Microwave not working, sparks and discharges near magnetron I have a microwave oven - standard cheap LG unit. It's no longer working (it made electrical sparking sounds), so I opened it up to see if it's possible with a DIY repair.

First thing I did was of course to discharge the capacitor for safety reasons.

I cannot see anything obvious here, but I am not experienced in microwave repair at all.

I'm including a video (the most interesting) and a photo.

I have tested the magnetron using the continuity check on a multimeter. It seems to be working. I've checked the big diode and the thermal fuse. Is there anything else I can check?

YouTube Link: Showing how some electric sparking happens near the magnetron

Extra link: A couple more photos if relevant

Conclusion - it's probably wise not to try to fix this.  As suggested by comments, it's just going to be too dangerous and not economically feasible. I will scavenge the parts from the old microwave and buy a new one to replace it.


Hanging picture on a very hard concrete wall Situation: Appartment in a panel building. Very hard concrete walls -- all, thick or thin. No plastic hooks (like these on alibaba that usually work for people around do not work for me, the little nails band when hammered in, and so does the larger nail.

So far, I have been hammer-drilling everything, even a hook/nail/screw for the clock, drilling 5mm hole and using wall plugs.

However, this is very inconvenient (dusty, I have to borrow the hammer drill from my family every time and it's not a cheap thing, I get big holes in the wall if I remove any picture or alike).

Is there any other option? I thought that maybe a small hole could be created at an angle and then a small nail inserted. If the hole had 2mm in diameter and the nail had 2.2mm in diameter, it could work. However, I have no idea how to create such a small hole. Or something like that... Any suggestions are welcome.

Try using some 3M Command strips. For hooks, you can use something like these (it uses the same adhesive. I have hung pictures larger than 22 inches with the command strips and hang my (very large) on the 3M command hooks every day. These are available at Target, Walmart and most similar retail outlets.

These come off the walls easily if/when you move and instead of leaving behind a bunch of large holes, they leave the walls clean which will help you get any security deposit back. It sounds like these will be convenient in your case too. The hooks come in a variety of colors including white, clear and brushed nickel.


Kitchen ceiling uneven after removing soffit I just removed my kitchen soffits . Now I can see the 2 areas were the soffits were. The ceiling popcorn was replaced but still I can see .How I can fix it without having all the ceiling re-done?
Thanks

To be perfectly honest with you it may actually be easier and less overall work to remove the rest of the kitchen ceiling and redo the whole thing with new drywall.

This would be especially true in the case where the kitchen ceiling is enclosed by walls or other partitions. If the ceiling merges into the ceiling in another room then the suggested process may be a bit more work. I still think though that a merge patch in the ceiling between two rooms may be less work to make look right than the type of patch work required to fixup just where the cabinet soffits were located.


How to fix broken toilet flange from over tightened bolt? I broke my PVC toilet flange when I over-tightened the bolt used to secure the toilet to the flange.  How do I fix this without replacing the entire PVC fitting? This PVC flange is glued to the drain pipe so I can't just pull out the fitting to replace it.

Here is what it looks like, the red circle shows where the bolt was that snapped the flange.

You can purchase a toilet flange repair at any big box hardware store.

Remove the wax ring (buy a new one), remove the bolts, and mount this on top of the existing broken flange:

Then reattach the toilet as per normal, making sure not to over tighten.

Tip, seat the toilet firmly on the wax ring before you tighten the bolts, and use a STANDARD sized wax ring not a jumbo - if the toilet starts out firmly on the floor before you start tightening then you know you're tight enough when the washer starts to bend in just a little.


Is it OK to have an air conditioning vent above a kitchen cabinet? We're getting proposals to add central air conditioning to our house. We currently have no ductwork so adding ducts and vents is part of the project. One possible duct location is on the ceiling over these kitchen cabinets, roughly where the star is:

This is a convenient location for a vent, because it's easy to reach from upstairs (the air handler will be in the attic). It seems like a good location for cooling the kitchen. There is a 6 1/4" gap between the top of the cabinet frame and the ceiling.

Is this an OK place to put a vent? One contractor said that placing a vent close to the cabinets will ruin the cabinets, so we'd want to run it elsewhere. Another said that the cool dry air will just flow over the cabinet and would not damage it at all. I don't see how cool dry air would damage a cabinet; am I missing something? Are there other reasons this is a good or bad idea?

Sorry I don't have enough points to comment yet so have to put this reply in the answer.

I had a vent coming out under the cabinets in the kitchen of my house for 20 years with NO PROBLEM (i.e. at the floor level where the kick-plate is). This wasn't even ductwork under the cabinet, but rather the vent exhausted into the frame under the cabinets, which then vented out the kick-plate.

My system would push out gas fired hot air in winter, and integrated AC in summer. He had a HRV.

No splitting in the cabinets, no peeling of the veneer, no warping of the frames.

I'd say go for it.


What is this microwave filter thing? During the process of remodeling my kitchen, I removed the Over-the-range Microwave but when I put back in, I saw this piece

I frankly cannot fit it anywhere, not in the bottom or on top at the vent

Here is the bottom

I had another microwave like this and never recalled a piece like that.

Is this from microwave or something else?

UPDATE 1

The microwave is ge model jvm3160rf3ss

It is an exhaust filter, primarily intended for if the stove fan exhausts back into the kitchen instead of to outside the house.

This filter has charcoal inside to absorb odors so they don't get recirculated through the kitchen.

For your GE model jvm3160rf3ss, its part number is WB02X11550. The product page there has looks to videos that show where this part goes and how to replace it.


How to find houses on types of land with less risk of damage from earthquakes? If the general geographic location, i.e. city or metro area is fixed, what methods and data sources should I use to know what land areas in the region have less risk of damage to houses from earthquakes? Someone told me to avoid hilly areas but I thought that is too simplistic. Flat ground may have comparable risk of damages. How can I learn more about this?

If you're in a first world country, talk to your local planning commission.  They should have huge amounts of data about seismic stability down to a block-by-block resolution.  They will have information in a detail that is far beyond your current understanding of the field, so be prepared to learn a lot!

They can tell you block by block, even property by property, where the risks are, where they are not, and how to build for best survivability.  That last bit will be mandatory, actually.

Having licked the earthquake problem, you really ought to think about the far more dangerous factors in earthquake country: the brothers Wildfire and Mudslides.


Is it normal for an exhaust fan cover to hang below the finished ceiling? I live in an apt complex and have asked my live-in manager to please fix the bathroom fan. He tells me that there is "nothing to fix". Can someone please tell me if this is true?

This is not normal. The trim plate should be tight against the finished ceiling.

You might be able to simply push the trim plate up, where it will lock into place. If that doesn't work, you'll have to adjust the retaining clips to hold the plate in place.


Multiple switched circuits in single exposed raceway with T-style conduit body to branch them I’m looking to add a new fixture to a masonry ceiling of the living room an open floor plan home.

Current Setup

The existing electrical raceways to all ceiling fixtures are done with exposed 1/2” conduit mounted directly to the masonry ceiling. The dining area, which is open to the living area, already has a track lighting fixture with a raceway running to it. This raceway originates in a standard 4” square junction box in a hallway wall and emerges from the wall at ceiling level where it then extends 10-15’ to the fixture. The junction box contains a switch for the track lighting fixture, a switch for a wall outlet and some other spliced connections for non-switched outlets. All of these circuits (switched light, switched outlet, non-stitched outlets) are on the same 15 amp breaker.

Planned Addition

The new fixture would be added to this same 15 amp branch circuit and would be wired to the existing switch in the junction box that’s now used for an outlet (the outlet would just be moved to the common hot and become non-switched). I would prefer not to run new conduit through any finished walls and am instead hoping to leverage the existing raceway of the dining area’s track lighting to get the new fixture’s wiring from the junction box up to the ceiling. I would then use a simple T-style conduit body to split-off a new section of raceway toward the new fixture. This T-style conduit body would be necessary as the existing track lighting does not have its own junction box to branch from (the conduit just connects directly to the track).

This seems perfectly logical, but I don’t think I’ve seen it done like this anywhere else. All the other raceways in the home appear to be dedicated to a single switched circuit, even if it means running lots of conduit from the same branch circuit physically in parallel over large distances. Because of this I’d like to know if there is a NEC-based reason not “share” and “branch” a raceway like this, specifically with a conduit body as opposed to a new junction box. Maybe I don’t see it anywhere else because it just doesn’t “look” as nice when the raceways are exposed?

I’ve confirmed that:

Adding the new fixture will not mean exceeding the recommended 1440W limit for the 15 amp branch circuit.
Sharing part of the raceway (4x14 AWG conductors — 2 hot and 2 neutrals) would come nowhere near the 1/2” conduit fill capacity. Derating is also not a factor AFAIK.
There would be no splices in the T-style conduit body (I would pull separate neutrals for each fixture), so its fill capacity would be the same as the raceway, and therefore well within limits.
The bend radius allowance for a standard off-the-shelf 1/2” T-style conduit body with 14 AWG wire appears to be well within limits.
The box fill for the existing junction box would still be within allowed limits, even with these minor changes.

Are there any factors that I’m missing, or is this actually a very common setup?

The discussion in the comments revealed that the "planned addition" as described is perfectly fine but that the only detail that really needed additional confirmation was the conduit fill calculations, specifically regarding derating.

Since I'm using a T-style conduit body to branch a raceway for two fixtures there is not room to have a code-compliant splice between the common junction box and the fixtures themselves. This then means that separate neutrals need to be pulled and that there will therefore be more than 3 conductors in the shared part of the raceway. I had initially read that derating didn't come into effect for small wires (#14 and #12) until a much higher number of conductors are involved, but it was a good exercise to truly confirm this.

