installing a backup second thermostat I currently have a Honeywell T5 wifi thermostat in my workshop that works almost the way I need it to. The only shortcoming is that when the weather is -30C for an extended period the temps in there will fall well below freezing if I have it shut off. The T5 has the ability to adjust temp and also set mode to OFF / ON while still being able to see the actual temp remotely.
The T5 only goes down to +10C and I want the second stat to cut in if the temp in there falls below +2C to +3C regardless if the mode on the T5 is OFF. Most days it will stay above +4C as long as the sun is shining and the out door temp is above -10C.
I have a 120V / 20A baseboard stat that goes that low and would like to use it to over ride the T5 even if it is turned off. My concern is that if it is turned off or on and the second one over rides it will the voltage spike damage the T5?
Any ideas on protecting the T5?
I just wish the T5 would go down low enough.
Thanks in advance for any help.

I have a 120V / 20A baseboard stat that goes that low and would like to use it to over ride the T5 even if it is turned off. My concern is that if it is turned off or on and the second one over rides it will the voltage spike damage the T5? Any ideas on protecting the T5?

You don't say whether the T5 is controlling the electric baseboard heat or some other heat system.

If it's controlling some other heat system, there's no issue at all letting the baseboard thermostat switch separate baseboard heat on and off.  This is a pretty common setup.

If the T5 is controlling a relay / contactor that's switching the baseboard heat, I can't see any issue that could damage the T5, but I could see it simply not working.

If the baseboard thermostat is in series with the contacts controlled by the T5, both the T5 and the baseboard thermostat need to call for heat to turn on the baseboard.

It's unlikely that the baseboard thermostat is in parallel with the contacts controlled by the T5 - that would be a bit of work to wire - but if that's the case, it would work as you want and it wouldn't damage the T5, or the relay / contactor.

  I just wish the T5 would go down low enough.

This is the real solution - swap out the T5 with a thermostat that works the way you want it to.


Pulling up fiber board to install new tile flooring My wife decided we've had enough of the cheep vinyl tile in our kitchen... She started to pull up the tiles and I came in and started to cut and pull up the 1/4 ply and 1/2 particle board underneath.
The plan is to lay large format ceramic tile (18x24) so we would want to replace the fiber board with 1/2 cement backer so the tile matches the level of the existing laminate wood flooring in the living room. We did not plan on removing the kitchen cabinets for this.
My question is: should I cut the fiberboard up to the cabinets as close as possible and butt the new cement board up to the cut and tile over it (will that cause issue with the tile over the seam?) Or what are my best options without removing the cabinets?
View from the kitchen towards the living room

Same view marked up with proposed cuts in fiberboard

Original Subfloor -> Fiberboard -> glue -> 1/4 ply -> vinyl tile cross section

should I cut the fiberboard up to the cabinets as close as possible
and butt the new cement board up to the cut and tile over it (will
that cause issue with the tile over the seam?)

As close as possible is fine,  and even an inch or so will be fine, especially for tiles that large.
The only problem i would try to avoid is having the grout seam fall on, or near, the joint/seam where the cement board meets the particle board
For under the toe kick of the cabinet you can rent a Toe-kick saw that will give you a cut very close the the cabinet.


Hot - not hot breaker w voltage tester working on a paint job in utility room. I was showing my wife how a voltage tester works. While the dead front cover was off, the breakers at the top of each row were showing hot w tester. When I re-installed the dead front, they were showing safe again. What am I not getting here?

Couple things come to mind.

That is a Fluke pen, they are pretty sensitive. I would measure the voltage by sticking it into the slot on terminal screw, not the top of the breaker itself
The front cover on that (what appears to be a sub panel) panel is entirely irrelevant for whether or not the circuits are hot. If you want to make sure it is off, you need to go to the main panel and disconnect it there since there doesn't seem to be a main disconnect (or input breaker) for that panel in the picture


Steel Threaded Pipe/Compression Fitting Replacement Hello all,

I've run into an issue when replacing my faucet in my bathroom. It had some really old piping coming off the wall, and as you can see, the compression fittings that were on the steel threaded pipe are shot. I just stopped off at the "best" plumbing store in town and they said they had no solutions. I would (and eventually will) replace the entire T assembly off the wall, but money is tight and I'm looking for a solution to get my faucet working for now with the steel threaded pipes. I live in a condominium complex and my HOA wants to charge me up the wazoo to have the water shut off to the entire building for a few hours.

Any help/ideas are greatly appreciated!

It looks like you will need to replace the entire hose. I've never seen one quite like the one in your picture and I can't tell what the connection type is at the other end, but this site might help you determine what you have/need: Stainless Steel Corrugated Hose for Faucet.

As far as shutting off the water to the entire building; there’s typically a shutoff valve at the wall, or at minimum a separate water shutoff for just your condo unit. There should be no need to shut off the entire building.


Repair frayed electrical wire with strain-relief stopper I am shocked at the condition of this wire on a Crane humidifier. Would like to repair the wire to return the device to being 100% safe.

With there being plenty of "spare" wire in the 6ft length, I am thinking to cut the wire at the fray, and then route inside and crimp new connections.

I don't think there is much in the existing crimped connections to consider leaving those as-is and splice the wire at a later point, right?

My main question lies in how to replace the "stopper" (big white plastic piece) that is actually part of the white wire? This provides relief to the internal wiring and I worry just using the internal screw-down posts will not be sufficient (the manufacturer had both).

Well, it's hard to tell.  That part is called a "strain relief" but in these types of mass produced products, it's often molded onto the cord when manufactured.  Unless the manufacturer sells a replacement part, it will be near impossible to exactly replace.

There is a possibility that you could slide it off that cord, but will be difficult to thread your "slack" cord though it.

Another potential, depending on your Xacto knife skills would be to try to cleanly cut into it from the side, coax it off, and then put it over the new cord, perhaps securing with some wraps of white electrical tape.  The part is held in place by the slot in the cover you removed.

Given the state of the cord, you are doing the right thing, even without the external strain relief, that first cable clamp is doing the internal work.  Your repaired device , even without the external strain relief, would be safer than the current condition.


Can I run a sub-panel with only 3 conductors? I am going to be adding a 3-wire fed subpanel to a dwelling. My understanding of the plan of attack is attached below (Please forgive my crappy, minimalistic MS-Paint schematics).

As you'll notice, the ground and neutral are bonded in both the subpanel and service panel. My concern with this is any power on the neutral bar of the sub panel will also be carried by the ground bar, and my fear is that could cause current to flow to anything that's connected to ground, such as the electric stove chassis, any computer cases, light switches, etc.

My plan, attached below (Again, MS-Paint), isolates the ground and neutral bars, and adds a ground electrode at the sub panel. My thought is that this will keep power that is on the neutral off of the ground lines, and off of any metal objects attached to ground(stove chassis, computer cases, etc).

Do my concerns with Plan A have any merit, and if so, would Plan B solve the issues I am worried about?

If Plan B doesn't address my concerns, what can be done to prevent anyone from getting shocked when they touch something that's connected to ground?

I should mention that I am aware that a 3-wire setup is not code. Adding a 4th conductor is not an option, as the person in charge doesn't have the money for that.He has been assured by a trusted, old-school electrician that a 3-wire setup will work, but will not be up to current codes. As such, code compliance isn't my goal, so much as base-line safety is.

Plan A is NO.  An open neutral will put 120V on every grounded surface (i.e. light switch cover screws).

Plan B is NO.  A ground fault will put 120V on every grounded surface.

Also, plan B will fail to trip breakers in the event of a high current ground fault.  It is a terrible plan.

If you want to do it with 3 wires, you have two options, one bad.

Install 120V-only service.

Your 3 wires are L1 Hot, Neutral and Ground.

Install 240V-only service.

Your 3 wires are L1 Hot, L2 Hot and Ground.   Use exclusively 240V loads (easier than it sounds) and install NEMA 6 outlets exclusively.   It is not legal to do this in residential space or other domicile (hotel rooms etc.)

The problem with this strategy is keeping it pure. Some yutz will want to install a 120V load later, and he'll bootleg neutral which will render it unsafe the same as Plan A.

Transformer

This only requires 2 wires, but it requires a transformer.  In this case you make the outbuilding its own main panel, with its own local grounding system.   It is electrically isolated from the supply by the transformer, so neutral is locally derived and you don't (and shouldn't) connect it to the main building's neutral/ground in any way.

Costwise, there's a "tipping point" depending on distance, whether the cost of wire justifies the transformer.  For very long runs, there's another tipping point where "step-up" transformers make sense.   This is why Tesla won the war of the currents.


Attaching painted MDF to finished wood wall I am working on a project where I have been given painted letters made of MDF wood that need to be mounted permanently on a wall that is covered with finished ( rough ) pallet wood.  One of the requirements is that the letters cannot be screwed onto the wall ( no screws or nails visible ).  Since the MDF and wall wood are both painted/finished I figured that regular wood glue is out of the question.  Would construction adhesive be the best option for attaching these letters to the wood wall?


What type of regular maintenance should I be doing on my central air conditioning unit? I have not done any maintenance on my central air conditioning system since I bought my house five years ago.  Everything seems to be running fine but is there some sort of maintenance I should be doing regularly?

Every year or two I call out a professional company to check the coolant levels and check for any mechanical defects since I don't have all the gear to do it myself.

Aside from that I just try and keep the area free of debris and anything that could damage the unit. In my case I have a tree off to the side and several branches hang over the unit which I trim back, don't want a branch falling off and spearing through the unit.


What size extension cord should I use for multiple computers? We're hosting a LAN party (several computers, 50+) and I had some questions about power draw; I hope this is the right place to ask.

Currently, we're assuming each PC will draw an average of 3.5 amps. We have several 20amp circuits, so we're putting 5 PCs on each 20amp circuit.

How concerned should we be with extension cord quality? Our plan is to run two 16/3 cables from each circuit, and run about 3 PCs per cord. Should there be any issues with this? Would going with 14/3 cables really be any better?

