Is it tropic/ rainforest-like? I live in Germany and we have such temperature days in summer, too. We do not have an air condition at all (not because of money, its not typical). Mode of operation is: during the day, lower the blind, to keep the sun out. At night, open windows (as soon as felt temperature outside gets lower than it is inside). We don’t have any problems with mold by this. If we have get mold, then it is typically in winter because walls are cool and humid air condenses, especially behind furniture positioned on walls to the outside.


How can I mark capped drip line outlets from irrigation systems? The previous owner of my house installed drip lines all of their gardens. In one garden we tarped, mulched, and planted succulents. We don't want that much water in that bed, so I removed the drip lines and capped off the pipes. I realize if I want to access them later for whatever reason I'm going to have to rip up almost all the flowerbed to find them, so before I forget, I want to mark them. What is a good way to do that which will survive the elements, but won't be as ugly as say, the road cone I have out there now.

Tie a piece of red or blue polyester twine onto the end of the pipe(s) and let it lay out on the ground surface for a few feet. Even if it gets covered over with some mulch a little bit of raking should quickly reveal its location.

An alternative is to make a carefully measured out map of that area of your yard. Put that into your computer for storage and also print out a copy which you would store along with your other important papers.


Ceiling Fan Light Only Works when Fan is On I have a ceiling fan & light that is controlled by a wall switch. Recently, I went to turn the lights on and they flickered but didn't turn on. The fan works fine.

I decided to replace the switch with a new fan control and dimmer and the connections lined up with red, black & white wires. I turned the power back on and the fan worked - lights didn't.

So, I decided to replace the light kit and the connection worked fine (one white & one black). Turned the power back on and same issue.

The next day I woke up and switched both the Fan and Lights all the way on and THEY BOTH WORKED! Essentially, I learned that if the fan is turned up all the way - the lights work.

Any idea on why this is and what I can do so that they both work?

One PS to this - I noticed that there is a quiet slight buzzing to the switch when it is turned on.

This was the solution that worked.

SWITCH  --------->  OUTLET

Yellow  ------------>  Black

Red--------------->  Red

Black ------------> White


How to repair/replace toggle bolt that pulled out of drywall? We have drapes(drapes and rod are not heavy) across the sliding glass door.  When open, they are pulled to one side where the rope to open them also sits.  When the drapery rod was first professionally installed, anchors were used.  After several years of opening and closing the drapes, these pulled out of the wall.

We replaced them with bigger anchors that pulled out of the wall.  Last attempt, we put in a toggle bolt, that has pulled out of the wall, creating a very large hole as the toggle pulled out the wallboard material.  How do we repair the wall?  How do we hang the rod back up?

See any of the sheetrock/drywall repair questions for how to fix the hole in the sheetrock/drywall. Here's some:

first time drywall repair

How to fix a large hole in drywall

But you might first want to make a much bigger hole in the sheetrock (no worries, a big big hole is no more trouble to fix than a big small one - in fact the typical method to fix a fairly large small hole in the sheetrock is to cut a square that reaches to the framing on both sides of the hole) and insert some wood framing to take the screw, since you are clearly putting on a lot of force with these "not heavy" drapes and rod, if it keeps ripping out.


pouring concrete right next to asphalt driveway I am planning to install trench drain in front of my garage. The driveway to the garage is asphalt (less than 2" thick), and the space between the trench drain and asphalt will be filled with concrete. I am wondering whether the concrete will nicely meet the edge of the asphalt if I just pour concrete up to the asphalt without any form. Or, to have a better joint between concrete and asphalt, would it be better if I build a form for a concrete, pour concrete inside the form and fill the rest with asphalt patch? Underneath the asphalt driveway is soil.

If, when pouring the concrete right up against the asphalt, you end up with parts of the concrete that taper or feather out to less than say about 1.5 -> 2.0 inches thick you will have trouble keeping the concrete in one piece. The thin parts are likely to fracture and break off.

I suspect that if you rented a concrete type saw and cut off the asphalt in a nice square edge that you could then pour the concrete right up to it without a form. You will want to make sure the concrete is at least 3.5 -> 4.0 inches thick to make sure it stands up to be driven upon and changes of weather through winter seasons (if you live in a place where it freezes in winter).


Is my homemade chandelier design safe and does it meet code? I have built a hanging bulb chandelier. It has 13 bulbs total (7) 25W LED and (6) 60W standard filament bulbs. They go into 2 wire sockets with no ground. I used 18/2 cloth jacketed wire and ran them into a metal electrical box which is fastened to the top of the fixture. I connected all the black wire using 5 port Wago lever nuts and the same with the red wire. I then connected one of the black wires and one of the red wires to the wires coming out of the ceiling which were 14/2 Wground via wago lever nut. I attached the ground wire to the box which is attached to the fixture. I have created a very crude diagram. Can anyone take a look and let me know if this looks alright and is up to code? Thank you very much.

Thank you very much for looking into my question.

Here are the pertinent National Code Articles:

  410.6 Listing Required.  All luminaires, lampholders, and retrofit kits shall be listed

And

  Article 100 Definitions. Listed.  Equipment, materials, or services included in a list published by an organization that is acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction and concerned with evaluation of products or services, that maintains periodic inspection of production of listed equipment or materials or periodic evaluation of services, and whose listing states that either the equipment, material, or service meets appropriate designated standards or has been tested and found suitable for a specified purpose.