The NEC requires derating for 3-or-more conductors in one raceway. My initial impression for #14 THHN was that it's rated to only 15 amps, which would then mean that any derating requirements could be an issue for this 15 amp branch circuit. Looking deeper tough it turns out that 15 amps is only the required overcurrnet protection for circuits with #14 wire (from NEC from 240.4(D)(4)) and that #14 THHN is actually rated slightly above 15 amps at low temperatures. In my case I needed to derate 80% (for 4-6 conductors), and for #14 THHN at low temps this worked out to 80% of 25 amps = 20 amps, which still appears quite fine for the existing 15 amp branch circuit that I'm working with. This handy online tool, and of course the appropriate tables from the NEC (from 310.15(B)(16)), confirmed this.

So it looks like this planned addition is fine as stated assuming a wire gauge <= #14.


Is it possible to use the 240V wiring for a dryer to also run a compressor? We have a laundry room adjacent to the garage. The dryer uses 240V, I'm not sure what breaker (amperage wise) it uses, but I'm going to assume 50A (washer and dryer are near each other, they're probably on the same breaker).

My husband bought a compressor that requires 240V as well. It is located right across the wall from the laundry room. It is maybe 10 feet away from the dryer plug.

Would it be possible to reuse the wiring that was done for the dryer to run the compressor too? Of course the breaker would be replaced to a bigger value. Or is the wire gauge likely too high for this?

Running wiring from the panel (that is in the basement) to the garage is about $1000, so I'm just curious if there is a way to minimize the expense.

We aren't planning to do the wiring ourselves, but is it possible to even convince an electrician to do this? Or is this a terrible idea?

The house was built in 2002, so it probably has reasonable wire quality.

It depends on your existing dryer receptacle

First, any electric dryer circuit will be 30A.  Dryers require two hots (for 240V) and a neutral.

Obsolete dryer circuits have a 3-pin plug connection (NEMA 10-30), which does not provide any safety ground.  If anything goes wrong with the neutral connection, the dryer chassis will be electrified. This is known to be unsafe, but is grandfathered on the rationale that the sockets are rarely disturbed.

Modern dryer circuits require a 4-pin plug connection (NEMA 14-30) which provides safety ground.

Your compressor does not need neutral but does need safety ground.   Neutral is not ground and they cannot be interchanged.

If the dryer is a 3-pin plug/socket

First, open up the dryer receptacle junction box and see if a proper ground wire (distinct from the neutral wire) is hiding back there.  Sometimes, ground is present, but someone has downgraded the socket from NEMA 14 to NEMA 10 because the buyer complains that it deoesn't match their 3-prong dryer plug.  (this is illegal; the correct course is to change the plug to 4-prong). Ground may exist either as a separate wire, or as a metal conduit pipe back to the panel. So if that's possible, simply change the socket.

Second, ground can be retrofitted. A #10 wire can be run via any achievable route back to the service panel the dryer breaker is in, or any other junction point which has a #10 wire back to the panel, or any part of the grounding electrode system (the copper wires going out to the ground rods).

However this only works if the neutral in the cable is correct; it must be either white or a bare-wire weave which wraps around the other conductors. In the latter case, it must be carefully insulated so it does not touch real ground.  In this case, the receptacle should then be changed to NEMA 14-30.

Third, the wires can be left groundless if a 2-pole GFCI breaker is used to feed the dryer.  Here, the receptacle can be changed to 14-30 even though ground is disconnected.  The receptacle must be labeled "GFCI Protected. No Equipment Ground."

In all cases where the socket is changed to NEMA 14-30, the dryer plug must also be changed to 14-30. When this is done, you must remove an internal strap on the dryer which connects neutral to ground.

You can plug the compressor into a NEMA 14-30 socket

If you do, you'd change the compressor plug from NEMA 6-30 to NEMA 14-30, but it will be fine.

Keep in mind these large 30A plugs and sockets are not rated for frequent plug/unplug, and will tend to break.  That is why it's so important not to use an obsolete, dangerous ungrounded NEMA 10-30 circuit.

You can add a second socket to the circuit

Nothing in Code prohibits placing two or more 30A receptacles on a 30A circuit.  This means the dryer and compressor could be plugged in at the same time. It goes without saying that using both at once will trip the breaker. Don't do that.

The second socket can be a NEMA 6-30. Note that if your dryer outlet is "GFCI Protected/No Equipment Ground", then the additional outlet(s) need the same mark.


Is it safe to use a receptacle with wires broken off in the backstab connectors? I bought a new doorbell which required me replacing my transformer. My current transformer is attached to a receptacle that sits right below my panel. Turned the power off to it, unscrewed it, found my current transformer wires were backstabbed into the receptacle (and my ground wire was not secured to the ground screw as a nice bonus). My receptacle didn't appear to have a release hole so I tried to tug and twist to remove but both wires ended up breaking off with a small piece of the wire still stuck in the outlet. Below is a photo of that. You can see the broken off (stranded?) wires on the lower half of the receptacle between ground wire and neutral wire. There are other backstabbed wires but also an available neutral and hot terminal on the receptacle:

From what I have read backstabbing is not code unless it's 14 AWG solid copper wire right? These seemed stranded to me. Is it safe to continue using this receptacle if my plan is to attach the new transformer wires to the terminal screws instead? I would also of course make sure to re-attach the ground wire.

Play it safe. Replace the receptacle. What else can you get these days for 71 cents? $1.24 if you get tamper-resistant (which nobody likes but you're supposed to use in many places now) and $2.18 for commercial-grade instead of residential-grade (electrically the same but built a bit better).


Levition FBBOX installation I am doing preliminary design of the wiring for a shop to be built next year. The floor will have  a concrete slab. I want to use the Leviton FBBOX system to put some outlets in the center of the shop to power a Table Saw and possibly other tools. My question : the FBBOX has a divider in the center. Per code, can I have 2 different circuits in the single FBBOX? I want to have a 120V 20A receptacle controlled by a 20A GFCI breaker in one half and a 240V 20A receptacle controlled by a 20A 2 pole breaker on the other half. This is all in conduit and will be connected by separate 12 ga THHN wires. Thanks!

For line voltage (120/240 - all 120V to ground, so basically the same voltage from a code perspective) you don't need a divider. A divider is needed when you have low voltage (network/TV/phone) sharing with line voltage.
Unless you are sticking in a 240/120 receptacle (like an L14-20) you'll only have one neutral, so @manassehkatz-Moving 2 Codidact's concern about keeping neutrals straight does not apply, but you will want to either use different hot colors or apply tape, paint, or heat-shrink (if using only one color) to keep the hots correctly grouped. You could use black & white for the 120V and red for both 240's (they don't need to be different from each other) or you could use 3 different hot colors and white (or gray) for the neutral. Or red-taped black for the 240.


Tempstar (ICP) furnace short cycle (runs 10 -15 minutes) then repeats I have a tempstar (ICP) furnace put in when the house builder built the house.  Model is N9MPD075F12A2.   Installed late 2009.  This problem only happens with the furnace not the AC.  When calling for heat, the furnace will run 10 - 15 minutes then give me a 4 blink error which is (limit or roll out switch open).  flames turn off, inducer finishes it run along with the blower motor.  Then the furnace resets and turns on right away again.  This may happen 1 - 3 times to reach the desired temperate especially when wanting to raise the temp by 2 or more degrees.  I have removed thermostat and hardwired w and r wires with same condition.  I have a non pleated filter at the furnace, and a 20x20x4 return filter on the first floor right above the furnace.  Honeywell model FC40R1003.  These have been replaced and the issue is no better. Two ceiling return grills on the second floor also. I have removed the honeywell return filter and this has still happened.

I have cleaned the flame sensor, no help. There is no rollout of flames out of the heat ex-changer that I can see.  The flames stay inside the exchanger when they first light and also when the blower motor turns on. This is a 9o or higher efficiency furnace so I have intake and outtake pipes 2" ID with three 45's and 4' going up to ceiling and 10' across to outside.

Looking for solutions and things to check.  Thanks

Thanks guys, I had a pro check it out. The furnace is working fine. He found too much air restriction on the return side, and corrected it.  There was too much of a temperature difference between the cold return and the hot side. The heat exchanger was fine.


Why doesn't new dimmer switch brighten completely? I just replaced an old Pass and Seymour slide dimmer switch with a Lutron single pole switch with a side toggler. I'm using incandescent bulbs. The new switch dims the lights fine, but when I slide all the way to the top, the light is not as bright as it was with the previous dimmer in max position. I'd estimate it's 70-80% of previous max brightness. Any idea why this happening?

Many new dimmers are designed to “save energy” by limiting the full brightness to 80 or 90% of actual full brightness. Some of them have a hidden slider to adjust the top end. You’ll have to either shop for a different dimmer or put up with it.


Can I drill vertically through this from the main floor to the upstairs? I made a large hole in my wall with hopes of fishing a wires from the main floor to the upstairs. I'm wondering if I can drill vertically through this. I'm asking because it looks integral to the construction of my house.
This hole is in the stairway between the two levels of my home.

I tried researching what this was, but was unfruitful.

Yes, you can. It will not affect it structurally, given you are only drilling relatively small (3/4” or so) holes. You won’t want to drill a large plumbing line through it.


How to fix wood surface hi there! We bought an old condo, and it has a built-in cupboard of sorts, but it looks like this: (see photo). Any ideas on how to clean up all these scratches would be greatly appreciated! Thanks

When refinishing old surfaces like that, I have had great results finding the right compound to do what is called I think, re-amalgamation. It is when the proper solvent or compound I called it earlier, is used to melt the finish on the surface and allowed to dry again. It will remove some of the finish, or perhaps even most of it if too much is applied and wiped back off, but it requires no sanding, but you will need a respirator for the fumes. This saves the patina of the surface and will remove all the glass rings and minor scratches that was on the surface. If there are deep scratches it will not remove them, but it may color them in a bit so they are not so noticeable.

The finishes used typically are shellac and lacquer. Shellac can be removed with denatured alcohol I think, lacquer is cut with lacquer thinner.

