Bathroom Vent - exhausts into attic insulation - what to do today? So my wife called my attention the fact that the kids bathroom has some grunge on the ceiling and tends to have lots of water drops when in use.

First issue - at some point the vent motor was replaced with one that is too small for the housing, they had some foil tape on there to try to seal it...

Today, I got up into the attic and it turns out that the fan isn't vented anywhere...it's just buried under the insulation.

And the fan in our bathroom is the same

Surprisingly, I didn't see any mold/mildew in the insulation...perhaps because we live in Salt Lake City, Utah...things don't stay wet around here.

Long term, I'll see about finding somebody to put in some actual venting through the roof.  Although, the one bath will be tough, as the fan is close to the wall.

I'd prefer to go out the wall, but there's no exterior wall above the bathroom ceiling...just the soffit.

As an alternative to the roof, I could go out the gable end, but that's 20ft or so..

So my question, what should I do today?  Should I just put every back?  Or is there anything I can do today that would help and not hurt?

Many jurisdictions frown upon venting out of the soffit, particularly if the soffit is vented (perforated).  The rationale being that the warm/moist air from the exhaust vent will be drawn back into the attic.

I think the preferred location for the vent is through the roof or out the side of a gable.

Here's the way I vented a new powder room.


How do I remove molding with out damaging the molding or the wall? I am installing wood flooring in my bathroom and want to remove the molding without damage.

(after slicing the paint/caulk seam...) A wooden shingle slid behind a small prybar (http://www.hardwareworld.com/SharkGrip-Prybar-~-8-pGJXJX8.aspx) is ideal.

It also helps to find the studs and use the prybar over them because
   1) that's where the nails in the molding are most likely to be, and hence lessen the chance of damaging the trim
   2) the sheetrock will be less likely to break in those places as well.

There's also often a sort of order that it is installed, and is most easily removed in the reverse order. So take a look at which way the pieces overlap at mitered seams.


How much space do I need between rafter ties? I have a living room that I'd like to vault the ceiling on. I've had a contractor come out and tell me that my ceiling joists are not supporting the roof in anyway, they are just tying the walls together.

The room has 3 exterior walls and is 14'x20' with the ceiling joists running the 14' direction currently spaced 16" o.c. (built in the early 50s). The 20' walls are both exterior. I'm in an area with little to no snow, wind, and seismic activity (Raleigh, NC). The roof pitch is pretty low.

Ideally I'd like to remove the ceiling joists at the top plate and move them up to the 1/3rd mark so they are a bit higher and also reduce as much as possible the number of ties needed.

I'm thinking two or three 2x6's spaced fairly evenly across the room should do it, but I'm just guessing.

"...ceiling joists are not supporting the roof in anyway, they are just tying the walls together"

Unless you have a big ridge beam you failed to mention, this is a brilliant piece of misdirection. While superficially correct, what do you suppose would happen if the walls were not tied together? The roof would collapse under it's own weight! No snowload required.

The lateral force exerted on the walls from a low pitch roof is substantial. While it is possible to stabilize the roof with collar ties alone, the end connections become very critical in low pitch applications. You'd be much better off with a high pitch roof in terms of spreading forces from the roof.

If you're going to do a major structural change anyway, I would install a ridge beam along with proper end supports in order to achieve maximum openness from my efforts. Regardless of which approach you select, for any major structural change you should consult with an engineer to ensure everything is done safely. Small details can make a big difference.


Cheap way to make cardboard box waterproof? I will be attempting to make some concrete planters with two cardboard boxes. Below is the DIY that I will follow:

As you can see, the interior of the outer box & the exterior of the inner box must be waterproof.

So the instructions say to use duct tape for this, but duct tape is expensive. I'm thinking there may be a cheaper way, like maybe spraying the box with something to make the cardboard waterproof.

Does this make sense or is duct tape the only way?

How about plastic bags?   You will need 2.  Put inner box inside one.  Leave bag open at top so concrete can push air out of the bag and flatten it against inner box.

Put bagged box inside another bag.  Then double bagged box inside outer box.

Pour concrete between the 2 bags.  Bags will flatten against boxes as they fill and contain concrete between the 2 boxes.  Peel off bags after concrete sets.  You may get some aesthetically pleasing wrinkles in the final product.

Added bonus: it will be easy to retrieve boxes from final product.

@manassehkatz is right about the concrete collapsing the boxes.  You could address this with a hole (or a pile of sand).  Dig a hole in the ground large enough to contain planter.  Fill inner box with dirt to fortify it against collapse.  Put box/bag mold into the hole and put dirt down around outer box.  That will keep it from bursting outwards from weight of wet concrete.  Or you could just fill inside box with sand and wrap outer box with ropes.


Gaps between drywall and door casing I'm trying to paint my garage and noticed some gaps between the door casing and the drywall. Is there a way I can fill these so they appear flat?

Thinking of using some spray foam insulation for the larger gaps then shaving the excess down, and caulk for the smapler ones, not sure if this is the best approach.

If no flex and not moisture damage, the classic method of repair is:

Find a drywall paste and use fiberglass-net type tape to reinforce it, directions are on the label. Use a 6” or 8” trowel and build up in layers after each one dries. Prime before painting.

Fill large cracks with foam or butyl tape/strips/rope first, then cover with layers of drywall paste as above. You can embed the net tape to reinforce the repaire in the first layer.

If the cracks are around a door that moves or flexes the wall, use just the weatherstripping or cover with flexible caulk. Make sure it’s labeled paintable if you want to paint it.


How to nail LVL beam to King Stud This seems to be the best forum to get answers. I asked a question a week ago about placement of LVL beam, it was answered in a matter of minutes.

So I am placing this 13ft (12.8ft) Versa-Lam LVL beam as header for a 12ft patio door. You can see the opening I have. I will be adding 3-1/2 by 3-1/2 Versa-Lam LVL posts as Jack studs on each side against the King studs that already exist there once I build up the support wall.

Right now, the king stud that exists on the left side is right at a corner wall. It the very last King stud right at the corner. And I have no access to the opposite side of the King Stud for nailing the beam to it.

Once I place the beam, how do I nail it to the king stud? Do I just toe nail it?

I appreciate any comment. Thanks

Toe nailing should provide sufficient strength. A method I often apply in such situations is to not only nail it both through the header and into the king stud but to also toe nail it from the king stud into the header. You can also put some nails up through the jacks and into the header. If you lack confidence in your nails, a few well placed screws should do the trick as well.


Beam in roof has cracked, is this serious? Light weight beams that don't appear to do anything? (https://i.stack.imgur.com/nTPd3.jpg)

Please can someone tell me if the beam in the photo that is cracked needs to be replaced? Can I just screw a piece of 3by2 down the inside of it to reinforce/repair?
I just had a roofer over and he seems to think that I can do the above and that these light weight beams are not doing a lot?

I would replace it with a new piece of similar sized and type of material. Should be really straight forward to remove the broken one and place the new one.

Sistering a new one on against the existing one is another option if it is not possible to get at the ends of the existing member.

It is indeed possible that these play a minor role in overall structure of your house. They may have been installed at the time of the building construction to keep the ridge board in position as the rafters were cut and nailed into place. But even that said they do provide some triangulation stiffening of the roof structure in the case of horizontal stress placed on the building structure by winds.


HE Top Loading Clothes Washer - water drainage My GE HE clothes washer ALWAYS has water under the tub - when you move the tub you hear it sloshing around.

Is this normal?

If not, thoughts on getting a proper draining?

Let me know, thanks!

My Sears Kenmore top loader washer machine tub has a construction where there is a donut shaped compartment built around the bottom of the tub. It has water inside of it!!

A couple of years ago when I replaced the tub bearings I was mildly surprised to note this interesting construction. It did not leak or pour out when I had removed the tub during the repair. I can only guess that the water plays a role in the dynamics of the tub motion in conjunction with baffles inside the water compartment.

So I would guess that this is normal for your GE washer tub as well.


How can I remove this valve? I am trying to replace the valve connecting the water line to the sink in my bathroom.  The piping and sink were installed in 1975.  I'm stuck trying to remove the valve under the sink (see picture below).  When I try to unscrew the valve it will rotate but it's not actually unscrewing from the water line.  I thought maybe I needed two wrenches (one on the nut closet to the pipe and one on the valve itself).  But if they do rotate independently then I couldn't break the seal.

Is there some trick to getting this model of valve off?  I tried searching online but I just cant find any info.  Likely Im just butchering the terminology quite a bit which is hurting the search.

I'm quite a bit new at doing this type of project so its possible I'm looking right past the obvious.

While I hate plumbing, I do quite a lot for close friends and family.  I don't know exactly what you are doing, but I know a couple of things, and I hope these will help.  When you loosen the gland nut closest to the wall, you probably need to turn it clockwise.  Normally when you loosen something, you usually  go counter-clockwise.  In this case the nut stays on the pipe, not the valve.  Always you a back wrench like you were talking about to keep from twisting the pipe.

Here's a You Tube video that shows it.  I hope that this helps and is not exactly what you have done before.  Did I say I hate plumbing?


can an indoor Transfer Switch be used on the other side of the wall as an outdoor service entrance and main panel? Can an indoor Transfer Switch be used on the other side of the wall as an outdoor service entrance and main panel?

The concept is: The outdoor service entrance is wired through the wall to the SE rated indoor transfer switch. Then wired through the wall again from the transfer switch to the outdoor main panel.
Is this ok or will I need a UL listed panel to keep outside

The simple answer is NO.

An indoor xfer switch enclosure is rated for a dry location only. You would need a Raintight enclosure if you were to use it where it is subject to weather conditions.


When drilling your wire ways in the walls, what is the standard height in the horizontal height from the floor? When drilling your wire ways in the walls, what is the standard height in the horizontal height from the floor?

There are no standard heights. We usually run them close to the height that the receptacles are to save wire many of the homes I have wired run from 8” to 24” with most 12-16” I like the taller ones because boring the holes through the studs is easier a little higher, just make you bore your hole in the center of the board so there is 1-1/4” or more to the edge or you will have to add nail plates.