We considered going with single 12/3 cables and running all 5/6 PCs from that single cord... but given that the max listed amperage on these is 15A, that doesn't give us the amount of power consumption we're going to require.

Extension cords need to be chosen according to the length and load. The following chart will guide you to the correct gauge to choose for any one extension cord.  You might choose several different gauges in order to save money, properly configured you won't need to put 12awg wire everywhere:

To carry 20 amps any distance, you'll need 12awg cable. You could use one 50 foot 12awg cable to carry the current to a table, then three 16awg cables to carry the current to one or two computers each.

You might find it cheaper, however, to run two 14awg wires in parallel from one outlet than to run one 12awg wire.

Keep in mind that while some cable calculators and tables will indicate that 16awg can handle 20A, the cable will heat up, and if you've properly secured it to the floor using tape or channels with other cables running parallel, the heat buildup can be significant and dangerous.  Particularly with long runs.

You should also consult with the hotel - many of them have requirements for extension cord use in conference areas, and in some cases you will be required to use their cables and installers in order to meet their safety and load planning requirements.

If you pay attention to the chart you'll note that each cable size and load include a voltage drop. You'll also realize that due to the wiring at the venue you'll see a voltage drop at the outlet as well.  This will result in a lower voltage at each computer than 120V.  However, as long as you keep your voltage drop below 10%, and the venue is wired correctly producing a less than 10% drop to the outlet under load, then it is unlikely that your computers will experience any problems.  Most computing equipment that uses AC power has a universal power supply that accepts a wide range of voltage, often down to 90VAC.  It will be a rare computer or peripheral that will have problems with the voltage drop presented by a suitably rated cable.


How can I direct heat from a fire pit table? I have a propane fire pit in the center of a table on our patio. Since the weather is still fairly chilly where we are, I was trying to think of something creative to channel the heat towards the 4 seats on each side of the square table rather than straight up in the air. Does anyone have any ideas? Thanks in advance.

Reflection of radiant heat is what you would be after. If you could magically hang it, one of the best would be a metal surface above the fire reflecting heat back down to everyone. Using an upside down cone or pyramid shape, with the middle point centered over the burner and the angles set so that the surfaces would reflect the fire and heat (radiant heat and the light of the fire follow the same path) right at the seating area. A hanging flat surface would go a long way too, such as a hung metal plate or even a tarp (don't start a fire). I'm not sure that this is that feasible. I don't think much else would help since the heat is mostly radiant and any that is in the form of hot air will just rise away if not in some sort of enclosed structure


Would hot air above a fireplace distort the view of a television picture? I’m considering purchasing a wood burning hearth fireplace stove that would extend about 21 inches in front of the fireplace. Presently there is no issue with my widescreen LCD TV when the fireplace is in use. My concern is that the top of the stove could be used to heat something placed on top of it so would the heat generated from the top of the stove without anything on it, distort the air enough as it rises in front of the TV to impede viewing the TV. The bottom of the TV would be above the top of the stove about 26 inches and there is a mantel above the fireplace so the TV is not directly above the stove.

This page indicates that there should be nothing flammable above a wood stove to a distance of 1.5m (59"). A LCD TV probably won't catch on fire, but it could melt or have electronics break.

In short: bad idea.


Needing Help with new thermostat install (C Wire) I am in the process of installing a new thermostat that requires a c wire. I checked my thermostat to see if it has a c wire running to it and it does not. After doing lots of googling and watching youtube video I think I know what to do but would like somedody that knows to verify it is correct before I attempt something like this.

I noticed where the wires run to the thermostat it has a extra wire (orange) not in use.

I then checked where the furnace to verify the same wire is not attached to nothing and it is not.

If I am looking at it correctly I can connect the extra wire orange to the to the orange wire from the furnace which is not connect to anything (which if I am reading it right is the c wire) This would work correct? I am new at this and do not want to mess anything up.

It's a little unclear exactly what you're asking, but it sounds like you're on the right track.  If the orange wire is unused (unconnected at both ends), you can use it as a C wire.  Connect the one end to the thermostat's C terminal. Then connect the other end to the C terminal in the furnace.

If the furnace does not have a C terminal, please see this answer for help figuring out where to connect the wire.

According to the schematic, the grey wire should be C.


Is stainless steel water piping more durable than copper? After thirty years of usage, the plumbing in my house is starting to fail progressively. The water pipes in my house is made of copper, one of which is suffering from pitting, which results in a pin-hole leakage. I tried to repair with plumber's putty, but that did not work as the water cannot be drained out completely even when the mains is shut. I have also tried taping and clamping, but it wouldn't work either.

As a portion of the pipes running through my house is buried underground, there could be leakage undetected elsewhere. My intention is to replace the entire network of water pipes with one that is exposed and easier to inspect and maintain. I am given two options, copper or stainless steel. The stainless steel option is currently 20% cheaper, but I am not sure whether this is the better option in the long run.

Is stainless steel piping more durable than copper?

In general, yes, stainless steel is more corrosion resistant than copper. It forms a tightly bonded oxide coating which tends to prevent further corrosion.

If replumbing a house where copper pipes corroded (this is more prone to happen in some areas than others due to water chemistry differences) my first instinct at this point would be to use PEX plastic tubing, but for metallic piping I would choose stainless steel over copper even if the price was the same.

If on a water supply that is treated with chlorine, or which has salts, there is a slight possibility of a stainless-steel specific problem (chloride corrosion). Certain grades of stainless (316, 316L) are more resistant to this form of corrosion than other grades of stainless, so precisely which stainless piping you are being offered will matter.

Still, I'd choose PEX by preference - should cost less, and it's not going to corrode.


What’s this framed concrete rectangle in my unfinished basement? In my unfinished basement, there’s this framed out rectangle filled with concrete. There are a couple metal bolts sticking up from it that at some point were bent downward.
I’ve tried lifting on my own to see if it’ll come up at all, but it doesn’t budge. Does anybody know what this could be?
The home was built in 1940 in southeast US.

It is a concrete footing (foundation) for a column or vertical support. It is used to support the buildings horizontal beams. There should be one directly above it.
It differs from the basement slab (floor) in that it is constructed to support heavy loads. It has a thicker/deeper concrete base with re- enforcement bar added to it. The bolts tell you it was meant for a steel column with a plate welded to the base that the bolts went through.
Why it's not being used is hard to say. Possibly the house was re-modeled so it wasn't needed or it was a mix-up in the design plans.


Turn 1 Switch Into 3 Switches That Control Outdoor Lighting? We've added a patio to our backyard.

Currently we have 2 lights near our backdoor that are controlled by a switch inside.

We wanted to add an outlet (always on) near the patio, in addition to a pole light (controlled via switch) and some low voltage landscape lighting (also controlled via switch).

Existing setup right now looks like this(

Here is how we wanted to have it setup:

I don't know a ton about electrical - but can I run one ground wire to all 3 outdoor items?

Am I correct in thinking I would need 3 'hot' wires ran to the patio area (one for outlet, one for light, one for landscape lights) - 1 'ground' (which could be used on each item) and 1 'neutral' that could also be daisy chained?

I guess my questions are as follows:

Can you use one ground for multiple items
Can you use one neutral for multiple items or do they each need their own?

Trying to figure out how many wires I need to run to the patio and how it all needs to be thrown together.

This is unfortunately not as simple as it looks

You'd think you'd be able to get by with a simple direct buried 14/4 cable, and you're almost right.  However, 14/4 UF is a non-starter (nobody makes it).  So, you'll have to lay some Schedule 80 PVC conduit in your trench instead and pull 14 AWG THWNs (3 hots, 1 neutral, 1 ground, just as you were thinking) through that.  The trench should be about 24" deep to make sure you meet the 18" minimum bury depth requirements, and should have a warning tape atop the conduit so that the next bloke who digs there gets a reminder before they get bit.

You'll want to use fat conduit (say 3/4" or 1" with reducing fittings) to make the pull not totally unmanageable, and your box inside will need to have a conduit knockout to fit the conduit (many plastic boxes don't, so you'll have to be careful when picking the box out).  It's probably best to run the conduit up the outside of the wall and then have a weatherproof nonmetallic LB body going straight into the back of the box, for that matter, instead of having conduit coming into the foundation and then up through the top plate.

At the other end, you'll run the conduit up to a weatherproof nonmetallic type X body and then run a nipple from the type X body to a nonmetallic FS box atop that for your receptacle, all mounted to some scrap 2x6 that is used as a bracket attached to a 4x4 post in the ground.  The two side ports run from the X body to weatherproof nonmetallic L bodies (an LL on the left and a LR on the right) which then run to conduits going back down into the ground to the light fixtures -- these conduits have one hot, a neutral, and a ground in them, with the splices being made in the X body.

Also, use different colors (anything besides white, grey, or green) for each of the hots here so that you can keep them straight in the outdoor wiring -- one of them will be an unswitched hot for the receptacle, while the other two are switched hots for each set of lights.  Last but not least, make sure there's a "while in use" hood on the receptacle box -- an "extra duty" type should be used, even, to provide the best ruggedness available.


open neutral or something else? I recently lost power to half of a circuit. Before that happened every once in a while the lights would dim or flash for a minute and then everything was fine again. That was going on sporadically for a month and now half of the circuit lost power completely.

There are 4 outlets 1 ceiling fan 1 outside light and a switch for fan and a switch for outside light. 1 outlet, the fan and outside light do not work. If tested with multimeter they all show 118 volts until I flip 1 of the switches or plug something in to dead outlet. When I do that it shows very little to no voltage. Replaced all outlets and switches on that circuit and still no luck. Checked connections to fan also. Every wire but has been retightened and can't find any hidden junction boxes. Any ideas?

You would appear to have a high resistance section somewhere - when you say half a circuit, do you mean:

Part of a circuit on a  single pole circuit-breaker, other parts of
which work fine.
The more problematic "one side of a "multi-wire branch
circuit" run from a 2-pole breaker?

I'm assuming the former for this answer.