That being the case, I was at a commercial building in Austin, Texas that had almost the same design but with old time lamps and copper plumbing pipe. Definitely NOT a commercial fixture. However, the inspector approved it and that will override the listing requirement.

So, if your local Electrical Inspector says it's good then you are good.

Cool design. Good Luck!


C-wire help needed with Nest thermostat install My air handler (see photo) connections are G,W,Y,R and COM. The a/c compressor (outside) is connected to air handler Y and COM. I have 5 wires out to the thermostat, G,W,Y,Rh with jumper to Rc, and an unused blue.
How can I connect to new Nest thermostat using the unused blue as c-wire.

This is easy
Just land your blue wire on the Com 24V terminal on your air handler's control board and on the C terminal of your Nest.  (Don't worry about having two wires on one terminal on an HVAC-board terminal block -- they're designed to handle that.)


Subfloor and hardwood floor installation:leveling and squeaking I am installing a wooden subfloor and hardwood floor as part of a project to finish our attic.
How do I level the subfloor? And should anything be added between subfloor and hardwood floor to help with squeaks? I was advised it was more trouble than its worth, and to just staple the hardwood to the subfloor using the right tooling (and to be careful with alignment!).

It depends.
I've ripped out subfloors to achieve a level floor so you are in a better position than that.
Floors are generally most level with the supporting members and out of level across them.  Setup a laser and find the high point and then find the low point.  How far out are they?
You can shim the members up in rough fashion to get approximately level then put down plywood ( tng 3/4, subfloor adhesive, screws ).  That is fairly low effort big bang.
After that if you want to get the 1/8" over 10' recommendations you can do SLC.  That's quite a bit more work.
If you don't need nail down you can use underlay. I like the feel of a floor with underlay ( some amount of cushion ) and you get less impact noise.  Some people really like the solid feel and sound of glue or nail down flooring.
I typically go with PL subfloor adhesive though I have used the two part poly urethane foams as well.  Either is fine.
For underlays it depends on the installation.  I have done engineered hardwood overtop of thermal heat transfer plates and hydronic heating and in that case I selected a low-R value to allow the heat to come through the underlay easier.  Since you aren't running a floor heat source I think the only criteria is going to be how compressive the underlay is.  Engineered hardwood typically specifies the maximum compression to be 20 percent and maximum thickness of 1/8".  This is probably derived from the NWFA ( National Wood Flooring Association ) who are the go to people as far as best practices on flooring installation.  Really I think the point here is that you don't want so much deflection that the boards could slip their connection point.


HVAC turning off below 30 degrees A bit of a long post but I've tried to be as specific as possible

I had a new Goodman HVAC put in Dec 2016 (model GPG1430060M41AB). For the last nine weeks the system has been cutting out when the temperatures go below 30 degrees. Once the outside temps start to warm up, it comes back on again. The diagnostic code the system has been throwing out is for the limit switch. At first my HVAC guy changed the board, made no difference. Then ordered a new motor, no difference, (although the temporary motor had a fan running all the time and the system behaved itself during that time.) Once the new motor was installed the same thing happened again. Let me give some details about the last time it went out. I turned the heat from 69 down to 65 ready for bed at about 11pm. Once the thermostat dropped and the system tried to fire up (at about 12.45am) it wouldn't come on. It tried twice more before the safety switch shut it off completely. Since I was awake I turned the thermostat off. The next morning, it was 53 inside the house and 40 outside. I turned the system back on and it came on.

Now, my HVAC guy is saying it's a problem with the ducts but that just doesn't make sense to me, especially since the HVAC was running fine for 12 months, and those ducts were running fine with the old HVAC. One pipe was a bit squished, and he said some of the returns could be better but does that explain the system turning off at 30 degrees? And also, aren't HVAC technicians supposed to check duct work before installing a new system to make sure they are compatible?

The system maintenance and parts have been covered, but the duct work is going to cost a lot. I'm just not convinced by his explanations that that is the problem.

What can I say ; you need to find a real HVAC guy to trouble shoot your system. Most guys today are parts changers: I know I have had them in my house.  Of course the problem is in the duct work since the installing  company can recoup their expenses with something they can charge you for. Is the new system a lot larger or about the same size as the old unit. If it is about the same size, you probably do not need any new duct work unless the old ducts are grossly wrong. They should have checked this before the quote to replace the unit. I would ask them to have "factory service " called to trouble shoot your system. On a separate note; what type house is this unit installed in? Since I am not there I can't say exactly what is shutting off the unit but I would start with the limit switches.


Mount TV in stone facade or drill through to chimney block? I'm mounting a television above my fireplace mantle. I know about the heat and neck strain issues, and they are outside the scope of this question. I am looking for an answer as to whether the stone facade will support the TV, or if I should drill through it to anchor the mount into the block of the chimney.

The stones in the facade are relatively thick, averaging 6" (15cm). They are laid and mortared in front of 1/2" (1.2cm) plywood sheets. The sheets are in front of the actual block of the chimney.

If I were to go, say, 3-4" (8-10cm) into the mortar and use concrete anchors, would that hold it? Or is this a better-safe-than-sorry situation, where I need to get some all thread rod (ATR) and go through the mortar and plywood, anchoring into the chimney blocks? If so, could anyone recommend anchors to put on the end of the ATR? Most of the anchors I see have the bolts already with them, and I'm not seeing any online that are 12"+ (30cm+) long.

