How can I repair a rotted door threshold? Recently the wood transition strip at the door from my garage to the backyard came loose. When I pulled the transition strip it appears the underlying wood is rotted, how would I go about repairing this?

Edit: I'll say what what I know might be underneath. This is the ground floor. I don't believe out basement extends under any part of the garage. My garage has a tile floor installed by the previous owner (she ran a kennel out of house before we bought it so all the rooms, not just the garage, had this crazy tile!). I presume the tile is on top of concrete based on what I can see at other parts of the garage where the tile ends) The red brick is the outside of the house, and the pavers were installed directly on the dirt by the landscaper.

To do it properly you're going to have to pull up that aluminum door sill to see what's going on underneath. It appears that water has been seeping under the door sill from the outside and has rotted part or all of the underlying door frame. It's also possible that the water is coming in along the perimeter jambs and seeping down to the sill. To remove the aluminum sill you're probably going to have to remove the door stop trim on either side of your door. If you do it carefully you can probably re-use it.
The sill may be glued or screwed on. This will expose the wood sill frame underneath. The wood sill will be attached to the jamb on both sides. It may all be rotted or just part.
To replace it you'll have to cut it out at the jamb on both sides or if it's only rotted along one length you might be able to remove the compromised part with a chisel. Let the area dry out removing any rotted portions. You can then replace/repair the wood sill with new wood by attaching it directly to the framing underneath as a support for the aluminum sill.
You can then reinstall the aluminum sill and the adjustable threshold that came up - you probably will want to replace it with a new one. it's critical that you weatherproof around the aluminum sill with exterior silicone caulk. You also should caulk the entire exterior perimeter of the door and it's trim and make sure the weatherstripping around the door, especially at the bottom isn't leaking. Until you weatherproof it the problem will only recur and get progressively worse.


Sealing what appears to be a non standard overflow drain I have an overflow drain, as seen in the picture provided, that isn't sealed. The common wisdom I've read online has been to seal with a gasket, but my drain doesn't seem to be anything like the ones I've seen.

I've also purchased a standard overflow gasket and it's a no go.

Does anyone have any idea how I can seal this drain?

This is the hardware that it's connected to and the gasket I bought thinking it might work.

When you have an odd-ball thing in the plumbing that needs sealed and you really can't find a thing made to seal it (and it's DWV, not pressurized supply) reach for a tub of plumber's putty...

There should be a gasket as seen in @toyrunrs recent question...


Can different gauges of wire be used on the same circuit? My father-in-law is a builder. He has put in 20 amp and 15 amp breakers, and ran 12-2 as the home runs to the switch's and the first plug to make them hot. He then ran 14-2 to feed the rest of the plugs, lights, and ceiling fans.

Is it okay that he used different gauge wires on the same circuit?

It is fine for the 15 amp circuits, but not for the 20 amp circuits.
The National Electrical Code requires circuits protected by a 20 amp circuit breaker to use #12 AWG copper wire throughout the circuit.
The National Electrical Code allows circuits protected by a 15 amp circuit breaker to use #12 AWG copper wire but #14 AWG wire cannot be protected by anything larger than a 15 amp breaker for power and lighting.
Regardless of where it is in the circuit, even if it is after the first receptacle, #14 wire cannot be used on a power or lighting circuit protected by a 20 amp breaker.
The following are pertinent excerpts from articles of the National Electrical Code:

210.20(B) Conductor Protection.  Conductors shall be protected in accordance with 240.4.
240.4(D) Small Conductors.  Unless specifically permitted in 240.4(E) or (G), the overcurrent protection shall not exceed that required by (D)(1) through (D)(7) after any correction factors for ambient temperature and number of conductors have been applied.
...
(3) 14 AWG Copper.  15 amperes
...
(5) 12 AWG Copper. 20 amperes

The #14 wire that is installed on 20 amp circuits would need to be replaced with #12 or the breaker on that circuit needs to be replaced by a 15 amp breaker.
Usually, 20 amp circuits are used for receptacle circuits and 15 amp circuits are used for lighting circuits.
Good luck!


What type of clip/clamp? I have been looking for days for a certain type of clip/clamp and I cant find the name of it. It is basically like this photo below (same size) but flat. It almost looks like a razor blade. It is mostly mounted on the wall with a screw and you push one side which sends the clip teeth up. I've seen it mostly used to add support for curtains. I am looking for an inconspicuous/small clip/clamp that I could mount on a wall to hang some fabric. Any help or alternative suggestions is appreciated, Thank you. Just trying to find something small and inconspicuous so it doesn't stick out too much when the fabric isn't up.

It does a similar job as these clips
 but looks more like a razor like this

I think that what you want is called a "paper rail" or a "display rail". There are lots of different styles, here is one:


Knee Brace support Hanger for Treehouse I am going to be building a Treehouse soon, and am researching the best and most cost effective means to do so.  I am good on the platform and beams (using Treehouse Attachment Bolts), and am going to use 45 degree knee braces for additional stability.

They make some great Knee Brace Attachment brackets, but man are they pricey. Almost $100 each, and we'll need four of them.  Also mentioned at this tree house guide.  When reading some books, and other online resources, I see mention of braces that are more like Joist Hangers.  But rather than having numerous nail holes like traditional joist hangers, they are supports by a single lag screw.  They are referred to in these resources as "Framing Connectors" or "Hold Down" brackets.  Does anyone know the real name for these, or where to find them?  Asides from having some fabricated myself, anyone know where to find these?

Like this:

As seen here:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Building-A-Treehouse/?lang=pt

I also saw these in the popular tree house book by black and decker:

I think those are Simpson Strong-Tie HD3B, or maybe a HD5B. At under 10 bucks a pop, you can probably afford to buy one just to look at it and see if you think it suits your needs.

edit: just looked at the fancy $100 ones, and I can see how you get way better attachment from them. I suggest you integrate a strap that ties the bracket to the underside of the brace, as a single lag through the bottom of the simpson isn't going to be stellar at resisting a force that pulls away.


How to wire in an alternate light controller? My townhouse complex has external lights on timed controller.  The controller only supports a single on and off time which means we need to keep adjusting the lights through out the year to avoid wasting power.  I have implemented an alternate controller that factors in sunrise and sunset times using a micro controller (GHI Fez Panda running .NET Microframework) and a relay.  I would like to wire it in so that it is possible to switch between the two controllers in case my controller dies or I want to pull it out to update the software etc.

I think I understand how to wire it in but just want to confirm with someone.  Can someone review the following two diagrams and tell me if my changes are correct?  Specifically I am not sure I am handling the common lines correctly.

Edit:  Thanks for the feedback.  Yes, new controller has external power supply.  With a DPDT for both the hot in and out it would look like the following.

DPDT 120v 30a switches (which is what the existing controller is rated for) are hard to find and expensive.  Here is one option I guess.  If anyone knows of a cheaper option please suggest it.

The wiring you show will work.

However, connecting the outputs like that means even when the controller is switched off, its output might be hot.  Depending on how it is connected and enclosed, that may or may not be dangerous.

It might be better to use a double pole double throw switch wired so the input and output hots get switch between controllers and the other controller is completely disconnected.

And of course you have to make sure the switch is suitably rated for the max current and voltage of the circuit.

The neutrals should all be connected like you show.  Presumably your controller uses a separate power source since it doesn't have a neutral connection.


Fixing green coloration on clapboard siding My wife and I are in the process of closing on a home and we're planning some initial renovations we want to make before we move in.

We noticed that there's a small area (maybe ten square feet) of the north side of the house that has some slight green coloration on the siding, which is painted clapboard. It might be mildew or algae.

Who would be the best contractor to remedy this? Does it need to be sanded down and repainted, or is it possible to "clean" clapboard?

If it's only mildew or algae, you can probably just clean it off pretty easily with oxygen bleach (sodium percarbonate). Mix it up with water to the concentration specified by the manufacturer, spray it on the clapboard, wait about 15 minutes, then scrub it with a cleaning brush.

I'd test this on a small, non-conspicuous area first to make sure it doesn't effect the color - oxygen bleach won't bleach the pigments themselves, but it may remove oxidation or sun damage on the top of the paint. It certainly shouldn't be as noticeable as sanding and repainting the area though.


there is only one wire going to a light fixture I was asked to install two wall sconces. The old ones were removed but there was only one feed wire (hot from the switch). This is an old craftsman house in california,

I think you answered your own question if there is only one wire to the fixture then the metal box must be completing the circuit through a ground wire attached to the box possibly fastened under the internal clamp. Highly illegal according to any version of the code in modern times.

It is impossible to have a circuit without a completed path. Either through a second conductor or some conductive material such as the earth.


Rewiring a house, breaker panel and all, while living in the house Our current home (mid-50s ranch in the Midwest US -- my AHJ has adopted the 2011 NEC save for the AFCI requirements, btw) is in good shape, save for the electrical wiring, which is a major bodge job.  Some of the previous owners (this house was an O/O that recently became a rental unit, we are the first tenants though) thought it was a good idea to replace all the outlets with grounded outlets without hooking up their grounds to anything, for starters.  The original 1950s fuse box is still present (no pennies that I know of, but there may be some overfusing going on as there are 30A fuses on 120V circuits in the box, and there's also a decrepit Edison-base thermal breaker roaming around there), and worse yet, the A/C installer decided it was OK to stick a 40A double pole breaker in a standard square junction box without a cover plate -- heaven only knows how he tapped it out of the main panel!

Given that the ideal way to fix this situation likely involves rewiring (the house is wired with NM save for the garage and basement which have conduit, and the  garbage disposal which is some type of AC or MC and also happens to be the one outlet that is properly earthed) the whole kit and kaboodle atop replacing the main panel (the location is too high up on the wall it's on to be Code compliant!), how can this job be staged so that we don't have to move out of the house while it's going on?

BTW: our W/H is gas and our furnace is gas with electric ignition, but the dryer and range are both electric.  The NM is cloth-covered (appears to be original to the house), btw.

You want to rewire just because of a lack of ground?

