Wiring Check-Over (Should be an easy answer) Asking for a pretty easy check-in with a wiring change. This is pretty basic, but I'd rather ask the dumb questions and be sure.
I want to move my fridge from one part of the kitchen to another. In the attached diagram, the top is my current kitchen setup up. The bottom is what I want to do, with RED BOXES around the changes I'd be making.
I need to move the fridge from the current position in the middle of the circuit to the beginning of it. The only issue is that line from under the floor doesn't have enough slack to splice in a new receptacle about 4 feet up. The only solution I see is to:

cut the line where it comes up from the floor
add a wall junction box at the new split
run new wire up to a new receptacle
run new line BACK DOWN to the new wall junction box
continue the circuit as it is currently
replace the current fridge outlet with a pass through junction box with wire caps

Are there any issues with moving my fridge receptacle in this way?
Thanks

"T" junctions ARE allowed in wiring.
Most circuits out there are wired using "vine" topology: Cables run Panel-A, A-B, B-C, C-D, D-E.  However, that is not a requirement.
"Tree" topology (unlimited tees and branches) is actually correct, allowed, and encouraged.
As such, the double cable run labeled "new lines" is completely unnecessary, and undesirable, due to the likelihood of crossing up wires in a bad way, and the many cubic inches it will require (overflowing the box, likely).
So eliminate one of the lines, and just make it a 3-way "Tee" intersection.  That takes care of that, and cubic inch count is down to 18.  (or 15.75 if there are no cable clamps in the box).
Wires need 6"+ of slack coming into a box. Period.
Each cable entering a junction box needs to have the sheath come in at least 1/4" and then have 6" of wire past the sheath.
And that's bare minimums: you want another few inches to cover broken off wire ends, trim-backs, and other minor casualties that will happen over the years. So you need to plan the location of the "new wall junction" accordingly.
For instance,  you might be able to use the section of cable going into the GFCI to pull in a new section of cable to the wall junction.  There are 1000 tricks, and there are "old work" electricians who know every trick and have the wacky 6' long flexible drill bits and other tricky stuff to get it done without disturbing drywall surfaces.
The old fridge outlet can stay
The existing fridge outlet doesn't need to be eliminated.  In fact, you have to be careful about receptacle spacing rules that you don't eliminate a mandatory receptacle.  I would advise just leaving it there... does not do any harm, and you can't bury it in drywall anyway, so the best you can do is a blank cover plate.  Instead maybe put a tiny shelf underneath it, et voilà, cell phone charging table!
Fridge non-GFCI
If you are using the GFCI's "Load" terminals to protect the downline, the new fridge location will be NOT under GFCI protection.  That is fine.  A properly grounded refrigerator does not benefit much from GFCI protection, but nuisance GFCI trips create a serious risk of food spoilage, and that's not as easy to detect as you'd think.
So it's a classic issue of "Safety system vs. safety system", like an AFCI on a fire alarm. Of course each profession will have strong feelings about their side of it lol...
Anyway, if circumstances call for you to "tee" off the GFCI, then you can attach the extra 2 wires to the "LINE" side of the GFCI, and it will be non-protected.  Almost all GFCIs will take 2 wires under each screw (read the instructions for how).
Consider surface conduit
You aren't allowed to mill a groove in the drywall and run non-metallic cables near the surface.  Cables must be run through center of joists, such that they are immune from damage by nails or screws 1-1/2" long.  OR, the must be guarded by a protective metal plate.
Honestly, the easiest way to do this is using surface conduit such as Legrand Wiremold.  You can install a "starter box" at the GFCI site, then run surface conduit over and up to the desired fridge outlet location.  The GFCI would come upward a bit and sit inside the starter box, and you could tap the GFCI's "Line" or "Load" terminals depending on if you wanted the fridge outlet GFCI protected or not.


Can a Wood Burning Stove use a stovepipe made of copper for a chimney? Planning to install woodburning stove one day.  The plan includes exposed stovepipe running up through a loft space, through attic, and out to roof chimney.  I know the stovepipe comes in black and stainless steel, but I'd rather the look of copper. The house is made of Cedar with Copper Cupula.  The look matters.

You need to use a listed insulating stovepipe anytime combustible construction is penetrated. These pipes are also listed to be enclosed by construction. Thus it seems acceptable to me to install the listed stovepipe and enclose it inside a decorative copper tube.

For good measure, you should probably have some provision for venting the resulting annular space at the top and bottom of the copper tube.


What kind of lightbulb is this? I need to replace a burnt out bulb in my rental unit, but I have no clue what type of bulb this is.

Looks like a J-type halogen bulb.

Compare with this: http://www.amazon.com/Type-120v-Halogen-Anyray-brand/dp/B00520MXKS


Protecting electronics from electrical surges - plugs with fuses i was just wondering why the UK 3 pin plug has a fuse ? in South Africa the the Grid is significantly more volatile and lighting strikes abundant ( in the area i live in anyway)

i have moved here from the UK and was wondering why they dont sell any plugs with fuses , it just seems logical to me ..

any ideas ?

The UK uses fused plugs because instead of using individual spurs or "home runs" rated at the receptacle rating to feed a few outlets at a time, they put all receptacles on a single "ring main" circuit that can provide more current (32A is typical) than appliances and their cords can handle (16A max, although smaller is common with BS1363 plugs).  It has nothing to do with surges or grid instability.


How can I protect wood and preserve its natural beauty? I've had to repair a split in our dining table and, as part of that, decided to sand it all down to refinish.

I'm not entirely sure of the species. It's a hardwood, and I'm guessing tropical. It has a slight pinkish hue to it.

It was originally stained dark and, while it looked nice, we actually really like the look of the bare, non-glossy, much lighter wood now that we've sanded it.

As such, I'd like to finish it in a way that doesn't alter the color much. Would simply be applying polyurethane be enough? Are there any oils that wouldn't alter the color much and be considered food safe that you'd recommend?

If you like the current look of the wood, then you should not stain it, as any stain will alter the color.  2 or 3 coats of clear polyurethane will highlight the look of the wood without altering the color.

I suggest a clear, satin finish, as glossy would make your table look shiny.

Such as:


Is the result of my lead paint test kit positive or negative? I have used the M3 lead test kits to test the blue pain in our living room and I am confused about the result and its interpretation.
The first image was a test I did 2 days ago. in the first 30 seconds didn't turn red from what I could see but after that started to turn this off purple colour which is very difficult to interpret.

second image same wall about a meter across. (image taken 10-15 mins post test, brown/purple colour didn't start till after the initial 30 second test swab around the 1 minuet mark but deeper colour developed 5-10 mins post)

3rd image another wall in the room. (similar situation/progression to 2nd image)

4th image on a wall with paint known to not have lead in it (picture taken 10-15 mins post test).

final image, another wall in the living room, seemingly same paint as first images but on a different wall in the room (image taken 15-20 mins post test)

so, as you can see some varying results. my main difficulty is i cant tell if the purple/pink/brown is positive or not. and its dried a different more reassuring yellow colour on the known lead free paint and one of the other walls. the paint is flecking from half the wall down and fine above this. the final image (which is still suspect paint that we are testing) is intact over that entire wall.
I have read (from no where official) that it can change colour to browns/ purple if some other elements/additive/minerals are present. I have also heard it theorised that is is just the way the test dries and 'oxidises' but the test on the lead free didn't yield the same result if that was the case you would imagine it would.
any advice/guidance/suggestions?
Thanks again, really want to get on with the room as we have little space and this was only meant to be a quick redecorating project while isolated (had all materials at home already didn't travel out for it, essential travel and all).
any suggestions / help guidance?

Welcome and nice first post

You look good. Occurring to 3M a positive will have a distinct red color right away. The test also is not colorless, I personally think for the user to tell where it has been applied and that something is indeed being put on the paint surface

Here is a video about it from 3M


Still looking for a 3-way dimmer switch that matches my existing light switches OK, we'll try this again.
I scrubbed the question of any specific company or style names; I only included those because I was trying to be specific about my existing electrical system.  I did think I made it clear that I was looking for what sort of equipment would work, rather than any specific product recommendatations.
I want to replace a 3-way switch with a 3-way dimmer switch to control a pair of 5-watt LED ceiling light bulbs.
I was told that the company that made my existing switch does not make LED-compatible dimmers, but when searching HI SE, I read that many dimmers are LED-compatible even though they don't say so on the package.
The other switch in the circuit will remain an ordinary 3-way switch. When I turn it on with that switch, I expect the brightness to be whatever I left it at the other switch.
In addition, I want it to cosmetically match the other existing switches and outlet in my apartment.
I think I saw a "not dimmable" symbol on the light bulb package, but I'm not sure. I'd be willing to replace the bulbs if need be. (Can I just test it to see if it will work? Or will using an incompatible bulb cause a fire or something?)
I'm not planning to have smart bulbs, remote controls, or controls via an app; just a normal 3-way circuit plus a dimmer.
Specifically, I want to find a 3-way rocking motion switch (not push-on, push-off) with a brightness dial that cosmetically matches my other switches and outlets and works with LED bulbs. (I live in Germany. In German, that would be a Wechselwippenschalter mit Dimmer für LED.)
Even though I was told that this particular company doesn't make LED dimmers, it's possible that what the salesclerk meant was they don't make any that were specifically for LED. (Or maybe that since they didn't have any that were specifically for LED, he assumed they were all not compatible with LED bulbs.) Should I try a generic dimmer from the same company and see what happens?
Alternatively, could I just buy a plastic cover from the company that made my other switches and outlets and put that on top of some other brand of "innards" (electrical parts)?
I am also interested in why the dimmers are different. (The clerk just said the electronics are different but that's hardly a satisfying answer.) Or should I ask this part of the question on EE SE instead?

Not all LED bulbs are dimmable.  You need to purchase LED bulbs that specifically are labeled as dimmable.  However, any dimmer switch labeled as LED will work.  There are many different switches available, as long as they say "LED dimmer".