Here are some pictures--first is the front of the facade, for reference. Stone is 8' (2.4m) wide, by maybe 12-14' (3.7-4.3m) tall. Note the power wire expertly run through the mortar just left of center.:

Looking in from the left, behind the facade. Note that same power cord coming through, for reference. The plywood sheet on the right of this picture is behind the stone facade:

Here is a profile picture of the facade, with tape measure for scale. Here you can see the stone facade from the side.:

I put up an album of full-resolution pics here: http://imgur.com/a/qpDue

If it's relevant, the house (and presumably the chimney) were constructed in 1976, 40 years ago.

Long time reader, first time poster. Please be gentle. :)

EDIT: The TV weighs 50 pounds with the stand. So I think 35-40 pounds is a fair estimate for the TV alone.

So I took the better-safe-than-sorry approach, used a combination of 12" wood and masonry bits to drill through the facade, plywood backing, and into the blocks of the chimney. I used 3 masonry anchors in the chimney blocks, because I couldn't get a 4th one through the stone where it needed to be. The 3 anchor points are drilled through the mortar. The TV has been hanging for well over a year now, and hasn't fallen yet!


Disassemble and remove bathtub–shower combination I need to remove this bathtub with shower walls in order to investigate and repair water damage near the bottom of the wall. How do I disassemble, loosen, and remove the walls and tub without damaging them?

The brand is Lasco Bathware. The unit consists of two pieces: the tub and the U-shaped shower walls on top of it. I have not been able to find a model number or installation instructions, so I don't know how the shower walls are attached to the studs/wall behind it.

You will need to cut the drywall away from the edge of the tub and surround.  The drywall should overlap a flange of the tub/surround.  That should expose the screws and clips holding the tub and surround to the studs.  If you are lucky, the installer didn't also use glue to attach the surround to the studs as well.

Found link to install instructions.  http://www.homedepot.com/catalog/pdfImages/cf/cf84df47-d48f-4392-80e4-79ec296343ad.pdf


Why is one switch dependent on the other switch position in my double light switch? I just a installed a new outlet and powered it from an existing light switch. I replaced the single switch with a double switch.

Wiring: hot to black (common) double switch terminal. Black wire from light to one brass terminal. Black wire from outlet to other brass terminal. Neutrals connected. Grounds connected, then connected to green terminal on double light switch.

When breaker is restored, the light switch operates normally. The outlet is only powered when both the light switch is on and the outlet switch is on.

Why are both switches not independent?

I believe that you have mixed up the light-hot and the panel-hot wires. So when you flip the first switch it supplies power to the (whole) switch. You need to move the light wire (yellow in the picture below) and put it on the brass screw corresponding to the one you thought was the light wire. The wire that you thought went to the light is the power/panel hot.


Should my sump pump be running when the water level is below the pump? i am a new home owner and i have concerns about my sump pump.  it has been working properly until today.  it was making strange sounds this morning so i took the cover off.  the water level is below the sump pump, which i have never seen before but yet the pump comes on periodically.  Is there a problem with the float, which is cylindrical and attached to the pvc piping?  Should the water level be covering the sump pump at all times  [IT IS AN OLDER METAL ONE}?

Get rid of your mechanical switch.

Go with a HC6000v2, it has two sensors that you place at the activation and de-activation point and they are easy to adjust.

To your question, as long as the pump can pull water and is not sucking air you are good.  I typically try to have the pump operate for as long as possible as the pumps are rated for so many activations so preventing it from going on as often will extend the life of the pump.

https://www.amazon.com/HC6000-Hi-Lo-Controller-Float-Switch/dp/B006AU4L4U


I'm getting orange peel spraying on oil in high temperatures with an HVLP conversion gun. What's the fix? I'm not an experienced painter using my gravity-fed HVLP conversion gun yet, and I'm looking for any pros who can give me a few pointers. I'm spraying some cabinets at a friend's house and need to get things right. We're spraying Sherwin Williams All Surface Enamel over top of wood cabinets primed with the recommended Sherwin Williams primer. The paint sprays fine without any thinning through the gun (the primer required 10% Penetrol to even spray), but is flashing dry with an uneven orange peel finish.

The gun is spraying a nice, evenly distributed fan pattern without spatters, drips, or large drops. The atomization seems perfect and there isn't much overspray. I'm not sure that there's an adjustment on the gun that I can make that will prevent orange peel from forming.

My thinking is that it's 110 degrees outside today here in San Antonio, TX, and that the temperature is causing some of the issues. I have mineral spirits, penetrol, and naptha that I can thin the paint with... but thinning the paint in theory makes it dry even faster. Is my problem the fast dry time in the high heat, or is the lack of thinning?

Probably both temperature and thinning are an issue, since you are at the extremes for both (very high temperature, and no thinning at all), but there are a LOT of ways to get orange peel, so eliminating it can be a trial and error process.

It sounds to me like the solvent is evaporating before the paint can flow together on the cabinets.  This is usually a result of some combination of:

low air pressure or fan adjusted too wide
holding gun too far from the surface of the work
temperature is too hot
too little thinner

If your gun is adjusted properly and your technique is good, then I'd thin and try to work earlier in the day before it gets too hot.  Mineral spirits would be preferable over naptha, because naptha evaporates more quickly.


Kitchen faucet low pressure I believe the low pressure from my kitchen faucet hot and cold is from this blue connector. The faucet and parts are new. If I disconnect this, the pressure seems normal, but with it connected it seems to have a very spread spray which is what’s probably causing the low pressure. That’s not normal right? I will probably try to replace this connector even through it should be new.