Don't. It's too expensive. Just replace the outlets with GFCI's (AKA RCD), they come with a sticker that says "No Equipment Ground", put that on there. Make sure you trace the wires so you don't have two GFCI's in a chain.

You can replace the fuse box in one day with circuit breakers. I did it once overnight while the homeowners (relatives of mine) slept. I used a car battery for light. (Before the days of LED's.)

Or better yet, use GFCI breakers, then get a ton of stickers for all the outlets (GFCI stickers, and No Ground stickers).


Grounding 3 wires to electrical box with 2 ground screws I've installed a metal electrical box. There are 3 cables coming into the box. The standard box only has 2 ground screws. My inspector said I am supposed to have 1 single ground per screw...

So, how am I supposed to ground 3 cables then?

Use a GROUND PIGTAIL.  One end of the pigtail, the end with the terminal, goes under the grounding screw in the box.  The other end is connected to your other ground wires with a wire nut of the appropriate size.


How do I mount a new TV antenna to an existing antenna mast? I would like to mount my new antenna to the side of my existing antenna mast. Is there a device that I can buy that will clamp on to both poles?

Update - With pictures

Picture 1 is an old antenna mast and I would like to mount my new antenna 2 to somewhere on the side of the antenna mast.

Maybe something like http://www.caworldwifi.com/images/T/univantmnt.jpg.  Clamp the bottom to the existing mast (or a leg) with u-bolts.  Then clamp antenna on the "mast" portion of the universal antenna mount?


How can I secure an outwardly opening front door without damaging anything? This is a rented house in Japan (single room).

It has an outwardly opening front door. The resident (a single woman) has fear of intruder breaking in. Also, damaging/modifying the door or the wall is not welcomed and makes thing complicated.

How can she reinforce her front door in this situation?

I recently heard her story and found this video SWATLOC-Introduction, it looks good, but I can't find actual buying information for the product.

For outward opening doors that need security against having the hinge pin removed, you can get hinges with a security stud in the hinge.

Sample image from Home Depot, no product or vendor affiliation

The small stud protruding between the middle screw holes prevents the door from being removed from the hinge while the door is closed.

You can create a similar result with a DIY solution by placing a long screw or lag bolt in the door frame that is left protruding almost 1/2" near each hinge. And on the door, drill a small hole to receive the screw head. It wouldn't hurt to cover that hole with a deadbolt strike plate to make it more difficult to force the door off and give it a more finished look.

These options are both on the hinge side of the door and have no need to install/remove as you use them. Most property owners wouldn't have a problem having something like this installed since you're securing their home.


Antiseize in plumbing? Alternate screw heads and materials for screws securing washers? My house was made in 1965. Water is somewhat hard. Sometimes a faucet fixture leaks. When I take it apart the solution is often to replace a washer secured with a #8 pan head screw. Sometimes the screw is seized and the head strips. Its cheaper and easier to replace the screw than the whole part, especially for older fixtures. My instinct is that using anti-seize and/or a different screw head would mean in a decade or two  when I replace the washers again I will have an easier time. So my questions:

Is regular anti-seize ok for drinking water? Do I need to get the food safe kind? Will it actually last?
When constantly exposed to hard municipal water, can I use stainless steel or silicon bronze screws in the brass or wil lgalvinic corrosion be a problem? My assumption is that its harder to strip a harder fastener.
will socket cap or hex screws fit in these fixtures or is my only choice torx/hex/robertson pan head screws if I want a fastner less prone to stripping?

Stainless will be stronger than brass , so less likely to strip. Assuming a brass stem , galvanic corrosion should not be a problem. The stainless is unlikely to gall with the brass shaft. A wrap of teflon tape/dope will help prevent sticking. I have found plain screw driver slot or Philips to be good enough but a stronger head is good if you can find it.


Metal enclosure insulating paint/spray What spray or paint can you use to insulate metal enclosure from conduction (say in breaker panel just for double protection in case the breaker won't open during ground fault to case)?

Glyptal

It was invented by GE for literally that purpose. It's for painting metal parts of electrical motors, rotating equipment and cabinets.

Aside from superlative electrical insulation, it has good thermal performance and low flammability.   This has resulted in off-label use to seal engine blocks.

Don't paint parts of the panel that are not meant to be painted. It may be most expedient to protect the bus assembly by pulling it out entirely for painting.


What is a carriage bolt washer with mounting spikes called? The "washer" below is from a carriage bolt. It's like a t-nut, but used on the square side of a carriage bolt and holds it steady. I'd love to get my hands on a box of these but can't for the life of me Google the correct terms. Hopefully someone here will be able to point me in the right direction.

For what it's worth, the "washer" came from an older kids playset that was custom built.

That is a toothed or pronged "torque washer". As you suspect, it's intended to prevent a carriage bolt from turning in soft wood.


Running Satellite cable from wall plate, under carpet to opposite side I want to route my satellite cables, which are currently poking out of a media plate on one side of the room, to their destination on the other side. The challenges that I face are:

Routing the cables from their current exit point back into the wall and out closer to, or preferably under, the carpet.
Threading the cables under the carpet to their destination.
Pulling the cable either out of the carpet, or back into the wall to a box that I can terminate them at.

From searching around, I feel that I should be able to manage 2 with minimal swearing and damage, using the fish tape to navigate it around.

I'm less sure about the termination on either end, without wires dangling about. The walls on all sides are supporting walls, with plasterboard in front of breeze-block.

Am I approaching this the wrong way, and should be looking at trunking?

Running the cables around the baseboards using surface-mount conduit is a better idea.

Common trade names for conduit (or “raceway”) include “Panduit” and “Wiremold”.

Coax under carpet will create a lump and the coax will eventually be damaged.


Some ideas on how to block a wheel on a metallic rod? I manage somehow to put some old inline roller wheel to some old trolleys I use in my house for shopping (and trekking). The average weight is about 20-30 kg. I am looking for a way to fix those wheels knowing that, I only have some basic tools (no electric ones). I'm looking for a cheap solution, I dont want to invest more than a couple of dollars to fix those wheels.

I'm looking for a simple and smart idea to prevent the wheel from getting out of the rod

the big trolley rod is quite long, I might cut it. the small trolley rod is more tricky.

The best way would be to thread the rod, but it would only work for the big trolley since the short trolleys's rod is not long enough (only 3 mm are cylindrical, the remaining part, 7 mm, has been too much filed to put the wheel on it, and it has a kind of conic shape). But anyway I don't have the thread tool so it's out of question. Drilling the rod to fit a pin would be great but, once again, no drilling machine.

I thought about using hose clamp, but I'm afraid the wheel will make it turn with it, and damaging the hose clamps. I also though about using some sort of "weld epoxy", (I would just file the resin to change the wheel when needed) but I'm not sure it will be strong enough.

Any creative idea and advice would be very appreciated.

This is the big trolley:

This is the small (foldable) trolley:

Use a hacksaw (or just a hacksaw blade if you don't own a hacksaw) to make a groove all around the rod. If you had a small electric grinder (Dremel or similar) that would also be an option, but the hacksaw will work and is a hand tool.

Use an "E-clip" in the groove (perhaps with a washer towards the wheel, first.)


Unswitched to switched outlet? I recently replaced a switched outlet with a new receptacle. I was sure to wire it exactly as the old one. I also made sure to break the tab between the side screws where the red and black wires connect. However, upon turning the power back on, the outlet is still unswitched: power on both outlets and the wall switch has no affect. What am I missing?

First identify your switch leg. Turn off the power and disconnect the red and black wires and put wirenuts on the ends of them. Then turn the power back on using a non conducting power indicator, test the black and red for the wire that is permanently on. Then turning the switch off and on, identify the switch leg. Once you have done that then you know your wiring is connected properly to the box.

Now turn the power back off and reconnect the permanently hot conductor back to the receptacle. Check to see if only one part of the receptacle is working. If only one is working, kill power and connect the switch leg to the other side of the receptacle and verify it is correct.

Point being, you have isolated the problem to either the wiring or the receptacle and either one or the other is incorrect. If it's the receptacle then I would just replace it. If it's the wiring you may have to start tracing backwards to the switch.

Good luck


Electrical and wiring in fuse box I have a general switch fuse box 1 side is 140v and the other is 100v. What could cause this to happen? Ive checked it at panel, but it only does it when major appliances are on. Like the furnace microwave, etc. The wiring looks good into the box.

You have a degraded or broken neutral wire.  This is an emergency and you should shut off main power immediately!    This may be a power company problem which they would need to fix.

North American power is provisioned by two "hot" legs 240V apart, and a neutral in the middle.  If the neutral fails, then the hot-hot voltage will still be 240V.  However, the neutral will be untied, and will "wander around", not being in the middle anymore.  If loads are exactly equal on both sides, it will be near 120V.  However usually, loads are unequal, often quite unequal, and that will pull neutral off center.  This will undervoltage some appliances which is sometimes dangerous, and overvoltage some appliances, which is often dangerous!

There's a complication.  Inside your main panel, neutral is bonded to a grounding system to a ground rod or water pipe in the earth.  Meanwhile your neighborhood has a supply transformer a couple of poles away from hour house.  This transformer also connects its neutral tap to a ground rod out there at the pole.  Your neutral current is trying to return via this path.  It's a very poor path, so when you load up your system you are overloading it. You are also electrifying your grounding system and the soil around your house!   Obviously this is a very bad thing to do.

If the problem is evident inside your main panel, call the power company and ask them to fix it quick.  It might be a problem inside the main panel where the neutral wire splices to the panel.  But more likely it's out in the meter housing or the wiring drop to your house, which makes it definitely in the power company's bailiwick.  (they might be happy fixing a neutral problem in your main panel too, if you seem like a DIY type; messing with the neutral is dangerous if anything is energized.)


What Type of Ducting Should Be Used for a Bathroom Exhaust Fan? I'm planning on installing a Bathroom exhaust fan (Just a note, the port is 4") and am curious as to what kind of duct should be used.

