2 wire smart thermostat nest but no RC or RH I just got the new 2020 model nest and i was going to do the 24v transformer suggestion in other thread but these new models do not have RC or RH on them.  they only have Y,G,R,W,C,O/B.
Will the transformer not work or can i use another connection?

The basic colors are Red =24v
White = heat
Yellow= cool
Green = fan
I have seen many different wiring ideas so it is best to verify how the existing one is wired or check at the control board and match that  common blue but I have also seen it as clear snd orange.


How can I minimize or eliminate noise and vibration coming into my home? I live next to a sewer lift station. The lift station generates noise through out my home. It seems to be worse late night to early morning and when it's colder out. From time to time I also feel slight vibrations.

I cannot take the noise. It can be so loud at times it hurts my ears.

How can I pinpoint how the noise and vibrations get into my house?

Are there any suggested steps to reduce the noise or to try to eliminate it?

You are entitled to the, “quiet enjoyment of your property” and your local municipalities are not exempt.

Pump stations are basically very deep wells. When they fill up from surrounding gravity drainage systems, a LARGE pump kicks on and pumps everything to another location. As you can imagine, the pump needs to be serviced and maintained at regular intervals. Cities often skip maintenance procedures because, 1) lack of funds, or 2) lack of understanding.

1) Cities have tight budgets and will often reduce maintenance on many items, including equipment, roofing, etc.

2) The required maintenance is not random. There is a VERY SPECIFIC list of items to perform AND in a specific order. I doubt the work is being done or being done correctly.

At the time of installation there was a “Maintenance Manual” prepared by the pump manufacturer and the design engineer. I doubt they can find it or that they’re following it.

There’s little you can do to your house to solve this type of problem, but the city can give the pump an overhaul or replace it and 90% of your problems will go away. I’d contact them and see if they can help. If not, you may need an attorney.


Pros/Cons of using Adhesive on Vinyl Plank Flooring? I'm planning on building my own chair mat for my office chair. 3/4" particleboard will rest on top of carpet and on top of that will sit TrafficMASTER's vinyl plank flooring.

TrafficMASTER's install instructions state that it is a floating floor and that no adhesive is necessary. That being said, I've seen some online DIY guides for this project stressing the use of adhesive.

As far as I can tell, if the floor will be secure without adhesive...this seems like an unnecessary step and potential future headache. But, that's why I'm asking here. Are there any pros/additional cons to using adhesive for this project (chair mat) on this type of flooring (vinyl plank with 'GripStrip')?

Floating floors are a thing because the flooring material will expand and contract over time with the environment of the house.  The subfloor is also going to move, and chances are they are not going to move in the same direction or rate.  Gluing down what is made to be a floating floor can cause joints to open up or buckle.  If the floor moves 1/2" over a 20 foot span, something has to give.

Now, for your project, you're talking about a much smaller scale.  I haven't seen the full plans of what you're doing, but it probably doesn't matter much if you use adhesive or not.  As long as the flooring isn't going to slide off the side of the particle board (rolling a chair around is going to make the floor want to slide), I don't see a reason to use adhesive.  Of course if you did use it, I doubt the expansion and contraction over the 5-6 foot area (total guess) that you have is going to drastically affect the joints.


How can I properly vent a dryer whose ductwork comes up vertically from the ground? How can I modify and correct a dryer vent that comes up through the ground as shown? It goes straight down, turns horizontal into the basement laundry room, then down again into the gas dryer. Rerouting through the brick is not an option. Should I angle it 90 degrees and add a traditional vent, or try to cap it with one of those "floating cup" vents that works vertically?
I'm in northeast US, so we get some snow. And judging by the chiseled hole in the basement wall, this was an afterthought. House was built in 1959, we bought it with this configuration in 2003.

You need to accomplish three things.
Weatherproof the duct

Make sure no soil is in contact with the duct
Seal the duct seams with foil tape and/or silicone caulk
Provide a drain path for rain and groundwater falling into the well, such as a pea-gravel basin or a French drain
Provide rain protection with some sort of cover or roof

Insulate the duct
You want as little exposure to cold air as possible to prevent heat from flowing out through the metal. Wrap the duct with foil-faced insulation sleeve.
Cap the duct with a louver
Your idea to use an elbow and a new vent louver is reasonable. You could possibly reduce the profile depth of the assembly by using a duct box and mounting the louver to that, rather than an elbow. Any dryer vent louver that fits the box or elbow should work.  The critical goals are to keep cold air from dropping in during winter, and to keep pests out.


Low Voltage between Neutral and Ground wires in Dishwasher Junction Box My Bosch 800 series Dishwasher will not function. I plan on swapping the control module. In the junction box, at the terminals, I'm reading 120V between Hot and Ground, and between Hot and Neutral. Between Neutral and Ground, I am reading almost zero to 1V. Is this a normal reading between these two terminals, or should I consider swapping the junction box, as well?

Yes, because of voltage drop

If you've ever done a voltage drop calculation, let's say you want to run a 12A well pump load.  You do the calculations and it says you'll have 6 volts of voltage drop, so 114V.  OK.

Well, how does that happen?  There are TWO wires - hot and neutral.  Is the voltage drop shared across both?  Yes.  Each one drops 3 volts.

Well, how does "dropping" voltage on a neutral work?  Certainly the hot sags to 117V, no question there.  Obviously if the neutral sags to -3 volts, there'd still be 120 across hot and neutral, so that can't be it.   Actually, the neutral "drops" the other direction - it rises to +3 volts. So with neutral at 3V, and hot at 117, you have the expected 114V.

Why doesn't ground move also?  Voltage drop is proportional to current; that's literally what Ohm's Law is saying. E=IR.  Since there is no current on ground, it doesn't drop.

So you measure 3V between neutral and ground in that case.

It's rather like the small rod on a beam-type torque wrench.  Your strength is bending the big rod, but the small rod is unaffected and indicates your torque on the scale.


How long does it take to add 1 lb. of refrigerant to an air conditioning unit? My HVAC unit was running but not cooling properly. I called an HVAC guy who came to check. He came without a scale and told me he can fill the refrigerant and tell me how much he filled by just telling me the pressure.

After just about 5 minutes he told me he filled 1 lb. Did i got ripped off? How long does it take to add 1 lb? What is the best way to find how much did he add? is it possible to measure this by just looking at pressure gauges?

That sounds about right. It usually takes 5-15 minutes for me to fill 1 lb.


Humidity sensor switch wired to current setup I have a DewStop FS-300-W1 humidity sensor that replaces a light switch that has a red, black, white and green wires. I want to replace the left most switch (that currently controls the fan) with the humidity sensor, in the 3-gang box in the photos. The fan it above the shower a few feet away, and the 3 gang box is on the wall near the door entrance.

In the photos, the switch on the left currently controls our fan. Its connected by two black wires as shown. Any ideas on if I can wire this properly? I tried a few combinations but couldn't get it to work. There is a series white wires tucked away in the back that I did not test.

Those white wires are critically important

What you have there is a classical power-to-the-switch-box setup, with a power feed going in, some switches, and both switched-hot and always-hot feeds going off to other places.  As a result, that bundle of white wires in back is your neutral bundle, and is thus critically important to you since your humidity sensor needs neutral so it can power its own innards without trickling power through the load.

Wiring this will require a couple of wirenuts, by the way.  With the breaker off:

Unmount the old switches but do not unwire anything yet
Remove the bottom wire from the switch you are replacing; this will be your always-hot feed
Cut the wire in two and strip both cut ends back a bit further
Wirenut both those wires to the black pigtail coming out of the new humidity-switch
Remove the top wire from the switch you are replacing; this is your switched-hot for the fan
Wirenut that wire to the red pigtail coming out of the new humidity-switch
Fish the bundle of white wires out of the back of the box and nut the white neutral pigtail from the switch into it -- it's important that all of the white wires get nutted together here, as they are the return path for power to get back to its source!
Fish the bundle of bare wires out of the back of the box and nut the green grounding pigtail from the switch into that bundle.  Once again, it's important that all the grounding wires get nutted together here
Carefully stuff the bundles of white and bare wires back into the back of the box
Mount the new switch in the location vacated by the old
Mount the remaining switches back into their existing locations
Button the box back up, turn the breaker back on, and enjoy your new humidity sensor


How should I insulate basement walls and floor after water mitigation? I've an unfinished 1k sq ft basement in Chicago with 10 inch cement foundation walls. I'll be creating a family room, bedrooms, bath, etc.  I have water coming thru the floor--so Im adding drain tile inside around the perimeter at the footing which will go into a sump pit. The company installing the tile tyvek's all the interior cement walls to above outside grade (which goes 80% of the way up the wall). They do this in case the interior cement wall has leaks--then it will go into the drain tile system.

I will build out many rooms in the basement as noted with 2x4 wood studs. What would best practice say about insulating the walls and the cement slab floor (which I will lay snap together luxury vinyl planks on)?
thank you

I know it's popular, but putting a finish surface on a basement cement  wall doesn't seem clever at all.  A cement wall is a perfectly presentable wall surface, it is a basement, after all; you'll not fool anyone into forgetting they are in a basement.

The problem with covering it up with an "appealing" wall finish is now you cannot inspect the wall. I get where your idea is that you'll have a leak-catcher system, but if anything goes wrong with that, you'll have a mold nightmare lickety split.  And a lot of expense on both sides: installing the wall in the first place, and tearing it out.

If you really want to insulate the wall,  install a vapor barrier and insulate outside, digging if necessary.  That will place the wall mass inside the insulation envelope so it will help regulate interior temperature; the mass becomes your friend instead of your enemy.


How to hang a baby cradle from a concrete ceiling? I am considering buying a baby cradle that will hang from the ceiling. We have a concrete ceiling in the apartment and I am not sure that it will be possible to install it safely. It needs to be able to support 35-40 pounds of weight, max.

I was planning to use a Tapcon® concrete screw - is it a good idea?
How to actually connect the bag to that screw - I would need some kind of intermediary platform/connector.
When drilling a hole in the ceiling, does it matter where to drill, or should I use some kind of stud finder to look for a support beam (if they exist in concrete ceilings)?