I fixed it. Inside the connector there is a flow restrictive: I popped it out and needed a needle to pick some particles out. My hot water tank probably needs a good flushing. But the flow is fine now.


Roof eave missing knee brace - how to mitigate problems as snow season approaches? Photos at the end of the post.

On an old house (new to me and my partner) there are ~2' eaves extending all around the house, supported by knee braces made of 6"x6" beams and a few 2"x4"s. Inspecting the house, it was noted that on one edge of the house a knee brace had fallen off (appears to be a while ago and painted over, and the fallen knee brace is stored in the house). An inspector saw that the roof was in good condition, but because of the missing knee brace, one part of the eave along the flat edge of the roof was a little higher (as if the roof was swollen), explained as a result of the adjacent eave sinking slightly where the knee brace was missing. They explained reinstalling a knee brace where one was, and potentially adding more braces, should stabilize the eave in that area.

For a variety of reasons behind us now this hasn't been fixed yet, and snow season is upon us in northeast USA. Is there a DIY solution or at least patch for this, to avoid further eave sinking and potential roof damage this season? Or going with a pro, what price range should we expect? Getting a few estimates is always a good call but we're not sure how many carpenters we'll get out here to check it out, to get a proper fix before heavy snow falls. It seems difficult to reinstall the old knee brace, because a) the spot to install it is 2 stories high; b) the knee brace is heavy enough where it requires two hands just to place it carefully; and c) it isn't (yet) known exactly where and how far behind the siding there's a beam to bolt the knee brace on to, though other knee braces around the house give clues.

Photos:

West facing wall, highlighting eave with braces and where one fell off on the norhtwestern wall edge.

Fallen brace. Paint isn't in good shape but the wood there is solid. The piece of wood separate from the knee brace was stored in the same place, painted same color, and has a tare (inch of wood mising) along the grain in the back.

North side of roof, looking toward the northwest corner with missing eave. Note the swollen appearance under the satellite dish.

Another view of north-northwest side of roof.

Zoom in of north-northwest roof.

North side of roof looking northeast, to show more of roof line which should be (and is mostly) flat. Where there is a slight swelling to the east, there had been water damage in the past, but it was inspected and is dry on the inside and reinforced with sistered joists in that area). Rest of the house seems nice and dry too.

Northwest edge from the ground.

West facing wall, highlighting existing and missing braces.

Hard to notice any of the differences in the eave's height from the ground. As you can see from above there is some up-and-down a few inches around that area of the roof where the brace is missing.

If the knee brace has simply fallen from its original position then it was clearly never meant to support anything.  These things are often uses as appearance items much the same way window shutters are used.  It is understood that the shutters will never protect the windows, but still they go up for appearance. If you have a problem with the roof heaving and sagging, I suspect that the cause is something else. P.


What kind of lightbulb is this and how do I change it? I think it is a halogen, but I have no idea what kind of light bulb it is. It has a yellow warm light. How do I change it?

Can I use this Halogen bulb removal tool to change it?

I had very similar lights.
It looks a bit like this once unmounted:

So basicly you just have to pull the outer circle down. It's held by two springs, so it should resist a little, but not too much.
Once you've taken it out, you will see what kind of light bulb it is.


Can I hang things from a thick sound proofed wall? I have a sound proofed room. It's constructed like this:

Specifically, the layers of the wall are:

studs
3/4" MDF
1/2" air gap (RC-8 channel)
3/4" drywall
3/4" drywall

The exterior of the wall is 2" from the MDF and 2.75" from the studs.

Can I attach things to the studs even though it's 2.75" away? Is the load bearing capacity any different? Can I hang things like heavy cabinets?
Since I have MDF everywhere, can I attach heavy things to the MDF and ignore the studs?

The room is sound proofed by using certain sound resistant materials in a certain manner. One of the key concepts is to isolate the interior wall finish from the exterior (or other side of the wall) wall surface. In this wall, RC-8 resilient channels are used to isolate the interior wallboard from the studs. This keeps the sound waves (or most of the sound waves) from passing through the wall.

If you install hangers, fasteners or blocking through the interior wall surface and attach it to the other surface, you may slightly reduce the quality of the isolation, but not significantly enough to be detected. I would keep the fasteners to a minimum. If you think about it, you're making a "conduit" for the sound to travel through the fastener and into the stud, then through the stud and through the wall material on the other side...exactly the opposite of what the RC-8 channels are doing...isolating the 2 sides of the wall.

You may want to use cabinets that can support themselves so they don't need to "hang" on the wall. Then, just use a sufficient amount of fasteners to keep them from tipping over.


Why is this switch box wired like a 3-way when there's no other switch? I have a switch box that has two 12/3 cables coming into it. This switch controls a wall outlet (both top/bottom) that has a 12/2 coming in. There is no ground for switch or outlet. At the switch, black wires are spliced together and red wires are spliced together and connected to switch. 2 white wires are pigtailed.

My big picture task is to take off switch control for outlet and replace switch with a dimmer for new recessed lighting (pulling power somewhere from circuit).

My confusion is that there is no other switch controlling the outlet or any other light/fan to be found. Yet again, the outlet only has a 12/2 coming in so I must be missing a junction somewhere.

Why is the switch wired with two 12/3?

Any thoughts appreciated.

