How to fix a cupboard to 32mm thick plasterboard I want to fix a cabinet to a bathroom wall. The wall is 710mm wide and has a single stud slightly off-centre, about 270mm from the right, but which is too near the middle to be useful for hanging the cupboard.

I was planning to use heavyweight plasterboard fixings. (I think they're also called mollies.) The pack I have says "Interset(R) 10mm Plasterboard Fixing... DRILL DIA: 10mm, FIXTURE: Max 15mm thick".

Unfortunately, when I drilled into the plasterboard, it turned out to be much thicker than I expected. I used a paperclip through the hole to help measure the thickness, and it turned out to be about 32mm thick. This seems to be much thicker than is common for plasterboard. Now I have a pair of 10mm holes in this plasterboard and I'm not sure what to do with them. I'm not sure if it's normal plasterboard, or something else. I thought perhaps it's insulated or sound-dampening.

For context, the wall in question is internal and divides one apartment from another. I understand it must have been installed in the last 10 years, since the  apartment was formerly a ground-and-basement-level shop, and was converted into apartments within that time. This is in the UK.

What can I use to fix a cabinet to this thick wall? Can I get spring toggle bolts that are suitable for this thickness? How do I find suitable fixtures, since most seem to be designed for 10-15mm walls?

It's probably double 5/8ths drywall, I'd use toggle bolts. And then washers and 3" deck screws to the stud for safety (not drywall screws), even if you're going to do all four corners with toggle bolts. There should be some one-by inside the cabinet at the top (and possibly the bottom) this is where you want your fasteners penetrating, not just through the flimsy back panel. Your local hardware store should have these:

1/4" x 4" Toggle Bolt:  (tannerbolt.com)

You can skimp on diameter if you want, but the shorter they are, the harder it's going to be to install all four at the same time. The size shown is my go-to.

Hand tighten only, or you risk stripping the tiny nut in the spreader or compromising the drywall integrity. You need to be able to feel what's going on in there; they should just be snug.  Be extra careful with smaller diameter toggles as they have even wimpier nuts.

Other types of drywall fasteners are discussed here: What benefit do plasterboard drywall screws have?


how much bearing surface is required to support a beam How much bearing surface is required to support a load bearing beam in a single-family residence?  Are there tables? Are end gaps ok or required? A 1/4" to 3/8" end gap on each end (1/2" to 3/4" short overall) would be really helpful for getting it into place.

In particular, I have a 16' long 4x12 solid fir beam, with one end to be buried in a 2x6 exterior wall and the other end into a 2x4 interior wall.

Instead of square end cuts, I could make a tapered end cut of a couple degrees on one end to get a little more bearing. I suppose I could fir-out the interior wall if more bearing than 3.25" is needed.

The answer for bearing length is a little more complicated than most people would assume it would be. I'm going to assume it is supporting uniform loads and no point loads.

1.5" of bearing length is all you need for this douglas-fir beam, but that's not the limiting factor here. Beam bearing lengths don't take into account the supporting member's ability to carry the loads. So as long as your wall is less than 10' tall, give the beam 3" of bearing with a 2 ply 2x4 built-up column under it. Nail the two plies together following NDS standards. If your supporting member was a steel beam, then that's when 1.5" bearing length would be enough.

It seems counter intuitive, but with dimensional lumber the longer the span the less bearing length you typically need because the end reactions are lower.

For example, your 16' long 4x12 can support a max uniform load of 150 PLF which means you have 1200 lbs at each end. If the same beam was only 5' long, it could support a max uniform load of 1900 PLF which means you have 4750 lbs at each end.

I don't know the answer to your end gap question. I have a feeling that 1/4" is fine on either end, but I don't know for sure.


Is it possible to power/turn-on LED lights through a lamp switch? I'm trying to make a lamp from my gf's favorite beer.  It's a bomber(16oz) bottle that I'm running a DIY lamp kit through.  I'd like to add two little red LED lights that are connected to the switch of the lamp so that the lights act as little red eyes on the bottle.  Does anyone know if this is feasible?  Will it need its own power source or can I run some extra wire from the light switch and power those two lights too?  I have zero experience with this and could ultimately do the project without the LED lights but it would be that extra special touch for the holidays.  Any help or pointing in the right direction would be greatly appreciated.

The easiest way to run an LED off of 120VAC is to use an LED that's already designed for 120VAC, like a 120VAC LED Panel light. They come in a wide variety of sizes, colors, and form factors.

(Photos from Digikey's catalog).

Just keep in mind that 120VAC is dangerous, and if you're not actually going to panel mount them where only the front of the LED is exposed to the user with the rest of the LED shielded by an insulating or grounded panel, make sure that you keep them safely isolated so the user can't inadvertently come into contact with the back side of the LED housing or wires.


How to put the washers on the screw So, I got a screw and things that look like rings (washers). One of them looks like incomplete ring (C-shaped), another is really a complete bigger ring.

The assembly instruction says I need to put both types of washers on the screw.

But on which side?

Should they be on the different sides like this:

Or should they be on the same side like this:

However, the instruction says this:

According to this, it looks like

head, C, O, material, nut

But several people answered my previous question that it's

head, material, C, O, nut

I am confused at this point. Could you please explain?

The "rings" you mention are commonly called "washers".

It's hard to tell from the photo, but I believe the "incomplete ring" you mention is a "split" or "spring" lock washer:

If that's the case, then the are stacked as you have them in your second picture, the flat washer against the bracket, then the lock washer on top of that.

Note that this assumes that you don't have a nut that goes on the screw, if that's the case, then it's possible that the lock washer goes against the nut and the flat washer goes under the bolt head.

Based on the diagram you provided in the edit, it looks like the diagram wants you to put them in this order:

That looks like it's a wooden bedframe, so the flat washer is there to give a bigger surface for the bolt head when it screws down onto the soft wood.


How to protect PEX pipes from puncture I'm replacing the copper pipes in my house and I'm converting the trunk and branch type to home run style using PEX A pipes.
I want to protect the pipes in the wall that I'm running them up from the basement to the two bathrooms upstairs on the second floor. I have a total of 10 pipes going upstairs.
First I thought of using metal sheet to wrap around the section of the wall that the pipes are going up. The kind that is used for the ducts, but that was too thin and a regular drywall screw went through it without a problem or me noticing that I punctured the metal.
Then my next idea was to use 3/4" electric conduit and run my 1/2" PEX pipes in those. It seems like a good idea, but I'm not sure if that would be against any kind of code and if the hot water pipes would be damaged from friction damage as they expand and contract quite a while as I noticed from the pipes that are fixed between the joists in the basement.
My plan was to use plastic rings on each end of the electrical conduit to protect the PEX pipes from getting scratched over time and there is a 90 degree bend in each conduit to allow to easily continue with the pipes in the ceiling wall once it enters that section. I was even thinking of using insulating foam sealant to push into the pipe to not to allow the PEX pipe to move around and get damaged from the friction.
Do you guys think that would work?
Thanks for the suggestions and ideas.

Usually around here these pipes are in corrugated plastic conduit. Same for wires.
The conduit is free to move around inside the drywall, so it you drive in a screw (or a drill bit) it will scratch the conduit but it will push it out of the way instead of going through.
Here's an example (European metal drywall studs, not US wood studs, but you get the idea):


Is my wood stain going to match? I have refinished the wood floors in my house with the exception of 2 bedrooms, which share a hallway with wood floors. I am redoing one of the bedrooms, and the company that is doing the floor assured me he could match the stain so it would match my floor in the hallway. I just got home and the stain he used is darker, and he got some outside the bedroom into the hallway floor. It looks sloppy. Had he not got some into the hallway, and just stayed within the bedroom it would be okay. It is drying now, and he is coming back tomorrow to finish up. Should I be worried? Will the stain lighten overnight? Is there a way he can fix it?

Matching stain is very difficult. Seriously, I heard of one guy who markets himself as the "Wood Whisperer". When guys start calling themselves a wood whisperer, you know you are getting into the black arts.

Typically the average floor installer will use a wood wheel from his manufacturer and pray.

That said, you will not know how good the match is until it ages a little bit and fades, so you have to give it some time. Basically, what this means is that in 3 months if it still doesn't match you can call the guy up and yell insults at him.

You cannot "fix" a stain. You can try re-finishing, but you are rolling the dice even more on that one, because then the wood wheel will not work anymore. The wood wheel is only for fresh installs. Refinishing requires a "wood whisperer". Also, refinishing is expensive because it involves sanding.

Note that finishes can vary under different lighting conditions, so that a finish that matches in daylight, could look totally different at night under incandescent or fluorescent light.


Remove broken cartridge of a Moen shower faucet I already watched some YouTube videos regarding how to remove a Moen cartridge, but  my issue is a little different.

As shown in the pictures, the cartridge itself was broken. Since it's not fully turned off before it's broken, water continues to flow - I had to turn off the main water valve of the house to stop it.

A few questions here, that I wonder if you can kindly help out:

I couldn't tell what model this Moen cartridge is, 1222, 1225 or something else?
Given that it's broken, will the regular cartridge remover be able to take out the cartridge? Like this one from Amazon?
Is it still possible to turn off the faucet? I guess it's hard, but I really don't want to keep the main water valve shut off all the time, and obviously it'll take days to find a solution & get a replacement.
What kind of cartridge can be used as a replacement? Again, this is related to first question. I know I need to look up the manual but couldn't find it in my house, sorry.

You should still be able to get the cartridge out.  In your bottom left picture, there's a little copper-colored tab sticking out (between 12 and 1 O'Clock, to the left of the threaded hole.)  You pull that out straight up and then the cartridge pulls out toward you.  I would think a pair of pliers would work for that.  Then what I do is take it to the hardware store and compare side-to-side and find the match.


Vanity countertop support for piece over toilet I was looking at some photos from model homes and like the vanity countertop cut:

How do they support the stone where it goes out to the top of the toilet tank?

I don't see anything below the stone to support it in that area.

Would it be OK like that where it is "floating"?

Most natural stone won't cantilever that far without breaking. Even a synthetic like corian may or may not work.

There's probably a narrow ledger (~1x2) supporting the back.