The cradle comes with a hook, but I am not sure if it will hold.

Concrete is a great building material because it has very high "compressive strength"; it resists being crushed, and so can support a very heavy load placed on top of it.

However, it has very poor "tensile strength" and "shear strength"; it can be "pulled apart" relatively easily. This means that hanging stuff from underneath usually doesn't work very well, because the hanging load will "pull" on the concrete. While the relatively light weight of something like this would not normally be a concern, the fact that you'll be putting something very precious and delicate in it makes me very wary.

If you want to try it anyway, forget the hook that came with the cradle; it's for screwing into a wood support member like a ceiling joist or beam, and will not work at all in concrete. You will first need to drill a hole in the concrete. This will require a concrete drilling bit (probably several of them; concrete is not easy to drill through and will dull bits very quickly) and possibly a hammer drill if it's treated or hardened concrete.

Then, you will want to install a concrete anchor. These anchors are designed to "crush" as you screw a bolt into them, expanding a part of their frame into and against the concrete to lock it in place. Here's one that should work for you:

Its 5,000-lb rated load may be a bit of overkill, but you don't want this to fail, EVER, so go for broke. You can even use some construction adhesive or epoxy to further "seat" the anchor in the hole.

Then, after any adhesive or epoxy you put in has had time to set and cure, you just hook the cradle to the D-bolt on the anchor (this may require an S-hook, climbing carabiner or threaded quick-link) and you're done.


What do I need to install LED strip lighting? I've been looking to install LED strips, either RGB or white for lighting and ambiance. It wouldn't be the main lighting of the room, so no necessity for high power LEDs.

The perimeter of the room is a little less than 25 meters. Looking around in online stores, I saw that the reels come in maximum lengths of 5 meters, so I would need five of those.

What I'm not sure is how to connect the strips together.

I was looking at these white strips, or this RGB kit with these extra strips.

If I choose the white LEDs, what power supply, controller, and connector would you recommend to be able to daisy chain the strips?

If I choose the RGB LEDs, what kind of data repeaters would work to be able to control all the strips at once?

Using these RGB as a base example

Basic Electronics Crash Course

Volts * Amps = Watts
Watts / Volt = Amps

General Information

These strips indeed usually come in lengths of 5 meters but you find suppliers that will give you 10/15/20 metres options also. Most only provide 5 meters because of the power they need to power up properly. So they try and sell you a cheap 12volt apadter used for each 5M strips but also the guys who sell them up to 20Metres does not mean you can use the entire length because the PCB traces might burn out caused by overloading them. You need to check with the seller how you can use them. The market is flooded with various makes and knock offs- so make sure you can get the specifications.

A lot of LED 5050 or 3258 each have different power ratings and usually come in 150 or 300 per 5 meters (30 / 60 per meter)

Powering LED strips

From the example provided earlier I will use single colour LED. The 5 meter white strip uses 24 Watts - That is 2A X 12 = 24WATTS - So using any 12v power supply with at least 2A will power that single 5 meter strip at 100%

I have similar strip and I joined them with a soldering iron to make a 10 meter strip and it works fine. I powered them up for 10 minutes and felt if the PCB tracks, close to the power supply because that is were the highest power draw will be, checked if they were getting warm/hot. They were cold so I left them for another 30 minutes and still cold, so  they could handle the extra power. To calculate the MAX rating of the PCB track you would need to know the material, PCB thickness and width (Which nobody supplies). Also there is no equipment to test that either.

So instead of buying several small 12V adapters I go to the next best thing. A computer power supply!

You can get really cheap ones like 450Watt and they can power up tens of strips with clean 12volt power, with short circuit protection and overload protection. This is a DIY Q&A so there needs to be DIY involved! Using a Computer PSU you are only interested in the yellow and black wires. The rest you can cut away/discard.

Here is a diagram showing the pinout computer PSU connectors.

You need to realize you cannot just join all the yellows and use it as one. Each yellow wire is a PHASE and each phase has a maximum amperage rating. All the phases give the power supply its maximum peak rating.

As long as the combined amperage/wattage does not exceed that written on the label of the PSU you will be OK to combine many LED strips to a single phase. But each 5 Meter LED strip will need to be powered individually to be safe. So you need to pull wire alongside all your led strips if you're going to go more than 10M :(

OK - Fine it seems too much faffing around with the computer PSU- but I would like you to know that paying extortionate prices for 12volt power adapters is not neccessary. LED's are not special- they do not need special 100pound adapters. Just shop around for big wattage 12volt supplies. You should find good prices.

Cutting LED strips

Joining LED strips

Picture worth a 1000 words

Just match up the pads, join them like that or use some cable. Does not matter.

RGB LED's and drivers

Unfortunately RGB LEDS use three 12volt channels with a controller that outputs a variation of voltages on each channel to get the LED to its desired colour. The controllers output a PWM signal and can only handle the maximum watts it is rated for. the only suggestion is to buy 4 of the exact same model that use infra-red remote. Put them side by side so that the remote will control all of them at the same time and pull your cables to the desired locations. Some of these controllers can store pre set colours so that could be an advantage.

But you can also buy a repeater now a days from China. They are basically another micro controller that sense the PWN signal and outputs the same but with the ability to power more strips.

-EDIT Nov/2014
There are allot more RGB amplifiers / repeaters on the market now and cost between 5-15USD. Search on eBay for local seller.

Good Luck, it's not that bad :)


How can I counteract the effects of WD-40? My landlord used WD-40 to free the UPVC windows and now when opened slightly the wind then catches them and blows them wide open (a real pain when woken at 4am with rain blowing through the room). How can I counteract this?

You can remove the oil film with a rag or paper towel soaked in some organic solvent like isopropyl alcohol.

Don't these windows have any stop so they can be left ajar without blowing open? It might be good to install something like that instead. A long hook and eyelet would be the simplest.


PVC to ABS Recommendations Under my kitchen sink is an ABS pipe going into the drain.

I need to shorten it, because the disposer is moving to the right side of the sink, and this pipe with Y-connector will be in the way. (the edict to move the disposer came from t'wife, so as long as I'm not against code, it has to happen)

What is the best way to attach the ABS to PVC to stay within plumbing code? I'm hearing comments about transition glue not being the best, and that I need a mechanical connection. I just want to do it the correct way.

It appears in the photo that the pipe stub coming out of the wall has some extra length that could be removed, a new "Y" installed which would give you the needed space.

It's a little difficult to judge the length but it appears there is a good 2" there.


What type of breaker for this box I have the following breaker box. GE Powermark Gold TLM1212RCU.

I need a 50 amp double pole breaker for a SPD Type 2 Surge Protector (EATON CHSPT2ULTRA). It says it needs to be mounted at the topmost where the feed lines enter.
What type of breaker should I look for?

I installed this same surge protector in my 50-year-old GE panel with a 50 A double pole compact breaker (1 inch wide).*
Note that this must be installed astride two slots to get both legs. The breaker and the panel together have a mechanical incompatibility preventing it from snapping into a single slot.
This means the compact two pole breaker cannot be installed at the very top, but must be shifted 1/2 slot (1/2 inch) down. I don't think this reduces performance since this device is in parallel with all the other breakers in the panel. You can put in a 1/2 inch breaker in the half slot above and that circuit would still be protected.
If you would install a full size 2 inch wide 2 pole breaker I think it could be installed at the top, but then it would occupy twice as much space in the panel.
You do not need heavy wires to connect this surge protector, just use the leads that are attached to the case of the surge protector.
*I  think I used a GE THQP250.
EDIT My experience is limited to my very old panel. Pay attention to the statements of others about where the 2-pole 50 A breaker will fit. If there is resistance, stop and try another pair of slots. I do not think the breaker for the surge protector needs to be at the top.


Laminate flooring in multi-width bathroom The master bath has several widths as seen below.  [The closets will not get laminate flooring.]  My guess is to determine the cuts required for each width and choose the best fit.  How best to deal with this multi-width situation?

A related issue is dealing with the edges at the tub & shower.  The tub is in an imitation marble enclosure; the shower is a fiberglass pan. How best to finish those edges?

Some details not shown: The "throne room" has a pocket door.  The left hand closet has a sliding mirror door.  The right hand closet is simply open and carpeted (as is everywhere else).

I second @ChrisCudmore's recommendation of not using laminate in a wet environment. Consider choosing a flooring type that is less susceptible to degradation via moisture.

That being said, the rule of thumb for determining plank width is to shoot for your starting and ending widths to be greater than 1/2 a whole plank width.

Here's the calculation process:

Measure the width of the span
Subtract twice the recommended expansion gap
Divide by the width of the plank
Take your fraction of a plank remainder, add 1, and then divide by two.
Multiply by the width of the plank, and there's your starting and ending row widths.

For multiple width rooms, do this for all the individual widths, and then pick the option that leaves you with >1/2 a plank width all around.

So for example, if you have a room with different widths of say, 67-1/2", 83-3/4", and 71-3/8", using a 5" wide plank you'll end up with starting plank width recommendations of 3-3/8", 3-5/8", and 4-1/16". For example, using 67.5" with 5" wide planks and a 3/8" expansion gap:

(REM((67.5 - 0.375*2)/5)+1)/2*5 = 3.375

Obviously you can't use all of those, so pick the smallest that doesn't send your largest width over 5".

If you pick 3.375" starting width, your other ending widths will be 3.375", 3.875" and 4.75". This option works, since none are below 2.5", and none are above 5".
If you pick 3.625" starting width, your ending widths will be 3.125", 3.625", and 4.5". This option also works.
If you pick 4.0625" starting width, your ending widths will be 2.6875", 3.1875", and 4.0625". This option works, but it's pushing a bit closer to the <2.5" width range, so I'd skip it.

So for the above scenario, I'd go with a 3.375" starting width, since it maximizes your minimum starting/ending plank width for the entire floor.