NOTE: 2 PIGTAILED WHITE WIRES IN BACK OF BOX

Your switch only has 2 wires going to it. The black is most likely the hot and the red is the switched hot.this is not unusual. The box looks to be metal so it is probably acting as the ground through the conduit. I am not sure why you think it is a 3 way.


How do you ensure an even second and third coat over matte white paint? This may seem trivial, but is frustrating me. How do you ensure an even second and third coat over matte white paint? Other than a few brush marks here and there, you can't see the fresh paint from the dry.  Changing the lighting conditions doesn't seem to help.  This is such a common scenario that there just must be a painter's trick.

There's paint on sale in the UK that dries white but goes on pink. The big brand version is called Dulux magic. I haven't tried it because even painting white on white, the wet has a different sheen to the dry. Combined with being methodical this is enough. There are also cheaper brands.


How can I tell if a circuit breaker is worn out? I was installing a light and tripped the breaker (in retrospect, should have turned the breaker off before starting).  When I finished installing it I reset the breaker and tried the light switch.  The light still had a short, however, instead of the same breaker tripping it ended up tripping the main breaker.

I disconnected the light, turned off all breakers, reset the main breaker, and turned the local breakers back on.  Everything is now humming along perfectly.  My current belief is that the local breaker must have been busted by the first short and failed to catch the second short.

Questions:

Does this diagnosis seem correct (broken local breaker)?
Does this mean I should have the main breaker replaced, could it be worn out now?
Is there any way to test breakers other than making a short?
Is it a good idea to replace breakers when buying a house (not a new one of course)?

Breakers are supposed to be good for a fairly large number of triggers, and they are supposed to fail open when they fail. Is there a chance that you were running at a heavier overall load when the second incident occurred? I'm thinking that if you were say within 10 amps of max on the main breaker just due to normal load (air conditioners, perhaps?), and caused a short on the secondary (a 15 amp circuit, perhaps), you might have triggered the main to trip first by simply overloading it, before the secondary could draw enough to trip.

If you really think the secondary might be bad, then by all means replace it, but no, you don't have to replace the main just because it tripped. As long as it feels normal when you move it back into position (flip some other breakers to see how they feel - there shouldn't be any slop in the movement), you'll be fine.

The last several times I've seen breakers fail they've all failed open.


Should I use faced or unfaced insulation in a utility room area? I'm trying to keep my unconditioned utility room from being so darn cold and hot during the year, and to keep the condensation line from freezing during the winter.

I figured insulating the area would be beneficial, but my county inspector made a remark during an unrelated project, a room renovation inspection, stating that faced insulation while up to code, is a bad idea because of the flammable cardboard backing.

If that's true, can I use my surplus room wrap I purchased in bulk for another project in the utility room?

You could.

I would consider buying XPS foam and gluing it to the walls with foam board adhesive. It will let the wall breathe while insulating and not have exposed fiberglass or bare paper.

Good luck!


What is this this square hole in bathroom rough in used for? I have a plumbing rough in that is located below grade in my basement. The system consists of a 2" sewer pipe and a toilet rough in connected to an ejecter tank. In the middle there is what appears to be a french drain that is open to the ground. Not sure what it is for and if I can cover it up when I finish the bathroom?

Thanks

That's for a shower drain. It's common to leave an opening about that size to allow for slight variation in tub position, manipulation of the trap assembly, etc. You should find a stub under the dirt. Normally you'd remove the lumber, which was a temporary concrete form.


heating zone stays hot even when the thermostat isn't calling we're trying to solve a very strange hot water heating problem (drawing below).

We just separated the the 2nd and 3rd floors in my house into two separate heating zones, and the 3rd floor is now staying at 75 even though its thermostat is set for 65 and isn't calling for heat.

There is a horizontal copper pipe loop in the basement, with all 2nd floor radiators using monoflow T's to take the hot water from the loop and return it back to the loop right after using regular T's.

the way how we did the separation is the following:
we added a Y and placed two zone valves to control the flow for the 2nd floor and flow to the 3rd floor manifold. The returns are shared.

We also placed zone valves to 2nd floor radiator supply sides to prevent the 3rd floor return flow from going into the 2nd floor radiators via 2nd fl loop.

the circulator pump is sitting at the return side so it's "pulling" the water.

there are separate thermostats on each floor, and they connect to the 6 zone Taco controller.

when the 2nd floor is calling for heat, 3 things happen:
1) main 2nd floor main zone valve opens
2) zone valves open in front of all supply side of the 2nd floor radiators
3) circulator pump turns on

when the 3rd floor calls for heat
1) 3rd zone main valve opens
2) circulator pump comes on

It is an odd setup, but we had certain limitations (did not want to open plaster walls in the historic house) so we reused the 2nd floor returns.

So right now, 3rd floor is 75 and we can't get the temp down.

any ideas? we're all out...Thanks!!!

Original design before changes were made:

You need a check valve on all three return lines from the 3rd floor to prevent flow from the second floor loop going through 3rd floor radiators.  Follow your diagram from the circulator through the first 2nd floor radiator to the Tee.  From the tee water can go "north" to feed the third floor radiator and return to the loop through another 3rd floor radiator from the common manifold (path of least resistance).  A check valve is not electric and allows flow in only one direction.


Drywall taping/floating steps if finish will be skim coating I am finishing up a master bath remodel which involved removing some walls, and creating new walls.  I have:

Hung new sheetrock for the new walls
Patched the ceiling where the old walls were with drywall (~4.5" wide strips)
Patched some gaps with hot mud
Taped all the joints and covered with the first layer of all-purpose joint compound.

