Can I power a german 240v spindle motor off of a USA 240v nema5-50 welder plug? I have bought this spindle for use on my cnc router.
https://www.amb-elektrik.de/produkte/fraesmotoren/636/amb-fraesmotor-1050-fme-u-di-230v-fuer-er16-praezisions-spannzangen
I have contacted the company to see if the spindle will run on 240v 60hz (American) and the answer is yes.
I have a NEMA 5-50 welder plug in my shop right next to my CNC which supplies 240v.
I am wondering if it is OK to run this spindle off of the outlet and if so what adapter/wiring should I use?

Nope, you must put a 240V 15A plug on the cord.  (NEMA 6-15).
Then, install a 15A/240V circuit with NEMA 6-15 receptacle(s)...
or a 20A/240V circuit with NEMA 6-20 receptacle(s) (which will accept 6-15)...
or a 20A/240V circuit with 2 or more NEMA 6-15 sockets (e.g. duplex recep).
Trying to re-task that 50A welder circuit to serve that purpose will be much more trouble than it is worth, and would be a one-way operation (meaning you could not plug 50A appliances into it anymore).  Just run a new circuit.
You could look at fitting a 240V-only subpanel where the welder socket now is.  You can put any number of 240V-only circuits ranging from 15A to 50A.  (you cannot use more than 50A of them at one time obviously)>

However you must be careful not to put any 120V circuits in it. I strongly disrecommend using the subpanel's neutral bar for a ground bar.  I recommend isolating the neutral bar (remove neutral-ground strap or screw), hook nothing to it, and add an accessory ground bar ($5) for all grounds.  That will warn "the next guy" that 120V loads do not belong here. If someone hooks up a 120V load anyway, it won't work, and troubleshooting will soon expose that no neutral feeder is present.
One notable problem with 240V-only panels is it is difficult to run AFCIs or GFCIs out of them.  They need 120V to power themselves (their own detection circuits).  This is relevant because as of NEC 2020, 240V circuits must be GFCI.


rubber seals in unheated shed over winter have broken down, I hooked up my hose for the first time this spring, intending to water some of my garden. The first nozzle was a wand style and was leaking horrendously at trigger area. I then switched to a gun style nozzle and it was leaking even worse, every orafice was spraying water. Both these items were stored in an unheated shed over the winter. Am I looking at a weird coincidence? I've never stored any of my hoses or nozzles indoors but the items in question were just purchased last summer. Has something changed in the rubber formulas they use these days?

The water in the attachments froze over the winter and broke the valve bodies.  thats why they are leaking now.  next year, take them and your hoses inside before freeze up.


Should storm windows be removed if AC will be on and windows rarely opened? We generally run our AC most of the day.  I am wondering if it is a detriment to leave the storm windows on (b/c they create a pocket of hot air) or a potential benefit (by reducing the escape of cold air).

It's an intriguing question. On one hand, trapped air is heated through radiation. On the other, it acts as an insulator. Keep in mind that we aren't talking about airflow, but heat flow (by conduction, convection, and radiation).

The answer probably depends on how many of your windows are exposed to the sun, where extreme temperatures are generated between panes. In those cases, the insulation benefit of the second pane is probably outweighed by the efficiency lost due to greenhouse effect.

For those windows which are usually shaded, the second pane creates a trapped-air buffer, which dramatically reduces conduction loss.

I don't think a conclusion can be drawn with the information given. You might update your question to describe the building and property features in more detail. (Don't put it in a comment.)


Is use of a deep cycle marine battery indoors safe? I have a backup sump pump, a 12V "Basement Watchdog".

However, immediately after installing it, I found the battery was basically dead.

Not wanting to buy a very expensive replacement battery, I got a Deep Cycle Marine battery, which works beautifully.

I've been told that the "Basement Watchdog" battery is specially designed to be safe to use indoors, as it is sealed, while my Marine battery "emits dangerous fumes".

The sump pit is in my basement, in a crawl space.
While there is certainly a lack of ventilation, it does have an hvac register (which doesn't prevent the crawl space from smelling like standing ground water when there are a few inches in the pit).

There's no warnings on the battery regarding indoor use.

I thought the battery only released said "dangerous fumes" when rapidly charged, and mine is charged via a very low current charger.
Is it safe to use this battery?

3% hydrogen to air is explosive. Even sealed batteries discharge some hydrogen gas when charged--they have to release the pressure or they will break the case. The seal is accomplished with a rubber (or silicone like material) over the port and usually a plastic shield welded in place to keep the seals in place. These batteries are not designed to be refilled.

The risk of explosion is very low with both battery types unless overcharged. Open cell or vented batteries require a flame arrestor (see NEC 480.11). In some systems this is as simple as a strip of mesh fabric like red  scotch bright secured over the cells it needs to be acid resistant because a large component of batteries is sulfuric acid.

With the flame arrestor in place both batteries present similar hazards with the exception that marine deep cycle batteries many times end up being larger (more amp hours) so they take longer to become over charged, so there is really no difference in hazard after a flame arrestor is installed.


What would cause a furnace to shut off prematurely? I've got a Carrier Weathermaker 8000 furnace that shuts off about 90 seconds or so after ignition, started doing this recently.  I get flashing code "33" which indicates:

The code indicates:

33 LIMIT OR FLAME ROLL-OUT SWITCH IS OPEN - If open longer than three minutes, code Changes to #13. Check for:

Defective blower motor or start capacitor.
Dirty filter or restricted duct system.
Loose blower wheel.
Defective switch or connections.
Inadequate Combustion air supply Flame Roll-out Switch or fuse link.
Open Flame Roll-out switch,or fuse link. Manual reset or replace.

I've found the manual here, although it doesn't really help me.

Leading up to this, I hadn't checked/changed the filter in a while.  It wasn't on my mind because I usually hear my furnace straining or so on.. when I did go check it, I realized that was because the filter had collapsed and been pulled down the air intake.... so yes it was filthy and also I basically ran without a filter for who knows how long.

First things first, I cleaned all the dust out of the inside and blew air through all the components.

I've been able to check the large rectangular Flame Roll-out Switch and the 2 smaller switches, they all are closed when checked with a multimeter for continuity, and just for kicks I pressed the button on the 2 smaller switches to give them a manual reset.

It appears that I've got a no-kidding problems with the unit becoming too hot, not a false positive.  Although I am not positive about this.

It seems like my next step would be to check the capacitor to see if it would be causing low voltage to the blower motor, but I don't know how to check that?  Also it could be the blower motor being 'defective' - how do I know that or check that without simply trying a replacement part?

So please, if someone can tell me how to check the capacitor, how to check the motor, and what to do next, it would be very appreciated!

Check the high limit switch.  If the furnace is allowed to continuously over heat, It's likely the high limit switch has burned out.

Make sure that the outlet vents are clean, and clear of debris.  You need good air flow both in, and out of the system. also make sure the heat exchanger is clean, so it can transfer heat properly to the passing air.

If the thermostat has an option for Fan, switch it to Fan and make sure the fan starts.  If the fan does not turn on, you should contact a trained HVAC tech.  Capacitors can be deadly if not handled properly. You could accidentally discharge the capacitor into yourself, leading to electrocution. Or short the capacitor, leading to an exploding capacitor. In either case, it could be deadly.


24v transformer supply Can I take a 24v transformer, hook up the 110/120 and use the 24v side to test 24v products? I'd like to ground or offer some type of fall safe such as a inline fuse to help protect the transformer. Any ideas please. Thank you.

Yes, you can use a common 24V 40VA transformer that mounts on a junction box lid.  If you have a handy junction box location already built into your building, You can simply mount it there.  Or you can add one to your building using legal wiring methods.

I am not beneath getting  a 3-prong line cord (often a 3-prong extension cable with the socket lopped off), and stopping by the local electrical supply house with the line cord in hand to acquire a proper strain relief for that cord and a nice stout aluminum junction box while I'm there. Also a 10-32 ground screw.  I'd bring the transformer too for fitment, and that isn't rude since they typically don't sell transformers.   Then, mount and strain relief the extension cord, ground it to the box, and hot and neutral to the transformer 120V side.  The 24V terminals should be on the outside of the transformer.


dyeing grey water, standerds for how much dye to use I am looking into grey water systems for a future house. In the course of researching, I learned that in states that have adopted the International Plumbing Code, you can use the water for flushing toilets as well as irrigation. If you use it for flushing toilets, you have to dye it with either blue or green food dye, as well as disinfecting it in some way.

My question is: Is there a standard for how much dye to use per volume of water or a standard for opacity or something? I am mainly concerned about blowing through a lot of dye to make the water colored.

I have done lots of research on this, but all the documents i have found merely state that the water has to be dyed, not by how much.

Probably enough that your guests can easily see that it's not clear when their dog is looking for a convenient drinking bowl, going for the most obvious inappropriate use of toilet flushing water as potable. Alternatively (and probably requiring a bit more dye) would you notice if you were handed a glass of the stuff that it was blue, or green, not clear?

I assume you'd handle this (and the disinfection) with dosing pumps. Non-toxic dye is available quite concentrated, so it probably won't take much volume. Looking at one example (dye manufacturer's recommended dosing rate), a pound of dry dye treats a million gallons, or a gallon of liquid treats 96,000 gallons (or 12,833 cubic feet, which may help grasp the relation to your current use, depending what your water is billed in.) The liquid would be easier to dose automatically.

You might be able to use a lower rate, but that rate should at least be adequate, and does not seem to imply "blowing through a lot of dye" for remotely reasonable water use. I suspect the standard in play is "does the inspector see that the water is dyed?"


Can I connect a shared neutral to my Wemo smart light switch? Both switches depicted in the diagram are controlled by the same breaker.  The other two switches in the box which aren't labeled are controlled by two other breakers.  Since I only want to replace one of the switches with a Wemo light switch, can the Wemo share the neutral wire as the second switch that I am leaving in place?  Currently the neutral wires are going straight up to the lights bypassing the switch, so I wasn't sure.

Yes, you can connect to the same neutral that's currently part of the switch circuit (the source neutral, really). Be sure to leave all existing neutral connections intact.