Sellotape caused discoloration on the wooden surface As seen in the picture it seems that the sellotape removed some of the color on the furniture surface. There doesn't seem to be any adhesive left on the surface. What are my options to repair this?
Wood

hard to tell from the photo, but I think you have old varnish, just aged and oxidized.  take some acetone and wipe the area at the edge of the ripped area.  if you wipe it and get some yellowy residue, you probably have old varnish or lacquer.  if not, wipe with methanol or methyl hydrate.  if this produces yellowy residue, you have old shellac.  if it doesn't wipe with either process you may have a urethane that's tinted and it would need sanding and refinishing.

either way, if it wipes off with either chemical, just wet feather the edge and then let dry.  you should see a lighter area when it dries, but with a smooth transition.  then you can topcoat.  don't try to match colours as the area will naturally darken in the stripped wood section when you coat it, and then further as it ages.


How can I repair severly water-damaged interior wall plaster or sheetrock? A water issue with a rain gutter has caused damage to my interior wall:

How should I repair the damage in the process of preparing the wall for new wallpaper?

How old is the house? Looks like that may have slats/plaster rather than drywall. Regardless, if it got wet, it needs to be replaced to prevent mold damage. Remove the trim, cut away the wall till you encounter no moisture.. most likely you'll have to replace the insulation as well, then put up some new drywall. Tape the edges, plaster, sand.. prime, then wallpaper. If you try to simply even it out, it probably won't be too long till the wall crumbles.


Can I connect one end of an in wall wire to an electrical plug? I ran wire for a ceiling mounted projector to my utility room. I have a server rack in the room with a surge protector. I would like to wire the exposed end with a plug in order to connect the projector to the surge protection provided in the server rack, as I do not have whole house surge protection. Is there a reason this would not be acceptable?

Outlet <--> wire through ceiling <--> out in unfinished room <--> male electrical plug <--> surge protector

Thank you

The best bet is to install an inlet where you're transitioning from cord to fixed wiring.  You don't want to run flexible cords through walls/ceilings, so you'll want to find a way to avoid that.

So you'll end up with something as follows:

Surge protector -> male end plug -> cord -> female end -> inlet -> fixed wiring -> receptacle where projector can plug in.


How can I replace the bleed plug for my towel rail? I have a very similar type of radiator as this:

However doing a bathroom refit, I have somehow lost the radiator bleed plug which is shown in the picture above. So if I turn the radiator on, it obviously starts to leak water. Any idea what that is called/where I could get a replacement?

The hardest thing to determine will be the screw diameter and pitch.  A visit to a plumbing supply will likely yield some typical samples to try.  Just don't force them in, it should start smoothly and tighten to a firm stop.

This link lists what must be common UK bleed valve sizes 3mm, 6mm, and 13mm, the ad lists all three and a key with delivery (to UK) for under £2.

How close is this to your unit?


What is this small triangle on this screw head? This doesn't really relate to a problem I have (the screws work just fine), it's more of a curiosity question. Some of the screws I've used recently have a small triangle on their head, as if for lining up something:

I was wondering what this is for, but couldn't really find anything.

What I did find was that bolts commonly have markings that relate to their strength, and screws often have manufacturer markings on their head, but this looks like neither to me.

After reading up a bit on screws of various types I noticed this small snippet in the German Wikipedia:

Von 1967 bis 1992 konnte man die Schrauben anhand einer Körnung am Schraubenkopf erkennen. Seit 1992 wird der Schriftzug (SPAX) in den Schraubenkopf gepresst.
(Between 1967 and 1992 the screws could be distinguished by a punch mark on the head. Since 1992 the "SPAX" lettering is punched into the head.) — horrible translation by me.

It indeed seems to be a Spax screw and a bit worn. The cutting part of the thread is barely recognizable as such and the point is not quite pointed anymore. But other features are still there, such as the part of the head that creates its own counter-sink.
So I guess it came from some old wooden parts and I salvaged the screws. Or whoever. No idea where they came from, they were in my random screws drawers in the basement and just happened to be of the right size for what I needed.
When knowing what to search for one can also find images with that marking:

And it seems that some special-purpose screws still have the old marking:

Well, learned something new about screws, that not all wood screws are equal, and that I didn't even have to pre-drill holes for what I've been doing recently.


How smooth is parquetry? Can you feel the texture of the wood in a parquetry floor?

I'm writing a novel and describing someone feeling the floor, but don't know if in a parquetry floor you would be able to feel the wood's texture.

Yes, in most cases you can feel the texture of the pattern with feet and fingers. Parquet floors tend to present slight differences in height among the individual wood components, and slight gaps between them, varying in width on a seasonal basis. Depending on the age and type, they can be rather creaky, since some are floating (not adhered to a substrate). The grain of the wood (usually oak) is also apparent in many cases.

It's more rare that the wood is bonded so well to a substrate that no variation in height occurs. This would generally indicate a simulated parquet floor.


Should I put some glue in the pre drilled hole before installing an eye screw? Going to put in some eye screws under the deck for a swing.

Should I add some glue in the predrill for extra durability?

I've also read vaseline is good for easier installation, but that's opposite of what I'm asking...

Are you using an eye bolt or an eye screw?
 OR

For an eye screw, glue won't do much and is not needed. (Although some glues may act as a lubricant when you first screw-in the eye-screw.)  Use bar soap or beeswax as a lubricant.

For an eye bolt, especially if you want it to be able to pivot, use appropriate washers, plus two nuts with a lock-washer in between.  For extra reliability use Loctite, not glue, where the nuts and eye-bolt meet.

If you don't need/want pivoting action, then one nut may suffice, but Loctite is even more important because such eye-bolts always loosen their compressive grip on the wood over time.


How can I mask water damaged ceiling drywall with faux painting? My tub upstairs leaked a large portion of water directly above the middle of the kitchen ceiling. The ceiling drywall doesn't have a hole in it, and the paint isn't bubbling. However after I fixed the leak and dried the ceiling I noticed the drywall had bulged into a long elliptical shape. So I sanded the ceiling down to what looked like even with the rest of the ceiling, but after painting it the bulge was still noticeable. So I re-sanded, and painted but then noticed I had gone too far with the sanding and had a shallow curve into the ceiling. So I tried to fill it with plaster only to realize it was again bulging. I repeated this a few times and each time I had to increase the outline of the bulge as I needed to smooth the edges of the latest fix attempt.

SO... I have given up on trying to hide it( unless you guys have ideas) and wish to do a faux paint paint finish. What is the best way to faux paint a ceiling?

Cut out the bad section, and replace it with a sheet of new drywall.  The water has probably damaged the existing drywall, and even if you do manage to hide it temporarily, the damaged area will come back.


Exchanging air in basement Live in nepa, have goodman 4 ton heat pump w/propane back up. Foam insulated about 1200 square feet that I want to heat. I am at the end and ready to put up the dividing wall.I have 2 returns and 3 exhausts, I'm going to add 2 more exhausts, I get plenty of push from the system now, my question is do I open the now closed returns year round to pull the air out and if so should I add another? I ran 8 inch metal to 6 and with the air on you can feel the cold air immediately cool off the shop even with 90 degrees out.

The best systems have a return in every room that has a supply register, but a lot of systems work just fine with only a central return (usually located right at the furnace). To achieve the highest efficiency, you're going to have to do a heat load calculation, however it sounds like it's working fine.

A good system will have balancing dampers placed throughout the duct work, but you can also balance the system by e.g., half closing all of the registers upstairs, to force more air into the basement.


What's the minimum recommended compressor HP/PSI to spray paint? I have a little compressor that I use for a small brad nailer and blowing up tires. Is there a minimum PSI or horsepower that I need to be able to get to in order to spray paint with it?

Paint sprayers have a pretty low PSI requirement.  I'd be more concerned about the CFM (Cubic feet per minute) rating of your compressor.  That would indicate whether it can compress the air fast enough to keep up with the sprayer.


What is the best way of plumbing a bathroom so as to avoid temperature fluctuations in the shower? Everyone has been in a shower where you can tell when someone flushes a toilet, opens a kitchen tap, etc, as the temperature rapidly changes. There's also other places where the shower is virtually unaffected by anything else.

Is there a way of plumbing in lines (either using a certain size pipe, or certain order of branches) to minimize the sensitivity? Do pro plumbers ever pay attention to this, or do they just do whatever is the shortest run?

In my current house, the shower never changes temperature, despite use of dishwasher, laundry, toilets or other taps. There is a 3/4" line that runs one direction for cold, and another 3/4" line running the opposite direction for hot (the hot water tank is on the exact opposite side of the house from where the cold water comes in). On the cold side, there is the kitchen sink first, and then the bathroom (and I'm 99% sure based on positioning that the shower is first, followed by toilet, then sink). On the hot side, there is a 1/2" line that comes off first for the laundry and downstairs half-bath, and then the bathroom in the same order as before.

One way to ensure that the shower temperature doesn't vary is to install a thermostatic mixer. While you might get reduced flow when someone else uses water in another part of the house the temperature will remain constant.


Best way to hide tile edge *and* hardie board edge? My googlefu may be off, but I cannot find what I'm looking for...  I'm installing a backsplash using 3/8 inch thick marble.  The tile will be set on 1/4 inch backer board (didn't want to demo to the studs, and the wall surface is not suitable).

The total thickness of backer->thinset->tile is about 3/4 inch.  There are a couple of spots where I need to hide the edges of the backer+thinset+tile assembly.  I would like to use a brushed aluminum trim piece to accomplish this, but cannot find anything suitable.  All the Schluter trim pieces seem to be L-shaped which works fine for hiding only the tile edge or the backer (depending on which way your orient the L) because they do not appear to make 3/4 inch wide L-shaped trim that I'd need to hide everything.  I suppose what I need is a T-shaped trim with a 1/4 inch hide on one side, and 1/2 inch on the other.  Anyone know a source for such a thing?

I'm toying with the idea of just using the trim that is available to hide just the backer board.  Then maybe just use white caulk along the sides of the tile to hide the thinset layer...  Anyone ever do that and how does it look?  Would it be difficult to achieve something decent looking?