As to which side is high-resistance (hot or neutral) what voltage to you see when measuring from hot to ground and turning on a switch or plugging in an item? In the unswitched state it should be the same 118V (or so) as hot to neutral. If it remains at 118V (H-G) when you flip or plug and something goes dead, you have a high resistance on the neutral side. If it goes dead (H-G) the high resistance is on the hot side. In either case you don't have an open circuit, since you DO have voltage when nothing is on - you just have very little current available, because something is just barely connected, or a wire is mostly chewed through, or something like that.

To the extent that you can infer (or know) the layout of the circuit, the problem is between the last working item and the first non-working item. You can use various methods to track it down - turn off everything, turn off the breaker, use your multimeter to check resistance between hot and ground while running around with a low-resistance load like a heater or incandescent light and plugging it into various outlets (circuit breaker off, remember!) If the load reads as (say) 5 ohms (on its plug) you will see something very close to 5 ohms when plugged into outlets well-connected to the outlet you are reading at, and some much higher number when plugged into outlets across the problem area. Eventually you may be able to isolate to a particular cable, at which point you can pull the outlets, disconnect the cable, wire-nut black and white at one end and read resistance at the other end.

You may, ultimately, have to rip open some walls to follow the problem cable and find the problem. You should not have to "replace every wire in the circuit" or anything like that. If ripping the walls open is a big problem, you may be able to disconnect the bad cable section and run new wire up or down the wall without making new holes in the face of the wall to run a new cable in the basement or attic to bypass the bad cable.

But you may, by careful checking this way, find a bad connection you have somehow missed, rather than a bad cable. Be open to either possibility, and work to isolate where it must be, whichever one it is, from both the working and non-working parts of the circuit.

You may also want to try using your NOSE as much as you can - the flickering you report happening earlier was probably associated with some arcing - there is likely to be some burnt  material at the location of the problem. If you smell burnt insulation anywhere, you're close, probably. If anything was nailed or screwed into the walls about the time the problem started, look there. Otherwise you may be hunting rodent damage, and that probably will take opening up the walls to find.


Can i run my cables from the outside box to the inside breaker box through 2x4 studs? I am turning our carport into a living room and we have a 100amp breaker box outside that feeds power into the breaker box on the inside of our house. the conduit is going to be in the way of the wall frame. is it ok by code to run that cable through the 2x4 studs if i bored holes in them??

National Electric Code calls for protection of the cable or raceway (conduit).
National Electric Code (NEC)

300.4 Protection Against Physical Damage. Where subject to physical damage, conductors shall be protected.
(A) Cables and Raceways Through Wood Members.
(1) Bored Holes. In both exposed and concealed locations, where a cable or raceway type wiring method is installed through bored holes
in joists, rafters, or wood members, holes shall be bored so that the
edge of the hole is not less than 32 mm (11⁄4 in.) from the nearest
edge of the wood member. Where this distance cannot be maintained, the
cable or raceway shall be protected from penetration by screws or
nails by a steel plate(s) or bushing(s), at least 1.6 mm (1⁄16 in.)
thick, and of appropriate length and width installed to cover the area
of the wiring.
Exception No. 1: Steel plates shall not be required to protect rigid metal conduit, intermediate metal conduit, rigid nonmetallic conduit,
or electrical metallic tubing.
(2) Notches in Wood. Where there is no objection because of weakening the building structure, in both exposed and concealed
locations, cables or raceways shall be permitted to be laid in notches
in wood studs, joists, rafters, or other wood members where the cable
or raceway at those points is protected against nails or screws by a
steel plate at least 1.6 mm (1⁄16 in.) thick, and of appropriate
length and width, installed to cover the area of the wiring. The steel
plate shall be installed before the building finish is applied.
Exception No. 1: Steel plates shall not be required to protect rigid metal conduit, intermediate metal conduit, rigid nonmetallic conduit,
or electrical metallic tubing.

Building codes dictate how large the holes and notches can be.
International Residential Code (IRC)

Any stud may be bored or drilled, provided that diameter of the
resulting hole is no more than 60% of the stud width and the edge of
the hole is no more than  5/8” to the edge of the stud, and the hole
is not located in the same area as a cut or  notch.  Studs located in
exterior walls or bearing partitions drilled over 40% and up to  60%
shall also be doubled with no more than 2 successive doubled studs
bored.

Which means for bearing walls with 2x4 studs, the maximum hole diameter is 1 3/8" and maximum notch depth is 7/8".  For a non-bearing wall with 2x4 studs, the maximum hole diameter is 2 1/8" and maximum notch depth is 1 3/8". For bearing walls with 2x6 studs, the maximum hole diameter is 2 3/16" maximum notch depth is 1 3/8". For non-bearing walls with 2x6 studs, the maximum hole diameter is 3 5/16" maximum notch depth is 2 3/16".
Check local codes for amendments before proceeding. It might also be a good idea to consult with an engineer, to insure structural integrity is maintained.


Why is the recommended pressure for a bladder tank 2 psi less that well pump activation pressure If I want the well pump to start less frequently, why should NOT the pressure of the bladder tank be GREATER than the well pressure start setting.  I have a 30-50 well pump pressure switch which kicks in at what looks like 32 psi according to the in-line pressure gauge next to it.  I have 28 psi in the bladder tank as most recommend, which results in the well pressure switch starting the pump every time the psi drops a few pounds, which seems like less than 1/2 gallon of water flow.  If I had for example, 35 psi in the bladder tank, would that not lessen the frequency that the well pump is activated?

Because the pump does not start instantly. The 2-3 PSI below cut-in is to provide water while the pump is starting - without it, pressure will drop to zero (or very nearly) every time when water runs out but the pump is still spinning up. Indeed, you can evaluate actual adequacy of pressure (in case your tire gauge and water gauge might disagree) by observing behavior as water runs and the pump cycles on - if it does not dip below the tank setting, you can try adding a bit more air, until it does, and then you can let a bit out until it does not. But most gauges are adequately precise that this is rarely needed.
If you want the pump to start less frequently, add more pressure tank volume (either a single larger tank, or additional tanks) and consider running at a lower pressure (look at a tank chart for volume from 20-40 .vs. 30-50 or 40-60 - the tank holds more water at the lower pressure, due to physics.)
Of course, you appear to have 4 psi differential, not 2-3. You may also have a failed bladder/diaphragm if the pump is operating very frequently, but if you are measuring the tank pressure with the water pressure at 0 and a drain valve open, as you should, and it is holding at 28, then you should either add a pound or two, or adjust your pressure switch down a pound or two.
But if everything is otherwise correct and the pump starts after a gallon or two, you probably need more tank volume.


Options for new line path from breaker box Previous homeowner added on a kitchen to the basement without running a new line from the breaker box. Kitchen is on the opposite side of the basement as the breaker box.
Just read through this post: How to rewire house electrical? but it sounded like they weren't going to go through the attic.
Edit:
Is it more work/cost/risk to run something up into the attic, across the house, and down to the basement than it is to cut open walls along the basement to get across the house?

It's all a matter of what's easiest/most cost effective for your situation. An electrician (or two or three) with hands and eyes on-site will be able to determine that far better for your house than a bunch of people making guesses from the other side of the internet (especially since we don't even have pictures to guess at).
In my house, I've run wiring down from the first floor panel, through the crawl space and up into outlets, switches and the ceiling of the first floor for various upgrades.
I've also gone down to the crawl space then all the way up an interior wall to the attic to drop into the walls and ceiling of the second floor. Sure, a trained electrician with a lot more experience than I may have chosen a different route, but I did what worked for me, and what I saved in time, effort and frustration (trust me, there was plenty of those three spent) more than made up for the few extra bucks in cable that I had to use.
Your house may be totally different.


How much should replacing septic tank lids cost, and what is involved? My wife and I may be possibly buying a house with a septic tank.  We had it inspected and the report showed that the tank was in good condition however the "tank lids" would need to be replaced.

I'm going to call around to get prices for service however I was hoping to have a ballpark figure so I know what I would be getting myself into... can someone provide me with some estimated costs? Are we talking hundreds of dollars here? Thousands of dollars?

In addition, how complicated of a process is it to replace the lids?

To some extent, this is going to depend on the lids required by the manhole material, and local codes.  In our area, for example, both concrete manhole covers, as well as bolted down plastic covers are acceptable.  That being said, either way it shouldn't be terribly expensive, if it is only the lid that needs to be replaced.  For example- I just had a pump tank and elevated drain field added to my system.  The tanks that were put in had plastic corrugated manholes, and I opted for plastic lids (the manhole can then be brought down to ground level, and you can mow right over the lid).  IIRC the lids themselves were $75/each or so.  They just use a 6" lag screw that goes into the plastic manhole (if it is a matter of simply replacing existing plastic lids, you can probably do it yourself).

From my conversation with the installer, he said that using the concrete lids (same type that we have for the primary tank) would be around the same price.  I have no idea what the old steel lids cost, but I would guess they are a bit more pricey.

In terms of the labor- if it is just replacing the lids, and no work needs to be done to the manhole, I would guess an hour job at most.  If the existing lids are plastic- just unscrew the lag screw, pull the old lid off, put the new one on, and screw down the lag screw.  If it is a concrete lid, just dig up the lid (ours were a couple inches under ground, except for the PVC pump tube), pull up the handles, pull off the old lid, place in the new lid.  Throw the dirt/sod back on top.


New fuse box installed, tripping! Recently had a new fuse box installed, apparently we had a very old system that wouldn’t pass the safety check.

Had no problem with the old system, but the new one has tripped the sockets/cooker, the lights work ok.

Ive unplugged every plug and I’ve tried flicking the sockets and cooker switches on the board off and trying the tripped switch again and it won’t go back on. Also if I turn the lights off and try the tripped switch that’s meant for the sockets it will go on till I turn a light on and it trips again! Surely this shouldn’t be on the same circuit?

Only had this installed a few days ago, and the electrician can’t come back till tomorrow. Any help?

The installer naffed up the neutrals

From your troubleshooting steps so far, this sounds suspiciously like the installer landed a neutral on the wrong neutral bar in the consumer unit.  Since this is a new installation, I would have the installer come back and straighten it out.