Deck blocks on patio stones I am planning to build the 16x18ft floating deck in the back of my townhouse. The back patio is paved with 12x24" patio stones and I am trying to figure out if I should remove patio stones and lay the deck blocks on the soil or should I leave patio stones and lay the deck on top of them.
Is there an issue with setting the deck blocks on the patio stones?
I am concerned that if I remove them, I might allow water to collect and stay in that area which might cause foundation problems down the road.

First of all, just laying pavers on dirt is a bad idea unless you live in a bone dry place like Phoenix or Las Vegas.

A deck should be mounted on footings which are concrete blocks which stabilize the deck.

The footings should be below the frost line, otherwise the deck will move up and down every time it freezes and thaws. The frost line in Toronto is about 4 feet deep, so you want the footings to be 5 feet deep to be safe.


Proper way to repaint aluminum rails Background...

We have aluminum rails that have been painted over a few times over the years. I believe that they were originally powder coated, but I'm not sure. They have now gotten to the point that large voids have formed between the paint and the metal and is breaking off in chunks. The metal underneath is corroded, which I believe is magnified by the salty air that comes from the salt water that is maybe 200 hundred yards away (Gulf of Mexico).

Parts of the rails can be removed, but some of them are concreted in.

Tested...

I have tested a small spot with an etching primer (spray can). I then (the next day) painted over the primer with a spray paint for color.

The primer seems to have done a great job. It seems to have bonded with the aluminum in a way.

The colored top coat looks good, but it not very durable - I could scrape it with my fingernail. I think this is the main thing that I need to change from the test, but please correct me if that is not the case. It seems that I need a top coat that does a good job sticking to the primer and is very durable.

So, my questions are...

Is the spray paint a good option? Would I be better off using a brush?
Is an etching primer a good long-term solution (10 years would be nice), or is there a better option?
What options to I have for a top coat that is long lasting, resistant to salt air and sun, and durable enough for rails?
Is this a reasonable DIY job, or would we be better served hiring professionals? (Special tools needed? Labor intensive?)

I used autobody primer and autobody spray paint for metal rails.  Need to allow a few hours after priming.  And a good 2 hours between each top coat or you can end up with bubbles and build up.

This can be bought at big box or auto parts store (and many more colors if you buy online).


Can/Should I Move These Pipes? I need to fix a broken ball valve (luckily the valve doesn't leak until I turn it on) that runs to an outside faucet. Also, all of these pipes are CPVC.

When I looked at replacing it, they seemed to have gone a roundabout way of doing it.  Can I route it differently?

Current Configuration:

Another View:

Proposed Configuration:

I prefer to run it straight up and to just put a 90 on the other side of the beam (ie don't go through the beam).

Will this cause pressure issues (either through the outside faucet or
the rest of the house)?
Why did they do this?

No change in pressure, may be a (very) slight increase in flow (1 less elbow).

No idea why.  Perhaps they were trying out a new wood boring bit.


Air Condition humming noise I recently bought a brand new house which has new AC unit. but the outdoor AC unit constantly makes the loud humming noise which also vibrates refrigerant pipe. see the attached video link. what could be the problem?? Is this humming noise is normal??
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1arvnQP6-KxBKUqhklRQq9QCtNPBq9Nyh?usp=sharing
Thank you in advance

A major part of the problem is the way the condenser is mounted. They are normally set on a concrete pad a few feet away from the house to facilitate air flow around the unit. Your condenser is mounted on steel brackets bolted into your foundation so the vibration, which every unit has, is transmitted right into your house. Check to see if there are any type of vibration mounts between the condenser and the brackets. Also check to make sure the foam or rubber pipe insulation completely covers the pipes.


Can hydrochloric acid vapors corrode nearby metal items? I have a room where I exposed a brick wall and redid the mortar by tuckpointing.  It look beautiful but the whitish residue from the mortar needs to be cleaned and the best way to do it is using hydrochloric (AKA muriatic) acid.  I have done that before and the results are beyond amazing.  It made my 100+ yr old brick look brand new clean but with the old retro shape.  One couldn't ask for more.

However, in this room, another thing that is partially exposed are spiral AC ducts, although on the other side of the room from the wall.  I was concerned whether the vapors from the acid may corrode the metal ducts and whether it makes sense to wrap it in some sort of plastic sheeting.

I do plan to use a gas mask and goggles with the window open and a fan blowing out hard when I'm doing this.  I know it's not recommended for indoor use but the results I got before were so awesome that I don't wanna settle for anything less.

Yes.  I used to keep my acid in a large container along with some paint thinners and removers.  Even with the acid bottle tightly sealed, the metal paint thinner containers rusted after a couple of weeks.  Will enough vapors get at your ducts to rust them?  Can't say, but it's worth the effort to wrap them.  Sounds like your major problems will be containing the acid so it doesn't reach the floor and neutralizing it without flooding the inside.


Fluorescent Light In Garage - Mounting Issues In our garage, I'm trying to mount a flourencent light fixture that is 4 foot long.  The problem is, I don't know how to mount it.  I'm assuming that I would want to drill the screws into the ceiling joists, however, that's posing to be an issue due to the ceiling joists running horizontal, which is the same way I'm trying to mount the light fixture.  Additionally, I can't exactly run it vertically as the only junction box in the garage is between the garage door opener and the attic door.  Is there another way to be able to mount this thing?

Are you able in the garage attic?  If so you can use the existing junction box and run a wire from it to a new receptacle box where you need it.  Or two boxes for another receptacle and another light later.  If your garage is unfinished then it will be even easier.  If you cannot get to the attic you can use surface mount raceway.

The raceway comes in 5 foot sticks, and has an adhesive on it's back. You can also get clips to attach it to the ceiling and not worry about the adhesive. It's 2 pieces, front & back.  Boxes, flat elbows, tee's and many more accompanying part are available.

If your box is round you can use this extension box.  They do make these in 1 gang boxes also.  It does not have a back to it so you can put it over the box you have and run the wires through the raceway.

To terminate into the box you might use this if you have a 1/2 knockout.

For all the parts available from the company I picked, click here.

The pros on the raceway is it is not too expensive and easy to use.  The raceway is made by lots of companies so there will be different sizes available.  Different fittings and elbows and terminations should be available and some will interchange with other brands.  It should be easy to find at a big DIY box store.

The cons are that it is surface mount and it will be seen.


How full can my sump pit get before I should worry? After dealing with this issue by adding a circuit dedicated to the sump pump, it has been very dry in my area. The sump pump hasn't kicked on in the month or so since the circuit was added. I wasn't worried...

However, the last week has been a wet one. Today, especially, has been near flood conditions to the point that they are closing many local schools. I still have not seen or heard the pump come on.

The sump pump power runs into the power cord from a switch, which then plugs directly into the dedicated circuit. The switch cord connects to a float set up in the sump pit, along with the pump itself.

The sump pit is a 25+ gallon pit with several drainage lines feeding into it at various levels. It has standing water in the pit, which I, as I understand things, does not necessarily indicate a problem. However, the water has risen above the highest drainage pipe, to within six inches of the lip. Still, the pump has not switched on.

I tried manually running the pump, and it operates fine, draining fairly quickly - half an inch or so in under 60s even during a moderate amount of rainfall. So my concern isn't that there are problems with the pump. Rather, I am concerned about the switch.

I do not see the float anywhere in the water. How high can the water get before it is certain that there is a problem?

Note that my fiancee and I are leaving town on Saturday to get married. We will be gone for two weeks. More rain is anticipated, so if I need to replace the switch, it must be tonight or tomorrow.

Edit to include pics:

This is what the pit looks like currently:

This is the water-level of the pit. The brown line on the stick marks the water-line. The paint-can is a full-size paint can, used to show scale:

It should definately come on before the water gets to that level. Is the float the kind that has its cord clamped to a pipe and it swings up and down? If its that kind, make sure that its not hung up on anything. You may need to manually run the pump to empty the water and troubleshoot the float. Lift it and see if the pump comes on. Does the float have a separate cord that plugs into the outlet and then the pump plugs into the back of the floats plug?

I agree that it should pump more than a half inch per minute. I would think it would be normal to empty the tank in around 20-30 seconds.


Removing a wall underneath joists that are already attached to beam in attic I want to remove a wall in a finished part of my house that used to be a garage. I went into the attic to see if the wall is load bearing and I discovered that the joists above the wall in question are already attached to a beam that runs end to end to two other walls. In other words I believe the wall I want to remove is not load bearing due to the fact that this beam exists and appears to be part of the original construction. The joists are 2x6 and the beam is 2x8s doubled up the joists are not hung by joist hangers just simply nailed into the beam.

The house was built in 1961 and I believe this was the common method used to attach joists. I am unsure of the species or grade of lumber used for the joists or beam and I understand this affects span distance. The beam isn’t quite centered in the house and it doesn’t run full length of the house. Looking directly at the beam the joists hung to the right span 11’6” from exterior wall to beam with no wall supporting them. The joists to the left span 13’1” from exterior wall to the beam, with the wall in question located directly under joists about 4’ to the left of the beam.

I know I can attach a beam to replace wall but my question is, is this needed since there is already a beam in the attic? Hopefully this makes sense I have pictures of everything and can provide other measurements and information if needed. I have not been into the crawl space to see if there are supports under the wall I want to remove. Also I noticed that were the joists meet the beam there is some seperation at the top of the joists from the beam, however they seem to be flush at the bottom of the joist. I understand this could be from settling or?

It’s worth mentioning this house was moved from its original loacation about 40 min away to a new location in one piece and set on a new foundation in 2005. I would like some advice and possibly a discussion about my plans for this project and ways to reinforce the joists themselves as there are no joist hangers or collar ties.

Thanks for anything you can contribute.

Often we’ll design beams into our buildings for “future” use. Your house may have one of these, but before you remove the wall and rely on the beam, you’ll need to investigate: 1) actual loads on the joists, 2) any independent loads on beam, 3) size of support posts at each end of beam, 4) size of “new” footing under each support post at each end of beam.