(Please note: bullnose for this particular tile is not available and I don't want to fabricate my own.  Also, we don't care for the look of quarter round finish.)

I think you are asking for "Reno-T"  Schluter.

However, you might want to consider looking for 'bull-nosed' versions of your current tile:

or matching some v-cap, deco mold, granada shaped 'chair rail' as trim:


Blower Fan Comes on and runs cold air and then shuts off before the gas and heat actually come on I noticed on our Carrier furnace that the blower motor and fan come on when the heat is called for like a minute, then it shuts completely off before the gas and heat and blower motor take off to heat the house.  What is the purpose of the blower motor and fan coming on and shutting off before the heating starts?  I am replacing my shot blower motor and feel this function is causing the motor to wear out prematurely.

Contrary to JPhi's comment, it is not normal for the "air" to come on for a bit before ignition of the burner. What Ms. Diaz may have been hearing is the combustion air blower coming on, a failed ignition attempt and then shutdown. That is not the blower motor "air" coming on first. Ron Beyer had it right. Check the error code.


How can I open this locked window? To be clear, this window is in my house, which I own. However I don't have a key that opens it.

Below is another window in my house (exactly the same as this one) which I do have a key for. I've shown it locked and unlocked & open.
I don't mind breaking the lock, but I still want to be able to turn the handle so that it's closed. How do I do that?
Edit: O-kaaaay... Here's what the window looks like now below.
In process of trying to turn barrel I ripped it out. Removing screws didn't help at all so put them back - impossible to remove handle without it being open first. Trying to force the handle with a claw hammer makes the window bend so much I'm afraid of breaking it. The handle hardly moves at all. I can't see a catch or any other magic thing to click in there. Please help with this massive mess I am now in.

I have opened a similar broken handle. Gently wiggle a thin piece of steel, e.g. stanley blade, between the rotating handle and the fixed base, below the black part of the button. There should be a sprung plastic catch that can be pushed up towards the button and then the handle should turn.

Check your other working lock first. When it is open you should be able to feel the catch.

There are usually two screws holding the handle in place. One under the gold cover on the left and one under the handle when it is open. This is a common window handle and should be easy to find replacements from online stores or local window fitters.


How to separate the outlets in garage from other outlets in the house The wiring for one of the 15A circuits for my house includes 7 outlets in the family room, several recessed lights, a 3-speed hanging fan, a chandelier in dining room and 3 outlets in the garage.

Since there are outlets in the garage that are servicing a full sized refrigerator and a water heater (including recirculation pump), I am considering putting these outlets on a new dedicated 15A circuit.

Since the subpanel breaker is located in the garage on the same wall as the GFCI outlet (see photo), I'm wondering if I could run new 14-2 wire from the subpanel down into the crawlspace and come back up to this GFCI outlet. I would still need to remove the wires from this outlet that are servicing those other runs within the house.

Would I need to install a new junction box next to the GFCI outlet to accomplish this?

I would prefer not to run exterior conduit along the garage wall, if possible.

First step is to shut off the breaker for that circuit.

Remove the outlet and GFCI and use wire nuts to make sure the original circuit is complete to the other inside outlets.

Then cover it with a blank plate to make a junction-only box out of it.

Then you are finished with the inside outlets.  Turn the breaker back on and use an outlet tester on each one to verify your work.

Highly recommended:  Always use an outlet tester to ensure that the wiring is correct for each outlet.  It can detect all sorts of faults and, even better, it can confirm that you have done the work correctly.

This is a great tool to have around when doing any kind of electrical work, and they are inexpensive.  Might not hurt to use one to check all the outlets in your home.

Here is an example:  Home Depot Outlet Tester

(Aside:  I snipped this image from the Home Depot website, and it appears to be indicating an open ground - just the center light is lit.  On the top of it is a chart showing how to interpret the light patterns.)

Install another outlet box against a stud for the GFCI.

In that box you will prepare your connections to the GFCI.

GFCIs have an input side that will come from the breaker, and they provide output terminals for connection of additional outlets.

From the breaker box, feed Romex down to your crawlspace.

SAFETY FIRST - DE-ENERGIZE THE BREAKER BOX WHILE DOING THIS

Feed it down then up to the GFCI.  Attach the Romex Ground, Neutral and Hot leads to the input side of the GFCI but leave the GFCI hanging out slightly so you can attach the outlet string to it..

Cut off the Romex at the breaker box with a little excess and tie it off - it is not yet time to connect the new breaker.

You can then re-energize the box while you work on the GFCI and outlets.

From the output side of the GFCI you will run Romex to other outlets.  Use a mounting box for each.

You can go laterally to the outlets - just drill a hole in the middle of the studs for the cable to pass through - there is no requirement to use the crawlspace for them.  That might be easier than making new penetrations to the crawlspace for each outlet.  Totally your choice.

  Each outlet has 4 connections plus ground: one pair for input then the other for output.  Use that to daisy-chain multiple outlets in a string.

  Make sure you include ground in the daisy-chaining.

By doing it this way they all will be protected against ground faults, and all of the garage outlets will be on the new circuit.

To finish up, screw in the GFCI and the outlets into the boxes then put on nice attractive cover plates

In the crawlspace, secure the Romex to your floor beams or wherever with something like this:

Last step:  Make your supply connection to Ground, Neutral and the new breaker inside the breaker box.

SAFETY FIRST - DE-ENERGIZE THE BOX WHILE DOING THIS

Pull the Romex up tight and cut off the excess, strip the ends and do the final connections.

It helps to leave a little extra length to make the work easier.  I sometimes add a small loop of Romex inside breaker boxes, depending on how full they are.

Make sure all connections are secure and that there is no mechanical stress on the cable.

When finished, put the metal cover back on the breaker box, re-energize it and use the outlet tester to verify power (and proper wiring) to each outlet.

Test the GFCI with the outlet tester plugged into one of the other outlets.

Voila, a whole new 15 Amp circuit in the garage, all protected via the GFCI.


Can I use bolts to attach a bed to the walls of my room? I plan on mounting my bed to the walls of my room. You can say that it will look like a loft bed without the legs. To make it look like it really is floating, I won't be using angle brackets. Instead, I plan on mounting the frame using multiple relatively long and thick bolts.

The bolts will go through the frames instead of under it like with brackets. The house is made of concrete so I'm pretty sure the walls can take the load of the bed, me, and lots more. The wood that will be used will be wood that is normally used for making beds so I'm pretty sure it can handle my weight too.

First Problem

My problem is if the bolts can withstand all the weight and transfer them to the wall. I will use thick enough and long enough bolts for these. How thick and how long exactly, I'm still not sure. Please look at the diagram below to see what I'm trying to say.

If you are wondering why I'm only bolting the bed on the short sides of the frame, that's because the back wall (which one of the long frames is touching) has a window in it (at best, I might be able to put a few more bolts near the corners). The bed frame is made using 1" x 4" pieces of wood. I also plan on making the frame capable of being disassembled.

Do you think this is feasible? If so, how long and thick should the bolts be? Is 3/8" thick enough? Is 4 inches long enough (I can get longer bolts if necessary)? What material should the bolt be made of? How many should I use?

Second problem

My next problem would be is that the walls of my room are not parallel with each other so a rectangular bed won't be touching the walls on both the short sides. See the diagram below to see what I'm saying:

As you can see, the left side of the bed isn't fully touching the wall. While I can still attach the frame to the wall, I don't like seeing any space in between. I think the space in between would be an inch or so at its widest.

First thing I've thought of doing is to just make the frame adapt to the shape of the room. Can anyone suggest a better solution to this as I would rather have a rectangular bed just so that I won't have an irregularly shaped bed when I move it or convert it to a regular one.

Another solution I've thought of is to make a wedge that will fit the space. I'm not sure though if that's an easy task (by the way, I will hire professionals to make the bed). Another is I can just make a small piece of wood to cover the front side of the space. This is easier than making a wedge but I don't think it's pretty to look at from below or over the bed.

What do you guys think?

As long as the wood that you use to construct your bed frame is strong enough in its own right to be used as a bed frame you should have no problems supporting the frame from both ends by bolting into the concrete wall.

Bolts that are 1/2" in diameter should be plenty strong in shear to support a bed frame mounted in this manner. Three or four equally spaced bolts per end would give you an even distribution of support for the frame at each of the concrete walls. If you can penetrate the walls by two to three inches and install good quality anchors there should be no problems with the bolts staying tight and in place. Using a drop-in internally threaded anchor type should provide you the ability to use standard threaded bolts that can then be removed easily with the anchor staying in place in the wall. If you look at the RM-12 type you'll need 5/8 inch holes in the wall that are a minimum of 2" deep. This type of anchor also includes the need of a setting tool to expand the anchor into the concrete before installing the threaded bolts. The RM-12 offers a 3/4" thread depth.

For best application of the bed frame it would be recommended to build it to fit to the shape of the walls so that the end pieces can be solidly bolted up to the wall. If you elect to stay with the rectangular frame and then I would recommend that backer be placed behind the end piece where each bolt is located. Obviously a wedge piece, as you surmised, would be the best as a full length backer. If you do go with just backer blocks or the wedge one way to get a nice look would be to add an additional facer trim board as shown below. If the gap out of square across the width of the bed is only 1" you will never notice it once you get a matress and bedding up on the deck.


Spider-like / roots? mold? We recently discovered our dishwasher was leaking under our flooring into the subfloor (formerly the floor - oak before the previous owner added pergo). We’re in the process of cleaning it up and see that there are spidering like dark marks on the floor that I’ve never seen before. Does anybody know what it is?

This looks like fungal growth to me. Specifically, it looks like the “roots” of honey fungus. I’ve seen this before on a stack of old PT lumber I had sitting outside for a few years.


Can I wire 2 ceiling fans, 5 ceiling spot lights, and 3 closet lights on a singe 15 amp circuit? Can I wire 2 ceiling fans and 5 ceiling spot lights and 3 closet ligthts on a singe circuit with 12 ga wire and a 15 amp breaker?
Or should I wire the 2 ceiling fans on a separate circuit?