I've heard that the duct should be insulated to prevent water backflow from condensation during the colder months as my attic is not environmentally controlled. The New York winters can also be rather cold sometimes, so this is especially a concern. I heard that code requires a rigid tube similar to aluminium.

What kind of duct is typically used for these installations? (Home Depot recommendations would be most appreciated because that's where I plan on purchasing the other components)

I used insulated flex ducting like below for my bath vents.
Try to keep it flat or sloping toward the outside to avoid condensation pockets.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Master-Flow-4-in-x-12-ft-Insulated-Flexible-Duct-R6-Silver-Jacket-F6IFD4X144/203420974

Edit 1:
I'm not familiar with a code that requires rigid ducting for bathroom fans. (Mass local here)
Unlike dryer ductwork, it's not going to be subjected to high heat or a potential for significant lint accumulation.   That said, there is nothing stopping you from using regular rigid metal ducting.  (rigid plastic ducting eg: pipe, might even be acceptable)

There is also available pipewrap insulation,  I'm looking to use some on my dryer ductwork, if I ever get the energy to go back into my attic.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/8-in-Dia-R-6-Ductwork-Insulation-Sleeve-INSLV8/100396954?MERCH=REC-_-PIPHorizontal3_rr--302000644--100396954-_-N


Do tile floors have transition joints at the entry to each room? Hello I have a question regarding setting down some tiles.  I tried researching the topic but I was unsuccessful. I posted a picture of the rooms that i will be setting down tiles.  Which consist of 4 rooms and 2 bath rooms. I was wondering, when you start a room do you only lay the tiles down in that room and cut it off at the door way Or do you allow it to transitions in to the hallways/rooms?

Typically, tile layout flows from one room to the next. It would be visually disruptive to have extra joints at each doorway. You'll want to establish a single reference line, along with a perpendicular line at an appropriate location, and work from those.

If you exceed say 30 feet in length it may be prudent to install an expansion gap. You'll want to talk with your tile supplier about that. We don't know where you live, what your subfloor situation is, or what you're installing.


No power to circuit after coffeemaker plugged in for random amount of minutes I've got an outlet in my kitchen that I have several appliances plugged into: a microwave, a cordless phone, and a Keurig coffee maker. If I leave the Keurig coffee maker plugged in to the outlet, after a few minutes the power will cut out on the circuit.  It happens anywhere from 3 to 30 minutes after I leave it plugged in.  Usually that's enough time to make some coffee in the morning, and then I just unplug it.

It does NOT trip the circuit breaker - if I unplug the coffee maker and leave it alone for a few hours, the power comes back on.   If I leave the coffee maker unplugged, the power stays on indefinitely, as evidenced by the clock on the microwave continuing to keep the correct time.

It's seemingly not related to the load - I can run the coffee maker and the microwave together just fine, which is the highest load the circuit would get, if the power is on; and it happens even when the microwave, phone, and coffee maker are idle -essentially just running the clock on the microwave, a small light on the phone base, and the touch screen for the coffee maker.

I'm using a six-port adapter over the standard wall outlet (like so).  I've already replaced this with a brand new one, and it still happens (I suspect there was nothing wrong with the old one, but I've since thrown it away anyway).  I've also already replaced the outlet.

What could be causing this?  I have to think it's related to the coffee maker since it doesn't happen if it isn't plugged in, but I'm hesitant to get rid of the coffee maker since Keurig machines are relatively expensive, and more importantly, my wife "really likes it".  I don't understand how one device could cause a power outage not related to the circuit breaker, and then keep the power off after it's unplugged, and then have the power recover.

So, I finally paid an electrician to come fix this; at long last, the power had failed to the outlet and stayed off.

I had two problems:

The breaker was corroded and needed to be replaced.
One outlet on the circuit was "upstream" from the others (I'm not sure the exact terminology here, but it was closer to the breaker than the others) and had gotten corroded badly, likely due to a window leak I'd had fixed years ago.  The neutral wire running from that outlet to the "downstream" outlet that I had my coffeemaker plugged in to needed to be replaced.

The outlet that the coffeemaker was plugged in to was replaced with a GFCI outlet.  The electrician did not see any corrosion in it (naturally, as I had replaced it last year) but given that he was already here and fiddling with my wiring, it seemed prudent to have him replace it.

The cost for this job was just under $300, which was more than I was hoping for but less than I feared.


15 amp load trips 20 amp breaker instantanously New construction wired by professional electrician, Montana USA. Dedicated circuit for a 14" chop saw with 10 ga. wire and a 20 amp breaker. Saw was used previously on a 15 amp circuit with no problems. The saw is rated to draw 15 amps. The saw is a 14" Milwaukee abrasive wheel cut off saw with cord and plug, it is plugged into a 20 amp duplex GFI outlet.  It trips the breaker immediately upon energizing. The electrician says he can not install a 25 amp breaker as it would be out of code. Any suggestions? In the comments section of this question mention was made to slow blow circuit breakers, I have been unable to find any information on these. Does someone know where info. can be found? I tried Square-D's site.

When you pull the trigger of the saw, the motor winding looks like nearly a dead short (maybe 0.6 ohms) for a few AC line cycles.  Until the motor spins up and/or heats up, the current is primarily limited only by series resistance in the building wiring and the motor windings.  During motor start, the type and length of wire makes a huge difference.
You didn't describe in detail the older circuit, but since it had a 15A breaker, they probably used 14AWG wire.  Compared with 10AWG of your new circuit, 14AWG has 2.6 times higher resistance per unit length.  And resistance goes up linearly with distance.  If your old outlet was 10 times as far away from the breaker, then it had ten times the 2.6X increase, or 26 times more resistance in the wire.  The additional resistance would have reduced the inrush.
Here is a real world calculation of inrush current for the 2 scenarios.
10AWG at 15ft has 0.03 ohms
14AWG at 150ft has 0.78 ohms
1HP motor winding has 0.6 ohms (assumption)
I = V / R
10AWG example: 120 / (0.03 + 0.6) = 190 A inrush
14AWG example: 120 / (0.78 + 0.6) =  87 A inrush
So you can see how you might be pulling 2X more inrush current (190A vs 87A) simply by plugging the saw into an outlet with heavier and shorter building wiring.  A little research on circuit breaker trip points revealed that SquareD QO breakers will trip in one line cycle (16.6 ms) or faster with as little as 120A (6X rating). But there is a lot of variation such that the exact same part number breaker from a different box could require 220A (11X rating) to trip that fast.
In the world of circuit breakers, they use terms like "high magnetic" or "high inrush" instead of "slow blow". Siemens, SquareD, and GE make these versions of their standard 15A and 20A breakers.  They usually have "HM" or "HID" at the end of the part number.  The QO-HM version is guaranteed to require at least 220A (11X rated current) to trip within 1 line cycle.
In summary you probably got a breaker that was at the very low end of the trip point threshold.  Couple that with lower resistance wiring and the inrush is just too much.  I bet you could replace the 20A breaker with another of the same, from a different store, and it would work.


Can you increase amps in your house with an external breaker? I would like to significantly increase the draw of power, or rather increase the maximum drawing of power to the house I live in.

But I'm looking for an external solution. This is a rental house. I would like to purchase something that can be externally attached to the house that will allow me to draw more power.

For context, I have many computers running in the house and want to run more.  The rooms and outlets are tapped out and I would prefer to not have to modify the property owners circuit breaker box.

Any ideas?

There are 3 options I can think of, and I don't think any of them is a particularly viable idea for your situation:
Increase Utility Power
This is the normal way to do things. If you have, for example, 100 Amp service then you request an upgrade to 150 Amp or 200 Amp service. The utility will determine what is available and under what conditions. Along with this, you will need at a minimum a main breaker upgrade and very possibly a full panel upgrade. Which in turn may trigger updating other wiring due to code requirements. This is something that can only be done professionally and only with consent of the owner. The person listed on the electric bill, presumably the owner, is the one who would have to work out the details with the utility. This type of upgrade is beyond "casual homeowner maybe without a permit" land in most jurisdictions, plus since you are not the owner you couldn't do the work anyway, and typically a landlord can't do electrical work on his rental properties. So this equals $$$$.
Add another service drop
This is only slightly different from the above. The difference is that it would be a NEW connection, independent of the existing service. This is actually not often an option - more typically this would be for a second, separate, building that happens to be on the same property. This would require a new main panel (separate from the existing one) and utility agreement, and landlord permission, and a lot of work (cabling of new independent wiring for the new circuits). So this equals $$$$.
Separate power source
This would typically be a gas generator, but could also be solar or other sources. The problem is that these usually have either a high up-front cost (solar + batteries + inverter) or a moderate up-front cost plus fuel (gas generator). So this also equals $$$$.
All of these cost are likely to cost quite a bit. In the first two cases, this is really an investment in the property - if the landlord asks you to pay for the upgrades, you have consider how that will work for you given that your lease is not forever. The last option might allow you to take some stuff with you, but has its own problems (gas and maintenance for generator, high installation costs for solar).
If I were you, I'd start looking for a rental where you can get more power.


How do I increase the height of a sliding glass door lock? I recently installed a dog door panel for my sliding patio glass door. The way the dog door was made I had to install it centered in the patio door channel vs flush with the sliding glass door.  This has created a problem that doesn't allow me to install the hinge that will lock the door closed. There is a good 1/2 inch difference in height.

I'd like to make a shim or something to raise the hinge placed on the dog panel to be flush with the sliding glass door. I'll need to be able to drill through the object to anchor it into the dog panel. I've never created something like this and I'd like to hear if anyone has some suggestions on how to proceed.

I see that you posted under a carpentry tag. however, my solution would be to find a section of Aluminium Tubing, or tubing profile which fits the "gap" which you describe.

As  You can see, the example picture is a rectangular profile, which will run the entire height of the door, To fill the specified gap.

Your problem will be to attach said profile to the side of the slider. essentially the best thing would be to drill into the frame and insert pop rivets, however, there will be a glass pane on the other side of the aluminium door frame, so drilling will be difficult.