1) If your roof joists are 2x6’s spanning 11’ and 13’, I’ll assume you have little or no snow load. Therefore, the minimum roof load would be about 40 lbs. per square foot on the 2x6’s, which translates to 480 lbs. per square foot on the beam. Therefore, 2 - 2x8’s maximum span is about 8’, depending on the species and grade of the 2x8’s. Or, if you increase the beam to 3 - 2x8’s then the allowable span would be about 11’.

2) Before you determine the maximum allowed opening, you’ll need to verify there are no other loads, like a roof beam resting on the beam.

3) The beam will need to be “fully” supported at each end. That means a minimum of 2 - 2x studs (or a 4x4 post) will be required at each end.

4) If the original location had designed the beam, they probably designed an adequate footing under each end to transfer the load to the soil. However, I doubt they knew about the beam when they moved the house and therefore there isn’t a footing under each post.

Moving a house and placing it on a new foundation requires a Building Permit. Maybe you can contact your local Building Codes Department and look at the submitted plans.


Battery Backup for 240V (USA) Water Well I have a well pump. I want to build out a battery backup (and, eventually, charge the batteries with solar and, more eventually, move to solar full time).
It's 1/2 horsepower on a 240v circuit. It's a Webtrol WS1005L with a Franklin Electric motor. Per the manufacturer's documentation, it draws a max of 6 amps on the two wires with a maximum load of 960 watts and only needs a 15 amp breaker.

The manufacturer also says it can be run with a 2000 watt generator.

It has a beefy wire with a four-prong plug.

I'm trying to figure out what combination of inverter and batteries I need to power it.
For the inverter... I can't find an inverter that has an outlet like that. Is there one? Do those funky looking universal outlets work for that? Can I use an adapter to get to a more "normal" plug?
For the batteries... I assume I need some number of 100Ah sealed AGM batteries, and if my calculations are correct, one battery will get me about... 8 seconds of run time. How many should I have? Should I wire them together as 24V or leave them as 12V?
Any help would be appreciated!

If you have not yet bought the pump, you may want to reconsider. If you buy a 3 phase pump, you can use a VFD to power it. Use a VFD that will accept a DC input directly, then you don't need the inverter (it IS an inverter). That will avoid the starting current surge of the motor, because  VFD controls that. The down sides: Your DC voltage for a 230V pump will need to be around 330VDC, so that's 28 12 volt batteries in series (I'd go 30 to give you some head room as the batteries get old). It's also going to be expensive.
Alternative #2; get a solar powered well pump, basically a Permanent Magnet DC pump motor, no inverter needed at all. Also expensive, but MUCH simpler.


How to prevent cockroaches climbing onto something? Not much info I could find on what surfaces do cockroaches are unable to climb - nor I have read much into their precise methods of how do they climb stuff, however on this website: https://www.terminix.com/blog/bug-facts/can-cockroaches-climb/ they mention that the following give cockroaches a hard time climbing: Porcelain, Glass, Smooth metal, Granite, Marble surfaces.

So from what I gathered two things came up to me on how to prevent these bastards to climb onto something, in my case - I don't want them to climb up on my bed.

1.) Coat a slippery surface on my normal surface (bed legs, however I don't have bed legs as I have a box bed).

2.) Spray the bed legs (better if you have box bed) with a repellent like pepermint or  eucalyptus, which btw I have no idea how effective these are at all or how long do they last, as the sources where I read this weren't really factual.

Do you guys know any other way on how to prevent them climbing on my bed? If method 1 is ok, what material should I use - I thought of wrapping up transperent tape around my bed but not sure if that counts as slippery. I know it will look terrible, but the crawl of a cockroach shell waking you up and presenting itself to you is far worse image than anything else and a far worse nightmare than the one you were waken up from. I thought about sticking some other material to it, but I really don't know what will work - I have oriental cockroaches why do not fly. Also if anyone tried method 2, is this legit, how long does the effect last for?

Thanks.

I had a client who had the same problem with the box bed. I put two wraps of foil tape around the frame and it kept those little bast...ds from climbing up. You have to make sure the surface is really smooth and kink free. You can pick up this tape at any home store.

Also, try to bug proof your place. Check for openings around drain and water pipes. Place a few of those "Roach Motels" around the place to kill off some that might already be in. Other than spraying insecticide, which many people don't want to do, I don't know anything else to do. There's a reason they've been around since before the dinosaurs and have survived. Good luck.


Can I do subpanel this way? I need 240VAC, single phase, 27 kW at 113 amps. Required breaker is 3 x 40 Amp

I don't have enough space for (3) 40 Amp in my panel.

Question is: can I kill 30 Amp  (hot water heater) breaker and put in this place
150 Amp breaker and from this 150 Amp make sub panel?
In sub panel I planning put (3) 40 Amp

You have a special panel called a "Rule of Six" panel. The top 12 spaces in the panel are the "Rule of Six" area, and up to six breakers are allowed in that space.  Collectively, these are your house's main breakers.

The breaker in the lower right of the Rule of Six area powers the breakers below, which are a "built-in subpanel" if you will.

You may notice you have 7 breakers in the Rule of Six area.  That is not allowed, but your plan will correct this.

The 150A Siemens breaker, the Q2150B, is a beast.  It takes up four spaces. That means you will need to eliminate or relocate two  2-pole breakers to make room for it.  An amusing side-effect is this will reduce you to 6 breakers. You are still not legal because the double-double-stuff breaker in spaces 3-4 is not allowed in this panel in that space. Double-stuffs are disallowed in the top 8 rows, as the diagram and numbering show.

I would go a different way.  I would fit a 150A subpanel, and then move everything in the Rule of Six area to it.  Now you have 4 spaces for the 150A breaker, two spaces for the "main" breaker, and 6 spaces free.   Now I'd put the three 40A breakers in those six spaces. Done!

On second thought, I would put the three 40A breakers in the new subpanel, and leave the 6 spaces empty.  That gives more reasonable overcurrent protection for the service wiring since you can only draw 250A, not 370A as in my first scenario.


how to estimate wood order These are my deck plans.  As you can see each square is 10".  Furthermore there are 2 sections (a short and long).  the measurements are as such

short width 84"
short length 182"
short square footage 84"x182"= 15288sqin / 144 =  106.16sqft
long width 180"
long length 168"
long square footage 180"x168"= 30240sqin / 144 = 210sqft

How do i turn my measurements and calculations into my wood order?  The intended wood is going to be 2x6x16 cedar

Your drawing is showing a staggered pattern in the boards.  Is this your intent?  If so, you'll need something to screw down to at every butt joint.  I see one joist at the end but nothing else to hold it up.  Next, you won't find many mills who will "cut to length", so every 2x6 deck plank will be 6' or 8' long.  It's easier to put down the 8 footers, then snap a chalk line on your edge and trim them all down with a circular saw at one time - a good saw blade is required here.

While on the joists subject, I am NOT a small guy, and 6' between joists seems quite far apart for a 2x6, at least for my size (6'4" 326 lbs.)  Go to the lumber store, pull a 2x6 beam and a pair of 4x4s to lay it across, and measure how much it deflects when you stand on it, and then have someone else step on it momentarily.... (Again, I am not the guy to stand on a 2' cantilever edge of a deck, but that's up to you and code enforcement for your location.)

You may want to consider having your lumber run the other direction, and put some joist spans every 4 feet on center, reducing your cutoffs, and simplifying the process.  Draw in where you expect the tails of the boards to fall, and get an idea as to what the deck will look like when you're done.  If you don't need it to run away from the house, then I'd go with rotating boards by 90 and drop in joists at the appropriate lengths.

The general rule of spacing between boards is a screw/nail thickness - mostly because they're handy.  Boards shrink and swell with the weather, so they need a bit of gap in them, plus you don't want water sitting down in those gaps, or you'll have rot in no time.  I would use the "actual" wood dimensions and forgo the gap in the math (2x6 == 1-1/2" x 5-1/2" in reality) - it'll only be one to two boards difference at best for a deck this size, and it's not like you will not make a bad cut, find a warped board, etc.

Boards come in 6' and 8' and up.  The longer, the more expensive per foot, as it's harder to cut a 16' straight board than an 8' one.

Let's say you want to do north/south, in your drawing.
For your short section (using 8' beams cut down to 7'):
182" / 5.625" (I put in 1/8" for gap) = 32.33, aka 33 boards minimum.

Long section 168" / 5.625" = 29.86 or 30 boards, assuming you by 16' ones.
If you assume you will use a combo of 6' and 8', you'd need 30 of each.
and if you want to go all 8' and cut down, it'd be 60 boards.

Existing plan recap:
8' - qty 63 plus spares.
6' - qty 30 plus spares.

If you go east/west, you can stagger by 4 feet, adding some look to the deck, but you will have to add some joists, plus move your "main joists" out to the edges, or build trimmer boxes along the entire edge to hold up the tails.  It looks like you are after the simplest method, so to do this one, move the posts.

84" / 5.625" = 15 boards running the length of 350" (just under 30 feet.) If you use 4' on center joists, with 8' planks, you'd use 4 boards per run or 60 boards, for the short deck to run the whole length across.
96" / 5.625" = 17.06 = rounds up to 18 boards, by less than 3/8ths of an inch, so I'd just mask it by gapping just a teeny bit wider on the last few boards.  Put in the end board and lay the other 3 or 4 down without mounting, take a tape and calculate out the gaps needed. The 14' feet width is a bit awkward so you'll use both 6' and 8' (18 of each flavor) and you'll have to add at least one extra joist, on one side, to continue the stagger neatly.

East/West recap:
8' - qty 78 plus spares
6' - qty 18 plus spares
Additional span joists:
6' - qty 12
8' - qty 6

So, a lot more wood, but a lot more look too.


Would it be a bad idea to use two air filters? The filter in our central air/heat is directly under the unit and very difficult to replace filters. Even though we use 3 month filters, we replace them monthly due to pet hair/dander. It's a pain to replace them and pretty costly to replace them so frequently.

I was wondering if it would restrict air flow too much if I were to use cheap fiber filters in the return air vent to catch the big stuff and the better pleated filter in the unit for the fine stuff so I don't have to replace the more expensive ones as often?

In my area most duct systems are too restrictive as it is. Adding an extra filter would make them more so unless the other filter was removed and the new one was less restrictive. Problems could include AC icing and furnace overheating. As always you can try it and see.