Undercut Metal Door Jambs I am installing floating floors in a 1970s condo where the door frames are metal.  Side jambs are right against the concrete subfloor with no gaps.
I tried an oscillating tool with Bosch carbide-tipped blades and after a full minute, it looked like a fingernail scratch.  My current tool is a cheap B&D - would it be worth borrowing a friend's tool to see if it makes a difference?
Another option was grabbing the right blade and getting down with an angle grinder.  I have no experience using them and it honestly looks pretty frightening.  However if there are no alternatives then I will just have to do my research and be careful.
The last option was renting an electric jamb saw tool and buying metal-specific blades.  This path would be over $100 and some effort to find one as they are all rented out nearby.
Hoping anyone has better ideas for how I can undercut the metal!  Maybe there's some secret multitool technique that I'm missing?  Thanks all

Use an angle grinder.  I recommend practicing though I find angle grinders one of the easiest tools to control (no crazy binding like drills).  Really you should buy one they are $15 USD at harbor freight.  If you are going to use it more than once splurge and get the $30 one.  Any metal cutting disc will cut that quick.  Just get a thin kerf (3/32") blade, wear eye and ear protection and keep any plastic out of the way of the hot metal particles.  Won't hurt to have an extinguisher near by.
I've used oscillating tools on metal - the blades dull really quick.  A reciprocating saw can work but you have limited clearance.  Even then the reciprocating blades can dull quick quickly on metal as well.  I can't imagine using a jamb saw on that.


Plugging large hole in bathroom floor I've got a large hole behind my bathroom sink on the floor. Is there a easy but serious way to plug that hole, from which comes tremendous amounts of cold air?

Get a can of expandable foam from your hardware store. If they have it get the one for extra large gaps. Also pick up a tub of ready mixed tile grout.
If the hole is really deep the foam may fall through before it had time to expand so you may need to stuff some newspapers into the hole to give the foam some thing to rest on until it had time to set up. Get as thick a layer of foam in there as possible for insulation.

After it has set, trim it off half an inch below floor level and trowel in the grout mixture level with the floor.


Wiring an outlet with two white, one red, and a ground I recently moved into a house and found one outlet that did not work. Figuring it was a bum outlet, I shut off the breaker to the room and took the outlet out. I found two white wires, one red, and one bare ground.

I wired it up with the two white wires to silver, red to brass, ground to ground and found that the outlet still did not work.

Leaving the wiring open, I restored the circuit and found that none of the outlets in the room work. So, I imagine that it was wired in series rather than in parallel.

The voltage measured between the two white wires is 120V. I did not expect that.

EDIT: Red to ground is zero. But when both whites are hooked up to the silver, the outlet does not work but all the outlets in the room do work.

Can you shed some light on what's going on? And how to hook it up properly. Thank you in advance.

There are two grouping of wires coming into the box. One side has a white, black, red, and ground. The other side has a white, black, and ground. The black wires from each group are connected with a twist-cap.

With a 14/3 (white-black-red-ground) and 14/2 (white-black-ground) coming into this box, CoAstroGeek suspected that this might be a switched outlet. Exactly right.

There is a switch in the room next door that we had no idea what it was for. once i switched it on, there was power to the outlet. the short of it is- the room used to be the garage and was converted into an office 40 years ago. there are two switches on the wall in the room next door; one for an exterior light and one for that outlet. must have been an overhead light or something.


Heat pump operation when cold question this morning it was 23 degrees F. The indoor unit was on and delivering heat. I looked out at my outdoor unit and the fan was not running but the compressor was. I panicked and pulled the quick disconnect. Later I put it back in and the unit ran normally (fan on, compressor on, etc). I did not feel excessive heat from the compressor but I did see what looked like some king of vapor?smoke coming out, just a little. Did not smell at all.
Question. Is that an efficiency thing for a outdoor heat pump unit to cycle off the fan? I'm a commercial HVAC guy and have zip experience with heat pumps other than theory of operation.

When heating below 32 °F or 0 °C frost forms on the outdoor coils of a heat pump - and that can happen when the air temperature is above that point, if the coils are that cold to collect heat from cold air.
The controller has some logic which either detects or assumes frost formation and kicks into defrost mode to melt the frost so that airflow is restored. Depending on the unit it may engage resistance heating while doing that.
Water vapor ("steam") would be an expected side effect from that process.


What do I do with a lighter that doesn't light? This is a fairly "traditional" lighter that's about a foot long and has a guarded trigger with a thumb switch one must push forward in order to light. Even with the adjustment set all the way to "+" and pushing the thumb switch forward and repeatedly clicking the trigger, it doesn't light.  There is a small clear window showing that there's plenty of fluid still left (probably >3/4 full).  What's the appropriate thing to do with this?

Throw it away and get a new one.
This is a "default" answer, also given by Tyler Durden as a comment, but other answers (including those discussing safe/environmentally responsible disposal) are welcome.


Preventing a frozen pipe on an extreme weather night Last week, we had a night that got down to -18F.  In the middle of the night, the cold-water pipe going to the kitchen sink froze (but luckily did not burst).  After some investigation, it turns out it froze where we had a dryer vent installed.  The vent comes in between two floor joists, right where the sink's cold water pipe turns up and goes to the sink (see attached cross section image).  The installer had removed a bunch of insulation from the bay between the joists, and not replaced it.  The pipe is about 5" inside of the rim joist on the outside of the house.

To remedy the problem, I insulated around the dryer vent pipe, and put about 4" of fiberglass batting insulation on the inside of the rim joist (the thickest insulation that would fit between the cold water pipe and rim joist).  I also wrapped the copper water pipe in foam pipe insulation.

Tomorrow night, it is supposed to get down to -30F.  Does it sound like I've insulated things enough to prevent freezing?  Would it be smart to shut off the main water supply, and drain the pipes for the over night, or can that cause other issues?  Any feedback would be appreciated.

What you have done sounds like a good start. Some additional steps I would take on the coldest nights is to allow the faucet to drip. You want it to drip as slowly as you can. Moving water takes longer to freeze than still water. In addition leave the cabinet doors open so that some of the kitchen heat will warm the pipes in the cabinet. Again these are steps for the coldest nights. On really cold stormy nights I put the heat on hold @68 degrees rather than setting it lower. This gives me a cushion in the event of a power failure.


Should I sand between coats of polyurethane when finishing a table? I am finishing an oak table. I lightly sanded the polyurethane after the first coat, as per the instructions. After the second coat of polyurethane dried, I see sanding/brush marks. If I don't sand again, will the third coat of polyurethane cover these sanding/brush marks?

I would sand this coat with a much finer grit of sandpaper than you used on the last coat. Then wipe it down with some alcohol before applying the next coat. This will help remove the deeper marks and the sanding dust. Also, use a foam roller or foam brush instead of a bristled one.


Drain gurgling due to blocked sewer pipe? Sanity check here. According to multiple plumbers over the years, I have a sag in the sewer line between my house and the main street line. Water stands there, and eventually enough stuff collects there that we notice slow draining, and have to get it cleaned out with a long snake. We have done this cleanout multiple times over the last decade, with good success.

More recently, we've had gurgling sounds coming from the sink drains in our upstairs master bathroom (but not the other upstairs bathroom), either when they drain, or sometimes when the bathtub drains. There are no signs of restricted drainage elsewhere in the house, including the kitchen and other bath downstairs. Our current plumber (who we like) has repeated the statement that we need to replace that sewer line. If that has to happen now, I'll bite that bullet, but it nags at me that the only symptoms are in the single bathroom upstairs (which, BTW, is directly above where that sewer line leaves the house).

Thoughts? Just don't want to do an expensive sewer line replacement unnecessarily.

Gurgling is caused by a partial blockage of either the sewer or the vent.  This blockage could be in the main sewer pipe leaving your house, or anywhere in the waste pipes of your house.  Likewise with the venting.

Without finding where the blockage is, you cannot say with any certainty that the belly in your sewer is the problem.  Video inspection is probably a good idea in your case.


Can I Combine Two Lights from Separate Breakers Into One Switch? I have two outdoor lights that are separate switches.  I want to combine them under one switch, but Light A is on Breaker #3 and Light B is on Breaker #2.  Can I put these lights on the same switch or do I have to keep them separate since they are on different Breakers?  If I can combine them, what type of switch do I need?

Yes, you can do this. You will need a double pole single throw switch. They are commonly available at your home stores.....  be careful not to get a 4-way switch... they look almost identical.


Properly Updating Drains for Basement Bathroom Update Pictures https://imgur.com/a/olBlrHG basically explain it. It was a "full bath" when we bought it and sold as one, (and its recorded as such for tax purposes). I want to convert it to laundry room/shower. Location is Baltimore, MD. I need a 2" for shower and a 2" for laundry/utility sink.

Based upon my current set-up, is the correct way to just dig down and tie in a no hub 4" x 2" branch? I know I will have to vent, thinking AAV for ease/cost but willing to roof venting if necessary. Slab is old and around 2" think, so easy to cut out. Already cut a small section at old lav to see condition of existing drainage.

[![enter image description here][3]][3]

[3]: https://i.stack.imgur.com/24aqw.jpg

I am gathering that you are going to frame behind the toilet/sink.   If not, this is a no-brainer.   You want to use 2x6 so it is easy to move any plumbing through this (vents).

Also if I were you - no way in the world would I lose a toilet.   You bought the house with a full bath in the basement and if you take out the toilet it probably doesn't meet the real estate definition of a half bath.

Rules -

You need venting.   There are different ways you can do this but I think with new framing you can probably get to your main stack pretty easily.   If you have specifics I can walk you through options.
If you break the ground you are supposed to get permits in most areas.   Would I?  Depends were I am at.   This could also be an issue with removing toilet - your city could notice that your house lost a bathroom or at least 1/2.
You have already broken part of the ground - get all the metal out of there to your main stack and tie it in with PVC.

What would I do?   I have done a lot of basement/laundry combos.