The profile below will allow you to drill your rivets on the side of the door (ie the narrow face of the sliding profile, then you can drill two holes on the top and bottom of the slider (in your photo its the side you can see.

You will then be able to mount your lock flush to the hinge door.

Above you can see what I mean. I must stress here, that you dont want to break the glass pane by drilling into the frame where there is glass.


Why is my third floor hot water pressure so low? The hot water pressure in our 3rd floor shower is very low.  The 2nd floor shower however, has very good pressure. The problem is not the shower head, which actually produces great pressure when turned onto cold.

I've also lived in other houses with 3rd floor showers where the pressure was fine. Could it be clogged? How could I clear a clog if there is one? Are there ways to optimize or boost the pressure?

If the cold water pressure is good, then you are right about the shower head not being the problem.

Check the hot water shut off valve feeding the tub to assure it is opened fully.

Also if you have good hot water pressure at the vanity and are sure shut off valve is fully open, the problem may be in the mixing valve that feeds the shower head. It's not uncommon for deposits to form over a number of years in this valve and restrict flow, especially on the hot side. Could also be a broken or stuck washer in the mixer.  You can shut off the water to the valve, hot and cold, remove and inspect the cartridge from the front. Remove the handle(s), the bezel trim and the valve cartridge should come out with a wrench. If any of the internal parts look suspect, take it to your hardware store and they can help you select new soft parts to rebuild it. Replace it in opposite order that you disassembled it,  and don't forget to put some plumbers putty under the top and sides (not very bottom) of the bezel, so water won't leak in behind it and down your wall.

Good luck.


Will 12" tiles crack if laid on a bowed concrete floor? Today I laid tile in a 25sq ft bathroom with a concrete subfloor.  The concrete had a slight "bow" to it, meaning if you hold a straight edge across the 5' width, there is a gap of about 1/8" in the center.  The tiles pretty much follow that slight curve.  Will this cause any problems with cracking?
If it matters, the tiles are 12" squares, inexpensive ceramic.

Nah. You are good to go.  Tiles will crack if they bear weight over an unsupported spot. The bow in itself is irrelevant.


Wiring Help Needed to replace Ceiling Fan w/light to light only (see pictures) I am in the middle of replacing a kitchen fan w/light to only be a light.  The current wiring configuration of the switch is as follows.  The switch face, has two sliders, one for the fan, another for the light.  The picture shown here is the back of that switch.

Wall Wires (from old fan)

Black - to Fan
Black/White to Hot
White to Light

Fan Wires

Black
Blue
White
Green

Ceiling Wires

Black
White

My questions are which switch do I need and how do I wire it up?  Single pole? It would be great if I could use a dimmer as well, but not necessary.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.  Thank you!

I think ThreePhaseEel and A.I. Berveleri have figured this out.  That circuit was originally wired for a light only, with a 12/2 cable going up there - hot (black), neutral (white) and ground.

Somebody added the fan later on, and they cheated.  They used ground for neutral.  They used black for the fan and white for the light.

First, mark your wires. Get some electrical tape and bundle together the white now going to TO LIGHT and the black going to TO FAN. These go to the fixture. Do that as far back as you can, so they are still free.

Note the black with white stripe wire.  The wire nutted to it is supply power, or "always hot".  Mark it (solo) with electrical tape so you can find it again.

Now, think about replacing that switch. Either with a plain switch, or with a modern dimmer or smart switch that plays well with LEDs and may have a neutral.  Don't bother with CFLs, they are obsolete.

Now to put it back proper.  The fixture white and black will be hot and neutral.

The white wire (to fixture): Add it into that bundle of (white) neutrals with the red wire-nut.  It will stay there for good, no matter what switch you use.
The two remaining black wires go to the new switch.   If you're keeping the old switch, move the black wire (to fixture) from to fan and move it to light.

I won't delve further into how to install switches because it's routine from here.


Wiring size for 100amp sub panel looking for what size wire do i need to put in a 100 amp sub panel with a 150'run off a 400 amp service. new panel will run 60 amp hot tub and sonme lights and ceiling dfans

I would say 1/0 aluminum from the wire size calculator. Any smaller than that and you'll have significant voltage drop.

You'll need 4 wires - two hots, 1 neutral and 1 ground.

There are two ways to go.

Lay a conduit, and have individual wires going through the conduit.  Expensive initial construction, but you can obtain 1/0 wires as individual THWN wires at 50 cents a foot (x4 = $2.00/foot). This also allows adding other stuff such as a switched lighting circuit. You can't put data in a power conduit, though. Depending on the type of conduit, conduit can be the ground, which eliminates one wire.
use multi-conductor cable.  This is a pre-made cable that has all 4 wires wrapped in a single outer sheath.  (this bundle will be rather stiff.)  Trouble is, multi-conductor cables are not made in every size (or not kept in stock by distributors).  What's more, you must use a type of cable (SER, UF, USE etc.) that is correct for your installation route.  This limits your selection further, and you could wind up having to go as big as 4/0 ($4/foot).

I often have to go with a larger cable than the calculator said, because my distributor simply doesn't stock my correct size.  This is only a problem with multi-conductor cable; single conductor THWN is generally available in every size if you're working in conduit.


Oops! I forgot the clamps when I fixed my sprinklers! For the first time ever, I fixed a broken sprinkler pipe that a root had pushed through. After it was all put together and re-buried, I realized that I forgot to use clamps on the patch. I did test the line before I buried it and saw no leaks. Am I going to regret not going back in and clamping?

If the repair was done inline with the pipe and pipe is fully seated on both side then it will probably never fail but might leak over time.  But if the pipe is not fully seated onto the barbs on each end or the repair was done on an end then you have a high chance for a future failure.

If the pipe is on a sprinkler zone, and not part of the supply, then your risks are further reduced.

Regardless of all these things,be nice to yourself and the future home owner.  Go buy some stainless steel clamps then dig up the probably shallow pipe, unscrew the clamp all the way, and place them over the pipe without having to remove the pipe from the fitting like for pinch clamps.  A special trip to buy the clamps should take longer than the digging, installation and backfill combined.


I need to bury an electrical wire I just removed a deck in my backyard.

Under it was some of the electrical wire that runs from my home to my garage (pictures are below).

Can someone recommend the best steps to burying this underground?

What you see in the photos is the only portion that is exposed.

Thank you!

You will need to redo this part of the run

It appears that part of the run does not meet minimum burial specifications (aka the 18" cover depth required for PVC conduit); also, that LB and several of the bends will need to go in order to avoid violating the 360° rule between pull points and keep the LB from becoming inaccessible.

As a result, you will need to redo this section of the run completely.  The first step will be to turn off the breaker in the house and disconnect the wires at the house end, then go to the garage and pull the wires out of the conduit completely from that end.  Then, you will have to excavate along the conduit from where it enters the ground down to where it meets the 18" cover depth (and a couple extra inches), as well as excavate out a 19-20" deep pit around the wide-sweep elbow below the LB, and connect the two excavations with a 19-20" deep trench in an L shape overall (draw straight lines out from where the conduits go, and then trench along those lines, yielding two trenches that  cross at roughly a 90 degree angle).

Once you've done the trenching, you can then install new conduit as straight runs of 1/2" schedule 40 PVC fitted to the existing runs using couplers at the ends and with a wide sweep elbow used at the bend.  Backfilling the trench is straightforward, and then you can pull the wires back through, probably with the aid of a pulling string sucked through the conduit with a shop-vac and a plastic grocery bag tied to the string.  Once the wires are back in  (you should have sufficient length in the existing wires to reconnect them given how much length was taken out by removing the needless depth variations), you can then reconnect them at the house end, turn the breaker on, and call the job done.


GFCI Receptacles not resetting I don't  know much about electricity.

In my kitchen there are 3 GFCI receptacles. There was a kettle plugged into one and the microwave. The fridge was on the other.  Both outlets quit last night when I opened the fridge, but the breaker didn't trip.

The reset buttons won't do anything, the green light at the bottom of the receptacle is off (on these GFCIs the light is on when they have power).

Every other outlet on this circuit is working, including the other GFCIs.

Any ideas what happened here?

Should I replace the GFCI outlets?

Try unplugging your appliances and see if you can get the GFCIs to reset.

From there, if you can't get them to reset, possibly one of them is defective.

If the GFCIs do reset, possibly one of the appliances is broken.

Good luck!


What clear coat material would last as an exterior traffic surface? I have an idea for a decorative project, but I haven't been able to find much information about which materials might work.

In short, think "thick bar top for a concrete walkway." Specifically, I'd like to be able to mix in phosphorescent powder, or pigments, and keep a transparent look to it.

It seems like most epoxies aren't designed to have other ingredients mixed in. I don't know how well polyurethane would hold up outdoors.

Any ideas for something durable and color-able?

Many epoxies are designed to have other ingredients mixed in. That's basically West System's hat.  The garage floor epoxy paints all allow grit and chips to be mixed in too.

The problem is, epoxy is quickly destroyed by UV light, notably from the sun.

There are several other 2-part coatings, and surfboard people are the experts: they work with every kind.  TAP Plastics is a retailer in the west (yes, a retail store you can walk in and buy this stuff) and they have extensive literature about the ups and downs of each 2-part coating system.


Insulated radiator foil I'm concerned that the insulation/ cardboard foil that's behind my recessed radiator is asbestos. My house was built in 1960. Does anyone know if they made that stuff with asbestos? Before purchasing my home I had the insulation checked in the attic and also in the old boiler. I was glad to find out that there was no asbestos.

If it was my house I would not worry about it if it was intact (but I would not disturb it either), significant friable spread by convection alone seems unlikely. If I had kids... better safe than sorry, hire an asbestos abatement firm to test and remove/replace if necessary.

OSHA PEL (Personal Exposure Limit, max exposure over 8 hours on a time weighted average) is 0.1 fiber per cubic centimeter, max exposure over any 30 min. period is 1 fiber/cm³.