Is the furnace undersized? I have a 2700 sq ft rambler home with cathedral ceilings over a large portion of it - over the hallway, 2 living rooms and kitchen. We replaced the furnace that was installed when the home was built in 1982. This original furnace was a 115000 btu furnace. Unfortunately, we changed the furnce before we moved into this house a few months ago.

When the HVAC guys did a heat loss calculation they determined that the house needs about 80000 btu and installed a 80 % efficient 90000 btu Lennox (2 stage, variable speed).

The furnace runs constantly even when the temperature outside is 50 degrees and the thermostat is set to 62 degrees. Our utility bills are over 270 dollars for this setting.

The HVAC people have suggested adding more vents in the areas with the cathedral ceilings, changing the duct work to have a 2 zone system. In short they have asked us to modify the house so the furnace operated more efficiently.

I am wondering if the decrease in BTUs is causing the furnace to run constantly, even for low thermostat settings.

I hope the 90K is the output or it's truly undersized! Even so, it's quite common to oversize furnaces beyond the calculated heat loss by 20-30%. It's also possible the heat loss calculation is low, it's really just an estimate, and part of why the furnaces are oversized. Even if it is undersized, it would not significantly alter your energy costs. Costs are dependent mainly on the home's overall insulation and the furnace efficiency, the capacity and running time is not a big factor.

Changing ductwork will better distribute the heat, but if more heat is leaking out than the furnace can generate, it will not help. While a larger furnace will better heat your home, it will not help your energy costs. If your costs are out of line for your type and size of house in your area, then more heat is being lost than is typical. In the long run, you are better off preventing heat loss than generating more heat.

There are energy consultants in most areas that have the proper tools and equipment to advise you where most of the heat is being lost and what could be done to most effectively reduce heat loss.


What should I do about this Alpha HE CB33 Boiler pressure error condition? I have an alpha he cb33 boiler which has stopped working this morning.  Yesterday I removed a radiator for cleaning then put it back on and re-pressurised the system.  It was working ok last night.  However it is now flashing alternately between the A & B lights which indicates a pressure problem.   Reading the troubleshooting bit in the servicing manual points to section K on page 41 but that doesn't mean a lot to me

So far I've tried de-pressurising and the pressurising the system again to within the green pressure zone as indicated on the face of the boiler.  I've tried resetting the boiler.  I've tried powering off and then on again after various lengths of time 5seconds - 30minutes.  Nothing has stopped the lights flashing and boiler to reactivate.

I was wondering if anyone could recommend anything else to try before I call in a boiler engineer.

EDIT: I had an engineer around this morning and he discovered that it was the primary pressure switch, I'll update again once the repair has been made with all the required steps for testing and fixing.

You drained and re-pressurized the system.  This introduces air into the system.  Section 5.1 of the manual indicates a very clear sequence of steps that should be followed to re-pressurize the system, one very important one of which is bleeding (venting) the radiators, one by one, from lowest to highest.

This is done to get air out of the system that's trapped in the radiators.  Air is compressible, water is not, so having air in the lines will mess with pressure readings something nasty.

Bleed the system and check the neons again.


Where to buy new cast iron radiator? I have one radiator which is leaking from bottom, not the valve. I'm not sure solder would work. Wondering if there's website or place in MA I can purchase a new one?

You can call U. S. Boiler company Lancaster, Pa. 888-432-8887 or 717-397-4701 or  "GOOGLE" U S Boiler and tell them what you want. They can tell you where to buy the radiator. You can also "GOOGLE" used cast iron radiators. New radiators are quite expensive so I would have a steam heating service company check the existing rad to see just what is leaking on that rad. Depending on where or what is leaking, the rad may be able to be fixed.


How can I remove the switches that control outlets? In the house it seems that the original owner wanted all top outlets to be switched and the bottoms to be always on. I hate this and want to fix it.

So I took all the outlets out from the one room. Now I have two sets of red,white,black,ground at each 1 gang box. How can I properly wire each new outlet to always be on and to only use the white,black,ground without re-running wires?

I tested the wires at the switch box and now I am not getting any power to them, so I'm assuming its safe to cap these wires and hide them in the box, correct?

Update: I found which outlet gets the power from the feed. However, when I connect it to the outlet, all red wires become hot. How is this even possible if the next outlet is disconnected completely? Aren't outlets typically daisy chained? I have 5 outlets in the room and my switch is disconnected. The switch seems to work backwards and start at the last outlet.

Update*: Only two outlets are actually showing that red is hot when all outlets are disconnected.

I believe this is how its wired.

It would have been simpler to just connect the bottom outlet's live (the black) to the top outlet live on each pair.

The switched live wire (red normally) should be connected through to the end and labeled in each spot (this allows the next guy to restore some outlets to the switched setup).


Can I drywall over plaster I live in an old house with horsehair plaster walls.  One of the walls in my living room has a large crack running the length of the wall.  It appeared after someone sat on the sofa with a little too much enthusiasm and pushed it into the wall.  I've tried repairing the crack but because the wall is now "squishy", the plaster can now be pushed in without much force, the crack reappears the first time anything touches it.

My question is, can I drywall right over the existing wall without much hassle?  Or is there a better way?  If this is the best/easiest way to fix this, how do I make the joints between the new drywall and the old, like the ceiling, look correct?

You can drywall over the plaster, but you'll have to do the entire wall and screw through the plaster into the lath/studs.

Alternatively, you can fix the plaster itself.  The problem is, it's separated from the lath.  The fix for this is to drill shallow holes into the affected area JUST DEEP ENOUGH to penetrate the plaster, not the lath.  Drill the holes 4" apart in a grid pattern.

Then use a caulking gun and inject construction adhesive into each hole to create a glue layer behind the plaster between it and the lath.

Press the plaster up against the lath with a flat board, holding it ONLY UNTIL THE PLASTER STICKS.  Don't leave the board there too long or the glue will grab it too.  Slide the board up and down to keep it from sticking while the glue takes hold between the lath and plaster.

Allow it time to dry, then patch the holes and paint.


Cooker and gas hob both controlled by 13 amp switched sockets under worktop and behind cooker I have a new Bosche oven and existing gas hob. The original cooker and hob ignition are both connected under the worktop behind the oven with a double gang Sw/Skt and plug heads. They both plug into it. The switch socket is fed from the cooker control switch above the work surface with 6mm cooker cable. The max fuse feeding the cooker is 13amp and has only a flex leading into the cooker... Is this correct?

I assume your in the U.K as this sounds like a typical set-up for cookers in a kitchen area. The circuit feeds a control switch or cooker unit switch which may incorporate a one socket-outlet. The rating of the circuit depends on the current demand of the cooker. A 32A circuit breaker is normally sufficient for cookers up to 15kW. Wiring a cooker circuit with a rating more than 15A but not exceeding 50A may supply two or more cooking appliances where they are installed in one room. The cooker switch should be installed within 2m of the cooker but not directly above it. One switch may be used to isolate two cooking appliances where they are installed in the same room but neither are more than 2m from the cooker switch. A minimum cable size of 6mm flat twin & earth cable can be used for a typical cooker circuit (from the CU) with a maximum load of 15kW with a maximum cable run lenght of 28m (installed above a plasterboard ceiling covered by thermal insulation not exceeding 100mm thick).

In summary make sure to check the new appliance is the correct power/current rating. However normally to replace like for like is perfectly fine


Attaching guide wire to guide wire for patio string lights I am looking to start installing string lights on my patio, and my current plan is to zig-zag the lights between two runs of wire rope. Here's a picture:

The brown squares are going to be posts set in concrete (~100lbs) in planters. The brown line at the bottom is the side of the house, with eyebolts on each end. The green lines are the supporting guide wire lines, and the blue lines are the string lights themselves.
I'm planning on running guide wire along the blue lines with the string lights as well to ensure they are properly supported, but my question is about connecting the zigzagging guide wires to the green support wires (at the red circles).
What's the best way to fix those points in place along the guide wire? Use a turnbuckle for the blue lines and place wire rope clips on either side of that to keep it in place? Or am I looking at this completely wrong?

Visit your local hardware store and find whatever loops or rings they have that are cheap and easy to work with--ideally something that can be installed on the cable after it is installed. Even those cheap keychain carabiners would do well, at least until the hinge pins rust away.
The rings will self-center to some degree, which is what you want. You may have to secure the ends to the posts somehow to keep them from sliding. Small eye hooks might work for that.
More specific answers are probably not helpful since we don't know what your store will have.


Installing sensor dimmer to replace bathroom light switch beside fan switch I'm trying to install a Lutron Maestro sensor dimmer to replace an existing bathroom light switch (on the left in picture) that is beside a fan switch (on the right in picture), however I can't seem to make sense of the wiring because:

1) the upper terminal of the light switch has two wires leading to it (from what I've read it might be the Jumper taking power to the fan switch?)

2) the existing switch doesn't appear to be grounded as there is no wire attached to the green screw on either of the switches. I also can't seem to find a screw in the metal box that would be used to ground the switch.

I've attached a picture of the existing setup and the new sensor dimmer I'm trying to install.

Many thanks in advance!!

I can’t tell but I think I see a bare copper middle right or possibly a green screw , this is the proper grounding point.  It looks to me that each switch has a black wire that goes to the same wire nut this would usually be the hot because if the hot was on the top of the left switch when you turn that off the other switch would not work. My guess is the fan has a separate conductor run for the light , prior to remote controls it was common to run 2 circuits to a fan 1 for the fan 1 for the lights so either or both could be on or off.