Frame that back wall in 2x6.
Install a deep basin sink with a huge counter right next to toilet.
Put washer and dryer under counter to right of the sink.
I would install shower where the head is against wall (so your counter wall to the right is the first 20" of the shower.
I would tie in the shower and sink to toilet after its trap and send everything down this way.   This serves your needs plus the water from shower/sink/laundry flush out any toilet debris.
I would either put a knee wall on left side of sink to hide toilet or a full wall and door for toilet if you want to hide it.

If you can give me the dimensions you are working with I can help layout what you want to do.


Why is the water in my toilets orange? My wife and I just moved in to a brand new house and have started to notice that the water in the toilets is an orange color, and is starting to leave stains in the bowl. After looking online briefly, I have seen the suggestion that perhaps there is rust in the plumbing. I know that all of the plumbing in our house consists of what appears to be plastic piping... is there any other explanation? What steps should be taken to fix the problem?

If the house was vacant for a long period of time, there might be build up in the pipes. Try running a number of facuets for a while and flush the toilet over and over.  Assuming your incoming water isn't orange, it should go away after you flush out the pipes.

Also open the tank and have a look in there - maybe there is a component of the toilet that is rusting, or maybe there is some type of cleaning tablet present (usually they are blue but you never know).

EDIT: You mentioned in your comment that there is orange sediment on the bottom of the tank.  I can't really guess at what this is (maybe orange soil as someone in the comments suggested), but I would suggest that you turn off the water to the toilet, flush it to empty the tank, and then using a sponge, scrub it off, or at least disturb it enough that it will wash away when the tank refills.  Turn the water back on and flush it away.

If it comes back after some time then you'd need to investigate further..


Bathtub drain schedule: to keep or to replace? We're remodeling our first bathroom and learning a lot. I'm planning on having the existing cast iron tub refinished after tiling everything. But before I tile, I need to figure out what to do with the tub drain schedule.
I don't know if I should keep it or replace with PVC. It looks like it's brass and might last for a long time, but then again maybe it won't? In the pictures, you can see the overflow part looks a bit icky (corroded?).
What's the best practice here? To keep it or switch it out? When I tile everything I won't have access anymore. The schedule isn't PVC but the rest of the drain is.
Beautiful photos of gross drain:

I've worked with those fittings and they are top of the line. I wouldn't be replacing them based on what I see in the pictures. You might want to remove the rubber gaskets and replace them. You'll need to stop by a plumbing supply store to get them as I doubt your home store will have them. I'm not sure what's on the other side of the wall of the drain but it's always smart to leave some sort of removable panel (you can tile it) so you can get to the faucet and drain in the event something goes wrong.


What shape/bends should a bathroom sink drain pipe have to generally comply with US code and avoid clogs? Santa Cruz, CA, USA

I think this question might be related to Under bathroom sink piping (exposed) but my question is more general so I decided to post it separately.

I'm in the middle of a bathroom remodel and getting ready to buy/build/connect parts for a sink drain assembly. Things are in the early stages so I don't have precise measurements of the vanity yet.  What I'm wanting to know is:

Generally speaking, what should the recommended shape of drain pipe be?
If a "P" trap is recommended, where should it be located in relation to the height drain outlet on the wall?
Aside from a "P" trap, is there any other specific drain pieces that are recommended?

Here's a picture of the wall (outlet pipe is a 1.5 inch iron pipe).

You should be able to find a P-trap assembly available at any local hardware store.

The horizontal section should attach directly to the drain line coming out of the wall, while the vertical end should accept the tail piece from the sink.


Replacing an outlet with white black and red wires with a usb outlet with 2 terminals I have 2 close by outlets that I tried to replace with a new usb outlet. The old outlets have white Black a red wires but the usb outlets have only two terminals.  I replaced the first one, and put the red and the Black together in one terminals (hot) and the white on the other side. The first outlet works fine.  I did the same with the second outlet but this one doesn’t work at all. Seems like it gets no juice. Any suggestions?

Here's what's gonna getcha with these types of sockets

That.

On a normal receptacle, that "Tab" decides whether those two screws are

merely a convenient splicing block to allow two wires to be spliced together with both sockets in one big happy splice, or
provide separation of the two sockets so they can be separately controlled.  This is typically done a) because one socket is controlled by a light switch, or b) because it is a multi-wire branch circuit with each socket on a separate leg of power, so two high-power appliances can be plugged in here.

USB receptacles (least, the ones I am aware of) do not support this separation of sockets. Nor do GFCI or any other specialty kind of receptacle, by the way.

If the tab is broken off, and you aren't wise to that and just connect the two wires together on the USB socket, then either a) the light switch will stop working, or b) there will be a loud BANG! and a breaker trip.

In either case, you have to decide which single wire you want both sockets to be powered from, and it either a) decides whether the all the sockets (USB too) are switched by the light switch or not, or b) either hot will suffice.

However, either way, the other now-orphaned wire must be capped and insulated.


Idea to seal (prevent water) in the gap between marble floor and fixed shower glass panel I have a marble piece, and on top of that I have a sliding glass door (one sliding and one fixed).
The issue is that between the floor (marble) and the fixed glass panel there is a gap of 1/4 inch where water is escaping to the other side of the shower.
I thought about the following solutions in order of effectiveness:

Silicone: don't want to use, because it's too hard to remove later in case of any maintenance (will get stuck/leave residue on glass and marble).
Flashing/vinyl seal: would be my best option for now because it allows easy removal if needed, but in my opinion it looks ugly (plastic and marble together...).

Any other options I could consider that will not interfere with the current look, and will be effective and not so hard to remove later when/if needed?

Thank you.

Clear silicone is very very very easy to take off marble and glass.   There is no residue after hitting it with a glass scraper and some mineral spirits - a big shower is maybe 15 minutes.

For application on something like 1/4" I would put a first coat down that should fill most of the gap.   Then come by about 1-3 hours later (depending on air flow and temperature of room) - you want the first coat to harden a little but not be set - and put a finishing coat that looks good and fills the rest of the gap.   Do it right.

(There are also some edging strips that you could use.   You would effectively have to use glue - silicone - to install them and they would be a PITA to remove.  But the big issue is this shouldn't have been installed with a 1/4" gap)


Should I test the water in my house for contamination? I live in a house that was built in the 1930's. I'm paranoid that the old pipes for hot and cold water(for the kitchen, shower, etc..) are contaminating the water. Is this something I should be worried about? What is the best way to test the water that flows through the pipes in my house?

Water testing (from what I've seen) is cheap and easy enough that it's worthwhile to do if you are worried at all.  If you're in the US, check with your local Department of Natural Resources to find out where to get a sample kit.  Where I live, it's $10 for a container and testing from my State Health Lab.

Typically, you'll need to sterilize a faucet before you take a sample (either using a torch or flushing it with bleach) and you'll need to drop it off for testing fairly quickly (24-48 hours).  This is third-hand from my home inspector (and I'm sure different labs have their own requirements for prepping and collecting the sample) so definitely read the directions you get with your kit.  I recently purchased an older home with a well and I'll be doing a test myself this week so I'll be able to follow up with actual experience soon :)


Where can I find a Time Restricted Keypad Lock? I'm looking for a keypad to use in the external door of an small business office to open said door. The plan is to give every employee (around 20) a PIN that they input into the keypad for the door to open during work hours.

The thing is I haven't been able to find any keypad that offers the option of setting access times. I'm looking in the wrong place? Does anyone has a suggestion of what to look for?

Schlage has a Schlage Link line of locksets that you may want to check out. It offers remote security if you have a wireless network and an internet connection. The link below is for the Lever lockset starter kit.

http://link.schlage.com/Products/Pages/KeypadLeverStarterKit.aspx

Other options would be to search for locksets under "Home Automation".

Update:  Below is a link to a gateway/controller with no monthly access fees (unlike the Schlage above).  You would need to purchase either Schlage lockset and the gateway/controller.

http://www.micasaverde.com/vera.php


2 pole or single pole breaker to feed sub panel I want to run wires about 70 feet to a panel that will feed a 30amp rv hook up and a 20amp receptacle. Should my feeder breaker be a 2-pole or single pole?

It's up to you.  You can use a single pole breaker or double.  Single has potential to be cheaper.

If you don't plan on maxing out the outlet and the RV at once, you could safely go as cheap as a single pole 30A breaker 10-2 wire for the run and a 30 A panel if you can find one that small.

125A panels are pretty mass produced though, so you might find it cheaper ro get a 125A any way.  Just make sure its lugs can safely accept 10 AWG wire and know that you won't be able to use half of the positions in it.

Personally, I'd run 60A or 100A, 240 from a double pole breaker.  Especially if it's going to involve digging, since you can do more later with a full 240v panel and the extra amperage.  Think about EV charging in the next decade.


How can I insulate a basement wall that has 1x1 framing installed on it? It is freezing in my basement so I decided to re-insulate my daughter's bedroom. I removed the old paneling walls to find that it wasn't insulated! There was a water barrier and a heat shield.  My problem now is winter is almost here and the framing is 1x1's. I don't have the money to redo the framing. Do I use rigid foam board cut to size to fit the holes and spray insulation around that and cover with water barrier?  Can I just spray insulation all over and cover with dry wall?

Please tell me there is something I can do, without having to take down the frame. I am taking about the outer wall and I live in Quebec Canada so it gets pretty cold.

There is a rigid polyisocyanurate foam core insulation, often sold under the brand name Super Tuff from Dow that has a higher R value than XPS. It is R-13 in 2 inch panels and is higher if you trap a small air barrier behind it (around R-15).

The foam has a foil vapor barrier on the back.

You could

mount this on the existing furring foil side out, using glue and screws
seal the edges with foil tape
reinstall paneling with glue and screws throught the foam, into the existing furring.

HOWEVER: The paneling could hold itself up when mounted this way, and you could mount lighweight things, such as pictures. The walls would NOT be suitable for mounting shelves, fixtures, heavy mirrors, etc. You would need to take care and inform any subsequent owner that the walls were not intended for bearing any signifciant weight!


Only 2 of the 3 LED bulbs lite up Two light fixtures in bathroom with 3 bulbs each. They can can 100 watt incandescent, I have 800 lumen LED, and there is a dimmer switch. In both fixtures, going left to right, the first two bulbs light and the 3rd does not.