If you really want it all clean and pristine and brand new looking, the sanding is the best way to go since the only way to get rid of deep scratches is by sanding, unless you want to try your hand at using lacquer sticks. Those are a heat melt-able filler that come in numerous colors to blend in with the color of the wood.


Panamax Surge Protector says outlet is faulty; Radioshack tester says its AOK I have a surge protector / line conditioner for my AV equipment. I just moved it to a new receptacle and the unit is indicating there's a problem (see attached image).

However, when I test with my ancient outlet tester, it comes up "Correct" and everything seems peachy. I'd love to get a sense of what's amiss before I invest in a visit from an electrician. Any ideas?

Most of the cheap little 3 prong outlet testers with thee LEDs cannot detect a "bootleg ground", ie where the ground and neutral are swapped or connected together. The surge protector may be able to tell the difference because for that device, this is a more critical necessity, which would explain the discrepancy.


Flushing a water heater I replaced my water heater 2 years ago, this weekend I plan on flushing it.  I have read steps anywhere from turn off the gas and stop the water line, to just open the spigot at the bottom and fill up a bucket a couple times.   How effective is just the spigot method without turning off the water supply or shutting off the gas supply and burner?  I have a 4 gallon bucket I plan to use and just as a test I opened the spigot and was surprised how powerful the water flow was.

Can I do any damage by just draining the water via the spigot?  4 gallons at a time and not a continuous run?  Is it effective to do this or am I just wasting hot water?

I hook up a hose to the lower valve ; the other hose end is outside. I put a ball cock / 90 degree shut-off valve on the hose. Open the heater valve then open and close the ball cock at roughly 30 second intervals , the intent is to stir up sediment. Several cycles. Leave the gas and the inlet valves open. The burner will come on and the heat will help move sediment. It does waste hot water but should significantly extend heater life depending on your water. The objective is to remove sediment ; you change water every time you open a faucet. If you are limited to only a bucket , don't bother. Assuming a typical US domestic water heater; the inlet and outlets are at the top , fortunately the inlet has a pipe going to the bottom of the tank . This inlet and the burner coming on will tend to stir the sediment. Don't turn on any faucets while flushing, as you could mess them up with sediment. You could put the outside end of the hose in a bucket, it will catch some of the sediment and indicate progress.


Can I install a light switch/GFCI outlet combo? Hi I'm trying to see if I can install a light switch/ GFCI outlet combo here.

If not what are other options or alternatives.

This is the current situation:

This is what I want to use

Thanks

This appears to be a switch loop. That is, a hot white coming down from a fixture to the switch and a black load wire going back to control a fixture. Since there is no neutral, you can't wire an outlet to the existing box with the existing wires. If you verify this to be true, put a few wraps of black tape over the white wire or mark it with a black magic marker to indicate that it's hot. You would have to replace the 14/2 with a 14/3 to bring the neutral down from the source to add the GFCI outlet.


Electric Smoker Trips GFCI My outside outlet is tied to a GFCI receptacle. When I plug in my smoker, the GFCI TRIPS.  What con I do to avoid this besides running an extension cord to another receptacle (inside the apartment)?

The GFCI is tripping for a reason. Older ones sometimes tripped for false positives, but that's very rare with modern fuses/interrupters.

Especially if the outlet interrupts with the same appliance every time then the problem is the appliance not the outlet. Do some troubleshooting on the grill to find out if you can repair it, or need to replace it. It might be that the grill is operating as it was designed to, and it's simply drawing more current than is safe for a typical outlet.

Meanwhile, go thank the GFCI for doing its job and saving your life/apartment.


How can I mount a railing in concrete steps when I encounter rebar in the hole? I need to install a handrail in concrete steps. The problem is that after drilling ~2" (5 cm) down into the concrete, the drill bit wouldn't go any further. I suspect I'm hitting rebar. This is about 2 & 1/2" (64 mm) from the edge of the steps. The instructions for the handrail say I must drill 3 & 1/2 inches (89 mm) down for a secure hold. Then I attach a 1/2" inch (13 mm) threaded rod and secure it to the concrete with construction adhesive.

Would it be okay for both posts if I made a small mold, filled it with concrete, measured accurately, and drilled down through that?

Or I could buy a rebar-cutting drill bit. But I have concrete at home already.
Thanks for any suggestions in advance. I won't be tackling the problem for at least another week, since my neuropathy makes it hard to deal with the heat (I don't sweat).

New bit and a hammer drill will get you through it. Spent my 1st summer between college installing iron railing and that's the way we did it for railing that had tabs on the bottom and there was nothing we couldn't get through. If you hit rebar tip the drill at an angle and go on the side of the rebar.

For non tab installs we core drilled and used hydraulic cement.


Electric line to subpanel I'm running 2 100 amp 110 lines 35 yards from my well house main to a sub panel in my garage.  Do I need to run a ground wire and a neutral wire or can I just run one of them from the sub panel to a ground rod?
If I run the ground to a grounding rod, do I disconnect the green screw in the sub panel?

You'll have to run four conductors, two ungrounded (hot) conductors, one grounded (neutral), and one grounding (earth) conductor.

At the garage you'll have to install a grounding electrode (ground rod, etc.), and bond the panel and grounding conductor from the feeder to it.

You'll then have to isolate the grounded (neutral) bus bar and conductors, from the grounding bus bar, conductors, and panel.


Why is my two way dimmer switch not working? So I am putting in a dimmer switch, replacing a simple single pole switch.  It is a simple two way, single pole dimmer, should be pretty easy.  The existing switch works fine.  AFter installation, the light is always on, turning the dimmer off, and moving the slider up and down, the light is always on.  Using a voltmeter, I tested the supply and made sure it was hot.  after the switch, the line is always 120v, moving the dimmer and silding it the voltage remains at 120v.

This is where is gets even weirder.  I removed the dimmer, and tested the conductivity.  regardless of the position of the dimmer (off or all the way up), there is not conductivity between the wires (using the beeping mode on the meter).  Using the resistive setting on the meter, it also confirms that there is no conductivity regardless of the slider settings.

So both of these (light always on and no conductivity) would tell me the dimmer is bad, but they are telling me opposite things.  The light always on tell me that the dimmer is shorted and always closed, but the meter measurements tell me that the dimmer is always open.  Weird. How is this possible?

Regardless, this seems like a bad dimmer and I went back to the old switch until I can pick up a new one.

For reference, this is the dimmer:
http://www.lutron.com/Products/StandAloneControls/Dimmers-Switches/GlyderDimmer/Pages/Overview.aspx

The dimmer switch has some solid-state electronics in the path between the electrical mains and the light that it controls: definitely some form of transistor, and most likely one or more MOSFETs.  MOSFETs have very high resistance when they're off, well into the gigaohm range (or higher), and very low resistance when on, in the range of 1 ohm (or lower).  Other transistors types have a less extreme swing between on- and off-resistance.

The rest of the circuitry in the dimmer is designed to operate on AC mains voltages, so the small DC voltage that your multimeter drives through the dimmer isn't enough to turn on any of the transistors in the conduction path, so you're reading it as being open-circuit.


does it make sense to replace plastic flex ducts with metal ducts? Today I get my ducts cleaned. It's extremely dirty. And I noticed my house which was built at 2003 was using plastic flex ducts.

I just feel metal duct are stronger and easier to clean and never broke.

So does it make sense to replace the plastic ducts with metal? Can I do it by myself usually? I mean do I need permit or inspection? My plan is to slowly replace them by myself.

Any comment is appreciated.

Metal will require insulation on the outside if it's in unconditioned space; not hard to do. A plus would be metal ducts have less air resistance because of the smooth sides. I am not aware of a need for a permit for duct work.


Reducing risks of interior brick wall insulation? I was surprised to learn that that there are risks with insulating the interior walls in older all-brick houses - particularly in cold climates. This article outlines some of the issues:

http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/blogs/dept/musings/insulating-old-brick-buildings

To summarize, the risks are:

Wooden joists sitting on (the now colder) brick will be wet from moist air condensing on the brick and the ends can rot
The inner layer (wythe) of brick will not be able to dry inwards. If the brick remains wet, it could fail (especially with freeze/thaw cycles)

These issues sound reasonable - however, articles refer to insulation in all-or-nothing terms. I'm wondering if there is some middle ground, to add some insulation to save some energy and increase comfort, without much risk of damaging the brick?

Could a vapour barrier be omitted, to allow for the brick to dry inwards?
Can a reduced level of insulation be used so the brick will still be warmed by the heat of the house?
Can walls have gaps in the insulation? e.g. leaving 12 inches at the top to warm the brick and help keep the joist ends dry?
Would techniques recommend for basement insulation be applicable? (e.g. use EPS or XPS board)

Any other safer options for interior insulation in an all-brick house?

A thermal resistant coating from outside may help to insulate the surface further more.


DWV fittings: when to use a sweep instead of an elbow PVC DWV fittings have a 'tight' elbow and a 'sweep' elbow. Is one for vent and the other for drain/waste? In general, is there a handbook that describes these fittings and explains why you would use one over the other?

If you are going by the International Residential Code, you are limited on what types of fittings you can use for sanitary drainage (see table 706.3 from the 2015 IRC below), but there are no restrictions on the fittings that can be used for venting as long as you maintain sufficient slope. Similar restrictions likely exist in the Universal Plumbing Code, but I am not as familiar.

The reason that certain fittings are restricted is to allow sufficient transition to help prevent solid waste from clogging in the drain (note that some of the restrictions are lifted for 2" and smaller pipe sizes because these pipes cannot carry any sizeable solids).


How do we wire a new bathroom exhaust fan to our bathroom? In our attic we have a junction box that has the power wire connected to a hallway ceiling light. Can we tap into that to get power to install a bathroom exhaust fan? We would be putting in a double rocker light switch in the bathroom (top switch would be for the vanity light and the bottom switch would be for the exhaust fan switch). How would we wire this?