Replacing 47-gal electric water heater with no pan and elevated drain I recently moved into a condo unit in Washington, DC (2nd floor of 2 story building) and I'm looking to replace the 47-gal lowboy electric water heater that's from 2003. The problem is that there is no pan (we do have people that live below us) and, while there is a drain pipe, it's higher than the pan (see pictures below). I believe that the copper pipe connects the heater relief valve to the drain.

Also, there's no expansion tank.

The heater is in a hard to reach location in the kitchen closet, behind the washer/dryer unit. To access it, I'd have to remove the fridge from the kitchen, take off the closet door, and pull out the washer/dryer.

The tank is 31.5-32" tall and there's 19" of space above it. I'd likely have to get the exact same size replacement because the water lines coming in from the top aren't flexible. I'd ideally like a larger capacity tank because we don't get a lot of hot water with this one.

I've had 3 plumbers come in and all want to charge me between $1800-$2500 with a "play it by ear" mentality regarding the pan. Needless to say, that doesn't give me a warm and fuzzy feeling. I'd like to know exactly what is going to be done to address the pan issue because come time to sell down the road, it's important to me that the new heater will pass inspection.

Given the estimates, I'm tempted to try and do the job myself. But I need some guidance on how to address the drain being higher than the pan. One of the plumbers suggested trying to build up the floor underneath the water heater, but I don't know how feasible that is. Also, is an expansion tank necessary?

I'd really appreciate any advice on this matter.

Adding pictures of HVAC as it relates to the discussion in the comments:

And finally, a picture of my electric panel

My advice is to leave the old water heater where it is and install a tankless hot water heater. I installed one at a shop for a friend in Georgia a few years ago. They had a shower in the shop and I showered there several times and never had any trouble with hot water. 4 gallons per minute was more than sufficient for a decent water flow shower and never ran out of hot water.

I think the link below is to the same unit I installed. It was quite small so it will take up very little space.

https://www.amazon.com/Rheem-RTE-13-Electric-Tankless/dp/B003UHUSGQ/ref=sr_1_5?s=kitchen-bath&ie=UTF8&qid=1496426163&sr=1-5&refinements=p_n_style_browse-bin%3A542712011

Drew k


Mounting TV to steel I-Beam Is it safe to drill and tap an i-beam in order to mount wood to it, to then mount a TV to the wood? TV and mount will weigh about 100lbs combined. I plan on using 1/4 bolts, and the two pieces of would will be glued together. The picture below roughly represents what it is I want to do.

The i-beam is vertical. This is a warehouse, the i-beam is about 22' by 3", it's holding up the roof of said warehouse.

It shouldn't be an issue, two 1/4" holes in the web of the beam are not significant.  (I'd only bother with two holes - more than enough strength.)

I would just use four beam clamps so it's readily adjustable, and because it's much easier, and secure enough.

Either way, I'd just bolt the mount straight to the beam clamps, or straight to the beam, no need for the wood.


What is the proper 'per code' method for running nonmetallic sheathed cable above a ceiling in the attic? Can the wiring be run over the top of the ceiling joist, or must it be run through bored holes when running perpendicular to the joists?

This is a non-habitable space, will have an attic entrance only for the purpose of blown-in insulation and is not tall enough to stand in. There will be no junction boxes, lights or any other reason to enter this space.

Accessible or not
While you might call this area inaccessible because it's small, dark, and difficult to enter. In this case, the codes definition of accessible is whether or not there's permanent stairs or a ladder.

Cable run across the top of joists
If the attic is accessible by permanent stairs or ladder, any cable running across the top of joists will have to be protected.  Protecting the cable is as simple as installing "substantial guard strips", which can simply be a 1x2 furring strip on each side of the cable.

If there's no permanent stairs or ladder, this protection only has to be provided to cables within 6 ft. of the entrance of the attic.

National Electrical Code
Chapter 3 Wiring Methods and Materials
Article 334 Nonmetallic-Sheathed Cable: Types NM, NMC, and NMS
334.23 In Accessible Attics. The installation of cable in accessible attics or roof spaces shall also comply with 320.23.
Article 320 Armored Cable: Type AC
320.23 In Accessible Attics. Type AC cables in accessible attics or roof spaces shall be installed as specified in 320.23(A) and (B).
(A) Where Run Across the Top of Floor Joists. Where run across the top of floor joists, or within 2.1 m (7 ft) of floor or floor joists across the face of rafters or studding, in attics and roof spaces that are accessible, the cable shall be protected by substantial guard strips that are at least as high as the cable. Where this space is not accessible by permanent stairs or ladders, protection shall only be required within 1.8 m (6 ft) of the nearest edge of the scuttle hole or attic entrance.
(B) Cable Installed Parallel to Framing Members. Where the cable is installed parallel to the sides of rafters, studs, or floor joists, neither guard strips nor running boards shall be required, and the installation shall also comply with 300.4(D).

Cable run through bored holes
You could always run the cable(s) through holes bored in sanw lumber joists, but you'll have to make sure the edge of the hole is more than 1 1/4" from the nearest edge (2" according to IRC).

National Electrical Code 2014
Chapter 3 Wiring Methods and Materials
Article 300 Wiring Methods
300.4 Protection Against Physical Damage.
(A) Cables and Raceways Through Wood Members.
(1) Bored Holes. In both exposed and concealed locations,
where a cable- or raceway-type wiring method is installed through bored holes in joists, rafters, or wood members,
holes shall be bored so that the edge of the hole is not less
than 32 mm (1 1/4 in.) from the nearest edge of the wood
member. Where this distance cannot be maintained, the
cable or raceway shall be protected from penetration by
screws or nails by a steel plate(s) or bushing(s), at least
1.6 mm (1/16 in.) thick, and of appropriate length and width
installed to cover the area of the wiring.

NOTE: When dealing with engineered structural members, boring holes may not be an option.


How to check if my house is properly grounded? I live in an very very old house, recently I purchase a surge protector (APC P5B-GR) and it came with "grounded" light indicator, when I plug the surge protector into my house wall outlet, the grounded light indicator does not turn on.

Does that mean my house is not properly grounded? How do I check? Is there any risk if your house is not properly grounded?

The surge protector says "This product must be connected to earth ground" in the back. So is it safe to use even if my house is not properly grounded?

Here's a pictures of my house main electrical outlet.

Here's a picture of my wall outlet.

Here's a pictures of my surge protector

Based on the model of the surge protector, I'm going to guess those are German outlets.

  Does that mean my house is not properly grounded? How do I check? Is there any risk if your house is not properly grounded?

Something like a socket tester can tell you the status of an outlet These can be found at most hardware stores or online:

https://www.amazon.de/Schwabe-Steckdosen-Tester-Null-Leiter-Anschluss-Prüfstecker-Schuko/dp/B01I3IPV1I

This will tell you whether or not your outlets are properly grounded. The surge protector has a version of this tester built-in, and it's showing that the outlet you have it plugged in to is not grounded.

  The surge protector says "This product must be connected to earth ground" in the back. So is it safe to use even if my house is not properly grounded?

Without grounding, the surge protector becomes a power strip. The surge protection is designed to redirect "surges" of electricity to ground, instead of to the outlet where equipment could be harmed. So the harm is that you might think your equipment is protected when it might not be.


Electrical Appliance Killing Extension Leads I've got a circular saw that has been responsible for damaging a total of three extension leads. Not in the typical sharp bit cutting the cable you may have expected.

I've had the saw for a year and use it infrequently. The first extension lead was a few months ago and I assumed was just time for the extension lead to give in. Then this week it killed another, so I tried a third lead which did the same thing (and confirmed a likely correlation). Each time there is no catastrophic failure, the saw simply stops receiving power.

It seems the saw is overloading the extension lead and frying it in some way. The saw still works when connected directly to the mains. However the leads although 'surge protected' seem to be incapacitated. Two of them have a trip button which doesn't seem to have revived them. There are no obvious physical signs that the extension leads are broken, they just no longer supply power to any devices in any of the sockets.

The saw itself was bought here

The first extension reel

The second extension reel

and the third was similar to this

What could be causing this?

You'd have to check the rating of the saw, but I suspect for the cheap power strip, it's just a matter of being cheap.

However, for the coiled up spools, it's a different matter.

It's the Yanks

You know in the 1940s when America helped out?  One of our electricians must have left behind a copy of our Electrical Code.

If a 2 metre power strip would reach the saw, I gather you were only using 2 of the 10 metres of the coiled up cord.  That meant 8 metres on the spool.   Figure 160mm  spool diameter times pi is 500mm, so 2 coils per metre or 16 coils.  Each side of the coil has 16 cables or 32 active conductors.

Anyway, that old Electrical Code says about conductors in confined spaces:

So 32 conductors calls for a 40% derate... The spool is rated 10A.  Derate that to 40% and you have 4 amps before you start overheating wires.  Wow, that‘s kind of a stupid product, isn't it?

I'm guessing your saw is a fair bit bigger than 4 amps.  (You'd have to check).

The proof of the pudding is to unspool all 10 metres of wire and search it for thermal damage.  If you can't even unspool all 10m, that means the coils are melted together.  That is often the case when coiled electrical cords are used near limit.


Wiring Baystat240a to Honeywell RTH2510 w/ picture I tried to hook up the wires but all the lettered terminals on my old thermostat don't match the letters on the Honeywell thermostat. I have the AC working but I still have three wires left over. I'm not sure what to do with them.
Also note the Baystat has 8 wires.

I know the Brown is not used. I don't know what to do with the black and blue wires.

I'm going to base this on this manual, page 8, even though the diagram doesn't exactly match up in terms of order or number (terminal names and advice are the same). I suspect that this should work but proceed with caution. I would try calling Honeywell to verify this first

Based on the manual

Blue - Wrap in electrical tape, do not use
Brown - Wrap in electrical tape, do not use (T was not listed anywhere)
Black - Put in the W/Aux terminal with the white wire that's already there

If I were you, I'd clip some of the bare wires back to minimize the chance that they short against each other. Also, be sure to set the jumper as outlined on Page 9


What is the preferred method for removing & replacing electrical wiring in the garage? I just purchased a house built in the mid-1990s in Kansas, U.S.