Can I run PEX through PVC pipe embedded in a concrete floor with radiant heating? I'm building a new home in New York State. It will be slab on grade with radiant heat in floor. I'm going to run the domestic water supply (PEX tube) to each bathroom, sinks, toilets etc. in the concrete but inside of 1-1/4" PVC pipe in the concrete.

Are there any problems with this approach?

I can see two things to be concerned with.

1) Is the 1-1/4" PVC pipe of sufficient size to permit you to pull out the old and replace new PEX tubing if that should ever be required in the future?

2) Make sure that the PVC pipe does not detract from the thickness of your slab to the extent that it would weaken the concrete and lead to a potential crack path. Cross wire mesh and re-bar in the concrete will help a lot but consider some additional thickness in areas where the pipe is embedded.


Laying bricks over old concrete sidewalks I just moved into an old house. The previous homeowner had concrete slabs as the sidewalks that are in touch with the house wall. From what I know, the concrete slabs not only provide a flat solid place to walk on, a nice look but also prevent water coming towards the house foundation.

But now two or three of the slabs have sunk for about half inch at some corners of the slab. I was suggested to cover the old concrete slabs with brick pavement, for a better rainwater protection and a nicer look.

I don't really know much about renovation in general, so before the project starts I would like to have a better understanding. My questions are,

If I leave the old concrete slabs as it is (no bricks overlay), what kind of damage can it cause overtime? I think the slabs are pretty heavy, if they are left to continue sinking, then I imagine it might be bad for the house walls since as it sinks under, it may put a horizontal force onto the wall.
If I decide to put bricks, should I completely remove the concrete slabs first for example by a jackhammer?
i) If so, would the jackhammer action cause any damage to the house structure as the slabs are right at the edge of the house walls? ii) If breaking down the slabs are not needed, and I can just overlay the bricks. Is there any special method preferred, e.g. do I just slab on mortar between the concrete and the bricks, or still first put down gravel, then concrete sand and bricks?

Sorry if some of the questions sound silly, as mentioned I'm pretty new. Thanks.

If the old slab is still “sinking”, then it will continue sinking after the new bricks are installed on top of it. In fact, the additional weight from the bricks may accelerate the movement.

I think you have 4 options: 1) keep the slabs and do not add brick pavers, 2) remove existing concrete slab and install new slab or brick pavers, 3) mortar new bricks to existing slab, or 4) dry-set bricks over existing slab.

1) If you keep the slabs, you’ll need to find the cause of the settlement...sooner or later. It doesn’t sound like it’s a big deal now, but could become unsightly soon. Finding the cause could be difficult, unless it’s obvious, like drainage swale eroding, etc.

2) Wow, removing all that concrete is a lot of work and it sounds like most of it is just fine. (One plus for this option is that you’ll look like Charles Atlas when you’re done.) This is the most expensive option too, because you’ll need to replace it with something.

3) Mortaring bricks to the existing slab is least desirable, because you’ll need to fix the low spots, adjust the layout and install all the joints in the bricks so they align with the joints and cracks in the slab. Otherwise, the new bricks will crack randomly.

4) This seems the most reasonable. Installing dry-set brick pavers on the existing slab, you’ll first install a layer of sand for the base. This base can be adjusted for low spots. Also, in the future, if the slab settles more, the pavers can be removed and additional sand can be installed and then the pavers reinstalled. HOWEVER, the sand base must be contained. That is to say, the sand under the pavers and between the pavers will wash away if it’s not contained.


Dry sauna using heat gun Thinking of building a small one person dry sauna and just running a heat gun blowing into bricks or rocks inside the sauna to heat it to 180F.

Any reason this would be dangerous?  Like the plastic cord releases toxic fumes at 160F and up or something silly like that?

That's fairly silly.  Of all the consumer electric products on earth, heaters are inherently the least expensive.  That is to say you can get cheap, good ones.

A 1500-watt cheap tossie is $12 and will last a year.
A quality oil-filled heater is $40 and will last 10-20 years.
A proper, fixed-installation 2000W baseboard heater is $50 and will last 20-30 years.

So it's silly to misuse a tool for not its intended purpose, when the right stuff is easily affordable.

Even the wiring will be inexpensive, and I hope you'll do it right rather than hork something together with cheapie extension cords which are not rated for 1500W loads.  That's how the recent Oakland fire started.


Round junction box - new light has square mounting plate Installing a new light at base of stairs to lower level. Old box is a round fan type and new light is a square mounting plate.  Can I make this work or is there a need to change the old junction box?

Generally it's either no problem at all - there are mounting holes that match, and the box will be covered, or you need some sort of adapter to go from the holes you have to the holes you need - which MOSTLY only works if the holes in the box are further apart than the holes in the device.


Why does a single pole tandem breaker allow connecting the switch handles? Specifically I am looking at a QOTO2020:

You can see what seem to be holes in the handles for a connection pin.

On a single pole breaker I can't think of an application where you would want both independent circuits to switch off in the event of a fault on one of them. Unlike a 2 pole (USA) breaker where you would want both legs to go off in unison.

What use would be pinning the two handles together? Or are those holes not for that purpose?

The question isn't whether the breakers are able to accept a connecting pin.  The question is whether the manufacturer makes a UL-listed handle tie for those pins.   I would bet they do not.

There might be a reason to handle-tie the inner breakers of two adjacent duplex breakers; i.e. In an A1 A2 B1 B2 arrangement, tying A2 to B1.  That would be for the normal uses of handle-ties, e.g. Multi-wire branch circuits and 240V-only loads.

Also keep in mind, handle ties do not assure common trip; multi-pole breakers have an internal mechanism which does that.  (Which also means a multi-pole breaker is much more than two singles bolted together).  The purpose of handle ties is common maintenance shutoff, needed for 240V loads (which can have each leg separately fused), MWBCs (so you don't get nailed by the other leg), and 2 circuits on 1 yoke (ditto).


Some outlets seem to have no power I have electricity in my bathroom and kitchen and even my porch light and security light outside is on, but there are no numbers on my meter box. What could b the cause of this? There are 2 outlets that work but nowhere else--not even in the kitchen where there is electricity.

It sounds like you may have tripped a Arc Fault Interrupt Circuit - a safety feature to prevent electrocution in modern homes. Try turning off all the switches on your breaker box and turning them on again or try looking for a switch which is slightly raised from the other like pictured here:

You might also notice a little window with an orange, blue or green indicator or a raised button similar to one of these:

This switch will need to be turned off and on again to reset the circuit and restore power to the outlets.


Dirty terra cotta porch We have a house built in 1953 that has the original terra cotta porch.  The porch is filthy.  Is there an easy way to clean the tiles?  My husband wants to just paint the entire porch.  It's not perfect but has character.

Terra-Cotta floor tiles are made with Adobe clay that is than heated to increase it's strength. It is a popular choice for a floor covering because of it's durability. But if not sealed properly can develop stains (mold, dirt, etc.) which are difficult to remove because of it's porosity. An analogy would be it's comparable to a dried sponge (but harder). Once the seal is worn away it will absorb any liquid on its surface. Power washing is one way to clean the tile, but the spray pattern must be very wide to avoid eroding the tile. And it must be kept moving for the same reason. If mold, fungus or algae are the problem first make a bleach solution in a five gallon bucket (1 cup bleach and 4 gallons water). Mop the solution liberally onto the floor and scrub vigorously into the problem areas. Wait a few minutes and either power wash the surface or apply clean water and mop up as much as possible. A floor scrubber works well to, but not with an aggressive brush. The tiles must dry completely. The drying time can be sped up with fans and/or heaters. And depending on your climate should dry in 2 (+/-) days. With a paint roller and brush apply an exterior Terra-Cotta floor sealer according to the manufacturer's directions'. It should be ready for foot traffic between 12 - 24 hrs.


Can I hang a bathroom shelf with command strips or something similar? I'm currently living in an apartment that doesn't allow me to put anything larger than a finishing nail sized hole in the wall. I have a small bathroom shelf that I would like to put up that consists of a lightweight metal frame with three tempered glass shelves as well as a towel rack on the bottom.

Initially my thoughts went to the 3M command strips. I know they have picture hanging strips that essentially consists of velcro on top of command strips. But I have a feeling that this wouldn't hold up  and the shelf would fall down. So I was thinking it might work out to buy the plain command strips and put them directly on the back of the shelf where it would contact the wall. I see that they're rated for around 5lbs each and I believe loaded the shelf wouldn't be more than 10lbs or so. I'm just curious if this would work or if it might end up causing more damage than just putting holes in the wall?

Does anyone have any experiences with hanging something of this nature without damaging the wall?

I would not risk hanging a glass shelf with those strips.  They are meant for hanging things directly from (like a towel, hair dryer, etc.), not a shelf that sticks out.  Instead of just pulling down on the strip, it will pull down and away, almost a guaranteed recipe for broken glass.

Unfortunately there is no way to anchor something to the wall without proper anchors.  If you are able to get the shelf anchored into a stud then the hole should not be all that large - it's the drywall anchors that tend to make larger holes.

If the wall was concrete you might be able to glue it to the wall, but this will leave a larger mess (leftover glue that someone has to scrape off) than screws in drywall.

Perhaps you could offer to repair any damage you are responsible for?  Otherwise you should get a free-standing shelving unit.


Barn doors that angle into the entry way I have just installed barn doors into a livingroom entry. (approx 6ft opening) It is 2 doors on a single track with offset. The issue I'm having is the doors are angling INTO the entryway. There is sufficient wall clearance at the top of the doors but the bottom of the doors are rubbing at the bottom of the wall. Any ideas how to fix this problem?

You need a Floor guide. Most are installed on the floor, sometimes  they attach to the wall at the base of the door.
They come in a variety of kinds, some just plane plastic, some with rollers, some adjustable ETC.
You can buy them or  you could make something from materials you already have on hand.   It really is just a tab or roller that keeps the bottom of the door from swinging into or away from the wall.
You should check with the manufacturer of your doors track/hardware to see if they have one that matches the spacing of the tracks you have. If not it will not be difficult to place one at the appropriate distance from the wall to match that spacing.