If all 3 incandescents worked previously without issue (so you thought), then I'd have to say that the dimmer is limiting the current. LED's are very sensitive & require very tight limits to operate. Meaning, the first 2 bulbs are reducing the voltage & amperage to leave the third bulb unable to activate.

Your 3rd incandescent may have been dimmer than the other 2 or all 3 may have stepped down equally. Which leads to, put an incandescent in the 3rd sockets & see if it lights, it should. Then, try incandescent & LED combo's to see what does & doesn't happen.

You may be able to adjust the dimmer, very few have this ability & you'll need the dimmer's manual to do it. But, I'd replace the dimmer with a regular switch to confirm that the dimmer is the problem. If so, then get a new dimmer or keep getting them until one works. I say that because I doubt there's anything on the box to indicate any difference from 1 dimmer to another.


Curtain drain in the crawl space - Part 2 Part 1 is done.  We've dug a trench at the interior perimeter of the crawl space.  It took 8 hours 3-4 people (I was working myself but not all the time) and one dump truck.  Total budget was around $400.  The quote from the professionals was more than 5 times that so I'm happy budget-wise.  I'm also happy because the experience was quite intense and I learned a lot.  It was not as bad as I imagined it would be.

Now, I need to plan the next phases where I put insulation on the wall, perforated pipe in the trench and cover with plastic.  What would be the correct order of doing these?  Also, I saw these pipes in HD that are wrapped in something which is advertised as a no-gravel-needed solution.  Should I get those?

OK Peter, next steps are easy compared to what you have done already. The first step is going to be install your foundation grade water proof insulation to the walls, from footer to the top. This comes typically in a sort of tongue and groove panel. Clean the excess dirt etc. off the walls and apply the mastic, then just stick the panels to the wall.  Depending on what brand you buy, check with the supplier's recommendations for proper installation techniques.  They are all pretty similar however. Since you are installing it in a crawl space on the inside of the wall instead of the outside, getting a complete water proofing layer of the mastic is not that important.
I would highly discourage you from using the old spoils as backfill. You mentioned it was a clay base which is very poor for fast drainage. Please use the stone and gravel as I described in your last question. This method will assure you very good drainage. If you buy the drain tile (flex pipe) that is prewrapped, that will save some time and frustration. So, second step is to install your tile, and couple it through the foundation to your existing system.  Complete your backfill, level out the area best you can then start your plastic vapor barrier. I would use a 6 mil minimum.  Be sure to carefully tape all seams and neatly fit the plastic to the walls and tape it.  The idea is to create a good vapor proof cell, keeping moisture out of the crawl space.  You may consider some ventilation for summer season and closing said ventilation during the colder, dryer months.  Sounds like you are well on your way. Don't short cut now, you got a lot invested.  Good luck.


What kind of tub spout connector is this? The diverter in my bathtub spout has stopped working, and I want to replace the spout. When I removed it, I found this adapter, which appears to be soldered to the copper pipe (or at least I was unable to remove it, and I don’t see any threads behind it).
Can anyone identify what type of adapter this is, or help me find a spout that might fit? Otherwise, I’m afraid I’ll need to bring in a plumber to give me a more standard setup with a 1/2” nipple coming out from the wall. Really hoping I can avoid that expense.

The outer diameter of the threaded part at the back is about 1-1/4”.  I’ve been unable to find any spouts that fit that. All the ones I’ve found fit only 1/2” or 3/4” pipe.
There are no marking on the adapter or the old spout, so I’m not sure what brand they are.

I don’t know the brand but a plumber is not needed you could do it with a 45$ torch if you don’t have one.
I would pull the o ring and heat the end with a torch using players to hold the outer brass (yellow metal), make Sure to put some wet towels down as you slip the fitting off you don’t want the hot solder to damage the tub.  I like mapp Gas torches over propane they get hotter and make removal of sweated parts easier. Mapp has is the yellow bottle, my torch can use both types some built for propane can’t handle the higher heat of mapp gas. Then a new spigot for copper pipe could be installed.


How to repair leaking cemented crack in basement wall? After a couple of rod holes started leaking behind a finished basement wall, we decided on a proactive campaign of basement waterproofing.  We found several more rod holes either leaking or about to leak, but the most perplexing find was a sheet of bubble insulation glued and pinned to the concrete basement wall.  It was clear that there was a problem behind there because the texture on the basement wall next to it was showing indications of water, so I ripped it down and found a cemented area that was visibly wet.  The cement stops a little below the top of the basement wall, and there's a decent-sized crack visible there.  Since I exposed the area a couple of months ago, the cement has remained damp to the touch.

I have two questions:

What's going on?  I'm assuming this was a crack in the basement wall that has been repaired, but how can the water be leaking through the cement?
What should I do to fix it?

Photos:

Clarification: I need to fix this from the inside. Fixing it from the outside is not an option (due to money and practicality). Presumably I first need to remove the existing "fix". How should I do that? Then what's the best way to fix it "properly"?  Any idea what's going on under the carpet?

Update: The plastic was part of a waterproofing solution by Foundation Systems of Michigan. It was leaking so I ripped the plastic off the wall. It turns out that it would have been under warranty if I hadn't touched it (not that there were any labels telling me it was under warranty or who to call; I called them for a quote on the repair and they happened to have done it in the first place). Now they want $1000 to fix it, but even if they were going to do it for free I don't trust them to fix it correctly after they've already gotten it wrong once. I can fix it myself better and cheaper.

What's going on under the carpet is that's where they've refilled with concrete after digging out the basement floor. Their "solution" is supposed to channel the water leaking in the crack down and out under the basement floor where it should get picked up by the interior drain tiles, dumped into the sump and pumped out. I don't like this "solution": I would think that having water leaking through the wall is eventually going to cause more problems (freeze-thaw cycles, particulates getting into the drain tiles), so I would rather keep the water out in the first place instead of redirecting it.

Water will always win if you "fix" these from the inside.

The correct, effective, and unfortunately expensive fix is to excavate outside and drain the water below wall level outside, then seal and drain the exterior of the wall to the exterior drain.

You may choose to chisel out this mess and try fixing from the inside again, but it will almost certainly fail again. The other inside approach is to "capture" the leak and lead it to a sump.

If tilting at the windmill, this image from "www.oldhouseweb.com" illustrates the correct shape for chiseling or diamond-blade cutting out the crack before attempting to re-fill it. At the bottom of their page they note that their information came from Michagan State University Extension publication E2109, and the image would appear to also have come from that publication originally.


Toilet bowl fills very slowly unless the shut off valve is turned off and then on again The toilet bowl is filling up very slowly.  When I take the back of the toilet off, I see that there is only a little bit of water going into the fill up tube.  I then found that if I turn off the water to the toilet and then turn it back on again, the water pressure is perfect and the toilet fills up normally.  Do I need to change the water shut-off valve or is it something in the tank that needs to be fixed?

Some fill valves turn the water down if they detect a leak, sounds like yours is malfunctioning, that or scale, rust, gravel sticking in the valve. Some can be cleaned by turning the water off removing the top of the valve and turning the water on just a little. Putting a cup on top of the valve allows a higher water pressure. If the fill doesn't improve a replacement will be needed. Not all fill valves can be cleaned.


Detecting cigar/cigarette smoke levels I have a cigar lounge with a ventilation system, I would like to detect the "level" of cigar or cigarette smoke in the room. But I am not sure what sensor to go for, since these smokes contains a lot of different substances and I really want to measure the "smoke-level".

I have been looking for cigarette smoke detectors/sensors online but all I can find is detection systems with alarm output. I want to monitor the levels, to determine e.g. if it's rising or declining.

Any suggestions for what kind of sensor I could use?

Update:
After doing some experiments, I ended up with a solution that works pretty good. I am using an MQ-2 sensor, which I am reading with an Arduino. I calculate the mean and standard deviation of the last 5 minutes, and compare it with the mean from the last three seconds. If there is an increase above 3 sigma, lasting for a couple of seconds, the "smoke" alarm flashes.

It also triggers on a couple of other things; like farting and using compressed air in a can.

I'm not entirely sure if this will be useful in your situation - but the way your typical smoke detector works is by measuring the radioactive decay, apparently Americum is at least used in some of them.

But I just learned something new (thanks, Wikipedia!) - apparently some smoke detectors use optical sensors!

So you should be able to do something similar in your lounge. It may take several sensors and combine their inputs. Obviously you'll have to deal with the fact that the smoke distribution probably isn't initially uniform. Potentially you could add an extractor to your room (not sure if that's desirable as I don't smoke) and measure the smoke levels there.

Not sure if there are any pre-built solutions, but perhaps you could gut several optical smoke alarms for their sensors.


Meter shows hot but my outlets in my living room not working Everything on the breaker works but my living room outlets, and my meter shows 110 volts. Everything else on the same breaker works fine.

I assume this is a change in behavior? You need to follow the path of this circuit to see where it loses power. Turn off the breaker and pull out the last fixture that has power and the first that doesn't. It might be something as simple as a receptacle that was wired with push-in connector that lost contact. I would pull any push-in (aka "backstabbed") receptacle connectors and wire to the screws instead.


How can I fix a toilet that flushes incompletely? The toilet in one of our bathrooms routinely flushes incompletely. It does not clog or back up, but it takes several fill/flush cycles to get all the "material" to go down. It just seems to be weak overall, like the flush volume is too low. I suspect that this is the original toilet that was installed when the house was built (early 1970s).

Short of replacing the toilet, is there anything I can do?

One thing you can try is to shorten the chain to the flapper.  Sometimes a long chain leading to the flapper will not allow you to open the drain fully (you are only lifting the flapper just a little bit).  A partially lifted flapper will not allow the maximum volume of water to flow into the bowl in the shortest amount of time possible, causing a weak flush.