The garage is generally finished:  It has sheetrock walls and ceiling. It also has outlets spaced every 6 feet or so about 4 feet above the floor. The electrical service panel is in the garage and mounted flush inside the wall.

There are several things I want to accomplish:

I want to have easier access to the electrical box to add additional wiring and breakers. As of now, I'm not sure how can this be done without ripping the wall above/below apart. I'd like to do one of two things.

1A. Cut open an area above the box and place a locked door to provide access to it.

1B. Pull out the electrical box and mount it to the wall instead. That way all the wiring coming into the box are exposed. I'm assuming in a garage this would be code violation but installed in an unfinished basement this wouldn't be?
I want to remove some outlets. I don't see a point in having so many and the fact I like washing my car in the garage, I rather not have to worry about any outlets causing trouble. I know how to remove the outlet itself, but what's the proper procedure for pulling the wiring out of the wall to that outlet?
Next to the electrical box I will have an air compressor. It requires a 20 amp circuit. I was thinking of placing a PVC (gray) outlet box mounted to the wall and run conduit up and over to the electrical box. Slightly above the electrical box I'm assuming I would have to put a junction box. This will take the wire from the conduit on the outside wall and provide an opening to the inside wall to drop the wire into the electrical box.

Cut open the drywall. You can then use a piece of plywood to cover the hole so that it's easier to remove in the future.
Sounds like too much work. First step, make sure they are GFCI protected. If you don't know if they are GFCI protected, you can get a GFCI outlet tested from the hardware store. And while you're there, get outdoor box covers. Then you can just replace the face plates with the outdoor box covers. MUCH easier than removing the outlets.
You don't need conduit. Get an "old work" electrical box. Cut a hole BELOW your breaker panel. Run the wire from that hole straight up through a knock-out in the bottom of the breaker box. Then you can push the wire through the top of the "old work" electrical box and mount the box in the wall. See, no conduit needed!

Based on response to my first answer:

Hooray!
Turn off the breaker. Remove the outlets and install wire nuts on all of the wires. Install blank faces plates.
OK, you still don't need conduit. Just drill a hole through the top plate of the wall. You can then run the cable up the inside of the wall, through the hole, and then down to your breaker panel with all of the other wires.


How to prevent sagging ceilings when joists are spaced 24" I recently had a ceiling removed as part of asbestos abatement. The ceiling joists are 24" apart. They run about 20' long and the area is about 8 1/2' wide. What's the best way to avoid the ceiling drywall from sagging and creating a rippled effect?
Would 5/8" drywall be sufficient? If so, should I get 4x10 and run the long side perpendicular to the joists? If I do that, I may not be able to get the ceiling drywall above the in-place wall drywall (you know, the 1/2" or so the wall's drywall sticks out). Or should I do 4x8 with the long side following the joists? That makes it feasible to slide the ceiling pieces above the existing wall drywall.
Or, should I add more joists between each pair of joists? There is a beam about in the middle (which I'm going to raise into the attic and attach the joists to it with joist hangers), so these new joists would only be 10-12' long each. If I do that, would 1/2" 4x8 drywall be sufficient?

The simplest thing to do is install strapping - 1" x 3" furring strips that run perpendicular to the joists.  This makes drywall installation a lot easier, gives you a wider surface for joints, and lets you use thinner cheaper easier-to-handle drywall without it sagging.
Strapping is used a lot in some areas of the US and seldom seen in others.  I was skeptical about it, seemed like just wasted material, but when you consider the advantages and the low cost and effort needed to install it, it seems like a pretty good buy.


Is it possible to use a dimmable LED GU10 bulb on a non-dimmable circuit? Is it possible to use a dimmable LED GU10 bulb on a non-dimmable circuit?

I know you cannot use the opposite.


Is it possible to grind down river rock The river rock floor that was installed in my shower has some areas that can be uncomfortable on the feet where the rocks are somewhat pointy. Any ideas on if it's possible to grind these pointy areas down? I was thinking of using a diamond grinding cup on an angle grinder. But I'm also thinking this could go horribly wrong if it yanks rocks out of the floor and sends them crashing into the tile. Any hope for this?

By coincidence, I saw a video just the other day of an artist who takes river rocks and grinds decorations into them with a Dremel tool and a diamond bit.  So yes, they can be ground down.

An angle grinder with a diamond grinding cup would do it, but like you said, it may dislodge stones.  A safer (but slower) approach is to use a Dremel tool with a diamond bit (like a drum or disk).  Feel around the surface for pointy areas and just smooth those spots.  The stones look polished (unless that's just a shiny sealant).  You can repolish the ground surfaces by using successively finer polishing disks (sets are sold for touching up granite counter tops; you can find them at large hardware stores or places like Amazon).

BTW, the grinding will produce a lot of stone dust.  Seal the drain so you don't clog it up.  Wear goggles and a dust mask.  The dust will be extremely fine, so clean it up with either damp rags or a vacuum with very fine filtration, like a HEPA vac.  A vacuum with a regular collection bag is likely to blow the dust out the exhaust.


Why are my deck boards of uneven width? I bought 12-foot-long 5/4 x 6 in pressure-treated pine deck board from Home Depot.  Not until I laid them down did I notice that the boards' width tapers significantly toward the ends of each board.  See the picture below.  My deck is finished (as of last night—yay!), but just so I know for next time: is this kind of variation in width something I have to expect?  Or was I just unlucky with what Home Depot had this week?  Or can I avoid this buy shopping elsewhere?

I've never noticed that before, but Home Depot sources their lumber from different mills, so they may vary slightly from batch to batch.  It may also even out a bit as the wood dries.

One thing I did find, at least in my area, is that the 5/4 deck boards from Home Depot are significantly different than the ones at Lowes.  The Lowes ones are slightly narrower but a bit thicker and the depot ones are thinner but slightly wider.  Was very annoying when I got some boards from one place and more later from another only to find that they weren't really the same dimensions.


I'm trying to replace a ceiling light fixture but the wires are different The existing box has one black wire and three white wires twisted around each other coming out of it.
The existing fixture has one black wire and one white wire.  The black was connected to the black and the white to the 3 twisted white.  Then a copper wire from the fixture was wrapped around those wires.
The NEW fixture has three wires.  One is labeled "N" and one is labeled "L".  The 3rd wire has an symbol on it of 3 horizontal lines and 1 vertical line.  Looks a little like a sailboat!   There is also a copper wire.

So... if I connect the "N" to the 3 twisted white wires and I connect the "L" to the black wire, what do I do with the 3rd wire?

The symbol you described sounds like ground:

This should connect to the bare wire in your box. All white wires together, all green/bare ground wires together, and the black/L wire to the black wire in the box.

If your fixture has both a bare copper wire and a green insulated one, the green may be to connect different pieces of the fixture. Check the instructions, perhaps it should be bonded to another point on the fixture rather than to the supply wiring.

Finally, do not wrap your ground wire around the other wires in your box. Ground should be kept separate, you don't want to inadvertently have it contact the hot wire (instant short) or neutral (a hard-to-detect failure of the safety ground).


How to repair hole that the chair leg screws into My upholstered chair has one leg that will not screw into the chair base because the hole is too big and it looks as though the screw that was in the chair base is gone, making it impossible to screw the foot back into chair.
The other onion-shaped feet have a female screw inserted into the chair base so that the onion feet, with a screw sticking out of it, can screw directly into the base of the chair.
Every time I move the chair the foot falls out.
Is there a way for me to fix this?

Repair it using the same hardware it originally had. It sounds like the chair had a T-Nut inserted:

Assuming the "male" screw in the leg still has good threads (you did not indicate that it was bad), buy a matching T-Nut at a good hardware store.

Note- there are quite a few sizes and types of T-Nuts, bring a sample from one of the other legs/chairs.


Closing water supply valve does not shutoff water supply to toilet I'm trying to change my fill valve because for some reason it does not send water to the refill tube and only fills downwards (C-Max anti siphon), but when I go to shutoff my supply valve, turning it clockwise until tight does not seem to stop water flow. I tried counter clockwise all the way the other direction and that too did not prevent water flow. Does this mean that the supply valve has lost its grip or is there another possible explanation?

Does this mean that the supply valve has lost its grip...?"

YES. Your valve has failed and it is very common for "bib" type stop-valves to fail this way. It will need to be replaced which requires shutting off upstream (maybe even all the way upstream, as in the whole house). For a couple bucks more you can get a ball-valve type, which should be more reliable for you. I can sometimes get failed bib-style stop valves to shut off by really cranking them tightly (which destroys them forever... but it was already jacked up, right?)


Need handrail for drop off of 600mm? Need handrail for level difference (600 mm) in a walkway area? this question has to do with safety, please also tell me what is the maximum acceptable step without hand rail.

I live in Qatar

There are building code requirements for a porch: In the USA, if your porch floor is less than 30 inches high from the ground, a porch railing is NOT required by code. In Canada the maximum height from the ground is 24 inches.Sep 20, 2014.

Other parts of the world may have different codes or none at all.  So your question will have different answers depending on your location.

Since you live in Qatar I would use international building code which states the following

  On a stair, since handrail must be between 34" and 38", the handrail and the top of the guard can be one and the same. In commercial applications, the IBC requires a minimum height of 42". On stairs, once there is a 30" drop, a handrail will be required and placed between 34" and 38" above the nosing.

Short answer is that unless Qatar has codes that vary from international standard you don’t need a handrail for 600mm (23.62”)


Is it OK to use motor oil as bar oil in a chainsaw? Someone told me that you can use motor oil in your chainsaw instead of bar oil. Is this a good idea? Will it cause problems over time?