How to install crown molding with uneven cabinet height? We installed some new cabinets, in our kitchen a few months ago. We started on one side of the kitchen at the appropriate hight to hang the crown moulding. However, we hung the cabinets level across the entire kitchen, and because our house is 25 or 30 years old, and probably due to some shoddy workmanship, we found that the ceiling was not, in fact as level as our new cabinets. So on one end, there is not enough room to nail in the crown moulding to the top of the cabinets and i believe that there will be a gap in fact on the very end.

Is there any way to 'build up' the cabinets to the appropriate hight on one side? Has anyone dealt with this issue? What i am trying to avoid is re-hanging all the cabinets. Besides if we did that, say 2 inches up. Then the one end of the kitchen would be too high, and the crown would starting to interfere with the doors of the cabinets.

A classic approach in cabinetry is the use of filler strips.  These are pieces of wood, matched to the finish of the cabinets that are used to fill gaps, usually between cabinets. Often the horizontal spacing does not work out to exactly the width of standard cabinets (especially in renovation work). You design to the standard sizes slightly narrower than the overall, and then add a vertical filler strip between, or at the end of a cabinet, to fill the gap.

The same principal can be used to fill a gap between the top of the cabinet and the ceiling that will then give you a horizontal surface to attach the crown molding. A strip will probably have to be tapered to fill much of the gap, but it does not have to come down to a point because the molding will cover much of the gap. The strip can be glued into place,since it is purely cosmetic, but be careful when nailing in the crown.

The biggest question will be finish.  If the cabinets are painted, you may be able to buy a filler strip from the cabinet manufacturer and run it horizontally instead of vertically.

For stained cabinets, you can do the same, but the grain will run perpendicular to that of the cabinets. It is a matter of taste as to whether that is acceptable to you.

You also could put in a homemade filler strip (plywood, clear poplar, mdf) and paint it to match either the cabinets or the the crown molding. If yo paint it to match the crown, the effect will be that the crown looks like it is a bit deeper at that point, but probably will not be noticeable.


Outlet/outside light dead upon plugging in air conditioner 1: I immediately upon plugging in air conditioner an outlet on the he opposite wall stopped working
2: The porch light, which happens to be on the same wall as the NOW nonworking outlet also quit working
3: We checked breaker panel first..all was well
4: Reset them ALL anyway...nothing
5: Leads me to believe this could possibly be a wiring issue...which I know nothing about

When adding a load and multiple things quit working without tripping a breaker it is normally a back stab that has failed.
Back stabs are the push in connectors used on many receptacles , the wire is pushed in and a “edge of a metal” contact is made with the wire. Many times when heated the contact point arcs and looses connection.
Some times they start working later after cooling or vibration, but it still needs to be fixed because a heavy load will cause it to fail again.
This type of failure can be traced back to the last working device on the circuit or the first non working device. If you work from the failure working back to the breaker panel it usually only takes pulling  a couple of devices to find a loose wire or even a broken one at a connection or wire but. It can be the hot or the neutral.
If you pull out a device and did not find a problem the stab may have reconnected and the next time the ac is turned on it will open again, so I and other electricians suggest moving back stabbed connections to the screw terminals.
Just make sure to turn the breaker off when doing the work.


What is the best way to repair a large crumbling block on a corner of the house wall? Today I have removed a dead vine root that has caused some damage to the brick work on one corner of my house. As you can see from the picture below, along with the root a fair depth of stone has come away from the block, and I'm thinking that this needs replacing sooner rather than later, as it's the bottom brick supporting a 2 storey wall.

The blocks are quite big, so sourcing a replacement could be difficult, and removing the block all together seems like it could cause more harm than good. I have had a go at making a mix of  broken parts of block and mortar to patch in the missing stone, but having that depth of mortar stick without sliding down wasn't working.I decided that this method of repair might not be strong enough long term, and have removed the new mortar.

What is the best way to fix this wall so that it looks as attractive as possible, and provides the maximum amount of support to the wall above?

My house was built in the 1880s and has a stone foundation, mostly sand stone. The best fix for situations like this I have found is building a form and packing in stiff cement and as large of pieces of the original rock as I can get. If you do the form in a couple layers (say using a 2x4 or 2x6, the long way). Let the cement s set around 24 hours and brush off any excess with a wire brush.


Which way does the air flow through my furnace? Below is my furnace and I need to change the filter however I am unsure which way is the airflow direction. Red or Blue?

Red, here's a diagram that shows airflow in a furnace:


How many lights can be wired to one switch? I want to put lights in plugs in my garage. How many lights can you put and connect together for one switch?

I like to use normal bulbs, what size breaker can you use?

I would like to have at least 4 lights on one switch to turn on or off at the same time.

We have two sides, I would like to put 2 lights in the back of one side and two up front, that should be a normal hook up.

I am only putting lights on the breakers, so for the one can you hook up to 4 lights on one switch to one breaker. Then the other side, where I want two lights in the back and two up front, can these 4 go to one breaker also?

A 120 volt, 15 ampere circuit can provide 1800 watts (unless it's a "continuous load", then only 1440 watts). I'd guess that a "normal bulb", is a 60 watt incandescent bulb.  Which means you can have up to 30 bulbs on a 15 ampere circuit (likely a bit less to compensate for losses elsewhere in the circuit).

120 volts * 15 amperes = 1800 watts
1800 watts / 60 watts = 30 bulbs

However, the National Electrical Code says that "An outlet supplying luminaire(s) shall be calculated based on the maximum volt-ampere rating of the equipment and lamps for which the luminaire(s) is rated." (220.14(D)). So you'll have to check the rating on the fixtures you're installing, and do the calculations based on those values.

Having said all that... You should have no problem supplying 8 light fixtures from a single 120 volt 15 ampere circuit, unless the fixtures have four or five bulbs each.


Add outdoor outlet opposite indoor outlet sorry, this turns out to be a duplicate question already answered elswhere here

It would seem pretty easy to add an outdoor receptacle in the backyard if it would be allowed to be wired from an existing outlet in the dining room. If so, should I use a gfci receptacle or replace the breaker with a gfci breaker?

Yes, use a GFCI outlet. It will be less expensive then replacing the breaker and why go into your panel if you don't have to. Use pigtails and not backstabs on your dining room outlet.

Don't forget the water resistant outlet cover. (see below)


Is my breaker box aluminum compatible? I have been advise to convert old aluminum branch wiring with AlumiConn connectors and maybe also in the breaker box, unless the circuit breaker is AL & CO compatible. How do I determine this? Can I tell just by looking at the connectors?

The breakers should be specifically marked as to what wire types and sizes the terminals are compatible with; they also should be aluminum wiring compatible if the house is wired with aluminum wire. But it's always good to check.

You may need to remove the breakers to read the markings on them.

You should be aware (before you buy) that Tyco "COPALUM" is the other approved repair/remediation method. The CPSC website seems to be out of order today - when it comes back up, look for "Publication 516" from them.

http://www.te.com/catalog/cinf/en/c/10914/968

http://www.alcopstore.com/cpsc-approves-alumiconn/


How can I locate and repair a leak on a flat roof? I recently experienced a roof leak on a heavy raining day in the east coast.
Picture 1:  This is the interior ceiling.
I tore open the ceiling sheetrock and could see that water was dripping from the horizontal wood beams. When I checked with a flashlight between the horizontal beams I can see a tiny hole on the black material (above the beams). Water was leaking from that tiny hole.
Picture 2 : This is the outside/exterior roof of my building from where the water is coming in.
I am assuming its right under the red shingles but not exactly sure.
How do I exactly know where is the leak/hole from outside ?
I guess once I find the hole I can patch it up with flashing cement.
Any advice on what is the best way to fix this leak.

Thanks in advance.

Clearly this has been a problem for a while and also the standing water and patch job on the flat section of the roof is to blame.
There is no real shortcut here, as you can see, so the solution is to remove the roofing, repair the water damage, and then have it re-roofed properly.  There are ways to apply a flat roof so that it will not leak but slathering it with roof patch is not one of them.


How to repair a drain line broken flush with a slab Ok so I have two drain lines going down into my slab that are broken flush or darn close to being broken off flush with the slab. I bought a hammer drill and was going to break around the drain rougly 2 to 4 inches deep and then I was going to couple the pipe with these rubber couplings and fill in whatever I broke out with this hydrolic cement. Am I right by doing what I am doing or should I go a different route? Any advice is greatly appreciated and I say thanks in advance.

The rubber couplings can be considered a temporary repair. As such they should not be partially buried in concrete.

The really correct fix here is to remove existing concrete to the point that a proper connection can be made to the existing piping that can bear up to being a permanent type fix that can be embedded in the replacement concrete.


Help name or identify tap valve without rubber. I have a leaking shower at home and decided to try and fix it today. When I opened the tap I found a small metal valve with no rubber on it at all. Instead it had a metal ridge around the edge. The seat has a corresponding ring so I assume it's supposed to be this way. Both hot and cold were the same.

It's smaller than the standard valves I have in other taps around the house. It might be the smaller standard that you see in basin sometimes but I didn't have a small one to compare.

I've never seen anything like this before.

What's it called?
If there is no rubber that is degrading, why is it leaking?
Will it be easy to buy a replacement at the hardware store?

Looks like the rubber seals are completely gone.
Replace the rubber seals, and re- dress the brass seats, so they no longer chew up the rubber seals.


How can I fill hinge mortises and latch bores so I can reuse old doors? I have several old solid wood doors.  I want to refinish them and use new hinges and doorknobs.  How is the best way to repair existing hinge cutouts and holes and door cutout and holes?  Thank you.  Jean

1/8th" Luaun plywood from the big box store and a good chisel should let you cut out very tight fitting patch pieces with some practice.  That'll get it into paint shape.  For a stain finish, you would have to try to match the grain and color, which would be a bit harder.