There should be no problem putting it all on a single 15 ampere circuit. Likely in the worst case scenario, each fixture would consume ~100 watts. That would be using large 52" fans, and 100 watt bulbs in each fixture. With the 10 fixtures, that would be 1000 watts (10 * 100 = 1000). A 15 ampere 120 volt circuit can provide 1800 watts of power (15A * 120V).

More realistically, you're going to be using lower wattage fixtures, especially nowadays with CFL and LED bulbs becoming more common. Here's some calculations based on various wattage devices.

10 devices @ 75 watts each = 750 watts.
10 devices @ 60 watts each = 600 watts.
2 fans @ 100 watts, and 8 lights @ 60 watts = 680 watts.
2 fans @ 75 watts with 3 60 watt blub light kits, and 8 lights @ 100 watts = 1310 watts.
2 fans @ 100 watts with 3 100 watt bulb light kits, and 8 lights @ 100 watts = 1600 watts.

Since it's a 15 ampere circuit, you'll only need 14 AWG conductors. Unless there's a specific reason you're using 12 AWG instead, which is also fine.


Can I plug my 40 ampere stove into a 30 ampere receptacle? The new stove requires at least 40 amps, our breaker is 40 amp. The outlet says 30 amps on it, and the holes are shaped a little different then the plug, but the plug still fits into the outlet and the stove comes on.

A man looked at it and told us it was a universal plug. Do they make those? Sears said it was a dryer outlet and they would not plug it in. Our last stove we had brand new. It lasted 3 years and it was plugged in there, then it went poof and stopped working. I don't want this to happen again, so I wondered if it was the 30 amp outlet.

Using the 30 A receptacle is a dangerous idea. The internals of the receptacle are designed for a maximum of 30 A, and putting 40 A through it could cause a fire. The receptacle needs to be replaced with a 50 A model (since they don't make 40 A receptacles).

It's fine to have a 40 A breaker feeding a 50 A receptacle. You need to also match the wire size to the breaker rating. A 40 A circuit requires at minimum 8 AWG copper wire, or perhaps thicker for longer runs. 6 AWG might be a good idea. Since you are replacing the receptacle, you should make sure that there is a dedicated safety ground (so four wires are run from the circuit breaker to the receptacle.

Also, I doubt that the old oven died because of the wrong receptacle (assuming that the receptacle is undamaged). However, I have heard of equipment being damaged when not properly grounded (My mom's gas range died prematurely after the installers failed to connect the ground). Double-check the voltages by measuring all 6 pairs of voltages using a voltmeter (Should be 240 between lines (L-L), 120 from L-G and L-N, and 0 from N-G).

Use caution when working with electricity. Don't forget to turn off the breaker (and verify that power is disconnected) before disassembling anything.


Hot water tank only has warm water after bath We have a new 60 Gallon (US) gas hot water tank. After running a bath, water coming out of it is warm instead of hot. Is this normal? Precisely, here is the experiment I performed:

Temperature outside hovering above freezing (not crazy cold for these parts)
Tank satisfied
Filled bath (hot and cold) to ~120L to get 109F bathing temperature
Drained bath (~2 minutes).
Filled again with just hot to ~100L and got 100F
Checked temperature of hot water running out of faucet now: 88F

Is this normal? Is there a better experiment to determine what is normal/ok?
Note: When tank is satisfied the water that first comes out of it is very hot (close to scalding).
Addendum: It's UG60-50MF1-N2U at https://giantinc.com/wp-content/uploads/docs/GI-FT-UG60ATM-En.pdf
Thank you!

This is normal.
Your tank has 60 litres. You took 120 litres of cold+hot. So, let's assume you took 60 litres of hot and 60 litres of cold water. What went in? Cold water. Heating up this cold water will take time.
The only thing anormal, to me is :

We have a new 60L gas hot water tank.

That's small. Where do you live ? I live in a place with both abundant hydro electricity and abundant water, so a water heater would be more like 60 gallons.
After edits:
Is the dip tube installed correctly ?
https://www.discovercabrillo.com/what-is-a-dip-tube-in-a-hot-water-heater/#:~:text=A%20dip%20tube%20is%20a,the%20bottom%20near%20the%20burners.


Can I remove just the upper part of my 1 Piece Acrylic Tub (Walls) and leave the tub in place? I want to tile the walls in my bath but don't want to remove the one piece acrylic tub. Has anyone ever cut down the tub walls and tiled down to the  edge of the existing tub?  I anticipate placing a sill around the entire tub as well.

If you take a look at the picture in this question you'll see that a "normal" tub has an integrated flange that is meant to go behind the tile.

Your one-piece is not designed with tile in mind, so especially at the corners, you are going to have a gap between the tub and the wall.  Depending on the design of your one piece, cutting off the top might cause it to loose some rigidity and cause the tub to flex.

What you would need to do is cut off the top and leave a flange of sorts that you could use to attach the tub to the wall securely.  Then you're going to need some trim or possibly the "sill" that you referenced to make a good transition between the tub and the wall and tile down to that transitional piece.

It may be possible, but with the work involved and the unknowns - have you priced a basic tub?  Or looked at a building surplus type store?  I'd make sure you don't have any reasonably priced options before resorting to this (you can get a new, retail, enameled steel tub for less than $150).


How can the door of an Indesit IWDC 6105 be opened when the internal door lock has burned? I have an Indesit IWDC 6105 washing machine (link to manual) and its internal door lock burned during the cycle, causing the machine to be unusable (at least perhaps until the lock is replaced). Image below:

Given that the machine has no apparent mechanism to manually release the locked door, and that the lock appears to be attached by two screws that are behind the door (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxFJXCfgmlA&t=55s), how can the lock actually be removed?

I am keen also to remove clothing that is currently trapped inside before they get destroyed.

At this point, since the part is plastic and the wires burnt to a crisp, I'd go in there with a screwdriver  and break the lock off the frame and see if that frees up the door.  It looks like you'll need part of the wiring harness along with the lock mechanism  to repair it.


How to prevent galvanic corrosion on water tank inlet My current hot water tank, presumably installed by a DIY former homeowner, has severe corrosion on the inlet tube and must be replaced due to a considerable leak.

Were I to DIY, how could I prevent this from happening again? Is several wraps of Teflon tape the usual method of installation, or should I use some kind of pipe dope? What will last the life of the tank or beyond?

On the new tank I imagine I'll use flexible hose on the inlet, which will have an O-ring. Will that be sufficient?

The outlet is in good shape and there's a pink wrap on the threads.

You need to use dielectric unions between the copper pipes and steel water heater.  They prevent electric current from flowing through the metal, which prevents galvanic corrosion.


Mount Gas Oven Range When we had the inspection done on the house we purchased, the inspector told us the oven range (a gas range/oven combo that sits on the ground against the wall) needed to be mounted to the wall.

Neither of us had heard of this, and our realtor suggested we didn't ask for the sellers to do it due to the competitive market for buyers in our city.

I've been trying to research how to do this now that we'll be cooking a turkey in it this Thursday. However, I can't find any info out there on doing this. Do people even do this? How do you go about doing it? It does worry me that if it were to tip, it's hooked up to the gas line.

Thanks!

This depends on where you're located; you need to find out what your local codes are.

Generally, you will need to at least install an anti-tip bracket so there's no way the range could fall forward on someone -- a kid climbing on the lowered door, an adult falling on it, whatever. The usual design anchors one of the back feet of the range to the floor, not to the wall -- your range may be set up differently, or your region may have different concerns (earthquake, for example).

If you don't believe your inspector, check with the local building-permits office, who can probably tell you what code requires... or check with a local appliance store or repair shop.


Dropped my ring in a shower drainage. How do I get it back? Unlike sink in a washing bin, I don't have access to the U shape part of the pipe and it's not visible. What is the recommended way to get the ring? The ring is quite heavy and not magnetic; I'm have doubts that wet vacuum can do it.

“Curse us and crush us, my precious is lost!”

Perhaps a -

Endoscope - Inspection Camera - Endoscope camera- Snake Camera

for your phone and a wire bent into a hook ?


Why is my freshly applied paint coming off on the roller? I used Dulux™ undercoat and primer today for the first time. I cut in a small area and as soon as I started rolling, it was removing the paint! I had committed so I carried on. I let it dry and did a second coat, which was better. My questions are:

Why did the paint peel off? I never have this problem with any other paint. (Walls were filled, sanded and washed prior to applying primer)
Also if I very lightly sand will it make the job good again and will the sanding take away any effectiveness of the primer?

I am reluctant to use primer again and I have another room to do. Is a mist coat as effective as a primer paint. My goal is for the touch up jobs not to come through and to cover a darker wall with a lighter paint.

When your roller lifts the existing coat of paint from the wall surface it indicates that the wall was not prepared correctly or possibly something is affecting the bond to the wall (like moisture or heat).
Although the newly primed paint isn't pealing off the wall it would be wise to check that it has a good bond. Use a putty knife to try and scrape the paint from the wall. It should not come away if it has a good bond to the wall.
If it does scrape away continue scraping until it doesn't. Verify the primer has dried securely to the wall.
Sanding the walls wont help if the problem is with the original paint not being applied to a clean surface. The problem is contaminants preventing a proper hold from the paint.
Dulux is a very good paint brand. Check the label for any "warnings" the manufacturer may have.


Trying to understand wiring to old heat lamp in bathroom I am replacing a very old heat lamp in a bathroom ceiling with a fan/light/nightlight.

The house is over 50 years old but the heat lamp may have been added in the 80's, when a previous owner did some remodeling.  The original house wiring did not use junction boxes in the attic or at light fixtures, but there is one junction box in the attic above this fixture.

I am trying to understand how that wiring worked.

There is 12-3 romex running from the electrical panel into that junction box above the old light.
There are three 12-2 romex lines coming out of that junction box: One 12-2 runs to the switch that controlled the heat light.  That line is controlled by breaker 10 in the panel.  I understand that.  A second 12-2 runs from the junction box directly to the heat lamp.  It is also controlled by circuit breaker 10.  The third 12-2 runs out from the junction box to a different bathroom.  That line is controlled by breaker 12 in the panel.

I am assuming that 10 and 12 share the 12-3 at the electrical panel.