Would an electric furnace prevent outside air from coming inside my house? I have an old oil furnace that is vented to a chimney flue, with a damper.
I live in Maryland in a county where burning yard waste is legal. This can cause me to have an asthma attack when my furnace or air conditioning is on, and now my young son has also started to develop asthma.
I am fine if the furnace or AC are off or if my neighbor is not burning. But as soon as she starts, I have an asthma attack.
I have a little air monitoring device that shows air pollutants going up in my basement room where the furnace is installed as soon as the burning starts - the pollution outside is much higher but I also get some of that pollution inside my basement at the same time it goes up outside when it is full of smoke.
It can only come from the furnace - I only use the dryer on the morning when she is at work and not burning crap.
Currently I am debating between installing an electric furnace which does not require venting outside or moving (but prices have gone through the roof and my options are limited).
Would an electric furnace still draw air from outside (knowing most of my windows are sealed with tape now)?

You should investigate and upgrade the filtration of your air circulation rather than replacing your fuel burning furnace with an electric one. You need air exchange with the outside to get the oxygen you need to live.
Though one upgrade I would investigate in is a dedicated intake for your furnace, that way it gets fresh outside air (which after burning goes straight out the chimney) instead of using the basement's ambient air and pulling it into negative pressure which leads it to suck in air from all around the house.
In a properly functioning furnace the combustion air and the circulating air are kept separated. CO poisoning is way too dangerous to allow for any intentional mixing.
You can add a intake fan in your basement fed from the clean air at the other side of your neighbour to avoid sucking in their soot. You can also add additional filtration to this intake (make sure to regularly replace the filters). If this intake is enough for the basement to be at positive pressure it will prevent the basement from sucking in your neighbour's polluted air.
You could also add a lockout to the furnace to prevent it running while the pollution is too high in your basement.


How should I extend the drywall around a shower remodel? After removing a fiberglass tub unit and replacing it with a four piece shower unit, is it best to just piece in the drywall from where you cut out the unit or remove the drywall up to the ceiling and put in a solid piece?  More specifically, from the top of the shower wall to the ceiling there is about a 22" area (including the shower wall flange). The space of the cut out is 5" (including the shower wall flange). There is a 6" cut out down the sides (including the flange).  The ceiling height is 8'.

It's really up to you; there are pros and cons to either choice. Piecing in would be easier and quicker, but then you'd have a butt joint all around the shower to feather out. Tearing the rest of the drywall into the corners would look nicer (no butt joints), but would be plenty more work.


Can a quartz vanity countertop be recut for a larger sink? I currently have a 55x19 quartz countertop that has a small undermount sink. If I decide to reuse the countertop for a larger drop in sink could it be recut by a pro shop? What is the probability that this might crack (due to narrow margins left when the new cut is created)

You can take the unit to a granite shop and the shop will provide you with an answer like this.

"While it is possible to cut some quartz it is not a guarantee that it will cut properly. The possibility exist that the quartz will break or chip during the cutting process."

So if you are set on cutting it out - have it done .. and take the chance - if it does not work - buy a granite scrap piece.

Good luck..


Why would a new water heater's PRV leak when the PRV on the old heater never leaked? Old water heater was leaking at the inlet pipe. Installed a new heater and the PRV leaks a small amount about every other day. Why does the new one relieve when the old one never did?

PRVs are designed to release pressure.   Heating water increases the size of the water and the pressure.  Your new water heater is likely heating the water quicker due to newer elements, less sediment in the bottom or other factors.  Heating the water quicker will cause the pressure to increase over a smaller amount of time which might trigger the PRV.  Do you have an expansion tank?
Your old PRV might have been defective or less sensitive or the new PRV could be more sensitive.  Do you have a pressure gauge can you tell what pressure it is releasing at?  There are pressure gauges that you can screw onto hose bibs so you can attach them to the tank drain and monitor.
Homedepot has some for $10.  Water Pressure Test Gauge.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Watts-3-4-in-Plastic-Water-Pressure-Test-Gauge-DP-IWTG/100175467


Best way to install gutters on roof with no vertical facia or eaves Hopefully the photo will illustrate the problem. I have a roof that only has a sort of moulding that transitions from roofing to the walls. Since there is only about 3/4" of vertical material to anchor gutters clips, are there any specialty hardware or other techniques to hang gutters along this facia.

This would be a situation where you'll have to use gutter straps (usually in T or K style):

Image credit to acehardware.com

They install on the roof decking - make sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions, as  you'll be penetrating the singles.

Image credit to www.heritagehillweb.org


Where can I find or make a remote wireless light switch? I have a light switch in my garage that controls lights in front of my home. The switch is located in a corner of the garage where a large shelf has been stored. It is very difficult to the switch.

I'm looking for some sort of wireless receiver/transmitter that I can install to emulate the switch being turned on from inside of the house.

Does anything like this exist?

There are plenty of remote switches on the market, especially if your light is (or can be) plugged into a wall socket.

X10  is probably the best-known standard for home automation
INSTEON is a backward-compatible extension of X10, introduced in 2005
Z-Wave is a pure-play RF control system
There are lots of cheap'n'cheerful generic switches available.
The Zigbee wireless protocol is also starting to get some traction in home automation, after many years as a hobbyist's curiosity, but commercial devices are still rare and expensive.

One thing you should seriously consider, however: security.  X10 devices - and the cheap'n'cheerful stuff - DO NOT encrypt their control signals, so it's scarily possible that criminals might remotely turn off the lights in front of your house for their own purposes.  Unencrypted wireless signals should ONLY be used for stuff where interference or disruption won't cause any damage.

INSTEON, Z-Wave, and Zigbee were all built with security/encryption in mind; I'm sure none of them will make Fort Knox feel insecure, but they should be at least as hard to crack as your garage door opener, anyway.


mounting 60 inch TV with steel plates? Mounting a 60 inch TV where studs are 22inches apart. Can I use 2 steel plates that are  each 48 x 1 1/4 x 1/8 inch thick  and then bolt them to my bracket and to the wall  studs at each end and one in the middle? Will that give me enough strength and support over dry wall?

Sounds like a true DIY project.1/8 inch thick flat steel stock should be adequate. Am I seeing this right: one length of steel above the other (spaced accordingly), attached to the wall framing with HD screws through holes in each piece of steel? As long as the wall framing is sound and secured properly, I'm confident it will  easily  support the 60" and it's bracket. But install the steel plates first and then the TV bracket and lastly the 60". Also check the weight rating for the TV bracket.


How to operate gas starter fireplace? I recently bought a house and have no idea anything about fireplaces. I would love to use my fireplace but I want to make sure I know what I am doing. I understand this is wood type fireplace and the material is metal. This might be a silly question but once I fire this guy wouldn't it gas pipe explode or something?

Is that just a gas starter? then I turn it off or keep it on? I don't know how to be safe with that gas pipe and fire going on.
With those leftover ashes wouldn't it block the gas starter holes?
Thank you

First, the valve on every one of these I've seen is outside of the firebox. Any pipe beyond the valve is going to be empty of flammable gas in a short time.

The idea behind these devices is that they replace newspaper and kindling (or however you start your wood fire) with a small gas flame. You turn it on until the fire is going  then turn it off.

You don't have to use this, you can start your fires the more traditional way and ignore this device.

If you are going to use the gas starter, you'll need to keep the firebox fairly neat and tidy to avoid burying the starter burner.


Identify faucet manufacturer I have a faucet leaking from the anti syphon on the top. I need to replace the parts but don’t know the manufacturer. The original cap is long gone. It only has asse 1018 on the side. There are no other markings. Please help.

It is a Nibco 90. https://duckduckgo.com/?q=nibco+90+hydrant&iar=images&iax=images&ia=images  ...........


Installing a switch for a water heater's lower element I'd like to install a switch for the lower element of my water heater.  I haven't even looked inside the water heater yet, but I'm a little confused about what the best way to go about doing this would be.  When I open it up, I'm assuming that it's going to be easy to understand -- the element is probably just pigtailed off with wire nuts or connected to a bus.  Getting the switch to work should be easy: shut off power, run the hot wire through a switch, reconnect power.

The hard part is making the whole thing look respectable.  I've only come up with one option in that regard:

take apart the 240v receptacle, pigtail the +/- 120v lines
run one of the pigtails to a switch directly above/below the receptacle
run the two new lines (one being the switched leg) into another 240v receptacle box
drill hole in metal plate on top of water heater to accommodate the second cord
put the bottom element on the switched cord

That's a lot of work just to make the lower element switched, though, so if anyone can think of a more reasonable alternative, I'm all ears!

I really question the wisdom of switching just the lower heating element.  Doing so is going to overwork the upper element. I assume you are trying to conserve electricity, but this tactic is not going to be a great benefit to you. The upper element is used as the "quick recovery" unit that gives the cooling water from the lower part of the tank a boost as cold water is added as the hot water is used.  If the water cools too much in the tank and you call for hot water, the upper element will not be able to keep up until the temp of the majority of the water warms up.  I would suggest an inline switch or timer controlling both elements to help conserve energy and insulate the tank as much as you can.  If you are looking for short, small quantities of hot water , you may consider a 1 or 2 gal point of use electric tank, in line at the specific appliance. There are several models to choose from at the box stores for under $300.00
I might add, if you do try this switch idea, you will need to switch both 120VAC lines with a DPST,(double pole, single throw) 30amp switch wired with 10AWG copper. When you open the thermostat cover, you will find the lines are connected to screw terminals on the thermostat switches.


Can I move my sink drain connection to the parallel vent pipe? I want to thank everyone in advance for their insights. Here is the situation. I would like to renovate the kitchen of my two family home built in the 1920s to include, among other things, a dishwasher. The kitchens are stacked on top of one another and the sinks are served by the same drain and vent system. (The main waste stack is not involved here and is located in another part of the house.)

Currently, I cannot install the dishwasher because of some clearance issues caused by the drain which is connected to the drain pipe on the right as depicted in the attached photo. I would like to move the sink drain to the left pipe because it is not located behind the area proposed for the new dishwasher. In short, both drain pipes will remain, I will just be tapping into a different one. Can this be done — is there any problem with having two sinks on top of one another?