How do I tie a new roof in to an existing roof with a pitch transition? I added a room to the side of my house, and the new roof goes onto the existing roof. I am almost done roofing it. The image below depicts the current status. I put roofing felt down under the two rows of the existing shingles as shown in the image. I have a roll of aluminum flashing that I plan on putting over the felt at the roof intersection where there is about a 1/2" drop from the new roof OSB to the existing roof. After that I have just one more row of rolled roofing to install. Here are my questions.

Does the new felt go far enough under the shingles?
Should the flashing cover the end of the new felt as well as the intersection?
How far under the shingles does the rolled roofing need to extend?
How do I attach the flashing and rolled roofing under the shingles?

I'm thinking that I would lift up the second or third row of shingles and nail under them with the rolled roofing in place.

The new felt should go under the old felt.
The new flashing should go under the old felt and over the new felt and new roll roofing.
Depends on the slope of the new roof. The lower the slope the further it should extend.
Roofing nails to the existing structural sheathing.

The big idea is that layers of the lower roof should sit below corresponding layers of the upper roof. That is:

Everything should lap just like shingles.
Nothing should back-lap.
The flashing should double lap the roll roofing.
Even though the higher roof was installed first, the end result must be the same as if you started at the eave and worked all the way to the ridge.


Wiring two switches same box I'll start with, I'm not an electrician. I have wired several different outlets and switches successfully though. Every one of these boxes seemingly have different wiring and this one has me perplexed.

I am replacing two switches in the same box. There are three black wires and three white. Previously, all three whites were 'capped' with tape. The hot wire and another black wire were connected to the left switch. They then had a - I'll say an 'independent' wire - attached to the hot which was then attached to the switch on the right. The switch on the left operates my porch light and right operates a light post in my yard.

I'm asking how I can get the right switch to operate without doing what they did with the extra wire.

That extra wire was providing hot to the second switch. The preferred way to do this is to connect the hot wire to two short pieces of wire (“pigtails”) with a wirenut. Run these wires to the two switches.

Another way, which I would highly discourage, is to connect the hot to the screw terminal on one switch and the jumper into the backstab of that switch, using the internal metal of the switch to connect them. This is not recommended because many people have had problems with backstab terminal connections going bad.

By the way, I don’t like the unused neutrals being covered just with tape. You should use a wirenut on each. With a single wire, you don’t need to strip the end. Just screw it onto the insulation.


Strength of steel tube What is the minimum size rectangle steel tube needed to lift 500 lbs with the fulcrum in the middle of a seven foot tube?  Assume a minimum of 1.5 inches outside dimensions, long side vertical.    E.g:  2.5X 1.5.

Response to clarification:

The fulcrum will be a 1/2" diameter eye bolt.

I am assuming the tube to be mild steel.  E.g:  1010, 1020, etc.

Not for repetitive use.  Once a week at the most.

That will depend on exact details of the tube's thickness and alloy, how force is being applied at the fulcrum, ... I suggest getting expert advice on this one and buying something spec'd by forces it has to carry rather than trying to guess by size.


Can I run a natural gas dryer from a portable propane tank? I bought a modular home in the woods with no w/d hookup,I want to know if it's safe & OK to hookup a 5 gallon propane tank to a gas dryer, plug it in & dry my clothes?

Do I have to change something in the dryer to run propane from natural gas?
Just trying to be safe. I don't want to blow me & my house up!  ANY HELP OUT THERE PLEASE WOULD APPRECIATED!

If your dryer is set up for natural gas, then it isn't going to run on propane - you'll need to install a propane conversion kit.  Most manufacturers sell these for specific models, and I'm sure there are some generic after-market kits out there too. These generally aren't that difficult to install - you'll basically be changing the limit in the pressure regulator and the size of the orifice to the burner.


Can I control a bathroom extractor fan independently from the light? My bathroom extractor timer fan works fine except that I have to have the lights on when it is in use. I have 2 windows in the bathroom and feel it is a waste of energy to have the lights on in order to use the fan. Is there a way that I can rewire just to switch the fan on as and when I need it? (I have a light switch and a separate fan isolator switch, both linked.)

My light switch has an L1, common and earth. My fan switch has L1, L2, and N. with L1 being permanent live. When I operate the light switch L2 also becomes live and the fan operates.

Yes. But you'll need to run new cable, and install a new switch (or second switch).
Run the cable
Depending on how the circuit is wired, you'll likely have either a 14/2 or 12/2 cable running between the switch box and the fan/light.  That means the cable contains either 2 14 AWG wires (possibly with a bare grounding conductor), or 2 12 AWG wires (again possibly with a bare grounding conductor).  To do what you want, you'll have to remove the 14/2 cable, and install a 14/3 cable.  This cable will contain 3 insulated conductors, and likely 1 bare grounding conductor.
Install the switch
The most common option in a retrofit situation, is to use a dual switch to replace the single switch.  This allows you to install a single device, that can control multiple fixtures.

Power at the switch

Turn off the breaker, and verify power is off using a non-contact voltage tester.
Remove the old switch (make sure to label all wires).
Connect the black wire from the feeder cable to one of the black (common) terminals.
Connect all white (neutral) wires together using a twist-on wire connector.
Connect a short length of bare wire to the green grounding screw on the switch device.
Connect all bare grounding wires together using a crimp or twist-on wire connector.
Connect the black wire from the cable going to the fan/light to one of the brass colored terminals on the switch device.
Connect the red wire from the cable going to the fan/light to the other brass colored terminal on the switch device.

Power at the fixture

Turn off the breaker, and verify power is off using a non-contact voltage tester.
Remove the old switch (make sure to label all wires).
Tag the white wire from cable going to the fan/light with a bit of black electrical tape (this means this wire has been repurposed, and is now hot).
Connect the tagged white wire from the cable going to the fan/light to one of the black (common) terminals.
Connect the bare wire to the green grounding screw on the switch device.
Connect the black wire from the cable going to the fan/light to one of the brass colored terminals on the switch device.
Connect the red wire from the cable going to the fan/light to the other brass colored terminal on the switch device.

Connect the fan/light
Power at switch

Connect all white (neutral) wires together (including one to the N terminal on the fixture) using a twist-on wire connector.
Connect all bare grounding wires together (including one to the fixture) using crimp or twist-on wire connectors.
Connect the black wire to the L1 terminal.
Connect the red wire to the L2 terminal.

Power at fixture

Tag the white wire from cable going to the switch with a bit of black electrical tape (this means this wire has been repurposed, and is now hot).
Connect all other white (neutral) wires together (including one to the N terminal on the fixture) using a twist-on wire connector.
Connect all bare grounding wires together (including one to the fixture) using crimp or twist-on wire connectors.
Connect the black wire from the feeder cable to the tagged white wire going to the switch.
Connect the black wire coming from the switch to the L1 terminal on the fixture.
Connect the red wire coming from the switch to the L2 terminal on the fixture.

Test the installation
Turn the power back on, and flip each of the switches to the ON position in turn.  One switch should turn the light on, while the other operates the fan. If something is not working, you can always find help by asking a question at DIY.StackExchange.


Why would cold water be introduced into underfloor heating system? What connection has the cold water distribution to a washing machine and laundry sink have to do with my heating?  There is a tap-off from one of the flow pipes for the heating which goes through what I've been told is a 'balancing valve' to the cold water supply to these outlets.
To have hot supply to heating connected to cold supply sinks etc. doesn't make sense to me but, as with other things plumbing (and electrical), what seems illogical to me is totally correct to those who know what they're doing.  I would be grateful if anyone could give advice on this.

As longneck mentions this is a pressure reducing valve and this connection of the domestic cold water to your heating system is called the system make-up. It used to fill the system and to maintain the heating system's pressure. The knob on the top can be turned to adjust the system's pressure and should be done while the system is static.

However, a pressure reducing valve is not a cross connection device and should not be considered as one. While by its nature it creates a lower pressure on the heating side then that of the domestic side (therefore not allowing the water to back feed due to the pressure difference), if there is a drop of pressure on the domestic side (the required significance would depend on the domestic system pressure) or if the safety mechanisms on the heating side fail (such as the boiler fails to cut off and the pressure relieve valve fails to open) the heating side can result in a higher system pressure then that of the domestic side. This valve will not prevent back-flow in such scenarios. For true cross connection prevention you would need a double check valve or a reduced pressure back-flow assembly.

One last note: if you shut off the system make-up be sure to periodically check that the heating system maintains its set pressure. If the system drops too low you could cause damage to your heating source if it doesn't have built-in low water cut-off.


How to attach deck when ledger board will be too low? I'm building a (low) deck, and the siding is brick. I don't think attaching ledger board to brick siding is a good idea, it's not structural, even if I drill all the way through the brick, air gap and into the rim joist, the load will be on the brick, plus water penetration issues.

So I thought it might be possible to attach ledger board to the concrete foundation, and then somehow attach deck joists on top of ledger board? Is it possible at all? See photo how it looks now:

The distance from top of foundation to top of door threshold is exactly 12", so I was thinking 2x10 joists plus decking will bring the deck surface almost level with the indoor floor level.

I know I can build a freestanding deck, but I don't want to pour more footings than absolutely necessary. I'm in Ontario, so these have to be rather deep.

There's no reason at all that you can't install your ledger, then post up from it (or simply joist over it). You might still want to put a few fasteners through the upper rim joist to keep it snug against the brick, but they won't carry load. If the ledger needs to lap over the brick to achieve the correct height, space it out from the foundation wall with 1/2" or 3/4" treated plywood, as is appropriate.

That said, float your design past your local inspector (or a trusted builder) for approval. I can't see everything through the internet that might be relevant.


Outside drain - how to replace this grate? I'm planning to redo a back entrance into the REO house I bought.
There is this drain: see images which seems like it had a grate on it initially but was broken out?

It's hard to read - but it says: NDS 12 gray, 13 green, 11 black on the edge.

Does anyone know:
How does one fixe or replaces something like that? would have to jackhammer concrete?

P.S. also - What do those numbers even mean?