I do not understand why one wire fed the light directly while the other ran through the switch.  I would be grateful if someone could explain to me how that works.  How does the switch cut the power when there is a second line running directly into the fixture that is always on?

The 2x6 is charred where the heat lamp was attached (4 or 5 inches).  Is that likely to have been caused by the heat from the fixture or the wiring?  The white romex jackets close to the fixture are browned.

What should be done with the line that ran directly from the junction box to the heat lamp?  Should the junction box be rewired so that it can be removed?

I am planning to call an electrician, but I want to understand it before I get an estimate.

Since you are on breakers 10 & 12 it is probably a multiwire branch circuit sharing the neutral, today's code requires handle ties if this is the case. Verify the hot feeding the light and switch. A noncontact tester may show a hot line or a phantom induced voltage. Depending on the wiring it could be a switched neutral this would be a code violation and is common in home owners doing there own wiring. The correct way would be to take the black wire that feeds the light and connect it to the black that goes to the switch, in the switch box the white wire that comes in with the black needs to be marked with paint or electrical tape a color other than white or green. The white in the light on the same cable feeding the switch needs to me marked also. Heat lamps usually take special fixtures that have high temp wires and many of the heat lamp fixtures have a maximum wattage of 300w some much less. Excess wattage lamps can be the cause for the discoloration of the insulation. The wiring needs to be evaluated and possibly repaired with proper junction boxes added. It would be a good idea to add handle ties to breaker 10-12 if it is a multiwire branch circuit. They may not have been required when the home was wired but are a good safety feature now. This or replacing the 2 breakers with a double pole breaker with 1 handle.


Is there a type of extension cord I can use with a gutter heater? I just purchased a gutter heater (yes I know it may not actually work), and the user's manual said not to use an extension cord. We don't have any outlets within the 6 foot range of the cord on the heating cable.

Is there not a specification of extension cord that could be used?

In your place, I would try to find the shortest length (25' maybe) of gauge 12.


How should I insulate the walls and ceilings of this 1920's semi-detached brick house? I'm renovating a 1920's semi-detached house. The plaster on the walls was  slapped straight on the wall about an inch thick, and the ceilings were lath and plaster which had been overboarded.  Most of this needs to come off to do repair work to the walls.  I want to know what is the best way to insulate the walls and ceilings with the aim of meeting the BC regs u value. ( i believe this is 0.3 [unit needed])

All exterior walls are 9 inch solid brick. The floor joists are 30cm apart with pine floor on top which I don't plan to remove as its all sound.
I plan to insulate the loft with rock-wool/fibreglass to about 400mm and use sound deadening board on the ceilings and most internal walls.

Above the living room and kitchen are spare bedrooms which aren't really used. I'd like to insulate them so that I'm not heating unused space.

My concerns are:

To insulate external walls with insulated plasterboard would mean building a frame and losing a good 4 inches around each room.  It would also create a logistical problem in  mounting  (future) fixtures to the wall.

I'm also concerned about condensation in the joists if I insulate the ground floor ceilings.

Condensation is definitely a concern in colder weather.  If you create a thermal break that isn't properly sealed against air leakage, warm air from the house will seep behind the walls, bringing lots and lots of moisture with it.  Meanwhile the bricks, which are now insulated, are going to be very very cold, and when warm air gets cold it lets go of its moisture - and thus we get condensation.

That condensation would then get trapped inside the walls - and long before you have a problem with brick deterioration you're going to have mold issues that lead to health issues.

The best thing to do to prevent this is to insulate with a substance that also serves as a vapor barrier, which will prevent any air (and thus any moisture) from leaking into the closed cavity.  The best product for this IMO is spray foam insulation, because it fills in all the nooks and crannies and IS the vapor barrier.

Alternatively, you could use fiberglass and cover it over with plastic to form a vapor barrier, and this can work IF you properly seal it all the way around the edges, seams and any holes that occur.

Either approach, however, is going to require you to sacrifice living space, as for a proper thermal break you're going to probably want at least 4" of insulation.

Now - with regard to insulating your spare rooms.  Don't insulate your interior walls.  Put proper insulation in the external walls of those rooms, so that they don't lose heat to the outside.  Yes you will be heating them, but if they're properly insulated they're not going to cost much to heat and there are numerous other concerns with turning an inside room into a "cold" room - it's a finished space, after all, and you don't want to risk damaging that by letting it be freezing cold in there.


Can I add a garage outlet from existing interior circuit? I would like to add a receptacle to my garage.  Currently, all receptacles and lights in the garage are on a single 20A circuit that is solely dedicated to the garage.  For my new receptacle, I'd like to run it from a circuit that powers a couple of basement lights.  So at the end of the project, I will have a circuit that powers some basement lights and a receptacle in my garage.  Is this okay to do?  I've read about circuits needed to be dedicated to the garage, but I already have that.  Now I'm curious if I can add an additional receptacle from a different circuit.

You can do that.
If the circuit it's coming from isn't GFCI protected the receptacle will need to be, since it's in the garage.


How to locate a line parallel to adjacent building for a new building I want to build a new building next to an existing building.  The new building must be parallel to the old building, but shifted forward, as shown below.  What is the best way to find a parallel line to the existing building in order to mark and set the footers for the new building?

For example, an existing building is here:

+----------------------------+
|                            |
|                            |
|                            |
|                            |
+----------------------------+

I want to add another building a few feet away, shifted halfway to the right but maintaining parallel walls with existing building:

               +------------------------------+
               |                              |
               |                              |
               |                              |
               +------------------------------+

What's the best way to find the parallel line?


Converting LED String Lights from Battery to DC Power Supply I've converted a string of micro LED fairy lights powered by 2-CR2032 3V batteries to run off of a 5V 1.0A Switching AC/DC Power Adapter. The lights are "Steady On" when powered by the batteries, but flash off & on at quick, regular intervals when hooked up to the power supply. I want the lights to be "Steady On" when powered by the power adapter. What is causing them to flash off & on? And how can I fix it?

UPDATE:The experienced advice of several people helped me to solve the problem I was having with converting a string of battery-operated LED lights to a plug-in power source.

Here's what I think I learned:

Voltage matters: When I hooked up a 5V power adapter to a string of these LED lights, they either flashed off and on, probably a function of the built-in protection inside the power adapter.....or.....they snapped-crackled-and-popped and I managed to fry most of a string
Even though the voltage across the 2 batteries in series without a load was 5.96, the voltage across the 2 batteries with the LED lights running was only 3.0 to 3.3. The 5V power supply was too large.
When I hooked up a 3V power supply, the LED string functioned properly with the correct amount of light output/brightness.
I realized that I didn't have to worry about the current rating of the power supply, so long as it was enough. The current is pulled as needed by the LED lights up to as much as it needs.

Thanks for taking the time to share your knowledge and helping me out.

There are a number of things that could contribute to this.

First off re-connect the lights to the batteries and measure the voltage across the wires where the battery connections are. Two CR2032 batteries should show a nomimal voltage of 6V or thereabouts. It is possible that the voltage of your switching module is too low to activate the LEDs string properly.

The next step would be to consider just how much current the LED strings will take. Sometimes when cheap LED strings are used with small batteries they are not equipped with a series resistor to limit the total current and instead leverage the internal resistance of the coin cell batteries to limit the current. Your 5V adapter very likely has a much lower internal source resistance than the battery and so the current allowed to flow in the LED string is much greater. Greater to the extent that it exceeds the current limit rating of your AC to DC adapter. When an adapter (if it is a safe and decent design) goes into current limit it will typically shut down it's output section and the output voltage will fall. Eventually the voltage will get too low that the LED string cannot even light. This makes the current fall to a very low level and thus the adapter is able to recover. This process repeats in a cycle and causes the flashing. To fix this you would have to add a series resistor to limit the current to the LED string.

It may be necessary to measure the total current consumed by the LED string when connected to the battery in order to determine the size (ohms) of resistor to use.


Gas Forced Hot Air seems to be blowing extremely hot air Gas forced hot air. The floor registers are hot to the touch after 6 minutes heat running, if left hand on register would burn quickly. Don't remember it being this hot before.

Check the return air -- ensure the filter is clean and the flow through the return grille(s) is good. A furnace should have high temperature cut-out and possibly even low airflow safeties, but I suppose these could be absent, failed, or bypassed.


How can I immobilise a non-T&G subfloor? I'm building an 8x10 freestanding office shed. I used 2.5 sheets of non-T&G 3/4" plywood for the subfloor (I know this was not a good call but there's a plywood shortage in my area). I glued it down with PL400 and screwed it to the joists (most are spaced 16" and the rest are 12"). However all the seams fall halfway between joists, since I unthinkingly placed the half-sheet on the wrong side (I've been kicking myself over it ever since!).
I've already put foam insulation between the joists and it would be extremely challenging to add more joists from underneath.
I'm worried about movement and the edges "sawing" together. The floor will eventually be covered with T&G pine.
How can I keep the plywood from flexing? I'm thinking of cutting the edges of the plywood back to the joists and replacing them with 16" wide pieces of plywood. I would have 2 seams for every 1 seam but at least they'd fall on joists.
Buying T&G plywood is unfortunately not an option.

While t+g might have been a bit better, as long as your sheets landed well (1/2 on, 1/2 off) the joists, it'll be fine.
If you're still concerned AND you can get underneath, you could install solid blocking (2x4 on the flat) perpendicular to the joists under the seams.

Edit to reflect new information (seams not on joists):
Soooo... this isn't great, but still not the end of the world. If you run 3/4" t+g pine flooring perpendicular to your floor joists, you'll get a little flex, but your plywood underneath won't saw itself to death.
If you really wanted to fix this, you'd cut out the ply in the joist bays where the seams are. Cut next to the joist, so that the plywood that stays behind is on the entire joist. Attach something (could be as small as a 2x4, and doesn't, strictly speaking, have to be continuous) to the sides of the existing joists, and set a complete section of plywood on that. Glue/screw/etc. Use a 2x4 on the flat if you have any seams perpendicular to the joists.