Why am I getting nuisance trips with my GFCI breaker? Any load trips a new GFCI breaker:

Conditions:

Brand new construction.
New 75' 4wire feed to new subpanel from a long working and reliable main subpanel.
One GFCI breaker feeding 4 outlets from new subpanel.
ANY load on any outlet trips a new GFCI or new Arc-Fault GFI breaker,including one new and one old vacuum cleaner, and even a simple 40 WATT LIGHT BULB!

None of the other 10 individually GFI fitted outlets anywhere else on the property has tripped for any reason except a water splash on the actual outlet.

I have lifted each new outlet one at a time from the GFCI breaker and tested circuits individually.
I have removed all outlet wires from the GFCI breaker and directly wired just one new outlet hanging out of the new panel.
I measured a little voltage from ground to neutral (typically this is normal on a sub-panel) so I tried bonding the neutral to ground at the new panel.
I have used a Megger on all branch and neutral wires looking for shorts, and everything measures good. I even used the Megger on the lamp and vacuums and no problems found.
I have read troubleshooting sugestions from at least 30 different sites (all say essentially the same things) and none of the typical wiring or equipment faults that could cause a false trip are present in this case, or simply do not apply.

Nothing stops the breaker from tripping as soon as any load is applied.

I am an electronic engineer and have a lot of experience as an apprentice electrician. I have brought out all my troubleshooting skills and test gear to no avail ... so this one is twisting my brain.

Should I tear into the main panel, megger the new subpanel feed wires, check the main house ground, Sink a local ground wire at the new subpanel?

Any ideas out there?

Either the breaker is faulty, or you wired it wrong.  Check the documentation for the breaker to determine the correct wiring.

Typically you connect the ungrounded (hot), and grounded (neutral) branch circuit conductors to the appropriate breaker terminals. Then you connect the breakers grounded (neutral) pigtail to the neutral bus bar.


Can I use a 220v 60 amp breaker and 4/3 line for a sub panely with 2 breakers 220 1 35 amp and 1 15 amp I have two old package heatpumps supplied by what looks like 4/3 lines each on its own breaker.  60 amp fuses.   I am installing two split units the condenser requires 220 and 20 or 35 amp depending on if I run it in 2 ton or 3 ton mode.  Plan is to start wit 2 ton mode.  The air handler takes a 220v 15 amp fuse.  So worst case I have 50 amps more likely 35 amps.   I do not want to run to more lines to get 4 circuits at that location, likely $400 just for the wire.   So I want to take each 60 amp 220v circuit run it to its own sub panel with two 220v circuits summing 50 amps or less.  To stick with code I then need to have a disconnect on each circuit at the unit a few feet away.   Any issues with this, I want to stay 100% safe.  The old units are or WERE beasts, the new ones high efficient inverter technology with variable speeds with no hard starts so a lot easier on the entire circuits.
Looking for confirmation on my plan as safe and PROPER.  Will verify the wires are 4/3, would it still work of they are 6/3.  Plan to start tearing down and seeing what the wires actually are tomorrow.   Thanks

As long as you have the clear space, go for it
You should have no problem installing a small NEMA 3R "spa box"-sized subpanel in place of the existing disconnect and running your flex whips directly from it.  Just make sure that you have the NEC 110.26(A) required clear working area (30" wide, 36" deep) at the disconnect location before you start, as HVAC installers don't always remember that when fitting local disconnects.  Also, you'll need to make sure the panel has a grounding bar fitted and remove the bonding screw from the neutral bar on the panel.


Sink valve replacements, concerning draining water Two fold question. Background: water to sink and shower shut off for two months prior to shutting main to replace cold water valve. I drained all faucets except the shower. When I removed the valve, drained 6 gallons without diminishing. So I put the new valve on screwed to the old nut/ferrel. Hardware store guy was mystified. Could it just be there was extra water in the system due to not draining the shower nearby?? (I didn't because the grout wasn't sealed.) Now facing replacing the hot water valve and am more worried about the situation getting out of control, having to deal with hot water instead etc. So I have been trying to educate myself on how the repair relates to the cold water supply (to the heater) and turning the heater to pilot. That is aside from the draining question. The new grout is cracked and needs to be replaced so I don't think I can freely drain the shower yet. I can try draining the shower into the bucket and all other sinks but the one I am working on. So bewildering for a novice.

Often time when you try to drain a cold water line it will siphon from the water heater tank. That could very well be where your "gallons" of water are coming from. One work around for this is to open up other faucets to break the siphon. An alternate is to shut off the valves that let water into and out of the water heater tank.


Replace the Cord in Vertical Blinds My cord in my vertical blinds is fraying and I am afraid it is going to break at any moment.  Has anyone restrung their blinds?  Where is the best place to get replacement cord and what do I need to know about restringing it? They are Bali Magnum Vertical Blinds.

I called Bali, the manufacturer.  They were able to look up my order based on the number on a sticker on the blinds.  They said the entire headrail needs to be disassembled to replace the cord.  They cannot send me a cord and instructions. There is a lifetime warranty, but since the previous owner purchased it and my name was not on the warranty, the warranty is invalid.  It looks like I am purchasing a new blind.  They said you could buy just the headrail, but my wife would like a different color if we are going to have to take it down anyway.

If anyone has one of these blinds and you know who purchased it.  Make sure you use their name when you call or email them.


Old Moen Faucet Replacement I am unable to find the model # and I was wondering if anyone could tell me where to get parts? The arm has broken off.

Here is the site I used just two months ago for a part. Most Moen faucets are guaranteed for life. Let us know what happens. Good luck.

https://www.moen.com/parts


How do I add a receptacle outside off the porch light I put in a gazebo in the back of the house and I want to install a receptacle from the only electrical source which is a porch light. I could just run some wire thru the base of the light and run it to the receptacle but it looks very cheesy. Is there a type of box or extender I could use to make up to code and look like it was done right

You can add a box extension with knockouts, then run conduit down to a box with a WR weather resistant GFCI. If the cover or roof of the gazebo protects the location from rain a standard cover can be used but if it is wet your will need a hard use or in use cover (and the box itself will need to be listed for wet locations). Some folks don't like surface mount conduit if this is you you can box the conduit in. I have seen some very artistic "cover up's of conduit that made it look like a grape vine at first I did not realise it was conduit as they were on several posts.


Flush and seal refrigerator HVAC leak? So my fridge sprung a refrigerant leak and leaked out a bunch of its freon, I I thought I could Easily fix it by refilling it witth R134a with leak sealer. However it continue to leak and this eventually caused the compressor to grenade itself (presumably due to the oil absorbing water from the air). Now I know how to install a new compressor however, if I simply install a new compressor and recharge it all of the refrigerant will leak out, I also suspect that the compressor will die fairly quickly as the old compressor probably sent metal bits though the system.
My question is how I would go about Flushing the system and patching the leak?
Buying a new refrigerator would not be practical as the one we have is a bit of a special size.

I would say this is not a DIY project for at least 3,4,5+ reasons the major ones opening a HVAC/R system requires a license, yes you can find R134 In less than 1 lb cans for cars or a duster or electronic troubleshooting freeze spray if you can find the adapters and it would work if you could install new parts and remove all the compressibles (air) and dehydrate the system (a vacuum pump to pull the system to at least 500um). A new filter dryer on the suction line would pickup any metal from the old compressor. I have seen techs "get away with" 1000um but this is risky because any moisture in the POE oil will become acidic and that eats the varnish off the motor windings in the new compressor and then it shorts out.  Bringing me to the point is the oil already acidic? We know it is contaminated because of the leak stop being used (leak stop may work on high temp AC like automotive but will plug the capillary tube on most refers).  UV dye and or leak stop will void the warranty on almost every compressor I have purchased. Now another non DIY reason you want to repair the leak, how and where did it start leaking? My bet would be in the evaporator, almost all refers have aluminum evaporators and sealing a contaminated aluminum line that has been punctured is almost impossible,  I don't do service calls on fridges but have Tryed to help friends that have tried to solder the aluminum lines to watch the line melt (had to replace the evaporator) another friend had a vending machine he tried to use some special 2 part epoxy and thought it was working until he unplugged the system loaded it up and took it to a break room, that warm day caused the Freon pressure to go (calculated) to 275 or so and blew the plug out and sprayed oil and Freon inside the machine (did I mention it did not cool at that point). Now for the last point, did you know there are fines up to $25,000.00 for doing this kind of work without a license?


NM Clamps in Boxes on Exterior Walls I just finished up installing two new subpanels, which both feed branch circuits back into the exterior wall. The original subpanel had an NM clamp mounted with the clamp screws outside the box (conventional way). Unfortunately, that meant the hole in the wall had to be significantly larger, and since I have stucco walls, it also meant an easy way for water to get inside my walls because it would be nearly impossible to seal the hole. Additionally, it made it difficult to run new wires into the subpanel (and even if I could, I couldn't access the clamp to tighten it down over the new cables.

I've seen this question on NM cable clamp orientation, but for a subpanel, where I am not worried about the fill ratio and where access to the clamping screws is required, does it make sense to mount the NM clamps with the clamping screws on the inside?

I know that (according to the linked post), it's not necessarily "per manufacturer instructions," but putting the clamp on backward seems to be a better solution for this application.

Must an NM clamp be installed with the clamp on the outside for exterior wall applications?

It seems to be that the normal orientation makes sense when putting metal boxes on interior walls where the NM wire is simply running freely into the box and the box is recessed into the wall.

The main thinking of inspectors in my state is making sure that that NM cable entering any metal enclosure is properly bushed to prevent the bare metal from cutting into the conductor insulation. Manufacturers make plastic bushing just for this purpose. It snaps into a code size hole and has "Fingers which hold the cable in place. For reference try Googling "plastic romex connectors" and see what pops up. I know Arlington makes these thing as well many other manufacturers.


Can I add an exterior outlet by tapping an adjacent interior outlet? Can I tap in a outlet not being used that is behind a bed and add a outlet behind it outside? Using it for a electric bbq grill. The grill specs are: 110 volt, 60hz, 275w, 5 amp service.