EDIT: nvm. grate wasnt glued in. I was able to just pull it out by hand and then it turned out that it's a common thing Home Depot carries:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/NDS-4-in-Plastic-Round-Black-Foam-Polyolefin-Grate-11/100377398

All fixed. thanks.

i don't know what the numbers mean but if you get a measurement of the opening and bring that to a metal fabrication shop they may be able to fabricate a screen for you. This would result in a small raised edge, but would eliminate the need to jackhammer the concrete. I don't know what area you live in but i know that most areas have some place like this by just doing a quick search on the internet


Can I replace a 4 wire ballast with a 5 wire one? Can I replace a 4 wire ballast with a 5 wire one?

The new ballast has an extra blue wire.

My understanding is that yes, you can. The 5 wire is simply a newer, safer design for a ballast.
However, should you? Unless you are working on one ballast in a large system, it may be wiser to upgrade to LED technology and solder/cone new fixtures into your workspace, then you'll never have to deal with those darn ballasts again!

Useful Diagram: http://www.electrical101.com/ballast-diagrams.html

Tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeRkLdrMwqQ
(Unsure as to how accurate this may be, there are other online resources as well)

Disclaimer
I am not an electrician nor do I pretend to be one. I do a fair amount of DIY projects and home improvement but am not a professional!


How to drill a hole in the wood without an electric drill? During a travel in Laos, I need to drill some holes into a double-door's wood to install a locker. The wood is rather hard, and I don't have an electric drill (and can't find it).

I only have 2 small screwdrivers ( - and + ), a small hammer, but I can find screws, nails, and other basic tools. The wood is hard (so much that I can't even make enter a small srew), screwdrivers are not good quality ones and screws are even worst.

Any recommendation for locking a door from the inside would be interesting if it's not possible.

Make a bow drill:

Get a block of wood big enough to hold in your hand. Scrape out small hole in the wood. The non-pointy end of the drill bit goes in that hole. This is called the "hand hold".

You're going to use this wood block to push the drill bit against the door.

Make a bow with some strong wood and strong string. Wrap the string around the drill bit, perhaps a couple times to get a good grip on the bit.

Drill into the wood by pushing on the handhold and moving the bow.

You can find more thorough instructions on creating a bow drill for firestarting here:
http://www.wildwoodsurvival.com/survival/fire/bowdrill/pmoc/basicbowdrill.html


What is the name of the resetting ratchet component found most often in head rests? There is a component which I've seen most often in car seat headrests which acts as a ratchet.  You can pull the headrest forward and it will lock at steps until you pull it too far, and it will reset all the way back.
It's sort of a ratchet mechanism which resets after a certain range of motion.
I don't know what it's called.  I've tried "resetting ratchet", "resetting step lock", and many other queries.
Do you know the name of this component?

I've found them called "Headrest Hinge" on Amazon and Ebay.
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=headrest+hinge


Leveling settled concrete pad I am looking to convert an old garage into a workspace. The total concrete area is about 20ftx22ft, and has one seam down the center. The pad on the north side of the seam is level. The pad on the south side has a grade from settling after 60+ years. It averages a downward grade at about 1.25 inches over 9 ft. I am going to be putting LVP down eventually, so I need it moderately level, and have been trying to think of a cost effective way to fix the slab.
The first option I thought of was self leveling concrete, but the amount of material that I would need would come out to $1,600+. Which is a lot of money that I don't really want to spend.
The second option I thought of was to put down OSB on one side, and then build tapered joists for the grade side, but I probably would want to put some type of dimpled plastic membrane down? I am not too concerned about water leakage, but it is probably something that most people would recommend.
Another option is to use Dri-Core, but can I shim that much of a grade to level?
Are there other options I could do? What is the best way to level such a large area with that deep of a grade?

If you don't need all the vertical space, two options come to mind.
It would take about 3 yards of concrete to "top" that whole slab with a couple of inches of normal concrete, preferably fiber-reinforced. That won't be in danger of peeling off. However, if your concept of a workspace is LVP floored, the (presumed uninsulated now) concrete slab will be directly coupled to your floor, and that may be unpleasantly cold much of the year, and damp when it's less unpleasant that it's cold. Good if your workspace concept benefitted from a concrete floor, probably bad otherwise, and you seem headed for otherwise.
If raising the floor on sleepers, I would suggest raising the whole floor and insulating under it, rather than laying OSB directly or with moisture barrier (only) on the concrete on the "flat" side. That will give a floor that most people would consider to be more pleasant to live with, and may also reduce your heating bill somewhat, if you are in a climate that involves heating bills.


What makes water condense on the interior of the windows at night when it's cold? While staying with some relatives, I noticed that all their windows experience terrible interior condensation at night and am wondering about what they can do to prevent it.

The house is kept to 70 degrees with gas-powered hot water baseboard heaters, and the windows are vinyl double-paned units. The house is 2x4 frame construction with interior drywall, exterior stucco, and I'm being told that the walls are uninsulated(!!!).

They live in a colder part of the high desert southwest where the humidity is very low during the day but rises at night, and where the temperature gets down into the single digits at night during the winter. During this season, the interior of their windows become entirely covered with condensation at around 8 or 9 PM every night without fail. It's kinda weird. What's causing this, and what can they do about it?

There are two things working together to make water condense on the windows.  The house is humid, and the windows are cold (even well-insulated windows will usually be the coldest thing in the house because of the low R-value compared to walls and ceilings).  To prevent the condensation, you can remove the humidity or make the windows warmer.

Removing Humidity

You have several options for removing humidity.

Ventilation system

Running exhaust fans in areas that produce humidity (like the bathroom while showering) will lower the overall humidity in the house.
Forced air heating

Forced air heating systems wick moisture from the air.  If you have a forced air system at your house, and your relatives have radiated heat from hot-water baseboards, this may help explain why they have condensation on their windows and you do not.
Dehumidifier

Dehumidifiers live up to their name.  This one claims it can remove 70 pints of water from a 1400sqft house every day.  That's almost 9 gallons of water taken out of the air each day.  Just remember to put it near a drain.

Making the Windows Warmer

The other option is to make the windows warm enough that the water does not condense.

Plastic

Placing a sheet of plastic over the inside of the windows will insulate the windows better.  If the plastic seals all the way around the window frame, it also prevents the humid air from reaching the window in the first place.
Space Heater

If there are only a couple of windows with serious condensation issues, a space heater directed toward those windows should heat the windows enough to lessen or eliminate the condensation.


Can I run a toilet drain on the exterior of my house? I want to install a toilet in my upstairs bedroom.  I was told that I cannot connect to the 3" vent line for the downstairs toilets.  the main reason being that a vacuum will be created when we flush the upstairs toilet and cause the water to be removed from the downstairs toilets.  also that any home inspector will not pass the permits with that kind of configuration. He recommended that I run a drain/vent line using the exterior cleanout port, up the exterior of my home directly to the room in question.

has anyone ever done this before?  I cant seem to find any information online about this.
what should I be worried about with this "exterior" drain?  Any information would be helpful.

In Illinois this wouldn't be a problem provided it adheres to everything on this list and fits these numbers. Your concern may be that the stack is not a clear vertical run to the roof or that the toilet flange will be more than 24" from it.

My codes expect 4" stacks to begin with. A lot of people seem to get away with 3".

  b) Minimum Size of Building Drain, Horizontal Branches, Drainage Piping

  1) The minimum size of any gravity building drain shall be 4 inches in >diameter.
  -Code


40 bulb chandelier wiring project - Does dimmer affect amps? I am a DIYer and have made pendant/ chandeliers before with great success but I may be over my head with this one...

The question is boiled down to this: is the current wiring I have adequate for the job and do dimmers have an effect on the wire load?

Here is why I ask this question: I have started a chandelier project that has 41 vintage  40 watt  incandescent bulbs. (40 watt bulbs were the lowest I could find for the style i wanted.) This will be on a dimmer to reduce the light output of 1640 watts of course! i have figured the amps are 14.9 at full power but can't find any answers about the affect dimmers have on amps if any.

This circuit includes five high hats with bulbs that I'm guessing are about 100 watts but we are prepared to change to LEDs so the added amps will be marginal.

My research suggests that amps in this set up are just about where they should be for a circuit with a 20 amp breaker.  What I can't figure is if the wire is adequate.  As far as I can tell the wire from the dimmer switch to the fixture is 16 gauge solid copper probably rated for 110 degrees(?)  It is a 15- 20 foot run from the dimmer.  Right next door (before the dimmer) is the switch for the five high hats. before that i assume the line runs direct from the breaker box for say 40-50 feet and I'm guessing it's probably the same gauge wire there.

So, in the interest of not burning my house down, can anyone tell me if the wiring is adequate and if dimmers reduce amps too?

Many thanks in advance!

PS. I don't think this is relevant to my problem but I figure i will mention it.  I plan to use or fashion a power distribution set up where all hot wires go to one bank and all neutral go to another.

For North American AC wiring, #14 wire is used on 15 Amp circuits, and #12 for 20 Amp.  You will need #12 wire, and a 20 Amp breaker to feed your chandelier.  If you could break the chandelier lights into two groups, you could use two 15 Amp circuits, and would have an easier time finding dimmers to control it.

A dimmer will reduce the effective current when the lights are dimmed, but I think the Electrical Code will require the breaker and wiring to be suitable for the maximum (full brightness) load.


What size wire do I use? I need to run wire underground, in conduit to my chicken coop for two light bulbs, a fan, and in winter a oil-filled heater.  What size wire do I use?  It's on a 20 amp breaker.   Approx distance from breaker box to chicken coop is 40 feet.

The wire size depends on the breaker. Since you did not provide the size of the heater I would suggest 20 amp breaker with #12 wire. #14 with a 15 amp breaker may be large enough if the heater is a small one under 1000w. You should use a GFCI outlet or breaker.


How to repair or replace rotted wood below the frame of large windows? The wood below a few of our large windows (windows are 96"x36") is rotting. It's soft to the touch, and a mouse or rat took a couple chunks out of it last night. I called a siding company, who referred me to a window company, and both kind of scratched their heads. A carpenter told me it was too big a job for him on account of the windows.

What kind of service professional would be able to help me with this? What would be involved in a repair like this?

Here's a photo:

There's an alternative to replacing the wood; there are several ways to repair it using resins.