Conduit through wall with low power and AC I want to run a new 20A service and 2x POE lines from my basement to my garage. Can I put them in the same pieces of conduit or do I need two? Piece of conduit would be less than  1 foot in length.

No, you cannot mix AC mains and low-voltage wiring (such as network cables) in the same conduit.  The length of the run is not important, it's prohibited.
Run two separate conduits and you'll be good.


What can I do about this deteriorating staircase? The side entrance stairs to my home are deteriorating. They appear to be several different patches, coats and possibly capped concrete.

I have a temporary fix lined up to make it safe for travel. My question is: Other than demolition and replacement could I build a stair structure that could be built over what I fear is essentially beyond repair.

Secondary motivation to avoid additional concrete work is, I live in New England and as such sand and salt are facts of life. The salt especially is hard on concrete.

Any creative alternatives?

Sure - many people build new wooden or "plastic-decking not-wooden" stairs over old, excessively steep concrete steps like that rather than rebuild the concrete ones, as much to make them more reasonable in rise/run and landing area as for fixing the basic steps.

In many ways it is easier if you demo the concrete ones first, (other than the concrete demo), since then you don't have to futz with supporting the pressure-treated wooden step framing on the old concrete steps. But plenty are done with the concrete steps still there below them.


How to run a cable raceway by doorway with raised floor? I need to run a coaxial cable (and one more cable like ethernet) by a doorway. The floor is raised approximately 0.65 inches.

I found D-line raceways, and also the floor raceways that are wide (so people don't trip on it). I'm not sure they will fit well because they are right by a raised floor.
I also found baseboard cord channel which might be better but I'm afraid they are taller than the raised floor.

Picture (only one cable is shown but there will be two running left to right):

Any experience with this? Any idea what would be the best solution here? Breaking the floor is not an option. It should be something that won't require construction.

Thank you.

Just to update with an answer: at the end only one cable was necessary, which helps. Solution still applicable if two cables were necessary (as originally stated): a plastic raceway of the right size is best in this case. I checked dimensions of all raceways I could find, and chose the one right the size I needed. That avoid extra wasted space and a tripping hazard. The photo might not tell that, but even with two cables it would not be a problem, it wouldn't be projected too far from the door to be unsafe.

The result is nice:


How to tidily integrate power into an island I'm currently running the ducts for wiring into my gutted kitchen and was wondering how best to integrate power into my island.

I've seen pop-up products like this and this that fit nicely into the island, but am not sure of whether they're actually practical.

Also, I'm unsure of how to wire the island. Do I wire a plug directly into the cabinet?

I looked at the link you posted, personally, I think it looks a bit gimmicky and perhaps impracticable if you use it regularly. I think you would be well served with permanently built in GFCI receptacles. I would suggest that they be built into the sides of the island.  (never the top)  Assuming the island is fixed in position, simply run wires up from under the floor, install device boxes in the left and right side panels of your island. You can use old work plastic boxes with retainer tabs. Using the box as a template, trace the shape on your cabinet panel, cut it out with a jig saw, install the box, bring your wires up from below, wire the GFCI, done.  Now you will have electrical power available from either side,and not have to worry about dirt or liquids getting into them. Good Luck


Can I drill holes in septic tank risers to off-gas hydrogen sulfide? How about drilling a few small vent holes in the riser (assuming it is open air and not buried)? The septic guy says that doing so would vent the HS gas and significantly extend the life of the second stage tank (the first tak is vented through the house plumbing).

Both tanks (in fact, the whole system) should be designed to vent gases back through the house vent stack. Drilling holes in the "riser" (are you calling the inspection port/manhole the riser?) will release the gas there and cause odor at that area. It could also expose an innocent passer-by to poisonous H2S gas.

I would be careful following this guy's advice. If the system required additional venting it would have been designed and installed to provide that.


I have a light fixture with a green a white and a black wire. What is the green for? I have a light fixture with a green wire as well as white and black. Where does green go?

Green is the ground wire. It connects to the ground conductor in the box and bonds it to exposed metal portions of the fixture as a safety measure.

The ground conductor is typically a bare wire inside the same cable as the supply hot and neutral wires. But in some older systems, ground is conducted via a metal jacket or conduit, in which case you would also have a metal box. In those cases, the green wire should be bonded to the box.


Mold on cedar soffit - how to fix? I stained this 2 years ago before installation - back and front.  The boards were kiln dried and stained inside.  The penetrating stain I used contains linseed oil and after I installed I read some reviews saying the stain wasn't very good.  I had hoped my cedar being in the soffit would not have any problems but there goes that.

This is the worst one but you can see signs of mold on the others.  I tried sanding with 150 grit but the mold seems wet and just smudges.

Any recommendations?

What would you sand with?  or would you scrape it? maybe steel wool it?  I could go for a dish sponge?  I haven't done much work with stain grade wood so any advice appreciated.  I currently have scaffolding up so now is the time to fix if there is a time.  I don't think I'll spend time on the lesser effected boards unless there is something easy, maybe a topical mildicide?  I can't see sanding / staining 140 linear feet at 2' depth being worth while until the lesser effected boards look much worse even then maybe I go with it and stain black.

Spray the area with some vinegar and let it sit or 30 to 60 minutes, then wipe off with a cloth or sponge. Vinegar is better than bleach for killing mold because it soaks in below the surface to kill the mold roots. Bleach only takes care of the surface mold. I have used it on my stained deck and it has always worked great and didn't affect the wood color.


3 Lights, One Switch, Power at 1st Light - HELP! Can someone please tell me if/how I could add an additional light (or two) the the wiring arrangement in this diagram using 12/2 wiring. Also, could I us this "to the next unswitched fixture" to go to a receptacle. Thanks

You'll need to run 12/3 to the switch anyway to conform with current Codes, but the 12/2 between the lights is OK
The issue with the diagram you posted is that it predates the 2011 NEC's amendments in 404.2(C) to require neutrals at light switch locations so that you can install a smart-switch down the road without having to make a fuss over things.  This means that instead of using a 12/2 from the light to the switch, you'll have to use a 12/3, with the white in the 12/3 used to provide neutral at the switch location.
The good news about that, though, is it means that putting the receptacle at the switch location will Just Work, as all the correct wires for it will be there anyway.  Once you have the switch and receptacle working, with switched-hot available at the first light fixture, then the onwards cable gets connected to switched-hot and neutral, with each subsequent light fixture connected between black (switched-hot) and white (neutral) of the onwards wiring.
Of course, this assumes that you're routing the switch loop from the first light fixture in the chain (where power comes in at).  If you want to place the switch loop at the last light fixture in the chain, then you're stuck replacing all the 12/2 between the light fixtures with 12/3, as you'll need to bring always-hot all the way out to the switch, then bring switched-hot all the way back to the first light, while providing neutral at every point in the chain as well.


Placement of indoor minisplit unit I am about to have a Mitsubishi minisplit installed.  In case it matters, the installation will be on an interior wall; on the other side of that wall is a closet with a sump pump which we will use for drainage.
The unit (#MSZFS12NAU1) is 12.6 inches tall and 9.2 inches deep.  It will be installed above a 9" deep bookshelf.  The distance from the top of the bookshelf to the ceiling is 19.25".
The contractor says that distance should be at least 22", so the bookshelf has to go and be replaced by something shorter.  I am inclined to try the experiement of keeping the existing bookshelf, living for a while with the minisplit, and then replacing the bookshelf if (and only if) I am unhappy with the performance.
Question 1:  How likely is it that the difference between 19.25" and 22" will significantly affect performance?
Question 2:  If performance is in fact affected, can I compensate by changing the temperature setting?  For example, if I would normally set the temperature to 70 degrees, but the performance is hampered by the proximity of the bookshelf, would I be able to set the temperature to, say, 65 degrees and get the result I want?
Question 3:  Given that I want to at least try the experiment of keeping the existing bookshelf (unless responders here talk me out of it), does this have any implications for exactly how far from the ceiling the unit should be installed?  (In case it matters, it's a drop ceiling with lots of room above it.)

If you do not have the space to mount the unit with the required space above you void the warranty! You are purchasing a premium unit and mounting it two close to the ceiling will cause ANY future problems to be on your dime IF the installer will violate the space requirements (some will not).
Placing the unit tight to the bookshelf will block the output also. I would go with what they require because a future real problem may be on you that they would have covered if properly mounted.


wire is dark, not bright If I strip an insulated wire, and the wire under the insulation is dark, not bright, and it's this way not just at the end but in the middle too, should I discard that wire for use? Has it been damaged from too high resistance?

It can oxidize, but if you can test it for connectivity it should be fine.


AC related power outage (partial)? HVAC? So running into a weird situation that I have not encountered before.
Back ground - house was built in the late 60/early 70s - 3 bed 2 bath
So we have a weird situation where our house is partially losing power.
If the AC is on, power is great no issues, once the AC reaches the temp we set it at, ac will power down (go idle), which is normal...Weird issue is that randomly, minutes later or even hours later (if the ac is not triggered on manually or automatically), the power to like 80-90 percent of the house dies. The only power that stays on is the hallway power (thermostat is located in hallway), one bedroom power, and guest restroom power...other than that - all power is out (inside, outside, garage, kitchen, etc)
We check the breakers and all breakers look good and nothing seems to be popped or out of the ordinary.
The weird thing is the only way to get the rest of the power back on is if we get the ac going by turning the temp down, just so it can trigger on.
Any ideas on this?
Any help or guidance would be appreciated. Not sure how to go about troubleshooting this issue.
—————update Below ————
From what centerpoint said when they came out is everything is getting power and all properly, but when he pulled the breaker for the ac out, it was all melted and bud bars had some burning on it.
Seems it’s a common issue with the Zinsco breakers.

I'm going to slightly disagree with the other answers and guess you have an open hot conductor.  Either way, the answer is the same: call the power company and report a power outage. The problem is very likely at the pole, so they'll come out and fix it for free.
For more information on why losing one of your hot conductors will cause the symptoms you're seeing here, take a look at Harper's answer to this similar question: https://diy.stackexchange.com/a/153926/91556


Can I use 8x16 tiles on shower walls that measure 39.5" by 35.5" by 39.5"? I made the mistake of putting 2" x 2" tiles on my shower floor of a tile that is hard to match. This being my first tile job, I didn't plan properly.