There's several parts here
Can I tap into the junction box for power?
Yes, provided it's not overloaded with wires.
How do I wire it?
If I were you, I'd add a second junction box. You'll have

2-line power from the existing box
2-line cable run to your fan
3-line cable run to the switch

Find the breaker to the box you want to tap into and turn it off. If it's 15A, buy 14 gauge wire (Romex is white), if it's 20A, buy 12 gauge (Romex is yellow). Be sure to clamp the cables if any box is metal.
Inside the new box, wire

All 3 white wires together
All the bare grounding wires together (run an extra one to your box grounding screw if the box is metal)
The incoming black wire from the other junction box to your 3-line black wire
The black wire going to your fan to the red wire

Inside the junction box for your switch, it sounds like you have an existing switch. If so

Break the tab on the side of your double-switch
Wire the old switch wire to one of the switches
Wire the new black and red to the other switch
Cap your new white wire with a wire nut


How to fix a spot on new Poly finish? I'm finishing a custom mahogany wood sill for an interior wall opening and have stained and finished it-- lightly sanding with 220 between four polyurethane coats.

In the first two coats a couple bubbles and particles dried into the finish, but light sanding managed those. The third coat had two small imperfections which I lightly sanded down leaving a whitish haze that should have disappeared in the next coat. However, they didn't. They are not major imperfections and only can be seen when light reflects in just the right way, but I would like input on the best fix for these areas.

Will more poly coats work or do I have to get down to the sanded level and fix it there?

Unfortunately it sounds like you will need to sand out the areas that are affected. If it has a coat over it, there's nothing you can do to retroactively that will fix the problem because it's effectively shielded by the top layer of finish. I think your problem might have been too course a grit on your sandpaper. I would use no courser than 280 or 320 for a poly finish because unlike a lacquer or conversion varnish (which have harsh solvents that actually melt the surface of the previous layer) poly has to float out over whatever is there. Good Luck!


Energy saving box on an old whirlpool hot water heater There is an energy saving box on an old whirlpool hot water heater in an old house we purchased. I changed both elements out yesterday and it worked fine. Had hot water in about 2 hours. Now tonight the water is freezing cold and the box is blinking telling me the e!ements are bad. I think it's the box. Can it be removed and the hot water heater work fine?

You need to have a conversation with your power company
Those "energy saving boxes" come in two kinds: one that turns off the water heater at certain times... and the other that qualifies you for a lower electricity tariff if the power company can interrupt your water heater at peak times.
The first type of box should simply go away. That's because of scientific discoveries that if tanked water heaters store water too cool, they breed bacteria including legionella.  Heaters need to be at around 60C to avoid this -- interrupting power and letting it fall to 50C or 35C can breed that bacteria bigtime.
For the second type, you need to have a tariff/rate conversation with the power company.  If they are willing to put you on the favorable tariff (or if they already have), they should help you maintain that controller.
What the power company needs it for is moments when power demand is nearly exceeding available generating capacity.  They have two choices:

Spin up standby generators called "Peakers" -- which are only used a few hundred hours a year, even though the mortgage runs 24x7x365.  As such, these power plants are murderously expensive.  Or...
Shed some load - this is most infamous in "rolling blackouts".  Being able to command 10,000 customers' water heaters to take a 15-minute siesta will work just as well, and is much more civilized.

Naturally the power company gives you some financial incentive to do this.  Though it's also being a good civic citizen.


Cap off hot water from bath with two pipes I'm removing a bath and capping off the waste, cold and hot pipes.
 The cold has a single pipe but the hot has two pipes with a temperature 'limiter'.

Can I just cap off both of the hot pipes or will that affect supply to rest of the house?

Update
The 'limiter' is an Instinct TMV2/TMV3 30-50C. I guess that means one pipe must be hot and the other cold, so it can regulate the output temperature.

I guess that means I can safely cap both pipes off happily, without affecting the flow across the rest of the house...?

The temperature limiter is a TMV or Thermostatic Mixing Valve.  It will have two inlets and one outlet.  One inlet is for hot, and the other is for cold.  So, it would appear that what you have is two colds and one hot.  The cold water pipe is probably split somewhere before you see it coming out to supply the cold side of the faucet and the TMV.  The inlet and outlets are normally marked somehow, and it should be apparent if the outlet is going only to the removed fixture or continuing on to another fixture as well.

You should be able to cap off all the pipes without affecting any other fixture if the outlet only supplies to removed fixture.

In some cases (in the US anyway, it appears you are in London) the hot water can come up to one fixture and then go back into the floor and continue on to the next fixture.  In this case, the two hot water pipes would need to remain connected to each other, but it doesn't seem like this is what you are seeing.

Based on your new picture: Yes, the output of that is only supplying that one sink.  You should be able to remove the limiter and cap all the pipes coming up out of the floor.  Mark the hot and cold pipes somehow to help out the next guy.


2-4 inch gap between crawlspace slab (floor) and surrounding wall - Why? about a year ago I had my crawlspace conditioned. Among other things, the company put in a concrete slab for the floor and added a sump pump in the corner.

The strange thing is, there is a 1-4 inch gap on the surrounding slab (see attached picture).

NOTE: Where the crawlspace connects to the basement the gap is not there
i.e: where there is "no wall"

Does anyone know why this is? I am assuming this is related to the drain for the sump pump?

Another concern is my radon levels in the basement are extremely high and I am wondering if this big gap is contributing to the spiked levels.

Thanks in advance

Almost certainly for drainage. Carrying any water leaking in from the walls to the sump.

My understanding of radon mitigation would be that this gap and the sump pit need to be sealed from the top and power vented to the exterior. Any underslab drainage on the "basement" side should be connected to the vent system as well.

If you already had a radon mitigation system in place and the company did work this way they are a bit clueless/irresponsible. If you did not have such a system, you evidently need one now.


Can I install a light switch on the end of a wall? I just recently moved into a home and there is a 3 switch light switch at the end of the wall near where the fridge was.  We have purchased a wider fridge and the switches would now be covered.  I tried to move to a narrow 1.75" switch plate but it is still too close.  I looked around and I'm not too sure on the steps to take, or if it is even possible, to install a light switch on a beam.  Also to note, this is a load bearing beam.

Here is a pic of the switch with the older fridge. The newer one goes basically to the end.  Is it possible to mount a 1.75" switch place on the end of the wall?  Basically to the edge of the red or even on the white where it is all beam?

I would avoid any interference with a load-bearing beam (which you do well to point out). Drilling holes -or space for a receptacle- will surely make it more fragile.

Instead of that, the option of switching the switches from one side of the wall to the opposite side may be attractive. Basically, you would need to disconnect and take out the switches from their current position, cut an appropriate hole in the other side of the wall and install them back in on that side. The hole on the fridge side of the wall can then be plastered and painted over (I would recommend it) or covered with a covering plate, unless you are happy with just having the fridge cover it.

In this way, you are not fiddling with the wires from the fuse box to the receptacle, they can stay put in their current position within the wall.

Two quick recommendations if you so do:

Remember to cut the electricity at the fuse box before working.
Once the receptacles are out in one side, you can find the appropriate position on the other side by drilling one small hole straight through the wall in each of the four corners. That way, you automatically get the size more or less correct.

Hope this helps.


Why am I failing to connect this simple kitchen sink pipe? Hi all I'm having trouble reconnecting this L shaped pipe to the main pipes under the sink. No matter how I arrange or push or connect the slip nuts, they seemed to get jammed by the washer/band around the pipe chokes. And thus the pipes leak.

There are some washer/band things which I believe go inside the slip nuts, example:

But when I do this I cannot screw the slip nut all the way to the sink hole above, example:

The best I can do is above, with the band being below the slip nut which I'm sure is not how it is meant to be.

How do I connect the pipe correctly so it fits to the sink and the other pipes that go through the main drain? Is there some technique I'm not doing?

To avoid cross-threading, spin it backwards until you feel it drop into another thread; this is where and when it's lined up. First attach it to the sink and then fight with other connection, leaving everything lose until it's all fitted together. For the fitting you have, turn this picture up-side down: (make sure the grommet is properly orientated)

  The bottom of the drain spout always seals to the drain plumbing using one of these clever conical, or wedge type of gaskets. The nut on top pushes the wedge into the drain pipe, which compresses it and cause it to perfectly seal between the drain plumbing and the spout from the sink. -woodgears.ca

Plumbing is always a can of worms; you'll find new fittings much easier to work with, and the reusing of old grommets to be less than ideal. While you're at it, replace it with a sanitary elbow like it should be. Flexible lines should be avoided if at all possible, but they sure make for an easy install.


Refrigerator trips new AFCI/GFCI circuit breakers Remodeled kitchen and electrician had to install new AFCI/GFCI Seimens circuit breakers to comply with code. Now my 8 yr old Samsung 24 cu ft refrigerator trips the c/b every 12 minutes to as long as 4 days. Tried space heater on circuit and no problem. Plugged refrigerator into other AFCI/GFCI and they also trip but not as often. Refrigerator works fine on dining room non-GFCI circuit. Have spoken to appliance repair and Samsung service people and all say waste of time to come out and check refrigerator. They all say refrigerators should not be on GFCI. Spoke to city elect inspector and he said, sorry but code is code. Seems to be a catch-22 here.

Kitchen counter receptacles need to be GFCI protected.  Refrigerators do not, and should not.

A refrigerator is simply not what GFCIs are for, like manassehkatz says.  All the electrical bits are in the bottom back, and you're not likely to knock a refrigerator into the sink!

The fridge circuit definitely does not require GFCI, however if the fridge is on a shared circuit with other outlets which need GFCI, then that does not give you a right to remove GFCI from those outlets!  Your inspector is teling you the fridge needs GFCI because it's on a shared circuit with countertop receptacles, and those need GFCI.  The fridge does not unless there is a local amendment to code, but it would be an awful amendment!