How do you wire a multi-gang switch? Some of my lights are flickering and I can't figure out why. One thought is that I wired stuff incorrectly. Right now, all the live wires are tied together (no loops or anything) and the same for the neutrals. Should I add looping or additional wires?

In other words, I have 3 Insteon switches and 1 live wire connected together. Then I have 3 light fixture and 3 insteon switch neutral wires connected together. Is it ok to connect them all together (assuming I have a large enough wire connector), or do I need to have additional wires and stuff?

Your wiring diagram appears to be correct, assuming that only one switch controls each light.

All neutral wires (white) should be joined together. However, it is possible to have a poor connection when trying to twist four wires together for a wirenut. You might try one of the push-in connectors that grabs each wire separately.

Similarly, all hot leads can be connected. In the case of Insteon, the black wire is hot. The red is load and each of them needs to be seprately connected to the hot lead to the fixture it controls.

The following is the diagram Insteon provides

Double check your connections and consider different connectors.

Finally, check your bulbs to make sure they are compatible with Insteon, especially if you are using dimmer switches. Some bulbs do not dim or need special types of dimmers.


What size pipe to use when hooking up 2 dryers How to hook up two dryers with what size exhaust pipes horizantal

Don't combine pipe, you may get back-flow if one dryer isn't in use.

Instead, run 2 separate lines.


Is there some easy way to remove paper tape from gun-driven nails after installation? I am in the midst of a siding project. I'm securing my siding using a Paslode CF325XP cordless 30° Paper-Tape nail gun. The nails I'm using are 3 in. x 0.120" Galvanized Ring Shank Paper Tape Framing Nails

When I fire these nails, the paper tape usually sticks to the head of the nail. I then have to tear off the paper from the nail heads before I paint them. This a tedious extra step that requires me to get back on a ladder. So I wonder:

Is there a way to prevent the paper tape from clinging onto the nail head in the first place?
Is there an easier way to remove the paper tape cleanly from heads? One idea I had was to put duct tape sticky side out on a paint roller on a pole.

Picking off the tape with my hands doesn't always look as clean as I'd like:

Not really. Those nails are not intended for finish work, and unless you're driving them below flush so the paper is sheared off, it will be a hassle.

Maybe look for a third-party brand of nails that uses wire connectors instead of paper.


How to tell if wall got waterdamage? I had a dishwasher flood, due to plumber putting it in wrong. I had the hard wood floor replaced, the cabinets have mold on bottom of it, and the sides that I can see are bubbled up to about half way up. First how should this be repaired? At first they said something about a skin? But I think all the wet boards should be removed and all the bottom due to the spots I saw that had mold?

Second, we have two walls that I know got wet, the base board is all discolored and will be replaced. But what about the wall how do I know for sure the wall is OK. Do I need a mold inspector? Is there a good chance there is mold?

The person taking care of this said the dry wall was OK, but is same person that said something about putting skin over the cabinets.

It sounds like you are getting very questionable advice.

Wet drywall needs to be cut out and replaced. Damp drywall is a prime source of mold.  Cabinets that are bubbled halfway up have major water damage and may not be easily repaired.

You should consider getting an independent inspector to assess the damage and the repairs needed. If their view is significantly different from the position of the plumber (or his insurance company) you can try to get them to pay for the cost of inspection.


Run water from under deck to backyard I have an Outdoor Water Faucet right under the deck which is very hard to reach. So far I have connect a 50ft water hose there permanently but I always shut off from the faucet because it's leaking water a bit at the connection and I don't want to winter freeze to crack the connection.

I need to redo this system. My plan is to have: (1) drip irrigation system and (2) a new faucet somewhere outside the deck.

I have a few questions:

The current faucet is copper. What is the best way to connect something permanently to it and have a 2-way spliter?
Which material should I choose to run a new external faucet outside the deck? I try to avoid removing the old faucet (may involve breaking the wall?!). I am thinking if there is some PVC that one end can screw in the faucet and the other end would connect to a new faucet? But PVC can't connect to metal faucet, right?
What kind of drip irrigation is best for summer and winter (sometime freezing in Pacific Northwest)? I was thinking of doing this http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/how-to/overview/0,,1088902,00.html

Thanks.

What type of wallis the faucet mounted into? I was goingnto recommned a new pipebbut if you said you may break the wall that's a no go. For the winter you shoulsnt have to worry about freezing as long as you shut off the water to the facuet ibside the house and drain out your hose. I belive they do make pvc to copper but ibwould recommend just using copper and putting in inside a piece of pvc for extra protection. I apologise but I don't know anything about drip irrragation however


Ceiling Fan and separate ceiling light fixtures I just replaced my ceiling fan in the kitchen (has no lights). I also have a separate light fixture.  Before replacing the ceiling fan, I would turn on one switch to turn the fan on or off, and the second switch to turn the lights on or off.  After replacing the ceiling fan (has no lights) when I turn on the light switch (dimmer) the lights dim and all is good.  However when I turn on the fan switch the lights automatically come on and I cannot dim them. My previous fan did not have lights.

I wired everything it seems as it was before, however I now have this problem with the fan switch?  Any suggestions or a proposed wiring diagram.

You would appear to have the lights connected to BOTH the dimmer and the fan switch. Presumably this means that things are not really wired the way they were before. You'll need to figure out where this happened and correct it; it's difficult to speculate from afar, but when you get beyond what you can sort out yourself, call in a pro.


LED strips quit working I replaced all of my under-counter fluorescent light strips with Connecting LED strips two years ago.

I thought they were supposed to last forever?
Last week, one strip went out. A week later two more quit working. Of the 8 strips connected on two sides of my kitchen, two no longer work on one side, and one doesn't work on the other side.

Do these things have something like a ballast that quits working?  These things were not cheap. I'm ready to pitch all of them and go back to fluorescent!  Help!

Think about it.  If the LEDs were failing, they would fail individually one at a time, not the entire strip at once.  (strips typically have many LEDs, but in groups of 3-6, so if an LED was failing, it couldn't take out more than 6 at a time).
What's failing is the power supplies
And this is typical of the failure mode of cheapie LEDs.   The LED emitters are solid as a rock and will outlive us all. But they are bundled with a power supply that fell off a truck in Shenzhen.  This is especially likely with the mail order/China/eBay/Amazon Marketplace jobs.  Amazon Marketplace is third party sellers, and their junk is intermixed with real "sold by Amazon.com" listings. It's very hard to tell the difference.
Fortunately, these power supplies are commodity items and can be easily replaced. You simply need to look closely at its specs and find a higher quality one.  Meanwell is a popular balance between price and quality, and is widely used on better lights.


slow draining bathtub - is a frozen pipe a possibility? Our bathtub has recently started draining very slowly (bathtub fills with water during a normal shower and takes a while to completely empty). This problem has coincided with winter, and I'm wondering whether it is possible that the drain pipe (maybe the bend in the pipe) in our crawlspace could be freezing?

We live in Boise, ID where it is not super cold in the winter, maybe 30s - 40s during the day, and in the 20s at night. The house was built in the 1940s, and the drain pipe is cast iron. It goes down into our crawlspace, which is uninsulated (just dirt covered with plastic lining on bottom of the crawlspace surrounded by the concrete foundation).

Does anyone know if there's a good way to determine this? And how we could remedy the situation? Would foam pipe insulation do the trick?

PS - no problems with other things in the house draining (sinks, washer).

It seems pretty unlikely that the drainpipe would freeze in your crawlspace.  Even if there was a 20 degree wind whipping through it (which there isn't: it's enclosed), the only way that could be is if there was standing water in the pipe to freeze.  That would mean a trap in the crawlspace which would be highly unusual.  And if you really had a frozen pipe, it wouldn't drain at all.

Most likely you have a hairball in the drain. Try a "drain zipper" and/or a drain auger.  When buying a hand auger, it's worth it to pay more for one with a toggle lock as opposed to a thumb screw.  It will save you a ton of time and your hands will thank you.


Insulate an attic or a crawl space? Which one would be the most beneficial? I live in Los Angeles. We have a sizable attic and we also have a crawl space. We have a heat forced-air system.

A few months ago we really felt the cold air in our house. Our crawl space is not insulated. When we walk around barefoot on the wooden floor it would feel cold.

My question is, if you only have funds to insulate one space which one would you do? The attic or the crawl space?  This is not an opinion. I'm looking for great advice.

Ummm...I'm going to resist telling any jokes about "feeling the cold air" in LA and get to my answer.

Add insulation to your attic, if there are more "heating degree days" than "cooling degree days" each year.

Now, there's one exception to that: You mentioned you have a "forced air heater". You did not mention that you have air conditioning. So, if you don't have air conditioning, then "cooling degree days" don't matter...and you should add insulation to the attic.

Add insulation to your crawl space, if there are more "cooling degree days than heating degree days" each year.

If all that isn't complicated enough, you could just put a parka on when the temperature drops way down to 68 degrees or take the parka off when it jumps up to 74 degrees. (Sorry...I tried to resist.)

However, for me, I'd add insulation in the attic, because: 1) on cold days it will reduce heat loss, and 2) on hot days it will keep the hot outside air from over heating your attic and then radiating into your house.


Leaky garage when it rains When it rains, I have two leaks in my garage.  I have had people look for this leak, but they can't seem to find it.  I don't know if it's my windows or roof. Who should I call to help me with this problem.

I agree with Daniel.

Unfortunately, roofing companies make more money installing new roofs than they do fixing leaks. They will probably recommend a new roof.

If you roof is still in good condition otherwise, you may be better off  hiring a handyman to find your leak.

Good luck!


How can I prevent my furnace and A/C from slamming doors? What specifics will I need to collect to figure out if our furnace and A/C are sucking too much at the source/intake?

I don't know the proper terminology for these things, do forgive me for any errors here. We are in a 1,000 sq ft home. The air intake for the furnace and A/C is in our hallway near our bathroom and two bedroom doors. Any time the thermostat turns on, any doors that are within a foot or so of being closed are sucked closed, hard.

Is there a way to determine if our furnace and A/C are sucking more in than it should? Is there even a way to turn the volume of air down somehow?