It might be OK for a bit but I probably wouldn't do it. You could look up your owner's manual to see if they say anything. If you must use the chainsaw and have nothing else on hand, surely motor oil is better than nothing. I think bar oil is stickier than regular motor oil to prevent splattering as much.

FWIW I like to buy the "biodegradable" chain oil, since it invariably ends up all over the place.


How do I make a good base for a shed? I would like to make a 10' x 16' shed using concrete blocks for the base. Should I put sand or cement under the blocks?

Get Local Building Dept. approval, they'll direct you on this as well. But, 4" of tamped sand only works if it's retained, it washes away. Tamped 3/4" jagged gravel at 4" deep is the best choice. The bigger issue is tying the building down from wind loft. This is where a concrete filled cinderblock & poured concrete foundation may be required. Don't mess with the Town, they'll fine you $1000's & also make you tear it down regardless of how right it's built.


Does my sandbox need a bottom if it will be over clay soil? I live in the south and have pretty heavy clay soil. I'm planning on building a simple 4' by 4' sandbox for my kids.

Once I remove the sod, can I just dump in a bunch of sand, or should I staple landscaping fabric to the bottom (or even plywood with a few drainage holes) before pouring in sand? I'm ok if the sand doesn't stay pure sand as long as it's still easy and fun to play in.

I made a sandbox a couple of decades ago for kids. It had a plywood bottom and was built with legs that held it up about seven inches off the ground. The bottom had drainage holes to let water out. The plywood lasted for a long time. How long? Hard to say I sold the thing in a garage sale after 10 years when the kids grew out of sand boxes.

BTW - I had a lid over the top made out of two pieces of plywood that were hinged together. The lid kept out cats and most of the rain. If the sand got too wet just opened it to the sun and worked the sand around with a small garden rake over the course of a day or so.


Nest Protect Expiration Date I just bought a set of Nest Protects and after opening the first one I noticed that its manufacture date was almost a year ago and that the expiration date was 10 years from the manufacture date, not from the install date. So effectively the units cost 10% more than their list price.

My reading of the Nest Protect manual is that the units will start nagging you to replace them a couple of weeks before the expiration date and that they will become quite insistent once they "expire."

A call to Nest wasn't too productive, but I did learn that:

I shouldn't expect the Protects to last 10 years - more like 7 or 8.
They actually start counting the 10 years from the install date - but supposedly this doesn't show up in the app. If I want to check the expiration date I can look at the back of the unit… Hopefully what they mean is that I can calculate it myself from the install date that I can write in the space that they provide.
That if I want to get fresh units I can have the store open them up for me to check the expiration dates (they are not printed on the outside of the packaging).

Needless to say I'm underwhelmed by the quality of the support.

Does anybody know:

If the date does show up in the app?
If it does, is it recalculated based on the installation date?
How the Protect behaves when it reaches its expiration date?
The typical age of units in stores (i.e., is the retail pipeline really almost a year long)?
Sources that are likely to have fresh stock?

Thanks. I think I still like the units, but would sure appreciate better customer support.

As you can see mine shows replace by April 2026 although I didn’t buy them until end of Aug 2018 and fitted them a couple of months later. I’d better start saving up for the next ones now!

So i didn’t get the full product at a discounted price, simply received a reduced lifetime at a higher prorata cost :(

Can’t tell you about the end of life nagging but i suggest all potential customers wait till my 2026 expiry, when i will be able to give clarity. before buying unless Nest want to answer your question sooner?


Understanding ground to earth and neutral, trying to make my home safe I've been reading for hours and still confused in regards to my situation.  I'm trying to improve electrical safety in my house, especially with a growing family.

Any help would be great.

I'm in Pakistan, where electricians are basically uneducated and there are no codes or regulations.

Current situation:

3 phase meter, 220V.
All phases go to a big breaker in the panel, then onwards to  smaller individual breakers.
All neutral wires come into the panel, are joined together and connected with the neutral wire coming from the transformer (neutral wire is not connected to the breaker panel box in anyway).
Ground wires all meet up in the breaker panel and are joined together where then it is run outside and goes into the earth (again not connected to the breaker panel.) So this setup is NOT equipment grounding conductor (EGC,) if I understand correctly.

If ground is not present and I take a voltage tester screwdriver and check the metal case of the desktop case or camera NVR case, for example, I can see the tester light up. There is small leakage of current. This was the sole reason for taking ground wire to earth, tester does not light up then.

Q1. If the hot wire touches a metal case (say desktop), ground is currently only going to earth. What happens then? I am assuming that I would get shocked and breaker cannot trip as the circuit is not complete (no EGC).

Q2. My router for example, only has a 2 plug power adapter (so no ground plug.) With the tester screwdriver I see some power leakage if I touch any metal part. If the neutral wire and ground wire (that goes into the earth) are connected (at breaker panel,) will it prevent this small leakage happening in the router?

PS: I don't understand why such small power leakages occur.

I suggest that if you are really concerned about electrical safety, hire a professional to look at your electrical installation.

You going around with a tester screwdriver and seeing it light up MEANS NOTHING as these testers are very sensitive and light up at the smallest of signals. Capacitive coupling between wires is enough to make it light up. That means an unconnected wire (which is perfectly safe to touch, it is not connected to anything) running next to a live wire is already enough to make the tester light up when you test the unconnected wire.

Also nearly all power adapters and phone chargers can make that tester light up while they're perfectly safe to use. Power adapter also have some capacitive coupling to the mains which these devices need to prevent them from disturbing other devices.


Lightbulb where the thread is 11.5 mm across - would that be likely to be E11 or E12? I have a screw thread lightbulb where the thread is 11.5 mm across - would that be likely to be E11 or E12? Or something else? Thanks.

Presumably E12 since it rounds to 12 mm and E12 is a more common size. See this: https://www.12vmonster.com/blogs/product-questions/edison-screw-types


What is a good way to cut hard plastic so it will have a smooth finish? I want to cut a piece of plastic peg. The peg will be visible (it is on my laptop stand), so want it to have a smooth finish. I could just use a saw, but the finish will not be good. How should I go about it? I am not sure if a file will be enough to get a proper finish.

I would recommend cutting the peg(s) using a fine toothed saw like this one:

These saws cut very smooth and are made by Xacto. Should be available from most serious hardware stores and craft centers.

One Source:

http://www.sears.com/x-acto-extra-fine-saw-blade-tools-hand/p-SPM12429862532

Many types of plastics can be sanded with very fine sand paper. You want to look for a product known as "wet or dry" sand paper with a grit number up to 1500 or more. If the cutting operation leaves some saw kerf marks on the stub of the peg you may need to start with a courser paper and then work your way up to the highest numbered grit to get the polish you desire. The Silicon Carbide type wet-dry sandpaper should be available at good hardware stores. Sometimes you can also find this at auto parts stores.


Using 230V-115V Transformer for 240V supply What would happen if your ac power system uses 240V and you are using a 230V-115V step down transformer?

Would it degrade the winding faster?

Why is there a 230V-115V ac? what countries use it?

You're talking about that step-down transformer you bought.

Step-down transformers are designed to turn a 230V Euro-style supply into a 120V North American style output.  They are designed to do this all day, all night, for as long as the device lasts.

The life of the device will be decided by its build quality.  Is a General Electric product better than a brand-you've-never-heard-of East Asian made cheapie?  Oh, you bet it is.  Still, a transformer has no moving parts, so expecting long life is reasonable.


How do I fix damage to the skin of an embossed hollow-core door? Could someone tell me how I can fix this crack in our door please? The door is hollow and painted gloss white. We are moving out soon so want to try to do something about it. Preferably without having to paint it as we don't know the paint colour exactly.

Here is a close up photo:

I would seek to avoid affecting the embossed grain, which will only make the appearance worse. Gently press the upper side of the split to see if you can get it to level out. If necessary, use a razor knife to trim away the interfering fiber material, allowing the surface to come back into alignment.

Then I'd rub the crack with wood glue to bond it together. Let that dry, then apply a wood filler in the remaining void. Before the filler dries, rub it out with a cloth so that the only remaining material is in the crack itself. Remove all material from the painted surface.

Finally, touch up the paint as minimally as possible. Use a small art brush and only paint the damaged line. Wipe any paint off the undamaged surface.

As a rental property owner I'd be satisfied with such a repair done well. It's expected that minor damage will occur in a residence, and this is about all that can be done short of replacing (or re-skinning) the door.


Will I get electrocuted if I contact a live wire on an earthed appliance? I have an appliance that has the wires connected well and it has been grounded (earthed). If I accidentally get into contact with a live wire will I get electrocuted considering it has already been earthed?

You may not be electrocuted, but you will surely be shocked if you provide a path from hot to ground. Grounding (earthing) a device helps prevent you from being shocked by touching the equipment. If you grab hold of the live wire, the equipment being grounded (earthed) will not help you.


How should I build a wooden gate? I wish to build a gate across a 3.8m wide driveway.

There is a concrete column on one side which I can fix the hinges to (a post into the ground is not an option) and a brick wall on the other side which I can fix the latch to.

For aesthetic reasons I want to use timber. How should I construct the gate for strength? I imagine it will need diagonal bracing to prevent it from sagging at the end furthest from the hinges. Are there any other things I should do? What size of lumber should I use? Any resources I can use as a guide?

In an attempt to answer some of the questions raised in your posting let me respond in answer format.

1) It can be advantageous in some situations to affix a timber post to the brick or concrete posts/walls in either side of the gate opening. This post can then serve as a better medium into which to attach hinges and latches.

2) A 3.8 meter wide gate will develop a huge amount of lever arm out at the latch end of the gate and this needs to be taken into account when developing the gate design.

3) The size of wood used can play a big part in how heavy the gate will end up being. The type of wood can play a role as well. This is one reason that boards are often used for gate facing instead of thicker planks. Cedar wood is also much lighter than hard wood like oak and thus becomes a popular choice for gates.

4) Adding appropriate bracing into the design of the gate will keep the gate from sagging.