I can’t speak to a specific code or have an alternative plan in mind, but I think you would have three problems with your proposed drawing.

First, if there is a blockage between the first and second floors, there is no longer venting for the first floor sink.

Second, if there is a blockage just below the first floor sink and the second floor is not aware of it, they’re water will back up into the first floor sink.

Third, first floor could end up sending some of their vent gas into the second floor sink depending on the path of least resistance.


Venting kitchen sink around window Wanting to move a kitchen sink from a wet wall to an exterior wall, under a window.  Isn't this the hope of every kitchen remodeler, to be looking out a window while standing in front of a sink?

My plumber's opinion is that my windows will not accommodate the 42" height above fixtures code requirement for venting (excerpted below).

I'm confused by this requirement, as the "kitchen sink under a window" pattern seems so common.  I'm able to change the window's geometry but I'd prefer not to sacrifice the light the window provides.  Are there workarounds I should know about?

18-29-905.5  Height above fixtures. A connection between a vent pipe and a vent stack or stack vent shall be made at least 6 inches (150 mm) above the flood level rim of the highest fixture served by the vent, and 42 inches (1067 mm) minimum above finished floor. Horizontal vent pipes forming branch vents, relief vents or loop vents shall be at least 6 inches (150 mm) above the flood level rim of the highest fixture served and 42 inches (1067 mm) above finished floor.

Typical sink under window:

The venting issue is that you cannot connect to other vents or have a horizontal offset in the vent until it is 6" above the highest flood level rim and at minimum 42" above the floor (see the red portion in the above image).

To avoid a horizontal offset of the vent below the flood level rim, you simply arrange the drainage to come up beside the window, and pipe the sink's trap arm under the window over to the sink (see the green portion in the above image). The only limiting factor is the distance permitted on the arm (the fall cannot exceed the internal diameter of the pipe).


My air conditioner sparks, but only sometimes, even with a new cable I am not sure if this question fits here. But it's important and it's about troubleshooting and electric problem. So I will try...

My air conditioner shows from time to time electric sparks for the past two days. Today the air con electrician came and he put a new cable between the unit inside the room and the compressor outside. And we tested it for about 30min and all looked fine. But now the sparks are back again. Where should we look for the problem?

Here are some details: This is happening in a high rise building in Bangkok with tropical climate. Currently it's about 30 degrees Celsius and 80% humidity. The air-con is maybe 5 years old, it's the traditional type, no modern converter version.

The sparks, if they show at all, are 90% of the time on one side of the Evaporator (the unit in the room where the cold air comes outside). On that side the yellow/green earth wire is connected to the metal of the unit. The sparks are sometime only small, I hear a short "tick" noise and see almost nothing. But sometimes the tick noise is loud and the spark is clearly visible from a distance.

But sometimes the sparks happen somewhere else. I saw sparks also twice in the ceiling near, or maybe in, a metal distribution box.

The problem happened the first time two days ago. We saw the sparks sometimes every few seconds and sometimes only once in half an hour. Obviously I switch the air-con off if it happens. But then we tried again, maybe an hour later. Then there are maybe no sparks for 20 minutes, and then they start again.

It seems the sparks only happen if the compressor outside is actually running. If I use the unit only to blow the fan, without the compressor running, then I don't see the sparks.

Normally I hear a humming noise from the compressor outside when it's running. When the sparks happen then that humming noise is temporarily (maybe for a second) less, like someone pulled the plug and put it in again after a second.

Like I wrote above, the air-con technician was here and he inspected the unit in the room and found no blank cables or something similar. So he decided to replace two cables which run in the ceiling from the indoor unit to the compressor. One cable has 3 power wires (plus, minus, earth) and one is the control cable with 2 wires.

When he finished the job all looked fine. He left maybe 30 minutes later while the air-con and compressor were running. After maybe 30 minutes more the sparks started again.

The breaker (fuse) did not switch off with all these sparks.

We have to keep in mind this is a Thailand electrical installation. Here electricians don't always follow the rules they should follow - if they know the rules at all.

There is also a problem that we have mice in the building recently. Maybe one of those creatures ate through the insulation somewhere?

Where to look for the problem?

Now I ask this question here because I am sure when the technician arrives tomorrow he will think about where else the problem could be. He replaced one cable and that was probably not the problem. So what else should he check or test or replace?

The air-con guy has worked at his job for many years. But I am pretty sure he didn't go to university and study electrical engineering. He likely won't analyze the situation too carefully...

Any ideas where to look for what kind of problems are welcome. We have to keep in mind that sometimes it works just fine for 30 minutes. So finding the problem is not easy. And even if we think it's fixed we won't know until hours later...

Now it's a week later and since an hour I have a new air-con installed.

The technician from the old air-con was here basically every day last week. And every day he fixed some more cables and every day it seemed to work when he left. Most of the time it worked for at least an hour and then not anymore.

Finally, since last Friday we didn't have any sparks anymore. The air-con started ok but then after anywhere between 10 to 30 minutes, it was not cold anymore.
Finally, on Monday, the air-con guy diagnosed that the compressor sized and it's time for a new one.

This is obviously not "the" answer for every case like this. But I wanted to let you know that this is what happened in my case. Maybe this will be helpful to someone else in the future.


Can I have a 120 volt branch off a 120/240 volt circuit? So I'm wiring up my woodshop and I've got a question about branching a 120 volt circuit off a 240 circuit.

I'm running 12/3 for this circuit coming of a 20 amp 2 pole breaker. The thought for this specific circuit would be for my dust collector and air compressor. Right now both are 120 and I'm just doing a shared neutral with one set of plugs in the box being one circuit and the other being the other circuit. Black and white to 1 set of outlets and red and white to the other.

But I was wondering if I upgrade my dust collector to one that requires 240, could I run the 240 and 120 circuit with that same 12/3? So essentially black and white to the 120 circuit and black and red to the 240?

The NEC expressly permits 120v & 240v loads on  mwbc (multi-wire branch circuit) provided both legs are disconnected at the same time. This point is moot since the same is required for
 just a 240v circuit.


How to maintain a Saniflo waste water macerator pump? A few years back, I installed a Saniflo pump to service a basement toilet + shower. Putting it in was a lot of fun, but I've always been worried about having it break. So every once in a while I try to descale the inside.

But what product to use?

In some countries, you can buy a branded product to clean these units. It's not sold in New Zealand where I live. When I asked the local rep, he said they've had good results with hydrochloric acid (well diluted). I've done this a few times, then noticed on a brochure that hydrochloric acid is the one thing they recommend you don't use as it can eat into the seals.

Would anyone happen to know what's in the official product, or be able to recommend a product that's an effective descaler but won't damage the seals (if that even exists)?

White Vinegar, as in regular household, kitchen variety. Vinegar will do the job without harming rubber seals.  It will easily descale most lime build ups.  You should likely mix with plain water in a 25x75 mix, depending on how much you intend to use.  For mine, I use just enough total mix to completely cover the base of the pump base. up above the grinding blade, so, roughly 2 gallons total mixture with 1/2 gal US or 1.5 liters metric of vinegar with 3 times more of water.... so 1/2gal vinegar, 1.5 gallons of water, is enough for the fluid level to be above the actual grinding blade in my particular pump.  I let that stand for at least an hour, then flush the whole system with clear water.

The advantage to vinegar is that while it is acidic, it is not enough to kill off the useful bacteria in the entire waste system nor is it so strong as to damage plastic or rubber seals.


Can you use the same circuit breaker for single phase and three phase electricity? The title says it all.  Can you use the same circuit breaker for single phase and three phase electricity?  For example, if a 20 amp circuit breaker is in a panel of a building with single phase electricity, can it be pulled out and then used as a 20 amp circuit breaker in a building that receiving three phase electricity?

It depends.  No, really, it does.

Unlike Europe, where everything low-voltage is on the same system (415Y/230V) and breakers are pretty universally interchangeable due to the DIN rail form factor (subject only to interrupting rating and trip curve specifications), the US uses a mix of systems, even for low voltage (<1kV) utilization equipment.  As a result, breakers designed for one system may or may not be usable on another, even if both panelboards are listed for the breaker type in question and the interrupting rating of the breaker in question is not exceeded, which is a serious consideration with main breakers in underground service areas or on higher power services, and even for branch breakers in industrial or other high-power applications.

Even if we set aside 480V delta (whether isolated or corner grounded) and 480Y/277V systems, as those are only used in heavy commercial and industrial work, we still have two single phase and three three phase systems to deal with:

120/240V split phase (the stuff we see in our homes and in light commercial buildings too)
120/208V "2 out of 3" split phase (used in high-rises and downtowns that have what's called "network service" from the electric utility)
208Y/120V three phase (the modern standard for light three phase service)
240/208/120V high leg or wild leg delta (an obsolete way to provide "mixed" service for single phase and three phase loads)
240V delta, typically corner grounded (an obsolete service that was used when only three phase loads needed to be supplied)

Given all this, we'll start with the easiest case, namely the 208Y/120V three phase Wye system that is today's standard of choice for light three phase services.  You indeed can do the breaker transplant you mention in this system, as the line-to-ground voltage is still the 120V it always was, and most modern light duty circuit breakers are slash rated at 240/120V (240V line-to-line, 120V line-to-ground).

However, it gets more complicated when you get to the delta-based systems.  In a high leg delta, the center tapped winding between A and C phases has its tap grounded to form a neutral point in the system, allowing split-phase loads to be fed from A and C phases in conjunction with the neutral; these can use ordinary 240/120V breakers.  However, the B phase sits at 208V to ground -- this means that to put loads on the B phase, you need to use a 208, 240, or higher voltage straight rated breaker -- these are quite uncommon, and are typically only seen in the two pole variety when they are found.  (Three pole breakers are straight rated for 240V use, so they aren't an issue.)