Also, most likely contributing to quite a bit of our home energy cost is a whole house attic fantasy we no longer use mounted in the hallway right next to the furnace and A/C intake. Is it a problem having this whole house fan still installed?

The louvers don't actually open and close when the thermostat turns on, but I'm sure it sucks some air from the attic.

This is common in HVAC systems with a single central return. My system does this too. It's simply the nature of a central-return system. The only practical way around it is to have a balanced system with per-room returns sized the same as the supply registers on those rooms.

There are a couple of things you can do about it. One is to spend hundreds to thousands of dollars necessary to re-do your house's return ducting to put a dedicated return in every room. Another thing that might help is to replace your doors with heavier ones on  less-well-lubricated hinges. Or you could just keep the doors wide open.

As for the whole-house fan, remove it, seal up the hole, drywall the ceiling, and pile insulation over the top to the level of the rest of the insulation on your attic floor.


How do I vent metal doors? I need to vent our metal utility closet doors. 1 3/4 inch thick metal doors. Need to supply ventilation so the heat exchange water heaters will work more efficiently. Now the closets become freezing cold when the water heater is on. Where to get? Grainger?

You can buy a louvered vent for the door. You can probably find them at your local home improvement store.

I'm assuming this is a standard hollow core door. The hole can be cut using a a standard jigsaw with a fine tooth metal cutting blade. If it is an orbital jigsaw, you want to set it to have the least aggressive cut as possible to ensure a smooth cut.

Use the vent as a template, and mark the hole using a pencil. Neatness counts here, so try to align it as well as you can to the door. The bottom should be at least a few inches from the bottom to avoid cutting into the metal structure inside the door. Once you have done that, begin by drilling pilot holes near each corner and then cut out the remainder with the jigsaw. After, you can clean up the edges by using a file.

The vent can be attached either with self-tapping sheetmetal screws, or with rivets.


Patching plaster wall I have a spot on my wall where a significant amount of paint has bubbled up and pealed away revealing the plaster underneath. The total area is about 10 inches wide at the widest point and a couple feet from bottom of the damaged area to the top.

There was obviously a roof leak, and we've had our roof replaced so the leak is gone. Now I want to patch this area so it all ends up nicely finished and flush.

I'm assuming the plaster has now dried out and can just be patched/filled and brought flush with the rest of the wall. It's probably no more than 1/4" deep at the lowest spots where the old plaster is showing. And then it feathers out to surface depth (hope that makes sense).

What is the best kind of material to use for this kind of wall patching job?  And what are the tricks to getting it on right so it looks like new again?

My personal suggestion is self adhesive fiberglass drywall tape, and lightweight joint compound. The tape can be laid on very thin, but provides some support and structure to the whole area. It can even be ordered in relatively wide sizes that almost seem designed for this kind of patch.

The lightweight joint compound comes (nearly) ready to use and can be troweled very thin and even. I suggest several thin light coats, with plenty of drying time between to avoid cracking from shrinking. Sand flush, then seal/prime the whole ceiling and paint to your desired color.


Why won't this 3/8 male connector for a natural gas dryer fit a 3/8 female connector? First off, I changed the Natural Gas orifice to a factory ordered LP orifice, I am not just trying to hook up a LP line to a natural gas dryer without setting the dryer up correctly for LP.

My problem is that the female end LP line, professionally installed, does not fit my dryer male connection.

The fitting is so close, it feels like it will thread but just doesn't.

I am seeing stuff online about a flare end to a threaded end

Is there anything I am doing wrong, or is my dryer female not the 3/8" I am thinking it is?

The instructions for my dryer says it is 3/8":

I added some images to assist with my question:

You need a 3/8" female NPT x 3/8" male flare thread adapter. Any good hardware store or plumbing shop.


Putting a birdhouse up a tree without harming the tree I'd like to put a bird house (below) into my backgarden tree but am not sure what's the best way to do it. I've read opinions that affixing a birdhouse by hammering nails into it & into the tree might harm the three, as would tying rope around it (tight enough to hold the weight of the birdhouse).
Thus wrapping the birdhouse around the trunk or nailing it do not seem like good ideas. What else can I try? I could try hanging it from the tree but I don't know how stable that would be: the birdhouse that I bought does not have any addons to ease its attachment to the tree.

I work in a lumber mill, we see all kinds of things in trees wire and rope do affect the tree the best thing would to use an eye bolt / screw. Drill a pilot hole for the screw and screw it in. This will affect the Cambric layer the least. The wood inside is not the active living part of the tree it is the outside layer. Putting wire or straps around can affect the sap movement and thus the health of the tree but drilling a small hole will not affect it much at all.
Edit: when I read the comments about top and straps I was thinking a hanging feeder like I have with a steel cable holding it up.
Our bird houses are very similar and a small lag bolt at top and bottom ~2-1/2 long hold our houses to trees and posts of our riding arena, our birds come back every year and really help with the flys


What should we do about stained hardwood floors that are still wet after three days? My husband and I made the mistake of applying too much stain to our freshly sanded hardwood floors.  After learning this mistake we wiped them with extra stain and wiped them off immediately. This helped remove much of the tackiness. However they still felt sticky after 48 hours so we scrubbed them with mineral spirits which seemed to help a little more. Twelve hours later they still feel slightly oily.  I feel like we have done everything at this point.

How much longer do we wait?  How do we know they are actually dry?  Besides resanding, what else can we do?

I had this happen in 2007. I put too much stain(MinWax) on the floors and the air conditioning went out in the house so it was too moist for it to dry. I wiped it all down but found it too dark in spots. We ended up resanding and starting from scratch. I would try wiping it down and if not too dark, good. I would also turn up the air conditioning if you have it. It was very important here in the south to manage humidity as it turns out. Michael


Heat transfer to adjacent solder joints If I want to remove a soldered joint in a shower valve by heating it and pulling it, would that heat cause damage to the other soldered joints about 2-3" away on the valve?

Not really, the key is to be directed in the application of heat to the required joint, Almost certainly you will melt the solder on the adjacent joint, however the solder should re-set quick enough. Bigger concern is to make sure you don't apply too much pressure to the fixture and dislodge the loose joint (at heat) --

Remember, the solder should not be contaminated and should re-set well enough.. the nice thing is that its pretty easy to test (i.e when you turn the tap back on)  - If you are concerned, or there is a leak, you can simply add more heat and apply some solder with new flux.


Attach new interior wall to ceiling drywall? There was a similar question but I have a follow-up question. Remodeling shower. Shower base is in place(rectangle 58'x 32') Reinstalling long edge outer wall with no glass and no door creating a walk-in. New wall will be floor to ceiling and run approx 34" leaving the rest as the walk-in. Will powershoot to slab at the bottom and secure to furr strip on cinder wall on the one vertical side. Question; since there are no cross joists in the ceiling I am going to attach to the ceiling drywall, is there any special/better/secure way to attach to the ceiling drywall other than just some wide thread screws? Would large toggles be reasonable? Are there any special brackets available that would broaden the pressure points and help the top wall brace secure better to the ceiling drywall? I will be tiling the shower side of the wall with heavy 18"x18" tiles and don't want it to go south after the first year or whenever.. Thanks, Joe

The correct way to do it is to remove some of the drywall from the ceiling, and install cross braces between the joists.  You'll then attach the top of the wall to the cross braces.  Anything less and you'll have movement in the wall, and you don't want the wall moving (especially if it's tiled).

Sounds like you've got a nice project going. Don't half-ass it, or you'll regret it later when you're redoing it.


Can I tile over existing tile (on drywall) to improve waterproofing? I bought a  renovated house; the shower is drop in tub, the tile wall are directly set on dry wall, no cement backer board behind the tiles.
can I pay someone to tile over the existing tile , since the shower is not been used yet, so in this way use  the existing tile will serve as a cement backer board, for a waterproof purpose , then  attaching a 2nd layer  tile ,  if this will have a waterproofing shower wall? Or do I have to remove the new none waterproofing tile, then add the cement backer board?

If you're going to the trouble and expense of re-tiling the shower, removal of the existing drywall and tile is trivial. Also, a layer of tile isn't a proper moisture barrier anyway.

I'd either seal the grout and use the shower as it is, or do it right and remove the existing.


Replacement part for glass balcony door I need to replace this part, but I do not know what it is called (see picture). It serves to limit the range of motion of an aluminum frame glass door. It is exposed when the door is open. When closed, it folds on top of the door and is completely hidden.

What is it, and where can I find one?

That appears to be a concealed overhead door stop. You might have to search around a bit to find the right style and size - if you know the manufacturer of the door you can try there to see if they sell replacement parts.


Is this Gutter install right? Today, I found my home has a gutter install as below:

My question is:

The hanger screw has penetrate through the metal drip edge and gutter the fascia (cover), is it right? I am thinking it should go below the metal drip edge to avid damage meta drip edge.
The gutter installed almost above the fascia board, reach to the meta drip edge already. I am thinking water will leak out to fascia board later if gutter has been clogged.
The fascia has covered almost the whole fascia board, Is it good for fascia board protection? or if it should run below the gutter hanger screw?

Is it right now? if not, how should I fix it?

1 - Many people call many metal shapes "drip edge". First of all, there is "drip edge" there. I don't know if that's just a quick drawing you drew, but you should have an overhang out of the roof on a drip edge.
Examples:

The hanger normally goes through the back of the gutter anyway, but not the drip edge. With an actual drip edge, even if installed the same way as shown, the overhang would help out with the water dripping, and you wouldn't have an issue. That being said, it doesn't mean that you will.

2 - It could.

3 - Good for protection.

4 - If the flange was part of the gutter, made from one piece, you cold have a roof mounted hanger, that's best case scenario, but just replacing that edge metal with a drip edge may be the ticket, that is IF you have issues.


What are good options for protecting expensive lawn equipment? Question is self explanatory. We had a zero-turn stolen last year. We plan on buying another one this year, and I want to protect it. I've never looked into options available, but I'd like to tag my gear so that it can be tracked if stolen.

Besides obvious solutions involving keeping the gear out of sight and using chains + padlocks, what other ways are there to protect and recover equipment?