5) Successful wide gates can often benefit from making the aforementioned side posts much higher than the gate opening and then using a cable from the top down to the end of the gate away from the hinges to help support the weight of the gate. Sometimes you can see the tops of the two higher posts connected across by a horizontal member. This provides support from post to post to keep the weight of the gates from pulling the posts to the sides.


Why am I starting to see bubbles after painting a wall? One section of the wall isn't exactly as smooth as the rest. It has bubbles of paint forming on it that can be rubbed off. They very tiny. The walls aren't dry wall and the section that is I'm question used to be a window.

I didn't do it myself. But what I know is, remodelling old painted walls. It was prepared and painted two coats of new paint. The unique part of this section is it was a window or opening for old AC unit. The old paint showed clear cracks around the frames of old "window" showing that previous painters were unable to repair the wall.

Now I'm facing something similar maybe with the tiny bubbles. I asked around and people dismissed it as a problem, said it's just cosmetic feature.

If it's concrete or plaster applied to brick, that's a porous surface, which can lead to bubbles like this if not sealed/primed beforehand. At this stage, you could treat the paint itself as your (rather expensive) primer coat. Basically the wall has now been sealed with paint instead of primer, so you can sand it smooth and paint a final coat on top. As long as you don't fall prey to the other things that can cause bubbles (all user error, not product issues) then you should have a smooth finish.

Those you asked are likely correct that this is nothing more than a cosmetic issue. Other more serious concerns (excess moisture, etc.), would likely manifest in a more obvious way than just tiny bubbles in paint.


Is black residue on wiring cause for concern? While running coax cable in our newly-purchased house, I removed a receptacle and box (which was not attached to or supported by anything but paint and drywall mud, but that's a story for another day). The cable coming in was wrapped around some insulation and the portions of it touching the insulation were covered with this black residue.

I have read elsewhere that this can be caused by tar from old insulation, but the insulation in this case does not appear to be particularly old, and the insulation itself doesn't seem to have any discoloration.

The residue appears to only be on the surface, as you can see from the couple places where I scratched it off with my fingernail to expose the cable sheath underneath. The sheath itself does not appear to be compromised. (The silvery patch on the cable in this picture, which I had initially thought was a hole of some sort, appears to have just been a piece of foil or other material as I was able to peel it off and reveal the white sheath beneath.)

Is this cause for concern? Or is it in fact tar from the insulation, or something else entirely?

The "tar" is not a concern, it sounds like the box you described is an old work box they are listed and legal, they are held in by small stops or wings that hold the box to the sheetrock.


Why are some of my circuits not working? It started with the oven not getting power and than if you turn on the front element on high everything would come on but not heat to full capacity and if you turned off the element or turned it off of high everything went off. And now my washer has no power to it and all the lights and garage door will not work in the garage. They are all on they own circuit breaker and the garage has its own panel with 3 switches. Any suggestions on what may be causing this?

It looks like you lost one of the hot legs to your service. It could be a bad connection on your main breaker, a bad connection in the meter base (had this exact same thing happen at my church's parsonage...an old house with very old electrical), or a bad connection at the transformer, or the overhead (assuming you have an overhead feed) connections to the triplex from the transformer to the wires at the weather head.
Loose connections can be very confounding...when they heat up, they lose connection or provide a very poor connection. Then they cool down and make a somewhat better connection...for a while!
You should get the power company involved to at least see if there are no issues with the supply.   If not, then proceed to trace down the problem using a multi meter, starting with the main breaker.   Be careful!  You'll be dealing with REAL POWER there. PPE and rubber gloves that are certified for electrical work would make you pretty safe, but still....PPE is needed, esp. goggles.


How to add insulation to ducts in hot uninsulated attic? I have central air with ducts running through the hot, uninsulated attic (there is blown-in insulation between the joists to insulate the rooms below). Fortunately it's only about 25 feet of ductwork, but it's a super key length!
The ducts are the standard insulated ducts--about R-8--which seems far too little insulation for the temperature differential between the cold air inside and the hot air outside. So I want to add more insulation to the ducts.
They run across the top of the ceiling joists (perpendicular) which makes it slightly more tricky.
What I'm struggling with is how to balance the importance of an air-tight seal vs. a thick, circular seal--let me explain with two contrasting approaches.
Approach 1
Buy fiberglass insulation batts and wrap them like a spiral around the ducts. There will be a lot of gaps.
Approach 2
Use rigid foamboard to create a box around the ducts, and tape the corners airtight. This will be more airtight but will leave an air-gap between the duct and the insulation.
I suppose another approach would be to buy some pre-insulated ductwork that is large enough to completely envelop the smaller ducts, so I'd get a perfect air seal plus a circular insulation, but this would lead to a lot of potential confusion for future contractors, and would probably be needlessly expensive.

Adding additional insulation can help a little bit but even R30 around ductwork really won’t pay back.
The R8 blanket or if flex pipe is really only stopping condensation.
The small air space is difficult to fully insulate I have seen foam board used and even spray on foam and with the system in an unconditioned air space even massive insulation R60 the air in the ducts still warms up when the system is idle.
The short time of warm air is due the difference in temperature.
Will additional insulation help sure but on hot days when the system starts blowing there may be a few seconds of warmer air because of the small area of the duct.
Early on I tried to eliminate that small warm blast by completely sealing , spray foam and even 2 layers of R30 insulation.
Small air voids in your case won’t be a problem as long as there is no pathway for air to flow, however I found that the cost verses results to be disappointing and will add when the owner wants but mention my early experience trying to do the same.  On several jobs where I was asked to add additional insulation the owner thanked me later for suggesting to power ventilate the attic space and found this to be a better solution because the temperature in the unconditioned airspace was reduced and the $ spent on this were more effective.


Mould on the inside of a bitumen corrugated sheet Attached to the end of our house is a small shed. It has four (newly built) brick walls and a bitumen corrugated sheet roof. The shed was finished about eight months ago and is fairly waterproof. However, in the last few months we've noticed, what I presume, is mould on the inside of the roof. Although it appears dry to touch, all our belongings are covered in drops of brown liquid (from the roof).

Could the mould be caused by a lack of ventilation or is there another plausible reason? BTW, I'm calling it mould for lack of a better term.

Response to the comments

I don't think it's tar (surely tar would be black?) Also, we've had this type of shed roof before (the old shed collapsed last year due to a burst water main), and this is just a replacement. Admittedly, the brick work is far superior in this shed.

Some pictures

The first picture is of the inside of the roof. All the roof is now like this. When new, it was black.
The second picture shows some of the brown drops of liquid on a box.

It most certainly looks like tar residue to me... There are multiple latex paints that you could use to seal the tar in or you could attach a polyurethane sheeting of at least 3mil to the underside of the roof to protect your belongings.


How I can make wood stop sliding once I plane it? I bought a hand plane in order to smooth and level my cuts I do using my hand saw. Before I use it in my project I tested it in a scrap piece of wood.
But once I started planing the wood, the wood itself was sliding on the table I used as my work bench.
Therefore, how I can make my wood to stop moving once I plane it?

If you are talking about smoothing cross cuts on a board, you are going to want to use a Shooting Board.

If you are planing the board along the long edge, or on the surface, you will need a solid workbench with a stop at one end.  Nothing fancy, keep it simple.  The height is adjustable so the plane doesn't hit the stop.


How do I convert an old Satchwell/Sunvic TLX2203 thermostat wiring to line voltage wiring? I have an old Satchwell/Sunvic TLX2203 thermostat.

It has 3 wires connected to it which look to be:

switched live (green)
live (red)
neutral (black)

(at least I think that's the case)
I would like to connect this to a more modern line voltage thermostat like the Sinope TH1123ZB. The recommended wiring looks like this:

My understanding is a line voltage thermostat should sit in series with the live line (basically sit in the middle of the live line between the heating unit).
How can I wire this up given the existing wires I have?
Edit: I may not have the correct terminology as I'm new to this. Perhaps line voltage is not what I need here? Either way, I'm looking to understand what my options are to replace the current thermostat with something more modern (ideally zigbee compatible) -- what I have is the wiring pictured above and it is a 240v line.

Step one would be to confirm the function of the wires -- that might involve looking into the circuit breaker panel and the wiring compartment on the heaters. You might use a volt meter and/or a non-contact voltage detector to confirm which is the hot/live wire and which is the switched live/load wire going to the heater.
Based on the diagram you showed for the Sinope this device does not require a neutral connection. The neutral could be left capped so that it's safe but available for future use if needed. Then the live/supply wire would connect to one wire of the Sinope device as shown by the L1 connection; the switched live/load wire would connect to the other thermostat terminal. It appears this thermostat doesn't care which of its wires is the live and which is the switched output.
It looks as if the cable directly enters the old thermostat without any wiring box inside the wall. The Sinope appears to use pigtails for its connection -- it might not have a built-in junction box as the old thermostat did. In this case you may need to cut in an "old work" junction box to provide wiring space inside the wall. Pictured below is an old work box made by Carlon (photo from Gordon Electric Supply).


How can I mount a composite rail kit on a ramp shallower than the brackets accommodate? I recently purchase stair railing kits to install on a handicap ramp for my mother-in-law's home.

The ramp angle is approx. 11 degrees. The install instructions for the kit, indicate they are usable for angles 26-36. What options are there for 'correcting' the 26-36deg brackets for use with 11deg? Or is there a better option not involving bracket modification or use of brackets at all?

I thought perhaps trying to cut 11deg channels for the rails in the posts, but cannot find an convenient/easy way to do so. Another idea is had would be to sand the mounting plate side of the bracket to reduce the post-to-bracket attachment angle from 90 to 75? I'm just fishing for ideas/suggestions. This cannot be an unusual issue for users of these kits.

For that shallow of a slope I'd be inclined to look at level railing kits and their associated hardware instead. That would be a much closer starting point. I'd then mill some 11° wedges from white vinyl to place behind the brackets, tilting them into position.

If that's not a good solution, create some 20° wedges (31° - 11°). Pre-drill them so that longer mounting screws pass through smoothly at the bracket mounting hole locations.