Generally speaking, this is OK. Bedroom receptacles do not need to be on dedicated circuits, so adding another receptacle to the circuit is not, in and of itself, a problem. But there are a few things to watch out for:
15A vs. 20A?
Your bedroom receptacle might be on a 15A circuit or a 20A circuit. If the electric grill only needs a 15A circuit then there is no problem. However, if it needs a 20A circuit and you only have a 15A circuit available then you need to replace the breaker (usually very easy) but you also need to make sure that all wiring on the circuit is 12 AWG or larger, which is unlikely because if it was then there would have been no reason NOT to have had a 20A breaker in the first place. If any of the wiring is 14 AWG then you can't upgrade to 20A without replacing the wiring. If the circuit has even a few hundred watts of constant use - e.g., a desktop computer - then you may find that the circuit does not have enough capacity to run the electric grill and the usual loads at the same time.
Don't remove the receptacle
You may be tempted to remove the existing receptacle and simply splice the wires in the junction box using wire nuts. Most likely you can't do that because of requirements for, generally speaking, receptacles along every wall. So either pigtail to add new wires for the outside receptacle, or use the second set of screws on the receptacle if not already in use.
GFCI
Bedroom receptacles typically require AFCI (though if it is an older house then they will likely not have AFCI) but do not normally require GFCI protection. Outside receptacles require GFCI. You can replace the breaker with a AFCI/GFCI breaker, replace the bedroom receptacle with a GFCI/receptacle and put the new receptacle wires on the LOAD screws, or install a GFCI/receptacle outside. Installing GFCI outside is the simplest solution, but subjects the GFCI to weather - hot/cold/wet - which shortens the life of the GFCI electronics.
Weather Resistance
An outdoor receptacle should be weather resistant and have an in-use cover.


When making kitchen cabinet doors out of plywood, what details will impact the final product? I really want to replace our overwrought, baroque cabinet doors with flat panel doors. I want them to look good but I actually like the look of plywood.

It seems from what I've read like I have to use some kind of manufactured wood for that or it will warp. I've been looking at formaldehyde free maple or birch ply and wondering if that would be a good fit. I think I'm looking for A-grade maple ply, right?

The uppers are 30" high, the lowers are 23" high. The largest door is 30 x 21.

The existing doors use hinges that just require two bores in the door and can line up on the cabinet frame pretty easily, so I'm not worried about getting the hinges right. (and I already know I need a hinge cutter forstner bit and jig).

What else should I be concerned about?

Your main concern is the wood warping. I've used plywood for cabinet doors in the past and they have all warped to one degree or another.

Your best bet might be getting marine ply which is designed to withstand moisture and hence less liable to warping.

If you can get a thicker ply (7 or 9 ply perhaps) then this will also minimise the amount it will bend.


Do I need to increase my HVAC trunk line size? I'm thinking of finishing my basement. I currently have a main trunk coming off my furnace that measures 20" wide by 6" tall. I'm trying to future proof my home in the event my current furnace can't keep up with my heating needs. I have a number of options:

Add a second furnace. (I don't like this idea because it will eat up a lot of ceiling space running more ducts)
Upgrading my current furnace to meet the needs of the additional SQFT. (My current furnace is only a couple years old. I've been told by a couple contractors that it's just barely under powered for the SQFT in the total house, so I'm leaning away from this to avoid the cost of replacing my current furnace.)
Upgrade my main trunk to accommodate a bigger furnace in the future. This way I don't have to tear my ceiling apart if I decide I need a new furnace. This is where my question lies, do I really need to upgrade my trunk to a 24" by 6" which is what the contractor recommended?
Do nothing and hope for the best? (With my current furnace being "just under powered" for my SQFT, my plan is to put a nice fire place in the basement to hopefully pick up the slack.

I'm looking for advice on any of my options.

I'd go with option 4 to begin with. I'd recommend it for a number of reasons:

It's a separate unit, so will act as a separate zone in your house, meaning you don't need to run it when no one is down there (saving you money).
modern direct-vent gas fireplaces with built in circulating fans are quite efficient and pretty much act as a furnace...especially if you get one with a thermostat remote (as we did).
fireplaces look nice (especially in a basement, where it can get especially dark during the winter months). A nice gas fireplace can certainly be a selling point.
for the reasons you mention (no need to run new ductwork, no need to replace the existing furnace, etc.)

We have hot-water baseboard heat, so thought that running an entire new circuit in the basement, while nice, would be a challenge and expensive. We felt we might eventually need it (given that we went with bare, stained concrete as the floor) but thought we'd try a fireplace first.

We installed a direct-vent gas insert (we had an old wood fireplace already) with a built in fan. We also added a ceiling fan to the main room when we finished the basement.

When we want to use the basement in January (we're in MN) we just turn on the fireplace and ceiling fan for maybe 10 minutes and the place warms REALLY fast...even the concrete slab. It works amazingly well. Granted, it will all depend on the size and layout of your basement.

For the most part, we just use it when we are down there (it's the family room, so after dinner TV and the like). If we know it's going to be especially cold for a few weeks, we set the thermostat remote and let it cycle by itself on and off.


How long must a refrigerator be left upright after being leaned at an angle before operation? I moved a refrigerator. During the course of the move it was leaned over at 45 degrees several times and laid almost flat for 30 seconds or so.

How long should it sit vertical (upright) to let all the oil (in compressor, etc.) run to the right areas?

It's not clear what MAKE/MODEL you have but the GE Appliance manual says to leave it UPRIGHT for an amount of time equal to the length of time it was on its side.

It also says specifically:

  If laying on its side just briefly to service, clean or adjust, just a few minutes of stand time will be enough.

It sounds as though just a few minutes will be sufficient.

From the OP:  An experienced friend recommended 8 hours after 5 minutes of it being between flat and 45 degrees (while moving it).


Will this particular breaker box allow ground wire to connect at neutral? House is ran with EMT.. I have two dedicated circuits coming in from outside the house for a swimming pool, with a dedicated ground to the main breaker box.

I want to connect to far right bottom neutral bar, to stay as far away from lugs from main feed as I can. I just want to make sure this specific box allows that.

I see what appear to be 4 wires coming in to the top lugs. So I think this is a sub-panel, not your main panel. If that is true, ground and neutral are separate, and must be carried separately back to the main panel.


How can I secure the wheel of my office chair to its shaft? I have a gaming office chair with a wheel that won't stay on:

I have tried to add some paper around the axis to make it thicker, I have tried with rubber band, I have tried to glue the wheel back on...
The wheel always ends up falling after a few moves of the chair.
Do you have an idea that would allow me to fix this permanently? Ideally I'd like to keep the wheel mobile, but that's not a hard requirement.

If you think about the forces your wheel encounters as it rolls over the floor carrying 30+ pounds, being twisted all over the place, it might be unsurprising how the attempts so far with glue/paper have failed.
These things retain themselves by the hole in the plastic carrying some sort of restriction so the wheel can be hammered onto the shaft, and the restriction (perhaps a ring of metal with a split in it) opens up temporarily then closes around the thinner section of the metal shaft, so it's gripping the metal (loosely) but is also too big to let the wheel come off again. Ropey 2D cutaway diagram time:

Black - wheel
Silver - peg with thinner section
BLue - metal ring with split so it can open up (it has enough space inside the wheel)

This blue bit has dropped to pieces, or been lost, or the plastic is destroyed and it isn't hidden inside any more. At worse, the wheel is really cheap and the blue thing wasnt a metal ring at all, it was just some plastic fingers that pushed out of the way when the wheel was hammered on and flexed back (and theyre now chewed up and gone):

I would consider 1 of 3 options:

Just replace it, if you can find a suitable replacement. Engineering a fix will take more time-is-money than the replacement will cost

Put it back in place, and drive a couple of screws through it and into the mounting block, holding it in place and stopping it from turning. Don't roll round so much while youre sat on the chair as it will wear the wheel out, but the other wheel will take some of the load, and it'll not wear out so fast if youre not wheeling it fully loaded. Don't put your desk on the chair and roll it across your mom's new travertine floor though!

Obtain a shanked bolt* that is the diameter of the pin that holds the wheel. The length of the shank should be equal or greater than the width of the castor as a whole (the distance between your fingertips if you touch one wheel center with the left index fingertip and the other wheel center with the right index fingertip). Drill a hole in the center of the broken wheel, drill a hole in the centre of the other wheel, drive the pin out of the wheel hub. Reassemble so the shanked bolt goes through the whole assembly, replacing the pin that carried the wheels. When the wheels roll, they should rotate on the bolt shank, not the bolt threads (the threads will act like a saw, chewing the plastic). Affix a locking nut to the bolt. Do not tighten the whole assembly to the point where the wheels cannot rotate

A shanked bolt looks like this, the smooth part being the shank:

The whole repair looks like this:

Black - plastic
Silver - bolt, white diagonal lines indicating threads
Orange - locking nut


How do I drill through a metal screw in my cabinet doors? I'm in the process of adding hardware to my bathroom vanity and as I have gone to drill the holes in the doors, I am hitting metal. It's hard to see what it is, but I believe it's a screw or a piece of metal  on the joint where the wood comes together.

What do I need to do to get through it? OR can I just glue on the knobs and call it a day?![

enter image description here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/qj9Ja.jpg)

I wouldn't recommend the glue on idea.  I would relocate the knobs slightly.


What is the best way to clean toilet bowl stains? Bought a house a little over a year ago and it was previously a foreclosure and sat for a while.  Because of that, it hadn't been cleaned for a while and developed some stains around the water line in all the toilets that we haven't been able to get off.

Anyone have any tips on how to get rid of them?  Rather unsightly and sure there must be a way to clean them off.

Have tried some different tips I'd heard, like pouring a 20oz Coke in the toilet and let it sit over night... that didn't work.

Surprisingly (to me, anyway) a pumice stone works great for this.  A friend recommended it to me when I had a similar situation to yours.  I had a hard time believing the stone wouldn't scratch the porcelain bowl, but it didn't and removed the rings pretty quickly.


How can I power a vanity light from a ceiling light switch circuit? I have power coming into a LED can light then to a regular bulb light then to a double switch (single gang). Then trying to use the second switch to power two other vanity lights.
How is this wired?