The next step will be to sand down this first layer as prep for the subsequent layers, repeating until the joints 'disappear'.  For the final finish, we have decided to skim coat as we like the way this worked and looked in our previous bathroom.  My question is: Do I need to do the subsequent (2 or 3) layers of joint and screw-divot feathering if I intend to put 2 or 3 coats on for skimming?  I have not skim-coated a wall before, and I just don't know how much of the surface topography I will be able to hide.

Thanks!

Read the datasheet for the compound you want to use to skim coat and see what's the maximum allowable depth for a layer. (For European products I'm familiar with it's about 2 or 3 mm.) Then you can decide what dimples need pre-covering and which can simply get covered in the skim coat. If you exceed the max depth you might get hairline cracks, but [in my experience] that only happens on larger areas, not screw-size... and you can fix it anyway by filling the crack(s) with the same compound, which usually takes less time than strictly following the prescribed layer depth. YMMV.


Media blasting setup: Soda vs Sand I got a sand blasting kit for Christmas and just started playing with it by blasting some car parts. I want to use it on our cabinet doors to prep for staining or painting (undecided).

My question is, do I need a different configurations with the blaster to use soda vs walnut vs sand, etc. Basically do different media types require different setups (nozzles, hoses, pressures, etc)

I'm mostly interested in

Soda
Walnut
Glass beads
Sand

I did soda blast a few things the other day using the hardware I have and used baking soda I bought from the store. It did the job, but seemed like I was wasting a lot of the soda as it would often come out in large puffs.

Soda blaster add-on kits are available for "conventional" hobby level sand blasters. They have a smaller orifice and a valve with which to adjust the airflow and media flow. Soda blasters are also quite prone to clogging from the slightest bit of moisture or oil in the line. It behooves one to have a quality water/oil separator in the line prior to the soda/sand tank. They are frequently mounted on the frame or handles of the soda/sand tank.

Soda blasters will not damage more fragile substrates such as fiberglass but will remove paint from such surfaces. Sand blasters can abrade metal surfaces which can be desirable, but in the case of thin wall (aircraft) tubing, such abrasion reduces strength. The appropriate media for such materials is usually bead or nut. Bead and walnut media is more expensive, but the value of not damaging expensive aircraft structures is a good balance reference.

You will likely get the smallest amount of damage to wood by using a properly configured soda blaster add-on kit.


Adhering something to a porous surface I have been thinking about adhesion recently and, more specifically, have been thinking about adhesion to porous surfaces. I am a big fan of being able to adhere things together, on flat surfaces, with industrial strength adhesive. What are some of your ideas of how to go about adhering a flat surface to a porous one, or a porous surface to a porous surface? I have thought about the following ideas:

Adhesive foam that fills in the gaps of the porous surface, although this is difficult to remove and also will result in significant tension at the junction.
Simple adhering double sided tape that is less firm than typical tape, allowing it to slightly adhere to the insides of pores.
Using some substance to fill in a porous space, that results in a more flat space to use typical adhesion on.
What are some of your ideas? I'm thinking about the following example (My question): You want to mount something to a porous material rooftop (i.e. asphalt) but you are limited in the fact that the object is heavy and you cannot pierce the rooftop, how would you go about doing this?

Thanks!

Heavy things are easier, actually. Standard approach for a "non-penetrating" roof mount is to simply let gravity hold it, with suitable "load-spreaders" to keep the weighted feet from damaging the roof surface, and sometimes EDPM rubber to add friction. Easier on "flat" (low-slope) roofs, or on the peak of pitched roofs.

If you thought that adhesive was a good idea in that case (most don't, is roof damage can result when the thing needs to be removed, or when forces beyond what you planned for remove it anyway) hot roofing tar would be ideal - it's most of what "asphalt" is, so it's compatible, and it will act a whole lot like hot glue. Of course, you are then depending to whatever extent you have uplift forces on how well the layer of roofing you glued to is glued or otherwise fastened to the layers below it - which is another reason this approach is not normal.


What's the minimum safe distance from the back of a dryer to a wall? Let's say I have a side-venting dryer. If I don't need to run ductwork behind the dryer, how close can I safely place the dryer to the wall?

The minimum recommended distance is one inch:

  Additional spacing of 1" (25 mm) on all sides of the dryer is recommended to reduce noise transfer.

The allowable distance seems to be zero inches.


how to disconnect main service drop at service panel when upgrading to a 200 amp service panel with service drop coming from bottom underground do I need southern California Edison to come disconnect and then reconnect or can I just do it on my own. I do have a permit.

If there is a main switch or fuse right under your meter you can operate those, if your connection lacks that features or those are 'locked' so only the utility can operate on them, you'll have to call SCE and ask them.

Edit: also check if your contract can hold 200A on 'meter side' if it doesn't and you load your panel for 200A SCE fuses will blow and you'll have to call for service restore, so ask SCE to check if your service is capable for 200A

EDIT2:
I post my meter and panel as example:
You can see on my meter the bundled main disconnect, see if there is one on your too. On my panel you can see the main GFCI breaker (right) and the circuits' breakers, so I can remove power both from my main switch and from the meter itself. Here on older installations, now replaced, where main disconnect were fuses.


How should I handle moisture/insulation as I finish my basement? Not sure what to do

Details:
We've recently moved into our first home, a split-level home in Upstate New York (Climate Zone 5 & 4 Marine). The lower level has 3 main rooms, a playroom, laundry room and man cave, all of these rooms have some level of finishing, but I'll just focus on the playroom.