Solid vinyl board stock is readily available at home improvement stores. Try to find pieces that allow you to leave the factory milled finish on exposed faces. Cut faces will show a rough, porous surface.

Ideally the wedges will be roughly 1/2" wider and taller than the brackets (for a 1/4" reveal all around), and smaller than the posts (to avoid flush joints, which are tricky and can be unsightly).


How do I level a basement floor but not the slab underneath? I'd like to install laminate floor on top of Delta FL in my basement.

The basement slab is not level, it slopes (from all directions) towards a floor drain (that, via a pipe, leads to a sump pump) near the exterior door. I wouldn't like to level the slab, because drainage is a good thing.

How do I level my floor.  And should I?  I think I should, because otherwise the laminate won't be stable.

I came up with two ideas:

1) Somehow level below the Delta FL layer, for example with some sort of small pebbles (allowing water to go through them but large enough not to go in the drain).  Or other material, I'm open to ideas!

2) Level above Delta FL but below the laminate by using dry sand.

Edit: My basemen is dry, but since I have a drain and a slope why would I give that up?  Turns out that using sand, while uncommon, is something people do (google it!) and the only downside I read was that the sand can move over time unless you somehow contain it.

I can't imagine the sand idea working. I'd probably scratch that one off the list.

Is the basement dry? If you feel that you still need a sloped floor to deal with water issues, I think you want to tackle those first before thinking about finishing the floor.

Otherwise, your shimming idea makes the most sense. I don't think pebbles will work but some form of furring strips may work. Get treated 2x2s or 2x4s and scribe them to match the slope. Then cut them and affix them to the slab (adhesive may be enough...otherwise you can nail them with a power-actuated hammer).

You could apply the shims radially from the drain to accomodate any eventual water flowing to the drain.

For what it's worth, we have an old house and when we finished the basement I decide to be lazy and we stained the concrete floor. If you like the look, it's easy, cheap, and never any fear of a water-damaged carpet or subfloor.

While the floor can be a tad cool in the winter, once the space is heated it's quite comfortable--especially if you put a rug down.


Want to finsh my basement I am looking to finish my basement,how do i calculate for the needed materials such as sheet rock and the studs for framing?

How high are the walls. Feet or Meters ?? You did not specify where on Earth you are located.
How Wide is each wall.

Normal Sheet Rock 4' High X 8' Wide
So you take Ceiling Height (probably 8' ) Divide by my sheet rock height 4' = 2.

Basement room Walls W1 + W2 + W3 + W4 = W_total Width
Divide W_total Width by 8 the Sheet Rock Width = Total_For_4'_High_Wall.
Total_For_4'_High_Wall * 2 because we want the wall to be all the way to the ceiling. This is equal to total sheet rock required for the Basement.

Studs 16 Inch on Center Divide W_total Width by 16. Since you mentioned Framing - you have a base framing and top framing you will also need to add W_total Width multiply by two and divide by your base and top frame board lengths say 8' for ease but you can buy 10 or 12 foot boards as well.

EDITED 5-10-2016 to provide an example with the OPS Dimensions.


Installing a vintage bathroom sink I recently purchased this vintage sink that was mounted in a cabinet vanity. I am wondering if it is possible to wall mount this and if anyone has any ideas on what I may need. I was thinking about using floating shelf brackets and (hopefully) sliding them in the rear holes and also siliconing it to the wall. I wasn't sure if this was a wall mount sink originally or if it needs to be in a cabinet. Looks like it may have holes/slots for legs too. I have no idea what the brand of the sink is, either. Thanks in advance!

This is how it was originally mounted.

A couple of options
1 Look for metal legs for example these (perhaps too ornate) ones

2 a pair of legs made custom for those large square holes near the front.
Either way add basin brackets with spacers at A plus adhesive at B.

You need front legs.  People will lean or even sit on it.


How can I loosen a faucet cartridge that is stuck due to limescale buildup? The cartridge faucet in my bathroom has developed a pretty steady dripping so I decided to give it a shot and replace it. I managed to remove the handle, but the screw ring that keeps the cartridge in place is stuck - I guess it's probably because of the limescale build up inside the faucet. (No limescale is visible on the top of the screw ring but I'm pretty sure it's the limescale). Is there any trick to loosen the screw ring a bit without having to remove the entire faucet and dipping it in limescale remover?

Try white vinegar. Drip it into the opening and let it sit for a while or soak a small cloth and leave it on top. Vinegar removes limescale from my flower pots and pet fountains.


How can I light picture frames from the floor? I would like to light up three picture frames with something from the floor. They will be behind a sofa so we wouldn't see them and the picture frames are about at 1.5 meter above the ground.

I have thought of using LEDs, but I think an LED strip wouldn't be enough to light them and also, it wouldn't be directional. I have also thought of using a strip for halogen lighting but I think it would be too hot and too near the sofa, so I do not like this idea.

How can I make a light setup to light 3 picture frames from the ground?

If you have the room on the floor, then you can get a floor mounted track style fixture.  These have a weighted base with the transformer in them to make them harder to knock over or move.

The only downside of using these are;

If they accidentally get moved into a couch or something like that it could become a fire issue.
If you cannot move it out from the wall because of restrictive space you might end up with a lighting technique called wall grazing.  This would cause the bottom of your frame (if it is a traditional wooden frame that stick out past the cloth itself) to cast a shadow across the painting.

The upsides are;

The lamps used have various beam spreads and wattages available for use.
LED's are made to be retrofitted into these by only changing the lamp.
If it works out you don't have to get on a ladder and hang track lighting.

I've seen renters (don't know if you are or not) hang track lighting and use something to hide the wire and just plug it into the wall and use a plug in dimmer to control the lights.  Then when they move they take it away.

The picture came from here.  Good Luck!


Should I remove the baseboards and trim for built-ins? I'm planning on putting in a built in murphy bed and book shelf along a wall in what is currently a guest room so I can take the space back for an office. I have 6 inch baseboards with quarter round trim at the base along the walls. It would definitely be easier to install the built-ins without the baseboards and in most things I've seen, this is standard practice. The baseboard is just 1x6 molding, nothing fancy and it would be easy enough to notch out and accommodate this. Because a murphy bed is probably not what everyone would want in this room, I may remove it when I leave the house.

Should I leave the baseboards, or take them out? Any thoughts appreciated.

If the plan is to take it with you, leave the base and make the appropriate notch in the Murphy bed. It should not harm the integrity of the structure of the bed frame. Do what you can to confirm this.


Dryer Outlet Splitter - Buy or Make? 10-30 I need to splitter for my 10-30r dryer outlet. I use that for my planner, jointer, table, and dryer. I’m over having to unplug them and don’t want to wait much longer to have my dad wire in some 220s and a subpanel. Been waiting 1 year now. I will only use one device as a time as it's just me and my wife here.

I almost bought the first one shown on amazon for $70 but feel I can make one. However, I’m kind of lost how the two boxes are connected to the single plug. Any tips would be helpful.

Anyone have tips on wiring the two 10-30 females with the single male plug similar to either photo? I've wired a VFD and other things but haven't 'tied' two outlet together like this before. I think I can make this for like $30 as I have spare 10awg wire. Plus I can make it this weekend and not wait a week for something to be shipped.

I'm finding out but don't quote me, the dryer 3 prong uses a neutral BUT the 3 prong for my tools is like a grounded and not neutral. I've been plugging and unplugging them without issues.

Would an issue arise if/when the dryer and a tool are plugged in together? Wouldnt that only be an issue if they are used at the same time? That wont happen because it's a 30amp breaker and I can't run two tools or the dryer and tool at the same time.

Let's start with the fact that the 10-30R is an obsolete receptacle that only exists because the NEC 250.140 says it can if it is existing   (the grandfather clause). To try and use for any other appliance or machine would violate the NEC. The cord and plug splitter is an attempt at an end-run around the NEC but since the equipment isn't existing then you cannot use the neutral as a ground. You really need a plug and cord with a NEMA 6-30 configuration on any equipment whose voltage rating is 240V with a ground and no neutral.

Also NEC 210.21(B)(2) says you cannot connect multiple cord and plug loads totaling more that 24A on any 30A circuit. I can almost guarantee that your dryer pulls 4500W which is 18.75A so your saw, jointer, whatever can only pull 5.25A or a 1/2 or less HP motor. The fact that you say "I am not going to use them at the same time" doesn't really apply in the NEC.

Conclusion You cannot use your neutral as a ground on any equipment other than your dryer without an up grade of that circuit, and your loads are probably in violation of the NEC.

Best advice - Tell your father that you and your wife are moving in with him until the new circuits are installed. I know that would get me down to my sons house the next day.

Hope this helps.


Re-drilling into existing hole in plasterboard/breeze block I live in the UK. I drilled a hole to hang a mirror and it’s slightly off, I’d like to shift it over to a new location, the new location will be half over the old hole.
So I’d like to fill the existing hole but fill it to be able to bear the weight of a heavy mirror still.
It’s plasterboard and breeze block as it’s an external facing wall.
How can I fill the hole to a strength strong enough to bear load?
Thanks!

Another option is to use a pair of holes. I often do this for larger pictures and mirrors, it spreads the load over two fixings and helps stabilisation, no tipping out of plumb or level when the door slams or such like.
Re. the original hole, you're going to struggle to fill it well enough to be able to drill half of it out again, especially if it's more than 50mm deep. Difficult to picture half a hole making such a difference without seeing the location.


How can I stop windows from rattling? My windows are probably original, from 1978. They are normal windows plus storm windows. The storm windows rattle like crazy in the wind. There's a lot of wind here in Boulder, Colorado. What's a good way to keep them from rattling?

You need to figure out what exactly is rattling. Is the storm window rattling against the normal window, or is it parts of the storm window rattling against each other?