Finally, I've found the floor/wall tile from the same series, but it's at a store 1.5 hours from my home in NYC(I'll make the trip if I can use them).

Yet they only have them in tile in sizes of 8x16 and 8x32, and the bullnose tiles, too. Problem is the widths of my shower walls are 39.5" by 35.5" by 39.5". Is there any way I could arrange those tiles on the walls so they would look ok? Or can I cut them into 8x8 tiles and then put them on the walls. The manufacturer says it's a "porcelain tile that looks like marble."

The tile is: Gardenia Orchidea Varenna beige.

Thanks!
Joe

The usual approach is to cut them so that the offcuts are not so small - and NOT to try to keep an "uncut edge" anywhere.

So, you'd basically plan to burn 48" of tile on each wall, though you should be able to re-use some of the offcuts around the corner. No getting around the 1.75" ones on the back wall unless you want to get cute and put a 3.5" slice in the middle of two 8x16's to make the width. Whether that looks good to you or not is your call - if it does, consider the same approach on the side walls. Something like:

xxxxx|xxxxxxxx|xxxxx
xxxxxxxx|xx|xxxxxxxx
xxxxx|xxxxxxxx|xxxxx
xxxxxxxx|xx|xxxxxxxx
xxxxx|xxxxxxxx|xxxxx
xxxxxxxx|xx|xxxxxxxx
xxxxx|xxxxxxxx|xxxxx
xxxxxxxx|xx|xxxxxxxx
xxxxx|xxxxxxxx|xxxxx

and then on the longer sidewalls:

xxxxxxxx|xxxx|xxxxxxxx
xxxxxx|xxxxxxxx|xxxxxx
xxxxxxxx|xxxx|xxxxxxxx
xxxxxx|xxxxxxxx|xxxxxx
xxxxxxxx|xxxx|xxxxxxxx
xxxxxx|xxxxxxxx|xxxxxx
xxxxxxxx|xxxx|xxxxxxxx
xxxxxx|xxxxxxxx|xxxxxx
xxxxxxxx|xxxx|xxxxxxxx
xxxxxx|xxxxxxxx|xxxxxx

Look OK is, of course, a highly variable and personal criteria. In your shoes I'd probably find that I could live with another wall tile, but I'm not you and you're not me.


How do I disconnect a garbage disposal from a junction box? What to do with loose wires? I just removed part of our cabinet during demo and our kitchen has a hardwired garbage disposal to a junction box on the wall.

I want to disconnect my disposal during demo and save it for reuse in our remodel.

How do I disconnect the disposal from the junction box and reconnect the loose wires in junction box so that the path of electricity is still maintained for the other parts of the kitchen?

I'm pretty sure I know how to disconnect it...
(1) Turn off power at the breaker box
(2) Open junction box and disconnect wires that goes to the disposal
(3) ...what do I do next with the loose wires?  (I guess I should open the box and take a picture)

It seems like you know most steps leading up to it. Based on that it seems you only want to know what to do with the wires once disposal wiring is removed.

I would simply take wiring caps and place one on each exposed wire and then wrap each wire with some electrical tape further ensuring the caps stay on and do not become exposed if touched or caught when working around the wires. If you are keeping the junction box I would still use the same method but place wires back in the box and and screw the plate back on. Pull wire to sit inside of junction box or just place the end in the box and screw plate back on.

Screw on one wire cap/nut on each wire.

Tape each wire cap/nut separately


Wire tone tracer loses signal. Best practices for how to trace an electrical line? I picked up a Fluke Pro3000 tone tracer to try to trace some electrical wires in my walls, basically to solve some mystery switches and figure out what they are theoretically supposed to control.
The tracer picks up the tone pretty easily near the wires I attach it to at the switch box, but as I move away it quickly decreases in signal and it gets a lot of static. Then if I get far away from any wires, eg standing in the middle of the room, the static goes away too.
I know the wires have to be there because they head up towards the attic through the wall bays. Why would it lose the signal so quickly? And what are some best practices for tracing wire using a tone tracer?

The Fluke Pro3000 is a nice unit, but like other tracers in this segment, it really picks up the signal best when the probe is held within an inch or two of the traced conductor. That's hard to achieve with conductors buried in walls. This kind of tool isn't designed for that job. The nature of building wiring branching out in a star topology going all over also makes it hard to trace a single cable. Fully disconnecting the cable where the transmitter is attached would help combat that, though the signal could branch out as well at the other end of the cable..
If you can get the probe up close and touch the jacket of the cable somewhere else you may get a hit. It could be productive to crawl through the attic to the area where the cables emerge from the wall, probe each of them, and get some idea of the direction the traced cable goes from there.
It might be useful to practice with a cable whose route you do know (or even with a scrap of cable). You could work in an unfinished/semi-finished area of the house to test the detection distance from an exposed cable to the probe, and from cable hidden behind wall board to probe. That'll at least help you set realistic expectations for what the tool may do.


Best joint for pine storm windows? Mostly why not miters? I'm going to make storm windows. 1x3 select pine. Every online discussion I've seen refers to mortise and tenons, lap joint, or a doweled butt joint. I haven't seen any do a 45 joint like a picture frame.

Why is this?

I like the 45s because I can run the rabbets for the glass along the full length of each board before cutting. If strength is an issue I can use biscuits or pocket screws. So - any downside to the 45s?

In a miter joint you're gluing end grain to end grain. That's inherently weaker than most joints.

If you really want this appearance, at least spline the corners so there's significant long-grain gluing area. A mitered half-lap would be another possibility, or one of the other joints that mimics a miter in appearance but has something stronger underneath it.


GFCI outlet - Why no green LED indicator? Just installed new GFCI.  When I plug in a device it has power, then press test button and power drops out, then press reset button and power is back on.  Everything appears to work EXCEPT no green led indicator - why??

If it is supposed to turn green and doesn't, it is faulty. Replace it.


Drawbacks of a stacked top-loading washer + drier We're considering getting a stacked washer-drier (top-loading washer). I like the option of soaking clothes before washing them, which is why I like a top-loader.

What are the drawbacks / things to consider when buying such a unit?

Stacking a top loading washer on top of a front loading dryer is going to be a ripping pain to use. The height to the top of the stack will, in the worst case, require a step ladder to get the cloths in and out. If it is reduced height thing then maybe just a stool is required but it still seems like a big pain.

There is another consideration too. Washers, especially ones loaded with wet cloths and water, are way heavier than dryers. It seems all wrong to put a heavy washer on the top of the stack.

Lastly if you select one of the type of stacked units that only lets a lower washer door open up to a 45 degree angle I find those to also be a pain to reach into and get the cloths in and out (especially out).


Coffee machine trips circuit breaker Not always but it happens from time to time.
A technician visited for this issue and at that time we couldn't reproduce the situation but he observed my coffee machine hit very high ampere like 9 or 11A at the beginning very shortly. but breaker unit can hold 20A. We guessed even though the reader couldn't catch it but it could reach to 20A or nearby threshold point. Anyway, he replaced the break unit with another and said let's see what would happen.
Later, I have the same problem one or two times a week again.

Now, I wonder if there is any high current holding outlet so that it prevent high current from flowing in a very short moment?

Or, is this coffee machine problem?

It sounds like there is other equipment on this circuit of which you are unaware.  Perhaps your refrigerator?  It's a common intermittent load in kitchens that could easily pop a breaker in combination with a coffee maker.

Your electrician should have measured amperage draw inside the electrical panel when he swapped out the breaker.

Invite the electrician back over, for some coffee.

You can use a Watts-Up or Kill-a-Watt meter to measure the coffee maker's draw at the outlet:

And the electrician should have an amp clamp to measure at the breaker.


Mixed Recessed LED Lights Not Working I purchased a home that has recessed lighting throughout. They are the LED lights that clip into a standard light bulb screw-in socket. They all point straight down and I wanted to purchase some that gimbal to highlight some artwork.

All of the existing lights are 10w 120v/60hz.

I purchased a 15w gimballed light and tested it in a bedroom and it worked fine.

However, when I installed it in the main room where the artwork is, it would not turn on. I tested two different fixtures with the same result. I then tested the new light in the kitchen and it worked fine in there.

The main room has a total of 12 lights where the other rooms I tested only have 4. This is the only difference that I could think of between the two rooms.

I ordered a 10w gimbaled light to test but it just seems strange to me that this is the problem.

Anything else I haven't though of?

As the comments above indicated, the problem was a dimmer switch that I didn't know existed.


Who is responsible to relocate cable TV line? I had my yard marked for utilities before digging for new landscaping(trees, etc).  Unfortunately, the cable TV line runs diagonal across my entire back yard. I was planning on putting a 3" diameter tree right where the line runs a few feet from each side of my fence. Is it my responsibility to pay for this relocation, who does it, and any ideas of cost? I am located in the US(Minnesota).

This seemed more like a GC question and less like a landscaping question so I asked here over the gardening SE site.

Like Chris says, you'll likely have to pay for this. If the line had become damaged through no fault of your own, they would pay to run a new line, and at that point you might get them to run it a different way.

That said, cable lines tend to be buried fairly shallow. You can dig it up yourself and rebury it a short distance away. Just be careful when digging it up since they are also easy to damage and they'd likely charge you for the repair. And when you rebury the line, try to get it deep enough so it can't be hit with an aerator or other routine yard maintenance.


How do I get rust stains off my driveway? I used fertilizer with iron and, unfortunately, didn't sweep adequately afterwards. Afterwards I ran my sprinklers and now my driveway and sidewalk are peppered with unsightly rust stains.

What are the best ways to get it off? (By "best" I mean easiest and most efficient, while still being safe, inexpensive, and not too harmful to the nearby lawn.)

Any suggestions?

Use a cleaning product called CLR also known as calcium,lime and rust remover. It is available at hardware stores and home centers.


Would you replace these deck posts? How much life do they have left? I have a small deck that needs care. The top side is in really bad shape (rails, floors, lattice, stairs) need to be replaced. The deck is above a brick patio and I think that the posts are set in concrete buried under the patio bed.