Playroom:
Dimensions: 22' x 16'
Floor: Concrete, Glued Vinyl on top, (Use to have Carpet)
Walls: 3 exterior walls partially below ground (concrete block is ~4'2", however only about 2.75-3' is below ground), above ground is finished with drywall and electrical. On top of the drywall and concrete was panel board (the concrete had furring strips to which the panel was attached).
Windows: 3
Ceiling: Drop-ceiling
Addl: This room also has a closet for Plumbing, Water Heater, etc…

Problem:
This past Spring and Summer I’ve been told has been really rainy and pretty warm. We didn’t run a dehumidifier down in the basement (first time home owners :) ) and noticed white mold in 2 of the 3 rooms and efflorescence in 2 of the rooms.

In the playroom, there was white mold growing on the toys and kids furniture and it also smelled very musty. The paneling on one part of the wall also started warping. We pulled up the carpet and tore down the paneling and noticed efflorescence at the bottom (~3-6” up) of the all 3 exterior walls. We also noticed that two of the drywall panels on the interior walls (towards the bottom) had black mold on them.

Question:
We had two basement companies come and evaluate and they said that it would probably be enough to clean the efflorescence and apply Drylock, to help with the moisture coming through the walls.  Would this solution be enough? Do I also need to insulate? I would like to put drywall over the brick, just trying to figure out the best way to do that to prevent moisture, mold, insulation problems.

Thanks,

I’ve also included a photo of the playroom wall.

I live just north of Pittsburgh, Pa. and this is what I did to finish my basement. After my house was built I waited 2 years to finish the walls. I tapped plastic to random spots on the walls to see if moisture was coming through the concrete block. When I was sure it was safe to finish the walls I coated all below ground wall areas with a Drylock material. My walls were insulated with 1 inch T&G styrofoam against the block with the seams taped with 2 inch "suretape" brand  tape used with duct work. The  area was studded with 2X4's, fiberglass insulation, drywall and painted. No leakage of any type. This worked for me. Make sure that you add enough supply and return registers to this area and if you have A/C make sure that the supply registers have dampers that you can close in the summer. (cold air falls to the lowest levels) Basements are usually the coldest areas in the house to heat during the cold months. I also run a dehumidifier in the summer to control indoor humidity and run the furnace fan on a low speed 24/7. The basement has been dry and comfortable for 18 years and counting. Hope this helps.


Weird 3 Way Chandelier Stopped Working I have a 3 way switch connected to a chandelier which is somehow not getting power. All the light bulbs work, but none switch on.

I know it's getting power because an electronic timer connected on one end of the three way switch still works—I went to the breaker and flipped all the switch... no luck.

Is there something missing in how I'm going about diagnosing this? There are no GFCIs anywhere near this.

Update: The non electronic switch has continuity across the terminals regardless of switch position, and does not have voltage regardless of switch position. Does this sound possible? Just a broken switch or is this normal for 3 way switches?

Update 2: Thanks for the comments. Below are pictures.

(It now seems obvious I had continuity across this side, but the switch seems to function well when continuity is checked against the other side.)
.

I only have 9 volts across the switch when on, this is confirmed at the other end of the circuit .

Looks like 3-way being excluded and controlled only by the timer. If you want to make it work again, check connections to the timer and, if needed add a relay (1pole 3 contacts) to behave as second '3 way' switch andremove the 'bridge'.

PS: It is normal that the two 'deviated' poles on a 3 way are always disconnected from each other as the commute is between common and one of the 2 poles.

So these are schemas on how 3-way work (1), how 3-way with timer should be wired (2) and how your system is (probably) wired (3):,


Plastic repair - welding? I have an expensive trash can whose plastic hinge cracked. Is there any way to restore it to its former strength? In my experience, epoxies do not stand the test of time for this sort of thing, especially with plastics. I was thinking that there is probably some way to weld the pieces together. Has anyone here done this?

UPDATE: Following Chris' advice, I used a soldering iron to melt the pieces together. I also sunk a piece of wire into the joint for added strength. We'll see how it holds up!

There are a number of kits available for plastic welding - you will need to identify the specific type of plastic, though.

You can take a look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic_welding for more information on the different types - though for a trash can, you're probably looking for something heat-based, probably using a large soldering iron.


Can I plug a powerline adapter into a grounded-in-wall adapter? I have one outlet right next to my router and need it for a bunch of other electronics. I currently have a grounded 6 outlet in-wall adapter plugged in. It is not a surge protector, just an outlet. Will a powerline adapter work through this or does it need to be plugged in directly to the outlet?

Example of the adapter I'm talking about:

Thanks!

You can definitely plug your powerline adapter into your in wall adapter. It might take up more than one space on the in wall adapter thought preventing you from being able to use an outlet. check the sizes before you buy.


Circuit Breaker reading low voltage? (102-105 volts) Two months ago, the kitchen lights were flickering. I realized the kitchen lights and outlets were connected to a single breaker. I measured the voltage and it spiked from 5v - 120v intermittently. I replaced the breaker (Murray 15A single-pole #MP115) and all was well.

Three days ago, the same kitchen lights started flickering again. The breaker read at 102v - 105v which is well below the expected 120v. I flipped the breaker multiple times and measured voltage and different times of the day, but it was always consistently 102-105v. I replaced the breaker today and all is well once again.