Without a picture to show exactly what's loose, my general suggestions are:

Tighten up any screws on the storm window--you can use some blue loctite on them if you want to prevent them from loosening up again.
add foam weather stripping around the perimeter of the storm window where it contacts the normal window or house. This should take up the slack that allows it to rattle and make it more effective as well.
for any other gaps you can try wedging in some vinyl gasket weather stripping:


Best Practices for Metal Roof Directly on Existing Shingled Roof? I'm preparing to re-roof my home. The current roof is shingled and I have recently repaired a few leaking spots. I've taken a look at a few options and I have a few concerns regarding code and longevity. This home is located in Northern Florida with a 1.7 to 12 roof pitch and a small 24" tall attic, the existing shingles have plywood decking underneath.

I do not want to spend extra, do unnecessary improvements or add additional load (weight) to the existing roof.

Can I place the new metal directly on the existing shingles? I have been told and seen it done and I am concerned if I should use a water/vapor barrier. I would like to NOT install furring strips and/or Styrofoam. I have concerns regarding the noise from rain and I am trying to understand/evaluate the costs respectively.

Best practice is to remove the shingles and repair the deck as needed; I don't think anyone would consider leaving the shingles as more than "something you might get away with" - certainly not a best practice.

From my "old-school" perspective, red rosin paper (moisture, not vapor, barrier, and not as slippery as tyvek, etc) and those furring strips you don't want, then metal. Depending on the current level of roof insulation, possibly also that foam you don't want.

If you have major concerns about rain noise, new shingles or a rubber roof (EPDM, white side up in your climate) might make more sense than metal.


Why has my garage door opener (139.53975SRT1) stopped working? My garage door opener stopped working. I checked the power outlet it's plugged into and it's working. I checked other things (locks and springs) recommended by the manual and they seem ok to me. However when I try to turn on the lights inside the unit from the control panel it makes a clicking sound but the lamps don't light up. I'm comfortable with going inside the unit and do further testing but I need to know if it's worth it or should I ask for help from the pros.

You will need to consult the manuals troubleshooting section - usually the number of flashes/clicks indicates what the problem might be.

The most common issues I've seen are related to the safety sensors mounted near the door.  Sometimes they get knocked out of alignment, or there could be a short in the wire due to a staple.  The manual will likely provide instructions for temporarily shorting out this connection to bypass it.

It might also have overheated if you were operating it a lot - assuming you didn't burn out the motor, usually in this scenario you just need to wait for the unit to cool down.

The worst case scenario is that either the motor or logic board are dead.  You might be able to repair it, but the vendor will likely advice just replacing the parts.


Avoid glare on facade/architectural lighting I have a neighboring house that is lit with flood lights from all four corners, and am trying to design some form of shielding to eliminate stray lighting and glare from this lighting setup, which is leaking to the neighboring properties, including mine. Dark Yellow is light required for facade lighting, light yellow is stray light hitting everything else

What I need is to design some form of panel that eliminates stray lights AND reflections in both directions. I have come up with this but it doesn't really work as intended:

The funnel prohibits direct light, but creates a reflection from the panels themselves

Making the funnel block direct AND incident light is beyond me without making the panels perfect within a millimetre, and I believe there must be a better way to handle this...

Edit: affected neighbors

I have devised a solution that doesn't involve creating a "snout" that is attached to the light source themselves: the issue will always be that any attached plate will reflect light at the angle of incidence , and that light will mostly be reflected in the direction the second plate tries to block, and this is a suboptimal solution.

What I realized, however, is that a plate that is disconnected from the light source itself, either via metal rods or attached to the ground some other place, can be positioned as a direct barrier in the path of the unwanted light, and any reflection will be back towards the light itself.


How to repair broken bed One side of the bed has totally come off. See pictures for the broken side plus the screws that are attached to it .

My question is that is there any scope of repairing this bed so that in the future it can still be dismantled and reassembled. I can send more pictures if needed.

The screw nuts look like they had been put in wood that was hollowed out for this purpose. So I am skeptical about how I can attach these components. But wanted feedback,

To update. Two pieces that fell out of the broken wood are shown in the additional image. My hunch is that this is composite wood.

I would consider doing the following:

Replace the damaged rail with a piece of wood of similar species and dimensions. Or, if the existing rail is solid wood, repair the rail using a shorter piece of new timber using a scarf joint. If the existing rail is some sort of composite/laminate/chipboard, it likely may not be feasible to repair in this way.

Your existing rail looks like it might be some sort of composite with a complex cross section - but the replacement or repair part only needs to look the same on the outside and make contact with the other parts supported by the original rail. If you are just repairing the end you may not need to make an exact match in areas that don't show and don't support anything.

Drill it to accept the bolt you have, or just screw on a sturdy L plate
    (sometimes sold as mending plates)

The metal bolt and nut you have are typical of flat-pack furniture. You just have to drill two suitable holes that meet and that start in the right places. This shouldn't be too hard.


Can I control a 1500-watt electric wall heater with a motion-sensing switch? I want to buy a 1500-watt electric wall heater with a built-in fan to supplement heat in a basement room. I want to wire it to an occupancy-sensor wall switch that I can turn off entirely in the summer or leave set to "auto" in the winter.

My concern is that I can't find a motion-sensor switch that advertises capability to handle 1500 watts.

Both 120 and 240-volt models of the heater are available.

How can I make this work?

Leviton ODS15-IDG

Rated 1800 watts at 120 volts

Single Gang Space

$45 at Amazon


Why is my water softener hammering during recharge? My water softener is water hammering during recharge.

Any thoughts on what might need to be fixed?

Water hammer occurs when water travels along long straight plumbing pipes and comes to an abrupt stop. When the water flow stops instantly the forward momentum slams into (most likely) some 90° pipe fitting at the end of the long run.  Others may have different suggestions, but to my knowledge the only way to stop the water hammer is either add pipe elbows to the long straight pipe run, or add a water hammer arrestor near the end of the long straight run.  In any case, it should be addressed because water hammer can cause stress fractures in your plumbing leading to a failure and water damage.


How to replace a Gerber Toe-push tub drain stopper? I need to replace existing gerber toe-push tub popup stopper, because the rubber gasket is worn out. Below are images of the toe-push stopper.

Click on image for a larger version of the image.

Click on image for a larger version of the image.

The fitting on the toe-push appears to be either 10-24 or a M5.

Below is image of of the tub drain shoe

The depth of the fitting in drain shoe is about 1 1/4 inches

I purchased Danco Replacement tub drain stopper.

Click on image for a larger version of the image.

Issue: The fitting the Danco replacement part is 5/16 inches or 3/8 inches. The fitting in the tub drain shoe is less than 5/16 inches. I think the fitting is may be 1/4 inches.

Anyone run into a similar issue and if so can share how the problem was solved.

What are possible alternative fittings or any another options?

Note: I also tried the PF waterworks Fits 3/8 in.and 5/16 in. TubSTRAIN Universal Toe Touch (Tip Toe or Foot Actu.) Hair Catcher Bathtub Drain Stopper in CH appear worked but the gasket was too high thus didn't to the job.

Take another look at PF waterworks TubSTRAIN Universal Toe Touch (Tip Toe or Foot Actu.) that is referenced in the question.

Per the image the TubStrain product has a #10-20 fitting included.

On the back of the package the adapter is referenced as “F”

Another issue to take note is the Gasket. If the gasket placed the wrong way the Toe Touch will not work. Make sure the larger diameter of the gasket is pointed toward the drain and the smaller diameter is pointed towards the silver cap. Like an umbrella.

Also sometimes the gasket doesn't work, because they are smaller than the drain opening. Danco sells the gasket only. Replace the PF waterworks gasket with the Danco Rubber Tub Drain Gasket.

Rubber Tub Drain Gasket in Black


Should I run the tap while dumping boiling water? It seems to be common advice to run the cold water while dumping boiling water down the drain (for example, when draining pasta). A variety of reasons are cited for this, one of which is that it is bad for your plumbing. I assume the reasoning is that the shock to the pipes when they are heated or cooled suddenly causes material fatigue.

Is there any evidence to suggest that pouring boiling water down the kitchen sink causes pipes to wear out or leak faster?
If so, is there any evidence that running tap water at the same time can mitigate this effect?
If so, should you run hot tap water to "prime" the pipes and heat them up more gradually, or cold water to cool the boiling water as much as possible?

Bonus question: if the answer to (1) is "No", is there any benefit to running the tap at all?

April 13, 2016

Purpose: There is some disagreement as to whether boiling water can be poured down a residential kitchen sink without damaging the drain pipe. It might be assumed that if the pipe drains quickly, the amount of time necessary to cause damage would be greater than the actual time that the boiling water would be present in any particular section of pipe. Assuming that this theory is correct, there is a rebuttal, that kitchen sinks can become clogged or partially clogged, or that a cumulative effect of dumping boiling water down a drain on a regular basis may (eventually) cause the pipe to fail, or collapse in areas where the pipe is buried. In fact, collapsed pipes are not uncommon in the plumbing industry; however, it is unknown to the author at the time of this writing, whether any published works exist which cite temperature as the cause of the collapsed pipe or whether exceeding the maximum temperature rating (140 °F) for PVC pipe has any significant, real-world consequences. This experiment was designed and conducted to measure the extent and rate of PVC warping when (a drain pipe is) filled with boiling water, and to measure the duration of time necessary for water to cool, to within the acceptable temperature range of PVC pipe.

Materials and Methods: A section of schedule 40 PVC of 1 1/4" nominal dimension was selected, which had been previously used as a kitchen sink drain. More specifically, this pipe was originally part of the plumbing of a sump pump based drain which had been eliminated. The brand name of the pipe is known but has been omitted from this report to avoid any possible disparagements that might be inferred by the reader. The pipe was constructed in a short U shape with 90° elbows on each end; it was selected from used scrap materials for this experiment because the shape could retain water, because it accurately represented residential sink drain material, and because it appeared to be free of any structural defects or deformations. The total length of pipe from the ends of each elbow was 50 inches. A ball valve was also included in the length of pipe centered at exactly 11 1/8" from the end of the elbow associated with the short arm. The long arm of the pipe was 16 3/4 inches tall, measured from the outside bottom of it's respective elbow; the short arm was 7 inches tall, measured from the outside bottom of it's respective elbow. The pipe was weighed and found to be 1558.5 grams. Because the pipe had extra 9 3/4" length in one arm and the other arm had one half of a union fitting this added an amount of weight to the overall pipe, which possibly makes the total measured weight irrelevant for the purpose of accurately calculating heat transfers.