It gets worse when you go to a corner grounded (aka "grounded B-phase") 240V delta system.  Oftentimes, the panels used with this will be single phase panels, with the B (grounded) phase connected to the neutral bar in lieu of being run through a busbar.  However, this requires 240V, 1φ-3φ rated breakers in the panel -- only a select few types of light duty breakers (usually higher end types such as QO) have grounded B phase ratings on their 240V straight rated 2 pole breakers.  As a result, breakers from a single phase system can almost never be applied on a corner grounded 240V delta system.


What could cause my water tank to leak only when I turn off the main water supply? I travel quite a bit and so leave my water heater breaker off - as I travel for extended periods (months).
In the past I used to leave the main water valve (near the meter) on - and would turn off individual shut off valves to the toilets, under the sinks etc...

during my last travel someone looking after the property decided to turn off the main and left the circuit breaker on. A few days later I had damage to the ceiling and laminate flooring. so I guesses with cold water off the pressure may have built up and that's why it leaked (circuit was on).

So I experimented again and earlier today (Oct 17 2014) I turned off the water and the circuit breaker and within an hour water was overflowing from the catch pan - so it looks like the drain connection from the pan is also clogged.

But more importantly why does the tank leak only when the main is off - i have been in the condo for two weeks now and the pan has been dry.

What causes the tank to leak under these circumstances? Do I need to replace it?
Mfg date is: 01/2006 installed in FL state.
50 Gal rheem.

any advice feedback would be appreciated.

By shutting off the water main, there is no way for expanded hot water to be relieved by backing into the main.  This causes over-pressure and either the  pressure relief valve is letting some water out (hopefully into the pan) or the high pressure water is opening a flaw in the tank or a through-hole, such as a heating element, spigot, or water connection.

The water temperature is not held perfectly steady.  It varies up and down by perhaps 20 °F (10 °C) or more.  (Test this by turning the thermostat up and down and notice how far it goes past the current temperature before it clicks.)  If no hot water has been called for awhile, the temperature drifts down to the lower range and remains there most of the time.  Odds are that closing the main valve occurs at a lower water temperature.  The valve closure traps and holds municipal water pressure and then the water heater's next heating cycle builds pressure on top of that.


How come my refrigerator doesn't leak if I removed the ice maker? I have a Maytag MZD2766GEQ refrigerator and my ice maker broke. I removed the assembly and everything seems fine.

What I don't understand is why isn't it leaking? I did not disconnect any water lines. My water dispenser continues to work fine.

I can't seem to find anything in the manuals that references how the water to the ice maker works. I want to make sure that I don't have a leaking time bomb in there anywhere.

There's a valve that controls water to the ice maker.  The valve is closed which is why there is no leak.


How do I remove kitchen sink sprayer hose? The sprayer is cracked and leaks like crazy. The replacement I bought does not fit on the existing hose. I thought this would be a real easy to remove the existing hose and put a new hose and sprayer in. I think it's one of those quick-disconnect types, but I can't figure out how to disconnect the sprayer from under the sink.  Please see the pictures below.  Any ideas would be helpful.

Edit: For reference, I have recently learned that this assembly is a Pfister Marielle faucet.

It is a "push-to-connect" fitting. You disconnect by pushing the tube, pushing the gray ring, then (while still pushing the gray ring) pulling the tube:


Portable battery using this adaptor spec What is this battery pack inserted here at bottom?

I have this adaptor powering a 5V equipment.

I need a portable battery. What is the most reliable one that can produce 4A, 20W? I can't take chances for it to fail because the equipment is very expensive.

Why try and "home-brew" something? 5V out is about as standard as it's possible to get, nowadays. Get a Lithium-Ion power-bank, something like this 26000mAh unit.

It has 4.8A max output current, and 26000mAh will do 4A for 6.5h (if that really is the capacity, these things tend to be exaggerated somewhat.)

You'd need to make a custom charger cable, paralleling the 5V & 0V lines between the ports, so as not to overrate the USB connectors, but as you're talking about making your own, I'm sure that won't be a problem.


How can I remove a stuck circuit breaker from the panel? I went to replace my circuit breaker for my dryer because the dryer kept
shutting off. I started checking around and discovered when you jiggle the breaker a little
the dryer light flicker. I decided to replace the breaker which is something that I have done before in the past. the problem I am have is the breaker will not pop out as the other breakers do. this is a dual pole 240V breaker. The single pole breakers pop right out but some don't either. hope someone can help.

First item of order is to identify this breaker panel and find out if there is a national recognized fire hazard danger from the make and model breaker panel you have installed.

Square D, Zinsco/Sylvania and Federal Pacific had failure modes where this happens.

Stop, call a qualified electrician and have them inspect the panel. The bus bar contacts are burned and the circuit breaker may have partially welded itself to the contact. At this point, the meter needs to be pulled if you don't have a 200A main breaker that shuts the panel off. Any force trying to remove the breakers that breaks the insulators holding the bus in place will put you in a potentially deadly or high property damage situation if you do not cut the power before proceeding.

In the case of Sylvania/Zinsco, the aluminum bus bar may burn through from the arcing. The only over-current protection you have will be the transformer fuse which will blow only after the bus bar has completely consumed itself in an arc flash fire if it contacts the grounded panel housing.


Mystery valve on hot water line from water heater I have a 1/2" od PVC outside my home with a steady drip of water. It is a few inches above the line that runs to the TPR valve on the water heater (confirmed by opening the valve). It's not the AC condenser line either. There are two more for them and I checked both units in the attic to confirm there was no water coming from the lines.

Looking at the top of my water heater, I'm baffled on what the set up is. I'm guessing one or both of the mystery 1/2" lines running off the hot and cold lines are the source of the drip in the 1/2" line outside since it's next to the TPR line and right on the other side of the wall from it.

As a guess, I figure they are there to relieve pressure instead of having an expansion tank? The pressure coming out of the tank drain is @ 50 PSI. When I cut off both the gate valves on the cold water line, the drip is still there so that leaves me thinking it's the hot water line.

I believe the culprit is this valve coming off of the hot water line. I don't exactly what it is or why it is there. It's sprayed over with paint but it is a metal valve of some sort. It reminds me of a needle value for a hydraulic line which might make sense if it's some other mechanism to relive pressure but I think it's more likely a ball or gate valve I'm not familiar with.

Anyone know what this valve is and what it's purpose is? I'd love a larger explanation of why the 1/2" line on the cold water exists as well but my main priority is to determine what the one on the hot water line is and replace it to see if that stops the drip.

It's not exactly like mine, but it looks like it's probably an overpressure (no temperature) type valve (aka pressure relief valve), and it should not be dripping unless you have overpressure - so a constant drip means it's likely in need of replacement. (Or possibly just cleaning, if you get lucky; don't expect to get lucky.)

Indeed, it looks very much like this adjustable one.

The line on the cold water line could be intended to feed a hose bibb.

Given that it's probably intended to relieve pressure events before the P/T on the tank so that the P/T on the tank does not become leaky through frequent activation, you probably could replace it with a pressure tank.


Tailpiece too long for new chrome J-Bend in kitchen sink drain repair The j-Bend of my kitchen sink drain pipe rusted through and started leaking. I bought a new 1.5" j-Bend at Home Depot. Only when I got it home did I notice that the top part of the J is different than my old part. The old part allowed the tailpiece pipe to go down further into the J than the new part does. Because of the difference in size, the new part can't accommodate enough of the tailpiece to allow the other end of the J to mate with the other piece of the P-Trap.

I looked online and couldn't find any j-bends that are sized like my old one.

So what should I do?  Should I get a hacksaw and cut the tailpiece down to size?  Or should I go to a plumbing supply store to see if I can get a matching j-Bend?  Or is there another option?

Other than the J-Bend with a hole in it, the other parts of the drain are in good shape-- no visible corrosion, no leaks, etc. so I'd prefer to avoid replacing more than I need to.

Trim the tailpiece to fit. A pipe cutter would be a bit more suitable than a hacksaw, but if you only have a hacksaw, just clean up well with a file after sawing.

New tailpieces come quite long so they can be trimmed to fit.


Beeping light fixture I have been renting a house for a week. The light/fan woke me up beeping every 30 seconds. It continues if the light/fan is switched off. Its the middle of the night, and I am not handy. What should I do? Is it dangerous?

That beeping puts me in mind of the beeping you get from a smoke detector that has a low battery.

Are you absolutely certain it's the fixture?  If so, look for some kind of battery backup - maybe there's a night-light function, or a wireless remote or something?  Or a built in smoke detector I suppose is a possibility.

Anyway - find that and change the battery.  And look around the fixture for smoke detectors, maybe your ears are tricking you on where it's coming from.


Lamp and dimmer installation I'm currently installing a HALO LED SLD405930WHR (EATON)  i bought the Lutron CL dimmer SCL153PRWH which is compatible according to EATON website.
The HALO LED has 2 cables white and black, the jbox has 3 cables: white, red and black. I use a test pen and black is voltage.
When i plug HALO LED black cable to jbox black and HALO LED white cable to jbox white and there is no dimmer installed (dimmer socket cables not connected) HALO LED goes on.
As soon as i connect the dimmer, the dimmer burns and there is a short circuit. The dimmer socket has 2 cables black and red.
Not sure which cables to use in the lamp or dimmer.

My guess is that lamp should be using jbox black and red and same as dimmer. Will use a new dimmer, but want to check which one to use before i burn them.

Dimmers don't like shorting

The dimmer indeed should be black to black and red to red, with green to the grounds and the red/white striped wire capped off.  The light fixture though needs to go from wall box red to fixture black and wall box white to fixture white, with the grounds connected and the black wire in the fixture box capped off.

Connecting the light to black and red won't work because there's no return path for the current (i.e. no connection to neutral).  Your dimmer burnt because you grounded its output (the red wire) -- you should never ground a wire you don't know what to do with.  Cap it off by itself instead if in doubt.


I have an unused C wire hooked up to thermostat and have no idea where to connect it to the furnace for power I know this question gets asked all the time but I've spent hours staring at forums as well as my furnace and at this point I'm desperate. I just bought a nest thermostat that needs a C wire connection. My furnace doesn't have a C wire slot to plug in the wire and I'm trying to find out what I need to connect this C wire coming from my thermostat to.