One approach involves four steps.  First, any loose material is removed, but intact, soft material can remain.  Second, a thin resin is applied to penetrate deeply into the wood, seal it, and provide a solid surface.  Third, an epoxy putty, often filled with wood fibers, is used to fill and restore the original shape.  The last step is sanding and finishing.  This link illustrates the process: http://www.hereandthere.org/oldhouse/fixing-decayed-wood.html.
A simpler three-step process is to grind away the rotted wood down to good, solid wood.  The void is then filled with a special epoxy putty that strongly bonds with wood, remains a little flexible, and expands and contracts similar to wood.  The putty is shaped and contoured to match the original.  If the original isn't a simple flat surface, the shape can be reproduced on a plastic scraper that is then used as a template to shape the putty.  When it hardens, it is sanded and finished.

Here's a video of this type of repair: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3l5q0xaQEf8.  As noted in the comments, the video uses an extremely expensive material.  But you can accomplish the same result with much cheaper materials.  For example, Bondo and others make special epoxy putties designed for rotted wood repair.  Here's a link to the Bondo product: http://bondo.com/bondo-rotted-wood-repair-kit-20178.html, and a link to one sold by Home Depot: http://www.homedepot.com/p/PC-Products-Rotted-Wood-Repair-Kit-084113/100664090.


Electric switch replacement [![enter image description here][1]][1]

I am replacing 3 switches. 1 controls a light the other controls the dishwasher and the 3rd controls the disposal.

After replacing the switches,the disposal and dishwasher are not working. I checked the breaker, ruled out bad switches, and
still did not find the problem.  I noticed the old stitches had no ground screws and the new switches do. All of the white wires are joined and coupled together in the box. I have attached a photo and hopefully I have given enough detail to help with a solution.

[1]: https://i.stack.imgur.com/ZetSX.jpg

You have 2 completely different circuits in this box

And you were saying "the breaker"?  There are 2 breakers involved.

The two circuits most be totally kept separate by a "Chinese wall". Nothing must cross between them. Seriously.  Note that as pictured, nothing does.

Safety ground, those bare wires, may do so (hey, this could've been a metal box).  But neutral must not.

I'm a big fan of marking wires.  So I've gone ahead in Photoshop and "marked" the various wires by their purpose/function.

Left circuit

Black is always-hot from the breaker and onward to other loads.
Blue is switched-hot to something (don't know which).
Gray neutrals in  the back (they're white, just dimly lit) are neutral for this circuit.
The neutral wire nut crosses the "line", but it's insulated, so no big deal.

Right circuit

Red is always-hot from the other breaker.
Orange is a switched-hot to a load.
Yellow is a switched-hot to another load.
White is the neutrals for this circuit.

A switch switching the yellow wire needs to use the red hot.
A switch switching the orange wire needs to use the red hot.
That's precisely why the red hot has 2 pigtails.

A switch switching the blue wire uses the black hot.

If a "smart switch"/dimmer/timer/motion sensor/whatevs needs a neutral, then it needs to  grab the neutral which is partnered to the hot it is using.  For instance a smart switch on the yellow wire, also grabs red, and the partner neutrals to those are in the right bundle.

No Exceptions.   I don't care if the wire nut is "full" or the wire reaches better. No exceptions.  It's not an arbitrary rule, it prevents house fires, and maintainers from getting shocked. GFCI or AFCI protection devices won't work if the rule is broken.

Since the cables will not have changed how they enter the box, you should be able to turn the diagram into actual tape markings on your actual wires. All the colors except orange and gray are sold in a $4 5-pack of colored electrical tape.

This, and knowing which neutrals to use, should make short work of any switch installaions.


What can I do to mitigate radon while waiting for a full radon mitigation system? Before people jump all over me, let me state; I am NOT trying to fool a test! We already had the tests done 2 days ago and it came back at 6.8 pCi/L, which is high enough to cause concern. The only reason we did this test is because my wife and I work out of our home with basement offices and pretty much live down there a good 16 hours a day. We've had health issues for the last 2 out of the 3 years we've lived in this house. I won't go into details as my question is simply about mitigation.

I live in Aurora CO and there is a LOT of radon issues here. The mitigation places are all backed up weeks / months behind. I'm not willing to be exposed to radon levels like this even one more day.

I have just the regular 1960s basement window wells. Should I put fans in there in a couple of rooms? Is it better to suck air in from outside or force it out from inside? Is this possibly going to make the radon worse until I get the mitigation installed or better? Also, any advice in selecting a good mitigation installer or is it pretty much just run of the mill common sense? The places i'm looking at all do follow-up tests and grantees.

Further information: We had the house tested for mold and other allergens. Nothing there. Not surprising since it's Colorado.

Radon doesn't cause persistent coughs, and certainly doesn't cause miscarriage.  Radon is a non-reactive, radioactive gas that can increase your risk of lung cancer after being exposed to it for long periods of time (years to decades).  Reducing the radon levels in your home will do nothing to stop your cough or any other chronic health problems.

Mold on the other hand can certainly cause allergic reactions, and mold is commonly found in basements.

Even at the radon level you're measuring the risks are relatively low.  Assuming you don't smoke, if you lived in your current home your entire life you'd have an additional 1% chance of getting lung cancer.  And that assumes you live in your current home your entire life.  Even these risks are estimated risks, not measured ones.

If you look at the risks, a level of 4 pCi/L is the equivalent risk of dying in a car crash.  But yet nobody seriously advocates not driving.  The point being, we accept this level of risk all the time without serious issue.

http://www.epa.gov/radon/pubs/citguide.html


How can I disable a turn button lock without destroying it? This has been asked before, but answers often center around "don't use the lock" or put something in the slot. The door to my patio/pool has deadbolts and a lever lock.  No one ever admits doing it, but somehow the button on the lever ends up in the locked position.  We were once locked out in night clothes.  Putting something in the slot would keep the door from simply fastening without locking.  "Don't use it" has been our intent all along, but something goes wrong. A new lock, etc, is not likely to help.  I don't want to cut a connecting rod and destroy the lock.

I've put tape over the turn-knob, but that solution is imperfect.   Get a different doorknob set that omits that "feature", and throw this lockset in a gallon Ziploc for refitting at sale time.

Since lock quality is not a factor, a $10 passage set should suffice.


Can I add USB outlets to bath/hall lighting circuit box (not GFCI)? My bathroom, inside near door, has a 2-gang box, containing 2 light switches, powering combination ceiling light and fan. This box is fed by hallway lighting circuit, and the work box is not covered by GFCI.

The changes I want to make are:

Exchange both switches with a "2 horizontal switch" device, freeing up a gang (example: Leviton 5634-W)
Install a USB-ONLY outlet (example: Leviton USB4P)

My question is whether this change is "to code" (NEC)? I am in Northeast USA (NH).

For completeness: My bathroom electrical outlets ARE on a different circuit, in a different work box, and yes that is protected by GFCI.

The question is about adding a USB "outlet" to an area that normally requires all outlets to be GFI. My understanding is what I plan would be OK because these are low-voltage.

No, Class 2 power outlets (such as USB receptacles) are not required to have GFCI protection

This can be drawn from the fact that the GFCI requirements in NEC 210.8(A) are specifically restricted to 125V, 15 and 20A receptacles:

  (A) Dwelling Units. All 125-volt, single-phase, 15- and 20-ampere receptacles installed in the locations specified in
  210.8(A)(1) through (10) shall have ground-fault circuit-interrupter protection for personnel.

  (1) Bathrooms

and is further justified by the definition of Class 2 circuit in 725.2 already taking shock hazards into account:

  Class 2 Circuit. The portion of the wiring system between the
  load side of a Class 2 power source and the connected equip‐
  ment. Due to its power limitations, a Class 2 circuit considers
  safety from a fire initiation standpoint and provides acceptable
  protection from electric shock.

(See also the fact that 210.8 is not referenced in NEC 725.3.)


How to extend Sump Pump discharge pipe from house My house's sump pump discharge pipe exit's the house a couple of feet high from the ground and runs straight down.  I don't want it dumping right next to the house (kid's sandbox is there now) so I was thinking of adding a 90 degree elbow and running it to a different spot away from the sandbox.

I'd rather not discharge the water right next to the foundation, but I also don't want to extend the pipe into the yard where the kids could trip over it (nor do I want to mow around it).  Any ideas on how to discharge away from the foundation without being a hazard?

When i installed a sump pump in my previous house, to add a sink into the basement, I had it pump up as high as it could, on about a 45 degree angle, then let it run down with the help of gravity to where i want it to discharge.


1920 rowhouse project - rewiring Finishing rewiring the upstairs and was told that the bathroom had to be on its own 20a circuit. No problem did my run but uhoh it's a little short well by a couple feet. Ugh that 12 gauge wire was a pain to snake through all joists holes that once hade porcelain tubes. So I thought ok I can pop a utility outlet and pigtail from there but nope! That gfci outlet must be dedicated circuit and can only have loads 10A or less on that circuit . Am I sol? Could I forego the pigtail at the hallway and make it the first in the circuit series and be in code?

Put a junction box in a location the wiring can reach.  Make a splice inside the junction box to get to where you need to go.  Splices are no big deal if done right - really.

This location must be accessible without dismantling any part of the house.  So it can't be behind trim or drywall.  But putting it inside a closet with floating shelves is fine.   If all the person has to do is empty out a closet and lift out a shelf.

The junction box will have a blank cover, unless it's in the bathroom.

Or, if it really makes you bat crazy to have a blank cover, then fine.  Use a deep box at least 20 cubic inches.  Make the bathroom splice and push it into the back of the box.  Then bring over another circuit and attach a receptacle to that circuit. That's allowed as long as the box has enough cubic inches to handle all the wires.  Don't mix the neutrals.


How can I make my electrical box dustproof? I have a 1-gang box that I'm installing a switch in, for my wood shop. I need to make it dust-resistant, if not absolutely dustproof. I can't use a waterproof box because I don't think they're made for the depth I need (3.5") to fit the switch. Do they sell covers for the screw holes of j boxes, like they sell knockout covers? If so, what are these things called? If not, what are some other possible approaches?