How to remove the handle on my Delta faucet? One of my faucets is leaking in my bathroom sink.  I have a double-handle faucet set from Delta.  I removed the set screw from the cover but, for some reason, the cover still isn't coming off.  I tried using a putty knife and screwdriver to pry the cover off but it's stuck.  I also used WD40 to try to loosen it but that didn't help either.  How much force is required to remove the cover if I keep pulling up on it?  Is there some other screw that's holding it that I don't know about?  Am I missing one of the steps necessary in removing the cover?

UPDATE: I squirted WD40, CLR, and vinegar into both the handle hole and set screw hole but it didn't help.  I expected the liquid to flow down between the cover and the stem/cartridge but it seems like the liquid has no place to go so it comes out the same hole it went in.

I tried using a hair dryer to heat the cover so that it will expand but that also didn't work.

I've also tried hitting up on the cover with a rubber mallet to knock it up off the stem/cartridge.  No luck there.

Lastly, I tried to wrap a rag around the handle and used pliers to try to pull up on it but that also didn't help.  In fact, even with the rag and the teeth of the pliers covered with electrical tape, it still scratched up the cover.

Is there something else I can/should try?  Is there a way to squirt things up from the bottom of the cover to dissolve the dirt/minerals that's holding the handle tight to the stem?

It should just pull off.  If it doesn't, you might try gently wiggling it side to side as you pull up.  If you have a rubber or plastic mallet, you could try giving it a gentle tap to free it up. The trick is to be gentle enough to not break anything, but firm enough to knock it loose.


Fix/Move Ethernet on Side of House The house I recently bought has the networking cables to each room (2-4 each) terminate at a junction box on the outside of the house.  To hook up my Internet, the tech hooked up to one of the cables to my living room, where I hooked it into my router. However, that leaves several ports in my home useless because there is nothing connected to them on the outside to give them any sort of internet access.

I'd like to have 4 Ethernet outlets per room to have all my devices wired and set up a couple APs for the devices that can't be wired.  Basically I've considered doing the following.

Find the internet-connected cable in my attic, disconnect and pull it from its outlet and hook up to my router->network switch.  Then, run new cables to each room from that network switch. (This is overly simplified).
Run a cable for each wireless AP to the wall/ceiling locations I want them.

I'm not sure if this is the best way to do this.  I'm not sure what to do with all the cables in the junction box (and through the brick and mortar, btw).  Should I pull them all, leaving just the network connected line?  I'd like a good home network, but it seems there will be a lot of extra work due to poor initial network wiring.  I don't want to use powerline adapters either.

Some notes:

It's an FTTP/H connection, set up so I don't need a separate modem.
The current wiring is as follows:  Fiber->ONT->(over ethernet)Junction Box->Through Outside Wall->Living Room->Router.  I think I'd prefer the following: Through Outside Wall->Router->Switch->Room Outlets/APs.

Current setup:

Proposed setup:

Any help (including things to keep in mind and look out for) is greatly appreciated!

Edit: Whatever setup I decide, I don't plan to leave it in the attic. The conditions are too variable and, I think, not good for networking equipment.

Stated another way, your options are to make the best use possible of the cable that's already installed or install new cable that suits your need better.

Ethernet outdoors

There exist environmentally hardened Ethernet switches designed for outdoor use, but you won't find them on the shelf at the local big box electronics store and they'll cost more than consumer/SOHO indoor-rated gear. Then again, indoor-rated gear might perform acceptably for you even outdoors. So there's one option: install an Ethernet switch near enough to all those cables outdoors so that they can be patched into the switch. You'd have to get power to it from somewhere and it would require some kind of protection from water.

Turn cables indoors

Think about what's on the interior side of the wall from that outdoor junction box. Would it be acceptable to place a patch panel near that location? You could cut an opening in the interior wall, pull all the cables from the junction box into a new box inside, and repair the wall.

Modify, abandon, or replace

If all else fails you'll have to install some new cable. Some of the existing cable might run through accessible areas like the attic. Any existing cable you can find and re-route to the new patch panel location saves work in fishing new wire through walls. Consider whether it's useful to have more than one patch (and switch) location to so that everything doesn't have to home-run to a single place.

Don't go to great pains to rip out wire you're not using -- if it isn't hurting anything, just leave it in place. Maybe you or a future owner will think of something to use it for later.

Retrofitting cable is something of an art form, but it can be learned. Things to consider as you plan a retrofit are which direction the floor joists go and where there are mechanical chases (ie for duct work) that you might be able to push wire through.


Exterior Wall - Stacking Fiberglass insulation and Mineral Wool insulation I am in the process of finishing my unfinished basement and had a question about stacking insulation.
When framing the basement we realized we have alot of areas which have about 6~ inches of extra space we could utilize for more insulation (see image). I figured this would be a great opportunity to add some mineral wool insulation for the added r-value and its sound proofing benefits.
If I were to add mineral wool insulation on top of my existing fiberglass insulation (on the exterior wall) what do I do with the vapor barrier (i.e: The paper back on the fiberglass)?

Is it okay if the paperback on the fiberglass is now behind the mineral wool?
Can I remove the vapor barrier on the fiberglass and have the mineral wool act as a barrier?

Any advice would be great - I am concerned about trapping moisture.
Additional Notes:

I live in Virgina
The home is split level so the exterior walls are barely "underground"

Vapor barriers are installed on the warm side in winter on walls.
If you leave the vapor barrier in the middle of the insulation envelope, it will trap the moisture in the wall causing mold or dryrot or both.
Vapor travels from a warm environment to a cool environment. When it reaches its dew point it changes from vapor to water. If this occurs in the middle of your wall and can’t dry out, it’ll create mold, dryrot, etc.
If you add insulation, I’d remove the paper vapor barrier (or slice it into a zillion cuts) so the vapor or moisture can travel through the wall space.
This may help:
https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/75130/What-Happens-When-You-Put-a-Plastic-Vapor-Barrier-in-Your-Wall


Tips on making classic brick and plywood shelves Moving into a new apartment in a couple weeks and I'm planning on making the classic brick and plywood shelves to put books and stuff. Any tips for me? Do I have to have it secured to a wall?

Brick-and-board shelves are more of a makeshift, anything-goes project. However:

Securing the shelving to the wall is a good idea, especially in an earthquake-prone area.

Putting the bricks all in vertical lines will stop the boards from bending as much.

Cinder blocks are a good choice, as the stacks for bricks can topple.


How to extend wiring for extra high current sockets/appliances in Utility room In our basement we have a metal double socket which I believe is wired directly into the Consumer Unit. We currently have these plugged in.

fridge (750W, 4A max)
washing machine (2400W, 11A max)

All works fine.

I now want to add 3 extra sockets:

Tumble Dryer (2600W, 12A max)
double socket above worktop for...

hoover, iron, etc

So increasing from two sockets to 5.

Qu 1: What is the best way to extend the existing double socket to add 3 extra sockets.

Current criteria:

I am in the UK, so 230V AC.
Running the washer machine, tumble dryer and iron all at once, would draw about 10A each, so hit the 30A limit, but that's probably likely all will draw that much at exactly the same time.
I assume the ring main has a breaker of 30A (which I need to double check).

Assumptions:

I can't use a spur from existing socket as this will pull too much current.
It sounds better to continue this as a ring main rather than a radial circuit.
Using a double socket for washer/dryer isn't great as they don't deal well with 20A+.
Each major applicance would plug into a switchless single 13A socket.
Each switchless socket would then connect into a 13A switch (above the worktop).

Qu 2: Can I just connect the 3 x 13A switches in parallel from the existing wires coming from the consumer unit?

Qu 3: I presume if I want a normal double plug/switch (above the worktop), I can add this in parallel as well.

Qu 4: Presume makes these changes will need me to get an electrician to certify it (even if I do the work myself)

Qu 1: What is the best way to extend the existing double socket to add 3 extra sockets.

You want to increase the total load from 15A to >27A.

You probably don't want the breaker tripping if you, for example, run the washer and dryer at the same time.

If the existing circuit is really a radial circuit with a dedicated breaker in the CU you will need to check

The breaker rating
The wire diameter.

If the wire diameter is small, you cannot increase the breaker rating without first replacing the wiring with a suitably sized new circuit. Under UK regs I believe you should get an electrician to do this work.

  I can't use a spur from existing socket as this will pull too much current.

It depends what you plug in. The breaker should protect the circuit.

  It sounds better to continue this as a ring main rather than a radial circuit.

Ring mains are typically 32A but I don't see creating a ring main as easier than upgrading a radial circuit.

  Using a double socket for washer/dryer isn't great as they don't deal well with 20A+.

So long as the circuit is properly constructed, you should be fine. I certainly run those two appliances from a double socket.

  Qu 2: Can I just connect the 3 x 13A switches in parallel from the existing wires coming from the consumer unit?

You should draw a diagram of your intended circuit. You don't wire switches in parallel. I guess you mean something different but you need to be clear.

You may be over-complicating things here. You can use normal switched sockets (even though inaccessible with appliances in place) and when necessary, just isolate the whole circuit using the switch on the breaker.

  Qu 3: I presume if I want a normal double plug/switch (above the worktop), I can add this in parallel as well.

Yes.

  Qu 4: Presume makes these changes will need me to get an electrician to certify it (even if I do the work myself)

As I understand part P, You can extend an existing circuit but you need an electrician to certify it if you create a new circuit. It might be no cheaper than paying an electrician to do the work themselves.


Need For Redgard On Cement Board - Can I apply it before hanging? Basically I'm getting a guy to do my tile around my tub/shower. He swears you don't need Redgard and we are on a tight timeline so applying it when hung would put us behind anyway (We really have 2 days to do everything). I have two questions.

1) Do I even need Redgaurd. The internet has mixed reviews.
2) Can I apply the Redgard BEFORE hanging the cement baord so we don't have to wait for them to dry once they are hung?