Both breakers that were replaced did not look or smell burnt. Any idea why this happened? Could it just be the breaker I replaced two months ago was also a bad breaker? A friend suggested a current surge through the wires, but my assumption is if there was a current surge, the breaker would have tripped or burnt out instead of having a low voltage reading of 102v-105v.

Any ideas?

I am going with Ed Beal. Take a reading at the main lugs and see if you are getting a true voltage there. If you are reading between 118 to 126 volts to ground. Then if your meter can give you at least 1/100 of a voltage reading. Check the voltage between the main lug and the load side of your breaker to see how much drop you are getting. It should be something like .25V. If you are dropping 5 - 15 volts then your bus is probably burnt or corroded and your breaker is not making a good connection.

If you are reading 105V at the main then you need to look further up line. Check with neighbors to see if they are having a problem. If not have the utility company check the lugs in you meter base. Look for loose connections or discoloring of the bus or conductors in the panel. Don't forget to check the entire circuit just in case there are multiple problems. Open switches, light fixtures and receptacles on the circuit and check all connections.

Good luck and stay safe.


How can I seal a two inch gap in the floor along a wall? I have almost a 2 inch gap between my wooden floor and wall in the apartment I am renting. I think the dust down there is causing me allergies and I’m worried about the cold AC air escaping down there. Is there a REALLY quick easy way that I can fix it that my landlord is likely to approve? The hole down there is about 10 inches - it is through the floor not just the hardwood planks.

The floorboard are on top of old floorboards that do not line up and neither reach the wall. The coin is a 5 cent coin. Thanks again!

Without seeing it, my first inclination is to get some extruded foam board (not beadboard/Styrofoam--it's too messy) of suitable thickness (3/4" for just the depth of the hardwood, 1" or 1-1/2" for hardwood plus subfloor). Using a utility knife and a straightedge, cut strips that will fit snugly in the gap. Press them in by setting the inner edge against the floor and tilting the wall side down.

If you fit them well they'll be self-supporting and make a great seal. That said, this probably isn't the only air access to the floor framing. If there's significant air movement between floors you may not solve the problem with this patch.


What is the name of this fitting? I've seen it around a lot, but cannot figure out what it's called. I assume it's a kind of compression fitting.

From a comment by Jimmy Fix-It:

  This looks like a simple "squeeze" arrangement; where the stepped bevel at the back of the nut just squeezes the tubing slightly against the integral internal barb. No official name that I know of, but definitely a low pressure application. If anything, I would call it a "low rent compression connection"


Will this router and dovetail jig combo work? I am looking at getting this router and this dovetail jig.

These will be compatible with each other, right?

These will be compatible with the correct bushing also known as a template guide.  I checked the description on Milwaukee's site and all it says is that it has an "4-point PM bushing", which is talking about the plunger, not the template guides. I didn't see it in the package contents.  If it isn't there you may need to get a bushing that fits the jig plates.  Milwaukee has a set that would have all the bushings you would need for this jig if you were to buy more plates for your jig. It runs around $40 on Amazon.


Installing a Nest thermostat without a C wire? I am attempting to install a nest but do not have a common wire on my hvac unit, perhaps it is slightly dated. I have read that on older units the O terminal is the same as C and I can remove the green wire (fan) and use that on my O as my common wire. Since I am unable to add a net new wire, could someone kindly let me know if this is a viable solution and the best approach I should take (see pic of my setup)? Thank you.

Try the terminal between G and Y on your control board

It looks like the C terminal on your control board is between the G and Y terminals, so I would try there as your first port of call, provided your thermostat cable has spare wires in it.  (It's labeled /C in the bottom row of labels, and has a wire from what likely is your air conditioner compressor running to it already.)


How to tell if breaker box can handle another tandem breaker? Our home has a Square D breaker box Cat. No. QO 30HW Series E6 (based on the sticker inside the panel).

It has 30 physical spaces, and the bottom 4 (27-30) have tandem breakers on them.
I am looking to add another tandem breaker which as I understand it is acceptable based on info provided in this article provided the box will accept it.

What I do not know is whether my box will accept another tandem switch.
Based on this article, the diagram should indicate whether it will accept tandem switches.

That article has this diagram as an example of a box that will not accept any tandem switches:

Looking at the diagram inside my box, it looks pretty similar to me:

However as mentioned, 27-30 already have tandem switches on them, and they work (work = I can independently turn off each switch and only impact that switch).

I cannot seem to find any literature on the box (probably because I don't know what to actually search for).
Also, if it will accept another tandem switch, I don't know if it has to be the kind with clips on top and bottom, or if it will take the hook style. Again this might be answered with some literature about the box.

Does the diagram indicate where tandems are acceptable?

EDIT:
This is another picture of the diagram in my box. It's about as good as I can get without pulling out the breakers on that side.

Your box predates the UL requirements for a feature known as Circuit Total Limitation (CTL).  This feature restricts where double-stuff/tandem breakers can be installed in the panel to prevent it from exceeding its designed circuit capacity, which was restricted to a maximum of 42 circuits by the NEC (i.e. nobody could make a panelboard for more than 42 circuits).  However, the 2008 NEC lifted the 42 circuit restriction on panelboards.

Practically speaking, I would go ahead and install the new double-stuff/tandem breaker provided that there is sufficient remaining wiring space in the panelboard gutters to accommodate the extra wire.  You'll need a QO2020 (not a QOT2020, which won't fit) breaker for this.