This is a strange assembly and is on the wall across from my furnace. I'm assuming the blue wire coming from the thermostat not connected to anything is the C wire. Only the red wires have voltage.

I think this has something to do with the common wire but is grounded with no voltage

Based off the first picture, it looks like the blue wire fell out from the wirenut next to it with the black and white wires going into it.

That should be the common side of the 24 volt transformer used for the AC, which is what you probably want to be using for C.

Test to see if that all makes sense first rather than just connecting it. I'd rather not make your problem worse!

I don't know what to tell you about the second picture though, so determine if adding the blue wire to that wirenut makes sense, and if it doesn't just down vote this answer.


Separate Phases for Residential Wiring I am trying to find out if I can use a 14/3 cable to power two separate circuits, and to do that I know I must use two separate phases, but I am not sure how to do that.

What you're talking about is a Multi-Wire Branch Circuit.  There are two problems with you trying to take one of these on.

They are effectively obsolete, as GFCIs and AFCIs are now required on the vast majority of 120V circuits, and MWBCs do not play well with GFCIs and AFCIs.
They are for wizards only:  You need to know many more things to do an MWBC safely, and there are many ways to mess up and create a dangerous situation.  Yes, at the very least a 2-pole breaker is required.  A classic blunder is going "Gee, a double-stuff has 2 breakers/screws, so it'll let me put an MWBC in 1 space". No, it won't - this will set your neutral wire on fire.  These are the kinds of pitfalls that exist with MWBCs.

Given the difficulty of doing these circuits safely, and the fact that you probably can't even use them due to GFCI/AFCI requirements -- I would say that they are an obsolete/deprecated method, and advise you to simply run two 14/2's.

The technique is allowed, you can google "MWBC" but I'd spend at least several hours "learning up" on the various gory details and what those mean.

Even if you do the MWBC textbook-perfect, you could find at home sale time, your AHJ sweeps in and says "Where are your AFCI breakers?" and "Where are your GFCIs?" And you find you are now painted into a corner and have to rewire just to sell your house.


Resuming outdoor water after winter I am about to install these valves (is this the right word?) to resume having water in the garden.

Once installed, these will be brass on brass. I'm concerned that I will not obtain a watertight seal.

Does brass, in this particular setting, provide water tightness, or is there some kind of sealing material I need to use?

I think the bleeder part (is this the right word?) is only needed when winterizing. There is nothing I need to do with it at springtime—other than ensuring it itself does not leak.

As requested made this an answer. it looks like the threads have some pipe dope on them. a couple of wraps of PFTE / Teflon tape on the threads will seal it up. the small rolls at the home stores are less than a dollar. that will seal it up if there is not enough left on the threads. – Ed Beal May 26 at 19:02   delete


How can I fix composite deck railing that wasn't installed with brackets? Had a contractor install a composite railing on my deck and he did not use brackets to secure the railings he just screwed it to the posts. This was 3 years ago, it looked great at first but, over the past 3 summers the rail have started to sag due to high heat, the putty is coming out of the screw holes and it doesn't seem safe. He is out of business and the company that manufactured the railings indicated their warranty was voided because the contractor didn't use brackets. Help..........is their any kind of bracket that could go over the 4x4's and attach to the railings. Maybe a bracket on each side that I could bolt through? Really can't afford to remove the railings and start over.

Without seeing a picture it is hard to say.

My experience with wooden furniture is that when you put it outdoors bad things happen, especially if screws and nails are used to hold it together. It is pretty rare to see a deck older than 10 years that does not look like a potential termite habitat.

In general, putting corner braces under the railing would certainly provide a lot more support than a screw through the top. Unless you bolt the corner braces you will still have the screw deterioration problem. This can be mitigated by using brass or stainless steel screws. Bolts, of course, tend to have that Frankenstein look, but at least they hold the wood heap together.

My guess is that one to two years from now we will start getting questions about decking deterioration from you.


Exterior faucet - freeze hazard? The following image shows an exterior faucet that currently does not have an accessible shutoff.  This home is in the southeast region of Michigan, so the faucet is exposed to freezing temperatures.  I'm concerned about the possibility of the pipe freezing and cracking -- and, if it does, it will go directly into a finished basement.  So, two questions:

Is there a legitimate concern of freezing and cracking?  It hasn't done so yet, but it seems like an imminent risk. Thoughts?
Assuming there is a legitimate concern, is there an easy solution to get through the winter?  For example, could the pipe be wrapped with heat tape and then covered from the snow?

Any other suggestions that could safely get this homeowner through an unpredictable Michigan winter?

The key question would be: How many winters has this pipe been like this and lasted without bursting? If it has made it through for many years, it should probably be good for many more.

Does it have an indoor valve where you can turn it off and drain the water, similar to this:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-3-4-in-Brass-Sweat-x-Sweat-Ball-and-Waste-Valve-with-Drain-119-4-34-EB/205812172

If so, then you can just shut off the valve and drain the water.

The safest/best/permanent solution would be to install a shut-off valve like above (make sure the drain hole is on the "to the outside" side of the valve) and also replace it (or have it replaced) with an anti-siphon frost-free outdoor valve like this:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/1-2-in-x-12-in-Brass-Anti-Siphon-Frost-Free-Sillcock-Valve-with-Push-Fit-Connections-P140-8-12x12/203518399

For a "quick fix", you could wrap it with a short length of heat tape:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002YFAHAW/ref=twister_B0048BPXDG?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

and then some pipe insulation:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-3-4-in-x-6-ft-Foam-Pipe-Insulation-ORP07812/204760801


Can I install whole house humidifier in AC ducting? Just grabbed 2 Honeywell whole house humidifiers: HE360A1075. It's the best model Lowes has and recommends.

I have 3 floors and a basement in an old (1890s) victorian house. We have cast iron radiators with a gas boiler for heat on the bottom 2 floors (original) and separate ducting for the AC; then a regular AC/gas furnace ducting for the top 2 floors.

For the top two floors the install should be easy, I assume, as we have water and drain locations up there.

For the lower floors, can I install the humidifier in the AC ducting and have the thermostat power just the blower, and not actually turn on the AC?

I have 2 Nest gen 2 thermostats, which I believe can control the humidifiers too.

So - key question:

Can I install the humidifer on the AC ducting and use the AC blower, without turning on the AC? This should be controlled by the Nest to turn on whenever humidy is low.

Note - there is no heating furnace, just an AC unit.

Almost all thermostats have a FAN switch, that can be set to ON or AUTO.  In the AUTO position, the blower comes on when the furnace needs it (during heat/cool calls).  In the ON position, the blower will always be on.  This is usually controlled by the G terminal on the furnace and thermostat.
I'm not sure exactly what you're trying to do, so I'll cover a couple different setups
Blower on when you want
For this situation, simply connect the G terminal on the thermostat to the G terminal in the furnace.  When you want the blower on, set the thermostats FAN setting to ON.
Blower on when house is too warm
If you want the blower to come on when the temperature in the house raises above a set temperature, you'll simply connect the Y terminal of the thermostat to the G terminal in the furnace.  This way whenever the thermostat calls for cool, the blower fan will come on.
Depending on the furnace, you may be able to connect the Y terminal on the thermostat to the Y terminal in the furnace, and simply not connect any control wires from the furnace to the A/C unit.  Most furnaces activate the blower after a predetermined (possibly programmable) delay, when the thermostat calls for cool.
Blower speed (Multi-speed blower)
Blower speed may vary based on the different functions. For example, heat might be medium low, fan might be low,  while cool may be high speed. So you'll want to take that into consideration as well.

Without more information about your specific equipment, and what exactly you're trying to accomplish. It's difficult to provide more accurate, specific information.


Ceiling light fixture held up only by the pressure of two screws? I have a light fixture, pictured, whose cap (bottom white part) is a glass cap that is apparently just held in place with two screws that don't have a head (slot). The screw goes through the metal casing but there aren't any holes for the screws to go in in the glass thing. It seems to be holding, but is that normal...?

Yes, this is very normal thing. The end of the thumb screw engages a lip on the glass cover or globe. It is more common that there are three such screws. Here is a side view cross section to show approximately what it looks like.

To remove the globe or glass cover you simply use the thumb head to back out the screws till the lip on the glass part can drop down.

Note that on some fixtures there may even be only one thumb screw with one or two fixed pins or ledges on the metal fixture on the far side. This type you back out the thumb screw and then have to tip down the globe till it disengages from the fixed points on the other side.


How should I use intumescents when passing pex through fire wall? I'd like to bring pex lines into my garage for a utility sink and washer. They will pass through a fire wall with type x drywall.

How should I properly penetrate this wall for pex? Should I get an intumescent collar for each individual pipe in its own penetration? Should I make a larger hole with a single collar and share it?

I'm in a single family residence when attached garage; living space above and beside the garage.

First, this is a fire separation, not a true firewall
California Residential Code R302.6 (and the IRC it is based on) is clear on this point (italics in original):

R302.6 Dwelling/garage and/or carport fire separation The garage and/or carport shall be separated as required by Table R302.6.  Openings in garage walls shall comply with Section R302.5.  Attachment of gypsum board shall comply with Table R702.3.5.  The wall separation provisions of Table R302.6 shall not apply to garage walls that are perpendicular to the adjacent dwelling unit wall.  A separation is not required between the dwelling unit and a carport, provided that the carport is entirely open on two or more sides and there are not enclosed areas above.

So, you don't need to go crazy on this
From there, we chase down the reference to R302.5.3 on "other penetrations":

R302.5.3 Other Penetrations  Penetrations through the separation required in Section R302.6 shall be protected as required by Section R302.11, Item 4.

Item 4 of R302.11, in turn, states:

Fireblocking shall be provided in wood-framed construction in the following locations:
...