The pipe was suspended at each end by resting the ends on two chairs of equal height, such that the pipe was level. Straps were not used to secure the pipe. The elevation of the pipe was 25" from the floor to the center of the pipe. No external forces were applied; the only forces known to be present were resultant from the weight of the water and pipe, and the strains produced from water at temperatures above, at, and around the maximum rating for PVC (140 °F). The volume of water used was predetermined by using tepid tap water to fill the pipe, and found to be approximatley 1300 ml. The volume inside the pipe was such that the water level was exactly 1" from the top of the short arm of the pipe (or 6 inches high from the outside-bottom of the elbow(s)). It is interesting to note here, that the weight of the water nearly matches the weight of the PVC which contained it (after accounting for the excess lengths of the arms).

A mark was made with indelible marker at the center of the pipe and a camera was used to periodically record and document the amount of sagging that occured over a total period of 30 minutes. A mercury thermometer was inserted into the short arm of the pipe to monitor the change in temperature over time. The experiment was concluded after the measured temperature fell below the maximum rating for the pipe. This was a one-time test, which was not replicated for statistical accuracy. The collected data is reported below.

At 3:36pm, a flask containing 1.4L of boiling tap water was used to transfer approximately 1.3L into the pipe. Boiling water was poured into the longer of the two arms. A thermometer was inserted into the the other, short arm, at the far end of the pipe.

At 0 minutes the mark was 25" above the floor Water Temp = 212 °F; room temperature, and (by default) the temperature of the pipe was 70 °F.
As the liquid was being transferred twisting and warping of the pipe was observed.

At ~1 minute after -0.15625" Temp = 182 °F

At 5 minutes after -0.25" Temp = 176 °F

At 10 minutes after -0.3125" Temp = 166 °F

At 15 minutes after -0.375" Temp = 157 °F

At 18 minutes after -0.40625" Temp = 153 °F

At 20 minutes after -0.375" Temp = 150 °F

At 25 minutes after -0.46875" Temp = 143 °F

At 29 minutes after -0.46875" Temp = 140 °F

At 30 minutes after -0.50" Temp = 138 °F

Results: After 29 minutes the temperature had fallen below 140 °F (the maximum rating for PVC). At 30 minutes the experiment was concluded by emptying the water into another container, in which it was weighed and found to be 1290.1g. Careful measurements were taken to determine that the pipe had twisted approximately 30° clockwise, from end to end (or approximately 7.5° per linear foot). The pipe began twisting and warping as the boiling water was being poured into the pipe. A measurement of the temperature of the water at the far end, at about one minute, shows that the pipe had already absorbed an incredible 30 °F from the (approximately) 1.3L of water. The total sagging was found to be 1/2" inch after 30 minutes.

The greatest amount of deflection was unexpectedly found at approximately 7 inches (toward the center of the pipe) from the center of the ball valve. The maximum deflection was measured to be 7/8 inch (lateral deflection) or a total curvature of about 2.5 inches measured at either end of the pipe. It is also notable that the long arm of the pipe (into which the boiling water was poured, but not where boiling water was present for more than a few seconds, had a deflection of about 3/16 of an inch; the total curvature was 3/4 of an inch as measured at the end of the arm. The depth of the water was measured to be 6 inches from the outside bottom of the elbow(s). With regards to the long arm, the greatest warpage was found above the water line, closer to where the boiling water first entered and made contact with the PVC. The measurements of sagging that were taken periodically, as part of the experiment, were simply vertical measurements of the mark made at the center of the length of pipe. Prior to conducting this experiment, it was expected that the greatest change would be found in the center of the pipe due to sagging; but the unexpected lateral deflection was 75% greater than the vertical sagging; and the actual maximum deflection per linear foot was found at the entrance, where the boiling water was poured into the pipe. A graphical representation of the measured sagging/changes (at the center of the pipe) is provided below.

Conclusion: Obviously the lateral deflection was due to a strain at the joint of the ball valve; the measured values of sagging were likely affected by the twisting and lateral displacement of the pipe. Speculatively, the most probable cause of the lateral deflection was due to a difference in length of the pipe which was concealed by the fitting; in other words, the pipe was probably cut at an angle. It is known that when different materials or different lengths of material have been bonded together, the object will have significant stearic strains when heated, as the two materials will not expand evenly. Consider the following example: length A is 4ft, length B is 4.1ft.; when heated, each material expands 2% in length. So, length A will be 4.080ft and length B will be 4.182. The difference in the (heated) lengths is 0.002ft, which can cause significant "curling" or warping effects.

Further speculations with regard to the cause of observed lateral warping include a difference in temperature absorption at the joint due to an insulating effect, or possibly, latent forces existed from previous usage of the ball valve, which were finally expressed as the pipe became soft enough to allow potential forces to be released (an unwinding or relaxing effect). Speculations like these could be verified or ruled out by futher testing.

Obviously, boiling water can cause deflection in a 1 1/4" (nominal demension) pipe, which was the industry standard for sink drains for many years. It is also fair to assume that the temperature within the pipe is absorbed so rapidly that heating will almost certainly be uneven, resulting in areas that are quickly over heated and more susceptible to failure. Supposing that a pipe was clogged or slowly draining, or perhaps the existence of a cumulative effect of multiple exposures to boiling water, it is reasonable to conclude that pouring boiling water down a drain could cause failure. This would be especially true of pipes that are buried, as pressure from the weight of soil would be present.

In summary, it has been observed here that schedule 40 PVC pipe which has been exposed for less than one minute to temperatures exceeding the maximum temperature rating will deform. This is evidenced by the 3/4 inch warpage found at the area (the long arm) where the boiling water was poured into the pipe; in this area, boiling water only passed through, and did not remain through the duration of the test. The boiling water was only present in the long arm of the pipe for the amount of time necessary to transfer the water, which was approximately 15 to 20 seconds. Also, where pipes are exposed to temperatures above the maximum rating for an extended period of time, they will continue to deform until the temperature dissipates to below the maximum rating. It seems apparent from the graphical illustration above, that the rate or amount of warping nearly parallels the the instantaneous temperature or rate of temperature dissipation.

Discussion: It is important to consider that the amount of water used for this experiment was only about 1.3 liters (0.34 gallons). Often, larger volumes of water are used for cooking, which will necessarily require more time to drain and will likely transfer a proportionally greater amount of heat/energy to a pipe. Also, the length of time necessary for heat to dissipate could be several minutes, or possibly over an hour when larger volumes (like a gallon) of boiling water are poured into a drain, and/or where drain pipes are insulated. The opinion of the Author at this time, is that pouring a whole gallon of boiling water down a kitchen drain would logically have a greater potential for damaging PVC drain pipe than 0.34 gallons which in this experiment, did cause measurable, significant warping, twisting, and sagging. It is also necessary to bear in mind that for proper drainage to occur, drain pipes should have a gentle slope of about 1 inch per 10ft. Since warpage in this pipe was found to be greater than 1/2 inch per foot, it should be obvious that the cumulative effect of warping and sagging is such that boiling water will likely cause improper drainage, which would logically hasten the ultimate failure of PVC drain pipes, because the exposure time in improper/slowly draining pipes will necessarily be greater.

There were some obvious faults with this experiment. Perhaps the most significant difference with respect to a real-world test, is the fact that straps are used to secure drain pipes in residential construction, whereas, no straps were used in this experiment, which allowed the pipe to twist freely. Certainly, proper support would be beneficial for preventing drain failure. Whether the current construction methods, materials, and/or builing codes are sufficient to prevent failure in cases where the the temperature rating for PVC has been exceeded is not known to the Author at this time. Also, because this experiment did not test for a cumulative effect (repeated exposure of boiling water to the same pipe), it was not ascertained whether a cumulative effect actually exists, and more particularly, whether the pipe becomes sensitized or desensitized by repeated exposure. However, strong evidence has been presented here that there is real-world wisdom in avoiding damage potentially caused by overheating a drain pipe.


Using 12/3 non-metallic cable to carry 2 circuits I'm renovating a house and am finding lots of questionable electrical work.  My recent finding is a 12/3 cable that carries two circuits from my electrical panel that branches off to two different chains of receptacles.  To clarify, in my panel the red and black wires go to seperate 20A breakers, white to the neutral bar.  At the other end of the cable, the red wire goes to an old BX cable, the black wire another, and all three neutrals together.

I've never seen this and logic tells me it's bad, because that doubles the current being carried on the neutral wire.  But before I tear it out I wanted a sanity check.  This is bad, right?

This is a MWBC - a multi-wire branch circuit. It is perfectly fine, provided that:

The two circuits are on different legs - i.e., 240V between the two hots. If so, the neutral is the difference between the circuits instead of the sum of the circuits. In other words, if you have 15A on one circuit and 10A on the other, the neutral will actually have 15 - 10 = 5A, not 25A.
The two circuits have common shutoff - i.e., if you turn off the breaker for one circuit, the breaker for the other circuit always turns off at the same time. That is important because otherwise the shared neutral could have current on it from the other circuit when you think everything is off because the breaker for one circuit is off.

There are also complications when it comes to wiring up GFCI on an MWBC, but if installed correctly an MWBC is perfectly safe. Depending on the configuration, you may want to install a dual-pole GFCI in the panel (advantage: one location and "done"; disadvantage: long way to go to reset) or you may want to install receptacle/GFCI devices at the point of use (advantage: easy reset when needed; disadvantage: depending on how/where the MWBC is split, this may not be practical or may require other changes to the wiring).