Edit 2: Options so far:

I've been looking at Internet Connected GPS Trackers on Amazon and have found some internet-connected-gsm units like this and this.

Can get pre-paid cards and pay ~$25 every 3 months
Can add another line to our family plan for ~$10 a month.
Might be able to add an AT&T SIM card and leave plan inactivated until needed, leaving no monthly bill until "needed".
Will have to get it "installed" on the item in a nondescript way that gets a signal and juice from battery.

Internet Camera's with motion recording. Another techy solution, with the aim of catching the perp and license plates.
Disable vehicles at the engine - make it harder to move the items and more expensive if they do get stolen.
Fast Disconnect tires. Same general idea as #2, make it harder to remove lawn mower. missing parts.
locks and chains - main issue with this is that where our stuff is stored is semi-secluded and all that's needed is a good pair of bolt-cutters, time, someone remotely aware of our schedules and where stuff is located.
dangle them from high above - no high-rises nearby, not many tree's, not sure we want a $3k lawn mower hanging through the winter although it would be entertaining to say the least.

Edit 1: Looking around, I've found plenty of GPS devices for tracking teenagers, children, cars, fleet and similar - but for home use ~$30 a month for protection of a single device seems much. One example found is this EON GPS Asset Tracker, which doesn't seem bad but its a bit expensive due to the monthly bill.

There has to be a good option that you can install into a lawnmower, let it leech off of available wifi-hotspots with the possibly of remotely activating more tracking if need-be without a month subscription fee. Item disappears and it's not phoning home via wifi? Enable cell phone tracking for a one time fee.

Right site or not? As I said in comments, I think this is the best site possible for this question... if it's not, which exchange should I ask this on?

Contractors at construction sites often place their valuable gear out of reach of potential theives.

Now expecting that this approach may not be practical in your particular case the next best advice is "out of sight is less tempting". Wheel your gear into a shed or garage and lock it up.


What does this asbestos remediation report mean? What does this asbestos testing result mean?

Background: My wife and I are looking to buy a house built in the 1950s. The seller disclosed that they have had an asbestos abatement done and health certifications issued. This is the documentation they gave on the asbestos testing. I'm still waiting for the health certification.

It appears to be an on-site analysis of "fibers" in the air after remediation. Often we require a remediation company to test the air after they have abated the asbestos to certify that they have removed all the asbestos and the air is now "clean" and suitable for inhabitants.

This is certifying the "fiber count" in the air. There should be a certification that they removed 100% of the asbestos, (chrysotile).

If you see a report that says they tested a sample and it has more than 1% Chrysotile, then that is asbestos.

I'd call the testing agency and ask for a "complete" copy of the file.


How can I disable cooling with a White Rodgers thermostat? 1F56W-444 White Rodgers Thermostat

I am fairly sure this is the thermostat that I have. How do I disconnect the cooler/air-conditioner as to avoid my penguin visiting relative waking me to 55°F chills.

Disconnect the wire connected to the Y terminal. This is the terminal that's energized when the thermostat calls for cool, so disconnecting the wire will prevent the thermostat from calling for cool.


Cold water pipe frozen, hot water fine Our cold water in the kitchen isn't working, the hot water is fine. It is a single faucet, so when I turn it to cold water, nothing comes out. I turned the heat up in the house, and have opened the cabinet doors. I saw on another site, to let the hot water run for 10-20 minutes, and hope the close proximity of the pipes help the cold. Any other tips?

If you have access to the frozen pipe or the cavity in the wall/floor where it is you can use a hair dryer to heat the air around the pipe (a cheap hair dryer blowing up into a wall from a basement unfroze a pipe within minutes for me).  I would not apply high heat (e.g. heat gun) to the pipe directly as you can cause the water to expand and damage it.  If you have direct access to where the pipe is frozen, applying a towel soaked in hot water is another option.

If you own the home, look into insulating the pipes and the cavity they are in.  If you rent, inform the owner of the problem.


Difference Between Take Off and Starting Collar - Which One Should I Use? I am in the process of installing a whole house humidifier. I am planning to mount it to the supply side and need to connect the bypass to the return. I'm not sure if I should be using a take-off or starting collar to do this. I've posted pictures below. I apologize if my terminology is incorrect. With the starting collar, do you use screws to secure it to the plenum, or do you simply fold all of the tabs back? One thing that I like about the take-off is that there is an adhesive strip and holes for 3 zip screws. I apologize for the questions. I am learning HVAC for the first time, and I don't have much experience yet.

Start collars and take offs are terminology that are used interchangeably.  Finger type ( fold over tabs) are generally used in duct board plenum and trunk lines.  Collar types are used with sheet metal distribution systems.  Sheet metal uses three short metal screws in each collar with mastic or other sealing products.  The finger type collar has flexible duct attached with a first layer duct tape, attaching the inner liner to the collar.  Next is a coating of mastic over the tape completely.  Pull the flexible insulation and vapor barrier over the joint and secure with a large nylon zip tie.  Trim the zip tie and you are done.


Inadequate grounding of sub panel Three wire system.   Twenty years ago i installed 50 amp Sub panel at the garage connected to house panel.  It supplies 3 circuits at 15 amps, 1 at 20, a double 20.  There is no ground rod at the garage.  Yesterday the circuits from the sub panel went dead.  I measure 220 volts across the main lugs, but zero from each lug to the ground cable/bus.  T garage.  The cable from the house panel to the house penetration is aluminum and it then connects to copper.  I am thinking of driving a ground rod at the garage to connect to the ground bus in the sub panel.  Am also thinking that corrosion at the Al to Cu connection has essentially opened that connection.

Install the ground rod and connect to the ground bus or to just the supply cable ground?  Install it but disconnect the supply cable ground from the ground bus. Open and clean the Al to Cu connection.

Summary: a ground rod will not substitute for the neutral/ground connection back to the main.

To be clear, your third wire is actually providing two functions: neutral and safety ground. The power disturbance is due to the failed neutral. 120 v loads on only one leg do not have a return path and so will not work. If you have loads on both legs, they will conduct through each other but, depending on the ratio of the loads, the voltages will vary between nearly 0v and nearly 240 volts and may destroy equipment or cause a fire.

The safety ground has multiple functions but significantly is to prevent shock with metal-cased, three-prong equipment. If a hot wire were to come lose and contact the metal case, excessive current would flow to ground and trip the breaker on the hot. If a GFCI is in the circuit, the trip will come with much less current. This prevents fatal voltages from appearing on the case.

In this case, because the neutral and safety ground are combined and have become disconnected, you are actually in worse shape. Voltage will conduct through switched on loads and actually energize grounded objects (metal-cased 3-prong equipment, outlet and switch screws, etc.) providing a great shock hazard.

This is why the electrical code has been changed to require a 4-wire feed to sub panels.

A ground rod would mitigate this to some degree but dry dirt is a poor conductor. It is a poor safety ground and a lousy neutral. You absolutly need a working neutral/ground back to the main panel.

At a minimum, I would fix the open conductor and add a ground rod at the garage. You should also consider upgrading your feed to 4 wires to separate the neutral and ground, as current code requires.


How to strip paint off cast iron? I'm looking to refurbish a bench that disintegrated over the years. The bench ends are still in decent shape, but I need to clean off the remaining paint and rust.

My main concern is that I don't know what kind of paint was used. I suspect that it was baked on, and I've already chipped off most of the easy pickings. I've looked into manual and chemical solutions, but I'd like some more practiced advise.

This is a nice how to paint strip. If you insist on not using stripper and if mechanical means aren't getting it done, consider using a heat gun or a blow torch. (mentioned in my preferred order of attack.) Tough jobs require all three methods, repeatedly. Insure that any stripper used won't eat iron.

The paint on all but the hand rails looks somewhat sound. Hit it with a wire brush and if it doesn't all start flaking, your fine. Scuff it all up and just repaint it. The hand rails need to be smoothed and all rust removed. Avoid repainting with gloss if there's chunks left all over; shininess will show them better. If you want to look like it just came out of the factory, you'd have to sand blast the whole thing.

  Strippers that contain methylene chloride can do the job in about an hour, while more environmentally friendly products without the chemical may take several hours to strip the surface clean.

-Source


Adding Cat6 Surface Mount Box I went to my local retail network box store and after being assured by the sales person that this would work for Cat6 and produce Cat6 speeds I purchased this
 to wire-up my Cat6 cable to, then run a Cat6 cable from the surface mount box to my device.  I know End 1 (connected to switch works), and I know the Cat6 cable that I connect to the surface mount box is good as I have tested it in multiple other switches, which leads me to the fact that I have wired something up incorrectly.

This is an image of the wiring that I have done...does someone notice right off what I did incorrectly and is causing the box to be "dead"

Wrong Jack
That is NOT a normal CAT6 (or even CAT5, or to be honest, not even CAT3) jack. That is an "old style" phone jack, just happens to have 8 pins.
I can't tell easily whether you have the wires matched up correctly. If they're not matched correctly then it is guaranteed to not work. However, CAT6 (and CAT5 and even CAT3) normally:

Use colored pairs (Blue, Orange, Green, Brown) in T568A or T586B configuration. Even if the actual wires are not in those colors, the jack will have markings to indicate how to match your cable wires to the jack.

Use a punch block rather than screw terminals. This allows for very consistent and reliable termination using a punch tool.

Use twisted pairs except for the very end. In this case you have separate wires from each screw, not twisted pairs, which is I think a key reason for a punch block instead of screw terminals.

What you need is a CAT6 jack such as:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Commercial-Electric-Category-6-Jack-White-5016-WH/206428120
and a surface mount box to install it in, such as:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Commercial-Electric-2-Port-Category-5e-and-Category-6-Surface-Mounting-Box-5322-WH/206428219
and a punch tool such as:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Commercial-Electric-Impact-Punch-Down-Tool-with-110-Blade-CE70804/202039354
Actually that particular jack includes a (effectively, as it will likely break) single-use punch tool. But if you have more than 2 jacks to install, get a punch tool. The same punch tool (make sure it is 110 type, not 66) will work for CAT 3, 5, 5e, 6.
The brand of the parts does not matter much. Leviton is a big name brand, but I've used plenty of others as well. What does matter is that the jacks & the surface mount boxes (or wall plates, which mount on a standard electrical box or box eliminator) are compatible - there are some variants with slightly different sizes. Cat 3, 5, 5e, 6 all work pretty much the same. However, using an older type will not necessarily get you full error-free operation at the higher speeds of the newer types due to differences in twists and other factors. In other words, if you use CAT 3 jacks with CAT 5e or 6 cable, you may find that you can't get Gigabit speeds even though simple testers will show a good electrical connection.
Most good CAT 5/5e/6 jacks (even from "off brands") will show color-coding for both T568A and T586B. It doesn't matter which one you use, as long as you use the same on both ends of the cable.