At openings around vents, pipes, ducts, cables, and wires at ceiling and floor level, with an approved material to resist the free passage of flame and products of combustion.  The material filling this annular space shall not be required to meet the ASTM E136 requirements.

As a result of this, you don't need intumescent firestopping collars around these pipes at all, just something there (usually rockwool and a fire-resistive caulking) that will keep smoke and flames from slipping by around the pipe openings.
Since you're using intumescent collars, though, I'd use one collar/penetration per pipe -- since they work by expanding and pinching off the pipe, one-per-pipe is the only way to install them so that they'll work properly.


Installation of Liquid Propane Gas line to new Takagi Tankless Water Heater I'm installing a new Takagi Tankless water heater and wanting to make sure I have the line plumbed to the unit correctly.

I have the Main line @ 3/4" hard Pipe, 3/4" Ball valve, 3/4" Flex Line, Tee with Line going into side, then sediment Trap on Bottom, to another Ball Valve connected to the tankless.

Main Line is 3/4" the 1/2" line at the T, and the T will be removed

The Elbow will be connected to where the T was in the Above Picture. I no longer need the 1/2"

This is the Connection to the Tankless. Has the 3/4" Flex going to the T with Sediment Trap then another ball valve at the top.

I've seen many examples of where there is no 2nd Valve on the Tankless and many where there are Unions and many that have a second Shutoff valve.

Is there anything wring with this setup?

Thanks!

The leg is supposed to be before the flexible hose. As far as the leg goes,it’s not the normal way and I really dont know. Gas usually comes from the top and turns 90 degrees with the sediment leg below.


Can I connect an additional wire to HVAC system where all the terminals are full? I'm installing a new thermostat (ecobee Smart Si) and it requires "C" wire. I checked before I bought, and saw an unused blue wire behind my current thermostat. However after connecting everything the unit didn't power on. I checked the system in the attic, and found that the blue wire isn't connected. Here is a picture of the system. I planned to connect the blue wire to the "Com 24V" but there's already a red wire there. Can I connect it anyway? The red wire that's there goes to the outside unit I think.

Yes, tapping along with the red wire under the (C)OM is where it goes. If you'll notice, your (Y) is already double taped.


Mini Split Condenser in Garage? With ventilation? I live in a fairly warm and dry environment and due to HOA restrictions am unable to place a window A/C unit, outdoor unit, or a system on the roof. I understand that A/C shouldn't go in attics due to the heat.

However, I was wondering if an A/C unit could go into a garage that had an exhaust / intake fan cut into the side of the wall. This air flow could even be directed into a self contained box which the condenser portion is in.

Is such an installation feasible? If so, how do I calculate what amount of CFMs the fans will need to push to sufficiently cool the a/c unit?

Is it correct that a 1 ton A/C system passes about 400CFM per minute? If my garage is 5000 Cubic feet (25x25x8), then it would take about 12minutes to cycle through all the air. Thus I would need exhaust and intake fans that can push 400CFM?

Thanks.

According to this webpage, "the answer is an emphatic NO."  The page goes on to say this is because the total volume of air in an enclosed space is insufficient, including a garage with an open door as the air isn't likely to circulate enough.

From this we can deduce:

There is nothing in most codes preventing you from doing it.
If you are planning to do this, you'll need to pay very close
attention to where your intake and exhaust air are coming from.
If you don't design your ventilation perfectly, your system may not
be able to cool your space


Are stainless steel garage cabinets suitable for unheated garage? I am considering adding stainless steel garage cabinets to my garage such as this one. As you know they are not cheap. My concern is my garage is not heated and it gets wicket cold in north east (Boston area). Should I be worrying about rust issues with these, particular the NewAge cabinets?

Does anyone put their tools in unheated environment (in such cabinets)? Could rust be concern for them as well?

My house is just very short on storage/shelve place and I could use them for verity of reasons, even putting seasonal clothes in box in them.

Rust is only really a concern if there is water or very high humidity. Temperature doesn't have anything to do with it. In fact the Northeast gets quite dry during the winter so you should have no problems (assuming the garage does not leak).

Proper care of your tools will help prevent rust. E.g. for hand tools you can give them a quick wipe with tool oil now and then, and remove any surface rust if it appears.

A stainless steel cabinet should be resistant to rust anyway, although different grades of stainless steel are better about that than others.


What are these kind of assemble-able "Erector" sets generally known as or called? What are these kind of "Erector Sets" generally known as?

I know this is based on "Aluminium Sections". I was wondering if there is a class of products/ companies in the space that are called "something" and not only one of them.

Origin:

I had some DIY ideas I wanted to execute, but found the Wood work/ Metal-welding and drilling pathways a bit more hard core and cumbersome and not easy to disassemble-reassemble nor very light weight.

Someone suggested looking at a certain site/ brand (not promoting them as I am a consumer who likes the mechanism but would like to find other options in the space as these do not seem to be available where I am in Asia right now).

Is there a general name/ categorization or "what they are called" in common terms so that I can google and/ or ask around to find their availability?

Not sure if I should link to them but here is URL and a little about them.

T-slotted Aluminum framing system is the only term/ word I could come up with from their material.  Is there a industry/ general set of terms/ names for it?

http://www.8020.net

  80/20 is a T-slot aluminum  building system you can use  to
  construct virtually anything.  When you think of 80/20 think  of “an
  erector set” for adults.

Those are usually just called T slot aluminum extrusions.

The 80/20 one is by far the most common style but now there are alternative standards created in the past few years such as

MakerBeam http://amzn.to/2h2F9hq

OpenBeam http://amzn.to/2h1Tyui

80/20 profiles
10 series   1"
15 series   1.5"
20 series   20 mm
25 series   25 mm
30 series   30 mm
40 series   40 mm
45 Series   45 mm

Maker Beam 10 mm

Maker Beam XL 15 mm

Open Beam 15 mm


Removing sound dampening windows for cleaning I have sound dampening windows in my new home, they follow the style of the other windows. While most are on tracks and removable, the large picture window in the living room has a stationary middle window.
Unfortunately the two windows (the normal house windows and the secondary sound dampening windows) are quite dirty and need to be cleaned.  I cannot figure out how to remove the sound dampening window.
There are brackets at the top, but removing them did nothing. The window still seems very installed or stationary.
Has anyone else encountered this?
Any suggestions?

May be there by sheer force of personality.  Get a set of suction cup handles used for moving glass.  Attach to glass and try moving it.


Recycle E12 sockets from a string of outdoor patio lights for Christmas decorations I am wondering if it's possible to recycle a string of patio lights that have E12 sockets with new wiring for a Christmas project. As it stands now the string of lights has a socket about every eight inches. There are at least 50 sockets on this string. I bought it at Good Will for $4. I'd like to cut the cord about two inches from either side of each socket and use new electrical cord to extend them to be approximately 12" apart. Each decoration will contain no more than four LED bulbs and each bulb will only use 1.2 to 1.5 watts. So in other words, I'd like to buy an extension cord, cut it at the appropriate length, connect my first E12 socket and then daisy-chain three more lights at 12" intervals.

Can I buy a standard extension cord to do this? I've done something similar with E26 sockets and LED bulbs in the past but wasn't sure if E12 lights were different.

If I follow your hoping to salvage the sockets out of this string and use them for a custom made string of lights.  Since these sockets go for about $2 or so, you'll save something like $100.

I think it's a good idea as long as you make this a low voltage string of lights.  I don't think 120V homebrew stuff is a great idea for a lot of reasons.

But say 12V - that's not nearly as dangerous, and power supplies are inexpensive and easy to find.  With LED lights, the load is much smaller than with incandescent, and these types of projects are easier to pull off since voltage drop doesn't amount to much with a reasonably big wire.  Low voltage LEDs should be less expensive and last longer because they don't need as complex a circuit in each bulb - a simple regulator instead of a full blown power supply circuit. The main conversion gets done in a wall wart that can be easily swapped if it breaks.

If you cut off those sockets with a bit of lead, you could connect them to a two-wire backbone cable and let them hang. I'd use a 14 gauge or 12 gauge twisted pair bell type wire rather than a cable with a jacket like an extension cable.   That shouldn't be too hard to find.


How do I wire a switch to control 2 outlets (all outdoor)? I have an existing outdoor outlet and want to put move it to another location but I want to add a switch to control the relocated outlet plus add a new outlet in another location (both controlled by the outdoor switch).

If possible on one or both of the outlets, can only 1 set of receptacles be controlled by the switch while the bottom receptacles are always active?  The switch and 2 GFCI outlets would have weatherproof in-use covers.

Can anyone help advise how this should be wired?  currently there's a 14/2 at the exterior wall.   Any drawings on how this should be wired would be much appreciated!

Thanks in advance

GFCIs can't be half switched

Unlike a regular receptacle (where you can break the tabs off to get two independent receptacles on one yoke), a GFCI receptacle has a single set of hot/neutral inputs, so it can't be "half switched", unlike a standard receptacle which will let you do that.  So, putting the GFCIs at the receptacle locations is out.

Putting a GFCI outside isn't a great idea anyway

GFCIs contain a fair bit of electronics; this means that even with a "bubble cover" protecting them, they're still vulnerable to moisture that gets past the while-in-use cover.  This means that it's better to put GFCIs inside; in addition, a GFCI inside can trip and protect the boxes outside if they do succumb to water infiltration.

But, there's a solution to this

Get a deadfront GFCI device, like the one shown below, and mount it inside in the nearest readily accessible location opposite from where the existing 14/2 terminates (picture is for exposition only).

Then, you can extend the circuit with a 14-2 from the LOAD terminals of the deadfront GFCI to the switch location.  You'll need a weatherproof cover for the switch here, as depicted below (again, picture for exposition only):

Last but not least, you then can run 14/3 from the switch box to the receptacle boxes, with the black in the 14/3 as the always-hot and the red as the switched-hot.  Other than needing an "extra duty" while-in-use receptacle cover (I recommend the metallic ones, as the plastic ones have a bad habit of breaking) and needing to be Weather Resistant receptacles, these are wired as any other half-switched receptacle is -- with the black (hot) pigtail to one brass screw, the red (switched) pigtail to the other brass screw, and the tab on the hot (brass) side broken off.  The neutral pigtail goes to a silver screw and the ground pigtail goes to the green screw, as usual.