So the fridge should be removed from the GFCI, either by

running a dedicated circuit with one plug, 15A is allowable; or by
changing the breaker to non-GFCI and using GFCI deadfronts or receptacles in appropriate place(s) to protect the kitchen countertops, as Code requires.

The inspector has no "right" in the electrical code to compel you to use GFCI breakers particularly, though they do provide better protection.

The fridge circuit may require AFCI, but that's a different thing than GFCI and the refrigerator is less likely to have a problem with it.

The ideal setup

The ideal setup is a dedicated circuit for just the fridge, with a one-eye receptacle (not the usual twin) behind the fridge where nothing else can reach it, a breaker that exactly matches the receptacle amps (a requirement on 1-socket circuits), and a labelmaker sticker on the receptacle saying "Refrigerator only".

Even more ideal, I would also run it in EMT conduit and metal boxes, and make the case to the AHJ that the AFCI protection is not needed due to the EMT.

The nuclear option

If it is infeasible to remove the refrigerator from GFCI protection, you can remove the GFCI protection from the refrigerator! Use a Kill-a-Watt to measure how many VA the fridge uses when running (not starting), double it, and obtain an isolation transformer of that many VA.

All the GFCI will see is the primary winding of the transformer. What happens past the secondary winding, stays in Vegas. Ground is passed straight through the isolation transformer, so the fridge is still safely grounded.  If the fridge has a hot-ground fault, that will do nothing at all.

Since the isolation transformer is a plug-in consumer appliance like a power strip, it is out of the inspector's jurisdiction. He can't say a thing about it.

Alternately you could use a component isolation transformer and build it into the refrigerator.  Altering an appliance is not an Electrical Code matter, so again, outside his jurisdiction.


How Do I Plan for an Intrusion Detection System? I would like to plan for an intrusion detection system in a home that is currently under construction.  The home has a walkout basement that is sloping, shown in the rear elevation picture shown below.

I've included an image outlining the major alarm system components to provide a clear reference when referring to different components.

I was planning on installing magnetic contacts (#7113) at each window on the basement, and first floor level.  I was planning on installing a garage door contact (#7456) on each garage door.  Also, recessed magnetic door contacts (not in component diagram) at each of the 3 first floor entry ways.

I'm planning on installing a keypad near the entry of the front door and the door coming in from the garage (#7508).

The security system itself will be installed in the basement, with 22/4 home-runs running from each window/door contact, and Cat6 from the keypads to the panel.

These are the main questions I have:

Should I install a keypad anywhere else?
Is it recommended to install window sensors on windows that are not accessible except by a ladder (2nd floor, and some windows on 1st floor)?
I need help on where, and how to install glass break sensors (#7356), if necessary and recommended.
Do you recommend motion detectors, and if so, where would you recommend them in the floor plan?
Where is the siren typically installed?
Any other considerations?

Note, that the elevation diagram is from the stock plan purchased from an architect, and the  other floor plans are something I put together to show some modifications made to the stock plan/window placements.

Thanks.

Basement

Main Floor

Second Floor

Rear Elevation

Note, I'm not anywhere near an alarm professional, however I have installed a couple systems before and have just recently been researching again as I prepare to move into a new house where I'd like to install an alarm.

Keypads

You'll want a keypad anywhere you normally enter/exit the house, such as by the garage door or back door. As @bib points out, you may also want one in the master bedroom to be able to use panic, or see status of the system.

Window Contacts

Whether contacts on the windows are worthwhile depends on what you are trying to protect.

My opinion is it's better and easier to cover the areas with a motion sensor. If someone breaks the window, the alarm still goes off if they come in. If you want to leave a window open (normally you'd have to bypass the zone to arm) you're still covered.
The caveat to this is for "stay" arming. Typically when you're at home and arming the system, all the interior motion sensors are bypassed. If there is a window that is easily accessible from the ground floor, you may want a contact on it. For the second floor, it's probably not likely that someone is going to manage to get a ladder up to your house without either waking you up or making the neighbours suspicious so it's probably overkill there.

Glass breaks

Glass break sensors are another good way to cover likely intrusion points through windows where someone is going to smash it to get in. Patio doors and sidelights beside doors are good options. The sensor you quoted is actually an older style, most of the new ones are audio sensors that listen for the sound of breaking glass and work in anywhere from a 10 to 25' radius (depends on the glass, check specs). You can get these combined with motion sensors as well.

Glass break sensors are good for "stay" arming (when motion sensors are bypassed) or if you want early warning. In most cases, a motion sensor is going to alarm even if the glass break doesn't.

Motion Sensors

I would probably put motion sensors in:

top-right corner of family room - covers windows at the back
somewhere in entry way (a 360-degree ceiling-mounted would work well) - covers anyone moving through the main area of the house and using the basement stairs
top-right corner of basement - covers the basement windows

Of course you can put more if you want, but you need to think of what you're trying to protect from. If someone breaks in through, eg, the dining room, they are probably going to walk around and set off a motion somewhere. If you do have enough valuables in a room that someone may break in, steal everything from that room and leave, then you may want to put motion or some other sensor in there.

Siren

The siren should go somewhere it can be heard inside and out. Typically it's just installed in the basement near the alarm panel. You may also consider installing in the attic, or outside (you can get them with flashing lights too) so it's audible/visible to neighbours.

Panel protection

I am also a fan of installing protection around the alarm panel. Usually there is a 30-second delay to put in your code, and that may give someone enough time to get to the panel and disable/disconnect it. If the panel is in its own room, put a door contact on that room and otherwise put a motion sensor in there. Either way that zone should be set up as instant -- even if the system is in the delay entry mode, activating either of those zones should instantly alarm the system. Normally interior zones are bypassed while in delay entry.

This is also a consideration for motion sensor placement -- you can set up the motion sensors so if you were to walk into eg, the living room without disarming first, the alarm would go off. You just have to carefully consider placement here, and ensure that you don't set this up somewhere a person would normally walk before disarming.

Door lock sensor

I am considering my own system, and one neat thing I thought of (though apparently I'm not the first) was to put a plunge sensor in the back of the deadbolt channel, so that it can detect if the deadbolt on the door is locked or not. This may not be part of the alarm, but it can at least let you check the door is locked without getting out of bed or after you're already at work (assuming you have internet connectivity on the system). Unfortunately in my house there is a sidelight integrated into the door that prevents me from doing this.

Garage

You should consider how you use the garage. There are several ways to alarm it.

If you're not trying to protect the garage, it's pretty simple, though you may still want contacts on the doors to at least let you see if they're closed or not.

If you're using a wireless system with remotes, you can arm/disarm the system with those allowing you to exit from the alarm. If not, you need to ensure you have enough time to arm the system from a keypad, and get out of and close the garage doors before the system is done its arming countdown. This may mean putting a keypad in the garage, but again it depends on your use.

Fire

You should also put in some smoke/heat detectors. They can be wired into the alarm and thus monitored as well as setting of the siren (usually it does a different noise) in case of fire.

Monitoring

If you're going to have a company monitor the system, you need to ensure there is connectivity. At least this means a telephone line or internet connection. For telephone lines, a special jack (RJ31X) is used that allows the alarm to disconnect and take over the line, and so you need to route the main telephone line to the alarm panel before it goes to any other jacks in the house.

However you should also consider that someone may cut the line, and in that case communications is down. You can get GSM cellular options for communication that work around this.


Why is smoke entering my home through the fireplace? I recently moved to a new home with a wood burning fireplace.  I've never owned one of these before and I want to become familiar with it.

With a fire extinguisher and a pot of water ready, I placed some kindling and a dry log (that came with the house) in the fireplace, along with some clippings from a shrub and some clippings from a paper shredder.  Then, I lit the fire and closed the door.

Within a few minutes, a cloud of noxious smoke wafted into the room.  Not knowing what could be wrong, I drowned the fire.  After this, I stepped outside and observed that there was a little bit of smoke rising from the chimney.

As someone who has never owned a fireplace before, what do I need to know to operate my fireplace safely and avoid smoke coming in my home?

Damper closed - most likely.

Chimney blocked - while "damper closed" is a self-correctable version of this, if the fireplace has not been inspected there may be anything from bird nests to parts of a chimney in serious disrepair blocking the flue.

SO - before you become a statistic (of the chimney fire sort) call a chimney sweep and have the flue inspected to be sure it is in safe condition to use, and find out where the damper control is (often a lever or chain hanging down in the top of the fireplace.)

Another possible problem, particularly common if the fireplace & chimney is on the outside wall of the house, would be an excessively cold flue - sometimes curable by putting newspaper up into the throat of the fireplace and lighting it (before lighting the fire), to get air moving the right direction (up and out.)


How do I remove stickers and residue from a wooden door? When I was a kid I put a ton of stickers all over my wooden door. In addition, I also taped on posters and pictures.

I tried removing the stickers and with some of them having been there for more than ten years they leave behind some paper backing and some sticky white residue. The tape also seems to leave behind some residue.

So basically, I am wondering, what is the best way to remove all of the stickers and tape from my wooden door so that my door can look as best as it possibly can? In addition, are there things I can do to my door after residue removal to make it look better?

Thank you very much in advance for your time.

For this sort of residue, I highly recommend GooGone.

Mineral spirits, and Naptha will work, but the fumes they give off are much worse.  You should also do a test area first, in case the chemicals you're using causes problems with the original surface (removes it too, stains it, etc.)

You might be able to speed things up with a hair dryer (not a heat gun, it'll heat things too much), and a soft plastic scraper (something too hard will do more damage than it helps).  For the really stubborn stuff, GooGone + a plastic scrub pad (regular duty, not one of the heavy duty ones).

As for making it look better -- you might want to just strip the whole thing down and refinish it if it's particularly bad.


Is aluminum Underground Service Entrance cable safe for a 200 ampere service? I am upgrading my power to 200 amps. My electrician wants to use 4/0 aluminum wire (instead of copper wire) from the meter loop, to the service panel located inside my mobile home. Is aluminum a safe choice?