As long as it's Cement Board & not some crappy "almost" cement board stuff. You really don't need the RedGard, but the more protection the better...so go for it. And yes, you can do the boards beforehand. But, hit the filled seams & screws (your weak points) as soon as a panel is ready to give it some time to setup. You'll have to wait for the fills to dry or at least setup anyway. Just try not to anger your helper too much. Plan for a lunch, cigarette, drink, phone or snack break, flip-off the circuit breaker or sneak Mom in with the baby to delay the job a little, it sucks but he's got to grin & bear it.


Do US electrical codes require ceiling electric boxes? I removed a chandelier that we didn't like.  The electric is disconnected already but I didn't remove the box yet.  I know the electric code requires outlets every so many feet on the walls.  Is there a similar requirement that ceilings have places to mount lights even if you don't want to use them or am I free to take the box out and patch up the drywall?

There is no specific requirement for light placement, although there is a requirement that there be some light in a room on a switch. This is sometimes accomplished by having no ceiling light, but having a switched outlet that controls floor or table lamps.

While you do not have to keep the fixture, you cannot remove the box if you leave a live wire in the ceiling. Also, the box must be readily accessible.

One solution is to cover the box with a blank or decorative plate. On the ceiling you could mount a rosette to a blank cover and attach that (so long as you can easily remove it with screws or other means of detachment).

You say the power is disconnected, but it is not clear if that is at the ceiling fixture or further down the line. If you can find the other end of the cable that powers the fixture, you can disconnect it there. Then you can remove the box and leave the dead (disconnected on both ends) cable in the ceiling. I would cap and tape the ends for safety.  You never know when someone might decide to reconnect a wire.


Should light fixture with outlet be grounded to metal box? I'm replacing an old ceiling light with chain with a light with outlet attachment in a grounded metal box. Do I need to ground the fixture since I have a 3 prong outlet, or since box is grounded I don't need to?

You should ground to the box, the light, and the outlet if they are metal and you are able, i.e. it has a ground wire or ground screw.

There is no harm in pigtailing off a short piece of wire to ground everything you can; it'd be worth it if anything were to ever short out.

And since I'm unsure by your post, I'll clarify this.. just because an outlet has 3 prongs does that mean that it is grounded. You still have to run a ground wire to it to make it grounded. Same concept as that the receptacle wouldn't be powered until a hot wire were ran to it.


Water supply to toilet is off Water supply is off and toilet tank is empty. The bowl keeps filling up with water and is overflowing. Where is this water coming from?

You need to be more specific, is the water overflowing the bowl and running onto the floor? If that is the case then the drain line somewhere below that toilet is plugged and waste water from above the toilet that drains into the same sewer line is the problem. You will need to call a plumber who can figure out where the blockage is and fix the problem


Wiring switch outlet to be half hot I currently have an outlet that is wired to a switch.  I want to turn it into only half hot so one is always powered on and the second is controlled by the switch.  I understand that to accomplish this i have to break off the tab by the brass screws.  Most postings talk about a white, red and black wire.  I only see a white one on the neutral side of the box and the red one feeding onto the brass side.  I do not see anywhere a black wire though.  Any ideas?  Thank you.

If you have conduit you will have to pull a black #12 or #14 copper wire from the light switch to the outlet. Pigtail this wire in the switch box to the black (feed) wire going to the switch. at the outlet connect the black wire to the screw next to the red wire. Now remove, break off, the tab by the brass screws.
If you have Romex wiring, you will need to replace the /2 cable with 12/3 or 14/3 cable, black, red, white with bare ground. Wire the switch and outlet with the new wire in the same positions as above.


Semi-rigid dryer duct in contact with PVC drain pipe I just installed a dryer vent using semi-rigid aluminum duct.  Approximately 7' from where the semi-rigid duct attaches to the dryer at floor level, the duct touches a black PVC drain at ceiling level. The surface to surface contact is probably less than 2 inches.  Can the heat from the semi-rigid duct damage or even melt the PVC drain pipe?  I suspect the heat from the dryer has dissipated sufficiently at 7' but I have no experience doing this type of work. Thanks in advance for your responses.

The floor level vent being the damp air exhaust it will not get hot enough to melt the PVC or do any other damage unless there is a lint fire in the pipe. Cleaning the pipe once a year will keep a fire from having fuel to burn.


Is there a downside to using epoxy grout? Other than cost and more complexity of install is there a downside to using epoxy grout?

I use epoxy grout all the time.  There are good and bad manufacturers for every type of product.  So if someone tells you that epoxy grout discolors or has this issue or that... that is really on the manufacturer not the type of grout it is.

The epoxy I buy is from HD or Lowes.    Each has one main brand.  You have to buy the coloring and the additive separate.  The mixing of this grout is a lot harder and a lot more important.  The temperature of your mix is highly important since a hot epoxy mix will start setting in 10 mins.

The reason why most things aren't epoxied is completely because of the installation.  The mixing has gotchas, then you have 30 mins before it starts setting (I rarely use an entire batch before it turns into silly putty), the clean up is harder, and the amount of pressure you have to apply to get it fully into the cracks is harder.

The outcome is superior though.  It can give a very smooth finish.  In my opinion the colors are brighter.  And you don't have upkeep, waterproofing and maintenance.  If using epoxy was just as easy I probably would use it for everything (I am sure there are specific use cases tradition sand based is better but talking about residential use).

My grouting cycle... OK lets grout this shower, OK lets use epoxy, dammit I hate mixing this epoxy grout, ohhh it looks good going on, (10 mins later) damn it is already getting thick, holy crap my arms hurt, what the F*%@ it is only 30 minutes and its done, I am never using epoxy again, I can't believe I used epoxy again after I promised never again, clean up mess, wipe down tiles, realize I have nothing else to do, come back next day, wow that looks really good, might use epoxy on the next job...


What tool should I buy to cut through very hard plastic? I have this 55 gallon blue drum that I just picked up from car spa, but the top is not removable. What tool should I buy to remove just the top part of the plastic drum so that I can replace it with a wire mesh?

Update: I just looked into the Dremel tool, maybe this could work?

When we cut vinyl siding, my tool of choice is a circular saw with the blade installed backwards. By putting the blade in backwards, it will wear down the plastic with a smooth line rather than shred it with a rough edge. The thicker and harder the plastic, the slower you have to go.

If the circular saw doesn't work (perhaps because you can't make your cut as a straight line around the rim of the barrel) then a Sawzall is the quick way (I'd be tempted to use a blade with a high tooth count to reduce shredding). And if all you need is a small round hole, then your standard hole saw on a drill will work.


Correct torque settings for Polaris connectors I am connecting 6 awg aluminum wires and 10 awg copper wires with a Polaris connector for my new cooktop.  What are the correct torque settings?

The torque range will be based on the wire and the connector size, I have the chart printed out so my guys use the right value. #4 connector with #6 wire = 35 in lbs, #10 wire= 15 in lbs.
Connector 1/0 #6 wire= 55 in lbs , #10 wire =25 in lbs.
If you have a different size connector it may not be rated for the wire sizes you have. I printed the chart out several years back but torque values don’t change.


Is there a way to treat wood siding that is safe to burn? I'm considering putting real wood siding on, and would like to be able to burn the wood in the fireplace when it reaches the end of its life. I don't want to burn paint or anything else that produces a toxic smoke. What are my options?

I lived in a house growing up that had some diagonal board & batten siding that had gone to a shade of grey like an untreated cedar fence, and I know it wasn't painted, but it's possible it was stained.

But I'd agree with DA01 -- there's lots of types of 'green building', and I'd rather go with long-lasting and locally produced (to minimize shipping) products.  If you take care of your wood siding, it reach its end of life until after you're gone.  (my house is 80+ years old, and although the sills have been replaced, the siding is still original)

If it were me, building today, I'd probably not go with wood, and look at some of the fiber cement board products, particularly if it's produced nearby.


Is it safe to cut the plug off a power strip (then reattach it) in order to run it through a wall? I'm trying to hide the cable for the power strip that my TV is plugged into by running it behind my drywall. However, I have to go through a stud.
I'm thinking I can probably drill a hole through the stud small enough for the quarter inch cable without opening up the wall. Still trying to work this out, but seems like an angled bit, or even a long enough bit should be able to do it. The plug on the power strip however, like most, would likely be too big to get through any hole that I would want to drill in a stud.

Question is, is it safe to either cut a power cable somewhere in the middle, or cut off the plug then rewire it or a new one in order to run the wire, then reattach the plug once it's through?

Attaching a picture in case I'm being completely unclear. FYI, the white cable in the picture is just being run to pull through whatever cable I ultimately end up running.

Open to any feedback at all on how to accomplish this, including how to get a hole drilled in that stud (though again, this seems like it should be fairly straightforward with a long enough drillbit....and yes, I plan to be very careful about not drilling through wires!!)

Thanks in advance for any help!!

This is a little unclear from the description and picture. What I think you are asking is:

Can I take a power-strip that has a bunch of receptacles on one end and a 3-prong plug on the other end, chop it in half, feed it through some holes in the wall & stud, and then reattach it and plug it into a wall-mounted receptacle?

The answer to that is NO, that would be a big violation of code (using cable not appropriate for in-wall installation) and also not in accordance with UL (or other agency) certified use of the power strip.

However, what you can and should do is:

Feed a cable (e.g., Romex) from the receptacle down below point A to point B, connect it properly to the existing receptacle in A, mount an appropriate box in the wall at B and connect it to a receptacle in B. Note that you've actually done some of the work already by feeding a cable (though likely not the right type, but you can use it to pull the right cable (black/white/ground)) from right next to a receptacle up to the correct level. Cut a space and mount a box to the stud at B (the stud right there will give you a proper place to attach it, and it will be easy to drill the hole before you mount the box). The cable will can be pigtailed together with the existing cable that goes to the existing, below A, receptacle and connected to the new receptacle at B.