How do I hang a large wall to wall mirror? I have a 5' by 6' mirror to install frameless in my bathroom.  When I set it on the back splash do I need anything on the back splash or can I set direct without any metal or plastic things making a small or any gap?

I'm sure there are several ways to secure your mirror, However the two basic methods are 1) mechanical side clips and 2) Mirror adhesive.

The safe and easiest way is to use mirror clips that screw into the wall around the parameter of the mirror. Small drywall anchors are normally used if you're not lucky enough to have a stud along the horizontal sides. Try to find a stud along the top or again, use anchors.  Be sure to read the ratings on the clips to determine how many you need for the weight of your mirror.  It is really your call if you want a gap under your mirror. personally, I would leave and inch or two for cleaning purposes. A mirror resting on the back splash may collect water and dirt.

The second method is to use a special mirror adhesive.  This makes for a very clean install, but can be very tricky. Read the directions on the adhesive completely. Be sure you have a firm finish on your wall to apply the glue to. Some side or top supports may be needed to hold mirror in place until the adhesive has cured.  Once you use this method, it is semi permanent as it will normally destroy the sheetrock when removed. CAUTION!!! Only use a mirror adhesive if the mirror manufacturer recommends that method as an option. Some mirrors will not glue up and the reflective silver layer will pull off and allow the mirror to come crashing down!


Should my dormer flashing look like this? I was up on my roof investigating how bats are getting in, when I observed the following:

There are no leaks... yet. Due to presence of yellowjackets, I didn't take a long look, but it appears that when the roof was replaced 17 years ago, they put the shingles under this flashing. I couldn't see if they added new flashing under the new shingles. Then they loaded it down with caulk, and nailed it.
The caulk is failing, and many of the nails have popped up.
Is this something I should be concerned about? How do I address something like this?

Bonus question -- what would cause this, and should I be worried about it?

Should my dormer flashing look like this?

NO, at the very least it is an indicator of shoddy craftsmanship. At worst, it may indicate that no angled flashing was installed below the shingles and roof paper.

Is this something I should be concerned about?

You said there have been no leaks; so while you should have some concern, it should be tempered by the fact that it is not leaking (...yet)

How do I address something like this?

The proper way (if you are comfortable with roofing repair) would be to carefully remove the ugly flashing and each section of tab shingle adjacent to it, from the bottom of that lame old flashing all the way to the top under the dormer eave. Then properly install angled flashing or Z/angled flashing combination along that run. Then replace the shingles.
OR, hire a reputable roofing contractor to do that for you. The bonus with a contractor should be that he/she will guarantee the work to some extent.


No C Wire Nest Thermostat I just installed a nest thermostat. The previous thermostat did not have a C wire attached. It G, RC, (RH Jumper), Y and W. When I hooked up the nest thermostat it was short cycling the blower fan until I pulled the AC (Y) wire.

I've been reading this happens if there is no C wire then the nest is trying to draw power from the furnace.

I then tried to attach the blue wire which was unused in the previous thermostat to the nest C terminal. The nest threw an error saying it was not getting power from this wire.

This isn't an ideal situation because once summer comes i cannot use my AC. I'm looking at my furnace and looks like the C terminal is connected but that wire is also joined on the Y terminal? I attached a picture of the furnace wire configuration.

Wondering if there's something I can do here to give the blue C wire power at the thermostat or if I should go with the venstar add-a-wire?

Furnace:

Old thermostat wiring:

What you need to do is to move the Blue wire at the furnace over to the "C" terminal at the furnace. Then at the new thermostat connect the Blue wire to the thermostat's "C" terminal.

Note that at the furnace the White wire currently on the "C" terminal goes into a separate cable bundle that is paired with the Red wire in that same bundle. That cable most likely runs off to the air conditioning compressor unit.

It is not clear what the Yellow wire in the cable bundle from the thermostat connects to at the furnace end. There is a good chance that this is connected incorrectly or not at all. My understanding is that this Yellow wire should be connected into the "Y" terminal at the furnace where the miss-wired blue wire used to be.


Risk from neighbor's construction? My two story brick house (Toronto, Canada, circa 1920) is about 5 feet from my neighbor's similar house.  Both houses have full basements;  my house extends about ten feet farther to the rear than his does.

He want to add an extension on the back of his house,  again with a full basement.  He is proposing that his contractor dig down for the new basement, excavating all the soil right up to my foundation wall.  He would then pour footings and build the foundation on his side of the property line according to code and by-laws, and backfill the space between my foundation and his new foundation.  My foundation is solid brick, three layers thick up to the first floor joists.

There would be some sort of heavy equipment used to remove the soil from next to my wall, the wall would have the inward force of the soil removed for some time, and then the soil would be replaced and compacted.

My question is basically:  What risks would I be exposing my house to with this process?

Two big risks.

One, they excavate properly but do not backfill properly.  This will cause settling over time to your foundation. (Highly likely)

Two, they do not excavate properly and dirt falls from under your foundation during excavation causing immediate damage (unlikey, but possible)

Have them excavate the basement for shotcreting (excavation is held off your foundation at least a foot or so), and then shotcrete the foundation walls instead of a stand form and pour.  This eliminates both problems.


Is a pulse width modulating thermostat compatible with a W2 auxillary heating (Nest compatibility question) I have the wiring configuration for a RHEEM thermostat Pictured Below. On it, there is a "V" wiring connection which according to the manufacturer is for "Pulsed width modulation" type heating. On the other end, the furnace, it connects to a "V/W2" connection which I have verified is pulsed width modulating.

Initially, Nest showed that I was incompatible due to the "V" wiring but learned that it was because they thought it was "milivolt" designation. However, after talking with them and researching, I learned that this was not the case and should be able to connect the V/W2 into the Nest "W2".

Will this accomplish the same thing? I learned that W2 is for 2nd stage heating which doesn't seem to be exactly the same thing as Pulsed Width Modulating heating.

Edit - Found in manual:
From Manual

  To set the furnace for operation with two-stage thermostats, set
  switches 1 & 2 of SW2 to the “ON” position (See Figure 56). Note that
  these switches should be in the “OFF” position from the factory. With
  both switches in the “ON” position, the furnace can still recognize a
  “V” signal present and will still operate with a modulating
  thermostat. However, with both switches of SW2 in the “ON” position,
  the furnace is set to operate with a two-stage thermostat as well.
  With a two-stage thermostat (installed as shown in Figure 50) and
  switch settings configured as described above, during a call for heat,
  the furnace will operate as follows:

So it is currently operating in "modulating" thermostat mode but is able to operate with Nest in a "2-stage" mode by simply flipping a dip switch. Then the "V" wire will act as "W2" wire.

It looks like this type of heat is called "modulating heat" or a "modulating furnace".  I can't find any information saying that Nest supports that.

The labels on the thermostat and furnace are meant to be a convenience for the installer, and you really have to refer to the equipment documentation to see what it does. The common labels of R, G, Y, W, C are fairly standard, but once you go beyond that, there are conventions, but you have to research to know the exact use of R, W2, B, etc.

That's a long way of saying that just because the furnace happens to have a W2 label and the Nest also has a W2 label doesn't mean very much.  You have to dig into the documentation (as you have done).


What are some tips for deep cycle battery maintenance for an offgrid solar system? I have an off grid solar system, with an 240AH 24v deep cycle battery, and the system (and all of the components in it) is a year and a half old.

i have several questions and i hope that some one could answer, at least some of it:

I had trouble to measure the charge with the hydrometer. is it o.k. to use this table as a reference for any 24v deep cycle battery, or do i have to find my one manufacturer table? is it o.k. to use only the voltage indicator?
In the same article the author is proposing 3 methods for measuring the battery charge: voltage, specific gravity and amp-hour metering. He also says that the amp-hour metering is the best method. is that true? why a Watt-meter isn't just the same? does the amp-hour meter knows when the battery is degrading and therefore has lost amp-hours?
The measurement with the hydrometer is not quite accurate. is there i way of measuring the specific gravity with an electronic hydrometer? if there is, where can i get one of those?
I'm starting to notice that the battery is reaching the 70% red line (Arbitrary limit that i chose to set) far too often. How can i tell what is the condition of the battery?
How can i tell if i new but untested battery is defected?
my solar system produce maximum current of 10 AMPS. someone once told me that a 10 AMPS equalization charge is not enough, and it should be higher for an effective charge. is that true?
an 240AH at 24V have a capacity of 5760 Watt/Hour. is that calculation is right?

Based on my experience being qualified as a battery charging electrician on submarines and installing/upgrading/maintaining the 12v electrical system in my motorhome.

Battery electrolyte specific gravity is not model or battery specific so your chart is fine.
Amp-hours is a measurement of current consumed (or the sheer number of electrons you've pulled out of the battery) rather than tracking watts which is a measure of power.  You can easily track the amount of power used, but it would be impossible to determine the actual state of charge in your battery.  It would be like if you tried to gauge how much fuel you had left in your car by reading a "cumulative horsepower meter".
A manual hydrometer is fine - just avoid the super cheap ones available at the auto parts store.
Get a real battery charge monitor that measures amp-hours in/out.  I use one made by Xantrex.
You have to test the battery to know its bad.
An equalizing charge involves holding charge current at a low value, which boosts charge voltage - so if your charge controller won't allow you to set EQ current at a value, get a new one.  10 amps is probably close enough to the charge rate appropriate for equalizing - however if your array is only capable of delivering 10 amps with full sun, you might want to reconsider that strategy.
Who cares.  Battery capacity is a function of the rate of discharge so that value is effectively worthless to you as a monitoring metric.