Yes. For service conductors aluminum is perfectly acceptable and typical in many/most places. AL conductors of today are not the same as they were 40 years ago, and the problems associated with AL were typically with smaller conductors, #12 & #10 solid.


Why is XHHW more costly than other similar cable? My usual suppier of THHN/THWN-2 (single) wire almost gave me XHHW by mistake.  The stuff is twice the price.

What makes XHHW more valuable?

Different insulators, different properties

The THHN/THWN-2 we know and love is a thermoplastic insulation (most commonly a plasticized and flame-retarded PVC) with a thin nylon outer jacket extruded over the PVC that helps protect the PVC from damage.  This means that:

while it's flame-retarded, it produces ugly things (HCl) once you get it going in your bonfire
It can have annoying behaviors when pinched for a while (like cold flowing)
It is prone to certain breakdown behaviors that can be undesirable especially at higher voltages

XHHW and XHHW-2 wire, on the other hand, use a thermoset insulation, almost always a cross-linked polyethylene very similar to what PEX pipe is made from.  The cross-linking makes the wire insulation stiffer and harder to handle and requires more specialized processing which is probably the explanation for the price difference you're seeing. However, XLPE insulation is more thermally robust than PVC and is also a better electrical insulator as well -- it can handle higher voltages, is less breakdown-prone, and won't flow under pressure nearly as easily.

Usage differences

XHHW(-2) is generally a better choice for applications in unkind environments (exposed outside, on roofs, or directly buried) due to its improved ruggedness.  THHN is cheap, and is considered to work well enough for benign environs such as the insides of jacketed or armored cables and inside conduit, so it's generally what's used when XHHW(-2)'s superior properties aren't called for.


Light fixture mounting bracket too small to attach to junction box Installing a ceiling fixture. With the other fixtures I installed the bracket just screwed into the box. This one the bracket width is too small to screw in, the box is too big. What kind of adapter do I need, or should I just replace the whole box with a smaller one?

That's not a fixture box, that's a junction box (fixture boxes are typically round or octagonal).

It looks like it's clamped in one corner so hopefully the wire is loose.

Since it looks like it's been screwed in, I would buy a metal fixture box (should fit inside the existing hole), unscrew the existing clamp, knock out a hole and reattach the clamp to the new box. If you're lucky, it should all fit in the same hole and the fixture will cover the remaining parts.

Don't forget to ground your new metal box!


Dual light switch changing to dual smart switch I currently have 2 switches. Each switch has a black wire and a white attached to it. I’m trying to install a dual smart switch, which requires 4 black wires and a neutral wire.  Confused on how to accomplish this with what I have. Can I split the neutral wire into a neutral and two black wires? Is that safe?

If all you have in the switch box is the black , white and ground this is a switch leg and your new smart switch probably needs a neutral (white wire in the box not connected to the switch)

The wires connected to the switch now are a hot and a switched hot. Many smart switches need a neutral to provide power for the electronics of the switch.

If you have a neutral in the box tie the new switch white to the neutral it should be white or gray. The next steps depends on the color wires on the new switches. But if you only have the one cable in the box with 2-3 wires it cannot be done with your existing wiring without additional wiring.


Is a multi-strand conductor better suited for house-hold wiring than a single-core? Back-ground:

The wiring at the residence dates back a century - almost. The old wires were wound in cloth, and are pretty thick aluminium/tin-coated copper. The old energy meter (one with a marked wheel that rotates; mfr. Contimeter) was recently replaced with one of these new-fangled electronic digital ones. My electric load is unchanged. Yet the new meter appears to register easily double the old one.

Body:

Typical appliances that form the electric load are as follows -

Ceiling Fans
Lamps (Incandescent, Fluorescent, and Compact Fluorescent)
Television (old-fashioned CRT type)
Computer (with a similarly old-fashioned CRT monitor)
Micro-wave oven
Vacuum cleaner

The electrician says the old wiring should be replaced by newer 2.5 sq.mm wires; I believe this used to be called a 5/22 wire. He further recommends a multi-strand wire rather than one with a single core. What little I recall is that a multi-strand conductor is suited for HF/VHF and such applications. The supply line from the utility company is 240V@50cps.

Question:

Is a multi-strand conductor better suited for house-hold wiring than a single-core?

Stranded
Flexibility
Stranded wire is more flexible than solid core wire, which makes it well suited in situations where there will be movement of the wire. It also makes routing the wire through a building a bit easier.
Higher resistance to metal fatigue
Where solid core wire will weaken and break, stranded wire holds up to being bent repeatedly.
Solid
Cheaper to manufacture
While this savings may or may not be passed on to the consumer, solid core wire is cheaper to make.
More rugged
Solid wire resists cutting and stretching damage better than stranded wire.
Lower resistance
Given a solid and stranded wire of the same diameter, the solid wire will have a lower resistance. This is because there will always be gaps between the strands of a stranded wire. A stranded wire of the same gauge, will have a larger diameter than a solid wire to compensate for this. When you buy wire, you'll always buy it based on gauge. Both solid and stranded wires will have the same resistance, the stranded will simply be a bit larger in diameter.
Easier to terminate
If you're not careful when stripping stranded wire, you can end up cutting off strands (usually only a problem with smaller gauge wire, or wire with lots of strands). Depending on the number of removed strands, the ampacity of the wire can be negatively affected. Though nicking a solid core wire while stripping can make the wire more susceptible to breakage, so this isn't a clear cut advantage.
Solid core wire can be used in push in ("backstab") terminals, more often than stranded. This can be a pro or a con, depending on who you talk to.
Stranded wire can be more difficult to terminate on screw terminals, as you can sometimes have escapee strands which don't end up under the screw. This again can affect the ampacity of the wire.
Because stranded wire has a larger diameter, it tends to fill up twist-on wire connectors faster (less wires allowed in the connector).

Unless there's a lot of movement within the home (RV, house boat, frequent earthquakes), or you're pulling the wire through conduit. I'd say there isn't much of a difference either way.


How can I fill a drywall hole in a corner? When taking skirting off, I accidentally made a drywall hole in a corner of the room. This is an interior wall, and it is empty: at least the hole is pretty deep (10cm) and I cannot feel anything with my finger, when I put it there.
I read about using fiber mesh patches, but not sure if I would be able to apply those in the corner. Any advise appreciated.

Orders are actually easier than flat surfaces. In hour case I would see is i could slip some “paint stir sticks’ behind the sheetrock for support and hold them in place with 2 or 3 Sheetrock screws. For cases like this I use mesh like on the right for the back and let that dry with a coat of mud on it of corse.
Then 2 or 3 more coats letting each one dry between coats once you have it almost filled then paper tape in the corner and over the hole it may take a couple of strips. A thin coat of mud over the top let that dry and sand fill low spots sand high spots but with a little time you can have that hole sealed up and ready to repaint.
If you have never fixed a hole there are as many different ways as there are people.
I recommend folks new to tape and texture not use setting compound just standard Sheetrock mud it takes longer but almost every DIY first timer that used setting mud or Hot mud (it sets up in 15 minutes to 1.5 hours) has made a mess that I & others like realtors & landlords see when I enter the room.
Watch some uTube videos on patching holes but my advice is use normal Sheetrock mud and get at least a 6” mud knife and a hand sander with abrasive cloth or ~200 grit sand paper.


Connecting PVC to a 4.5 inch ID cast iron hub I'm repairing a toilet flang on an 80-year-old home with old cast iron plumbing. What I have is a 4.5 inch inside diameter cast iron hub. A 4 inch ID PVC pipe drops in nice and snug, but I cant figure out a good way to create a seal.
Hub pictured here:

This next picture shows you what the previous owner did. They just droped 4 inch ABS in and put some kind of glue or plumbers putty around the edge. It obviously did not create a good seal.

A few places on line have suggested using a compression donut such as the one below. However, the 4 inch compression donut is too large to fit in the hub and the 3 inch compression donut is too small.

What other options do I have? I am at a loss at this point. Some other suggestions have been a rubber sleeve, but I have not found one that would fit.

There seems to be a 3/16" thick layer of crud on the inside surface of the hub. Scrape that out and then try the 4" "donut"


Causes of radon in the basement of a newer home? We are in the process of (maybe) buying a home. It is a newer (2007) home in Northern Wisconsin with an insulated concrete form (ICF) basement in red clay. We just got the radon test back and the 2 day average is at 5.1 pci/l. I am not concerned about the levels - mitigation devices will happen. My concern is why?
Is the presence of radon in a newer home an indicator of a not tight / poorly constructed basement or is it an indicator of a very tightly built basement/home?
I have seen some people arguing that it indicates the basement is not 'tight' / poor construction - if a basement is properly built radon should not be able to enter. However, there was no sign of water in it - and it was as dry a basement as I have seen. But, with ICF you can't see voids or cracks in the wall - but then again, no sign of moisture.
Others argue that because a home is tight it tends to trap more stuff and what does get in can't get out. This also seems plausible - there was no air exchanger installed that I saw and most newer homes seem to have them up here to control moisture. Also the sump/drain wasn't sealed so that could be a point of entry.

Concrete is Porous this is why we put vapor barriers down and foundation drains because if there is moisture it will permeate the concrete. Doesn’t that mean the foundation is not done correctly? No concrete is porous and if moisture can make it through it is much easier for a much smaller substance to make it through. Not only can it come just through the ground but if the well is close To the house this is a source that the radon has an easy exit compared to going through many feet of earth. If your home has an internal sump pump there is another entrance point. So radon in the home is not an indication of the quality of the foundation. Epoxy coating the floor can help as this helps to seal the floor but now the walls we can’t forget about the walls.