I am trying to decide if I need to replace the posts as well. I am not very charmed by the idea of having to dig out the posts, the concrete and to pour concrete footing (quicrete and quicktube like here-not sure if quckrete is OK for this)

Hit them with a hammer to hear if they are solid. If the are rotting they will sound flat or hollow, if they are solid you can hear it.

You could also power wash them to get a better look at their condition.

From here they look fine. But then looks can be deceiving.

Good luck!


Problem With Sprinkler Backflow Device I recently moved into a new house. I was trying to test out the sprinkler system. I turned on the sprinkler valve in the utility room. I also turned on the valve on the backflow device (I think - never done this before). When they are both open the backflow device sprays water everywhere. In the video below I have it only slightly turned on so the spray is much less than full blast.

Am I opening the valves incorrectly? Is the backflow device broken? Or is it something else?

Video of issue: https://youtu.be/FHcr1fxBZqk

Backflow picture:

If the inlet valve (bottom, in your picture) isn't opened enough, or if the other valves aren't set right, there's not enough pressure to activate the backflow preventer, so water just spews out the top and/or sides. Check out this video on how to properly "turn on" the pressure-vacuum breaker (PVB).


Stable Legs for Desk I currently came into possession of a desktop from Ikea that is sort of like the one in the link but it is 63 inches wide, roughly an inch thick. I am looking to put some legs on it that are about 27-30 inches long. I have came across something like this but I am not sure if the desk would be stable enough. Would those legs in the link be okay or would I be looking for something else?

Any help would be appreciated.

The legs you have may or may not provide the stability that you seek.  Hard to say.  The legs you link to probably would work fine for most purposes.  However, a skirt between the legs would improve the stability a good deal.  You can look at getting your own table skirt and legs using the calculator/chooser at Osborne Wood products here:  https://www.osbornewood.com/Skirt.aspx

We created a large counter height combination table and island using two Ikea wood countertops (round edges ripped off lengthwise, and halves mated together with pocket screws), two Ikea base cabinets and the 2 legs and matching skirts from Osborne.  It turned out really good and has ample stability.


How can I hide the wires to a self-made ceiling light fixture? I have a simple self-made ceiling light fixture, but it currently lacks two things:

some kind of a pipe to hide the wire.
a cover to hide the ceiling junction box.

I'd like to use something similar to what's used on this fixture to hide the wires in the ceiling, but I'm not sure what it's called or where I should look for it.

I also need to figure out how to hide the wires between the ceiling and the fixture itself.

What types of ready-made products should I use for this type of project?

You can get a condiment cup or similar and just drill a hole in the middle of the bottom. Here's one, that runs $1.50, but there will likely be about a billion to choose from, so you can surely find the right diameter somewhere.


Where is clicking noise coming from in kitchen We have an intermittent click somewhere in the kitchen. We are not sure if it is coming from an appliance or from a possible electrical problem. All appliances are electric and 2 Years old. The sound is a quick click. Then maybe a few minutes later another click. Then maybe 2 hours later another click. It happens when appliances are in use or not in use. Breakers are not tripped. We thought maybe the stove only because we have replaced the light in the oven 3 times in 2 years. I also have a scratch/crack on one of the smooth top burners. And it seems to happen maybe?? after stove or oven have been used. Don't know whether to call an electrician or appliance repair person. We also replaced the 2 gfci in the kitchen.

Pipes expanding and contracting with changes in temperature can make noises. Hot water pipes in particular heat up and cool down regularly.


How long should a blower and dehumidifier run in order to dry out ceiling boards and drywall? I recently had a leak in a pipe in my ceiling. It was caught immediately and only soaked the floor below my bathroom, the floor boards and ceiling drywall in a small area. I had two air blowers and a dehumidifier set up pointed at the ceiling and the bathroom tiles. How long should these run in order to completely dry out the area? I live in TX and the weather is humid and 90 deg F outside.

The only real answer can be "as long as it takes". There are so many variables that affect how easily the water will evaporate that you can't predict. Could be hours in some situations, could be months in others.

You need to figure out how to measure how much water is left. You might consider buying a moisture content meter; there are ones with pins that you push into the surface (meant for wood, but may work with plaster), and inductive ones that measure through the surface (but may be less accurate). Or, you could figure out how to get to the wet area and check it out first-hand.

If the wet area is confined (e.g. between ceiling and floor) you should do whatever you can to get air flow through the confined area. For example, some Googling turned up this equipment which professionals use to inject air into a wall cavity to dry out the cavity. You probably don't want to buy one of those, but whatever you can do that has the same end-result will help.


Furnace control board - interchangeable? A few months ago, I had someone working on my outdoor a/c unit, and he accidentally shorted out the control board in the furnace (it's a Goodman gas furnace GKS91155DX). He replaced the board, and the a/c did end up working, but when I tried to start the heat today, the burners would not stay on for longer than a few seconds before cutting out.

After ruling out the usual culprits (flame sensor, bad ground, etc.), I turned my attention to the control board, and after a little research I came to realize that it was the wrong board! The one in my furnace was PCBBF122, while the one listed in the service manual for my model is PCBBF112.

Does anybody know whether these boards are generally interchangeable? The terminals are mostly the same, except that the "wrong" board has 2 extra terminals -- one for "LO HEAT" and the other for "EAC-H".

It turns out they're not compatible -- the one I need is for one-stage, and the other one is for two-stage.


Lots of security cameras but no DVR, what one do i get? I recently purchased a 4 acre property, and the seller left all of his security cameras but took the dvrs.

There's at least 10 cameras. Some are newer models but there some that look to be from 4-5 years ago. I don't know much about setting up a security system, can I purchase a universal dvr to connect all the cameras? Or would it be cheaper to just buy my own cameras that come with a dvr?

Most of the cams have red/yellow ends on them so hopefully that will tell you what type they are. ?

I really would like to use the cams already here because there already mounted and wired throughout the property.

Any advice/help is very much appreciated,

Thank you!

The older security camera systems use "traditional" video feeds, typically using RCA type connectors. That's likely the red connection on your camera. The yellow connector may be audio.

You should also have a barrel type connection for power.

The termination at the DVR end should involve connecting the RCA to the DVR and the barrel end to a power source. I managed to contact the new owner of my old DVR and he has confirmed that the power supply is a 12 volt DC 2 ampere unit. In this case, two cameras were powered by one power supply, through a splitter provided with the equipment.

This is consistent with other camera gear I've had in the past, requiring 1 ampere current at 12 volts DC.

You can test your cameras, one at a time, if you have an old VCR. Apply power to the barrel lead, connect the RCA to the VCR input and select appropriate settings on the VCR, connected to a television or monitor.

If you don't have three independent wires in a cable running from each camera, the above does not apply. Newer systems use POE, power over ethernet and require an injector at the DVR end and also require that the camera have the ability to accept such an input. It does not appear that your connectors qualify for this concern.


Priming metal and plastic access point covers I have several access point covers that are grey from factory but I would like to paint them white.

Someone suggested to me Rustoleum. But should I prime them first or is it not needed? If yes, what kind of primer? Or can the existing coat act as primer ready for the paint? In previous metal painting jobs, I did prime with oil based primer but that was because it would have no coating to begin with.

Scuff it up with a green Scotchbrite sponge or pad, merely to knock the gloss off the paint.  That is paint.    Very important, this step!
Wipedown any dust or grease.
Prime it with a primer that reasonably matches the color of the proper you used on the adjacent walls.  This is a very important step.  First choice is an alkyd primer such as Rustoleum 7780 Clean Metal Primer (they recently changed the number) or Kilz will do in a pinch.  Second choice is a latex primer, but only use this if you are very sure about your work in steps 1 and 2.

Primer is important because paint cans lie. There is no such thing as primer-paint.  Background colors DO print through paint, especially the near-white pigments used on almost all architectural coatings.  If you want the topcoat to match, the underlying primer color must also match.  Primer's job is to provide a uniform surface that is the same in absorption, texture, chemical interaction, and color, so that topcoat comes out equal in all locations.

By applying a separate primer, you are able to force the surfaces to be equal by adding primer coats wherever a background color is still printing through the primer.  When the primer job is complete and even, that means the 1-2 coats of topcoat will print through, but they'll print through consistently.


Moving patio fan to its own switch Under our patio, we have a fan and a security light. The fan and the security light are the same light switch, so they are both on, or both off. The only way to run the fan without the security light is to remove the bulbs from the security light, which is highly inconvenient.

By the door, there is a switch for the fan/light, and a three-way switch that controls the dining room light. I’d like to do one of these options:

Replace the dining room light’s other switch by the hallway with a single pole switch and make the dining room light be controllable only from there, then have two single-pole switches by the door to control the fan and security light independently.
Replace the security light’s switch with one of these: https://www.homedepot.com/p/100356887… and have one be the fan, and one be the security light, and leave the dining room light alone.

I fished a romex cable from the security light’s box to the box by the door (about 3 feet), which I’m guessing will end up being the hardest part of this project. I can connect the fan’s cables to the other end of this cable in the security light’s box.

I suspect this is simple, but the way the three-way switch is wired confuses me a little. How would I go about wiring the switches for these options? I think I ultimately would want to go with whichever option ends up with the least number of connections in the box. I have here a picture of the setup and options, as well as a picture inside the box.

Edit: Going with option 2

So for the wiring portion, I would then do the following (just laying out the steps here):

Get the dual switch (I have this one already: https://www.homedepot.com/p/100356887)
In the switch box, wire the bottom of the dual switch the same as the current single switch is wired now
In the switch box, connect the new cable's white and black wire to the the top of the dual switch
In the switch box, connect all grounds together
In the security light box, connect all white wires together (both the old an new cable, and the security light)
In the security light box, connect all grounds together
In the security light box, connect the black wire for the security light and the black wire on the old cable together
In the security light box, connect the black wire for the cable to the fan and the black wire on the new cable together

Does that seem correct as far as the wiring?

I would get a double switch on a single yoke then put the fan on 1 and the security light on the second. A box extender will allow you to put that romex in a conduit sleeve as it needs to be protected and leaving the existing 3ways will keep you from being confused on the wiring.