Can you identify this tool? Does anyone know what these metal tools in the bottom left of the photo are? I found them in my crawlspace and to me they look like some sort of medieval torture device.

They are old ladder jacks.
Here is a picture in use:

And they can go under as well:


How do I fix this HORRIBLE drywall patch? Please give me some advice on how to fix this. This is a PAINTED wall.

It's not as bad as you think.  Someone just skipped the last step in drywall repair, and proceeded to paint.  The wonderful thing about drywall is that when you screw up, you can generally fix it without starting over.
As another poster suggested, you just need to feather everything out, and sand.  I'm not a pro drywaller, but I'd think you could get away with just one application of mud+sanding.
Check out this guy on youtube, who gives pretty good advice on drywalling techniques.  I'd highly recommend youtube for something like this, as it's hard to describe drywall techniques in words or even pictures.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUcT5LHmA7w


How should I install a new water heater? I have recently shifted to San Diego. I am planning to install my own water heater. Can anyone guide me on below questions:

Should I place my water heater next to furnace?
Should I have a common vent?
What should be vent material?
Should I place the water heater within the premises or outside?

Since you talk about venting, I'm going to assume you're talking about a gas-fired water heater. First thing you should know is that in many jurisdictions, gas pipe fitting may only be performed by licensed gas fitters. Based on that and the fact that you are asking these types of questions leads me to believe you are probably out of your depth on installing a gas-fired water heater.

Instead, I would strongly consider an electric water heater. Installation considerations are much simpler.

And don't forget that you have to follow earthquake code, in additional to all of the other usual codes (electrical, plumbing, etc.)!


Should my subpanel have a neutral conductor feeding it? I have a subpanel to an outdoor patio 75 yards from the house main breaker box and don't think it is wired properly.  There are two large hot lines from the main controlled by a 50 amp breaker that go to the subpanel.  There is a large ground connected directly from a grounding rod next to the subpanel. Only limited power comes out of individual 15 amp breakers at the subpanel.  Is there supposed to be a neutral coming from the main breaker box to the subpanel?  If so, what is the minimum size I need due to the distance?

Sounds like they're trying to use the earth as a neutral, which in the US is not allowed.

If the wires are through conduit, and the conduit is large enough, you can simply pull two more conductors.

If the wires are in a cable, or the conduit is too small. You'll want to pull a new four wire cable, or four conductors through a larger conduit.

To compensate for the voltage drop across the 225' long conductors, you're going to have to use larger conductors.  In this case, you'll want 4 AWG copper conductors.  If you're going to install a new four wire cable, you can use 4-4-4-6 type USE copper cable.


Add an electric outlet by tapping through wall into garage? I'm mounting a TV on the family room wall. On the other side of this wall is the garage, which is unfinished (and therefor easier to work on). There are no convenient outlets, so I'm considering punching a small from the family room to the garage to run Romex to a new outlet behind the TV.

I'm concerned about the fire rating and any firewall issues I need to be concerned with, but having a hard time finding relevant codes.

If you cut open the wall (remove some drywall) in the garage and do your wiring and then replace the drywall ( which should be 5/8 type X for fire code ) tape and mud the seams you should be back to code compliant. You do not want to make any permanent openings in the garage wall that fire can pass through into the living space.

When you cut out the drywall in the garage you want the vertical cut on the center of a stud so that you have structure to reattach to when you put the old/new piece back in. You can do it with a razor knife but i find an oscillating saw to may much quicker work of it. Find your studs ( since you garage is not finished you should be able to see the drywall nail/screw marks on the wall ) Use a level as a straight edge to mark the lines for you to cut out, When you cut your horizontal lines do not plunge the saw deep into the wall cavity as there may be wiring, pluming etc in the space, run your say at an angle so that just enough of the blade it in far enough to cut the backing paper of the drywall. On your vertical cuts your blade will bottom out on the stud but you may hit the drywall nail/screw heads, move over these and leave the drywall around them to be cleaned up with razor knife.


What are the steps to troubleshoot no hot water coming out of just one faucet? Its been cold lately. Cold as its been at any time so far this winter. I came downstairs to turn on the kitchen sink and while cold water came out, when I turned on just hot water, no water came out. I went to the other faucets in the house, including a nearby bathroom, they all give hot water.

I immediately called our home warranty people, fearing frozen pipes. I'm hopeful that's not the reason, so I wanted to know if I could troubleshoot the issues until I can get a plumber to come out.

What would the signs of frozen pipes be? Is there anyway I could tell they are frozen while they are frozen?
What other things could cause a single faucet to not give hot water. How could I look for those reasons?

Silly suggestion, but have you checked if somebody turned off the water shutoff for just this faucet's hot water pipe?

Is this faucet on an outside wall? You shouldn't have any pipes running within exterior walls, but this may be a factor.

Do the pipes out of your water heater show any indication of running water if all the other faucets / showerheads are turned off? That may indicate a broken connection somewhere.


How do I fix a leak at a decommissioned saddle-valve? Water is dripping, about a drop every other second, out of the end of this thing.

what is it?
why is it dripping?
can I fix it myself?

The proper name for it is a self piercing saddle valve. The valves are bad for many reasons, including the fact that they often clog and no longer allow water through the line, and they leak.

If you need a valve there to supply something like an ice maker or humidifier, then I'd cut the pipe, add a T, and put a proper quarter turn valve on the line.

To remove it, I'd just cut the pipe right on the piercing and install a copper coupling between the two cut pipes. The steps include: shutoff the water, remove the saddle valve (unscrew the two sides), cut the pipe, clean it, apply flux to the pipe and a copper coupling, fit them together, and solder the joint by heating with a blow torch and working solder into the joint from the opposite side. A skilled plumber should have the entire job done in under 30 minutes including setup and cleanup. For the DIY'er, you'll need the following tools and parts:

Copper pipe cutter

Fitting brush

Flux and solder

Blow torch

Copper coupling

Note, no affiliation or specific recommendation with any of the above brands, these are only sample images.


Replacing particle board subfloor with plywood I am hoping someone will be able to give me advice on how to proceed with my project. I am installing vinyl flooring and noticed the particle subfloor was rotten in a spot. I decided that I wanted to remove it and replace it with plywood. When ripping it up it looks like it was screwed and glued onto risers (planks of wood - not sure what they're called).

Is it best for me to take these risers up and just place 3/4" plywood on top of the existing plywood? I assume I would have to glue as well right? Or should I get 1/4" plywood and lay that on top of the risers?

Any advice you could provide would be greatly appreciated as I clearly have no idea what I am doing. Here is a picture of what it looks like:

Wider view of what's being replaced (don't mind the mess :))

Thanks in advance!

Dan

If I were you I'd keep those risers there. You don't know if they're glued on the bottom and you might damage the plywood underneath. Sand those risers to get rid of the glued particle board remaining on them. Then replace the particle board with plywood of the same thickness and make sure you glue it to the risers in addition to using a fastener. Fastener does all the structural work and the glue prevents squeaky floors.


Treatment of outdoor wood statue A while back our live oak needed some surgery and the arborist ended up having to cut out a pretty sizeable limb. He was going to haul it off so I asked him what would become of it.  "Firewood", was the answer... I decided I could do something better.

So after some drying the bark is off and I've started the carving process.

I was wondering though, once I'm done,  what's the best way to treat it? I want to keep full sight of the wood grain, and I'm keeping a lot of the natural surface of the limb.

I'm in the south, so wood eating bugs galore, high humidity, high heat. It's going to be outside most likely under cover but will likely get wet when it rains sideways (so not infrequent)

"deck sealer" or plain old linseed oil. Re-apply regularly.


Refrigerator freezing on top up to 9 degrees warmer on lower shelves Side by side Frigidaire 6 months old.  Has done this before, but was working fine by the time the repairman showed up.  It is NOT overloaded.  It does usually run a degree or two different, but not 9 degrees.

It sounds like the evaporator coils are freezing up and the fan is unable to keep the air moving, it could be a faulty defrost timer, this is unacceptable for a new fridge.


How to remove tar left over from old floor carpet? Redoing bathroom floors and under the tiles there was really old carpet. I was able to remove the upper layer of it, but there is a tar-like substance stuck on the wooden floor that is very difficult to remove. Are there any tricks or chemicals that can be used to easily peel this away and leave the wood intact?

I just wet it with soap and hot water, maybe a few times over the course of a half hour, and then use a wallpaper scraper.


Do I need to sanitize my air vents after I remove a bird from them? I am quite positive I have a bird in my air vents. I plan to remove it tonight but I'm not sure what I should do afterwards. Should I have a company sanitize the vents/system? I just don't want any dangerous air/insects harming my 1 year old.

There are a lot of diseases that vector from bird droppings.  The Illinois Department of Public Health mentions Histoplasmosis and Cryptococcus and several other diseases in HEALTH HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH BIRD AND BAT DROPPINGS.  They also recommend washing the area with soap and water if the area is small or contacting an environmental engineering consultant if the area is large.

NYC Health on their Pigeon-Related Diseases page recommends the following for large droppings:

  Large Amount of Droppings
  If you are planning a large clean-up of a structure, such as removing droppings from an air shaft, you should take protective measures to avoid health risks. Once the structure is cleaned, you should wash it regularly to prevent further accumulation of droppings.