Would the first method work OK and probably not cause any real problems? Yes...if the cable was spliced properly (wire nuts on wire stripped properly), nothing ever went wrong with this cable hanging out and spliced inside the wall cavity (which is also against code), nothing mounted in the future messed up the cable, nobody ever pulled on the ends wondering "what's going on here", etc. But definitely NOT a wise move.

Would it pass even the most basic electrical inspection or (hopefully) home inspector? No.


Install Receptacle in damaged drywall I have a receptacle box that needs to be reinstalled. While replacing one of the cables running to the box, the drywall became damaged. With this level of damage, is my best bet to cut out and replace a large section of the drywall (10in by 16in) between the two adjacent studs and make a receptacle cut out in the new piece of drywall? Is there another way that is any easier, what provides enough support for the box?

Don't "attach to drywall" if a stud is available.

Seriously.  You can have some pretty large insert/remove forces on a socket - 10 or 20 pounds.  Drywall is chalk covered with paper. It is simply not made to bear that, and the goofy "wings" that grab-the-drywall boxes use won't hold up to the strain.

If it was a switch, maybe not so bad... but for a recep, no, definitely use any means necessary to screw into that stud with a box capable of that.

I would go for a steel box because it will attach well to screws with no risk of tearing out... and then use wood screws with either a 90 degree ratchet screwdriver, or a hex head screw and a wrench.  Royal PITA, once, and then the job is done first-rate and you never have to sweat it again.

Now that we're not using it for attachment, that drywall damage is just an "oops". Cover that with an  extended cover plate, which are widely sold for just that purpose.


Need a way to rotate a chandelier *without* rotating its mounting point I've just installed a chandelier at the bottom of a staircase.  I do not like the current orientation of the chandelier.  I would like the side nearest one wall to be parallel to that wall, but it currently is not.  So, I need to rotate the chandelier.  Here's the problem...  The chandelier is mounted to a retrofit Westinghouse fan safe-t-brace.  That brace is necessarily perpendicular to the joists, and the junction box can be installed on the brace in one orientation only (actually two orientations, but they are equivalent by symmetry).  The chandelier bracket mounts to the junction box in only one way, likewise, the chandelier mounts to that bracket by two screws in a fixed position.  Rather long winded way of saying, there is no way to rotate the fixture at its mount point.

So, I need to either fashion a new mounting bracket with slots that allow for rotation, or somehow adjust the orientation by twisting up the chain and fixing it somehow....  But I doubt that would be accurate.  Any gizmo or technique I can use here?  Thanks!

You probably can use a universal mounting plate (sometimes called a crossbar)

These come in various configurations.

You can usually thread bolts downward and hold them in place with nuts. These will be used to hold the chandelier. Then mount the plate to the box, rotate to adjust the angle you want. Then mount the fixture to the plate.

This works with fixtures up to a moderate weight. It should not be used with very heavy fixtures and definitely not with a fan.


Moisture barriers when finishing a basement? So I know this is kind of a rabbit hole question -- mostly because I've been down that hole for the last month reading articles that disagree with each other. I'm hoping the folks here can give me a more practical answer..

I live in Maryland, so it does dip below zero on occasion here. My basement is all concrete, and I've never seen a drop of water. Realizing that concrete sweats (even if I can't see it), my plan is;

put up 3/4" EPS
fill the walls with standard insulation
cover with a plastic moisture barrier sheet before putting up drywall
Dricore subfloor

My question is basically; is that the right way to go? Do I need to change anything to make sure I stay moisture/mold-free?

I would NEVER put up plastic on the outside basement wall. All you will do is trap the moisture in the wall and create an environment perfect for mold. Especially with batt or blown insulation behind it.

EPS actually breathes water vapor and is better than standard insulation for vapor passage.

Moisture from the wall has nowhere to go but through the wall and needs to dry to the inside. The ground outside is already full of moisture so it can't dry to the outside.

Check this website here.

Read the various articles on vapor barriers and mold. These articles are written by experienced individuals, some with PhD's in building construction like this guy.

These people know a lot more about construction than any site I have ever seen.

Good Luck!


How to trim an exterior door to fit new flooring I am putting in new hardwood flooring and the level of my floor was raised a good 1.5". As a result I had to cut all my door and jambs, which was fine for the interior doors. I naively took the saw to my porch and front door and saw sparks fly. I assume there is some metal in there or something. How can I take off like an inch off the bottom of these reinforced doors?

Thanks in advance.

Take your door off and get a good look at the bottom. There's a fair chance it's an aluminum or steel skin on a wood core. If so, you'll want to get a blade (I'm assuming circular saw is your weapon of choice, here) that's rated for whatever you've got. In addition, you'll want a U-shaped door sweep (well, 3 sides of a box, really) to cover up any nasty metal edges.

Best practice would be to splash a bit of primer on the raw wood you've exposed.

Depending on the configuration of your door, a new threshold might be a good thing.

At a minimum, wear eye and ear protection... a nuisance dust mask is also a good idea.


Remote for pool light switch I have a pool where the light switch is very far away from the pool. Can I change the switch to a remote control?

I'd see no reason it can't be? Lutron Caseta light switches have remote controls if you have line of sight to the switch. They also come in a HomeKit version if you don't. So long as you get the amperage right - go for it. With the HomeKit versions, you could be outside by the pool, possibly out of wifi range and still turn it on over cellular data.

We have 3 of the HomeKit ones in the house and they work really well and are fairly easy to setup. It's nice to leave for work early in the morning when it's dark out; turn on the first floor lights as I'm getting dressed and not have to walk through a dark house, step on a cat, etc...


Polaris type electrical connectors terminology I have a question regarding Polaris type electrical connectors. I should state right up front I am NOT an electrician, but have done some home wiring and think I know most of the basics.

I am trying to tap into an electrical circuit that is a 8 gauge cable (Type NM-B) (40 amp circuit). I have read about the Polaris type connectors and think this looks like the easiest way to go. The problem I am having is determining what size Polaris connector I need to use. The terminology they use doesn't make sense to me. I am looking at one sight that sells these connectors and (for example) the wire size says "500 MCM - 4 AWG" or another says "1/0 - 14 AWG", those terms don't mean a lot to me so I am not sure what to look for. I can't seem to find any of these type connectors for an 8 gauge cable. I hope that I am making sense, and thanks in advance for any help you can offer.

New Info:
So I have read some of the comments below and will try to add some more information on what I am trying to do, I apologize if I am not doing a good job at describing this, I find it hard to put into words what I am trying to do. The 40 amp circuit is for a radial arm saw that is located in my work shop. The 8 gauge cable runs from the circuit breaker box to the shop and ends with a dryer type outlet (sorry I don't know the proper technical term for that). I want to add another outlet of the same type between the existing outlet and the breaker panel for another machine. I want to cut the existing cable and add a box (4" x 4" x 2") at each of those cut ends (2 boxes total). At each of those boxes then "splice" (again that is probably the wrong term - sorry) a new length of the 8 gauge cable to go to the new outlet. Those 2 new cables would then be connected together at the new outlet. I think I would just use wire nuts to make the connections at the boxes, so wouldn't need to go with the Polaris connectors. I have tested making those connections with just some scrap pieces of the 8 gauge and an appropriate sized wire nut and I was able to get a good strong connection that way. I hope this makes more sense. Thanks for your help.

Your wire is #8 AWG, copper since it's a 40 amp circuit. So you need a connector that will fit that wire. The sizing on the connectors states what wires will fit in the individual holes in the connector. So in your question you have a connector that is rated for "1/0 - 14 AWG", it will handle a 14 AWG to a 1/0 AWG wire. Since your wire is a 8AWG, this connector would work. A sample wire chart is shown below.

Since these are expensive connectors, you want to get the smallest one that will accommodate the wire sizes you are using.
There are other connectors available so you might want to ask another question about this and explain what you're connecting and you might get some better ideas.


How to clear an obstruction to run power cable through stud I've drilled a hole through a stud and hit a very thin metal frame that appears to be a support for dry wall. I'm looking for a recommendation to cut this piece of metal so that it doesn't interfere with the electrical cable. I was thinking that a oscillating multi tool would be ideal (approaching from between the lathe and then bending the metal) but I can't find a depth that is sufficient to cut this. Looking for other suggestions.

Maybe get an offset tin snip. You could reach back in there and snip above and below the hole, then bend the flap towards the insulation and snip it clear of the hole so no sharp edges will slice the wire insulation jacket.


How do I use a multimeter to determine why one of my lights is not turning on? In my Bathroom, the light switch is located on the left hand wall. The duplex outlet is on the forward wall. On each side of The forward wall (left & right) are the fixtures, one each. When I flip the light switch to on, only the left hand side light fixture turns on.  I've tried new bulbs, even took the front of the fixture off and all looks well. I have a digital multimeter and tools. How do I properly diagnose and fix this issue?

From your description, it appears that you have 1 switch that controls one duplex outlet and 2 lights that are plugged into those outlet receptacles.  If my interpretation is correct, then do the following:

Reverse the light plugs at the outlet receptacles & test to see if the lights illuminate.  If only the left light illuminates, then both of your outlet receptacles are working properly & the fault is in the right plug/wiring/fixture/etc.  If the left light does not illuminate & the right light does illuminate, then one of your outlet receptacles is bad.  If neither light illuminates, then you probably have multiple problems to troubleshoot.
Assuming you are in the US:  Use this video procedure to properly test your outlet power.  Note:  If your multimeter is not auto-ranging, then you would manually set your multimeter to AC mode & your voltage scale to 200V before testing your 120V outlets.
To test an incandescent bulb or the wiring to your light fixture, you would first disconnect power to your light & then use the Ohms mode of your multimeter.  Click here to see a video of generally how to do this.  You are essentially searching for an open circuit.  That means electric power cannot pass through the plug or wiring or contacts or bulb filament or through some other part of the light circuit.
In your situation, the most common fix actions are:  replace a bulb, clean corrosion off a metal contact point/s or switch, and/or fix a loose/disconnected/broken wire.  If you have florescent lights, then you may need to replace a starter (condenser) or a ballast.

hth, best regards!