The best way is to identify lights that you want switched together with the new lights, and run a /2 cable from those lights to the new lights.

The new lights' black and white go to black and white on the cable.

In the old box, you look at where the black and white from the lamp itself go to.  The black and white from the new cable go to those same places.


Convert light socket to plug socket for LED lighting strip I have a european (Netherlands) light socket in my house that I would like to convert to a plug socket to accommodate an LED lighting strip. My builder says it won't work, but he's Polish, I'm English and we talk to each other in Dutch, so I think it might just be a communication problem. Some advice please?

In the US you could buy a "Medium Base Polarized Socket Outlet Adapter" at any hardware store for a couple bucks.

I suppose both ends are different where you are, but perhaps the picture will be enough to convey the idea?


Toilet not flushing after clearing a clog My toilet was clogged recently and I opened it with a toilet auger, and now another problem came up, every time I'm flushing the water is coming up and filling the toilet for a few seconds and then its going down at regular speed.I took down the toilet and there is no water sitting in the drain but I still augered it with my 6 Ft. toilet auger also I'v cleaned all the holes inside the toilet with CLR as mentioned in answers on similar questions but nothing helped. All other fixtures including another toilet are working fine and this one was also everything ok till now.
Thanks

First, insure you're using the correct plunger: a rubber one, not the newfangled fluted plastic ones. And go absolutely nuts with it. The important part is the pull-back, to dislodge the clog (you don't just push on it). If it doesn't fight you pulling back, you didn't achieve suction; change your angle.

(source)

  Your ideal sink plunger, on the left, & toilet plunger, on the right.

(source)

My preference is the simple one on the left, it does everything. The 'flute' on the right always just ends up inside itself. Either of these are better than that first one though.

After that comes using a real sewer rodder. For which you might want to pull the toilet to avoid scratching or damaging it, assuming there's no other clean-outs to provide access.

(source)

If you're sure there's no other take-offs between the toilet and the clog, you can try a Drain Cleaning Water Bladder that uses a garden hose. But if there are other take-offs however, you're going to shoot water out of the sink drain. Generally, these are only used on the main line and only if it's a soft clog. It's not going to help you if you have a kid's toy stuck in there.


LED chandelier lights permanently dim Our LED chandelier has 20 1.5w G4 bi-pin bulbs. About a month ago, all of the bulbs, in unison became very dim. We do not have a dimmer on this chandelier. I noticed that sometimes when I'd turn on the chandelier the bulbs would go back to being bright, but it was only a matter of seconds or minutes before they would return to their dimly lit state. This isn't a fading action, they all dim at once and suddenly.
Now, my chandelier's bulbs will not return to their intended brightness at all and they are all permanently dim.
I purchased some new bulbs and replaced one to test if the bulbs went bad. The new bulb showed the exact same dimness as all the other bulbs so I returned the new bulbs.
I contacted an electrician and his answer was to simply buy a new chandelier. Unfortunately the one we have or comparable ones are roughly $1,000.
I'd like to save the one we have if there are some reasonable troubleshooting techniques.
I'm no electrician, but is there something similar to a ballast that could have gone out? Are these replaceable?
One other thing I should note is that we have a pond with a pond pump that comes on daily. When it comes on, many of the lights in the house dim briefly. I wondered if this power draw could have ruined the chandelier. Again, the electrician I talked to seemed to dismiss that this was a concern. I want to know that if I buy a new chandelier of fix the existing one that I won't be right back into this same issue due to the power draw that I just mentioned.
Thank you!
Update:
This is for 120v
Update 2:
Below are photos of the electrical connections. I see two exposed wires. I assume these are ground, but I don't think they were connected to anything. Could that have been the problem? It would be odd though that the chandelier worked for months and months with no disturbances and just finally go dim.

Power supply is shot
G4 lamps are all 12V (least, all the ones I found).
All 20 lamps are behaving exactly the same. It can't be because of all the lamps being in series, since that would be 240V worth of lamps, and you're in 120V-land.  (that would be 2 series strings so only half would fail).   So cross that off the list.
What remains is there is a 12V power supply somewhere.  That is the common thread. Clearly, it is failing.


4 Way switch, multiple light circuit I have found diagrams that are almost what I’m looking for but not quite. Maybe because it isn’t logical/feasible? I’m wiring three switches to control multiple LED panel lights in the ceiling.
I have found a diagram that’s close that shows a sequence of Source - Switch 1 - Light - Switch 2 - Switch 3.
What I’m looking for, if feasible, is a little different. Referring to the diagram attached, I’d prefer the route from the Source, to Switch 2, Light 7, L6, L5, Switch 3, L4, L3, L2, Switch 1, L1, L9, L8.
Is this feasible/rational, and if so, what would be the wiring diagram?
Additional notes:
The LEDs are line voltage.
The intention is that each switch will turn on or off the all the lights.
Ideally, Switch 1 would be a dimmer
Thanks!

Strings not required. Trees=yes. Loops=no.
Some people get really hung up on the idea that circuits must be in a linear string.  That's not true at all.
You can have as many "Tee" branches as you please.  The circuit can look like a grand old oak tree if that's what your wiring needs.  What you can't do is loop back.
OK:
 A---B---C       H----I
     |           |
     D---E---F---G----J---K
     |                |
     M---N---O        L

you can do that all day.

NOT OK:
 A---B---C-------H
     |           |
     D---E---F---G

Certain smart switches are the only way to do it straight with /3.
You need certain very specific smart switches which have wireless networking.
In that case, you wire every single connection with /3+ground cable.

Black = always-hot
Red = switched-hot
White = neutral.

The master smart switch takes from all three.  The remote smart switches take from always-hot and neutral.  The lamps take from switched-hot and neutral.
You need always-hot and neutral at all these switch locations.
If you wire with traditional 3/4-way switches, you will need neutral at all locations, not just one as is normally required.  That is because the room area is too complex and the lights are too spread out. The neutral rule exists for a variety of devices, but one of them is motion sensors.  The rule on 3-ways says that if both/all the 3/4-way switches all have line-of-sight to the whole room, then only one of them needs neutral (because the motion sensor could just be there).  However, in your case, the room is too large and complex for that to work, for instance S1 and S2 cannot see the area around L8 and L9.  You would need multiple motion sensors for full coverage, and so you need neutrals at those locations. Looks like "all of them" to me.
Best bet for traditional 3-ways
As you can tell, I'm not a fan of traditional 3-ways in this instance.  If you are hellbound to do it on your route, you will need smurf tube or other conduit, because you will need ground, always-hot, switched-hot, neutral and 2 travelers in a number of places.  And they don't make /5 cable.
However if you are flexible on routes, you can go
 supply -> S1 -> S2 -> S3 -> all the lights

Yes, that involves a fair bit of circuity. (running all over the place; the word only distantly relates to "circuit").
The most efficient "traditional 3-way" method would probably be a conduit "backbone" from S3-S2-S1, and then and then simply "tee" off /2 Romex to the various lights as convenient.  You could throw any wires you need into the conduits, even after the drywall is up.  Conduit is nice that way.


Elevated area around switch due to repair - need guidance matching texture? I recently ripped and replaced a 2 gang switch so that I could run new wire down from a different fixture, and unfortunately my hole was much larger than the old work box I replaced the original with. To fill the gap, I used drywall paper tape and mud, leaving me with an elevated area around the switch. I'd like to match the wall texture to hopefully help conceal it, even a bit.

Question - can someone tell me what kind of texture this is? Looks like a form of knockdown, but not sure how to apply it?

I'm also open to other suggestions, even if that means cutting a larger hole :)

This is creative free art. The artist is unknown.  First you want to sand that whole area smooth and try to cut down the elevation difference. You're going to have to practice this a bit but I've had pretty good luck using a wallpaper paste brush and dipping the brush into drywall mud and gently flinging it onto the wall. You can also dab it on the wall. Now you have the dimples. After it sets for a while, get your mud knife and make some sweeping strokes to flatten out some areas. This is going to take some practice so be patient. The good news is if you screw it up,just scrape off the mud and start over.


Inflating wheelchair tires to 90 PSI I'm looking for a way to easily fill my wheelchair tires to 90 psi. I understand that I don't understand all the technical stuff I should consider when buying a small compressor or a tire inflator, and frankly, my head is spinning from it all.

Originally, I thought I could get away with just an inflator, but it appears to me that very few of them have a minimum psi above 90. And I'm suspicious that those numbers are inflated. I feel like the descriptions don't give me enough info. I'm having such trouble comparing all of them! Adding in the small compressors--I just can't figure this out.

If I do need to go the compressor route, which I think I do, I have some restrictions in noise level and space. Some don't list if they're belt-driven, and I just don't know enough to extrapolate the missing info. Sizewise, I'm confused by the fact that sometimes smaller tanks show higher CFM than others and vice versa.

I'm not looking for someone to try to explain all this to me, I guess I'm looking for someone to just advise me of what numbers am I looking for. By way of example:

Would a pancake compressor which states "2.0 SCFM delivered @ 90 PSI pump, 3.5 gallon tank and 135 max PSI" work for my needs?
Is one that says "200 PSI 3.0 CFM 2.5 gal 71.5 dB" going to be too much?

Can someone just give me ballpark numbers to look for? I hope this makes sense to someone.

Thanks so much for your time!

Betsey

P.S. With the numbers you give me, could you possibly tell me what additional types of uses it might have, if any?  Thanks so much!

The CFM of the compressor is the volume of air the compressor can move at the rated pressure. Your chair tires have a tiny volume just about any compressor on the market can handle them.  The peak or max pressure is what you need to look at.  The peak or max pressure is the value the compressor shuts down at for safety. You want this pressure to be higher than your needed pressure for losses in the hoses and the bit you loose when disconnecting the air fitting. All the pancake compresses I know of (even harbor freight) will have sufficient SCFM , if the max pressure is 125 this should more than enough to reach 90 psi on your tires once the tank fills without having to run longer than to fill the tank.