  To minimize your risks for getting a pigeon-related disease, you should take the following precautions:
  Wear protective clothing, such as disposable coveralls, boots, and gloves. You can also wear a respirator to better protect yourself.
  If you are using a high-powered water hose to strip off dried droppings, be sure to control the dust. You can use plastic sheeting to contain the area, or you can wet down the work area. This will prevent inhalation, reduce the risk of infection and prevent dust from spreading outside the work area.
  You can avoid the risks of using a high-powered water hose by soaking the droppings in water and then shoveling them. Collect the wet material in heavy-duty plastic bags or other types of secure containers and discard it with the regular garbage.


Building a New Wall with Projector Niche I’m hoping to transform my basement into a home theater space.
While there’s a lot involved in the project, the primary scope involves (see pictures below):

Close the opening on the front wall
Create 100” projector screen niche (recessed rectangle) on front wall
Demo and dispose of popcorn ceiling, install new ceiling drywall

To create the projector niche, I can’t go “backwards” (behind the existing drywall) because there’s foundation right behind the wall studs. I need to create a new wall that is 6” forward (from existing) in order to have the space to frame the niche. I say 6” because I’ll have a soundbar that is 4.5” deep that will sit on the bottom of the niche, so I’m planning using 2x6 framing lumber.
So, with that in mind, my primary questions are as follows:

Should I remove the existing drywall before creating the new wall that’s extended forward? Or just build “on top” of the existing wall? What implications does either choice have for closing the current wall opening? Note that there’s two electrical outlets in the wall opening that I’ll want to bring forward.
What’s the best way to secure the new beams to the old beams? And the wall framing into the ceramic tile below?Construction adhesive?

As an aside (as it may impact answers to questions above), while I’m doing this work, I figure I might as well remove the popcorn ceiling. While I’d normally wet and scrape, I can see seams showing that would probably appear as cracks without the “popcorn”. So I’m planning on taking the ceiling out and installing new drywall reinforced with liquid nail.
I’m also on the fence about extending the existing ceiling “bulkheads” to create a coffered ceiling (or ceiling soffit?), as it may add to the home theater aesthetic...
Finally, what’s a versatile saw for accomplishing the tasks above? Miter? Circular? Table saw?
Thanks!

This looks like a fun project.  I want to start by linking a few great books I own and like.  They're well-illustrated and you can find them in many home improvement stores & libraries.  These will really help you a lot since you are new to framing and maybe electrical as well.

Codes for Homeowners
The Complete Guide to Walls & Ceilings
The Complete Guide to Finishing Basements
The Complete Guide to Wiring

Existing wall demo?
With that said, personally, I would demo the existing wall rather than leave all that drywall & electrical inaccessible.  I'm not aware of any requirement to remove the old wall; it's just what I would do.
Framing lumber choice
You mentioned using 2x6 framing lumber to build the new wall.  That is unnecessary; you can use 2x4.  Your new wall should be secured to the "ceiling" (really, joists or blocking above the ceiling) and the floor.  It doesn't necessarily need to be in contact with the foundation wall or the existing finished drywall (even if you don't demo it.)  Therefore, the extra depth of 2x6 lumber is not beneficial.
You ask, What’s the best way to secure the new beams to the old beams?. Both the "Basements" and "Walls & Ceilings" books cover this with illustrations.  But basically, there should be joists above the existing ceiling, and you want your new wall to be secured to them.  If they run parallel to the new wall you might add some "blocking" between two joists and then nail your new wall to the blocking.  The pictures in those books will help a ton.
Saw choice
A circular saw is a good choice and a great "first saw" for someone getting into serious DIY projects like this one.
You won't need a table saw for this.  A miter saw might be helpful for a few cuts when you're ready to install new baseboards, chair rails, or other trim; but don't buy a huge 12" miter saw; consider renting one unless you're sure you will use it again.  They take up a lot of space.


How cold does it need to be to damage hoses? I have a water hose that I keep hooked up all the time. It's inconvenient to disconnect and drain the hose to protect it from freezing. My plan is to watch the weather forecast and only disconnect if necessary because it will be cold.

How cold does it have to get to freeze the water and damage the hose?

Can you turn off the water supply to the hose? Or is the tap at the "business" end of the hose?

If it's the former then you can turn off the supply to the hose and leave the tap at the end of the hose open. This means that if there is any water left in the hose it will a) drain away and b) (more importantly) be able to expand safely along the length of the hose if it freezes.

So as long as there aren't any kinks in the hose it should survive the winter.


How to make a receptacle box flush with wall after it has been installed? We have two receptacle blue boxes installed. Both were going to be in back splash wall so contractors had them not flush with the wall, I guess accounting for the thickness of the tiles.

Long story short. We're not gong to have a back splash around one of the blue boxes.

How do I make this blue box flush with the wall?  Also you can see that the blue box is not evenly inset. Left side and top sticks out more than the right side and bottom.

Do I just trim the plastic down so that it is flush? Does that somehow make it not up to code?

That is an adjustable box.

Along the right vertical side you see that screw? That screw will adjust the box in and out. But since someone painted/caulked it in you will need to free it up all around the drywall edge.

I have to say though, whoever installed it in the first place did a really shitty job. It should sit even all the way around.


How much does cement weigh after it has set? I'm looking to make some weight plates for a home gym and so I am planning on using cement to make the plates. But I know that some water will be absorbed and not evaporated when making the cement so it will be hard for me to get the weight that I want.

How much heavier is cement after it has set? Do different conditions change this?

If I add more or less water will it affect this or will it only take a certain amount of water and then the rest will evaporate?

Several things affect the final weight of concrete.

Concrete has many different densities based on its composition.  Standard "ready mix" concrete is often engineered for structural strength of 3000psi.  Since concrete is not this strong when it is first poured, a standard was created for when to test concrete.  This standard calls for the strength to be determined at 28 days old.  At this point, concrete has achieved about 99% of its strength, and will continue to very slowly strengthen over the next few years.  At 28 days old, I use a density of .085 pounds per cubic inch (146.9 pounds per cubic foot) when calculating structural load.

Concrete is porous.  In humid weather, concrete will absorb moisture from the air while in dry weather it will release moisture.  Even if you made the "perfect" weight today, it may decrease or increase over time.  This is why, when you buy concrete weights, they are encased in plastic.

Regarding your question on adding more or less water:  Contrary to popular belief, concrete doesn't "dry" to for it to cure.  Concrete hardens as a chemical reaction.  Adding more water than what is optimal to create the chemical reaction will only weaken the concrete without changing its final weight.

As a side note, concrete cracks easily.  This is another reason why, when you buy concrete weights, they are encased in plastic.  With that not being a reasonable option here, and based on your application, I would strengthen the concrete mesh or fiber.  You can order "ready mix" with fiberglass fibers in it, or you can use a large hole mesh.  Too small of holes will create a fault line.  Aluminum works well because its density (.097) is close to concrete's density.  In any case, this type of weight is not to be dropped from any height.


I ran into two hot lines when replacing a three way switch I've read up on three way switches, and have replaced a few over the years. I recently installed a bathroom fan, and so had to replace two three way switches. Very simple setup - two switches, one fixture with four lights. As soon as I looked at the old wiring, I got confused. After removing the switches, I did some testing. Each switch box has a hot line coming in. By that, I mean that with no switches installed, each box has a hot pair into it. The only thing that I can figure is that it was a Carter system, as that is the only diagram that I have seen with hot/main into both switches. A little disturbing, as this house was build in 1970, and Carter hasn't been code for ages.

Is my assumption correct? Is Carter the only one with main/hot to both switches? If so, what do I do from here? I'd rather not wire up another Carter setup.

Thanks,
Erick

Additional information: I've attached a picture with what I've discovered. My next task (tomorrow) is to open up the fixture and see how it is connected. It seems like 3 way switch in box 2 was wired in series with the rest of the circuit.

I verified A is connected to B by turning off main, then checking continuity with a multimeter. Verified both are hot with main on with a multimeter.
I assumed C by turning off power, then checking continuity with a multimeter. I don't know if there is a junction or anything else along this, but it does connect through.
I have one line going to the fixture (D), but I haven't verified it yet. It could be some combination of C, D and E for all I know.

Update

I had to admit defeat on this one. I wired up the new switches in exactly the same way as the old. It works, but I still don't understand it. At some point I'll revisit and rewire. Thanks to everyone for their help!

It's possible that you are detecting residual voltage from the neutral through the lamps at one switch (in the order of 50V often), you can use a multimeter in voltage mode and see how much voltage you actually detect. Or take out the bulbs from the fixtures and check again.

Other wise you can (with the breaker off) connect 2 wires at one switch then check continuity of the wires at the other end (with a battery and little bulb for the poor-man's checker). If the non-lives are those that connect on both ends then it's fine.


thermostat batteries replaced, AC unit won't start Came home from work to find no AC. I checked the thermostat and the display was blank. After replacing the batteries and resetting the program, my AC unit never started up.

I checked:
 - The AC unit (Carrier) outside to see if the fans was spinning, but it was not. It does appear to move freely when I pushed/spun it.
 - The breaker downstairs, it was fine. Still I flipped it on-off-on.
 - The tech switch on the side of furnace was on, still I flipped that on-off-on.
 - The fan does come on, but only blows ambient temperature air.
 - When I set the thermostat (White-Rogers) Off, then to Cool. The cool message blinks for a while.
 - I moved the Y wire to the RC terminal, but nothing happens.

I just moved into this house, and AC was working fine for the past 3 months.

Did some further sleuthing and found the capacitor on the unit is shot.

Thanks to all for the input.


Stone, Brick, Concrete. Which material is the heaviest per cubic inch? I'm building a mobile fence and and have limit space to hold down my poles.

I wanted to know what is heaviest material per cubic inch.

Stone, Brick, Concrete... or What?

This is the limited space I have to work with. 10 inches x 5 inches x 2 inches

That kind of information is easy to find with google.  Here's one of the first that came up for me:
http://www.rfcafe.com/references/general/density-building-materials.htm

Concrete - 150 lbs/ft^3

Brick - 120 lbs/ft^3

Crushed stone - 100 lbs/ft^3

Limestone - 171 lbs/ft^3

If you really want some weight, go with cast iron - 450 lbs/ft^3

You're diagram shows 100 in^3 which is 0.058 ft^3

Concrete will be the easiest to work with in this application, but would come to just 8.7 lbs  A bit more then a gallon of water (8.3 lbs)