Use a weatherproof box and a weatherproof extension ring (or rings if you need a lot of depth) if you cannot find a weatherproof box to suit.
Or, just seal up the box with duct seal (non-hardening electrical putty for sealing up conduits.)
Unless you use a weatherproof switch enclosure (which may not be compatible with whatever absurdly deep switch you have chosen if it's not like a normal toggle switch at the mounting end) the switch itself will be an entry for dust into exactly the places you most don't want it.
Depending on the nature/purpose of the switch, enclosing the entire switch behind a gasketed door might be appropriate - but not if it's something that requires immediate access, like an emergency stop (though most of those are dust-resistant and/or waterproof, or available that way, anyhow.)
Addressing dust collection/control is another approach. It's not good to breathe that stuff, so getting it out of the air ASAP is good for you AND your electrical items.


Is it normal for a power strip/plugs to have a metallic smell? I had most of my computer stuff plugged into a (rather new - about 2 months old) surge protector. I noticed a weird metallic smell coming from it for about a month, but I figured it was just because it was new - until today, where it was just too much to bear. I bought a new power strip for my desk and have been using it for a few hours or so, but when I unplug things or smell the power strip I still get that same sharp, metallic odor.

I have tried it with my old power strip as well, one that I've had for quite a while, and the same thing happened. The wall outlet itself doesn't smell, but any plug put in the strip does. I admit that I'm not the most judicious about turning power strips and devices on and off when plugging and unplugging them, so sometimes things spark when I plug them in - I don't know if it's that heat that is creating the smell or something.

This happened at my old house as well so I don't think it's an outlet/wiring issue in my house. Is this just something power strips do? I'm a pretty anxious person so I'm worried I could be freaking out over nothing.

Well, the second one has a UL stamp on the front, and usually the Chinese junk makers aren't brazen enough to put that.  But the proof of the pudding is in the File number - a 6 or 7 digit code that should be right under the UL mark either on the packaging, instructions or labeling.

The first one is on Amazon, and it isn't being sold so it's impossible to see if it's "Shipped from and sold by Amazon.com" or "Sold by XXXXX and fulfilled by Amazon".  The latter is the Amazon Marketplace, which is a cr*pstream of the cheapest junk off Alibaba, barcode stuck on it, and sent to the Amazon warehouse.  Needless to say, none of that stuff has a UL listing with file number.  Both this and stuff direct shipped from China seem to evade Customs.

Regardless, even a UL-listed item can fail. Exemplars of the item have been fully tested, but that does not mean every production unit is good.

Power strips should not "smell funny".  And, proof of the pudding, they should definitely not get warm, certainly not with 500W+50W+50W that you describe as your load.

Needless to say, mains electric is nothing to trifle with.  It is a common source of house fires via shabby appliances, hence the need for UL listings*.  I am very reluctant to use plastic power strips at all, and I hit garage sales and Goodwill looking for metal ones; even a damaged metal one can often be repaired.

* UL standing for "Underwriter's Laboratories", and "Underwriter" being another name for "insurer" such as the company providing your homeowner's fire insurance.


I have an 8 gallon compressor can I use for a small project or should I use an airless sprayer? I have an 8 gallon compressor (3 cfm @ 40psi) and a small dresser to paint. Will this suffice or should I go with an airless sprayer?
Thanks!

Depends what you hook it up to for a spray gun. You know the limits, shop accordingly, or use a paintbrush.


Problem replacing Slater Pilot Switch with Leviton I have an existing Slater Pilot Switch with two terminals on each side (dismissing the ground).

An existing black is split in the box and wired into either side, a separate black and white are wired into the other terminals on each side. The switch controls a single light in an attic and the pilot is on when the light is on, which I want to replicate. As far as I can tell, there are no other lights or switches, so I believe it to be a single pole.

The new switch I purchased is a Leviton with just three terminals. . I am at a loss as to how to translate the existing wiring of the Slater to the Leviton. I suspect I need to eliminate the split black wire, which appears to be no longer necessary. Thoughts? Many thanks.

The new switch is just the same as the old switch except that the connection between the switch's load terminal and the hot side of the pilot light is internal to the new switch. This internal connection replaces the split done with the wirenut.
Here's how your existing switch is wired:

The single black wire is the Hot wire. The white wire is the Neutral. The split black wire goes to the Load and also supplies power to the pilot light.
New here's a diagram of the new switch:

As you can see, it's exactly the same except the extra connection is internal to the body of the switch.
Let’s label the wires coming to the switch. The black that is not split is Hot, the black that is split is Load and the white wire is Neutral.
Remove the old switch and the split on the Load.
Connect the Hot to the black screw.
Connect the Load to the brass screw.
Connect the Neutral to the silver screw.
Of course, also connect the ground to the green screw.
Done.
Note: the configuration of the new switch is shown by my previous mistake that had him connect the Hot to the brass screw. He reported that the pilot was on regardless of the switch position. With the mistake, the light was directly between Hot and Neutral. I am confident that this answer is now completely correct.


Backup Generator interlock question I’m looking to add a 30 amp double pole back feed breaker to my home electrical for emergency backup via a portable generator. My current system has a 6 throw panel off the meter powering all of the big ticket items (dryer, ac, range) that I would not want to power with a generator as well as a 100amp breaker powering a sub panel inside my garage with all of the normal branch circuits for the home.
I want to isolate the sub panel in an emergency and back feed just that sub panel with the generator when needed. Current sub panel is a main lug type Eaton ch 125 amp 32 space panel (Eaton AC-5641 / panel board C2233). So currently no main to isolate the panel with an interlock.
So question is which is the best way to go about this? Can I convert/ add a main breaker to my existing sub panel (ie, is the panel convertible to a main breaker type to use as a cutoff from utility line) and use a standard interlock kit, or can I add a 100amp breaker to “back feed” the panel from the utility service and interlock that with my emergency generator breaker? Or any other suggestions?
Goal is to minimize work (not pull meter and/or rewire an entire panel if unnecessary; but want to do this to code without cutting corners. Thanks.

You've got a very good grasp of the situation already. At a high level the options would be

add a main breaker to the existing panel

if one is available
if a compatible interlock kit is also available
if you make room in that already-full panel for a backfeed generator breaker

replace the existing panel with one equipped with a main breaker and more room
or, add another panel.

Personally I'd lean toward the latter. Choose a panel that has a main breaker, feed-through lugs, and supports a generator interlock. Insert it so that the existing meter-main panel feeds into the main breaker of this new panel, then power the existing subpanel via the feed-through lugs of the new panel. If a panel with feed-through lugs is too difficult to find then the existing subpanel could instead be fed through a branch circuit breaker in the new panel.
This arrangement buys you a bunch of empty slots for future circuits, the opportunity to put the panel in a more convenient place if desired, and minimizes change to what already exists.


Can audio be transmitted over composite cable? I have to transmit audio from point A to point B and all I have connecting those two points is a composite video cable (RGB).

(History. Old setup was: Computer->AVR[Video->Projector by composite, Audio->Speakers]. New setup: Chromecast->Projector(Video->Screen, Audio->Receiver by composite?)

Can audio be carried by the composite video cable?

If I understand what you're doing, you want to put the chromecast on the projector on the ceiling, and use two of the RGB to run the audio out back to the receiver.

Yes, it will work, I have done this many times to re-purpose cables installed in home theater and commercial AV.  The RGB cables for component video (RGB) and composite video (yellow) are just 75 ohm impedance coaxial cables with RCA ends, same type typically used in red and white for stereo audio.  The color coding only matters to the person plugging things in.

Per google support (https://support.google.com/chromecast/answer/6280276) you'll need a 3.5mm to RCA stereo adapter cable.


Harbor Breeze Ceiling fan lights flash after being on for about 10 minutes or so We have a Harbor Breeze ceiling fan that has been working perfectly for about 2-3 years. Now, whenever we turn the lights on they start to blink after approximately 10 minutes or so. We changed the bulbs to LED bulbs about a year ago, but it just started the "blinking" a couple months ago. Anyone have any suggestions?

Try changing one of the lamps back to incandescent. Some lamp controllers require a steady drain, and as the LED's or controller aged, it may have gotten more finicky. A low-wattage lamp should be fine, though it does reduce efficiency slightly.


20 amp circuit and GFCI outlets everywhere Except for money saving is there any reason why you would not put 20 amp wiring and 20 amp GFCI receptacle (=1 per circuit) everywhere?

It's wasteful.

I realize that most folks think with their wallets and not much further, but #12 wire contains 59% more copper than #14 (source). That's (nominally) 59% more energy wasted and pollution created in mining, 59% more chemical pollution from refinement, and 59% more weight to lug around as you work.

It's also much less pleasant to work with in a box, and fills boxes and nuts much quicker in terms of legal capacities.


No power in outlets after changing light switches This is a room with a two switch board and some power outlets. One Switch was controlling the fan and other it's light. Outlets, switches and fan+light were all working fine until I wanted to change the switches to smart ones. All connections appear snug tight and when I turn on power, one of the switches get power (its little indicator light glows), the other switch gets no power (indicator not glowing), fan AND light won't turn on irrespective of the switch status, most curious part is, outlets are all dead. It didn't trip as the first switch is getting power. Outlets aren't controlled by switches. What could be going wrong?

Note:
The only thing I changed from existing wiring is the neutrals(white wires). neutrals weren't connected with the existing switches but 4 of them twisted together. I took 2 of them out and connected to each new switch (manual specifically asked me to do so). Otherwise, i was just recreating what was already there but with new switches.

This is how it looks:

And this one is just a view from below to see that one of the switches receives power, whereas the other doesnt.

You need to get all those neutrals together

Your problem is that you split the neutrals up instead of bundling them together; thus, power has no way to get back from the other switch, the lights, and the outlets to the utility.  The easy fix is to turn the power off at the breaker, unbundle the white neutral wires, bundle them all together with a big enough wirenut, button things up, and turn the breaker back on, then things should work.