Is there anything wrong with leaving toilet tank below waterline? In troubleshooting a problem with recurring flushing (turned out to be a worn out flapper) I lowered the tank water level to about an inch below what the manufacturer marked as the waterline. Flushing seems to work fine - plenty of force, refills, fine and the flapper is fixed. I'd like to conserve water by leaving the water line where it is now, but will I be causing some kind of problem if I do?

As a volume reducer, people have put two or three bricks in the tank to conserve on the quantity of water used per flush.

Being down by 1 inch of head on the water level isn't much to worry about.

As long as it flushes the contents either way, you're fine.


Opening Ademco Vista 20p panel (Sorry if this is the wrong site for this question.)

I just bought a house which has a Brinks home security system. The service is not active.

I believe the main system is an Ademco Vista 20p, or something similar. I want to get it open to take a look, but the ends of two screws are protruding out from holes in one side, making it impossible to pull off the front panel. There's a small amount of give when I push on them with a screwdriver, but not enough.

How can I get this open?

I can see a couple potential ways around this.

Pry up the side away from the wall, shove the whole cover towards the wall,  possibly pry up the underside/backside of the cover lip, pop off. That's assuming both are on the same side.

Long screwdriver though one of the holes on the opposite side of the box from the screws - have fun finding the head. A flashlight in another hole and your eye at a third might help. Philips might be a good guess unless they were really being nasty, in which case security Torx might be more likely. Try to look first.

Don't overlook pure misdirection. Could be the panel appears to open, but actually you slide it up off keyhole slots in the back. Would be kinda hokey, but I have run into some hokey stuff in consumer products that the maker wanted to become damaged if someone opened them the way that appeared to be the obvious way of opening them. Could be you push something to unlatch and it opens on a hinge rather like a rear access wall-mount rack.

or wait until a disgruntled ex-Brinks home security installer comes along and says....


Is hydro air more efficient than gas/oil? I have heard different things about hydro air systems.

I am considering getting one because it is a 5000 SF house and a 1500+ SF addition is planned and I heard that it is easier to expand a hydro system and is better for larger houses. However, I have read some complaints, such as this one:

  I would not install a hydro-air system. We just moved into a new house
  (8 yrs old) with hydro-air. The house is about 2800sf and has central
  a/c too. It has 9" of insulation in the attic, 4" in the walls, plus
  vinyl siding with a thin layer of foam insulation. We live in MA, so
  it get very cold here. I don't like the heating system at all. In the
  winter it runs anytime the sinks are turned on (even if you aren't
  using hot water). And because it uses a blower run by electricity and
  hot water heated by oil, you are essentially tied into using 2 fuels
  to heat your house. Inefficient. During summer, I turn the whole
  system off, except when I need some hot water to shower. We saved over
  $100/month in electricity alone by doing this... not to mention the
  oil. We have not lived in this house for a full winter yet. We moved
  in in March, which was the coldest March on record. This house used
  100 gal of oil in 10 days with the heat set to 60 degrees while nobody
  was even living here.

Is there validity to this complaint?

I live in Pennsylvania and almost every large building would have what you are calling a "hydro-ai system. They utilize a hot water or steam boiler for the heating side and an optional chilled water system for the A/C system. I never worked on the chilled water systems but have 40+ years on the boilers. These systems work great as long as the system is designed correctly. I have only seen these systems installed in very large houses of the super rich since the installed cost is extremely high. They are not for normal size houses due to cost. I would recommend that you hire a professional engineer that specializes in these type systems specifically an engineer that does large buildings and ask for an overall assessment of the system including operational efficiencies and projected costs. My neighbor has a geothermal heat pump that provides heating and A/C and also partial domestic hot water heating tied to a duct system (forced air) at a fraction of my cost to heat and cool the same size house. My own preference for a 2500 approx. house would be a forced air furnace with A/C. (geothermal, if you can afford it). Your house may more than 1 system due to it's size.


Should I tile under bathroom door? I was laying out tile in a half bathroom before wondering if I should tile under the door or not.  The picture below shows the tile (top), plywood subfloor where the door will be (middle), and laminate flooring in the hallway (bottom).

There is a cement backerboard underneath the tiles -- this strip of plywood is all that's left of the old subfloor.  The hallway leading to the bathroom has laminate floor over what I think may be asbestos tile.  To keep those tiles encapsulated I plan to put some sort of molding or threshold between the two rooms.

The height of the laminate floor above the plywood is about 3/4", and I expect the 5/16"-tall tiles to be about 1/2" above the plywood once the thinset mortar is down.

So: should I tile all the way to the laminate floor (under the bathroom door), or leave the tiles as they are in the picture?  Seems like the latter solution would make it easer to put in a threshold/molding, but it also seems odd for the flooring under the door to be nonexistent.

If you are planing on adding a threshold (also called a transition strip) and you are sure it will be wide enough to cover the gap between the laminate and the tile, then no, there is no reason to add the tile in that gap.

As you noted with the tile there nailing the transition strip is nearly impossible. (Could only be nailed on the hall side plus the door frame edges, you'd be mainly relining on glue.)

If you are worried about the empty space (some transition strips are way too thin to bridge a gap like that) then just put plywood in the gap between the tile and the laminate. That makes the tile job easy and the threshold piece secure.

To determine the thickness of the needed plywood measure the height of the finished tile and pick something close or a bit under, not over (in your case sounds like ½ inch will work.)


Do I need separate expansion tanks for my boiler and hot water heater? My hot water tank went and I'm trying to replace it with a tankless system, but the old water heater did not have an expansion tank installed with it.

In my previous house I had a combination unit with only 1 expansion tank, so I'm assuming there must be some sort of set up where by 1 tank can buffer against both expansion in the baseboard heat as well as the potable hot water system.

My boiler has a backflow preventer upstream of a 8.5 Bar auto fill valve which is upstream of an expansion tank.

Do these need to be in this order?
Can I put the autofill and
expansion tank upstream of back flow preventer and thereby 'T' off of
it and use the line for my ondemand water heater as well?

I cannot see why an expansion tank would be required with a tankless waterheater. The heater only comes on when a valve is opened and water is flowing through the tankless heater and the pipes. When all the valves are shut the tankless heater turns off. The hot water trapped (marooned in the hot water lines) cools and contracts. The heated water pipes also contract and there would only be an increase in pressure if the volume of the pipes decreased more than the decrease in volume of the trapped water. I don't believe it does and anyway the volume in the pipes is so small that any pressure increase in the pipes would be negligible.

Pressure increase in the water system of a residence with a hot water tank occurs because when hot water is used the water in the tank is replaced with cold water which continues to be heated after the valves are turned off. This large volume of cold water expands significantly as it is heated from cold to about 140 F. If the residence has a backflow prevent valve, then the increased volume of the now trapped water leads to an increase in pressure to the point that pipes or fixtures can be damaged. But if the residence does not have a backflow prevent valve, then the pressure in the house will not rise but will simply stay at the pressure of the water main.

Addition in editing

In another thread on this site someone made the statement that most or all city water meter "yokes" have a simple check valve to prevent backflow. I have not tried to confirm this for Dallas TX where I live. This would mean that all residences with a hot water tank could benefit from having an expansion tank, but AFIK expansion tanks are not used in Dallas. We had tank water heaters for 30 years and noticed no sign of pressure build-up. However, water pressure at the meter here in Dallas is relatively low, I think about 50 psi.


Installing European outlets in American kitchen for heat-based appliances I'm interested in using European kitchen appliances to heat things faster.  My house is a 2014 construction in America, split-phase power.

My understanding is that their 230V toasters, kettles, and toaster ovens cook faster because they have more watts available due to the higher voltage on a given size of wire.

Understanding that I'd have to avoid appliances with electronics and motors, What are the pros and cons to adding a circuit to my kitchen with European outlets?

I imagine that I might have to use a breaker smaller than optimal for the European outlets since American and European breakers don't come in the same capacities.  What else could I be missing, and is there a better way to accomplish this?

It would be nice to have a microwave that was twice as fast too, but that definitely gets into electronic and motor land.  Not to mention the magnetron might derive its frequency from mains.

The main problem with European outlets and appliances is that they won't be listed to local standards, even if they are perfectly safe. We have our own set of 240V outlets and plugs, you'd just chop the cord and install the correct US standard plug - but that appliance itself would likely not carry US specific listings. That could cause you insurance problems.

The secondary problem is that there's no inherent "things go faster becasue the voltage is higher" - a 1000W kettle will boil water just as fast if it's designed to be supplied from 120V as if it's designed to be supplied from 240V - the only way it gets faster is to choose a higher wattage, on either voltage.

Ditto the microwave oven. More power is more power, regardless of the supply voltage it's designed for.

You might find more joy investigating the expensive toys at a USA Restaurant supply for "commercial" appliances than importing things from Europe. Just beware of the ones that want 3-phase power.


Can I use quarter-turn ball valves with compression fittings or threads for my water shutoff valves? I've got gate valves (I think that's what they're called) for all of my water shutoff valves. It's a pain to close them, and they don't quite close all the way anyway, so I was thinking of replacing them with quarter-turn ball valves.

I have no experience soldering / sweating pipes, so would like to use compression fitting valves or threaded valves (with threaded-to-compression adapters to connect to existing copper). Is there anything wrong with this approach? Would it be acceptable for any water shutoff in the house - main, water heater, sinks, dishwasher, toilets?

Yes, we typically are recommending 1/4 turn ball valves for valves that are not used very often.  This would include sink stops, laundry stop, and main shut off.  However each of those requires a unique solution to replace them per circumstance.

The hose bibs we would not recommend a 1/4 turn ball valve as ball valves are not designed to be used often and should not outlast a globe valve which is typical on hose bibs.  Also, if you have freezing temperatures at times, ball valves for hose bibs are inherently not frost free.

A push fit type fitting with rubber gasket (shark bite) for the supply side of the main shut off is generally not a good idea as they are not a very robust connection for something that is always on, does not have an easy means of shutting off (to some people), and is usually hidden.  All other locations should be good for a push fit type fitting however I would not personally recommend them else where either if you can avoid them.

In general, if it is a sweated connection, I would keep it sweated or threaded; and only resort to push fit (again, shark bite style) fittings if you have to.  Example would be the water is not shuf off completely with the main and city shutoffs off and you cannot get the water away from the connection long enough to sweat; in cases like these we have resorted to a push fit connection.

Also, there is another common type of connection, a  compression type connection, that utilizes a brass or plastic compression piece to "squish" around the pipe and seal things; these are usually very reliable but are only readily available on certain types of valves.

For the main, I would recommend someone properly sweating in some sort of solution even if you need to hire it out.  Many times we convert to PEX for simplicity and speed but we still sweat on the adapters on either side of the conversion.

The other locations are not typically sweated connections and should be easier for you to replace as a home owner with a good set of plumbing tools and sealants.  Hose bibs many times are actually sweated and again, we sweat on an adapter farther back and usually convert to PEX.


How do I bend 8-gauge copper wire? This question may be slightly off topic, but I'm hoping I'll find the expertise I need on this site. I'm making a bird feeder out of a wine bottle, and wrapping 8-gauge copper wire around the bottle. The problem is, I can't get the wire smooth because it's so thick. Does anyone know how I can manipulate the wire so it's smooth around the bottle?

Wire that is 8 AWG is just a smidgen over 1/8" in diameter. Copper wire is also a soft metal that actually bends fairly easily.

The trick to bending wire into a shape is to bend it around an object using the object as a mandrel. If your project is similar to producing something like the following then I think you can bend the wire simply using the bottle as the mandrel. For the tight turns at the neck of the bottle I would start by using a longer than needed length of wire at the broad part of the bottle and wrap down through the tighter and tighter turns at the neck. If you have an extra length to hold onto as you get into the tight turns it should be relatively easy to just form it around. After the bends are complete then cut off the excess foot or so of wire. In the example shown the maker actually formed a decorative ending on the wire.


What is thumping noise I hear in my forced air heat pump? In the morning when our heat pump is turning on to start heating the house for the morning, I hear repeated thumping that kind of sounds like sheet metal rumbling. This continues periodically for a while and then seems to go away later in the day.

Is this due to the emergency heat kicking in to supplement the heat from the heat pump?  Is this the heating ducts rumbling?  Should I be concerned about this noise (other than the fact that it wakes me up)?

Are there more details I can provide to help clarify the issue?

Sounds like the ducts expanding and popping against themselves and the wood framing as they heat up. If that's the case, it's nothing to be concerned of since they are designed to expand/contract.


Do they still make attachments for this track lighting? . This light fixture is a track to which things attach. It came with spots; I've been asked to see if I can't 'shed more light,' so I'd like to go see if I can acquire alternative things. Can anyone help me identify the manufacturer and whether they still make/sell lamps that attach?

Lamps (bulbs) you will definitely find, additional heads you will most likely not.

That stuff is cheap home center lighting. The type of thing they'll have in stock for a few months and then you may never see it again. That, or they'll get some back in from a new importer that looks similar but is functionally different. Also, parts for things like this are basically nonexistent. If you do happen to find it you only bet will likely be to buy a whole additional set and use just the heads.


3 wire sub to main panel upgrade I have a subpanel in a detached garage that has 3 wires run from the main panel.  To the main there is 400 amps run from the electric provider with 3 wires, and it is split to have 200 amp service to the garage with 3 wires.  I know code now says it should be 4 wires, but what can I do to add safety to this service short of digging up concrete and dirt and adding that 4th wire?

When the building was built code was probably 3 wire ( this was the standard for decades). What you have was quite common until the1999 NEC code change.
A 200 amp feed would normally be in conduit and if metallic that could be used to meet today’s code.
If it is a direct buried feeder and you feel the need to update it a separate ground wire is now allowed, in most cases a panel that was 3 wires will have the neutrals and grounds connected or even on the same buss this will need to be changed to isolate the neutral from ground.
Also every receptacle will require GFCI protection to bring it up to current code but this is not required as your existing configuration is grandfathered.
If you really think it is unsafe add the GFCI protection.


What happens if you don't bond neutral and ground in a main service panel? I know that we're supposed to bond neutral and ground in the main panel but can't quite understand what the actual danger/problem with this situation is. I also understand why we don't bond neutral and ground in a subpanel but don't understand the problem for keeping them separate in the main panel.

Maybe if you owned the transformer

Imagine you had total control of the transformer.  (which you probably don't). You would be able to assure that the neutral-ground bond did not exist anywhere.  If you accomplished this, and didn't have any defects in your wiring, then you would have an isolated system which I discuss here.

There are advantages and disadvantages. As I discuss, the first ground-fault isn't dangerous. It merely biases the system (like a ground strap would do); just at an unexpected and unplanned voltage.  A hot-ground fault pegs that hot as 0V from ground; neutral is 120V and the other hot is 240V.  On the other hand, a supply transformer primary-secondary fault pegs your wires at 2400V from ground.  Is your toaster insulated for 2400V?  I'm guessing not.

Another disadvantage I didn't discuss is that -- remember that power wants to return to source, not ground.  Except lightning does want to get to ground.  So does ESD.  If your toaster isn't insulated for 2400V, it's probably not ready for a 50kA lightning hit.  Shuffle your feet across the carpet and zap the toaster chassis with static electricity, where does it go?  Can't go to ground, the toaster has a 2-prong cord. Without a neutral-ground bond, it will be efficiently carried to every device, even the ones that are "turned off" - neutral isn't switched.

Remember, hot and neutral are not isolated -- they are bonded, with a bias.  A 120V bias assuming the transformer is turned on.  A transformer winding has very low resistance.

... Hazardous if you don't own the transformer

Most likely, the transformer is owned by the power company, and they have a neutral-ground bond at the transformer.  And several other houses are served by the same transformer, and each has a neutral-ground bond.

So what happens if you have a bolted (zero ohm) hot-ground fault?

It's flowing into your grounding system, as intended.  It wants to get back to source (neutral).  It will follow all available paths in inverse proportion of their resistance.  Where does it go?  Not directly to neutral, because you didn't bond it.  So where?

"Okay, it'll go through my healthy grounding system, to Earth, across Earth to a neighbor or the transformer.  Because Earth is magic."  Nope -- earth is dirt. Dirt is a lousy conductor.

Not enough current will flow to pull your grounding system back to 0V where it belongs.  So it will raise the voltage of your grounding system to near 120.

Now every grounded surface that was meant to be safe - the cover plate screws on light switches, your PC, your refrigerator, your dishwasher - is now energized near 120V.  Via the grounding rod, it also raises the voltage of the earth around your house to 120V, causing all kinds of weirdness.

What's more, because it won't flow enough current (20A) to trip a breaker, it won't trip a breaker. So this fault will continue indefinitely.  How would you even know it was there?  You'd live normally until something extreme brought it to your notice.  What would that even be?

I've heard of a situation where a landline phone wouldn't ring. The repairman, calling to confirm a repair date, asked how the customer knew to pick up the phone.  "My dog yelps", they said.

Uncontained electricity is crazy stuff.


How can I properly remove (not cover) an unused receptacle? First of all, if this is a duplicate question please point me in the right direction as I couldn't find one with my specific situation.

I am relocating a bathroom shower to the opposite side of the room. There is a single receptacle on one of the walls that will be the new shower location. I want to remove this. From another question, I would just need to cap off the wires and put a blank coverplate over the box . However, I can't do that as it would be in the shower.

How can I properly remove this receptacle? Can I flip the current receptacle so it is on the opposite side of the wall that it is currently on? There is a bedroom on the other side of the current receptacle's wall.

To properly remove a receptacle that you don't want a box cover on, you would need to remove the wire. Since you're renovating that area in to a shower, you are probably removing the drywall, so removing the wiring should be simple.

Flipping the box around so the outlet is in the adjoining room is also a good idea.


Can I install a second layer of drywall on my bathroom ceiling to refresh the surface? I am redoing a bathroom, converting a tub to a shower and I plan to install green-board above.  The existing 1/2" drywall has some issues (flaking paint, nail pops). I'll be replacing the walls and the obvious choice would be to tear the ceiling out and replace it too.
But because there is loose cellulose insulation above the ceiling, I'm considering just applying a second layer of drywall (using long screws) on top of the current ceiling.
I'll be adding a vent fan, and I'm prepared to cut through two layers for that.  I'm also changing overhead lighting so I'll probably use box extenders.
I've seen double drywall done for fire protection, so I know it's possible. Is it a bad idea in this situation?  What problems might I encounter?

I don’t see any problem, with multiple changes I believe it is a better way to go. Even using an electric blower to move cellulose when I pulled it down there was still a mess. The others we did were overlays.
In a bathroom is 1 place I suggest using hot mud or setting compound for those new to Sheetrock. Hot mud is affected less by moisture than standard mud. Get the 1 hour stuff not the 15 minute and when it starts to set, toss anything that's left in the pan and mix a new batch.


How to connect lamp to ceiling wiring (EU)? I have three wires coming out of the ceiling socket for a lamp. 2 browns are bundled together and there's also a blue one. How should I connect a lamp to it? Does it matter which end I connect to where and should I keep the two browns bundled as they are? See picture to get a better idea:

The wires for the light fixture get inserted under the screws directly opposing the existing wires.

Brown is your "hot" wire. The energized conductor. Blue is your common wire. The screwshell of your light fixture should connect to the blue and the center tab of the screwshell gets connected to the brown. Leave the two brown wires connected together.


Is this mold on my AC vent? I went to close the AC vent in the apartment we're renting and saw this. Is this mold or just many years of dust buildup? If it is mold, can I safely just remove the vent and wash it?

Definitely mold.  Yes you can clean it off - use a mixture of bleach and water.

I would however be concerned with the original cause. If you don't fix this, it will just happen all over again.